Gender locked race?

[Shougun]

I am slowly returning from a nap and totally hyped to look through the points you raised because even a quick skim this looks awesome! I do want to letcha know real fast though, with playable beast races in FFXIV basically I think that equipping gear over the humanoid frame where the gear looks 100% like a beast tribe character (possibly baby/mini if over a lalafell) might be the most effective solution given there's not a lot of variation in beast tribe body types. That said, I'd love if they added dye options and at least a few variations of hypothetical beast gear! Ex. like if it's filling a helmet slot, you have a standard beast head or you could use an alternate beast head option where it is wearing a funny hat. I know people wear vanu heads for example so part of me is wondering if SE could push this option further?

I also did a ridic spiel before but short version is that beast characters tend to use the same face and body models as each other in-game. I figure that maintaining consistency is good for immersion on the one hand, but on the other I also worry excess customization might end up as a wasted resource. For the amount of detail in FFXIV, people might not notice subtle differences in animal features the way they would humanoid features.

Position I'm coming from is like say you have a cat owner. That owner (who has had years of getting used to their pet's specific facial/body features) would be able to pick out their own cat even if you threw it into a sea of identically colored cats. However, if you asked other people they'd probably give you a very frightened look because in their eyes all of these animals look the same. That's the kind of phenomenon I worry might happen for beast folk, if that makes sense?

Anyhow I will be catching up reading your reply in more detail but basically I think we should have a way people who want to run around as beast races can for all intents and purposes, possibly with multiple dye and armor options since those are immediately noticeable. I'm just not sure if putting the option in character creator specifically would be effective for this game.

One concept I thought might take the beastman issue out for good, while giving SE lots of control of restrictions and lowering barrier to entry (lore issues/etc), is to introduce a Majora mask shop right in the city and throw a few kids around in these costumes. Majora Mask for those who don't know is a great Legend of Zelda game where Link puts on mask and inhabits that spirit/concept for a while (may be taken off to return to normal), the whole spirit thing doesn't need to be in FFXIV but a basic concept would be a Majora Mask is a very powerful glamour (and in the case of Zelda game, gives some powers).

The unique part of a masked costume like this being is your gear (some restrictions may apply) could appear over it, unlike if you appear as a grand company leader you can't undress them .

In this way they could make a mask for the wolf race for example, but you're not a beastman. Depending on how off Viera this gets, may need a new thread though lol. I feel less guilty if we can keep Viera in the topic but if I make the next few posts without Viera in it I'm going feel like a naughty boy soon haha.

They don't relate to either - pending any future revelations, at least.

Thank you, I wasn't 100% sure which is why I even left that "if i got it right" lol. Luckily the fact they are or not related to void sent doesn't affect the rest of the idea. They could still be stuck in Limbus and be imbued with voidsent characteristics by inhabiting that space for a long time (thus obtaining the concept art via lore, via separate clan).

Idk about others but im a voidsent

^

Lol I was thinking new thread too. You mind if I include quotes for your contributions to convo so far for organizational purposes/so if other people want in they have context? Can link you when I have it up.

Thanks for asking and definitely don't worry about it, have fun quoting lol. Just hopefully don't say I said things I didn't say haha ("shougun says tanks are healers" me: "I sad now").