The new races and gender complaints

[Aliha]

So I think most of us have either seen the keynote or read the news by this point about the two new races coming out and the fact that they're gender locked. And it also only takes a quick browse to see the amount of salt that this announcement has created pretty much instantly across the various different platforms that people use to discuss this game. Discord servers, reddit and this forum being prime examples.

Now, no matter what I say people will still have their opinion. I'm well aware that my words won't be a salve to those that are crying out for bunny boys or hrothgar females. But let me be perhaps one voice that may be drowned out fairly quickly I imagine that rises up on the other side of your demands that these two new races not be gender locked.

You see, when making a new expansion for a game, especially a new mmorpg, there are a lot of things that have to be done. Story has to be created and worked upon, fleshed out so that can be presented to players. New area's have to be created, sometimes with new mechanics that have to be worked out. New systems are implemented, both for players and servers. And finally, the item system has to be updated. Which means adding new consumables, furniture, armor and weapons and then making sure that none of all of the above don't conflict with anything previously created in the game.

And all that, takes a huge amount of time.

Now consider, adding two new models for two new races in (even if some will no doubt compare the hrothgar models to roes). The amount of time for almost every step of the process is affected. The story has to be updated with race specific terminology and then edited and checked to make sure everything lines up straight. The work that goes into the items also increases exponentially for all the modelling that has to be done. And I haven't even mentioned animations which are a whole nother box that needs to be checked during the expansion process.


So rather than demanding and shouting at Square enix, telling them what a bad job they've done and screaming to the heavens that this is a deal breaker that you'll be cancelling your sub over, consider perhaps why they did indeed genderlock the two races.


First, it has nothing to do with lore. Or to be more specific, the choice was driven by lore but it wasn't locked by lore.

What I mean by that is, when you think Viera based off past FF's, then you instantly think of the ones we've seen in ff12. The sexy (le gasp!) female viera. Now consider the same for the hrothgar. If you were told in advance that a race based off the Ronso from ffx were going to be added to the game, what do you think of first?

~~Going to need a second post to finish this~~

[Aliha]

~~And the continuation ^^~~

Second, by adding two races instead of one, they were able to branch out their lore and the reach of their player base. By creating two races even if they're locked to the two genders, you're able to explore both of those races when the expansion drops rather than just one. Which I personally think is a plus.


Now with all that in mind, lets consider the opposite and what would have happened if the team had decided to go with making male and females of both races. The time for the expansion would be delayed. The cost of the expansion most likely would have gone up due to how long they would have needed to work on it. And due to the long break between content, they may have lost a larger amount of players. And if they decided to just go with one race and make a male and female of them, then they may not have given us as players as much reach.

Instead, they decided to go with an option that gave us the greatest reach while keeping the expansion coming out on a rather quick schedule.


Now I'm not the most eloquent of people and I'm sure that there are others that can put into words what I'm trying to say here much better than I can. But I would urge you as always to perhaps take a moment to think of what drives a decision before tearing up a sub just because you as a player aren't happy with the direction the development team has gone. After all, odds are they have already considered much of what is already being said and weighed it appropriately against what they have time to do.



Tldr: You've been given a cake and a cookie rather than two different flavoured cookies. Be happy people.



Love all of you, even the haters <3

My future posts:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4915647
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4915787

[AkumaHomura]

Genderlocked versions of 2 races = one full single race

[Gwenorai]

They didn't have to add in Hrothgar, they did. They didn't have to genderlock Hrothgar, they did. They could have used a different excuse beyond 'Lore' - such as 'Time constraints' or 'Lack of resources' - they didn't. They're not going to get slack for this.

[Ladon]

They didn't have to add in Hrothgar, they did. They didn't have to genderlock Hrothgar, they did. They could have used a different excuse beyond 'Lore' - such as 'Time constraints' or 'Lack of resources' - they didn't. They're not going to get slack for this.

It's almost like they have their own design vision and don't need to run it past a bunch of entitled individuals that built up false expectations.

Frankly I am tired of this type of thinking from the vocal community. You are not in the position to challenge their design decisions.

[Aliha]

^ Basically what I'm seeing as I look at all the forums atm

[Enla]

It's almost like they have their own design vision and don't need to run it past a bunch of entitled individuals that built up false expectations.

Frankly I am tired of this type of thinking from the vocal community. You are not in the position to challenge their design decisions.

No but as paying customers they have the right to voice their opinions. Whether or not it changes anything is irrelevant. You can dislike it but thinking to put people down for having a differing opinion is no less entitled.

[Gwenorai]

It's almost like they have their own design vision and don't need to run it past a bunch of entitled individuals that built up false expectations.

Frankly I am tired of this type of thinking from the vocal community. You are not in the position to challenge their design decisions.

No, I'm not - but it's logical to say they're not going to get slack from it. May it be by a majority, a minority or just one single person. Read my comment how you will, your opinion means nought to me just like mine should mean little to you.

As for the entitlement comment - much eye roll I'm not touching that one. Let's put it this way, I'd be a lot less angry if their excuse wasn't 'Lore' and they simply came out with the truth. If you're tired of the vocal community then I suggest leaving the forums where the vocal community is.

[Novak_04]

You are not in the position to challenge their design decisions.

This is the EXACT position we're in. Do you think the change in 1.0 happened on a whim? The vocal community made it happen by expressing their discontent. YOU are not in the position to tell us that our concerns are not valid... we are part of the playerbase... it's our right to let them know about things we're not happy about -- however passionately that point may come across.

[Ladon]

No but as paying customers they have the right to voice their opinions. Whether or not it changes anything is irrelevant. You can dislike it but thinking to put people down for having a differing opinion is no less entitled.

You aren't stating an opinion. You just posted a list of assertions that you are not qualified to make. You don't know the designers philosophy as to why they made two races. You don't know why they gender locked them. You are not qualified to ASSERT anything you claim.

Being a paying customer does not give you a right to make a demand to the designers of the game and it's unfortunate so many are simply so self absorbed in their own worldviews to realize this.