Playable kids in FFXIV

[Shougun]

Making kids playable also kinda just... makes a threat appear less threatening, or makes the adults (who likely have lore on being an experienced fighter and such, like Rauhbahn for example) look (even more) incompetent. That's my new addition to things on why kids shouldn't be playable.

hahaha...

*player defeats Gaius in the suit of Ultima weapon*
*player speaks to Gaius in a high pitch squeal and then dabs*
*Gaius logs off server, starts playing WoW*

[Elizar_Naki]

It's weird enough with the potatoes, don't make it even weirder.

I would agree with this personally, but I'll also acknowledge my own bias in that. Eorzea isn't Earth, and Eorzeans don't view things the same way we do. To them, Lalafells are a perfectly normal part of life--other races are used to them, and by and large don't have a problem with finding them attractive. And while I can't recall any concrete evidence on the matter aside from the Leveilleur twins being fairly readily accepted as Scions, most Eorzea-like societies have a lower age of consent/adulthood than we do; to these societies, a teenager (mid-teens, at least) IS an adult, and the types of situations you named aren't necessarily wrong. Don't get me wrong, I would never ask a teenager or toddler (or someone who looks like a toddler) to put themselves in danger, nor would I condone a relationship between one of those people and someone our society considers an adult, but this is a fictional society we're talking about. Playing a potato isn't the same as condoning pedophilia, nor is asking for teenage character models. It's a way of abiding by the rules the game's society set down (in my mind, at least), trying to set my own biases aside and live in the mindset my character would have.

[Melichoir]

Short people = / = children

[Edited] - Also I don't think anyone is talking about "teens". People very deliberately asked for children as playable. I.e. around Khloe's age. I'm sure modders have already found a way around this for people who really want that, but Square cannot and will not risk their game for a selfish request like that.

I dont think that this is entirely on point? What I Mean is I dont think people were specifically asking for children (like 9 and 10 year olds) as PCs, or if they were they were an extreme extreme minority. What was asked for was more 'youthful' looking characters that may be more in line with Allisae and Alphinaud as examples.

Also, if were making the distinction between teen and child, Khloe is a teen. Her official age is 13 as of HW, the common age most people start being considered a teen. She appears a lot younger than she is, much like Zhloe, who is 21 officially. I bring this up because there are some wierd as hell inconsistencies with age in the game (even disregarding the lalafell argument entirely). I agree that lalafells arent children because they are more alligned with people who have more extreme versions of dwarfism IMO.

Can't forget that in some part of the story the WoL is flirted with and comes across a lot of innuendoes. Women being threatened to be sexually assaulted and some that even are - Satasha anyone? I'm sure it's fine and dandy to have a teen race be told they can come watch a miqote chick bathe, be told to have some fun with prostitutes - given advice not to go chum up with two who gave a poor lad 'crotch rot - and in the Japanese versions have a certain elf ask them to warm up in his bedroom - while also checking out their physique. /sarcasm. It's weird enough with the potatoes, don't make it even weirder.

Lore wise, there are lalafells who are in love with the other races and chase after them, and that isnt seen in world as being weird. The reverse is also true. I dont remember if it was a holiday event or a side quest, but a young hyur man actually looks to court Momodi Modi, the inn keeper for the adventurers guild in Uldah. Depending on how you read some of her other dialogue as well, she also has an ear for juicy gossip about adult relationships. Point is, the game in world does not treat lalafells as being children. In fact, some of the most messed up villainous characters tend to be lalafells.

Maybe lalafells are just evil.

....nor would I condone a relationship between one of those people and someone our society considers an adult....

Wait? You wouldnt condone a relationship between two adults if one of them appeared underage (and Ill use that loosely) by no fault of their own? Just want to clarify on that.

[Spratchet]

I'm pretty sure I addressed this already--you even quoted it. The point is, they LOOK like toddlers, and the same people who are likely to complain about putting ACTUAL kids in these scenarios are equally likely to complain about Lalas in those scenarios because of their childlike appearance. And in my mind, putting a teenager in fanservice gear/poses isn't as bad as putting someone who looks like a five-year-old in the same gear/poses. Neither is something I'd advocate, but one is still worse than the other as far as I'm concerned.

The problem, again, is that we are not talking about people asking for teenage characters. We are talking about people asking for children. Khloe's age or lower. Not Alphinaud / Alisae's age. Literal children. No. That will not ever happen.

[Spratchet]

I dont think that this is entirely on point? What I Mean is I dont think people were specifically asking for children (like 9 and 10 year olds) as PCs, or if they were they were an extreme extreme minority. What was asked for was more 'youthful' looking characters that may be more in line with Allisae and Alphinaud as examples.

No. There were and are quite a number of people asking for children as a playable age range. Not just young looking. Actual children. As for Khloe, she's barely a teen herself. 13 iirc.

[Barraind]

The problem here is that you're comparing them to fantasy dwarves and not real people of that size. When people say they are "dwarves" they mean they're short. That's all.

This. When people compare them to toddlers or young kids, they're using human physiology (which is silly given that they're not human and based on another fantasy race which was based on halfling/hobbit/gnome/pixie). But based on human physiology, they're either between 3 and 4 years old permanently or they're dwarves. They even have several of the most common side effects of dwarfism (one being a truncated gait, which they have, as they bend them in several poses).

[LittleImp]

This. When people compare them to toddlers or young kids, they're using human physiology (which is silly given that they're not human and based on another fantasy race which was based on halfling/hobbit/gnome/pixie). But based on human physiology, they're either between 3 and 4 years old permanently or they're dwarves. They even have several of the most common side effects of dwarfism (one being a truncated gait, which they have, as they bend them in several poses).

Hmmmmm...

[KokonoeAiyoko]

Hmmmmm...

It's been so obvious too idk why people try to act like this isn't what Lala's are.

[Melichoir]

No. There were and are quite a number of people asking for children as a playable age range. Not just young looking. Actual children. As for Khloe, she's barely a teen herself. 13 iirc.

Im not aware of who was asking for this, because hte primary topic I am aware of where that was even brought up potentially was in the male viera support thread. Again, this isnt something I was seeing a widespread of call to action on when determining age ranges. Im not saying it didnt happen, but that I dont see this as being as prevalent as being pushed.

And my point with Khloe was that teh argument of Children Vs Teen is kinda strange cause characters like Khloe exist, where she appears to be younger than she actually is but would fall into the teen category. How the game treats age and appearance is inconsistent, so what matters more? According to Yoshi P, it's appearance that matters most. Which is the problem cause inconsistent design choices in the game contradict that position. By that extention and the argument that Lalafells are children by appearance, lalafells need a hard redesign to be consistent (not that I would mind that to some extent. Certain aspects of the lala design to urk me from a aesthetic design standpoint. Why are their limbs tubes G.D. it or their body has literally 0 structural definition. Not even basic bone land marks or muscle definition in any capacity)

<image of a close up from an artbook?>


Hmmmmm...

Two things: What does the full text say - because I cant tell if the context s the character or their outfit. The Second is, Originally designed =/= is as is. Chocobos are probably originally modeled off of a chicken, but that doesn't mean chocobos are chickens. Or a more famous example : Goofy is modeled after a dog technically, but he certainly doesnt look like any dog Ive seen. I mean if female lalas were 'stacked' up top, the argument that theyre designed after kindergarden kids kind of falls apart (as well as them being children.) Which, ironically, might be the solution to the whole issue. Giving them differentiated proportions would pretty much put to rest that argument. So for males, more masculine V in the torso, and females the hourglass build. But I hazard if that did happen, people would immediately say "Now here's proof theyre sexualizing children!" even though the design changes would be moving them away from the characteristics theyre having trouble with.

[Fredco191]

Hmmmmm...

What the— Is that a scrapped hairstyle?!