Garlean vs Elezen models

[Iscah]

Most of the Garlean characters use modified Elezen models and they tend to look a bit 'off' to me - simply enough it must be the mix of Elezen body proportions and a more 'human' head, but I was interested exactly where the difference is, so I took matching screenshots of Nero and my Elezen character to compare them.



It seems I got the angle a little bit off, judging from the position of their left hands, but it's close enough for comparision. I matched the image sizes by measuring how many pixels there were between the buckle on the scarf and the belt. You can put the two images in a 'gallery' viewer and flick back and forth to compare.

The heads are the same size and at the same height, but Nero's is wider, so it looks like his neck has to slope inwards slightly to match up with the Elezen body - although they do seem to have modified the shirt collar as well, but maybe not enough? Or maybe it's more about the length of the neck.

Possibly their eyes need to remain at a fixed height when they modify the face shape, so they can't adjust the proportions entirely. At any rate, they are at the same height on these two pictures.

Also noticable that Nero's coat is not simply a recolour of the Alchemist's Coat, but has some modified elements - higher coat collar, wider shirt collar, and an extra layer underneath that's probably hiding the join between the head and body. Nero's scarf is also thicker and (unless it's due to the angle) his shoulders are a bit more rounded.

So yeah. It seems there's not a huge difference between them except for the changed width of the head and neck, but it's noticable, particularly when they're moving. Perhaps also because Nero has quite a realistic face, it gives a different impression (a subconscious expectation that the body needs to look correctly-proportioned?) to the more stylised Elezen designs. An "uncanny valley" sort of effect.

[TheGrimace]

As I remember it, Nael van Darnus used an elezen skeleton in 1.0 as well. It was very apparent from their flamboyant gestures.

[Vanitas]

As I remember it, Nael van Darnus used an elezen skeleton in 1.0 as well. It was very apparent from their flamboyant gestures.

Funny you should say that.

[KisaiTenshi]

So yeah. It seems there's not a huge difference between them except for the changed width of the head and neck, but it's noticable, particularly when they're moving. Perhaps also because Nero has quite a realistic face, it gives a different impression (a subconscious expectation that the body needs to look correctly-proportioned?) to the more stylised Elezen designs. An "uncanny valley" sort of effect.

The problem is this is comparing a unique model with a player model. You'd have to compare the Garlean nameless henchmen. But aside from the face, it's pretty obvious they're Elezen models. So explain Cid then.

[Iscah]

The problem is this is comparing a unique model with a player model. You'd have to compare the Garlean nameless henchmen. But aside from the face, it's pretty obvious they're Elezen models. So explain Cid then.

Cid is.... a really short Garlean?

But seriously, he uses a Midlander model rather than Elezen. That’s why I said “most” at the start. Maybe the rule wasn’t as set when they were making 1.0 characters, or maybe they wanted him to have that different set of emotes.

And I don’t think Nero is a “unique model” as such. It’s a normal Elezen NPC model with a customised face on it (plus any alterations built into the customised alchemist coat). Thus it makes sense to me to compare it to an unmodified character to see where the differences are.

Most of the Garlean characters we see are in their heavy armour, which seems specifically designed (at a game level) to disguise those odd ‘borrowed’ proportions. It’s only really noticeable on the occasions where they are wearing lighter clothing - ie. Nero, and Jenomis in the Ivalice plotline.

Long before I’d worked out what was actually going on, as soon as Nero turned up in the Crystal Tower plotline wearing that coat instead of his armour, I just had the sense that there was something ‘wrong’ with his design - his head moved strangely and didn’t seem to quite fit his body - which turned out to be exactly the case.

[Odstarva]

Aurelie, you should visit that massive airship, the one that's used to get us to ridorana from kugane - there are at least four pure-blood garleans, and they all use the midlander model.

I'm quite serious, it's two of the dancers and one of the engineers. The fourth one being Jenomis himself.


My (likely wrong) theory, is that garleans might count as their own distinct race, purely based on the fact they have that third eye and can't manipulate aether - and maybe not unlike the hyurs, they have two clans? Where one is tall, elezen-shaped and the other is midlander shaped?

Either that, or hyurs now have four distinct clans, two of which being the unplayable garleans.

Or the third option, which is... I don't know why pure-blood garleans come in hyur and elezen packages both.

[Zojha]

Or the third option, which is... I don't know why pure-blood garleans come in hyur and elezen packages both.

Clearly genetic engineering

Considering Cid is pretty much a reference character, it's quite likely he had different rules going for him. But that doesn't exactly explain the Hyur-Puries on the Prima Vista.

For now, my theory is: They use the fact they never gave the garleans an actual race in the system to display a greater amount of diversity within it. Alternately, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is up to when they make garlean NPCs. Either or.

[Remedi]

Wait, wait, first this might be a better post for the lore forum, but aside that what if the elezen-like model is used mostly for military garleans? If someone can confirm this (because I don't remember them all) maybe it'll means that the reason there's this dimorphism might be related to the military training and what not

[Bahati]

I agree Nero falls into "uncanny valley", I'm glad I'm not the only one. I've always wondered why he was given far more realistic facial features and bone structure (lord, that heavy brow and shadow cast beneath it...yikes) than all other NPCs and player characters which are far more stylized and semi-realistic.

[CainCrimson]

I thought this was about Garlean and Elezen fashion models.