Gender locked race?

[Shippuu]

I'm really curious where the statement that Yoshi is against male viera is coming from. If someone could link me to where he's said that, I would appreciate it very much.

To clarify I'm talking about:

I'll post a quote from earlier in the thread when someone posted both of them.

From 2013 (where he says they might consider a separate race): https://www.siliconera.com/2013/02/2...jg8o6pCcXIo.99

From 2015 (after showing concept art): https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the...n-sense/.91021

Somebody else pulled these out earlier in the thread so credit to them for finding these.

So the first is about doing a male race counterpart to viera if they add viera. He mentioned nothing about male viera being too cute, only that he finds the concept of male viera in general as potentially weird.

Later, after they showed concept art (meaning he was open to male viera enough to let his art team take a crack at them) but ultimately it seems he may not have been convinced still, claiming that they all seemed too cute to him.

So if those old concepts were all still too cute for him, than if he does male viera I'd reckon they may look significantly different than anything we've been shown before.

[BillyKaplan]

So if those old concepts were all still too cute for him, than if he does male viera I'd reckon they may look significantly different than anything we've been shown before.

I do wonder what the Viera's own creator's take on this is, because I agree with people who said he likely had a say in it too. That could've also played a part in why despite Yoshi's stance on it, we ended up with male Viera concepts in the first place.
Guess we'll see in the next FanFest.

[NolLacnala]

Make catgirl/musclebro races
Make lore excuses to hide catboys/delete burlygirls
Import catgirl/musclebro races to spiritual successor game
Spiritual successor doesn't do so well for unrelated reasons
Reboot, but add catboys/burlygirls because why not
Most think this is perfectly fine

Get called out for returning to steps 1+2

I don't mind either way just pointing out the memory loss

[GenericMagus]

snip

If you're talking about the PAX reveal for Au Ra they show both races and genders, which is why no one thought they'd be limited to one race.

https://youtu.be/4u7nPE6O40Y

[Daniolaut]

If you're talking about the PAX reveal for Au Ra they show both races and genders, which is why no one thought they'd be limited to one race.

https://youtu.be/4u7nPE6O40Y

Ah thanks for the video. I did note : "that I recall anyway" I thought it was Raen only in the initial reveal. Still, it is cold hard fact that Yoshida said wait till Tokyo for more info on Male Viera. Here is a quick link. Dont critique me on its credibility. I'm not the writer nor am I Yoshida.

"Producer Naoki Yoshida said that fans will have to wait until Shadowbreakers‘ Tokyo reveal event for more information about male Viera.

Read more at https://stevivor.com/news/will-male-viera-playable-final-fantasy-xiv-shadowbringers/"

https://stevivor.com/news/will-male-...hadowbringers/

and

https://www.ricedigital.co.uk/inform...okyo-fan-fest/

[Roda]

https://twitter.com/cheppoly/status/...923665923?s=19
Cmon se, don't be cowards.

[GenericMagus]

snip]

The bottom one doesn't say anything, all it does is refute that Yoshi is saying to wait for Tokyo Fanfest.

The first one makes it seem like Male Viera confirmed, but considering the unsurity of the writer, they maybe over-emphasising what Yoshi said, and the same question dodging is still happening. There's not even any evidence on the page to say so, it's like "we had an interview with Yoshi, take our word for it it's true".

Considering they're both at the same time, I believe it's just thinking that this confirms Male viera when in reality it's just dodging the questions, giving no answers.

Considering there hasn't been anything to disprove the leaks, it's more like Yoshi wants to avoid the question all together till he's on home turf.

[Ariane]

The bottom one doesn't say anything, all it does is refute that Yoshi is saying to wait for Tokyo Fanfest.

The first one makes it seem like Male Viera confirmed, but considering the unsurity of the writer, they maybe over-emphasising what Yoshi said, and the same question dodging is still happening. There's not even any evidence on the page to say so, it's like "we had an interview with Yoshi, take our word for it it's true".

Considering they're both at the same time, I believe it's just thinking that this confirms Male viera when in reality it's just dodging the questions, giving no answers.

Considering there hasn't been anything to disprove the leaks, it's more like Yoshi wants to avoid the question all together till he's on home turf.

Well they both refer to getting their info from the press conference. Here's the transcription of that press conference: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/wiki/press_conf_eu_2019

So here's probably the actual question and answer both of them were referring to:

Q12: Fans are very excited that Viera is a new race but I think that fans are hoping that we’ll also get the male Viera as a playable character. Can you comment on that? Or even if they’re going to be NPCs if not, or if we have to wait until Tokyo Fan Fest?

勿論ファンの皆はすごいヴィエラが発表されたのが嬉しいんですけど、ただ男性のヴィエラはまだ確認されていないので、何かNPCとして登場するのか東京まで情報を待たなければいけないのかいかがでしょうか。

A12: That’s true we do still have the Tokyo Fan Fest ahead of us. zips mouth

ファンフェスまだ東京が残っているよね…

[Shougun]

Well they both refer to getting their info from the press conference. Here's the transcription of that press conference: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/wiki/press_conf_eu_2019

So here's probably the actual question and answer both of them were referring to:

I think a problem with that was that the questioner gave Yoshida an out that made the answer really not give us anything (not saying anything bad on the questioner but it means the answer we received means a bit less). Because the questioner said "or wait for fanfest to hear if it'll be a thing?" Yoshida is just like "wait". Doesn't tell us if it'll be a thing or not, we already had to wait.. and now we still have to wait lol.

I'd actually love to bounce ideas around with you on that if you're game?

Offhand, there are a few things that seem like they might be limitations with FFXIV specifically compared to other MMOs. One is that Final Fantasy has a definite aesthetic to it and plays heavy into the pretty, cute, or awe-inspiring. So while weird/spooky is doable I suspect it would end up balanced with the overall setup so someone could look and immediately pinpoint that the character is in a final fantasy game. Another thing is that within the series, even Ananta are filed under beast tribes rather than humanoids. So in all likelihood weird would remain tied to basically humanoid, although still with wiggle room. Third thing is smaller, but essentially I've noticed that it seems to regarded as a given that any features showing up in FFXIV will be features that showed up in a previous game. Technically they can totally try something new, but it seems more likely they'd stick to the pattern.

The reason I've been going LUNARIANS is not because I think we need humans + funny colors so much as I figured a kind of mystical/alien vibe that was pushed into weirder territory could be really fun! Are there any other final fantasy races you think might lend themselves to weird with a little interpretation, without just sliding into full beast tribe territory?

"No I hate discussion". . . *looks at own post count*.. Damn, you caught me.

For why we don't have beast race, I definitely agree they're not keen on it although I'm not entirely sure why besides perhaps afraid of clip city but then we've got tails, horns, and hair that clip through stuff anyways. In general I think while there might be lore and some fears that push against a beast-like race I feel that if you just put a little water on it they'd break apart like wet tissue paper (like "people hate beastmen" meanwhile Ul'dah is casually harboring some lizard folk lol). So I guess my suggestions even if you tell me to calm down a little bit will still always be a bit weird lol. Although for below I'll try to not ask for a literal lion's mouth :P.

I believe, in line with what you're saying with Lunarians, that SE could do to add a lot of variations without causing too much of a budget increase because the model shapes wont be too far apart (and perhaps some weirder stuff). So if they explode their clan options out (maybe not even call them a clan anymore lol, just a sub-group really - I think we could see a lot more).

With your Lunarian example Yoshida mentioned, and other FF games have already visited, we may see moon. So to see moon people makes sense. Because they're a variation of hyur they wouldn't really cause issues for armor, just need to slap them into lore and hope there are no memory concerns (races don't cause the game to need a restructure of memory).

So to me, I think you could have a lot of fun with the current races while keeping the amount of different shaped/portion gear semi-consistent. Just to be clear I still want weird shapes lol, I'm just going to use current shapes for the below since part of what you asked was trying to tone the beast down and be already FF related.

Void-born Au Ra:

First and my favorite example, Au Ra concept art

For the crazy bones that might clip, I'd say let the long ones clip its no worse than what already happens and for like the smaller 3d scales just "hide" them under armor when logic applies. Besides perhaps the most demon like those faces should be fine for the game too (but some of our masks are pretty scary and NPC are fine, so eh..).

Maybe for lore: Iirc Au Ra relate more to the void than dragons so lets use that for the story. One day a scout group from a reclusive mountain tribe of Au Ra wandering through ancient Allaghan ruins found a device that attracted their attention, giving a sense of calling and feelings that it may be whispering- if only they could hear it better. They took it back to their tribe deep in the mountains, where it soon became a fascination to the whole tribe. Water and food became secondary and the facilities began to fall apart, but the tribe just moved closer and closer till their breath buffeted this strange object. As groups of the tribe's people came back from their missions it became too many for those in the back to see this lovely device. So they began to push. Those distracted from the glory that was became enraged and began to violently squabble back and forth. This broke out into a full on brawl with much bloodshed. Too distracted to look at their feet the blood was defying gravity and moving towards and into the device, beginning to glow a sickly red. After a few days the device had it's fill, it began to hum causing the ruckus to die down. A were few dead but most just badly injured, everyone starving. Here the device violently ripped the core of their mountain homestead from it's place and thrust it into a void much like the one you find in FFXI Limbus.

Once in this dark limbus and after the panic had settled down they began their cursed trapped life, creating a sort of shadow kingdom and kingdom no one knew existed. The time they spent there was strange and didn't move at a pace like ours. Over their generations their offspring began to show signs of the void in their scales. The problem for them is they've reached the edge of attainable space of their little pocket and are now forced to keep strict birthing laws and punish those into the endless abyss who fail to follow. Some have grown accustomed to their little kingdom but others have never stopped trying to get out. Our WoD/WoL will trek into this mountain and begin to peel away the gate that keeps them sealed away. Once we have access to Limbus we will have access to this type of Au Ra (race option) and will help the shadow kingdom in powering bridges to other areas of limbus not known of previously via bridges of light (and suffer a lot of political fallout from those who differ in how the void-born kingdom should continue to exist).

Later lore could reveal the Allahgan were trying to see if they could create/summon a void primal one powered by dark crystals, the facility found had been emergency shutdown (while Allahgan were on top) because the orb began to whisper and temper in usual ways (void-temper). What was found by Au Ra was the device that held a pocket of portable void space created by the Allahgans as a breeding ground for a void primal, that pocket known as Limbus (and the Au Ra therein trapped on one of Limbus's sectors).

A very neat lore point could be finding out they were able to send out a few via a great spell that cost them some of their best mages (which is why they haven't done it again, no one is good enough to do it again yet). This was in advance of your arrival to the city, but they haven't heard back from these sent-forth Au Ra. So you could technically start the game as one and it'd just be on the way through this forced exit of limbus you had a concussion (aetherial concussion, lol) that removed memory of how you came to be (so you didn't remember to go back and help save your people), when you finally make it back in the story there could be a few special dialog lines.

The male Au Ra would be a lot of things added/extended (scales/horns), face options, but the general skeleton shape/model would be the same or at least a scale of the same (just things added onto it)
The female Au Ra might require another race's skeleton with tweaks, to be more like the succubus (maybe even Viera skeleton scaled down slightly and made "plumper")

Mammet Vivi (FFIX), Yuke like:

Ul'dah had a sister city, Sil'dih. (in game spoiler incoming). Tl;dr story is Ul'dah sent a powder, that turned the dead into zombies, to Sil'dih ending it's great reign. Here I suggest that deep within the empire, trapped by the city's own grand populace, there exists some still alive and fighting back. Due to many reasons, including endless attacks from the dead at all times, diseases growing, and the powder's effects mutating, the Sil'dih grew weaker and weaker with no solution in sight. Never to give up they devised a means to never tire and to grow resistant to the harms that came their way, it only cost them their body. The Sil'dih transferred their mind and soul into a very advanced type of mammet, one that would allow them to fend off the dark, the disease, and the tire in their bones.

To keep their minds and soul in place they ALWAYs have some sort of equipment on (they're never naked, you can choose their "undergarment" look). When they wear gear like black mage outfit they will look literally like a type of vivi (with scale of body, eye shapes, and perhaps shadowy wisp customization options).

Through the miner's guild and Ul'dah's work (with our Nanamo leading the way) they uncover one of these advanced mammets who were badly damage, so they appeared like a very advanced broken mammet but we quickly find out they actually house a soul and through some repair were able to receive a message from the mammet (person in this case). Then follows the ardious task of clearing out an entire civilization's population save a few hundred vivis, and with that we could also get an epic rebuild Sil'dih and underground magic housing district .

Keep in mind because they're lallafel souls put inside a mammet that technically the body shape is a bit free to match that of the other races as well (big vivi, little vivi). Also this would probably be one of the easiest races to design besides emoting the eyes which will be very important for emotion lol.

Yuke:

I could come up with a few more clans for races we already have - including Galka like for Roe (tails be back). Also in this thread we all basically came up with Lion-Viera if that isn't a thing then we could make it a clan request lol (or if it is lion then we could come up with the softer feol smoll bunny to compensate the lion-viera).

Esper/Primal born:

Another race idea from other FF but might be a bit unique (and can use some Viera assets)- I think you could pull a Worgen like WoW and make an Esper like Terra Branford. Worgens transform in combat to their true form (werewolf from human). Although I think you could make it always that way too, perhaps even more weird (but interesting?) they have normal skin with their accentuated nails, hair, unique face choices, bit different shaped body (but still pretty "human like"); however, when it rains (or combat, whatever trigger) they show their true colors (literally lol), their limbs accentuated further, their skin color radiates lightly (with a different color), and their hair lifts as if it was high on DBZ sayian power (not exactly but similarly "fuller").

I'm not suggesting they have to be literally primals or whatever btw, for someone who just whipped out their lore book and put on their war face lol.

To be honest these could be like or literally be related to your Lunarian idea.

[Jaywalker]

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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.