Male Viera as a playable character! show your support

[Awha]

Thanks for the info, this idea popped up in our discord we are not super knowledgeable when it comes to glam.

[Lauront]

You couldn't be more wrong. As far as I know nobody wants them to be kid-looking (becuase it would be creepy, since their mates are adult 'Amazonian' women), people just embrace the idea of getting the reverse of AuRa (taller and stronger females, shorter and more delicate males). It's about having more options. Remember that people are different and some of them like to indentify with their characters. We have literally no option for androgynous men, all male characters are bulky, even Miqo'te. So I'd be more than happy to see one male race with more slender body, that's all. I do not see anything wrong with it.

Low muscle tone midlander males with softer face options are androgynous. Lalafell are also absolutely androgynous and male elezen can be designed to fit this aesthetic. Miqo'te are admittedly beefy but I think part of the problem is that only male hyur and roes get to customise their muscle tone, so that could be redressed by expanding it to other races.

Yet some people in this thread have asked for models similar to Alphinaud but younger and posted pics that could only be described as shota, so there is clearly an element of the community that does want them to look child-like. Putting that aside, I already consider the dimorphism and design of Au Ra females to be awful, so there is little reason I'd want to see this haphazardly transplanted onto Viera. Hard no thanks from me.

[Corrie]

I dont want a shota race because um no, but males shorter than females is fine, androgyny doesn't mean people are kids. Personally Id like them shorter and buff because that amuses me. Make them like wolverine from the comics.

Also I think when people are looking for androgynous races to connect to lalafel aint gonna fit the bill. We kinda look like kids. They probably want adults.

Yes, but the two genders are indistinguishable nonetheless, so they fit the bill. Besides, I mentioned two other options regardless. You could still get miqo'te males in there too with the softer faces.

Yea I dont have opinions on the other 2 races, I just wanted to speak out on the lalafel thing because theyre definitely for the people who want a small cute aesthetic.

[Lauront]

Yes, but the two genders are indistinguishable nonetheless, so they fit the bill. Besides, I mentioned two other options regardless. You could still get miqo'te males in there too with the softer faces.

[SomeRandomHuman]

Yes, but the two genders are indistinguishable nonetheless, so they fit the bill. Besides, I mentioned two other options regardless. You could still get miqo'te males in there too with the softer faces.

No matter which way you spin it male Midlander with low tone still has an average build. Not that I said Build. We have plenty of youthful faces in game already. What I would like to see is a more delicate body type on a male. People use Alphinaud as a reference due to him being designed to be around the age of 16-17*. While I don't support the idea of an underaged race(Lala's saving grace is it's chibi aesthetic) I do support a frailer body type for males.

*Please note that generally by age 16-17 your body is pretty much done growing physically.

I personally have issues with Elezen's proportions and height range. Not to mention they look a little bulkier than they probably should since they're supposed to be a thinner race. All they look like is a midlander stretched out too far to make them look thinner with pointy ears and less face variety.

[Amnmaat]

No matter which way you spin it male Midlander with low tone still has an average build. Not that I said Build. We have plenty of youthful faces in game already. What I would like to see is a more delicate body type on a male. People use Alphinaud as a reference due to him being designed to be around the age of 16-17*. While I don't support the idea of an underaged race(Lala's saving grace is it's chibi aesthetic) I do support a frailer body type for males.

*Please note that generally by age 16-17 your body is pretty much done growing physically.

I personally have issues with Elezen's proportions and height range. Not to mention they look a little bulkier than they probably should since they're supposed to be a thinner race. All they look like is a midlander stretched out too far to make them look thinner with pointy ears and less face variety.

Shorter and skinnier than male Elezen is basically Alphinaud.

[SomeRandomHuman]

Shorter and skinnier than male Elezen is basically Alphinaud.

Except it's not? There's plenty of men out there with a build smaller than elezen in height and bulk that isn't child-like.

[Amnmaat]

Except it's not? There's plenty of men out there with a build smaller than elezen in height and bulk that isn't child-like.

That would make them smaller than female Viera. Last thing we need is a repeat of male Au ra female Au ra demorphism. Skinnier than Elezen would start to look like a teenager.
Goddamn, I didn't think I'd have to bring this back haha

[Theodric]

Except it's not? There's plenty of men out there with a build smaller than elezen in height and bulk that isn't child-like.

A short guy doesn't look like a teenager or a child unless they're very feminine/androgynous in addition to being short. Which appears to be what you're asking for, alongside certain other posters. As evidenced in the following quoted post:

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be happy if Male viera ended up being really feminine and cutesy, but I just know that is pretty much not happening.

You're correct in stating that such a combination of traits is not going to happen. When Yoshi-P last weighed in on the subject he said as much, specifically ruling out a child-like aesthetic as well as a teenager style approach along the lines of Alphinaud.

Hrothgar already conform to a niche aesthetic. A lot of people aren't going to play them due to being a beast-like race. Presumably that will apply to the women, too, if they're ever added. Viera, however, conform to conventional beauty standards. It's only fair, then, that their male counterpart also conforms to classical beauty standards.

Female characters already receive the lion's share of attention in this game on many fronts. It'd be pretty cool if those of us who play male characters and don't have an issue with masculinity had an option that was tall, classically handsome and well-built.

Those of us who want to design a character along the lines of, say, Snow from FF13, Jecht from FF10 or Gladio from FF15 do not have the possibility at the moment. The closest in terms of physique would be Highlanders...but between 'same face' and a lack of eyebrows that leaves much to be desired.

Such an aesthetic would also appeal to pretty broad audience, serving the game well on a longer term basis.

[Theodric]

When people ask for something shorter, slimmer and more androgynous than a character at minimum height with the softest of faces available in-game at present then what they're asking for is equal to a child or young teenager. Again, that is the exact same aesthetic that Yoshi-P ruled out - using Alphinaud as a specific example. I'm sure those posters are well aware of that fact, of course. I'm not going to assume they're lacking in the ability to envision what they're asking for.

I'd rather not see male viera beholden to niche aesthetics, at any rate. Especially when the game is sorely lacking a playable option for those of us who want to play a tall, classically handsome male with no strange proportions. Which is exactly what some of the concept art floating around depicts.