Child-like characters?

[MikkoAkure]

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Not sure why this is a hill you wish to make a last stand on when some of this has already been covered.

I feel like most people understand that there’s a difference between children being present in-game in dire situations and children being a playable option. There are NPCs as young as 16 who are represented in-game with character models using the existing character creator that you can use right now. It’s when people want to play someone younger than that or who looks younger than that where we start entering the controversial zone. There may be games that allow you to enter that zone in CC or have races that are well within the realms of that zone but many are either not available in the west (PSO2) or had that race altered to mitigate controversy (TERA). SE wants to avoid having to have anything to do with that, especially since they’re higher profile.

In regards to lalafell, they’re in a sort of grey space already and it’s not going to be unusual for people to have inconsistent attitudes towards them. They look like kids and they also look different enough for it to be less iffy. But I don’t see how someone thinking that punting lalas is funny and at the same time thinking that lalas in risqué circumstances is gross because they’re child-like invalidates their beliefs or arguments.

The reason this keeps thread keeps getting bumped is because I, like some of the people in this thread don’t understand why this topic keeps appearing and I don’t understand the reasons why someone would want to play a character like that or have that as an option. SE has already made their stance clear and I’m not sure where or why people keep trying to find room to defend playing as minors or characters that look a heck of a lot like a minor.

[Ftail]

The reason this keeps thread keeps getting bumped is because I, like some of the people in this thread don’t understand why this topic keeps appearing and I don’t understand the reasons why someone would want to play a character like that or have that as an option.

I don't really see anyone arguing except the OP that actually wants playable children characters in the game. We're basically just arguing over the reason SE stated and some of us are pointing out the flaws in their logic while giving more logical reasons why SE would never do that. Some of you believe corporations at face value, while some of us are more cynical of corporations.

Like another thing to point out is if they didn't want people to play as children, why did they let us glamour as Ryne during the halloween event?

[Melichoir]

In regards to lalafell, they’re in a sort of grey space already and it’s not going to be unusual for people to have inconsistent attitudes towards them. They look like kids and they also look different enough for it to be less iffy.

This is a self contradicting statement: They look like kids, but they dont look like kids. Which is it?

But I don’t see how someone thinking that punting lalas is funny and at the same time thinking that lalas in risqué circumstances is gross because they’re child-like invalidates their beliefs or arguments.

I asked the question a few pages back to what was more important: A character who acts and appears as an adult but is confirmed to be a minor, or a character who is more childish and has childish characteristics but is confirmed to be an adult. Ive seen both sides to this, as there are literally people who are more ok with a minor being in adult situations so long as that minor looks and behaves like an adult over an adult being in adult situations who behaves childishly or has a more childish stature.

This gets more complicated because its not about the jokes, its about the context. Most people arent gonna bat an eye at "punting potatoes" or "Lalafells are backup food source". Theyre jokes, and most people get this. Where you get people starting to be "Wait a moment" is when sexualization is applied. As I mentioned above, there is a disconnect in regards to sexualization. Some people have an issue with adult characters participating in adult activities if they appear child like, but do not have the same qualms when it is a minor as long as said minor appears to be an adult. Haurchefant flirting with you as a lalafell? Nope. Bad. Alisae flirting with you as a Elezen? A-Ok.

This gets more complicated because the same people who have the issue with lalafells or children sexualization seem to turn a blind eye to horror and violence done to children in this game. ShB has literally has Halric, who was in the MSQ more or less condemned to become an eldritch horror. And they didnt hide the ball on what that meant. No off screen thing happening or someone brushing it over with a vague explanation. We literally see what happens and how messed up it is, and that Halric is gonna end up the same. So in game kids are definitely being exposed to violence. This doesnt also include playing as Alphinaud and if you fail its implied theyre killed. It gets even more inconsistent if people see Lalafells as children and yet lalafells are killed or implied to be killed in this game for reals (read some of the monster descriptions as an example, or that syndicate guy who gets killed, or Nanamo's poisoning, etc etc) or if youre a lalafell WoL and how you can die on a regular basis.

Point is that there is a lot of hubbub over this that focuses on sexualization, but ignores blatant violence, which is kind of messed up when you consider it. Even with just dealing with sexuality, there are double standards and inconsistencies in the positions people are holding regarding that same sexualization. This includes the devs. If the devs or anyone wants to say it should be this way or that, fine. But at least be consistent in that position and apply it equally. If its an issue of "We dont want degeneracy with child like character" then quite a bit needs to be addressed. If its about age, then there should be no problem releasing a race or sex that has a more childish or diminutive build if its clearly stated that theyre adults and treated as such. Just be consistent about it.

[Lambdafish]

They look like kids, but they dont look like kids. Which is it?

I can answer that for you. They don't look like kids, they look like short, stumpy gnome people. Do hobbits look like kids? No, hobbits look like hobbits.

Are you telling me that Lolorito is your idea of what children look like?

[MoofiaBossVal]

I can answer that for you. They don't look like kids, they look like short, stumpy gnome people. Do hobbits look like kids? No, hobbits look like hobbits.

Are you telling me that Lolorito is your idea of what children look like?

Lalafell with facial hair look like kids with fake beards glued on.

[lolicon09]

The only thing i see here is a punching bag

[Melichoir]

I can answer that for you. They don't look like kids, they look like short, stumpy gnome people. Do hobbits look like kids? No, hobbits look like hobbits.

I wasnt arguing that lalafell look like children. I was trying to point out that the quoted person had a contradictory position - Lalafells look like children but dont at the same time.

[Lambdafish]

I wasnt arguing that lalafell look like children. I was trying to point out that the quoted person had a contradictory position - Lalafells look like children but dont at the same time.

Lalafells share distinct features with children such as tiny bodies, and stubby arms and legs, and they come across more childlike than other races. This does not make them look like children though. Pixies, Fairies, and Elves in folklore all share the childlike personalies similar to lalafell, yet you would never mistake one for a child. Similarly, while lalafell do have childlike personalities, and child sized bodies, you would be making a huge stretch in the imagination to ever think that lalafells look or act like actual children. I believe that was the point that was being made