STOP Genderlocking Cosmetics!!

[GrizzlyTank]

So much this, instead males got the 2B outfit which looks ridiculous.

Glorious. You misspelled glorious.

Only thing bad with it is that it doesn't enhance the butt for them.

[Jybril]

Glorious. You misspelled glorious.

Only thing bad with it is that it doesn't enhance the butt for them.

Forget about the butts. This needs Jesus.

Hidden because pic too large.
I always hated the boots here because they're obviously not fit for
normal feetsies...but when I first saw this I was crying in laughter lol.

[GrizzlyTank]

Forget about the butts. This needs Jesus.

Hidden because pic too large.
I always hated the boots here because they're obviously not fit for
normal feetsies...but when I first saw this I was crying in laughter lol.

There is also the pvp "hoof" shoes that straight up cuts off your heel rather than making you stand on your toes...

Either way, much like capes, high heels are an affront to fashion and consistently ruins otherwise great designs.

[Euphares]

This thread is tricky 'cause at a fundamental level you are basically saying one identity takes precedence over another.


BUT...


I'd rather focus on fleshing out both genders, especially males, then going back and having some unisex action going on.


For starters,

The game needs a big overhaul on facial-hair/eyebrows. No one should have to use an eyebrow tattoo and every male race should have access to a complete set of facial hair options. For a game that like its traditional masculine and feminine aesthetics, it makes it pretty damn hard to make a masculine looking character when the dudes in this game have a chronic case of Babyface Syndrone due to shitty facial hair options. Male Viera are supposed to be more androgynous but they actually have an excellent spread of facial features that suit a lot of different tastes, I'm super jealous.


Furthermore, and this is really only an issue with Roe/Hroth, a lot of robes just look glaringly awful. This is mainly due to the fact that its horribly scaled and/or fitted for bigger bodies. The sleeves are always too puffy and the base of the robe is way too wide, making almost every robe look like a shower curtain. This translates over to unisex gear as well, it looks so goofy that it ends up just looking like a joke rather than a genuine expression of oneself.



But these are all symptoms of the overarching problem which is that males are intentionally desexualized as hell in this game, and that's why I feel like girl characters have it way easier.


For women, almost every glamor item accents their bodies well, Boobs/Ass/Thighs/Waist are always present and the gear looks like it was made for them. Even if the gear is not sexual in nature, it still makes the character look appealing. This means that girls just have way more options for glamor where they can still feel like they have an attractive character. There are issues they face too of course aka every leg item is underwear, but still.


For men, anything short of armor/plate just looks bad 'cause men in this game have no defining features aside from their faces and sometimes height. They try to make up for this by pushing real hard to make something "masculine" but it just ends up making the gear more uninteresting because its usually just a more boring version of the female equivalent.

Revealing clothing is def not an option 'cause revealing outfits just highlight how featureless male bodies are in this game. Hell the only males in this game I think have an actual defined body are Roegadyn and even then they look weirdly disproportionate.


I think the level 90 WAR/SGE coats are a good example of how to make attractive masculine-leaning items (imo.) But the real solution is just to give definintion to male bodies, obviously not to a fetish-y degree.

Examples being more prominent biceps/thighs/pecs/abs when wearing thinner gear would go a long way. Also less robes, more tunics/jackets/trenchcoats and sleeveless items plz.

[Rokke]

As a gay dude I agree with this. It really grosses me out when people throw around the homophobia/transphobic card just because they're trying to get their way... It's embarrassing. Masculine options in both character customization and glamour is lacking, we need more of a variety and right now it's leaning too much towards the opposing side.

He says this after the newest tier gives us the usual pants vs underwear m/f divide lel

[Iscah]

But these are all symptoms of the overarching problem which is that males are intentionally desexualized as hell in this game [...]

Examples being more prominent biceps/thighs/pecs/abs when wearing thinner gear would go a long way. Also less robes, more tunics/jackets/trenchcoats and sleeveless items plz.

Or perhaps people just have different tastes in what they find attractive?

I don't want my male characters to be more muscular than they currently are. I think defined muscles look ugly. My characters look fine right now (and I enjoy making glamours for my male characters as much as female).

Am I the odd one out? Maybe. But at least the character designers seem to be on my wavelength.

[Euphares]

Or perhaps people just have different tastes in what they find attractive?

I don't want my male characters to be more muscular than they currently are. I think defined muscles look ugly. My characters look fine right now (and I enjoy making glamours for my male characters as much as female).

Am I the odd one out? Maybe. But at least the character designers seem to be on my wavelength.

They wouldn't become more muscular in theory, but would instead just have their natural muscle definition shown (which is already present on some items I might add.) Additionally there is a muscle slider, so its pretty clear to me the devs want to appease both preferences, but do a poor job appealing to the latter, hell to literally anyone that prefers anything but a super smooth washboard body-type they're basically out of luck.


Even more lithe/young/lanky characters would have muscle definition due to having little to no body fat and being (presumably) physically active. The current state of things is just unnatural and looks uncanny imo.



I know what's popular and I am aware of the logic in appealing to what's popular, but I think for a game that tries to ground itself in realism or at the very least define itself as not being "just another anime game" there are areas of design that need to be addressed.




I mean if girls have the option to look super feminine or tomboyish while being able to look attractive as both, I don't see why guys have to choose between feminine or featureless. It wouldn't even be breaching into fanservice territory moreso just a proper representation of a masculine body.

[Packetdancer]

I'm perfectly fine with more masculine glamour options in game. Just, y'know, let me wear them as a lady. It makes me sad that I like the current level 90 crafter gear more than I do a lot of the combat gear, and I would for serious pay actual cash for a women's version of the Valentione's vest from a couple years ago.

Also, y'know... pants. It's bad enough when a neat-looking jacket (hi, looking at you, YoRHa Type-51 gear) turns into a dress on my Highlander lady, but having a pair of pants randomly turn into underwear? Well, my opinions on that are probably not a mystery to anyone who's ever seen me post in one of these threads. Or, y'know, on this forum at all. *gestures emphatically towards her signature*

Or perhaps people just have different tastes in what they find attractive?

I don't want my male characters to be more muscular than they currently are. I think defined muscles look ugly. My characters look fine right now (and I enjoy making glamours for my male characters as much as female).

Am I the odd one out? Maybe. But at least the character designers seem to be on my wavelength.

I'm gonna just put this old Shortpacked! comic here, because while it's not 100% accurate -- some women do find big muscled guys very attractive, because tastes do vary -- it remains relevant nonetheless:

[Iscah]

Additionally there is a muscle slider, so its pretty clear to me the devs want to appease both preferences

The only races that get muscle sliders are Hyur and Roegadyn – the ones that don't need a slider for novelty features like ear and tail length. It is quite possibly a case of "we have to give them something". Or perhaps it was a thing they wanted for everyone but the others needed other features more.

Either way, not all characters have a muscle slider.

I mean if girls have the option to look super feminine or tomboyish while being able to look attractive as both, I don't see why guys have to choose between feminine or featureless.

I'm a bit confused whether you're still on body shape or not, but the "feminine or tomboy" thing for girls comes down to hair and outfit choice, so the equivalent is what range male characters have, and I think they do have a range of options. I'm not trying to achieve a super-manly character design but I think there's a long way between feminine and the softer type of masculine at least, and that's what appeals to me.

Also I've never gotten the impression that they're trying to sell it as "not an anime game". The exact art style isn't there, but the approach to character design is similar nevertheless.

Also, playing different characters has given me the impression that it's rarely about gear pieces looking "good" or "bad" but finding the right character that it works for. (I don't have a male Roegadyn but I did make one to try gear on at the marketboard one time – and while some things do fit them badly, I thought there were some other gear pieces that looked different and interesting on them.)

[Driavna]

this old Shortpacked! comic

How's that comic relevant in any way? The supposed premise is trying to expose is false and outright insults anyone's with a modicum of intelligence.