STOP Genderlocking Cosmetics!!

[Euphares]

You're not alone. I've got the muscle slider up all the way on my guy because of the slight increase in bulk, while keeping the appearance of body fat normal for an active person.

The slider on my Femroe is all the way down because as much as I appreciate her musculature, I don't want her looking like a 0% body fat body builder.



What we see as girly-thin and/or not masculine here in the West is considered masculine, cool, and desireable in Japan. It doesn't surprise me at all that the majority of bodies are on the slender side, or athletic-but-not-hugely-muscular. A highlander with the proportional musculature of a HeRoe would be seen as pretty gross.

We can disagree with body and musculature design all we want, but in the end we have to accept that character design is based on Japanese aesthetics first and foremost.

You seem to misunderstand me. Of course this is all my opinion. I never speak objectively. Furthermore I am very aware of Eastern Male Beauty standards, but even in regards to those it still falls flat in my eyes, because again, 95% of the appeal of playing a guy character right now is centered around the face. Which even then, males are still lacking in that regard too.

I am not suggesting any editing of bodies that require a new-model or extensive work on an existing model, that's simply out of the picture and would only serve to benefit the alleged minority.


I am asking them to improve what we currently have, slender =/= featureless.


The current male bodies are unnaturally smooth and doll-like, but not even in a boyish or appealing way. It doesn't matter how masculine/feminine, thin/thick you are. If you have little to no body fat and are physically active, you will have defined muscles, in fact the bodies in-game currently have these features to a degree. Just in a very poor way. In my opinion, this has nothing really to do with Eastern vs Western cultural things and more to do with just shoddy modeling and visual work.

And no, defined muscles =/= looking ripped or like a gymrat, it just means your body doesn't look weirdly plastic. You can literally go in game and compare Female NPC's wearing swimwear to male NPC's wearing swimwear, the difference is really stark. One is designed to look appealing and the other is designed just to complete a pair with no thought given to how to make it look nice.


In regards to gear, I am simply asking for male armor/glamor to be better fitted to accent a male body properly, unless your preference is an unnatural bodytype, this really shouldn't be seen as changing any character's identity at all. It just makes sense (to me.) And would give male players the same satisfaction that female players do in designing and looking at visuals.

[Illmaeran]

95% of the appeal of playing a guy character right now is centered around the face. Which even then, males are still lacking in that regard too.

it just means your body doesn't look weirdly plastic.

In regards to gear, I am simply asking for male armor/glamor to be better fitted to accent a male body properly, unless your preference is an unnatural bodytype, this really shouldn't be seen as changing any character's identity at all. It just makes sense (to me.) And would give male players the same satisfaction that female players do in designing and looking at visuals.

1. Faces - I agree and disagree. I do appreciate the less square-jawed John Wayne features in favor of the finer-boned looks available to Elezen...BUT, BUT, BUT....unless you've got really pale skin those features don't show well. Unless I'm in the proper light, looking at the proper angle, my guy looks remarkably like Liv Tyler. She's a beautiful woman, but makes a horrible man.

2. I get you now that you said "weirdly plastic". I agree; I look like a grey-skinned Ken doll under the garments. Until now I've passed that off as a limitation of the graphics engine coupled with aesthetic choices on the character design team. What's been seen cannot be unseen...thank you?

3. Gear- YES! I'd love to see more outfits designed specifically to be men's clothes. I've found some combinations of things that fit my character very well "physically" and thematically, but some more outfits that aren't Aiming/Western or the Urban Coat, Calfskin set, Noctis set, and similar would be appreciated.


3b. No, not 2b. 3b. I'd also like to see female versions of outfits such as the Ishgardian noblewomen's outfits that are analogous to the Alpine Coat we get in the MSQ.




Back on topic: I don't want to see an increase in non-gender locked outfits. Just like AF gear indicates a class, certain clothing styles (Maid's outfit, etc) equals female in my mind and is jarring to see a bunch of males running around in it.