Building a better Alphinaud

[Eldtagg]

Just a shot in the dark here:

"Zann is a Viera that was assigned the male gender at birth, but identifies as female. This caused a kerfuffle in the matriarchal Viera society, with some opposed to granting someone with an outwardly male physique the traditional roles of a female, but others willing to give her a chance. Zann is eager to prove that she is up to the task, however, and is eager to learn and grow as an adventurer."

Just off the top of my head. That could be an interesting dynamic for a character.

Can there be an issue with this type of character where their sexuality is too much 'in your face'.

I for instance is married to my wife IRL and we both agree that we share everything evenly.
Me being straight does not define me as a person. It's not what makes me, well.. me.

Wife would agree on that note.

I do not introduce me with name and make a note of 'btw I am straight'.

We recently watched the Lightyear movie and we both felt that it was incredibly 'token' that Buzz's commander was in a relationship with a woman because if she was straight, the movie would probably not even make a note of it.

I absolutely think that same gender relationship should be in videogames and treated the same as any sexuality, but when it becomes the thing that defines a character... haven't we failed at writing a compelling character then?

For me that feels kinda like the early 2000s when every video game character was the 'light-skinned angry buzz cut male' character.

No offence meant from me. I think it's very important that we can add mlre representation as long as its made tasteful and realistic.

[CrownySuccubus]

Can there be an issue with this type of character where their sexuality is too much 'in your face'.

I for instance is married to my wife IRL and we both agree that we share everything evenly.
Me being straight does not define me as a person. It's not what makes me, well.. me.

Question: do you think Urianger's implied romance with Moenbryda is "in our face"?

Or Cirilla's crush on Hien?

Or Lamitt's crush on Ardbert?

Or Runar's crush on Y'shtola?

Or, hell, Magnai's constant attempts to find his Naama?

If the answer to any or all of these is "No", then you can do the same thing with a character that isn't straight.

[Misplaced_Marbles]

Runar's crush on Y'shtola?

Most definitely yes. This one was incredibly egregious.

The rest? Not really. In fact, i'd venture to say they're all in your head(canon). Which is to say, since it's up for interpretation, the writer did a much better job with them (except Magnai being a joke).

[Raven2014]

Most definitely yes. This one was incredibly egregious.

It's probably because it came across REALLY WEIRD in the English version. The Japanese version has none of the silly (fail) romance undertone like the English localization is. In the Japanese VO, Runar treat Y'shtola more like an elder sister, and if we gonna meme, his reaction is more like a desperate underclassman with a "notice me senpai!" thing.

It's well know that the English localization takes a lot of liberty at translation, but sometime it goes far enough to actually change the impression about a character. And Y'shtola is usually the prime example for this (for some reason). I can't speak for other language, but the English Y'shtola is about 300% more sassy comparing to the Japanese version. In the Japanse dialogue she talk more like a sage would (which in the lore her supposed class/role), she talks more like a mage in English.

[Eldtagg]

Question: do you think Urianger's implied romance with Moenbryda is "in our face"?*


Or Cirilla's crush on Hien?*


Or Lamitt's crush on Ardbert?


Or Runar's crush on Y'shtola?


Or, hell, Magnai's constant attempts to find his Naama?*


If the answer to any or all of these is "No", then you can do the same thing with a character that isn't straight.

Runar and Little Sun Magnai?*

Absolutely, very obvious.

My favorite two major characters in GW2 is Marjory and Kasmeer.*

Marjory is the 'brooding gunslinger strong type' and Kasmeer start as the 'blonde cheerleader with a big heart and expressiv emotions', but during our travels they both grow past those traits and we learn who they truly are behind their masks.

Tragedy struck and Marjorys anger/sorrow over her sister Belinda makes her wall off her emotions toward Kasmeer and push her away.*

In they end they both have managed to beat their own demons which culminating *spoilers* into them finally have their wedding which is a huge character development for both of them. They both had grown as individuals.

I really loved everything with those two because their relationship wasn't forced or woke. They weren't the straight males fantasy either, ok maybe outfit-wise, but it was presented very natural and you didn't even had a thought about that they both were women.

Their story showed hardship, to not have the ability to open up to your partner about your anger/sorrow. To not want to be 'pitied' and emotionally close.*

Very human interaction.

ArenaNet did not make Marjory and Kasmeer's sexyality/gender the centerpiece. They made the characters and what happened to them the focus.

[CrownySuccubus]

Runar and Little Sun Magnai?*

Absolutely, very obvious.

I really loved everything with those two because their relationship wasn't forced or woke.

ArenaNet did not make Marjory and Kasmeer's sexyality/gender the centerpiece. They made the characters and what happened to them the focus.

I don't bother with arguments regarding "forcedness" or "wokeness" because there's always going to be somebody that finds ANY level of exposure "forced" or "woke".

The reason I presented a number of different hetero relationships in my last post was to demonstrate how many different "levels" of them there are within FFXIV, with most of them being well-received. Even when it comes to Magnai and Runar, people typically find them entertaining even if it means laughing at Magnai getting rejected or going "Awwww" when Runar tries flirting with Y'shtola. You and other people may find these relationships to be "in your face" and "egregious" (and I actually agree, personally) but the general attitude towards them is positive at best and indifferent at worst.

So, to repeat what I said...you can do all of these exact same things with LGBT characters. I would personally avoid going the Magnai route if that's the ONLY representation (after all, if Magnai was the only heterosexual man in the game, it would appear to be demonizing male sexuality), but if there are a few "alternatives", then sure...even that could be fun.

[Eldtagg]

I can't speak for other language, but the English Y'shtola is about 300% more sassy comparing to the Japanese version.

"- You and i will speak later!" *ohshieeet*

[IkaraGreydancer]

Idk, if folks want buff bois (we already have them but oke) in the game for representation sake at that point ANYTHING goes. I don't like it BUT that's only fair

[Theodric]

Idk, if folks want buff bois (we already have them but oke) in the game for representation sake at that point ANYTHING goes. I don't like it BUT that's only fair

I think that's rather disingenuous. There's a big difference between requesting more of a common aesthetic and one a large portion of players can relate to...and embracing the sort of niche aesthetics that Twitter dwellers fawn over.

But, hey, if you want FFXIV to go the same way as WoW in regards to stripping away all mention of 'male' and female' in favour of 'body 1' and 'body 2' then be my guest. I don't think more than a very vocal minority desire that, though.

[CrownySuccubus]

I think that's rather disingenuous. There's a big difference between requesting more of a common aesthetic and one a large portion of players can relate to...and embracing the sort of niche aesthetics that Twitter dwellers fawn over.

But, hey, if you want FFXIV to go the same way as WoW in regards to stripping away all mention of 'male' and female' in favour of 'body 1' and 'body 2' then be my guest. I don't think more than a very vocal minority desire that, though.

What a silly argument, since this is not a mutually-exclusive problem. If representation is the goal, then you can have both broad kinds of aesthetics.

Also, here we go again with the attempts to poison the well. Apparently, people who disagree are “Twitter dwellers”, and that’s supposed to also be an inherently bad thing.