Once we're not getting any new races, wouldn't it be nice if Elezen's got an update?

[Midareyukki]

I think western designed elves would look much better, to be honest. Elves are probably my favorite race to play in other games, no matter what kind of game. The playable race I really wanted in this game was like Hilda: Half elezen. And that's the most basic kind of elf, but I think they would look quite good regardless.. better than elezen in their current state, in my opinion.

Mind being a bit more specific on that? xD Western-inspired elves can vary quite a lot. The inspiration draws heavily from Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore, where depending on where you are the appearance of Elves and other folklore creatures like trolls varies.

You can just as easily get beautiful and flowy like the Lord of the Rings elves.
You can get the elves in Elder Scrolls which look like E.T. had plastic surgery.
You can get the elves in Dragon Age which vary from looking Tolkien-ish (Fenris) or kinda weird (Solas. What is that nose.)
Or you can get weird and sprite-like like Stallion from Suikoden.

Though, really, all we have are elongated Hyurs with pointy ears. And weird head sizes. Hilda doesn't have that much variation, she just falls heavier on the Hyur look due to genetics.

[SturmChurro]

Mind being a bit more specific on that? xD Western-inspired elves can vary quite a lot. The inspiration draws heavily from Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore, where depending on where you are the appearance of Elves and other folklore creatures like trolls varies.

You can just as easily get beautiful and flowy like the Lord of the Rings elves.
You can get the elves in Elder Scrolls which look like E.T. had plastic surgery.
You can get the elves in Dragon Age which vary from looking Tolkien-ish (Fenris) or kinda weird (Solas. What is that nose.)
Or you can get weird and sprite-like like Stallion from Suikoden.

Though, really, all we have are elongated Hyurs with pointy ears. And weird head sizes. Hilda doesn't have that much variation, she just falls heavier on the Hyur look due to genetics.

I've noticed eastern designed elves tend to be quite lanky (which some western elves are, like high elves from Skyrim, etc.), oddly proportioned, and have large sideways ears. Hit or miss if they have generally more attractive or elegant features. I think they usually just end up looking weird. I quite like many of the variations of western elf, like as seen in DnD, or LoTR, even ES. I do like them along the line of Hilda which are elves that are very human like with pointed ears, I like them to have decently prominent ears though. LoTR elven ears are a bit short, if I recall. In LoTR, an elf would look more like a half-elf in DnD (w/o facial hair), I think.

If I had to choose, I think I like the variations of DnD elves the most. Drow are my favorite. I really just like dark elves in general. In ES *modded* I typically play high elves (altmer), mostly due to them being good mages. In Dragon Age most of my characters were elves too (Origins/Inquisition not possible in 2). The little bit I played of WoW, I played a blood elf priest (healer like whm). I like them to be beautiful and elegant, or aristocratic, etc.. I think viera embody the personality quite well in this game.

Elezen are very much too homogenized in this game with the rest of the races. We rarely see duskwights. Ishgard elezen are pretty much just some crusader humans from a generic fantasy world. On the first, I think they were actually called elves and had a unique culture, but, obviously, they were gone.

[Midareyukki]

I've noticed eastern designed elves tend to be quite lanky (which some western elves are, like high elves from Skyrim, etc.), oddly proportioned, and have large sideways ears. Hit or miss if they have generally more attractive or elegant features. I think they usually just end up looking weird. I quite like many of the variations of western elf, like as seen in DnD, or LoTR, even ES. I do like them along the line of Hilda which are elves that are very human like with pointed ears, I like them to have decently prominent ears though. LoTR elven ears are a bit short, if I recall. In LoTR, an elf would look more like a half-elf in DnD (w/o facial hair), I think.

If I had to choose, I think I like the variations of DnD elves the most. Drow are my favorite. I really just like dark elves in general. In ES *modded* I typically play high elves (altmer), mostly due to them being good mages. In Dragon Age most of my characters were elves too (Origins/Inquisition not possible in 2). The little bit I played of WoW, I played a blood elf priest (healer like whm). I like them to be beautiful and elegant, or aristocratic, etc.. I think viera embody the personality quite well in this game.

Elezen are very much too homogenized in this game with the rest of the races. We rarely see duskwights. Ishgard elezen are pretty much just some crusader humans from a generic fantasy world. On the first, I think they were actually called elves and had a unique culture, but, obviously, they were gone.

I think I get what you mean. Basically the Hyur-like ones are generic and don't offer much in terms of variance. Even traits that are "weird" can be good if properly executed. I personally think that, while the "weird" ones are accurate to some folklore, the real issue with them is how they got rendered in 3D rather than their design itself. Soo... somewhat like what Square Enix did for Astos in Stranger of Paradise?



He has the usual "Square Enix pretty boy" style, but he's got some pronounced features that make him stand out. He still looks rather humanoid, but is bone-y, his eyes are wide and pronounced, ears are rather long and pointy, his hair is all over the place, has ash skintone like a Duskwight would...

Plus, he's modelled from this sort of sprite, so he isn't usually a looker.

[Tetsujin]

Snip

Is it that they have small heads OR really broad shoulders? I've never thought the head was the problem, but I've also never looked too closely. It's a genuine question.

Would Elezen players want their race re-touched? I imagine many have grown fond of their generally long proportions. Pointy faces and all. I dunno, they have their charm, but it's not for me to really opine. I wish we lived in a world where Square could add thicker thighs and butts without the usual crowd whining though. Look at those legs!

[SturmChurro]

I think I get what you mean. Basically the Hyur-like ones are generic and don't offer much in terms of variance. Even traits that are "weird" can be good if properly executed. I personally think that, while the "weird" ones are accurate to some folklore, the real issue with them is how they got rendered in 3D rather than their design itself. Soo... somewhat like what Square Enix did for Astos in Stranger of Paradise?



He has the usual "Square Enix pretty boy" style, but he's got some pronounced features that make him stand out. He still looks rather humanoid, but is bone-y, his eyes are wide and pronounced, ears are rather long and pointy, his hair is all over the place, has ash skintone like a Duskwight would...

Plus, he's modelled from this sort of sprite, so he isn't usually a looker.

Sure, something like that for a dark elf could work in a way. He's a bit light skinned, but different tones can allow a player choice. Generally, elves aren't as bulky as humans, usually either shorter, or taller in stature, but can be about the same. Typically, they are considered good looking. A good example would be to look up high elf in DnD, or elves in general. What I like about DnD specifically, is the amount of variations they have with elves. Their different personalities as well. See, aside from the actual look of the race, personality plays a big role in the presentation of them. Much like how players don't like their hrothgar hunch. With Elezen in FFXIV, they generally have bad animations, in my opinion. Rather, I think more could have been done in their presentation. They definitely need more work done.

Trying to find examples in a game.. recently Baldur's Gate 3 has been doing DnD elves:

This one is my own screenshot of my wood elf druid from last year

Also, Warhammer elves I like as well (Fantasy and 40k Eldar)

[Moomba33]

I've been playing Eva for 9 years now....I really don't want to see any drastic changes to Elezen. It just wouldn't be her anymore.

More character creator options for all races are welcome though.

[Reese_Clairdale]

All Elezen specific animations are already mocapped, just like pretty much everything else from 1.0. If I had to guess, they got actual tall people or very good actors to do them. Not every race needs cartoonishly expressive emotes or a normal jogging cycle, and they wouldn't fit with the overall demeanor of Elezen.

Concept art where Elezen have more typical proportions is from 2.0's development and onward, and even then it varies from artist to artist. Some of the Viera concept art give them necks even longer than in-game Elezen.

Neck length is fine.

The head I agree is too small, but only slightly. Increasing it too much would look even weirder.

The first thing I would change personally is the way pauldrons on a lot of armor sits on Elezen shoulders, that needs a huge improvement. Some of them are fine as is, but a lot of them are spaced too wide. Other shoulder or neck accessories like the scarf on the Myochin Haori can also be too big, but instances of this happening are much more rare and are less extreme compared to shoulder armor.

Not every game needs elves to just be humans with pointed ears. There are also people who are extremely lanky IRL who may identify more closely to Elezen than Hyur, so changing Elezen to fall in line with what is seen as "normal" will just deprive them of that option in addition to reducing the amount of fantasy elements.

IMO, if they want to perfect Elezen, they can give them the exact same proportions and gear fitting that they have in CGI images and trailers, which would still involve very long necks and limbs.

[Hirototo]

Yes, please rework elezen, the tiny heads are awful. Simply add better proportioned heads as new faces, so that people who are fans of tiny heads can keep them(tho I doubt we would see many). And add more faces in general(Aymeric type of face).
Please, especially rework the proportions of face 3(the only youthful elezen male face), it almost feels like someone made its proportions even worse than the other ones so we are forced into picking the old looking faces.
And while you are at it, add one extra running animation for every race. The male elezen running animation is atrocious, make one that will be a bit more rough and less stiff.

[Iscah]

Yes, please rework elezen, the tiny heads are awful. Simply add better proportioned heads as new faces, so that people who are fans of tiny heads can keep them(tho I doubt we would see many).

The head can't just be made a different size for different faces (if it's even part of the face model) or the hairstyles wouldn't fit the bigger head properly. I'm pretty sure they don't stretch.

[Alpheus]

I really enjoyed Elvaan in XI (chose them over Galka due to casting animations for weaponskills), taking that design into XIV and something was changed, I can't put it into words or otherwise describe it but the design looks really off in XIV, because they're long limbed in both but they just don't carry it as well in XIV for some reason to my eye.

But yea a number of the launch races like Roe and Elezen as well as the launch Jobs (and MCH) all need a visual overhaul of some sort to their animations and such (DRG/WAR/MCH unsheathed weapon running animation comes to mind, PLD sprint running especially with how stiff the lower body looks)