Hi,
I'm a big believer in putting a huge amount of work into the character creation. In fact, I'm cool with admitting that I am guilty of being downright anal about it. I also tend to nitpick my own work pretty heavily (leading to off-and-on [sometimes bordering on addictive] use of fantasias to rectify perceived issues). I realize that, right off the back, the fact that I think about this entire matter too much sets me apart from average players (and probably not in a good/healthy way).
HOWEVER...
I have to say, even from a casual perspective (IE, my fiance glancing over my shoulder, looking at the options, and beginning to laugh), the Hyur Midlander female faces are HORRID. There is a single "strong" option (#5), one "passable" option (#1 - and yes, I know there is a slender contingent of #1 devotees out there), and three truly horrific options (#2, 3 and 4), all of which look like they were lazily carved out of raw clay.
Look, I get it: everyone's tastes differ. And I am sure that there are people out there who use #2, 3 and 4.
But I don't see them. Ever.
If I run into another female Midlander Hyur, she's almost always a near-clone of me, with some variation of lips/eyes/nose. Once in a blue moon, I'll spot a #1 (and strongly desire to reach out and question them regarding their unusual tastes), but it can't happen more than once a month. EVERY. OTHER. PERSON is using that #5 (I also want to add: this isn't to say that #5 is perfect - her best nose is too small; her default expression is unbelievably neutral, leaving her looking permanently zoned out in every situation where the game doesn't directly intervene to change you to looking happy or worried or whatever).
The only other female race that arguably has such limited options is Lalafell (and this is due to all their faces being clones of one another with differing eyes). Miqo'te, Au Ra, Viera, and the various sub-races ALL have way more strong-to-brilliant options than female Midlander Hyurs. In fact, Au Ra and Miqo'te arguably don't have a single face option that causes you to recoil in horror, bellowing like General Kael in Willow "WHAT GOES ON HERE?!" But for those three Hyur faces? That's reality; that's the inescapable horror of their unfinished state. Blech. Blarg. Egads.
I know that this is hardly a pressing issue, but I do believe it's one of the (numerous) reasons why female Hyur Midlanders are so unpopular relative to other female races (and yes, I understand that cat ears, horns, swishy tails, bunny ears, and so on are all very compelling).
So, at some point, Square, please... please: fix those freaking Hyur faces.
Continue reading...
I'm a big believer in putting a huge amount of work into the character creation. In fact, I'm cool with admitting that I am guilty of being downright anal about it. I also tend to nitpick my own work pretty heavily (leading to off-and-on [sometimes bordering on addictive] use of fantasias to rectify perceived issues). I realize that, right off the back, the fact that I think about this entire matter too much sets me apart from average players (and probably not in a good/healthy way).
HOWEVER...
I have to say, even from a casual perspective (IE, my fiance glancing over my shoulder, looking at the options, and beginning to laugh), the Hyur Midlander female faces are HORRID. There is a single "strong" option (#5), one "passable" option (#1 - and yes, I know there is a slender contingent of #1 devotees out there), and three truly horrific options (#2, 3 and 4), all of which look like they were lazily carved out of raw clay.
Look, I get it: everyone's tastes differ. And I am sure that there are people out there who use #2, 3 and 4.
But I don't see them. Ever.
If I run into another female Midlander Hyur, she's almost always a near-clone of me, with some variation of lips/eyes/nose. Once in a blue moon, I'll spot a #1 (and strongly desire to reach out and question them regarding their unusual tastes), but it can't happen more than once a month. EVERY. OTHER. PERSON is using that #5 (I also want to add: this isn't to say that #5 is perfect - her best nose is too small; her default expression is unbelievably neutral, leaving her looking permanently zoned out in every situation where the game doesn't directly intervene to change you to looking happy or worried or whatever).
The only other female race that arguably has such limited options is Lalafell (and this is due to all their faces being clones of one another with differing eyes). Miqo'te, Au Ra, Viera, and the various sub-races ALL have way more strong-to-brilliant options than female Midlander Hyurs. In fact, Au Ra and Miqo'te arguably don't have a single face option that causes you to recoil in horror, bellowing like General Kael in Willow "WHAT GOES ON HERE?!" But for those three Hyur faces? That's reality; that's the inescapable horror of their unfinished state. Blech. Blarg. Egads.
I know that this is hardly a pressing issue, but I do believe it's one of the (numerous) reasons why female Hyur Midlanders are so unpopular relative to other female races (and yes, I understand that cat ears, horns, swishy tails, bunny ears, and so on are all very compelling).
So, at some point, Square, please... please: fix those freaking Hyur faces.
Continue reading...