Aestri Yazar uses the male survivor skeleton

Options
Visi
Visi Member Posts: 48

I just realized that this is what I found so off-putting about her model in-game. You can easily see this when cycling between her and the other survivors. In DnD elves are already a bit shorter than humans and are supposed to be more slender, but she has all of the same proportions as a human male in the game. A similar thing is done with Legion, though that's less of an issue since there is such a wide variety of height between all of the killers and they disguise it better with their different stances. I still think it's less than ideal for Legion, but it doesn't stick out to me nearly as bad as it does when this is used for Aestri. I love fantasy, and I love elves, so this is pretty disheartening. I assume that it won't be changed at this point, but I had to share my frustration.

Comments

  • Valuetown
    Valuetown Member Posts: 262
    Options

    I also love elves, and when I heard the new survivor was an elf, I was extremely excited. Fast forward to seeing Aestri and I was extremely disappointed with what they had created as well. I genuinely don't know why they didn't just make them two different characters. In fact, why not have 4 different survivors to resemble the average D&D party?

    It saddens me to know there's a reality out there somewhere where 4 survivors were created and each brought 3 perks that represented aspects of 4 different classes from D&D. For example, a cleric survivor that has a perk that after stunning a killer twice allows for faster or an instant heal on another survivor, among other ideas.

    Aestri does look extremely terrible using the male skeleton and also using the same hair. They have the means to change the skeletons for the same character, case and point: Alan Wake and Saga Anderson. I really hope they fix this and don't just hand wave it away.

  • VolantConch1719
    VolantConch1719 Member Posts: 1,165
    Options

    Yeah, this was something that bothered me on the PTB. Elves in D&D are typically between Humans and Dwarves in terms of height, and Aestri seems to be, based on her skin tone and freckles, most likely a Wood Elf, which puts her in the middle of the Elf height pack. I personally believe that, if they were going to keep both of them the same height for cosmetic purposes, they should have switched Aestri and Baermar, with Baermar being smaller than other male Survivors. He's a Bard, not a Fighter, he doesn't need that musculature (though I also like the idea that Aestri put all her points into Charisma and Strength instead of Dexterity).

    In general, the Troupe probably needed a unique skeleton to accommodate both of them, and Aestri just looks kind of awkward right now, so I probably won't use her (plus, Baermar's seems to be voiced by Robbie Daymond, which automatically throws him towards the top of my "I want to main you" list).

  • Zaydin
    Zaydin Member Posts: 275
    Options

    I wonder if using the female skeleton for Aestri and the male one for what's his name was too much work for them. You'd think they could have tied it to the head/torso cosmetic equipped 'cause yeah, it kind of hits the uncanny valley.

    Unlikely to ever get changed though knowing BHVR.

  • CountOfTheFog
    CountOfTheFog Member Posts: 1,896
    Options

    They both feel extremely awkward to play and too tall. They are both too tall imo.

  • Hex_Llama
    Hex_Llama Member Posts: 1,789
    Options

    It's so crazy to me that the same devs who designed Sable and made her cosmetics collection completely cohesive followed that with a character where you have to buy their hair separately from their head, and their hair sometimes comes comes with a guitar attached.

    I fully support creating an androgynous character who can mix and match cosmetics to change their gender presentation, but this is not the way. Agree with the posters higher up who said they needed a custom skeleton.

  • THE_Crazy_Hyena
    THE_Crazy_Hyena Member Posts: 246
    Options

    As someone who has lived and breathed Dragon Age for the last 10 years, I must agree on this.
    Elves are supposed to be slender-framed and slightly shorter than their human counterparts.

  • ArkInk
    ArkInk Member Posts: 548
    edited June 4
    Options

    I'm down for mixing gender cosmetics, but it was a weird decision to do it with an elf given their typical frame. I'm glad the devs are experimenting more, but I agree with the general consensus that this was deserving of a new survivor frame. An Androgynous survivor would be cool.

  • Nazzzak
    Nazzzak Member Posts: 4,912
    Options

    It's hard hey. I love the idea of getting 2 survivors for the price of 1 and being able to mix n match. Making one a Legendary would suck because they're more expensive, and if they made the male separate they'd have to create additional perks too. But on the flip side, it doesn't make much sense giving an elf a human frame. I guess the devs felt it was the best compromise? I'm not overly bothered by it, I'll still play Aestri

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    edited June 4
    Options

    i HATE what they did to Aestri. In the intro video and artworks, she looks like a woman. But in game, she looks nothing like what they portray her to be. She just looks like a young man. Accuracy went out the window. She has a big build, flat chest, strong jaw. Not to say women don't have this, but this clearly looks like a male. And the fact she has the same male frame as the other male survivors? Like don't promote her as one way but display her as another. I'm so disappointed cause she looks cool in the teasers. I think she's hella sexy as a male but seriously, don't promote her as a her. It's so clear they were trying to make them into a man. Like just do that then. :/ Or promote it as a young lad and an older man. Also I do love androgony, but Aestri is tremendously leaning to a guy/male. Nothing about her looks female/woman.

  • Satelit
    Satelit Member Posts: 1,377
    Options

    Not sure why they wanted her to be tall,she's a DnD elf not a TES Altmer.

  • Beaburd
    Beaburd Member Posts: 938
    Options

    No worries, I'm sure these concerns will be addressed with the same haste and care as Nancy Wheeler when her eyes were too close together and her face was really weird.

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    edited June 4
    Options

    her face's still weird though. but i kinda like it. it's very tim burtonesque.

    Also ok, the more I use her, the more I kinda see a woman now. I don't know if it's just psychological but anywayyyy they SHOULD fix the male frame for all male characters. they block the whole screen!

    Post edited by epi on
  • Harbinger1985
    Harbinger1985 Member Posts: 68
    Options

    It was a bad design choice. I didn't own the DLC, but played them in the PTB. What fails here is 2 characters in one concept. Looks insanely weird Aestri and Baermar share the same height and skeleton model AND same legs and hair! It's not like Legion at all. Legion has different mask and different body (they only share the weapon), but of course killer cosmetics works differently.
    These 2 characters have a unique cosmetic layout, like what they did with Ash. But here it looks kinda off. Also, like other said Aestri look really hot and feminine in the trailer and the trailer gives her more screentime since poor Baermer vanish quickly. :D

  • zarr
    zarr Member Posts: 898
    edited June 4
    Options

    I for one am glad that we finally have a tall female character, breaking with the dichotomy that all women must be short and all men tall (waiting for a short male character now).

    That said, I can understand why having male rigging on a female "frame" can be a little odd. I personally don't mind, she feels nice to play to me even if I'm not visually a big fan.

  • Zaydin
    Zaydin Member Posts: 275
    Options

    Part of it simply that Aestri doesn't really line up with how elves are usually portrayed in D&D thanks to sharing the male skeleton and its associated animation set.

  • zarr
    zarr Member Posts: 898
    edited June 4
    Options

    I would think there are a plethora of possible depictions of elves in D&D, including some "warrioress" types that are taller, broader and such. But I really don't know whether that's the case. 😁

    I do think she doesn't really look or feel "elfish", there isn't that aura of an "ethereal beauty and grace" in her model or animations. Which is obvious at least in the case of the animations I suppose, since she doesn't really have unique base animations and is just another regularly rigged survivor. It would definitely have been cool to have something much more unique, someone that looks and moves distinctly differently (which simply having female movesets on her of course also wouldn't have achieved however). But I would never expect that from this game, I mean, the very reason why having a tall female character is a new thing after all these years precisely is that BHVR doesn't want to stray from their established skeletal meshes and associated animations. But yeah, she could have at least looked much more "otherworldly".

  • WampaPl
    WampaPl Member Posts: 33
    Options

    I wish they had different skeletons. I shouldn't be that hard to since heads are the same size anyway, torso will determine the skeleton so only 1 variant and legs are the only part that require 2 skeletal variants.

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    Options

    It's okay she's tall. Her frame though it's a bit too big I feel. Or maybe I feel that cause she and like all the other male survivors, are right smack in the middle of the screen.

    Also, I mean don't we already have like 2 characters in one? Like the RE and SH survivors? It's both man and woman. And I'm assuming when you change to the woman you will be smaller and the man you will go back to being big?

    I don't own these outfits so I can't even say if that's a fact, but I assume if people don't have issues with them, then Aestri's model can follow that concept.

  • Crypticghoul
    Crypticghoul Member Posts: 568
    Options

    I'm pretty disappointed with her using the male animations. It just looks so weird. Hopefully Behaviour finds some kind of way to give her the female animations. I'd imagine it's not impossible due to some legendary sets switching between male/female animations.

  • Superyoshiegg
    Superyoshiegg Member Posts: 1,481
    Options

    I like it.

    The way it is now, every female survivor is short and every male survivor is tall. While its the standard in real life, it's definitely not realistic that one of the two dozen female survivors are of a taller than average height.

    Works double that Aestri isn't actually human anyway so she wouldn't apply to the 'all women are short' philosophy BHVR seemingly had up to this point.

  • Science_Guy
    Science_Guy Member Posts: 1,971
    Options

    So my problem is this: Aren't elves typically smaller, more agile than humans in most fantasy media? Aestri is the biggest, bulkiest woman in the game.

    It's so weird how BHVR keeps doing this kind of thing. Yes, you can have a medieval survivor… but we'll give him a bunch of modern-day clothes so he might as well be just like everyone else. Oh, you didn't like that? Fine, have a survivor from the future… he only gets bulky spacey clothing. You want an elf? You'll get pointy ears on a giant frame and you will like it. Who is making these decisions?

    But hey, they started giving Vittorio medieval cosmetics eventually, and Gabriel is getting nicer stuff now. Maybe they'll do something about Aestri's body, although I tend to think that would be a lot of work for something so inconsequential.

  • not_Queef
    not_Queef Member Posts: 801
    Options

    They should do this for Ripley as well.

    Game Ripley is too smol.

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    edited June 4
    Options

    I like using the female characters for this exact reason. the males are too damn big. at least change the pov. like yes, theyre bigger and taller, thats fine, but does it really need to occupy so much space on the screen???

    Post edited by epi on
  • Yharwick
    Yharwick Member Posts: 496
    Options

    I think a female character with the male skeleton is a cool idea but it was a bad idea to try and do the 2 in 1 thing at the same time because the animations look weird and they can't change them without giving the male character the female animations as well so there's no actual way to fix it I don't think, not to mention she looks barely anything like the trailer.

    I like the ideas just not all at the same time.

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    Options

    i just wished they'd fix the way we see the male characters on screen. it occupies too much space.

  • arcaneGospel
    arcaneGospel Member Posts: 200
    Options

    This is the only thing about the survivors I actually like, to be frank. It's interesting, and is the first time BHVR has made any female survivor not very small. Body diversity is important, I think, in making recognizable characters, and it's something DBD is lacking in.

  • epi
    epi Member Posts: 29
    Options

    body diversity IS good. but what isn't, is blocking the whole screen. they need to resize the ratio at least. but keep them their height ofc