Guild Wars 2

Why is it this face is so popular for Sylvari characters?

It’s not to slam anyone but I just don’t see the appeal and almost every Sylvari I see has it >_< even the Zodiac helm uses it (which makes me a bit sad because I’d like it to change depending on which face I have).

So I’d like to hear the reasons for why people like it and if people feel like I do, what faces do they normally roll uvu?<3

The simple answer: a matter of taste, players like whatever.

Also, as human players, it’s among the more “attractive”, “human-like” options. I actually like some others more (the “trunk face” is really interesting), though I definitely did not like the newer options for the sylvari, especially the “alien” ones, because there’s IMHO nothing wrong with “human” noses on them-the lore supports them being human-like in appearance, so the plant-human hybrid approach works (not the the no-nose model is wrong or inappropriate, however.)

My favorite face for both male and female sylvari is “uglier” by default than the current mass “favorite” as cited above, but I alter the shape so it ends up looking even “prettier” (from a subjective human-player standpoint), by substantially slimming down the eyes (by default they are often “too big” for most face models), lips, and nose as needed-thankfully we can quite alter all default options to our liking.

I’m kinda with you in this. That face is too human for a sylvari imo
..so I want something different on mine

ALIEN FACE FTW!!

edit: this face —> that face

I have one female sylvari with this face.

The reason is pretty obvious, it is the only not so ugly face in the default choices. And i guess it is very common aesthetic sense to most of the players, therefore it is all over the place…

Sylvari are human-enough to be subject to sex appeal. Most people will go with the option that’s most appealing.

Because a lot of people try to turn them into generic cutesy elf substitutes rather than the dragon spawned plant aliens that they are. So they pick the most “human” faces over and over again.

Mine:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

Many of the female ones can be made to look very beautiful, subjectively speaking, and from my limited, human player point of view. My favorite, and the one I use for my Sylvari Thief, is the third, center one on the second row. I just narrowed the eye sockets and changed the iris (as well as some other changes I can’t remember) and IMHO it looks “better” than the “mass-favorite” first option.

See, the last option could also be made to look great (even “human-like”), despite the branch nose. While I like the quite popular first option too, there are many ways to make most of them look “pretty”, would that be the intent.

I don’t mind the big eyes, except some can look too intense or “fish-like”. All depends on the character concept I have for him/her.

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

Personally, I prefer the top right ‘spiny-shrimp’ face of the standard, non-kit faces.
Bottom right is the only other non-kit face I’d ever consider using (has a lot of glowing surface to it).

My preference for a kit face is the ‘alien’.
:)

my sylvari has a bad kitten face. that face is ugly.

I think it looks daring. I have three sylvaris, and I usually choose the strangest faces for them, but I originally picked this one for my ranger, because it looked more adventurous than the others. I still ended up changing it for one of the new ones in the end, because it’s not very original.

Star Ace.5207:

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

Many of the female ones can be made to look very beautiful, subjectively speaking, and from my limited, human player point of view. My favorite, and the one I use for my Sylvari Thief, is the third, center one on the second row. I just narrowed the eye sockets and changed the iris (as well as some other changes I can’t remember) and IMHO it looks “better” than the “mass-favorite” first option.

See, the last option could also be made to look great (even “human-like”), despite the branch nose. While I like the quite popular first option too, there are many ways to make most of them look “pretty”, would that be the intent.

I don’t mind the big eyes, except some can look too intense or “fish-like”. All depends on the character concept I have for him/her.

That’s so interesting that that face seems “fish-like” to you, as that was just the look I was after for my character, actually.

But I agree that many of the faces are beautiful. I love the last two on the right, a lot, too. I love the idea of branches/petal shapes on the face.

Bacause 3 years ago that face was the most appealing to me, there weren’t so many options back then.

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

same! my necro rocks this look, but with the headpiece that gives cat-eyes. She looks very alien, it’s lovely.

Because there’s nowhere near enough options or ability to modify those that do exist.

Oxidia.8103:

Bacause 3 years ago that face was the most appealing to me, there weren’t so many options back then.

I have 2 female sylvari. One was created pre-launch/early start and she has that face. At the time, it seemed like the one most able to be customized by sliders and with the least amount of bizarre shading at the forehead. Some of the faces almost looked like pasted on masks to me. She was also based off an old wood elf character from a pen & paper campaign of long ago, so I definitely wanted a more elven type face. The other was created less than a year ago and has a different face that’s a little less human. My next one is planned as a heavy armor class and will be very tree-like with inhuman face.

I too had that face at the beginning, but ended up deleting the character and creating a new one. People use that face probably because of the “elf feeling” it gives. =)

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

I’ve used the default (first one, top row), and I’ve used the second one, bottom row. They are the only ones that appealed to me and “felt” good with the hair options I chose. shrug

Personally never really liked that face, not because it looks too human, just not a fan of it but in the end it’s a matter of taste, that’s it really.

As for my sylvari’s;

I like it because the skin texture has a sort of leaf print. Also, least creepy eyes.
That being said, all my sylvari have changed faces with a kit by now.

Thanks all for the response and answers!:)

Thought I might show mine since there’s been so many pretty sylvaris in this thread uvu

imsoenthused.1634:

Because a lot of people try to turn them into generic cutesy elf substitutes rather than the dragon spawned plant aliens that they are. So they pick the most “human” faces over and over again.

Mine:

To be fair, the whole dragon spawned plant aliens thing wasn’t common knowledge 3 years ago.

I find myself drawn to the more wooden faces. I did make one of the “alien” faces a while back, but she was a Thief and I just couldn’t make myself level another Thief so she’s gone now. Here’s my four, a couple from their creation screens as that shows their face choices best: Warrior, Mesmer, Guardian, Necromancer. The Guardian is my oldest one, and hasn’t changed much over the past 3 years except to get hair that sweeps back instead of covering her face. She has white eyes. The Necromancer has different armor now and a swept forward hairstyle instead of the fern braids but this shot shows her face fairly well.

I have that face on my first Sylvari, who I intentionally designed to look elf-like. But that hardly even matters, as I have a full face mask covering her face anyway.

I love Sylvari eyes, so many options that look good. For my female ranger, I chose the head with imo the best eyes and then gave her a mask to cover her lower face. Then I have a guardian, much plantier, that I made to look more Asian.

imsoenthused.1634:

gitflap.9031:

Better question is why does a tree have tits? Do they produce sap?

As for the Sylvari body types, I’m pretty sure it has to do with them being born from the dreams and thoughts of other sentient races that the pale tree absorbed. The real question isn’t why they have genders, but why aren’t there sylvari shaped like charr, centaurs, asuras, etc. The lack of centaur body types is especially strange when you consider the influence Ventari had on the pale tree.

To elaborate, as I understood it, Sylvari don’t actually have genders, and they can’t reproduce. They are created by the Pale Tree to resemble other races (i.e. humans, not sure why no centaurs), hence the male-female gender appearance split. But (disregarding the wooden aspect, as they’re plants) they’re all toned down versions of human body types. Sylvari males, for example, are typically much slimmer and skinnier than human males in all areas, from their torsos to their limbs. Sylvari females, note, have very small “breast” options (I think the largest Sylvari is still smaller than the smallest human) because, biologically speaking, they don’t do anything; they’re just contours and bumps in the “wood” or whatever plant material they’re made of.

Blair.3796:

imsoenthused.1634:

gitflap.9031:

Better question is why does a tree have tits? Do they produce sap?

As for the Sylvari body types, I’m pretty sure it has to do with them being born from the dreams and thoughts of other sentient races that the pale tree absorbed. The real question isn’t why they have genders, but why aren’t there sylvari shaped like charr, centaurs, asuras, etc. The lack of centaur body types is especially strange when you consider the influence Ventari had on the pale tree.

To elaborate, as I understood it, Sylvari don’t actually have genders, and they can’t reproduce. They are created by the Pale Tree to resemble other races (i.e. humans, not sure why no centaurs), hence the male-female gender appearance split.

I’d assume due to Ronan.

Narrrz.7532:

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

same! my necro rocks this look, but with the headpiece that gives cat-eyes. She looks very alien, it’s lovely.

what headpiece gives cat-eyes? O.o

also… i chose the cactus spine face for my thief. i specifically wanted her to look badarse and mean. i went with a human-ish face on my druid-to-be (i don’t think it’s the popular face in question… might be, but i don’t think so…) … but then i gave her sexah shades… cuz.. yeah. /shades YEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!

katz.8376:

Narrrz.7532:

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

same! my necro rocks this look, but with the headpiece that gives cat-eyes. She looks very alien, it’s lovely.

what headpiece gives cat-eyes? O.o

Demon Masque- it’s one of the starter headpieces for necro.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Demon_Masque

It’s most obvious on races with large eyes, like Asura and Sylvari.

Auralae.7482:

imsoenthused.1634:

Because a lot of people try to turn them into generic cutesy elf substitutes rather than the dragon spawned plant aliens that they are. So they pick the most “human” faces over and over again.

Mine:

To be fair, the whole dragon spawned plant aliens thing wasn’t common knowledge 3 years ago.

I know! I just always liked them better as weird and far out as possible. Mine above was created back on launch day for example. The new lore stuff just gave me justification.

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

I swear I’m the only one in the whole game that uses the second to last face on the bottom row.

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

The 3rd on the top row is the one I used for my sylvari’s face.
I just liked it the best.

I suppose that face looks the most humanoid? I wonder how many people make a sylvari really want to be a sylvari or are they just playing around with another character. I only make male chars because I come from the game Dragon’s Dogma where we pawn swap and advertise our characters; most people make females and I just don’t think it is fare to decide females are prettier than males. It’s a very Western mind set. When I play with Easterners there are still more females but at least they give male characters a true go. And not just make the bearded bulky bar fight kinds.

Crimson Clouds.4853:

katz.8376:

Narrrz.7532:

paintpixie.7398:

I think it’s because it’s the most “human looking” face option.
My personal favorite is the second one in the following image:
I like the big eyes.

same! my necro rocks this look, but with the headpiece that gives cat-eyes. She looks very alien, it’s lovely.

what headpiece gives cat-eyes? O.o

Demon Masque- it’s one of the starter headpieces for necro.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Demon_Masque

It’s most obvious on races with large eyes, like Asura and Sylvari.

It doesn’t have teh same effect on humans. my mesmer wears it as well, and it’s just like… red makeup that she’s smeared around the side of her face a bit