Okay, before I get started I want to state a few things. 1. I really don't know how difficult this is to code, or how comfortable the devs are with this idea, so I really don't have too much hope for this, but it's worth a shot right? After all, this is just a discussion, nothing more. 2. Its okay to not support for any reason, but please be kind to myself or others, regardless if you all agree with each other or not, keep it civil. 3. This suggestion is less for lioden now in its current state, but more so that they at least discuss this as an option for the revamp(?) that they are planning for this site, so keep that in mind as well, I'm not asking for this to be a feature tomorrow.

So, after coming back from solely playing wolvden, there is one feature on here that I really do miss that I feel like if any features are going to be shared, this should definitely be one, which is the ability to have a female be your player character. Both in real life and in lioden I prefer the way lionesses look compared to males. They are so beautiful, elegant, yet pose such a wild strength that I just adore so much, all while looking like a proper lady. I understand that both lioden and wolvden have been made with the idea of a "leading" character of a pack or pride, but this is, however, a bit of an old, somewhat fictional, understanding of lion prides and wolf packs as we know it (which is fine, I love that this game isn't 100% realistic)!

In the wild wolf packs "alphas" don't really exist, yes there is still a pecking order, like in any social group found in the animal kingdom, but not exactly a hierarchy. In the wild the so called "alphas" are just the two that breed and reproduce pack numbers, and the other members are their children. However, packs work as a single unit, even the siblings all take part in helping to raise their younger siblings.

In lion prides this idea of a "leader" is even more untrue. Lion males fight in order to protect their own offspring (otherwise if the rival wins he will kill all cubs under 2 years old), breeding rights with the females, and free meals. There isn't any true leadership in lion prides, at least not in the way lioden portrays it. In fact, the only true "leadership" role we see is in the lead lioness, who is the oldest and most experienced lioness in the pride that guides her hunting team made up of her sister, cousins, etc. that's truly it. Sure there is a pecking order and overall "rules" in these creatures lives for the sake of survival, but none of this "one large and in charge" leader that's command every individual member of the group like we see now.

So, all this to say, what am I suggesting? I'm suggesting a few things actually! For this to work it would require a few extra parts but will all come together to accomplish one end goal. I ask that the devs not only give us the option to play as a biological lioness as our main character instead of just a male player role, but give us the option of a title, to give our player character our own title via a box to type in our own title or leave it blank with no title if we choose, AND premade titles that we can choose from a dropbox for those that want a title but cannot think of one. That way if someone likes the current structure of lioden it doesn't have to change for them and they can continue playing as we all are now with their player character being a male who controls his harem of ladies. But for us who would prefer a different style of play, we can have that. So if someone wants a biological lioness leading a pride, they have titles to reflect that. If someone wants to play as a nobody lioness who is ignored and does her own thing, well they can play that way and the choice to opt out of a title will allow that easily!

Now I know to keep the feeling of a lion pride and structure, there should be a male present, so I suggest do what wolvden did and have the role of breeding be separate from the player character role. Like wolvden it can only be a male, however, unlike on the sister site it won't be a choice here. You will HAVE to have a breeding male set, and if he dies with no male to replace him, you will be asked to reroll your breeding male like how it is currently with lead set up. Now you could choose to never breed to this male, and you can choose to set him up for studding or not. The only choice you won't have is the presence of a male in your pride or not (however if you think this should change leave your own suggestions). Also, unlike in wolvden, your breeding male will only ever be your player character if you choose to not play as a lioness. Retirement will work how it does now, except you can choose a lioness to replace your current character, or your breeding male will automatically take over if you don't have a lioness player "heir" selected.

I feel like this set up will offer a far more diverse and free playing experience, without forcing everyone to play one way, but it also doesn't force those who enjoys the current playstyle to change, they can continue on as if nothing ever happened for them.

I think a player character lioness should have a normal heat cycle, be able to be bred and nested with the nesting pose in effect, and still perform tasks (yes I know like wolvden, but again, if any mechanics are going to be shared between the sites, which the devs themselves said will happen with some, I TRULY feel this should be one). Perhaps instead of hunting a lioness player character explores like normal? In all honesty exploring doesn't reflect any sort of realism that would happen in real life with lions anyways, so I truly don't feel like this should change nor need to. Basically you can do everything you can now but with the option of a lioness as the character you play as and get attached to. She will function just like any other lioness (outside of hunting) except she's the character you are playing as and the eyes you see this world through.

Now, before you support or don't support, here are some arguments I think are possible and my would-be response.

Q: It's too much like wolvden, and the devs said that they are meant to be separate games!

A: I understand that that's what the devs want, and I think so far they have done a good job at separating them, however they are still sister sites, and by default there will be a lot of similarities still, and I honestly think that an addition that will add MORE diversity and options should NOT be withheld from us just because their other site has it. There are many other ways to separate the two games, this option should not be one!


Q: No support, I can just use a lab frog.

A: Although the lab frog is very neat, it is only a band-aid over a bigger problem. The fact that the frog exists shows that the devs are aware that lionesses as playable characters is a want by the community, even if its small, but I'm sure many are like me in the fact that we want a biologically functioning female to play as. I do think the lab test frog should still exist even if this suggestion is implemented, I'm not asking for the item to go anywhere! It is great for those with magic and divine intervention, or those with transgender characters, in their lore that allows for their "lioness" (quotes are just to emphasize that its still a functioning male mechanically with the frog to change their art to lioness art) to reproduce with other lionesses like a male lion would, but for someone like me who wants a biologically functioning female lioness as my playing character, it would be weird for her to get other lionesses pregnant. And I could use a a stud, but I personally don't like using studs. It can not only get expensive, but not everyone LIKES to stud their lionesses out, and they don't need a "valid" reason to not like it and not use the feature.


Q: I like the game as is with male's as leaders, no support!

A: It's okay to like the current playstyle. What I'm suggesting is to not completely remove males as your pride "leader" or playable character, but to just expand on that. If you don't want a lioness as your character, that's fine, you don't need to! You can keep playing as is currently with no change to yourself. All this will do is add the option for those that DO want to play as a lioness.


(I will expand on this list as questions/arguments come up).