Why Are Their Faces Hidden? - A Consideration Of The Facemasks Teshin, Lotus, And Civilians Wear

[Evanescent]

WE see them that way. This is important.

WE see them that way around US.

When they deal with US we see them wear visors.

 

Maybe there is something about the tenno that requires them to put on shades to pretect themselves? Also their strange suits-almost like containment ones-but I think that's more of a purely design thing.

[CephalonShy]

Coz it's easier to animate, and you don't have to spend time making tons of different faces for unimportant npcs.

Edited April 11, 2015 by MaxFable

[JDP04]

they cover their eyes to make them immune to LoS nerf. :P

[Blakrana]

Not to be awkward, but there's another couple of reasons to cover your eyes.

 

First, Eye Contact is incredibly important to conveying actual emotion. Game engine issues aside (Though Square Enix are probably giggling here), you can tell insincerity in a smile by whether it 'reaches' the eyes. Avoiding eye contact is a sign of shyness or dislike, discomfort, all that stuff too. Also an easy way to creep a person out.

 

By covering the eyes, you're 'shielding' yourself from being 'read' as easily because those Oakley's sure as heck are shiny things. You can't see anything in a mirror you don't know already. And with that 'break' in eye contact, the wearer's confidence increases, whilst the other person is put at odds to engage with you as being unable to make eye contact is rather intimidating. It's why SWAT teams wear gas masks at times, pure intimidation value.

 

There's a lot of practical aspects, sure, but there's a few interesting psychological traits we have tied up in the eyes. Granted, it could be as simple DE saving effort because they're not keen on facial animation and that's fair and fine...but considering we're basically only ever talking to revolutionaries and criminal types by stint of the Grineer or Corpus Point of View...lack of identifying features, especially eyes, really help.

 

It's interesting, certainly, but I admit I have a certain fondness for the old saying "Eyes are windows to the soul". That's an awfully private thing to have on display, so best avert the gaze.

 

And this can all still fit with the pragmatic personal HUD and what not deal. Have your cake and eat it, really.

 

Apologies for going on, as always.

[NovusNiveus]

As regards the models that have eyes even though the eyes are obscured in game; I can't speak for DE's artists, but when I'm zBrushing a person I'll put eyes in their head regardless of whether or not their eyes will be visible in the finished project. It's just part of the process and helps you to figure out how the mask/space sunglasses will sit on the face, and it takes literally one second to extrude a sphere.

 

I do like the idea that those affiliated with the Orokin had to cover their eyes, though, either because they were not permitted to look upon the Orokin, or because the Orokin may have literally been extremely bright and it would have been harmful to look directly at them.

[TaylorsContraction]

The radiation in space can make people blind. You have high energetic photons and eye protection is essential for survival. Have you seen how reflective astronaut helmets are. They're all wearing more advanced helmets than what humans use today us all. They're also probably like google glass and google translate, surely not everyone speaks the same language.

[Hitomo]

best troll topic ever ^^

 

so much coffee was spilled ...

[Katinka]

 

...perhaps the Orokin themselves were glowing with light.

 

 

The Orokin Corrupted units all have a golden glow effect on their bodies so, yeah, seems likely the Orokin could have been lit up.

 

The only characters that dont cover their eyes are the grineer bosses, and thats because they don't really respect us.

 

Sargus Ruk covers his eyes.  I still think Ruk could've been a good guy if he was born into a different crowd.

[Nitresco]

Regarding the eye animation "issues", the captive Grineer in the Red Veil room is proof that DE does, in fact, know how to convey emotion properly with eyes.

 

So, as other people have said, it's most likely done for lore's sake. Either out of fear/respect for the Tenno, or for the sake of making their demeanor more mysterious.

[ensignvidiot]

Hmmmm....

Hear no Evil

Speak no Evil

See no Evil?

 

err... doesnt make much sense for the Tenno.

 

Kinda makes perfect sense due to warframed tenno not audibly communicating with one another.

[CephalonShy]

https://youtu.be/D7uwNNLrtJk?t=1m33s :P

[Vesiga]

Inside his mask