Lackluster Graphics in FFXIV

No offense, but I checked out mortal online and found it very very ugly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiD3WXf-b0E&hd=1

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Originally Posted by DedeKorkut

I have no issue with the graphics in the game , yet I feel an emptiness within the environment especially while running from one place to the next, I can run for 5-8 mins with nothing but empty landscape. I'm not complaining I'm new to the whole Final Fantasy experience so I would have nothing to compare it with, but I can say that (through personal experience) good graphics don't always equal good game play. This is just my point of view I'm not aiming this at anyone. Some posts claim they have not yet seen a MMORPG with graphics equal to or better than FF14, might I suggest you take a quick look at Mortal Online. http://www.mortalonline.com/videos (I am by no means advertising or claiming that this is a far better game) Just check it out graphics wise.

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Hey Ilean just watched the video you posted and honestly that game looks wonderfully colourful with amazing graphics somewhat similiar to FF14, but it doesn't have the feel of realism that some players look for. I like FF14 so far with it's somewhat more realistic graphics be it with the weapons and armour, I've seen some posts where ppl are advocating the indroduction of glowing wepons and other items, you see I personaly would not really like that. It won't deter me from playing the game since I've only recently started and have not yet realy got the full grasp of FF14. I enjoyed playing Demon souls and Oblivion for example they had a realistic (yet fantasy based) feel to them. I honeslty don't know too much about Mortal online I was at one stage following the forums during it's beta but my PC back then wasn't capable of playing such a game. So far there are mixed reactions from the community on the forums, I guess wherever you go whatever you play there is always the lovers and the haters.

Yoshida and Co. are not leaving the graphics the way they are if I recall. It would make sense considering so much was rushed. You can even compare LL water to other water in game and notice a difference.

Yup, people bring up realism a lot. I honestly don't mind either way. DSouls and Oblivion are part of my collection too! ^^

I think the worst part of FFXIV design is the monotonous environments.

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Originally Posted by DedeKorkut

Hey Ilean just watched the video you posted and honestly that game looks wonderfully colourful with amazing graphics somewhat similiar to FF14, but it doesn't have the feel of realism that some players look for. I like FF14 so far with it's somewhat more realistic graphics be it with the weapons and armour, I've seen some posts where ppl are advocating the indroduction of glowing wepons and other items, you see I personaly would not really like that. It won't deter me from playing the game since I've only recently started and have not yet realy got the full grasp of FF14. I enjoyed playing Demon souls and Oblivion for example they had a realistic (yet fantasy based) feel to them. I honeslty don't know too much about Mortal online I was at one stage following the forums during it's beta but my PC back then wasn't capable of playing such a game. So far there are mixed reactions from the community on the forums, I guess wherever you go whatever you play there is always the lovers and the haters.

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Have anyone even thought about how SE works?

I mean they are greedy sadistic people (from my experiences with a lot of FFs). Now We all can notice that some effects are like below par that is indeed true. But they have repeated over and over they want the game to be future proof, it could be simple for them to make like Crysis and make all PCs cry to run the game so people can go OH! But some PCs could actually run it so after you actually see the game in all its glory and how the system actually is with all the flaws some would no doubt leave. Beside if they give a bit more time to the CTengine they could bring even better effects than what they could do 2-3 years ago!. But what if the game gives people some upgrades to graphics from time to time people would see the game get better looking and expecting how far they can take the engine.

I can almost bet they have their eyes to fix all these stuff later on the game life, have you notice how drawing quality breaks the game when maxed Its because they haven't add some tessellation into the game. With access to the DX-11 that new cards have that could be why the game is so demanding on certain systems since they are running without some of the technology that should/could be working to alleviate the system and the effects themselves

I highly doubt SE will upgrade its engine and graphics throughout the years. On the original FFXI box it said that the game's minimum requirements are subject to change due to upgrading the technology and graphics - essentially making the game future proof. Nearly 10 years later Alt+Tab still does not work. I do not have high hopes, nor do I expect that SE will do anything about the graphical and performance issues with ffxiv. If they do, it'll be a pleasant and welcomed surprise.

The graphics suck primarily due to the fact that the engine SE used does not accommodate realtime streaming of data. Everything is zoned and is not seamless. So in order to give FFXIV the illusion of "good graphics", SE just increased the polygon count of everything and then copy-pasted it into zones with obvious seams and partitions. Basically FFXIV is a few high quality items copy-and-pasted over and over.

Meanwhile other games don't have to compromise on graphical integrity as much purely because the engines they built their games with have gameworld straming technology.

Still waiting on the patch that adds things like environmental shadows and sliders to adjust object/grass fade out and Level of Detail..

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Originally Posted by Abriael

LOL @ comparing single player FPS games (whose engine needs to display a LOT less characters and models on screen than a MMORPG) with a MMORPG. Or even more the graphics of a MMORPG with that of a prerendered tech demo.

Ever wondered why every single MMORPG has graphics engines that seem to be behind the times of several years?

The graphics are so lackluster that they're the best in the MMORPG market, currently and foreseeable.

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the engine cant display a lot of characters at a time and still needs one of the best rigs available... its just lazyness, bad optimization (another example is all the ugly alpha textures - bushes etc.). They could make awesome water animations...

Limsa cries for nice wateranimations, the cliffs... etc... but don't look at the waterfalls in gridania... its jelly. It doesnt look like water at all.

Comparing an MMO to Single player games is well.... dumb? I believe SE's Engine has a LOT of graphical effects that are just simply turned off for FFXIV. Maybe they plan on giving options down the road to turn them on, or simply turn them on a few years from now once the game is optimized? I have no idea.

I'm pretty sure that if the graphics were anything like the tech demo then the retainer wards would self-implode into a black hole.

My only problem with the graphics is how my huge roegadyn runs through the water and it barely reacts at all, about as much as a small stone skipping across. Also annoying is how you just run through a large bush and it doesn't react in the least. The lighting could use some work as well.

Other than that the game is beautiful. :)

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Originally Posted by BelgianRofl

**** http://i.imgur.com/nmxe9.jpg ****

The World Graphics - most notably in Limsa Lominsa - are very sub-par.

Light is allowed to shine through walls and objects. Buildings/Landscapes do not cast shadows or reflect on water like they should. The inside of helmets light up when it should be dark.

Repeating textures are worse than in world of warcraft - again, most notably on Limsa Lominsa cliffs.

FFXIV also has some of the ugliest water graphics of any game made in the last 10 years.

**** http://i.imgur.com/nmxe9.jpg **** <- Click Here to see an evolution of graphics throughout the years.

I don't understand what happened between FFXIV 2005 and FFXIV 2010...

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shouldnt you have compared it other mmos since they are in a category of there own, just sayin.

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Originally Posted by syntaxlies

shouldnt you have compared it other mmos since they are in a category of there own, just sayin.

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He compared the graphics to a game on the nintendo 64. There's something wrong when SE can't implement something that was on the N64...

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Originally Posted by Verecund

I'm pretty sure that if the graphics were anything like the tech demo then the retainer wards would self-implode into a black hole.

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then i want this graphic option nao :)

It can all be blamed on the fact that they are coding the game towards PS3 graphics. Which aren't bad graphics, but they just have a different way of doing things than PC's do, especially because PS3's all use the same GPU, while PC's have a wide variety. That is one of the problems when people 'Port' games from one system to another. They tend to forget that difference, and don't build from the ground up based on the particular graphic system.

I have to agree tho, even tho the characters themselves look pretty good, the rest of the games graphics: world, shadows, water, etc, are pretty low level. We have shadows that are not dependent on light sources, shadows that go through the ground to appear elsewhere, water that doesn't reflect, or move like water, Textures that don't blend well in many areas...

If they actually worked the graphics around Direct X 10/11, there probably wouldn't be very many visual problems. PC's would probably even be able to run it more smoothly. I really hope they fix that mistake soon and stop focusing on making the game for PS3.

Yeah FF14's graphics were a real let down considering i had to go out and buy a new custom built PC just to play it, yet WoW which played fine on a shitty computer still has better graphics, and like 12 million more players. So the point someone made early on about there being many players so you have to gimp the graphics is BULLSHIT.

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Originally Posted by Trocien

He compared the graphics to a game on the nintendo 64. There's something wrong when SE can't implement something that was on the N64...

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honestly i think ffxiv looks better then the n64 one.

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Originally Posted by Reika

It can all be blamed on the fact that they are coding the game towards PS3 graphics. Which aren't bad graphics, but they just have a different way of doing things than PC's do, especially because PS3's all use the same GPU, while PC's have a wide variety. That is one of the problems when people 'Port' games from one system to another. They tend to forget that difference, and don't build from the ground up based on the particular graphic system.

I have to agree tho, even tho the characters themselves look pretty good, the rest of the games graphics: world, shadows, water, etc, are pretty low level. We have shadows that are not dependent on light sources, shadows that go through the ground to appear elsewhere, water that doesn't reflect, or move like water, Textures that don't blend well in many areas...

If they actually worked the graphics around Direct X 10/11, there probably wouldn't be very many visual problems. PC's would probably even be able to run it more smoothly. I really hope they fix that mistake soon and stop focusing on making the game for PS3.

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i would welcome the dx11 version but the fact that the dx 9 version looks the way it does it just bad programming.
Dx9 depending on what you do with it, can look amazing. The limitations we see are not due to dx9.
DX11 however would make it easier and if done right, less recource hungry as it is now.

I hope they implement the features like, shadows, better more realistic water and lighting better sooner then later, since these features play a major roll in a game. Thats why a lot of other titles out there, even though they might have less detailed textures, feel more alive and having a much better atmosphere.

FFXIV is one of the most beautiful looking games out today. Never to mix art style and technology together, they are not the same, though they compliment one another. This game is capable of so much. Like many other components, it's somewhat unrefined in certain areas. Give it time

Damn, that tech demo looks so much better than the finished product.

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Originally Posted by Seraphita

yet WoW which played fine on a shitty computer still has better graphics

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Now THAT is hyperbole

<looks for super-ultra-mega-chicken>

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Originally Posted by jwang

<looks for super-ultra-mega-chicken>

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Shh! He is legend...

Glad somebody realizes to that that SE does have the option of building separate clients for PC and PS3!

They are different systems, and things like GUI and graphics need to be optimized and built individually. The PC graphics need Level Of Detail slider like no other! OMG the framerates would go up so high in cities if you could crank this down a little. Like render only 10feet around a player O.o.

My problem i Know is my 2Ghz CPU which is minimum spec. But with my budget I'm lucky I can even play at all!

anyone know if this problem is going to be addressed?

lol wtf?! graphics are awesome.. why do you people still play this game when even the graphics are that bad?!

My graphic configs are at max. and I never had lag or anything.. And I love the graphics everytime I start the game. :confused:

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Originally Posted by nibelunc

lol wtf?! graphics are awesome.. why do you people still play this game when even the graphics are that bad?!

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there are some things that need work (spell animations, water, ws animations and gear itself...)

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Originally Posted by Dubont

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Originally Posted by nibelunc

lol wtf?! graphics are awesome.. why do you people still play this game when even the graphics are that bad?!

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there are some things that need work (spell animations, water, ws animations and gear itself...)

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Lighting and shadows also... but with all that... it still looks incredible

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Originally Posted by Rydin

Lighting and shadows also... but with all that... it still looks incredible

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yes, the general graphics, even on low, are much better than almost any other MMO, but there just isnt' enough "fantasy" to the graphics. The gear looks too "real." For example, we need more stuff like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/a/a7/NINJOB.jpg and http://images-mediawiki-sites.theful...2234260004.jpg with weapons like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/...licweapons.jpg

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Originally Posted by Dubont

there are some things that need work (spell animations, water, ws animations and gear itself...)

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Hm... Animations are fine to me.. And they are working on them. Gear looks very good but needs some more variety.
Maybe your PC performance is not that good?
Water is okay, I never noticed that negatively.
The only thing are the copy pasted areas in the game...

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yes, the general graphics, even on low, are much better than almost any other MMO, but there just isnt' enough "fantasy" to the graphics. The gear looks too "real." For example, we need more stuff like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/a/a7/NINJOB.jpg and http://images-mediawiki-sites.theful...2234260004.jpg with weapons like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/...licweapons.jpg

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Ok i absolutely agree with that. But I think that will come with time. (look at open letter IV)
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...bbb8b730bb6677
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...d05abbe05968ef

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Originally Posted by nibelunc

Hm... Animations are fine to me.. And they are working on them. Gear looks very good but needs some more variety.
Maybe your PC performance is not that good?
Water is okay, I never noticed that negatively.
The only thing are the copy pasted areas in the game...

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Sir, I would have to ask you not to insult my PCs performance especially when all of the SS that I see look the same as what I see in game.
Animations aren't "catchy" enough. Remember, in FFXI, the first time you saw some use Vorpal Blade or Guillotine? Do you remember the first time you saw a PLD use Savage Blade (despite it not being good, it was pretty)?
We need more of that and the spells...omg the spells are terrible. Burst looks like someone farted on the mob while FFXI's Burst actually looks like a powerful spell.
Water is "ok" yes, but when running through it, it could be better.
Gear needs work. It is all too "plain."

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Originally Posted by nibelunc

Ok i absolutely agree with that. But I think that will come with time. (look at open letter IV)
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...bbb8b730bb6677
http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...d05abbe05968ef

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I actually saw this and couldn't wait to see it, but here it is, coming up on 8 months after this gear was "introduced" and we still haven't seen anything other than the usual copy+paste+recolor of the gear...aside from the NM gear which adds a small amount of flash, but it is nothing compared to what people have come to expect from a Final Fantasy game. I want the gear that was leaked, but I'm afraid it just isn't coming soon enough.

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Originally Posted by Dubont

I actually saw this and couldn't wait to see it, but here it is, coming up on 8 months after this gear was "introduced" and we still haven't seen anything other than the usual copy+paste+recolor of the gear...aside from the NM gear which adds a small amount of flash, but it is nothing compared to what people have come to expect from a Final Fantasy game. I want the gear that was leaked, but I'm afraid it just isn't coming soon enough.

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That's because they are to busy with implementing useless things and enlarging monster sizes.
But i'm sure you saw the battle system video with the new WS animations. They really look cool, don't they?

Edit: Btw, I checked some screenshots and you are right, water and some other textures dont look nice. But the character design and gear graphics are awesome. The potential is great.

What leaked gear?

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Originally Posted by nibelunc

What leaked gear?

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the gear that was listed in the letter. I call it "leaked" because we haven't seen anything more than concept drawings of it

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Originally Posted by Dubont

yes, the general graphics, even on low, are much better than almost any other MMO, but there just isnt' enough "fantasy" to the graphics. The gear looks too "real." For example, we need more stuff like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/a/a7/NINJOB.jpg and http://images-mediawiki-sites.theful...2234260004.jpg with weapons like http://images.wikia.com/ffxi/images/...licweapons.jpg

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thats more of an artistic issue though... but I agree... the weapons seems like they are heading that route though judging by the gear the mid level NMs are dropping

Just wanted to point out that despite what's been said several times in this thread, water in FFXIV is reflective and pretty.

screenshot

screenshot

screenshot.

screenshot

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Originally Posted by VydarrTyr

Just wanted to point out that despite what's been said several times in this thread, water in FFXIV is reflective and pretty.

screenshot

screenshot

screenshot.

screenshot

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It indeed "reflects" the main light source (sun/moon) but it doesn't reflect the world around, just a generic scene depending on the area you are in.

Not really complaining though.

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Originally Posted by Ilean

It indeed "reflects" the main light source (sun/moon) but it doesn't reflect the world around, just a generic scene depending on the area you are in.

Not really complaining though.

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http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...water-that-bad

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Originally Posted by Rydin

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...water-that-bad

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Exactly.

/moarchars