Dawntrail Graphics Update - Eye Strain

Bump.

Gee whiz, it sure would be nice to play some Dawntrail.

Has anyone here tried to reach out to their support about it? Not the in game one, like by email or something?

I'm curious of their response to this situation if someone has.

i don't per say have any eye strain from the game itself in the enviroments like Gridania, but M2 is bright yellow, then blue and pink on pink. that one definitely is a little annoying to see correctly and i need to focus a lot more to even see what is happening.

nevertheless, i support the thread - hope that people get an option to downgrade the graphics, if it's uncomfortable for their eyes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LianaThorne

Has anyone here tried to reach out to their support about it? Not the in game one, like by email or something?

I'm curious of their response to this situation if someone has.

---

I messaged support through the Mogstation, I got the same copied and pasted reply someone else got here several pages ago. Support told me to message contact-accessibility@eu.square-enix.com. My friend and I sent polite and detailed e-mails about the issues and a link to this thread but they never replied.

Can't play, might as well post

I really don't know why this graphics update got pushed through, they should've spent another year or 2 on it to make it work properly.
There are 100's of issues, besides the eye-strain, that need fixing.

I boop the bump

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by usagilove

I really don't know why this graphics update got pushed through, they should've spent another year or 2 on it to make it work properly.
There are 100's of issues, besides the eye-strain, that need fixing.

---

Well, I suspect they wanted to ride the hype of HQ grass and maybe felt that this expansion needs abit of 'something' to spice it up. I think they botched it. I guess they were confident that everyone would adore it and salivate all over the bloom and glare and radioactive-to-the-eye VFX.

When I preordered I didn't expect to get a product that hurts my eyes and causes me headaches. I don't really trust them anymore.

Just make an option to revert this pointless update.

Bump.
I can play, so it’s not that bad in my case, but some light effects are waaaay too strong! I’m thinking about glowing effects on some mounts, for example. (Looking at you, ARR ponies…) it hurts my eyes pretty much.
I can’t even use the Loporits quest mount for this reason too.

I can't play without my only working eye hurting like heck by the end of a couple of roulettes or anything.

more bumps

Bump. Had to stop playing much after pushing myself through the story because man, the headaches this game causes me now are brutal. I really have no clue what exactly is causing it all but in all the years I've played I've never had such headaches from playing. XIV is only game it happens on too. :(

Dear thread,

Please go back to the front page. Thank you.

That is all.

Bippety boppety I'm bumping this property.


Being locked out of the level 100 dungeons (and therefor expert roul) as well as the raids is annoying as hell...

Blur when I move, it gives me motion sickness. Radial blur is turned off, that setting does nothing. Day 44 of my eyes melting out of my head, send help!

https://i.imgur.com/UGpaFvJ.gif

^BLURRY GIF WARNING^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stasya

Just make an option to revert this pointless update.

---

Don't need to revert it just add the darn DLSS options like every other game on Earth. Going back to FXAA is the last thing I want.

What're you doing on this page, thread? Get back to the front page!

<3

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Erinellza

Blur when I move, it gives me motion sickness. Radial blur is turned off, that setting does nothing. Day 44 of my eyes melting out of my head, send help!

https://i.imgur.com/UGpaFvJ.gif

---

Setting the resolution scaling to 99 fixes this for me. It looks sharp constantly and never blurs out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by seraf

Setting the resolution scaling to 99 fixes this for me. It looks sharp constantly and never blurs out.

---

Lucky you! FSR at 99 (or ANY other number, ANY antialiasing) makes my screen vibrate like this:

https://i.imgur.com/crGXI8C.gif

^ EPILEPSY WARNING ^

As you can see, even the horrible DLSS blur is better than this crap, lol. But they both make me sick in different ways.

I have an RTX 3060 with the latest drivers. I play games like Guild Wars 2, Elder Scrolls Online, Lost Ark, Genshin, Wuthering Waves, Palia, Baldur's Gate 3, Horizon Zero Dawn + Forbidden West, the Darksiders series, Tomb Raider games, etc. I do NOT have any kind of graphics issue in. any. other. game. and I did not have issues before Dawntrail at all!

Please SE, make the so-called "graphics update" optional. :( I am going to send vids/gifs to the accessibility team. I downloaded a recorder just for this!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Erinellza

Lucky you! FSR at 99 (or ANY other number, ANY antialiasing) makes my screen vibrate like this:

[IMG cut for Ceridwenae and other photosensitive people, my apologies!]

As you can see, even the horrible DLSS blur is better than this crap, lol. But they both make me sick in different ways.

I have an RTX 3060 with the latest drivers. I play games like Guild Wars 2, Elder Scrolls Online, Lost Ark, Genshin, Wuthering Waves, Palia, Baldur's Gate 3, Horizon Zero Dawn + Forbidden West, the Darksiders series, Tomb Raider games, etc. I do NOT have any kind of graphics issue in. any. other. game. and I did not have issues before Dawntrail at all!

Please SE, make the so-called "graphics update" optional. :( I am going to send vids/gifs to the accessibility team. I downloaded a recorder just for this!

---

Oh my ! Serious nightmare fuel here ! O.o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Erinellza

Lucky you! FSR at 99 (or ANY other number, ANY antialiasing) makes my screen vibrate like this:

https://i.imgur.com/crGXI8C.gif

As you can see, even the horrible DLSS blur is better than this crap, lol. But they both make me sick in different ways.

I have an RTX 3060 with the latest drivers. I play games like Guild Wars 2, Elder Scrolls Online, Lost Ark, Genshin, Wuthering Waves, Palia, Baldur's Gate 3, Horizon Zero Dawn + Forbidden West, the Darksiders series, Tomb Raider games, etc. I do NOT have any kind of graphics issue in. any. other. game. and I did not have issues before Dawntrail at all!

Please SE, make the so-called "graphics update" optional. :( I am going to send vids/gifs to the accessibility team. I downloaded a recorder just for this!

---

Actually 2080TI here, at 99 I get this flicker whenever I move/stop, it actually gave me a headache in Yanxia. It's not like this for me though but that brief flicker is there! I never got a headache from any game, I know I likely have some kind of light sensitivity because I get disoriented by flashing lights (strobe lights) and uh...the sun is way too bright that I need to wear sunglasses or I'll get a headache.

I took a break for a month after finishing MSQ, hoping there would be some fix. I finally decided to play a bit today, and after doing a few roulettes and getting off the game, I still feel extremely sick nearly an hour later. I ended up in a Nier raid for an alliance roulette and felt as if my poor eyes and brain were about to melt in there. It's becoming unbearable with the constant eye strain, headaches, and nausea I get whenever I attempt to play. Is there still no option to disable all the excess glare, bloom, and random blurring?

It's been days since I've tried. My motivation is gone too quickly because of the fatigue when I do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gllt

It's been days since I've tried. My motivation is gone too quickly because of the fatigue when I do.

---

I'm starting to phase out already, got rid of 2 houses and canceled sub on 1 account (have 2)

Another day, another great chance not to be able to play FFXIV! Good times were had by all.

Better put your best foot forward, SE, because we're all really looking forward to seeing what you've got planned for that "end of August" graphics update patch. Let's not disappoint anyone, eh?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Erinellza

Lucky you! FSR at 99 (or ANY other number, ANY antialiasing) makes my screen vibrate like this:

https://i.imgur.com/crGXI8C.gif

As you can see, even the horrible DLSS blur is better than this crap, lol. But they both make me sick in different ways.

I have an RTX 3060 with the latest drivers. I play games like Guild Wars 2, Elder Scrolls Online, Lost Ark, Genshin, Wuthering Waves, Palia, Baldur's Gate 3, Horizon Zero Dawn + Forbidden West, the Darksiders series, Tomb Raider games, etc. I do NOT have any kind of graphics issue in. any. other. game. and I did not have issues before Dawntrail at all!

Please SE, make the so-called "graphics update" optional. :( I am going to send vids/gifs to the accessibility team. I downloaded a recorder just for this!

---

Holy Sh''. how are you playing with that? My game have absolutely nothing of the issues described in this thread but I do have a monster rig with everything turned on and maxed.

I can't even read the messages about the image (my photosensitive epilepsy is being annoying and wigging out at the image), but I understand it's from someone's game, and that's just awful. It just shouldn't be like that in anyone's game, and I know if I played with that it'd likely be a trip to the hospital (and I'd be hoping it wasn't one-way only).

I really hate to ask because it's important we show just how bad the graphics can be, but it would be lovely if you guys could just edit your posts to remove the image. Perhaps just keep it in the initial post, which makes it easier to skip past. Or just describe it rather than show it, just this one time. If you can't, I'll have to bow out of the thread for a bit, and then hope no one else includes it in a reply again!

Thanks. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ceridwenae

I can't even read the messages about the image (my photosensitive epilepsy is being annoying and wigging out at the image), but I understand it's from someone's game, and that's just awful. It just shouldn't be like that in anyone's game, and I know if I played with that it'd likely be a trip to the hospital (and I'd be hoping it wasn't one-way only).

I really hate to ask because it's important we show just how bad the graphics can be, but it would be lovely if you guys could just edit your posts to remove the image. Perhaps just keep it in the initial post, which makes it easier to skip past. Or just describe it rather than show it, just this one time. If you can't, I'll have to bow out of the thread for a bit, and then hope no one else includes it in a reply again!

Thanks. :)

---

Sorry about the pictures. :( Yesterday when I was working on the gifs I got a migraine that lasted all night. I sent them to the accessibility team (my 2nd e-mail). I can only hope that they will read it. Or maybe one day some SE devs will visit this thread and stop ignoring us if we have proof? Idk, I'm hoping for a miracle at this point...

Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to hide the picture under a spoiler button but I'm horrible at these forum code thingies.
Edit: gifs hidden in my original posts!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LunaAldegar

I took a break for a month after finishing MSQ, hoping there would be some fix. I finally decided to play a bit today, and after doing a few roulettes and getting off the game, I still feel extremely sick nearly an hour later. I ended up in a Nier raid for an alliance roulette and felt as if my poor eyes and brain were about to melt in there. It's becoming unbearable with the constant eye strain, headaches, and nausea I get whenever I attempt to play. Is there still no option to disable all the excess glare, bloom, and random blurring?

---

If something in game is making you feel ill you should leave the instance. Nobody expects anyone to stay in an Alliance raid when they are feeling ill, and Nier raids are pretty flashy, and it does bother some people out there. Sorry this is happening for you in the game and hoping something can be done to alleviate it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ceridwenae

I can't even read the messages about the image (my photosensitive epilepsy is being annoying and wigging out at the image), but I understand it's from someone's game, and that's just awful. It just shouldn't be like that in anyone's game, and I know if I played with that it'd likely be a trip to the hospital (and I'd be hoping it wasn't one-way only).

I really hate to ask because it's important we show just how bad the graphics can be, but it would be lovely if you guys could just edit your posts to remove the image. Perhaps just keep it in the initial post, which makes it easier to skip past. Or just describe it rather than show it, just this one time. If you can't, I'll have to bow out of the thread for a bit, and then hope no one else includes it in a reply again!

Thanks. :)

---

Done ! I’m so sorry!

Edit : didn’t found the spoiler tag so I just removed the image.
What’s the [] for hiding something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gwen_Lavellan

Done ! I’m so sorry!

Edit : didn’t found the spoiler tag so I just removed the image.
What’s the [] for hiding something?

---

it's [HB] [/ HB]
without the space

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rueby

it's [HB] [/ HB]
without the space

---

Thank you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mirikh

If something in game is making you feel ill you should leave the instance. Nobody expects anyone to stay in an Alliance raid when they are feeling ill, and Nier raids are pretty flashy, and it does bother some people out there. Sorry this is happening for you in the game and hoping something can be done to alleviate it.

---

It's sad that after the expansion came out, the only solution we seem to have is to leave the instances or just not play at all. I'm able to play for about an hour without getting too sick *if* I avoid any duties/roulettes. This entire situation sucks. I'm glad we are able to get through 99% of the MSQ (except for the last trial) with NPCs since I could come and go whenever I had to without having to make other people wait for me to either recover or leave. As much as some seem to hate that the option even exists, if it wasn't an option, then me and probably plenty of others wouldn't be able to even get through MSQ because of getting ill inside the dungeons.

Has anyone been having issues with near any other screens or games? It started with just Dawntrail for me, but now even my phone or computer can bother me which never happened before. My eyes just feel like they're constantly working overtime.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by themrcoolaidman

Has anyone been having issues with near any other screens or games? It started with just Dawntrail for me, but now even my phone or computer can bother me which never happened before. My eyes just feel like they're constantly working overtime.

---

I don't have issues with other games that I have noticed, or with my computer, but after playing XIV for any amount of time on PS4, the sun or lights in the room will bother me. I have to take my sun glasses with me everywhere... What was a purchase I made for fashion (I use to only wear the sunglasses in my hair) has become a daily necessity :(

Usually I'm done with leveling everything on my main and an alt by this point in an expansion. I am not even half way done.

I'm not very prone to motion sickness, but even I feel uneasy when traversing through forest terrain when it's raining. Tree branches, grass, shadows from branches and grass, and new bright raindrops are moving constantly, and sometimes I can't see anything at all and have to do my ARR tribal dailies almost blind.

(There are two examples below. The pictures are not animated, so they are safe to see.)

This is not very good (Outer La Noscea)

https://i.imgur.com/Y9eT79g.png

But this is much worse. Sylflands at night when it's raining are very difficult for the eyes.

https://i.imgur.com/kJrlV0D.png

Also, I've noticed that the increased brightness and contrast of the world put strain on the eyes, and my eyes are getting tired quickly. I'm used to taking a break every 40 minutes or one hour, but even this habit can't help me not get headaches after 3–4 hours.

(minuscule HW spoilers)

Every NPC is slightly illuminated when clicked on, but Lucia is indeed burning brightly.

https://i.imgur.com/erBktRt.png

Thank you for hiding/removing the image! I really appreciate it - I've now been able to read your posts properly and add my likes! <3 A couple of unedited posts remain, but it's easier to scroll past one or two images than successive postings of the same - that said, it'd be good if those replies could still be edited to either hide the image or remove it. That way I (maybe others too!) can read and like the post, and I can safely resume bumping this thread to the front page when necessary, and for as long as the forum allows me to*!

*unsubbed because of graphics; currently just logging in for plants, retainers and grand company turn-ins across my alts. It's so silly: only one of my alts has Dawntrail access, and yet all of them are well into levelling gatherers (and some crafters) into the 90s via grand company turn-ins and occasional custom deliveries. One alt hasn't even ventured into Endwalker combat content yet, and is going to ding 100 on gatherers before my sub runs out. Don't get me wrong, I don't play this game for its combat particularly, and I much prefer crafting and gathering, but eh, it's just daft at this point. Can't even do bounties and FATEs without a migraine, and really am bored of not even doing any deep dungeon stuff. FEH

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Argantaelle

I'm not very prone to motion sickness, but even I feel uneasy when traversing through forest terrain when it's raining. Tree branches, grass, shadows from branches and grass, and new bright raindrops are moving constantly, and sometimes I can't see anything at all and have to do my ARR tribal dailies almost blind.

(There are two examples below. The pictures are not animated, so they are safe to see.)

This is not very good (Outer La Noscea)

https://i.imgur.com/Y9eT79g.png

But this is much worse. Sylflands at night when it's raining are very difficult for the eyes.

https://i.imgur.com/kJrlV0D.png

Also, I've noticed that the increased brightness and contrast of the world put strain on the eyes, and my eyes are getting tired quickly. I'm used to taking a break every 40 minutes or one hour, but even this habit can't help me not get headaches after 3–4 hours.

(minuscule HW spoilers)

Every NPC is slightly illuminated when clicked on, but Lucia is indeed burning brightly.

https://i.imgur.com/erBktRt.png

---

They messed up the rain entirely, I noticed it in Garlemald as well and had to leave the area despite Garlemald being one of my favorite areas to be in.

Bumping to keep this relevant.

Not sure if the harsher lighting is intended. (I understand there were years of complaints of this game having muted colors and lighting, so maybe they over corrected. But those people can just still use ReShade/ NVIDIA filters...) If so, I would like options to turn them off. Bloom is a terrible, terrible thing. So much so that I avoid the Gold Saucer because the light panels against the darker contrast has caused eye strain. I'm naturally sensitive to light, so I've changed my monitor settings and added filters through NVIDIA to help me play the game previously. However, I've had to change these settings after years of no problems. Though, it doesn't make a difference now. If I darken the game further, I can't see anything.

On top of this, there is a baked in motion blur/ edge smoothing during movement (including camera zoom). Foliage is especially bad with this. It also effects characters/ enemies. With structures, for whatever reason, it doesn't bother me as much. But please, please allow us to turn this off. I don't use DLSS or AMD as my PC is too old to use any of those upscalers. I've seen videos of them in use and my game isn't nearly as bad, yet it's enough to causes issues. I've tried changing 3D Resolution Scaling to 99, but it makes the game very sharp and the foliage flickers even when you are standing still (it's worse if you move).

Pretty much all of my graphic settings are set to Off or Normal, with the exception of textures being the highest it can go. I'm not asking them to completely revert the graphic update. This game was beautiful to me before 7.0, and now it has a little glow up even with my low settings. I just want them to give us options. The sole reason I moved from console to PC was because console only has half of the graphic settings as PC.

Edit:
Be warned, the SS below showcases the bloom effect in the Gold Saucer.

https://i.imgur.com/iEXPNgt.png

https://i.imgur.com/JFMnbxe.png