Regarding highlander face 4
I have some requests regarding male Highlander face 4 after noticing changes in my character with the new graphics update. A lot of my feedback overlaps what I said in the updated benchmark thread: https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...89#post6484989
Face Type: 4
Jaw: Type 3
Eye: Type 3
Brow: Type: 1 in 6.5 and earlier, Type 3 in 7.0
Nose: Type: 1
Mouth: Type 3
Face 4 has gone from a gentle impression of a highlander to a much stronger one. There are prominent brow furrows in the updated graphics and they make the face feel more weary and aged. The change seems to be a combination of the new lighting and the geometry where the brow meets the nose. Harsh lighting from above and behind make the furrows especially noticeable.
Here are some examples of these furrows from some early cutscenes in Dawntrail (JP name
黄金の遺産 or use 7.0). In this first set of photos I am using eyebrow shape 3.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...85d4c7811c.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...0215de986e.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...0ae801561f.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...0675a63092.jpg
I also took some comparison shots using 6.x cutscenes. I had to revert some changes I'd made between 6.5 and 7.0 for these screenshots. In the photos below I am using eyebrow type 1.
① There is a pronounced furrow and bump at the brow. The shading is much stronger across the upper nose bridge when compared to the face from 6.5. I can see hints of the geometry used to create the updated graphics in the previous face, but I feel they have been pushed too far.
These changes gives a stronger impression of a highlander and makes the character seem more aggressive. There was some gentle shading to suggest furrows prior to 7.0, but these soft furrows did not impose such a strong and angry expression.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...e04e797b3b.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...8f0c6765a0.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...621f170e90.jpg
② There is a defined wrinkle extending from the edge of the brow down the side of the nose. This wrinkle is present regardless of lighting conditions. Prior to 7.0 this area had very soft shading that allowed you to better focus on the character's eyes.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...30639313df.jpg
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Regarding highlander face 4
③ The circles under the eyes are darker and more defined. This makes him appear older and more tired. The effect is visible in all lighting conditions, but in my images from issue ① you can see that harsher lighting makes the change most noticeable.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...f50cd93112.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...acb58c9549.jpg
④ The shape of mouth type 3 has changed. I've seen these changes discussed for other races, but the philtrum and tubercule have both been flattened. I found the curve at the center of the lip quite handsome and felt it gave his expressions a lot of personality. I miss it in the updated mouth.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...3fbdd30bba.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...2fa0df4466.jpg
The lower lip was not well defined in the previous graphics and I feel the new lower lip is a good interpretation of it.
⑤ The harsh lighting from above and behind I mentioned earlier sometimes produces visual artifacts on the face. I noticed a similar phenomenon in the background when recreating some reference photos of my character. The green screen behind him is curved and now has visible bands of shading on it. It seems the new lighting engine is generating these strips of lighting on what should be smooth surfaces.
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...73de3b774d.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...fcb327a3c1.jpg
I apologize for requesting changes in the hectic period after official release, but I was very disheartened after seeing how much my character had changed. I would appreciate if you make some adjustments to Highlander face 4 based on my feedback.
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