Updated benchmark

Am i allowed to call the eyes too "detailed" now?

Old ones were kinda clean, sharp and cartoony. New ones are somewhat foggy and with the lighting it's clear that theyre these gooy veiny orbs in our head.

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Originally Posted by Remnance

https://imgur.com/a/Hw1AkIW.jpg

Talk about lazy, do you even look at how the races look?

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https://imgur.com/eBQDS13.jpg

Hi Remnance! When using imgur.com you have to make sure there's a .png or .jpg at the end of the URL. Otherwise, your pic doesn't post. I fixed it for you. :)

Calling Square Enix lazy isn't really feedback. Express what you don't like with some detail so they can take what you wrote into account. Otherwise, your post is just background noise.

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Originally Posted by Azalea_Forest

https://64.media.tumblr.com/26e66aa4...1f7b5bd72e.gif

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Pink ring of death.





Cheers

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Originally Posted by FrechDax

i dont like the new benchmarkt tbh.
the shadows are a complete mess. looking at the hair shadow on the neck. left one looks so smooth and the right one almost unhealthy.
left is 1.0 and right 1.1
https://i.imgur.com/f8zPevB.jpeg

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check your settings, under graphics 3. under shadow quality. for me "Use low-detail models on character shadows. (LOD) was set on, I turned it off and the hair shadows improved a lot. please let us know if it fixes that for you or not.

Please clean up Fem Highlander's cheeks on face1 and face2. It looks like someone spit on their faces with dirt. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...bc4ac20b91d57& https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...e82e0790d3ed0& https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...c3774054f023e& https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...60bc250fe53da&

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Originally Posted by Taliriah

A hair strand is far from being completely opaque so not casting a shadow at all is a better approximation of reality in most cases

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A hair chunk that large would absolutely cast a shadow.

I still think I like my current hot Middy better than the new benchmark. It depends on the picture and lighting. Some look really bad in the new one, some look decent.


https://i.imgur.com/EuZ16qe.png
https://i.imgur.com/xF2dzr4.png

My other character for now is male Au Ra, which are much improved from before.

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...0c9c1d4688.jpg

He's still not as close to the original as I would really like, but the key details are getting much closer. He's back to having well-defined makeup and a shadow on the inner eye, rather than an ugly mass of black.

Face paint is still misaligned and clashing with his cheek scales.

The chin is too pointed and the scale edges around the upper edge of the "beard" are oddly square while the original looks more rounded.

Eyebrows are not as dark as the current appearance.

The mouth is still very downturned at the corners, giving him a grumpy look that wasn't there before.

One particular omission which I have touched on before is that the current structure for this face has an interesting effect where the eye doesn't entirely fill the "window" of the eyelids and a spot of colour can be seen around the edges of the eye. While this is not currently visible when viewed from straight-on, it is visible at most other angles, and I think it would be good to put a small amount of it back in.

I assume that the restructured face can't have it only visible at an angle any more, so it would have to be permanently visible, but I think it would work. It would fill in the very pointed inner corner of the eye, and we do actually have the small exposed muscle there.

An image edit I made with a couple of possible tweaks:

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...5e9c97e6c6.jpg

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Originally Posted by Taliriah

She looks less o__o which I think is an improvement

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But I like her being o__o.

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Originally Posted by Wildsprite

check your settings, under graphics 3. under shadow quality. for me "Use low-detail models on character shadows. (LOD) was set on, I turned it off and the hair shadows improved a lot. please let us know if it fixes that for you or not.

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i unchecked both LOD options and nothing has changed. it still looks low quality. on my picture both benchmarks have the exact same settings with LOD checked

It really bugs me that the lower chin scales aren't even attached.

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Originally Posted by SongOfTheWind

I think it was overfixed, as it indeed lost its unique pattern, but the benchmark face 3 nose was pretty broken for veena especially. It was never so dark as they made it in v1.

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They waxed my poor boy's nose! For some reason, they really seem to struggle with viera noses.

Im going to post this here too, more centralized on the general topic.

The transition in this hair is WAY too big, as you zoom in things become more defined, I understand that for saving resources, however, with this hair the difference is TOO big, I would make the zoomed out hair a bit more defined than this because I actually do enjoy this style a lot and it won't look as good like this.

Barely zoomed out:
https://i.imgur.com/iIyksyH.png

Barely zoomed in:
https://i.imgur.com/MquHhiD.png

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Originally Posted by FrechDax

i dont like the new benchmarkt tbh.
the shadows are a complete mess. looking at the hair shadow on the neck. left one looks so smooth and the right one almost unhealthy.
left is 1.0 and right 1.1
https://i.imgur.com/f8zPevB.jpeg

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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to post this one here as well.
https://i.redd.it/39gzf1rzwd4d1.png
Remember that if your game looks like the one on the right, stop providing feedback! You're doing us all a favor.

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Originally Posted by Rekh

Unfortunately viera is low priority for Square enix; or that's the impression I always get. Let's hope they fix it. You're gonna have to spam the change you want in some of these threads.

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Viera havers are that one selfie meme where someone's in the background drowning

"out here living my best life"

"the viera are drowning"

"this ain't about them"

First of all thank you devs! <3 The updated environments really make a big difference on making the characters feel more alive!

I am generally pleased with my character, though I had to make small adjustments such as slightly changing her skintone, and going for the fuller eyebrows option, since the slim ones disappear a bit too much with my hair/skin color combo.

I liked the stronger eyeliner in the outer corner of the eye in the old benchmark, but I understand the changes on the new one are going for a more realistic look, so I suppose I'll get used to it.

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...f909a402cc.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...8bd1b1a306.jpg

Not sure if anyone reported this already but I noticed these shadow lines happening consistently when my highlander has her Race outfit on, and they seem to go away on her Smallclothes. I dunno if this was on the old benchmark already but if it was it wasn't as noticeable for sure.

Benchmark v1.1 Smallclothes vs Race Outfit:
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...92217ba0d7.jpg

My WoL's eyebrows turned from white to grey. On the whole the changes are good but that's pretty jarring.
https://i.imgur.com/m9G6xSF.jpeghttps://i.imgur.com/4SyOKiJ.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/hRmmpAV.png

My character nose ridge looks a lot more narrow now. It wasn't so noticable in previous bencmark. There are gaps between scales and face itself and i think it's causing these weird shadows to appear.
https://i.imgur.com/wfOnGWH.png
https://i.imgur.com/9ygGqGW.png
There are also a couple of minor complaints. Eyebrows are more upturned and eyelashes are not so bright as before. Limbal rings overpower eye color.
Face shape overall has become oval. Before it was more angular. Mouth corners are different and becаuse of that mouth looks more narrow.

https://i.imgur.com/R64ojlv.png

I highlighted all changes that I think are noticeable

https://i.imgur.com/0uwuA9l.jpg

Face - 1, Jaw - 2, Eye shape - 2, Eyebrows - 5, Nose - 4, Mouth - 2

OLDhttps://i.imgur.com/jHCHu8w.png
NEWhttps://i.imgur.com/ZhZcYQi.jpeg

Face 3,
Jaw 3,
Eyeshape 3, size small
Eyebrows 1
nose 1
mouth 1

Eyes are less sharp, harder to spot the pupils and the iris is slightly larger.

The eyelid is rounder in the new one

The eyebrows hangs lower now, has less curve, ends earlier and lacks the tiny spacing on the outer part.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BeoCat

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to post this one here as well.
https://i.redd.it/39gzf1rzwd4d1.png
Remember that if your game looks like the one on the right, stop providing feedback! You're doing us all a favor.

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excuse me? that has nothing to do with my case. there is no extra software used! stop having a false assumption instead!

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Originally Posted by SquidzureDragoon

Viera havers are that one selfie meme where someone's in the background drowning

"out here living my best life"

"the viera are drowning"

"this ain't about them"

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Definitely feels like this, for sure

Posted before, after the first benchmark.
Like a lot of people with femra face 4, I was not happy with the weird mouth changes and the pinched area at the corners.
Updated screens (left - first benchmark, middle - endwalker, right - new benchmark):
https://i.imgur.com/FqC5qqk.png
https://i.imgur.com/fYv9WlG.png
https://i.imgur.com/ludI4o4.png

Lighting did make things look better (for me), the mouth pinch (?) looks not so apparent now, and I feel like I can live with it due to it being a middle ground between the first two (especially on the bottom pic). However! Lips are still wildly different and I wouldn't say no to the depth/shape being added back;
Scales are better but the one on the nose is still different (I don't feel too strongly about it admittedly though).

I don't use limbal rings so I'll leave the discussion about their changes to those who do.

So in the end I feel happier about it than before and, regardless, you'd have to pry my lizard from my cold dead hands even with the changes, but still would loooove to have the old mouth back in HD xD it's my favourite detail.
And will also support fellow face 4 players in their comments

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Originally Posted by FrechDax

excuse me? that has nothing to do with my case. there is no extra software used! stop having a false assumption instead!

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Oh i wasn't accusing you of anything, it was targeted towards specific feedback that changed shadows from 1.0 to 1.1.

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...81ec7b3f87.jpg

The updated benchmark is harsh on Roegadyn. Above is Endwalker > Benchmark 1.0 > Benchmark 2.0

1.0 is impressively lifelike with softer shadows and what almost could be mistaken as sub-surface scattering and fleshy tones in the cheeks and nose cast shadows (looks like warm bounce light).

Benchmark 2.0's lighting is harsher with a stronger main light and no (or less pronounced) bounce light, resulting in harsher shadows and more angular features. Benchmark 2.0 is almost a step back toward Endwalker vs 1.0.

Beard texture is quite pixelated.

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...91d87c1149.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...1af0bfe98d.jpg

Some pretty bad clipping where the hair meets the beard. If following Endwalker, the beard should be over the hairline where they meet.

I am very glad that the developers took into account the feedback and made corrections. But I only want to speak out for my hyur 1 and I wish I was really happy with this change, but... I got the impression that they have their own artists for each race, and some races do look very similar to the original, and some, in this case I'm talking about hyur 1 and hyur in general, look completely different. It's like they're being created by a new artist, and *I'm not trying to offend developers and artists* he sees these changes and the character differently than the creator of the original race. And he changes the little details that end up changing our characters. I hope they will continue to make changes based on feedback and make us happy :3

Thanks for the image feedback on how to post it. As usual, 14 is lacking in information.
I did in other threads but missed it here.

Though honestly a 6 year old could point out the issue of ugly horn shadows messing with the face. I mean really, we shouldn't have to do their job for them.

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Originally Posted by Geda

I liked the stronger eyeliner in the outer corner of the eye in the old benchmark, but I understand the changes on the new one are going for a more realistic look, so I suppose I'll get used to it.

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Oh good it's not just me! :o

I preferred the old version as well. I added some feedback on this in the JP thread if you'd like to throw your hat in the ring too.

Very satisfied with the lighting and my other characters are looking fabulous, but my mooncat here...

https://i.imgur.com/b7VrENkl.png

So that's current, old benchmark, new benchmark. I must say it's pretty amazing how such subtle differences can change the look of a character so much. He went from neutral but alert to looking like he traded some brain cells for a leer. I remember many other people giving feedback about losing the only small mouth option for face 1, so I was really hoping for them to leave mouth 4 small. It looks better from some angles and when the cutscene is having the character make a different expression and/or move his mouth, but in the current version I like the neutral expression from all angles, and losing that doesn't feel like an upgrade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ath192

Im going to post this here too, more centralized on the general topic.

The transition in this hair is WAY too big, as you zoom in things become more defined, I understand that for saving resources, however, with this hair the difference is TOO big, I would make the zoomed out hair a bit more defined than this because I actually do enjoy this style a lot and it won't look as good like this.

Barely zoomed out:
https://i.imgur.com/iIyksyH.png

Barely zoomed in:
https://i.imgur.com/MquHhiD.png

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Ah, it wasn't just on the lalafell hair. Everyone's goes from slightly oversharpened to a smudged blob with little change in zoom.

Maybe an issue with the resolution chosen for the texture map? :confused:

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Originally Posted by KonCarne

Is it just me or do lalafell have a weird line around their neck like their head is detachable?

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Didn't your dad teach you about the birds and the bees? When it's our "special time", we dig deep in the dirt to make a burrow and fall into a deep hibernation.

When the time is right, our heads pop off, and over a period of a few months, the discarded head sprouts several new clones, while our body grows a new head. When the process is completed, we all spring up from the earth as a new generation of lalafell with all the knowledge of the original mother brain in ours.

With new lightning, Lalafell got a very visable neckseem, too. :( Please fix it.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...f31339f7df7c8&
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...1b6d47977ca76&

Is it just me or do lalafell have a weird line around their neck like their head is detachable?

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Originally Posted by xbahax92

They "destroyed" it on purpose, right. Boohoo the evil devs, how dare they. Can we not assume it was some minor mistake?

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That's the exact problem people are having, though. You can destroy something deliberately, it's still destroyed and people are allowed to be upset that the extreme character creator limitations mean they no longer have the old options to switch to.

I don't necessarily agree in all cases that the word is used, but like... the lip changes are deliberate, for instance. I still think they're bad, because there was no attempt to keep the old shape intact, and due to how the chargen works people can't get the old shapes back if they hate the new ones.

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Originally Posted by GrizzlyTank

OLDhttps://i.imgur.com/jHCHu8w.png
NEWhttps://i.imgur.com/ZhZcYQi.jpeg

Face 3,
Jaw 3,
Eyeshape 3, size small
Eyebrows 1
nose 1
mouth 1

Eyes are less sharp, harder to spot the pupils and the iris is slightly larger.

The eyelid is rounder in the new one

The eyebrows hangs lower now, has less curve, ends earlier and lacks the tiny spacing on the outer part.

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I also use mouth 1. Upon closer inspection the 7.0 mouth looks pretty identical to the current game, but has the just very slightest differences in the edges and shape as a consequence of having better detail. It’s so minute but I’ve stared at my character for so long that I can’t help but notice. It’s just one of those things I’ll have to get used to honestly

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Originally Posted by Kacho_Nacho

Didn't your dad teach you about the birds and the bees? When it's our "special time", our heads pop off! Then, over a period of a few weeks, the head sprouts several new clones, and our body grows a new head.

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My father never gave me the lala talk. I'm not ready for my head to pop off yet.

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Originally Posted by Kacho_Nacho

snip

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Totally off topic, but I love your signature. :)
Same, buddy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kacho_Nacho

Didn't your dad teach you about the birds and the bees? When it's our "special time", our heads pop off! Then, over a period of a few weeks, the head sprouts several new clones, and our body grows a new head.

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Omg, thanks for the nightmares. :D

I can't stop admiring the new iteration of eye reflections. Sclera vs cornea reflecting differently is making me so, so happy.

Anyhow, here's my WoL in chargen, live, benchmark 1.0, and A Benchmark Reborn. He seriously looks like he needed a very long nap and a couple showers in the middle there and I am glad he got them.
https://i.imgur.com/3HU3Dt0.jpeg

(Yes, his nose is different, and no, I don't care, his original nose looks too much like Michael Jackson's plastic surgeon got to him. The added polygons did my WoL good.)

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Originally Posted by moodud

Hello. I guess this will be the thread for feedback. Male Midlander face 3 here.

Current / New Benchmark
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJqiiPb...jpg&name=large

Old Benchmark / New Benchmark
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJsQygb...jpg&name=large

The new lighting (or rather how it should have been from the beginning) is so so much better. Shadows are crunchy similar to the original yet look way better in dark places, no more jump scare lightings. My character eyes felt closer to the original and I am very happy. Big upgrade.

!!! However the beard still has low resolution even in the new benchmark. !!!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJ4Ytza...name=4096x4096
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJ4xwZb...png&name=small

The low res beard stands out quite a lot.
I looked at other faces/races to see if they have the same problem and I found this 3 faces:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJ0zlSa...name=4096x4096

Haven't check every face, could be more, but it's clear that this is simply a mistake, something that has been overlooked. Would appreciate it if this could be fix before Dawntrail launch.

Some updated beards for reference:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPJ-o8Cb...name=4096x4096

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Quality old men :cool:
(Now SE can u give us some quality old ladies??)

I thought this would get addressed in the update, but since it hasn't I wanted to mention that male miqote face markings are much lower res in comparison to female ones. Aside from that, I'm loving the rest of the changes!

https://i.imgur.com/FI6b3vh.png

I'm very happy with the new update! Huge, huge improvements on the lighting. Also noticed some much appreciated adjustments to femroe face 4 + eye type 4 shape. The previous benchmark gave my character a bizarrely huge lower eyelid that completely changed the eye shape. The updated version still has a larger eyelid than before, but the overall eye shape and facial expression is far better preserved and I'm happy with it.

For comparison:

Endwalker:

https://i.imgur.com/mHcowmQ.jpeg


Previous benchmark:

https://i.imgur.com/fV7iH8D.jpeg

...Uhh. Mildly horrifying, tbh.

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


New benchmark:

https://i.imgur.com/GhpHCnA.jpeg

SHE TURNED OUT FANTASTIC!

I know that the darker pupils on femroes have been somewhat controversial, but personally I feel that they work really well for my character. She looks significantly less dead inside, lol.

The one thing I would still love to see would be upscales of the face paint options, as her freckles are still very blotchy. Apart from that, though, I am very content and feeling a lot more confident compared to the previous benchmark about how she'll look in Dawntrail.

Also, thank you to the devs for working to incorporate our feedback. An unplanned massive overhaul of the character creator must have been a huge imposition while also trying to put the finishing touches on the new expansion. I know it's impossible to make everyone happy, especially when we all have so much emotional attachment to our characters and how they look, but there has clearly been a lot of effort put in to address the issues that have come up (although admittedly, I think the lighting problems in particular really should have been noticed earlier).