[Graphical Update Feedback] Male Elezen

Hey there! To preface this: overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the graphical changes, and think the benchmark just can't come soon enough because I need to play around in the CC right now. That being said, there's one change that I'm... honestly just outright confused by: this male Elezen face shown in the keynote (alongside the comment about it looking younger/fresher, though I don't remember the exact phrasing there).

https://i.postimg.cc/Y9MJxTMZ/elftastic.png

As someone who uses this face for one of the characters I play, I think it (face 1) looking a little more mature and worse for wear is the entire appeal. I don't really understand why that would be changed when there's another face (face 2) that's already essentially the same, but with more of that whole "smooth pretty boy elf" look to it.

I did a quick and dirty comparison: first and second are face 1 as seen in the keynote, and the third is my recreation of the same Elezen but with face 2.

https://i.postimg.cc/cHcNy0Fd/pain.png

Personally, I think the second image bears a stronger resemblance to the third than it does to the first. Ultimately, I can only definitively speak for myself, but again - the people who are picking face 1 over 2 when they're so similar are probably the people who want their characters to have more of that sternness and/or maturity, and what we see in the update doesn't have much of that element anymore. The big thing that stands out to me is the lips. That perpetual frown that, to me, really distinguishes the two faces from each other just isn't there at all.

Anyways, that's all I have to say. I just think that, even if the differences are relatively minor, it changes the "feel" of the face in a way I'm not huge on.

Face one looks younger to me then three /shrug, just grumpier, like a youngster that thinks they have it so bad and NOBODY in the whole wide world has ever gone though what they have lol :p

They look like the exact same face, but the improved normal maps have made the face less rough. The shadows are less drastic and correctly placed and the poor normals is what has always given Elezen that gaunt look.
You can see this in action by choosing the fuller options on Face 1 and 2 and see that the shadows don't actually match the face shape.

I don't think there is much they can do about that except to actually remake the whole face shape to counter the improved shadows which would not be ideal.

Looks like the same face to me but in much higher quality. I think the "weariness" of the original is an unintended byproduct of the poor PS3 model. The races look much more alive across the board.

I agree that it changes the "feel", and while it does look somewhat nice I'd prefer if we can also have the options to have our austere and stern looking elezen. I especially dislike how the mouth now looks more like that of a smiling one, I much preferred the downturned mouth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CidHeiral

Looks like the same face to me but in much higher quality. I think the "weariness" of the original is an unintended byproduct of the poor PS3 model. The races look much more alive across the board.

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Exactly this.

I use this face for my main. The way I see it, male Elezen face options include two young men, one adolescent, and one elder. This face is one of the young men options.

The only reason it ever came across as worn or weathered is because of the rough ps3 graphics.

The graphical update for this face is a massive improvement and one of the best ones out of them all.