Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXX Digest (4/26/2024)

We are pleased to present the full digest of the Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXX!
If you missed the live stream, or if you just want to watch it again (and again), check it out below!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OxVWTktvt_M?si=VzIsXrIEJpkcMDr0&amp;start=5697" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

* Don't forget to select the 1080p option to watch the video in HD!

Patch 7.0 News

Benchmark Trailer

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7EJfr9G95t4?si=i671p3G5G-Ph9B30" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

We kicked off the broadcast by revealing the benchmark trailer for Dawntrail.

The benchmark software allows Windows users to test the limits of their PC while getting a peek at the various jobs in action and the magnificent views that await on the continent of Tural. Furthermore, the software’s character creation tool includes the highly anticipated female Hrothgar!

Read on to learn about our future plans for the current version of the benchmark software.

Dawntrail Pre-orders Available Now!

Attachment 11663 Attachment 11661
Attachment 11664 Attachment 11662
Attachment 11660

(01:43:40)

Dawntrail is currently available for pre-order!

Pre-order before the release date to receive exclusive bonuses:

• Early access to Dawntrail starting Friday, June 28
• Wind-up Zidane minion
• Azeyma Earrings: an accessory which increases EXP gained from defeating enemies (up to level 90)

Additionally, the Collector's Edition comes with the following exclusives:

• Ark mount
• Wind-up Garnet minion
• Chocobo Brush weapon for pictomancer

Read on to learn more about our product lineup for Dawntrail: NA EU

Highlights of the Graphical Update

(01:49:19)

This segment of the broadcast focused on the graphical update arriving in Patch 7.0. Click the timestamps for side-by-side comparisons of the current game (Patch 6.58) and its updated visuals in Patch 7.0!

(01:52:46)

We visited the lush meadows of Elpis to see the improved texture resolution of grass. Notice how the grass rustles in the wind and also moves when the character walks through it.

(01:55:53)

Certain mounts will lean when turning in the air. This will only be applied to mounts where leaning to make a turn looks natural.

(01:59:21)

The improved ground textures accentuate the uneven surfaces of cobblestone and the plants emerging from between the stones.

You can also see how the aetheryte looks more crystalline with the updated shaders, thanks to how the light appears to reflect off of its many facets. The metal components also have a refined sheen that better conveys their metallic properties.

(02:04:32)

From Patch 7.0, wetness effects will have a more natural look, such as soaked clothing glistening differently based on the materials they are made from.

(02:08:48)

The wetness of objects will also be updated, and the ground will reflect the surrounding environment more clearly. When the camera zooms out, you can see how the light reflects differently on the ground’s surfaces and grooves, which adds more realism to the atmosphere.

The number of lights have also been changed, and characters’ faces will be clearly visible even in dungeons with dim lighting, for example.

The graphical update will be applied to not only the latest areas but existing areas as well, so you may want to take a look around in older overworld areas when you have a moment to relax.

Due to the sheer number of races and gear, only some of the existing gear will be graphically updated in time for Patch 7.0; the remainder will be gradually addressed in later patches.

As a quick note, the number of polygons for fingertips and feet have been increased, improving the look of sandals and other footwear which show the toes.

(02:16:29)

We visited Il Mheg for a closer look at how the graphical update will improve the look of cobblestone and the density of flowerbeds. The video also shows how fog can drastically affect the appearance of distant scenery.

(02:23:11)

We demonstrated how the new anti-aliasing settings can reduce the flickering of trees in the distance. This setting can be adjusted to suit your system and personal preferences.

(02:31:38)

The Soft Shadow setting adds more realism by blurring the shadows cast by tall objects, such as trees and buildings, based on the object’s distance from the ground.

Even with the current settings, the improved texture resolution alone give shadows a cleaner look compared to the jagged appearance they had before. However, soft shadow processing is resource-intensive and therefore Windows and Mac and will have an adjustable setting. On other platforms, the setting will already be optimized for their platform's performance.

(02:38:15)

We also took a sneak peek at the new ocean waves. Ocean waves were previously created using multiple layers of textures, but Patch 7.0 allows liquids to be depicted with shaders, which improves the realism of waves.

(02:41:29)

We also added a saccade effect which adds tiny movements to characters’ eyes. This is a very minor feature, but we hope it’ll give more life to our in-game world. It’ll be automatically deactivated in cutscenes where the eye movements may make emotions harder to read, and during group poses where they may interfere with taking screenshots.

(02:47:42)

We ventured into an area we’ll be visiting in Patch 7.0; take a look at the video for gameplay footage!

Super Resolution Support

Attachment 11665 Attachment 11666

(02:56:47)

An option to change the type of graphics upscaling will be added to the System Configuration menu in Patch 7.0. Graphics upscaling, also known as “Super Resolution,” restores the clarity of low-resolution images by making their loss of definition as unnoticeable as possible.

The default setting will be AMD FSR, but Windows users with a graphics card supporting DLSS 2.0 may want to select Nvidia DLSS.

If you run into performance issues, you may want to consider enabling dynamic resolution, which will automatically adjust the resolution of your screen when your game dips below a specified frame rate. Dynamic resolution was added in Patch 6.2, and can be used alongside the upcoming Super Resolution feature to keep your game running smoothly while still looking great!

With all of that said, other factors such as lighting and object count will also impact performance, so we recommend trying various combinations of each setting to see what works best for you!

PS4 and Xbox Series S

Attachment 11667

(03:05:46)

The PS4 and Xbox Series S versions of the game will be included in the graphical update.

In both versions, certain settings will always be enabled to improve graphics quality while maintaining performance. The overall benefits of the graphics update will be quite noticeable in both versions. On a related note, rest assured that the PS4 version will remain supported during the 7.x series.

From Patch 7.0 and onward, new hairstyles, gear, and etc. will have the graphical update applied. Existing gear, NPCs, scenery, and etc. will be gradually updated in Patch 7.0 and later patches.

As a heads up, the 6.0 job-specific gear for all jobs will be graphically updated in Patch 7.1; however, the paladin gear will be updated earlier, in Patch 7.0. The paladin gear was our test subject in various graphics-related experiments. We considered waiting until the other jobs were ready, but since we’d already publicly revealed the updated paladin gear when demonstrating the graphical update, we decided to release it ahead of the rest.

7.0 Blacklist Improvements

Attachment 11668 Attachment 11669
Attachment 11670

(03:11:35)

Up until now, our blacklisting features were kept minimal to avoid hampering players with excessive restrictions. However, considering how Eorzea is now a second home for numerous players from all over the world, each with varying social norms, we decided to move forward with these privacy improvements as a preventative measure against in-game conflicts.

Beginning with Patch 7.0, registering a character to your blacklist will hide them from view, and this will apply to all characters on the blacklisted character’s service account. Please note that this will only be applied to characters blacklisted after Patch 7.0.

An exception will be made when character visibility is necessary, such as being in the same party during a duty; blacklisted characters will be visible, but their name will show up as “Unknown.” A notification will hide the contents of their chat messages, but you’ll be able to tell when they are speaking in chat. A subcommand will allow you to temporarily see the contents of their ensuing messages, if you so choose.

We are aware that some would prefer not to be grouped with people you’ve blacklisted at all, but such a feature would have an enormous effect on the Duty Finder and Party Finder, and would also cause matchmaking to take much longer, so we ask for your understanding that this request would be difficult to fulfill.

Attachment 11671 Attachment 11672

(03:17:18)

Registering a character to your Mute List will hide their chat messages, much like how the blacklist worked prior to Patch 7.0. Like the blacklist, the Mute List will apply to all characters on the same service account as a registered character.

Attachment 11673

(03:18:39)

The blacklist will carry over its registered data from prior to Patch 7.0 and allows for up to 200 characters to be registered. The blacklist data will be stored server-side, meaning the characters will be blacklisted across all platforms.

The upcoming Mute List also allows up to 200 characters to be registered, and this registration limit is not shared with the blacklist. However, the data is stored client-side, meaning characters will only be muted on the device they were originally registered on.

Attachment 11674

(03:20:39)

The Term Filter feature will be applied to Say, Tell, Yell, Shout, and /emote in all circumstances, including duties. However, it will not be applied to linkshell, cross-world linkshell, party, and free company chats, where conversations are prioritized.

Attachment 11675 Attachment 11676

(03:21:44)

Characters who are added to a no-entry list will be removed from your estate interior or yard. Our intention for this feature is to prevent disturbances to player events, and those who are added to the no-entry list will be unable to enter the estate for 10 days.

Furthermore, the estate expulsion is available to free company masters and estate owners, who can also grant permissions to up to four free company members or housemates. A setting can be enabled so that when players with expulsion privileges are in the estate, anyone registered to their blacklists will be automatically expelled when attempting to enter the estate grounds.

Attachment 11677 Attachment 11678

(03:23:58)

We explained about the new features being added to the Lodestone. You will be able to limit who can view your Lodestone information, as well as omit yourself from Lodestone searches.

Schedule Until Dawntrail Release

Attachment 11679

(03:29:38)

We went over the upcoming dates for upcoming Letter LIVEs and in-game events leading up Dawntrail's release. We also have the Media Tour coming up in mid-May, so you can expect to see articles from various media sources around early June.

Furthermore, the next two Letter LIVEs (Part LXXXI and Part LXXXII) will have English interpretations.

Additionally, we are planning a 48-hour maintenance prior to Patch 7.0’s release. This is because the graphical update requires a massive download of high-resolution data, which is expected to take a long time to download. We will make the download available as early into the maintenance as we can, so we recommend downloading during the maintenance period.