Benchmark 1.1 Feedback: Lalafell

Loving the updated benchmark but I figure i'd share my opinions about the changes for my character.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...81452a9f14077&

While I love a lot about it (the flush and the eyeshine are very nice) my biggest complaint so far is the lips are still the same from the last benchmark. The original lalafell mouth uses texture to give an illusion of depth, with the center part being a darker color that fades as it moves outward. Now its all one solid line and that depth is gone.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...a49c0ef2a9a0d&

You can see from the side that the upper lip in the benchmark curves downward more, when before it had a slight upward point, once again making it look flatter and adding that "pursed lips" look to the new version. Personally I dont like it and I hope its changed.

So I was already a fan back with the original benchmark update and the new 1.1 version is even better! But I have the slightest of nitpicks.

The Eyes: They're not bad but they do feel off? They took out the gradient-like color and put in these blurry light spots. The bottom half of the eye also used to feel a bit brighter/slight glow but it's nothing too bad. Kind of a nothing issue but it certainly feels a different way.
https://i.imgur.com/1BXjDOT.png
https://i.imgur.com/5hT7osv.png
https://i.imgur.com/KNC6mFj.png

The Neck Seam: Speaks for itself. My head not attached on right/you can see a clear ugly line.
https://i.imgur.com/7ssGJtH.png

Missing Belly Button: No seriously Yoshi P, why did you take away our belly buttons!? Put them back!
https://i.imgur.com/sgMQesp.png

The lighting and colors are definitely better but my lalafell looks somewhat off. :( Especially the eyes and nose I feel. Something about it makes my lalafell less doll/chibi-like and more uncanny valley.

https://i.imgur.com/ev7xGYp.png

Current:
https://i.imgur.com/UVfrEF2.jpg

1.1 Benchmark:
https://i.imgur.com/w0A9r7D.jpg


My Lala was the one I had the biggest issue with from the original benchmark, and sadly she's still at it with the 1.1 update. :(

A few things I've noticed:

-Eyes: I use eye 6, and the shape is now different. The inner corners now slant inward towards the nose, where as before it was more vertical. The outer corner also now has a different shape (maybe due to the change of the lashline?). They no longer look as 'bright-eyed' and open. The irises now also have lines.

-Nose: Her cute little button nose is gone. :( Now it just looks flat. At least it's a lot more visible now vs. the original benchmark....

-Mouth: I use mouth 3, and her upper lip is still MIA and the mouth looks pretty much like a flat line. TBF, I feel like mouths across the board took a hit with the update.

With everything combined, her face looks like it's just sorta been...dragged down? She lost her cuteness, imo.

I did run her through the actual benchmark, and from the few shots I snagged it's........fine. As of now I don't think I'll be switching to her as often, but we'll see how she actually looks once the update is live.

https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...f3c04c99cf.jpg
https://lds-img.finalfantasyxiv.com/...670e184153.jpg

Left: Endwalker Right: Benchmark v. 1.1

The luminescent quality of my lala's eyes is gone and it is replaced with the lifeless one. The blue color is a different shade now. The eyebrows and the lips look different. In the bright light, the plastic looking skin makes my lala look like a doll in a toy store. The overall cuteness is gone. I prefer my Endwalker lala.

Just ran the bench mark and the Dunesfolk eye textures seem really different from the 1.0 benchmark. In the original benchmark, they were very clear and vivid. The hard lines from the live game seemed to have been removed which I liked.

https://i.imgur.com/H49obi7.jpeg

Now with the benchmark the lines are back, and for some reason her eye colour is just dull and dark. More than even the live game. It looks like someone threw dirt into her eyes. I imagine this has something to do with how they added the permanent catchlights back.

I also agree that mouth 3 is still nerfed in the upper lip department. Mouth 1 and 2 have nicer top lips, but I prefer the way the wider mouth 3 fills out my character's face.

Yeah I think the more I see of the new eyes especially on dunesfolk the new style appears to be very muddled like someone put a dirty filter over. I think the first benchmark had it right just needed to fix the eyelashes and eye highlights honestly. One example I've seen is this one and it's so... oddly murky. I need a proper anime shine like how it is in endwalker

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPMM7UTa...pg&name=medium

Somethings definitely gone wrong with the luminosity of Dunesfolk eyes.
https://i.imgur.com/A8taB5q_d.webp?m...fidelity=grand

Left OLD benchmark. Right NEW benchmark.

For me its mostly the eyes that feels off. It almost feels like they are a bit further apart. Also not really a fan of the color change on the 3rd facial feature

https://i.imgur.com/9XkfYyU.png
https://i.imgur.com/6GUCCfO.png

They gave the Dunesfolk cataracts.

https://i.imgur.com/sg8Dw9C.png