Lackluster Graphics in FFXIV

[Dreamer]

I don't find the graphics in game to be lackluster overall, but they DO seem inconsistent. This is far more noticeable when you encounter terrain that's repeated with the same sub-par textures. The cliffs in Ul'dah in the waterways around Gridania are fine, yet both are lacking in Limsa. Limsa has some very nice lighting at night, while Gridania's is lacking.

How does this game not have amazing graphics? Even on extremely low settings this game looks much better than the majority of MMOs out there. On max settings, this game is by far the best graphical MMO out there. Surpassing WoW by far, and even Aion. The only games that can surpass this are ones that aren't out yet, such as Blade and Soul and possibly TERA. Aion might look better when it has the new graphic engine that's supposed to be released in their 2.5 patch. Other than those few games, all of which aren't out yet ('cept Aion, but the new engine isn't out yet), this game easily has the best graphics of any MMO. Not to mention it's one of the few games in the world, not even just one of the few MMOs, but overall few GAMES that has dynamic lighting.

As someone who's played Aion for more than a year, I can honestly say that even with the current engine, Aion's character graphics beat FFXIV. Although the faces aren't as realistic, Aion's character models in terms of armor, clothing, and weaponry have a level of polish that I've yet to see in FFXIV. Both games have texture problems, however, when it comes to terrain.

[BelgianRofl]

not even just one of the few MMOs, but overall few GAMES that has dynamic lighting.

The lighting is one of the graphical weak points..... Light passes through walls and solid objects; does not cast shadows.

[Abriael]

Because the Crystal Tools engine doesn't have game world streaming technology, it has to load in the zones all at once, this limits their ability to create truly seamless zones. Limsa Lominsa isn't really an island surrounded by water, it's an island surrounded by a flat panel representing water.

Seamless worlds are extremely overrated, and they are not necessary to create environments with which you can interact. Not to mention that technologies can be implemented at a later date. Engines aren't static entities.

As for the "not sophisticated enough" that someone pulled out (lol), again, when another engine will produce a MMORPG better looking than this one, we'll talk. As of now, that's not even on the radar.

[Abriael]

As someone who's played Aion for more than a year, I can honestly say that even with the current engine, Aion's character graphics beat FFXIV. Although the faces aren't as realistic, Aion's character models in terms of armor, clothing, and weaponry have a level of polish that I've yet to see in FFXIV. Both games have texture problems, however, when it comes to terrain.

Really now

Aion

FFXIV


You talk about armor, clothing, weaponry and especially polish, and there's simply no comparison. Pics are better than a thousands words. FFXIV's equipment looks much more realistic thanks to the normal mapping (while aion's look extremely flat due to the very limited use of mapping), on top of that due the fact that Aion uses lower resolution textures, the oweral look is much more blurry. Everything in FFXIV's characters is very visibly sharper and more defined.
This without even mentioning that NCsoft has to grow up quite a lot more before getting even near to SE's art direction and character design.

Again, place two pictures of any kind side by side, and FFXIV completely obliterates Aion.

[sharky]

I think that this thread is better suited in the 'Ask the developers' section. If you want more graphics then it should be brought to the attention of the developers so that it can be implemented some how. Otherwise it's just a matter of opinion. I happen to like the character designs in FF14, which is something you can't get in other MMO's or Wave Race 64 for that matter.

[BelgianRofl]

Seamless worlds are extremely overrated.

anything not in FFXIV is overrated. and FFXIV is underrated. right now it only has a 49/100.

[gifthorse]

Seamless worlds are extremely overrated, and they are not necessary to create environments with which you can interact. Not to mention that technologies can be implemented at a later date. Engines aren't static entities.

As for the "not sophisticated enough" that someone pulled out (lol), again, when another engine will produce a MMORPG better looking than this one, we'll talk. As of now, that's not even on the radar.

Yes, well I still don't foresee them changing that aspect of the engine anytime soon, not to mention the fact that they would then have to implement the changes to La Noscea after that.

Im not saying FFXIV has bad graphics, I'm just saying it has a lot of shortcomings. And personally I'd rather see a game with slightly crappier graphics in certain areas, but more flexible design features overall, and seamless zones. It's not just the fact that I want seamless zones, but it's the features which stem from this ability to create seamless zones which I want. Isn't it irritating that you can go from desert to forest (with a loading screen in between) and notice no natural transition between the zones? Isn't it annoying that you have loading screens between the docks in Thanalan and Limsa?

One of the areas in which FFXIV falls short is repeated terrain. The quality of the terrain isn't an issue, because it's all high quality textures for an MMO (barring draw distance etc). However, if the engine could cope with the passive streaming of the game world (as opposed to loading screens between zones), then this would give SE more freedom to create richer, more detailed, more unique environments. It would also allow SE to create oceans, say, around Limsa Lominsa. Currently there aren't oceans, but simply tiles which are supposed to represent oceans.

What Dreamer said about Aion having better character models/gear models is crazy, because in my mind that's one of the only ways in which FFXIV excels. The characters are all so detailed and the gear so three-dimensional. You can always tell if something is hempen, cotton, canvas, velveteen etc. The detail is amazing.

But it's annoying to see such detail in the characters and world detracted from by a few shortcomings: loading screens, repeated terrain, and the implications of these on the design of the world.

[gifthorse]

Really now

Aion

FFXIV


You talk about armor, clothing, weaponry and especially polish, and there's simply no comparison. Pics are better than a thousands words. FFXIV's equipment looks much more realistic thanks to the normal mapping (while aion's look extremely flat due to the very limited use of mapping), on top of that due the fact that Aion uses lower resolution textures, the oweral look is much more blurry. Everything in FFXIV's characters is very visibly sharper and more defined.
This without even mentioning that NCsoft has to grow up quite a lot more before getting even near to SE's art direction and character design.

Again, place two pictures of any kind side by side, and FFXIV completely obliterates Aion.

I agree with this. FFXIV's character models, armor models, and animations are beyond compare.

[charliesheen]

The graphics in FFXIV are epic. Only a decaying troll would pick on things like how fast water ripples and each & every shadow that doesn't show...

When it comes to graphics, all I've got to say to SE is... winning!

[Ostia]

The graphics in FFXIV are epic. Only a decaying troll would pick on things like how fast water ripples and each & every shadow that doesn't show...

When it comes to graphics, all I've got to say to SE is... winning!

How many subs did the graphics get them ? Yeah! THEY IS WINNING ALRIGHT! XD