Why do so many textures look like they are from a ps2 game?

[Alexandre_Noireau]

XIV graphics have aged terrible. And that PS3 optimizations are to blame, we will forever feel the drag of that console, and the PS4.
Is that simple: FFXIV will always screw PC gamers in favor of keeping the experience the "same" through all platforms. And they are not even releasing mod tools so we can do the work they didn't.

The textures have no higher res models, which is the usual way of texturing games, instead, to cut expenses and probably make a declaration of the new design philosophy, these textures ARE the high res ones, they are fully unpacked... And yes, is absolutely terrible. People who say, the graphics are fine, are either reading 2013 reviews of the game still, or are just console players and they know no better. And no, i'm not talking about 4k (4k is not that great honestly). Im talking about actual graphics, like shadow shimmering EVERYWHERE, like, the whole game is broken at shadows, the thread is still up there after like 3 years since HW basically destroyed the shadows.
As an advice, don't use parallax, the resolution of textures is just too mediocre for it.

Also, no ultrawide support cutscenes. 2019. They really need a graphic suit overhaul, badly. I hope shadowbringer zones have better assets.

[Caitlinzulu]

XIV graphics have aged terrible. And that PS3 optimizations are to blame, we will forever feel the drag of that console, and the PS4.
Is that simple: FFXIV will always screw PC gamers in favor of keeping the experience the "same" through all platforms. And they are not even releasing mod tools so we can do the work they didn't.

The textures have no higher res models, which is the usual way of texturing games, instead, to cut expenses and probably make a declaration of the new design philosophy, these textures ARE the high res ones, they are fully unpacked... And yes, is absolutely terrible. People who say, the graphics are fine, are either reading 2013 reviews of the game still, or are just console players and they know no better. And no, i'm not talking about 4k (4k is not that great honestly). Im talking about actual graphics, like shadow shimmering EVERYWHERE, like, the whole game is broken at shadows, the thread is still up there after like 3 years since HW basically destroyed the shadows.
As an advice, don't use parallax, the resolution of textures is just too mediocre for it.

Also, no ultrawide support cutscenes. 2019. They really need a graphic suit overhaul, badly. I hope shadowbringer zones have better assets.

And another "consoles are bad, holding pc players back" post.
You seem to forget that not everyone is playing the latest pc, so lower end pc's hold the game "back" too.
Also just no i paid attention to graphics today and i had no complaint about graphic quality and this is judged on a pc.

[Alexandre_Noireau]

And another "consoles are bad, holding pc players back" post.
You seem to forget that not everyone is playing the latest pc, so lower end pc's hold the game "back" too.
Also just no i paid attention to graphics today and i had no complaint about graphic quality and this is judged on a pc.

Im not saying consoles are bad. Im saying that keeping consoles and PC at the same level is bad. PC is obviously the superior platform for gaming -all consoles have slowly moved into AiO-plug and play PCs basically- and that both clients play by the same rules and graphics qualities is simply a bad decision.
About older PCs: thats why we have graphical options (dx9 client... really), if players are using hardware from +5 years ago, they have bigger issues than gaming.

Finally, if you don't see the many graphical issues with this game, then you are either blind, ignorant on how computer graphics are supposed to work or look or finally, just a SE apologists. Pick one. Cause this game clearly has graphical issues and graphics have aged not so well since 2.0. Point in case, textures being the worse offenders. World of Warcraft has better textures than FFXIV, and that is saying a LOT.

Art direction can only get you so far, is obvious that the game needs a graphic overhaul to better represent what the art department is making, cause at a such low resolution, many things that are supposed to be appreciated become muddy, ugly to look at, to points where it breaks immersion and "suspension of disbelief". Like every cutscene with main characters where their terrible modeling, low res textures, awful clipping and terrible shadowcasting just ruins what should a beautiful scene. Graphics of this game are literally holding back its conveyed themes through graphical representation, that is, art and scenery.

Is the equivalent as if the game music was recorded and implemented in low quality muddied sound files.

[Berethos]

to points where it breaks immersion and "suspension of disbelief".

That's a matter of subjective perspective.

Course, I grew up getting misty eyed at moments in the original Ocarina of Time, in all its N64 blocky glory, so maybe I just have a better handle on suspending my disbelief.