7.0 Graphic Update - Elezen feedback

[Liamont]

This thread is full of people posting pictures of two identical Elezen and saying they're completely different. It's baffling to me. Ultimately this is why they're going to give people a free Fantasia: if you've formed a particular attachment with your current face of course it's going to want some tweaking, but at the end of the day this is just the way of things with any graphics update.

Just because you personally cannot see the difference does not mean that people who have spent years with their character do not see a massive difference. For me at least, I specifically chose an eyebrow that was straight, but now it's tapered/thicker. Am I not allowed to express my displeasure with them changing something that is, to me, a very important feature of my character?

And now there is no amount of tweaking that I can do to fix this, because there are no longer straight eyebrow options.

None of us asked either to have a graphical update, I personally did not even expect for one to happen. So to have something forced on me like this is rather upsetting, and I'd prefer we let the devs know that a fair number of us are unhappy instead of not saying anything and then they do not know that there are things that we wish to be fixed.

[Mecia]

This thread is full of people posting pictures of two identical Elezen and saying they're completely different. It's baffling to me. Ultimately this is why they're going to give people a free Fantasia: if you've formed a particular attachment with your current face of course it's going to want some tweaking, but at the end of the day this is just the way of things with any graphics update.

I agree on like 90% of peoples characters for all races. Reinha here posted what was in my opinion the clearest change in appearance but even then its an easy fix for SE.

They said changes wouldnt be drastic and they really arent for the majority but people somehow came to expect carbon copies. Its a miracle most are as close as they are considering the scope of changes like shading and increased poly counts.

[linesthatinterlace]

Just because you personally cannot see the difference does not mean that people who have spent years with their character do not see a massive difference. For me at least, I specifically chose an eyebrow that was straight, but now it's tapered/thicker. Am I not allowed to express my displeasure with them changing something that is, to me, a very important feature of my character?

And now there is no amount of tweaking that I can do to fix this, because there are no longer straight eyebrow options.

None of us asked either to have a graphical update, I personally did not even expect for one to happen. So to have something forced on me like this is rather upsetting, and I'd prefer we let the devs know that a fair number of us are unhappy instead of not saying anything and then they do not know that there are things that we wish to be fixed.

What I'm saying is exactly the same as what you are: of course you're going to notice the difference of a face you spend hours and hours and hours staring at. It would be very strange if you got exactly the same look, honestly: I had to rework my character a little until she looked right again, and I'll definitely be taking the chance of the free Fantasias to make the change.

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be unhappy. I'm just saying that - while they should fix the obvious glitches - your standard for "my character looks the same" is going to be much higher than that of anyone else for your character. The graphical update is happening; none of us have any choice about it; feedback isn't going to address the myriad small issues (things like eyebrow tweaks!) that people have. If you look at any HD remake or remaster of a game, this kind of thing happens - it isn't surprising it has here. I just think we should make emotional peace with the change.

[chicinlicin]

throwing my guy in, for the most part i'm happy but yeah like what's been said before i really don't like how strong the dark under eye is on face 2 duskwight, just makes it the same as wildwood faces

current | benchmark


it's a bit jarring going from nothing to something so heavy

[Doopliss]

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be unhappy. I'm just saying that - while they should fix the obvious glitches - your standard for "my character looks the same" is going to be much higher than that of anyone else for your character. The graphical update is happening; none of us have any choice about it; feedback isn't going to address the myriad small issues (things like eyebrow tweaks!) that people have. If you look at any HD remake or remaster of a game, this kind of thing happens - it isn't surprising it has here. I just think we should make emotional peace with the change.

What? Feedback absolutely should address the myriad of small issues. While I do also think some complaints are exaggerated and caused by lighting differences, a ton of them are actual, physical changes that were made for no reason. Eyebrows, in fact, being a great example and one of the easier ones to fix--it's a texture! They still have the old ones to reference from!

FFXIV is a MMORPG with one of the most player-character focused narratives a MMO has been capable of, while also being produced by a multi-million dollar company. Of course people are going to care and have some higher expectations. Comparing it to HD remasters of single-player titles is a nothing statement...which also tend to be reasonably disliked anyway, when objectively worse-looking AI upscales like FFX have been pushed out of the door by the same company.

I can never grasp the resistance to player feedback in the place that's meant to host player feedback. Most people aren't actually being malicious or attacking the devs in this case; people wouldn't be worried about the developers being given enough time otherwise. They're just emotional, and--regardless of how silly it may appear to some--not for a lack of reason.

[Timppa]

Left image: benchmark graphics, right image: current graphics



I feel like the whole general feel of my character has changed. One of the charm points of elezen has always been how sharp their faces are, but now it feels like all the sharpness and angles have been sanded away, which makes him look very baby-faced. The expression is also different as the little downward curve of the lip has been changed.

[ASkellington]

May as well add mine here too.

EW


DT


Like I said, I don't hate it. As far as the dark circles... I don't know. I tried to play around and see if there was a particular setting they could have added to the game to give them (doesn't look like it, and yes, I even tried to replicate it with Reshade, can get close but not quite). I can only assume they did so on the models themselves for some reason I can't fathom. It's not like it gives them more depth, just makes them more sunken in. Its not like we don't have the option in Face Paint though.

Benchmark isn't much better in some areas.


I have no idea wtf this shadowing is here:


But in bright light head on lighting... eyeshadow isn't too bad. Nor are the eyes.



Still think interior lighting is going to be the downfall though. Especially when the light is overhead, cause you get the WORST shots with this skin tone.

[Liamont]

What I'm saying is exactly the same as what you are: of course you're going to notice the difference of a face you spend hours and hours and hours staring at. It would be very strange if you got exactly the same look, honestly: I had to rework my character a little until she looked right again, and I'll definitely be taking the chance of the free Fantasias to make the change.

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be unhappy. I'm just saying that - while they should fix the obvious glitches - your standard for "my character looks the same" is going to be much higher than that of anyone else for your character. The graphical update is happening; none of us have any choice about it; feedback isn't going to address the myriad small issues (things like eyebrow tweaks!) that people have. If you look at any HD remake or remaster of a game, this kind of thing happens - it isn't surprising it has here. I just think we should make emotional peace with the change.

I disagree, I will fight for them to address what you call the "small issues" until it's obvious that they are not going to change it at all. Then, and only then, will I make my peace with it (or quit the game, I've got 13k hours at this point, it's not a bad thing for me to move on).

I politely refuse to sit down and say nothing if there's still a chance that things can be changed.

[Liamont]

What? Feedback absolutely should address the myriad of small issues. While I do also think some complaints are exaggerated and caused by lighting differences, a ton of them are actual, physical changes that were made for no reason. Eyebrows, in fact, being a great example and one of the easier ones to fix--it's a texture! They still have the old ones to reference from!

FFXIV is a MMORPG with one of the most player-character focused narratives a MMO has been capable of, while also being produced by a multi-million dollar company. Of course people are going to care and have some higher expectations. Comparing it to HD remasters of single-player titles is a nothing statement...which also tend to be reasonably disliked anyway, when objectively worse-looking AI upscales like FFX have been pushed out of the door by the same company.

I can never grasp the resistance to player feedback in the place that's meant to host player feedback. Most people aren't actually being malicious or attacking the devs in this case; people wouldn't be worried about the developers being given enough time otherwise. They're just emotional, and--regardless of how silly it may appear to some--not for a lack of reason.

Exactly this.

[Tsumdere]

What I'm saying is exactly the same as what you are: of course you're going to notice the difference of a face you spend hours and hours and hours staring at. It would be very strange if you got exactly the same look, honestly: I had to rework my character a little until she looked right again, and I'll definitely be taking the chance of the free Fantasias to make the change.

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't be unhappy. I'm just saying that - while they should fix the obvious glitches - your standard for "my character looks the same" is going to be much higher than that of anyone else for your character. The graphical update is happening; none of us have any choice about it; feedback isn't going to address the myriad small issues (things like eyebrow tweaks!) that people have. If you look at any HD remake or remaster of a game, this kind of thing happens - it isn't surprising it has here. I just think we should make emotional peace with the change.

I think it is important for us to make a stink about changes that were very clearly the result of developer preference and not graphic updates.
Faces looking softer is a nasty result of us Elezen being five polygons and then getting more. I think these are the graphic updates that won't get addressed. Sometimes, I don't see the difference people are pointing out.

BUT! Eyebrow shapes changing, addition of extra textures (dark circles), harsh lip outlines, female Elezen bean mouths, completely changing features like Sir Grinnaux's lips on page 6 are not a result of upscaling but an actual human going in and making an alteration. These are the things that need to be addressed ASAP. These are 100% not okay.

Too many of these feel SE doesn't care about the "original feel" of the character. Like someone at SE decided they thought certain facial features were ugly and then sanded them down to be more in line with their apparent goal of plasticine beauty.