Reddit vs. the Forums in the Graphics War of '24

[GoatOfWar]

Isn't it interesting that most people (though, of course, not everyone) posting on the FFXIV Reddit favour the visual updates to characters, while the opposite is true on this forum?

I wonder why the two have such different perspectives. Hopping between both Reddit and here is like visiting alternative realities.

I'm in favor of the update too. I just think my character doesn't strictly look better though, some options were effectively removed.

https://imgur.com/a/6gAKOP7

As many others have pointed out, there's a problem with the mouth, nose and eyes.
This is not the upscale we were promised but a change of shape altogether.
I think it's a reasonable criticism.

[Freyt]

Just saying, on this forum was the Viera and Ronso thread with hundreds of pages that survive for years until they managed to add them to the game, and then the male Viera and female Hrothgar threads.

When there's a hundred different threads about minor changes, it just makes it seem like gut reaction backlash that will be alleviated with time as people get used to it, and not any form of mutual agreement.

When you have Person A saying "I dislike it for these reasons", and Person B comes along and says "I feel for you, I dislike it for separate reasons", and then they both go and make separate threads, they haven't actually agreed, and if we ever proposed a scenario in which we just do as they say, then we hope to god they don't conflict.

I would imagine half of you like the new lighting, and only dislike some changes with your characters face. The other half hates the new lighting, but enjoys the higher quality of the characters face. How are we to alleviate this?

[Ardeth]

I just wish a tenth of this fervor could be used for other things. There are so many issues from big to small that need to be fixed in general with the game, but the graphics made you have to change something that has consumed everything about this game. It's killed all discourse to where all it is about is benchmark this or that. Given there's literally nothing to do in game, but it's like you guys with this amount of energy could fix so many things and this is what we're hung up on, but here we are.

[Roda]

I just wish a tenth of this fervor could be used for other things. There are so many issues from big to small that need to be fixed in general with the game, but the graphics made you have to change something that has consumed everything about this game. It's killed all discourse to where all it is about is benchmark this or that. Given there's literally nothing to do in game, but it's like you guys with this amount of energy could fix so many things and this is what we're hung up on, but here we are.

I guess this is the other side of the response to "why are the dev's making stickers/portraits/etc when x class is unbalanced/bugged/not fun anymore".

Not everyone has the same level of focus on every part of the game. I'd bet real life money dollars most people participating in the bench gate discourse wouldn't have constructive/actionable feedback on other things like the 2 minute meta, homogenized class designs, body check heavy raid encounters, uninspired dungeon content, etc.

Plus, this is a sudden change which will always get big reactions. Most long standing issues in other areas in the game are a kind of "gradually growing problem" kind of thing and everyone has their own threshold of annoyance it takes for them to finally star speaking up whish is terrible for discourse momentum.

[Ardeth]

I guess this is the other side of the response to "why are the dev's making stickers/portraits/etc when x class is unbalanced/bugged/not fun anymore".

Not everyone has the same level of focus on every part of the game. I'd bet real life money dollars most people participating in the bench gate discourse wouldn't have constructive/actionable feedback on other things like the 2 minute meta, homogenized class designs, body check heavy raid encounters, uninspired dungeon content, etc.

Plus, this is a sudden change which will always get big reactions. Most long standing issues in other areas in the game are a kind of "gradually growing problem" kind of thing and everyone has their own threshold of annoyance it takes for them to finally star speaking up whish is terrible for discourse momentum.

I just find it funny. Games infested with bots. Customer service is a joke. The glamour dresser as a system is beyond borked. No cross server DF or PF. I could go on, but they messed up people's characters, and they're giving them a free phantasia, but enough is enough! It's ironically silly.

[Fuyume]

im actually flabbergasted by all the negative threads regarding a graphics update,
i for one am super excited. i watched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxS0SGJG2n8 desperius video comparing both old and new models, and it seriously doesnt look that different (in a negative way) to me. i dont know where people are pulling these complaints from

I have an character that's an elezen that I loaded into the benchmark, and I wasn't mad at it. I thought she looked fine, and the textures were nice. Same for my fem highlander and fem middie alts, a few small differences but overall they kept their vibes and looked nice. And yet, I can't stand what they did to Face 4 Au Ra; it does not keep the spirit of the original face design and instead opted for making it look more like all the other au ra fem faces, rounded and cute and dimpled. So it's seriously a ymmv situation when it really shouldn't be.

[OgruMogru]

I guess this is the other side of the response to "why are the dev's making stickers/portraits/etc when x class is unbalanced/bugged/not fun anymore".

Not everyone has the same level of focus on every part of the game. I'd bet real life money dollars most people participating in the bench gate discourse wouldn't have constructive/actionable feedback on other things like the 2 minute meta, homogenized class designs, body check heavy raid encounters, uninspired dungeon content, etc.

I was thinking about this earlier and how weird it feels to go from the negative side [worries about job balance, raid design etc] and seeing a lot of pushback and being told to just stop playing a game not for me. Feeling like I'm in a parallel reality like I've slipped across the Berenstein/Berenstain Rubicon into a world where I'm pleased with what the devs have done whilst everyone else is falling to pieces. Do I have to start telling people that it's ok to take a break and go play other games now? [I would never, I get why people are upset I just noticed this too and thought it was really funny]

[ZiraZ]

I just wish a tenth of this fervor could be used for other things. There are so many issues from big to small that need to be fixed in general with the game, but the graphics made you have to change something that has consumed everything about this game. It's killed all discourse to where all it is about is benchmark this or that. Given there's literally nothing to do in game, but it's like you guys with this amount of energy could fix so many things and this is what we're hung up on, but here we are.

Yeah I don't get it, the graphical update looks good enough, but now I really want to focus on the actual important parts of the game, it's really annoying SE makes it so hard by hiding job changes/endgame information for so long and basically until the last minute before release and it's looking like the graphical discussion is gonna be a permanent thing for the entirety of dawntrail.

[Ardeth]

Yeah I don't get it, the graphical update looks good enough, but now I really want to focus on the actual important parts of the game, it's really annoying SE makes it so hard by hiding job changes/endgame information for so long and basically until the last minute before release and it's looking like the graphical discussion is gonna be a permanent thing for the entirety of dawntrail.

Same. I don't really see much of an issue outside of the obvious graphical bugs, but even then, we get a free change, so it's completely borked.

But yeah, there's so much kept in the dark. But they will change stuff if enough people complain.

[DiaDeem]

Here's a post from me 10 years ago:
__________
Have you considered holding another player's poll to determine how players feel about content? Currently when talking about content you only seem to mention clear rates or number of people participating in it, but this doesn't take into account players who do content out of obligation rather than enjoyment. While the forums do provide some feedback, it is only a small slice of players. It would be nice to know if the game's current direction is in line with what the people playing it want.
__________
In case you're wondering, they didn't respond. Feel discouraged yet?