Proof the graphics update was necessary.

[Ath192]

The amount of feedback regarding this update is indicative enough of just how much people care about graphics. I know not everyone is liking the changes, but the point is that how see our characters and the visuals of the world matter so much to us the moment they changed the forums lit up in a way they seldom do. Perhaps you don't like change, and are very disappointed, perhaps you are in love, or somewhere in between, but the undeniable fact is that it clearly MATTERS. And this alone is indication that the devs are working on things that are IMPORTANT to us. Now, hopefully they keep working on them and improving them, but the fact they are willing to go in and work on something so delicate for the players is a commendable act and an example to other game developers to invest in their platforms instead of bleeding them dry.

So thank you developers. Please do not let negativity ever discourage you from working on the hard things and keep improving. When people respond in this fashion to the work you are doing, you know you are working on the core of your product.

[DiaDeem]

Source

Characters are about to become dramatically more expressive.

[Ath192]

That never happens over trivial things, does it?

...
this update is a BIG DEAL.

....

because you're obviously nailing it!

1. When the chatter is backed up by the best preorder sales ever and hundreds of threads no, it doesn't happen over trivial things. I can think of some drama that got semi popular, but not at this scale.
2. Yeah, it is a big deal.
3. I would say so, but then again I look to sales number announcements and the difficulty of the tasks they're working on to gauge this. Not sure what you look at to determine hard work and success.

[Taliriah]

Source

Characters are about to become dramatically more expressive.

Yep. It will be great for characters to have more expressive range than always reusing the same couple dozen emotes, as was demonstrated in the benchmark.

[LordMcMutton]

Characters are about to become dramatically more expressive.

Do we know if they added more bones for ears? I'd love to see Viera, Miqo'te, and Hrothgar get to use them to emote

[Ath192]

I'm just playfully teasing you about the logical fallacies (ad populum, post hoc ergo propter hoc, appeal to emotion, black or white fallacy, and circular reasoning) in the original post.

I like the visual updates. But . . . 1, correlation does not equate causation (high sales and active discussion do not necessarily validate the quality of the update); 2, restating the assertion that it's a big deal does not make it more (or less) true; 3, this is an appeal to achievement/difficulty, because it's equating sales numbers/difficulty with metrics for success and hard work which don't address the quality of the visual update itself (for instance, it may be really difficult to film a complex and incomprehensible "high art" movie, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily beloved by audiences).

I get you, I have time too today. But if you're going to take the opposing side for fun you need to provide evidence that counters the argument. So if you want more specifics I would reinforce the points and expect you to come up with evidence of your own that points to the contrary, not just speak vaguely.

1. I feel like you are shifting the goal post, for one the point you made was never about the quality of the update, rather whether this level of chatter happens over trivial things, to which I pointed it does not by citing thread counts and sales numbers. I would like to see you post evidence to the contrary, perhaps 100 threads about some trivial topic would be a good start.
2. Perhaps, so let me assert differently, it is a big deal because Square Enix spent a significant amount of time in their three fan fests talking about the graphical updates, hired new graphical engineers to get this project done, and has made it a major tenet of its marketing strategy to date. If anything the amount of money invested in creating both the change and marketing of this feature should signal just how important it is to SE for its customers to know this graphics update is happening. The community likewise has talked extensively about and made large quantities of feedback, reinforcing evidence that this feature is a big deal to them and they have become aware of SEs efforts.
3. "Quality" was never an argument made in this post, and unfortunately the way you are using it with the example of "high art" means it's completely subjective as art can be both high and low quality depending on who is judging it. I made an argument for value, backing it up with engagement and sales numbers as evidence that their work has been valuable. So I would need evidence to the contrary that what they have done has not created any value. As quality was never discussed, it's a moot point.

[Oizen]

Whenever someone says the graphics update was unnecessary, I just remember my favorite part of Endwalker where Hermes comforted a dying sentient lasagna monster.

[GoatOfWar]

Whenever someone says the graphics update was unnecessary, I just remember my favorite part of Endwalker where Hermes comforted a dying sentient lasagna monster.

That... was pretty bad, yeah.
But on the other hand, you can't really fault people for criticism towards stylistic changes.

[Rueby]

Characters are about to become dramatically more expressive.

[Face 2 Fem Au Ra viewed abit from the side]

I actually noticed a very subtle lip pout on my Au Ra when I was in CC checking her out (during emotes), I never saw it in the current CC...I thought it was really cute. A shame I couldn't screenshot it, it was so brief!

[Kranel_San]

Whenever someone says the graphics update was unnecessary, I just remember my favorite part of Endwalker where Hermes comforted a dying sentient lasagna monster.

Environment. Armor. Creatures. Almost everything in this game require more graphical attention than the playable character, but at least the playable character is off the list of to-do for the developers. Cannot wait to see updated models for creatures and bosses.