Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Cyrtip]

Just a friendly PSA that if you're going to post in the Japanese forums, there's a new thread for specific improvement requests, the big one is more of a "general" thread about the graphical update so it was hard to sort the feedback from the discussions.
The new thread was created to hopefully make it easier for the devs to check feedback (if they check the thread, we don't know if they do)

Also, please:
- Remain polite
- Remain as factual as possible
- Keep your emotions in check (that's also part of being polite)
e.g. "my character is ruined" -> "the eye shape has been slightly altered" etc

(Trust me, I feel the same way, but they don't need to know how you feel about this, they need to know what needs to be worked on)

I won't bother reposting this every page on every thread where people are posting their complaints, but if you feel like doing that feel free to quote this post.

Could you please link to the thread? I can't find it. Thank you.

"A thread dedicated to posting requests for modification of character depiction graphics." (Machine translated title)
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/501798-キャラクター描写グラフィックの修正要望を投稿する専用のスレッド

[Tsumdere]

Could you please link to the thread? I can't find it. Thank you.

Seconded. I want to post in that thread too since I didn't know the old one got swapped to just discussion.

[LlymlaenGreene]

hello, when I enter the game, at first I have a reaction that they are not listening to anything and my character remains the same as in the benchmark. The same new modified nose, eyes and lips. But with a detailed comparison, I see that they have made the old nose almost pixel by pixel, it pleases! I'll post a photo later :3
this means that they really listen to us and they have a long job to do to make us happy, i hope!

ew and DT noses.




for comparison. Here are the old and benchmark noses.



so they really take into account the reviews, which is good. They literally returned the same cute nose. Now it's up to the eyes and lips, hehe! :3

[GrizzlyTank]

As far as eyes go, and this is more me just noticing a difference instead of taking issue with something, the shading and folds around this area definitely weren't as pronounced either. They wanted to do something with the topography around the eyes(seemingly for every race based on the other posts), but I don't really know what or why.

Basically, they for some reason wanted a more "realistic" look than of what we had. Ignoring that the design for the last 10 years have been more anime styled and flat than realistic. So now everyone got bags around their eyes.

[Cyrtip]

Do you know if it is ok to use a translator or would too many nuances get lost when using one?

Im not sure how well English machine translates to Japanese, but I've been reading the JP forums and the OP of the feedback thread said:

取り急ぎ作成して参りました。初作成ですので粗が目立つ点はご容赦下さい。

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...03#post6501703

そろそろログイン出来た方も増えてきたと思いますのでリマインドしておきます。
グラフィックアップデートに伴うキャラクター印象の新規の要望についてはこちらをご利用ください〜
海外圏の方もご協力をお願いします。

It's time to remind you that more of you have been able to log in.
For new requests for character impressions for graphics updates, please use this link~.
We appreciate your cooperation in the international area.

So at the very least, the OP welcomes your feedback even if it may be hard to comprehend.

[Liamont]

I spent all of today making this instead of playing DT, because I was so demoralized. It's really difficult to be excited about the game when you log in and immediately dont recognize your own character...







And some GIFs:





Really hope something will be done soon about it.

[Tengi]

So many posts in here and the last two threads are like, "My character looks like a disgusting freak of nature now" like damn, hope no one reading these posts have feature like the ones complained about here in real life.

[Angelivia]

The only thing frustrating me right now is the mindset of this forum. For an opinion thread it doesn't seem to be open for BOTH sides - For those who like the changes AND for those who dislike the changes.
All I'm seeing now is that the few people who don't take a ride on the hate train because they're actually satisfied are being called out and barked at. Very rudely at that.

There's a difference between an improvement from a technical point of view - because yes, higher poly count IS undeniably an improvement - or from an aesthetical standpoint.
While I understand that people have gotten used to their characters over the years, I cannot, for the love of me, fathom how and why so many are clinging to old graphic flaws as if their life depends on it, much less wanting them back. It's beyond me.

REAL issues are another matter, of course, like textures not having been upscaled properly. But too many are getting a crisis and an emotional breakdown over slight and subtle changes, stating they don't recognize their characters when they're looking almost exactly the same.
I'm sure if all had the DT graphics first and would have gotten the EW graphics after, they would whine all the same, just the other way around. I don't know what's at work here, but it's neither reasonable nor constructive.

I, for one, am gonna enjoy the game and be happy with the new graphics and stop looking into these threads because it's weighing me down. The only hope I have left is that the developers won't go back on any more choices they've made - because unfortunately, they already have - to appease an unhealthy over-attachment to an outdated character model display. Goodness.

[ElysiumDragon]

Finally figured out what it is thanks to someone else's post.

Lalafell faces seem almost... squished vertically, and I think that's what people are noticing. Like the same features had to fit into less space. Could be easily fixed by a slight readjusting of the face structure if needs be.

[LittleArrow]

Got sleep, still hate my allergic reaction victim swollen face no detail dead eye body snatcher that has replaced my character.

That aside, I think there's something really off with the lighting in the game. It's not right. I've been looking at other people's pictures (often times mistaking the EW pictures for the updated ones, thinking EW looks way better so must be the update) and I've realized, this lighting looks a lot like the first benchmark not the updated one. The lighting on the eyes and face are -really- flat and bad. They all have that dead eye / doll eye look that the original benchmark had. The 1.1 benchmark, although not at all fixing the issues since this isn't a lighting issue it's a model issue, look far better than the original benchmark. However, in game, I'm not seeing those changes reflected in DT - DT is the original poorly lighted benchmark lighting. So.. I dunno what to do with that /shrug

EDIT: Also, due to not having used a fantasia since Viera's were released b/c I was so happy with my character, I totally forgot, the fantasia won't work with congested worlds. If the character isn't showing up, it won't give me the option despite having already used my fantasia. Hopefully I didn't just waste it, but now I'm stuck with this character for the beginning of this journey. Pretty big oversight considering we were given this as an option to change our character, yet we can't. I get this is just wah wah wah me me me problems, but man this has killed any wind in the sail I had for this expansion, which was small to begin with. I mean, things I would've overlooked with the overall update I'm now nitpicking b/c I'm in such a terrible mood. It's really -really- hard to turn off disappointment.