Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Kaziek]

I opened up the endwalker benchmark today to take a comparison photo because a month later and I still miss my old character. They are both in shadow here. I know she looks "better" to some people, but I struggle a lot with how different my character looks. It feels like this is a different person and I miss her old self. I think it's especially her eyes. I just wanted to share since I was attached to her and now I don't really like her anymore, and I'm still sad about it.

Oh wow, they really rounded out that face too huh? I really think that's one of the worst things about the updated models for me. Sorry about your character, and I hope if no changes come that you're able to come to like her in time.

[Peachyyyy]

Oh wow, they really rounded out that face too huh? I really think that's one of the worst things about the updated models for me. Sorry about your character, and I hope if no changes come that you're able to come to like her in time.

Thank you for your kind words! I've been reading this thread since the beginning and I feel so much empathy for everyone here too. It's given me some comfort for sure to know I'm not alone in these feelings! This is probably the last picture I will share, but I left her at the default pose because I wanted to make sure the comparison had exactly the same angle. You're definitely right, the shape has changed so much.

[GrizzlyTank]

I opened up the endwalker benchmark today to take a comparison photo because a month later and I still miss my old character. They are both in shadow here. I know she looks "better" to some people, but I struggle a lot with how different my character looks. It feels like this is a different person and I miss her old self. I think it's especially her eyes. I just wanted to share since I was attached to her and now I don't really like her anymore, and I'm still sad about it.

Unironically, the new eyeballs are too detailed. Preferred the old high contrast less gooey ones.

[Cheapshot]

I opened up the endwalker benchmark today to take a comparison photo because a month later and I still miss my old character. They are both in shadow here. I know she looks "better" to some people, but I struggle a lot with how different my character looks. It feels like this is a different person and I miss her old self. I think it's especially her eyes. I just wanted to share since I was attached to her and now I don't really like her anymore, and I'm still sad about it.

Face 4 Sun right? I’m face 4 Moon. It’s just over the top what they did to us. I think face 4 miqo is one of the faces that got changed the most. Sadly just not much care into preserving anything. Not even a single facial feature is the same shape. Even the eyelashes are just completely different. It’s so frustrating. I’m really sorry you lost your character too.

[GrizzlyTank]

Face 4 Sun right? I’m face 4 Moon. It’s just over the top what they did to us. I think face 4 miqo is one of the faces that got changed the most. Sadly just not much care into preserving anything. Not even a single facial feature is the same shape. Even the eyelashes are just completely different. It’s so frustrating. I’m really sorry you lost your character too.

Yeah, the artists failed to preserve the old aspects. Saw some post the base head model for fem-au ra and almost all the features were smoothed out...

Angular features have been made round, inconsistent textures some with wholly different sizes than previously...

[SongOfTheWind]

I personally think a lot of things were outsourced and evidently not supervised enough. Often I think that whoever made a decision just was completely new to the project and unaware of how things are done, just given vague goals. Take an absence of the Scions in the world map after 7.0 for example.
So it is not very surprising how features were just remodelled without trying to stay true to original. For example one m viera face type + eyes combo had an issue with eyeliner tattoo and the “fix” between two benchmarks was to rotate the eyes to match the tattoo. As a result they lost their original position, form and overall look. But sure enough - tattoo is now fine. I think only someone who was given a model as fresh with no background but a bug to fix could think of such decision as passable.

[Rueby]

I personally think a lot of things were outsourced and evidently not supervised enough. Often I think that whoever made a decision just was completely new to the project and unaware of how things are done, just given vague goals. Take an absence of the Scions in the world map after 7.0 for example.
So it is not very surprising how features were just remodelled without trying to stay true to original. For example one m viera face type + eyes combo had an issue with eyeliner tattoo and the “fix” between two benchmarks was to rotate the eyes to match the tattoo. As a result they lost their original position, form and overall look. But sure enough - tattoo is now fine. I think only someone who was given a model as fresh with no background but a bug to fix could think of such decision as passable.

I wouldn't be surprised if they outsourced stuff, look at the disaster of a trailer that was EW's, they butchered Zenos' face (amongst others), hell his ShB trailer that showed only his eyes felt more like him. I think we might be seeing more of the outsourced stuff ingame now...

[Apolline]

Face 4 Sun right? I’m face 4 Moon. It’s just over the top what they did to us. I think face 4 miqo is one of the faces that got changed the most. Sadly just not much care into preserving anything. Not even a single facial feature is the same shape. Even the eyelashes are just completely different. It’s so frustrating. I’m really sorry you lost your character too.

I am still so angry about the mouth of face 4 Miqo'te. Switched to face 1, hoping it will be addressed so I can switch back. Though I have feeling I may just end up returning to my hyur that I played in HW

[noumen0nn]

I wouldn't be surprised if they outsourced stuff, look at the disaster of a trailer that was EW's, they butchered Zenos' face (amongst others), hell his ShB trailer that showed only his eyes felt more like him. I think we might be seeing more of the outsourced stuff ingame now...

Agreed. Not just on the graphics front, SO much of Dawntrail feels like it suffered from a lack of QA/oversight/direction. The painfully mediocre writing, the atrocious voice acting, the questionable sound mixing, and just a staggering amount of bugs, visual and otherwise. The resentful part of me can't help but wonder if CBU3 is operating on the assumption that they can get away with subpar work on the assumption that the community will like anything they're given. And even the most forgiving part of me, at best, can come up with "They took on way too large of an undertaking, realized their error too late, and couldn't walk back on what they promised so they had to release SOMETHING, even if it was a rush job."

[GrizzlyTank]

I wouldn't be surprised if they outsourced stuff, look at the disaster of a trailer that was EW's, they butchered Zenos' face (amongst others), hell his ShB trailer that showed only his eyes felt more like him. I think we might be seeing more of the outsourced stuff ingame now...

Was also the issue where the cinematic team seemed to have differently designed models than those used in game. Like with Graha looking a lot more angular and less cute. Least that one got fixed for DT.