Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[shrtl]

Male Elezen face type 1 has quite a difference in lip shape from the old one.
(I think it's the same for face type 2.)
There are some people who like new one, so please consider adding the old lip shape as another option instead of completely restoring them.

[CecMiller]

We would like to thank everyone for their feedback regarding the graphical update.
The Development team has been carefully reviewing this thread and many others, including bug reports and concerns raised outside of the official forums.

We are currently working on an update based on the feedback provided, as well as preparing to share details about our planned course of action.
As these are undergoing thorough final inspections, we expect to make an announcement in late August.

Thank you all for your patience as we continue fine-tuning the graphical update.

I wait with baited breath if the Au ra feedback is listened to - its the same as the feedback before launch after all : d

If any reminders are needed:

1. The pupils are too big. They were originally small. This changes the way the character looks. Please bring this back or add an option to make the pupils bigger or smaller.

2. The color of the umbral ring is much darker and not easily replaceable. My character is imported directly and the color is much darker. This color can no longer be reproduced due to the lack of colors that represent blue. This blue was important as it represents a color that came up many times with important relevance to the story.

3. The corners of the lips are no longer turned up.This changes the character's expression from slightly happy to androgynous or even expressionless.

4. The whites of the eyes are now very dark. This gives a very gloomy impression and is not even mitigated if you fully blast your characters face with light.

Just to emphasize the difference.

Look at this shit - its so fucking funny xd

Exhibit A: DT



Exhibit B: EW



I look like someone killed my entire family in DT, but I'm managing to hang on : d

[Hatsuoki]

I think some of the reactions here are kind of extreme when it comes to overanalyzing the neutral faces.

Expressions being muted though? 100% the facial expressions are kinda way too mild now—I mean have you seen what some people did with faces?

I'm sorry but I have to disagree that the expressions are too mild now. I think they're they opposite - they're way too exaggerated now.

Since I don't like to post in the feedback thread without contributing, I will add some new comparisons along with my old ones. None of these are neutral faces of course.

Cutscene - mouth curved up too much unnaturally, it's supposed to have the feeling of a "true smile" but it doesn't seem to reach his eyes


Scoff - eyebrows, eyes, mouth all have weird and unnatural curves


Fake smile - corners of mouth curved up too much, also this is with the new "fixed" indoor housing lighting. The color of the eyes comes out really light now even though I've made no changes.


Fake smile + Converse - same, the smile is exaggerated and cartoony


Grin (new) - I'm suffering


Edit: Forgot the most egregious - Ponder. I don't have an old comparison photo but he looks like he's about to pass out. About to be not-pondering tbh.


Lastly, I feel like I haven't given my opinion this entire time because I've only been posting comparisons that are really egregious. I haven't talked about my main because I do like all of the changes she got but I also liked her before the update. I would instantly give up all of those changes to get Hancock and my alt back. Of course I'm only speaking for myself and not everyone has an NPC or other character that they like get butchered but I wanted to put my opinion out there.

[Boblawblah]

Male Elezen face type 1 has quite a difference in lip shape from the old one.
(I think it's the same for face type 2.)
There are some people who like new one, so please consider adding the old lip shape as another option instead of completely restoring them.

I have wonder at why so many lips were changed. Was it to make animations easier and more uniform across the races/faces?

[Astronis]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree that the expressions are too mild now. I think they're they opposite - they're way too exaggerated now.

Since I don't like to post in the feedback thread without contributing, I will add some new comparisons along with my old ones. None of these are neutral faces of course.

It reeeeally brings the Testuya Nomura design out in him, doesn't it?

[Lorika]

It reeeeally brings the Testuya Nomura design out in him, doesn't it?

It's why it need to be fixed.

[1313]

I used to love my face 1 mindlander femme character, but the graphics update made her look like shes 14, and like the face 5 model got more attention and touch ups. Now, face 5 looks more like face 1 used to, but still has to the weird eyes and mouth. Face 1 just looks rough compared to where it should be. I really hope that you guys are able to bring it back in line with what it used to look like instead of a 12 year old girl with a flat looking and unusual shape to their lower lip. and maybe less emphasis on the m shape of upper lips. the mouth options all go from too wide, to too thick, too thin. There's no normal looking middle-ground option available. Why does everything always have to be extra in one direction or another in everything you do? sometimes less is more. keep it simple. keep it normal. just for one thing, please.

[eohippus]

/snip

I'm so happy to see someone has made a comprehensive post of this. male midlander expressions look very bad after the update, to the point where my friends who don't play as them were all shocked when they finally saw a picture of what the default smile looks like on my WoL now. Its been a very disappointing aspect of the graphics update that I did not expect at all. genuinely found him difficult to look at in cutscenes. its like the corners of the mouth now only move up or down instead of moving OUT as well (like a smile does in real life)

[potatsdevourer]

I will state my piece of mind as well:
As of now this update makes it as if there is only limited light source and/or limited angle that is appealing for the new face, or making it familiar enough to me.
Here are some comparison picture.



Top is from pre-DT days, while bottom is post-DT. Now given nothing is the same angle/lighting wise, but it is still example to what regular situation that I face normally in in-game playing session and not controlled, favorable environment like the recently polished character creation and inn.
Heck, even the two examples on the right side of post-DT example was not changed from the old portrait setting but it change so much how the face interact with the dimmed light: bagged eyes, unclear iris/pupil, and somehow bluntier nose.
Simply put, I am still used to the pre-DT face. From the addition to the wrinkles on the brows and cheeks to the different nose shape to the more realistic sclera of the eye, it does not feel similar to me. It is so different that in no way I can see it having familiar features to the old one.
So I have to make some change to the character attribute, just enough to make me feel familiar but also not recognize him as the character I used to play with.


This has been looking great. I like my character model enough as tan Ken. But it means that I have to forget how my character used to look like. I have to move from those so-claimed same character settings to be dissociated from the old look I used to know.

Also, the direction to approach the eyeballs more realistic is nice and not. They jitters slightly which is nice, but damn they do not show clearly like they used to be in dimmed light, especially on lighter skinned character. To make the eye area have better contrast, somehow only dark skin is the "right answer". This is not what it used to be?
Another comparison picture, no saturation and contrast is amped up. The first two on the left is on same character attributes on pre-DT and post-DT, while the most right one is the one with tanner skin.

[CantDecide]

Here's a slider image of how the update affected my character (brow 1, eye 3, nose 3, lip 2, jaw 2, large iris, eyeshadow).

I'm going to bounce off some other peoples' posts to give my feedback because they've already done a good job showing the problems and fixes I'd like to see. Check out their full posts, too!


THE EYES

1. Catchlight and Eyeball Shading. I strongly agree with the changes to the catchlight and eyeball shading Avisse suggests below. This makes such a huge difference, as it was one of face 1's signature features!

2. Eyeshadow. The old eyeshadow option was heavier, and flared outward like a wing. I would like it restored, because the new one is much less striking. IkaRR demonstrates it well on the JP forum.

DT on left, EW on right:

3. Eyelashes. The lashes have changed, too. I would like the upper lashes to be shorter towards the inner eye, and fuller and longer towards the outer, like they used to be.

There is also a gap between the lower lashes and the waterline that the old eyeshadow option bridged. I would like for the eyeshadow option to at least fill that in again, but it would also be nice if the base lashes were moved up against the waterline somehow, regardless of the eyeshadow.




4. Eye Shape and Size. Eye 3 has a shorter x-axis now, and both corners are more downturned. If you look closely at the gif below, you can see behind the shading that the upper lid has come down a bit, and the lower lid has come up. This makes the whites less visible, and is a factor in the loss of the original impression. I would like the old shape and size restored, especially if the eyeball shading is to be brought back as well.




5. Skin Texture. As shown above, the old texture had some shading on the skin just above the upper eyelids. I think this added depth and helped to balance out the eyebags.

6. Under-eye Bags. I used to like the under-eye bags, but now they are too puffy! They've gone from adding subtle depth to the eye area, to being noticeably convex and unsightly. On top of that, the lower eyelids appear to jut out more and are catching too much light. It's especially bad with the eyes, but I think the whole face is suffering similarly.

(1/3)