Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[MagicMush00]

Watching a lot of these comparison images, from midlander to lalafell and elezen, it seems for some reason, they decided to position the mouths higher up on the models...
I don't see the reason for such a weird change.

[Iscah]

I need to check all of my characters for the brow not lining up with the brow ridge. I was saying the other day that I'd just realised it was happening on my face-4 male Miqo'te but maybe it's widespread. There was definitely someone a few pages back who also had the eye socket shadow creeping above the eyebrow line, and IIRC that was a female Highlander.

[HeyMcFly]

snip

Them removing the lalafell lip fullness is a crime
I almost unsubbed bc I've grown to love my lala over the years- there literally was zero reason to give them thin lips, and the "small" change was quite drastic and not a good one.
Not to mention the "eyeshadow" in DT looks bad because it's so grey in tone & very unfinished

[faiarrow]

Oh my gods...

So one of the f!elezen faces got to keep the coloured pupils, just like m!roe face 2 and f!highlander face 4 while all femroe faces got destroyed with black pupils that shadow 2/3rds of the eye.

Also the hyurification of lala noses is a crime tbh; I understand the goal is streamlining for expressions but with all the issues with those as it is and general loss of racial traits in non-hyur races it is just awful. I genuinely would like to know what quality control was done because right now it feels like the entire playerbase is having to beta test something.

[justausername]

While I'm a big fan over all of the update, I do see some changes in some of the faces. My characters EB husband is a m!elezen and even though my friend didn't change his mouth shape at all, it changed a lot. He's face 2. I haven't had a chance to log into my own m!elezen since launch, but as one who was also face 2, I'm a little worried about it.
A lot of changes I have seen people freaking out over have been extremely subtle, or related to lighting and expected just because of quality. However, there are some that are completely different. I do think some of those should be returned closer to original shape.

[Iscah]

Also the hyurification of lala noses is a crime tbh; I understand the goal is streamlining for expressions but with all the issues with those as it is and general loss of racial traits in non-hyur races it is just awful.

As a Hyur player I don't even think it's just "Hyurification"; she now has quite a different nose structure to before.

[Argantaelle]

It seems like someone in SE headquarters decided what facial features should be considered "attractive," so they just copied and pasted them across all faces. (Preserving racial individuality? Players surely don't want this!) This person is a big fan of straight noses*, almond-shaped eyes, huge upper eyelid shadows, one particular mouth shape, plump lips with built-in lipstic... and philtrums. Philtrums everywhere. To preserve the "attractive" shape of the philtrum, this person ordered to adjust all mouths to show the philtrum in all its glory. Also, philtrums (as the most important facial feature) should be highlighted in every environment.

And SE designers obeyed without questions.

*Even tiny Lalafell noses have been straightened, and that probably baffles me the most.

[MistressMoonseeker]

I originally made the post quoted below after the Updated Benchmark was released. In the hope that the post will be seen and added to the changes if hasn't already, I am adding it here along with things I have noticed since then.

My original character doesn't exist and I had effectively lost hope of hearing any positive news that my OC, who I have written for, gposed, and spent thousands of hours of gameplay and story with, would return. I'm praying that the recent community manager post is a sign of hope and that she might exist again.

Having had a fair bit of time to mourn and look at my character's unrecognizable face I have noticed the following changes in the Dawntrail version of Face 2:

• The eyebrows are incredibly angular (as the post below shows).
• The sclera is smaller.
• The nostrils are larger.
• The upper lip is less full.
• The jaw is more angular, lacking the soft dip before the chin it had before.
• The white Keeper markings are less visible/bright.
• The cheeks are less round and blush has been added.
• The chin is flatter.

Please note, the quoted section below is from this post and the images contained within are as detailed:

Updated Benchmark = 7.0
Current Engine = 6.58
Original Benchmark = First Dawntrail Benchmark

I personally didn't have a problem with the first rendition...the teeth for Keepers, that bothered a lot of folks, but didn't bother me. The new version is also fine. I am genuinely confused over this change though.
Was this intentional or overlooked?

Keepers of the Moon
Eyebrow options for Face 2 were altered between the 1st Benchmark and Updated Benchmark.
All versions of Face 2 now look angry/determined/focused/etc. A "soft" look no longer exists.

#2 Eyebrows on Face 2 were the only "soft" look and now they are also severe looking like 1, 3, & 5, albeit the lesser version.

When directly compared it looks like the severity and length of the eyebrow was changed with the first Benchmark, but it wasn't as noticeable at the time because the darkened lines were removed.
It still managed to look somewhat close to the current engine.
But with those dark lines readded in the update it has made #2 Eyebrows severe just like the others.

My even-tempered bookworm SGE looks so angry.


#4 had the same thing happen to it.
It was more severe than #2, soft but more lifted/arched, but was still softer than 1, 3, and 5.
There is barely any notable difference between 2 & 4 in the updated benchmark.

[Cubsbane]

Apologies if it's been brought up, I've only skimmed the thread, but there really seems to be an anti-lip tubercle (I think that's the right anatomy?) thing going on with the update. Most pronounced tubercles have been straightened out or otherwise made smaller. I think Thancred is the most high-profile example of this.

Anyway, I'm a face 2 female Au ra, so... That probably speaks for itself. I like how she looks now, don't get me wrong, but she lost a bit of personality with the alteration of her lips.

I wish I knew why they didn't try to recreate what we already had more faithfully.

[Iscah]

It seems like someone in SE headquarters decided what facial features should be considered "attractive," so they just copied and pasted them across all faces.

I suspect it has more to do with their "one basic face model that can stretch and squash to the proportions of any of the races" technology that they were so proudly showing off at one of the Fan Fests, instead of unique models for every face, which might mean that sameification is the inevitable (and disappointing) outcome or might just mean it needs more careful work to bend each part of the basic face into the specific shapes.