Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Astronis]

(and straight up missing normal maps, a thing you would think would be carefully checked for QC, but got filed into 'not a bug' in ENG and JP forums)

That appears to be fixed, since all player-character roegadyn faces have normal maps. They're pretty subtle on some of them, but they exist.

[faiarrow]

That appears to be fixed, since all player-character roegadyn faces have normal maps. They're pretty subtle on some of them, but they exist.

Femroe Face 2 is still missing an entire eyebrow normal map but still has the baked in shadow for it in our flat diffuse, so no, this has not been corrected.

Edit: Popping these here from a few posts back since I'm at work right now.

Yeah, the missing normal map for Face 2's brow is a huge problem, we've just got random baked in shading that looks like an unfinished contour because the actual 3D data for lighting isn't there. (Excuse the JP on these - it's from my bug reports and other feedback posts)

[Iscah]

When I reached this scene I had a good chuckle because I realized it looks exactly like so many pictures people have posted as examples of how bad the graphical update looks.

That's actually a really good example of something they have gotten very wrong with some of the new models, which is the shape of the face around the cheeks and upper lip.

The lighting in your screenshot shows that the light falling on the face traces a line from the temples towards a point below the nose, then turns downwards at the nasolabial fold.

In a number of cases with the update, lighting on the old face did this, but the new face has been turned into an unnatural shape with crease running inwards to the centre of the lip instead of outwards to the edges, and the light falls accordingly.

[Astronis]

Femroe Face 2 is still missing an entire eyebrow normal map but still has the baked in shadow for it in our flat diffuse, so no, this has not been corrected.

OK, I see what you are talking about, it sounded like you meant the normal map was actually, literally missing. It's there (it's visible in your last picture), but the shadow on the diffuse is entirely too dark and sharp. It does look like to me that the face normal map could be adjusted for it, or the shadow softened so it doesn't look so painted on. Hopefully that does get adjusted.

[azaleai]

That appears to be fixed, since all player-character roegadyn faces have normal maps. They're pretty subtle on some of them, but they exist.

The issue isn't that there's no normal map at all, the issue is that the normal map is missing vital data that the face used to have.



Here is the eyebrow area of the EW normal map next to the DT one. The furrowed brow (which I'd argue is the defining characteristic of the face!) been completely and utterly erased, meaning the face has lost definition and detail. It's now smooth like a wax doll, like we've been airbrushed into those awful overly-photoshopped magazine covers that barely look human.

For reference, this is the DT normal map for male Miqo'te face 2 - the grumpy older looking one:



So it's not a matter of everyone getting smoothed out to be more realistic or play nicer with the lighting or what have you, it is pure and simple, erasure racial traits and the application of some awful beutifying filter to make all the females look more conventionally attractive which, in my opinion, has completely and utterly backfired.

Additionally, the normal map and the diffuse map don't even line up on the lips:



Also, the eye socket appears to start half-way up the forehead, making it look like some barbie doll a child tried to gouge the eyes out of. The facial structure the face had before the update has been completely and utterly ruined. There is no longer a crease between the brow ridge and the top of the nose. There is no longer the faint normal detail showing the muscle under the eyebrow.



Yes it has a normal map. But it is a broken one.

This is not an upgrade. This is a mess.