Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[limgrave]

I definitely don't envy the team for deciding to put themselves in the position of trying to carefully balance character models based on feedback.

It's silly, but I've been so happy with the "eyebags" on F au ra face 3 that seeing it as a potential part of their list of issues to fix made me a bit sad. :') I love that the face looks a bit tired and more mature, personally. It suits my guy very well. But I understand that's not a popular opinion, and everyone's got their own. Which is, you know, the problem.

I just sort of hope they're committed to some of these further changes to character faces/polygons being really subtle, unless we're talking about the genuine graphical glitches and oversights... that should be paid attention to first.

[Doopliss]

I definitely don't envy the team for deciding to put themselves in the position of trying to carefully balance character models based on feedback.

It's silly, but I've been so happy with the "eyebags" on F au ra face 3 that seeing it as a potential part of their list of issues to fix made me a bit sad. :') I love that the face looks a bit tired and more mature, personally. It suits my guy very well. But I understand that's not a popular opinion, and everyone's got their own. Which is, you know, the problem.

Lol, sorry to double post, but I wanted to mention you're not alone in that. Hilariously I was actually extremely happy with the ♀ Au Ra Face 3 changes (minus the expressions looking way funkier), but ONLY because my character who uses that face is actually supposed to have eyebags canonically and be a tired, miserable little thing. So when I saw her in the update I was like "oh this is awesome".

However, I still very much enjoyed how she looked before the update, and immediately realized this changed the impression of way too many other characters who use that face...so I still upvote/support posts asking to adjust it to return closer to the original form. I just think it's only fair. I have been taking a lot of screenshots as she is now for reference though.

[limgrave]

Lol, sorry to double post, but I wanted to mention you're not alone in that. Hilariously I was actually extremely happy with the ♀ Au Ra Face 3 changes (minus the expressions looking way funkier), but ONLY because my character who uses that face is actually supposed to have eyebags canonically and be a tired, miserable little thing. So when I saw her in the update I was like "oh this is awesome".

However, I still very much enjoyed how she looked before the update, and immediately realized this changed the impression of way too many other characters who use that face...so I still upvote/support posts asking to adjust it to return closer to the original form. I just think it's only fair. I have been taking a lot of screenshots as she is now for reference though.

I'm glad we're not so rare! Happy to see another exhausted Face 3 truther in the wild LOL. I was really pleasantly surprised with the update because the same is true for my character!

I do think I feel pretty similarly at this point and I agree with you about it only being fair, regarding those who are unhappy. As long as the overall tired-ish impression the face has always had remains intact, I think I'd be fine with them toning down the under-eye shadows closer to the way they looked pre-DT (and somewhat in the first benchmark if I remember right?). I chose the face originally because, on top of the sleepy look, I was able to make it a bit more androgynous than the other faces would allow me to, so I'm also quietly hoping they don't swing backwards /too/ far in the direction of heavy lashes/baked-in makeup changes again. Still just another preference thing though.

Tentatively hopeful for some sort of happy medium or just minor tweaks, which seems to be the intent. We'll see... Best of luck to both of our tired Au Ra with whatever updates we receive.

You do also have a good point about reference pics. I'll have to take some more of them soon just in case. :')

[Doopliss]

I'm glad we're not so rare! Happy to see another exhausted Face 3 truther in the wild LOL. I was really pleasantly surprised with the update because the same is true for my character!

I do think I feel pretty similarly at this point and I agree with you about it only being fair, regarding those who are unhappy. As long as the overall tired-ish impression the face has always had remains intact, I think I'd be fine with them toning down the under-eye shadows closer to the way they looked pre-DT (and somewhat in the first benchmark if I remember right?). I chose the face originally because, on top of the sleepy look, I was able to make it a bit more androgynous than the other faces would allow me to, so I'm also quietly hoping they don't swing backwards /too/ far in the direction of heavy lashes/baked-in makeup changes again. Still just another preference thing though.

Tentatively hopeful for some sort of happy medium or just minor tweaks, which seems to be the intent. We'll see... Best of luck to both of our tired Au Ra with whatever updates we receive.

I 100% agree and hope we're still able to retain our characters' looks through whatever update they manage. Looking at your character, it looks like you chose Eye Option #3, too, right? So I really hope they keep the sleepy impression that specific option lets us have, and don't overdo makeup like they did in the first benchmark. I like to think they won't, since they muddled impressions so much on characters and had a lot of complaints in the first place. I won't complain if they try to lean back closer to the original 3.x-6.x version though.

And I completely sympathize with wanting a character with a more androgynous look, or using a feminine model for a masculine/male character. I really bemoaned the first iteration of the benchmark because it basically got rid of that possibility. Although my Face 2 ♀ Midlander, who is supposed to have sharp features and look more androgynous/masculine-leaning, didn't survive even the launch version... I'm trying to cope with her not looking very androgynous anymore, and hope you won't have to do the same... At least ♀ Hrothgar Face 1 can save me.

[limgrave]

And I completely sympathize with wanting a character with a more androgynous look, or using a feminine model for a masculine/male character. I really bemoaned the first iteration of the benchmark because it basically got rid of that possibility. Although my Face 2 ♀ Midlander, who is supposed to have sharp features and look more androgynous/masculine-leaning, didn't survive even the launch version... I'm trying to cope with her not looking very androgynous anymore, and hope you won't have to do the same... At least ♀ Hrothgar Face 1 can save me.

Not gonna lie, I forgot my character's little face is literally right there. But yes! I do use eye option 3 for him. I feel like they did a decent job of maintaining the identity of the original shape within the realm of the new style, for lack of a better word. I'm hoping for the same unless they feel like dealing with the same caliber of backlash again. Thinking about the timeline for these changes makes me hope even more so that they try to make the adjustments minimal and just sort of commit to what they currently have (save for the more egregious issues, obvs), especially if we won't be getting any chance to provide additional feedback before it's implemented. That's a decent chunk of time for people to have possibly settled into their appearance, only to have it altered again and enter another loop of criticism. Agreed about leaning slightly towards pre-7.0, though, rather than way too far in any other direction. It wouldn't be the worst.

It really is tough... I love creating characters whose identity/presentation differs from their base F or M model, but it's definitely caused a lot of niche issues for me with the overhaul. I can also definitely see how Face 2 Midlander was softened quite a bit, so I feel your pain there... Here's hoping they're gonna find a way to tackle this that won't be too disruptive and that you're spared any more disappointing adjustments. Please be kind to us... LOL