Dawntrail Graphics Update - Feedback on changes to the world's aesthetic and feel

[Rueby]

Something I really dislike in the update is how metallic things are so highly detailed in a way that doesn't fit in what's around it, even on gear it looks weird. For some reason shadows flicker around their edges and it becomes an eye catching nightmare...The screenshot doesn't show but...





It feels like they were going for a gilt look on the last table but I can't help but feel that it is way too reflective/shiny

Highly detailed asset vs blurry low quality asset, the edges look...very sharp for some reason. I don't know, I went through here hundreds of times and nothing caught my eye like this before...This is in Idyllshire. I get that they're still working on it but I believe this metallic stuff might just be here to stay?

[Turnintino]

lol

[Iscah]

Something I have noticed a couple of times now in (yet another) case of attempted realism gone wrong is that, if there are objects or people in front of the sun when it is setting, they will block the sun's rays from shining on the distant clouds.

I've seen this happening in Limsa (in the cutscene for the Rising that I assume reliably happens at sunset) and I think the other time was in Urqopacha, so it's not just a single zone being weird.

[PassinLay]

I dont know why they are so addicted to putting fog everywhere. Sea of Clouds and its sunset used to be absolutely beautiful from above at the edge of the area, now it's just... fog and you can barely see the sun setting.

Thank you for ruining what once was my absolute favorite spot.

[Iscah]

I took this comparison to a PS4 screenshot intending to talk about the changes to my Au Ra character, but while flicking between them I also noticed the extreme changes to the background of the room, particularly around the door on the left. So much of the previous gold-on-gold ornamentation has now become gold-on-black.

(This also reminds me - the Gold Saucer event stage floor looks very black too, in much the same way as the ornamentation here, and I'm fairly sure it wasn't like that before but I can't be certain.)

[Talamh]

I visited my favorite area, Azim Steppes, to mine some stuff.
Something felt off. Couldn't put my finger on it... And then I noticed it...

It was even more beautiful than before, now with tall grass as long as the eye could see.
I had to sit down a bit and just admire it.

I haven't paid much attention to the other areas. I'm not a graphic-inclined person.
But when I notice changes, I do enjoy them. And I've noticed a few, just not all hit me as hard as Azim Steppes did.

[lunartears]

I wasn't sure if this belonged in the character or world thread but it's a cutscene so


Source
Unsure of the quest's EN name but there's a strong shadow in this Shadowbringers cutscene now.
I also can't remember if this takes place before or after the reveal.

[noumen0nn]

I wasn't sure if this belonged in the character or world thread but it's a cutscene so


Source
Unsure of the quest's EN name but there's a strong shadow in this Shadowbringers cutscene now.
I also can't remember if this takes place before or after the reveal.

This is a good catch. This is WAY before the reveal

[Iscah]

Unsure of the quest's EN name but there's a strong shadow in this Shadowbringers cutscene now.
I also can't remember if this takes place before or after the reveal.

While there's a good chance they were unaware of the lighting changes' effects on individual cutscenes, I'm not sure this is an unfortunate early reveal or actually really neat (and literal!) foreshadowing. If you've already got suspicions then it's not hard to guess who the concealed speaker must be.

[Turnintino]

While there's a good chance they were unaware of the lighting changes' effects on individual cutscenes, I'm not sure this is an unfortunate early reveal or actually really neat (and literal!) foreshadowing. If you've already got suspicions then it's not hard to guess who the concealed speaker must be.

I'm leaning more towards "really neat foreshadowing" for anyone paying attention to details like that tbh. I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if they decided to "fix" this by hiding his ears at some point, though. Granted, anyone familiar with catboy faces already recognized what he was by his funny little mouth anyway. And for the really detail-oriented, his height lol.