Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[valphyrian]

Male Miqo'te Face 4 is still incredibly disappointing. The dramatically different mouth shape makes it almost unrecognizable. In fairness, it looks **GREAT**, but it does **NOT** look the way it did prior to 7.0, if it were a separate face option, it'd be great... but it's not, it's replacing the face I have used since Stormblood up until the end of DT MSQ. I'm currently fanta'd to female while I wait for it to be addressed.

For context, please refer to the forum post below for before/after photos :
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/499072

The mouth shape specifically is the worst culprit, imo. There's plenty to be said about whether or not the other things are or are not an improvement over the original, but the mouth shape is just TOO drastically different and realllllly changes how the face is intended to look.

Really, really, really hoping to see this fixed and was very disappointed.

[Jaltaer]

Femra Face 2 mouth 3... (because that was the one change I was really bothered by and hoped they'd do something about with this).

It's... better? I guess? But it still looks off...



My EW vs 7.0 comparison pics from earlier in the thread-

It seems like the mouth corners have regained a bit of their definition, but overall it still feels way too "pinched" and narrow, and the dimples are still MIA... I'm not flinching every time I see my character anymore, but it still doesn't look "her".

[Shougun]

I'm surprised they went to the characters so quickly in the graphic update, given that the environment and gear would have been such a safe yet still visually evident place.

How many tears for improved water and weather effects (if programmers are to spare)? Probably 90% happy, 5% perpetually confused, and 5% upset for whatever given reason. Whose going to be sad about getting better quality dye channels (vs.. buttons.. the buttons on the jacket are dyeable), tail armor, hats that fit and look good on the two hatless races (personally dont care about hats, but some do), better clipping, or perhaps higher quality textures to gear? I have some killer PvP gear with massive pixels on them. Like actual pixels, in the year of our lord 2024.. y, y tho? lol.

Meanwhile you touch a person's physical character, its a dangerous game. Even if it is objectively an improvement in terms of a checklist, that's just a dangerous game. Like when you first get your haircut and you're not sure you love it until you test it out, and that was voluntary....

I imagine the safest character changes would have been better toes, hands, hair textures, and then meaningful curve sliders through morphing (like getting that thicc booty, or making yourself leaner or fatter). I say morphing, so that default shape is the same. Maybe we'll get lucky and the changes they're making right now will get us to morphing to justify the differences.. otherwise I just find it interesting that characters is the playground they chose.

To be fair I am aware they are ALSO doing environments (which I like), but they split the activity across all elements...


My armchair worthless pence for this would be they should probably example what they imagine the finished product should be (like a catalog lol), and then get feedback on it. On a further aside, I still like my character so whatever they've done has at least been okay for me so far (and generally 'for me' its been an improvement, but I have read others posts here so I am not making a sweeping deceleration /onto/ others).

[Plasmaspy]

It seems like the mouth corners have regained a bit of their definition, but overall it still feels way too "pinched" and narrow, and the dimples are still MIA... I'm not flinching every time I see my character anymore, but it still doesn't look "her".

I definately think we (who share the same au ra face 2) possibly got the biggest mouth change and consequently whole general appearance alteration of any race

[FateweaverAlpha]

So, I SWEAR I logged in yesterday after the patch and still saw the eye bags. Once I saw your reply and Tsumdere’s reply in here, I logged back in and now they appear to be gone. Maybe I was so used to seeing them, I… hallucinated them?

Anyways, I stand corrected. \o/

I think it's a bit of both tbh. They're still very much there, at least on my Duskwight Face 2 character, but the dark shading was taken away to give the appearance of them being fully removed.
Zooming up on Luc's eye in portrait mode shows the baggy wrinkles still there under his eye just not shaded anymore to give that haggard raccoon eye appearance.

[Visthra]

I think it's a bit of both tbh. They're still very much there, at least on my Duskwight Face 2 character, but the dark shading was taken away to give the appearance of them being fully removed.
Zooming up on Luc's eye in portrait mode shows the baggy wrinkles still there under his eye just not shaded anymore to give that haggard raccoon eye appearance.

Yeah, I can definitely see that. I’m okay with it though - my issue was with the dark shading. I specifically chose Duskwight to avoid that dark eye shading, so I’m just glad it’s gone. I hope you’re happy too.

[FateweaverAlpha]

Yeah, I can definitely see that. I’m okay with it though - my issue was with the dark shading. I specifically chose Duskwight to avoid that dark eye shading, so I’m just glad it’s gone. I hope you’re happy too.

Sadly in my character's case there's a slew of other issues that are affecting him. The removal of the dark shadows helped but his skin is extremely shiny (weirdly more so after this update), his eyebrows are still shaped wrong and too low on the brow ridge, eyes are a completely different shape from the original, his cheekbones are still greatly lessened from what they used to be, and his chin is much larger than the original.

Apparently I picked all the parts that they managed to massively change creating an entirely new character. O_x

[Visthra]

Sadly in my character's case there's a slew of other issues that are affecting him. The removal of the dark shadows helped but his skin is extremely shiny (weirdly more so after this update), his eyebrows are still shaped wrong and too low on the brow ridge, eyes are a completely different shape from the original, his cheekbones are still greatly lessened from what they used to be, and his chin is much larger than the original.

Apparently I picked all the parts that they managed to massively change creating an entirely new character. O_x

I think your character looks good, if that’s any consolation.

[FateweaverAlpha]

I think your character looks good, if that’s any consolation.

I appreciate the sentiment. Sadly he's just not Luc to me. Probably would have been easier to accept if I hadn't based him on a long time OC of mine. UnU Thank you though. I'm glad your character is better for the update. ^w^

[azaleai]

Zooming up on Luc's eye in portrait mode shows the baggy wrinkles still there under his eye just not shaded anymore to give that haggard raccoon eye appearance.

How come you can get such tiny defined wrinkles on your normal map but my previously well defined inner brow crease is completely absent and smooth, replaced with a shitty painted on line??



The difference in the level of details included on these faces is absurd. They don't belong in the same game. Couldn't they have taken a little less time on the male's carefully placed and defined wrinkles (hello, miqo male face 2?? any roe male face??) and given female faces the same treatment, rather than this awful airbrushy freaky look?