Quote Originally Posted by lunartears View Post
I guess you could say the graphics update is similar to when a video game gets a remake (just on a smaller scale). The split between those that like the new and those that prefer the old is akin to that, but because this is an MMO there's not really an easy way to please both sides whereas with a remake you still have the option to go and play the original game (to varying levels of accessibility, of course).
It is definitely giving me flashbacks to the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake (the original is a PS2 game). More detailed world but they made it too busy and some questionable texture choices, and the protagonist looked horrendous. I've been meaning to mention it for a while, particularly since I saw this Reddit post comparing SotC Wander in PS2 to PS4 and it feels like the same mistakes (with even worse remodelling) – going from stylised somewhat-anime appearance that made it work well with the original limited technology, to a sort of exaggerated 3Dness, heavy shadows and dead eyes. Also this one of Mono (new version on top, also spoilers) who is less outright bad but, as I noted there, has some of the same issues that FFXIV new models have – including the oddly specific change to the shape of her eyes when closed. (Back in FFXIV, it's one of the many things that has been bugging me since the update – the lower eyelid moves upwards more and the eyes feel scrunched inwards rather than resting gently closed.)


I do feel like we should be able to have a version of the game that runs the old graphics, though. The information being sent from one player to another is just simple "character has features X, Y and Z" and that gets translated into graphics by the individual computer. That's how modders can have their customised graphics, so couldn't they do the same thing with an official version of the program that has the old graphics still loaded?