Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Sairaag]

The new eyes address all of those issues and I think they look fantastic. Characters no longer look like soulless automatons staring blankly into the void. I think the subtle movement they added to the eyes looks great as well. In my opinion they've had a massive amount of life breathed into them, it's really night and day.

That being said, a lot of people bring up anime when talking about the eyes and if you're a big anime fan I can see how you may prefer the old style. Whatever your reasons are I don't think there's anything wrong with liking the old eyes, it's just personal preference.

Yeah, my opinion is definitely influenced by my taste for older anime styles, so I preferred the old eyes for that alone. However, it does seem to me that some eyes just have more problems. I can't speak for all eye types (I see opinions tend to be divided, especially for female characters with larger eyes), but it looks like male Miqo'te in particular didn't benefit much from the changes. So far I can't remember seeing anyone say they prefer the new eyes for their catboys, but I have seen complaints for all of our face and eye types. At least with my Miqo'te, I think his irises actually look slightly flatter after the update, there's still that sort of dulling film-like thing that often covers the irises, they don't catch light as easily because of eyelid changes and so on... I think it's just a case of one solution not fitting all.

[Iscah]

At least with my Miqo'te, I think his irises actually look slightly flatter after the update, there's still that sort of dulling film-like thing that often covers the irises, they don't catch light as easily because of eyelid changes and so on... I think it's just a case of one solution not fitting all.

yes, I've talked about it before. They should have removed the "film"/blank space between the visible eye surface and the eyelid, which I think was intended to look like a shadow cast by the eyelashes, but instead they moved the eyelid lower down so it now casts a real shadow over the visible iris that goes lower than the fake one.

I really wish they'd make a separate set of faces with an alternate take on the eye shape. (And then they need to use it for G'raha to give him his wide-eyed look back after they finally got it right in the HD trailer graphics.)

[CidHeiral]

I think it's just a case of one solution not fitting all.

Agreed.

Anime style doesn't really work in FFXIV (imo) because we lack cell shading and proper shaders to make it look convincing as a anime game.

They're not referring to cel shading but yeah, while there are certainly anime references and inspiration here and there I've personally never found the game to have an overall anime art style. I suppose that's in the eye of the beholder though.

But why do they remind you of his eyes specifically, and not of any cartoon or anime character with red irises, white scleras and painted eye highlights? Why was this the first example you had in mind to describe what you didn't like about the eyes prior to the graphical update? Is it not because, even unconsciously, that contrast and sense of discomfort left an impression on you that you were trying to convey by sharing this example?

My dude, you are extremely high strung. I used that example because it was funny. Relax. Breathe.

So, genuinely, I have a hard time understanding why you would play a game for so long if everytime you looked at your own character or NPCs in cutscenes, you had issues with the stylized eyes, or you would think "what's with these soulless automatons that look like they just got back from war".

The same reason I play any old game that doesn't look great: because it's fun.