Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Astronis]

Thank you to those that responded; apologies for the irksome question, however I'm not particularly good at pinpointing and articulating whatever might be niggling my brain when it comes to analyzing faces, especially stylized ones. Helps to have keener eyes and minds on the case.

No worries! Definitely not imagining it, all of the faces have changed, some more obviously than others, and tiny changes do add up.

[RedLolly]

I still really like the Lalafell I made with the latest freebie after really examining my Midlander character verses old images of that face and starting to hate it. She's as similar to my first avatar (and playing on PS3 potato graphics mode) from ARR I could recall, so time probably helps me not be weirded out.

I realized my old Elezen fave is gone, too. The eyes no longer have that almond shape with notable upper eyelashes, and the mouth is less thick and smiley.

It's so strange. It's truly across the board and it's *so subtle* that we really only see it because we're so attached. It's like uncanny valley kicks in or something. I wonder if the devs can even get it right no matter the effort.

[Astronis]

I wonder if the devs can even get it right no matter the effort.

They got it right for my WoL, but honestly, they probably can't for everyone.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

Unless they expand their CAC system to give more options that includes the old version, or an updated but faithfully recreated like some we've seen been made in mobile version alongside DT iterations? Nay, impossible.

At this point it's just egregious enough they might as well come out and say it's a design change than trying to appease 1 side while pissing off others' that may have been happy with their brand new cake(s). Round and round they go, with Fantasia/patch to try to dampen the outrage perhaps.

[RedLolly]

Unless they expand their CAC system to give more options that includes the old version, or an updated but faithfully recreated like some we've seen been made in mobile version alongside DT iterations? Nay, impossible.

At this point it's just egregious enough they might as well come out and say it's a design change than trying to appease 1 side while pissing off others' that may have been happy with their brand new cake(s). Round and round they go, with Fantasia/patch to try to dampen the outrage perhaps.

We've had so many issues with DT, too, that I feel like "Graphical update messed with created character appearances" mostly got buried.

[Argantaelle]

I wonder if the devs can even get it right no matter the effort.

Oh, they definitely can, but they won't, because costs will be too high.

P.S. I've just checked smiles across male faces, and all the issues I pointed out in this series of posts still persist. Many male smiles are uncanny, and if the smiling facial expression is combined with lip movement, it's just creepiness incarnate.

The list of "graphical upgrade" losers (all faces belong to male characters):

Midlanders: faces 4, 5, 6.
Highlanders: faces 1, 3.
Elezens: faces 1, 2 (to the lesser degree, but still U-shaped).
Roegadyns: faces 1, 4.
Au Ra: faces 1, 2, 4. The 3rd face has the best smile + lip movement combination, but still there is room for improvement. The 2nd and the 4th faces are the worst.
Viera: face 2.

[Astronis]

Semi-annual reminder to SE that some of us are really happy:



For the love of the Twelve leave this face alone in all future updates! Pretty sure you guys didn't do anything to it this time, he's still got the weird thing on his upper lip that existed in Endwalker but went away in 7.0 and then came back in 7.2 that I didn't say anything about because stop fiddling. His lips look different from Endwalker: I DON'T CARE, it looks better now, he used to look like he was constantly pursing his lips. His nose looks different: GOOD IT NEEDED TO, current is a vast improvement, he used to look like he'd had bad plastic surgery on his nose. Eye color looks different: BY RHALGR I CAN SEE IT NOW THIS IS GOOD, my WoL doesn't look cross-eyed any more because of the old catchlights. My WoL looks amazing, no touch.

Got used to the 7.1 change that took the smolder down a notch. Still kind of sad about it though, it was nice.

However, please do fiddle with the poor femroes who have weird looking foreheads. See faiarrow's posts for details, those girls need some love.

[RedLolly]

Semi-annual reminder to SE that some of us are really happy:

Wow, yeah, he looks perfectly fine.

[LuciaMirain]

Oh, they definitely can, but they won't, because costs will be too high.

P.S. I've just checked smiles across male faces, and all the issues I pointed out in this series of posts still persist. Many male smiles are uncanny, and if the smiling facial expression is combined with lip movement, it's just creepiness incarnate.

The list of "graphical upgrade" losers:

Midlanders: faces 4, 5, 6.
Highlanders: faces 1, 3.
Elezens: faces 1, 2 (to the lesser degree, but still U-shaped).
Roegadyns: faces 1, 4.
Au Ra: faces 1, 2, 4. The 3rd face has the best smile + lip movement combination, but still there is room for improvement. The 2nd and the 4th faces are the worst.
Viera: face 2.

Face four vieras have HORRIBLE lips which have since been getting a little bit better bit by bit. BUT compare them to face one vieras and you will see and insane difference in the quality of lips and movement.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

We've had so many issues with DT, too, that I feel like "Graphical update messed with created character appearances" mostly got buried.

That's what I'm saying: some may like said 'issues' and get upset when they're altered later on. When it comes to matters of taste, I don't think they can appease both side unless they give everybody the option(s) to pick what they've always liked.