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

[Turnintino]

Took a bit longer than it should have because I accidentally skipped the very cutscene I was interested in, so I had to redo it again. Oh well.

I entered the cutscene at around 16.00 Eorzean Time, Fair Sky weather. Not really a sunset yet, but I figured that we'll at least find out if the cutscene has scripted time or not. And as it started, it was dark night, so it does look like the time along with the weather for this cut-scene are locked in. This checks out with the video from YT you've linked, which also has the cutscene happen during dark night with clear skies.

This explains why it looked so dark for you - devs most likely only adjust lightning for specific time and weather when cut scenes have a scripted environment, as there's realistically no need to do the adjustments for an environment that normally shouldn't be seen.

What it doesn't explain is why exactly the script bugged out on you, and why it didn't on me - NG+, by all means, is identical to MSQ in all things but rewards, so theoretically we should be as close to the same entering point as possible.

I appreciate that you went through so much trouble to try to replicate the issue -- especially because I was thinking about doing it myself, and obviously I don't need to tell you how tedious that would've been lol. I probably still will, just to verify whether it was somehow a DLAA interaction after all (though it hasn't been an issue in the past that I've noticed).

At the very least, I'm glad it's not a universal issue, since that was the main reason I bothered to report it to begin with; I didn't think it was fair that sprouts should potentially see such a pivotal set-piece for the very first time in the state that I witnessed it here. Although there's nothing to say that they won't if they happen to be playing in whatever conditions broke the script on my end. ┐(￣ヘ￣)┌

If I manage to replicate the issue, though, I'll be able to make the report again with greater clarity now that I know it's not strictly a lighting problem but a weather-script problem. (Or if forcing DLAA is the culprit, take the L lol.)

[Halivel]

I appreciate that you went through so much trouble to try to replicate the issue -- especially because I was thinking about doing it myself, and obviously I don't need to tell you how tedious that would've been lol. I probably still will, just to verify whether it was somehow a DLAA interaction after all (though it hasn't been an issue in the past that I've noticed).

At the very least, I'm glad it's not a universal issue, since that was the main reason I bothered to report it to begin with; I didn't think it was fair that sprouts should potentially see such a pivotal set-piece for the very first time in the state that I witnessed it here. Although there's nothing to say that they won't if they happen to be playing in whatever conditions broke the script on my end. ┐(￣ヘ￣)┌

If I manage to replicate the issue, though, I'll be able to make the report again with greater clarity now that I know it's not strictly a lighting problem but a weather-script problem. (Or if forcing DLAA is the culprit, take the L lol.)

The moment I realized I skipped through the scene I needed, there was a very audible groan lol, but it's okay. I've spent way more time replicating and debugging some of the bugs in our code base at work, so it wasn't anything I'm not used to. If anything, replicating bugs in games (as a player) is at least somewhat fun and engaging. ( ´ ▽ ` )

From my understanding on how DLAA and DLSS work (which admittedly isn't much, as it's not my specialization), they shouldn't really have access to settings that determine what kind of environment is shown, so it will be really surprising if it's DLAA. I honestly suspect it's probably some kind of a very weird mix of active quests combined with specific time and weather clashing with the condition checkers.

So it will be really interesting to see if you'll be able to replicate the issue with and without forced DLAA later on, or if it was a one-time thing that happened because of some convoluted mix of conditions.

[Turnintino]

The moment I realized I skipped through the scene I needed, there was a very audible groan lol, but it's okay.

Oh, I can just imagine lol. I probably would've had to step away myself.

From my understanding on how DLAA and DLSS work (which admittedly isn't much, as it's not my specialization), they shouldn't really have access to settings that determine what kind of environment is shown, so it will be really surprising if it's DLAA. I honestly suspect it's probably some kind of a very weird mix of active quests combined with specific time and weather clashing with the condition checkers.

So it will be really interesting to see if you'll be able to replicate the issue with and without forced DLAA later on, or if it was a one-time thing that happened because of some convoluted mix of conditions.

This is my understanding as well, it being little more than anti-aliasing, so I'm not optimistic it'll be anything so simple. But I'm half-hoping, since as you said, whatever internal conditions led to this otherwise would be just about inscrutable to me, as just about all I've done on my alt is MSQ, porting from place to place as I imagine anyone does. And in that case, whatever I can glean probably isn't going to be incredibly helpful to whomever reviews/troubleshoots bug reports. But I'm intrigued now!