Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Louhikko]

I'm curious how everyone who has posted here is feeling now that the topic has died down.

Personally I've lost all hope about anything getting better and play FFXIV for the other aspects I liked before the graphics update. I just use replications of the old face models to cope. I dread when they finish updating all the gearsets because I'm not a fan of the new textures, currently they are the only old graphics part of my character. I generally play significantly less than before the graphics update came out.

Sort of still holding on to hope though not necessarily for the current models. As sad as it is, there's probably plenty of people by now who like the new models and changing them would rob them of their character. While I do want my hyur to get her original cuteness back, I also don't want to rob someone else of their character, not to even mention how everyone's preferences vary and what would be a good change to me would be bad for someone else.

What hope I do have is mostly for the possible future improvement of the character customization in form of either new face presets that would perhaps reflect the original models more and provide overall variety or if I really dare to hope then I would love some actual face sliders to allow us to customize the current faces we already have.

Currently I'm kinda holding on towards the 8.0, since there's no plans for new races anymore, I could see the reworked CC as a new selling point. If nothing is changed by then, I guess I'll just have to accept that my main is gone permanently and stick to my alts, which while I do like, cannot really replace my main.

But aside from not liking how certain characters changed after update, I do think that the update was a net positive. Looking at some old screenshots from prior to update, I didn't even remember how horrendous the characters would look in certain areas and lighting so there's that plus the environments definitely also got a glow up.

[Astronis]

I'm curious how everyone who has posted here is feeling now that the topic has died down.

Still extremely pleased, still pausing to admire the changes on my character and others.

[Doopliss]

Currently I'm kinda holding on towards the 8.0, since there's no plans for new races anymore, I could see the reworked CC as a new selling point. If nothing is changed by then, I guess I'll just have to accept that my main is gone permanently and stick to my alts, which while I do like, cannot really replace my main.

Oh god, this reminded me that after they finally finished making female Hrothgar they teased the possibility of backpedaling from "FFXIV getting no more races" to a hilariously lukewarm response. With how much they struggled with Viera and Hrothgar I genuinely hope they never add more playable races again. Instead my last-ditch hope really is that they expand character creation for existing races, as well. I personally don't expect this game to get things like face or body sliders, but several more options per face in every category & some new presets to choose from could go a long way.

Also at this point I'll take an "on/off" option for Auri limbal ring glow. I know I'll never get my previous color back but I just can't take these headlights anymore!!!!!

[Luluna]

I would love a CC update and even if they cannot give us sliders I feel they need to move into letting us choose better shape at the bottom. Not dodgy or odd but the 2b bottoms are great and take my character from looking like a kid to a shapely woman but you have to walk round with half your arse showing unless you can find a nice dress/outfit to flatter. I think maybe they should add more gear that gives you a shape or a slider.

It would be nice if they could fix the Midlander eye bags and the umbral rings are just too bright for my taste. Lets hope they have something they are working on.

[wynnaura]

I'd like to share my suggestions and drawn edits for features of this face that still have not been fixed. Sorry in advance for the long post, but I hope this provides clear details.

......

I put a lot of effort into compiling this feedback, and trying to make edits that are more similar to this face's original impression and personality. I hope there's a chance the art team can use it to help with future updates to character graphics.

You've addressed and beautifully edited all the changes that also still bother me!

[Luluna]

Do we know if they are going to be addressing any of the issues soon? or just hoping >.<

[wynnaura]

I just took some more side by sides of my Miqo'te Moon with Face 2 - Eyebrows 4 - Eyes 6




the face marks look more like paint (especially on the forehead)
Eyebrow shape has changed and kinda look more chopped?
Eyeshape change + eyeliner?? and some smaller lip change


Mouth changed and most important .. the fangs ;_;


I also noticed a change in this particular hairstyle as they now added a space for ears... ??
They also fixed the gap in the neck

Ah yeah.. this was in May 2024 ;-;
https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...ke-it-optional

[LuciaMirain]

I still hate the viera face 4 lips, compared to the face 1 lips, the lips look unfinished, which I guess they just are. With face 1 they are soft and shaped like more normal lips while on face 4 they look like when someone start to learn how to draw lips, the cupids bow is just weirdly shallow. The small changes that have been happening over the months have been beneficial for my viera, but she is still not back to her "normal" self, due to the lips, basically. In screenshots I manage to shape them as I want more or less but I have lately been considering extra tools to make them look more natural as face 1 lips.
My miqo was easier to transition since I wasn't overly attached to her, the lack of eyebrows are still terrible on her and I support the thread that keeps the issue alive, so to speak.
I guess I have more or less accepted that my viera will never fully recover. I don't think there was too much of an outcry in regards to face 4s, they are not that common, I guess, so there simply won't be as many vocal about it.

[faiarrow]

I'm curious how everyone who has posted here is feeling now that the topic has died down.

I stand heavily by my last post on the JP forums - paraphrase translated here:

I miss her terribly.
The new female roegadyn design still looks awful....

I appreciate that the nose mark was adjusted for hellsguard, but unfortunately the overall shape along with other design elements make my character feel entirely alien to me.




It's difficult to find enjoyment in the game. I'm only active because I run a free company. This character still is so different to the one I've played for the last ten years.

I pretty much only got a small burst of "joy" in the game again with deep dungeon coming back but my character is just... not it. It makes it really hard to invest in the world in any way when the soulless black void stare she now has hits me front and centre with every cutscene.

Grats to people who "won" or decided to put up with it, but I can't. A decade of worldbuilding with friends and expanding my own lore for the clan I play because we get nothing from the devs for roe or hellsguard wiped out as of the DT benchmark. It actually inherently broke something in me, who used to write and illustrate so much for this character, and killed my creative spirit.

[lunartears]

Grats to people who "won" or decided to put up with it, but I can't. A decade of worldbuilding with friends and expanding my own lore for the clan I play because we get nothing from the devs for roe or hellsguard wiped out as of the DT benchmark. It actually inherently broke something in me, who used to write and illustrate so much for this character, and killed my creative spirit.

I feel the same way, but not as deep in a creative sense (the most I did was draw my WoL) but in the way that my character holds irreplacable value to me. It's like losing a loved one, it's that bad.

Did the developers underestimate how much peoples' WoLs mean to them? I honestly don't understand how this update was approved, what happened to preserving the look? Why were racial features changed? Why did some races' pupils change size? What happened to the previous art direction?

I just can't be bothered to wait for nothing to happen anymore, it isn't that I don't care it's just too emotionally exhausting. It's especially hell for those of us attached to FF14 on the level of a special interest.

Omitted from the quote but I had the exact same experience with the deep dungeon update (and somewhat with the 7.3 MSQ).