Dawntrail character graphics update - opinions, requests and discussion megathread

[Khryseis_Astra]

I'm not talking about bug-fixes, nor did I say "stop fixing bugs or errors", but that seems to be what was inferred (not implied). I'm talking about the cosmetic changes because some people don't like how their character looks, but other do, and changing things are bound to upset some people. You can't please everyone.

Again, for clarity, I am not saying to not fix bugs. I'm saying stop making cosmetic changes because you can't make everyone happy.

The stated intent was to “preserve the overall look and feel of the characters.” Actually achieving that goal in the many cases where they fell short of it should take precedence.

I’m happy that some races and faces got a definite improvement, but those who are still after almost 4 patches wondering when or if their character will ever look like themselves again have every right to continue voicing their displeasure and expect meaningful changes to address their complaints.

We were told to expect a graphic update/upgrade, our beloved characters, only better quality. That’s not what many of us received, and if they were planning to change the whole aesthetic instead of just upgrade the existing faces they should have said so. If some people liked the changes, great, maybe they can add those to the character creator later. But the priority should be on actually doing what they said they were going to do first. Those who like the “new look” have only had it for an expansion, as opposed to those who don’t losing the look they’ve had for years before that.

[lunartears]

It feels like this exact conversation has happened millions of times in this thread. It's self-explanatory, there's no need to constantly question why people miss their original appearance. I've posted this particular example time and time again but how could anyone believe this to be an improvement?



It's a shame that even as 7.4 approaches that the development team never delivered on their original word. As much as I appreciate if someone adores their face they've known for a year as opposed to let's say five years, shouldn't this have taken precedent?

Also, as someone who paid attention to people reporting each graphical tweak for the most part I haven't seen anything personally "get worse", most of those changes seemed to bring things very slightly closer to the original look for some races.
My face has personally not been touched even a smidge. The only changes that actually affected me were the scale texture changes and the limbral ring lighting and I haven't touched the latter since EW.

[Astronis]

I don't think there is really any way to win this.

If "winning" is defined as "make everyone happy", then no, there isn't and there never was.

It feels like this exact conversation has happened millions of times in this thread and it's a shame that even as 7.4 approaches that the development team never delivered on their original word.

That's really what it boils down to. A lot of people think they did not deliver, and a lot of people think they did. Thus, endless conversation, impossibility of making everyone happy.

[Mouthbone]

I'll take as many free fantasias as they give me, but at some point you start wondering whether they are wasting dev resources on fiddling with the faces when there are more glaring issues with the game

[Iscah]

Then you have people like me who see side-by-sides of the 6.55 and 7.35 appearances and consistently think the new versions look better in every way that I can see. But the old version is the one that has an untold amount of time that the player in question looked at and enjoyed and got attached to.

I don't think there is really any way to win this.

The most ideal win would be that they either make a duplicate of every face as it currently is, and then adjust one copy to be closer to the old model, or they start from scratch with a second set of faces and get their "retain the original" goal right this time.

[Larirawiel]

I'll take as many free fantasias as they give me, but at some point you start wondering whether they are wasting dev resources on fiddling with the faces when there are more glaring issues with the game

Because fixing faces should be way easier than fixing Dawntrail.



Cheers

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

The ‘win’ they’re looking for is to let people retain their old look AND let those who likes the updates pick the updated ones. This is an “Apple or Orange” case because no matter how ‘ugly/pretty’ the old or new looks are, there’s always somebody liking what they see. It’s subjective. In short: expand their 10+ years old character creator system.

But that’s probably a ‘lose’ for their shareholders wallets so now we’re stuck ‘in the middle’ with free patchly Fantasias given out—IMHO in hoping to keep people just tolerating enough to keep subbing or play with ‘new updated looks’. Truly, never once I thought this blue phial would be the fuel to gaslight my personal sentiment lol. /j

[Argantaelle]

I'd be fine if SE fixes glaring issues with the "updated" faces: the triangle face shape, narrow eyelids when eyes are closed, swollen injected lips, non-removable lipstick, the unified iris texture and iris placement, and (the worst offender) creepy U-shaped smiles. It's not even about the resemblance to the old faces but about the poor quality of the said "graphical update". I've already written about all the issues I could see with illustrated examples; there is no point in repeating myself.

It kind of baffles me that instead of the upgrade, many faces were downgraded; yes, the polygon count increased, but the artistic quality went down. There are few exceptions, of course; some rugged male faces suddenly got more handsome but also retained their characteristic stylised features from the past. I wish all faces got the same treatment, but oh well, I guess the costs were too high.

I already accepted that my character is dead. It didn't make me happy, and I'm very bitter, but I can live with it. If all visual problems are fixed, and finally I will be able to see my new character smile in cutscenes without facepalming, I'll be content (and will probably stop posting in this thread).

[lunartears]

Apparently, Yugiri's Au Ra head is in the files for (the still CN locked) FFXIV Mobile. I've never felt so stressed in my life.

[Luluna]

I think I misunderstood haha I am thinking her original settings are still in there? ignore my reply lol