How Does This Game Have Good Graphics?

[Dragon]

Could someone please whip out that youtube video about aesthetics vs graphics again. It really should just be a sticky.

It doesn't matter, that video was bullshit itself. The author clearly had no understanding that aesthetics are just as subjective and relative as graphics, or rather more subjective and relative since graphics can at least be quantified by a certain degree.

there's good graphics and there's visually appealing good graphics. the graphics are good technically, but it may not be visually appealing.

Whether something's visually appealing or not is also relative at best. Visually speaking, FFXIV is one of the only MMORPGs worth its salt to me (the others are Blade N Soul, Queens Blade, & Bless).

I was about to talk about graphics =/= aesthetics but someone beat me to it...
Basically for those who don't know the difference:
Graphics are the capability to show something, aestetics are what they decide to show.
FFXIV has some of the best graphics of MMOs out there and is making them even better for 2.0.
Aesthetics aren't so great though (in most areas) since it's all just brown-greenish copy&paste landscape.
That's supposed to change with 2.0 as well.

Found a video explaining it a bit

Graphics are at least quantifiable to a degree, aesthetics have no quantifiable measurement whatsoever and can only be relative at best. It's funny that the author thinks crap like Katamari must somehow be visually appealing to everyone (hint: it's not) and thinks he's the cure to cancer talking about graphics and aesthetics when he has no clue whatsoever.

[Relic]

This game has good art style, just like FFXI, but it also has pretty high polygon/textures for an mmorpg. It doesn't have that goofy clown look a lot of western mmorpgs get with their characters and environments.

[darkstarpoet1]

Whether something's visually appealing or not is also relative at best. Visually speaking, FFXIV is one of the only MMORPGs worth its salt to me (the others are Blade N Soul, Queens Blade, & Bless).

but that was my exact point. just because it looks good to you is just as subjective as someone else saying it looks bad to them. i agree with you that the game looks stunning to me, but i can also look and see why people liked the looks of tera more or another game. it's just more visually appealing to that person even though the graphics are technically better in xiv by the measurables.

[Dragon]

but that was my exact point. just because it looks good to you is just as subjective as someone else saying it looks bad to them. i agree with you that the game looks stunning to me, but i can also look and see why people liked the looks of tera more or another game. it's just more visually appealing to that person even though the graphics are technically better in xiv by the measurables.

Oh, good to hear. My apologies.

[Punainen]

Playing a game just for its graphics = fail.

[Ruisu]

Yo man i luv game good grafix check it looks better dan FFVII.



The Depth of Field in this game is by far, my biggest complaint. I hope they fix that come 2.0. Well, that and clipping.

[Valmonte]

FFXIV Models look great, the landscapes are horrid in detail however do to the overuse in Alpha Textures, ex. grass looks likes its spray painted on the rocks the tree's and bushes glitter when in motion the ocean is flat and dull.

also a peve of mine is that Melee job animations are overused and often make no sense in detail to the job description.

but the models are great...if that where the only thing that made great games this would be number one.

[Griss]

FFXIV Models look great, the landscapes are horrid in detail however do to the overuse in Alpha Textures, ex. grass looks likes its spray painted on the rocks the tree's and bushes glitter when in motion the ocean is flat and dull.

Here is the thing about the ground textures. If you look at them at an angle (ie our typical perspective) then yes they do look all blury and horrible. If you move your camera so its looking directly down. then they look prety damned nifty.

Moral of the story? Square Stop using Normal mapping on every thing in the damned game.

[bobbygunz]

It's not really subjective. This game has the best graphics of any MMO.

There are certain elements like the water-rendering which is not as good as say, TERA, B&S, Archeage, but otherwise it's pretty much superior in every way.

[LittleBraver]

I just started playing this game and a lot of people say the graphics are really good, well when I look at them I think their ugly, even for 2010. Am I missing out on some settings or something?

I think you're really ugly.