[DEV REQUEST] Balancing Character Customization

[Magis]

To be super fair, I'm pretty sure most of this is riding on 1.0 code (as 1.0 characters kept their customized options). 1.0 was one of the least optimized games I've ever seen, so...

It's entirely possible my views on How They Could Have Properly Optimized Allocation (tm) aren't right. It's just a good way to look at it; if they used flagging certain parts, then the maximum hairstyles will be about 32 before they need to squeeze out more memory. If they didn't, and have a different method, then Fitzy is correct; they'd most likely be metering it out solely based on what slots are what.

You are correct... I found this out yesterday actually looking at the source code to a 1.0 server someone made. Face info is sent as a single 32bit integer to the client. In 1.0 the characteristics, the characteristic color, mouth, nose, features, ears, eyes, and iris all into 32 bits using a bitfield.

Characteristics were 5 bits. (31 options) <- This is probably as flags rather than a number though, so actually 6 options
Characteristic Color was 3 bits. (7 options)
Face type was 6 bits. (63 options) <- This is probably as flags rather than a number though, so actually 7 options
Ears was 2 bits. (3 options)
Mouth was 2 bits. (3 options)
Features was 2 bits. (3 options)
Nose was 3 bits. (7 options)
Eye shape 3 bits. (7 options)
Iris size 1 bit. (2 options)
Eyebrows 3 bits. (7 options)
With 2 bits remaining that the author didn't know or were unused. (3 options)

(Add up the bits and you get 32, or 4 bytes)

Look very similar to the caps we have now. Assuming SE still uses that in 2.0, those are the hard caps until they change the data size. I'd assume that SE would've restructured how the info was stored but I guess due to time constraints, worked with what they got since this setup is probably referenced all over the game.

[Vejjiegirl]

To bring this into a, imo, better perspective:

Amount of option combinations for each race/subrace:

• Midlander m / f: 699.840 / 350000
• Highlander m / f: 299.520 / 1.267.200
• Elezen m / f: 1.520.640 / 7.488.000
• Lalafell m / f: 1.589.760 / 2.995.200
• Miqo'te m / f: 1.814.400 / 11.232.000
• Roegadyn m / f: 201.600 / 792.000
• Au Ra m / f: 1.451.520 / 2.520.000

Winners are Miqo'te female: 11.232.000
Losers - Roegadyn male: 201.600

By a factor of 55,7.

Numbers were calculated using data above taken from the Heavensward Benchmark, excluding those that are the same for each race/subrace in the lower part.
Muscle, tail length, etc. were taken as factor 5 (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) with the exception of lalafell's bust size being 2. (sorry but it's either nothing or barely nothing :b)

This is really interesting information!
I always thought female Au ra had the least customization but if you factor Tail Shape and Size as two things instead of one it gives them a tiny bit of an extra push.
I did notice when going through all the male customization that Male Roegadyn had the worst >_< I really hope they decided in the future to give Roegadyn more face shape options,
You never see enough Roe Love at all, its mostly Miqo'te, Hell Roegadyn's new sit animation wasn't even previewed.
Anyways, i'm going off topic. . .

You are correct... I found this out yesterday actually looking at the source code to a 1.0 server someone made. Face info is sent as a single 32bit integer to the client. In 1.0 the characteristics, the characteristic color, mouth, nose, features, ears, eyes, and iris all into 32 bits using a bitfield.

Characteristics were 5 bits. (31 options) <- This is probably as flags rather than a number though, so actually 6 options
Characteristic Color was 3 bits. (7 options)
Face type was 6 bits. (63 options) <- This is probably as flags rather than a number though, so actually 7 options
Ears was 2 bits. (3 options)
Mouth was 2 bits. (3 options)
Features was 2 bits. (3 options)
Nose was 3 bits. (7 options)
Eye shape 3 bits. (7 options)
Iris size 1 bit. (2 options)
Eyebrows 3 bits. (7 options)
With 2 bits remaining that the author didn't know or were unused. (3 options)

(Add up the bits and you get 32, or 4 bytes)


Look very similar to the caps we have now. Assuming SE still uses that in 2.0, those are the hard caps until they change the data size. I'd assume that SE would've restructured how the info was stored but I guess due to time constraints, worked with what they got since this setup is probably referenced all over the game.

Do you know what the 1.0 Cap for Hairstyles was?

[Akiza]

Everyone wants more character customization. They can add sliders to manipulate every detail of the face and body and that'll make characters more unique or just add more faces and body types

[BunnyChain]

This is really interesting information!
I always thought female Au ra had the least customization but if you factor Tail Shape and Size as two things instead of one it gives them a tiny bit of an extra push.
I did notice when going through all the male customization that Male Roegadyn had the worst >_< I really hope they decided in the future to give Roegadyn more face shape options,
You never see enough Roe Love at all, its mostly Miqo'te, Hell Roegadyn's new sit animation wasn't even previewed.
Anyways, i'm going off topic. . .

Fixed a couple mistakes and the number of Miqo'te tail options...

New Miqo'te numbers m / f: 2.419.200 / 14.976.000.

Ratio of Miqo vs Roe ~74,3x more combinations for the former.

[Magis]

Do you know what the 1.0 Cap for Hairstyles was?

The character creator sends it as a byte but the game itself sends it as a 32bit integer. So either 256 options or 4294967295 options. Regardless, hairstyles isn't a problem. All these caps are per race per gender btw, so like a Hyur Male can have 256/4294967295 options to them self.

Again, this is 1.0 so I dunno what SE does with 2.0.

[Amiaze]

Not to mention the fact that the girls have an entirely additional slider that's lacking an equivalent the guys (Breast slider).

And thus, Hunberct Longhaft was born.

But in all seriousness, I was a bit irked by this myself when creating another character. There are make-up options available to Highlanders that Midlanders cannot use. And I completely understand making each race and subrace unique in ways, but I don't think that simple cutting off features from one and not offering anything in its place is really the way to go. I'd have to check again to be certain, but I don't think the Midlander Females can use the freckles option that Highlanders can.

Lets see if i can put this into easy terms to understand. [...]

That makes perfect sense. Given this information, though, I'd like to ask how much memory would be affected by running consoles of varying power, one of which is leagues behind the other two? And this isn't to start a "PS3 limitations!" rant or anything, but I've been assuming that part of the memory issue was due to that. Or is it something that is completely on SE's end moreso than the client's? Obviously, the system can't load nearly as much at once as the others, but that shouldn't affect the "slots", should it?

[Vejjiegirl]

And this isn't to start a "PS3 limitations!" rant or anything, but I've been assuming that part of the memory issue was due to that. Or is it something that is completely on SE's end moreso than the client's? Obviously, the system can't load nearly as much at once as the others, but that shouldn't affect the "slots", should it?

Yeah it could be possible the PS3 limitations are a major issue when it comes to Character creation, although it still doesn't explain how they can make hairstyles in every patch but not add anything else in other areas for races that need them.

[Vejjiegirl]

I decided to bump this thread in hopes of a developer or NA community dev to see it...
After reading the Devblog I noticed we are not only getting the contest winner hair but 5 more hairstyles.

Is it possible in 3.2 to get some more jaw options or Faces instead of hairstyles? Especially for Roegadyn for example since they are missing a lot of options compared to other races.

[WinterLuna]

I'm supporting this 100%. I already had this argument a thousand times in the 'Please Make The Au Ra Horns Separate From The Faces!' thread.

The whole customisation options with each race is horribly balanced, and I still think Au Ra suffers the most with the horn issue. It still comes down to 'limitations', AKA PS3. We already know they're going to discontinue the PS3 eventually, so I don't see why they are continuing to hold back the game. The PS4 has been out for long enough now, sorry to say, but it's true.

FFXIV is such a beautiful game and I agree that they need to add some more customisation options. It's lovely to have a unique character and not look like a slightly different version of everyone else.

Pssst, SE, you'd sell more Fantasias too.

[Riardon]

Been asking for more character customization options since the game launched. I love new hairstyles but I would love to see more faces, noses, eye shapes and a more detailed body as well. Do not like that we are all siblings in this game and the only thing that changes is our names and gears. More faces should do the trick and differentiate us all. Not just for Roes but for all races. I would like a Dev comment about our request. I think we are not asking something out of this planet or something that is hard or cannot be done. I hope a Dev to see this.