Lackluster Graphics in FFXIV

[Maat]

This is by far the one of the worst threads I have read.. and I hope it gets blocked.. This is an MMO RPG not FFXIII not some offline single player... I applaud FFXIV for at least having great graphics for an MMO.. and I would love to see a better MMO RPG with same caliber graphically. Sure there may be some repeated areas that are soon to be fixed and the whole boat problem. But I was sure this is one area of the game that SE did well in. That being said the the dev team is working hard to get this game worthy of the FF name. The person who made this thread is comparing FPS's to an MMO.. USE OTHER MMO's as example

[BelgianRofl]

So Abigail, you're over trying to convince yourself that the Rapture Tech-Demo is pre-rendered?

Also, I must thank you for keeping this thread alive and healthy. Without you, I wouldn't be certain someone from SE has seen my info graphic, like I am now. Maybe you will be indirectly responsible for SE fixing some of the graphical problems in this game! You should be proud of yourself

Also, thanks for keeping all Belgian Rofl's posts on the front page!! I will be famous until the end!


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and another note, you're correct in saying that no game is perfect, but every developer should strive to make their game as perfect as they can, especially when it's your job to make your company money!

[Abriael]

So Abigail, you're over trying to convince yourself that the Rapture Tech-Demo is pre-rendered?

It's a fact, and you couldn't bring a single element or link to prove us wrong. So there's no further persuasion to be done.

Also, I must thank you for keeping this thread alive and healthy. Without you, I wouldn't be certain someone from SE has seen my info graphic, like I am now. Maybe you will be indirectly responsible for SE fixing some of the graphical problems in this game! You should be proud of yourself

Also, thanks for keeping all Belgian Rofl's posts on the front page!! I will be famous until the end!

Yes, you will be famous for being wrong, and not being able to admit it Congrats!

and another note, you're correct in saying that no game is perfect, but every developer should strive to make their game as perfect as they can, especially when it's your job to make your company money!

And that's definitely what SE did, graphics-wise.

[Shaone]

I'd have to disagree with the OP statement that graphics are lackluster.

However, one thing I do agree with Mr. Rofl on is that the Tech Demo would not use pre-rendering (e.g. not be capable of being produced in realtime). A Tech Demo for a game engine which used pre-rendering or was not recorded in real time is what would technically be referred to in the industry as a fake.

But I can't actually watch the video to see if it looks fake for myself right now, as I'm typing from a moving train on 3g.

Tech Demo Entry on Wikipedia

edit:

And hey Abriael :P

[Meleena]

Also, I must thank you for keeping this thread alive and healthy. Without you, I wouldn't be certain someone from SE has seen my info graphic, like I am now. Maybe you will be indirectly responsible for SE fixing some of the graphical problems in this game! You should be proud of yourself

After reading the comments S-E will be able to see that their game has no problems in graphics and they will say: "Good there is nothing wrong there, let's not change anything".
So yeah you might be responsible for not adding any extra stuff even if they ever intended to.
You should be proud of yourself.

On a realistic note, you forgot to put the right tags on this fail of a thread, so S-E will not even give a rat's ass for it.

Also, thanks for keeping all Belgian Rofl's posts on the front page!! I will be famous until the end!

You're already famous, I see topics with your name on it an I automatically know that they are worthy of making fun without even try to understand what you wanted to say in the first place

[BelgianRofl]

I'm no journalist, but I do know that if your article's headline has a controversial twist that doesn't quite fit within the context of your article, it'll draw a lot more attention. News joints do this all the time... Looks like it work out for me.

The graphics in FFXIV are definitely the best out of any MMO, but there are some things that should be different. Mainly, shading and water. It won't use any more resources than ambient occlusion. It boggles the mind as to why AO is in there in the first place.

[Abriael]

The graphics in FFXIV are definitely the best out of any MMO

Thank you for contradicting your own topic

You should ask a mod to change it.

[BelgianRofl]

You want a link? OK here's one.

SE may have strove for perfection, but the lighting makes what they've done look tacky. I give them a C+ for effort. I'll say it again and again... Water reflection and proper shading will not tax the system like Ambient Occlusion does. I'd bet the PS3's limitations have something to do with SE's decision to also limit what PC's are going to render - this is not a good excuse, however... There's no reason the graphic engine for the PC version couldn't have a few features that render the lighting a little differently.

Thank you for contradicting your own topic

You should ask a mod to change it.

Just because it's the best looking MMO, doesn't mean it couldn't have lackluster water and shading, does it?

[Abriael]

You want a link? OK here's one.

A link to an official source, not to some random forum wrings stating an opinion that the industry proved wrong again and again (for instance with Killzone 2, look up on it). Like it or not, but the practice of prerendering demos of elements of demons and then not specifying what's "in engine" and what's prerendered is very, very widespread in the industry.

SE may have strove for perfection, but the lighting makes what they've done look tacky. I give them a C+ for effort. I'll say it again and again... Water reflection and proper shading will not tax the system like Ambient Occlusion does. I'd bet the PS3's limitations have something to do with SE's decision to also limit what PC's are going to render - this is not a good excuse, however... There's no reason the graphic engine for the PC version couldn't have a few features that render the lighting a little differently.

You have no idea of the development resources needed to implement ambient occlusion as opposed to water reflections and more dynamic shading (that for instance requires placing every single light source manually, in the whole game world, as opposed to a single engine toggle). Also, you have no idea of the hardware impact those features would have in an high-poly environment as FFXIV. You cannot compare that impact with that of other MMORPGs with MANY less polygons displayed.
You may not be aware, but both water reflection and shadows directly depend from the polyginal display of the objects reflected or that cast the shadow. Ambient Occlusion, as a matter of fact, does not.
This means that those effects would have a MUCH higher impact on hardware resources on a high polygon environment than in any MMORPG with a much lower polycount.

Can't explain it clearer than this, really. Either you get it, or you don't.

If you give them a C+ for effort, I wonder what you'd give to ALL the other MMOs that look way worse.

Just because it's the best looking MMO, doesn't mean it couldn't be a little better, does it?

Go tell it to ALL the other developers that made MMOs that look way worse.

Here a MMORPG WIP (certainly "kingdoms")
Looks kinda cool isn't it ?

Considering that it doesn't show any characters or even mobiles or anything else than a few scenes from quite afar, I don't find it very impressive, especially compared to what we have right now in FXIV.

Past MMORPGs have actually shown better scenes.

[BelgianRofl]

more dynamic shading (that for instance requires placing every single light source manually, in the whole game world, as opposed to a single engine toggle).

I stopped reading your post after this statement.