Lackluster Graphics in FFXIV

[Abriael]

abriel, World of Warcraft released in 2004. Not only that but the graphics in that game look retarded. FFXIV is supposed to have world-class graphics.

In the field of MMORPGs, it does. There's no MMORPG out there with graphics as advanced as FFXIV, and there won't be one in the foreseeable future from what we've been shown so far.

Comparing MMORPGs with other genres of games that don't need to display even nearly the same amount of characters on screen is nonsensical.

It's like saying that Total War games have ugly graphics because they aren't as detailed as Farcry. Yeah, they need to display thousands of soldiers on screen. That'd do it.

FFXI looks better than this game. Sure it has low res textures and polygons, but all FFXIV did was increase polygons and add ugly bump mapping. Lighting and shading makes a WORLD of difference.

First of all, FFXIV has normal mapping, not bump mapping. Your argue about graphics, but don't even know something this basic. It's a very widespread effect in "modern" engines. Funny that you talk about modernity, and then dismiss one of the most widespread indications of an advanced engine. goes to show how much you're talking just for the sake of spouting negativity.

Secondarily, the lighting engines in FFXIV is quite advanced, the fact that SOME effects are static in order to save resources and memory doesn't change that.

[Cadaceus]

abriel, World of Warcraft released in 2004. Not only that but the graphics in that game look retarded. FFXIV is supposed to have world-class graphics.

FFXI looks better than this game. Sure it has low res textures and polygons, but all FFXIV did was increase polygons and add ugly bump mapping. Lighting and shading makes a WORLD of difference.

Just as a point of interest if anyone has watched any of the Videos that were released prior to the game? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEybd...el_video_title) most models are crafted from digital clay and then they give it a normal map and reduce the poly-count to give a more detailed model in game.

I'm also fairly certain that if people could actually run at full settings (like me and probably only 10% of the community can) then there would be a lot less complaining. They are working on reducing the system strain though so you'll have to wait for that.

I see no problem with any of the textures, mapping or otherwise. Boats look great, water is superior to just about every other that doesn't specifically focus on the water graphics. Light reflects off the surface and from different angles and I can tell the ship is moving just fine when taking the boat trip.

Also have any of you seen what a stone city looks like? The whitewashed stone of Limsa looks more interesting than any stone building I've seen IRL. Just my opinion but I see no reason to complain about a game that does one of the best jobs in the graphics department and in terms of believability.

[Kurai]

Water is overrated!! i don't fish in XIV so i really don't care

[Kotee]

The water GFX are sub-par. But characters, monsters, and the terrain look fantastic!

[northernsky]

The water GFX are sub-par. But characters, monsters, and the terrain look fantastic!

Sub-par?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Loj...eature=related

Look at this one in HD. Obviously the FPS is not optimal for either the guy's machine or maybe just for the video, but the water looks beautiful when you set just decently high graphic display configuration

[gifthorse]

Sub-par?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Loj...eature=related

Look at this one in HD. Obviously the FPS is not optimal for either the guy's machine or maybe just for the video, but the water looks beautiful when you set just decently high graphic display configuration

The water in this cutscene isn't too bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hagLejQiqEQ

But in actualy gameplay it looks pretty crap, compared to this, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBcPT...4EF029290AAA16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuomU...eature=related

[Abriael]

The water in this cutscene isn't too bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hagLejQiqEQ

But in actualy gameplay it looks pretty crap

The water is exactly the same, as the FFXIV cutscenes are entirely in-engine. You're just seeing it from a different angle, which means that reflections and lighting react differently.

compared to this, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBcPT...4EF029290AAA16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuomU...eature=related

Funny. Since that water is actually quite a lot simpler, and not even reflective. The effect is nice, especially the waves, but it's not exceptional engine-wise.
You're associating your personal taste to absolute terms like "crap".

[Wenceslas]

Funny. Since that water is actually quite a lot simpler, and not even reflective.

Funny again .. where do you see reflective water on FFXIV ? there just a white effect. but no reflection. I never saw the reflection of the boat in the water in FFXIV.

[h2o]

The water in this cutscene isn't too bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hagLejQiqEQ

But in actualy gameplay it looks pretty crap, compared to this, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBcPT...4EF029290AAA16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuomU...eature=related

Really? Do you play it? Do you see it by your own or just some vid?
It's really cool example cz i play it. This game requires (much!) more strong machine that FFXIV, it's have cool farthest background (as you can see), but -> plastic+plastilin engine + korean design and detailing of the character significantly worse.

ArcheAge -> korean realize may be in 2012 or maybe later, and when english version come?

AoC too have cool water, but it's like a jelly.

[gifthorse]

Really? Do you play it? Do you see it by your own or just some vid?
It's really cool example cz i play it. This game requires (much!) more strong machine that FFXIV, it's have cool farthest background (as you can see), but -> plastic+plastilin engine + korean design and detailing of the character significantly worse.

ArcheAge -> korean realize may be in 2012 or maybe later, and when english version come?

AoC too have cool water, but it's like a jelly.

Yes, I play the game. Please go troll ffxivcore like you used to. You can't deny that the water in limsa lominsa is fairly one-dimensional with a painted-on effect. There are some places where the water seems to be quite natural, such as in this screenshot I took:

http://www.ffxivcore.com/gallery/129...534_201940.jpg

But if you look here, in one of my other screenshots, you see the water is very one dimensional:

http://www.ffxivcore.com/gallery/129...534_204567.jpg

I don't know how you can claim that the water in FFXIV is well-rendered unless YOU don't play the game.

I'd prefer water that was three dimensional and always looked realistic without depending on tricks of light.