The sad state of customization

[usalia]

So lets talk about the customization in this game in 2017.
We got realy limited options for customization for the cherecters.
4 faces? No customization of them as well?
No body shape?
Cliping problems on long hairs?
Why is this so in a p2p game?
Here some game that have good customization:
BDo
BNS
Elder Scrolls Online.didbt start as f2p but is now.
Toremonline, you can creat a hair from 3 parts. Each part have 51 options.
Now all f2p games and one is a mobile mmo.why they can do more that a p2p game?
Why you think SE dint want to give more that the minimum for cherecter customization?
LETS MAKE SE KNOW WE NEED MORE.

[Fredco191]

I really just want a weight slider. :c

[Vidu]

This isnt so much about what they "want" but what they "can" do.
I'm not great with all the technic-details, so if anyone can explain them better than me - please do so!
The general problem of this game is that its build on a not-so-great code from 1.0, so quite a few things are rather limited because the code wouldnt need to be different for them.

When it comes to your character model there is only so many variables that are possible to keep the data at a limit that the server can still handle - so for example: elezen can adjust their ear-size, but Mi'qos and Au Ra cant (but can instead adjust their tail). Its almost a trade off for each race how those limited number of variables is "filled", so to speak.
Pretty sure they would love to give us more options, but they cant because the code (that cant easly be changed) doesnt allow for it because for whatever reason the 1.0-team didnt build it that way.

Now, however if a f2p starts with a "fresh" code and wants to aim for more customization thats easier for them to do because, well, they can just write the code that way from the start.

So, yeah, as much as I would like to see some more customization myself, they've explained that thats rather difficult because of the fundamentals of the games code - nothing, they can change easly (or probably at all without having to sort of rebuild the game from scratch)

[usalia]

Its want .
How can a f2p mobile game give more customization that this p2p one?
What in the code prevent them from adding new fsces to the game at last? The onlly code thst is bad in this game is thw net code and the servers. I will ask ones more. How a f2p game have stronger servers that can have this things?

[Solica]

Cliping problems on long hairs?

This triggers me everytime.... Personally i find most hairstyles in the customization horrendous. Those that i find decent have this problem...

[Pori_Dessu]

As stated before, the game runs on an engine built on top of the 1.0 engine, which was released in late 2010, but the actual coding probably started in 2004-2005, as the first tech demo for what became FFXIV (Rapture was the name shown on it) was showcased in 2005. Even with all the changes made to the engine over the course of the 4-5 years prior to 1.0 release, the game was built on the Crystal Tools middleware from SE, which was used for FFXIII, with only a few adjustments for use in XIV, so there were still many limitations on what could be achieved on a technical level.
2.0 (Or ARR) was then re-coded somewhat in the course of 1.5-2 years, but it's not realistic to expect the team could've made drastic changes to the core of the engine in so little time. I'd really like more customization options as well, but as a programmer myself, and having studied some game coding, I know it's not something we can expect unless we get a complete overhaul in the game coding on a future expansion.

[Synrin]

So lets talk about the customization in this game in 2017.
We got realy limited options for customization for the cherecters.
4 faces? No customization of them as well?
No body shape?
Cliping problems on long hairs?
Why is this so in a p2p game?
Here some game that have good customization:
BDo
BNS
Toremonline, you can creat a hair from 3 parts. Each part have 51 options.
Now all f2p games and one is a mobile mmo.why they can do more that a p2p game?
Why you think SE dint want to give more that the minimum for cherecter customization?
LETS MAKE SE KNOW WE NEED MORE.

Let me add: Elder Scrolls Online

The faces still resemble their race but they can be costumised regardless. Also bodies have amazing sliders.

This triggers me everytime.... Personally i find most hairstyles in the customization horrendous. Those that i find decent have this problem...

Your hair on your avatar is clipping C: P.S. As someone with big horns, I know the pain.

[Vexander]

I hate to say it but, at this point, the server and code limitations make me wish they would just build the game up from scratch. Do another Realm Reborn kind of thing. I know that'd take literally years upon years with very, very little content updates, but I think FFXIV is a game that is worth it.

[Vidu]

I hate to say it but, at this point, the server and code limitations make me wish they would just build the game up from scratch. Do another Realm Reborn kind of thing. I know that'd take literally years upon years with very, very little content updates, but I think FFXIV is a game that is worth it.

And you dont think that years of very limited content updates would simply just kill the game? How long do you think people will hold out with little to no new stuff, hearing "Yeah, but in 3 years, when we have this code sorted out, you'll get 8 faces to choose from! Na? isnt that worth holding on for?!"

If they ever go for a third MMO we can only hope they'll learn from this one - but I doubt that re-starting this game from scratch is a good solution, neither for the buisness nor for the playerbase tbh.
Even with the "little" customization we're having I enjoy the game - and I wouldnt want to look at years of no new content for the sake of a butt slider.

[Pori_Dessu]

I hate to say it but, at this point, the server and code limitations make me wish they would just build the game up from scratch. Do another Realm Reborn kind of thing. I know that'd take literally years upon years with very, very little content updates, but I think FFXIV is a game that is worth it.

Well, they're slowly changing and upgrading the code from what it used to be, but the chances of another ARR level change is zero, unfortunately. I do agree with you tho, as I said to my sister when SB launched: "In 5.0 I wish they would drop PS4 support (Even though I'm a PS4 player, lol), even if it were to just jump to a future PS5 or something, and do a complete overhaul of the enigne, even if it meant 4-5 years of SB".