How good is the game engine of FFXIV?

[Dyvid]

Okay, I think you are still confusing cutscene using in game assets opposed to fully rendered cutscenes by themselves.

Take a look at FFXV Cutscene, note that some scene look better render than others. That's because SE used pains taken animated techniques those scenes to provide greater depth.

FFXIV uses mostly in game assets to do it cut scene because it requires less time for animating scene and allow them to focus on more important matters. As for the actually game it self, the devs have to consider optimize graphics rather than to focus on the high end builds. This is where the problems of 1.0 came into play, focusing solely on high end computers graphics to the point it ruined their game. Now if SE chose to drop console support (bad idea by the way) then yes they could improve polygon counts and make the game look even better than it does. But you also alienate your consumer base.

[TheVigilant]

Now if SE chose to drop console support (bad idea by the way) then yes they could improve polygon counts and make the game look even better than it does. But you also alienate your consumer base.

Doesn't the PC version already have settings that the PS4 doesn't? So why can't the PC settings have options such as those possible with the mods in it?

[Dyvid]

Doesn't the PC version already have settings that the PS4 doesn't? So why can't the PC settings have options such as those possible with the mods in it?

Well to be honest, those mods are snake oil (been playing RDR2 alot). The "HD" photos are just shade tricks to make it look better. All it did was darker the lines to make it look more pronounce, not a actually polygon improvement. Here is good example of what I mean, FFXIV PS3 vs PS4. You can actually see the detail changes because the console is rendering more polygons faster giving it a cleaner, clearer look.

[TheVigilant]

Well to be honest, those mods are snake oil (been playing RDR2 alot). The "HD" photos are just shade tricks to make it look better. All it did was darker the lines to make it look more pronounce, not a actually polygon improvement. Here is good example of what I mean, FFXIV PS3 vs PS4. You can actually see the detail changes because the console is rendering more polygons faster giving it a cleaner, clearer look.

Whether it is snake oil or cooking oil, I'd prefer to have those options in settings if the dev don't mind just because I'd like the options to be easily accessible to all even if I get what I want through mods I discover elsewhere. The game currently really needs lighting, shade, texture and polygon improvement regardless of whatever, considering how all the new and upcoming MMOs are beginning to look, I'm hoping FFXIV will have competent graphics vs games like Ascent: Infinite Realm which is also a game that is interesting to me due to the steampunk art, story and environment. There are many people who play games for how they look, I am one of them.

but that would require more money and effort which would result in them having less resources for other aspects of the game.

...Unless SE starts taking care of FFXIV more and stop spending their money elsewhere. In Warlords of Draenor, Blizz said the WoW dev team was doubled and they were training the new staff, and we saw how much the development had increased for the game starting by Legion. Maybe FFXIV deserves the same?