FFXIV GRAPHICS UPDATE/OVERHAUL - WHEN???

[Remind]

FFXIV GRAPHICS UPDATE/OVERHAUL - WHEN???

[Vahlnir]

At the current rate probably never. Or at least not in a meaningful way.

[Melichoir]

PROBABLY NEVER!

Like seriously, graphics overhauls and updates are pretty extensive. If they were serious about doing it, itd probably be an xpac thing, not a patch thing.

[Vanitas]

Please looke forward to it 2030.

[Tint]

Q: [...] Is there a chance of FFXIV getting higher graphics settings?

Yoshida: I get asked this a lot lately. The other day it was in China, so I guess it might be a worldwide topic of interest. If you're asking me if there's a possibility in the future, then the answer is probably yes, there is. But if you're asking if we have it planned right now, the answer is no. We don't have anything planned and it's not in any of our milestones.

The reason is very clear. Of course, BD5 is researching and working on new graphics. We can't distance ourselves from the latest game development techniques, so we're doing our own tests as well. But FFXIV already has 20,000 assets for equipment alone, and I don't even want to think about how much it would cost to convert all of them to the new graphics pipeline.

Since FFXIV had PS3 support, its graphics technology is 2 generations behind. If we had high poly models/hi-res textures ((unclear)) then we could just swap them out, but we don't. A lot of things were created low poly/low-res from the start for cost-saving, so we would have to recreate all of them in order for the improved graphics to look good.

Some people say that if we don't spend those costs now then we won't be competitive with other games, but right now, we're still plenty competitive within the MMO genre, so there's no need to rush yet. Plus, we have to measure what percentage of players are actually using these new GPUs. And so long as FFXIV continues to support the PS4, I absolutely want to avoid mixing the graphics pipelines. If that's the case, then we can't focus solely on the PC, and it's hard to consider it until, say, the PS4 is replaced by the next generation. Right now, I think our priority should be figuring out how to more efficiently create lots of assets.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme..._and_soken_at/

[Neoyoshi]

Time will tell, they did a couple engine updates during the period where they phased out the PS3 life-cycle out so they could welcome the PS4's life-cycle into the game.

But those updates were a bit minor and was only to reflect updates the PC version was pushing for, like the Volumetric lighting, advanced tessellation and various other DX11 features.

I don't know what the Crystal tools engine is capable of in terms of scalability in it's job doing the pixel math, but i can only think of things like what physically-based-rendering does for games.

This post from 2018 is a good window into Yoshida's headspace at least in terms of what they have on their minds.

In a very recent interview, Yoshi answered important questions which answered some of my thoughts about the subject, some of which were gladdening to me while others saddened me, I've underline the positive in blue and the negative in red:

EDIT: Holy cow that image got too small.

[Genz]

Even if the engine magically became the best game engine ever, the FFXIV dev team can't be trusted to make good use of it. The current engine doesn't impede them to make good cut-scene for example, but 99% of cutscenes are trash because the direction of the game is all about quantity.

[Berethos]

I don't know what the Crystal tools engine is capable of in terms of scalability in it's job doing the pixel math, but i can only think of things like what physically-based-rendering does for games.

Crystal Tools was even worse than what they use now, at least in terms of working in an MMO.

It's probably a bit more complex than he describes here, but this interview from when they were working on finishing up 1.0 and putting together 2.0 has a bit about the development of the game engine (and how it isn't just a modified Luminous Engine either):

https://gamerescape.com/2011/10/19/g...-is-out-there/

Even if the engine magically became the best game engine ever, the FFXIV dev team can't be trusted to make good use of it. The current engine doesn't impede them to make good cut-scene for example, but 99% of cutscenes are trash because the direction of the game is all about quantity.

Like most development projects that run on a deadline, it's a matter of balancing time with what you want to get done. The more a cut-scene relies on special or custom animations, etc., the longer it takes to produce (motion capture is a part of the process for some of this stuff, so it's not always about having an animator sit down and move a rig around for a bit*). Also worth noting that they've been working in more custom animations for scenes the past year or so, though my guess is you've not bothtered to notice them.

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXicFulNqI8 In case you don't believe me about the motion capture being part of the animation process. Skip to 1:11 if you want to go straight to the relevant part of the video.

[TitaniaZero]

I get the feeling he said we'll 'lose a raid tier' if they started making these advancements. What I would give for long hair that... isn't plastic in motion capability.

For those unaware, this was an excuse the WoW dev team gave its player base for things demanded that wasn't the norm. Yoshi P, certainly does love this quick and dirty dev style huh? I suppose perhaps (considering the Chara race issues now) that he really doesn't have all the time and money to work with.

[RitsukoSonoda]

FFXIV GRAPHICS UPDATE/OVERHAUL - WHEN???

When people stop trying to play games on macs and $150 Walmart bargain PCs. >.>