Dawntrail Graphical Update - Au Ra Feedback

[Fuyume]

I never posted in the forum. so my apologies if the pictures don't work.

Even as someone who typically is not on the forums, I still feel that there are weird things here. So I should at least try to make myself heard irregardless of whether it has any effect as just screaming into the void won't change anything.

I agree with many of the issues pointed out here to varying degrees but since I myself play femra face 4 that is what I will comment on.

The mouths are just weird and especially the extreme dimples with the femra face 4 are just... too strange?

Here is an unflattering picture which took me like a minute to make after loading up dawntrail benchmark. Since many say gridania has the best lighting of the char creation areas that was what I took. The dimples are far too pronounced in my opinion.



and another in a different environment that nicely illustrates that point with more "artificial" lighting



And I know this is an effect of the lighting, here is a picture done at evening light (same location as first pic) where you basically don't notice them:



I have so far not heard anyone make any argument why those dimples should be so extreme? I have for example seen people argue that the eyes are now more natural which I won't comment on.

Of course it is only the case when light hits the face but that isn't an excuse in any case, after all we won't know what lighting is common in the MSQ, in cutscenes, in the town etc. and I honestly do not understand why this extreme change was made in the first place as I also have yet to hear anyone say that they prefer it with the extreme dimples.

Here, I fixed your pictures for you. <3 I also am face four and don't appreciate the dimple-fication of my girl. If I wanted dimples on her I would've used a different face from the start.

[Fuyume]

So for those having trouble with face 4's fish-like mouth I recommend trying out mouth 4
It doesn't fix the added dimples, and the lips aren't as full, but the mouth is wider and the lips are less puffy so it still gives that kind of sharp feel the other lips gave.

That's the one I already use sadly. ;_; I picked it originally because it was less full than the others and I was going for the least glamorous looking fem Au Ra I could. But then the Dimple Nation attacked.

[poochipaw]

Hi developers of Final Fantasy XIV!
Thank you for your release of the benchmark and letting us have a look at the graphical updates. While I am mostly excited to see the game in 7.0, I unfortunately also must add that there are a few changes/updates I am less excited about that I hope can be reconsidered.



Here is a picture of the current female Au Ra face 2 in the game.



And here is a picture of the same face as of 7.0 as seen in the benchmark with the exact same settings.
The lighting on the character when viewed in character creation is a bit strong and makes the face appear rather flat in the 7.0 version.



The lips have been significantly changed. Shown here is a comparison of Lips 1 between old and new graphics:
- they appear smaller
- dimples are gone
- they are more straight
- appear more monotone and stiff

I feel like the lips have lost a lot of the definition that was nice to see in the old model, is there a way to reach a middle ground or keep the old shape of them but in updated graphics?



In certain harsh lighting it almost appears as if the mouth is being "sucked in".





When performing emotes a line appears on the neck, indicating the head model does not align properly with the body model, which would need to be adjusted before finalizing the update.

I appreciate all the hard work the developers put into making this an enjoyable game and I hope that the player's wishes are taken into consideration!

[Xirai]

I've been playing this char in very few variations since hw...and I really....really hate the new version of my char with a passion.
The lips are not the same at all and the eyes have a different tilt...

[GoatOfWar]

I've been playing this char in very few variations since hw...and I really....really hate the new version of my char with a passion.
The lips are not the same at all and the eyes have a different tilt...

It's consistently Au ra face 2 with pretty rough differences in the mouth region.

[smashBG]

Face 4 lips got changed almost as much; it's like they removed the dimples from 2 and added them to 4. Add the other changes on top of that and the result is that all the faces have a more standardized look now... but the fact that they were all stylistically different is what gave each of them their appeal in the first place. 1 was conventionally cute, 2 was soft and silly, 3 was a bit more mature, and 4 was sharp and a little threatening. Now they're all cute. Which is great if you like cute, but everyone else is up a creek without a paddle.

[AstiSpumante]

Face 4 lips got changed almost as much; it's like they removed the dimples from 2 and added them to 4. Add the other changes on top of that and the result is that all the faces have a more standardized look now... but the fact that they were all stylistically different is what gave each of them their appeal in the first place. 1 was conventionally cute, 2 was soft and silly, 3 was a bit more mature, and 4 was sharp and a little threatening. Now they're all cute. Which is great if you like cute, but everyone else is up a creek without a paddle.

I play face 2 so those changes really slapped me across my little fish face but even at a glance the other 4 also were clearly sanded down into the same "pretty girl" feel that used to just be face 1's domain. It also totally changes the vibe, part of what made Sadu of the Dotharl was how unapproachable and sharp she looks (compliment)(I love her). Similarly Cirina is helped by having the girl-next-door face 2, as one of our first allies on the Steppe her /looking/ approachable and friendly is important. I'm thinking that since we may not run into many (or any) Au Ra over in 7.0 zones that our lizards were the homework done in the 5 minutes before the benchmark launched. This feels especially true when you compare male elezen to us (at least going off the sample size that was my FC and retainers).

[Fuyume]

Face 4 lips got changed almost as much; it's like they removed the dimples from 2 and added them to 4. Add the other changes on top of that and the result is that all the faces have a more standardized look now... but the fact that they were all stylistically different is what gave each of them their appeal in the first place. 1 was conventionally cute, 2 was soft and silly, 3 was a bit more mature, and 4 was sharp and a little threatening. Now they're all cute. Which is great if you like cute, but everyone else is up a creek without a paddle.

Yes, precisely. If I wanted cute or soft I would've went with a different face. I wanted sharp and threatening and now I have round and dimpled after eight years of sharp and threatening. I'd love to give these dimples back to face 2, they miss them and I don't want them. ;_;

[monetclaude]

Decided to load in my retainer who is made in the image of my favorite 40 year old Oronir culinarian and at a glance, every time, I thought the images from the benchmark were the "older" or more unpolished graphics because the lighting is so flat. It's only once I look at the hair and scale textures I realize no that much nicer shadow effect is from the old engine.

So with him:
1) The softer lighting engine makes his face and hair so flat. To the point it looks like dated graphics. The previous graphics had the feeling of being stylized not dated realism.
2) Again with the lips, they have been simplified to the point they lost their previous expression. He was frowning before now his bottom lip is sticking out and he's pouting.
3) The eyes are just "dead inside" not "I am 40 years old still working food service and that's Not Great but I'm still alive dang it". I think it's the larger pupil and lack of shine which makes the eyes look more relaxed/unfocused.
4) I don't like how "crisp" the pattern is on the body scales, on both raen and xaela it looses the organic feel that the OG body scale patterns have. However I do like the texture update on his face scales a lot esp the nose one (ignoring the horribly pixelated border on said nose scale).
5) His face is no longer pinched/the brow isn't furrowed! That was a charm point!!
6) While the planes of the face are now clearly smoother he is in dire need of an exfoliating wash the face texture is so extreme.




And lastly an actual seeming bug that an Elezen playing friend says Elezen are reporting too: There is this weird color/light issue on the lips but specifically in the Shroud in the benchmark. It isn't there in the live character creator though.

To add to this, they significantly reduced the Roman/aquiline nose on nose type 1 and 5.




This was a trademark of one of my characters and it's disappointing to see that it's as if they're trying to "correct" a "flaw". I would rather they simply upscale the textures and models than make design changes at this point, since so many people are attached to their characters.

[OtaroOyama]

I hope they can add more colorful lip options so that I could create an Au'Ra that doesn't look edgy but instead appears lively and pleasing. Most of the time, I have to choose between dark or pale lip colors. In this benchmark, it looks even worse. Not only does it resemble a lifeless doll with no soul, but the face structure is also more rounded and feels quite odd. The eye rings are positioned closer to the eyes than the original, resulting in a noticeably different appearance. Furthermore, the mouths are too small or resemble a pointy Mii character's face.