7.0 Graphical Update - Hair Highlights Feedback

[catjacket]

Hi everyone,

First time posting on the forums, so I hope I do this correctly! I've seen a lot of discussion posting on here regarding character appearance changes in the Dawntrail benchmark due to the 7.0 graphical update and wanted to add my own feedback.

Here's an image comparison of my character (Raava Viera, hairstyle #10) as she currently appears in the game, as well as how she appears in the character creator for the benchmark:



As you can see, there is a drastic change in hair highlight patterning between the two. This is pretty disappointing to me because I adore how her hair highlights look currently with the lighter fringe and especially the lighter strands in her braid, and the graphical update appears to be removing both of these elements. If the changes had been more slight I think I wouldn't have minded it as much, but it seems like the new version of her hair has highlights significantly focused on the back of her head rather than the front, which is a pretty jarring change.

Has anyone else had similar issues come up with their hair highlights due to the update? I'm conflicted because otherwise I generally like how my character looks in the benchmark, so maybe this is just something I'll have to get over and make my peace with LOL.

Please let me know your thoughts!

[Evergrey]

Seeing this I can only say that I like the Benchmark version a lot more.

[HollowedDoll]

Why would they even do this?
It's not a matter of the asset being remade from scratch and understandably being a tad different.
This is like they just told someone to do whatever they wanted with the highlights.
For something that was advertised as not wanting to change the feel of our characters it sure as hell doesn't look like they tried.

[Tethan]

Okay, so they are just changing things at random for no reason. This wasn't what you promised, Squeenix.

[catjacket]

Seeing this I can only say that I like the Benchmark version a lot more.

To each their own! I may grow to like it more, it was just such an appreciable change that it was pretty jarring to see when I loaded her in. I mostly wish there was still a little more highlight to her braid, because that's the one feature that differs between the otherwise identical F!Viera hair #9 and 10.

[catjacket]

Why would they even do this?
It's not a matter of the asset being remade from scratch and understandably being a tad different.
This is like they just told someone to do whatever they wanted with the highlights.
For something that was advertised as not wanting to change the feel of our characters it sure as hell doesn't look like they tried.

Yeah, it was pretty much the first thing I noticed the second I loaded her into the benchmark and has kind of made me crestfallen about the update in general, even despite the fact that I like many of the other changes especially regarding lighting/resolution.

[catjacket]

Okay, so they are just changing things at random for no reason. This wasn't what you promised, Squeenix.

I feel like I'm being so dramatic by feeling this disappointed by a change in hair highlighting pattern but it really just makes me so sad. I do digital art as a hobby and have drawn a LOT of my girl, so I'm pretty attached to her main appearance traits LOL

[Evergrey]

To each their own! I may grow to like it more, it was just such an appreciable change that it was pretty jarring to see when I loaded her in. I mostly wish there was still a little more highlight to her braid, because that's the one feature that differs between the otherwise identical F!Viera hair #9 and 10.

Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Still, I am surprised that they even alter color patterns of hairstyles.
As far as I understood they were just going to up the graphical quality of the hair.
I don't use highlights myself so I would've never noticed without anyone bringing it up.

[Tethan]

I feel like I'm being so dramatic by feeling this disappointed by a change in hair highlighting pattern but it really just makes me so sad. I do digital art as a hobby and have drawn a LOT of my girl, so I'm pretty attached to her main appearance traits LOL

I don't think so, it's a matter of principle. They said they wouldn't change things too drastically and try to preserve people's characters. This makes it clear they either lied, don't care or there is a rogue artist at SE freestyling for kicks.

[posona]

I’m so glad you made this thread because I came here to bring up a similar issue! My boy uses an older hairstyle and the update has made his highlights look like he was practicing pictomancy all day and needs a shower. Currently it’s a soft, blended kind of highlight, but with the update it’s randomly spotty? I’m not even that attached to his highlights but the tail he uses is the color-tip and if I want a white-tipped tail then I have to have white highlights.

Note: I would include pictures but I honestly don’t know how anymore. orz

Edit: Pictures!



As you can see, they’re much sharper and less blended now, some of the streaks have moved or disappeared, and the bangs are spotty like there’s paint splatter. It looks Very Bad.