Character graphical changes are NOT in an acceptable state, please make it optional

[Iscah]

But also... not everyone is going to be happy. Not everyone WAS happy with how it was before. I'm sure most of us will adjust soon enough.

It still makes more sense to keep the models the "same but better" over changing them to maybe succeed in appealing to people who didn't like the old version, at the cost of definitely upsetting the people who were happy with it.

[Rudje]

It still makes more sense to keep the models the "same but better" over changing them to maybe succeed in appealing to people who didn't like the old version, at the cost of definitely upsetting the people who were happy with it.

Yeah, if they wanted to have different faces... make them new options? Don't alter what was already there? I'd rather everyone get an extra face that has whatever the devs are trying to chase here rather than the old faces having features get totally reworked for no clear reason. It's not like the lacking eye shine which is just a consequence of the new lighting, several faces have features that are outright different shapes.

[DynnDiablos]

It still makes more sense to keep the models the "same but better" over changing them to maybe succeed in appealing to people who didn't like the old version, at the cost of definitely upsetting the people who were happy with it.

Do you really think in the next two months they are just going to REVERSE everything they have spent the last couple years on? What people on here are demanding could easily delay Dawntrail by a year. They aren't going to do that.

[Sarnai]

Do you really think in the next two months they are just going to REVERSE everything they have spent the last couple years on? What people on here are demanding could easily delay Dawntrail by a year. They aren't going to do that.

there are still massive problems that can be fixed in shorter time, that are not the complete overhaul

Nobody asks them no change the entire model, but there are some layers of textures that just look weird and changing them will fix problems like waxy gloss.
There are problems with hair textures clipping on itse;f that also can be fixed in a matter of couple hours.
Or au ra jpeg scales textures, that are just ugly.

They didnt work for years on just character models, and nobody asks them to redo the whole locations or lighting, but some races/genders are just butchered.

[Endemerrin]

There's definitely some weird things going on with facial hair that I am not a fan of at all. Lighter haired characters have theirs almost entirely disappear.



Here's a shot of the same hair color in the benchmark itself, and even then, you have to get really close to your monitor to notice there's even the faintest bit of fuzz. It's a really huge and jarring change that basically makes the stubble non-existent for anyone that doesn't have a dark haired character.

[MrMordio]

It still makes more sense to keep the models the "same but better" over changing them to maybe succeed in appealing to people who didn't like the old version, at the cost of definitely upsetting the people who were happy with it.

100% this. The facial expressions and the subtleties are just different enough to make it feel like a different character. Better but the same should be the target, but I don't feel like they hit that

[Tethan]

100% this. The facial expressions and the subtleties are just different enough to make it feel like a different character. Better but the same should be the target, but I don't feel like they hit that

Considering how random yet drastic and noticeable some of the changes are, I feel like they didn't even try.

[TheDruidOcelot]

Considering how random yet drastic and noticeable some of the changes are, I feel like they didn't even try.

and yet they promised to not make them look like different characters, so people rightfully feel lied to

[Scintilla]

Better but the same should be the target, but I don't feel like they hit that

It still makes more sense to keep the models the "same but better" over changing them

I'm curious and perhaps you could enlighten me, but where is the line drawn between 'make them better' and 'keep them the same'? Where is the limit? At what point are they no longer the same character?

Ultimately, the changes appear to have been made in order to make the characters look more real - the same characters, just made to look more realistic. But all of these realistic features have been pointed out by different players to be features they dislike and that have to be reverted:

Skin texture and pores? - presumably to give a more tangible appearance, rather than cartoon-ish. A matter complained about by some.

Removal of a permanent eye glint and instead adding light reflection based on environment? - again, more in keeping with real effects of environment and lighting. But again, complained about by some as leaving their characters 'empty and soul-less'.

Extra detail to facial structure - dimples being one example. Look in the mirror. Smile. You'll see dimples! Some may be strong, others more subtle, but they'll be there. Yet some complain this goes too far and prefer to return to the more solid, doll-like appearance.

While there are more, I would think each of these would be perfectly understandable ways of trying to make the characters 'better' while still being the same character. Yet each of these have been complained about. So I ask, where is the limit? Exactly what would you be looking for?

[TheDruidOcelot]

I'm curious and perhaps you could enlighten me, but where is the line drawn between 'make them better' and 'keep them the same'? Where is the limit? At what point are they no longer the same character?

Ultimately, the changes made appear to have been made in order to make the characters look more real - the same characters, just made to look more realistic. But all of these realistic features have been pointed out by different players to be featured they dislike and that have to be reverted:

Skin texture and pores? - presumably to give a more tangible appearance, rather than cartoon-ish. A matter complained about by some.

Removal of a permanent eye glint and instead adding light reflection based on environment? - again, more in keeping with real effects of environment and lighting. But again, complained about by some as leaving their characters 'empty and soul-less'.

Extra detail to facial structure - dimples being one example. Look in the mirror. Smile. You'll see dimples! Some may be strong, others more subtle, but they'll be there. Yet some complain this goes too far and prefer to return to the more solid, doll-like appearance.

While there are more, I would think each of these would be perfectly understandable ways of trying to make the characters 'better' while still being the same character. Yet each of these have been complained about. So I ask, where is the limit? Exactly what would you be looking for?

realism is killing the stylization. having higher quality textures is one thing, but changing the SHAPES of actual character's features is completely different. you can have one and not the other.