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

[twobear]

There being legitimate issues and people overreacting aren't mutually exclusive.

It is true that there are problems that should be fixed like the lala upper lip, catgirl fangs, and a number of other little details.

It is also true that people are posting hysterical unhinged comments and comparisons of their "ruined" characters that look practically identical.

I am quite pleased with how the face I use turned out, but it has what I perceive to be a big problem with the lower lip that I would like to see fixed. I could probably zoom in and find a number of other differences, but to imply she looks unrecognizable would be insane. Before anyone says "but your face is one of the good ones" I literally saw a post a minute ago on this forum of someone who hates how this face turned out lol.

Trolling people posting their concerns isn't productive (and no, someone simply disagreeing with you isn't trolling) but neither is saying your benchmark catgirl with a slightly different mouth is an "unrecognizable disgusting joker freak."

I completely agree with this unreservedly. It seems like 'be respectful' just means 'agree wholeheartedly with whatever the most outlandish claims are about the update'.

I am sorry but I can't in good faith agree that these two pictures of catgirls are 'completely different', and that one is a 'freak'. People might not like the changes but the changes are, by any objective measure, small and should be easy to fix.

[LlymlaenGreene]

If that character looks like a freak and a monster as you said earlier then I must be an eldritch horror. She's making a determined face in that part of the cutscene while your character is not emoting.

Well, you're a cutie, I love any lalas :3
bubut how is there no emotion if there is? The same emotion is there and there, only the new version looks really ugly to me. She may look cute to you, but she's not the character I've been playing with for almost 1000 game hours. They should not take and radically change the character like that. This contradicts their words.

[Loggos]

I've tried something to illustrate why for some people certain changes may completely alter a character's perceived personality and why people like me are unhappy about it.

I hope with this I can communicate a bit better how some of the changes feel to me (and perhaps to some other people) and why something seemingly small like resculpting a mouth can be "such a big deal" and lead to people saying "this looks like a different person".

I have drawn two pictures of my EW char and my DT char (full disclosure, I traced it and just stylised her features):

The goal was not to 1:1 trace her features and accurately document the differences (I've done that here).
It was to depict how I would interpret, capture and stylise her personality if someone asked me to draw the character in the respective screenshot.

It's about the vibe/feeling/emotion I get when looking at the EW and the DT models (not how I physically *see* them on a sensory level).
That's why her features are exaggerated to be more stern/cute (like when a caricature exaggerates certain features to emphasise certain character traits).

(To clarify for later readers: Yes, the actual differences in the screenshots are more subtle. Again, for an actual comparison of how I physically see the changes please follow the link above.
And I completely agree that fem au ra, even face 4, are unfortunately not very stern in general. I know they are still quite cute. But that is precisely why these changes bother me so much. Face 4 had a hint of sternness at least.
In DT even that hint has been completely removed and I really wish I could have kept it.)

[LlymlaenGreene]

Yep, I use the same face. Absolutely hate the change. I won't play Hyur female again.

I absolutely agree with you, and it's terrible, I don't have any alternative for another character, so then i need to hope for changes, because I believe in our developers, because they really listen to their players, and I believe that they will fix it so that everyone is happy, even if I have to wait :3

[Roda]

I really like the Female Hrothgar but their shoulders are weird and move unnaturally sometimes and maybe they need a bit of improvement.
Some examples:

I think she's missing more developed lats to smooth things out?


I noticed similar weirdness on Karlach in bg3 whose shoulder area often looked rather pinched as well and it was 'cause she didn't have that muscle peeking out from behind her arm when she raised it.

[Doopliss]

I think this is a fantastic, simple explanation on how the brain perceives and simplifies stylistic character design. Although I know the 3D images are not 1-1 with the artwork, this is also how my brain automatically read the two faces, and is similar to the level of difference I felt toward my fem Xaela and fem Viera.

I often fumble my words, so I'm very glad to have something like this to show to my friends. Thank you.

[Loggos]

Thank you, I'm very happy if it's helpful!
And also very cool to hear that someone perceives it similarly!

[OgruMogru]

I've tried something to illustrate why for some people certain changes may completely alter a character's perceived personality and why people like me are unhappy about it.

I hope with this I can communicate a bit better how some of the changes feel to me (and perhaps to some other people) and why something seemingly small like resculpting a mouth can be "such a big deal" and lead to people saying "this looks like a different person".

I have drawn two pictures of my EW char and my DT char (full disclosure, I traced it and just stylised her features):

The goal was not to 1:1 trace her features and accurately document the differences (I've done that here).
It was to depict how I would interpret, capture and stylise her personality if someone asked me to draw the character in the respective screenshot.

It's about the vibe/feeling/emotion I get when looking at the EW and the DT models.
That's why her features are exaggerated to be more stern/cute.

I think this is a really great example of how slight changes to proportions can change how the "soul" of the face is read. I feel bad saying it but I feel like everyone let down by the less severe look has been misled somewhat by wishful thinking in regards to the Au Ra female faces. They have -always- looked very milky and gentle to me and like any harshness in their face is very subjective. I'm not saying anyone is wrong in feeling this way - personally I prefer severe faces and the illustration on the right is very close to how i -wanted- that Aura face to look from when they were first implemented. I'm not even denying that there are differences to how the new face looks but they have never looked that severe and it's a shame they've strayed even further from it.

[Mouthbone]

I've tried something to illustrate why for some people certain changes may completely alter a character's perceived personality and why people like me are unhappy about it.

I can see the differences in the eyebrows and the eyelashes that make the DT expression more kind, but I would disagree that the difference is as severe as it is in your drawings
To me, the current expression reads as more neutral rather than stern
I feel like its a pretty faithful adaptation

[Loggos]

I think this is a really great example of how slight changes to proportions can change how the "soul" of the face is read. I feel bad saying it but I feel like everyone let down by the less severe look has been misled somewhat by wishful thinking in regards to the Au Ra female faces. They have -always- looked very milky and gentle to me and like any harshness in their face is very subjective. I'm not saying anyone is wrong in feeling this way - personally I prefer severe faces and the illustration on the right is very close to how i -wanted- that Aura face to look from when they were first implemented. I'm not even denying that there are differences to how the new face looks but they have never looked that severe and it's a shame they've strayed even further from it.

No I see what you mean haha. Female au ras were unfortunately always on the milque-toast side as opposed to male au ras but face 4 did have a bit more bite. I think the smaller pupil and the more convex lip shapes really changed the soul as you put it. And also, the old face 4 does have a very skeptical look and does very much not smile whereas the new face 4 has a subtle smile that in my eyes wasn't there before.
Also if you look at Sadu, the Stormblood NPC, they really did play her harsh look up. I don't think it's a coincidence that they used the slightly more severe looking face 4 for their bloodthirsty hot-headed pvp addict.

Like, look at that devilish smile. I do think some of the edge and sternness was put into that face on purpose.
https://youtu.be/FDg1cSmLWaQ?t=409