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

[CidHeiral]

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.

-snip-

This is a well written and reasonable post. I don't think it looks like a totally different character, but I can see what you mean in your examples and why you would take issue with the changes. Well done.

[SweetestLily]

Your character has giant black bushy eyebrows that are angled in a way as to make her look angry, a hairstyle that shows half a 5head, a random star that doesn't match her skin tone and giant lips. The developers don't need to fix anything, you do.

andddddd there's a million things one could say about YOUR own character. Disgusting vile miserable person.

[Doopliss]

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.

The artwork by Loggos is indeed one subjective interpretation. However, I said this in another thread--I can't even remember which anymore, I really need to take another break from the forums after this--but artists regularly work within their restrictions, not against them. Square Enix is full of professional character designers, and the art team working on the original impression of the faces absolutely knew what they were doing. Do you think they chose to design Sadu with this face accidentally? I'm sorry, again, if this sounds like an attack. I only wish people wouldn't readily discredit artist intention so easily when it's on something they perceive as old. I just personally don't think, for example, the people who carefully crafted the delicate lip shapes and other features of male Viera truly believe the curves, corners, and edges that make those up getting sanded down was actually their true intention after all. More people interpret things correctly than one might think, even subconsciously.

[Loggos]

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

But that's the point. I don't try to argue anything objective here. If you want a more objective comparison of the features I've done that here.

The point is to illustrate how I perceive my character and how I perceive those changes and why for some people changing the face does result in that impression of "wow, that's someone else". I accept that other people don't think the changes are big but the whole purpose of those images was to showcase how different people perceive the changes differently.

As I said in my op, I actively exaggerated the features.
The idea was, if someone asked me to draw stylised versions of the screenshots (e.g., as a character commission) how would I interpret them? And that is how I would do it. Because this is how I perceive their personality.
The screenshots themselves are more subtle. The job of stylisation is exaggeration (or a form of caricature if you will) to bring out the essence of their personality I perceive.

I'm sorry I have used the word perceive a gazillion times in this post but that is really what it boils down to.
Small objective changes are indisputably there (the mouth is very different for example).
For you and other people those small (objectively existing) changes don't alter how they perceive the character. That is fine and fair.
But please understand that for other people this effect is there. Neither of us is wrong when it comes to subjective perception.

[LuciaMirain]

Your character has giant black bushy eyebrows that are angled in a way as to make her look angry, a hairstyle that shows half a 5head, a random star that doesn't match her skin tone and giant lips. The developers don't need to fix anything, you do.

Jfc you are everything that is wrong with this community.

[Evergrey]

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.

For others who haven't looked at a character for x amount of time the changes are slim, maybe some even unoticable unless pointed out.
But to those who have, like yourself, even the smallest of change can change the feeling of a character drastically.

Just like looking yourself in a mirror daily. You know how you look.
But when you see yourself in a photo you might notice how different it feels for some reason.
And that's because no face is perfectly symetrical so looking at yourself from how others see you and not through a mirror your brain picks up those small differences.
Same principle here.
Ofc, some changes has been more drastic than others.

[Mouthbone]

But that's the point. I don't try to argue anything objective here. If you want a more objective comparison of the features I've done that here.

The point is to illustrate how I perceive my character and how I perceive those changes and why for some people changing the face does result in that impression of "wow, that's someone else". I accept that other people don't think the changes are big but the whole purpose of those images was to showcase how different people perceive the changes differently.

That's an excellent post, I hope the devs see your feedback.
Posts like yours is what I would advocate for - they clearly highlight the changes and explain their reasoning.
It's leagues better than showing two very similar pictures, going "Dude, trust me" and then getting upset when people don't see the difference.

[4clubbedace]

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.

im actually so curious how the exact same expression (esp the eyebrows) look so different to you, if it wasnt for ew horns being way worse i actually wouldnt be able to tell a difference.

Fascinating

[AirisRay]

andddddd there's a million things one could say about YOUR own character. Disgusting vile miserable person.

Jfc you are everything that is wrong with this community.

Thank you both very much! This means a lot to me

It didn't upset me. When dozens of people tell me how beautiful she is, when her pictures really get a lot of positive feedback, how can I even think about paying attention to an angry and not very smart person? No way.
But I'm incredibly happy to see your support <3

[CidHeiral]

I'm sorry I have used the word perceive a gazillion times in this post but that is really what it boils down to.
Small objective changes are indisputably there (the mouth is very different for example).
For you and other people those small (objectively existing) changes don't alter how they perceive the character. That is fine and fair.
But please understand that for other people this effect is there. Neither of us is wrong when it comes to subjective perception.

This raises an interesting thought. If you and someone else have the same character look, and you perceive it negatively while they perceive it positively, who is correct? Who do the developers listen to?

I'm not saying you're wrong or even referring to you specifically, I'm just thinking about being in the dev's shoes and it seems like quite a pickle. How do you design around individual perception, which is different for every one of the millions of people playing the game?

I certainly don't envy being in their position right now. lol