The problem isn't the fx update

[boopadoop]

don't you also feel like everything looks vastly different in the blue aether background compared to the other backgrounds and that might be causing a lot of the issues? like maybe we're not supposed to preview them in the other backgrounds? because in the full shadows, in other backgrounds, everyone just looks awful, but it's not nearly as bad in the default background

i do think as far as actual character model/textures that the mouths were changed too much to remove their little charms, and some texturing across some faces/races that gave more character have been softened and it's a bummers

but yeah, i think overall the changes are phenomenal but there's some nitpicking and issues that are valid - but i also wonder if a lot of it is just that the lightning in different backgrounds making everything look worse
because even like... especially in gridania, textures look so muddy on some faces and icky, but then you look in the aether and it's not as bad
i think i was very redundant sorry lol

but like the difference between these two is PHENOMENAL.. same dude, different setting.. which is closer to in-game?! you know?

[CinaedhVik]

I don't think they updated the lighting or the backgrounds of any of the scenes. Just the models. I could be wrong, but it very much seems that way, and now that the backgrounds influence the way you look, it matters for the first time.

[boopadoop]

I don't think they updated the lighting or the backgrounds of any of the scenes. Just the models. I could be wrong, but it very much seems that way, and now that the backgrounds influence the way you look, it matters for the first time.

i DEFINITELY think this is the case and what's causing a loooot of the anxieties because ain't no way
versus
i see a LOT of people who are upset using gridania with the character turned into shadow like this as the background to preview them in, too, which definitely is messing with what they'll actually look like

[Tsumdere]

I agree to a certain extent.

People really need to stop using the Gridanian lighting (everyone does) which is absolutely atrocious and blown out.
The new eyes are amazing and the new reflection system is 500x better than the white dot. The only thing they need to do is make the reflections more sensitive so it picks up light better when in dark settings. I implore people to turn their character in the aether to face the light.

I also agree that there are some people posting literally identical characters and it draws attention away from the actual changes on some faces.

But there is some pretty egregious changes on some faces that wouldn't be saved by any kind of GPose.

[Absurdity]

While the CC lighting is certainly responsible for some of the complaints, it is not responsible for the changes in lip texture/shape on a lot of faces. Female Viera are probably the most obvious example, seemingly losing detail they previously had, and it doesn't matter under what lighting you look at them.