Was This Graphical Update Necessary?

[xxmiamorecadenza]

FFXIV did need a graphics update very badly but one we got looks very bad. I think I'm going to have to race change because of how bad my Au Ra looks from it.

I'm sorry to hear that!

I can't imagine how disappointing it is to let go of the character you've stuck with you years. With any luck they'll accept feedback and mend some problems. :/

[Warkupo]

An interesting note about perception vs reality.

1) You aren't wrong to prefer how your character has looked for 10 years. Art is subjective, and even the slightest change to lips, eyes, etc. are going to be noticed on a face you've spent a decade acclimating and admiring.

2) Nobody complained about the graphical update or even the character updates *until* the benchmark landed; it wasn't until we got to see -our- specific character of the last 10 years with subtle differences that we began voicing our complaints. While I do think the intense hyperbole displayed on these forums is a bit overblown and disrespectful, there's nothing wrong with asking for things to be closer to our preferences if it can be done respectfully.

3) Objectively, character models *are* improved. Polygon count is significantly better meaning that there is significantly less "jagged" looking models. Rounded anatomy of the face like chins, noses, lips, cheeks, etc. etc are all a vast improvement.

4) The improvements are not purely aesthetic either; According to developer interviews, every character model is now "morphed" from a base character model, rather than being its' own separate model. This allows them to much more quickly create equipment since you are making adjustments from the one model, rather than adapting it to several different models.

[DiaDeem]

Yes

[Jeeqbit]

Considering people still play old nintendo 64 games with the most blocky and simple models and colors, you could argue that the graphics don't need updating.

But most people have a wide screen now and at least 1080p is a common minimum resolution, yet the textures are designed for a much lower resolution and therefore look pixelated to most people. For whatever reason, even Clive from FF16 was made to have pixelated gear in this game on a 1080p monitor. If you fly to the moon and look at the surface you will notice some textures there look stretched to a degree that looks... not good.

But I'm wondering if it was needed and is it a solid selling point for the game?

The graphics used to be one of the best in the MMORPG category when it was new, but then we started getting games like New World and Ashes of Creation and Lost Ark, so this is the response. If you don't know what those games are, look up a few videos of them on youtube and you'll see.

Maybe I'm entirely ignorant and I've been living in a cave - but was the update a big ask in the community?

Definitely, yes. A very large percentage of the community uses custom shader software to enable graphics effects that the game doesn't normally allow. I mean a very significant percentage - probably over 50%. Information about it spreads socially and also because it's done for many other games so people just know to do it.

A lot of gamers have high-end gaming computers and want to make maximum use of their investment. They do not want to settle for lower graphics. If I were to tell you the average specs of people who ask for help in the tech support forums, they are very high-end computers as opposed to an old computer from 10 years ago!

Additionally, a lot of players do something they shouldn't, which is increase the resolution of the textures anyway. That isn't allowed, but if you know how many people do this, it's a very large amount of players. The graphics update is a response to this as well.

Balmung, the world you're from, is going to have a higher percentage of players doing all these things than almost any other world as well.

[seolhyun]

I had no idea. I didn't realize people thought the game was lackluster in that way. I've never looked at the game and thought it lacked polish.

bruh we had main story chars that were pixelated in cutscenes lol

[xxmiamorecadenza]

An interesting note about perception vs reality.

1) You aren't wrong to prefer how your character has looked for 10 years. Art is subjective, and even the slightest change to lips, eyes, etc. are going to be noticed on a face you've spent a decade acclimating and admiring.

2) Nobody complained about the graphical update or even the character updates *until* the benchmark landed; it wasn't until we got to see -our- specific character of the last 10 years with subtle differences that we began voicing our complaints. While I do think the intense hyperbole displayed on these forums is a bit overblown and disrespectful, there's nothing wrong with asking for things to be closer to our preferences if it can be done respectfully.

3) Objectively, character models *are* improved. Polygon count is significantly better meaning that there is significantly less "jagged" looking models. Rounded anatomy of the face like chins, noses, lips, cheeks, etc. etc are all a vast improvement.

4) The improvements are not purely aesthetic either; According to developer interviews, every character model is now "morphed" from a base character model, rather than being its' own separate model. This allows them to much more quickly create equipment since you are making adjustments from the one model, rather than adapting it to several different models.

I'm hopeful that all goes well in good time. I also hope they reverse the subtle erasure of racial traits in some characters.

But I'm afraid that even with the Free Fantasia folks won't be satisfied because the options are no longer familiar.

bruh we had main story chars that were pixelated in cutscenes lol

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It looked fine to me.

[Fawkes]

I had no idea. I didn't realize people thought the game was lackluster in that way. I've never looked at the game and thought it lacked polish.

It has always looked fine when zoomed out dodging orange puddles. The problem is there's hours and hours of cutscenes and when they do close ups the pixels get more obvious, sometimes to the point of completely distracting from the scene.

For me I think it was this scene from 3.3:



but there have been a number of times where this has happened. The most famous is probably 'Pixel Exarch'.

[Roda]

It was showing its age before the benchmark came out, but going back in after staring at the benchmark for so long.. ohhh god yes... yes it was very needed.

[xxmiamorecadenza]

It has always looked fine when zoomed out dodging orange puddles. The problem is there's hours and hours of cutscenes and when they do close ups the pixels get more obvious, sometimes to the point of completely distracting from the scene.

For me I think it was this scene from 3.3:



but there have been a number of times where this has happened. The most famous is probably 'Pixel Exarch'.

I guess I barely process graphics in that way. It's always been a non-issue for me. You'd have to point it out for me to even notice what details you're addressing. I didn't even know about the Pixel Exarch bit. And I've watched all the cutscenes.

[lushblush]

I guess I barely process graphics in that way. It's always been a non-issue for me. You'd have to point it out for me to even notice what details you're addressing. I didn't even know about the Pixel Exarch bit. And I've watched all the cutscenes.

you didn't notice exarch's ps1 body with all 7 of those illuminating pixels being heavily contrasted by his dark clothes...? if you're seriously not kidding then i'm almost jealous of this super power