Updated benchmark

[Doozer]

Thank youu, I always get so giddy looking at mine and others characters. I love threads for people to show what they have made for that reason.

It's definitely nice seeing some variety instead of just solid white/black hair. I used to have highlights in mine but the colour splotched on the ear tips didn't work for me so I just went with my natural colour instead. The character in your forum profile also has really nice colouring.

[AstridD]

It's a nice improvement over the first benchmark, but my Viera (face 4) still looks odd compared to the original.

I absolutely love her original lips, but now the soft cupid's bow is quite harsh and the lipstick looks too filled in the corners. The nose is also too wide compared to before but at least I can fix that with the fantasia.

[execlinca]

not at home, asked someone to look for me, but while the lighting looks much better one of my biggest concerns is still there. aka face 1 femra still have outright missing scales.



above is left: current game and right is original benchmark.
below is new benchmark. EXACTLY the same.



really was hoping this would be fixed. it's sloppy, and very noticeable if your hair doesn't cover the horns.

[RhaesDaenys]

not at home, asked someone to look for me, but while the lighting looks much better one of my biggest concerns is still there. aka face 1 femra still have outright missing scales.



above is left: current game and right is original benchmark.
below is new benchmark. EXACTLY the same.



really was hoping this would be fixed. it's sloppy, and very noticeable if your hair doesn't cover the horns.

Ooof that one does bug me. I didn't even notice that because my hair covers that spot.

[Portergauge]

Hrothgar have a few odd issues. Beyond the body seams now showing on the arm fur, their eyes are also rather egregiously glossy and reflective now, even in lighting that isn't directly shining on them. It makes their pupils much harder to distinguish, and the color of the iris way less distinct compared to the last benchmark.





I'm a bit sad that I kind of prefer the first benchmark for my hrothgar in particular. It's not massive differences, but the new normal maps make my guy look more gaunt at the cheekbones. Hopefully there will still be some changes taken into account, even if we won't be getting a third benchmark prior to release.

[Vertin]

She looks way too good now! ❤️ I love it!!

[huntor]

Lalafell face 4 Benchmark/Current

They stole my nose! I'm disappointed this wasn't something that was fixed with the update, the nose smudge is barely visible now.

Edit: this seems to only be an issue with Dunesfolk, Plainsfolk have their nose back...

[more_donuts]

Overall I think the updated benchmark is a huge improvement and the lighting in the different zones looks so much better. (Thank you devs for all your hard work!)

There are a couple things that still bug me, though...

- It seems like in making the eyebrows softer and higher res, they also thinned and lightened them on some face models. I would really like it if they reconsidered that, eyebrows are one of the really distinct parts of a face design, and I liked the stronger brows the way they were...


(...also the shadows from the headband on that hairstyle are awkward. I know they're still tuning that, so, uh, please reconsider that one too >_>)
- It also seems like the darkest hair shades have been lightened. In particular black hair is just kind of charcoal grey now, and the hair has lost its shine. I could probably get used to hair being less shiny, I'm on the fence about that, but I do really want the actual color to stay the same.


(...my god, you can see her face so much better at night now though. I'm so pleased about that part.)
So yeah please don't nerf dark hair/brows D:

[Minali]

I really want to like the new changes, everything is better than the old look, but I really can't get over how much my face 3 Miqo'te looks like she had a bad face lift in the lower half of her face as soon as she isn't in shadow. It looks like her mouth is squished inwards or something and the lighting react with a high contrast in light and shadow to make it more obvious.
It's similar in face 2, although a little bit less bad. Face 1 and 4 seem fine in comparison.
That issue was already visible in the last benchmark but there it seemed to be limited to heavy high contrast light. Her mouth still looks a bit awkwardly "pinched" in the shadows now, too. (Also checked the benchmark trailer, it's similar there.)

Here is a screenshot from the new Benchmark in two different light situations. Will edit in a screenshot from the current game in a few minutes for comparison.





I know the lighting situation at the lower half of her face was always not exactly ideal, but this is, uh, harder to ignore.

I don't know how this could be fixed, I suppose it would require more adjustments to these super soft pinched corners of her mouth and who knows what else this might effect in terms of emotes and stuff, but if there is anything that can be done about this, I'd appreciate it. Switching faces wouldn't help because this issue exists on almost all other faces, and it would also come at the loss of her face markings and all. I'd prefer avoiding this.

Edit: Added new screenshot. All screenshots (benchmark and game) were made at a gamma rate around 20-ish.

[Soxforrow]

I really want to like the new changes, everything is better than the old look, but I really can't get over how much my face 3 Miqo'te looks like she had a bad face lift in the lower half of her face as soon as she isn't in shadow. It looks like her mouth is squished inwards or something and the lighting react with a high contrast in light and shadow to make it more obvious.
It's similar in face 2, although a little bit less bad. Face 1 and 4 seem fine in comparison.
That issue was already visible in the last benchmark but there it seemed to be limited to heavy high contrast light. Her mouth still looks a bit awkwardly "pinched" in the shadows now, too. (Also checked the benchmark trailer, it's similar there.)

Here is a screenshot from the new Benchmark in two different light situations. Will edit in a screenshot from the current game in a few minutes for comparison.



I know the lighting situation at the lower half of her face was always not exactly ideal, but this is, uh, harder to ignore.

I don't know how this could be fixed, I suppose it would require more adjustments to these pinched corners on her mouth and who knows what else this might effect in terms of emotes and stuff, but if there is anything that can be done about this, I'd appreciate it. Switching faces would make her look a lot less like herself and also mean losing her markings. I'd prefer avoiding this.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING the corners of the mouth are completely off for our face now!