Updated benchmark

[TheVegetable]

I detest it. They ruined my boy. He looks like they took him out back, shot him in the head, and replaced him with a soulless fake they couldn't even be bothered getting right. I just want my cute catboy back.

[riani]

Hyur Highlander here.

While the new benchmark is immensely better than it was before, and the character was improved in the new version, still...

Comparing the original character with the benchmark 1.1 one, it's not "only" a different person altogether, it still doesn't even give the same feelings.

Imgsli comparison: https://imgsli.com/MjY5NDM2

Current - Bench 1.0 - Bench 1.1:



On the one hand, I'm happy how it was improved from the last benchmark version, on the other, please don't tell me I should be okay with how radically different she feels for me...

[Sairaag]

Very satisfied with the lighting and my other characters are looking fabulous, but my mooncat here...



So that's current, old benchmark, new benchmark. I must say it's pretty amazing how such subtle differences can change the look of a character so much. He went from neutral but alert to looking like he traded some brain cells for a leer. I remember many other people giving feedback about losing the only small mouth option for face 1, so I was really hoping for them to leave mouth 4 small. It looks better from some angles and when the cutscene is having the character make a different expression and/or move his mouth, but in the current version I like the neutral expression from all angles, and losing that doesn't feel like an upgrade.

[riani]

Please forgive me quoting myself, but I was intrigued what changes have caused my character to be this different for me.

Current - Bench 1.0 - Bench 1.1:

Here are my investigations, which made me accept the changes more readily.






Anatomically I don't believe there is anything to pinpoint. Maybe there is a slight tilt of the head, maybe the shape of the forehead is a little different, or maybe the lips are more uniquely defined in the original or more plump in the new, but I believe it's mostly - if not entirely - the new lighting that is causing me to perceive the face to be different, shorter for example. (And the skin shade change doesn't help, but that's not an issue and could be easily adjusted, if I wanted.)

Otherwise, I believe there are 2 main differences and 1 minor in the textures:
- outer eye shape: on the original both the eyeliner line and the embedded shadow above it go upwards, and in the benchmark, downwards.
- inner eye texture (minor): on the original, the inner eye looks more open, as the texture lines there are a little bit farther away from the actual white of the eyes and they go more upwards there than out.
- mouth: (the mouth is open in the original and) both lips have a more unique shape. Also in the original the mouth is wider, because the texture didn't seem to end at the actual corner of the mouth. - I think it was the right choice to correct this last bit though.

So overall I do think it would approximate the original character (and personality) more if the texture around the eyes were tweaked - opening up the inner parts and lifting the outer. The mouth could be tweaked as well so that it would be more unique, but I don't think it would change the face as much as the eyes.

But otherwise, I do believe they made good and realistic choices to upgrade the character. Maybe all we have to do is to get used to those parts that seem different. (And maybe, just maybe hope the devs consider some little tweaks )

[asrali]

Please forgive me quoting myself, but I was intrigued what changes have caused my character to be this different for me.


Here are my investigations, which made me accept the changes more readily.






Anatomically I don't believe there is anything to pinpoint. Maybe there is a slight tilt of the head, maybe the shape of the forehead is a little different, or maybe the lips are more uniquely defined in the original or more plump in the new, but I believe it's mostly - if not entirely - the new lighting that is causing me to perceive the face to be different, shorter for example. (And the skin shade change doesn't help, but that's not an issue and could be easily adjusted, if I wanted.)

Otherwise, I believe there are 2 main differences and 1 minor in the textures:
- outer eye shape: on the original both the eyeliner line and the embedded shadow above it go upwards, and in the benchmark, downwards.
- inner eye texture (minor): on the original, the inner eye looks more open, as the texture lines there are a little bit farther away from the actual white of the eyes and they go more upwards there than out.
- mouth: (the mouth is open in the original and) both lips have a more unique shape. Also in the original the mouth is wider, because the texture didn't seem to end at the actual corner of the mouth. - I think it was the right choice to correct this last bit though.

So overall I do think it would approximate the original character (and personality) more if the texture around the eyes were tweaked - opening up the inner parts and lifting the outer. The mouth could be tweaked as well so that it would be more unique, but I don't think it would change the face as much as the eyes.

But otherwise, I do believe they made good and realistic choices to upgrade the character. Maybe all we have to do is to get used to those parts that seem different. (And maybe, just maybe hope the devs consider some little tweaks )

You detailled your post so well, I wholeheartedly agree!

[riani]

You detailled your post so well, I wholeheartedly agree!

Thank you!
I've posted it on the Japanese forum as well, giving us highlanders a little bit more exposure

[CidHeiral]

Maybe all we have to do is to get used to those parts that seem different.

The human brain is wired to react negatively to change. In the field I work in, when we push out an update half the users always kneejerk hate it, then 2-3 weeks later nobody cares. Plus some people will never be happy until the updated models are a 1:1 exact duplication of the old ones, which is impossible with an upgrade like this. That's why we're all getting a free fantasia. All of that isn't to say that there aren't some legitimate issues however.

Regarding your suggested alterations, I would personally prefer if they didn't touch the face any further. I think it looks fine as is even with those small differences and other differences you didn't mention but I noticed. Every pass of tweaks is another opportunity for the devs to make the face worse. I thought my 1.0 benchmark face was perfect besides a weird lip issue, but then I lost a very cool looking eye makeup detail because other people can't handle a single pixel being different than the original. Now I'm nervous about what else they'll "fix" in the future.

And before anyone jumps down my throat, I'm not saying your feedback is wrong or you shouldn't give it. I use some of the same options you do, so because this particular feedback effects me directly, I am giving my opposing feedback.

[celestiyall]

for the mmmmmost part the complaints that were the top of my list were adjusted, but not all, but enough that i'm like "i can live with this version and am not as sad". the one remaining thing im upset about is that the facepaint is still wrong and no longer sits along the eyes properly, but it seems they still havent updated the facepaint textures so i'm holding out hope

[moodud]

Hello. I guess this will be the thread for feedback. Male Midlander face 3 here.

Current / New Benchmark


Old Benchmark / New Benchmark


The new lighting (or rather how it should have been from the beginning) is so so much better. Shadows are crunchy similar to the original yet look way better in dark places, no more jump scare lightings. My character eyes felt closer to the original and I am very happy. Big upgrade.

!!! However the beard still has low resolution even in the new benchmark. !!!




The low res beard stands out quite a lot.
I looked at other faces/races to see if they have the same problem and I found this 3 faces:



Haven't check every face, could be more, but it's clear that this is simply a mistake, something that has been overlooked. Would appreciate it if this could be fix before Dawntrail launch.

Some updated beards for reference:

[Roda]

Hello. I guess this will be the thread for feedback. Male Midlander face 3 here.

Current / New Benchmark


Old Benchmark / New Benchmark


The new lighting (or rather how it should have been from the beginning) is so so much better. Shadows are crunchy similar to the original yet look way better in dark places, no more jump scare lightings. My character eyes felt closer to the original and I am very happy. Big upgrade.

!!! However the beard still has low resolution even in the new benchmark. !!!




The low res beard stands out quite a lot.
I looked at other faces/races to see if they have the same problem and I found this 3 faces:



Haven't check every face, could be more, but it's clear that this is simply a mistake, something that has been overlooked. Would appreciate it if this could be fix before Dawntrail launch.

Some updated beards for reference:

Quality old men
(Now SE can u give us some quality old ladies??)