Updated benchmark

[Supersnow845]

Lordy folks are picky af... Ya'll do you though, just keep in mind you prolly wont see any further changes by launch, its crunch time.

I genuinely have no idea why people come on a feedback megathread; exactly the way the forums are supposed to work; and basically say “what’s the point yall just give up l” when this is exactly what yoshi p asked us to do

Sure it may not fix the problem before launch but this isn’t the end of the graphics updates

Like do you genuinely have nothing better to do

[Tahli]

A closer comparison of the eyes on F Moon Miqo Face 2, Eyes 6, Brow 2 between benchmarks. I really liked how in the first benchmark, the eyebrows were a softer color, and not as thin on the inner part. Looks kinda like drawn-on angry eyebrows in the newer one. Having the heavier eye makeup was my preference, sad that they reduced that without adding it as a facial feature option. And the iris and pupil themselves looked less uncanny in v1.

v1

v2

[Tahli]

A closer comparison of the eyes on F Moon Miqo Face 2, Eyes 6, Brow 2 between benchmarks. I really liked how in the first benchmark, the eyebrows were a softer color, and not as thin on the inner part. Looks kinda like drawn-on angry eyebrows in the newer one. Having the heavier eye makeup was my preference, sad that they reduced that without adding it as a facial feature option. And the iris and pupil themselves looked less uncanny in v1.

Commenting on this one more time with some better pictures/comparisons. Images taken in character creator of current game, Benchmark 1 and Benchmark 1.1, all in direct sunlight of La Noscea setting.
Female Miqote (Keeper of the Moon), Face 2, Eyebrow 2, Eyes 6.



I really felt like the first benchmark was most flattering on my character's features. I would like for the eyebrow shape/shading to be more like how it was in Benchmark 1, because I think the shape and color is truly beautiful. But if not that, then at the very least, I think the latest 1.1 eyebrows should be shaped closer to how they are in the current game: thicker at the base, thinner at the tail, slightly lighter in color, and angled softer so as not to give a drawn-on angry eyebrow impression. Eyebrow 2, specifically, is supposed to be the most gentle of the eyebrow options.

And the eyes, as you can see, have much harsher "lines" making up the patterns of the iris now, and it looks much less natural than the earlier versions. Keepers of the Moon have large pupils, so only that outer portion of the iris is visible on us, and it would be appreciated if the color popped more like it used to.

I do think some of the shading/lighting in the new benchmark is a little extreme, and might be giving Female Miqote an uncanny valley effect. Shadows are very prominent, and lighting is very bright on skin.

[Print_Screen]

Figured I'd add my comparison here in case the devs read this. I'm not completely happy with the eyes, eyebrows and overall shape of my character's face in the benchmark.

Female Highlander
Face 1
Jaw 1
Eye shape 3
Eyebrows 1
Facial features 1, 2, 3
6.58 vs updated benchmark

Side:


Front:


The view from the front is mostly the same, but from the side I notice a few differences. I don't like that the outer corners of the eyes are rounded down, and that the eyebrows are now smaller. The shape of the jaw and cheeks also seems different, but that might be an illusion caused by the lighting.

[CipherNine]

I actually thought more people would be talking about it, but I guess not many people play as Femroes.

If you look at roeydagyns concept art, any promotional art, or even meet roes in the current version of the game, you can easily see on their bulkiness and very rough faces with square chins, narrowed jaws and noses, very deep wrinkles in the root and nasion areas of the nose bridge, etc. The problem is... just gone in the latest benchmark. The overall shapes of the faces are the same, but the details that created the shapes and complexity of the faces are not.


Even a quick comparison of the images shows that the face on the left is more flat and the face on the right is more rounded. I understand that because of the change in materials and rendering, the images will look a little different, but it's more than that.


The left face looks more organic, and when you look at it, your eyes are probably focused on the character's eyes/nose. You can't focus on the same parts of the right face. Your eyes start wandering around the face to many different places without really stopping on anything. It's not because the new face has more detail.


On the left face, the eyebrows flow into the bridge of the nose. Eyes have additional wrinkles to separate them from the nose, creating complexity and catching the viewer's attention. The rest of the face is flat and has less detail, creating a strong focus on the eyes. These details are missing from the right image. That's why you can't really focus on anything on the right face and jump from element to element.


Details of the nose bridge and eye sockets have simply disappeared.


Details like these add complexity to the shapes of the face, create focal points, guide lines and attract the viewer's attention, without them... there is nothing.


I don't even have to draw red lines on it. It's just so obvious. But wait, there is more.


Even if you try to focus on more soft and rounded faces complete ditching rough features of the face (features which made roegadyn roegadyn) the right face still looks off.


It's not just couple small things, which looks a little bit different with graphical update. It complete different composition of the face created by different shapes and features which were definite for roegadyns are just gone.


Do you remember roegadyns with their unique faces? This is them now. More Huyrs than Huyrs themselves.

[faiarrow]

I actually thought more people would be talking about it, but I guess not many people play as Femroes.

I have written three extensive pleas on the JP side of things regarding roegadyn, especially fem!roe skewed because yeah, they've butchered the faces. (Other JP players have also been doing the same - all noting 'we're the smallest played race but we're just as important' as well.)

Face 2 is missing an entire normal map (the crease for the eyebrow/nose bridge you pointed out) so the baked in flat diffuse shadow at the end of the eyebrow is now just awkward unblended contour, the nose mark/ash is nonexistent on hellsguards, the jewel eyes etc all nerfed.

The coloured pupils exist still on roe.... on male face 2 only. It was a standard for all f!roe faces and added a lot to their visual.

Trust me you're not alone, especially the 'we might as well be hyur' mood with the severe shaving of racial features.

[Arcian]

Figured I'd add my comparison here in case the devs read this. I'm not completely happy with the eyes, eyebrows and overall shape of my character's face in the benchmark.

Female Highlander
Face 1
Jaw 1
Eye shape 3
Eyebrows 1
Facial features 1, 2, 3
6.58 vs updated benchmark

Side:


Front:


The view from the front is mostly the same, but from the side I notice a few differences. I don't like that the outer corners of the eyes are rounded down, and that the eyebrows are now smaller. The shape of the jaw and cheeks also seems different, but that might be an illusion caused by the lighting.

It's not just you; I also have a face 1 Highlander and I've noticed the same things. The shape of the cheeks and jawline is noticeably softer and less angular, and the eyebrows have been considerably reduced. Also the forehead (at least on my character) was higher (like, fivehead higher), and I sure didn't go into the character creator planning on that.

Mine also ended up with an entirely different eye shape in the latest version of the benchmark (started with eyes 4, and oddly eyes 6 now appear to be closer to what is currently live in EW).

It's like they filed every edge off, and if they won't change that, can I at least have eyebrows that exist?

[ReynTime]

Of all the races, I'm really liking the Midlander looks. Some of the details look even closer to what modern FF character models look like.

I'll call this revenge of the Midlander. The race that got dismissed for looking like dolls are getting the best revamp with 7.0. Now if they can just fix the female midlander lips...

[larcei]

I'm happy with the new graphics for the most part and I really feel the improvement between benchmarks! The new lighting really helps.

My two grievances are:

1. Face 4, eye type 6 on female Keepers. The eyes look like they've been stretched a bit wider, and... softened? They look more natural now, for sure, but I find the angular appearance of these eyes to be quite cute and distinctive as they are. I can make myself accept this one as a consequence of different perceptions of what these eyes "should" look like, but in general female Miqo'te eyes updates have been hit-or-miss for my friends and me, so it might be worth mentioning.

2. Hair is a lot duller now. I feel it the most on my alts with black and near-black hair; they become grayish in the light, and there's not nearly as much shine to them. This might have to do with the way characters are lit now, but it's a confusing adjustment to me. I like the vibrancy of our current hair! (I think this might be at least part of the issue with male Viera getting their eyebrows nerfed?)

[Gember]

Overall, pretty happy with my own character. Now I am just playing with the "Randomize Appearance" button and finding all the funny, horrible, and "Oh, that's actually a great idea" looks on all gender and races. It is a fun pass time, and a funky way to find some hidden issues that someone may have overlooked.