Updated benchmark

[CantDecide]

Do people really want FFXIV to have a visual upgrade or do people want to keep the 10+years old graphics?

Maybe SE should've made a survey before they started working on it to see what people actually really want.

Do we, the users, need this optimization, or whatever they call it, if it does not cope with the most important, first and main task: not to change our characters. Personally, I don't need these new graphics methods at this price. * selfish, I agree* but. the other side of coin that the developers will work less, which is a definite plus for them. If only the quality did not become so mediocre, as the benchmark proves.

Honestly, I've had similar thoughts. I would be more than satisfied if the update just improved the textures and lighting, because frankly some things in the current game look really bad. The fuzzy armour, the cross-hatching on the hair strands, and certain environmental textures out in the game world especially. But I think my character's face looks objectively worse where she previously looked good, and barely better in areas that needed improvement (hair texture and disconnected lower lashes, for example). My character's eyes are similar to Llymlaen's and as her gif shows, even the texture on her iris looks worse because they've overcomplicated it and the catchlight isn't as striking.

I can't help but wonder if there's something going on behind the scenes hindering the devs' ability to do this well, because there are so many problems across all races that it begs the question if they're cutting corners and hoping we won't notice because it's being marketed as an upgrade and some things got better. The homogenization of certain assets in the old benchmark that made the clans unique would indicate this (viera pupils, keeper fangs).

At the end of the day, old graphical assets put together with care will look better than modern ones done poorly, at least in my opinion.