Dawntrail Graphics Update - Eye Strain

[Gwen_Lavellan]

I can't even read the messages about the image (my photosensitive epilepsy is being annoying and wigging out at the image), but I understand it's from someone's game, and that's just awful. It just shouldn't be like that in anyone's game, and I know if I played with that it'd likely be a trip to the hospital (and I'd be hoping it wasn't one-way only).

I really hate to ask because it's important we show just how bad the graphics can be, but it would be lovely if you guys could just edit your posts to remove the image. Perhaps just keep it in the initial post, which makes it easier to skip past. Or just describe it rather than show it, just this one time. If you can't, I'll have to bow out of the thread for a bit, and then hope no one else includes it in a reply again!

Thanks.

Done ! I’m so sorry!

Edit : didn’t found the spoiler tag so I just removed the image.
What’s the [] for hiding something?

[Rueby]

Done ! I’m so sorry!

Edit : didn’t found the spoiler tag so I just removed the image.
What’s the [] for hiding something?

it's [HB] [/ HB]
without the space

[Gwen_Lavellan]

it's [HB] [/ HB]
without the space

Thank you!

[LunaAldegar]

If something in game is making you feel ill you should leave the instance. Nobody expects anyone to stay in an Alliance raid when they are feeling ill, and Nier raids are pretty flashy, and it does bother some people out there. Sorry this is happening for you in the game and hoping something can be done to alleviate it.

It's sad that after the expansion came out, the only solution we seem to have is to leave the instances or just not play at all. I'm able to play for about an hour without getting too sick *if* I avoid any duties/roulettes. This entire situation sucks. I'm glad we are able to get through 99% of the MSQ (except for the last trial) with NPCs since I could come and go whenever I had to without having to make other people wait for me to either recover or leave. As much as some seem to hate that the option even exists, if it wasn't an option, then me and probably plenty of others wouldn't be able to even get through MSQ because of getting ill inside the dungeons.

[themrcoolaidman]

Has anyone been having issues with near any other screens or games? It started with just Dawntrail for me, but now even my phone or computer can bother me which never happened before. My eyes just feel like they're constantly working overtime.

[Anarnee]

Has anyone been having issues with near any other screens or games? It started with just Dawntrail for me, but now even my phone or computer can bother me which never happened before. My eyes just feel like they're constantly working overtime.

I don't have issues with other games that I have noticed, or with my computer, but after playing XIV for any amount of time on PS4, the sun or lights in the room will bother me. I have to take my sun glasses with me everywhere... What was a purchase I made for fashion (I use to only wear the sunglasses in my hair) has become a daily necessity

Usually I'm done with leveling everything on my main and an alt by this point in an expansion. I am not even half way done.

[Argantaelle]

I'm not very prone to motion sickness, but even I feel uneasy when traversing through forest terrain when it's raining. Tree branches, grass, shadows from branches and grass, and new bright raindrops are moving constantly, and sometimes I can't see anything at all and have to do my ARR tribal dailies almost blind.

(There are two examples below. The pictures are not animated, so they are safe to see.)

This is not very good (Outer La Noscea)



But this is much worse. Sylflands at night when it's raining are very difficult for the eyes.

Also, I've noticed that the increased brightness and contrast of the world put strain on the eyes, and my eyes are getting tired quickly. I'm used to taking a break every 40 minutes or one hour, but even this habit can't help me not get headaches after 3–4 hours.

(minuscule HW spoilers)

Every NPC is slightly illuminated when clicked on, but Lucia is indeed burning brightly.

[Ceridwenae]

Thank you for hiding/removing the image! I really appreciate it - I've now been able to read your posts properly and add my likes! <3 A couple of unedited posts remain, but it's easier to scroll past one or two images than successive postings of the same - that said, it'd be good if those replies could still be edited to either hide the image or remove it. That way I (maybe others too!) can read and like the post, and I can safely resume bumping this thread to the front page when necessary, and for as long as the forum allows me to*!

*unsubbed because of graphics; currently just logging in for plants, retainers and grand company turn-ins across my alts. It's so silly: only one of my alts has Dawntrail access, and yet all of them are well into levelling gatherers (and some crafters) into the 90s via grand company turn-ins and occasional custom deliveries. One alt hasn't even ventured into Endwalker combat content yet, and is going to ding 100 on gatherers before my sub runs out. Don't get me wrong, I don't play this game for its combat particularly, and I much prefer crafting and gathering, but eh, it's just daft at this point. Can't even do bounties and FATEs without a migraine, and really am bored of not even doing any deep dungeon stuff. FEH

[Rueby]

I'm not very prone to motion sickness, but even I feel uneasy when traversing through forest terrain when it's raining. Tree branches, grass, shadows from branches and grass, and new bright raindrops are moving constantly, and sometimes I can't see anything at all and have to do my ARR tribal dailies almost blind.

(There are two examples below. The pictures are not animated, so they are safe to see.)

This is not very good (Outer La Noscea)



But this is much worse. Sylflands at night when it's raining are very difficult for the eyes.

Also, I've noticed that the increased brightness and contrast of the world put strain on the eyes, and my eyes are getting tired quickly. I'm used to taking a break every 40 minutes or one hour, but even this habit can't help me not get headaches after 3–4 hours.

(minuscule HW spoilers)

Every NPC is slightly illuminated when clicked on, but Lucia is indeed burning brightly.

They messed up the rain entirely, I noticed it in Garlemald as well and had to leave the area despite Garlemald being one of my favorite areas to be in.

[Kuro_Matsu]

Bumping to keep this relevant.

Not sure if the harsher lighting is intended. (I understand there were years of complaints of this game having muted colors and lighting, so maybe they over corrected. But those people can just still use ReShade/ NVIDIA filters...) If so, I would like options to turn them off. Bloom is a terrible, terrible thing. So much so that I avoid the Gold Saucer because the light panels against the darker contrast has caused eye strain. I'm naturally sensitive to light, so I've changed my monitor settings and added filters through NVIDIA to help me play the game previously. However, I've had to change these settings after years of no problems. Though, it doesn't make a difference now. If I darken the game further, I can't see anything.

On top of this, there is a baked in motion blur/ edge smoothing during movement (including camera zoom). Foliage is especially bad with this. It also effects characters/ enemies. With structures, for whatever reason, it doesn't bother me as much. But please, please allow us to turn this off. I don't use DLSS or AMD as my PC is too old to use any of those upscalers. I've seen videos of them in use and my game isn't nearly as bad, yet it's enough to causes issues. I've tried changing 3D Resolution Scaling to 99, but it makes the game very sharp and the foliage flickers even when you are standing still (it's worse if you move).

Pretty much all of my graphic settings are set to Off or Normal, with the exception of textures being the highest it can go. I'm not asking them to completely revert the graphic update. This game was beautiful to me before 7.0, and now it has a little glow up even with my low settings. I just want them to give us options. The sole reason I moved from console to PC was because console only has half of the graphic settings as PC.

Edit:
Be warned, the SS below showcases the bloom effect in the Gold Saucer.