How Does This Game Have Good Graphics?

[Dragon]

Could someone please whip out that youtube video about aesthetics vs graphics again. It really should just be a sticky.

It doesn't matter, that video was bullshit itself. The author clearly had no understanding that aesthetics are just as subjective and relative as graphics, or rather more subjective and relative since graphics can at least be quantified by a certain degree.

there's good graphics and there's visually appealing good graphics. the graphics are good technically, but it may not be visually appealing.

Whether something's visually appealing or not is also relative at best. Visually speaking, FFXIV is one of the only MMORPGs worth its salt to me (the others are Blade N Soul, Queens Blade, & Bless).

I was about to talk about graphics =/= aesthetics but someone beat me to it...
Basically for those who don't know the difference:
Graphics are the capability to show something, aestetics are what they decide to show.
FFXIV has some of the best graphics of MMOs out there and is making them even better for 2.0.
Aesthetics aren't so great though (in most areas) since it's all just brown-greenish copy&paste landscape.
That's supposed to change with 2.0 as well.

Found a video explaining it a bit

Graphics are at least quantifiable to a degree, aesthetics have no quantifiable measurement whatsoever and can only be relative at best. It's funny that the author thinks crap like Katamari must somehow be visually appealing to everyone (hint: it's not) and thinks he's the cure to cancer talking about graphics and aesthetics when he has no clue whatsoever.

[darkstarpoet1]

Whether something's visually appealing or not is also relative at best. Visually speaking, FFXIV is one of the only MMORPGs worth its salt to me (the others are Blade N Soul, Queens Blade, & Bless).

but that was my exact point. just because it looks good to you is just as subjective as someone else saying it looks bad to them. i agree with you that the game looks stunning to me, but i can also look and see why people liked the looks of tera more or another game. it's just more visually appealing to that person even though the graphics are technically better in xiv by the measurables.

[Dragon]

but that was my exact point. just because it looks good to you is just as subjective as someone else saying it looks bad to them. i agree with you that the game looks stunning to me, but i can also look and see why people liked the looks of tera more or another game. it's just more visually appealing to that person even though the graphics are technically better in xiv by the measurables.

Oh, good to hear. My apologies.

[MariyaShidou]

Whether something's visually appealing or not is also relative at best. Visually speaking, FFXIV is one of the only MMORPGs worth its salt to me (the others are Blade N Soul, Queens Blade, & Bless).

I see what you did there

[Dragon]

I see what you did there

I'm not going to lie. I can't wait until it comes out in North America.

[Atoli]

Graphics are at least quantifiable to a degree, aesthetics have no quantifiable measurement whatsoever and can only be relative at best. It's funny that the author [...] thinks he's the cure to cancer talking about graphics and aesthetics when he has no clue whatsoever.

I don't see why you need to bash the creator of that video when he's actually saying the same you said..
Sure, aesthetics will always be subjective, but since they are used to set the mood (for example, using only grey-brownish colors in Deus Ex Human Revolution was fitting the "dark future" mood the game was supposed to convey while fantasy MMOs are supposed to convey a feeling of "go out into this vast beautiful world and have some awesome adventures" for which those colors might not be a perfect choice) they are important.
Katamari might be "crap" to you but the simple style, the bright color palette etc. used are totally fitting the mood of the game - fun, nonsensical rolling around.
This doesn't mean you will enjoy the game, but it means the game might be more enjoyable if you like these types of games.

Also, the video creator and his team are all video game developers, saying they have no clue at all makes no sense

I personally enjoy FFXIV's aesthetics and think they fit the whole more-close-to-reality idea the game is following well.
But since aesthetics are subjective, the OP might think differently.
Since - like you and everyone else before you said - GRAPHICS are measurable though it can easily be proved that FFXIV's graphics are anything but bad.