New 7.1 hairstyle looks nothing like the winning hairstyle from the 2023 contest

[Raephorus]

Chiming in with my own disappointment here, I've been looking forward to finally having curly hair implemented into the game, but this is just not it. The hair looks nothing like the winning design, and instead just makes the characters look like a sad wet dog. 'Inspired by' is such a slap in the face too to everyone who was looking forward to this hairstyle. I really hope it's updated to a better state where it reflects the winner's design.

[batticus]

had to make a forum account just to reply to this thread.
squeenix backpedaled and redid some grapes when people noticed how low quality they were. if this hairstyle enters the game as it is in this preview, that is a genuine insult to both the playerbase as a whole, and more importantly, the original artist, who provided them the blueprint *for free* and presumably out of love for the game. i cannot imagine how they and other contest winners must feel rn, with the horrible precedent this sets. i would be brought to tears if my work were butchered like this. its unacceptable.

[Doopliss]

Adding my disappointment to this thread. I'm honestly glad this thread gained traction so quickly; this hairstyle is horribly done.

The decidedly "release-ready" design shows such a lack of respect for both the artist and those who possess curly hair types that it's unbelievable. I haven't seen such a large, modern team of artists struggle with the simple task of making any goddamn full-headed curls before. I'm sorry for sounding irritated, but I'm so tired of them going about graphical design choices haphazardly. Especially when the original artist so lovingly mapped out the layers and volume of the curls in their original artwork.

[amis-amai]

Chiming in again to add as well regarding games managing textured hair using similar methods to FFXIV. Guild Wars 2, which has been brought up a few times in the thread, is honestly a great example. GW2 lauched in 2012, one year before FFXIV: ARR in 2013, and has not had any sort of high end graphics update since then, still working with the same engine, shaders etc since its launch. In the Path of Fire expansion in 2017, GW2 added SEVERAL textured and afro styles to the game and to great success:




Screenshots don't give you the full impact, but in 3D view and inspecting them in game, they DO use the same flat texture method that a lot of hairstyles in FFXIV use, but stacked, rotated and layered on top of one another. Not only that, but on the more styled hairs seen there, the textures are actually different to appear more velvet-esc in regards on how light bounces across the hair (unlike the more defined highlights which can be seen typically in caucasian hair). Literally it's been shown that velvet textures can now be done in game, as shown on several of our new glamours (SCH AF gear for one, having a LOT of velveteen fabric).

So to say in the least, it's entirely not impossible for such textured hair to be implemented, perhaps with a little more effort on the devs side, but still no excuse regardless. Moreso as someone else pointed out earlier in the thread, some bushes and shrubs in this game literally have more detail and depth than what they did to this hair.

[VyelChuChu]

This looks like an entirely different hairstyle! Please delay the release of this hair if this is what the design have to show for it.

[maibhalsych]

i was so excited to have a hairstyle in the game that (almost) looked like mine. that fact that so many years in, there are still only 2 universal textured hairs is so disappointing and i really hope the team takes time to fix this

[lucatracy]

You mean like the kpop twink hairstyle we got in 7.0?

Took a look back, and oh my god you're right, they've ALREADY implemented a winner without this "inspired by" shit. There's no way this wasn't intentional then, they put more care into their wording instead of the actual hair as a form of damage control. At this point, I refuse to believe otherwise, and the fact that they seem to have known this would've happened and still released the hair as-is is so unbelievably ridiculous and unprofessional.

[Fatch38]

Chiming in again to add as well regarding games managing textured hair using similar methods to FFXIV. Guild Wars 2, which has been brought up a few times in the thread, is honestly a great example. GW2 lauched in 2012, one year before FFXIV: ARR in 2013, and has not had any sort of high end graphics update since then, still working with the same engine, shaders etc since its launch. In the Path of Fire expansion in 2017, GW2 added SEVERAL textured and afro styles to the game and to great success:

Screenshots don't give you the full impact, but in 3D view and inspecting them in game, they DO use the same flat texture method that a lot of hairstyles in FFXIV use, but stacked, rotated and layered on top of one another. Not only that, but on the more styled hairs seen there, the textures are actually different to appear more velvet-esc in regards on how light bounces across the hair (unlike the more defined highlights which can be seen typically in caucasian hair).

So to say in the least, it's entirely not impossible for such textured hair to be implemented, perhaps with a little more effort on the devs side, but still no excuse regardless. Moreso as someone else pointed out earlier in the thread, some bushes and shrubs in this game literally have more detail and depth than what they did to this hair.

what's is even crazier, the female hairstyle on the bottom right is what the contest hair should look like ig

[TinyRaptor]

Chiming in for the first time ever because not only was I excited for the hairstyle for my own characters, but for friends who were excited they would finally feel more represented.

At first glance, didn't even realize this was supposed to be *that* hairstyle. Adding it into the game as-is is disrespectful to the original winner and people who sport the hairstyle in real life. the fact that the visual teams can lovingly render tacos and grapes so well but are dropping the ball on a hairstyle that is so important to members of the playerbase is...It feels like a smack in the face.

Other games have successfully introduced textured hairstyles even more detailed. Surely FFXIV can do the same?

[strigiformes]

Even when I was scrolling through the patch notes this morning, my first thought when I saw that hairstyle was "that looks unfinished" ... and then I learned what hairstyle it was supposed to be. This doesn't even deserve a "you tried" sticker. You didn't even try.

This was my reaction as well. It does not look good in any respect. If the modelers needed more time to make this one work within the game, they should've taken that time instead of delivering something this insulting to those of us who wanted it. As plenty of people in this thread have mentioned, it should be within their power. Take this one back to team and rework it, please. Take the time to produce actual quality work that doesn't disrespect your diverse player base.