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[Draugoth]

YouTube’s ‘Cycu1’ has shared an early graphics video comparison between the 2022 and 2023 demos of Bethesda’s upcoming triple-A title, Starfield. And, as the title implies, there have been some noticeable downgrades.

As you can see, the faces and facial hair of all characters look noticeably worse in the 2023 demo. I really don’t know what’s going on here, but the characters were my main issue with the 2023 demo. All of them now appear flat, and their facial hair looks awful. Their eyes also now lack a lot of detail, making them feel lifeless and… dare to say… even worse than old-gen characters.

The good news is that Bethesda was able to maintain the quality of the game’s environments. Not only that, but it has added a few higher-quality environmental assets in some areas. The TOD (time of day) has also changed in some scenes, meaning that we don’t have 1-1 comparisons for its lighting/TOD.

And yes, there are some “artistic” changes. For instance, the main room at 2:00 now has a dust/haze effect and a different TOD. These are fine, and we don’t really mind these changes. However, we can’t overlook the major downgrade of all of the game’s characters.

 

[FlyyGOD]

Anything to make themselves feel better I guess. People were up in arms last year about not liking the look of Starfield.

 

[lmimmfn]

The scope of this is huge, graphical downgrades should be the least of our worries.
I prefer if it lives up to expectations, in terms of what you can do, gunplay etc.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

The cottage industry that sprung up overnight desperately trying to piss in everyone's Cheerios over this game is entertaining in its own right.

 

[feynoob]

I can't get over the eyes. The old eyes model were nice. Newer one seems creepy.

 

[Meicyn]

Still buying this and FFXVI and whatever other games folks are going to shit on.

 

[Mister Wolf]

His suit looks way better in 2023.

 

[Topher]

Could that be PC version vs Xbox version?

 

[93xfan]

His suit looks way better in 2023.

Yeah, a number of things are upgraded. Trees in new Atlantis, a number of textures. But yes, I did prefer the eyes in the old one.

 

[The Dead Flag Blues]

2023 pretty much the same just with improved lighting. Calling it a downgrade is silly.

 

[bender]

Could that be PC version vs Xbox version?

Could Bethesda be terrible at character modeling and animation?

 

[damidu]

character models are incredibly bad in both examples honestly. they are basically fallout 4 level in this day and age.
they seem to have improved plenty of other stuff except these.

 

[Hollowpoint5557]

The amount of cope being produced is hilarious. The game looks stellar (pun intended).

 

[Batiman]

The showing overall was way better in this recent showcase. Had everything. Hard for these little “downgrades” to bother me TBH.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

It's a Bethesda game. If you go in expecting generation-defining graphics you're doing it wrong.

That they're managing visuals this good on that rickety old engine is a miracle. We should be grateful

 

[lefty1117]

PC will look like 2022

 

[Mr Moose]

Their character models have always been shit, but... This time they are less shit, but depends on the lighting.

 

[Kiraly]

You know this game got them shook Every mediocre "totally organic" outlet toeing the line from above.

 

[sendit]

It’s not a downgrade, it’s a “creative decision”.

 

[brian0057]

I can't overstate just how little I care if there's been some perceived downgrade in the visual department.
Graphical fidelity is at the bottom of my list of things I care about Starfield.
I'm way more concerned by the fact that it's a Bethesda game launching in 2023.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

the lighting looks better in the new one.

 

[Topher]

The showing overall was way better in this recent showcase. Had everything. Hard for these little “downgrades” to bother me TBH.

Pretty much where I'm at as well. The meat in that showcase was real. I'm literally seeing myself playing this game 5+ years from now just like I still do with Oblivion and Skyrim.

 

[bender]

I'm literally seeing myself playing this game 5+ years from now just like I still do with Oblivion and Skyrim.

 

[Topher]

 

[Danjin44]

character models are incredibly bad in both examples honestly. they are basically fallout 4 level in this day and age.
they seem to have improved plenty of other stuff except these.

To me Bethesda was never good at making good looking character models, I think most people who are in to Bethesda games already expect that and doesn't bother them.

 

[Balducci30]

It looks better tho?

 

[VolticArchangel]

Looking for visual epitomy in a Bethesda Games Studios game is not even the last of things anyone remotely interested in their games would worry about. This is not Naughty Dog or Rockstar where people go in expecting a visual treat.

Even if there's a slight downgrade, it's serviceable. If you want the best looking version, that is about to be 10x better than even the 2022 build, then play it on PC, fully modded, like a fully modded PC version of Skyrim that's almost nextgen.

 

[BusierDonkey]

Fallout 4 had a lot of visual critiques at launch. It didn't stop me from enjoying the game and it didn't take long for modders to completely overhaul the graphics either.

I actually thought the new footage was an improvement over the first reveal footage but then again, I just watched it, I didn't dissect it.

 

[Gravemind]

Let the boys cope.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Looks better to me now for the characters

And the environments and towns got a big upgrade….so this is fud

 

[Warablo]

I mean the characters do look pretty bad except for a few outliers. Kinda eerie uncanny valley in a lot of them.

 

[MrA]

outside of the hair on the black woman nothing looks worse to me. but even that looks like they just changed her hairstyle

 

[Johnny Concrete]

Another case of ‘they changed the lighting and everything looks different, but sure call it a downgrade’.

Maybe, just maybe this game features dynamic weather and time of day and getting the exact same shot twice is near impossible?

 

[FrankWza]

It’s not a downgrade, it’s a “creative decision”.

 

[Chronicle]

It's Starfield. A huge open world rpg. Skyrim looked like ass and fallout looks like shit but they're a ton of fun! Looks just fine to me.

 

[GigaBowser]

What in tarnation? Get riiight outta town with this crud looks better

 

[tusharngf]

bethesda games never had cutting-edge graphics and characters. Its the mod what make them look good. NPC overhaul mod will be there in a month or so when the game releases. Sadly these things will be fixed by mod community only.

 

[MidGenRefresh]

They need to get their eyes checked.

 

[Max_Po]

R O F L ..


the responses are truely pathetic..

 

[Rea]

The game doesn't look good in the 1st place. Either way it's gonna be a fun game who the fuck cares downgrade or not.

 

[Little Chicken]

uuuhhhh....

2023 clearly looks better. The implementation of lighting and sub-surface scattering on the character models is far superior than the shiny, Fallout 4-esque 2022 version.

 

[SirTerry-T]

Don't care. Still playing it.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

If you asked people which version was the bad version on unlabeled shots, I don't think you'd get consistent answers.

 

[Sacred]

I highly disagree, the lighting and the environments got a huge upgrade especially the towns, depending on the lighting these characters can look drastically better. So this entire witch-hunt is disingenuous.

 

[Comandr]

Fast forward 6 years to YouTube videos saying “300 MODS TO MAKE STARFIELD LOOK BETTER THAN REAL LIFE!!!!!” These games… they live on mods. Who cares what the vanilla experience looks like? You can just completely change it anyway. Wake me up when there’s real news.

 

[Black_Stride]

Spec maps toned down on eyes?
Higher contrast in 2022 trailer?
Wasnt the Starfield 2023 presentation notoriously lacking contrast.


P.S The lighting looks much better now.

 

[Ribi]

The scope of this is huge, graphical downgrades should be the least of our worries.
I prefer if it lives up to expectations, in terms of what you can do, gunplay etc.

I like how scope for something like starfield is a plus but when other games try to go big they get shit on and told to scale everything down.

 

[GymWolf]

The fact that even the downgraded stuff didn't looked too hot to begin with it's the fun part.

 

[DenchDeckard]

This was demod on xbox series x at 30fps this year.

I imagine pc could look like the left. Also, the guys suit says Barrett on it now...clear upgrade...lol

 

[TBiddy]

"Noticeable". Suuuuuureee..

Starfield was never going to be the most visual stunning game in history. We all knew that. And who cares? That's not why we play Bethesda games.