In April, Naoki Yoshida announced a fundamental overhaul of the highly criticized benchmark software for the Dawntrail expansion of Final Fantasy XIV. Now the FFXIV head explained in detail what is happening and when we can expect the update.
Why was there criticism of the benchmark software? The tool has been in use for many years, allowing you to find out if your PC has enough performance for the MMORPG before launching a new expansion of Final Fantasy XIV. Additionally, it always provides a first look at some of the new content of the add-on.
However, the rather old technology of the benchmark software collided with the major graphics update that is supposed to come with Dawntrail. Thus, the program displayed the characters of many players incorrectly, raising concerns that the comprehensive visual improvements could adversely affect the appearance of the characters.
The final trailer of Dawntrail sets the mood for the new expansion of Final Fantasy XIV:
The benchmark is now a top priority
What new information did Yoshi-P provide? On the official Lodestone of Final Fantasy XIV, the producer and director explained that the re-release of the extensively revised benchmark software is planned for May 23 or later. The following actions are to be taken until then:
- The initial review of the recent adjustments to the graphics update is currently ongoing, focusing on environmental parameters such as lighting, light source positioning, and weather. These will equally affect the benchmark software as well as version 7.0 of Final Fantasy XIV. Once the lead artists have completed their checks, a final review will be conducted by Naoki Yoshida himself.
- Based on comprehensive feedback from the community, a variety of corrections and adjustments will be made in the next two weeks. This will be followed by several approval processes, such as by the QA team and again by the head.
Due to the large number of feedback, screenshots, and data, many of the problem points could be quickly identified and potential solutions developed. Since the developers want to address as many potential problem areas of the graphics update as possible, it is currently unclear whether the May 23 date can actually be met for the benchmark re-release.
As for the development and completion of Dawntrail, the team is still said to be on schedule, according to Naoki Yoshida. If you want to learn more about the new chapter of FFXIV, check out our overview: Final Fantasy XIV brings new expansion Dawntrail – Release date and all information
