Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail will bring graphic and system updates to the game! Find out what the new system requirements are, and what will change with the upcoming expansion.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is the upcoming fifth expansion that was just announced for the popular MMORPG, and which will launch in summer 2024. The expansion will not only bring new content and features to the game, but also enhance its graphics and certain systems.
Higher Resolution Textures and Shadows
The expansion will update the textures and shadows of the game to a higher resolution, making them look sharper and smoother. The developers have said that they have tried to balance the quality and performance of the game, as well as preserve its known look and style.
Some of the areas where these changes are most visible are in skin textures, hair, and more realistic eyes. On the image below, which can also be found here, you can see the difference between the current and the upcoming textures and shadows.
Improved Material Qualities
Another change that Dawntrail will bring to the game is the improved material qualities of various objects and surfaces. The material qualities are the properties that define how an object or surface looks and behaves when light hits it, such as color, brightness, reflectivity, transparency, etc. The improved material qualities mean that these properties will be more accurate and realistic, making them look better and more diverse.
Dye System Update
The dye system is a feature that allows players to change the color of their armor or clothing by using different types of dyes. With the update coming in FFXIV: Dawntrail, players will be able to change the color of their armor or clothing twice, separately. This means that outfits can simply be customized even more freely and creatively.
Talking about creative outfits, Dawntrail will also add another slot to gear for glasses. This means that players no longer have to choose between a hat or glasses; they can simply wear both, separately!
Housing Furnishing Limit Increase
The expansion will increase the housing furnishing limit for all types of housing. This means that players can place more items in their houses or apartments, giving them more options to decorate their homes. However, this change will not release with 7.0, as the developers have said, and will be added in a later patch.
System Requirements Update
The system requirements of the game will change due to the graphics update, so players may need to update their hardware and/or software accordingly. You can see the updated system requirements below.
In addition, the developers have also said that they will still support PS4 players, but they encourage them to upgrade to PS5 if possible.
Whiteboard Style Toolbox
Another great tool, coming with FFXIV: Dawntrail, will be a whiteboard style toolbox in game that will help players figure out strategies for fights. The whiteboard style toolbox for the Strategy Board, is a feature that will allow players to draw and write on a virtual whiteboard that can be shared with other players in their party or alliance.
This feature will help players who may have difficulties using voice chat or typing in chat during fights. We have also learned that various tools and options will be added to the whiteboard style toolbox, such as different colors, shapes, symbols, text, etc.
That is it for now. But there will be plenty more news coming up, as we will surely receive much more information and interesting details about the upcoming expansion during this weekend’s Fan Festival. So stay tuned!
