Questions about Character Model, Photo Mode, and Potential Mod Request:

[Soylencer]

So, I think most of use that have used better photo modes (like Cyberpunk, or Horizon Zero Dawn, for two examples) realize some of the shortcomings of Starfields' photo mode.

One of the things I am having trouble with, is that I can't tell for sure but it seems they are using a lower LoD/ lower quality model for the Player Character in the overworld than they do in the menus and/or character creator. This would not be the only game to do this. the other option is that it could just be the awkward lighting system that makes a lot of photo mode shots of your characters' face look so wonky.

Is there anyone who can validate my suspicion about the LoD? And if that is indeed the case, is it possible to force the game to use the better LoD model for the character at all times/distances? [specifically, 3rd person cam and photo mode]?

Or are there lighting maps or something that are causing the issue? I kind of know what I am talking about, but not enough to solve the issue myself.

[RyanLightning]

Typically LOD detail is determined by distance from the camera. Unless you're moving very far away from your character when taking your photo in photo mode (I don't know if it's even possible to get that far from your character in photo mode), the LOD modelling should be the same regardless of being in the UI/inventory screen or "in-game." The UI has a really shitty lighting source(s). Try finding a spot in game with good 'natural' lighting to take your portraits

[Soylencer]

Typically LOD detail is determined by distance from the camera. Unless you're moving very far away from your character when taking your photo in photo mode (I don't know if it's even possible to get that far from your character in photo mode), the LOD modelling should be the same regardless of being in the UI/inventory screen or "in-game." The UI has a really shitty lighting source(s). Try finding a spot in game with good 'natural' lighting to take your portraits

I know about typically, but there are instances where games will have higher/lower detail models for things that are intended to be on screen with more presence...

 

At any rate, I think you are right about the lighting being the issue. It's wild how much variance it makes.

[zanity]

Beautification of Beth games always happens after certain types of mods become doable and common. Go look at various Skyrim channels for instance, that make the visuals of the game look simply glorious.

 

The vanilla experience in Starfield is visually rotten, so photos taken via Todd's 'genius' level in-game tools are going to look terrible. This is just a fact of all the technical short-comings of the game - lighting, models, LOD system, focus system etc. Remember the LOD system is BROKEN when using any image scaling tech (AMD or Intel or Nvidia), cos Todd's agenda hires were too thick to even read the manual. There is a mod that fixes this particular bug though.

 

The common advice is to look at Cyberpunk, and count how many years it took to even address obvious issues- the answer being just short of TWO years (2.0 releases in a few days). Cyberpunk was barely moddable though. Starfield is very moddable (within the limitations and confines of its engine), so modders will do all the work Todd's agenda hires could never do, lacking all relevant technical skills.

 

I'm hoping the entire game can be relit, and someone can figure out how to hack correct geometry for sky 'sprites' in the sky-box. Imagine planets with massive moons or suns against the horizon, like in so many SF paintings.

 

HZD was mentioned. At times that game had amazing vistas. Now that Sony 'exclusives' appear on the PC 6 months to two years later, we get to see exactly what state-of-the-art dev teams can make our computers do. Shaming the awful visual rubbish from Bethesda even more. Beth is just lucky that only they do this very appealing form of open world. I cannot deny that these Beth games have given me so much pleasure. And yet from an industry engineering perspective, given the budget and dev time, Bethesda is a shameful inexcusable failure. a direct equivalent to modern day Disney in TV and film.