But as neat as it is, there aren’t many in-game resources for teaching the ins and outs of how to use Gpose. So, being the stunning photographer that I am — that’s sarcasm, by the way — I’ve got a few of my bestFFXIVGpose tips and tricks to share with you budding Scholars.
Your FFXIV Gpose Tool kit
Stop whatever you’re doing inFFXIVright now and type ‘/gpose’ in the chat log. Even if you’re fighting for your life againstKing Thordan, anything and everything is a photo op for the brave. This brings up the screenshot system’s in-game menu with tools for lighting, filters, camera positioning, emotes, and more. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll assume you’ve found thescreenshot folder, and are familiar with hotkeys and some of the basics.
Check yourFFXIVSystem SettingsEven if only for screenshots, I crank everything up on my PC for the perfect photo moment. Of course, you’re limited on consoles, but for those looking to elevate their gpose a little further, just prioritize making the shot good and not your gameplay experience. Typically, I crank everything up to max. I don’t likeLimb Darkening; it’s simply an effect that shades in the game’s edges. I keepRadial blurtoggled off, too.
If you aren’t recording something, there’s no need to worry much about your framerate. My current PC can handle the load, but when using a rig that sputtered and struggled, I limited my framerate to 30 for Gpose.
Change your Gamma CorrectionIt’s a decade old, so the game’s washed-out look is partially a product of age, but it doesn’t need to be that bad. Under Display Settings, I turnFull Screen Gamma Correctionall the way down to zero. It’s at 50 by default and makes the world look like a layer of color has been stripped away. Note, this also makes it harder to see at night, but that’s less of an obstacle if this is only for a photo.
Location, location, location
The time, weather, and scenery all matter. When I’m looking to crank up the angst, I put on my best Dark Knight outfit and head to the snowy hellscapes of Coerthas. For the above photo, I dropped into Ultima Thule and put my Miqo’te’s best purply-pink outfit on to tap into her inner Astrologian. When I’m taking a screenshot to show off new glamour, it’s simply not enough to stand by the market board and strike a pose.
I’ve gotten quite picky about it, too. In the Black Shroud, Odin’s Steel Reign Fate spawns during a particularly ominous-looking weather event, Tension. The storm and fog make for some great screenshots, and the zone is accessible to even the newest explorers in Eorzea. And while it doesn’t matter much with the clouds and fog of Odin, remember lighting based on the time of day matters, too. But we’ve got a whole section for that.
Lighting in FFXIV Gpose
The Golden HourReal photographers use the ‘Golden Hour’ in outdoor shots, and you should try those same rules inFFXIV. During the daytime, when the sun is either rising or setting, the MMO’s skies turn magnificent shades of bright blue, orange, yellow, and pink.
Enter Gpose around18:00 – 19:00 Eorzean Time, or ~17:40, to catch the sunset. Sunrise begins at 6:00 and ends around 7:00 ET.
Lighting SettingsYou’ve got three lights in Gpose, so make use of them to add a little drama or just visibility. I often turn off Character Lighting and only use the three camera lights for my shots. After selecting the 1, 2, or 3 lighting position, move your camera to the angle and direction you’d like the light to come from. Try adjusting the red, green, and blue tones in each shot to compliment the location, area lighting, and character.
Try getting wetThis one isn’t as silly as it sounds. If clothing textures or character skin tones look at little flat, some shots benefit from toggling theWet Attireeffect on. It’s under the second tab, Effect/Frame Settings. Turning it on and off shouldn’t ruin the moment, so try enabling and disabling the effect to see if it helps or hurts your photo.
Strike a (G)pose
Emotes and expressionsRemember, you can change your Expression to replace your General/Special emote’s default look. So, instead of grinning through the /Cheer emote, pair something like /Smirk with it. Different combinations can yield some interesting results to convey actions and expressionsFFXIVdoesn’t have in its default emote list, so play around to find something unique for your Warrior of Light.
Toggle Battle EffectsMy static never remembers to reset their last action before I hit /Gpose for a group photo, so this tip comes in handy. If you’re trying to pose with a friend and they’ve got a bright Glare right in the camera, selectToggle Battle EffectsOff at the Gpose menu.
Character Display SettingsThat annoying NPC in the background? You don’t have to keep them in your shot. The last tab in Gpose covers Character Display Settings. Other players, minions, NPCs, and even companions can be removed from screenshots, so don’t settle for anyone’s minion photobombing the moment.
Adjusting the Camera
FFXIV Reshade and post-processing
I’m not endorsing usingFFXIVmods, but I’ll say my opinion anyway: not all sins are equal, actually. TheFFXIVTerms of Service are rather clear on their stance, but it’s well-known within the MMO’s community that tons of players use third-party add-ons like Reshade. It’s a mod mostly used to liven up the in-game colors, but I’ve seen some folks use it to make hard-to-read battle effects clearer. The game doesn’t offer many accessibility tools for those of us with vision difficulties, so I get it.
However, to be clear, Square Enix saysthe use of any third-party tool can get you banned.
Regardless, Reshade adds a plethora of camera effects toFFXIVnot available in the vanilla Gshade kit. There are options for RTGI, sharpening tricks, different blurs, color toning, camera depth, and more. You can do a lot with vanillaFFXIVGpose options, but if you see anything out of the ordinary fancy, it’s most likely Reshade.
There’s alsoNvidia GeForce Experience, which includes theNvidia Freestylefeature. In my experience, this add-on makes games brilliant, bright, and just all-around pleasant to look at, but tanks performance. My biggest tip here is don’t use anything like this in tough battles, but if you’ve stopped to smell the flowers for a screenshot moment, perhaps it’s worth toggling effects on.
When I’m being extra meticulous about my in-game photography, I drop screenshots intoAdobe Lightroom and Photoshop. I know I’m not the only one, either. You can apply tutorials from real-life photos toFFXIVscreenshots; sometimes, the results are pretty neat.
