As an ex-graphic artist. I tried to make sure the game has a balance of realism and fantasy like feel. But at the same time make sure the game does not stress the GPU. I can personally say, you won’t think of Final Fantasy 14 the same ever again. Enjoy a surreal world, and put them gaming glasses on, cause your eyes wont feel the same ever again.

Be Sure to join the StormShade Discord! (These settings are the most tricky ones out of all presets)

Quick Overwrite Plug and Play Link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zal_0zCKT7EmvDKWK73KMbssbEvClR2u

^ Was for many players having issues StormShade, Note: Do not update your ReShade from the Original Stormshade.

True challenge is playing with ADOF on, be like me! Make Depth count into the fight, and be like a camera man, everything counts! 😉

Role: Gameplay & Screenshots.

There will be an update once I tweak settings to meet Real Life reflections.

These settings are hand tweaked, and adds depth and realism to the entire game, as well shadows and contrast to feel that you are in a 3D environment.

Updated 6/28/2019 (Added New effects / Removed some effects)

What do you need?:

1. Stormshade 4.0+ (Is a must)
2. Espresso Glow Ver.9+ (Must have)

Notes:

• Adjust in game gamma to correspond with the post-processing of the filters adjusted by this preset via System Settings FFXIV.
• Do not update your ReShade/Stormshade unless there is a latest version of Stormshade, it will make some of the filters incapable of working.
• To toggle the settings of depth of field, turn off ADOF in the drop down menu of Stormshade.
• qUINT_mxao adds above the shadows for character and lighter on processing power
• CA added 5/1 for RGB alignment to make a more in depth feel and colorization
• Important — Turn on your in game FXAA for resolving highlighted/Blurred lines
• Important — Lower your in game graphic settings to a degree that you are still able play 60 FPS. The Post-processing should fix up the settings regardless, and do not want it to conflict with in game settings.

Order of Effects must be as followed: Keep FXAA on in game, preventing white highlights on models.

1. FFXIV_UI_Display_Top_Keep (For Those who have issue with UI Blur *Note: Cinema’s cut-scenes will revert to normal, and some clipping may occur but hardly noticeable, as well as some job gauges will have highlights which is due to the game file and not Stormshade itself.)
2. FilmGrain2
3. CA
4. AmbientLIght
5. ADOF
6. MXAO (qUINT_mxao)
   1. MXAO (Extra Shadowing *If Graphics card is capable)
7. Tonemap
8. Technicolor2
9. DepthHaze
10. FFXIVMultiLUT (Adjust on your own accord, this will switch realism day and night settings)
11. FilmicPass
12. LUT
13. HDR
14. GaussianBlur
15. AdaptiveSharpen
16. Lightroom
17. Colourfulness
18. FFXIV_UIDisplay_Bottom_Restore (For Those who have issue with UI Blur)
19. Curves
20. SMAA (Last)

Thanks enjoy, spread the word.
Oni Akuma – Gilgamesh #Demon_MNK

Credits: Rose Chan (For Bloom and Chromatic Aberration tweaks)

PS: To those with the issue of Blur on UI. Please be aware of the FFXIV UI Display.fx filter. Using the Top_Keep as your first Filter and Bottom_Restore as your last filter to restore your UI. I updated the settings on the regular but recognize that every screen and manufacturer has its own contrast ratio. Therefore I agree, that this will not look the same, as I tried it on 3 different screens. But the Gamma must be adjusted in game from FFXIV menu and not the ReShade menu.