Suggestion about the in-game character models in DSE

[key7870]

I stayed up watching the trailer last night and saw the new trailer the moment it dropped… I was so excited!!!DSE looks like a great game. It adds a lot of interesting new mechanics compared to DST. I absolutely love it.

 

But while watching the trailer, I noticed something off about the in-game character models. Their faces look more angular… and more importantly, they don’t seem to blend well with the atmosphere of the environments. They kind of stand out in a jarring way — which might hurt the gameplay experience.

 

The character portraits also seem to have lost some of their original personality. They don’t really look like themselves anymore. They look a bit off… and that honestly made me feel frustrated.

 

The art in the animated cutscene is really good! But the in-game portraits don’t match that same quality… and thinking about having to look at those faces throughout the game makes me feel uneasy.

 

I understand the game is still in an unfinished state.

 

I’d like to know if the devs are planning to improve this. I really hope Klei see this.

 

I’ve been playing Don’t Starve for many years. I really really want this game to be even better… and I love Wilson — especially how funny and unlucky he is.

 

Below, I’ll go into more detail about what feels off to me, as well as some other issues I’ve noticed.

 

I’m not a professional — But I really love this game. If you don’t agree with me, that’s totally fine — feel free to discuss!

 

I wasn't sure what image to include… so here's my doodle.

 

[robynnlazarus]

Can’t agree more. For example, we’ve seen that “speechless” face of Wilson since 2013 and I do understand that Klei wants to make more differences from before. But I have to say that I really like the art style that started from DS to DST. Or, in another word, it still fits DSE so that it will be easier for players to recognize that “oh they are still stuck in the DS Universe”. I do hope that Klei would use the appearances of these old characters. 🤗

[key7870]

I know the game is still in development, so it‘s normal to have some issues! I trust that Klei will polish it well✨

 

The art styles of the characters, plants, and animals don’t feel very consistent — it kind of breaks the immersion.

 

Wilson has a permanent shadow on his face, which looks unnatural.

Other creatures and items don’t have their shadows arranged this way.

It also conflicts with the lighting system — the in‑game lighting moves with the light source, but the shadow on his face is just a static texture, always facing the same direction.

It actually looks better without that shadow.

 

Maybe it was meant to make him look gaunt?

But his face is already drawn quite square here, and adding a square shadow on top makes it work even less. I think at least one of them should be changed (pls pls back to sharper shapeTMT).

 

 

Wilson and Willow’s overall vibes have changed a lot! I feel this model doesn‘t really capture their original personalities — which might not sit well with old Don’t Starve players who care about that nostalgic feel.

The animated cutscenes look great though └(>o< )┘

 

I know a lot of people don't really care about this change… I thought about it for a long time, but still decided to say something.

 

Even if nothing changes, that's okay — at least I tried my best(

 

Also, Don't Starve uses skeletal animation, and it's still early in development. Changing it probably wouldn't be that hard… who knows, maybe?

[-Nick-]

I do like the redesigns and the slight differences in facial features. Its makes them feel much more mature and grown.

However I do agree that the odd drawn lighting doesn't make much sense with the dynamic lighting.

I hope that they touch up the player models and refine them a bit more.

Edited April 10 by -Nick-

[Pruinae]

I really like the changes. Idk how to explain it exactly, but the DSE ones look like the characters while the DST ones look like caricatures of the characters? I love the extra details they were able to fit in.

I also like how the background (floor, water) has softer lines than the characters and objects, I imagine it will make places with lots of objects look a little less busy, making the game less overwhelming visually. And I think it will also make character skins easier to see, in DST a lot of details are lost depending on where you are standing or as soon as you zoom out a little.

[key7870]

13 minutes ago, -Nick- said:

我很喜欢这些重新设计和面部特征的细微差别。这让他们看起来更加成熟稳重。

不过我确实认为，这种奇怪的手绘光照与动态光照不太搭调。

我希望他们能对球员模型进行一些改进和完善。

I get it! Under the new art style, Wilson looks a bit more mature... and that‘s perfect!

But compared to the animated cutscenes, the in‑game character models don’t look as good — the static shadow on his face just makes that flaw more obvious. A small change there would go a long way.

37 minutes ago, Pruinae said:

我真的很喜欢这些改动。我不太会形容，但感觉DSE的角色看起来更像他们自己，而DST的角色看起来更像是角色的漫画形象？我很喜欢他们加入的那些额外细节。

我也很喜欢背景（地板、水面）的线条比角色和物体更柔和，我想这会让物体较多的场景看起来不那么拥挤，让游戏画面不那么杂乱。而且我觉得这样也能让角色皮肤更容易看清，在DST里，很多细节会因为视角变化或者稍微拉远镜头而看不清。

I also really like the more realistic art style of DSE. My eyes lit up when I saw the trailer!

Yeah… I think I get what you mean. But the new art style doesn't quite blend with the environment yet — including the lighting part I mentioned earlier. It feels a bit off to me. I just hope it gets better. The old style was definitely more cartoony — maybe that was part of Don't Starve's identity? Change is good, but making it fit even better would be ideal.

About the skins being clearer — I'm not so sure. In the trailer, their skins actually looked kinda blurry. The clothes they wear are very detailed and aristocratic, but once you zoom out, the details get lost. Also the scenes are dark — or rather, the characters are dark while the items are bright.

I don't mind this point though, because I really like those outfits.

As for the environments… the water ripples and shadows are beautiful — I really love them! The view does feel less crowded. But right now the camera is also a bit high, making the world feel a bit empty. I hope they can find a better balance — for example, in this shot… important things are small and hard to see, while most of the grass area is empty. I'm also curious how the item slots will be designed.

[Clorose7]

Finally found someone who thinks the same as me. Wilson's face looks so weird — it's really uncomfortable to look at. Hope Klei can improve it soon

[-Nick-]

1 hour ago, key7870 said:

But compared to the animated cutscenes, the in‑game character models don’t look as good — the static shadow on his face just makes that flaw more obvious. A small change there would go a long way.

Given how early development the game looks to be in, Klei can refine the in-game models. The line art and shapes of the current in-game characters do look rough. Especially the side view of Wilson's face, It is very flat looking.

[Creatorofswamps]

I really like how the characters look now, they have more depth and detail.  if  don't see the original design for a long time and look at the new one, it seems like that's how it should be, if you know what I mean

[luvu2bits]

Honestly, I think the art just needs time to settle. I feel the same way, it looks weird and off to me, but I think I only feel that way because the majority of the characters' assets have remained unchanged for well over a decade now. In DST I felt many new, interesting looking skins that had clearly grown beyond the original artstyle were somewhat held back by needing to still use the ancient face assets for consistency. I think right now it's weird. And it's gonna be weird for some time. I mean, Wilson's had that same face for literally more than half of my entire time being alive. But I think it'll feel negligible in time.

[Harrowick]

I love the new, refreshed take on their designs! It's so nice to see the core cast(?) getting to take this next step together!!

(?) - that is if all the core cast is showing up! 

 

[Ninja_096]

I personally like the new outfits and how they seem more experienced and stuff,but i do have to agree, some of the stuff like the shadow looks wrong and i dont really know if i dig the new look if some parts of the characters key physical appearance like the nose is changed like Wilsons side profile,ill still love the game either way! Its just a bit upsetting to see it changed since I've seen a handful of people who loved Wilson's arched nose

[key7870]

16 hours ago, robynnlazarus said:

完全同意。比如，我们从2013年就一直看到威尔逊那副“无言”的表情，我也理解Klei想要做出更多改变。但我必须说，我真的很喜欢从《黑暗之魂》到《饥荒：联机版》的艺术风格。或者换句话说，它仍然很适合《黑暗之魂特别版》，这样玩家更容易意识到“哦，他们仍然身处《黑暗之魂》的世界”。我真心希望Klei能够沿用这些老角色的形象 。🤗

Yes, this!! I really hope they can balance the new stuff with the old feel. I love how bold Klei is being with DSE, but they still need to keep some of that classic character charm. Just want everything to feel more cohesive.
 

9 hours ago, Creatorofswamps said:

我真的很喜欢现在的角色造型，更有层次感和细节。如果很久没看到原版设计，再看看新版，你会觉得这才是它应有的样子，你懂我的意思吧？

I get what you mean. And that's exactly the issue — I play every day and look at him all the time. If I saw him as a completely new character, the problems wouldn't be that obvious. But because I know the character so well, those issues really stand out.

A couple of small changes would fix it. I actually like the overall design.

 

[Edible Coal]

they got new homed

[key7870]

13 hours ago, -Nick- said:

鉴于游戏目前仍处于早期开发阶段，Klei 还有机会完善游戏内的模型。目前游戏角色的线条和造型确实显得比较粗糙，尤其是威尔逊的侧脸，看起来非常扁平。

Yeah... hope they'll make it more refined later.I'm sure Klei can do it!

 

I‘m worried people might have misunderstood me! I’m not unhappy with the whole design... The outfit for Wilson in DSE looks really cool — like a fallen noble. He looks more mature, with that world-weary vibe. I  like that!

It‘s precisely because I like him that I want these small details to be improved, to make him even better.
 

[hhh2]

19 hours ago, key7870 said:

Maybe it was meant to make him look gaunt?

But his face is already drawn quite square here, and adding a square shadow on top makes it work even less.

Here here.  I share this concern.  The shade gives Wilson a sickly appearance as if he hadn't eaten for weeks.  As you feel, it is actually a distressing shape. 

Don't Starve Together wilson in-game face is a shape that's like a sharp nail of a dragon.  So this strong shade makes us interpret a different more complex shape in that we see cheekbones.   

 

Replacing it with the lighter tones recreates the familiar shape that I think looks more attractive and healthy.  Maybe that's not the best look.  I need to gather more opinions than just my own.

 

19 hours ago, Clorose7 said:

Finally found someone who thinks the same as me. Wilson's face looks so weird — it's really uncomfortable to look at. Hope Klei can improve it soon

I know it's tragic that Wilson looks so disquieting.  Imagine if Wendy looked like she had been in an internment camp like this.  There'd be uproar!

 

In another concern I think Elsewhere Wilson's face is too long and narrow.   It could be compacted to let his forehead shine

 

I don't know how I feel looking at these edits.  Tell me what you think @key7870

 

 

[DimokKio]

[TRANSLATOR ALERT]

My Vision of Webber in DSE

I’m certainly no artist, but I wanted to share my personal vision of Webber.

I decided to compare the classic Webber from DST with my concept for DSE. Here are the key differences:

1. The DSE Webber has a much darker and sharper outline, giving him a more mature and grimmer look

2. Instead of simple stripes, his fur in DSE consists of distinct locks of hair which, around the eyes, flow in a specific way to create an outline.

3. In DSE Webber now has hairstyle which closely resembles or even matches the hair he had back when he was a human child
4. He now wears a scarf
5. His eyes are more mature and "predatory." I’ve added highlights to the pupils, and the lower shading (eye bags/shadows) is now dark grey instead of white
6. The extra pair of eyes and small fangs on his forehead are now framed by fur to form a small face. This represents his dual nature
7. This version is more mature and adapted. He has broader shoulders and larger hands. The spider legs on his head are longer and stronger, ending in functional claws

If any artists are interested, feel free to draw him in action: Сlimbing walls or using webbing like a rope to swing between buildings and mountains. If you want to add an enemy, draw Webber diving at them with a spear or hands with his bare paws. Or perhaps, show his cozy spider-web house high up in a tree where no one else can reach him.

[hhh2]

30 minutes ago, DimokKio said:

He now wears a scarf

30 minutes ago, DimokKio said:

He has broader shoulders and larger hands

 Did you just want to make him a JoJos character.  Looks like Joseph Joestar.

 

Your drawing is cool!

[DimokKio]

I decided to add a belt with pockets made of spider web. (Is his inventory)

37 minutes ago, DimokKio said:

 

 

 

Edited April 11 by DimokKio

[DimokKio]

9 minutes ago, hhh2 said:

 Did you just want to make him a JoJos character.  Looks like Joseph Joestar.

 

Your drawing is cool!

 

Hahaha  Even though I'm familiar with JJBA (a friend and I just watched the first episode of SBR today) and generally know what the franchise is about, the resemblance was a total accident!
I made his eyes that way to give him a more mature look, fitting for a new, darker style. The scarf was added because it's cute and suits the design (in my design, Webber actually wove it himself!).
As for the physique, I wanted to show that Webber has grown up and is still growing. Buff Webber is actually kind of canon - in the cinematics and some menus, his body is often a broad trapezoid or an inverted triangle (where the top is wider than the bottom, a build usually only Wolfgang has). The hair is based on the cinematics and guesses on what he looked like as a human.
So yeah, that's how it happened!

[DimokKio]

btw if you’re interested, I can write down the specific abilities I’d like to see for Webber. Klei, feel free to use both the art and the abilities if you want - I just really want to see more Webber content!

[DimokKio]

38 minutes ago, DimokKio said:

btw if you’re interested, I can write down the specific abilities I’d like to see for Webber. Klei, feel free to use both the art and the abilities if you want - I just really want to see more Webber content!

P.S. Klei, if my idea ever becomes canon, could you show Webber in this look for at least a split second in the next DSE trailer or just add Webber in upcoming cinematics for the franchise

[key7870]

8 hours ago, hhh2 said:

没错，我也有同感。这阴影让威尔逊看起来病怏怏的，好像好几个星期没吃东西似的。正如你所想，这形状确实让人心疼。 

《饥荒联机版》中威尔逊的游戏内脸型像龙的尖指甲。因此，这种强烈的肤色让我们解读出一个更复杂的脸型，因为我们可以看到他的颧骨。   

 

用浅色调代替深色调，可以重塑熟悉的形状，我觉得这样看起来更美观、更健康。不过，也许这并不是最佳方案。我需要听取更多人的意见，而不仅仅是我自己的想法。

 

我知道威尔逊看起来如此令人不安，这很令人痛心。想象一下，如果温迪看起来像是从集中营里出来的一样，那会引起轩然大波！

 

另外，我认为威尔逊的脸型太长太窄了。可以调整一下脸型，让他的额头更明亮一些。

 

看着这些修改，我不知道自己是什么感觉。说说你的看法吧。@key7870

 

 

I like your idea! Wilson looks much more spirited without the shadow.Narrower forehead would be even handsome.

 

But maybe Klei actually intended to show his fatigued look? there might be a deeper story behind it…

If that's the case, I think they could remove the shadow and instead use lines to emphasize his cheekbones, while also making the face a bit rounder (personally I care more about the face shape).

The side-view nose also looks strange to me. And since the in-game model is pretty small, that kind of detail is hard to see anyway — so it probably doesn't work well in-game, does it?

 

Maybe remove it, or use a more obvious way to express that feature… that's just my thought.

 

Sry I can't use my computer right now so I drew on paper. The nose part is just a rough scribble — not good. I'll do it on my computer later.

 

You've really thought it through — that's great. I realized that at first I was just making suggestions without actually describing what I think would look good.

 

20 hours ago, luvu2bits said:

说实话，我觉得这套美术风格需要时间沉淀。我的感觉也一样，现在看起来有点怪异，不太协调，但我觉得我之所以有这种感觉，是因为大部分角色的素材十多年来都没变过。在《饥荒联机版》（DST）里，我觉得很多新出的、很有意思的皮肤，明明已经超越了原有的美术风格，却因为要保持风格一致而不得不继续使用老旧的脸部素材，这多少有点限制了它们的发挥。我觉得现在这样确实有点怪，而且这种怪异感还会持续一段时间。我的意思是，威尔逊那张脸都用了差不多我一半以上的时间了。但我相信过段时间之后，这种感觉就会消失。

Yeah… whatever the final DSE models end up looking like, they'll be a fresh take. I'm excited to see what new ideas Klei brings to the table — they always do.

 

I also think that 'off' feeling comes from both unfamiliarity and some actual issues with the model that could use tweaks. After all, no matter what, he's still Wilson.”

[NPCMaxwell]

On 4/11/2026 at 8:41 AM, Edible Coal said:

they got new homed

I also noticed they look more like new home, and that is one of the only tiny things that annoy me a TINY bit. BUT I won't mind if the art-style change stays this way (surprisingly as it is, considering I don't like games or cartoons to change character designs), since it seems to me the more detailed non-2D-flat characters fit to the more detailed 3-dish landscape.

[Jussatoon]

1 minute ago, NPCMaxwell said:

I also noticed they look more like new home, and that is one of the only tiny things that annoy me a TINY bit. BUT I won't mind if the art-style change stays this way (surprisingly as it is, considering I don't like games or cartoons to change character designs), since it seems to me the more detailed non-2D-flat characters fit to the more detailed 3-dish landscape.

Don't believe what they say. Comparing it to Newhome is such a wild and incorrect take.