tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81623737850033886292024-03-13T22:52:16.564+00:00IQGamerWhere Image Quality Matters...David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-25590549632645060202012-04-21T09:17:00.002+01:002012-04-21T09:17:52.308+01:00Face-Off: Ninja Gaiden 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4xXyjg5q2dk9ia5q3feuDqqWUGJ1VJpTFMW1U3TYAUNNIHTvKlZFdSGj_8FtGuLNC9E7ekfdKquP994SMEVyC-Vp0sWZKYb5YsiMFQ9dmtOeZpV1cdIvq1B9FJbFbvqAFQDr3ZpALt9d/s1600/ng3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="225" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4xXyjg5q2dk9ia5q3feuDqqWUGJ1VJpTFMW1U3TYAUNNIHTvKlZFdSGj_8FtGuLNC9E7ekfdKquP994SMEVyC-Vp0sWZKYb5YsiMFQ9dmtOeZpV1cdIvq1B9FJbFbvqAFQDr3ZpALt9d/s400/ng3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The Ninja Gaiden series is not immune to change. Originally designed as Xbox-exclusive releases, Team Ninja built its games around the raw hardware capabilities of the hardware - something that presented a real problem when it came to porting Ninja Gaiden 2 across to the PlayStation 3. As such the game was extensively reworked when appearing on Sony's system in the form of the 'Sigma' edition, with it more closely matching that of the original Ninja Gaiden than the sequel.<br />
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With Ninja Gaiden 3, Team Ninja has taken the series in yet another direction, but this time the biggest changes are skewed towards the gameplay rather than the technology. The action has been simplified, allowing the experience to be more accessible to a wider audience, with the focus now on fast unrelenting combat instead of the more tactical confrontations favoured by past titles. From a technical perspective, Team Ninja's latest also adopts a mixture of rendering techniques from the last two games, in addition to implementing new lighting effects and post-process anti-aliasing. <br />
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<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-ninja-gaiden-3-face-off">Click through for the full article...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-87131745527120422802012-04-21T09:05:00.001+01:002012-04-21T09:05:26.186+01:00Gaikai vs. OnLive (Digital Foundry - Face Off)OnLive doesn't do enough to convince us that cloud gaming is ready to be the next big thing, but the fact that it works as well as it does is undoubtedly a major technological achievement. The company has set the standard for "first gen" performance in this field, and it's now down to others to enter the market and compete. And that's exactly what upstart rival Gaikai has done - with intriguing results.<br />
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Although based on similar principles, the implementation is very different. OnLive launched with a full games service, while Gaikai specialises in offering playable demos with plans to expand beyond that when the time is right. OnLive uses widely spaced datacentres to address a large area, whereas Gaikai offers more servers closer to players. The technology behind the video compression is also very different, with OnLive using hardware encoders while Gaikai uses the x264 software running on powerful Intel CPUs.<br />
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Gaikai reckons its approach results in more responsive gameplay, better base visuals and superior video compression. So how can this be tested? <br />
<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-face-off-gaikai-vs-onlive"><br />
Click through for the full article here...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-47324188007066543852012-03-11T16:23:00.003+00:002012-03-11T16:28:25.341+00:00Street Fighter X Tekken (Digital Foundy - Face Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdjmRcelMhscuF-n3kQEcDsi3ldRWSJ8fqAV3GRrvE7Slchmh1P7BVKzMXUP8l8jwIJiXO6TENm28EgxI00nUSmR-Uyn3oaqAwXe7KPIFLcDAu5v6p_hSyfxH2T0C2VehIixCwHnUp2PC/s1600/360-002.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdjmRcelMhscuF-n3kQEcDsi3ldRWSJ8fqAV3GRrvE7Slchmh1P7BVKzMXUP8l8jwIJiXO6TENm28EgxI00nUSmR-Uyn3oaqAwXe7KPIFLcDAu5v6p_hSyfxH2T0C2VehIixCwHnUp2PC/s400/360-002.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718677038009474850" /></a><br />It's hard to imagine characters from two completely different fighting games working well together in a single title, but Capcom's solution is obvious but effective: by tethering Namco's characters to the classic Street Fighter gameplay, the developers have avoided the potential problems of shoehorning two distinct play styles together in one title, and the fresh roster creates a title that feels tangible different from the company's other fighting games. <br /><br />For this latest release, the MT Framework engine used to power Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been jettisoned in favour of an enhanced version of the technology behind the Street Fighter 4 games. The result is a game which shares much in common with those titles, from the rendering resolution to the implementation of anti-aliasing. The cross platform conversion work is extremely close, and in terms of the graphical look of the game there are a number of visual tweaks which positively enhance the core artwork without compromising the blistering smooth 60FPS action. <br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-street-fighter-x-tekken-face-off"><br />Click through for the full article...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-67648950725781400932012-03-11T16:14:00.002+00:002012-03-11T16:22:45.714+00:00Syndicate (Digital Foundry - Face Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH6fwuQPJl-gdVqh7hsUvUYhOaky8GkLdOQQ9J9TahE7CiFftZ3v1H97oNwyCYx3HY69MmOz38EY0wvOkdtOO5ZAyaUgYFPQVMOl4EUEMZJwRurwzZk1N9tSlrToWRp5mRcBzrktpKvpo/s1600/syndicate_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH6fwuQPJl-gdVqh7hsUvUYhOaky8GkLdOQQ9J9TahE7CiFftZ3v1H97oNwyCYx3HY69MmOz38EY0wvOkdtOO5ZAyaUgYFPQVMOl4EUEMZJwRurwzZk1N9tSlrToWRp5mRcBzrktpKvpo/s400/syndicate_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718675701781394786" /></a><br />The idea of the classic real-time strategy franchise rebooted as a first person shooter may well upset die-hard purists, but the fact is that Riddick/Darkness developer Starbreeze has handed in an entertaining action game featuring solid gunplay and challenging AI. However, single- and multiplayer modes are distinctly fractured from each other, and there's a distinct sense that some of the best ideas are rarely explored to the fullest extent of their potential.<br /><br />From a technological perspective, the visual representation of the sleek, highly stylised sci-fi setting is handled beautifully, and the engine powering the game appears to be well optimised in terms of performance across both console platforms. Starbreeze's proprietary engine has traditionally favoured the 360's architecture, taking advantage of the increased memory bandwidth and higher pixel fill-rate to deliver superior resolutions along with higher quality artwork. However, Syndicate is by far the developer's closest multiplatform release to date. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-syndicate-face-off">Click through for the full article...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-65582296657533551442012-02-16T07:51:00.004+00:002012-02-16T07:58:45.054+00:00The Darkness 2 (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ei6E_6-faU4iM_etyKungOpXrVHKouRaBAFX7zZ4GZ-5xAnhtHNdNP9k-jbC0qVEOnT8vOvMCncThNwYNNzO_Y9Q4fcroK9eQfiOI48lYE60pJQ4NoULNF9_ZYU9-Z0BZaOgQB71LFGV/s1600/Darkness+2+art.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ei6E_6-faU4iM_etyKungOpXrVHKouRaBAFX7zZ4GZ-5xAnhtHNdNP9k-jbC0qVEOnT8vOvMCncThNwYNNzO_Y9Q4fcroK9eQfiOI48lYE60pJQ4NoULNF9_ZYU9-Z0BZaOgQB71LFGV/s400/Darkness+2+art.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709639445066882690" /></a><br />Featuring a range of impressive lighting and shader effects along with extensive use of post-processing, Digital Extremes' proprietary Evolution engine is a great fit for The Darkness 2, thanks in no small part to a superb cel-shaded art style that brings Top Cow's comic to life in a beautifully vibrant, violently gory manner. <br /><br />After the disappointments surrounding the PS3 version of the original game - with its sub-HD resolution, pared down effects and lower quality textures - the good news is that the standard of the cross-platform development work this time around is hugely improved: The Darkness 2 is very, very close on both consoles.<br /><br />To be honest this isn't particularly surprising given that Digital Extremes' custom Evolution engine has clearly been optimised for both consoles for quite a while now. 2007's Dark Sector was an early example of impressive cross-platform conversion work done right; fairly closely matched in terms of performance, the main difference resting with the sub-HD framebuffer resolution of the PS3 game. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-darkness-2-face-off">Click through to read the full article...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-9098978164819527502011-12-12T09:44:00.003+00:002011-12-12T09:50:07.921+00:00PC Tech Analysis: Batman: Arkham City (Digital Foundry)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC8VRAYTVPCkxm06AlWyyN3XG3ehNeLW3Gg_XKFPq6d0rinZApjgK_qUJ6IqKTB47gKF5PRT7BNRA3hOL-UP6ws427U4d7qszFkoKP5gUAAWA0cMpHmUOJNakAixutZ26-rCg3n4jzWKM/s1600/PC-005.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC8VRAYTVPCkxm06AlWyyN3XG3ehNeLW3Gg_XKFPq6d0rinZApjgK_qUJ6IqKTB47gKF5PRT7BNRA3hOL-UP6ws427U4d7qszFkoKP5gUAAWA0cMpHmUOJNakAixutZ26-rCg3n4jzWKM/s400/PC-005.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685176675574407890" /></a><br />PC versions of cross-platform titles are often characterised as simple ports with only the power of the hardware itself giving any advantage over their console equivalents in terms of higher frame-rates or superior resolutions. Batman: Arkham City on PC is not one of these games. It's enormously improved over the console game, even if the initially broken DirectX 11 rendering mode grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons.<br /><br />While it doesn't reach the same lofty standards set by the likes of Battlefield 3, it's clear that UK developer Rocksteady has put some effort into making the PC version a substantially better experience. While much of the artwork is shared with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 builds, pretty much every corner of the game is blessed with a graphical upgrade in one way of another. Some of the differences are quite subtle, adding an extra layer of mild polish to the look of the game, while others are far more drastic, showcasing just how much more detail and clarity is possible when pairing up Rocksteady's masterpiece with a decent spec PC. It's a game that cries out to be run at resolutions well in excess of the console standard 720p. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-pc-tech-comparison-batman-arkham-city">Click through to read the full article...</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-batman-arkham-city-face-off">And here's the Batman: Arkham City console Face-Off...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-33483647895430448772011-11-30T21:16:00.001+00:002011-11-30T21:18:34.734+00:00PSP E-1000 Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYTZQqJAwX3u1buNCOADa7Annm5qDSVPqdjHJRF3Kmwb0Tm_RK0cQBLnOVfUzuj1Vzd4e1V8SrmyXdYy4TjfxoicRSedid2W8QaTcF5yZwd2209YpzrHGNpbXfcqZu75VZcWqtpS9sRKD/s1600/9954SCEE_bilbo.jpg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYTZQqJAwX3u1buNCOADa7Annm5qDSVPqdjHJRF3Kmwb0Tm_RK0cQBLnOVfUzuj1Vzd4e1V8SrmyXdYy4TjfxoicRSedid2W8QaTcF5yZwd2209YpzrHGNpbXfcqZu75VZcWqtpS9sRKD/s400/9954SCEE_bilbo.jpg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680901298232096930" /></a><br />Almost seven years after its debut in Japan, Sony has released the latest - and final - iteration of its venerable PlayStation Portable handheld. The new E-1000 is a cut-down budget model available in stores now for just £85. Is it an example of cost-cutting too far, or is it a sparkling return to form after the ill-advised PSPgo and the disappointing PSP-3000? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-psp-e1000-review">Click through to find out...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-77263266765432546762011-11-28T15:21:00.003+00:002011-11-28T15:26:02.891+00:00Saints Row: The Third (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeHnYd11fhZ5I3K81-hz98B1GMwFuyexcEjix1xnFB4g-h6s8urpKFIAny5IgrmOlGv6aKK6lOjBMUiNnlTYZEqbcfyv5sr8Lab50qm1QqYyV4fMmfXATDQ382LBQGurxdWk16gTuJL6N/s1600/SR+Third.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeHnYd11fhZ5I3K81-hz98B1GMwFuyexcEjix1xnFB4g-h6s8urpKFIAny5IgrmOlGv6aKK6lOjBMUiNnlTYZEqbcfyv5sr8Lab50qm1QqYyV4fMmfXATDQ382LBQGurxdWk16gTuJL6N/s400/SR+Third.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680068088055760658" /></a><br />Grand Theft Auto may be taking a more serious tone as the series matures but the Saints Row games are moving in the opposite direction. In-depth characterisation and an intriguing story are left behind in favour of what made the earlier GTA games so much fun to play in the first place - that is, being able to mess around in an open-world playground where realism is given the elbow in favour of all-out insanity.<br /><br />Saints Row: The Third also represents a large graphical improvement over the second game in the series. The change in art direction in this latest instalment in combination with more restrained use of normal mapping and specular highlighting on some surfaces creates a more realistic look to the environments. A closer look at the texturing also reveals quite a bit of subtle detailing in many places: the small cracks that appear on the road and pavements, and the degradations manifesting on the walls of old buildings found throughout Steelport. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-face-off-saints-row-the-third">Click through for the full article...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-30512857904098552192011-11-26T19:53:00.004+00:002011-11-26T20:02:55.661+00:00Hardware Review: Sony HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_9P-9ObFkU96-KMOAKrdSKqrvFniCX4rSm6rsykcyuy2sB8pO09GZuy1XtI54ed3v6WDmJyfje76h26jx1TCALJdUIVpELh9Ryi5Ehyphenhyphene9IiSqjMc4HpJM2PDtLXnlfdqi4y-R5LbTBND/s1600/Sony+3D+Viewer.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_9P-9ObFkU96-KMOAKrdSKqrvFniCX4rSm6rsykcyuy2sB8pO09GZuy1XtI54ed3v6WDmJyfje76h26jx1TCALJdUIVpELh9Ryi5Ehyphenhyphene9IiSqjMc4HpJM2PDtLXnlfdqi4y-R5LbTBND/s400/Sony+3D+Viewer.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679397456868386034" /></a><br />At Digital Foundry, we enjoy 3D gaming but we remain unconvinced about the delivery mechanism - never mind the glasses, it's the nature of the screens themselves that we have issues with. The experience of going to the cinema and having your entire field of view consumed by the 3D image is a level of immersion far beyond what we see at home where the typical 3DTV can't hope to compete, presenting itself almost like a "window with depth" in the corner of the living room.<br /><br />Sony's solution to this problem is one of the reasons we love the company - it'll quite happily turn ultra-niche, proof-of-concept devices into full consumer products, seemingly no matter how low the sales volumes are likely to be. The grandly titled HMZ-T1 Head Mounted Display places twin 0.7-inch 720p OLED monitors an inch in front of your eyes, the aim being - according to Sony PR - to emulate viewing a whopping 750ft IMAX screen from 20 feet away, delivering a 45-degree field-of-view without the need for a gargantuan projector...<br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-sony-hmz-t1-personal-3d-viewer-review"><br />Click through for the full article.</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-64263327784453847492011-10-09T15:06:00.003+01:002011-10-09T15:13:42.744+01:00Hardware Review: Acer HN274H 3D Monitor<span style="font-style:italic;">Another one of my Digital Foundry pieces. Here we have a comprehensive look one of the few 3D monitors out there that supports the HDMI 1.4 spec, while possibly having the potential to double up as a reasonable HDTV replacement.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhsibXHe7hXXBFgasMu_eVImDna5DfzlVWH1eO6euGGZsHOwY_ie9QsY-paRcXiCe8_q2Cg5JZSWsSmnvzf5xEvsotEV0eDfD2lQoHVQhSrwW5juLH88oxDKPVXll9waT-aoS_bQeldGQ/s1600/Acer1.jpg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhsibXHe7hXXBFgasMu_eVImDna5DfzlVWH1eO6euGGZsHOwY_ie9QsY-paRcXiCe8_q2Cg5JZSWsSmnvzf5xEvsotEV0eDfD2lQoHVQhSrwW5juLH88oxDKPVXll9waT-aoS_bQeldGQ/s400/Acer1.jpg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661494572512574546" /></a><br />Acer's unforgetably titled HN274H takes the form of a substantial 27-inch desktop display with a range of HDMI 1.4 compatible inputs and it also offers full support for both NVIDIA and AMD's 3D systems, meaning stereoscopic gaming up to 1080p60 - a format PS3 and its HDMI 1.4 compliance can't match. On top of that, if your PC graphics card is powerful enough, there's nothing to stop you running games at 1080p at 120FPS in 2D either - a very cool, eerily smooth experience we recommend you try out if you can.<br /><br />With this all-formats support, the HN274H is a unique all-in-one product and the price isn't bad either: the display can be picked up for around £480 - not bad for a piece of hardware that supports all major stereoscopic 3D gaming systems, and happily works with other HDMI-based devices like 3D set-top boxes and Blu-ray players. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-hardware-acer-hn274h-3d-monitor">Click through for the full article here... </a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-7701532821472433072011-10-09T15:03:00.001+01:002011-10-09T15:05:58.084+01:00Formula 1 2011 (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D9pNuB7Qol8hS5oce0yXE6ULKOnIM2pF9_dWcucKmOHYZ0ltqWnQ4RDjcn2m7bDFCtGC8jpFmADTyxTG8h4L1NuOHNJukWJR_JvV1sbq-IuOnAu8coG-RFc6HTtcSb4yaLBTtS2x7zyU/s1600/f12011-000.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D9pNuB7Qol8hS5oce0yXE6ULKOnIM2pF9_dWcucKmOHYZ0ltqWnQ4RDjcn2m7bDFCtGC8jpFmADTyxTG8h4L1NuOHNJukWJR_JvV1sbq-IuOnAu8coG-RFc6HTtcSb4yaLBTtS2x7zyU/s400/f12011-000.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661493289240257794" /></a><br />With F1 2011 Codemasters continues to refine the solid foundations laid down by last year's game. The handling mechanics have been improved, crafting an experience which is even more authentic than before, while the AI has been refreshed to ensure that seasoned veterans receive a strong challenge. The changes aren't particularly drastic but they do have a positive impact on the game: F1 2011 is easier to play for the casual fan whilst containing plenty of depth under the hood for those who go looking.<br /><br />F1 2011's graphical upgrades are also delivered with the same kind of subtlety: enhanced weather effects and a small increase in track-side detail bring about a more polished look to proceedings. The raw aesthetics seen in the previous title - giving the game a clean, almost clinical appearance - are left practically unchanged from an artistic perspective, and this is once again backed with a constrained use of lighting compared to other EGO engine games such as DiRT and GRID. To all intents and purposes the lighting scheme works well even if it lacks some of the shiny bloom effects which made Moto GP 10/11 such a pleasure to look at.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-f1-2011-face-off">Click through for the full article here... </a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-88010067287176716792011-09-18T19:53:00.002+01:002011-09-18T19:56:17.813+01:00Dead Island (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwORs2Lo4cHxJvIwx5KFWpZXDjHyIPkGRmLapiJEpHAmKhqXAKoN0ubmu592j-s-6dhmeNHgjNLomHEqP0mGCBSCrPn28QOYSgMjEXSBFg1pcpet8Jrgzs90mDhInUwoD4AeDGHDAaZLhO/s1600/Dead_Island.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwORs2Lo4cHxJvIwx5KFWpZXDjHyIPkGRmLapiJEpHAmKhqXAKoN0ubmu592j-s-6dhmeNHgjNLomHEqP0mGCBSCrPn28QOYSgMjEXSBFg1pcpet8Jrgzs90mDhInUwoD4AeDGHDAaZLhO/s400/Dead_Island.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653775424124926738" /></a><br />First announced in 2006, it's taken some five years for Dead Island to arrive, and the end result is an ambitious, open-world first-person action title that borrows many elements from other games - most notably, Dead Rising, Borderlands and Left 4 Dead - while still trying to carve out an identity of its own.<br /><br />The game is nothing like the memorable trailer; non-playable characters serve to give you quests rather than provide any emotional attachment, while most of the suspense is provided by chance encounters with respawning zombies rather than carefully directed scares. The focus throughout is one of co-operative play, with the missions and progression system tailored for this purpose. Up to four players can tackle the campaign, fending off the infected population while performing a range of standard-issue fetch quests, among other diversions. The overall feeling you get from the game is that Dead Island is an uneasy mix of game styles that's being marketed as an emotionally gripping horror romp on a lavish, sun-drenched island. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-dead-island-face-off">Click through for the full article here...</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-55090390995802618342011-09-07T12:49:00.003+01:002011-09-07T12:52:53.867+01:00Bodycount (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPLwF49lrgIwZVRkC50w3Vvy2Ba9-5wjToM7Im0zVVGtgN7JPMekWnnoyozFQE2BPVdl7ziSyYAv6_TB8POFLcRuYWpkgtah_9dKO7TUmOIWst5P3pqaqZ4B_irRxfWuT_Y-mwM-uCFDF/s1600/bodycount.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPLwF49lrgIwZVRkC50w3Vvy2Ba9-5wjToM7Im0zVVGtgN7JPMekWnnoyozFQE2BPVdl7ziSyYAv6_TB8POFLcRuYWpkgtah_9dKO7TUmOIWst5P3pqaqZ4B_irRxfWuT_Y-mwM-uCFDF/s400/bodycount.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649583775211899170" /></a><br />Conceived as the spiritual successor to Criterion's much-loved Black, Bodycount fails to make an impact on the battlefield, delivering an experience that feels rushed, unpolished and to a certain extent unfinished. It's a bitter blow for those hoping to get a current-generation taste of what made the Burnout makers' FPS so much fun to play. In that respect, the baton has been passed to EA stablemates DICE, and we can only hope that Battlefield 3 is the game that delivers. <br /><br />But what about the multi-platform conversion aspect? Has Codemasters' new Guildford studio successfully provided a graphically solid experience on both formats? How well does the core technology hold up to handling a fast-paced shooter, where the rendering load can be particularly unpredictable? <br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-bodycount-face-off"><br />Click through for the full article here.</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-79045427933738261742011-07-08T11:33:00.008+01:002011-07-08T11:44:13.480+01:00F.E.A.R 3 (Digital Foundry - Face-Off)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO08Jta2cWa_dcdyxnlK4a7VVf_S_6skivgYGRV2QHRAEXXntglwZTYw-xnXUSoG4cVuQnQI-eDFrPKncplTq7C6hKbmaEmRqJIgGzNnPr0GOvsp3KTEqRZwcgPLdqo_1dwVjJ-7xVc0FT/s1600/995049_20110202_640screen003_fear3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO08Jta2cWa_dcdyxnlK4a7VVf_S_6skivgYGRV2QHRAEXXntglwZTYw-xnXUSoG4cVuQnQI-eDFrPKncplTq7C6hKbmaEmRqJIgGzNnPr0GOvsp3KTEqRZwcgPLdqo_1dwVjJ-7xVc0FT/s400/995049_20110202_640screen003_fear3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626929396145799250" /></a><br />Since the original F.E.A.R. debuted in late 2005, the series has lost some of its impact in terms of delivering a dark and frightening experience and has evolved in new directions. Shifting into the hands of Day 1 Studios for this latest instalment, the team has made multiplayer a focus for the new sequel with the introduction of a robust co-op component, thus adding an intriguing twist to the standard F.E.A.R. gameplay. <br /><br />The core technology underpinning the game has also seen a substantial change. Powered by a heavily modified Despair Engine (as utilised in Day One's last game, Fracture) this has resulted in several key enhancements and optimisations which help deliver a more polished experience across a range of platforms... <br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-fear3-face-off">Click through for the full article here.</a>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-82594111792969613422011-07-08T11:29:00.004+01:002011-07-08T11:58:54.042+01:00Moving Forward: The Future of IQGamerOkay, so you might be wondering why updates on this site have been rather infrequent over the last few months, compared to last year's near-continuous stream of content. In that time several noteworthy releases have come and gone, and there have been more than a few interesting technical developments - and even the unveiling of a new console (The Wii U). E3 especially, showcased some impressive wares which demanded coverage. But alas, I was way to busy to do anything about it.<br /><br />So what's going on then?<br /><br />Well, over the last few months I've been freelancing for Digital Foundry, working on technical comparisons of the latest games (Face-Off's) which are then published over at Eurogamer. Effectively, this takes up most of my time outside of working another job in addition to doing this, so understandably there's not much time for IQGamer in between. However, rather than letting this site descend into an update-less graveyard of legacy content, I shall be posting up links to my latest stuff over at Digital Foundry, keeping you guys informed along the way.<br /><br />Here's a brief list of just some of the things I've been working on over at DF since coverage began to dry up here at IQG:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-fear3-face-off">F.E.A.R 3</a><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-shadows-of-the-damned-face-off">Shadows Of The Dammed</a><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-alice-madness-returns-face-off">Alice: Madness Returns</a><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-red-faction-armageddon-face-off">Red Faction Armageddon</a><br /><a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-dirt-3-face-off">DiRT 3</a><br /><br />Additionally, you can expect the odd bit of exclusive IQG content as well, from time to time. Going forward, this site will be more of my personal outlet for technical analysis, perhaps taking a look at a few things that wouldn't make publication elsewhere. But until then, be sure to head over to Digital Foundry and enjoy the latest Face-Off's.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-14315568713525523282011-05-25T23:12:00.056+01:002011-05-29T10:44:19.851+01:00Tech Analysis: LA Noire (360 vs PS3)Like with Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain, Rockstar Games and Team Bondi's LA Noire is more of an experience than a raw videogame. But unlike the former, it actually manages to become a far more involving affair, with a decent script and excellent performances breaking through the many mundane – or simply slower, more realistic if you will – parts of being a rising detective. <br /><br />The key component in making this happen, is the game's use of a costly, but incredibly advanced way of capturing facial animation. Team Bondi uses a digital scanning solution, called MotionScan, which in effect records the actor's performance and the creates a 3D animated model for use in-game. Of course, there's more to it than that; the model has to be compressed and scaled down in terms of complexity to fit into the memory and processing requirements of both consoles. But the end result is still the same: the most believable facial animation work seen in any videogame to date. <br /><br />LA Noire was originally a PS3 exclusive release, only switching platforms after Rockstar decided that a multi-platform only future was the way forward. As such, the core game engine has been optimised for the Sony platform, with some effects looking better on the system, though in some cases we actually find the 360 code to be mildly superior in this regard. On the whole Team Boni have delivered an excellent example of solid multi-platform parity, delivering an open-world experience which is accomplished on both formats, but that does favour the PS3.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p4clPoRNajJBPoLeSa3LQK8x3lGeqj_Nv_uvdmLQEXvoNutRVVb2JYTromjUQSVrp56zr_yEGAOxxTj1Q7ZIKgMZiI06PaarbXEttWaOElnuh1OWL7WhNt_EYJLAUAHzTFxlnRSUYmPl/s1600/360_detail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1p4clPoRNajJBPoLeSa3LQK8x3lGeqj_Nv_uvdmLQEXvoNutRVVb2JYTromjUQSVrp56zr_yEGAOxxTj1Q7ZIKgMZiI06PaarbXEttWaOElnuh1OWL7WhNt_EYJLAUAHzTFxlnRSUYmPl/s400/360_detail.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610780987566007058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-WxQWwsb3kpZBalWYZI88SYF3cFN-53cEAJdmDICpTx_NY88tMX6WhfSxTzekSZBodkVzffUlZ_hrT-404KdWpFqfOzkJqFstqlC407gX2vb8e8pnMzk-ZTFUHueiYadMxH8hRfeeSDD/s1600/PS3_detail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-WxQWwsb3kpZBalWYZI88SYF3cFN-53cEAJdmDICpTx_NY88tMX6WhfSxTzekSZBodkVzffUlZ_hrT-404KdWpFqfOzkJqFstqlC407gX2vb8e8pnMzk-ZTFUHueiYadMxH8hRfeeSDD/s400/PS3_detail.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781126265866210" /></a><br />In past Rockstar titles – namely GTA4 and Red Dead Redemption – we found that memory bandwidth, along with vertex shading performance was a key concern in getting the engine up and running on both systems without compromising on the graphical look of the game. While 360 owners received native 720p with 2x multi-sampling anti-aliasing with it's framebuffer, PS3 gamers were treated with a sub-HD resolution and quincunx AA instead. The result was a blurrier overall look with more in the way of aliasing issues and lesser amounts of visible fine detail. <br /><br />For LA Noire things are very different. Sure enough, on the 360 we find the very same 720p plus 2xMSAA framebuffer we've come to expect, but the difference here is that both versions now operate at 720p with the same amount of edge-smoothing. The level of sharpness and clean edges is now equivalent across the board, with crisp and clear image quality overly apparent, sans for some deliberate blurring due to some purposely placed depth of field effects.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8AomIkF2ZxeBn5rrqtxXS29faakre-SdnMAp2zg1BDYScztztcqjEMPCJARRrE3Ph7XeZWGhDuWbwU0fZap-5wzW6NRHrnekbTtFJb3VbB70w1OZxxuoMy91kL5fThMulMJplxxdnc78/s1600/360_FB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8AomIkF2ZxeBn5rrqtxXS29faakre-SdnMAp2zg1BDYScztztcqjEMPCJARRrE3Ph7XeZWGhDuWbwU0fZap-5wzW6NRHrnekbTtFJb3VbB70w1OZxxuoMy91kL5fThMulMJplxxdnc78/s400/360_FB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781260991523330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MvtZJAfO-NpRr63BhXcvOCfbQ5i3o9llZtMmTTwodoEvRSA_w4MBr2Z0k8NkGbQiB6NfhAHn7zhrSjjZikjCFvgPlL833DqZx4eq0058xXKi6rFI5W7V2RMHfEDu6_I635_iDJ6N4wo5/s1600/PS3_FB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MvtZJAfO-NpRr63BhXcvOCfbQ5i3o9llZtMmTTwodoEvRSA_w4MBr2Z0k8NkGbQiB6NfhAHn7zhrSjjZikjCFvgPlL833DqZx4eq0058xXKi6rFI5W7V2RMHfEDu6_I635_iDJ6N4wo5/s400/PS3_FB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781398704922402" /></a><br />That's not to say there aren't still issues with LA Noire's presentation. Firstly, while some smaller details – such as the larger telegraph wires for example – are thankfully devoid of any shimmering or jaggies, the same cannot be said for thinner wires or small elements of scenery dotted throughout the environment. <br /><br />Secondly, the game is filled with various shimmering shadows which flicker and clip out of view on many an occasion, meaning that although image quality is fairly decent, it's far from perfect overall. Given the open world nature of the game and the high levels of detail on offer, this of course was only to be expected. And there are times when this level of detail does benefit the presentation – it helps create a believable world in which to immerse the player. <br /><br />LA Noire's world it littered with little touches just waiting to be noticed; detailed geometry on the fronts of buildings, the intricate nature of the power lines roving across the city of LA, various smoke and particle effects, the heat haze present on a muggy morning sun rise, and not forgetting the interactive plants and foliage. Not everything always looks polished or impressive, but these small touches are very welcome nonetheless. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-SNg60lhJRDY9rkeSQhirTwxFAwFzMTt4F9oun2-C-jXSsoDCyEAgfCpfWd7KKIDUiBLQHF3Mwg3xwXbQukT-Xwhecux6T-hNlpm6wyBZ6SeYORSB9jkVkcE-jkywzVcWhdb8l8FQAaT/s1600/360_LOD1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-SNg60lhJRDY9rkeSQhirTwxFAwFzMTt4F9oun2-C-jXSsoDCyEAgfCpfWd7KKIDUiBLQHF3Mwg3xwXbQukT-Xwhecux6T-hNlpm6wyBZ6SeYORSB9jkVkcE-jkywzVcWhdb8l8FQAaT/s400/360_LOD1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781562665582498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eS9Qi4dd-q0DU4y-9KM221VnQaFb_HjKXUH-LH7ceavNvnqICjtXAp9MKK3NcQsrLMXCT7RxyW-Zqcr6rPzbK6-wzYFebF_shzIGvMkL2KAWlyOsNLILslDLWiVeEAobWFYNUn40Kn0A/s1600/PS3_LOD1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eS9Qi4dd-q0DU4y-9KM221VnQaFb_HjKXUH-LH7ceavNvnqICjtXAp9MKK3NcQsrLMXCT7RxyW-Zqcr6rPzbK6-wzYFebF_shzIGvMkL2KAWlyOsNLILslDLWiVeEAobWFYNUn40Kn0A/s400/PS3_LOD1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781706761014082" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzXooz7KIstRv-8EWN5QP2wDcoL3iFY1eGGCf4gj1_1qp-61EV9spw9oOhJQjw95EqhcAfV71416PhHzeILrZuZVqSQfdxHvFyEWZEuXW6280csuijWgyDVi_CQeXHhTSbTI95cu31vvB/s1600/360_LOD2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzXooz7KIstRv-8EWN5QP2wDcoL3iFY1eGGCf4gj1_1qp-61EV9spw9oOhJQjw95EqhcAfV71416PhHzeILrZuZVqSQfdxHvFyEWZEuXW6280csuijWgyDVi_CQeXHhTSbTI95cu31vvB/s400/360_LOD2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610781877955037986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbupL3kTTkHEB4wAC2_2JLftVbCAwPcKMo1p-u04MPm2JcmDV5hs5z_tV70nHfRBjXSkDNWVlAg01QrTQhqtuoW3mYWaEmQICVY2LSWsMQW5sx52l2HSO4lkDDqB8i-HcmYRxxCcWoxnp/s1600/PS3_LOD2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbupL3kTTkHEB4wAC2_2JLftVbCAwPcKMo1p-u04MPm2JcmDV5hs5z_tV70nHfRBjXSkDNWVlAg01QrTQhqtuoW3mYWaEmQICVY2LSWsMQW5sx52l2HSO4lkDDqB8i-HcmYRxxCcWoxnp/s400/PS3_LOD2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782026727795778" /></a><br />So with that said, it's a pretty accomplished game engine overall, with plenty of detail apparent in both versions. By the looks of things Team Bondi have optimised their engine around the PS3's architecture but without neglecting the 360, thus enabling both versions to look identical from an art standpoint, with only a few technical differences between them.<br /><br />Occasionally we see what appears to be lower resolution, or less detailed textures on either format at different points. Although, it seems that this is a simple LOD/streaming issues with regards to mip-maps and nothing more. Sometimes we see higher quality assets loading in on the PS3, but not the 360 and vice-versa. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7G4qbmktq7dfmHz3A0IAEuOVs3NPPs9EU867WXjx61vw7FYAFZCBVDHShVP9Na_2gVsvLBst82g1cBXpBgFUweWdD4dAs1af_dNf3Dodnn8nt-Gh_EJlgYoaj8Wul1Wq_2eLfnDnEg7c/s1600/360_LOD_detail_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7G4qbmktq7dfmHz3A0IAEuOVs3NPPs9EU867WXjx61vw7FYAFZCBVDHShVP9Na_2gVsvLBst82g1cBXpBgFUweWdD4dAs1af_dNf3Dodnn8nt-Gh_EJlgYoaj8Wul1Wq_2eLfnDnEg7c/s400/360_LOD_detail_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782181884995058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX6BJTdL9bs8kejw3IUkPuLKg-gkPbn4Q6s5C9cbXnyEDDQf8sctCwEhTBnBumuFsYzSknDk2c2Ybu0XBWn8MbrIdi24prqGzOXInZHPt7Zr49AU2B5n3NRPWpByGs1wYDOQ_tXY8dwGJ/s1600/PS3_LOD_detail_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX6BJTdL9bs8kejw3IUkPuLKg-gkPbn4Q6s5C9cbXnyEDDQf8sctCwEhTBnBumuFsYzSknDk2c2Ybu0XBWn8MbrIdi24prqGzOXInZHPt7Zr49AU2B5n3NRPWpByGs1wYDOQ_tXY8dwGJ/s400/PS3_LOD_detail_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782307785948658" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTE46MUzvQMmjqKjt7vlN_BOriljgFhlgYmwRwiw_YIPigAPdtlabyP4qh0SP1i1JJ4b988gXvUcUd0G-rmhyphenhyphenBYsE5SMDIMY_9JYdma3CnJVeOckHhaXq7zpRDNZ_JiqiQH5oZDxc7YU-/s1600/360_LOD_detail_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTE46MUzvQMmjqKjt7vlN_BOriljgFhlgYmwRwiw_YIPigAPdtlabyP4qh0SP1i1JJ4b988gXvUcUd0G-rmhyphenhyphenBYsE5SMDIMY_9JYdma3CnJVeOckHhaXq7zpRDNZ_JiqiQH5oZDxc7YU-/s400/360_LOD_detail_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782477630402146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSjETBZ4ABnUTbCNciHVKurga4vfJnUNoUdbt-JjLjzGN69mPUD0l9hJW76rxB5GMgCmSCVUMJ7e2NC1Q7JXE072degCXW9oqGxKei-BmytRzb3W67JzI35Z-qS2fSVPoUWibmQIG2DJg/s1600/PS3_LOD_detail_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSjETBZ4ABnUTbCNciHVKurga4vfJnUNoUdbt-JjLjzGN69mPUD0l9hJW76rxB5GMgCmSCVUMJ7e2NC1Q7JXE072degCXW9oqGxKei-BmytRzb3W67JzI35Z-qS2fSVPoUWibmQIG2DJg/s400/PS3_LOD_detail_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782604195067250" /></a><br />In terms of overall LOD set-up however, the PS3 version commands a small lead over the 360 game. Here we see environmental objects – such as buildings, trees etc – popping in later on the 360, along with texture detail and shadows. By contrast, on the PS3 they usually load in a little quicker, with far away details often being visible from longer distances. <br /><br />Additionally, the use of a depth of field effect also helps in masking LOD issues on both. In some scenes we see DOF is stronger on the 360, hiding object pop. While in others the two versions appear identical. We also see that some foliage and trees being slightly more detailed on the PS3 too, regardless of LOD. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmmwT0Tags9ahTSg5eQfTT3OOeDUVv738BnPXrUNdXIfOW-w3fgA0VPR4ahWmnH-vr5_qpRfELDqzuUOopJa1h1UdLcQ8yDISpr3AiDNvV-9PHkPwKXjVQ5tpzWRonPydI_Hkx-64H7HK/s1600/360_ssao1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmmwT0Tags9ahTSg5eQfTT3OOeDUVv738BnPXrUNdXIfOW-w3fgA0VPR4ahWmnH-vr5_qpRfELDqzuUOopJa1h1UdLcQ8yDISpr3AiDNvV-9PHkPwKXjVQ5tpzWRonPydI_Hkx-64H7HK/s400/360_ssao1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782774256299154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpt2AGafMwUE0A6qQJQu87ND-tfVP2pf8Mrdm9AVKYp7Ypz7bJpcyeiXSQVbf_N5_DOREYEWIbE2DeGrfpLkJhMBkp4bYklwTKzJEz6cditegjlf0a4xj32t-gDzlxPnd24rJX3353TsBD/s1600/PS3_ssao1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpt2AGafMwUE0A6qQJQu87ND-tfVP2pf8Mrdm9AVKYp7Ypz7bJpcyeiXSQVbf_N5_DOREYEWIbE2DeGrfpLkJhMBkp4bYklwTKzJEz6cditegjlf0a4xj32t-gDzlxPnd24rJX3353TsBD/s400/PS3_ssao1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610782920858357714" /></a><br />Contrary to some early reports, SSAO (screen-space ambient occlusion) is indeed present in both versions of LA Noire, however the overall impact of the effect throughout is quite different. SSAO adds noticeable depth to scenes in both versions of the game, although the effect is stronger on the PS3. On the 360 the intensity seems to have been reduced, along with the radius of the shadowing produced, thus making it stand out far less than it does on the PS3.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTOBat1k0dLJK5TTKMfYWx_q7gpo4OKUxQZD3HKkODYB5YfRcTPkAYE_27XdjKZRsVsybIoYhkRV2DRcyucquKGJqg6Ab-PqN3bBkrmuykYKkWOqocHGBMjseJIJCi-38fn6oZFV0vcX1/s1600/360_ssao2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTOBat1k0dLJK5TTKMfYWx_q7gpo4OKUxQZD3HKkODYB5YfRcTPkAYE_27XdjKZRsVsybIoYhkRV2DRcyucquKGJqg6Ab-PqN3bBkrmuykYKkWOqocHGBMjseJIJCi-38fn6oZFV0vcX1/s400/360_ssao2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783043977187266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9hzESTn5QKFIUlTVfAeDLID_DMAhhJFdTmKNb2JXiOjHladusL13uHo0RCSt2wDHj5ZH0XLFlfvu1dMLK6VWxp29J2PB3OfaZHvUAOnas-5Gii972N0Xm2ER9M4wO_ZOgD1kdkP8KuHH/s1600/PS3_ssao2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9hzESTn5QKFIUlTVfAeDLID_DMAhhJFdTmKNb2JXiOjHladusL13uHo0RCSt2wDHj5ZH0XLFlfvu1dMLK6VWxp29J2PB3OfaZHvUAOnas-5Gii972N0Xm2ER9M4wO_ZOgD1kdkP8KuHH/s400/PS3_ssao2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783180803772002" /></a><br />In scenes which appear quite flat and lacking depth, the SSAO in LA Noire generally favours the PS3's implementation – especially on the characters. Elsewhere, and on the environments, it can be far too obvious, appearing less realistic as a result. It's also quite buggy in both versions, prone to a few artefacts in motion. For example the shadowing that SSAO produces often appears as a floating halo around objects, creating an unnatural glow where ambient light occlusion is simulated, in addition to occasionally flickering or popping in and out of view. Both versions suffer from this, but this is more noticeable on the PS3 due to the stronger use of the effect..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLyXqpbhgOiGKhWyIfIZW0Xb1Ow4yVYP6CqVPUsoOgtFvw3wJZ_M5Cql89F48djXrxiZJzZbSc0XbQz3Ghv_wyWhmdbV1ko5TUvOAhdoMive-RUHhoiakUPKeqYv-NVWRQdsE__4zHMQc/s1600/360_shadows.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLyXqpbhgOiGKhWyIfIZW0Xb1Ow4yVYP6CqVPUsoOgtFvw3wJZ_M5Cql89F48djXrxiZJzZbSc0XbQz3Ghv_wyWhmdbV1ko5TUvOAhdoMive-RUHhoiakUPKeqYv-NVWRQdsE__4zHMQc/s400/360_shadows.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783340448203218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbGxQ2z4mgZBE0O2RyTdlPsHp0NfyIfap6K0Wa1MO6EHFXF1FygBJFfmQBKTZ7urifdl92XQ0qnv37PBwUWWJcxzbdqcEDo2laoiJKGSD5K9F39mvn2174kBtfHWwJgABQqUNuZizg0ud/s1600/PS3_shadows.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbGxQ2z4mgZBE0O2RyTdlPsHp0NfyIfap6K0Wa1MO6EHFXF1FygBJFfmQBKTZ7urifdl92XQ0qnv37PBwUWWJcxzbdqcEDo2laoiJKGSD5K9F39mvn2174kBtfHWwJgABQqUNuZizg0ud/s400/PS3_shadows.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783469639571538" /></a><br />Shadowing on the other hand, looks nicer on the PS3 (although wholly subjective – some may prefer the 360's dithered look). While actual shadow resolution is the same across both formats, constantly changing depending on the distance from the player, they way in which they are filtered is not. <br /><br />Essentially, we're looking at PCF filtering on both versions respectively. However, edges are plainly filtered on the PS3, thus preserving sharpness at the expense of some jittering. While on the 360 the penumbras are dithered in order to create a smoother appearance. Although, this means edges suffer from an apparent graininess, albeit without less jittering side effects. Ambient shadowing on the characters can also appear a touch grainy at times too. <br /><br />From a distance the shadows in general do look a tad nicer on the 360, but up close and the opposite is true. Here, you'll find that the graininess of the 360's shadows look more than a touch more unsightly at times.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KcUk4G5_RuCH19so57TePQEIUMrs42UA-7HuTVNABRIKE17XVUqzwt6DCHeEcEkPBtWTys-d8viBGZbu90n4YcGukWTGN1YPYa4o77duO2sTQ0ZSZJ9liIf4w7SnfANWHNaENj5XmGJh/s1600/360_light1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KcUk4G5_RuCH19so57TePQEIUMrs42UA-7HuTVNABRIKE17XVUqzwt6DCHeEcEkPBtWTys-d8viBGZbu90n4YcGukWTGN1YPYa4o77duO2sTQ0ZSZJ9liIf4w7SnfANWHNaENj5XmGJh/s400/360_light1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783613282066994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9wcbMC4lpksG9_cn3fvd-79bMBF19rOrfPg6rL6Kbaj0CZgQ85fMOQ9dlhCqY0I67EceZUAnM4GZyQixSMhCWimMOhpzMYll4PONZvtmcRzPzM_H8L73B5Vz22fCruQjS9vTS2M7TeHW/s1600/PS3_light1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9wcbMC4lpksG9_cn3fvd-79bMBF19rOrfPg6rL6Kbaj0CZgQ85fMOQ9dlhCqY0I67EceZUAnM4GZyQixSMhCWimMOhpzMYll4PONZvtmcRzPzM_H8L73B5Vz22fCruQjS9vTS2M7TeHW/s400/PS3_light1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783759194086418" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkminJ4AU003nT_zsD9xtkopzHWa0JAzERUEQwsc7YgyOQpCqxReaY_WAZ5WY6gG5Nozz7T-C_WwwMaYnyGkeiVPD92N3hvSl4MqKYUw4h0fzee9DOIceeS6f14LSOM20u_gS-76Ru8iE/s1600/360_light2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkminJ4AU003nT_zsD9xtkopzHWa0JAzERUEQwsc7YgyOQpCqxReaY_WAZ5WY6gG5Nozz7T-C_WwwMaYnyGkeiVPD92N3hvSl4MqKYUw4h0fzee9DOIceeS6f14LSOM20u_gS-76Ru8iE/s400/360_light2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610783900496947346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5JWfx_xU1rWGGIBcPjvc2dZVoB2bUfzNGOrXPUo0pLSvt4pwoz1FnFq2_yFPOPgcktEu33uwppUSy3okWC-rsKA6F9LwcySL_YqWlJ1woROUYOmKsUOjjSBUNAt7yQWyydNRm2Qg-q2D/s1600/PS3_light2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5JWfx_xU1rWGGIBcPjvc2dZVoB2bUfzNGOrXPUo0pLSvt4pwoz1FnFq2_yFPOPgcktEu33uwppUSy3okWC-rsKA6F9LwcySL_YqWlJ1woROUYOmKsUOjjSBUNAt7yQWyydNRm2Qg-q2D/s400/PS3_light2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610784028390138786" /></a><br />There are a few other differences between both versions of LA Noire, but nothing that you'd be able to notice whilst playing. Lighting for example isn't a complete match in all like-for-like situations. <br /><br />In some night time scenes it looks like there are some light sources have been positioned a little differently on both versions, though not all the time. Whereas when indoors, the PS3 seems to occasionally benefit from stronger use of lighting. The stronger use of SSAO also creates a darkening affect on lighting in any given scene, which accounts for some - but not all - of the oddities we've been finding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6QKxUedqfBgNaoRZAxdybkacpuGc1iwImRJfEc50hODTkFCPpqjEZGQ6WqYh6nY-dqn9SnFvXcKnjKoVADVZtqTypXYpkMkn4bXYgAManK6UCL9nnqiOwooNI-O0op2YCtSHFYGd_6Ak/s1600/360_reflec.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6QKxUedqfBgNaoRZAxdybkacpuGc1iwImRJfEc50hODTkFCPpqjEZGQ6WqYh6nY-dqn9SnFvXcKnjKoVADVZtqTypXYpkMkn4bXYgAManK6UCL9nnqiOwooNI-O0op2YCtSHFYGd_6Ak/s400/360_reflec.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610784166224831922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdllJLqzuGE5szAc_1I-ESElNpi7sspJSdRmFnxTJ9xFl4yvW4weC2ikbfaCQxRjba9Rb3gl-J9iJsU71dZkJPIqNAsDoqj8_LSWU31dYuD7FKbRVej81AkxOlQj3v7GDeP_7XyoQmIu5h/s1600/PS3_reflec.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdllJLqzuGE5szAc_1I-ESElNpi7sspJSdRmFnxTJ9xFl4yvW4weC2ikbfaCQxRjba9Rb3gl-J9iJsU71dZkJPIqNAsDoqj8_LSWU31dYuD7FKbRVej81AkxOlQj3v7GDeP_7XyoQmIu5h/s400/PS3_reflec.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610784312063481522" /></a><br />We also find that reflections on some shiny surfaces are sometimes stronger on the PS3 – the intensity of the effect appears to be lower on the 360. As a result it looked like reflections were absent in a few places, when really this wasn't the case at all. Although saying that, none of the above lighting differences are present in every scene, and as such are more technical curiosities than anything else.<br /><br />On the whole, there's a real sense that LA Noire is very, very close on both platforms and that the differences aren't exactly going to be deal breaker for owners of only one system. Sure enough, some parts of the game's graphical make up can be pretty inconsistent at times. But Team Bondi have created a nice looking title, that while far from perfectly polished, has a lot of soul and character whilst also holding up rather well technically. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4UjFdb1SMqfLw87n8PIMoQR39p4lP-jmN9YuQoRCMMoZJf7Kiz8zYO5Gk20OsJ5MNaFzwH4JBr0s7XvcD51Zm_ZdkUxnbowzlTHx0YAx9GVnhbs7m4y1pIBQuxIWdEIkfAhQ2dzaTt3S/s1600/360_perf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4UjFdb1SMqfLw87n8PIMoQR39p4lP-jmN9YuQoRCMMoZJf7Kiz8zYO5Gk20OsJ5MNaFzwH4JBr0s7XvcD51Zm_ZdkUxnbowzlTHx0YAx9GVnhbs7m4y1pIBQuxIWdEIkfAhQ2dzaTt3S/s400/360_perf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610785550793531250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UJToyGnLbghBd0D0jvKLs8jgEF6dYzCmrRIdx-Ug_uSY366XS-rNrkMjbqt7li5WwS4BTI3_eb6DvRMrkAjFKUcLvAyFuXV1u_7Adbz-_LyzdMjJuRlueR9RAr_XBI6i-50MNt7wK5bH/s1600/PS3_perf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UJToyGnLbghBd0D0jvKLs8jgEF6dYzCmrRIdx-Ug_uSY366XS-rNrkMjbqt7li5WwS4BTI3_eb6DvRMrkAjFKUcLvAyFuXV1u_7Adbz-_LyzdMjJuRlueR9RAr_XBI6i-50MNt7wK5bH/s400/PS3_perf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610785712738364210" /></a><br />Moving on, and LA Noire targets a 30fps update, with the frame-rate being capped at that level. Compared to previous Rockstar titles, performance is much improved on both consoles, but especially so on the PS3. <br /><br />There are still some similarities with GTAIV and Red Dead Redemption. Like with those titles the PS3 version is v-synced at all times, while the 360 game isn't. As such we see some subtle screen tearing appearing at the very top of the display, although this goes by virtually unnoticed. Tearing only really occurs during gunfire and hectic scenes, or in scenes whereby gunfire results in some environmental destruction, so isn't an issue at all.<br /><br />Moving on to frame-rate concerns, and we find that performance is better overall on the PS3 game. Both start out running at the targeted 30fps, and both drop frame-rate heavily in stressful scenes with lots going on. However, for the most part it is the PS3 version which copes better in these situations, dropping less frames and for shorter periods. In some shoot outs – and in the on-foot chase sequence near the beginning of the game – we see smoothness take a dip, with frame-rates in the 20's on the both formats. But the PS3 version in the same scenes operates between four to six frames higher, looking and feeling more fluid as a result.<br /><br />Of course in similar scenes elsewhere the opposite can also be true on occasion – the 360 game can see higher frame-rates than the PS3, though the differences aren't always as pronounced. Here it seems that environmental factors (crowds, cars, scenery etc) are the main cause behind this. Like with most open-world titles, load strongly dictates the level of performance at any given time. Cut-scenes for example, set in more detailed areas of the game can struggle to reach the desired 30fps, whilst indoors things are far more stable. The same could be said with regards to driving and on-foot sections, where the more pedestrians, cars, and scenery on screen causing frame-rates to fluctuates.<br /><br />In any case, performance in LA Noire is far more solid on the whole compared to both GTAIV and Red Dead Redemption on both formats – especially on the PS3, whereby Team Bondi's optimisations for the platform result in a smoother overall experience, but without pairing back on any details. The PS3 version features slightly longer draw distances and LODs, but also manages to perform more consistently across the board. Although, as good as that sounds, both versions are equally as playable, and we do often find a pretty consistent 30fps update during play, which is the main thing really.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJxfBoPUZ5TVOaygzGx0AfTuetJJ8divC8OOinPJjRxk8smVNg-sLEmxGdE1dVcONz0wt1zc-LH8E9KpuNeldpFonycrujcxrRrLf84iEiF9mMQPQdnTJNr5r3WPtT2yhgde10Nl9mps4/s1600/360_face1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJxfBoPUZ5TVOaygzGx0AfTuetJJ8divC8OOinPJjRxk8smVNg-sLEmxGdE1dVcONz0wt1zc-LH8E9KpuNeldpFonycrujcxrRrLf84iEiF9mMQPQdnTJNr5r3WPtT2yhgde10Nl9mps4/s400/360_face1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610785849365888642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAtelCFRBxDNiGmKdqmlxJiTVIcTRu0xmfKcnD8AckFWRABJmKsk1msso1e8hoA2SNGCidkEj17YHDVvUECsLUIQwkPIHlzUIQTo9I02QrVQEx5HW1aI_h0a5ovmQJaZpLTJdKCmhZtjH/s1600/PS3_face1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAtelCFRBxDNiGmKdqmlxJiTVIcTRu0xmfKcnD8AckFWRABJmKsk1msso1e8hoA2SNGCidkEj17YHDVvUECsLUIQwkPIHlzUIQTo9I02QrVQEx5HW1aI_h0a5ovmQJaZpLTJdKCmhZtjH/s400/PS3_face1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610785997184145970" /></a><br />Beyond the close multi-platform conversion between PS3 and 360, the developer's biggest achievement comes with the inclusion of a stunning facial animation system, which provides perhaps the most uncannily realistic, and downright believable looking characters we've ever seen in a videogame. <br /><br />Actors performances are digitally scanned in 3D, and detailed, animated models are created automatically from this. These then have to be paired back significantly to work within the technical budgetary constraints of the home consoles; geometry complexity is hugely reduced, and in it's place large amounts of multi-layered normal maps are used, in combination with various textures, which are then blended to deliver the final in-game model. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBHN8Sw11QpVh4aqA5orT6ge7hkbGmhyphenhyphen7QXV9P3xMJoz55kbzOGEkT3RdkZH6y0OceaLPiR8UiySNZ0oK_uuOOllGHf5FhJwSIwc4Zpie1uP8yRTwPvDWI7Lvct0goZSDuZWq0JhAZLMm/s1600/360_face2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBHN8Sw11QpVh4aqA5orT6ge7hkbGmhyphenhyphen7QXV9P3xMJoz55kbzOGEkT3RdkZH6y0OceaLPiR8UiySNZ0oK_uuOOllGHf5FhJwSIwc4Zpie1uP8yRTwPvDWI7Lvct0goZSDuZWq0JhAZLMm/s400/360_face2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610786135357192946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sqwbr24NXTcw6KzwFqWb34HOcQksVI-dw9JYOzT3OOf4IhOq4EUcx3k06seWtZGlDZ6ZDr7cIZ0Yx19RCuEOwwxY30LT-PAPH0QupgEMtJk1Iblg2lupUfK3fQ8eyelj-m2yEcShHl9e/s1600/PS3_face2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Sqwbr24NXTcw6KzwFqWb34HOcQksVI-dw9JYOzT3OOf4IhOq4EUcx3k06seWtZGlDZ6ZDr7cIZ0Yx19RCuEOwwxY30LT-PAPH0QupgEMtJk1Iblg2lupUfK3fQ8eyelj-m2yEcShHl9e/s400/PS3_face2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610786281560299474" /></a><br />As you can see above, the end results are stunning to behold - intricate muscular movements are carefully handled with ease, subtle changes in wrinkle and skin distortion are present as facial expressions change, eyes and lips move and are perfectly in sync with dialogue. Essentially, the actors original performance is recreated extremely accurately in 3D, and it works very well in bringing about a real sense of immersion to the proceedings.<br /><br />However, the downside of this technique is that facial movements cannot be tweaked by hand (there's no animation rig to modify), and additional skin texture details and shaders are troublesome to add without breaking the seamless look created by the original scan. As a result there are no advanced shaders present at all – facial models simply consist of various normal maps, textures, a colour map, and a phong specular map – which leaves them looking a touch flat compared to hand crafted creations. <br /><br />When compared to the limitations of traditional motion capture, the use of digitally, 3D scanned performances outweighs any negatives that go along with the technique. The lack of any additional shaders, or even environmental reflections on the faces hardly takes away from the overall look of the game. Instead, the slightly plain, washed out appearance of the characters fit in perfectly with the hazy 1940's art style the developers are going for. In effect by far the most important element here is the believable performance being captured and displayed correctly, it is central to the core experience.<br /><br />On the other hand, the rest of the character animation has been motion captured the traditional way, before being touched up by artists for use in the game. As such, we see some odd mismatches and errors with the way in which the facial performance and bodily animations actually blend together. For the most part the two are pretty seamless, but sometimes it can be a little noticeable that there are two different systems at work, especially when the end result isn't quite as perfect across the entire range of animations on the characters.<br /><br />This is of course very minor in the grand scheme of things, and has no impact on your enjoyment of the game itself, nor does it spoil any of the superb acting and capturing work done throughout. Like with the rest of LA, Noire Team Bondi have done a great job. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM13gByHi29yix-ShsHCSTWld42fyXWyYZYTA5UVZrjgd1xo-gUZw3d2YW9y-tCTPUwie0TjP8cgb5M6peyHdrMbTaqBOEcWqkLlfzdObMhotsIjUIsNqsm-FsyIu_OGxsB9mWF8Gp_rs/s1600/360_city.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPM13gByHi29yix-ShsHCSTWld42fyXWyYZYTA5UVZrjgd1xo-gUZw3d2YW9y-tCTPUwie0TjP8cgb5M6peyHdrMbTaqBOEcWqkLlfzdObMhotsIjUIsNqsm-FsyIu_OGxsB9mWF8Gp_rs/s400/360_city.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610786434225725058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiG5-R0l-gGH0pt5f28GIns91mdxsmu9SXXeAjY4enKz6eYUGUt8UeJlhko6szUwTYkqzgamesmVa9JYNUch5tERfy1Cmr8byBASBMthdqM-ERcAILNv_lA7GFb88lQXEwpObQwTTuEQ7r/s1600/PS3_city.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiG5-R0l-gGH0pt5f28GIns91mdxsmu9SXXeAjY4enKz6eYUGUt8UeJlhko6szUwTYkqzgamesmVa9JYNUch5tERfy1Cmr8byBASBMthdqM-ERcAILNv_lA7GFb88lQXEwpObQwTTuEQ7r/s400/PS3_city.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610786590213256882" /></a><br />Looking back at past Rockstar releases, and it's pretty obvious that the 360 has been the main focus throughout development, with both Red Dead and GTAIV heavily build around specifics which favour the 360 as a platform - long draw distances, plenty of intricately detailed scenery, and loads of alpha-based effects, all of which are dependant on having huge amounts of memory bandwidth available, along with a hefty amount of vertex shading capability. <br /><br />Using a custom engine set-up, Team Bondi have delivered a title which does the opposite. It has been carefully optimised around the PS3's strengths and weaknesses, thus not only resulting in far better overall performance, but also a superb multi-platform conversion that is incredibly close on both formats while favouring Sony's system.<br /><br />There really isn't much in it all. There's a real sense that SSAO is perhaps more balanced and realistic on the 360, but other areas of the game – LOD, shadowing, performance under load - slide tangibly towards the PS3, albeit subtly in most cases. As such, both versions of LA Noire come highly recommended, but for owners of both consoles the PS3 version provides a touch more polished experience overall, and thus is the one to get given the choice.<br /><br />In the end, LA Noire's long term success will largely depend on how players react to its unique blend of streamlined sandbox-style gameplay, and more tightly controlled/scripted story progression that is paramount to the experience as a whole, just as much as the lavish trimmings of 1940's LA and the key graphical talking points – the actual performances themselves, and their superb recreation in computer rendered form. <br /><br />Either way you can't deny that Rockstar and Team Bondi have offered up a compelling ride that blends the core elements of film with the interactive parts of a traditional videogame, and does so without any overly self-aware, arty undertones.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-90569893070260213492011-05-07T11:19:00.025+01:002011-05-07T12:05:27.280+01:00Tech Analysis: Gears Of War 3: Multiplayer BetaGears Of War 2's multiplayer component, while highly entertaining and incredibly well put together featured some obvious latency issues compared to other high profile online titles. Some matches would go by without issue, while in others you would struggle to maintain aiming accuracy as controller lag impacted on the experience. Since then Epic has listened to these concerns, and for Gears 3 have provided the community with dedicated servers helping to reduce latency to negligible levels.<br /><br />The gameplay has also been completely overhauled too, now catering for different play-styles via the use of what appears to be a balanced weapon selection (at this stage at least). Close or long ranged weapons part a huge part - often in providing a counterbalance - with players being able to switch between either option at any time. Here, you'll find that someone with a Retro Lancer to be just as deadly as someone with a Sawed Off. It just depends entirely on their own ability and approach in any given situation. The game modes too, have also been reworked and made to be a little more accessible to those unfamiliar with GOW's own brand of multiplayer action.<br /><br />Of course gameplay and graphics often go hand in hand. The Unreal Engine 3 and Epic's Gears Of War series have been at the very heat of pushing high-end visuals on Microsoft's Xbox 360 console. Not only has the engine been behind some of the most graphically superb releases on the platform, it is also constantly undergoing a range of subtle tweaks and major enhancements. <br /><br />Gears Of War 2 saw the engine being upgraded to handled bigger environments with longer draw distances - texture and object steaming was refined to prevent noticeable object pop in the campaign mode. Epic also expanded on the lighting component present in the first game and SSAO brought an increased depth to the title's already decent use of shadowing.<br /><br />Even in it's current stages as a mutiplayer beta, Gears 3 demonstrates similar leaps in visual quality, with upgrades in a variety of different areas. Perhaps the framebuffer is the only thing exempt from this, but in any case image quality was never really an issue to begin with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUxRNaPP3XHsLzlMlxlZ0SIVuiWzVRhG5Jaw7KAoWHQCg4ce3CvPIBsDFut4VcBcfYuJEvIWSmCbmV9th-sK4GS2q__lA87cfj7iCMDp8ItytQABnAIl9wgyLogttaofJMKMBl9pNk8Sk/s1600/FB_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUxRNaPP3XHsLzlMlxlZ0SIVuiWzVRhG5Jaw7KAoWHQCg4ce3CvPIBsDFut4VcBcfYuJEvIWSmCbmV9th-sK4GS2q__lA87cfj7iCMDp8ItytQABnAIl9wgyLogttaofJMKMBl9pNk8Sk/s400/FB_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399078674885202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeUNlH3x0UrBtKcVhK5xn3RL2gZw4r_dz4DOJ_BLepq51z_J089rWm-tTQB9uvzqpe9jfrv5J9m0bpyKSsUYjt0OLKB-IOoFmvex0MB1GgMRMhGBs50jvT3SDtJlOrklje2toZtfKHZML/s1600/FB_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeUNlH3x0UrBtKcVhK5xn3RL2gZw4r_dz4DOJ_BLepq51z_J089rWm-tTQB9uvzqpe9jfrv5J9m0bpyKSsUYjt0OLKB-IOoFmvex0MB1GgMRMhGBs50jvT3SDtJlOrklje2toZtfKHZML/s400/FB_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399198406103618" /></a><br />For the record, you're looking at a native 720p rendering resolution forgoing the use of anti-aliasing. In past titles, AA was performed pretty early on in the rendering cycle, meaning that it had pratically no impact on the final scene being rendered. Sampling was only done on static objects and lighting, thus additional post processing elements - such as depth of field, bloom etc - and dynamic lighting weren''t covered by the limited use of MSAA at all. So as a result Epic has disabled the use of edge-smoothing completely, perhaps in order to maintain more consistant performance while the game benefits from a range of graphical improvements. <br /><br />The lack of AA means that we find a variable level of jaggies and shimmering edges. Stages featuring copious amounts of sub-pixel elements suffer the most, whilst areas with mainly large geometric structures fare much better. This is of course in line with most UE3 titles, and in the case of Gears 3 can be considered a worthy trade-off considering number of HQ components in the game's rendering tech. It's also worth pointing out that aliasing is less noticeable overall than it was in Gears 2.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M8Ja4ocrAfGoH0BColhuvcdX_WePUonu5h8e1QEBRJcncaRED9EDfyXZqfBOVDgWx-poBGuEoRgr3U2mECq8s3asAmrtGtK_KNHByIKIPsGTmNIAft3VQb8ipPrrA2gBX6pLTaMUd2M5/s1600/Parallax.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M8Ja4ocrAfGoH0BColhuvcdX_WePUonu5h8e1QEBRJcncaRED9EDfyXZqfBOVDgWx-poBGuEoRgr3U2mECq8s3asAmrtGtK_KNHByIKIPsGTmNIAft3VQb8ipPrrA2gBX6pLTaMUd2M5/s400/Parallax.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399338434996034" /></a><br />Looking back at past titles, it was the single player campaign that trumped any of the multiplayer modes graphically. And it's very likely that we'll see a similar kind of visual leap again with the campaign in Gears 3. The current beta exceeds past instalments in most areas, which leads us to believe that Epic have even more visual mastery packed away under the hood.<br /><br />Compared to Gears 2, the various upgrades come in thick and fast. At the base level we see more detailed character and environment modelling, both in texture work and in geometric complexity. Little cracks and other small details that feature on the surrounding environmental stonework are more distinct than before. In particular, the depth of the parallax mapped floors have even more of an impact, even if they do look just a little too OTT as a result. <br /><br />There a few obvious low resolution, and repeated textures dotted about, along with some rather flat looking surfaces. But these do very little to spoil the over look of the game considering how detailed the environments actually are. The leap in quality is huge compared to Gears 2's multiplayer mode, and even exceeds the single player campaign portion of it with ease.<br /><br />Additionally, there is little in the way of harsh LOD transitions at the beginning of each match. In Gears 2 there was a tendancy for the engine to still be streaming in final quality assests for at least a minute or two after matches had begun. But thankfully, we see that this issue is pretty much non-existent in Gears 3. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6h_ApG63LBy9xaoHF5NlAP8NOnBFqWjkm6azPgMVARSM5cTCoAvzLXxsOBoR_mCFRnXZC-uxHcUHIrg-V95d7GX0Sx8mAI4MqonuPCnHkpkwp9F9uEbsg8H2zjjFqUpWlx-GXQNj-V-LI/s1600/Lightmaps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6h_ApG63LBy9xaoHF5NlAP8NOnBFqWjkm6azPgMVARSM5cTCoAvzLXxsOBoR_mCFRnXZC-uxHcUHIrg-V95d7GX0Sx8mAI4MqonuPCnHkpkwp9F9uEbsg8H2zjjFqUpWlx-GXQNj-V-LI/s400/Lightmaps.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399452035161378" /></a><br />The biggest change however, comes in the form of the game's lighting system. Like with the likes of Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3, Gears 3 features its own implementation of global illumination via Epic's Lightmass solution, which provides a cheap alternative to the few real-time GI systems doing the rounds right now (Geomeric's Enlighten for example). Ambient lighting, along with the main light bounces are rendered off-line before being pre-baked onto the environments, thus providing a similarly realistic look but without the raw processing costs usually associated with doing this. <br /><br />Dynamic lightmaps ensure that the lighting data actually affects moving objects in real-time, rather than having no impact whatsoever. Given the fact that the sun's position never changes, by far the most important factor is believably lighting up the various dynamic objects present in any given scene - lighting that never moves can be convincingly baked, so long as it still affects environmental objects in real-time. And the implementation found in Gears 3 manages to do a excellent job in this regard. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dHO6z-cBs4BdqXAR6-9ptQO79ie1fhu-chsJwjKryJTcSOomF1ZGuZ9WRRroBmIRAvhyphenhyphen0mqRcXYIgu49Ogr4dyYfcl5BZez6Jy6KbT4pwtiJj3h0RnSjX7CH6y1IXgpDSywLxnvU6G3z/s1600/Lighting_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dHO6z-cBs4BdqXAR6-9ptQO79ie1fhu-chsJwjKryJTcSOomF1ZGuZ9WRRroBmIRAvhyphenhyphen0mqRcXYIgu49Ogr4dyYfcl5BZez6Jy6KbT4pwtiJj3h0RnSjX7CH6y1IXgpDSywLxnvU6G3z/s400/Lighting_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399582091751202" /></a><br />We also see that sunlight now casts dynamic shadows off select objects, further enhanced when combined with the game's pre-baked shadowing components. Other elements that give off light - such as gunfire and explosions, burning parts of the scenery etc - react with both the environment and the objects contained within. Although they did this in Gears 2 as well, the effect is more refined in this sequel.<br /><br />Even if the baseline environmental lighting is static, the combination of dynamic lightmaps and additional light sources help breathe life into the way in which scenes are lit and shaded. The difference is dramatic to say the least; there's a whole lot more depth added to the scene over the previous games. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukqByvGYJ6OJfl5SlzpbM2dg-hcvR5KxvHO6WuXSijQiIKhoKxI0DeAUUY8lgCpf2RvO8ZClHKyY_GK69RG3X9LnUoOR_HyzbA8d2llWw9D4ksbMT92IEmby5B8e3_s_OH0lfxBHC7z-o/s1600/Sunshafts_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukqByvGYJ6OJfl5SlzpbM2dg-hcvR5KxvHO6WuXSijQiIKhoKxI0DeAUUY8lgCpf2RvO8ZClHKyY_GK69RG3X9LnUoOR_HyzbA8d2llWw9D4ksbMT92IEmby5B8e3_s_OH0lfxBHC7z-o/s400/Sunshafts_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399697593992674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxL6ZAw4g6FiuWeE0KV0lpCDEAPBAn7dyT7mtPLLyLxBJQejc6UprIFxQZ75Emq46Nbl4yKZT2_DpXVVwojZ-AAmn-UBTNVTB_-ZHabgTw93bRh27QfdkbCbpw4gT4ESh-FxHbQmNIbQ_/s1600/Sunshafts_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxL6ZAw4g6FiuWeE0KV0lpCDEAPBAn7dyT7mtPLLyLxBJQejc6UprIFxQZ75Emq46Nbl4yKZT2_DpXVVwojZ-AAmn-UBTNVTB_-ZHabgTw93bRh27QfdkbCbpw4gT4ESh-FxHbQmNIbQ_/s400/Sunshafts_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602399813000371362" /></a><br />Outside of Lightmass, and there are a few other nice touches that Epic have made with the lighting engine in Gears 3. A probable FP10 buffer, and a controlled use of bloom substitutes true HDR lighting without over-emphasising the top end of the spectrum, while the game now features stronger use of simulated godrays (they are simply a post process-based effect). As you can see above, in some stages sunshafts dynamically react with the environment, while in other areas they are more static in nature.<br /><br />Additionally, the way that SSAO is handled has also been tweaked slightly. SSAO is done as a post process in both GOW 2&3, with it being reprojected and accumulated over multiple frames. The end result is that it could appear more noticeable in still scenes in GOW 2 than when moving. In Gears 3 however, the temporal side effects have been reduced, and there is now greater consistency in deploying the effect throughout the scene.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN81PvvLORJ-3AwxUT8321EQy31YGb8asTC_B-9xeA9JCIF7nyued0CcYqbZt33Hpg9eEVRYw7rS0Phyphenhyphent8Rqq2ZE3keTsY14R3akOmGPR0BqUOY3hyphenhyphen8tKQLmfQV6zJcv_ZxDf5RfZBK5Dz/s1600/shadow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN81PvvLORJ-3AwxUT8321EQy31YGb8asTC_B-9xeA9JCIF7nyued0CcYqbZt33Hpg9eEVRYw7rS0Phyphenhyphent8Rqq2ZE3keTsY14R3akOmGPR0BqUOY3hyphenhyphen8tKQLmfQV6zJcv_ZxDf5RfZBK5Dz/s400/shadow.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602400207262839058" /></a><br />In terms of alpha-based effects, smoke in particular features convincing depth being heavily multi-layered, while also appearing volumetric. Particles, fire and smoke look much fuller than they did in Gears 2. The way in which they interact with the surrounding geometry is almost bug free - you can see clearly in the shots below how the smoke collides with the nearby walls, rather than simply clipping through them. Alpha buffers are also rendered in full resolution, taking full advantage of the high bandwidth eDRAM present in the 360's Xenos GPU. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh_IkWIOFWzuuaIMl_as-L7dmEW_aZGaTYlTOHRmtrbSC9vR9MXcEB_baX-gGgMTel13ay0kvVPNuamaJEvfNwpMsKt0VXS_jwMQ-6ptbpa7ztKVQioYcfaVFJUFmz-rb4aaCeceiscHQ/s1600/Alpha_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPh_IkWIOFWzuuaIMl_as-L7dmEW_aZGaTYlTOHRmtrbSC9vR9MXcEB_baX-gGgMTel13ay0kvVPNuamaJEvfNwpMsKt0VXS_jwMQ-6ptbpa7ztKVQioYcfaVFJUFmz-rb4aaCeceiscHQ/s400/Alpha_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602400344697766530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RtMZJhLO-6GW7gXBC8zNfWJvAVhabJd9qCOK42Aw1FbJxlC9Fu82GBL-DrfpSNKzoeVLf_x6tt0PbcOVNXJZJZspI5H4FG3KniG_BJylFWQdfBhcBGlRctb6ptV821BffLVSaADVee8x/s1600/Alpha_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RtMZJhLO-6GW7gXBC8zNfWJvAVhabJd9qCOK42Aw1FbJxlC9Fu82GBL-DrfpSNKzoeVLf_x6tt0PbcOVNXJZJZspI5H4FG3KniG_BJylFWQdfBhcBGlRctb6ptV821BffLVSaADVee8x/s400/Alpha_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602400463052826338" /></a><br />Moving on, and when looking at the online element in any game the importance of having a consistent frame-rate is paramount. It's not so much about ensuring you have a visually smooth experience (though that certainly helps), but instead one with as little controller latency as possible. Essentilaly the two do go hand in hand, but with previous Gears games this was limited by the lack of dedicated servers, thus introducing additional latency outside of the game slowing down.<br /><br />Although it's likely that we'll see greater variation in performance during the single player campaign, due to the engine pushing much larger environments and more stenous action, in the beta Epic has done well to keep things under control in order to deliver as little input lag as possible. And this is something that has further been addressed by the use of dedicated servers. In the beta not everyone will be on dedicated servers at all times, although performance on these alternate hosts is improved compared to the ones powering GOW2's online component.<br /> <br /><iframe width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ttj12LIZ7Kk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Performance-wise, Gears Of War 3 operates at 30fps and employs v-sync in order to maintain image consistency. However, we also see that v-sync is disengaged when the frame-rate drops below 30fps in order to maintain a steady level of performance in scenes which stress the engine. To that effect there is some barely visible tearing that manifests by crawling up and down the screen, which can frequently occur during gunfire, but its impact goes reletively un-noticed for the most part.<br /><br />While the game manages a stable frame-rate for extended periods of time, there are a few drops in smoothness to speak of when the engine is put under stress; mainly in scenes whereby multiple players are present and lots of gunfire and explosions create additional load. But outside of these scenarios there is little in the way of slowdown to impact on the experience, which also ensures a crisp controller responce is maintained as often as possible.<br /><br />Also, like with many games this generation (Alan Wake and Vanquish both spring to mind) GOW3's smooth refresh rate is further enhanced by the inclusion of motion blur. Going back to the first game and the Gears series has always used a vector-based motion blur implementation, but this is now handled on a per-object basis. As you can see below, the effect varies in strength - ranging from rather subtle to in your face as it were, producing a nice screen distortion effect in the process - but also serves to seamlessly blend individual frames together to create a more fluid screen refresh. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMML5fdvIv-moPl_4BleQcYjpP351djqBXAK_rSgO05YG-HpmEZ3lD8WmMA7yl_bvufHb5_Gw3rmagcGGat-rqKWkXLvgahdV_Qys4Y3IuRH7Qe9ZEpz3LkiHogjD1sdE1aJzv13NElB5Y/s1600/OMB_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMML5fdvIv-moPl_4BleQcYjpP351djqBXAK_rSgO05YG-HpmEZ3lD8WmMA7yl_bvufHb5_Gw3rmagcGGat-rqKWkXLvgahdV_Qys4Y3IuRH7Qe9ZEpz3LkiHogjD1sdE1aJzv13NElB5Y/s400/OMB_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603916991477569490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4njw3tf-nPlKQg5saCJ-TvZE1uDskN9oFhyphenhyphenQEmpAoZdDe611IpBF2y6DrZLxIKxn2C87h7VjfvnAKLURByt5e8EuVPcxX9HzMW_NBh3AhbTKWQcEJDjneopeB7lr4Ve9_fsPLib1jIGW2/s1600/OMB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4njw3tf-nPlKQg5saCJ-TvZE1uDskN9oFhyphenhyphenQEmpAoZdDe611IpBF2y6DrZLxIKxn2C87h7VjfvnAKLURByt5e8EuVPcxX9HzMW_NBh3AhbTKWQcEJDjneopeB7lr4Ve9_fsPLib1jIGW2/s400/OMB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602401625606502834" /></a><br />Overall, even in its unfinished state as a multiplayer beta, Gears Of War 3 is clearly shaping up to be another noteworthy graphical showcase for the 360. Sure enough, the real test of course, will come in the form of the single-player campaign, in which larger environments and distinct set-pieces are likely to push the engine a lot harder than anything we've witnessed thus far. But for now things are looking rather promising, with Epic successfully using its underlying tech to craft a suitably lavish visual experience. Going back to Gears 2 and then to the beta, and there's a real tangible difference to be felt in the overall quality of what we are seeing. <br /><br />Coming away from the look of the game and there is also a sense that Epic are trying to further hone in Gears Of War 3 as a distinct online experience, separating it from past titles and from other online shooters in order to keep things fresh. Not only is the gameplay faster, but the close/ranged set-up for example, seems balanced enough for players to compete on an even keel regardless of their play-style, while the skillfully deployed weapon placements ensure that mastery of the maps themselves, and the calculated strategy that goes along with them isn't lost to those more inclined to simply run and gun their way to the top.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-36149929353798663222011-04-16T10:25:00.016+01:002011-04-16T12:52:27.524+01:00Wii 2 Details Revealed - Round UpThe idea behind remote gaming isn't a new one. While OnLive attempt to bring the concept to the forefront on a grand scale (cloud computing), companies like Sony have dabbled in similar ventures on a much smaller level. With the PS3 for example, you could directly stream videogame content from the unit to the PSP, thus using the handheld device as a portable PS3 controller while also being able to play select games on it as a result. This was a headlining feature touted by Factor 5's Lair, although it goes unused by most developers.<br /><br />Now a similar concept is said to be behind the very heart of the Wii 2. Nintendo's latest machine will apparently feature a 6" LCD screen directly on the controller - much like the Sega Dreamcast and its VMU display - in which users of Nintendo's new console will be able to wirelessly stream their games directly from the Wii 2 to the system's controller for portable play. <br /><br />So far, from what we gather this appears to be just for local wireless play at present, although there's no stopping Nintendo from expanding this concept online via a broadband connection. At this point, it should be noted that the PS3 (with Lair) managed to achieve game streaming over wireless broadband regardless of your location. The quality and speed of both your connection and the remote wireless network dictated how laggy an experience you got, with fast connections obviously allowing for far less input latency. <br /><br />Additionally, Nintendo's controller for their next machine will reportedly feature the standard dual analogue stick, four buttons and a d-pad approach missing on the Wii's Remote and Nunchuck set-up. Other interesting tidbits include backwards compatibility with the Wii (emulation in HD perhaps) and that the new controller's LCD display actually has touch screen functionality. This LCD screen is also considered to be 'HD'. However that doesn't simply imply a native 720p resolution, as the NGP and iPhone 4 has shown. <br /><br />The company is also said to be targeting the hardcore gaming audience with the Wii 2 after languishing behind in this area with the current Wii and NDS consoles, thus the return to traditional controllers.<br /><br />As a result sources have been told to expect HD graphics from the console (a given really), and a system that exceeds the capabilities of the PS3. It has been indicated that Nintendo could be using a custom, three core IBM PowerPC CPU, and a ATI R700 family GPU with shader model 4.1 extensions. Curiously, the inclusion of a mere 512MB of RAM seems a little low. We expect that 1GB is far more reasonable for a 2012 release machine. But this is all hearsay and conjecture at the moment. <br /><br />One thing we do know, is that Nintendo is planning to fully unveil the machine, along with both first and third-party software for the system at this year's E3, with an announcement to be forthcoming ahead of the show. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Sources sighted: GameInformer, Develop, and CVG.</span>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-39672725839257683132011-04-01T21:23:00.004+01:002011-04-01T21:34:31.416+01:00Crysis 2 Gets Custom Graphics SettingsCrytek raised a few eyebrows when they revealed that Crysis 2 would feature 'fixed' graphics modes rather than the option to individually customise certain visual elements of the title. Instead of users having the ability of set levels of anti-aliasing, shadow quality, along with enabling and disabling of various effects (SSAO, colour grading, etc), there are simply three distinct options in place of those - modes outlined as 'high', 'very high', and 'extreme', each featuring a few additional upgrades in certain areas.<br /><br />However, it is possible to tailor the various graphical components of the game via the internal config file, and for some users that also meant a patch could be developed allowing easy access to all those settings. And that is exactly what has happened.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh437CgFP10mYsMclZJGpVyZNn3qFIUSWg_VyclrVBSw3RyztQEdHcEVpACOnoehK4zNhsnCj3GbatttY9RS8kIxj0N4UWA-dClQ4f9j1z9qa9ladGVK9-Pwdi3raWWzbJmIOx9NWhp1Cap/s1600/crysis2advancedgraphics.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh437CgFP10mYsMclZJGpVyZNn3qFIUSWg_VyclrVBSw3RyztQEdHcEVpACOnoehK4zNhsnCj3GbatttY9RS8kIxj0N4UWA-dClQ4f9j1z9qa9ladGVK9-Pwdi3raWWzbJmIOx9NWhp1Cap/s400/crysis2advancedgraphics.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590715145652360418" /></a><br />Wasdie, a member of the MyCrysis forums has <a href="http://www.mycrysis.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=12953">developed a GUI</a> that enables the end user to set a wide range of parameters for the game's graphical outlay. These include everything from shader quality to the giving the choice of what kind of anti-aliasing you'd like the to use. <br /><br />This GUI is installed and then run before the user loads up Crysis 2, and easily labels each of the various settings with the same naming conventions given to the title's three standard graphical modes. In addition it is possible to downgrade the game further still, with access to 'Low' and 'Mid-spec' settings only present in the leaked build of the game.<br /> <br />The most compelling part, is that the ability to now use MSAA with the option checked in the GUI (and edge-AA set to off) further increases the gap between consoles and the PC, with just 4xMSAA delivering a noticeable boost in image quality over Crytek's own temporal anti-aliasing solution. While we're not sure how much this affects overall performance, we do know that Crysis 2's temporal AA solution was relatively light in using up system resources in comparison. And this is definitely something we'll be aiming to test out as soon as we get the time. <br /><br />Seeing as the range of configurations have now dramatically increased, and that visibly higher IQ is now available for those wanting to 'max out' the game as usually intended on high-end gaming rigs, we shall hopefully be taking a closer look at this recent mod in a future update here at IQGamer. Until then updates on this site might be a little quiet as I'm currently working on the next Face-Off for Digital Foundry. But please, do keep an eye out.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-79038012077283158122011-03-27T21:26:00.029+01:002011-03-27T22:39:27.732+01:00Tech Analysis: Crysis 2 (360 vs PS3 vs PC)So here we are, with one of the biggest releases of this year. Crysis 2 finally comes storming out through the gates after a myriad of techinical demonstrations and effects showcases designed to big up the CryEngine 3 to the gaming fathfull. Crytek are masters of producing high-end visuals that require high-end hardware to run. But what about designing the same cutting-edge content to run on what can only be considered five year old, low-end tech?<br /><br />Well, that is exactly what we're here to find out as we lay out a triple platform tech analysis of the developers latest visual spectacle, Crysis 2. First we begin with the consoles, before moving onto our more direct PC comparison.<br /><br />Crytek have made it no secret that their CryEngine 3 technology has been made in such a way as to scale between different platforms, each with varying specs while keeping the core components (GI lighting, advanced shader effects, real-time shadows etc) intact. Instead, compromises have been made in other areas, from shadow quality, resolution, LOD, right down to how perameters for each of these components operate.<br /><br />While PC owners will eventually get the full, untapped potential of the engine (The game only supports Direct X9 at launch), console users on the other hand get a scaled back revision that impressively implements some of the high-end features found only in the upper settings of the computer version. In that respect they get a nicely balanced blend of compromised image quality at the expense of some loverly GI-based lighting, god rays, and other cool touches. <br /><br />But how does each one fair? Lets get on with it...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDhskTsGmLQf5E2ddsNukssU8r6e7ZsQtBH_Uy3o6gnyNvjeUHRj1jQyjSyKsuq9OKPOKr7RG3vyHL4O0qaVRETqnKmMWVIcl8lqU7kzTZUQ2kW4yHnAJbFdoOPGwN-B2Cx3ziMzZ93FZ/s1600/360-000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDhskTsGmLQf5E2ddsNukssU8r6e7ZsQtBH_Uy3o6gnyNvjeUHRj1jQyjSyKsuq9OKPOKr7RG3vyHL4O0qaVRETqnKmMWVIcl8lqU7kzTZUQ2kW4yHnAJbFdoOPGwN-B2Cx3ziMzZ93FZ/s400/360-000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588855623110217522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctSXXjQ-99EC9NKK4_mdea-5HaiIFkmwmxLdC9w8Q2mcn-u_D6_ThJEqQfN4w43AW83Y0aDYwceKnCi0lJ-CK8MCvK_T_O892ROgQaG4Q6gxlYOsBSmtI0JpcmPOUkWuiVdbzB4ZiGqt-/s1600/PS3-000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctSXXjQ-99EC9NKK4_mdea-5HaiIFkmwmxLdC9w8Q2mcn-u_D6_ThJEqQfN4w43AW83Y0aDYwceKnCi0lJ-CK8MCvK_T_O892ROgQaG4Q6gxlYOsBSmtI0JpcmPOUkWuiVdbzB4ZiGqt-/s400/PS3-000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588855747839484914" /></a><br />As always we start off by taking a look at the framebuffer of both console versions and see how they hold up. While PC owners obviously get a choice of native rendering resolution - regardless of actual hardware specs - on consoles it isn't quite so simple. The framebuffer is restricted by both available processing power and memory bandwidth; both of which are a limited commodity on consoles compared to the constantly shifting nature of PC hardware.<br /><br />Crysis 2 renders in 1152x720 on the Xbox 360 and 1024x720 on the PS3, with both versions getting the same use of temporal 2xMSAA (multi-sampling anti-aliasing). And as you can see in the opening screenshots above, the two games aren't far off of each other with regards to image quality. The 360 game is a tad sharper owning to less horizintal upscaling taking place, but at the same time the difference can often be barely noticeably in motion, and neither build features the clearer IQ of a true 720p game.<br /><br />Interestingly, the HUD elements in the PS3 game appear to be upscaled rather than rendered over the final framebuffer. Quite why this is the case isn't exactly known for sure. But, what we do know is that the RSX GPU provides extremely low cost horizontal scaling, and in order to render the HUD after the FB they'd need more memory to do so. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3cOa14ColRK6bxZHGhZaU4SsrYxoAP00zBL0aFzTuJtf755RyCUYVt5Fcxm2PbWPr0ZPbHTFibEl8WLffyGnNISRSi41Xu__YLvppMlmowk8DVcXeeBOi29zwzLGIqWpjNqATiNyDLSr/s1600/360-007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3cOa14ColRK6bxZHGhZaU4SsrYxoAP00zBL0aFzTuJtf755RyCUYVt5Fcxm2PbWPr0ZPbHTFibEl8WLffyGnNISRSi41Xu__YLvppMlmowk8DVcXeeBOi29zwzLGIqWpjNqATiNyDLSr/s400/360-007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588855888021184082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sVeJIic_-QqEK5PxzOLwcGIFlO_4yNCQPZSGEcjUz_JUiIjSr_Lh5_UXBJQTAiIe4a8rGSPts9OsuHuDTNGIbst_OaKoP0WGm_0YdoNfZtjlhvDGyDGdekme5-RnmNntCIBYguNhhtKR/s1600/PS3-007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sVeJIic_-QqEK5PxzOLwcGIFlO_4yNCQPZSGEcjUz_JUiIjSr_Lh5_UXBJQTAiIe4a8rGSPts9OsuHuDTNGIbst_OaKoP0WGm_0YdoNfZtjlhvDGyDGdekme5-RnmNntCIBYguNhhtKR/s400/PS3-007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856034570133298" /></a><br />Regardless both versions still look good however, and It seems that edge post-process effects along with the game's use of anti-aliasing attributes somewhat to its soft look. More so on the PS3 by the looks of things due to the additional upscale taking place, but in practice the difference appears less pronounced than in still shots, and thus less impactful in general.<br /><br />Crytek's anti-aliasing solution - a temporal form of 2xMSAA which appears to be selective in its implementation on surfaces throughout the scene - has little impact in terms of providing high-level amounts of edge smoothing in highly detailed outdoor scenes. But its effects seem to be variable, with some areas - particuarly inside - faring better than others. Crytek's AA solution also works on various parts of the scene a little differently, using depth buffer info and edge detect on close objects. <br /><br />Also, as a result of a frame blending technique used to create the AA samples from two seperate frames, we see that a ghosting effect is present during movement, like in the demo. Additionally, it appears that the use of frame-blending, along with edge-post process effects tend to blur the image somewhat on all versions of the game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjnre6oKfikqj7GZmLS0tbrde9s2vNk1OcmdiUt_yUq0AammDe5W15iAES4gOJpcicbDaa_OKAGMgSWc8KcDOZfjcPnWijwPYNcUE6giUd1VT6ilti6cG1E_hmlzhXF_85-4euiUp8RPX/s1600/360-004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjnre6oKfikqj7GZmLS0tbrde9s2vNk1OcmdiUt_yUq0AammDe5W15iAES4gOJpcicbDaa_OKAGMgSWc8KcDOZfjcPnWijwPYNcUE6giUd1VT6ilti6cG1E_hmlzhXF_85-4euiUp8RPX/s400/360-004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856195267716674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgTRNdEXiLNSMJE_MBwCPvVDkpOfDkeXSnx9u1NaQtnXTJ6c8IISQXSc6TWIS4x2VgCMWmXDozmWmgpiF6YOSlkNiYB5MUGYRaB6FLpu_gryS0_BIaqHTbJZCnHaQAzH-n6AszvH9fCYS/s1600/PS3-004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgTRNdEXiLNSMJE_MBwCPvVDkpOfDkeXSnx9u1NaQtnXTJ6c8IISQXSc6TWIS4x2VgCMWmXDozmWmgpiF6YOSlkNiYB5MUGYRaB6FLpu_gryS0_BIaqHTbJZCnHaQAzH-n6AszvH9fCYS/s400/PS3-004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856333997591234" /></a><br />The killer point about Crysis 2 on both consoles and on the PC, is the inclusion of Crytek's much talked about single-bounce global illumination (GI) lighting system, whereby sun lighting features a singular, real-time bounce that for the most part accurately resembles real-world light occlusion. <br /><br />This also means that all shadows and light sources are rendered in real-time through the game. The effects of which are outstanding as a whole. Ambient light and shadows are cast, while the main light-bounce creates a depthy, atmospheric look to the proceedings. Along with this we get the usual lens flaire and bloom effects, plus the addition of real-time, 'proper' sun-shafts too. All of which are equally represented on both PS3 and 360. Bar, except for some mild additional light occlusion in places on both the PC and PS3 codes, which usually darken the scene but seem to add a mildly stronger light bounce in places. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWHSvofP18_9fty-BasqWPTz_3kSYSn-m03wHW2wwnB-u8-j7jNQs0Szoqr1ckvms09pvbdha__dFCNPkEaEXgzCTRmvapaugR2Ilv9U_VnF3r-PP1hy6I8ACJBt0YpvXhdI8_nbycSm6/s1600/360-010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWHSvofP18_9fty-BasqWPTz_3kSYSn-m03wHW2wwnB-u8-j7jNQs0Szoqr1ckvms09pvbdha__dFCNPkEaEXgzCTRmvapaugR2Ilv9U_VnF3r-PP1hy6I8ACJBt0YpvXhdI8_nbycSm6/s400/360-010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856502555170082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O84DfxCSgzqROSBIVkD0tro2KZy1ytOWE-8a8mN9IjYqujApAE_U1Hxy7dpvQcybMSXTxy8Q8v7TiO0S2WfuHju1UcwNtZSq6jjDpah4NBgoORuJSPT7woMbNBPabo3a9jx9L4D6grn3/s1600/PS3-010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O84DfxCSgzqROSBIVkD0tro2KZy1ytOWE-8a8mN9IjYqujApAE_U1Hxy7dpvQcybMSXTxy8Q8v7TiO0S2WfuHju1UcwNtZSq6jjDpah4NBgoORuJSPT7woMbNBPabo3a9jx9L4D6grn3/s400/PS3-010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856682319746818" /></a><br />Crysis 2 uses deffered rendering in the form of differed lighting passes in order to deliver many dynamic lights onscreen at a lower overall cost than incurred by traditional forward rendering techniques. It is also an easier and more convenient way for artists to light every scene - they don't have to wait for hours of pre-computation in order to see the end results. <br /><br />However, use of GI also comes with additional costs - namely memory bandwidth and computational power. Real-time shadows and occlusion means more alpha on screen, while having to calculate the lighting bounce on the fly means more processing power needed per-pixel. As a result we have already seen a reduction in the resolution of the framebuffer on each version, but there are many other parts of the game - visually - that have seen soem compromises in order to accomodate what is arguably the most impressive use of lighting in any console game to date.<br /><br />By far the most obvious of these is Crysis 2's use of LOD and texture/object steaming. While there is a slight sense that LOD has seen an improvement over the 360 multiplayer demo, we still see many objects that pop-in noticeably as you approcah them. For example, foliage transitions between low and high quality assets fairly close to the player, buildings and other geometric objects too are also affected. Often this can look more than a tad unsightly, but sometimes can also go by without much notice - it all depends on just what the engine is rendering at any given time. <br /><br />In our demo analysis we also mentioned in closing that a pre-release config file mentioned LOD perameters that were similar, or perhaps even identical across both PS3 and 360. Usually, it is the PS3 code that comes off worse in this area, with less memory and bandwidth to accomodate the same levels of draw distance and LOD update as the 360 in most cases. But in the finished retail game we find that not to be the case - bar one or two oddities that only ocasionally stand out in certain circumstances. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cKKdGkigqXGlSLQ5_iiyQSKwGRDOuZ4xJNFMqNXXSLtGIKUbFlx4CVgWa86kvNO7M1NIBKGXYmBCVRK8KzO8J-riaBg95ctfniJlVzB8igeBvPjF3DNZQqLMdwMcNVvBXOTSgDetprHS/s1600/360-013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cKKdGkigqXGlSLQ5_iiyQSKwGRDOuZ4xJNFMqNXXSLtGIKUbFlx4CVgWa86kvNO7M1NIBKGXYmBCVRK8KzO8J-riaBg95ctfniJlVzB8igeBvPjF3DNZQqLMdwMcNVvBXOTSgDetprHS/s400/360-013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588856878337092082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZYOSztUWUgreGWfeG2vckALQEb0YgKbceMcZCJHXXkTfEWr45VxHq0Tm4WOCcw4mrFX_8C2WEgto_r2OspuTtGXRJJX4qvAfME4OeYx0MQ2MP1NDF4VmdEbVgKf5uLKOly4DzYENJDQZ/s1600/PS3-013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZYOSztUWUgreGWfeG2vckALQEb0YgKbceMcZCJHXXkTfEWr45VxHq0Tm4WOCcw4mrFX_8C2WEgto_r2OspuTtGXRJJX4qvAfME4OeYx0MQ2MP1NDF4VmdEbVgKf5uLKOly4DzYENJDQZ/s400/PS3-013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857030611791602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-ZvUA_mJcKLTQnCPdm7ftige80e_QXXIhqYFpeNLged66ntT1hufmIbAMFaYnPz9xAUn27tn2nXEF0Fe3xTVsr9K6jAzC83A7425C-MN5w8gfN9-5GUJ6zc513XewZB8ljYzydVzDbsT/s1600/PC-012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-ZvUA_mJcKLTQnCPdm7ftige80e_QXXIhqYFpeNLged66ntT1hufmIbAMFaYnPz9xAUn27tn2nXEF0Fe3xTVsr9K6jAzC83A7425C-MN5w8gfN9-5GUJ6zc513XewZB8ljYzydVzDbsT/s400/PC-012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857181335252050" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' settings</span><br /><br />The most noticeable difference is how shadows are handled on both formats. Shadow LOD appears to be a tad stronger on the PS3, with some elements either being rendered in much later, or not at all. Self-shadows too also suffer from the same problem. <br /><br />Additionally, SSAO initially seems to be cut back on in the PS3 game. Notice in the above shot, by the concrete blocks on the ground, that the effect is present on the 360 but fails to load in at all on the PS3. However, this isn't actually the case at all - SSAO in the PS3 game is in fact a closer match to the PC game. <br /><br />The PS3 code also benefits from some advantages in other areas. First up, and as you can see below, shadows are filtered using a higher quality implementation compared to on the 360. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj6cse17F3_4pwRDGnV4C_-YFpcWXP8yinpUKvtp4DB5zU-oUHT9eu_Yx7C4e39REI5lRLrGsVbRFM4pX7TmglJhuAouqGu_ifVezNMRFrLiZADcrZwO2RdTzLqTyYY5Yw8KbOQhrFgEW/s1600/360_shadowfilter-000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj6cse17F3_4pwRDGnV4C_-YFpcWXP8yinpUKvtp4DB5zU-oUHT9eu_Yx7C4e39REI5lRLrGsVbRFM4pX7TmglJhuAouqGu_ifVezNMRFrLiZADcrZwO2RdTzLqTyYY5Yw8KbOQhrFgEW/s400/360_shadowfilter-000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857428754751170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHX4Cez0azCxE8RAuQh9GUWrIJcp2Du8yLYNG3nBqSPmaV4XVwW3zWAdqSXbRsmVumOONLf_pxwkSqd698IOn1ErVxYkIKsokkEGIdbIvlmUnpc8WuTvdgDjPaSide7zboWtqdl2pXo4la/s1600/PS3_shadowfilter-000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHX4Cez0azCxE8RAuQh9GUWrIJcp2Du8yLYNG3nBqSPmaV4XVwW3zWAdqSXbRsmVumOONLf_pxwkSqd698IOn1ErVxYkIKsokkEGIdbIvlmUnpc8WuTvdgDjPaSide7zboWtqdl2pXo4la/s400/PS3_shadowfilter-000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857557304711618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm_ZruAbH8HoTQyBHc4p492G7k872MmmN_sZAsLHPwLP70-bVQr9N7nKZ0jATwgasWvhGSP06EEVNXW1o8yyTAH6pc15524DmzLwmu4tSteHHmVdufGHhsHqofkpGD2j161Skc7Ki-pT-/s1600/PC-006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCm_ZruAbH8HoTQyBHc4p492G7k872MmmN_sZAsLHPwLP70-bVQr9N7nKZ0jATwgasWvhGSP06EEVNXW1o8yyTAH6pc15524DmzLwmu4tSteHHmVdufGHhsHqofkpGD2j161Skc7Ki-pT-/s400/PC-006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857708015535522" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' settings</span><br /><br />And secondly, texture filtering has also been given a significant boost, with bias towards certain surfaces giving ground and enviromental textures a cleaner look compared to on the 360.<br /><br />According to Crytek, both games use dynamic AF (anisotropic filtering), but in the PS3 version we can see what looks like between 2x-8x filtering compared with much lower amounts in many places on the 360 - what looks like about 4x max, from what we can see. Officially, Crytek say that the PS3 game can switch between using 2x and up to 16x levels of AF.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVMLLaYZGhed4gFRky4190H0NH31EzM5hzNBGmxORGDkSG0-BQfkv1x3Lv2sdSVxacy3Vf3sGa3xOcZSnRV5OItpsFYgFxJUamZueCxZ6vx5TFf-gMBTAS0KWr9pMdFdMPYqcheDemNxV/s1600/360-014.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVMLLaYZGhed4gFRky4190H0NH31EzM5hzNBGmxORGDkSG0-BQfkv1x3Lv2sdSVxacy3Vf3sGa3xOcZSnRV5OItpsFYgFxJUamZueCxZ6vx5TFf-gMBTAS0KWr9pMdFdMPYqcheDemNxV/s400/360-014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588857900823104194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEOrLySDcgAuldSswrVrhFHAHOuLijq14hKQ9OUEfeZ9xQHWdkYIafO3SJQVxm9Jw07YSSdGfKEeS4YxnFusnyCSMjdU11OWI8_GgIp1WzpPFcb3zv8VXP7OnTXaDpJ3aEqyvioqKz_bm/s1600/PS3-014.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEOrLySDcgAuldSswrVrhFHAHOuLijq14hKQ9OUEfeZ9xQHWdkYIafO3SJQVxm9Jw07YSSdGfKEeS4YxnFusnyCSMjdU11OWI8_GgIp1WzpPFcb3zv8VXP7OnTXaDpJ3aEqyvioqKz_bm/s400/PS3-014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588858061706980658" /></a><br />While these differences are perhaps minor in nature, there's no question that the PS3 game's use of AF and higher quality shadow filtering makes a small tangible differnce. Of course, the lower framebuffer resolution partially cancels out the AF - owing to a blurrier image in general - but there's also a real sense that the two versions are remarkably close to each other given the immense task of rendering a hugely detailed environment, and then lighting it all up in real time. <br /><br />Far more important however, is how they both perform whilst delivering such intricate visual complexity. And in this respect neither are particulaly excellent, with plenty of impactful frame-rate drops reducing controller response down to unacceptable levels. But this is only half of the story. Performance in Crysis 2 is heavily bound by load, with the 360 version leading in a general sense, but with the PS3 one occasionally doing the same in some chaotic scenarios. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/94I4puTy20I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Crytek are targeting a 30fps update for the console releases of Crysis 2, and going by the 360 multiplayer demo code at least, they were doing a rather good job of maintaining it, with very little in the way of frame-rate drops and no screen tearing. However, the single-layer mode is vastly different; there's much, much more going on. And all of this has a might impact on how well the engine can cope as a result. <br /><br />While the results aren't pretty; both versions are at times very close. It's not always the case that one has a distinct advantage over the other, and both have various ups and downs with regards to keeping that 30fps but in different scenarios. Although, it's often the PS3 version that falls short more than the 360, but not always so. <br /><br />On both platforms Crysis 2 run with an uncapped frame-rate and with v-sync enabled. However neither version hits the targeted 30fps mark for very long and barely goes above this. In fact, they both constantly fail to reach it in many situations, with or without heavy load. In addition, there is a small difference in how both versions deal with holding v-sync: the PS3 maintains this it throughout, while the 360 game seems to drop it very briefly, perhaps in order to maintain a slightly higher refresh. Tearing however, only occupies the very top of the screen and isn't noticeable during play.<br /><br />As the video suggests, performance in Crysis 2 can be hugely variable; one minute the game is plowing along smoothly at the desired screen refresh, and then, in just the blink of an eye will drop right down to the mid to low 20's for extended periods of time. The main cause seems to be combat situations. Although, not neccesarily heavy combat - slowdown occurs when small, one or two man firefights break out, and increases dramatically when more starts going on. <br /><br />Thankfully, somehow Crytek have still made the game playable regardless - in practice due more down to having to work your way around situations rather than going through the whole game and treating it as one giant shooting gallery. But seeing as playing it any other way than with ample thought and especially, a good bit of sneaking/enemy avoidance, makes the challenge just a touch too much to bare, so this negates the issue somewhat.<br /><br />In any case, the fact that the game still throws everything but the kitchen sink into the console code, means that having it run at all in a playable state - even with the above listed shortcomings - is a pretty mean feat regardless. That said, one could easily argue that performance should have been better, with more careful optimisations, and maybe a few more scant cut backs here and there in order to better achieve that 30fps target. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgpuWDDNsm8_TJJEuYu1ww5NPxHo2lpY-9QF9s3yeLWIIjRIdCKM0ac4s6XG8VHRithoj6VHRn7vUzWigFtpxroL8B90GyjMPMUeYVPpMf9RXaT7x-1f_oKoAwKE3E50qkGeVMZViLVqs/s1600/360-012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgpuWDDNsm8_TJJEuYu1ww5NPxHo2lpY-9QF9s3yeLWIIjRIdCKM0ac4s6XG8VHRithoj6VHRn7vUzWigFtpxroL8B90GyjMPMUeYVPpMf9RXaT7x-1f_oKoAwKE3E50qkGeVMZViLVqs/s400/360-012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588859190589651762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4w_ZHErvh6lry1wkA_UnfiO6UhrhQMpMbTod-BRy1hUSvYg-pGp_1GK8CKFBl2OUhR-tsz7D71Qmqi8cfOvOnsSbWw6eRhfH_w-Sq5qx5cWB3KWkng8My5o1f-FlCMIuKxywKwLEzrJuY/s1600/PS3-012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4w_ZHErvh6lry1wkA_UnfiO6UhrhQMpMbTod-BRy1hUSvYg-pGp_1GK8CKFBl2OUhR-tsz7D71Qmqi8cfOvOnsSbWw6eRhfH_w-Sq5qx5cWB3KWkng8My5o1f-FlCMIuKxywKwLEzrJuY/s400/PS3-012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588859345303993170" /></a><br />Despite a few shortcomings, including a loss in IQ, some obvious LOD and streaming issues, plus a decidedly unwheldy frame-rate, Crysis 2 is a technical marvel on consoles. Say what you will about those comprosmises, but the fact that the game provides both scale and detail whilst delivering a fully real-time, shadowing and GI lighting system is it self an incredible feat. The game looks abosutely stunning! <br /><br />Of course, there are smoother games out there, ones which perhaps excel in other particular areas. But on the whole, Crytek's latest shows that in many ways these five year-old consoles cans till handle - albeit at a significant cost - similarly high-end visuals that grace today's top of the range PC's. <br /><br />More impressive - although not really much of a surprise considering that a earlier config file hinted as much - is the how well the PS3 code actually matches up to the 360 and PC versions. Its basically as good in many ways, with some very small improvements over the 360 game, and one or two slight (but hardly impacting) cut backs, non of which really impact on the game as a whole in any meaningful way. <br /><br />As to which one you should pick up. Well, it's fair to say that both versions come recommended, but perhaps the 360 build edges it ever so slightly with mildly better image quality and a smoother frame-rate. But really, it makes very little difference, and I personally found aiming a little easier when using the PS3's analogue sticks despite the sometimes heavier drops in framerate.<br /><br />So, Crysis 2 has successfully made the translation to console, but how well does it hold up compared to the cutting-edge PC game, and is there any evidence to suggest that it is this version that has in fact been downgraded in order to support the consoles? Moving on to our triple format comparison, let's take a closer look.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8J7ZnklYYvcWUco3QyUMWllskw7C4SWi4GcVpFjGmRXH8L5F8wDOBGeG-nyjvT5RVluO13l4YYdAF12E7CNtTr7h-FmiYDQzO2xzPGsatDD3uF3rOAsjYQY0MGNn-jXmbQc1ZpD345M6/s1600/360-005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8J7ZnklYYvcWUco3QyUMWllskw7C4SWi4GcVpFjGmRXH8L5F8wDOBGeG-nyjvT5RVluO13l4YYdAF12E7CNtTr7h-FmiYDQzO2xzPGsatDD3uF3rOAsjYQY0MGNn-jXmbQc1ZpD345M6/s400/360-005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588859499776963090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3QXoulS4YHpKgDrJaTKqMmiGV5jeRqx3Jd9uwIqg8C-Y-MF-V7HJYsTCYP7qtOZ__q2xK4iV7ffAAvgLAxmCmhFhC8vTkKy3NK3QmU9gMN38NPLSwzg0YN7HZlhT-ga82ypfbgV_vlse/s1600/PS3-005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3QXoulS4YHpKgDrJaTKqMmiGV5jeRqx3Jd9uwIqg8C-Y-MF-V7HJYsTCYP7qtOZ__q2xK4iV7ffAAvgLAxmCmhFhC8vTkKy3NK3QmU9gMN38NPLSwzg0YN7HZlhT-ga82ypfbgV_vlse/s400/PS3-005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588859658542896322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-Q0wHsUoIB6Ljy_RM0wPN3MkcnZzotadv5L3G-U9vT4AbkryzZwGMKlPmCaks8QXABGGcrjF-4b3VNHMrxz-VskEPcFnt37Nw6uKQH-NW1gL_E92EOIghk1Y8VGeU-N5N_zzw9-oj6dG/s1600/PC-005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-Q0wHsUoIB6Ljy_RM0wPN3MkcnZzotadv5L3G-U9vT4AbkryzZwGMKlPmCaks8QXABGGcrjF-4b3VNHMrxz-VskEPcFnt37Nw6uKQH-NW1gL_E92EOIghk1Y8VGeU-N5N_zzw9-oj6dG/s400/PC-005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588859781184505618" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' settings</span><br /><br />The first thing to note, is that unlike the console versions of the game Crysis 2 can be made to run in a range of different resolutions natively, and as a result, even at 720p the game looks noticeably sharper than its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts. In addition, there are three distinct graphical settings designed to scale various features in order to gain better performance on lower spec systems, or, to deliver extra visual impact on more powerful, higher-end machines.<br /><br />Crytek state that the PC game on it's lowest setting 'high' is a good approximate of what the actual console versions look like, but with further tayloring of effects specifically for the computer platform. Although, both console versions actually shape up really, really well in comparison - minus the obvious drop in resolution. <br /><br />As you can see above, the benefits of the PC game's true 720p output delivers a noticeable sharpness advantage, but we can also see that lighting has been given an upgarde. More light sources are visible with the lighting bounce having more of an overall imapct, casting more shadows as a result. <br /><br />The other big difference comes in the form of how the PC versions handles LOD - it's far less impactful with details being loaded in much further away from the player. This is down to the fact that on the PC, the game doesn't stream in any assets at all. Instead, it takes advantage of the much larger amouts of memory available on the format in order to avoid doing this, preserving object quality across the entire game. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DrsM7xwhukvnBSki3Tx0GyRhLT3ZWwWX14PZTo7rW2eU5uxEIG4mIHYdjPf0NmrfM0-nn8rxDJBxWUqz4wQUq9yEij0ZBBlJ1th5Qqy6PJUIgGKevyY_ODV0Vn8CW2tTFKn6ZEYyUPiK/s1600/PC-009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DrsM7xwhukvnBSki3Tx0GyRhLT3ZWwWX14PZTo7rW2eU5uxEIG4mIHYdjPf0NmrfM0-nn8rxDJBxWUqz4wQUq9yEij0ZBBlJ1th5Qqy6PJUIgGKevyY_ODV0Vn8CW2tTFKn6ZEYyUPiK/s400/PC-009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588860096520131202" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' settings</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3_3jAt7Eob7XMYHSNtobjf0PQpKBWwl4O5vS57Ul2pFV3JxSrpMkemR9_M290NaXyHww9hOpONn_3pBnc2ccizCTt4jnMSXBDnJlzs5PQQP1H1eosDBUkoNMBdYaZ1Q1kvND0RVyGicm/s1600/PC-009_vh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3_3jAt7Eob7XMYHSNtobjf0PQpKBWwl4O5vS57Ul2pFV3JxSrpMkemR9_M290NaXyHww9hOpONn_3pBnc2ccizCTt4jnMSXBDnJlzs5PQQP1H1eosDBUkoNMBdYaZ1Q1kvND0RVyGicm/s400/PC-009_vh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588860363886721026" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Very High' settings</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlnf8KGCWUr2CuvYCtcvwMR0TvUQ7_5v0h0Mm2pVDOb7Gn1-lwLy6FpY7v9eSJKk28-QysSukHoshfg_X6BuqF7U8tLhwgWraaAvx-CQa1wsY4LXw0hHRfYoZNSir9KpJRFKrE_lQ_mQB/s1600/PC-009_ex.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlnf8KGCWUr2CuvYCtcvwMR0TvUQ7_5v0h0Mm2pVDOb7Gn1-lwLy6FpY7v9eSJKk28-QysSukHoshfg_X6BuqF7U8tLhwgWraaAvx-CQa1wsY4LXw0hHRfYoZNSir9KpJRFKrE_lQ_mQB/s400/PC-009_ex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588860594893087202" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings</span><br /><br />The difference though, isn't alarmingly huge, and there are many aspects of the PC code which look virtually like for like across all three formats, with texture detail being the prime example. In order to really see how far Crytek have really taylored their engine when it comes down to running on mid to high-end hardware, we have to look at the game's highest graphical setting, 'extreme'.<br /><br />Here we start to see the PC version push ahead with a small wealth of graphical upgrades, although some are pretty subtle in nature and could easily be overlooked given the quality of both console conversions. The most obvious change, is that both lighting and shadowing have both been upgraded. Not only does every light practically cast a shadow, but lighting in general seems to be more refined and accurate in nature. SSAO too has also been given a higher precision implementation, looking a touch cleaner as a result. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRD95CV6hVv2FZvxGBDB1pgriGy95RxEYxHVomfmL3cszM0I-O3Kq5g5jNxa5yjBjFRuRBWnx896Yjvnbn6VJA4LiDuRxqU8Gwc3-HpHunwRUj7WF1IHsxix5ZqH7jQx2fvsi00E-_P-l/s1600/PC-011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRD95CV6hVv2FZvxGBDB1pgriGy95RxEYxHVomfmL3cszM0I-O3Kq5g5jNxa5yjBjFRuRBWnx896Yjvnbn6VJA4LiDuRxqU8Gwc3-HpHunwRUj7WF1IHsxix5ZqH7jQx2fvsi00E-_P-l/s400/PC-011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588861019348763202" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' Settings</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWgBAEiVw_fHDbr8iFp0favXW4qv36Ha-M22GdczrW-U7VXIvyl11naLHqOIR_tFaIcr23S5lClJ-zJJCyiRHY3UVhSFhIAaOUpiGvpr7V6Ro1STT7_JNg2fS92U2x5X-J7wtr07OUaqD/s1600/PC-011_vh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWgBAEiVw_fHDbr8iFp0favXW4qv36Ha-M22GdczrW-U7VXIvyl11naLHqOIR_tFaIcr23S5lClJ-zJJCyiRHY3UVhSFhIAaOUpiGvpr7V6Ro1STT7_JNg2fS92U2x5X-J7wtr07OUaqD/s400/PC-011_vh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588861323702051778" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Very High' settings</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGphkabn1bklfHZQAoUahZlfMDAu27OelXWt6l-SKoRWLTqEJaEuW6kxfpPAzatG2h0zVi8MjSVwUIrl-naVWxoYMghUWyhxRKS-rOaoOivceZw-byAI8fd4O0FpDvBVKs_9OksIoXEWZ/s1600/PC-011_ex.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGphkabn1bklfHZQAoUahZlfMDAu27OelXWt6l-SKoRWLTqEJaEuW6kxfpPAzatG2h0zVi8MjSVwUIrl-naVWxoYMghUWyhxRKS-rOaoOivceZw-byAI8fd4O0FpDvBVKs_9OksIoXEWZ/s400/PC-011_ex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588861540710506882" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings</span><br /><br />Additionally, Crytek's custom temporal MSAA solution offers better coverage across the entire scene, albiet with an incease in image blur. There's less in the way of visible aliasing giving the game a cleaner look on the whole. However, this upgrade is only present when running the PC game in the 'extrme' setting. When playing in either 'high' or 'very high' the game appears to use less samples in order to generate the AA, with similar levels of edge-smoothing as found on the PS3 and 360 versions. But the game looks sharper as a result.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XdOBhlvrUUbyMFRan3ZxWkzMzAiI9hKb_gyxvswV0e58Okiv0Yg84H5I79wejP02gVakxixzgDECCkkU1Lfxn8xFMvLB-4nbD4KFY1nqZHGxfMTM6fCIcllkF7yQQ9JYrMlz7-BmoUu0/s1600/PC-007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XdOBhlvrUUbyMFRan3ZxWkzMzAiI9hKb_gyxvswV0e58Okiv0Yg84H5I79wejP02gVakxixzgDECCkkU1Lfxn8xFMvLB-4nbD4KFY1nqZHGxfMTM6fCIcllkF7yQQ9JYrMlz7-BmoUu0/s400/PC-007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588862100128036578" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'High' settings</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMbn_hyol3Y_WSVkNn7m2VUJaxuXj1t7ufNTkwnXMfeVqgsD2IXgYq5YBwvuSZ43Vn4iZ2N2E4gnN8VTFEg02oe-S8qF7sAxhm96uqJIYzQnWfnQht5LJbI5r6V40sMrKpBgUdKlegTj3/s1600/PC-007_ex.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMbn_hyol3Y_WSVkNn7m2VUJaxuXj1t7ufNTkwnXMfeVqgsD2IXgYq5YBwvuSZ43Vn4iZ2N2E4gnN8VTFEg02oe-S8qF7sAxhm96uqJIYzQnWfnQht5LJbI5r6V40sMrKpBgUdKlegTj3/s400/PC-007_ex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588862308917118242" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings</span><br /><br />In other areas we see a few more subtle upgrades. The game's representation of water for example appears more complex in nature. As you can see above, there are greater amounts of ripples and waves on show, while the effect is animated with more accuracy than on consoles; a direct result of both an incrase in both geometry and better normal map blending being used to recreate the effect. <br /><br />Furthermore, other elements such as motion blur and depth of field benefit from higher quality implementations. In particular DOF features an additional layer in the distance not present in the console versions, whilst its resolution is also higher too. Motion blur is more impacting, but the results appear cleaner than either console game while increasing the amount of screen distortion present. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mz2cQ5eaq9F9s1Fc-edzpc385TiEGwGZ_uDW6J9tyAos5XTlj3FjSwGpPVDRkVt9C_GZe0Sfok6V_PRfp2EDbyIVUlQBCn2tj0J8hob0fjxqbHY14y-bSxVlKEjGHoRIbhmXkzRK3vnf/s1600/360extrablur-000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mz2cQ5eaq9F9s1Fc-edzpc385TiEGwGZ_uDW6J9tyAos5XTlj3FjSwGpPVDRkVt9C_GZe0Sfok6V_PRfp2EDbyIVUlQBCn2tj0J8hob0fjxqbHY14y-bSxVlKEjGHoRIbhmXkzRK3vnf/s400/360extrablur-000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588862515422712210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBLqg60vfoBWF_DnK5En01ozL24xC9ZAS6r6GqAnzdSzZWzpLILUxw-2OLnwZJluTjJXlQpFeGoumBpeiBN94a6SaABQDVzrkNb4D5pivrE8b3WQzafQPrBK5SbP94eVyNciKuyaXz0ok/s1600/PC-014_ex.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBLqg60vfoBWF_DnK5En01ozL24xC9ZAS6r6GqAnzdSzZWzpLILUxw-2OLnwZJluTjJXlQpFeGoumBpeiBN94a6SaABQDVzrkNb4D5pivrE8b3WQzafQPrBK5SbP94eVyNciKuyaXz0ok/s400/PC-014_ex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588862689000489170" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings</span><br /><br />Moving on, and one of the most important factors of PC gaming is being able to bump up the resolution, plaster on all the top-end effects and still run the game smoothly. And while performance across both 720p and 1080p modes (hardware dependant of course) is noticeably better than on the 360 and PS3, there's also a real sense that bumping up the resolution does very little to improve the visuals compared to selecting one of the higher graphics modes.<br /><br />Below we've listed some shots to show our findings. The two are grabs from the game running in 'extreme' mode, showcasing how 1080p fares in comparision. And as you can see, the differnce isn't particular spellbinding. Granted, on a native 1080p HDTV the jump in sharpness is easily apparent, but at the same time the additional clarity is somewhat reduced by the game's seemingly restrictive art assests. It seems like the baseline visuals were optimised in order to run across a really broad range of specifications, and thus we see no real leap in detail from moving up the resolution chain. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxugM9evKQSJI2nDdZ0nwbqH-96KovsyiOD4fJkoYdJp6HYmzNBxu0-GAnIHzRbDpZfGYeJV0VS-E6vMOSxRCekikt5yCIEF2vsnE8vtbqHVNTHlPJNbctso0SrVLNXDpXJH7k3yHrg35a/s1600/PC-017_ex.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxugM9evKQSJI2nDdZ0nwbqH-96KovsyiOD4fJkoYdJp6HYmzNBxu0-GAnIHzRbDpZfGYeJV0VS-E6vMOSxRCekikt5yCIEF2vsnE8vtbqHVNTHlPJNbctso0SrVLNXDpXJH7k3yHrg35a/s400/PC-017_ex.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588863011688999778" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings - 720p</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimngJwJeHIE1smuWsnqsmzhdpFDVhqSQPbRuFuo1bjoeU7_Ea9SaKHbRTaxcBHp4pUqZax1MqQwdz_Kc7E7JGDdQkJtQKQWTFH3SuZItVnWbJMDvP-ka0__lMvrB0-yotS8YawXqsdZDup/s1600/PC-017_ex_1080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimngJwJeHIE1smuWsnqsmzhdpFDVhqSQPbRuFuo1bjoeU7_Ea9SaKHbRTaxcBHp4pUqZax1MqQwdz_Kc7E7JGDdQkJtQKQWTFH3SuZItVnWbJMDvP-ka0__lMvrB0-yotS8YawXqsdZDup/s400/PC-017_ex_1080.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588863235375173106" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">'Extreme' settings - 1080p</span><br /><br />However, without a doubt, Crysis 2 running in 1080p on mid-range or mid high-end hardware is a class act indeed. Graphically, although the improvements are sometimes subtle at best, there's still a sense that you are seeing the game in its most polished form; a form that is unobtainable on any other hardware outside that of a decent gaming PC. <br /><br />Case in point, running on a i5 CPU and a NVIDIA GTX460 GPU at 720p (1280x720) with v-sync enbabled, and we get a near constant 60fps update when using the 'extreme' setting. While running in 1080p, v-synced and on 'high' you get a solid 60fps update. All of which amounts to an experience way beyond the home gaming systems.<br /><br />But that said, we can't help but feel that the PC game is in fact being held back slightly by both console versions. Clearly, Crytek have focused on designing an engine around running on age-old hardware with most of its effects correct and present, than in producing high-end tech that requires the most obsecne PC's in order to run. What substantiates this, is that on day one there is no Direct x11 support at all. By contrast, the original Crysis featured a beefed up Direct X10 mode on launch, with further upgrades separating it even further from the older DX9-based configurations contained within.<br /><br />My best guess is that due to spending so much time on delivering two suitable impressive - and very comparable - consoles expereiences, that a bleeding-edge, highest-end graphical mode simply wasn't ready in time for luanch. Crytek have already confirmed that an 'ethusiast mode' is on its way, along with Direct X11 support, but whether or not it shall yield the same level of technical superiority that Crysis 1 had over its peers is unknown at this point.<br /><br />Either way, there's still no question that Crysis 2 is a remarkably stunning release on the PC, and what it lacks in pure graphical advantage, it more than makes up for with vastly superior performance. Running the game at 720p, v-synced, and at the console target of 30fps should be no problem for most decent, older PC's, while people with mid-range and cutting edge hardware will easily be able to blow away both console versions entirely. <br /><br />Overall, it's pretty obvious that the PC version of Crysis 2 is the one to go for given the choice - and you don't even need the very best hardware to do a good job of running it - but you shouldn't discount the PS3 and 360 builds out entirely. What Crytek have manged to achieve on those consoles is nothing short of legendary, and although there are still a fair share of problems which impact on the experience as a whole, they're both beautiful looking games regardless. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Thanks go out to AlStrong for the pixel counting and Richard Leadbetter for use of Digital Foundry's analysis tools.</span>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-38655203376230654092011-03-22T20:29:00.029+00:002011-03-23T13:38:03.282+00:00Tech Analysis: Homefront (360 vs PS3)THQ's ambitions as a publisher have been laid out on a plate for all to see. With Homefront they aim to compete on the same level as Activision and EA with their top-tier military shooters - namely Call Of Duty and Battlefield - thus making their own mark within a vastly overcrowded genre. But doing so is no easy task. And in order to achieve their lofty goal they need to deliver something as production-line polished as those titles, but with greater scope and a bigger bang. <br /><br />Sadly Kaos Studios take on things leaves a lot to be desired. While the multiplayer modes are filled with plentiful options and neat touches which balance out the game for both the hardcore elitist and the casual player, the campaign mode of Homefront feels rough around the edges and tightly pre-scripted, let down by poor design choices and the unwillingness to let the player really take control in driving forward the action. It is rather atmospheric however.<br /><br />On the other hand, Kaos' use of the Unreal Engine 3 commands at least some respect. The developer has taken a engine which is most suited for smaller, more enclosed spaces and customised it to handle much larger draw distances, and wider expanses of terrain which deliver an added sense of scale to the proceedings. It's not the first time that this has been done: Frontlines: Fuel of War used the engine as a building block for something bigger and better, whilst Epic's own Gears Of War 2 showed how the tech was capable of breaking free from its original constraints. <br /><br />A fair amount of work has also been put into the multiplatform aspect of the game's development, tayloring certain graphical elements for each console. As a result we see some noticeable plus points for the PS3 over the 360, and vice-versa. However, both games are visually underwhelming, with a range of issues from sub-HD framebuffers to a few poorly implemented effects. <br /><br />It's fair to say that neither version holds a candle to the very best shooters which utilise the very same engine, though not without some merit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FplVGfRgmSEYVdvaq2U-INJy6h6-9laGG-wPN6xhkCOtMChHQWT8qEgGnaRb-uyFKTQLx-cZ5kTgqDqS37VJIdF0H9sy-hdcI8Y-jvCW0wd70a06VmcXsBJCu_8f0ipQhIouaqDwbNhM/s1600/360-Landscape.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FplVGfRgmSEYVdvaq2U-INJy6h6-9laGG-wPN6xhkCOtMChHQWT8qEgGnaRb-uyFKTQLx-cZ5kTgqDqS37VJIdF0H9sy-hdcI8Y-jvCW0wd70a06VmcXsBJCu_8f0ipQhIouaqDwbNhM/s400/360-Landscape.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587006203933576514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5z4ytsbZa8AkjrhMwlC7UiqXAw3TbpRrwAf4ctyhY2XbDx-hUTrd_L8B6Jt7d1rIo8bFPe93kjv95oA8XtEzZI3XAUSN4FSgUyQ0o2GhHndMTsTO4TDAye8jIq7zodWoaTVuoQPKy5I2/s1600/PS3-Landscape.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5z4ytsbZa8AkjrhMwlC7UiqXAw3TbpRrwAf4ctyhY2XbDx-hUTrd_L8B6Jt7d1rIo8bFPe93kjv95oA8XtEzZI3XAUSN4FSgUyQ0o2GhHndMTsTO4TDAye8jIq7zodWoaTVuoQPKy5I2/s400/PS3-Landscape.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587006341146068130" /></a><br />The game world itself provides much in the way of atmosphere, with the developer's impressive use of lighting, and the building up of a detailed, middle American town scape ravaged by war both helping to connect you with what's going on inside your TV screen. However, that sense of immersion is disrupted by the game's inconsistent visual nature. <br /><br />The framebuffer for example, comes in at a lowly 1024x576 (basically PAL DVD resolution) on both formats. There's a distinct blur over the entire image which helps hide intricate texture details, along with plenty of noticeable edge shimmering. Pretty much everything looks hideously fuzzy, marred by the hefty upscale that's going on here.<br /><br />Xbox 360 owners get the benefit of 2xMSAA helping in smoothing over some of the jaggies and reducing a few upscaling artefacts. Whilst on PS3, the game runs without any kind of anti-aliasing whatsoever, thus making it look even rougher as a result. Both are far from delivering anything close to native HD goodness, but its clear that the 360 version features slightly better IQ.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvteGNFVO_5sbSnfjGdSGlxOAeFZ5_hy1jg7gwOJk-8ZkhyphenhyphenHR9qrVyzx1s8R9PtjDR6gvTgijqDekpVwxvHLw1GzhQ-UaO7vviGrj8DDE3XoS9lNqnGUJiH-gPEg0Ey2VkjIGCKN3GnM-u/s1600/360-gol.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvteGNFVO_5sbSnfjGdSGlxOAeFZ5_hy1jg7gwOJk-8ZkhyphenhyphenHR9qrVyzx1s8R9PtjDR6gvTgijqDekpVwxvHLw1GzhQ-UaO7vviGrj8DDE3XoS9lNqnGUJiH-gPEg0Ey2VkjIGCKN3GnM-u/s400/360-gol.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587006766618247122" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17NPW2Oes3_KaIXAFnP56QSs-0uKoTLY27WAEtshO0BPz4e0rnrCDcvEM2BANSMhLC4Y8SA4abu1X4NDaoJo4IveKmpPBNl-NQ18B0la5gPkorVtjJVvWOFryc8Bo0UHy4Nessps1wLMl/s1600/PS3-gol.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17NPW2Oes3_KaIXAFnP56QSs-0uKoTLY27WAEtshO0BPz4e0rnrCDcvEM2BANSMhLC4Y8SA4abu1X4NDaoJo4IveKmpPBNl-NQ18B0la5gPkorVtjJVvWOFryc8Bo0UHy4Nessps1wLMl/s400/PS3-gol.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587006899057717154" /></a><br />The drop in resolution may come as a shock to some, but in the context of producing a highly detailed and reasonably open landscape, there are significant costs involved - especially when you take into account the game's stellar HDR lighting implementation and real-time shadowing. The additional memory bandwidth and GPU cycles spared by rendering in a sub-HD resolution allow for longer draw distances and considerable more intricate environments. And therein lies the compromise.<br /><br />Of course, in upping the amount of rendering you have to do for any given scene, this often means carefully implementing LOD set-up and object/texture steaming in order to maintain a high level of detail without impacting on the core graphical make-up of the game. Older titles that used the UE3 featured prominent texture streaming issues, whereby higher resolution textures would pop-in extremely close to the player. Although since then, this has become far less of an issue, with changes in the way transitions between textures are displayed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSIUrE69X2pb4hj73g-3iZU1FPsZt_5FP1cTrGBOLvwpA4LeqGr4N7pkHZR-OIiew_0OxLgL6Pvex7rt_0a6VpLTdCmdxFz_cZTi8s6zvCbiZBraA3x48_ld5pLUKa5eVvDvSX8AUPjBn/s1600/360-LOD1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSIUrE69X2pb4hj73g-3iZU1FPsZt_5FP1cTrGBOLvwpA4LeqGr4N7pkHZR-OIiew_0OxLgL6Pvex7rt_0a6VpLTdCmdxFz_cZTi8s6zvCbiZBraA3x48_ld5pLUKa5eVvDvSX8AUPjBn/s400/360-LOD1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007069652251506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6ZNjZgUGrCvvXWmLX-1uCQqmPA3heGkrD-4qpe9WKDfO6WaAEVUBFThPE8GgZCyRBiCEvzn1gkquesRFIgX4fPpLk7GChZ1iplvgjlz1945gdkDWte5ocwVJigc_F1rzbpIHZIyWcGg6/s1600/PS3-LOD1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6ZNjZgUGrCvvXWmLX-1uCQqmPA3heGkrD-4qpe9WKDfO6WaAEVUBFThPE8GgZCyRBiCEvzn1gkquesRFIgX4fPpLk7GChZ1iplvgjlz1945gdkDWte5ocwVJigc_F1rzbpIHZIyWcGg6/s400/PS3-LOD1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007206077666050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eDF2mQyDOl_kntXsb77Yx00VvBElIB1Ik0AoblxrCckNq5n49Vls4FiO6i4w-ZiNPvFzz8AtKBxxrCvzO25sT3mosqq0egssi74m6OAvXRni5FSk-04mnWYuCk30C5oD4C5fe-T0ivUU/s1600/360-LOD2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eDF2mQyDOl_kntXsb77Yx00VvBElIB1Ik0AoblxrCckNq5n49Vls4FiO6i4w-ZiNPvFzz8AtKBxxrCvzO25sT3mosqq0egssi74m6OAvXRni5FSk-04mnWYuCk30C5oD4C5fe-T0ivUU/s400/360-LOD2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007343056704274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Snc3jMXyuwyJ6csSWk3PI16hVD1HZH42Bljv-UP0EBfmixBLmlsKNSzgJC9mM9eKBnTUvy1Zk-Vq5m28z2DkbN9dx2MuTOzmKkaxjZmhHEwYy3SnvaikqiNZn_G1sn7rBYGgL9OqdkfA/s1600/PS3-LOD2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Snc3jMXyuwyJ6csSWk3PI16hVD1HZH42Bljv-UP0EBfmixBLmlsKNSzgJC9mM9eKBnTUvy1Zk-Vq5m28z2DkbN9dx2MuTOzmKkaxjZmhHEwYy3SnvaikqiNZn_G1sn7rBYGgL9OqdkfA/s400/PS3-LOD2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007458150137730" /></a><br />In Homefront we see that these refinements aren't present at all, and the end result is that both versions feature some noticeable texture pop whist the engine loads in the higher quality assets. You can see this in the screenshots above. But in this case it is the PS3 game which suffers far less from these issues - sometimes higher quality assets never load in on the 360 either. <br /><br />We can almost certainly say that this is a direct result from the game imposing a mandatory install onto the system's hard drive, thus allowing content to be streamed in much faster than directly of off the DVD on 360.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQAPAu9yvHyT_05ROI7dZ-6Bg_PUsNod3rZWDjQv85O73q0FmdvK4otngvtWdt7AwFYs0pJ5Bnngs_MgzLkEPpBady-uwwBxRCkBt4Dr4sRD0ktAlGXteZ5q68OQ6g3B5dfIVozrjqJML/s1600/360-AF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQAPAu9yvHyT_05ROI7dZ-6Bg_PUsNod3rZWDjQv85O73q0FmdvK4otngvtWdt7AwFYs0pJ5Bnngs_MgzLkEPpBady-uwwBxRCkBt4Dr4sRD0ktAlGXteZ5q68OQ6g3B5dfIVozrjqJML/s400/360-AF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007650855723186" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lS26RHQy8bog8uTMVu5JCckLRP5vQaxUowN7JDM6NgHbOFdaQLeM9HkjYfsqTVfO5nA7KE-AQwS0VGmvmTVXynE7Z_ygmk7J0RNxl7Vl_1wLAbJhStij7_wDtjG8mAo9hJt4yyqdV-tw/s1600/PS3-AF.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lS26RHQy8bog8uTMVu5JCckLRP5vQaxUowN7JDM6NgHbOFdaQLeM9HkjYfsqTVfO5nA7KE-AQwS0VGmvmTVXynE7Z_ygmk7J0RNxl7Vl_1wLAbJhStij7_wDtjG8mAo9hJt4yyqdV-tw/s400/PS3-AF.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007780019954530" /></a><br />On the flip side we find that most of the game's art assets are basically identical, with only a few instances of less detailed textures gracing the 360 version (sometimes it appears that higher resolution assets never load in). Use of texture filtering on 360 also appears to be better too, with higher levels of AF (anisotropic filtering) being present. Although, this does very little to improve the look of the game.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGhNlbiACK-arweZ2hmg7yRvPyOci5H7-Rl8r-1BRLRLQthDEAO9KXhFM_a31uaK4YYeg1F2zP-t2ao7K-wS38DUc-yswVE2DowW1NucdhTxUkAPrHeaT0Li-ULflCULqVW92Go_1XPVR/s1600/360-foliage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGhNlbiACK-arweZ2hmg7yRvPyOci5H7-Rl8r-1BRLRLQthDEAO9KXhFM_a31uaK4YYeg1F2zP-t2ao7K-wS38DUc-yswVE2DowW1NucdhTxUkAPrHeaT0Li-ULflCULqVW92Go_1XPVR/s400/360-foliage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587007972785927026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_8GiKRgu1kS4g94aJ7cpUWDh-nCfTueasIe4Dx_IKB4cCnyaU_wvHLQrug7t2tb0yMtf46RD33XWKi7PeLPg0Lx8bsWiFZNmxfv6kUhzc2VQ_oFV2YDu51aRyOq5PiOCsxCjcLr9Vxti/s1600/PS3-foliage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_8GiKRgu1kS4g94aJ7cpUWDh-nCfTueasIe4Dx_IKB4cCnyaU_wvHLQrug7t2tb0yMtf46RD33XWKi7PeLPg0Lx8bsWiFZNmxfv6kUhzc2VQ_oFV2YDu51aRyOq5PiOCsxCjcLr9Vxti/s400/PS3-foliage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008108022305410" /></a><br />Moving on, there are a few other differences between the two games. <br />Starting with the foliage, and we can see above that certain plants and bushes are being rendered in a lower resolution in the PS3 game, whilst others are completely missing from the scene altogether. As only a few small objects have been cut back on, it's often hard to see any difference, which thankfully means that it has little to no impact on the look of the PS3 game in any meaningful way. <br /><br />Secondly, there is the use of lower resolution alpha buffers on both formats. Effects have been filtered accordingly to look smooth, but some - like fire in particular - look very flat and unconvincing. Smoke other the other hand, has a reasonable amount of depth to it.<br /><br />The main reason looks to be centered around the heavy bandwidth requirements of the customised UE3, and Kaos's use of a modified lighting system, both of which impacts on both system's available resources.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tRv3nHOOeVKIxr2qHDTPR6nQGrOs76dCpTONYJUjL4oPikud1tOCDq-5czLKaQ4cMa3b7B9Mv91b7KzF0VMhoz_ETWtgZF7_-2hSuPPBdUDTWMFgTtHRuSvbOMwhHIAiQulF3bOGYPOn/s1600/360-alpha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tRv3nHOOeVKIxr2qHDTPR6nQGrOs76dCpTONYJUjL4oPikud1tOCDq-5czLKaQ4cMa3b7B9Mv91b7KzF0VMhoz_ETWtgZF7_-2hSuPPBdUDTWMFgTtHRuSvbOMwhHIAiQulF3bOGYPOn/s400/360-alpha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008256815550210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABnPMTamCMdblEY_o9R6cGnm1yRTwJ7UaQngE_t5J8Xqu32DrCs_MxjQkKai8xCyTSJJTT6XcRgY23SkWK-ulBu42wB_QhYLq9k_dktxNgvqdQx8SWPVSnirMUlolHJ0ixeLC9rIjzZ1m/s1600/PS3-alpha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABnPMTamCMdblEY_o9R6cGnm1yRTwJ7UaQngE_t5J8Xqu32DrCs_MxjQkKai8xCyTSJJTT6XcRgY23SkWK-ulBu42wB_QhYLq9k_dktxNgvqdQx8SWPVSnirMUlolHJ0ixeLC9rIjzZ1m/s400/PS3-alpha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008448432725010" /></a><br />A look at Homefront's performance, and it's fair to say that most of these compromises are based around getting the game up and running at a relatively smooth frame-rate - at the usual target of 30fps. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RQF546VswGA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />As is now standard practice here at IQGamer, we've put together an analysis video showcasing performance across a range of scenes from both versions of the game. <br /><br />The results are hardly complementary, revealing a slew of frame-rate and screen tearing issues pertaining to both builds. What's clear however, is that across the run of play the 360 game manages to maintain a smoother frame-rate, but tears far more often as a direct consequence. Whilst on PS3, the game drops under the 30fps mark slightly more frequently but features a still noticeable, although reduced amount of tearing. <br /><br />Performance profiles differ across both platforms. The 360 game runs without v-sync and an uncapped frame-rate - thus we see near constant tearing as the engine delivers loads of unfinished frames to be displayed. But this results in the smoothest controller response possible outside of the game slowing down. By contrast, on the PS3 Homefront employs v-sync, but simply drops it when the game goes below the capped 30fps update. In fact, the game could well be soft v-synced (whereby tearing constantly occurs in the overscan area at the top of the screen), whilst doing the same thing. <br /><br />Looking at the video it's pretty obvious that both versions constantly fail to meet the targeted 30fps without throwing out out scores of incomplete (torn) frames. Although the game does stay mostly around the intended level - on PS3 at least. The 360, with its uncapped frame-rate is the smoother of the two. But this comes at the expense of visibly more screen tearing throughout the entire experience. Whereas, on the other hand the PS3 game features more frame drops (particularly in heavy scenes), but with less intrusive tearing.<br /><br />All in all, performance on both formats comes as a disappointment, especially given the trade-offs made in order to ensure as smooth an experience as possible. Unsurprisingly, the PS3 benefits from having slightly smoother controls given its more stable frame-rate. However, when things get busy the opposite is true, making it six of one, and half a dozen of the other in this case.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyFLFyOgPZdmZyX8VUU64dAX4l-oleLV4etKUp1tZS1ls0yezuppTHQOXQ9hmlWS3NDZNwoAGV5OsfZxKGxiOKRkoV38YQEf_A7eHSdAzYTJroPPt9VEyxamVzZL-pjEejHCXzHuW26UO/s1600/360-HDR.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyFLFyOgPZdmZyX8VUU64dAX4l-oleLV4etKUp1tZS1ls0yezuppTHQOXQ9hmlWS3NDZNwoAGV5OsfZxKGxiOKRkoV38YQEf_A7eHSdAzYTJroPPt9VEyxamVzZL-pjEejHCXzHuW26UO/s400/360-HDR.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008612648583218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcitCTF3dgXwUTXGNZ8EPIpzZLFshPpr9mQlieFEkOsRxq1mhHw1_rZEkPEr_NJA0j4PMoHIe8H0fD8Psx170DwlAHznt-P4Nz34OfWnLUzFcmdYHKye4cinGX5zDJHPZPbFGZiRvhRe17/s1600/PS3-HDR.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcitCTF3dgXwUTXGNZ8EPIpzZLFshPpr9mQlieFEkOsRxq1mhHw1_rZEkPEr_NJA0j4PMoHIe8H0fD8Psx170DwlAHznt-P4Nz34OfWnLUzFcmdYHKye4cinGX5zDJHPZPbFGZiRvhRe17/s400/PS3-HDR.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008783739804498" /></a><br />Far more impressive, is the game use of lighting and the amount of atmosphere it provides. When combined with the sense of scale, and detail of the surrounding environment, it goes along way to sucking you into a world swamped in turmoil. Lens flair is just the one of the initial focal point of the game's lighting implementation, whilst the range provided by the use of HDR delivers ample contrast to the scene in light or dark areas. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHE1ZbEjT_2VpM__LgJn8Rtn2FrUSU0X7_KQIC7O1iycWlMiN4uZQhIaj5qPDQSw-3XWNPHdlYZpMsA6-X9rPTXy0isv0UwVL-5kbF7tBDvl9x4KQ1S7aWXLQGrDB7a9_RVkZTEKihEuV/s1600/360-Lighting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHE1ZbEjT_2VpM__LgJn8Rtn2FrUSU0X7_KQIC7O1iycWlMiN4uZQhIaj5qPDQSw-3XWNPHdlYZpMsA6-X9rPTXy0isv0UwVL-5kbF7tBDvl9x4KQ1S7aWXLQGrDB7a9_RVkZTEKihEuV/s400/360-Lighting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587008952250241746" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipN5shNeqssviE6qrJ7xnwICccamapUDyxRuJ41lOYKRx0xoVbgLDMFbBWifIPPh3ZUGzdkODBt10_K1GFsjsNZaAptVD9oW4jaP6jnbNcb5GgC6kr2jmcAz48xSCH3IunUFHI4i3AkCLy/s1600/PS3-Lighting.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipN5shNeqssviE6qrJ7xnwICccamapUDyxRuJ41lOYKRx0xoVbgLDMFbBWifIPPh3ZUGzdkODBt10_K1GFsjsNZaAptVD9oW4jaP6jnbNcb5GgC6kr2jmcAz48xSCH3IunUFHI4i3AkCLy/s400/PS3-Lighting.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587009128343494546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUc0Et-MvsMO3G9BLLB0JlBdGHCxfjt3KR3kUyiigBLpR9HeE1PQsHaR6VmA2TbpwkHs4MpkeNXdre0laofBPR5tgcWhAwZxjdNvdQH3pF8ZQRKouXzmfCg4lS6T_H9c5semxvasdFecfi/s1600/360-Light_SSAO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUc0Et-MvsMO3G9BLLB0JlBdGHCxfjt3KR3kUyiigBLpR9HeE1PQsHaR6VmA2TbpwkHs4MpkeNXdre0laofBPR5tgcWhAwZxjdNvdQH3pF8ZQRKouXzmfCg4lS6T_H9c5semxvasdFecfi/s400/360-Light_SSAO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587009306581562898" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewucL1YPj2TOSvwKXtDcYgLm-NgCz8mHSVhv9zJQhU3LZBYA2lMIfEBSNhyphenhyphenuHuySnFbUT-nbdl48HMqzan1JtKkqen33yCNaTkE3HReAv8SjgQwUm3guhdSrcazoZ0NBH3y35G4pBJZc5/s1600/PS3-Light_SSAO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewucL1YPj2TOSvwKXtDcYgLm-NgCz8mHSVhv9zJQhU3LZBYA2lMIfEBSNhyphenhyphenuHuySnFbUT-nbdl48HMqzan1JtKkqen33yCNaTkE3HReAv8SjgQwUm3guhdSrcazoZ0NBH3y35G4pBJZc5/s400/PS3-Light_SSAO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587009457310601730" /></a><br />The 360 also benefits further in getting extra depth provided by what looks like additional light occlusion, which in turn seems to accentuate the game's use of SSAO. By contrast, while the PS3 game still features plenty of depth also, SSAO has less of an impact on the scene. This can be seen above - not only does the PS3 version appear brighter, but in corners where all three walls meet, there is significantly less in the way of ambient shadowing in some scenes.<br /><br />In addition the game's use of SSAO on both platforms is distinctly buggy. A noticeable halo effect can be seen around characters as they stand near walls and other objects, along with various environmental objects too as you approach them from differing angles. Additionally, this haloing can also cause shadows on characters to flicker and glitch in and out of view on occasion.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3xCx9bqh0dLWl09tfGhZK5Q7LSLnvQQh-QhnCmvVmGG8Aeewn5GpFQ_4skfjNz5V8CE_Z80RLy10qslPOhfOwZ0a1EWCnEH8qLWj24QD5j9Bpp6-TZ8HJKHZlRBYMcV9CL0QYBqDDrlP/s1600/360-SSAO_halo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3xCx9bqh0dLWl09tfGhZK5Q7LSLnvQQh-QhnCmvVmGG8Aeewn5GpFQ_4skfjNz5V8CE_Z80RLy10qslPOhfOwZ0a1EWCnEH8qLWj24QD5j9Bpp6-TZ8HJKHZlRBYMcV9CL0QYBqDDrlP/s400/360-SSAO_halo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587009638185940786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu49GjKKC16vqG_fgewGbv1sgLYfWvHVi-KU_Q9aIcb_lwKG8x5yJwqWaZlUHNETd7o7f2_2mIEi9_sebsk-w71R4sMlS-6zPQ_vKJomknvP1emcfger1HpCTSf1VpYWsh5EhKGaA7B3Pg/s1600/PS3-SSAO_halo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu49GjKKC16vqG_fgewGbv1sgLYfWvHVi-KU_Q9aIcb_lwKG8x5yJwqWaZlUHNETd7o7f2_2mIEi9_sebsk-w71R4sMlS-6zPQ_vKJomknvP1emcfger1HpCTSf1VpYWsh5EhKGaA7B3Pg/s400/PS3-SSAO_halo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587009793320572050" /></a><br />Homefront is a pretty interesting idea, with a potentially engrossing premise and certainly the right artistic design, but one might indeed wonder whether or not Kaos have actually chosen the right tech to do the job properly. <br /><br />Certainly, a few things stick out from the muddy-looking mess the game sometimes seems to resemble. The lighting for example, in combination with the detailed environmental construction and the game's musical score certainly creates a sense of immersion. And the motion blur/screen distortion effects add impact to the combat when pinned down and being fired upon. But this is continuously counter-balanced with a fuzzy, upscaled framebuffer and blurry looking low resolution effects.<br /><br />The very same thing applies to both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games. While 360 owners benefit from having higher levels of AF and additional lighting, plus anti-aliasing, on the PS3 we see better texture steaming and what amounts to a more consistent frame-rate - despite larger drops when the engine is put under load. In which case it's pretty hard to recommend one over the other, or either version in general. <br /><br />In conclusion, I'd perhaps say that the PS3 delivers the most consistent experience overall. The lack of AA doesn't harm the game as much as it would in other titles - due to the heavy upscale making things look rough on both - and the missing lighting doesn't always dramatically change every scene. But in terms of performance, the steadier frame-rate and lesser amount of screen tearing is a bonus, even if performance under load suffers.<br /><br />Perhaps, rather than fighting over which version is 'the' one to go for (when neither are great), you should instead think about which version your friends will be playing online. The campaign in Homefront is definitely a second-tier experience - multiplayer online is exactly what this game was made for. And in that respect therein is where your final decision should rest. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Once again, thanks go out to Richard Leadbetter for use of Digital Foundry analysis tools. </span>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-60152877792639035172011-03-21T23:07:00.007+00:002011-03-21T23:54:42.053+00:00Kinect: Now On PS3?A few months ago we <a href="http://imagequalitymatters.blogspot.com/2010/11/kinect-gets-hacked-more-hardware-info.html">reported</a> on how homebrew developers had created software that would allow Kinect to work on PC’s - in addition to unlocking the full 640x480 resolution depth buffer for increased accuracy, but now another ‘hacker’ going by the name of shantzg001 has come up with his own solution. But for Sony’s PlayStation 3. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4QnWDRF9w7k?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />In the above YouTube video ‘Shantzg001’ uses Microsoft’s Kinect in order to navigate the XMB menu screen using various hand gestures to do so, before finally booting up his copy of Killzone 3. It’s hardly impressive stuff, but more importantly, leads the way for others to expand on his work. <br /><br />Then again, creating something awe-inspiring using the Kinect on the PS3 wasn’t the goal here at all. Instead, everything undertaken so far was simply done to show that it was possible to use the device on the console. As such, the hacker has posted the code used in the process on his website.<br /><br />Rather than running homebrew code on the PS3, the hacker actually seems to be using some king of controller hub allowing you to connect a mouse and keyboard to the console in order for the Kinect to work. He then runs the device on his laptop, in which custom software remaps Kinect-based actions onto keyboard and mouse buttons, before finally being sent to his PS3. It's not a full blown hack whereby custom drivers are written specifically for the PS3. That would require a jailbroken console in order to do so.<br /><br />As you might already be aware, Microsoft recently stated that their plan with Kinect was to eventually make the device open to both commercial and homebrew coders, and to that end, are releasing official PC SDK’s for the device for those purposes later this year. <br /><br />The fact that Kinect can work on the PS3 makes things even more interesting, although, perhaps far less so if it does purely in the same capacity as button presses using a Dual Shock controller. And by all indications, that definitely seems to be the case here.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-89897362868797021762011-03-18T22:31:00.023+00:002011-03-18T23:25:15.120+00:00Tech Analysis: Mortal Kombat Demo (PS3)In terms of whether or not this latest installment of Mortal Kombat succeeds, this mostly depends on how well the game resembles those classic first three entries in the series in terms of gameplay. And while its far too early to come to any conclusions from playing the demo, the early code does indeed show some promise. But it also falls short of the mark in certain areas. The hit detection for example, doesn't feel quite right.<br /><br />Released last week exclusively to PlayStation Plus subscribers, NetherRealm Studios latest, the self-titled Mortal Kombat, is now available for everyone to download. The current demo is a Sony exclusive for now. So while multiplatform comparisons will have to come later, we can at least get a good look at how the PS3 version fares on its own merits - word is that the release of the Xbox 360 demo is still undecided at this point. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Euhh6djfR50lT4V3H1RHAH-xMQ18AR17QyWn6SUvMpDQTzoubWUw4h7VZHOu9m7Sk0vZD-uLPNQLn2rgB8Ryj3DcUu84QocV_EilTO2QK-awl-P9GGbazGGQb6STzZbr_fK79iWgl4rG/s1600/first.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Euhh6djfR50lT4V3H1RHAH-xMQ18AR17QyWn6SUvMpDQTzoubWUw4h7VZHOu9m7Sk0vZD-uLPNQLn2rgB8Ryj3DcUu84QocV_EilTO2QK-awl-P9GGbazGGQb6STzZbr_fK79iWgl4rG/s400/first.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585555489981308194" /></a><br />Like with MK vs DC Universe, 'Mortal Kombat' uses the Unreal Engine 3. But unlike most titles that utilise the tech, the game operates at sixty frames per-second, requiring some heavy customisation in order to get the game up and running within a 16ms per frame budget. To do this much of underlying rendering elements have been paired or cleverly streamlined in order to give the engine some leeway in meeting this target - MK vs DC had roughly 9ms per-frame, leaving a 7ms gap just in case rendering went over budget.<br /><br />As a compromise, elements such as, self-shadowing have been disabled, the lighting system simplified (using a combination of per-pixel lit floors and per-vertex lit backgrounds, both static and dynamic), and various components of the game's code made to run asynchronously for maximum efficiency. In addition, the time spent sorting and rendering alpha-based objects has also been reduced. <br /><br />However, this means that the UE3 can now support a stable 60fps update whilst still featuring a wide range of suitable visual effects. Characters and environments are reasonably detailed without looking spectacularly so, and the lighting - a mix of a few small dynamic lights, and a large degree of pre-baking - works within the context of NetherRealm's art design, without bringing in much depth to the action. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r4erj6fc9ao?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Seeing as the entire engine has been crafted around meeting that 16ms, 60fps target update, a starting look at performance is in order. Above we've put together a a short analysis vid showcasing some of our initial fights in the game's Ladder Mode (Arcade Mode basically). <br /><br />The game hits its target 60fps refresh rate and never drops a single frame during regular play. V-sync is also permanently enabled, so that there is no screen tearing to be found whatsoever. The only time we see a drop in smoothness, is during execution of the characters X-Ray moves. However, this has no impact on controller response times as control is taken away from the player as soon as these are activated. <br /><br />We also find that the game's use of slow motion in these sequences helps in making these drops go unnoticed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hSFn0fHFl2YI64DucjAc1Bt7GC2ghjZXBCZoPXnJRww_hT1JAfXMxcTbS5jEO3Fqfe5rmNqNuPgGmpHiJm5AJFzG79VoHKXtCVuTXo1BTHvnuBIVOa9XmYt4BdFKbdH1zfM8jz-wPuD1/s1600/FB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hSFn0fHFl2YI64DucjAc1Bt7GC2ghjZXBCZoPXnJRww_hT1JAfXMxcTbS5jEO3Fqfe5rmNqNuPgGmpHiJm5AJFzG79VoHKXtCVuTXo1BTHvnuBIVOa9XmYt4BdFKbdH1zfM8jz-wPuD1/s400/FB.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585555629223732322" /></a><br />The game's consistently smooth refresh is good news indeed. Although, in terms of its graphical make-up, first impressions are decidedly mixed. While the art design reasonably reflects a re-envisioning of the classic 2D MK games - brought up to date with an additionally 'edgy' styling - the game appears quite blurry, with edges looking soft and fuzzy. It's hard to belive that MK is presented in anything but sub-HD.<br /><br />Well, as it turns out this isn't the case. Mortal Kombat is in actual fact rendering a full-fat, 720p framebuffer. The reason for the noticeably poor image quality comes down to the game's anti-aliasing solution - there simply isn't one. Instead, a cheap, 1x1 pixel blur has been employed, and that is the root cause of the upscaled look. <br /><br />The blur deals with any potential 'jaggies' rather well - despite noticeably reducing overall IQ. And this further is enhanced by the way in which the human eye blends frames together during motion at 60fps.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldzUJ3mCu_6boFWzWN5uFDKH0Bt9K2KwgYOnN7jvY90dVmlvtvzGXOztrx8-v7sgZYMFX36Qy7WWkwb1c4Ytkr822VbODMbZiqL8wS_5Iys6pTvmxxx7qrIUCdQp4yn-gXX1vN7SJqlDK/s1600/alpha_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldzUJ3mCu_6boFWzWN5uFDKH0Bt9K2KwgYOnN7jvY90dVmlvtvzGXOztrx8-v7sgZYMFX36Qy7WWkwb1c4Ytkr822VbODMbZiqL8wS_5Iys6pTvmxxx7qrIUCdQp4yn-gXX1vN7SJqlDK/s400/alpha_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585555759278816898" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5HK2XeCcs5xw-5fag2ST24cJx8DpeFxsKUQDHsbUadm98PWhl_Aax-H_Pr2ovFj9NiSRL_LTqhp1fLqOXF2-NlAxo8P-2B-jVVairEeqpWq0flk6nGZMxJin4iachfo0rbV4mD8ucsvC/s1600/alpha_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5HK2XeCcs5xw-5fag2ST24cJx8DpeFxsKUQDHsbUadm98PWhl_Aax-H_Pr2ovFj9NiSRL_LTqhp1fLqOXF2-NlAxo8P-2B-jVVairEeqpWq0flk6nGZMxJin4iachfo0rbV4mD8ucsvC/s400/alpha_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585555871165329170" /></a><br />We can also see that the game's alpha buffers are rendered out in half-resolution before being upscaled to match the native 720p framebuffer. The lack of filtering (not even a bilinear solution) also gives them a heavily pixelated look, with 2x2 pixel wide blocking artefacts being obviously visible in the screenshots above and during play when situated close to the TV screen.<br /><br />Most PS3 titles, be that exclusives or third-party offerings usually use either lower res, or quater-res alpha buffers. Although, filtering is almost always extensively employed, making sure that effects feature a very smooth, blended appearance. <br /><br />As this is the opposite in MK, we can only assume that either; it's early code and that the lack of filtering is simply a rendering issue that hasn't been corrected, or, that the bandwidth requirements of filtered alpha effects is simply too much for the UE3 to handle in a 60fps environment.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see how both the Xbox 360 version, and the final retail PS3 game fares in this regard. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzlfD5wm4wqdIibk2qp2uDPuJqObvlcQgLNRSapvAVY8jir3MlHAkYolgONhklcjgcmJmwH7WjDEhh_F2sOu7YLnDaQwH61JbWZXB-aHT-WBX-2JcOgCQA4wf1sOy80FbPP6LEyhttNTc/s1600/gameplay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzlfD5wm4wqdIibk2qp2uDPuJqObvlcQgLNRSapvAVY8jir3MlHAkYolgONhklcjgcmJmwH7WjDEhh_F2sOu7YLnDaQwH61JbWZXB-aHT-WBX-2JcOgCQA4wf1sOy80FbPP6LEyhttNTc/s400/gameplay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585556086466633586" /></a><br />So far, Mortal Kombat hardly looks incredible. But it does look nice enough (bar the obvious edge blurring and low res effects), with the documented trade-offs in order to run in 60fps being worth it for the increased fluidity and smoother controller response. Although one can't quite feel that a custom, in-house designed engine, rather than a highly customised UE3, would have been more preferable. <br /><br />On the other hand, the gameplay currently feels like an uneasy mix of both the old 2D installments and the newer, Soul Calibur-esque PS2 games. When compared up against Mortal Kombat 4 - the first of the series' 3D installments, but also an almost purely 2D game - it appears to be quite far away from delivering a suitably faithful representation of those first three, fondly remembered titles.<br /><br />With just over a month to go, NetherRealm Studios still have some time left to polish up some of the visuals and make a few much-needed gameplay tweaks. The demo code, is according to the team around nine weeks old, with some people speculating that it could be even older. In which case, we shall see when the finished product hits.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Thanks go out to AlStrong for the pixel counting and Richard Leadbetter for the use of Digital Foundry's analysis tools. </span>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-34443548507181418272011-03-16T23:18:00.030+00:002011-03-17T00:27:24.056+00:00Tech Analysis: Motorstorm: Apocalypse DemoThe Motorstorm series has been there since the inception of Sony's PlayStation 3, and should no doubt be there right at the very end of its life cycle. With each successive installment the game design has constantly evolved, the sense of scale upped, and the level of intensity taken beyond that of a traditional off-road racer. Motorstorm: Apocalypse doesn't buck this trend, instead pushing things further into the realm of fantasy. <br /><br />The sedate desert canyons of the original Motorstorm, and the sprawling volcanic island of the second game have both been replaced with a cityscape in the midst's of chaos being caused by a raging natural disaster. While on the other hand, the gameplay has seen some subtle but wholly beneficial tweaks.<br /><br />This change brings about a serious refinement in tech, with the game boasting larger, more destructible environments, reworked particle and physics effects, and additionally, both 3D and 1080p support. <br /><br />There's no doubt that Evolution Studios have pushed the boundaries of what is possible on the PS3 even further in the context of a driving game. And although the demo is rather conservative compared to what we've seen of the finished product, it gives us an initially positive look at just what has changed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwgv4DZBAsm3UfT-AG_rvx9y-beFjyAzXUuk0_OKVmN1_tW7t26szu5zHTqSO2Wrb4gPm21oSKll56LEaUn-NKZ2oeUR9MuxJxsMWa2kLGohXLM0Uz8AyQGk1enKMwL4euKt90JQtgMUk/s1600/AA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwgv4DZBAsm3UfT-AG_rvx9y-beFjyAzXUuk0_OKVmN1_tW7t26szu5zHTqSO2Wrb4gPm21oSKll56LEaUn-NKZ2oeUR9MuxJxsMWa2kLGohXLM0Uz8AyQGk1enKMwL4euKt90JQtgMUk/s400/AA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584822554273540466" /></a><br />As always a look at the framebuffer reveals that the game is rendering in 720p and uses an implementation of Sony's morphological anti-aliasing (MLAA) solution instead of the 2x multi-sampling (MSAA) technique found in past titles. <br /><br />As we are finding out evermore frequently, MLAA is vast becoming a magic bullet of sorts with regards to getting a cheap, but effective way of suppressing jagged edges on most PS3 titles. According to Little Big Planet developer, Media Molecule, it can be dropped into a game engine with just a day's worth of coding.<br /><br />The MLAA implementation in MS: Apocalypse looks to do a great job too. It appears to be very similar to the one used in Killzone 3 - perhaps another custom variant of it - and deals with regular aliasing artefacts extremely well. High contrast edges are handled with ease, with only some sub-pixel issues and mild instances of shader-based aliasing that go unresolved - neither of which can be dealt with by using this current implementations alone. <br /><br />But on the whole its hard to believe that a regular MSAA solution under the 4x mark would fair any better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cr72ZtJZqZP2OBZoR3rhIZtNguLMz60pIhkspH_M3IZk-lqwAEaSg2dRZPMeKzVcpzJX3v8KUOy0VNIqET4FQr-l7DDxLBuo1OxVgRn5c4VIJwZOeiWyzbxK2vuwl_7-HDmA5p6omrCj/s1600/alpha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cr72ZtJZqZP2OBZoR3rhIZtNguLMz60pIhkspH_M3IZk-lqwAEaSg2dRZPMeKzVcpzJX3v8KUOy0VNIqET4FQr-l7DDxLBuo1OxVgRn5c4VIJwZOeiWyzbxK2vuwl_7-HDmA5p6omrCj/s400/alpha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584822768707294850" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwKmKn9FomGftifWvc2bduSvnq2pRLVUl9QHx-EieiUhb2ukUFITt4N-rL5mgqrldc2XonPQ2XIZ0Jqw219Ex0fc8xP-FG9l_lRCV9lj5hOTIVzR5DUYJF5BM7jYCvfj90G3a_V5T3-pr/s1600/dither.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwKmKn9FomGftifWvc2bduSvnq2pRLVUl9QHx-EieiUhb2ukUFITt4N-rL5mgqrldc2XonPQ2XIZ0Jqw219Ex0fc8xP-FG9l_lRCV9lj5hOTIVzR5DUYJF5BM7jYCvfj90G3a_V5T3-pr/s400/dither.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584822911458162338" /></a><br />Moving on, and Evolution Studios has dramatically upgraded the game as a whole. Lighting stands out for being high-contrasty and exaggerated as a whole, bringing depth to the scene, while the level of environmental destruction has been raised considerably, with collapsing buildings, explosions, fire, smoke and particle effects constantly bombarding the track in one way or another as you race. <br /><br />The dust and dirt trails that emanate from vehicles, along with smoke effects especially, have been given a noticeable boost in particular. Some of these effects now cast shadows on the ground in certain circumstances and have a lot more depth - they look like they have more 'volume' but without actually being volumetric.<br /><br />In order to achieve this, all alpha buffers are rendering in quarter resolution - like in Killzone 3 - as to prevent reaching the system's peak bandwidth limit too early on. As a result, we can see that water and fire effects look particularly soft up close, as does smoke in some situations. <br /><br />Shadows too, also see some compromises for the same reasons. Dithering artefacts are noticeably present on edges, additionally affecting some parts of the environment blanketed in shade. It's likely that the use of both low quality filtering, and perhaps blending techniques, is what's causing this.<br /><br />But ultimately, when concentrating on racing non of this really has any impact on the game at all. If anything, without the increased use of alpha effects, some of the immersion would have been lost. Keeping the screen busy, filled with distractions is part of what makes this series stand out from competing titles. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5TKkKEfCc1I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Seeing as the demo features so much going at various points, and that the use of alpha plays a significant part in crafting the overall experience - the feeling of immersion, you'd be forgiven from expecting the engine to have trouble with maintaining its targeted 30fps update. <br /><br />But this isn't so. And as our analysis video above points out, the developers at Evolution have successfully achieved this near solidly, with only a few scant dips to be found throughout; non of which impact on the gameplay in any way.<br /><br />Some screen tearing is also apparent, as true v-sync hasn't been employed. Instead, we see that soft v-sync has been used, whereby tearing is allowed to occur at the very top of the screen (in the overscan area normally cut off on most HDTVs). Looking at this area in our video reveals that the game is constantly tearing - a result of the engine attempting to deliver frames for display as quickly as possible.<br /><br />With this in mind we've clipped the top fifteen lines from analysis in order to give you an idea on how often the game actually produces torn frames that you can see. And as we expected, most of the visible tearing goes largely unnoticed, bar from the odd occasion where the engine struggles to render out a near complete frame in time for the next screen refresh. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jl84YTaxqMVKyiusU_T5UKcaAgSseAruEJQQYMTOFx5B9XrExTjCCuPtE518_KpeNdQnnhNiPCaA-sWvjbLKDSovazeAiHYl6YxXJmJ4KQWb22dboFY5u-5npkxCHsjHPxjtsCjxuxqn/s1600/gameplay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jl84YTaxqMVKyiusU_T5UKcaAgSseAruEJQQYMTOFx5B9XrExTjCCuPtE518_KpeNdQnnhNiPCaA-sWvjbLKDSovazeAiHYl6YxXJmJ4KQWb22dboFY5u-5npkxCHsjHPxjtsCjxuxqn/s400/gameplay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584823086536937250" /></a><br />Seeing as the GPU isn't stalling when trying to keep up with the next screen refresh, the framerate is effectively smooth throughout, meaning that MS: Apocalypse has nothing in the way of impacting controller latency issues. While aside from some minor tearing, image fidelity is also preserved. And this is further backed up with a tweaked, more responsive handling mechanic. <br /><br />Cars still have that 'loose' feeling that encompasses the series trademark style, although turning feels sharper and the sluggishness seems to have been toned down a notch. Personally, I think the mechanics do feel a little bit too loose on the whole. But this is a stylistically engineered choice. So in that respect, it's business as usual.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2AvvC8vxSOd8ZRG1NCNx1Osmbk3DrdwsGrDQxC8JYBkD3eFepj34WkeF22YrSwVrHMOOqOx-hBDiJb1ycpVVT-wxEcSULwxQzBGHobofWgGuLp63pwr0XOO25Yj-FJZMKSW6_ClkMe1a/s1600/end.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2AvvC8vxSOd8ZRG1NCNx1Osmbk3DrdwsGrDQxC8JYBkD3eFepj34WkeF22YrSwVrHMOOqOx-hBDiJb1ycpVVT-wxEcSULwxQzBGHobofWgGuLp63pwr0XOO25Yj-FJZMKSW6_ClkMe1a/s400/end.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584823499998747042" /></a><br />Overall, our time with the demo barely represents what the full game has in store for us. It's pretty clear that this short taster is just a very small, and pretty pedestrian sample of what is yet to come. Either way, the same technical show-points are there (just not in as greater numbers) and the improvement over and above the first two games is obviously apparent.David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8162373785003388629.post-37743041698213473582011-03-12T11:56:00.003+00:002011-03-12T12:13:08.440+00:00Tech Analysis: Fight Night Champion (360 vs PS3)We first looked at Fight Night Champion in our back to 30fps feature, discussing the actual benefits that the use of a lower frame-rate had on the overall experience. Both the look and feel of the game was transformed, with a style that made pulling punches and their impacts feel more intense. The action felt faster and more furious than before.<br /><br />Since then it has come to light that some of the additional upgrades with regards to FN Champion's graphical look are completely separate from the decision to target a 30fps refresh rate. The lighting for example has been built around working in both 30fps and 60fps environments, whilst the controls (according to the developer) still operate at the higher frame-rate independently of rendering update. <br /><br />At the same time, it's also hard to believe that there hasn't been some tangible benefits with regards to the additional increase in rendering time per-frame in other areas. But either way EA's latest looks far more spectacular than their last boxing release, and the final game continues to show what we found out during our time with the demo - that 60fps isn't the be all and end all when it comes to graphics.<br /><br />But what about the PS3 and 360 releases. How do they match up? Well, the good news is that they are basically on a par with each other. In this respect the outcome is exactly like that of Fight Night Round 4. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSb0b71bD665wgD_yKkdQrtu7cOT_in58YvIkxGCEaLmAjLavl0DHnXeVk4SQEKYjm6QCHG_suy6trwMf8DzVjcm-Ft4oPsUF_Ebel9ILYSEx7OqbDSlQTMIMp8dAaMb5XzcqordAMhs_9/s1600/AA_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSb0b71bD665wgD_yKkdQrtu7cOT_in58YvIkxGCEaLmAjLavl0DHnXeVk4SQEKYjm6QCHG_suy6trwMf8DzVjcm-Ft4oPsUF_Ebel9ILYSEx7OqbDSlQTMIMp8dAaMb5XzcqordAMhs_9/s400/AA_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583144595798113714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ziTQRyOAkgxb0nzkQrEyPe1jy1A2MeIBKMvDuG4I9H3egBGOmscS69pd6uJa9iPQh6gajTkqD9JcTyK9gpiPgXhPBUsY9762I0WDsHQ75_6x3-1uZQyPKU9DChABSy_iYyHcX7HAoox/s1600/AA_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99ziTQRyOAkgxb0nzkQrEyPe1jy1A2MeIBKMvDuG4I9H3egBGOmscS69pd6uJa9iPQh6gajTkqD9JcTyK9gpiPgXhPBUsY9762I0WDsHQ75_6x3-1uZQyPKU9DChABSy_iYyHcX7HAoox/s400/AA_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583144725460998770" /></a><br />Fight Night Champion renders in 720p on both platforms with the Xbox 360 game featuring use of 4xMSAA, while on PS3 the alternative quincunx solution (QAA) is used instead. As we've seen many times before, the use of QAA provides a similar amount of edge-smoothing compared to the more traditional MSAA, but this comes at the cost of blurring texture details as well as edges. <br /><br />However, like in past Fight Night titles this overall effect does little to spoil the final image. The game looks clean and smooth on both formats with the blur only really standing out when flicking between the two on the HDTV, or in still screenshots. There's still plenty of intricate detailing visible, but not quite as much at certain points.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1Gu0My2n6_FKgxwz6w3MTGAy9v5kSBlu-mZARDOTvOJNEAivjNyqq-QkaOI3_dDzLJPmzsbvAH7PpOICCtHlu7e-uwYVbJxqHCSa48eenozwwca0oPYLKYcjN5mWcNlj6Mo6J2JIDTCP/s1600/360_gamma.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1Gu0My2n6_FKgxwz6w3MTGAy9v5kSBlu-mZARDOTvOJNEAivjNyqq-QkaOI3_dDzLJPmzsbvAH7PpOICCtHlu7e-uwYVbJxqHCSa48eenozwwca0oPYLKYcjN5mWcNlj6Mo6J2JIDTCP/s400/360_gamma.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583144868942463778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRd7Rw95CzZBtJeYedHzQx7sMTNne-lUX1ua9b9Ra4UhyCAWgKzWipoeYrV2RjYApn_qdDk_hHIYLszKCXjzYmxG_Sd4AhK2WIE3FRynKZcsXd7gjw4VARFCa0EbP59AvYpyOlBFQ9e_F/s1600/PS3_gamma.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRd7Rw95CzZBtJeYedHzQx7sMTNne-lUX1ua9b9Ra4UhyCAWgKzWipoeYrV2RjYApn_qdDk_hHIYLszKCXjzYmxG_Sd4AhK2WIE3FRynKZcsXd7gjw4VARFCa0EbP59AvYpyOlBFQ9e_F/s400/PS3_gamma.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583144992739818370" /></a><br />A difference in gamma curve can also be seen when putting the two games up against each other. As per usual we see that the 360 version is a little darker than the PS3 one, with subtle shadow details standing out more as a result of this, but without crushing black levels. However, this can easily be adjusted so that both games look identical without anything other than the very minimal of fuss.<br /><br />In addition there is a variance in how each version renders the scenery outside of the ring in pre-fight introductions from a distance - different LOD parameters for both. The 360 game features spectators which are constructed of less geometry than their PS3 counterparts but at the expense of having more detailed textures. This only appears to be when the scene is viewed from afar. Move in closer and the two are brought back up to a similar standard. You can see this in the shots below.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMj5T43RU96EtMjiWAnKWUUnzcnKm2z2Pj-xuOPNFkVc4l27wOZ7aqOMiBHQWBQ9ObT0aKg1nhsiqawKbnVE54nqGvge4Sc6TDlGJsOQMb4YoQjnKvo1tNeRvQ1DkzYNkZpwXDyesVPsP/s1600/LOD1_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMj5T43RU96EtMjiWAnKWUUnzcnKm2z2Pj-xuOPNFkVc4l27wOZ7aqOMiBHQWBQ9ObT0aKg1nhsiqawKbnVE54nqGvge4Sc6TDlGJsOQMb4YoQjnKvo1tNeRvQ1DkzYNkZpwXDyesVPsP/s400/LOD1_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583145181119472274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZUmNeQKMHxiZHzCFJx-0qh9zV81bRcIpUOb2lAjUx_ayOhFyOgFMQBjJN-mlel-vKApSPIg0nhO4a-uvLvtI_1wd9oDTjr86pvE7j8qk5l8W6rYkt9z94RSBczxOECwCZkZAi7GsL9lc/s1600/LOD1_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZUmNeQKMHxiZHzCFJx-0qh9zV81bRcIpUOb2lAjUx_ayOhFyOgFMQBjJN-mlel-vKApSPIg0nhO4a-uvLvtI_1wd9oDTjr86pvE7j8qk5l8W6rYkt9z94RSBczxOECwCZkZAi7GsL9lc/s400/LOD1_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583145393301319106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW7ueg5vDXK7Q9NyCkZSwDYO45BIfoxUTe3j_PA7c9ifsWXB_0-btnT7NtUAUYmrP_ULjfgDnj-B6FXjVLcOQm4CCquwjIyDuQv4ueDda3ZB-e9mftGeTGUmbRTQFmqeKyAFmYykYoPcS/s1600/LOD2_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW7ueg5vDXK7Q9NyCkZSwDYO45BIfoxUTe3j_PA7c9ifsWXB_0-btnT7NtUAUYmrP_ULjfgDnj-B6FXjVLcOQm4CCquwjIyDuQv4ueDda3ZB-e9mftGeTGUmbRTQFmqeKyAFmYykYoPcS/s400/LOD2_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583145544336628418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNN7enPFDV93UTQTxF_jQQ9X-aZN7jb4OQE4q4Fz7xMDl8U1TboXGMdJSP1NIISqNaD7Pur8tyIayAMw_4SSWIHXX4-zbn7nq4PkLaW5EsfM-b11RwQwSh4fnMW0yo9jzYn854b7HvXyH/s1600/LOD2_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNN7enPFDV93UTQTxF_jQQ9X-aZN7jb4OQE4q4Fz7xMDl8U1TboXGMdJSP1NIISqNaD7Pur8tyIayAMw_4SSWIHXX4-zbn7nq4PkLaW5EsfM-b11RwQwSh4fnMW0yo9jzYn854b7HvXyH/s400/LOD2_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583145692261767826" /></a><br />But outside of this the game looks basically the same across both platforms. Art assets are identical, and the variances in lighting that can sometimes be seen is simply down to the lightsources being in different places at slightly different times. Albeit, ever so slightly.<br /> <br />In motion, these graphical subtleties are barely noticeable unless you've played both versions back to back, and considering that this is something you'd never do in regular play it's safe to say that nothing is lost as a result.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXDeOmcPfCahWm43cMOthwjZGoR3TZUld3gl-KwiIyMK1JepJYdUrR3X2nPl-6FBWZCtRoIWBUdy3vi0WSsOkPQd24S5f0sV37gHb5sXsdE_W7JKj8r03luOw9bFCIaccQm72snX30LNk/s1600/FB_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXDeOmcPfCahWm43cMOthwjZGoR3TZUld3gl-KwiIyMK1JepJYdUrR3X2nPl-6FBWZCtRoIWBUdy3vi0WSsOkPQd24S5f0sV37gHb5sXsdE_W7JKj8r03luOw9bFCIaccQm72snX30LNk/s400/FB_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583145864328786034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQA8z3lFOkffNi0KKQbk3klNPb0oOYFX3FLNR38lQ-qCLkls13TqMFlhiA3RIeQ3VlnPXi7A80Mobay8PNVEcmze1Lepb3DDbEXwx0meAKgpef7JWsFX-yvJEKjh5C_ZFwcPsqrXjWWmx/s1600/FB_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQA8z3lFOkffNi0KKQbk3klNPb0oOYFX3FLNR38lQ-qCLkls13TqMFlhiA3RIeQ3VlnPXi7A80Mobay8PNVEcmze1Lepb3DDbEXwx0meAKgpef7JWsFX-yvJEKjh5C_ZFwcPsqrXjWWmx/s400/FB_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583146057223789730" /></a><br />So far, EA's latest boxing smash is following in the footsteps of its predecessor extremely closely. But perhaps the main talking point, and indeed the most substantial difference between the two games is with regards to the frame-rate. While FN RD4 saw the game being upgraded to take advantage of all the benefits provided by the jump to a 60fps refresh (more responsive controls, smoother visual update etc), FN Champion on the other hand favours the drop back down to 30fps, instead choosing to back this up with a highly advanced and very convincing motion blur effect.<br /><br />The combination of a 30fps update and motion blur has the effect on not only making the action look smoother than the normal 30fps game, but also far more brutal. FN Champion looks like a moody Hollywood blockbuster, whereby the impact of each blow carries a greater weight and appearance than before. By comparison, in FN RD4 the presentation alluded to that of a televised presentation.<br /><br />But what does this change mean in terms of how the game plays?<br /><br />To put it mildly, not as much as you might think. Past Fight Night titles always has a delayed feel with regards to controller response times (less so with RD4) compared to the likes of Tekken or Street Fighter, and FN Champion is no different. There is a slight, but noticeable all the same, increase in latency overall compared to FN RD 4, but control feels good on the whole. Moves can still be performed quickly and accurately, for example. <br /><br />It also has to be said that the weighty feel of past games - designed to deliver the sensation of actually pulling punches - still comes across very well considering you no longer have to pull off various motions using the right analogue stick anymore. The additional delay I suspect, similar to how this is used to add weight to weapon aiming in Killzone 2, is the perhaps the main reason for this. <br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="400" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SbDCQSMV84Y?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />A look at performance then, and FN Champion is solid on both formats with very little in the way to separate them. While I thought that I experienced a few more frame-rate drops during play than what is registered in our video, it looks like the output on my Intensity Pro capture card (second output to HDTV) was affecting this. When playing both back just connected to my HDTV alone, they are exactly like-for-like in this regard.<br /><br />As you can see in our performance vid, the game both targets and almost fully sustains a constant 30fps update. Outside of a few small instances (and one or two detection errors - 12.0fps and such like), it never drops from that point. That said, we do see a few scenes whereby the game is slightly smoother on the 360. The game drops slightly more frames during the cut-scenes on the PS3, although both games feature dips at roughly the same points and at similar levels. <br /><br />Beyond this FN Champion strongly sticks to its 30fps baseline update, and it never deviates from it during actual gameplay. In addition, v-sync is employed on both platforms which means that there are never any torn frames throughout the whole experience. The entire presentation is both clean and smooth on both formats.<br /><br />You can also see clearly the impact the use of motion blur has on the visuals, and how it augments the very look the developers were trying to recreate. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdztylhh5LaVwBNbmt4mLU6rLhM0E9UUs_oaR2H1HPCnkz7G4yPcVx_GuaLrSLT55ZOsvctQ7Wk4CXmr1uepL4Qo6sznu1mZly71XSeMMLKalv6SPUdN44sDsyFa7FYX7qBobHi3REjE_/s1600/OMB_360_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdztylhh5LaVwBNbmt4mLU6rLhM0E9UUs_oaR2H1HPCnkz7G4yPcVx_GuaLrSLT55ZOsvctQ7Wk4CXmr1uepL4Qo6sznu1mZly71XSeMMLKalv6SPUdN44sDsyFa7FYX7qBobHi3REjE_/s400/OMB_360_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583146305345870962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EsX2M5_kLoCtXWP91utq62_GYjLFmeodu3koAA3ENQ1P_VzWmi6goEoLofyH8UMqZtDDZR0g_WquHz4LqvLgKlUo8zT-WEcli5fSAf_W335UHxrR4vR3Brq3ybXqeTxo23eAOVy6EzHA/s1600/OMB_PS3_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EsX2M5_kLoCtXWP91utq62_GYjLFmeodu3koAA3ENQ1P_VzWmi6goEoLofyH8UMqZtDDZR0g_WquHz4LqvLgKlUo8zT-WEcli5fSAf_W335UHxrR4vR3Brq3ybXqeTxo23eAOVy6EzHA/s400/OMB_PS3_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583146538628444946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1S2R7yu83RlXQ33qMkUokmUOULUJ-14-WbfgDiv8Bfbo8mAJp5Zq8CRQ7Ia4bAWJEnyTomyXL4bJtd5lRn9SNV_H0XZdj7AP1p0p1JU4Kr35pghYcxTgW66ilPYGF4HJZA0eP9O7XXkU/s1600/OMB_360_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1S2R7yu83RlXQ33qMkUokmUOULUJ-14-WbfgDiv8Bfbo8mAJp5Zq8CRQ7Ia4bAWJEnyTomyXL4bJtd5lRn9SNV_H0XZdj7AP1p0p1JU4Kr35pghYcxTgW66ilPYGF4HJZA0eP9O7XXkU/s400/OMB_360_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583146731835878242" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXUd2oZmMjTqwsB3lFvthqpPR7QesR3qMjRoN8m6suvUVcc0zAWfAgvAspORQx4ZD1vEOGyEr72NPZsvF-uK0B-ALY0LJ9FH1Og22GZkUJTfJUGSBAHj_6nJ3LT6-oMHrW__eU8G3YTU4/s1600/OMB_PS3_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXUd2oZmMjTqwsB3lFvthqpPR7QesR3qMjRoN8m6suvUVcc0zAWfAgvAspORQx4ZD1vEOGyEr72NPZsvF-uK0B-ALY0LJ9FH1Og22GZkUJTfJUGSBAHj_6nJ3LT6-oMHrW__eU8G3YTU4/s400/OMB_PS3_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583146897253444402" /></a><br />Moving on and there's very little left to discuss. The game's use of per-object motion blur is by far the most advanced implementation we've seen so far. It appears very natural when things are in motion, and the varying degrees of distortion it occupies at different points ensure that the results are subtle and noticeable at the same time, adding to the immersion. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImqqwUYWKi0hYF-XUHQbYLfSJ5HE11HInVpMQj7ul6ugE03Q4xjqBfogWRt3XJw2RRpYNMS6hel7R_rUoCWCEKFDTGCcYRtIpox1pKWTe-ihCj8GZXDVFUsIcQtij181mnSTlE8XaN8Nn/s1600/light_shade_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImqqwUYWKi0hYF-XUHQbYLfSJ5HE11HInVpMQj7ul6ugE03Q4xjqBfogWRt3XJw2RRpYNMS6hel7R_rUoCWCEKFDTGCcYRtIpox1pKWTe-ihCj8GZXDVFUsIcQtij181mnSTlE8XaN8Nn/s400/light_shade_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583147088589818514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8pERq7kYHTi3khDIEE-N6G9U1kn2L_lI2Ij9qzSbrwk_K4PJsFSj_BgZNz3Pw0_VgkLFZoy4-KD_GD1UAkF52vcGR21m_y8L3Vim1YL2BC0crJMngxhSXBhqJrtjDIwz9q4jFDp3a6cE/s1600/light_shade_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8pERq7kYHTi3khDIEE-N6G9U1kn2L_lI2Ij9qzSbrwk_K4PJsFSj_BgZNz3Pw0_VgkLFZoy4-KD_GD1UAkF52vcGR21m_y8L3Vim1YL2BC0crJMngxhSXBhqJrtjDIwz9q4jFDp3a6cE/s400/light_shade_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583147240111838578" /></a><br />Also, as we've talked about before, the lighting and shading on both the characters and the environments have also been improved over the last game. Better use of multiple dynamic lightsources in combination with more intricate shading means that there's plenty of depth on offer, and this is further expanded upon with the return of SSAO.<br /><br />There have also been other improvements too, which you can see below. The body deformation system looks even more complex this time around. Here we see some really nice blending of normal maps in combination with what looks like some kind of simulation, maybe using real-time dynamics based on the bone structure to simulate skin and muscle movement. <br /><br />Perhaps the only thing to add, is that all these upgrades are represented equally on both Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxOztNnSR20oe5FkBm2C4HczbRQVXhkm1CcOP5VlgD9LyzVNevTurSrc61P9rL8xnSVkGsUAA2SmexnnScEl_tHnRgD_ttmtUuOQPuUd1_RXdPH_wYLN_fxvn3G8y4Et5X_sJZVlmaVnG/s1600/facial_deformation_360.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxOztNnSR20oe5FkBm2C4HczbRQVXhkm1CcOP5VlgD9LyzVNevTurSrc61P9rL8xnSVkGsUAA2SmexnnScEl_tHnRgD_ttmtUuOQPuUd1_RXdPH_wYLN_fxvn3G8y4Et5X_sJZVlmaVnG/s400/facial_deformation_360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583147444734118754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP8BpKCnHF14oCoTgaVxsfK8_vjd941WEitXE06mScmZVOZSA2r2o1jllkLaTMzWz7UMFtdiDcmhQmsfKgaY4OMhHzVfAdyjldWk9bjYubXpC9U1-93XeenPg7v6RXNRfQIcUP283spVP/s1600/facial_deformation_PS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP8BpKCnHF14oCoTgaVxsfK8_vjd941WEitXE06mScmZVOZSA2r2o1jllkLaTMzWz7UMFtdiDcmhQmsfKgaY4OMhHzVfAdyjldWk9bjYubXpC9U1-93XeenPg7v6RXNRfQIcUP283spVP/s400/facial_deformation_PS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583147646734359826" /></a><br />Elsewhere, and away from graphical prowess, we found that loading times are also slightly longer on the PS3. Although, thanfully this is circumvented by a complete lack of the usual 'mandatory install' we sometimes have to deal with on the platform. In any case it isn't something worth complaining about. <br /><br />So, the conclusion then. Like with Fight Night Round 4, FN Champion comes equally recommended on both platforms with the slightly blurrier look of the PS3 game really doing nothing to take away from the graphical splendor that EA have achieved. The game looks stunning, with realistic body movement and deformation, accomplished lighting and shading, plus use of motion blur, and all at a flawless thirty frames per-second. <br /><br />For owners of both formats, and for the people who want the very best image quality available, then the 360 version is the best bet - just about, by the very tiniest of margins. But if all your mates are playing it online via the PS3, then I'd have no qualms about recommending it on that format instead. Both are visually spectacular regardless. <br /><br />As for the game itself, it's fair to say that FN Champion still delivers a cracking round of the sport for anyone wanting to go in fists first. 'Legacy Mode' and its frustrating mini-games is a continued annoyance, but the new - albeit short - 'Champion Mode' definitely presents us with an interesting take on things. It gives you another reason to play outside of simply taking your chosen fighter to the top, with every Hollywood cliche you care to mention in tow. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Special thanks go out to Richard Leadbetter this time around, for all his help and support, plus allowing me to contribute on the latest Digital Foundry Article.</span>David Biertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348518903989975783noreply@blogger.com0