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[pc999]

http://www.beyondunreal.com/content/articles/95_1.php

If you only have a 256 meg video card you will be running the game one step down, whereas if you have a video card with a gig of memory then you'll be able to see the game at full detail.

http://www.unrealtechnology.com/html/technology/ue30.shtml

Next-generation consoles may require reducing texture resolution by 2X, and low-end PC's up to 4X, depending on texture count and scene complexity.

This means anything about the amount of memory ,or any other thing ,for the next-gen ?

 

[AlNom]

Aren't they going to use 2048x2048 for PC texture res? If so.... half of that or even a quarter of that resolution is still really high for consoles. (2048x1024 or 1024x1024 respectively)

 

[pc999]

It is only to compare better ( in terms of raw power ) to PCs , because we had a better notion in this camps ( by the gfx cards ).BTW anyone knows wich rez they use today in XB

 

[Guden Oden]

Whatever would we use 2k-sided textures for? Who's sticking their noses right up against a wall when they play? I don't see the point in 1GB videocards.

Better to have videocards with smart virtual memory handling instead so we don't need to keep duplicate copies of huge textures both in main ram and videocard memory...

 

[Fafalada]

Sounds to me like they are assuming nexgen Consoles will have roughly 512MB of memory.

That, and of course that the compression schemes won't be any different across platforms (which is a given for ports anyhow, it could only get worse).

 

[Natoma]

Sounds to me like they are assuming nexgen Consoles will have roughly 512MB of memory.

That, and of course that the compression schemes won't be any different across platforms (which is a given for ports anyhow, it could only get worse).

Are you saying the 512MB assumption is flawed in some way? Or are you just making a blank slate assessment? I'd think consoles for the 2005-2007 timeframe would have 512MB of memory available given what we see on cards now, and the hints we've seen regarding potential 512MB cards as "Ultra Exxxtreeeeeeeme" variants later this year, or early next year as refresh parts.

 

[Natoma]

Whatever would we use 2k-sided textures for? Who's sticking their noses right up against a wall when they play? I don't see the point in 1GB videocards.

Better to have videocards with smart virtual memory handling instead so we don't need to keep duplicate copies of huge textures both in main ram and videocard memory...

A quote from the painkiller website:

The game features 24 single-player levels, each entirely unique with virtually no texture reuse between levels. The average level is 350,000 polygons, monsters are around 3000-4000 polygons, while boss monsters are 8000+ polygons. The textures are also very hi-res: average is 1024x1024, bosses are 2x2048x2048! Enemies also have advanced bump-mapping and lighting models including specular lighting.

 

[Fafalada]

Are you saying the 512MB assumption is flawed in some way? Or are you just making a blank slate assessment?

Not calling it anything, just summarizing what was probably said It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out next consoles will have somewhere between 256-1024MB of memory, and taking a nice middle number is the safe bet.
I was more making a comment at it being a PC-centric look at crossplatform requirements.

 

[Natoma]

Are you saying the 512MB assumption is flawed in some way? Or are you just making a blank slate assessment?

Not calling it anything, just summarizing what was probably said It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out next consoles will have somewhere between 256-1024MB of memory, and taking a nice middle number is the safe bet.
I was more making a comment at it being a PC-centric look at crossplatform requirements.

Wouldn't the middle number be 640MB?

 

[Paul]

I'd think consoles for the 2005-2007 timeframe would have 512MB of memory available given what we see on cards now

These are 2005(and in some markets early 06) consoles we are talking about here. Don't expect more than 256mb XDR DRAM for PS3, and from what we see at MS, they have no issues putting 256 into Xbox2.

 

[DeanoC]

I reckon 512Mb is the upper limit you will see on next-gen consoles, based on extrapolation of the last generation (err think I mean current but its feels like last). When PS2 was first annouched PC's have 2-4 times as much memory (64 to 128 Mb, I was working on an Intel Katmai system that had 128Mb and a 32Mb video card at about that time). Taken that next year 1024Mb will be standard (512Mb is about right know) then a console annouched next year should have between 256 and 512Mb.

I also expect EDRAM number to have a similar increase level (multiple by about 2-3 last generation). Say around 10Mb.

 

[Fafalada]

Wouldn't the middle number be 640MB?

Potato Potaeto

Actually, hang on, I have this thought...

based on extrapolation of the last generation

Bah, let's do some DM(tm) math instead.
PS2 40MB / PS1 2.5MB = 16.
PS3 = 16*PS2 = 640MB!

It's the magic 640 number too!! Can't possibly be coincidence, this is surely a sign! (goes to analyze Nostradamus scriptures for evidence of this being predicted already).

Anyway, slighty more seriously, I call 512MB for PS3 as a 2006 release. Maybe we should establish a betting poll here at B3D and see who makes the best predictions.

 

[Natoma]

It's the magic 640 number too!! Can't possibly be coincidence, this is surely a sign!

Pray The Jeebus Precious!!

 

[AlNom]

UT2k4 also uses 2Kx2K textures 8)

Seriously though, even 512x512 textures would be awesome on a t.v. (standard res)...I think.

What do current console games normally use? 256x256? (well, I guess I'm asking what is used on the xbox since it has the most memory).

 

[pc999]

UT2k4 also uses 2Kx2K textures 8)

Seriously though, even 512x512 textures would be awesome on a t.v. (standard res)...I think.

What do current console games normally use? 256x256? (well, I guess I'm asking what is used on the xbox since it has the most memory).

You are correct

 

[Clashman]

Be careful not to confuse video memory, (what's being discussed relative to the new Unreal Engine), with overall system memory, (what people seem to be predicting for PS3). They're not the same thing.

 

[Fafalada]

Consoles are all more or less UMA, so you usually consider most of their memory as graphic mem.
The concept of VRam has been pretty much PC exclusive construct since this console generation started.

 

[Fox5]

Consoles are all more or less UMA, so you usually consider most of their memory as graphic mem.
The concept of VRam has been pretty much PC exclusive construct since this console generation started.

What about Gamecube? Flipper's access to its main memory isn't any faster than agp 8x.

 

[Clashman]

How much of the memory does graphics in an average XBox game take up? Is it more than half?

 

[Fafalada]

Depends on the game I guess - in our game(on PS2) we around 70% of free memory for graphics on average. Textures taking around 2/3s of that.

What about Gamecube? Flipper's access to its main memory isn't any faster than agp 8x.

Not sure what speed would have to do with?