360 individual console specific framerate fluctuations

[Mendel]

I've been finding reports of weird framerate issues with some xbox 360 games that don't seem to be consistent with every xbox 360.

Some people complained about bad framerate issues with Condemned demo, while others have said Condemned demo runs just fine.
I have personally experienced very bad framerate issues with Full Auto demo, while others have reported its runnig smoothly.
I heard about framerate problems in NFS:MW but the demo seems to be running just fine for me...
I also have stuttering framerate at Tiger Woods 2006 and I'm wondering if that happens for everyone or if its just me then.
RR6, pdz, kameo, pgr3 and doa4 all seem to run great, but maybe others have problems in some of them? (haven't heard of)
Finally, everyone seems to agree Quake 4 doesn't run too good.


The point is, what is causing these inconsistencies?

 

[Hardknock]

The point is, what is causing these inconsistencies?

Some people are sensitive to framerates, some people just don't notice it.

 

[Guden Oden]

Yeah, with no way to do a true study of the matter, all we can go on are 2nd hand reports from individuals whom apply their own standards and biases first before posting on teh intarweb. It's not enough to base any conclusions on.

Personally, I thought the framerate of condemned was rather crap, the gfx wasn't impressive and it still ran at a sluggish rate. Full auto looks like a current-gen game for the most part, more fire and stuff that flies around, but the environments are unimpressive and the framerate is still 30fps, which doesn't impress either.

It's going to be a while longer until software starts to push this console it seems.

 

[pjbliverpool]

I've been finding reports of weird framerate issues with some xbox 360 games that don't seem to be consistent with every xbox 360.

Some people complained about bad framerate issues with Condemned demo, while others have said Condemned demo runs just fine.
I have personally experienced very bad framerate issues with Full Auto demo, while others have reported its runnig smoothly.
I heard about framerate problems in NFS:MW but the demo seems to be running just fine for me...
I also have stuttering framerate at Tiger Woods 2006 and I'm wondering if that happens for everyone or if its just me then.
RR6, pdz, kameo, pgr3 and doa4 all seem to run great, but maybe others have problems in some of them? (haven't heard of)
Finally, everyone seems to agree Quake 4 doesn't run too good.


The point is, what is causing these inconsistencies?

I've had small problems with FUll Auto and NFS:MW. Less poor framerate (although they ain't great) but more suffering from small pauses in the graphics every now and again. Like its smooth for 3 seconds, then a 1/10th second pause, then continue for another 3 seconds etc.. I have it in some Kameo cutscenes aswell but not in the main gameplay which is butter smooth.

 

[Mendel]

Yeah, with no way to do a true study of the matter, all we can go on are 2nd hand reports from individuals whom apply their own standards and biases first before posting on teh intarweb. It's not enough to base any conclusions on.

Yes, that's what I was thinking too at first. But then I started getting more and more reports where I think simple bias and standard difference can't likely explain the phenomenom.

Reports where people claim the sluggishness can be experienced in specific points in specific game, and its so bad theres no way anyone could miss it (like a certain room in Condemned demo, near the start, get close to window where hdr lights come from and try turning around) and then some people come and claim they tested it and saw no problem whatsoever.

 

[hadareud]

I've had small problems with FUll Auto and NFS:MW. Less poor framerate (although they ain't great) but more suffering from small pauses in the graphics every now and again. Like its smooth for 3 seconds, then a 1/10th second pause, then continue for another 3 seconds etc.. I have it in some Kameo cutscenes aswell but not in the main gameplay which is butter smooth.

same here, cutscenes in Kameo sometimes stop and you can hear the DVD drive starting to load until the cutscene continues. That's about it with the problems I've experienced.

 

[Hardknock]

same here, cutscenes in Kameo sometimes stop and you can hear the DVD drive starting to load until the cutscene continues. That's about it with the problems I've experienced.

Hmmm, that's strang man. Mine doesn't do that on Kameo. I would get that checked out or exchanged if I were you. I think you have a 90 day warrenty. I would hate for it to crap out on you later.

 

[pipo]

Hmmm, that's strang man. Mine doesn't do that on Kameo.

Maybe the resolution setting (HD <> SD) has a negative effect...

 

[London Geezer]

Maybe the resolution setting (HD <> SD) has a negative effect...

It really shouldn't. The game is rendered internally at the same resolution all the time. Choosing a lower res will only instruct the hardware to output that resolution. Usually a job for the scaler chip.
There should be no difference in performance between different resolutions outputs since the game is rendered internally at the same res, usually 720p.

 

[blakjedi]

Hmm. Condemned? as much as I play that game I dont know what you guys are talking about! No reported issues at all with any game except Quake 4... Oh yeah it was programmed to have a crappy framerate!

 

[pipo]

It really shouldn't. The game is rendered internally at the same resolution all the time.

It sure isn't for 4:3 and 16:9 settings.

Edit - non relevant qoute deleted.

I also recall talk from the PGR3 team about more AA being applied in a SD configuration...

 

[London Geezer]

It sure isn't for 4:3 and 16:9 settings.

Probably, but that's not a change in resolution is it, and i only covered resolution changes. 4:3 to 16:9 is a change in aspect ratio, which is different.

 

[pipo]

Probably, but that's not a change in resolution is it, and i only covered resolution changes. 4:3 to 16:9 is a change in aspect ratio, which is different.

Fair enough. I just meant to say that a different setting could make a difference...

 

[London Geezer]

Fair enough. I just meant to say that a different setting could make a difference...

Well yeah, it's just that the aspect ratio basically changes how much of the scene the hardware needs to show (16:9 actually shows more of the area you're looking at), whereas resolution is something else.

 

[AlNom]

The Full Auto demo is using code from awhile back. One of the devs commented about that in his blog at 1up.

 

[Guden Oden]

Reports where people claim the sluggishness can be experienced in specific points in specific game

Don't these points exist in pretty much all games? I know I remember trying to find them in N64 games too, for example in Mario64 on the level where one first encounter Chomps, if you get up on the tallest point and look down on the entire level below, the framerate sags noticeably.

like a certain room in Condemned demo, near the start, get close to window where hdr lights come from and try turning around

I tried the Condemned demo again, and I might actually buy it (though I don't really like creepy games like that heh), and the room you're talking about is probably the one where the game "takes off" so to speak. Yes, the framerate crashes and burns there, but turning off the flashlight helps quite a bit. I hope xenos isn't draw-limited THAT easily, and that the problem exists elsewhere - and by that I mean somewhere in the software, because I don't want the CPU to be that easily stressed out EITHER.

And I really doubt that's "HDR" light. Doesn't look very fancy at all to me, there's some alpha textures there simulating dusk light in dusty air, and some bloom, and maybe the game's dynamically adjusting the "exposure", but HDR... Dunno bout that!

Anyway, the framerate drop is definitely real. Just stand in the door opening and look towards the left side of the windows. FPS turns into molasses right there. Pan off to the sides (or turn off the flashlight) and things speed up again.

 

[Hardknock]

Must be because it's a demo. Because that's not in the full version, there is no slow down at all. I'll download the demo and check it out though..

 

[silhouette]

I never had any problems with Kameo, including cut-scenes. It is possible that as there is no hard-drive in core version, the software might be forced to read some data from DVD otherwise cached in hard-drive, and this might cause this frame-rate fluctuations. But, mine is just a wild guess.

 

[Mendel]

And I really doubt that's "HDR" light.

And you would be wise to doubt that too. While it is kind of nice, I wouldn't and shouldn't call it HDR either.

It's just something that someone else in a finnish, not very technical website called the place and the light, and I guess I didnt correct the term because it helped me identify the place, without drawing a map or anything. Anyways, a brainfart by me, since I should really be more precise when talking with such terms in a highly technical forums such as this

 

[Guden Oden]

Must be because it's a demo. Because that's not in the full version, there is no slow down at all.

That's not true. I got the full game today; bought it 2nd hand off a guy in the Games store who wanted to get rid of it because it was too scary for him to play! Which means I'll prolly hate it too. I jumped several times during the short demo version.

Anyway, the framerate judders at the EXACT spot as in the demo. After the cop feels the cigarette smoke, just stand in the doorway into the room with the windows - don't go inside - and point the flashlight towards the leftmost side of the windows. The FPS clearly dips right there, depending on exactly where one is standing, it might be one dip or two distinctly separate ones close to each other as you pan back and forth.

Rendering performance seems to be more or less identical to me between retail version and the demo. I've not noticed any major differences anyway - the game usually runs at 30fps and sometimes even lower, like in this particular case.