Current Generation Games Analysis Technical Discussion [2020-2021] [XBSX|S, PS5, PC]

[Deleted member 86764]

The lack of DRS doesn't mean that there are no drops below 60 fps on the PS5. All we know is the PS5 version of the game won't trade resolution for frames. The DRS solution may have disabled because it was less work to set it at a fixed 1200p and let gamers deal with the times it does experience a framerate drop (because it doesn't drop fps too much or in too many areas). DRS may have been kept on the Xbox because it worked well enough with little to no tweaking.

Just because the review site didn't readily find areas where PS5 readily drops below 60 fps, doesn't mean there are none. A robust properly working DRS solution on the PS5 may readily need to be set to drop down to 1080p to manage framerates during those times.

Apart from hitching during loading, I can't see how the PS5 would reasonably drop frames. The multiplier from Pro to PS5 is >2x the performance, even using GCN instructions. The BC games that I've seen tested with unlocked framerates (and not using the 18CU BC setup) when the PRO drops below 30fps, the PS5 is still hitting 60. I do think the BC multiplier favours the PS5, alternatively XSX is built for BC so the software has properly allowances for next gen modes, resolutions, etc.

Regardless, I don't think the BC modes on this game are in any way representative of the performance of either machine.

 

[Shortbread]

The versions tested were 1.12 on PS5 and 1.0.12.0 on Xbox Series X|S. Default video settings were used for this test on all consoles.

Timestamps:
0:00 - PS5, Xbox Series X Performance Mode and Xbox Series S
6:07 - Xbox Series X Resolution Mode

PS5 renders at a native resolution of approximately 2133x1200 and uses a form of temporal reconstruction that can increase the resolution up to 2560x1440.

Xbox Series X in performance mode uses a dynamic resolution with the highest native resolution found being 2560x1440 and the lowest native resolution found being approximately 1792x1008. Xbox Series X in performance mode uses a form of temporal reconstruction that can increase the resolution up to 2560x1440 when rendering natively below this resolution.

Xbox Series X in resolution mode uses a dynamic resolution with the highest native resolution found being 3840x2160 and the lowest native resolution found being approximately 2816x1584. Xbox Series X in resolution mode uses a form of temporal reconstruction that can increase the resolution up to 3840x2160 when rendering natively below this resolution.

Xbox Series S uses a dynamic resolution with the highest native resolution found being 1920x1080 and the lowest native resolution found being approximately 1280x720. The native resolution on Xbox Series S seems to usually be below 1920x1080. Xbox Series S uses a form of temporal reconstruction that can increase the resolution up to 1920x1080 when rendering natively below this resolution.

All three consoles render the UI at 3840x2160.

Stats: http://bit.ly/2XIk7a9
Frames Pixel Counted: http://bit.ly/39wxccd

It seems XBSX performance mode DRS can go under 1080p in certain areas on maintaining 60fps. Anyhow, hopefully both PS5 and XBSX can get a proper next-generation update.

 

[BRiT]

I'd take the developers word of the lowest range being 1080p over anyone else's.

 

[Globalisateur]

It seems XBSX performance mode DRS can go under 1080p in certain areas on maintaining 60fps. Anyhow, hopefully both PS5 and XBSX can get a proper next-generation update.

He said approximately 1008p. With TAA it can be quite hard to pixel count.

 

[Shortbread]

With the rising interest in Star Wars continuing, Respawn have pushed out a small next Gen focused update on last years title.

Not all is clear on this and why is one party seemingly getting a better update that others?

That and more inside.

Jedi Fallen Order 2019 Analysis:- https://youtu.be/Ft1wOqEW-YQ

Edit: That BC game load analysis @9:13 was quite funny to be honest. I was like, when is the PS5 version going to load...

 

[Allandor]

Edit: That BC game load analysis @9:13 was quite funny to be honest. I was like, when is the PS5 version going to load...

That's really a strange loading time. Did he play it from an HDD? Should be so long. The Series X and S show, what the simple switch to an SSD brings (the high ssd speed is not really that relevant).

 

[cwjs]

Do not understand these ps5 vs xbox next gen update comparisons. It's well known there are restrictions/limitations with ps5 next gen patches on ps4 skus -- "smart delivery" really has some benefit. says nothing about the machines unless you're paying $600 to play a last gen game slightly better. Just feels misleading to even do side by sides rather than just saying "xbox one game got a more significant update"

 

[BRiT]

says nothing about the machines unless you're paying $600 to play a last gen game slightly better.

There's simply not that many next-gen games out there.

 

[novcze]

Does anybody know if dropping the output resolution to 1080p have performance benefits? Looks like everybody is testing 4k output so I have no idea how it works. PS4 Pro delivered better performance at 1080p but I didn't hear anything about the PS5.

 

[Nesh]

Edit: That BC game load analysis @9:13 was quite funny to be honest. I was like, when is the PS5 version going to load...

Thats a peculiar time.

 

[Shortbread]

- Series X runs at 1440p resolution and Series S at 1080p, although I have detected a lower pixel density in more open scenarios.
- Curiously, each version has a different tonality in some areas.
- Series X carries some framerate problems in section changes.
- Shadows in Series X are considerably better.

 

[Allandor]

wow, just 1440p. I expected native 4k with such a game. But well, not all developers know how to optimize or want to waste time if the image quality already is good for them.
But I really can't see (I also played the game) why the game is limited to 1440p.

 

[Shortbread]

wow, just 1440p. I expected native 4k with such a game. But well, not all developers know how to optimize or want to waste time if the image quality already is good for them.
But I really can't see (I also played the game) why the game is limited to 1440p.

Something changed during development, the original targeted aspects were quite different.

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/06/26/inside-xbox-series-x-optimized-call-of-the-sea/

Q: How will these enhancements impact a player’s experience with Call of the Sea?

A: With the Smart Delivery feature you’ll always have access to the best version of the game. Sharing settings and games between different systems. That makes you design the game thinking as a whole and not as something that is tied to a single platform. On the other hand the power and performance of Xbox Series X will allow us to offer the game at beautiful 4K at 60fps, leveraging the rich game environments and making the art really shine.

Q: Why did your development team choose to focus on 4K Resolution, 60FPS and DirectX Raytracing as enhancement areas for Call of the Sea?

A: We are focusing on delivering the most beautiful game possible. Although we have a stylized art style, we are giving it a next-gen look, full of visual effects and movement in the scene. With DirectX Raytracing, we will have the chance to make the island even more present, almost come to life. Players will have the opportunity to enjoy the island’s stunning environments in beautiful 4K, allowing for a greater immersion and an overall better experience.

The power of this new hardware allows us to not have to make compromises between frame rate and resolution. We can finally offer the best of the two worlds to Xbox Series X players!

Q: What is it like developing on Xbox Series X?

A: We are still in the first stages of experimenting with the new hardware and we are exploring how far we can go. We are working in line with the advances in Unreal Engine, the engine in which we are developing the game, towards implementing them in the Xbox Series X version of the game. Both Microsoft and Epic Games are doing an excellent job of giving developers tools to make it as smooth as possible to develop on their platform.

Q: Which enhancement were you most excited about to explore leveraging for Call of the Sea on Xbox Series X?

A: The graphic power that allows us to show our scenarios in 4k at 60fps is something we are really excited about. Sometimes it allows us to take our visuals to where our only limit is creativity.

 

[Globalisateur]

wow, just 1440p. I expected native 4k with such a game. But well, not all developers know how to optimize or want to waste time if the image quality already is good for them.
But I really can't see (I also played the game) why the game is limited to 1440p.

It's not a surprise. We have already seen another exclusive XBX game that could not simply run at 2x framerate on XSX with the same settings. Forza Horizon 4.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

It's not a surprise. We have already seen another exclusive XBX game that could not simply run at 2x framerate on XSX with the same settings. Forza Horizon 4.

Yup. And it's not that new consoles aren't capable of running older games at higher resolutions and framerates but that those particular codebases were not designed with that in mind. When you're writing code, you make all sorts of engineering decisions based on the platform it's intended to run on. You generally don't have the luxury of speculating how your code might run on some arbitrary higher hardware target in future and whether you should engineer it differently. It's needs to work by noon on Thursday.

 

[iroboto]

I believe Call of Sea uses RT shadows IIRC. They likely made a choice between resolution, framerate and RT. And went with RT. But I could be wrong, memory is a bit hazy on this title. It would be rough if they dropped all their ambitious goals.

 

[BRiT]

Also, the FH4 treatment was not done by T10 or PG, so that explains the initial teething problems and some of the seemingly odd decisions made on the initial nextgen patch that had to be followed up.

 

[Allandor]

I believe Call of Sea uses RT shadows IIRC. They likely made a choice between resolution, framerate and RT. And went with RT. But I could be wrong, memory is a bit hazy on this title. It would be rough if they dropped all their ambitious goals.

Well, they announced the usage of RT (for whatever) but I really don't think that it is inside. After all, the game looks good (has it's own flair) but overall, it is strange that they took this route (after announcing 4k 60 & RT a while back).
If the game uses RT, than ok, it has a really high performance hit. But without I really don't know what they are doing in this game, but my old Vega56 had no problem with it (maxed out).
But as I wrote, it might just be that the developers can't or don't want to optimize it much more.

And yes, I know if the xbox one x runs it at 1440p with 30fps, making it 60 is just the easy route (as the GPU has around double the calculation power for the same task). After all it is just "another" next-gen patch for a BC game.

Also, the FH4 treatment was not done by T10 or PG, so that explains the initial teething problems and some of the seemingly odd decisions made on the initial nextgen patch that had to be followed up.

Strange about that game is, that it runs on PC without problem at 4k 60 even on "older" high end cards (as far as I remember). But well, if the code was optimized for the GCN GPU it might not suite the new GPU so well.

 

[iroboto]

Well, they announced the usage of RT (for whatever) but I really don't think that it is inside. After all, the game looks good (has it's own flair) but overall, it is strange that they took this route (after announcing 4k 60 & RT a while back).
If the game uses RT, than ok, it has a really high performance hit. But without I really don't know what they are doing in this game, but my old Vega56 had no problem with it (maxed out).
But as I wrote, it might just be that the developers can't or don't want to optimize it much more.

And yes, I know if the xbox one x runs it at 1440p with 30fps, making it 60 is just the easy route (as the GPU has around double the calculation power for the same task). After all it is just "another" next-gen patch for a BC game.


Strange about that game is, that it runs on PC without problem at 4k 60 even on "older" high end cards (as far as I remember). But well, if the code was optimized for the GCN GPU it might not suite the new GPU so well.

I'm sure they axed the RT I believe there was some intention to do it but I have my doubts.
A lot of marketing goes towards generating hype for a title, but this being a puzzler, I'm not sure if all that extra $$$ going towards RT etc and others makes a lot of sense. They likely ran out of budget just trying to program through COVID.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

It's a good looking game and I finished it a couple weeks ago. Not too bothered by some people's obsession with 4k.