Difference between INTERNAL fps and EXTERNAL(displayed) fps?

[mistan]

If a game's animations, physics, and whatever else there is runs at 60+ fps internally and then only 30 frames are shown every second on the tv...then what's the difference if a game runs 30 fps internally and externally?
I don't see how it will play "smoother" if only 30fps are shown. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

[phat]

Re: Difference between INTERNAL fps and EXTERNAL(displayed)

If a game's animations, physics, and whatever else there is runs at 60+ fps internally and then only 30 frames are shown every second on the tv...then what's the difference if a game runs 30 fps internally and externally?
I don't see how it will play "smoother" if only 30fps are shown. It doesn't make sense to me.

Well, TV's are actually 60 fields per second, so animation can be updated on your TV screen up to 60 times at second, although it requires you to superimpose two fields (via persistence of vision) to get the full spatial resolution. So that's why 60fps games do move more smoothly on an ordinary TV than 30fps games.

Case closed. Lock the thread. =)

 

[mistan]

I think you dont understand what im saying or either my understanding is screwed.
Im saying, that if 2 games that are "running" @ 30fps on your tv(externally) but one's animation and physics are running at 60+ fps internally and the other's is running at 30fps internally then why is it *smoother* if we can only actually SEE 30 fps on our tv.
Im not askin for the difference between 30fps and 60fps directly.
But thanks..

EDIT: example
Remember the 1st game actually seen running on UE3? Remember the guy saying that even though the game is being displayed at 30 fps it is still glassy smooth because the animations/physics are running at 120fps. I dont get that.

 

[ERP]

I think you dont understand what im saying or either my understanding is screwed.
Im saying, that if 2 games that are "running" @ 30fps on your tv(externally) but one's animation and physics are running at 60+ fps internally and the other's is running at 30fps internally then why is it *smoother* if we can only actually SEE 30 fps on our tv.
Im not askin for the difference between 30fps and 60fps directly.
But thanks..

EDIT: example
Remember the 1st game actually seen running on UE3? Remember the guy saying that even though the game is being displayed at 30 fps it is still glassy smooth because the animations/physics are running at 120fps. I dont get that.

You'reasically correct 30fps is 30fps, the only reason to run animation/physics higher is to smooth out fluctuations in displayed framerate. i.e. they don't effect gameplay.

There are other reasons to run physics simulations faster, largely because of stability issues and integrator accuracy issues. SO it can make some sense in a racing game.

The last racing game I worked on ran physics at 300fps, selected entirely because it divides evenly by both 50 and 60 fps.

 

[mistan]

Thanks for the help in understanding 8)