Digital Foundry Article Technical Discussion [2017]

https://software.intel.com/en-us/ar...wars-2-for-pcs-with-intel-integrated-graphics

hm.

 

Single render thread. So probably no chance to hit 60 fps. Pity adaptive sync on tvs isn't really a thing yet.

I suspect a lot of X1X games will be leaving unused CPU on the table.

 

The GPU is more than enough to handle it at 60 FPS. The graphics, while good aren't exactly pushing the envelope in any way. I do love their grass shader though.

The CPU is most definitely holding it back. You underestimate significantly how CPU taxing AI in an RTS is. Despite the lower unit counts in Halo Wars 2 compared to something like SC2, it's still very CPU intensive with many units on the battlefield. And that's even with AI base building being simplified due their node based base building.

Keep in mind that the system must constantly track and iterate every single unit on the entire map. Unlike, say a shooter, you can't put an AI to sleep if they ate outside of a certain distance from the player. No matter how far away from the player's camera any given unit is, it must still have the full AI running for it (path finding, decision making, conflict resolution, collision, etc.)

On some maps there is constant action across the map with a large variety of units.

Regards,
SB

 

The behaviour of the AI won't change between 30 and 60 Hz frame rates. The entire simulation has to behave the same regardless of frame rate, which can vary greatly between connected machines. So the work almost certainly remains the same too.

X1X has north of 30% more CPU than the X1, but the game uses a single rendering thread, limiting it to no more than about 15% of available CPU.

If CPU is preventing a 60hz mode it's rendering and not AI that's the issue.

 

It's the same way that SC2 will suffer reduction in framerates due to increased CPU usage due to the AI (number of units on the playing field) in custom multiplayer battles. It's why large multiplayer battles require a beefy CPU in order to avoid framerate tanking into the single digits.

Frametime (which equates to FPS) is depending on both the CPU and GPU load. In most games the GPU load is going to be the most limiting factor. In RTS games and many MMOs, the CPU becomes the most limiting factor with regards to this.

Regards,
SB

 

Unless the simulation slows down - different from dropped frames - the game is maintaining a baseline of work. And in multiplayer the game has to remain in sync with deterministic behaviour shared across all machines running with different frame rates e.g. someone running 20 fps can play against someone running 100 fps.

The behaviour of the game cannot be affected by the frame rate.

On console, the game is most likely reserving one core exclusively for rendering so as to maximise performance for the single rendering thread. The AI has to behave the same as in the X1S version, and in the PC version, meaning the same behaviours at the same speed and to the same quality.

Whatever is stopping the X1S (editops! meant X1X!) game running at 60 fps, it isn't the AI.

 

Any ideas why there is not constant 1080p and effects quality in Tekken 7 on both PS4 and Xbox One? Because game doesn't look superb at all. It's only a little bit better than Mortal Kombat X and way behind Injustice 2.

 

Great Work by CdProjekt

 

Star Wars Battlefront 2 Beta: PS4 Pro Graphics and Frame-Rate Tests:


Dynamic 1440p res with most gameplay running around 1296p

 

Lots of complaints about the heavy cinematic effects on BF2 and they'll reduce them in the final game.



I really don't understand whey they absolutely want to include such heavy cinematic effects on consoles for the sequel.

Did people ask for this ? No.
Did the previous game sold badly ? No. The game sold incredibly great on consoles even if the content was very poor.
Did it look super realistic and looked like the real thing ? Yes.
Are the movies even looking like this ? No, they are not.

The first sold great mostly because the immersion was incredible...without those 3 cinematic effects. It looked real.

So now they are surprised people ask a toggle to remove them ? They won't even give them the toggle, just reduce them ?

 

you have to hide all those bad LOD pop ups

 

PS4 Pro:
- two modes: Favour Resolution, Favour Quality (increased draw distances, etc)
- both use dynamic framebuffer
- Quality mode doesn't suffer a big penalty in dynamic resolution and both modes average 1620p, so DF recommends Quality mode
- doesn't get high quality textures that are available on PC

Going to be interesting to see how X1X shapes up...my guess is it'll get the high quality textures + maintain higher res.

 

do we know what the 4k cinematics are encoded in?
wonder if 1X will be x265, what about pc.

 

For PS4 Pro?...I think it's an optional download.

Edit: misread your question. I have no idea what they are encoded in.

 

I would like them to do a tech analysis of megaton rainfall

 

All the more amazing considering much of the game was the work of one guy, Alfonso del Cerro.

 

Maybe stupid question, maybe not, don't kill me: is there still a benefit in 4K textures even if the output res is (much) lower than 4K? If so, is there a resolution breaking point where it becomes useless to have 4K textures?

 

Yes i think Did all the programming of the engine ans Sony sent him à few People for some art and sound design.

 

It depends on what the texture is mapped onto, and what they actually mean by “4K asset”. You could argue it is a waste since consoles usually skip on AF most of the time, but then you might get a close up of a pair of pl0t-critical objects where they can sample the higher res mipmap.

 

Really have to commend the Monolith engine technicians here: Shadow of War is one dang slick game: never seems to drop a frame no matter how busy it gets. And it gets really, really busy. Being surrounded by dozens of orc is pretty much the norm, and during the large scale siege battles those orc are probably numbering in the hundreds. Loading times are reasonably short as well and the streaming is entirely hitch-free too. There are certainly more beautiful games out there, but none of them do anything close to what Shadow does.