Digital Foundry Article Technical Discussion [2020]
- Thread starter BRiT
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I think the core of what DF does is completely at odds with Microsoft's plans to not have exclusive next-gen games at launch. They love the superior hardware but they do not get or don't want MS/Phil's idealogy of not forcing players into next-gen or their future plans at GAAS & Game Pass. They are anti-cross-gen through & through and for that, I can't take their opinions very seriously on Microsoft's choice in the games for Game Pass and their opinions on Microsoft's business and marketing ideologies. They want MS to do what Sony does with hard generations and that's not MS & will not be MS. I think that piece I saw about the console wars being over is legit & I think DF need to come to terms really fast that Microsoft is no longer trying to do what Sony does & their goals & success are not the same. They're going to do their own separate thing & that's completely OK. Just like Nintendo does its own thing. I will continue to watch their videos for the hardware tech, but I think I'm almost done giving them clicks on anything else. Sorry @Dictator I really enjoy your videos & will still keep an eye out on at least the Halo ones coming. Will see how it goes after that. Peace.
steveOrino
Regular
I didn't get that at all. I think they were merely stating that ever since the XBX, MS was focusing on raw compute and so far they have don't have much to show for it with the XBSX. But now with the overall homogenous platform strategy of selling subscriptions it would seem MS is done chasing having the best hardware (which is a good thing since it was never the real issue with the XBO). They just have to make sure they will commit to making/fostering world class gaming software to keep the subscription business healthy because in the end thats all that matters to a platform.
This isn't isn't true.
They've discussed it on video before.
It's up to MS to demonstrate that their mantra how much games scale and the value of xsx. I don't think many people are seeing it at the moment, even fast loading was only shown in that one vid months ago.
If halo had the RT they would discuss it for example.
Once again this show was about xsx, trouble is for most people it seemed to just showed it can play 1X games.
Yet they have the most powerful hardware, so that's not true, they also push it as such in marketing.
I would say it was one of the issues with XO, you can't separate being weaker from also being either more expensive or the same price as PS4, amongst the other things that never went well.
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In reality that's not the situation as Microsoft are working on an even more powerful hardware spec, not sure of when they will target that one or how they will market it. If it will be a midgen upgrade or more of a rolling console evolution with updates every 3 to 4 years going forward.
I mean I think that is completely fine!
Unknown Soldier
Veteran
There were a lot of issues with Halo.
Bad:
1) Textures popping in - Grass, clouds, stone textures were some of what I saw
2) Character models - Mainly enemy. All enemy characters had static facial features. Enemy clothing textures were subpar too.
3) Textures - Weapon textures were not all fully implemented/added it seemed. Tree textures were poor.
4) Static environment * - Tress, grass, flowers. All static.
5) Explosions/Fire - Explosions and fire looked subpar. The two capsules that land then explode, it looked like explosions from games in 2012 or earlier.
6) Raytracing - I had a look at the water but couldn't make out if there was RT. I've since read RT will be implemented later.
7) The guy speaking to MC in the beginning looked weird and when he looked at MC the second time, it actually looks like he is looking to his right and not actually trying to look at MC.
8) DF points out the MC later in the game looks not as good as in the beginning.
9) Frame dips - When MC comes out of the space ship at the beginning and looks around, frames seem to drop from a sec or two before being smooth again. I saw this on the 4K video.
* There's the scene at the beginning when MC gets out of the car and looks at the map then back. Stone textures on teh right take a second to restore. Flowers, grass and trees were all static. It didn't look natural at all.
Initially I thought gameplay was slow too, but after watching the 4K version I think it seems ok. Might not be COD or similar type frantic but I suppose good enough for Halo SP.
Good:
The other shooting explosions(pink, purple etc looked good).
MC looked great in the beginning.
Gameplay - Good for SP. Never saw MP so can't comment.
Bad:
1) Textures popping in - Grass, clouds, stone textures were some of what I saw
2) Character models - Mainly enemy. All enemy characters had static facial features. Enemy clothing textures were subpar too.
3) Textures - Weapon textures were not all fully implemented/added it seemed. Tree textures were poor.
4) Static environment * - Tress, grass, flowers. All static.
5) Explosions/Fire - Explosions and fire looked subpar. The two capsules that land then explode, it looked like explosions from games in 2012 or earlier.
6) Raytracing - I had a look at the water but couldn't make out if there was RT. I've since read RT will be implemented later.
7) The guy speaking to MC in the beginning looked weird and when he looked at MC the second time, it actually looks like he is looking to his right and not actually trying to look at MC.
8) DF points out the MC later in the game looks not as good as in the beginning.
9) Frame dips - When MC comes out of the space ship at the beginning and looks around, frames seem to drop from a sec or two before being smooth again. I saw this on the 4K video.
* There's the scene at the beginning when MC gets out of the car and looks at the map then back. Stone textures on teh right take a second to restore. Flowers, grass and trees were all static. It didn't look natural at all.
Initially I thought gameplay was slow too, but after watching the 4K version I think it seems ok. Might not be COD or similar type frantic but I suppose good enough for Halo SP.
Good:
The other shooting explosions(pink, purple etc looked good).
MC looked great in the beginning.
Gameplay - Good for SP. Never saw MP so can't comment.
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Unknown Soldier
Veteran
Seems it's not limited to XB though.
https://forum.beyond3d.com/posts/2132399/
I suppose it's just how far that drawing distance is. Halo developers have some work to do.
Can you please take a second look at Everwild when you have the chance? I'd be very surprised if that was realtime. It looks very different from the X019 trailer even if the artstyle is still the same.
D
Deleted member 11852
Guest
I've not seen it yet but I wasn't expecting anything other than pure unadulterated brutality.
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Deleted member 11852
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There was something bugging me about the demo and I couldn't put my finger on it. It's this. Why!?
Finally watched the video very, good work by the guys and seem to align closely with the general consensus.
I found the talk about DLSS and CB upcoming video interesting in that they feel there's definitely enough their to do ML upscaling on next gen consoles. Hopefully won't have to wait to long for it.
I found the talk about DLSS and CB upcoming video interesting in that they feel there's definitely enough their to do ML upscaling on next gen consoles. Hopefully won't have to wait to long for it.
Watched the video, as I'ld only seen the halo trailer before
halo: embarrassment
forza: looks brilliant, if they can output that then will be the best looking racer, my only complaint is its looks too clean
everwild: love the miyazaki art style, still experimenting with the gameplay! well I can sympathize somewhat with my game currently
tell me why: meh
ori: looks good
outer worlds: bad
grounded: looks pretty bad, though fun, I want to play this one.
avowed: cgi
Matt Booty!!! wat
as dusk falls: interesting
hellblade 2: I have a feeling it will end up close to this in parts, which is the best looking xbox one game, but will have to see gameplay (scrub that, crossfire looks to be ahead)
psychonauts 2: brilliant graphics, doesnt look like an xbox game, very excited to see this
destiny 2: yes of course it looked better than halo but still not that good at all.
stalker 2: the last part where the person looks back, this is near chernobyl, its what the russians used to detect if the USA launched missiles, to me being there, its more impressive than chernobyl. if you get the chance go there!
warhammer: looks good, but CGI
tetris: I'ld have to see it
the gunk: looks to be fun to play
the medium: top 3 for graphics
fantasy star online 2: nearly as bad as halo
crossfire X: brilliant, better than hellblade, the faces were not as good though, particle effects were brilliant
fable: cgi
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-07-23-heres-the-very-first-trailer-for-stalker-2
Stalker 2 is CGI render target
I think that there really is nothing to “get”. And this notion that MS no longer wish to compete with Sony is absolute dross. If they didn’t, then they would not constantly compare themselves to their competition, in fact they wouldn’t even be in the console industry and would just focus on kick ass PC gaming.
Of course they are competing with Sony, and dismissing the competition like they do is something that large (especially US) corporations just love to do. It’s all PR.
They basically stress that Microsoft did not live up to their own marketing. Velocity architecture, ray tracing, most powerful console, built from the ground up for series x, games that scale - we didn’t see them. They’ve spent most of the time hyping the hardware and its capabilities. Then they didn’t make the case for buying it. I think the df guys were right. Barely any gameplay, no release dates and no explanation of why you’d want a series x.
Of course they’re right! They’re right when they criticise Sony and they’re right when they criticise anyone else. The problem here is that some people can’t take the reality check. I really want MS to f**king CRUSH it, cause when they don’t, Sony gets lazy. And nobody wants a lazy Sony and a useless MS.
First!
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Deleted member 11852
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And this is really fucking infuriating because Xbox Series X is clearly an amazing piece of hardware.
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