Digital Foundry Article Technical Discussion Archive [2013]

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Has a console ever had 1:1 graphics with PC at launch? I think the PS4 will hold its own for 2-3 years.


The screen was taken from DF.

The blur filter on the X1 version seems to hurt IQ on some of the screens. These in particular show a pretty big difference.

PS4

X1

PS4

X1

Apparently the blur filter on X1 is caused by a raw edge blur AA applied only on the background, not the cars, compared to the more refined morphological AA on PS4. See my last post with the lamp post screenshot.

And this morphological AA on PS4 in this aspect seems superior than the more blurry PC which has also some strange chromatic aberration effect.
 
There's a kind of chromatic aberration effect on the PC shots, where the various color channels are shifted around by 1-2 pixels. Like, move red channel to the left by 1 pixel, green channel to the right by 1 pixel, or so. It doesn't feel like a full blur filter as you don't loose detail, but you can also feel that something is off.
 
It's a cool camera focus effect that goes from what the One shows to this and is over before you know it.

I'm down with the DoF technology used but I think it's too aggresive on PS4. Frankly I wouldn't even drive if objects at that distance were that blurred, no I'd be walking to the nearest LASIK clinic ;)

This blur effect is just for the start of the course when the camera is turning around the car.

Thanks for clarifying, that does make quite a difference. I'm still debating buying this. I really loved Burnout but have never played a NFS game. I'm more in crazy driving than vehicular combat. Ideally EA would release a demo.
 
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I certainly wouldn't exclude a 'momentary blip' on the PC, but retain the same blip from the PS4.

Agreed, having watched the DF framerate video the 40fps is only a blip on the PS4 too. To you're talking a minimum of 40 vs 49 in potentially different scenes. In other words, comparable performance.

Nor would I suggest that the shadows on High are definitely of a higher quality than those on the PS4 and consider the comparisons the same. Blur is an effect that is always there and in my experience is fairly expensive in terms of rendering budget (if it's even present on PS4 - I need to check). I honestly don't believe that you can use the Tom's Hardware article as a direct comparison.

That's fair enough and you're probably right. But I'm not suggesting it's perfect for a direct comparison. What I'm saying is this comparison (showing performance around the level of a 270X) is no less valid than your earlier comparison showing performance at Titan levels.

Or than this comparison showing a 7870 hitting over 60fps average at max settings: http://www.hardwarepal.com/call-duty-ghosts-benchmark-cpu-gpu-performance/4/

Without at least comparable settings - and bechmark runs for that matter, there's very little you can take from using this Ghosts as a comparison point.

Rivals is directly comparable because the settings would appear essentially the same across PC and PS4. If the framerate were unlocked, we'd actually have a very good idea of exactly which PC GPU the consoles are the equivalent to. We know what they're equivalent to in terms of raw numbers, but the OSs would play a part.

It still wouldn't be perfect since DG notes the PC version offers "much" greater draw distance, additional world detail and improved shadows. You have to ask the question why they've been reduced in the PS4 version when even a 7850 can hit 43fps minimum:

http://gamegpu.ru/racing-simulators-/-gonki/need-for-speed-rivals-test-gpu.html
 
Make your favorite choice, all platforms supported multiplat game. Strange devs can provide day1 patches to up resolutions and better effects. Games looking this good on v0.9 game engine versions promises a nice nextgen future.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-assassins-creed-4-next-gen-face-off
So once the day one patch has been applied we're looking at a crisp, native 1080p(stable 30fps) framebuffer on the PS4, backed up by a new custom post-process anti-aliasing solution that works well in suppressing jaggies across much of the scene.

Microsoft's console, there's no special update to boost resolution on the Xbox One game, which renders at 1600x900(stable 30fps) while using an older post-process AA algorithm.

The PC version (1080p/60fps if enough pc gears) provides a similar visual experience to the PS4 release, but with the ability to achieve better image quality over the consoles. The main improvement comes with the inclusion of horizon-based ambient occlusion (HBAO+ in this case), resulting in more defined indirect shadows compared to the simpler SSAO-style effect we see in place on PS4 and Xbox One.

The Wii U version consistently falls 6-10fps behind the 360 and PS3 releases, resulting in a jerky, often uneven update and a profound, unsatisfying reduction in controller response. GamePad's twitchy analogue sticks, the low frame-rate makes frantically running across rooftops and chasing down targets a frustrating affair.
 
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-assassins-creed-4-next-gen-face-off

PS4: 1080P 30fps New AA
XB1: 900P 30fps with common drops and nasty sharpening filter from upscaler and older AA
Wii U: 6-10fps below PS360

Barring the occasional use of a few lower resolution textures on Microsoft's system in the odd scene, the artwork is comparable between both next-gen consoles.

Yup, MS really needs to improve their tool chain soon... this is becoming very lopsided, and it's not looking pretty.
 
Ubisoft said Xbox One would have the same new anti-aliasing method that was applied with the patch. Wonder what happened that it changed.
 
Why is the contrast on the XB1 screenshots so different to the PS4 and PC ones? I understand the borked gamma of XB360 games always looking different, but X1 should look identical.
 
Why is the contrast on the XB1 screenshots so different to the PS4 and PC ones? I understand the borked gamma of XB360 games always looking different, but X1 should look identical.

Is that a symptom of whatever sharpening is being done? The sharpening is not nice. It's more noticeable in some screens than others, but in the worst cases it looks bad. I'd prefer if they did away with it.
 
Ubisoft said Xbox One would have the same new anti-aliasing method that was applied with the patch. Wonder what happened that it changed.


XB1 AC4 build has some nasty-hiccups with frame-rates at times… adding the new AA algorithm probably increase the frame-rate drop within certain areas. So, it probably got tabled…
 
XB1 AC4 build has some nasty-hiccups with frame-rates at times… adding the new AA algorithm probably increase the frame-rate drop within certain areas. So, it probably got tabled…

That's what I thought. They did say they would but maybe in the last minute they changed their mind when framerate drops would occur.

But I am impressed with the AA on the PS4. Really similar to the 4xMSAA on the PC, surely a derivative of MLAA or SMAA (morphological). And the PS4 has even a sharper look than the PC. Maybe they added some blur on PC.

Here some comparison of the ropes of one ship.

ibjJH5vUnvss6f.PNG
 
Seems like specular aliasing still rears it's ugly head, are there any games so far in the new gen that have managed to eliminate it? As things get better visually it just seems like various forms of shader aliasing are only standing out more and more.
 
Seems like specular aliasing still rears it's ugly head, are there any games so far in the new gen that have managed to eliminate it? As things get better visually it just seems like various forms of shader aliasing are only standing out more and more.

Ryse and KZSF are pretty good… rarely notice it. Forza 5 and Knack have a sh** load of it.
 
Ryse and KZSF are pretty good… rarely notice it. Forza 5 and Knack have a sh** load of it.

Both Ryse and KZSF still have a ton of specular aliasing. It seems to be one of the most difficult things for graphics programmers to find a good solution to.

It's also the bane of PC games, so not limited to consoles.

I'm just glad to see at least edge AA getting decent attention in some games this generation. There were a few that had it last generation, but they weren't generally in graphically demanding games.

Regards,
SB
 
Car aside, I much prefer the clarity of distance rendering of the Xbox One version over PS4. Look at the three barricades down the track, they are far too obscured on PS4 compared to One.

In this case, less is more.
It is a cinematic effect added because the PS4 can render it without compromising framerate or whatever.

I have the Xbox One versions of both AC IV and NFS Rivals, the two games featured in the most recent DF articles and I am very happy with them, how they look and how they play.

AC IV is slightly better on the PS4 because of the extra resolution. NFS Rivals is better on the Xbox One because of the gameplay enhancements.
 
It is a cinematic effect added because the PS4 can render it without compromising framerate or whatever.

I have the Xbox One versions of both AC IV and NFS Rivals, the two games featured in the most recent DF articles and I am very happy with them, how they look and how they play.

AC IV is slightly better on the PS4 because of the extra resolution. NFS Rivals is better on the Xbox One because of the gameplay enhancements.

AC IV on the PS4 also has a locked framerate, which is more then a slightly better imo large drops even scarcely are really distracting.
 
The nasty sharpening rears its ugly head again, too... at times it looks very pixelated.

Curious what gameplay enhancements NFS Rivals has on Xbox One?
 
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