Image Quality and Framebuffer Analysis for Available/release build Games *Read the first post*

Oh, no doubt, but I have very few alternatives, my GTX 260 isn't quite powerful enough to run the game with 2x2 supersampling. It was more a bit of experimentation than anything really just nice to to try out the different aa modes as some work surprisingly well in certain games. The 1080p resolution meant that there was still plenty of clarity left and the overall softer image worked quite well considering the amount of post effects the game uses. From memory, the "blur" from 4x9Tap wasn't as bad as from quincunx AA.

Well, it is powerful enough for supersampling but then I've got to drop the resolution down to 720p and ditch standard msaa to get anything near decent performance. Though tbf, I'm surprised just how well so many games work with supersampling, especially at 720p. I can run COD: WAW at 720p with 3x3 supersampling with a locked 50hz refresh (PAL refresh rates is handy here) and on the Nazi Zombie map I tried it with max settings and 8xaf and I didn't get a single dropped frame, and boy was it buttery smooth.

On the topic of shader aliasing, its another reason why edge AA is a decent solution, as texture/alpha/shader aliasing are all starting to become just as big an issue as standard polygonal AA in games these days, I don't see much point wasting resources with more than say 4 multisamples at high resolutions when you're still going to have lots of noticeable aliasing elsewhere. It creates a very uneven image.

I've just been playing the 360 version of SEGA Rally and I have to say it has some of the best IQ on any console. Full 720p resolution, 4xmsaa, and not to be forgotten alpha to coverage to deal with the transparency aliasing. Its a great combination and with the motion blur gives the game a very "CG" like quality. The "dithering" artefacts that crop up from alpha to coverage are unfortunate but are not noticeable when moving at high speed, whereas without it you'd likely have lots of shimmering foliage at the side of the road that sticks out when in motion.

Any reason why alpha to coverage is not more widely used? Quite a few console games suffer from really bad alpha aliasing (compounded by sub-HD resolutions) and its a good solution given the seemingly very low performance hit it comes with. I know many don't like dithering artefacts but it can work well in the right circumstances (like SEGA Rally shows). Obviously on the PC side I try and enable transparency supersampling if at all possible but the performance impact means that's not a realistic choice on consoles.

Ooh I didn't know about all that. Love a game with a nice big config file to play with.

Is it true that you can get rid of the "brown/sepia" filter as well, sure I read that somewhere.

 

Sure everything.

 

From what i read only the 360 will have 1080p (through scaling). No 1080p option for PS3 this time.

 

What is the res, AA, etc for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, anyway?

 

not sure. wish there were demos of it on both platforms. then the eagle eyed B3Ders could take a crack at it.

edit: there are some screens here (gallery tab)
http://www.lensoftruth.com/?p=14886

 

Then it's not 1080p on 360 either.

 

They didnt use triple buffer in ps3 version?

(it sounds a very poor port)

 

Couldn't find a good enough edge, and the added blur certainly doesn't help. Assuming those side-by-side shots are just cut/paste from 720p, the res I found was fairly low.

I'd like some better shots.


Might be 1040x585...

 

A Need for Speed SHIFT comparison was just posted on the Lens of Truth. From their rollovers and gallery it looks like both are running at 720p, it is just that the PS3 is using quincunx and the Xbox 360 2XAA?

Also the HDR effect seems to be better on the PS3.

http://www.lensoftruth.com/?p=15133

Thoughts?

 

360 seems 2-4xAA, slightly better shadow filtering (might be the texture format they use). The PS3 has more washed out lighting and brighter... Just look at the second rollover. Much more detail retained on 360.

 

Cant be more than 2xAA for 360 as I played it yesterday and jaggies where very obvious.

 

Some of those shots do show 4x though.

 

/OT joke

You'll never unlock the Keyboard Achievement that way.

Anyway, in this shot:

Dithering in the grass and people on the left of the PS3 shot? Railing of the 360 shot?
Sharper HUD elements in the 360 shot (compare 3rd circle from the left)?
In both shots, the sun is able to shine through the right protection wall?

 

So dynamic AA or just some surfaces that dont get AA. Anwyays it was at the store when I was going to buy Shift. I saw a screen at distance with a car game and said "Damn didn't know GT5p looked this good!". The hud was off so I didn't know it was Shift until I got close and saw 360 controller. Anyway the cockpit showed jaggy steps along the window and dashboard aswell as landscape. Though it was like slight blurring between each step so I assumed 2xAA.

One day my friend one day!

 

Yeah, might be dynamic in-game. Some shots clearly show 2x, some show 4x.

 

Our resident head to head experts at digitalfoundry do a better job at this. This site has claimed things that were proven wrong by DF's software.

 

That's nice. They haven't compared this one yet and I thought the community, not a single source such as DF, would like to take a look and give their opinion.

What is the thought on the PS3, is it actually QAA?

 

well Lens of Truth have been right mostly & afaik they dont do mistakes when it comes to resolution & AA.

 

I am browsing the games files and shaders, any code I should look for (PS3, 360 code visible)?

 

Alpha to coverage probably. Quincunx resolve likely... even the speedometer is blurrier.

Regarding the sun shining through, I think that correlates with the shadow mapping there. If you zoom in, you can see the harsh change in shadow LOD on the road in particular and that seems to line up with with lighting going through the wall. Weird though!

And incidentally, this is one of the shots showing 4xMSAA on the 360.