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

[vanquish]

I noticed that in this scene, the 360 has filtering on shadows, which appear less jaggy than the PS3, the red timber wall on the left of the scene also seems to have slightly finer normal maps on the 360.
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_360_016.jpg.jpg
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_PS3_016.jpg.jpg

This scene also shows that the 360 has its share of shiny normal maps as well, it also seems to have higher res normal maps on the riveted panel on the left of the scene, ie the rivets are more defined
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_360_020.jpg.jpg
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_PS3_020.jpg.jpg

 

[BadTB25]

a 1080p GUI in a Full HD TV it's 1:1 mapping and it's faaar better and legible, 720p it's ridiculous for a 2008/2009 GUI

Understood, but I do not find any issues with legibility or image quality on my 1080P set.

Seeing as this is a technical discussion thread, do you have an opinion on why it is not in 1080P (space limitation on flash perhaps). I wonder if it would mean that each image would also take up more memory limiting performance.

 

[Arnold Beckenbauer]

I noticed that in this scene, the 360 has filtering on shadows, which appear less jaggy than the PS3, the red timber wall on the left of the scene also seems to have slightly finer normal maps on the 360.
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_360_016.jpg.jpg
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_PS3_016.jpg.jpg

These is the infamous DST&PCF thing, http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=884&page=2
http://forum.elitebastards.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10599

You can see such shadows in many PC games on Geforces (>3) like Far Cry or Battlefield 2.

 

[Rotmm]

NXE in 720p again
old dashboard was in 720p because little firmware (16MB) but now with a 128MB budget i hoped a 1080p NXE

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 128mb "budget" just for storing avatars/images on the hard drive, but the GUI, matchmaking abilities, music player, messaging systems and everything else still have to fit within the 32mb budget of the original dash?

 

[Blade47167]

OT but where do you guys put the game resolutions now? I have no idea where things are anymore after ALStrong wigged out and started his restructure .

 

[grandmaster]

The 720p60 CoD5 videos are up now on Digital Foundry.

To save you a 600MB download, these two clips are the most noteworthy; one we've discussed, one we haven't...

http://www.viddler.com/explore/DigitalFoundry/videos/32/

There's something a bit amiss in that first clip

 

[grandmaster]

Speaking of lighting and environments, check out Quantum of Solace. I'm experimenting with new ways of doing comparison videos.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/DigitalFoundry/videos/33/

 

[Mintmaster]

I noticed that in this scene, the 360 has filtering on shadows, which appear less jaggy than the PS3, the red timber wall on the left of the scene also seems to have slightly finer normal maps on the 360.
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_360_016.jpg.jpg
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a/3/0/8/2/4/1/CoD5_PS3_016.jpg.jpg

It's not that PS3 has no filtering, it's just bog standard bilinear PCF. 360 seems to be doing something more advanced. It's likely either more samples (possibly with branching), or VSM.

Since RSX is pretty good at texturing (even though it takes away math ability), there's a chance that 32-bit fixed point texture filtering is what's allowing 360 to use VSM. RSX is limited to FP16, which is basically only 12 bits for fixed range. However, I don't see any of the typical VSM artifacts, so I'm probably wrong.

EDIT: GTA4 on 360 would have looked so much better if they used this sort of shadowing instead of the crazy jittered dithered method that they wound up doing.

These is the infamous DST&PCF thing,

It's similar, but in the past PCF usually made shadows look better because software would just do one point sample (jagged black/white) rather than emulate PCF in the shaders.

BTW, in addition to NVidia chips you mentioned, the 360 and all ATI cards since the X1k series support DST.

 

[Nesh]

Hey guys I just downloaded the Bioshock Patch and I get the impression that the game is crispier looking than before but I am not sure if this is a placebo effect.

Can anyone test it?

 

[djskribbles]

Hey guys I just downloaded the Bioshock Patch and I get the impression that the game is crispier looking than before but I am not sure if this is a placebo effect.

Can anyone test it?

Would be nice if gm could post some comparisons. :smile:

What about the performance?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

'These effects are better' is not technical discussion, any more than saying 'Chelsea is better than Arsenal'. Better in what way? Without a clarification that can be measured or observed with a reasonable degree of comparative accuracy, such as better resolution, better filtering, more variety, etc., it is subjective discussion.

The cross platform discussion has been moved into the now opened Game Tech thread where it's welcome. Please try to manage your posts so analysis is here, discussion of findings is there. Thanks.

 

[user542745831]

Would be nice if gm could post some comparisons. :smile:

Seems he did that today:

http://www.digitalfoundry.org/blog/?p=247

 

[grandmaster]

Yes I did. Great minds think alike. A sample shot here.

Zero difference in rendering or performance, all told. Any differences in the shots are down to randomised elements of the game engine - the wobbly water effect, fire etc. In fairness, engine or rendering optimisation is going to be a hell of a lot more work than some bug-fixes.

 

[DJ12]

Every shot you've taken is clearly sharper (ie less or no blur) in 1.10.

For example, the "High fashion" sign in image 1, the sign above the posters in image 2 and the writing on the poster in image 3.

 

[grandmaster]

Yup, you're right, post amended (also fps readings were swapped - doh!). The difference is subtle in gameplay but in the stills you're right. It may be a consequence of reduced blur, but colour looks deeper too.

 

[Arwin]

Yup, you're right, post amended. The difference is subtle in gameplay but in the stills you're right. It may be a consequence of reduced blur, but colour looks deeper too.

The contrast level is different in the shots as well. As you can change this setting in the game, and assuming that you've left it alone while taking the shots, then the default contrast level for the game has been toned back a little it seems.

 

[grandmaster]

Both versions are on the default brightness level.

 

[Richard]

All textures are much clearer with the patched version. I agree this may make little difference during gameplay (especially in a console version playing a distance away from the tv) but I wonder if the change is solely due to a tweak to the pp effect.

 

[TrungGap]

It looks like they lowered the glow affects, too.

 

[GarretASUS]

How do these post patch results compare now to the 360 version? For me, Bioshock on 360 was always more blurry than other games.