Image Quality and Framebuffer Speculations for WIP/alpha/beta/E3 games *Read the first post*

[PhilB]

Is that AO or just a shadow being cast? Looks a little too hard edged to be AO.

That's definitely the AO. It shows even in places where a bright light is being shown on it, which does look like a shadow. Come to think of it, the lights don't seem to cast shadows anymore like they did in the first (except the PCs shadow).

I have the PC version and I can go to that exact spot and post some screens with AO on and off to confirm.

 

[homerdog]

The AO is like that on the PC version too.

Oh I didn't see PhilB's comment. Yeah there don't seem to be as many shadow casting light sources this time. Dunno why that might be...

 

[PhilB]

Same spot as that screen

AO off:



AO on:



Notice how the table with the yellow tank in the back seems to be casting a shadow as well, though it's really because of the AO.

 

[AlNom]

Thanks for the screenshots. I guess that's how they're "easily" maintaining a decent framerate on 360 (going by reports) with 4xAA - reducing the number of shadow casting lights and objects.


Are the shadows that are cast stencil volumes or shadowmaps?

 

[homerdog]

Are the shadows that are cast stencil volumes or shadowmaps?

Volumes.

 

[Dot50Cal]

I had an interesting revelation while playing the Biohazard 5 demo on PS3 today. I was standing completely still, and the AA in the game seemed to turn itself off very rapidly a number of times. The game seems to turn it off at its own will, at various times during gameplay. IIRC, Temporal AA was only applied when moving. The fact that the AA will turn off even while moving is a bit odd for me. I took two captures. Can anyone say whats happening with the game?

http://dot50cal.the-horror.com/b3d/one.png
http://dot50cal.the-horror.com/b3d/two.png

*These are not uncompressed shots.

 

[Remij]

I had an interesting revelation while playing the Biohazard 5 demo on PS3 today. I was standing completely still, and the AA in the game seemed to turn itself off very rapidly a number of times. The game seems to turn it off at its own will, at various times during gameplay. IIRC, Temporal AA was only applied when moving. The fact that the AA will turn off even while moving is a bit odd for me. I took two captures. Can anyone say whats happening with the game?

http://dot50cal.the-horror.com/b3d/one.png
http://dot50cal.the-horror.com/b3d/two.png

*These are not uncompressed shots.

Could be a bug or something from that build. Is it distracting?

 

[AlNom]

Perhaps they are applying the same sort of dynamic AA technique as on 360 (albeit with QAA instead), but the performance is at the very threshold for switching. Could be bugged too.

 

[Dot50Cal]

That could make sense, because it seems to happen when theres a large amount of enemies coming your way, or the AI is making dynamic decisions.

Could be a bug or something from that build. Is it distracting?

I only noticed it upon playback, but I have seen it before. Its very rare for it to flip back and forth, which is when its really noticeable. Most of the time with the game is with AA off, unfortunately.

If you notice, the AA image has a bit of blur applied to the textures and such as well.

 

[AlNom]

If you notice, the AA image has a bit of blur applied to the textures and such as well.

Good edge AA + texture blur would indicate QAA.

 

[Nesh]

Same spot as that screen

AO off:



AO on:



Notice how the table with the yellow tank in the back seems to be casting a shadow as well, though it's really because of the AO.

I kind of fail to see a difference between the two screenshots

 

[AlNom]

I kind of fail to see a difference between the two screenshots

Behind the vending machine or underneath the chair...

 

[Statix]

Yeah, it's kind of an ugly implementation of ambient occlusion. Rather pixelated and blotchy, and almost could be mistaken for a low-quality jpeg edge artifacting.

 

[GuestLV]

Capcom offered a look today at the modes of play for the home versions of Street Fighter IV. It also shared a few comparison shots of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blogs/anoop/2009/01/28/sfiv_ps3_versus_x360

 

[AlNom]

Capcom offered a look today at the modes of play for the home versions of Street Fighter IV. It also shared a few comparison shots of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blogs/anoop/2009/01/28/sfiv_ps3_versus_x360

As the article states, the shots aren't meant for a graphics analysis; there is really not much to be gained from looking at downscaled shots.

 

[Blade47167]

Need For Speed: Shift Untouched

EA is apparently claiming this is an untouched screen shot for the new Need For Speed game. I don't really see anything jaggies at all tho so I dunno.

 

[Gitaroo]

can be for PC also

 

[AlNom]

can be for PC also

Very likely.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Could just be oversized + downsampled too. That's 'untouched' if you consider 'touched' to be post-processed. 'In game' are the magic words to tell us what we see is what we should be getting.

 

[Blade47167]

Very likely.

Its not for PC... This one is console exclusive and the PC gets its own MMO type one apparently.

Link

I knew I should have put not PC shot since everyone would jump on that x_x.