new Far Cry 360 interview

[Guden Oden]

But there is a difference. I found pdf on net: Unsigned Xbox 360 Developer Best Practices

It only states the performance of a singlethreading situation (at least in your quoted section), it doesn't say anything about how performance would be altered from using all six threads.

Same with L2, it doesn't mention that particular scenario with heavy threading, at least not in the section you quote. Anyway, logic dictates with the more actions going on in a limited space means less room for everyone. Even if cache areas are locked off for each thread so they don't step all over each other (and assuming all hardware threads can be set to lock off a portion of L2 for themselves), it means that available space for each thread is decreased, L2 hitrate will diminish. Xenon isn't some magic black hole that can swallow arbitrary amounts of code and data you know.

 

[superguy]

Personally I dont believe anybody is using all three cores, or SPE's on PS3, for interleaved game code. The timing critical engine stuff. This is just too hard most likely right now. This is why you get Newell's comments that it's the stuff of research papers only right now.

It's easy to use three cores. Use one for audio, one for decompression, etc etc. Then state in interviews yeah, we're using all three cores.

If and when games REALLY start using multiple cores in engine stuff, we will see massive increases in CPU power I think. I sure dont see anything to indicate that is happening in say, GRAW.

The PS3 games are using more physics than "ordinary" games according to Kikizo. This is interesting and appealing if true. However I will believe that when I see it. In other words as of now I dont believe it. But that is the type of thing you need to expect if they are really using the SPE's in a viable fashion. Frankly I STRONGLY doubt they are just yet. All games are running off one relatively weak general purpose core on both systems I believe. The UT2007 effect.

 

[scooby_dooby]

IW stated they are using one for special effects, one for AI, and the other for game code.

 

[mckmas8808]

Personally I dont believe anybody is using all three cores, or SPE's on PS3, for interleaved game code. The timing critical engine stuff. This is just too hard most likely right now. This is why you get Newell's comments that it's the stuff of research papers only right now.

All games are running off one relatively weak general purpose core on both systems I believe. The UT2007 effect.

So are you calling some of these developers liars? Maybe they are using all 3 cores, just not as great as they will 3 years from now.

 

[London Geezer]

One thing is "using the other cores", another is "using them well".

 

[mckmas8808]

One thing is "using the other cores", another is "using them well".

Exactly! Just because they may not be using them well (which is releative to how they will be using them 2 years from know due to more research, so we can't knock them for this) today doesn't mean they aren't using them. By the looks of things they are using them.

 

[London Geezer]

Of course they're using them to a certain extent.
It's like when people kept insisting that most PS2 games didn't use the VU's - and implying that there was more "hidden power" because of it. That's just a really incorrect thing to say, since without using the VU1, you'd have nothing on screen at all. The difference comes when you start using them they way they should be used.
I think all developers these days are using at least 2 cores in the X360, just because one core would take care of sound and other tasks. With time, they'll start using the same core more efficiently, same for the third one.

 

[superguy]

http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2599_en.html

New vids.

Game takes a turn for the worse again IMO. Whether design decision or what it feels boxed in and lacks draw distance.

 

[scooby_dooby]

http://www.xboxyde.com/news_2599_en.html

New vids.

Game takes a turn for the worse again IMO. Whether design decision or what it feels boxed in and lacks draw distance.

Ya I don't see myself buying this game. Farcry got by on XBOX cause it was an average game with really nice GFX.

This looks to be the same type of game, combine an average game with below-average graphics and you've got a stinker...fancy water can only go so far.

My biggest problem is with the foliage, it's decidedly last gen and ruins everything.

 

[czekon]

 

[pipo]

Another interview: http://planetfarcry.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=21

Like one of my technical guru colleagues, Danny Oros, would say; the Xbox 360’s unified memory architecture and multiple CPU cores allow us to dynamically create stunning effects which were never before possible, such as our realistic water effects and dynamics. Plus, the CPU’s ability to use and render floating-point precision procedural (dynamic) textures and data pushes the quality of these effects and surfaces even further, so every little perturbation and detail can be rendered in its highest precision. With the multiple CPU cores in the console, it also makes it possible to perform tasks in parallel, such as solving AI, physics, and calculating the denser amount of 3D objects over a larger view distance, for a richer game-play and visual experience. Obviously, we’re only starting to explore the full potential of the console.

Predator characters are roughly 5,000 polys compared to around 2,000 for Evolution. All the vehicles and weapons have at least double the number of polys and use 1024 textures, versus 128 for Xbox.

Almost all of the objects in the Predator environments use 512 textures instead of 128 for Evolution.

Depth of view is now closer to 2 km versus an approximately 200m depth found in Instincts.

In a nutshell, everything has been considerably beefed up on 360 while keeping a constant fps with tons of enemies on screen.

 

[czekon]

well sounds better then look

 

[Riddlewire]

I just finished playing FCI Xbox last week.
Watching these new FCIP vids for X360, I can't really tell much of a difference. The only thing I notice is what appear to be slightly richer colors. Other than that, the game looks identical. I'm quite unimpressed. The original FCI wasn't all that great visually. It was just a half-port of the cancelled PS2 version, if I remember correctly. The fact that they're still using that lame engine for FCIP is rather disappointing.

 

[superguy]

http://www.g-freaks.de/Downloads/FCI_Predator_Attract_Mode_Web_EMEA_h264.mov

 

[superguy]

Looks great again! All aboard the roller coaster..

 

[Griffith]

I just finished playing FCI Xbox last week.
Watching these new FCIP vids for X360, I can't really tell much of a difference. The only thing I notice is what appear to be slightly richer colors. Other than that, the game looks identical. I'm quite unimpressed. The original FCI wasn't all that great visually. It was just a half-port of the cancelled PS2 version, if I remember correctly. The fact that they're still using that lame engine for FCIP is rather disappointing.

xbox:

 

[superguy]

Well to be fair, Far Cry seems to be improving almost daily. And even I'm still not convinced it will be a good looking game. Some shots and videos look next-gen others dont.

 

[zidane1strife]

Of course they're using them to a certain extent.
It's like when people kept insisting that most PS2 games didn't use the VU's - and implying that there was more "hidden power" because of it. That's just a really incorrect thing to say, since without using the VU1, you'd have nothing on screen at all. The difference comes when you start using them they way they should be used.
I think all developers these days are using at least 2 cores in the X360, just because one core would take care of sound and other tasks. With time, they'll start using the same core more efficiently, same for the third one.

It was true with regards to VU0, though