Oblivion 360/PC comparison

[Sis]

I'm going on a limb here...but I would guess that listing this as a plus wasn't meant to be in the context of a feature not found on PC. I would have a hard time believing that more people have a 5.1 system connected to their PCs versus a home theatre setup.

I'm currently attempting to get 5.1 surround setup on my PC for playback through my home theater system. It is painful.

First of all, when the majority of cards say 5.1, this is what they mean: either you can use our analog cables or do pass-through over digital. Passthrough means "if the source is already encoded in 5.1, we'll pass that along." What good is a sound card if all it does is pass it through to my receiver? Of course, good luck seeing that called out--it's only when you can't figure out why 5.1 capable game is outputting a stereo signal.

Instead, you have to have a DDL capable card--Dolby Digital Live. This card can encode DD on the fly and send it over a digital signal.

Simple, right?

My Xbox 360 was this: plug it into the receiver and it works. PC: buy 2 different cards because you can't figure out what the hell is wrong with your sound.

 

[Richard]

I'm going on a limb here...but I would guess that listing this as a plus wasn't meant to be in the context of a feature not found on PC. I would have a hard time believing that more people have a 5.1 system connected to their PCs versus a home theatre setup.

But then it's not really a feature/problem of the game, now is it?

I agree with kyleb somewhat on the "solid performance" bit but I would have replaced it with "don't have to worry about performance" instead. I know what the author meant but if taken literally it does bring up the issues kyleb mentioned.

About this being a "PC port", I think the menu system and the lower-resolution textures used in terrains are a tell-tale sign this changed some time ago. OTOH this is a first generation title so while the PC hardware will continually improve so will next-gen console software.

 

[Moloch]

I'm going on a limb here...but I would guess that listing this as a plus wasn't meant to be in the context of a feature not found on PC. I would have a hard time believing that more people have a 5.1 system connected to their PCs versus a home theatre setup.

Well a 5.1 PC setup is cheap and if we're talking about enthusist with a 5.1 HT system he/she likely has their PC hooked up to it.

 

[c0_re]

Well a 5.1 PC setup is cheap and if we're talking about enthusist with a 5.1 HT system he/she likely has their PC hooked up to it.

Sure everyone has their PC hooked up to their stereo.........for MP3's how many people have their 5.1 stereo posistioned correctly around their PC like they do for their TV?


I've never heard 5.1 SS on a PC\sound card that could output 5.1 correctly like a console to many software variables IMO.

 

[Moloch]

Sure everyone has their PC hooked up to their stereo.........for MP3's how many people have their 5.1 stereo posistioned correctly around their PC like they do for their TV?


I've never heard 5.1 SS on a PC\sound card that could output 5.1 correctly like a console to many software variables IMO.

People who aren't retarded ,that's who!
You are really reaching by going for the whole noob buys 5.1 and sets all the speakers in front.

With analog systems it's a matter of plugging things in correctly into your soundcard and setting the game to 5.1.
The only trouble is if you want to plug your soundcard into your HT system and you have a soundcard which doesn't support DD encoding (i.e every onboard except soundstorm).
But there is a solution- get an audigy 2+
Not only will the soundquality be better than your onboard, but you'll get better framerates in game and be able to use EAX versions over 2.0.

I'm currently attempting to get 5.1 surround setup on my PC for playback through my home theater system. It is painful.

First of all, when the majority of cards say 5.1, this is what they mean: either you can use our analog cables or do pass-through over digital. Passthrough means "if the source is already encoded in 5.1, we'll pass that along." What good is a sound card if all it does is pass it through to my receiver? Of course, good luck seeing that called out--it's only when you can't figure out why 5.1 capable game is outputting a stereo signal.

Instead, you have to have a DDL capable card--Dolby Digital Live. This card can encode DD on the fly and send it over a digital signal.

Simple, right?

My Xbox 360 was this: plug it into the receiver and it works. PC: buy 2 different cards because you can't figure out what the hell is wrong with your sound.

The soundstorm does that fine, too bad nvidia abandoned that.
But now we have the creative audigy 2 which does the same thin, which is avail for a little over 50 bucks (the newer ZS model)
For analog 5.1 systems, well those are always worked.


Consoles are kinda of like macs.
If you can't be bothered to figure out how to learn simple ideas, get a mac, or in this case, a XB360 which has a videocard which apparently the 1800XT is faster than.

 

[pjbliverpool]

People who aren't retarded ,that's who!
You are really reaching by going for the whole noob buys 5.1 and sets all the speakers in front.

With analog systems it's a matter of plugging things in correctly into your soundcard and setting the game to 5.1.
The only trouble is if you want to plug your soundcard into your HT system and you have a soundcard which doesn't support DD encoding (i.e every onboard except soundstorm).
But there is a solution- get an audigy 2+
Not only will the soundquality be better than your onboard, but you'll get better framerates in game and be able to use EAX versions over 2.0.


The soundstorm does that fine, too bad nvidia abandoned that.
But now we have the creative audigy 2 which does the same thin, which is avail for a little over 50 bucks (the newer ZS model)
For analog 5.1 systems, well those are always worked.


Consoles are kinda of like macs.
If you can't be bothered to figure out how to learn simple ideas, get a mac, or in this case, a XB360 which has a videocard which apparently the 1800XT is faster than.

I thought no Creative card supports real time DD encoding? Even the X-Fi.

 

[c0_re]

People who aren't retarded ,that's who!
You are really reaching by going for the whole noob buys 5.1 and sets all the speakers in front.

Consoles are kinda of like macs.
If you can't be bothered to figure out how to learn simple ideas, get a mac, or in this case, a XB360 which has a videocard which apparently the 1800XT is faster than.

Really so you have your PC monitor sitting right next to your television screen, because thats the only way your going to get correct placement for SS. please enlighten me? That would look pretty retarded in your living room.

Very few people own TV's that your video card can be hooked up too and that won't be effected by heavy component analog overscan.

 

[pjbliverpool]

Really so you have your PC monitor sitting right next to your television screen, because thats the only way your going to get correct placement for SS. please enlighten me? That would look pretty retarded in your living room.

Very few people own TV's that your video card can be hooked up too and that won't be effected by heavy component analog overscan.

Obviously you have never attempted this yourself. Both ATI and Nvidia drivers offer underscan functions, and the ability to scale the size of the picture. A PC image can basically be scaled to match the size of the TV screen.

Here's mine in my old house:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/pjbliverpool/pjbPC.jpg

 

[superguy]

a XB360 which has a videocard which apparently the 1800XT is faster than.

Well what a kawiniki dink. sometimes it's also faster than a 7900gtx clocked 100mhz over rsx and with more memory bw, too

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/oblivion_high-end_performance/images/1280foliagehdr.gif

Subract at least 20% for RSX just for core clock downgrade alone..

Great article from Gamespot btw. I've been waiting for something like this.

The PC version looks a lot sharper for some reason in those shots..I'd love to see some more areas to compare.

 

[cyberheater]

I think your missing the point here.

With a 360 you have a machine that pumps out Oblivion at 1280 x 720 + HDR + AA + 5.1 sound and for very little money. It's a minor miracle.

Sitting on my comfy couch with my wireless 360 pad and watching my 45 inch Sagem hidef dlp TV is a wonderous experience and still cheaper then a high end PC rig.

 

[liverkick]

With a 360 you have a machine that pumps out Oblivion at 1280 x 720 + HDR + AA + 5.1 sound and for very little money. It's a minor miracle.

*cringe*

I think its a great machine, but its a closed system with high end tech initially sold at a loss. Not Jesus in a box.

 

[scooby_dooby]

The PC version looks a lot sharper for some reason in those shots..I'd love to see some more areas to compare.

They state that they couldn't get direct framebuffer grabs from the 360, so ignore the difference in sharpness.

 

[Ben-Nice]

Both Versions look pretty good but I'm playing on my PC at 1600 x 1200 resolution so it looks real good but there are performance hits.. The only complaint other than slowdown outdoors is how come some player models look good then others look like total trash when you talk to them. Don't understand that.

 

[Sis]

If you can't be bothered to figure out how to learn simple ideas

It's not a matter of understanding. Now that I know when a sound card says Dolby Digital and 5.1 surround sound and digital support, they don't mean inclusively. What's there to understand? No, this is a barrier to entry, a cost of doing something the first time. And anyone who wants the same experience on their home theater PC that one gets for free with an Xbox 360 must first break through this barrier. That is why it's not equal; that's why the Xbox 360 will always win out in the surround sound category.

 

[pjbliverpool]

Both Versions look pretty good but I'm playing on my PC at 1600 x 1200 resolution so it looks real good but there are performance hits.. The only complaint other than slowdown outdoors is how come some player models look good then others look like total trash when you talk to them. Don't understand that.

There's a mod to help with that.

 

[pjbliverpool]

It's not a matter of understanding. Now that I know when a sound card says Dolby Digital and 5.1 surround sound and digital support, they don't mean inclusively. What's there to understand? No, this is a barrier to entry, a cost of doing something the first time. And anyone who wants the same experience on their home theater PC that one gets for free with an Xbox 360 must first break through this barrier. That is why it's not equal; that's why the Xbox 360 will always win out in the surround sound category.

I don't see why it "wins". Sure its alot easier but if you have that capability already in your PC (like I do) there is no difference to the xbox.

Thats not to say I wouldn't love to see DD encoding become a standard feature in all PC sound solutions. Incidentally I think several common onboard sound solutions do support it but the encoding is done on the CPU rather than a DSP.

Im keeping my fingers crossed that nvidia brings it back with nforce 5.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I don't see why it "wins" .

I think it's a win for your 'typical' user which is who this article applies too. You're typical 360 user will have a surround sound setup, your typical PC user will not.

Technically you're correct, but for most people, by getting the 360 they will get 5.1 whereas had they gotten the PC version they wouldn't.

 

[Neeyik]

Can this thread remain on topic please and not wander off into, yet another, PC vs. consoles vs. j000 suxx0rs debate? Ta very nicely.

 

[Sis]

I don't see why it "wins". Sure its alot easier but if you have that capability already in your PC (like I do) there is no difference to the xbox.

It wins because it works. The PC model is currently broken.

That said, I'm leaning heavily towards picking up the PC version of this game, primarily for the mods. If it works with the Xbox 360 controller, and the new sound board with DDL I just ordered works correctly, and my new PC handles the perf fine, then I'll be a happy PC gamer.

Unless rumble isn't supported on the Xbox 360 controller. Anyone know if it works?

(EDIT: Sorry Neeyik--I was entering mine before I saw your "stay on topic" post. )

 

[Moloch]

I thought no Creative card supports real time DD encoding? Even the X-Fi.

hmm.. I checked google and a site said they did, but they don't
There's nothing preventing you from using the analog 5.1 inputs.

Really so you have your PC monitor sitting right next to your television screen, because thats the only way your going to get correct placement for SS. please enlighten me? That would look pretty retarded in your living room.

Very few people own TV's that your video card can be hooked up too and that won't be effected by heavy component analog overscan.

Um no
I didn't say I used my HT for my pc.
I use 5.1 PC speakers. which admittedly suck (logitech z5300) but I got them for free since my logitech Z560), the retail on them is like 150 though.
The problems with it is the tiny drivers and the sub.
sub= doesn't go low enough can can be boomy (it's in a bandpass) and the tiny drivers are 1 ways so you don't get really nice highs or midrange, but you can get good pc speakers.

Well what a kawiniki dink. sometimes it's also faster than a 7900gtx clocked 100mhz over rsx and with more memory bw, too

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/oblivion_high-end_performance/images/1280foliagehdr.gif

Subract at least 20% for RSX just for core clock downgrade alone..

Great article from Gamespot btw. I've been waiting for something like this.

The PC version looks a lot sharper for some reason in those shots..I'd love to see some more areas to compare.

That's not a coincidence, it's what ati said.
It has more bandwidth than the xenos and more rops,.

The pc version have higher res textures I think, and I'm not sure that it uses anistropic filtering, or alteast the "unefficient" methods pcs use so even if it had the same res textures it would look blurry in the distance.

It's not a matter of understanding. Now that I know when a sound card says Dolby Digital and 5.1 surround sound and digital support, they don't mean inclusively. What's there to understand? No, this is a barrier to entry, a cost of doing something the first time. And anyone who wants the same experience on their home theater PC that one gets for free with an Xbox 360 must first break through this barrier. That is why it's not equal; that's why the Xbox 360 will always win out in the surround sound category.

The understanding is that either you get a card that does DD encoding ( a few exist, and not the creative cards which I said earlier) or you hook it up using analog inputs.
You just need to put the game in 5.1 mode and make sure windows is set to 5.1 (soundcard driver control panal).
Even with onboard sound you can get 5.1 out of a PC using analog inputs.
And if you buy speakers that are meant for pc's theres no problem at all- just hook them up.
For gaming you don't really need a 1000$ sound setup imo, since most games don't even use very high quality sounds.
The only reason I don't suggest getting a card that does dolby digital live encoding is because most games use EAX, although oblivion does not.