Xbox Series X|S Backward Compatibility Enhancements Detailed [XSX|S BC]

Imagine how many games would run >60hz@XOX resolutions if they removed the resolution and framerate barriers on VRR displays.

That list would be even bigger and include some more major releases.

Don't get me wrong, I think what they're doing is amazing, I'm just suggesting they can offer more with a simple adjustment.

 

I hope we see enhanced resolution and smart upscaling and a few other techniques mentioned earlier down the road. Those likely need additional testing, refinements, and possibly very Title specific tweaks to their abstraction layer.

I think it would be interesting to make all these settings available to the user, after opting into advanced mode, so the community can figure out what works best for each Title. I understand their reluctance to do so, wanting a more refined end to end experience instead of a "PC like experience". But every tinkeror craves for it. That's an aspect I miss from PC Gaming from time to time.

 

I don't think that's true. They prefix the game to have the 120hz mode deactivated for those games. You have two options:

XOX resolution at 60hz

Or

XOS resolution at 120hz

 

Surely it'd only need to be one additional line of code and wouldn't even need to be visible to the user.

If display = HDMI2.1, then change Hz barrier to 120 instead of 60 and use XOX resolution.

Obviously the framerate would likely be in the range of 90-120hz, but all with a VRR. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

Right yea the list Brit posted will indicate which versions will run. I should have looked more closely at the table

 

DF looks at FPSBoost, focus on 15 titles from the 74 new titles recently added.

 

Does VRR not function when FPS Boost is active?
If it does, then it seems Microsoft should allow gamers to make that choice if they have a VRR display that covers the necessary range. I understand that they don't want to run a 4K game with FPS Boost if the framerate lingers in the 35-40fps range. But if Series X owners have a display with adaptive sync that's strong enough to manage that range, they should have the option to play the game that way. Otherwise, VRR is going wasted.

 

I applaud what the platform team are doing.
But as I've always said I find some of the decisions strange.
The xbox division has been touting VRR since 1X, and doesn't give people the option to use it here. Maybe there's a good reason, if that's the case they should come out and say.
Having to drop to 1S version instead of an option of 1X @ inconstant 50+fps for example.

But I find the fact that 1P are relying on it just as bad. It should be an amazing fallback.
MS has publicly said how easy it is to patch games. So why is gears even relying on boost?

1P games have pretty much an infinite tail since they go into GP and stay there.
Xbox should be saying to teams take a couple days out and work your way through patching games that are in GP.

 

The only thing I could imagine is that some older 1P titles run in a VM and in that case you can’t recompile them for the latest platform that easily. But maybe it’s just a matter of time and quality management/testing bottlenecks.

 

First party titles might just work with framerate boost through the system toggle, so going back and patching the code would be more work for the same result. Why would MS waste resources going back and individually patch those games when the already having the BC team working on a more generalized solution.

 

Because your running the game in XO mode.
Very low resolution, reduced settings etc. Both the XSS and XSX can do a lot better than that.
Patch it and you have good versions for this gen and future consoles.

As usual they say something, put out the tools but don't lead from the front. Something I hope they will change.

 

It may be that they don't have permission from the rights holders to modify the game code in any way. So everything they do has to be external to the game itself. This could be why the base XBO version is used for the 60/120 Hz modes for some games.

Basically they can't "patch" the game without explicit permission from the rights holders. They can only alter the environment within which the game runs or alter the output of the game after it's been sent to the system for display out.

This can be further complicated if the game uses components (pieces of code, art assets, etc.) which have been licensed from other rights holders. Thus a chain of rights ownership must be navigated before some or all of the game can be modified (patched) in any way by MS.

Obviously it's easier for the developers of the game to modify the code themselves, but in some cases this isn't possible (the developers may not exist anymore, rights for the game might belong to a different company now, etc.).

Regards,
SB

 

Just to be clear, I did say for first party titles with focus on one's in GP.
They can't patch any third party games themselves which is where the magic of the platform team comes in.

 

The also stated in interviews that they ask publishers/developers before adding framerate boost, as to not interfere with plans to remaster or rerelease a title. The likely don't have to do this from a legal perspective, but obviously they don't want to upset the people who make content for their systems.

 

Major Nelson's FPSBoost list is updated to include the 37 additional FPSBoost titles @ https://majornelson.com/fpsboost/?ocid=Platform_soc_omc_xbo_tw_Photo_lrn_4.22.2

https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/15/22782746/microsoft-xbox-backward-compatibility-76-new-games

 

I'm glad they got around to supporting Gears of War!

 

I really wish Axios would publish their actual interview with Phil Spencer rather than just a synopsis. It's hard to tell what is something Phil Spencer actually said versus an Axios summary that may or may not be reflect anything that Phil Spencer actually said.

Microsoft gaming chief calls for industry-wide game preservation - Axios

That said, there's at least one quote in there, and it's a good thing I liked it because it's the only quote in there.

I'm all for this. I hate that in order to replay some older, no longer available for purchase games requires the use of emulators that lie in a sort of legal grey area in many countries.

Regards,
SB

 

If he really feels like that, then I don't understand why he doesn't release OG Xbox & X360 emulator for XSX that can play disc games without the need to repackage them.
The XSX cpu is good enough that it's not necessary.

That way can play the games that they was unnable to sort licenses for.
All other games could still work the same way if connected to net.

 

I think it comes down to security concerns and the want/need to be able to still sell the games. There may be other cost concerns as well. On 360 I know Microsoft had to pay nVidia royalties for certain texture formats or something like that. It's possible they circumvent that by changing the format in the repackage.