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Crytek: Striving to achieve "DX11 level" visuals on consoles with Crysis 3

Including render features that "shouldn't theoretically work on consoles".

German developer Crytek has DirectX 11 graphics running on Crysis 3 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The PC version of the sci-fi shooter sequel, due out spring 2012, will build upon the stunning Crysis 2 DirectX 11 Ultra Upgrade, but the programmer wizards at Crytek aim to get at least some of this running on the console version of the game.

"We want to make sure as much as is humanly possible can translate from a DX11 variant into a DX9 variant, that will work almost as good on an Xbox console to whatever extent we can, because we don't want the experience to be different between the platforms," Rasmus Højengaard, director of creative development at Crytek, told Eurogamer.

"It is very, very difficult, but it is possible. It just requires a lot of effort. Some of the stuff these guys are making work on consoles now is absolutely amazing. It's render features that shouldn't theoretically work on consoles, but they've managed to construct code that can emulate a similar thing from a… hack and slash sounds wrong, but they don't have the same streamlined pipeline you would have with a DX11 structure, but they can get to a similar result just by experimenting and using tips and tricks."

Højengaard provided a concrete example of this: parallax occlusion mapping, while pointing out that it was not a feature confirmed to be in the console version of Crysis 3.

"I'm not saying this will be in the game, but they managed to make parallax occlusion mapping work, which is an advanced form of bump mapping where you get silhouettes as well, and you have self-shadowing even though you have absolutely no polygons," he explained.

"That's a very advanced feature, and it shouldn't theoretically run on a 360, but they made it run on a 360."

Højengaard insisted, however, that Crytek will not include DX11 graphics features on console if they impact performance. "What it all boils down to is to what extent they're able to use this without choking the console," he said.

Crytek hopes Crysis 3, which has been in development for just over a year, will prove to be a visual showcase, an example of what is possible on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at the end of their lifecycles.

"It's always interesting to push stuff when the perception is you can't push it anymore," Højengaard said. "That's definitely something we're doing." The development team is benefiting, in this regard, from a particularly efficient production - one boosted by the "stable" CryEngine 3 and developers who are finally getting to grips with the Crysis franchise. The end result is a quicker turnaround than with previous Crytek games.

"We can just be very efficient about the production because we have a stable technology path and we're not developing a new engine," he said. "And we have people who really know what they want to do with the game, which means we can get something out somewhat quicker than we could with Crysis 2, which had new engine development, and Crysis 1, which was new IP. As soon as you have to invent something it always takes longer than if you know what you're doing.

"We're obviously hoping it will be one of these pillars where we can go, that was what you can do."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...-graphics-running-on-crysis-3-on-ps3-xbox-360
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A nice swan song for current gen consoles. *snakesalute.jpg*
 

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
yeah, the framerate, already shaky in Crysis 2, is going to be a problem. They should focus on achieving Crysis 2 graphics with 60fps or at least a stable 30fps.
 

gogogow

Member
They couldn't even get Crysis 2 to run at a stable 30fps at sub-HD resolution. Fix that first, then talk about DX11 on consoles.
 

BurntPork

Banned
I'll be shocked if they live up to that promise. I hope that they really do try though and that it means that the PC version
and Wii U version if there is one
won't be held back by current gen consoles.
 

Cider X

Member
How about fixing the framerate first guys? Crysis 2 on consoles is borderline unplayable and I can't believe it wasn't mentioned more in reviews and so on when it came out.
 

gogogow

Member
Haha, so it's gonna have tesselation, POM, highres textures etc.? Without those, Crysis 2 runs at 60fps, with, it's half the framerate and worse. I needed Crossfire to get Crysis 2 to run at 60fps with DX11 effects. I'm not even sure the consoles can do that at 15fps, let alone at (a unstable) 30fps.
 

hey_it's_that_dog

benevolent sexism
Yes, please lower the frame rate by 5-10 fps so that when I autistically stare at a brick texture from really close up it looks bumpy instead of flat. Thanks.
 

Woorloog

Banned
How about fixing the framerate first guys? Crysis 2 on consoles is borderline unplayable and I can't believe it wasn't mentioned more in reviews and so on when it came out.

Borderline? It was playable though very frustrating at times. But yes, frame rate needs a lot of attention: Crysis 2 graphics with steady 30FPS would be very nice.
 

Sethos

Banned
Another game of give and take, the consoles have nothing more to give, whenever they add something pretty another thing always suffers.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
This better mean that DX11 is supported on PC out of the box.
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
you can do paralax occlusion on consoles.You always could.
IT just cost an arm+on leg to do it...
Yeah, they did it themselves in the Crysis 1 port.

Rare used it in Perfect Dark Zero as well which was a 360 launch title.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
Linear boring shooter is how I would describe Crysis if I'd never played Crysis. At least other trolls have the decency to research the game they're trashing.
 
woo hoo

wait on consoles ? current gen?

guys check sub 20 fps with no AA....

FIRST ACHIEVEMENT - CAN IT RUN CRYSIS 3? - NO put the game back and return to store for refund.
 
snakeoil.jpg
 
Crysis 3 will be an easier game to make than Crysis 2 was. Looks like they are actually using their terrain tech for much of the environment this time around giving the game a big framerate and memory boost. What they save there can be applied to the effects they are talking about and give a larger more sandbox style environment.
 

Smokey

Member
And keep it at a playable framerate amirite?

On my rig (2600k, 16GB RAM, 580 SLI etc.) w/ DX11 Ultra pack + High Res Crysis 2 just barely stays above 60fps. And they want to do something similar on consoles..at what 10 fps? Sub-HD? How?

Go head I ain't mad at ya if you can pull it off.
 

Haunted

Member
New. consoles.


Look at all this bullshit and hoops devs have to jump through because the PS360 are so far behind the natural tech curve.
 
What's interesting is the fact Cevat says that it's the end of the lifecycle for these consoles and that Crysis 3 is the last game for them to show what they are capable of.

So new consoles coming in 2013 confirmed by Cevat?
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
New. consoles.


Look at all this bullshit and hoops devs have to jump through because the PS360 are so far behind the natural tech curve.
Eh, I'd say what they are achieving here is more impressive than what developers delivered on the original XBOX when it was more recent. I mean, Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 were equivalents back in 2004 yet both of those games were heavily compromised on XBOX.

Crysis 1 and 2 were much more accurate on 360 and PS3 than those games were on XBOX. Of course that ignores the fact that Doom 3 and HL2 would have been impossible on PS2 or even Gamecube.

So, despite their age, I'd say the current consoles are still pretty capable.
 
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