• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

DF Performance Analysis: Diablo 3 at 1080p on Xbox One

G

gruenel

Member
We were hoping to bring you a full Face-Off for Diablo 3 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in time for today's launch, but the definitive word on Blizzard's latest console release will have to wait owing to game-changing day one patches deployed for both consoles.

As promised, Xbox One sees a boost to resolution from 900p to full 1080p, while updates for both systems address a bizarre dual frame-rate bug we uncovered last week that the developer has pledged to fix.
Click to expand...

PS4 frame stuttering fixed:

the PS4 discretely updated again to C2.0.9.26396 later that day, with the patch notes listing "improved gameplay performance throughout title" - and yes, a quick test in the problem area outside the New Tristram gates reveals the issue has been resolved. Further testing still needs to be carried out in the game's more packed areas, but so far, the PS4's render-side stuttering looks to to be fully fixed.
Click to expand...

Xbox One: higher resolution, but lower framerate after 1080p patch:

"We did find it challenging early on to get it to 1080p. That's why we made the decision to drop to 900. That's what we demoed and were showing around E3 time. And Microsoft was just like, 'This is unacceptable. You need to figure out a way to get a better resolution.' So we worked with them directly, they gave us a code update to let us get to full 1080p."
Click to expand...

The cause and effect is fairly straightforward. In areas with more enemies and effects - like the Tristram gates battle, or chaotic Act Two overground encounters - we now see frame-rates drop from the locked 60fps seen at 900p to the low 50s. In short, while Blizzard closes the gap between Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in terms of image quality, there are now performance issues that creep in at the game's extremes while at 1080p. They're not game-breaking, and many players may not even notice - but it's clear that a 44 per cent boost to resolution doesn't come for free: in the same scenarios, the 900p version proved smoother.
Click to expand...

More here: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/d...o-3-xbox-one-1080p-patch-performance-analysis

Framerate is not too bad but they should have just kept the 900p resolution IMO, it sounds like MS just wanted to avoid more negative PR regarding resolution no matter the frame rate...
 
T

The Llama

Member
Ya know, I kinda laugh at people who think there's some sort of parity conspiracy theory, but if MS really told them that launching at 900p was unacceptable, then...
 
R

RedRooster

Member
"We did find it challenging early on to get it to 1080p. That's why we made the decision to drop to 900. That's what we demoed and were showing around E3 time. And Microsoft was just like, 'This is unacceptable. You need to figure out a way to get a better resolution.' So we worked with them directly, they gave us a code update to let us get to full 1080p."
Click to expand...

Wow, really feeling the pressure! What happened to allowing artistic vision?
 
M

Madness

Member
Blame the people who go crazy for arbitrary numbers over stable or overall best game play. These days it's 1080p or riot, and increasingly 60fps as well. Of course as the Gen goes on, we'll probably start to see more and more games hit both numbers on both consoles all the time, but I'd rather not see game play affected because they want to avoid fanboy uproar.

It depends though, I haven't played Diablo III yet, what matters more overall, resolution boost, or frame rate?
 
M

Miles Quaritch

Member
So the Xbox One didn't need a dgpu or more esram, it just needed a code update from MS to hit 1080p?

I knew MS had a trump card up their sleeve. Well played, MS.

Well. Played.
 
R

Respawn

Banned
The Llama said:
Ya know, I kinda laugh at people who think there's some sort of parity conspiracy theory, but if MS really told them that launching at 900p was unacceptable, then...
Click to expand...
Yup and this is proof from big name devs. 900p and 60fps would have been perfect. Frame drops when your competitor may not have it is not a good look.
 
B

Backfoggen

Banned
I thought framerate is more important than resolution, Phil? Give me 900p mode for a constant 60.

Pretty funny how "worked with MS" never leads to an actual improvement, but rather a trade-off.
 
J

jiggles

Banned
And Microsoft was just like, 'This is unacceptable. You need to figure out a way to get a better resolution.'
Click to expand...

char_47997bdswf.jpg


Seems weird to single them out like this.
 
M

Mike Golf

Member
Glad that DF noticing it and bringing it to light tipped off Blizzard to it's existence thus leading to it being fixed, but DF's tone in the article was a little ridiculous to me suggesting that the small clock speed advantage the Xbone CPU has may have been a cause for the non stuttering of certain rendered elements. As soon as I read the article I knew it had to be a bug in the PS4's code. There would be no other reason it would happen on the PS4 and not the Xbone. Hell this happens in games simpler and on much more powerful hardware, such as RE4 on PC where certain gun reload animations are at 30fps while the rest of the game continues at 60.

On the 900p to 1080p upgrade, honestly I agree with you OP that they should have just kept it at 900p for a solid 60fps, or just give gamers a choice to toggle 900p or 1080p.
 
R

RdN

Member
Yeah, I think it's well worth the trade. Like the article says, most people won't even notice the drops from 60 to low 50s, and they get to run at 1080p.
 
P

Paz

Member
The hell? Are those quotes implying Microsoft basically forced them to up the resolution even though the performance wasn't there?
 
O

overdrivex

Banned
Backfoggen said:
I thought framerate is more important than resolution, Phil? Give me 900p mode for a constant 60.

Pretty funny how "worked with MS" never leads to an actual improvement, but rather a trade-off.
Click to expand...
yes it actually does imo, sunset overdrive ( used to stabilize frame rate and add a bit more enemy's). dead rising 3 ( still had some performance issues at launch, but was much better than what was demoed to people at conventions)
 
H

hesido

Member
The Llama said:
Ya know, I kinda laugh at people who think there's some sort of parity conspiracy theory, but if MS really told them that launching at 900p was unacceptable, then...
Click to expand...

Well, it would be a problem if they took down the PS4 resolution to 900p. I don't think the parity approach would hurt if they upped the Xbox version :)
 
M

Mononoke

Banned
RedRooster said:
Wow, really feeling the pressure! What happened to allowing artistic vision?
Click to expand...

Yeah that quote jumped out at me. I know its just one guy saying it, but sounds like MS is really pushing to get 1080p after all the talk about the resolution gap made it a big deal.

rouken said:
and now people want 900p
Click to expand...

They want 1080p and 60FPS. But when given the choice between 900p 60 fps and 1080p with 50 fps w/ dips, people will take the former. I think the expectation is that these consoles should be capable of 1080/60 and if its not, then its the failure of the hardware limitations (especially in cases where another platform can do it).
 
T

The Llama

Member
hesido said:
Well, it would be a problem if they took down the PS4 resolution to 900p. I don't think the parity approach would hurt if they upped the Xbox version :)
Click to expand...

Its still a crappy situation if they're going to effectively force the XB1 versions of games to run worse than they otherwise would.
 
O

Orayn

Member
Revolutionary said:
Occasional drops to the low 50s is fine. I doubt most people would even notice. Good call to go for 1080, IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah, "occasional drops to the low 50's" could also describe TLOU: Remastered, which most people didn't really have a problem with in terms of framerate. A locked 60 would be better, of course, but the post-patch performance doesn't sound bad at all.
 
G

goonergaz

Member
gruenel said:
They should have just kept the 900p resolution IMO, it sounds like MS just wanted to avoid more negative PR regarding resolution no matter the frame rate...
Click to expand...

Interesting considering a few days ago f/r was most important thing to MS lol

those 180s keep coming!
 
G

grandwizard

Member
Wow at Microsoft making them go 1080p. They must really be feeling the effects of the last year of losing out in the resolution wars to go that far. Losing out on stable framerate because of it is not cool.
 
D

Dunlop

Member
tinfoilhatman said:
Maybe Microsoft should have seen this coming like 99% of Gaf?
Click to expand...
They choose a entertainment box and Sony got lucky with ram price dropping which allowed them to double (more?) Their original specs

Nothing will change the fact that the xb1 is weaker hardware.If 900p is the sweet spot than they stick to it imo
 
B

Backfoggen

Banned
overdrivex said:
yes it actually does imo, sunset overdrive ( used to stabilize frame rate and add a bit more enemy's). dead rising 3 ( still had some performance issues at launch, but was much better than what was demoed to people at conventions)
Click to expand...

We have yet to see about Sunset Overdrive, but DR3s "optimization" was dropping the resolution to 720p.
 
X

x-Lundz-x

Member
MS: 'This is unacceptable. You need to figure out a way to get a better resolution.'

MS: 'Framerate is more important than resolution'

Which is it MS?
 
D

Damian.

Banned
I would think constant drops to the 50's will be more noticeable than 900p/1080p to a normal person. This was a dumb decision.
 
I

idlewild_

Member
Do the console versions have Adventure Mode? Because if the framerate is dropping during Act II then it's going to collapse when you join a high density rift or bounty.
 
U

uncledonnie

Banned
If the drops are only to the low 50s with a lot of enemies, then the bump to 1080p seems worth it especially for a game like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Alan Wake 2 PC Re-Tested: Massive Perf Boost on GTX 10-Series 'Pascal' GPUs
37
2K
Monserrat replied
[ Digital Foundry] Helldivers 2 - PlayStation 5/PC - Tech Review
Analysis Review 2
79
10K
GymWolf replied
Demo Tekken 8 By VG Tech (Xbox Series S/X)
13
1K
S0ULZB0URNE replied
AeternoBlade II: Infinity now available for PS5 & PS4, coming to Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on February 6 (free update for existing owners)
News Trailer
2
729
Punished Miku replied
Déjà Vu: Is PS5's Performance Mode a Rehash of the Early HD Debacle?
Opinion 2
53
3K
Gojiira replied
Top Bottom