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Digital Foundry: Fallout 4: Next-gen or not?

Kezen

Banned
Wouldn't that be expected though?

It sounds like there's a custom nVidia API for it, so for non-nVidia GPUs they had to do their own (scaled back) custom variant.

Sounds similar to what happened with some games and Tressfx.

I don't think APIs have anything to do with it, Bethesda worked with Nvidia after all to implement their tech on all platforms.
The GPU seems like the logical culprit. Not enough grunt there. The GNM API has been lauded, I don't think it's the bottleneck at all.


No idea why you are even bringing TressFX into this debate, it does not matter the hardware it ran on Directx 11. No custom API, just raw hardware fine-tuning. It ran and still runs better on AMD hardware because it was written by AMD.
 
I've a feeling (at least from the gameplay we've seen) it's just the motion blur used during VATS attacks, Fallout 3 had a similar option as I recall
That would be kind of funny actually.
Funny and disappointing D:
Digital Foundry said:
Motion blur: Boasted as a new feature in its technology breakdown, motion blur is rarely in evidence in Fallout 4. Neither per object or screen blur are in play when panning the camera or performing a melee attack, though the setting is clearly available as a checkbox on PC's settings menu. The closest we've seen to its use is a shader effect that kicks in when grenades and mines trigger off nearby. It's fair to say the use of motion blur is sparing at best, and we had hoped to see more from the effect.
They literally only put in a radial blur. That seems incredibly 2005.
v3sii.jpg
It also has a handful of poorly blended samples. SWEET.
 
SSAO just doesn't look very good in its implementation here. I wish they had gone the HBAO+ route, but it is what it is. Better than nothing. I look forward to seeing how this runs on my PC when I get home. I'll be disappointed if I can't keep a solid 60+. I'm surprised to see the consoles struggling to keep a solid framerate based on what's presented on screen, in sure they'll patch it up though, especially with all the DLC coming out.
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
I don't think APIs have anything to do with it, Bethesda worked with Nvidia after all to implement their tech on all platforms.
The GPU seems like the logical culprit. Not enough grunt there. The GNM API has been lauded, I don't think it's the bottleneck at all.


No idea why you are even bringing TressFX into this debate, it does not matter the hardware it ran on Directx 11. No custom API, just raw hardware fine-tuning. It ran and still runs better on AMD hardware because it was written by AMD.
I bring up TressFX because the quote you reposted explicitly states, "Fallout 4 utilises Nvidia technology to produce volumetric lighting".

To me, that sounded like a GPU exclusive feature. And the implied corollary is that an alternative would be used on non-nVidia cards.
 
everything I've seen screams last gen bethesda. I'm actually making peace with this now anyway. black ops 3 is last genish and I adore it. that's saying a lot since I haven't owned a call of duty since the original and COD 2. metal gear solid V is last gen tech and it's unquestionably my GOTY.
 

Kezen

Banned
I bring up TressFX because the quote you reposted explicitly states, "Fallout 4 utilises Nvidia technology to produce volumetric lighting".

To me, that sounded like a GPU exclusive feature. And the implied corollary is that an alternative would be used on non-nVidia cards.

No it's not GPU exclusive at all. Many tech developped by graphics vendor are used on consoles and different GPU hardware.
The only alternative for AMD is to improve their tessellation performance, or for their users to lower settings.

Easy.
 
They literally only put in a radial blur. That seems incredibly 2005.

It also has a handful of poorly blended samples. SWEET.

Same radial blur quality as skyrim:
Skyrim-RadialBlurQuality-High-SliderComparison.png


Why in the hell were they advertise motionblur in the graphics technology piece?
Smells like BS to me.
 

CronoShot

Member
I find the facial animations particularly jarring. They have never been good in any Bethesda game I can remember, but it's weird that a high-profile open world RPG game is still so sub-par in this category compared to other games.

I can't think of a single Bethesda game with good animations at all.
 
Same radial blur quality as skyrim:
Skyrim-RadialBlurQuality-High-SliderComparison.png


Why in the hell were they advertise motionblur in the graphics technology piece?
Smells like BS to me.

Is that shot modded skyrim?
I ask this becuase that rock quality seems better than anything ive seen from FO4, and Ive played modded skyrim durin this last weeks so I cant compare it to vainilla.
 

omonimo

Banned
Not only facial animations, animations in general are subpar. They already were when Fallout 3 released.
This. To be honest I found the animations even worse of the past. Oh the character models too. The hell. It missing to me even Skyrim. I never though would been possible such thing.
 

AlStrong

Member
I wasn't wrong with anything I said; I was simply giving them a pat on the back that's all. I mean, they couldn't figure out the cell, so getting X86 so easily is a big improvement, no? Thank you based Cerny....

Man, this game is making people on edge, lol....

It's just a weird thing to point out given the PC roots of the engine.
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
Is Creation Engine still based on Gamebryo, or is it a completely new engine?
 

gunstarhero

Member
Sort of reminds me of Dark Souls 2 SOTFS on PS4. It's looks sort of shitty in some areas, and really good in others. But never great.
 
bethesda should have used more chromatic abberation :)
I know Bloodborne isn't perfect, but it's at least got some nice stuff to look at. Some of what I'm seeing here are almost PS2 level...exaggerating a bit there, but it's not AAA looking at all.
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
At times, the level of detail in this game is just sad, to be honest.

CTbWjz6WoAA5Uqf.jpg:large
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
Completely unacceptable in 2015. That looks shit yet it is getting universal praise regardless

What is going on?

The game's assets—geometry and textures in particular—have very obviously been created with an initial cross-gen release in mind. So far, the game is easily the ugliest open world game I've played this gen. Even the small interior areas that are separated from the main world by a loading screen look ugly and have a low level of detail.

Which I would not have a problem with per sé, but it makes the performance issues even more incomprehensible. The game doesn't do anything that other games this gen haven't done with much nicer visuals, same drawing distances, same world sizes, etc. There really is nothing obvious going on that could explain the struggle to maintain a stable frame rate in fire fights.
 

BigDug13

Member
At times, the level of detail in this game is just sad, to be honest.

CTbWjz6WoAA5Uqf.jpg:large

The fuck? This looks like one of those indie games using default Unity assets Jim Fucking Sterling keeps harping on.

I know the rest of the game doesn't look like this but this is pretty unacceptable.
 
Bethesda and dog shit performance go hand in hand. Let's not forget The Evil Within last year. It's not just open world games with them..

Dishonored Definitive Edition is also a joke.

I know they just the publisher for those two(I think), but it's still their product.
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
The fuck? This looks like one of those indie games using default Unity assets Jim Fucking Sterling keeps harping on.

I know the rest of the game doesn't look like this but this is pretty unacceptable.

I am only two hours into the game, but this screenshot is not untypical for much of the game that I've seen so far, to be honest.
 

GHG

Member
At times, the level of detail in this game is just sad, to be honest.

CTbWjz6WoAA5Uqf.jpg:large

Jesus... Oblivion called, it wants its interiors back.

The fact that this article even needs to exist states that there is a problem. They really needed to migrate to a nee engine for next gen, everyone can see that.

I just hope that for the next TES game we will not have to rely on mods to make it look half decent.
 

Steel

Banned
Completely unacceptable in 2015. That looks shit yet it is getting universal praise regardless

What is going on?

They honestly improved the gameplay of the game, is what happened. The shooting is better, melee is better, Enemy AI is leagues better, movement is better, gun customization is better... Etc. etc.

It's worth noting their RPG mechanics are mostly worse, but still. The scores are not completely without reason, and honestly I wouldn't really want graphics by themselves to affect review scores. That being said, I would want the terrible dialogue system and the like to affect review scores.
 

Soltype

Member
Completely unacceptable in 2015. That looks shit yet it is getting universal praise regardless

What is going on?

Well these games offer more than graphics.They have great gameplay, well executed stories, and a large world to explore filled with interesting characters.
 

Green Yoshi

Member
At times, the level of detail in this game is just sad, to be honest.

CTbWjz6WoAA5Uqf.jpg:large

This is why Fallout 4 won't be my first PS4-game (ordered the console last week).
But I will buy it eventually, because I liked Fallout 3.

I'm interrested in seeing Fallout 4 with mods tvelve months from now.
 

Xion_Stellar

People should stop referencing data that makes me feel uncomfortable because games get ported to platforms I don't like
Like I said in the Reveal topic.

Bethesda has been working on this game for years and they are unfortunately NOT clairvoyant to be able to accurately predict the specs that the PS4/XB1 would have.

So Fallout 4 is the result of a cross gen title with no last gen release and it got some "next gen" upgrades here and there but the game is undoubtedly still Cross Gen. Sure they might not take 4 years to make the next Elder Scrolls Game (maybe by winter 2018 it will be out) and that game will be a "true next gen" game but assuming that this console last only 7 years and Fallout 5 takes 3-4 years to make than this "Bethesda Development Cycle" guarantees that their Fallout games will ALWAYS be a Crossgen title in a sense
 

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
got a video of this? I doubt the room is that empty, seems like someone took a sparse room and picked up every item in it, and moved all the furniture out.

Took the screenshot myself. That's just how that room looks.
 

c0de

Member
At times, the level of detail in this game is just sad, to be honest.

CTbWjz6WoAA5Uqf.jpg:large

Well, it's obvious that this is not the engine's fault but the level designers leaving rooms so empty but the 2d Fallouts also had some very generic places. This is not an excuse but games with such a scale always have some cut corners because of time constraints.
At least this is to be fixed with a mod.
 
The witcher 3 started off years ago too, but makes this game look like a last gen title. It is embarassing and i refuse to buy it. It basically looks like a shoddy last gen remaster.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
Don't really care about "next-gen" monikers as I primarily game on PC.

I think the game looks great for the most part from the hour and a half I've played of it, but it is quite obviously just a polished up version of Fallout 3.
 
Is Creation Engine still based on Gamebryo, or is it a completely new engine?

It's still the same Gamebryo engine. And i won't be expecting Bethesda games to look or work any differently until they ditch it completely.

And i'm fine with that, it's something you just need to accept before playing their games :p
 
It's still the same Gamebryo engine. And i won't be expecting Bethesda games to look or work any differently until they ditch it completely.

And i'm fine with that, it's something you just need to accept before playing their games :p

Yeah I think we're at the stage now where players just have to deal with it. Bethesda gonna Bethesda and make supremely crafted open world games littered with jank and bugs.

Sucks for me as I only care for Elder Scrolls and hoped Fallout 4 would be a stepping stone away from their technical failures but that doesn't seem to be anywhere near the case.
 
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