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[LelouchZero]

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Can PS4 Pro really handle native 4K at 60fps? Well, it all depends on the game. VooFoo Studios' Mantis Burn Racing is the first game to totally max PlayStation 4 Pro's theoretical pixel throughput. So what does it look like on the Pro and just how smooth is it?

The game's based on a forward renderer which also helps in getting this game to run at 60fps in ultra HD, and in terms of visual features, we're told it's identical to both the base PS4 version and indeed the PC game. All of the more expensive visual effects make the jump across to PlayStation 4 Pro, including an impressive depth of field effect that emphasises distance and is particularly effective as background detail drops away as the circuit gains altitude. The only casualty in the move to 4K comes from the omission of anti-aliasing - you get 2x MSAA on the base PlayStation 4, while the rich pixel density and post-processing means that it isn't really required at all at 4K. Perhaps not surprisingly, PS4 Pro owners connected to 1080p displays get a super-sampled version of the 4K output, downscaled to full HD.

On paper though, the technical accomplishment here is impressive. VooFoo has quadrupled resolution over the base PS4 version, and it has done this using a GPU that only has 2.3x the compute power of the older hardware and only 25 per cent more memory bandwidth. Either the base PS4 is being significantly underutilised (in which case we would expect an improvement on its 2x MSAA) or there's something more going on behind the scenes. The team joked about 'Mantis magic' before revealing that exploiting enhancements made to the PlayStation 4 Pro GPU have paid dividends.

 

[DOWN]

I hope games like Battlefield 1 actually go for the Paragon route of recognizing a 1080p and having more effects alongside better IQ, rather than strictly downscaling the 4K mode. Cool that there's true 4K in the pipeline already for some games.

 

[Cmerrill]

Looks a like fun game.

Native 4k and 60fps is awesome.

 

[family_guy]

We'll be able to count on indies to maximize the power of the Pro.

 

[ghibli99]

Those YT comments though. Why do I read them...

 

[Skii]

Even a game this simple can't get locked 60fps at 4k lmao. I can't see any big game even getting 4k locked at 30.

 

[JordanN]

Avoid the youtube comments if you don't want to read tons of people's sodium levels going through the roof.

 

[dark10x]

I played this game at EGX and, man, it really was a ton of fun. It only ended up on my radar due to 4K60 but the game is fantastic.

I know at least one long-time ex-Rare guy is working on it.

 

[Cmerrill]

Even a game this simple can't get locked 60fps at 4k lmao. I can't see any big game even getting 4k locked at 30.

4k and 60fps is pretty fucking impressive, regardless of how "simple" you label the game.

 

[CypherSignal]

I hope games like Battlefield 1 actually go for the Paragon route of recognizing a 1080p and having more effects alongside better IQ, rather than strictly downscaling the 4K mode. Cool that there's true 4K in the pipeline already for some games.

Only if an option is provided, and if it that option is available even when connected to an UHD display. The idea of changing a game's visuals beyond number of pixels just because of the TV that is connected to it would be mind-boggling to see.

 

[Caddyshack]

Bu-but I was told by several Neogaf members that PS4 Pro can't do "true"/native 4K!

 

[30yearsofhurt]

Micro machines vibes up the wazoo.

 

[NewDust]

The 4*1080p@30fps splitscreen is very impressive.

 

[packy34]

Bu-but I was told by several Neogaf members that PS4 Pro can't do "true"/native 4K!

I don't think anyone said that. What people did say - accurately - is that it can't do AAA-level graphics quality at 4K. Whether or not that's important is a separate discussion.

 

[blastprocessor]

Looks like an iPhone game running at 4K.

 

[DonMigs85]

Again, it will likely support native 4K as much as the PS3 supported full 1080p. Probably just a handful of games in the end.

 

[OdysseusVA]

I don't think anyone said that. What people did say - accurately - is that it can't do AAA-level graphics quality at 4K. Whether or not that's important is a separate discussion.

Lol nah
Some people were saying any game, then they backed off of that to say "AAA" games once The Last of Us was said to be native 4k

 

[DonMigs85]

Looks like an iPhone game running at 4K.

Actually yeah, some other mobile top-down racers don't look that much worse, really. At least at first glance.

 

[packy34]

Lol nah
Some people were saying any game, then they backed off of that to say "AAA" games once The Last of Us was said to be native 4k

That's also a PS3 game though.

I'm sure some people did say that, but that requires a fundamental misunderstanding of how hardware works. The PS4 can theoretically output at 4K too... if the game it's displaying is low-poly enough.

 

[hey_it's_that_dog]

4k and 60fps is pretty fucking impressive, regardless of how "simple" you label the game.

Doesn't it by definition become less impressive the more simple the graphics become?

 

[mejin]

If soundtrack is good I'm in!

 

[Messofanego]

I played this game at EGX and, man, it really was a ton of fun. It only ended up on my radar due to 4K60 but the game is fantastic.

I know at least one long-time ex-Rare guy is working on it.

Another cool game I missed at EGX along with Among The Stones lol.

 

[OdysseusVA]

That's also a PS3 game though.

I'm sure some people did say that, but that requires a fundamental misunderstanding of how hardware works. The PS4 can theoretically output at 4K too... if the game it's displaying is low-poly enough.

Totally beside the point.

It can and will do native 4k

 

[joeblow]

But what about a 60FPS 4K HDR VR PS4P version?

 

[Messofanego]

Doesn't it by definition become less impressive the more simple the graphics become?

Simple doesn't equal less impressive haha

Abzu could be considered simple on PS4 but damn if it's not super graphically impressive due to hundreds of fish in screen on screen among other graphical stuff.

 

[PodcastFips]

Pretty impressive, looks like there will be a good amount of true 4K/30 titles in the future.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Looks pretty good.

 

[Caddyshack]

I don't think anyone said that.

Yes they did. I distinctly recall having to correct a number of posters claiming that the actual console couldn't do native 4K over the past few weeks.

What people did say - accurately - is that it can't do AAA-level graphics quality at 4K. Whether or not that's important is a separate discussion.

Like Last of Us remastered and Elder Scrolls Online you mean?

That's also a PS3 game though.

If ignore all of the technical improvements in the Remastered version, sure.

 

[Spaced Harrier]

Game could be a lot of fun, but the UI and presentation is charmless.

Hope that's not all final

Also something about the camera bring a 1 to 1 lock with the car removes a certain dynamism.


Also add weapons.

 

[Tripolygon]

Somebody page OnQ

On paper though, the technical accomplishment here is impressive. VooFoo has quadrupled resolution over the base PS4 version, and it has done this using a GPU that only has 2.3x the compute power of the older hardware and only 25 per cent more memory bandwidth. Either the base PS4 is being significantly underutilised (in which case we would expect an improvement on its 2x MSAA) or there's something more going on behind the scenes. The team joked about 'Mantis magic' before revealing that exploiting enhancements made to the PlayStation 4 Pro GPU have paid dividends.

Of course, we already knew that the Pro graphics core implements a range of new instructions - it was part of the initial leak - but we didn't really know exactly what they could actually do. As we understand it, with the new enhancements, it's possible to complete two 16-bit floating point operations in the time taken to complete one on the base PS4 hardware. The end result from the new Radeon technology is the additional throughput required to making Mantis Burn Racing hit its 4K performance target, though significant shader optimisation was required on the part of the developer.

 

[Calm Mind]

4K's debut into the console space so far has been premature at best. People are not buying these new consoles to play ultra HD Wiiware games.

 

[Toni]

Even a game this simple can't get locked 60fps at 4k lmao. I can't see any big game even getting 4k locked at 30.

So, just as with most cards nowadays in PC?

 

[PodcastFips]

Somebody page OnQ

Is that the new GPU secret sauce which was teased by some dev in one of the VR threads? He said he was surprised nobody talked about it yet.

 

[ShadowKingpin]

Those YT comments though. Why do I read them...

Just finished reading a lot myself. They are a cancer to the gaming community.

 

[Tripolygon]

Is that the new GPU secret sauce which was teased by some dev in one of the VR threads? He said he was surprised nobody talked about it yet.

Its not really a secret sauce. Its been used on Mobile GPUs and AMD implemented native support into Polaris GPUs.

 

[packy34]

Yes they did. I distinctly recall having to correct a number of posters claiming that the actual console couldn't do native 4K over the past few weeks.

Wasn't it Mark Cerny himself who said on stage that it wouldn't be doing native 4K for new games in most cases?

That's still true. Whether or not anyone wants to accept it, 4.2TF isn't enough for high-end 4K gaming. My 5.xTF 980ti can barely manage it for most newer titles. Whether or not it CAN do it isn't really relevant; like I said in my earlier post, even the OG PS4 CAN do it - depending on poly count.

 

[HardRojo]

By some comments here I was expecting this to be a very simplistic looking game, but it actually looks nice and seems like fun. Give me Guacamelee at 4K please!

 

[onQ123]

Somebody page OnQ

One day they will understand my greatness lol


Where my haters at? come forward

 

[Tripolygon]

By some comments here I was expecting this to be a very simplistic looking game, but it actually looks nice and seems like fun. Give me Guacamelee at 4K please!

Like seriously, topdown racers has been part of console gaming from the start. But now all of a sudden it is a simple mobile game even though this game was announced for Consoles months ago and has detailed environments, just from a topdown perspective.

 

[FarFromAnyGame]

Looks way better than expected!

So 4-player splitscreen, every one gets a 1080p screen?

 

[Equanimity]

Nice. I'm looking forward to some more info for us 1080p users.

Just finished reading a lot myself. They are a cancer to the gaming community.

The YouTube comments section is revolting. It's full of trolls glorifying PC and console gaming of their choice. But it's mainly PC elitist trolls.

 

[Metfanant]

Bu-but I was told by several Neogaf members that PS4 Pro can't do "true"/native 4K!

Nobody other than a Sony hater would have argued it simply COULDN'T do native 4k...will we get currwnt gen AAA titles in native 4k? Nah...

Lol nah
Some people were saying any game, then they backed off of that to say "AAA" games once The Last of Us was said to be native 4k

The Last of Us is a PS3 AAA title...that's a distinction that NEEDS to be made

Yes they did. I distinctly recall having to correct a number of posters claiming that the actual console couldn't do native 4K over the past few weeks.



Like Last of Us remastered and Elder Scrolls Online you mean?



If ignore all of the technical improvements in the Remastered version, sure.

Who were these people you distinctly remember?

The Last of Us is a PS3 game...period...it does nothing to prove that we will be getting new AAA titles in native 4k..its just that simple

Wasn't it Mark Cerny himself who said on stage that it wouldn't be doing native 4K for new games in most cases?

That's still true. Whether or not anyone wants to accept it, 4.2TF isn't enough for high-end 4K gaming. My 5.xTF 980ti can barely manage it for most newer titles. Whether or not it CAN do it isn't really relevant; like I said in my earlier post, even the OG PS4 CAN do it - depending on poly count.

Of course Mark said that, because he knows the limitations of the hardware he helped design...

If this thing was going to churn out native 4k titles left and right, Sony wouldn't have such a focus on checkerboard rendering and other methods of getting to 4k resolutions...

The results are going to be outstanding...even on 1080p sets...and I can't wait for my Pro to show up in release day...but the number of current gen AAA titles running in native 4k is going to be EXTREMELY small...and only the less graphically intensive games will be able to...

No CoD, Battlefield, Uncharted, Horizon, Assassins Creed, or anything along those lines will be native 4k

 

[GhostTrick]

Either the base PS4 is being significantly underutilised (in which case we would expect an improvement on its 2x MSAA) or there's something more going on behind the scenes. The team joked about 'Mantis magic' before revealing that exploiting enhancements made to the PlayStation 4 Pro GPU have paid dividends.

Or maybe it's just a not demanding game. I mean, I don't mean to downplay the devs or the game, but it clearly doesn't look like a demanding game at all.

 

[ShadowKingpin]

Or maybe it's just a not demanding game. I mean, I don't mean to downplay the devs or the game, but it clearly doesn't look like a demanding game at all.

It's an Indie title, but for a game like that, it's visually impressive. The environments are well-detailed.

Nice. I'm looking forward to some more info for us 1080p users.



The comments section is revolting. It's full of trolls glorifying PC and console gaming of their choice. But it's mainly PC elitist trolls.

They did mention supersampling and 4XMSAA on the video, so an excellent boost for us with HDTV's. In regards to YouTube, it blows my mind how people can take a simple disagreement of what they perceive, and turn it into wars because they view their system as god-like. Yeah, this may be an Indie title, but it's visually impressive for what it has achieved. As gamers, we should be happy that even the smaller developers are working hard to give us quality games.

 

[bananafactory]

The Last of Us at 4k/30 is impressive when you consider we have shit ports of last gen games like Saints Row running at 1080p and ~40fps on the standard ps4

4k/60 is also impressive in this case despite the more simple nature of the title

 

[Beerman462]

It's an Indie title, but for a game like that, it's visually impressive. The environments are well-detailed.

Visually impressive =/= demanding.

Like they said in the video the lighting and shadows are all pre-baked for the most part. It looks good just not "I can't believe they got it to run at 4k" good.

 

[ShadowKingpin]

Visually impressive =/= demanding.

Like they said in the video the lighting and shadows are all pre-baked for the most part. It looks good just not "I can't believe they got it to run at 4k" good.

I know, but regardless, for an Indie title it's visually impressive. The environments look great and overall appears to be a fun gaming experience.

 

[GhostTrick]

It's an Indie title, but for a game like that, it's visually impressive. The environments are well-detailed.

Even as an indie title, I dont see what's impressive at all. Everything looks simple. You could tell me this is an early PS3 title, I could believe it.

 

[Classic_Gs]

Really cool that it will have 4 player split screen and at 1080p/30! If I end up deciding to buy a Pro, I will get this game. Looks fun!

 

[ShadowKingpin]

Even as an indie title, I dont see what's impressive at all. Everything looks simple. You could tell me this is an early PS3 title, I could believe it.

Hey, to each their own.