Support NeoGAF

[DangerMouse]

I wonder if Sully will jump on enemies from behind with a knife if Drake is in danger.

"Holy shit, Nate."

Speaking of Sully, I can't wait to see the rest of the crew.

 

[Skux]

Ugh, knowing that the black levels are off in the official video really bugs me. I really want them to reupload it.

 

[cheezcake]

Gameplay model's hair still looks whack compared to what was shown in the debut trailer. I wish they could nail that, because otherwise Nate looks great in action.

Cutscene model vs Gameplay model. Nothing new ND's been doing it for ages.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

The best part of this trailer?

The guns look like they feel a lot better to shoot. Hard to describe past Uncharted games gunplay, but it felt....squishy?

This ones looks like it has punch to it.

Anyone know what I mean?

 

[badb0y]

almost like they changed the e3 model a little bit, at least to me.

It looks like they made him younger lol.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

They spent a lot of time polishing that E3 footage we saw.
I doubt the gameplay part we saw was already as polished.
So it could very well be possible that they just had to scale down some stuff to get it to run live on stage. With more optimisation they might reach 60FPS and higher quality AA.
Models and lighting seemed to be of the same quality to me. But DOF was better in E3 trailer and the hair looked better.

I think this game is nearly done when it comes to the content, now they have nearly a year to polish it up.

The anti-aliasing already looks great to me. What else could they implement? And the DOF only focused on one model, Drake for about 50 seconds. Not really the same thing.

 

[EatChildren]

Random thoughts.

I think it looks pretty stunning for most part. Fantastic character models, and the outdoor areas combine excellent technology with high quality assets. Impressive vistas and effects.

I feel what's channelling these "it doesn't look impressive / downgrade" comments is a combination of;

a) Most of this "gameplay" versus cutscenes. Not questioning a downgrade, but I'm sure Naughty Dog like most developers will swap in higher quality assets/rendering during cutscenes. This really only had one, towards the end. The E3 teaser would have been all maximum asset quality.

b) Context and scene. Darkness is traditionally, across all visual mediums, an excellent way to hide blemishes, accentuate highlights/lighting, and generally give your scene a stronger sense of depth. When you brightly light everything, particularly in games, rendering limitations become more obvious.

c) Lighting in general seems like it's missing something, whether it be for stylistic reasons (Uncharted has always had somewhat unrealistic bright colour tones and hard shadows) or technical. Shadows are much softer. Grass needs light ambient occlusions or AO that's there isn't very obvious. In short, it looks its worst when lighting appears universal and flat, not taking into account the shapes and motion of the scene.

d) When you're dealing with this much asset detail asset repetition becomes much more obvious, contrasting against otherwise high diversity. You could see it here every now and then, repeating textures on a rock face or whatever, which amidst the other detail tends to jot out as off.

e) Diminishing returns. An annoying statement, but understand that the last generation helped bring about a tremendous increase in asset detail, or perceived detail, thanks to abundant use of normal maps, shaders, and (for at least Naughty Dog's titles) high resolution textures. A hell of a lot more can be accomplished with technology and assets, but there's only so much you can add or do to a character model several meters away from the camera before those extra become less noticeable. Here playspace and presentation seemed about on par with the rest of the series, which was already densely packed with assets and details.

f) The game is still very early and a long way from representing the finished product. Honk honk.

 

[LukasTaves]

because lol

E3

Playstation Experience

Something looks off.

Tessellation, perhaps XD

 

[Shin-Ra]

AI threat indicator (the white flash) is back from TLoU.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Ok now that people are posting pics from the teaser again.

If these are shadows being cast by the freaking hair, then shit, I go back to my stance that it is nowhere near.

 

[leadbelly]

I really don't care if something is different or not, to be honest:

This character model here is good enough.

 

[MR ARCADE FOREVER]

I really don't care if something is different or not, to be honest:

This character model here is good enough.

This is what I'm expecting for next gen, amazing

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Is there an actual 1080p version of the video, not the compressed youtube crap?

 

[jacksepticeye]

almost like they changed the e3 model a little bit, at least to me.

They definitely did, someone compared earlier and new Drake looks a lot more like the previous games. Which I like

Is there an actual 1080p version of the video, not the compressed youtube crap?

http://www.gamersyde.com/news_psx_uncharted_4_gameplay_demo-16117_en.html

 

[VanWinkle]

I just wish there was at least a good bit more geometry to the rocks and boulders everywhere. That would make the environments look way more impressive. I'm sure lighting will get an upgrade but I'm not confident they'll actually put more geometry in.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

The best part of this trailer?

The guns look like they feel a lot better to shoot. Hard to describe past Uncharted games gunplay, but it felt....squishy?

This ones looks like it has punch to it.

Anyone know what I mean?

Its mostly the heavier sound of the weapons. Still that kinda PG-13 violence, but the audio punch is felt. There's also that great little reticle flare from The Last of Us where you get the little rays around the circle that confirms a kill. That's always satisfying when they happens.

 

[Zoned]

To be honest, it looks nothing like what was shown at E3. But I understand that it was too much to expect from a console. Anyway, gameplay looks pretty good. I am interested.

 

[vpance]

It looks like they made him younger lol.

Left one is probably after Drake's bro double crosses him and pushes him off a waterfall.

 

[dan2026]

So are they aiming for 60fps?

That is what matters.

 

[Elios83]

Honest question, what were you expecting visually that wasn't here? Because this is exactly what I was expecting from visuals if you extrapolated from the highly idealised initial showing. Bare in mind that the initial vid was shown simply to demonstrate the visuals...This wasn't, this is a pure gameplay sequence.

I genuinely wonder how people would have responded if they E3 showing didn't happen. I mean you have some posters in here praising stuff like the visuals of say SoM or Sunset Overdrive, which is completely fine, those games look good. This game clearly looks much better, and yet there is a rather tepid if not wholly negative response from some. Personally, I can see how people believe there might be a downgrade, but I only really see a difference in the three factors...Lighting which could be down to ToD...some differences in Drake's model which could be higher LoD for cutscene or change in the actual model (maybe hair was paired back), and heavy dof.

The level of expectations is completely different.
As I said with Naughty Dog people are expecting them to set new standards, because that's the kind of quality we have been expecting from them. I'd be seriously worried if my expectations for the next generation of Uncharted were the same as those for Sunset Overdrive
Just to be more specific....the demo features totally old gen water technology which is put directly into our face at the beginning of the demo (and in the cavern section), no next gen level rock tessellation (the climbing sections look way too close to what they looked in the PS3 games) and even the lighting is not there at a point I can call it truly next gen, this gen should be about simulating indirect lighting giving that natural CG look as in games like Infamous or the recent Unity (although in the game much is faked through pre-baking but the ending effect is really nice). Not seeing these things in today's demo.
They still have some nice skin shaders though.
But as I said the demo is early, the only fact that they're going out with a playable demo today is a major milestone, they're not giving away their big set pieces today which of course has made the demo a bit boring, but I have full confidence in them.

 

[HeelPower]

This character will be an asshole.

I just know he'll be evil. :v

 

[LukasTaves]

I really don't care if something is different or not, to be honest:

This character model here is good enough.

I still can see polygon edges in him, so no, they need to tessellate more!

The teaser Drake model was completely round, impossible to spot an edge without zooming in the picture. In the gameplay trailer there were simple no sign of tessellation whatsoever.

(That's a rant about all current gen games actually, I'm just directing it towards UC4 because they did have an teaser with the goddamn thing on!)

 

[bobbytkc]

I think the face looks pretty close, but the hair took a definite cut.

Still looks great.

 

[BiGBoSSMk23]

This thread is fucking embarrassing.

Uncharted gets criticized for being a string of set pieces with little correlation, a minority shooting gallery, a watered down Tomb Raider rip off, and when it comes back with beefed up level design and gameplay people bitch and moan.

Truth is, Naughty Dog reveal trailers always use in-engine assets, maybe even running in real time, but from that trailer to release code there have always been artistic and technical discrepancies. (See Drake sporting a goatee in the UC2 VGA teaser)

Matter of fact, stop being so fucking finnicky and shallow expecting the typical Hollywood Michal Bay shit that you'd have criticized to shit and appreciate what's on show here. It's a much more dynamic, organic and cohesive gameplay experience than running through a bloated set piece pressing X every couple of seconds.

 

[Gaz_RB]

Drake looks pretty unattractive (not graphically) in the gameplay for some reason.

 

[Game4life]

Its mostly the heavier sound of the weapons. Still that kinda PG-13 violence, but the audio punch is felt. There's also that great little reticle flare from The Last of Us where you get the little rays around the circle that confirms a kill. That's always satisfying when they happens.

I know you are a TLOU fan. How satisfying is this tweet?

https://twitter.com/bruce_straley/status/541385319224844289

 

[leadbelly]

This is what I'm expecting for next gen, amazing

Well, if you click the picture it enlarges. The detail is pretty fucking high. If there is a difference with the Nate model, it really can't be by much.

 

[nelsonroyale]

I just wish there was at least a good bit more geometry to the rocks and boulders everywhere. That would make the environments look way more impressive. I'm sure lighting will get an upgrade but I'm not confident they'll actually put more geometry in.

Some of the rock geometry impressed me, especially in these parts:

Elios: thanks for your thoughts. I don't comepletely agree, I think the lighting looks pretty natural already, bearing in mind it is supposed to be subdued in this environment. Furthermore the water in the waterfall looks pretty convincing, never seen it look so frothy. In terms of rock geometry, I think in builds on a particular ND style of geometry. I think looks very impressive in parts, especially texturing is excellent. What games do large scale rock geometry better than here? I don't think Ryse does, if you look at the Cliffs in Dover...I don't think FC 4 does either. I definitely agree tesselation would help, because it still does look too blocky, but I think they have handled it pretty well.

 

[bobbytkc]

I still remember all the comparison pics of Uncharted 3 'downgrade', using pics taken from the video cutscenes. It was an embarrassing time.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

Random thoughts.

I think it looks pretty stunning for most part. Fantastic character models, and the outdoor areas combine excellent technology with high quality assets. Impressive vistas and effects.

I feel what's channelling these "it doesn't look impressive / downgrade" comments is a combination of;

a) Most of this "gameplay" versus cutscenes. Not questioning a downgrade, but I'm sure Naughty Dog like most developers will swap in higher quality assets/rendering during cutscenes. This really only had one, towards the end. The E3 teaser would have been all maximum asset quality.

b) Context and scene. Darkness is traditionally, across all visual mediums, an excellent way to hide blemishes, accentuate highlights/lighting, and generally give your scene a stronger sense of depth. When you brightly light everything, particularly in games, rendering limitations become more obvious.

c) Lighting in general seems like it's missing something, whether it be for stylistic reasons (Uncharted has always had somewhat unrealistic bright colour tones and hard shadows) or technical. Shadows are much softer. Grass needs light ambient occlusions or AO that's there isn't very obvious. In short, it looks its worst when lighting appears universal and flat, not taking into account the shapes and motion of the scene.

d) When you're dealing with this much asset detail asset repetition becomes much more obvious, contrasting against otherwise high diversity. You could see it here every now and then, repeating textures on a rock face or whatever, which amidst the other detail tends to jot out as off.

e) Diminishing returns. An annoying statement, but understand that the last generation helped bring about a tremendous increase in asset detail, or perceived detail, thanks to abundant use of normal maps, shaders, and (for at least Naughty Dog's titles) high resolution textures. A hell of a lot more can be accomplished with technology and assets, but there's only so much you can add or do to a character model several meters away from the camera before those extra become less noticeable. Here playspace and presentation seemed about on par with the rest of the series, which was already densely packed with assets and details.

f) The game is still very early and a long way from representing the finished product. Honk honk.

This demo was played during a relatively bright day so I'd imagine the lighting would impress in scenes like the E3 trailer with was under moonlight reflecting off water and such. Shadows were a bit muted but as you said, it's ealry footage.

 

[pixellated_man]

Random thoughts.

I think it looks pretty stunning for most part. Fantastic character models, and the outdoor areas combine excellent technology with high quality assets. Impressive vistas and effects.

I feel what's channelling these "it doesn't look impressive / downgrade" comments is a combination of;

a) Most of this "gameplay" versus cutscenes. Not questioning a downgrade, but I'm sure Naughty Dog like most developers will swap in higher quality assets/rendering during cutscenes. This really only had one, towards the end. The E3 teaser would have been all maximum asset quality.

b) Context and scene. Darkness is traditionally, across all visual mediums, an excellent way to hide blemishes, accentuate highlights/lighting, and generally give your scene a stronger sense of depth. When you brightly light everything, particularly in games, rendering limitations become more obvious.

c) Lighting in general seems like it's missing something, whether it be for stylistic reasons (Uncharted has always had somewhat unrealistic bright colour tones and hard shadows) or technical. Shadows are much softer. Grass needs light ambient occlusions or AO that's there isn't very obvious. In short, it looks its worst when lighting appears universal and flat, not taking into account the shapes and motion of the scene.

d) When you're dealing with this much asset detail asset repetition becomes much more obvious, contrasting against otherwise high diversity. You could see it here every now and then, repeating textures on a rock face or whatever, which amidst the other detail tends to jot out as off.

e) Diminishing returns. An annoying statement, but understand that the last generation helped bring about a tremendous increase in asset detail, or perceived detail, thanks to abundant use of normal maps, shaders, and (for at least Naughty Dog's titles) high resolution textures. A hell of a lot more can be accomplished with technology and assets, but there's only so much you can add or do to a character model several meters away from the camera before those extra become less noticeable. Here playspace and presentation seemed about on par with the rest of the series, which was already densely packed with assets and details.

f) The game is still very early and a long way from representing the finished product. Honk honk.

Great post man. Noticed thread is getting better as more people are posting level headed comments now and the drive byers have had their say and probably gone to do their thing in some other Sony related threads, lol

 

[camac002]

Man I remember when foliage and jungle setting would really slow down my PC. Couldn't have Oblivion's grass set to more than a 10 metre radius or something on my system at the time. Now, we have full lush jungles even on consoles at 60fps with MGS and U4 (yes, I think this game will end up 60fps). Also special mention to DA:I. If this is the minimum standard going forward, then I am pretty happy.

 

[Maintenance]

Some of the rock geometry impressed me, especially in these parts:

That sea though, ugh. Terrible.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

I know you are a TLOU fan. How satisfying is this tweet?

https://twitter.com/bruce_straley/status/541385319224844289

That's why I have a good feeling this will be the best Uncharted yet, especially if they're still aiming for 60fps. TLOU was like a culmination of a whole generation of them trying to this brand of cinematic action game, and now they're taking all they learned from that game's development and building on top of that for this one. Having the TLOU head game directors/writers in Straly/Druckmann only inspires more confidence.

 

[DangerMouse]

I agree with this , the game has almost 11 months to go it's to early for a set piece.
Come E3 we will get the set piece gameplay.

Yup, this is technically like half a year early for us to see gameplay and the gameplay graphics.

c) Lighting in general seems like it's missing something, whether it be for stylistic reasons (Uncharted has always had somewhat unrealistic bright colour tones and hard shadows) or technical. Shadows are much softer. Grass needs light ambient occlusions or AO that's there isn't very obvious. In short, it looks its worst when lighting appears universal and flat, not taking into account the shapes and motion of the scene.

Good stuff, though this one I don't think it's an issue but a choice. Though they may improve the lighting to make it a little less universal like you said.

If you look at the sky in the early part of the level it's really overcast so I think it's stylistic, but it's Uncharted I'm sure they'll have plenty of sunnier areas like the later bit of the demo.

 

[MastorofPuppetz]

To be honest, it looks nothing like what was shown at E3. But I understand that it was too much to expect from a console. Anyway, gameplay looks pretty good. I am interested.

Huh all we saw was one else quick screen at e3. How does it look different? It is identical.

 

[Bunta]

Ok now that people are posting pics from the teaser again.

If these are shadows being cast by the freaking hair, then shit, I go back to my stance that it is nowhere near.

That's a mix of grey and black hair.

 

[jackdoe]

One thing that instantly stood out to me was that all the assault rifles had slings. So no more magically hanging assault rifles any more. Which is great. It always bugged me in the original Uncharted's.

 

[MvmntInGrn]

Started pretty disappointing. The linear platforming sections of this game need more innovation. Being able to use that pick to move around the wall a bit more adds nothing to the game and I have little faith the grapple hook will be a meaningful addition either.

Shootout scenario design is a huge leap for the series. Hope they focus on good AI though for difficulty. The harder modes in the Uncharted games are uninspired.

I see potential but I'm not blown away.

Oh, visually? It looks alright. For 1080p/30fps I would expect more, from ND at least. Rocky environments looked rough. Foliage a bit better.

 

[Loofy]

Between this and The Order the PS4 has the best looking games on any platform.

 

[DangerMouse]

One thing that instantly stood out to me was that all the assault rifles had slings. So no more magically hanging assault rifles any more. Which is great. It always bugged me in the original Uncharted's.

Even the rope/hook thing moves around on his belt as he moves and fights, neat little touch.

 

[harmonize]

That's a mix of grey and black hair.

That's not what he's talking about. Towards the top-left of his neck, you can see shadows being cast by the hair on his head.

 

[Fancy Clown]

Dunno if it's been mentioned or not, but the bit of new soundtrack in it is pretty sweet

 

[Maintenance]

That's a mix of grey and black hair.

I see what you're talking about, but he's right about the hair making a shadow. That demo's level of detail was incredibly high.

Too high, I might say.

 

[-Cwalat-]

That's why I have a good feeling this will be the best Uncharted yet, especially if they're still aiming for 60fps. TLOU was like a culmination of a whole generation of them trying to this brand of cinematic action game, and now they're taking all they learned from that game's development and building on top of that for this one. Having the TLOU head game directors/writers in Straly/Druckmann only inspires more confidence.

Hope they implement some elements from TLOU in UC4.

The crafting mechanic for example. That would be amazing in the jungle.

For example: Drake hiding in the bushes, crafting traps. Later on, he realizes there are to many guys to go head on guns blazing, so he sets some traps up. BOOM you have become the predator.

 

[VanWinkle]

The best part of this trailer?

The guns look like they feel a lot better to shoot. Hard to describe past Uncharted games gunplay, but it felt....squishy?

This ones looks like it has punch to it.

Anyone know what I mean?

Oh yeah, gunplay looks way tighter. Really impressed by it.

 

[neogaffer1]

Ok so before anyone judges the graphics do yourself a favor. Go and download the video from gamersyde and then while playing it adjust your video settings. I use vlc media player and after playing with the video settings (I'm no specialist on the matter but a few quick adjustments to sigma, gamma, brightness, etc) and it's A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE.

The original stream is so bright and washed out looking in comparison, makes it look way less detailed and worse than it is!

That's just doing the XB1 gamma trick to make it pop more by adding black crush, though.

 

[Ricky_R]

Game looks fucking great. Love that they added a bit more realism to Drake's climbing. It looks like he's really struggling this time around.

 

[lumi7890]

wonder what's the story with this? https://twitter.com/bruce_straley/status/541403397975339008

 

[VinFTW]

Its mostly the heavier sound of the weapons. Still that kinda PG-13 violence, but the audio punch is felt. There's also that great little reticle flare from The Last of Us where you get the little rays around the circle that confirms a kill. That's always satisfying when they happens.

Yeah, I loved that.

Glad to see it return.