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Digital Foundry - Witcher 3 performance analysis XO/PS4

LilJoka

Member
Before these new consoles were released some people were claiming 1080p and 60fps would be standard.

I always knew that the push would be for eye candy first and framerate would be secondary.

I wish 60fps would be a standard and devs would just get the graphics as good as they could while maintaining the framerate.

For me personally framerate is the most important thing in a game.

Indeed, your console brethren must unite with this stance.
 

Journey

Banned
Long stretches?? wut..



In the video they've posted you only see the PS4 hit 25fps in Novigrand for 1 second, it stays all the time between 28-30fps.

So much bullshit in this article.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkB8gpPzMkw


Damn, dropped to the teens around the 1 minute mark. I hate to say this, but they should've gone with 900p on the PS4, then maybe upped the res with a later patch instead of fixing the frame rate later as I'm sure that's coming.
 
I'd rather go with the better framerate tbh.

It hasn't though and they clearly state that in the article. Perhaps a patch can resolve some of this issues, but at present the Xbone version has a more problematic framerate. It needs to be optimised in both however...Pretty weird it drops so long on PS4 especially.

Noticed some weird pop in issues on both versions in that video...Whole buildings popping in and out...pretty weird.
 
Disregard the version with a higher resolution and less overall stuttering, but with rare drops, for the version with a lower resolution and constant stuttering….because?….

he didn't just disregard it, he put his planned PS4 purchase aside and decided to buy a whole new console and game instead.

Perhaps I should have said 'Well, that's an appropriate response /s' to help you understand I was taking the piss (which I thought would be obvious, but you just never know).

To be fair I've always been insensitive to framerates. Hell, I remember playing Far Cry 3 on PS3 and thinking it was a technical marvel, and then reading on GAF how everyone was complaining about the framerate. ::shrugs::

Just pulling your leg, mate. I loved FC3 on PS3 as well, and thought it was a lovely game (greater scale usually = more forgiveness for frame hitches, with me). I'm not insensitive to framerates, but I can adjust easily enough when I get used to a game. For some reason Bloodborne's frame-pacing really bothers me though, and that's why I think the Witcher 3 would be a bad purchase for me at the moment.
 

nib95

Banned
As low as 20 fps during cut scenes. Why?

Seems to be some sort of optimisation issue. When it drops below 30fps in cut scenes, it auto caps to 20fps instead of just dropping to 28fps or whatever it actually should be. I'm sure they could patch this out though. Likewise they should patch in a 30fps lock for the Xbox One version too.
 

big_z

Member
CDPR should give ps4 users the option to select 900p or 1440x1080p. might be enough to reduce the strain and maintain 30fps.

building appearing disappearing ?

its due to poor streaming of LOD. In most games the higher detailed version of an object would fade in replacing the lower detailed on but witcher seems to struggle with loading objects in time so stuff pops out of existence. its something that could be improved with optimization.

I really wonder what CDPR reasoning is behind not locking the framerate on xone? And why did they lock it on one console and not the other?

Vsync costs some performance, but not enough for the xone version to drop constantly below 30... I think.

Their decision making doesn't make sense to me.

the performance cost is my guess. with the ps4 version dropping to 20fps due to the vsync being used its possible the xbox version would suffer the same issue but more often with vsync enabled.
 
As low as 20 fps during cut scenes. Why?
Likely due to CDPR opting for double buffed vsync instead of triple buffered. Double buffering causes significant drops in framerate in order to prevent tearing whereas triple buffering would allow for little to no impact to the framerate and still prevent tearing. Infamous second son used triple buffering, for example.

Why they wouldn't just use triple buffering and keep the framerate cap at 30 is beyond me.
 

nib95

Banned
Is it only during cutscenes it reaches 20fps, not gameplay?

Only during cut scenes according to the DF article. In gameplay the lowest cap seems to be 25fps, but even then drops to such a frame rate seem incredibly rare. Based on the video, it generally hovers around the 30fps mark the majority of the time.
 

LilJoka

Member
Only during cut scenes according to the DF article. In gameplay the lowest cap seems to be 25fps, but even then drops to such a frame rate seem incredibly rare. Based on the video, it generally hovers around the 30fps mark the majority of the time.

25fps, not something to be proud about.
 

c0de

Member
Only during cut scenes according to the DF article. In gameplay the lowest cap seems to be 25fps, but even then drops to such a frame rate seem incredibly rare. Based on the video, it generally hovers around the 30fps mark the majority of the time.

Yes but we only have the DF video. People here are saying it tanks sometimes so perhaps DF should ask these users where they experienced the massive fps drop and test it in these areas. Also "hovering" is perhaps the wrong word - it often is near the upper boundary of 30 fps.
 
Sounds like the developer should patch in a 30fps lock on Xbox and triple buffering on PlayStation. Maybe an optional 1600x1080 resolution on PS, or all the way to 900p.

Hopefully things will be smoother when I eventually pick it up.
 

KampferZeon

Neo Member
This is the worse case scenario.

Feels like a parity clause all over again

The sensible design choices should be,

Xb version should engage 30 fps vsync, disable 1080, and instead has 720p tp 900p dat dr.

Ps4 version should have 900p to 1080p DR, and locked 30fps.
 

nib95

Banned
25fps, not something to be proud about.

Well, no, but it's not a massive deal either in my opinion, especially when they're rare. Stuttering, occasional or rare frame rate drops etc, these aren't things that have ever bothered me too much tbh. Compared to the PS3/360 days, the kind of performance we're seeing from recent open world games is still a big improvement over what we used to get. I'd rather rare drops and better graphics over no drops and worse graphics, at least for a game like this anyway.
 
It does seem like waiting on open world games seems to be the best course of action. Just so many different areas of the game that can end up failing or causing annoying little issues that can kill someones enjoyment of the product.

From the judder / frame pacing issues to overall framerate issues and control issues ( which seems to be the biggest complaint to people playing that ive seen ). Definitely need to get a patch out sooner then later.
 

mario_O

Member
well have you considered that perhaps the video the posted is just a short one to highlight the issues.

I have myself witnessed long stretches of 20 fps on ps4. During night and fighting with fire effects effects will never go over 25. Also fighting in swamps with several enemies. Fighting in rain/fog - the same.

But it doesn't highlight what they're writing. I only see the PS4 hit 25fps (gameplay) for 1 second, in Novigrand.
 
Yikes. It's gonna be a loooooong gen.

We've had 40 years of framerate and resolution problems in our games (yes, even NES games had fr and res problems - especially for PAL users) why should this gen be automatically ruined, just because? This gen will be fine, just like all the others were.
 

ISee

Member
I wish 60fps would be a standard and devs would just get the graphics as good as they could while maintaining the framerate.

For me personally framerate is the most important thing in a game.

I really do not think the game has trouble to reach a constant fps because of poor optimization, but because both consoles are a bit underpowered. (I do no want to shit on consoles here, I think they offer a reasonable price/performance ratio, at least one of them). And now imagine how the game would look if they had to reach 60fps, no way they would be able to sell the game as a next gen game with stunning graphics then... and how bad their sells would be because of that.

And if framerate is the most important thing for you. Maybe you should consider to get a descent PC...
 
Bah. I was trying to find out if ps4 is a perfect 30fps during gameplay but i guess its not.

If I can't get a perfect 30 (at least 30 almost all the time) on my laptop (can't test till Friday) I'll just put the game to one side till either better drivers/patches or I get a better PC.

Ps4 was going to be a back up but only if it was truly 30 locked.
 

R3TRODYCE

Member
Sounds like a bad experience on consoles. I can only wonder how much worse performance will get across both consoles as the gen goes along.
 

KORNdoggy

Member
i'd hope they patch the games to include some basic options.

in PS4's case, maybe a 1080p/900p option, a V-sync on/off option and a locked/unlocked framerate option. that way we can decide what's more important.
 

omonimo

Banned
Sounds like a bad experience on consoles. I can only wonder how much worse performance will get across both consoles as the gen goes along.
Oh God. Not again. Free roaming run even worse on ps360, short memory I see. This game it's incredibly waste. Such performance it's quite expected.
 

nib95

Banned
We've had 40 years of framerate and resolution problems in our games (yes, even NES games had fr and res problems - especially for PAL users) why should this gen be automatically ruined, just because? This gen will be fine, just like all the others were.

And I doubt this will change going forward, irrespective of the hardware. Some devs will always choose better graphics over a completely locked frame rate, and who can blame them. If it's not a racing game, platformer or shooter, I think rare drops with better visuals is actually often preferable. Better visuals are there with you for the entire game, rare drops are just that, rare.

No idea how rare frame rate drops in W3 are yet mind. Waiting on more combat orientated stress tests.
 

Xater

Member
Is it only during cutscenes it reaches 20fps, not gameplay?

No it basically consistently drops to 20 once you enter combat, which is super weird because the frame rate while exploring the very same area might have been way better.

Once I got to Velen I don't think I had a single fight with a good frame rate. And it's the kinda drop which makes the game feel sluggish and dodging harder. Especially bad on harder difficulties like I am playing on.

Yup framerate can get pretty bad on ps4 but its mostly on cutscenes. Gameplay isn't really effected at all

Absolutely not true.
 

omonimo

Banned
No it basically consistently drops to 20 once you enter combat, which is super weird because the frame rate while exploring the very same area might have been way better.

Once I got to Velen I don't think I had a single fight with a good frame rate. And it's the kinda drop which makes the game feel sluggish and dodging harder. Especially bad on harder difficulties like I am playing on.
DF talk just of cut scene. It could drop to 20 on gameplay but surely it's not locked.
 

Aceofspades

Banned
Damn, dropped to the teens around the 1 minute mark. I hate to say this, but they should've gone with 900p on the PS4, then maybe upped the res with a later patch instead of fixing the frame rate later as I'm sure that's coming.

I wouldn't say the need to drop to 900p at all on PS4, Just more optimizing and bug fixing and we are golden.
 

KORNdoggy

Member
DF talk just of cut scene. It could drop to 20 on gameplay but surely it's not locked.

correct. cutscenes lock to 20 if it drops below 30 (sounds like a bug to me) the fact they mention recorded framerates between those values means it works like any other games framerate. it could drop to 29/28/27 etc during combat.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
Sounds like a bad experience on consoles. I can only wonder how much worse performance will get across both consoles as the gen goes along.

Nothing about this game is 'a bad experience' on any console.

It received unanimous praise everywhere, console versions usually the one reviewed. A slight judder once in a while isn't seriously going to detract from the fact that this is an immense and fantastic WRPG offering hundreds of hours of content.

About time these knee-jerk hyperbolic statements cease. Apply some perspective.
 

KORNdoggy

Member
Well I have played it for 30 hours so I am pretty sure I know what I am talking about.

unless you have magical framerate reading eyes or framerate analysis software, then the amount you've played doesn't really factor into it. i'm sure the framrate does drop from 30 in combat. but it doesn't suddenly lock to 20fps. lol that would be rediculous.
 
J

JoJo UK

Unconfirmed Member
Why does the PS4 version lock to 20fps in cutscenes if it drops below 30pfs but in gameplay hover around 25fps, should it not lock to 20fps there also? Are cutscenes and gameplay handled differently or am I reading it the wrong way?

Also why the XB1 version isnt just locked to 30fps is beyond me, I haven't notice a lot of stutter but it's there no doubt.
 
Some people aren't as susceptible to frame drops as others. It's one of those things where people can be living perfectly fine but once they know what a frame drop is it's the worst thing in the world.

There are also a number of people who are perfectly happy with a product until someone tells them it has issues.

I really wonder just how many people fall in to each category.
 
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