|
Post by Sarge on Sept 12, 2019 21:43:01 GMT -5
It sounds like the biggest problem that game had, from my looking around, is that it was a technical mess. Basically falling apart at the seams. Typically those are what I consider terrible games, stuff that might even have a kernel of good ideas but is so sloppily executed that all the joy is sucked right out.
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Sept 14, 2019 16:23:23 GMT -5
The world gave us some hilariously average modern games this week.
Borderlands 3 - one of my friends was joking if I showed him a video of someone playing this, he would have guessed it was Borderlands 1 or 2. From 7+ years ago. "Playing it safe" is an understatement. I mean, I guess hardcore Borderlands fans are getting what they want, more Borderlands. It's hilarious they didn't even try to do anything to the engine or whatever after all this time. I enjoyed my time with the first two games, even solo mostly. But I don't care enough to spend another 50 hours on something that looks this similar. I'd rather hit up other new modern games and experiences. Besides, the meme 4chan humor in Borderlands 2 was horrible enough, the writing in 3 is apparently even more cringe.
Gears 5 - I can't even watch some streamers I like play this game without almost slipping into a coma. How is this peak-a-boo cover shooting still fun in 2019? How did this franchise become one of MS's main pillars? lmao
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2019 18:36:22 GMT -5
This vid about Gears 5 got me thinking:
Besides the obvious downgrade in bullet impact, etc. I really fail to see how Gears 5 looks any better than the GoW 1. The color palette is different, but that's about it, other changes are pretty minor. I honestly think 3D graphics peaked in the late 00s and nowadays what really makes games stand out isn't powerful visuals per se, but skillful use of light/colors and inspired art direction. Yet hardware requirements keep going up...
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Sept 14, 2019 19:34:17 GMT -5
Control is easily the most wow'd I've been over tech in awhile, even on just a PS4 Pro. People should be playing Control instead of that stuff hehe.
You're totally right though, that video seriously brings to light how not much has changed in over a decade. Just subtle improvements in lighting effects and secondary things like that.
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Sept 14, 2019 21:35:09 GMT -5
@tsumuri
The biggest upgrades in modern consoles this generation were higher resolutions and consistently high framerates (as in 60fps instead of 30fps). The actual artistic upgrades have been in the realm of lighting and shader effects. That's about it. It's not that 8th gen technology cannot render graphics far exceeding 7th gen, so much as it is the cost factor of doing so. Publishers have hit a wall insofar as development cost versus graphical splendor. Meanwhile 90% of the games I've seen come out on 8th gen from a gameplay perspective, are identical to game designs I already have on my 7th gen consoles. Just another reason I still haven't bought a PS4 or Switch yet.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Sept 14, 2019 21:40:32 GMT -5
I don't know if that's fair. They've definitely made some engine upgrades. And I'm not the type to judge games that give players more of what they want. Borderlands has a really good formula, so sticking with it isn't a great crime. I do agree with Ex that the graphical bump this generation hasn't been quite as pronounced. It will be even less so next gen. Just the way it goes. And I think that's a primary component of why the Switch is doing well; the gap has closed significantly, making it less of a big deal having all that extra horsepower. I will say, though, that the improved lighting and shaders, when used well, really look quite nice. I was super-impressed at how good God of War looked, even on a base PS4.
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Sept 14, 2019 22:06:37 GMT -5
60FPS still isn't the norm on consoles, even on the PS4 Pro / Xbox One X in 2019. Some games have a "performance" mode that potentially sacrifices texture quality and whatnot to strive for a higher framerate, but these "modes" don't always really change much. Most Switch games aim for 30FPS... I don't know if the Switch and base Xbox One can even do 1080p at all. I've played a handful of smooth 60FPS stuff on my Pro at this point but I still wouldn't say to always expect it. Most developers don't want to bother patching their old games to try and utilize the extra power either, though there is the "Boost Mode" you can enable. Sometimes it apparently makes games run even worse though, so it's a case by case thing.
The framerate thing is not something I care about much outside of FPS's, but it's hard to go back on that genre when you get used to it. I certainly hope the next generation of consoles makes 1080p/60FPS the bare minimum standard. It's been normal on PC for like a decade now and I'm hardly a PC main, just can't deny the truth heh.
As a happy pro owner it might be kind of hypocritical to say but I hope this "half step hardware upgrade" idea never happens again. The HDD is double what I had which was a big deal for me, the new controllers are better with subtle changes, the fans are vastly quieter (specifically the models that launched around Red Dead Redemption 2's launch are quieter), etc so it definitely has some pros, no pun intended. But it was a pretty weird idea that made things get a little murky on both the consumer and developer sides. Apparently Control runs like total crap on a base PS4 though, so I guess I maybe would have been upset if I had a worse experience with that. Financially I was in a good spot to get a Pro when I did though. Xbox was so easy to skip this gen, I double dipped on the PS4 instead.
|
|
|
Post by Ex on Sept 14, 2019 22:31:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Xeogred on Sept 15, 2019 7:56:58 GMT -5
Most Xbox One games maxed out at a weird 900p early on, that was a sticking point against them vs the PS4 which more consistently hit 1080p. It was a reverse case of last gen where 3rd party usually ran better on Xbox. Astral Chain just released on Switch and still doesn't hit 1080p and stays at 30FPS, even docked. Kudos to the XB1X though, it's powerful hardware but nobody really cared at this point haha. I think it's cool they can enhance some original Xbox games, but I heard support for that ended awhile ago so the list probably isn't much, at least Ninja Gaiden made the cut. It would be interesting to see some 360 enhancements, maybe that's a bit like the PS4's Boost Mode and can improve a wide variety of titles. It's not consistent across the board so like I mentioned above I wouldn't go into current consoles always expecting a quality 1080p/60FPS experience. So this is one area I hope that's more universal next gen. Because graphical fidelity has stagnated, performance being more consistent across the board would be nice. Granted I don't expect as much here for Nintendo. And as retro gamers, I don't think this stuff really bothers most of us. But I have developed a preference for 60FPS for... FPS's at this point. Replaying a lot of 360 FPS's on PC over the years is a vastly better experience, even improves my performance because you're literally able to control the game faster.
But it's a shame that I still can't play something like the new Metro Exodus on a PS4 Pro and get 60FPS, this game barely even holds 30FPS on the Pro. It even maxes out at 30 for the X! Digital Foundry comes in handy a lot thesedays but it's kind of embarrassing how heavily I have to rely on them lately. Granted I want most FPS's on PC going forward, but not when they're exclusive to the EGS. So I wonder how The Outer Worlds will pan out on consoles.
Now wonky optimization aside, I've loved this gen. I just counted 46 physical PS4 games I've beaten on my shelves and I just ordered Shadow of the Tomb Raider, God of War, and Spider-Man all for the price of one new game recently. Looking forward to those.
|
|
|
Post by Sarge on Sept 18, 2019 22:22:14 GMT -5
This looks like a game Ex might be interested in. www.usgamer.net/articles/phantom-brigade-front-mission-impressions-pax-west-2019Xeogred : I hope you enjoy God of War as much as I did! If you liked the prior Tomb Raider games, you'll enjoy this one as well. Oh, Digital Foundry had an interesting breakdown on Borderlands 3; while it doesn't hit the target frame rates on the big boy consoles, apparently the base consoles are pretty well optimized, running at 1080p 30FPS (or 900p 30FPS on XB1) with almost no hiccups at all. Not too shabby, if you ask me.
|
|