1080 replies to this topic

[Axe99]

Controversy!  Some thoughts:

- The idea that CD Projekt Red would take money from console owners to downgrade their graphics when they own a PC shopfront is a tad improbable.  CD PR are a PC-first developer, and always have been.  They support consoles as well, and support them well, but I doubt, highly, that this is the case.  Am happy to take evidence on this, but an animated GIF from a neogaf or similar doesn't qualify.

- I'm aware of very, very few examples of console platform holders paying multiplatform devs to limit the performance of a game on another platform, and when it was been suspected, it's usually been the case of things like a frame-rate lock on PC, or PS4 vs XB1 thing (and even then, these were just rumours).  This would be the first time, ever, that I'd heard of it happening in terms of textures on PC vs console.  Given the PC will undoubtedly have better lighting and anti-aliasing, it really doesn't make a lot of sense for Sony or Microsoft to do this - they can't pay to keep it at or below console standard, so why would they pay for one element of the graphics to be console parity?  It's hardly a PR win, it just doesn't make sense.

- It's far, far more likely that it's the case of an 'initial vision' build not quite being reached with the final release version, which happens everywhere, and quite frequently.

In short, sounds to me like it's people on the internet with too much time on their hands making up conspiracies.  Probably less harmful than the alien abduction and 'UN's going to invade America' stuff, but no more accurate.

[Aromaci]

I agree Axe, the first footage of most games are usually 'This is what we are shooting for'. And this rarely ends up being what they achieve. Once they actually make the game, reality sets and they have to make compromises. I think part of the problem is that most gamers have no idea how hard it is to actually make a game and devs rarely state the 'best case scenario' nature of announcement footage. I mean do you really think Battlefront will look anything like the trailer they showed last month?

[GraphicX]

from what i have read (unverified) they have confirmed they have downgraded the textures to those of the console versions, not the AA, particles etc.  the screens i'm seeing now don't even look as good as what i watched at eb expo, which was supposedly close to release before it was put back.

what cause would they have for using low-res textures though ?

- reduce vram usage; cards now have up to 12gb of ram & those with less can always opt for the low-res textures in the options
- make the game smaller to download; unlikely these days
- reduce overall system requirements to make it playable/buyable to a wider audience; they haven't updated the system requirements on their site at all

beyond that the only other reason i can think of is that they've been paid to do it, what can you guys come up with ?

[Aromaci]

I'm very skeptical of the 'paid to do it' angle. I mean, I can see it being better for Sony and M$ as the closer the parity the more people might opt for console but it seems very risky. They would have to know that as soon as people found out (and they always do) it would bite them in the arse big time. Plus if they took money to do it, why admit to it? (though as you say, 'unverified') Plus, gamers love their conspiracy theories at little too much.

[GraphicX]

there has to be a reason for it, the game has gone from having the detail of 'last of us' to something not so big a deal at all, the screens i'm seeing now could honestly be from witcher 2, if people weren't saying it's witcher 3 i'd have been none the wiser.

i'm hoping in the very near future there might be an update or something that'll put the game into all its glory, for now i just can't help but wonder what's lead to this.

[Axe99]

GraphicX, on 17 May 2015 - 12:45 AM, said:

from what i have read (unverified) they have confirmed they have downgraded the textures to those of the console versions

Here's an actual quote from the devs:

Quote

We never switched the textures. On pc, you now have the option to activate “Ultra” quality textures with the full resolution. However, the difference that many people see with new and old footage was a strong sharpening filter in 2013 that looks awesome on screenshots and in short videos, but strains the eyes after a short while if there is a lot of movement (leaves and grass swaying in the wind as an example). That’s why it was decided to tone that effect down.

However, people who really want to have it can of course use the Redkit to change the environment settings. It’s just a matter of taste. ; )

Source: http://www.dualshock...eplay-and-more/

[Aromaci]

Well there it is then.

[GraphicX]

they're totally different textures though, it's not just sharpening, people have literally changed the paint colour on their houses lol:

[GasClown]

GraphicX, on 17 May 2015 - 11:42 AM, said:

they're totally different textures though, it's not just sharpening, people have literally changed the paint colour on their houses lol:

I think you are mixing up textures with other things Graph. The textures to me look the same (or very similar). It's more the lighting or filters they use that is giving it a different look. It could also be the time of day (which is lighting/shadows etc). The filters are giving that different (more cinematic) colour (less vibrant).

I'll get this myself and set it on ultra and post up some pics... doubt I'll be whinging like most of the whores out there... a lot of gamers just like to whinge and I don't know what you're whinging about anyway, you'll be lucky to be playing this on ultra at 1080p/60FPS anyway.... unless they really have dramatically downscaled it.

With all that shit said - the game will have mods anyway, so it's probably best to wait for them to arise, then mod the fuck out of it like Skyrim.

[SmokeyPSD]

GasClown, on 17 May 2015 - 12:06 PM, said:

I think you are mixing up textures with other things Graph. The textures to me look the same (or very similar). It's more the lighting or filters they use that is giving it a different look. It could also be the time of day (which is lighting/shadows etc). The filters are giving that different (more cinematic) colour (less vibrant).

I'll get this myself and set it on ultra and post up some pics... doubt I'll be whinging like most of the whores out there... a lot of gamers just like to whinge and I don't know what you're whinging about anyway, you'll be lucky to be playing this on ultra at 1080p/60FPS anyway.... unless they really have dramatically downscaled it.

With all that shit said - the game will have mods anyway, so it's probably best to wait for them to arise, then mod the fuck out of it like Skyrim.

Yeah remember it has a completely simulated dynamic weather system too. So same place can be a totally different shot due to the weather.

[GraphicX]

it's not the lighting i'm looking at, but the actual appearance of the buildings, trees etc, they're completely different & not just due to being different times of day or being in shadow or not.

i won't get close to ultra on this going by the specs posted for it, i'm only just punching above minimum iirc, i posted this as news/interest as i'd been reading it elsewhere.  knowing me i won't buy the game for another year or 2 anyway, that's unless i don't get it as a gift like i did the other witcher games.

[GasClown]

GraphicX, on 17 May 2015 - 12:15 PM, said:

it's not the lighting i'm looking at, but the actual appearance of the buildings, trees etc, they're completely different & not just due to being different times of day or being in shadow or not.

i won't get close to ultra on this going by the specs posted for it, i'm only just punching above minimum iirc, i posted this as news/interest as i'd been reading it elsewhere.  knowing me i won't buy the game for another year or 2 anyway, that's unless i don't get it as a gift like i did the other witcher games.

But what you've gotta understand is lighting and filters affect the appearance of textures. Colourisation/light and shade etc. The textures look the same pretty much everywhere.

[GasClown]

Here's two Witcher 3 4K shots... looks bloody great to me... have no idea what people are whinging about.

http://static1.games...747-witcher.png

http://static3.games...94-witcher2.png

[Axe99]

GasClown, on 17 May 2015 - 12:21 PM, said:

But what you've gotta understand is lighting and filters affect the appearance of textures. Colourisation/light and shade etc. The textures look the same pretty much everywhere.

I'm with Clowny on this one - from that gif, the difference doesn't appear to be in textures but in lighting (and position of camera and time of day).  I've given it a bit of a look, and I can't see anything where the texture itself looks radically different, but rather the nature of how its lit.  Worth keeping in mind the colour temperature of both shots is pretty different (one is very 'warm', the other quite 'cool') - throw in the sharpening filter on the first and to me that can comfortably explain the differences.

[GasClown]

Axe99, on 17 May 2015 - 10:34 PM, said:

I'm with Clowny on this one - from that gif, the difference doesn't appear to be in textures but in lighting (and position of camera and time of day).  I've given it a bit of a look, and I can't see anything where the texture itself looks radically different, but rather the nature of how its lit.  Worth keeping in mind the colour temperature of both shots is pretty different (one is very 'warm', the other quite 'cool') - throw in the sharpening filter on the first and to me that can comfortably explain the differences.

But just like the sharpening filter - they can have post processing filters as well which change the colour or make it look less saturated/vibrant. It's the developers choice to give it whatever look they want to, after all, it's their work/vision. Sure the textures look a little more muddy in the later one - but it's really difficult to judge the distant ones as that could also be the angle of the sun not giving harsher shadows or they could have some sort of subtle lens (depth of field) blur filtering on there as well, like in cinema. Or as the developer has said, it's just a sharpening filter.

Either way - it's a piss weak comparison to begin with... and looking at those 4K shots, it looks bloody great and it just shows that a lot of gamers are just a pack of whingers.

Besides, there will be mods to adjust/change/up-res those things later on anyway.

[GraphicX]

the game still looks fantastic in those shots, at eb expo we watched the 'griffin hunt', the guy was playing it in front of us on a 50 or 60 inch screen & it looked incredible.

the hair still does look very different, yes it could well just be sharpening, that gif is far too small to be a real comparison & yes gamers in general like a good whinge, but the install files on all systems are 25gb meaning all using the same textures.  however the devs have said a patch is coming (that you posted axe) that ultra textures are on the way so i guess we wait & see until it's out tomorrow as to what happens.

[Soulfrit]

All I know is tomorrow 9am, after I call in sick, I will be picking up my ps4 copy of witcher 3 and spending 12 straight hours on my ass enjoying this glorious game I've watched already on twitch while fighting back the rage to want it earlier

[GasClown]

GraphicX, on 18 May 2015 - 12:09 AM, said:

the hair still does look very different, yes it could well just be sharpening, that gif is far too small to be a real comparison & yes gamers in general like a good whinge, but the install files on all systems are 25gb meaning all using the same textures.  however the devs have said a patch is coming (that you posted axe) that ultra textures are on the way so i guess we wait & see until it's out tomorrow as to what happens.

Well that's it - it's just lower res textures... similar to Skyrim. I've got the 2K ones installed but then added even more with other mods which made it look much crisper. There was also an option to go 4K textures.

[PanterA]

On my system, i5 4670K @ 4.5ghz liquid cooled, 8gb DDR3 1600mhz ram, Windows 8.1 64bit, 2x Sapphire HD7950Ghz 3Gb crossfire.

All post processing effects on (nvidia hair off), graphics settings all on high, 40 - 55 fps once past all of the intro and out in the open world. (1920x1080)

Might improve next week when AMD release new drivers for Witcher 3 and Project Cars.

Also will see how it runs on my Windows 10 installation tonight.

[GasClown]

GraphicX, on 18 May 2015 - 12:09 AM, said:

however the devs have said a patch is coming (that you posted axe) that ultra textures are on the way so i guess we wait & see until it's out tomorrow as to what happens.

When is this supposed to arrive? I may as well just wait for it before buying the game.

I hope they do a 2K and 4K pack... unsure what the default texture resolutions are... probably 1K is my guess.