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Horizon Forbidden West - Digital Foundry Tech Review - A PS5 Graphics Masterclass

ethomaz

Banned
I'm just talking about the 30 fps stutter, in all other areas the picture quality of modern displays blow older LCDs/CRTs out of the water of course.

Stutter is all about the motion.

I seriously doubt your older TV will have better response time than an LG CX. :messenger_winking_tongue:
It has.
It was a PLASMA.
 
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Hunnybun

Member
The problem is that increasing framerate disproportionately affects performance. It's not 1:1 like it is on PC for most games. What we are seeing here is what we saw in Dying Light 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy where a game that is basically locked at native 4k 30 fps has to drop its resolution all the way down to 1080p just to hit 60 fps.

So 40 fps at native 4k or even 1800p might not be possible. Thats an increase of 33% more frames at the cost of roughly 40% in pixels. In theory, it should be enough, but looking at how blurry this game is in performance, I highly doubt they can get 40 fps at 1800p. Maybe at 1440p.

Ratchet had to tone down a lot of graphics settings to hit 60 fps at 1440p even though they had it running at native 4k 40 fps. They turned down lighting, reduced skybox detail, NPC crowds as well as lower quality reflections. It lost a lot of its visual flair. They had to do the same thing in Miles. Reducing NPC counts and traffic density in performance modes. See below. From what I can see, GG didnt turn down any detail. The insane amount of foliage present in the quality version is all there even in performance. The draw distance of foliage is the same as well. The NPC counts are the same. If they maybe turn down some of those settings to PS4 Pro levels, we might get a 1440p 60 fps mode.

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The reduction in settings in Ratchet are basically unnoticeable. No normal player would see the difference. That's obviously the answer in this case: lower a few settings and achieve a higher resolution of 1440p or 2160cb or whatever works best.

But yeah the lesson so far this gen is that 2x frame rate needs MORE than a 50% cut in resolution. It's usually something like 4k to 1440p with a few lower settings too. I don't know why this should be but it does seem to be pretty universal.
 

ethomaz

Banned
Oh, don't know that much of Plasma vs OLED but I do know Plasma has impulse-driven display which is also much better for showing 30 fps than sample-and-hold of modern OLED/QLED.
Talking about panel only… because the overall response time depends of the quality of others components of the TV.

But PLASMA has lower response time than OLED but the difference is in 0.00x ms… it is not like LCD where the response time is over 1ms.

Typical PLASMA panel has 0.001 ms of response time but can lower as 0.0001 ms… OLED can go lower as 0..001 ms in the best case… it is typical around 0.01ms.
 
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Ulysses 31

Member
Talking about panel only… because the overall response time depends of the quality of others components of the TV.

But PLASMA has lower response time than OLED but the difference is in 0.00x ms… it is not like LCD where the response time is over 1ms.
Low response time with sample-and-hold display is what causes stutter.

When it's impulse-driven like Plasma or CRT, the low response time doesn't cause stutter.

sampleandhold1.gif
 
:rolleyes: I get having preferences and all that, but this is nonsense. The game is great fun, now. And it's extremely playable. Would I prefer resolution mode with 60fps? Absolutely. Would I wait years to play it on PC to do so when I can play it now and have just as much fun? No way.
30fps being “extremely playable” is the definition of subjectivity. Why stop there, no need for a PS5 either, PS4 version should have more than enough iq, right? GG is obviously looking into something with “high priority”.
 
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ChiefDada

Gold Member
Lol no it isn't. I'd bet big money a casual observer wouldn't notice a difference.

I actively try to spot them and I can't. Outside of specific instances like less crowd density it the opening scene (Oh no!!!).

I mean, I'm telling you it is and I have no reason to lie so do with that as you wish. If what you're claiming was true then no one would choose any mode under 60fps. And yet we see a significant number of players evangelizing 40fps.
 

Hunnybun

Member
I mean, I'm telling you it is and I have no reason to lie so do with that as you wish. If what you're claiming was true then no one would choose any mode under 60fps. And yet we see a significant number of players evangelizing 40fps.

You get the much higher resolution though? That's quite a big deal depending on your set up.

The other changes are trivial.
 
Are you sure about that? Interesting to be fair but I believe my old TVs have better response time than my actual LG CX but the difference in IQ is really outstanding.
Bruh high response times like on Oleds is not a good thing in regards to 30 fps because of the nature of 'sample and hold'. That'd why lcd's and older tvs feel smoother than an Oled.
 
The reduction in settings in Ratchet are basically unnoticeable. No normal player would see the difference. That's obviously the answer in this case: lower a few settings and achieve a higher resolution of 1440p or 2160cb or whatever works best.

But yeah the lesson so far this gen is that 2x frame rate needs MORE than a 50% cut in resolution. It's usually something like 4k to 1440p with a few lower settings too. I don't know why this should be but it does seem to be pretty universal.
I've been bothered by this too. Every single game just about on ps5 is like this even last gen Sony first parties like Uncharted 4 remaster.
 
Lol no it isn't. I'd bet big money a casual observer wouldn't notice a difference.

I actively try to spot them and I can't. Outside of specific instances like less crowd density it the opening scene (Oh no!!!).
The key word: CASUAL observer

You obviously don't have a sharp eye for this then because it's very noticeable to me and a lot of other people. Perhaps your confusing the smooth image you get from 60 fps with graphics quality
 

ChiefDada

Gold Member
You get the much higher resolution though? That's quite a big deal depending on your set up.

The other changes are trivial.

Vfx such as lighting and particle effects are toned down significantly. Come to think of it, I can't recall another game where the difference was so stark. Spider-Man difference was much smaller, I only noticed slight change in particles.
 

Hunnybun

Member
The key word: CASUAL observer

You obviously don't have a sharp eye for this then because it's very noticeable to me and a lot of other people. Perhaps your confusing the smooth image you get from 60 fps with graphics quality

No, I mean even when the camera is still.

People who see a big difference are just imagining things or being hysterical.

Vfx such as lighting and particle effects are toned down significantly. Come to think of it, I can't recall another game where the difference was so stark. Spider-Man difference was much smaller, I only noticed slight change in particles.

Lol who tf analyses particle quality.

For normal people this shit is invisible.
 

ChiefDada

Gold Member
Again, no. When I fire weapons like the rocket launcher in RC the explosion and particle effects are noticeably different between the modes. I'm not analyzing anything, I'm playing games. The fact that I noticed it indicates it's a tangible difference.
 

Hunnybun

Member
Again, no. When I fire weapons like the rocket launcher in RC the explosion and particle effects are noticeably different between the modes. I'm not analyzing anything, I'm playing games. The fact that I noticed it indicates it's a tangible difference.

I'm going to have to check this out.

But the larger point that the idea that it's some big difference that a typical player will notice is bullshit.
 

Hunnybun

Member
Lol I just fired off a few rockets in both modes and if there's a difference, I can't tell.

That doesn't mean there isn't a difference, it just means that if someone who cares much more than the average player can't notice, it's almost certainly a negligible difference in the grand scheme of things.
 

proandrad

Member
So 30fps was fine on consoles before? Did you had headache playing PS1, N64, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games? It just too weird to me from nothing all these people that got sick with 30fps after decades paying 30fps just fine.

My body condition is the same playing 30 or 60fps games.
I mean if you want to go into my medical history, yes, headaches from 30 fps games have always been a problem for me. I don't really see why you are trying to throw gotcha question at me when the thread is about Horizon Forbidden West having a subpar performance mode.
 

scydrex

Member
So 30fps was fine on consoles before? Did you had headache playing PS1, N64, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games? It just too weird to me from nothing all these people that got sick with 30fps after decades paying 30fps just fine.

My body condition is the same playing 30 or 60fps games.

N64 have games running at 15-20fps and sometimes 10fps. Like Goldeneye and etc...
 
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Lysandros

Member
So 30fps was fine on consoles before? Did you had headache playing PS1, N64, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games? It just too weird to me from nothing all these people that got sick with 30fps after decades paying 30fps just fine.

My body condition is the same playing 30 or 60fps games.
I agree with your argument but to be fair most PS2 games were 60 FPS.
 

ethomaz

Banned
30fps feels just fine in this game on my OLED. Flame me, but I actually prefer it to 60fps. Sometimes I just don't like that soap opera effect. FLAME ON!
60fps is more response time... so it is better... nobody can deny that.
There is a trade off of course for any game... so you can choose your poison.

My only grip is why this generation a lot of gamers started to say they get sick with 30fps games... man that is nonsense.

Edit - Fixed.
 
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60fps is more response time... so it is better... nobody can deny that.
There is a trade off of course for any game... so you can choose your poison.

My only grip is why this generation a lot of gamers started to say they get sick with 30fps games... man that is nonsense.

Edit - Fixed.
For me 30fps is a lot worse now we have these huge and bright 55" to 77" screens completely filling our field of view. They make any kind of visual issue much more obvious though not just frame rate. I guess the more something fills your field of view the more likely it will cause motion sickness which is why VR needs higher frame rates?

I'm sure I was fine with Ocarina of Time but I was also playing on a tiny 14" TV.
 

Elginer

Member
I think it got worse in the recent months, videos from youtubers who know how to encode properly show more artefacts than they did (going from memory).

About that game, it looks great, but I miss water that is as interactive as it was in many PS2 games, it would deform and create actual waves when you walk in it. I think God of War did this... obviously this looks better overall, but I'm still waiting for truly ground breaking water bodies.
Halo 3 had fantastic water like that
 

TonyK

Member
So apparently the update reduced the sharpness, is that true?

People are saying the IQ is not as good as before and it’s softer.
I prefer how it looks now in resolution mode. Sharpened but not over sharpened. You can add more sharpen with your TV settings but you can't remove ingame sharpening, so it's better in this way.
 

ethomaz

Banned
I prefer how it looks now in resolution mode. Sharpened but not over sharpened. You can add more sharpen with your TV settings but you can't remove ingame sharpening, so it's better in this way.
Sharpening in TV sucks btw.
You can’t reach the same result.

That is something I agree with pro calibrators.

- Upscaling? Do it on console… never on TV.
- Sharpening? Do it on console… never on TV.
- Motion blur? Do it on console… never on TV.
- Brightness? Do it in console… if it didn’t reach the level you want change on TV.

Well I can go ahead with others effects.
 
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mitchman

Gold Member
Talking about panel only… because the overall response time depends of the quality of others components of the TV.

But PLASMA has lower response time than OLED but the difference is in 0.00x ms… it is not like LCD where the response time is over 1ms.

Typical PLASMA panel has 0.001 ms of response time but can lower as 0.0001 ms… OLED can go lower as 0..001 ms in the best case… it is typical around 0.01ms.
Doesn't help when plasmas had input lag that would be an additional 70-120ms in game mode. Yes, I had a panasonic plasma too and my bodnar lag tester was crying in any mode on it.
 

DJ12

Member
Has anyone who hates 60fps Mode tried it again following the recent updates?

Been completing miles morales, so haven't played it since launch. Definitely not noticing the garbage in 60 fps mode as before.

I also disabled some stuff on game mode on my Samsung qn95a which also helped with MM so maybe its tied to that.

Give it another shot if you cannot cope with fidelity mode.

I have to admit I play in fidelity mode though so consider this a psa announcement lol.
 
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ethomaz

Banned
Doesn't help when plasmas had input lag that would be an additional 70-120ms in game mode. Yes, I had a panasonic plasma too and my bodnar lag tester was crying in any mode on it.
I’m not sure… I had a PLASMA D8000 and all reviewers recorded something between 28-33ms of input lag in Game Mode.

That was very low in 2012.

To comparison the LED D8000 had around 60ms input lag in Game Mode.
 
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Sorry to bump an old thread but I just finished the game and watched this tech review again and I can't believe how the IQ in performance mode (or lack thereof) was ignored. No 400x zoom needed I just cropped these straight from the console 4k shots and made a few GIFs too.

Anything with transparencies like the next two GIFs and video looks awful. I guess the base image is just too low res and the checkerboarding completely breaks down.

lM81TCN.gif


G5Qesaq.gif




Particles similarly look awful. You see these blocky particles essentially every time you shoot a machine and get sparks but easier to get a comparison shot with this electrified pool.

X5JqzsI.gif


Every time you use the glider it looks like there is a retro filter applied.

CGGTLZO.jpg


And many of the cutscenes seem to tank in resolution and look like base Xbox One quality.

3ZT40Dd.jpg


The allegedly beautiful water looks less than impressive thanks to the blocky particles.




The weird lighting (not exclusive to performance mode) was ignored - I noticed this in the first 15 minutes of the game so it's not just a couple of bugged spots.






They touched on the SSR but it really is some of the worst I have ever seen in either mode.






The grass shimmering is really just a part of the problem. I can't believe people were saying they couldn't see a difference between modes or that it was just badly set up TVs.

This tech review seemed more like the sponsored Warhammer 3 piece where they obviously couldn't dunk on the game for fear of pissing off the publisher.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Sorry to bump an old thread but I just finished the game and watched this tech review again and I can't believe how the IQ in performance mode (or lack thereof) was ignored. No 400x zoom needed I just cropped these straight from the console 4k shots and made a few GIFs too.

Anything with transparencies like the next two GIFs and video looks awful. I guess the base image is just too low res and the checkerboarding completely breaks down.

lM81TCN.gif


G5Qesaq.gif




Particles similarly look awful. You see these blocky particles essentially every time you shoot a machine and get sparks but easier to get a comparison shot with this electrified pool.

X5JqzsI.gif


Every time you use the glider it looks like there is a retro filter applied.

CGGTLZO.jpg


And many of the cutscenes seem to tank in resolution and look like base Xbox One quality.

3ZT40Dd.jpg


The allegedly beautiful water looks less than impressive thanks to the blocky particles.




The weird lighting (not exclusive to performance mode) was ignored - I noticed this in the first 15 minutes of the game so it's not just a couple of bugged spots.






They touched on the SSR but it really is some of the worst I have ever seen in either mode.






The grass shimmering is really just a part of the problem. I can't believe people were saying they couldn't see a difference between modes or that it was just badly set up TVs.

This tech review seemed more like the sponsored Warhammer 3 piece where they obviously couldn't dunk on the game for fear of pissing off the publisher.

Wow,this looks atrocious compared to the native shit’s. How did this happen. Such a shame.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
The grass shimmering is really just a part of the problem. I can't believe people were saying they couldn't see a difference between modes or that it was just badly set up TVs.

This tech review seemed more like the sponsored Warhammer 3 piece where they obviously couldn't dunk on the game for fear of pissing off the publisher.
It's not just DF. NX Gamer phoned it in too. These critics are too busy sucking up to their favorite publishers to do their job. It's absolutely shocking that a random youtuber has done almost 8 videos on the game comparing the results after everyone of its 8 or so patches since launch while DF and NX Gamer havent done a single video talking about this. DF mentioned this in passing in one of their podcasts. It's rotten. We shit on games journalists for letting performance issues pass but they have moved away from discussing technical aspects of games in the last 5-10 years while DF has taken over as THE source of discussing technical issues. And now, they have dropped the ball.

I've seen this from them time and time again. One day they will heavily criticize Halo for its bad performance and then turn around and jizz all over Forza's so called next gen upgrades which literally amounted to low vs extreme settings on PC. They love to trash third party games with bad performance but first party games where they are friendly with developers get a pass. GOW's PC port is atrocious. 580, a 6 tflops Polaris card, struggles to run a game designed to run on a 1.8 tlfops GCN1.1 GPU at 60 fps. Every other game runs easily at 1080p 60 fps on that card especially when paired up with PC CPUs way more powerful than the jaguar cores and yet, DF ignored all of that and claimed its an excellent port!

We've seen this in other industries. Reporters get too chummy with politicians, athletes and game designers and end up pulling their punches. That;s exactly whats happening here. They have been friendly with GG for a long time and they cant bring themselves to be overly critical on their disastrous 60 fps version. Even the 30 fps version had a lot of issues and they have continued to reduce the sharpness in that game little by little by every patch and it looks nothing like the version they reviewed in terms of sharpness. It's just a sad sorry state of affairs.
 
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