Purerapage: I earned this achievement: Riding High! #Rift
Battlefield 3 - The Alpha Testing and How The Console Version Looks At The Moment.
PLEASE NOTE: These are my opinions, theories and/or concepts on the subject, and is in no way a representation on the final product or event being talked about.
I got a invite to the Battlefield 3 alpha which so far is very good. It includes 1 map/game type “Operation Metro” on “Rush”. It’s HUGE!
However, I’m not sure how it will run on the Consoles. so far what has been announced and what we have seen is…
PC
- Extra time and work being put into the PC version (so we don’t get a Console port or and console stuff put on a PC version of a game, I’m sure some or most of us know of the PC Port problem).
- Support for up to 64 players.
- The trailers are all PC Footage.
- Support up to 1080p at 60fps (it probably means 60Hz which with Vsync on locks it at 60fps, when turned off, it can go way above 60fps)
CONSOLES
- Support for up to 24 players (my opinion on why it’s that small will come later.)
- Not much Console footage (there’s one video of footage, will get into that later in the post.)
- Support up to 720p at 30fps (this can also force them to make the game play slower)
http://bf3blog.com/2011/06/battlefield-3-to-run-in-720p-30fps-on-consoles/
Where to start…
I saw the footage of the PS3 version playing a segment that we see in one of the trailers….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnoi3g1jsgk
In this video you see the frame rate looks a little slow/choppyish, plus you see some slight fog (view of distance) before the building as they walk towards the sniper scene.
The video makes me believe that, the reason we don’t see much console footage is because they could be having a hard-time trying to get the console to handle the graphics decently on old hardware (for example, xbox 360 is 6 years old). If it ran fine I’m sure there would be a lot more footage. All the console players are hyping over PC Footage that might not run well on the console then they will be disappointed.
The reason for 24 players could be the fact that 64 players will require more processing power, the consoles just can’t handle that. MAG can do 256 players but that’s a older game that doesn’t require as much demand as this game does, this is a limitation on graphics processing and CPU processing, not a networking problem. 64 players is in my opinion a True Battlefield experience, if you’ve ever played Battlefield 2 or older Battlefield games then you will know what i mean. Personally i reckon they should wait and release Battlefield 3 on the next-gen consoles, maybe as a launch title even, it’s not like they are milking it like what activision do with COD. Come to think of it, they might even do both current gen consoles and re-release it on next gen consoles.
in many games there have been tricks and stuff to extend the life of an aging console (not just games, Kinect is a 360 gimmick to extend the life of the 360. also the Playstation Move). The main one I’ve noticed is to make the game play slower because of the limit on the frame rate at 30fps. Some examples I’ve noticed this on are Battlefield Bad Company 2 & Brink, both games on the PC run a lot smoother and the game play is faster. That’s gonna get even worse graphically because they now have to reduce the resolution Battlefield 3 runs at down to 720p. Most console games actually natively run at a much lower resolution but is up-scaled by another chip, then goes to the output (that process probably wasn’t there at the launch of either console, for example, the HDMI port was implemented later on the 360). COD runs at 1064x600 natively but is up-scaled to 1080p. I’m sure this same trick is being used in all of today’s games, 1080p didn’t really exist when the consoles graphics chip was originally made.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenos_%28graphics_chip%29 - the chip in the 360
That is a 6-year old chip, which is the equivalent of a ATI x1900/Nvidia 6600. All this upscaling will make the graphics look bad cause you seeing the textures as they would at a lower resoloution but upscaled to fit a 1080p screen. It’s basically like trying to view a video/picture that was taken on a bad camera phone, but then trying to stretch it so that it fits a monitor screen rather than the phones screen, makes it look crappy (of course newer phones take photos/videos a lot better).
Even more limitations, the maps will be smaller on console, yet again because of the old hardware that just can’t handle it. The huge map i mentioned at the beginning of the post, probably will be a lot smaller or won’t be in the console version at all.
I’m Not trying to say battlefield 3 will be shit and I’m also not trying to be a COD fan boy. Both battlefield and cod are good games, i don’t compare them because they are 2 completely different styles of First person shooter games.
However, what i am trying to say is, don’t expect the console version of battlefield 3 to be exactly as it is in the trailers, because i know most of you hyped about it are console players. The expectations from the hype will most likely be met for PC gamers. Console gamers should lay back a little bit on it and wait and see how it turns out.
Another theory I have is, most of the old Xbox’s will probably break due to the processing power required. The chip will probably overheat and cause the Lead Free solder to melt. When I mean old Xbox’s I mean the ones that may of had a red ring once, the towel tricked ones, and the old ones that haven’t had a red ring yet (the new black slim ones are as far as i know, better made with Lead solder. Correct me if I’m wrong.) It will probably break them for good this time. - I said this to someone earlier who probably didn’t think that through and said something along the lines of “yeah but if its their only game, how is it going to break?” Only game or not, if you think this through, this requires a lot more… And I mean A Lot more power than COD or Bad company 2, probably more power than MW3. So the processor will produce more heat that could melt the solder even worse than previous red rings on other games. So only game or not, it’s bound to happen. Actually if it’s their only game chances are they just bought the Xbox recently new. then again, they could of bought a 2nd hand old Xbox. However it being their only game or not isn’t the point. If you have a black slim Xbox, you’re most likely good.
Photographers?
tcid:
How many people following me take the photos they post? Nothing against people posting stuff they like! Would just like to know who’s out there.
If you’re a photographer/take pictures a lot then like this post, just so I know :)
Thanksss
im not much of a photographer but i do take the odd picture of something on my phone, the background of my tumblr page is one example =]
“I don’t care what anyone says, this is love, and this is exactly how i imagined it.”
Where to start…
About aprox 11:01AM on 31st of october 2009, I saw Katie in person for the first time ever, since then life has only gotten better. i don’t think i could be any happier. she puts the motivation in my life, before i met her, life was just boring and dull, and didnt really have much or anything that special to look forward too. now life is amazing & i’m looking forward to seeing her again in the summer if all goes to plan. she is my inspiration, i had finally written new songs after like a year and bit. she is the girl i think about all the time. i love the little things we say and do on skype. and i loved the one walk we had to tescos and back. :P
Our relationship maybe distant for now, but that doesnt stop us from loving each other.
I don’t care what anyone says, this is love, and this is how i imagined it. i wrote a song called “Miles Away” in August 2008, about a year and abit later, it sort of came true. its abit odd how theres a few things ive thought of and they have just seemed to come true.
theres a few more things i could of put to this post, but ive lost the words once again, next time im just gonna write all my thoughts in a note book i reckon.
anyway i finish this post off with a picture, some people are gonna think is gay (it is if you really think about it lol)
GIRUGAMESH!!!!
First Post…
Yo, abit about myself.
at time of typing this,
The Name is Michael Stephen Taylor (most people call me Taylor or a few call me Sweeps)
im 18
i play guitar alot
i play in a band (bass for Vide Infra http://www.myspace.com/videinfraec )
i play solo ( http://www.myspace.com/homeofmst )
i love music pretty much
im doing Music Tech at West Suffolk College, currently half way through my 2nd year, then i go on to do a 2 year Degree course in Music Production (of course if i get in and get the grades i need to get in).
im currently in a relationship with someone im lucky to have and happy to be with, Katie Nance. <3
in general im a nice guy, can be abit “so.. hi” at first but over time i open up and you get to see the wierd me.
yeah thats pretty much it.
GIRUGAMESH!
Michael
