@jako998: This was actually a more civil reply than I expected, so kudos!
1 & 2) I know you didn't say that specifically, but your suggestion that they need to hit 1080p, 60fps seemed to point to an idea that consoles need to be using current tech. You're only going to regularly meet those specs when you increase the entry price, and that's not the market (most) consoles are trying to target.
3) I also agree that 60fps is much more preferable, but as long as the game can maintain a stable frame rate, 30fps is completely serviceable, especially if the developers are trying to maximize the amount of content on screen, draw distance, limited pop-in, etc. If devs wanted less impressive visuals they could hit 1080p, 60fps much more easily than when they try to throw in a bunch of things to look at. I can point to a game like Horizon as one that probably maxed out the system, or at least came close, based on the level of graphical output and staying at a stable 30fps. Most devs aren't doing that, though, and will continue to get better at maximizing the system hardware the longer they stay on the market.
4) I wouldn't doubt The Witcher 3 is another game that maxed out the base PS4/Xbox One. But that is a massive game that looks incredible. There's a lot going on there, and again, most devs are doing that. More often than not we see multiplats come out that aren't optimized well and thus aren't using the full capabilities of the systems. I guess my main argument is that maybe the base PS4 and Xbox One are on their last legs as far as devs maxing out the systems, but we have these mid-gen consoles that should theoretically extend the life of the current generation...but they won't because Sony and Microsoft want to get a jump on the next cycle. I should have clarified that with my comment before – with the half-step up with PS4 Pro and the like three-quarter-step up with the Xbox One X, a brand new console generation isn't needed as early as 2020 like I felt we needed with Xbox 360 and PS3. The benefit of these mid-gen consoles is to increase the performance and give devs more tools to work with to make better games, and with the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, I don't think we've seen them hit their peak yet. I'd like to see another 3-4ish years dedicated to making these two versions of the system shine rather than introduce an entirely new console in 1.5-2 years.
@jako998: Consoles aren't designed to be high-end machines like a PC you've built. They aim for the best combination of convenience, power, and ease of use. If you're going to make this argument, then technically there should never be another console because PCs can do everything better with higher graphical output and a more stable frame rate. Consoles release with old(er) tech to keep the price point palatable for people that don't want to game on a PC.
I'm not excusing games that can't hold a stable frame rate, but 30fps compared to 60fps isn't as big of a deal for most people as some people make it out to be. As long as the frame rate is steady it's perfectly acceptable.
Besides, more often than not, frame rate drops are the result of developers prioritizing other parts of the game over a stable frame rate. You also can't expect developers developing for multiple systems at once to be able to maximize everything on every machine. Sony's first party games typically have very very few performance flaws because they know the hardware and what they can do to maximize it's ability. And I don't think we've reached the point yet where each system has been fully optimized.
@batusai4ever: I'm with you. It feels early this time around considering the PS4 doesn't feel even close to being maxed out. Especially with the Pro release.
As cool as it will be to have a new system to mess around with, I can't help but think there are still a handful of years left for the PS4. When the PS4 launched, it was easy to tell that the PS3 had been nearly maxed out in terms of graphical capability. Part of me feels like the PS4 hasn't even come close to tapping into the graphical potential. I could be totally wrong because I'm admittedly ignorant when it comes to specs, but it just seems...early? I don't know.
@shanesays5: It's getting rough over there. They are still unrivaled in the amount of content they cover and features they offer...but they also have more money to work with. Gamespot sticks to the facts, though, and that's ultimately what I'm looking for.
THANK YOU, Gamespot, for reporting this with the facts and keeping your opinion out of it. IGN could learn a thing or two from you because their article covering this topic is filled to the brim with liberal talking points and one-sidedness without being labeled as an opinion piece.
You keep the politics out of your content, and that's the way it should be. Will be coming to this website more and more often as IGN continues to show they have a clear agenda.
@BassMan: Judging by your comments, I figured you wouldn't play multi-plats on console. And I'm not here to judge you for that. You can play games in whatever way you like. What I take issue with is you shouting about how shitty 30fps is, when in reality it's completely acceptable. How many games that are optimized to run well at 30fps actually cause any of the problems that you've listed? I can think of a handful of high profile games that have had their issues (Bloodborne, Dark Souls, Just Cause 3, etc.) but I can think of plenty of other game that have been more or less flawless (Ratchet & Clank, Horizon, etc.) You shouldn't be complaining about the frame rate unless the game is consistently dropping frames or sitting below 30fps. If it maintains 30fps, there is no issue. Besides, most games that run at 30fps prioritize object density on screen, visual fidelity, or post-production effects that enhance the visual experience. It's not unacceptable for developers to want their games to look really good while maintaining 30fps. Once you fall into bad frame pacing, that's where you get the major issues.
If you own a console to play exclusives, do you ever actually enjoy any of them, or do you just sit back and complain the whole time about it being 30fps? Or, do you actually enjoy the game and just prefer 60fps? Just because 60fps is better doesn't mean 30fps is shit.
Without exclusivity, there's no reason for anyone to choose one system over the other. People buy Playstation because of the studios owned by the company and the games they make. A Sony owned developer is not going to give in and make games for a Microsoft system when they are direct competitors. Likewise, people buy Xbox because of the studios Microsoft owns and the "better" online experience. Why should I not have to buy a Playstation to access games created, published, or funded by Sony? It's how business works, and competition helps drive innovation. If Microsoft can't come up with a way to get more first party/exclusive support, they will stop making consoles. And if they stop making consoles, that's one less option for consumers to choose from to play their games. If anything, that's more anti-consumer than giving them a choice of how much money they want to spend to access which games.
So, you have two options here. Your first option is to stop wasting your money and playing games you think are unplayable because they are 30fps. If you hate the fact you have to own specific hardware to play specific games, then there's no point in you even owning those systems. It makes much more sense for you to stop giving them your money. Money speaks louder to companies than your complaints on the internet. Your second option is to suck it up and play a game at a perfectly fine frame rate. If the game is optimized to play well at 30fps then there's nothing for you to complain about. It's your choice.
@BassMan: Then tell Insomniac not to shackle themselves because this was their choice to go PS4 exclusive. They aren't being held hostage by anyone other than the money they chose to accept from Sony to keep the game on their system.
Your opinion is that 30fps is shit. Mine is that 30fps is fine but 60fps is preferable. I don't see how 30fps breaks a game for anyone, and anyone that says it does is just shouting for the sake of shouting.
If you think consoles are such shit hardware (won't deny that they aren't as advanced as a state of the art PC), then why do you even own one? So you can play a game that you think is unacceptable and complain about it? What a waste of money. The way you're acting, I'm surprised you can even enjoy anything on a console when you're forced to play it there because of the god-awful 30fps.
@BassMan: You sound like an ass with this frame rate crap. Yes, I prefer to play at 60fps. Does 30fps break the game or make it absolutely terrible? No way. If you don't want to play a game at 30fps, that's your choice. And that's fine. But holy cow, man...you just sound like a prick.
@GM_Strykr: Like even the trailer for TLJ made the movie out to be completely different than it ultimately ended up being. I don't know...it's within the realm of possibility that it's just a huge secret between them all and that in the end they'll all shout "Gotcha!" and give the fans what they want from a finale.
tnielsen2010's comments