Current Events > Xbox One X Shadow of War shows profound improvements over PS4 Pro

(+) Yeah! (+)

From an extended look at the Gamescom build of Shadow of War running on Xbox One X, the signs are looking good for the green team's new hardware, with an immediately obvious, comprehensively improved presentation - possibly the most dramatic boost we've seen to date.

Make no mistake though, as we've previously discussed, the PS4 Pro version of 'Wardor' is no slouch. Its dynamic resolution averages out at around 1620p over the base machine's full HD, while geometry draw distance and shadow LODs are improved. However, even after upgrading to the latest patch 1.04, the Pro still exhibits many low quality textures that stick out like a sore thumb - especially noticeable on ultra HD displays.

Implementation of the PC version's 4K texture pack would have done wonders here, but clearly the limited 512MB of extra RAM available to Pro developers isn't enough to house the top-tier assets. And that's the most immediately obvious difference between PS4 Pro and Xbox One X versions of the game - what sticks out right away is that texture problems on PS4 Pro are eradicated. Through sheer capacity via Xbox One X's 12GB of GDDR5 memory, Shadow of War offers a dramatic improvement in quality: for example, ground textures get a clear resolution bump from the soup-like results on Pro, offering a sharper, clearer presentation.

Additionally, whether it's quality or resolution mode, you still get the benefit of improved ambient occlusion over a standard Xbox One. Dividing the two modes, Xbox One X gets a big boost in draw distance if you opt for the quality setting: an overview of a castle during a siege for example, shows more shadow detail and geometry rendered in from range. It prevents the pop-in you might see on other machines, and the world just feels more cohesive as a result.

In comparing PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, it makes sense to use the quality setting on both systems. Subtle as it may be, it's evident that Microsoft's machine gets even better draw distance settings overall on mountain-side geometry and small objects, over and above PS4 Pro's existing enhancements. It's a small improvement and nothing like the scale of the texture upgrades - but another advantage that shows Xbox One X veering close to PC's best presets.

On top of the quality and resolution modes shared with Sony's 'supercharged' console, Xbox One X adds another toggle that can be deployed on either preset: dynamic resolution. It's hard-set on PS4 Pro, but Xbox One X users can disable it if they want to take their chances with a less stable performance level. Assuming that toggle is disabled, what you get in quality mode is a native resolution of 3520x1980. That's 1980p fixed on Xbox One X - or very close to it - bringing a leap in image quality over the PS4 Pro's ballpark 2880x1620 output.

Even though it's early code, the Xbox One X build we played runs almost flawlessly for regular missions at a straight 30fps, regardless of rendering mode. However, there is one exceptional area in the Gamecom build that causes issues. The Ghasghor siege is a large-scale battle that buckles Xbox One X's performance to around the low-20s. It's a mission with a surplus of enemies and effects, and the bottleneck applies whether you're on quality or resolution mode.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-shadow-of-war-xbox-one-x-one-version-to-rule-them-all

Seems like a good visual improvement. But yet another example of a game sticking to 30fps. If you want 60fps PC is still the way to go.
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Darmik posted...

But yet another example of a game sticking to 30fps. If you want 60fps PC is still the way to go.

what a revelation. an open world game on consoles cant do 60 fps??

CatFAQS posted...

Darmik posted...

But yet another example of a game sticking to 30fps. If you want 60fps PC is still the way to go.

what a revelation. an open world game on consoles cant do 60 fps??

Some of the Xbox One X expectations have been unrealistic.
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Wow the more powerful and more expensive console runs a game better, this is definitely breaking news and mind blowing to me.

CatFAQS posted...

Darmik posted...

But yet another example of a game sticking to 30fps. If you want 60fps PC is still the way to go.

what a revelation. an open world game on consoles cant do 60 fps??

It's pretty pathetic for something advertising itself the way the Xbox One X is though.
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Gamer99z posted...

Wow the more powerful and more expensive console runs a game better, this is definitely breaking news and mind blowing to me.

CatFAQS posted...

Darmik posted...

But yet another example of a game sticking to 30fps. If you want 60fps PC is still the way to go.

what a revelation. an open world game on consoles cant do 60 fps??

It's pretty pathetic for something advertising itself the way the Xbox One X is though.

it's being advertised as a 4k machine

yawn
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How many people here even own a PS4 Pro? I never really see anyone talk about it.
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CatFAQS posted...

it's being advertised as a 4k machine

And as the most powerful console of all time. You don't expect the most powerful console to be at an equal, albeit more stable framerate to the base system.
A few year old mid range PC could even run it at 30+ fps at 4k with the proper settings.
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not for 500 dollars it cant

Wow the more powerful and more expensive console runs a game better, this is definitely breaking news and mind blowing to me.

xbronies so dumb m i rite guise
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Look at these peasants squabble over their inferior machines.
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CatFAQS posted...

not for 500 dollars it cant

I know, but you'd figure if something that cost maybe $800 a few years ago could do it that "the most powerful console ever made" could do it, especially with the benefit of console optimization.

The entire thing is ultimately pretty pointless because it's not capable of doing anything with games that the base model isn't and things like framerates in games like this aren't able to go past 30 because they didn't bother to improve the garbage CPU. If all you care about is the best graphics just get a PC, if not, just wait for the Xbox 4 or whatever where there will actually be improvement.

I don't really understand what the market for this is aside from hardcore Microsoft fans that are locked into the Xbox brand but want something more powerful than the base. Which seems pretty niche tbh, just like the PS4 Pro.
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Getting a PC build around $500-600 that can play Shadow of War 4k/30fps probably isn't outside the realm of possibility right? I haven't been looking for over a year and I think AMD has made a lot of strides since then.

But if you were paying around that price range it would be better to go for a build that's 1080p/60fps anyway.
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Darmik posted...

Getting a PC build around $500-600 that can play Shadow of War 4k/30fps probably isn't outside the realm of possibility right? I haven't been looking for over a year and I think AMD has made a lot of strides since then.

But if you were paying around that price range it would be better to go for a build that's 1080p/60fps anyway.

Yeah probably tbh because at 4k you're offsetting the load off the CPU and onto the GPU's more. A $60 Pentium G4560, cheapo $60 mobo, $60 RAM, and then the best GPU you can afford shouldn't have a notable bottleneck at medium settings on 4k
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#bonex
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Darmik posted...

30fps

lol

just play the PC version at 1080p60f
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