Unreal Engine 4 tech demo: Graphics Have Hit a Ceiling

With the next generation of consoles upon us some of the hot button topics are: the Wii U’s power, Unreal Engine 4 vs. Cry Engine 3, and the mystery surrounding the Xbox 720 and PS4 specs. Most of the speculation and big topics relate to raw system power. Whose console can display this, and what console can run that and how the PS4 can support 4K resolution (whatever the hell that means). Sometimes gamers lose sight of what actually makes gaming fun.

[ardivt]

I also have the feeling that the new engines don't looks much better, just as the author says.
But he don't sees how those graphical updates enhance the gameplay?
think about real life water physics, about thousands of people in a giant city with accessible buildings. engines that can calculate real deformation in a racing/open world game and destruction in an action game.

just look at how games are today: mostly static environment and many cutscenes to hide this fact. maybe next gen will give us real sandboxes!

[CarlosX360]

Until an engine can do something like Avatar in real time without lowering the framerate to 30 fps, then we know graphics has hit a ceiling, until then... Sorry, but no cigar.

[decrypt]

"Whose console can display this, and what console can run that and how the PS4 can support 4K resolution (whatever the hell that means)"

Lol it requires high end PC of today to render 4K resolutions. PS4 will be a low end locked down PC at launch(just like any other next gen console all will be using AMD hybrid packages), anyone believing PS4 or any other console is going to support 4k Res for gaming is only deluding themselves. Its going to be the same all over again, Console makers will say "oh our console supports 1080p" yet when the games role out only 5% of games(which dont need much resources) will actually run at that res.

Remember all the crap kutaragi spewed about 1080p being supported on PS3(he made it look like all the games will run in 1080p @60fps), the end result is not a secret. Games barely support 1080p on consoles, hell a 5 year old gpu like 8800GTX manages to run atleast 90% of todays games in 1080p. Which is light years ahead of any console. 8800GTX was launched right along with the PS3, I wouldnt be surprised if by the time PS4 and Xbox launch PC hardware of that time easily does 4k res (just like the 8800GTX did 1080p), while console makers fail again at their claims, next gen consoles may do 4k resolutions for about 5% of their games, those would be games that dont push hardware much, just so console makers can brag about their hardware.

@carlosx360

I agree the graphics ceiling is way higher, it wont be reached until you cant tell the difference between reality and game graphics, that is still a long long way to go.

[ALLWRONG]

agree

[ABizzel1]

@decrypt

Let's just put it this way. Id you want a console that can run games at 4k then you're going to be paying for a $1,000+ console. The only GPU's that are capable of 4k @ 30fps are the GTX 690 and possibly the HD 6990. The only other way is to have Xfire or SLI of at least the HD 7870 and the GTX 660Ti.

4k is off limits to consoles, unless it's for pictures, and MAYBE video playback.

[Morrigan-Aensland]

The specs of the ps3 ken kutaragi spoke about were lowered for cost cutting measures. The ps3 was suppose to be running 2 cell B/E . People love to talk about what Sony said the ps3 would do but negate the facts of what the specs of the ps3 was before launch. Just look at how and what the ps3 was suppose to be

[GamingTruth]

keep believing that but sonys next platform wont be a console

[CrustifiedDibbs]

"keep believing that but sonys next platform wont be a console"

what exactly will they be releasing then? enlighten me.

[BitbyDeath]

'what exactly will they be releasing then? enlighten me.'

Maybe a chip you put into your brain!?
Real VR starts with you!

[Theyellowflash30]

Thats what I hope the next generation brings, less of the static environments and wonkey physics. Faster framerates, more polished animations. Hopefully the developers use the extra power for gameplay and graphincs not just eye candy.

[OneAboveAll]

Current graphics are fine. We don't need to keep adding more. Every time an engine is upgraded to do more, it causes more problems as well.

I want MAXIMUM optimizations. If next generation Battlefield titles on consoles don't have 64 players then something is terribly wrong.

[abzdine]

if you want max optimization then play on PC. I want real games not a bunch of bang bang you died respawn bang bang rerespawn bang bang rereresp... you got the idea !

@OneAboveAll below : it's you that is out of context my friend.
the news is about graphics not performance and stability.
of course the engine no mater which one it is will allow to do bigger because the machines are more powerful. So your post makes no sense in first place.

[OneAboveAll]

That was the dumbest thing i'v ever read. It's not just consoles that need better optimized games, it's PC also. So what you said makes no sense.

I have played plenty of poorly optimized PC games. Crysis is a pretty good example. Company of Heroes is too.

As a matter of fact consoles games are always more optimized than PC games due to the fact all console hardware is the same for everyone. Where as a lot of PC gamers have completely different setups.

As for the guy below me PS3 already did it. *cough* MAG *cough*

[stevenhiggster]

If anything, if you want better optimized games you want a console! It's almost impossible for devs to perfectly optimize games for PC because there are millions of different configurations available.
A game may run brilliant one one PC but terrible on another almost identical system.
Learn what optimization means.

[RegorL]

Only 64?

PC will by then run 256... :-)

[leogets]

Mag on ps3 already has done 256 players at least 3 years ago. Too blow minds we must see at least 500

[ALLWRONG]

I have played on servers running Unreal Tournament (first one) that supported 500 players. I remember 64 players on Delta Force 2 using dial up. Point is console has a long way to go before it catches PC.

[Dojan123]

Planet side 2 (pc) has 2000!

[RegorL]

Note: OneAboveAll specifically mentioned Battlefield...

Battlefield is a lot more challenging than your examples.
a) destructive environment - not only buildings but also ground
b) ground vehicles - you know how it should look like! (futuristic flying vehicles might fly like in Planet side 2)

It is all about state, how much info needs to be transmitted for each player (and to how many of the other players), how much changing environmental state can be stored at each player...

[BitbyDeath]

Home has about 25 million
Check... mate

[tachy0n]

GTA San andreas multiplayer gets up to 500 players its beautiful to see all that people around the city! *.*

[abzdine]

games turning on Unreal Engine never impressed me.

[Adolph Fitler]

After watching more gameplay footage of Zombi-U, I'm becoming more sold on Wii-U's power. I would have to say that I was one of THE WORST naysayers on Nintendo's upcoming console, but I am being converted by a single title. Zombi-U is more than likely running on a high end pc with the footage thats being thrown around, as Nintendo have already been caught out for using PS3 & 360 footage, so pc footage would be no big thing, so I'll reserve judgement for after reviews & buying when the calibre of graphics is confirmed way above current gen.

[wishingW3L]

but the game looks nothing special. Pretty average actually if you ask me.... 0_O

[wishingW3L]

I just want higher frame-rate, more destructible environments and better physics. Not too interested in visuals because gameplay is what matter the most.

[torchic]

agreed. and like the article writer said all I want is current-gen graphics but at 1080p, 60fps. anything more would be a outstanding.

"Battlefield numbers" in terms of player count for online would also be sweet.

[floetry101]

This opinion piece is a mess. It could have warranted discussion if it wasn't so entirely unfocused, unfounded and short-sighted.

[Theyellowflash30]

Couldn't disagree more. The author clearly states his foucuses: Wii U, UE4-CryE3, PS4 & 720. And he talks about all of them. Weather he is being short sided or not is extremly subjective especially when he clearly states graphics will get better. Plus the main point of the article is obviously apparent. Next gen needs to be about gameplay & graphics.

[floetry101]

Well, I think he puts himself behind the 8-ball from the beginning when he says that he doesn't know what a 4K resolution is.

He also states after viewing the Unreal Engine 4 demo that graphics have hit a ceiling. By all accounts, this is the first next-gen showing we've had of an engine. You can probably argue in favour of the Cry Engine 3, but we haven't really seen it flex its muscles just yet. Look at the reveal for the Unreal Engine 3. Impressive for the time, but evidently dated now, despite being within the same generation as the likes of Uncharted 2, The Witcher 2, Battlefield 3 etc.

The point I'm trying to make is, we've only seen a glimpse of what is capable in the earliest days of new tech.

What this writer fails to realise is that these incremental increases to lighting, poly counts, texture sizes are added to create a more impressive whole.

It's difficult to get to every ridiculous aspect of this article, but his comparisons of The Last of Us to Unreal 4, seeing the The Witcher 2 briefly on an allegedly powerful computer, the contradicting statement about Uncharted 2's lighting being fine and thus doesn't need updating in Unreal 4. Just really silly stuff.

The only thing I agree with? Higher frame-rates on new consoles. Obviously this is a brutal endeavour considering how quickly the tech ages, but it's well worth making it a goal.

[Agheil]

I just want another moment like when I first got and Xbox 360 and put in Gears of wars..... MY JAW DROPPED and I was like DAMN .The next time this happened was with MGS4 then Uncharted 2. In then end, nothing is like a great leap in graphics where visual immersion has just taken a giant leap :)

[nepdyse]

It makes me sad, that people like you have never played Bf3 at 2560x1600p on Ultra settings. Its a damn shame.

[GamingTruth]

photorealism doesnt impress me sorry

[Hozi89]

I wanna see total environmental destruction, water dynamics/physics, smarter AI, more players as oneaboveall suggested and more in game customization and choices.

[Godmars290]

Why does no one talk about gameplay? The fact that features were lost this gen from ones prior.

[abzdine]

gameplay and creativity have no more place in this world anymore. The AI is the same as the 8bit systems. Graphics improve but the performance doesn't. The day games become an art to me is when they will all deliver the whole package.

The game with the best AI i have seen is Motorstorm on PS3.

[ALLWRONG]

I see gameplay as something that just grows on it's own. Don't need powerful engines for gameplay.

[karlowma]

It sounds silly to say it looking back, but every gen since 32-bit, people have been asking, "How can it possibly look any better?"

And then it does. Technology doesn't have an endpoint. Until games are unable to be differentiated from real life, things can always get better.

[TheKayle]

guys stop with this silly thing about gameplay vs graphics it have 50 if not 60% of priority in videogame like aestethic have in the human sense....

i think that if u look at Megan Fox u would go to do £bad stuff" in your room with her ...also if u dont know if she is a stupid chicken or a smarty one and this would no change nothing....

same things is about graphics....more beauty is more appealing it is end of the topic

[Freakazoid2012]

Wow that is really a silly comparison. Because guy would have sex with a hot girl that means looks matter most and graphics are what matters most? So if I made a room that looked real in every way you'd take that over a full fledged game? So you'd take the realistic room over Uncharted/Gears/The last of us?

If I had a choice between a pretty girl who I could do things with beyond sex and a hot chick I could only have sex with I'd take the pretty one any day of the week.

[LiquifiedArt]

There is certainly no ceiling in graphics..

How old are you guys 12?

Real-Time is always catching up to offline rendering. Don't even think we are close, we aren't.

Technology will continue to get faster.

[Pandamobile]

There is a real-time graphics ceiling that I think we're approaching.

The quality of graphics has had a pretty steady increase, year after year since the 1980s, but what we're coming up on now, is the narrow gap between high end real-time graphics, and CGI movies. Graphical advancements are starting to sort of plateau off so we're not going to get the same linear increase that we're used to any more.

[Npugz7]

With the Next generation of consoles I expect 1080p and 60 frames per second the standard for every game. There should be no reason why this can't be done!

[Ck1x]

The reason I don't want games to be all about graphics and which big budget titles sold the most this gen. Is because in the end what would we have, an EA, Activision and Ubisoft only with no small indie dev houses, because it ends up being way to expensive to support these kind of consoles in the future! No thanks... Gaming this gen already jumped to $60 a pop for each game and many people question at times whether or not they are getting their monies worth now out of titles they buy.

[RegorL]

With better hardware small indie houses can more easily make something that looks decent.

You can use your own style - nothing prevents you from releasing a game with blocky graphics on a HD console.

Take a look at Minecraft...

It would have been a lot more difficult to target the performance of PS3 or Xbox360 from the beginning - both have less memory then recommended.

[Ck1x]

Yeah but these consoles really didn't start with a robust marketplace for smaller indie developers to sale their games. Alot of development houses closed shop this gen alone, more-so than any other generation before this.

[DwightOwen]

"I’m looking at the Last of Us and the game looks fantastic. In my eyes it looks just like the Unreal Engine 4 or damn close to it."

This fool needs some corrective surgery, STAT!

[taquito]

the thing that bothers me most about current gen ps3/360 graphics is the jaggies and pop-in, i realize the cause of this is underpowered gpu's that are unable to process al the items devs are cramming into the screen with a full AA pass, but it irritates me.

also, 720p or less is really begining to show its age, on a large 1080p screen it looks very washed out to me.

Next gen I would be 100% content with uncharted 2/3 level graphics in native 1080p with perfect implementation of AA and longer draw distance and 30-60 frames, never less for more than a second or two.

I do not think that is too much to ask considering a $100 gpu would be able to render the above described with ease.

[urwifeminder]

The only headline that isnt metal gear phew,bulletstorm looks so smooth on pc i didnt think it would be so crisp looking forward to this engines games.