CDPR Still Trying To Improve The Witcher 3 PS4 FPS Issues, More Patches Incoming And More Info

Marcin Momot confirms that more patches are on the way along with mission bug fixes.

[MasterCornholio]

Im really starting to wonder why they didnt optimize the PS4 version better.

:I

I really want to get the game but those insane drops to the 20s really bother me. It seems like the performance crashes were almost done on purpose because it isnt normal for the framerate to lock at 20FPS whenever theres a slight dip from 30FPS.

[Tetsujin]

I stopped playing the game almost two weeks ago and honestly haven't looked back. I'll wait until after EVO before I start playing again.

Before people start hitting the disagree button and/or popping bubbles for silly reasons the game does have potential, does have some good merits, however until they fix some other issues with the game I moved on and will return when it's fixed to where I can enjoy the story.

[Griever]

You are losing out on a marvelous game. I do not understand what people find so offensive and unplayable about a little framerate drop?? I have been playing the game since launch and it does not bothers me one bit.

As long as the performance issues do not hinder the gameplay (make me lose a battle or make me crawl as I run or cannot finish a quest) or the story (audio skips etc.) or make me lose my save file/valuables, I do not find them to be a problem. I have encountered none of things after more than 100 hours of playtime.

Be positive and do not be so nitpicky guys. Look at the greater picture and everything else the game has achieved and enjoy it. There is a saying in my country,

"If somebody or something has 1 flaw but 99 good qualities then you should focus on the 99 instead of the 1."

[TheHaloGuy]

Thankfully I got it on PC instead. Lucked out

[buttclown]

Yeah frame rate drops are too distracting for me. They break my immersion in the game. Luckily on PC I only had drops down to 50 inside Novigrad and everything else was butter smooth (Mix of High/Ultra settings, no Hairworks)

[thekhurg]

Translation:

I only play perfect games - which means I never play games.

[Tetsujin]

@Griever

The framerate isn't why I stopped playing, it's the fact the game is still a broken mess at certain areas to where I had to stop out of frustration. It's not as simple as "restart the game and try again, it worked for me/us/them," it goes beyond that. If I have to play in short sessions to hope I don't hit game breaking issues that's a problem and should be addressed. Again, I don't hate the game, for the little bit I did play I enjoyed the story, and once the game is updated enough I will go back. Until then the game is put on hold and I moved on.

[Tetsujin]

@thekhurg

Don't try to twist my words around. If that's the case I wouldn't pay video games period, and I've been playing since the NES days. Yes it is frustrating to play broken messes however I never wrote off the game entirely. When Fallout 3/NV, Skyrim, GTA 4/5 was "the thing" I felt the same way. The difference is over time it's becoming a trend to release "betas" and fix them over time instead of spending the time and effort to fix in house before release. No you can't fix everything, I understand that, however at least put the effort into fixing what you can first before release. I would have rather had another delay over releasing it now and fixing it later.

The fact at least CD is addressing issues and releasing multiple patches does show they care about the playerbase which is why not one time did I actually talk negative about them.

There's a difference between losing patience and waiting until the game is better, and your wanna be translation.

[sevilha82]

I honestly dont understand how an ocasional ,split second frame drop ,compleatly takes your urge to play a game,pretty much all imense open world titles i played had frame drops on ocasion(and much ,much worse problems )that didn´t stoped me from playing them(or anyone else for that matter).

It´s very dificult to me to understand, as self proclaimed gamers give up on videogames so easily,especialy masterpieces like The Witcher 3.

[alabtrosMyster]

totally agree, I can't play it on the PS4 as it is (thankfully a friend lent it to me so I could try it) I find the camera movement too stiff...

It really does not bother everyone, the one who lent it to me never noticed any performance issues with it! maybe I gamed on PC for too long...

[freshslicepizza]

it's a huge open world game, what do you expect when the system can only do so much? assassins creed unity also had issues and it was a large open world game as well with a ton of npc's in it.

this game is also demanding on the pc so i'm not sure why people expect it to run super smooth on consoles. maybe if console ports allowed settings tweaking but they don't.

[MasterCornholio]

What im mostly complaining about are not the dips but when the game locks the framerate at 20FPS.

I can handle dips heck i played through Bloodborne and i enjoyed the game a lot. Its when the framerate gets locked at 20FPS that really bothers me.

If they get rid of that then i wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

[yarbie1000]

1080P comes at a price...

[PistolsAtDawn]

Yeah they should have done the variable res version like X1. No FPS issues there, and no one can tell which scenes are 1080 and which are 900 native. Game looks and play gorgeously. I'm constantly impressed with this game...so many great looking environments and for an open world game there's very few glitches ...and so far all the quests/hunts have been great...not just fetch missions.

[MasterCornholio]

So does 900P.

Neither versions have solid performance. What they have to fix is that lock at 20FPS on the PS4.

@Pistols

There are FPS issues as well on the X1 especially in the Bog. Plus the variable resolution isnt exactly true. Its 1080P for the cutscenes and 900P for the rest of the game. The menu is also 1080P.

"Meanwhile, the promised 'dynamic resolution' solution on Xbox One doesn't appear to hit the 1080p target in any of our samples. Instead, for the most part the game renders at 1600x900, with only video cut-scenes providing true 1080p output for any noticeable length of time."

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

I dont know if that changed with the recent patch but i assume that its the same as before.

[iistuii]

Agree. Too many people are caught up with this nonsense. If you didn't go on the internet & find out what the resolution was, you'd stick your game in & play it & wouldn't have a clue if it was 1080 or 900. But if the frame rate is choppy, that's what you'd notice more than anything.

[gfk342]

Not really!

There are a lot of games where the PS4 has better resolution and has better Fps than X1. The last game that looks and plays better than X1 is Project Cars. Another one is Dying Light.

The problem in Ditched 3 is that MS had the "marketing" deal and this the PS4 version was not optimised (similar with the AC Unity).

More exactly, PS4 has to 2 APIs, GNM a low level API and GNMX a high level API.

CD PROJECT RED developed the game for Direct X and then ported directly on PS4 using GNMX.

To better understand please look the YouTube video made by NXGAMER and you'll see that PS4 suffers from optimisation, not hardware (for examples the PS4 version drops frames is absolutely nothing happening on the screen).

[Dyldog69]

Gfk342 you are exactly correct. The gaming industry has sunk to this level. Had I understood this I would have avoided TW3 entirely or got it on black Friday for half price or less. CDPR did fail to optimize game for ps4. It isn't a hardware issue.

[kevinsheeks]

I also stopped playing some time ago, not because of a framerate drop but because I want the 2 expansions so it can be even better. it's a pain to wait but I have D4 and shadow warrior to hold me.

[Bigpappy]

@Mastercorn: You can go ahead and say that the X1 version is 900p. No one is saying that it isn't. The argument is that the X1 version is much more stable since they locked it at 30fps. They had originally left it unlocked because it was running closely to 50fps, but when if dipped down , the drops were too noticeable. Now that its locked, there no noticeable dips. A little drop in resolution to achieve better performance is not the end of the world.

CDPR was sure PS4 fans would prefer the sharper image over the frame rate. I think they came to that conclusion but going on forums and reading how important 1080p is to PS4 owners in the fanboy war.

343 is saying that 60fps is a must and the priority for Halo5 gameplay. I have to see how that turns out. But I prefer developers just focus on best graphics to frame-rate balance rather than sticking to a number on one side and completely ignoring the other.

[MrDead]

If CDPR didn't think it was possible to get 1080p locked at 30fps on the PS4 they wouldn't bother investing time and resources into reaching that goal.

You can go on about your fanboy wars all you want saying and what you read in forums but the devs are the ones in control and know they know what is possible not the fanboys.

[joab777]

Get the game. It's amazing! And where is everyone encountering these issues b/c I havnt really noticed anything drastic yet.

Yeah. You will miss out on one of the best games ever made. And unless others are really suffering, don't lock it. Or offer a choice like Infinite, b/c I'm not having problems!

[MasterCornholio]

Your right.

I just watched the video from NX gamer and it appears that they did a great job with the PS4 version.

There are countless debates over which version of the game is better but theres one thing that no one can disagree with. And thats the fact that The Witcher 3 is a very good game.

Im just going to ignore the idiots that claim that the PS4 version is garbage and make the verdict myself once i get my hands on the game.

[geotsa]

Ps4 version should be 900p like xbone

[UltraNova]

Ps4 version should be optimized based on its own low level API, just like xb1, not ported from DirectX.

[kstuffs]

Maybe they would have more time to optimize the PS4 if it weren't for the fact that they are trying to hit 1080p? What if instead of trying to hit 1080p, they had kept 900p and optimize for frame rate. If they had done that, then most likely the PS4 will get locked 30 fps.

[Flipgeneral]

The game is fantastic, but some of the issues, such as delayed textures, sound etc break the immersion

[kevnb]

I've only notice the fps dipping low during cutscenes, in game it's always near 30. Occasionally dropping to 29-28 fps is not a big deal.

[someOnecalled]

Like most devs they overestimated these consoles.

[Scottyxboxoneandps4]

@master...
I just think they probably should have just gone 900p with a locked 30fps. I have noticed in quite a few combat situations the frame rate does take a hit witch is disappointing. Hopefully they can improve framerate but his response sounds like their struggling.

[amnalehu]

Get it. Any bugs or frame rate drops pale in comparison to the grandeur of this game. Some of the side quest are good enough to be full games. One of the best games EVER made and it looks great on the PS4.

[Hold_It]

I didn't have any dipping like that prepatch.

[Azzanation]

I don't understand how you dont understand how game development works. PS4 is a GPU based machine while the X1 is a CPU based machine. If the Witcher 3 is a CPU bound game then it will run better on X1, if its a GPU bound game then it will run better on PS4. In this case the Witcher 3 is a CPU bound game, not only does the X1 have slightly faster CPU cores it uses close to 7 cores for its games which the PS4 only uses 6 and are slightly slower then the X1s.
You can't just make up the power with Pure GPU horsepower its not that simple. Both the CPU and GPU are very important factors when it comesvto game development. As a PC gamer, the best experience is having both CPU and GPU balanced out. No point having one super fast and the other super slow.

[Sokol]

What fps issues? I have over 40 into the game, level 23 and the game had been very enjoyable.

[ArchangelMike]

Yeah, I'm level 26 and although the FPS drops for like 2 seconds every 3hrs or so (when loading background stuff), it's nowhere near game breaking. I'd rather they first fixed the loot and inventory system.

[Mykky]

I have 50 hours and lvl 20 and have not encountered any disturbing fps drops or bugs at all. I encountered way more bugs and fps drops in Inquisition and Shadow of Mordor. (Playing on PS4)

[Kingdomcome247]

You must be blowing through the main quest line lol. I didn't hit level 20 until I was over 100 hours in. I didn't get to Skellige until I was level 20 as I wanted to clear every marker in Velen/Novigrad before moving on.

[kraenk12]

Some people are clearly exaggerating the FPS drops.

[TheCommentator]

Yeah, all the side by side comparisons showing the PS4 dipping to 20 when XB1 sits at 28-30 the whole time aren't real. The people exaggerating the FPS drops are the ones who "don't see it" when they play, lol.

[Dynasty2021]

"The people exaggerating the FPS drops are the ones who "don't see it" when they play, lol"

So every console owner?

[Iluvtrim]

Oh that 1080P. Haha u guys in blue really wanted the more powerful machine. Yet it is struggling to maintain.

[PistolsAtDawn]

I agree with the core of what you said, but not really the way you went about it. True, it appears that the PS4 version went for full 1080p...probably due to the PR hype and trying to show it's "more powerful" but it appears that the X1 version was on to something....the FPS is great on the X1 version and you can never tell which scenes are native 1080 and which are native 900...that variable res thing was a great idea.

[gfk342]

The dynamic resolution is just MS PR, as only the cutscenes and the menu are 1080p, the gameplay is 900p.

"Meanwhile, the promised 'dynamic resolution' solution on Xbox One doesn't appear to hit the 1080p target in any of our samples. Instead, for the most part the game renders at 1600x900, with only video cut-scenes providing true 1080p output for any noticeable length of time."

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

[joab777]

Where's the logic here? It is more powerful. They chose to leave the fr unlocked. So what?

[Saranya]

I got a problems when i fought with Philippa's Golem, I can see the frame rate less than 5 fps. What's happen?

[kevnb]

the framerate isnt even that bad on ps4, only the cutscenes dip to 20 fps every now and then but that doesnt affect gameplay. places like digital foundry make it seem worse than it is just do they can appear unbiased towards the ps4. 1-2 fps every now and then doesnt really matter, 1080p vs 900p does.

[iistuii]

If you say so. I guarantee if you didn't read anything about what the resolution was & stuck your game in the console & played it you wouldn't know what resolution it was, but if the frames are dropping all over the show, you'd definitely notice that.

[PistolsAtDawn]

FPS is FAR FAR FAR more important that native 1080p vs 900p EVEN IF the whole game was one or the other...which isn't the case here at all. Bet money if you walked into a room where someone was playing witcher 3 you couldn't tell if it was the PS4 or X1 version..NO WAY...and IF you knew it was the X1 version cause someone told you...you couldn't tell if what you were looking at was a native 1080p scene or native 900p scene.

[kevnb]

We aren't talking a big difference though, we are taking 1-2 fps occasionally... And if I saw both the Xbox one and ps4 versions I would be able to tell, 900p to 1080p is actually a pretty big difference in ppi.

[roland82]

Playing the ps4 version and it seems to be running in the 20s more than 30s especially in the city. I would gladly take 900p and a lock 30 fps anyday.

[poor_cus_of_games]

Well the xbox version isn't locked at 30. It dips too.

[meche334]

Right and @poor_cus_of_games barely

[kevnb]

https://m.youtube.com/watch...
Here is actual numbers, as you can see the dips to 20 fps come only in cutscenes. Most of the time when the fps is better on Xbox one the ps4 is down to 29 fps...

[mochachino]

Why don't they just do a variable resolution like xone.

[Team_Litt]

That's a simple question to answer: Because Ps4 fans would blame Xbox One for parity and holding back the most powerful gaming console of the world of the century of the planet back and would riot.

[mochachino]

I own a PS4 and would have no problem with it. In fact I'd love if every game gave me a resolution option. I'd play a lot more games at 900p with better shadows/effects/framerare. I'd even do 720p if it allowed me to play in the 50-60FPS range.

I sit 8-10 feet away from my 60 inch TV. While I notice increased resolutions, I notice worse framerates/effects so much more and ESPECIALLY shadows. I can't stand flickering or jaggy shadows.

[teedogg80]

The FPS is fine to me, except when it starts raining.

[N0TaB0T]

Change name from "Witcher 3" to "Patcher 3"...

[ultralow]

as a ps4/pc gamer i picked this up on ps4 ....i would gladly take 900p/1080p 30fps locked.....over this 1080p 20/30

[PhucSeeker]

Why on earth would one pick Witcher 3's ps4 version over PC ver (unless of course their Pc can't handle the game at its finest) ?

[moomoo319]

I think they've been good with patches so far.

Fixed the Pyres of Novigrad quest fairly quickly.

I thought the last patch improved the framerate as well

[NobleRed]

Trying to improve? The game should not have been released with a horrible 20s framerate.

[Live_Larry]

I <3 Witcher 3!
I <3 everything about it.

[Subaruwrx]

Yes, I've noticed the fps drops on the PS4 and yes, I'd appreciate it if they weren't there. That said, the fps drops don't seem to occur during combat and have had little effect on my enjoyment of the game. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the purchase of this game for PS4, X1 or PC to anyone who enjoys western open world rpgs. Imo, there will always be performance issues with this game on all platforms no matter how many patches it gets. My biggest gripe - the text is still too small!

[kevnb]

I used to think n4g was mostly only Sony fanboys, this thread proves I'm wrong.

[Hold_It]

You do realize the Open world genre is usually plagued with bugs right?

[rezzah]

This makes me glad I didn't start the game. Now I will be able to enjoy it with most DLCs available and issues fixed.

[HeyNowChillax]

I don't know if anyone else has tried but trumotion on LG TV's or similar motion effects on other TV's boosts the frame rate of the game, albiet artificially, to something that looks like 45-60fps in most circumstances.

I too get kicked from the immersion with frame rate drops but it seriously helps and should be tried. That being said haven't really seen too much chop while playing. It's noticeable but not a broken game by any means.

Until they work on patching for better performance which will surely happen as this company seems committed to it's customers; it's about the best us PS4 couch console jockeys can do for the moment.

This game also looks pretty damn incredible in forced 2d-3d emulation if your TV supports it; too bad they can't get us a native stereoscopic 3d support patch in the near future. It would really put this wild achievement of a game in the history books.

[Stokedup]

I find all these issues strange, simply because I'm playing on ps4 and my playtime is 37 hours I'm level 20 and just cleaning up some side quests before I head to skellige and I haven't had any glitches or problems with the game that has ruined the experience for me. I can't see what the problem is. Maybe I'm just lucky or those people are unlucky!?

[loadstone007]

I didn't notice any frame rate drops. Wonderful game.
The only annoying bugs I encountered was crashes - the game crashed a few times.