Far Cry Primal 2015 vs 2016 Graphical downgrade detected

The first gameplay trailer of Far Cry Primal appeared not so long ago, giving hope that there won't be place for graphical downgrade like it was in case of Watch Dogs.

[Garethvk]

I wonder why they keep doing this.

[cyckiewicz]

Luckily this downgrade is not as drastic as in case of Watch Dogs, and I truly hope that PC version will be closer to reveal - if not, then words of Ubisoft CEO who said they will use only actual game footage should be reviewd.
I mean, is it worth to show gamers bullshots and thinking that no one will notice?

[Garethvk]

You would think after the Aliens: Colonial Marines issue that companies would go beyond the work in progress message and say that final graphics may not be as sharp as they appear now and that would end it. It usually is that for fps or something that the system maker requires things have to go. I remember a Blizzard person telling me that for Diablo on the Xbox One, MS insisted on 60FPS and 1080. Well that was a trick so they had to work it hard so some graphical textures were rolled back and so on.

[Null]

Drastic title is drastic.

I'm not seeing any real form of a downgrade here. What I am seeing is a different time of day and like four missing shadows being cast. Game looks exactly the same minus the brown filter .

[GordonKnight]

This game is a buy for me, but at $20. Just like all the other Ubi games I've purchased. It's not like I'm going to have to wait long for that to happen.

[PoSTedUP]

look at the spear in first person, way more detailed on current build. it looks different and has a different shade to the game but i wouldnt call it a downgrade. oh wait, hits.

[abstractel]

As a game developer there's not really a downgrade, more just some changes. There's nothing technically that's been downgraded that would save performance that I can see in this youtube quality. If you disagree with the color tone changes and shadow placements, that's one thing, but it's tweaks that any game go through towards the end that the art director feels will work better. Personally, I feel that you shouldn't change a game's look after you've shown it off but they do.

Like one thing in The Division that has nothing to do with performance, is the appearance of the map when you bring it up. The background is still being rendered with textures, lighting, everything, they just blurred it, tinted it blue and made the map much bigger probably in their mind so you can see it better. I think it was a mistake, but my opinions sometimes gets me into trouble so I try to stay quiet. But believe me when I say that a lot of these changes are not performance changes.

That's not to say that in some cases there aren't downgrades, there definitely are, games get optimized in the last 3 months, but in this case I see nothing that was changed that would improve performance.

[abstractel]

Another thing, if it was up to most developers, the game wouldn't be shown until much closer to release. But publishers need to gauge interest in the game so they can make forecasts. They also want to build hype. Pre-orders has also become very important for trying to see how much the game is going to sell.

Having said that, FC Primal was revealed pretty late so I am not sure why they decided to change the tone of the scene, but again, I don't see any technical downgrade.

[never4get]

PS4 Devkit doesn't show PS4 true power/ PC Ubisoft lead platform.

[DragonKnight]

People need to stop thinking these games are being downgraded. Most initial reveals are shown on high end PCs that are more capable than consoles and are target renders. As development proceeds and game builds become optimised for specific platforns, there will consequently be changes that are more reflective of the capability of said platforms. The devs will try to remain as close as possible to the target of course, but expecting consoles to ouput graphics and performance equal to high end PCs with no issues or compromises is a pipedream.

[pivotplease]

I'll let the reviews tell people what to do with their money then lol. They pretty much reiterated what I've been saying about this game since the first preview.but really the people who pull out the "let people do what they want with their money" are usually wrong. I'm all for individualism and subjectivity but please don't be be paying off these devs for this minimum effort reskin. At least with FC4 we got a nice graphical jump and some tidbits of interesting story. This game almost has no story.

[-Foxtrot]

Because people are idiots who try and find a way to defend them

Oh not to mention it now looks more like a reskinned version of FC4

Seriously guys if you want this just wait a month or two. Do you really want FC to become a yearly franchise

[Erik7357]

So hyped for Far Cry 6 bruh!!11

[slate91]

Yeah, got to put your foot down and stop buying these types of franchises released like this at launch.

Btw Fox Im feelin your new photo.

[Genuine-User]

You know what's worse?

Generalizing.

Go watch the video again. Where's the downgrade? If anything, it looks better now.

[-Foxtrot]

@thunderbird86

Not if they are going to complain about downgrades, reskinned games and the like after despite buying into the same shit they've complained about

[Genuine-User]

Edit of my earlier comment.

You know what's worse?

Generalizing people based on when/what they chose to buy and enjoy.

Generalizing isn't a bad thing per se. But given the context, you're barking up the wrong tree.

[Psychotica]

Even if it is reskinned so what? At least they are trying to do something different than the same old guns and grenades all the time which I am sick to death of.

[-Foxtrot]

@Genuine-User

You know how many people I seen on here alone who buy into shit, things you can easily see a long way coming, only to moan months later about the same thing you were saying before release.

...A lot

Now downgrade or not here the fact is it's a reskinned Far Cry 4, something people hate about things like COD, Assassins Creed and the like. Yet they are easily being led to believe this is a brand new game when it probably started out as Far Cry 4: Primal, the "Blood Dragon" styled DLC for FC4.

"Oh hey guys lets make this a full on game instead with a little bit more content and more fleshed out so we can get more money"

That's probably how their meeting went at Ubisoft because they know they can get away with it and people will buy it only to moan after release. Not before being suckered into the same thing over and over for a few more years until they finally get it but by then whats the point, it's too late. If this keeps up Far Cry will now be a annually franchise doing any silly idea to keep it fresh instead of trying new ideas with new IPs

@Psychotica

"the same old guns and grenades all the time which I am sick to death of"

OH you mean what Far Cry is pretty much known for since the first game. Using you arsenal to take out your enemy is a variety of ways.

Hey lets do a Call of Duty game set in prehistoric times or how about Resistance 4 with no cool, crazy assed guns /s

I would have prefered a proper survival prehistoric game not relying on reskining Far Cry. A game with it's own mechanics and more realistic, not using owls to drop sting bombs on people ¬¬

[quaneylfc]

Games rely on design and mechanics, graphics come last unless you're a magpie, attracted to shiny objects and nothing else.

[twinspectre1990]

I'm with you -Foxtrot
When Far Cry will become a yearly game, we should blame the Gamers itself, because they are the ones ruining Gaming
they Complain, but still buy the game

[pivotplease]

This game looks crappy. Farcry 4 was already a disappointment for me. I don't see this faring any better. Pure cash grab and I pity the fool who buys it.

[isa_scout]

I fail to see how it's a reskinned FC4. I earned the platinum trophies for FC4 and FC3 and FC4 was definitely a reskin. This game however is set in a different time era,with no guns, made up language and dialect,and animal companions. If anything this is the most original Far Cry game in a good long while. What do people want these franchises to do? If you change to much people complain, and if you change to little people complain. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't dilemma.
Also, Far Cry may have started out as a game that was all about your arsenal, but it has slowly become a Cabela's RPG type game with AAA money behind it. I'm fine with this as my favorite part of Far Cry has always been hunting rare animals to upgrade my various equipment.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Fox stop telling people what to do with their own money these people are consumers with subjective opinions not adversaries in some war.

Smh you seriously have some issues

[CobraKai]

Let people buy what they wanna buy. Just because you don't like it or want it doesn't mean everyone else will have the same opinion.

And so what if Ubisoft makes the game a yearly title? Just because they make it, doesn't mean people HAVE to buy it. But if there are people buying it, what's it to you?

To each his own.

[jb227]

Can't believe the amount of times I've been called an idiot for pointing out obvious graphical disparities, solely because I should "understand how game development works"..."that's a vertical slice target render, of course it's going to look better"..."they had to make concessions, but that doesn't mean it's a downgrade".

Honestly if movies started showing trailers with Avatar level effects work, then released a film w/ a SyFy budget, people would rightly call them out. Don't care about what it takes to develop a game, I'm a player, not a developer. It is the developers job to hit targets & to create games w/in their means...sure it ain't easy work but why should consumers make excuses for artists & creators when their work is falsely represented? Things like the rampant downgrading, microtransations, season passes, thin content & carbon copy genre proliferation are going to run this medium into the ground, and there will be a vocal group of armchair critics speaking up for these detrimental practices until the very end. I've gotten to the point where I assume the worst out of everything released in the gaming sphere, aside from the output from 1 or maybe 2 developers, and the only time I'm ever pleasantly surprised is when a game comes out of nowhere w/ little early fanfare. Plain & simple, if all of the great looking games coming in 2016 don't pan out to be exactly that, I'm gonna hang up the controller. The output from this gen just hasn't been consistently strong enough to keep my personal attention, and the few games that I allow myself to get hyped for typically burn me for doing so.

The only game I actually bought in 2015 at retail was the Uncharted Collection, 3 games from last gen. The rest i just rented or bought digital at a steep discount, and in all of those cases (aside from Until Dawn, that game was worthy of a purchase) I spent just the right price for what was on offer. The rest you'd have to pay me to actually play.

[UltraNova]

@Fox

"I would have prefered a proper survival prehistoric game not relying on reskining Far Cry. A game with it's own mechanics and more realistic, not using owls to drop sting bombs on people ¬¬"

Good then you're gonna be pleased to know that there's one game that fits your preferred choice and its called Horizon: Zero Dawn, so please just dont bother with FC Primal and let people buy it if the want it so bad, for Christ's sake!

[Imalwaysright]

In YOUR opinion TR is different... you complain!

In YOUR opinion FAR CRY is the same... you complain!

There is no pleasing you. You are negative about everything and anything.

OT The gameplay, to me, looks better than the reveal. I don't see any downgrade.

[Erik7357]

Maybe that was pc footage? Dosent really seem like a downgrade, just more of a less sharp and muddy version of what was shown at e3...

[Errorist76]

I wonder why people keep comparing console footage with PC show-off builds?!

[quaneylfc]

Because they are idiotic.

It happens with every game lol

Half Life 3's accusation will just end up sounding ironic.

[PistolsAtDawn]

It's unfortunate, but I don't consider it completely dishonest when companies do this. It's called a "vertical slice", and it's typically something that the Dev submits early in development as a goal that they are trying to achieve...at the time they make these, there are still a ton of unknowns, so to accommodate things like AI and other such things later, graphical enhancements sometimes have to be made. I usually just expect it to happen, thankfully even with the downgrades, the games still usually end up being fun and great looking.

[jb227]

Why is gaming the only medium that this ever happens in? Devs know exactly the kind of hardware they are developing on, it's not like they are trying to hit a moving target. The entire argument about the "vertical slice" is flawed to me. It is essentially covering for straight up false advertising. You or I may know more about what goes into a games development because we frequent gaming websites, but the general buying public is unaware of this idea that you should never expect the game you put in your box to look anything like the commercial you saw. At the very least, if this is just a byproduct of the development in this medium & the devs & core fans are all well aware of this before the fact, devs should be forced to throw disclaimers at the beginning of every trailer they make: "game may not appear the same in final product"...when they finally get to a point where they can make footage indicative of the actual product, they can take the disclaimer off, but until then all devs & publishers should be held accountable for faulty marketing strategies.

Said it up there, but if you saw a trailer for a movie w/ Avatar effects that ended up looking like a SyFy TV movie, it would be all over the news & heads would roll. If you heard a song on the radio that sounded like trumpets from the heavens then bought the album only for it to sound like Florida Georgia Line, you'd be pissed. Only in gaming is this kind of deceptive marketing considered just part of the medium. Devs either need to step their game up in realizing their limitations, or they need to clearly market their games solely as works in progress that may differ wildly from the final version.

[Thomaticus]

We allow it. There's no backlash, just a 60 dollar reward! x 1,000,000.

The question is, was it possible for this game to look better on any console? Is it at its absolute best or has it been deemed good enough.

[AndrewLB]

You still can't figure out why this is happening? Or is this some form of coping mechanism where you proclaim ignorance when the reason is clear as day.
There have now been dozens of prominent games over the past 3 years that had significant graphical downgrades when the final product has been compared to the reveal, and the blame for this lies squarely on Sony and Microsoft. Both companies this generation released lackluster hardware in order to maximize profits, but there was a problem with that. Developers were already designing games with the expectation of much more powerful console hardware, so countless titles had to be delayed and "dumbed down" to run on the PS4 and Xbone. This clearly wouldn't go over well with the general public especially with a PC version release that looked a full generation ahead, so Sony and Microsoft devised how they'd fool the unwashed masses with a simple clause commonly referred to as "parity".
A parity clause is part of the licensing agreement between the developer\publisher and console manufacturer where "graphics equality" must exist between all platforms in order to be allowed to sell their game on that particular system. Microsoft loves it because it prevents the PS4 from wiping the floor with their Xbone, and Sony and Microsoft both love it because the details in licensing agreements are private and stiff penalties can be levied if released AND most of all... the PC version wouldn't show the world how they sold you three year old laptop hardware.
I'm sure many of you would disagree with this so I ask if there is any other logical reason why a game would have such high quality assets in the reveal, only to have them completely removed (or not, in the case of Watch Dogs) prior to the official release? What godly force can be strong enough to make developers throw away work they already showed to the public and spent thousands of hours creating, only to release a PC version that had been heavily downgraded?
Another example is how in September, 2014... CDProjekt Red announced that the PC version of the Witcher 3 would be a whopping 40gb+ install size. We all saw how amazing the game looked at the reveal and subsequent videos on PC. They then had a 6 month delay for "bug fixing and optimization", and when it did release the PC version was barely over 20gb and looked exactly like the console version.
Remember how last gen when you'd select low, medium, high, very high, or Ultra... there were DISTINCT differences in texture detail? Notice how this generation each setting looks the same in terms of the textures, and those settings merely change the levels of filtering, post processing, and occlusion.
It's all because of Parity.
They were forced to remove all assets that were higher quality than the console version due to this requirement being in the licensing agreement with Microsoft and Sony.

[ChrisW]

Why? Because when you run a game on test bench it runs somewhat differently than on commercial consoles. And the most likely speculative reason is that there might be a slight chance of causing your console to heat to levels Sony deems above it feels comfortable with.

With that in mind, the game will look perfectly fine and quite possibly run better.

[UKmilitia]

this looks totally different and better than reveal but then some bits look terrible.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[sephiroth420]

I think the reveal trailer was using a pc and the other was a ps4, i could be wrong. Looks like is another game to torrent for their false advertising.

[GreetingsfromCanada]

Bruh, there's like 3 shadows missing and a different time of day.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Yeah the reveal one had more sepia color than the PS4 one. Not that big of a downgrade in this case at least

[_-EDMIX-_]

The issue is I don't see this as a downgrade at all it's merely a different time of day I can't actually say that is any technical downgrade.

[Adexus]

Think it looks the same, if not better to be honest.

[saphiron]

Not much of a downgrade here. I hate those Ubi downgrades but give Ubisoft a break here.

[Thefreeman012]

3 Things I've noticed (not major)

1) Filter- Reveal has an orange tint
2) Shadows- We all know what the PS4 is capable of with shadows so there isnt a big issue there.
3) tree tessellation. The reveal is much fuller, however I expect PC will be able to have this since its available option on Far Cry 4

[mike32UK]

It looks exactly the same but oess orange... And the guy has finger nails now. That hand looks shitty though! Ha they want to take a leaf out of Dying Light and Alien: Isolation for the ever sought after #handtech. /s. But for reals, that hand is blurry AF

[MajorIly]

Lol it's ridiculous how these downgrade articles/videos have become mandatory for pretty much every major release just for clicks.

[Aenea]

Wait! People are now screaming they found a downgrade when comparing the announcement trailer, which probably ran on a PC, to PS4 footage now?

Are you saying the PS4 is as capable as a PC? Then what is that peasants/master race crap all about then? 😜

[zidane1341]

You mean that "war" between Virgins?

[Plasmids]

Not this again jeez.

[Rivitur]

But that's ps4 footage... Come on!

[Smitty2020]

I like fc games an def buying it

[pivotplease]

I like farcry and this looks like a waste of 70 bucks.

[Smitty2020]

I think different too u mate

[pivotplease]

http://www.metacritic.com/g...

I leave this for the 8 people who disagreed with me. Enjoy the crow. It's only going to go down from there. It's the hardline of Farcry.

[Nivekki]

'Enjoy the crow. It's only going to go down from there. It's the hardline of Farcry.'

If you're talking about Battlefield Hardline I very much enjoyed that game. Just goes to show that Metacritic isn't the be all and end all when it comes to choosing games for yourself.

Only idiots rely on Metacritic to decide what's good and what isn't. I'm sure the 8 people who disagreed with you will enjoy the game regardless of what score it got on Metacritic.

[meche334]

When have they not showed a better looking game when the game is announced. A lot of devs should be getting put down for this

[quaneylfc]

Oh my god, the consoles are underpowered, drop it already.

[spicelicka]

Ok this time I barely notice any difference. This video is bullshit.

[Eidolon]

Sharper on reveal trailer, also shadows and lighting and ambient occlusion.

[spicelicka]

As I said, barely noticed. This a difference on a technical level, not a downgrade like watchdogs was.

[Eidolon]

There's still a difference that I can discern. Still getting the PS4 version, though.

[spicelicka]

Well sure, but this difference is very very common with E3 demos. I've noticed it many games before, we can't single out Far cry devs on it.

This much of a difference can be attributed to being a PC demo. It's not a big deal at all.

[BlueOnBlue22]

i think this was going to be DLC for FC4 like Blood Dragon was but they just made into a full game to sell it for more!

[hiredhelp]

Any Game shown for first time NOT FINISHED but still IN DEVELOPMENT should remember the phrase soo often used when playing any Beta or Demos, Basicly saying what you see and play are subject to change.
Plz dont be sold too much into visuals althoe can be hard at times but be sold on what the game has to offer... At least thats what I tend to do and yes games are secretly been known to run on pc and still have icon buttons on screen if game supports that controller on PC.

[Idiedgoodbye]

To be expected from Ubisoft.

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

Seems to hold up fairly well, if anything the Farcry games usually meet graphical expectations. I wouldn't say downgrade here, looks nice.

[trywizardo]

i think its an upgrade not a downgrade ...

[bixxel]

Recommend an eye specialist asap!

[FoxyGotGame]

I don't see a downgrade this time...

In fact, I prefer the PS4 footage over the original.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Agreed.

[cartoonx1]

yea not sure why they calling it a downgrade, i like the colors on ps4 tag video, also i looks less plastic to me thn the reveal video.

[bixxel]

The PS4 looks much gamish than the reveal trailer. BTY, one man's garbage is another man's treasure.

[Gwiz]

Like that's the issue here with Far Cry,you should know about now that reveal trailers are marked up show pieces.Especially with Ubisoft.

It's like advertising food to look a certain way while in reality it's just not the same.When you're hungry you'll eat it regardless.I can only approach this marketing technique from this angle.

[Silver_ShadoWolf]

Wow... The downgrade is real in Ubisoft. The Division will be the last game I buy from this company... Maybe The Division 2... Anything Division will have my money. Even though the game looks a little less beautiful, I still adore the concept.

[immabadguy]

The game looks better if anything.

[Chaosdreams]

Ubisoft.

Where reveal trailers showcase a fantasy, and gamers fall for it, preorder it, and then gobble up the next reveal for the next game, fall for it, preorder it.

Chea

[Bathyj]

The one thing that did really stand out after having watched both videos was all the split hairs and faux outrage.

Seriously, why is it always the crybabies who claim theyre not buying it bawling the hardest? Dont get it if you noticed a blade of grass missing. You wont be missed.

[joeorc]

@Bathyj + 9h ago
"The one thing that did really stand out after having watched both videos was all the split hairs and faux outrage.

Seriously, why is it always the crybabies who claim theyre not buying it bawling the hardest? Dont get it if you noticed a blade of grass missing. You wont be missed."

Grin....10000% if there was ever a percentage that large..lol
While saying in my head.

But for the freaking love of god. Can gamers today just play the games to enjoy the experience of the game the developers had envision for the game? I mean its like everyone wants to be a game critic , today..film critic's in my opinion are just as annoying. Trying to tell me what's good and what is not. At least most critics watch the movie before being critical of it.

Games are not just a bunch of visuals, they are interactive, here on a freaking YouTube video its just a visual. One of which could have problematic TV settings not calibrated correctly.

Many of the critical YouTube videos are just made to make a ant out of a mole hill ..so many fallout 4 complaint videos , yet I love the freaking video game..its one of my fav's already.

Exactly as you stated , they would not be missed.

[StormLegend]

Looks better IMO: his hair is thicker and he has fingernails on the PS4 version.

[SynestheticRoar]

Downgrade article here already. That was quick.

[Intranquill]

Another stupid "downgrade" article? Games are always revealed on the PC engine. GASP, the PS4 doesn't look the same as the trailer? Welcome to PC versus console gaming, where this has been the story for the better part of two decades.

[MadMax]

How can people be complaining about the new Far Cry? I completely welcome this new idea and am looking very forward to playing this!

I wasn't very thrilled with the last one, as it seemed like the same old formula. So sick of run and gunning in games and am relieved this is something different. A game that doesn't require me shooting a gun for the millionth time.

Also, the whole new era where this game takes place is enough to grab my attention alone!

[its_JEFF]

I try my darnedest to now get to excited over footage that's reveal by Ubisoft, it just happens way too often with them. Don't show us what you think it'll look like, or hope, wait til 6-8 months before a game is released to reveal it... not 2 years like WatchDogs.

I know other Devs have and still do this, but does Ubisoft do it more often or are true just releasing a lot more games?

[corroios]

this downgrade is not so drastic because we are in 2016 and the PS4 is out more then 2 years.

All studio know the specs and what they can, if the downgrade is big then they are just trying to steal the money from gamers

[SamPao]

buhu

[neoandrew]

Pure clickbait detected, no downgrade at all.

[Zarock]

Stop being over dramatic It's just lowered shadows.... Said no one ever.

[brokenbracket]

I love how people are so hard up for graphics. Like, yo listen, I gotta have the crispest of crispiness of crispy graphics. If I notice the slightest change in crispiness, my crispiness reader will go off and I will not buy.

If you were getting this game five years ago, you wouldn't think twice about the graphics, you'd be so amazed at how awesome the game looks. Stop feeling so entitled. If you don't like what they're delivering, no one is holding a gun to your head, HEY BUY THIS!!!! Like c'mon man.

[LastcenuryRob]

Ok, some lighting and shadows are gone. Still looks good. If I wanted this game those differences would not be enough to keep me from making a purchase. Minor issue.

[LastcenuryRob]

I know the dev kits for both X1 and PS4 (at least when they were first delivered to studios) have 12 gig of their respective ram each. That could have something to do with it, when they start getting the final version ready for the consoles. Just my guess.

[killer_goat]

Anyone know when the review embargo is lifted?

[Black0ut]

It was lifted yesterday

http://www.metacritic.com/g...
http://www.metacritic.com/g...

[Poroz]

When I bought far cry 4 and assassins creed Rouge they both worked....now they will not load (not sure if 4k is the isue or not). Sorry ubi. I am out... I hope you all have fun playing it.

[DDMNeo]

The PC version is the one revealed. Obviously the PS4 version would not be the best one to compare, since the PC version on Ultra would look leaps and bounds better.

[MRJefferson]

The PC version could have those features who knows.Everybody knows ubisoft games is looking best on PC NVIDIA hbao+, soft shadows,pcss,hair physics etc.Ubisoft sacrificed the shadows because this is the way they can reach stable fps on consoles.

[sprinterboy]

Gamers need to learn a few things before commenting on topics imo. Games today look absolutely amazing, even if they look different from the first reveal.

If those gamers who constantly comment and moan on theses non issues, do us all a favour, 1) dont buy the game then, 2) learn something about game development and 3) would love to see you do better.

I have been reading the comments today regarding "Division" is it that hard to leave a constructed comment, we get it, you didnt like the beta and btw ubisoft wont put a gun to your head to make you buy. How hard can it be for the moron gamer to understand he aint gonna like every game he plays, the internet has done one thing for certain, proved humans are not intelligent as we think we are.

[Segata]

Hey look a Ubi game that's a reskinned last years game and do the same thing in every Ubi game.

[Miacosa]

Not sure why target videos keep getting misinterpreted has the real final gameplay and then downgrade claims are made these stories are trying.

[RedDeadLB]

Barely anything was downgraded, texture quality possibly. But it stands to reason the reveal trailer was PC footage, so the "downgrade" isn't really a downgrade at all.

This is a far cry from what they did with Far Cry 3 and 4 (get it?). https://www.youtube.com/wat...