The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Features Ray Traced Reflections, Too, Says NVIDIA

NVIDIA revealed today that The Witcher 3 Next-Gen features ray-traced reflections instead of the previously announced screen space reflections.

[1nsomniac]

So again, just like Insomniac in their Ratchet and Clank dev diary. I don’t believe what is being claimed as ray tracing is real ray-tracing. I think it’s an advanced space reflections technique. I can’t see any other reason why devs are getting this wrong or being coye in answering whether it’s true ray-tracing.

[mkis007]

Digital foundry seemed to think ratchet had raytracing.

[Eidolon]

Damn, thought it did. Still haven't been impressed by it since most RT options are 30fps.

[sinspirit]

Because, if it's called ray-tracing then it is that. It's a term that can't be misconstrued. It's not like 120 motion clarity rate or whatever TV's have on their box when they have 60 refresh rate. The only thing to clarify is what is being ray-traced. Lighting? Shadows? Reflections?

[nirwanda]

Not really ray tracing can't be used in many ways, from shadows, global illumination, reflections, there is even different amounts of bounce lighting you can add or fully path traced like Minecraft or Pixar.
It's in some ways is similar to motion clarity lol.

[sinspirit]

@nirwanda

Can't be or can be?

Ray-tracing is a method for multiple applications. You can choose to only ray-trace characters, only environments, you can choose not to ray-trace reflections. Ray-tracing does not mean the entire world has to be ray-traced for it to be supported. You can also use ray-tracing for sound, not that it is called ray-tracing. But, you use the same physics involved with ray-tracing to simulate sound bounce and the variation that it is absorbed or reflected off different material compositions and shapes of objects. Ray-tracing is a cut and dry process. If something states it is ray-traced then it is or they're lying if it's not. And, again. Ray-tracing support doesn't mean everything is ray-traced. It can be just reflections, just character shadows/lighting, just during cutscenes, etc.

[VariantAEC]

RT is used for SSR it always was.
Wolfenstein (1992) featured RT as well to draw the world itself. Ray casting and ray tracing... are the same thing and while ray casts were used in radically different ways back in the day for Wolfenstein RT as we know it now... is still basically the same thing.
If Wolfenstein 3D didn't use RT it could be played top-down in 2D like Pac-Man. Rasterization still uses RT to figure the depth of geometry (though maybe calculating depth works somewhat differently today than in the early days).

Regardless RT can be used for anything in the digital space and it's not at all new, it's just used WAY more liberally today due to HW acceleration to the point where we can calculate the positions of some things with respect to the position and orientation of other things and display it visually (like with reflections).

[z2g]

they used real ray tracing, its just a proprietary system and not all the reflections were raytraced. I think most of the raytraced reflections were for Clank and occasionally objects that were featured in a scene. the rest were screen space reflections and or cube maps. This is usually the case with most games using raytraced reflections.

[sinspirit]

I think op misunderstands ray-tracing support as meaning everything is ray-traced or they're lying. Like you said. It can be just characters, certain items in the environment, it can be just reflections, and it can be just lighting/shadows. Ray-tracing is there, but we need to read what they are using ray-tracing for.

[VariantAEC]

RT was used on many objects in R&C:RA including on scene geometry. The only things that didn't see RT were some parts of character's wardrobes and interactive water surfaces. For some reason all Interactive water surfaces used SSR instead of RT, not sure why outside of the complex nature of the geometry - and if that's the only reason... I guess it makes sense.

[1nsomniac]

I can’t remember what was said originally but this is what I commented on it almost a year and a half ago..

“1nsomniac 460d ago
…Wait till people find out Insomniacs Ray-tracing technique isn’t real ray tracing at all.

🤯 “

“1nsomniac537d ago (Edited 537d ago )
He gets incredibly uncomfortable when asked about ray tracing and ray count. In fact it actually sounds like they’re not using ray tracing at all and using very clever memory reproduction/reconstruction techniques. He struggles to even say the word ray tracing never mind answer the questions directly. Very strange.

Edit* maybe a little premature with my comment hadn’t watched the whole thing through. But there’s certainly something that is very unconventional about it’s implementation of RT.”

[CobraKai]

Well damn. If you said it over a year ago, then it has to be true. Nevermind graphics breakdowns showing that it’s real hardware accelerated ray tracing. Let me guess. Your news source was “trust me bro”

[1nsomniac]

Nope, only when Insomniac were initially asked the question outright they wouldn’t respond with a clear yes. In fact they went in depth to talk about modified internal reconstruction techniques. In fact specifically saying they wouldn’t talk about ray-tracing in depth.

I’m not saying anything bad about the graphics they look great. What im saying is if you’re not willing to be transparent with an “open-source” tech so to speak. Then it’s not legit.

What we’re talking about here in The Witcher 3 is the developer who made the game themselves being corrected publicly by a company that had absolute no part in making the game. Something that could only happen in todays society.

[anubusgold]

Ratchet and clank was made on amd hardware they suck at ray tracing they cant get past 60fps with ray tracing stable at all at 1080 and 1440P so they cant talk.

[Elda]

I tried TW3 twice back in 2016 & 2017 & I just couldn't get into it. With all the PS5 bells & whistles I may dig this game out of my closet & try it again once I dwindle down my recent backlog of 2022 games.

[Asplundh]

Never could get into it either, it's the gameplay that kills it for me. It feels like the newer GTA games, stiff and clunky.

[Profchaos]

That feeling is unlikely to change
all the graphical bells and whistles probably won't change gameplay it took me a while to get over it also. My first play I only got to the tavern and was to annoyed by the controls. It wasn't until my third attempt to play it years later where it clicked and I absolutely loved it

[Elda]

That's another game I can't get into. I bought the PS5 version of GTA5 & the driving was a turn off that I quickly deleted it. Thankfully it only costed $10 on the PSN when it first debuted for the PS5.

[Crows90]

The witcher like gta.... never thought they would be compared in any aspect.

[Sirk7x]

You could try Death March difficulty if you haven't already. Playing it on the hardest difficulty transforms the game into a different experience. You're forced to be very careful in combat, and to interact with the systems like obtaining and applying the right oils for enemies, using potions, etc. Way more immersive. With much faster loading times, death is more forgiving now as well.

[Michiel1989]

@Sirk7x it transforms it into a game where you spam quen and dodge, that's it. Blocking doesn't do enough to offset the increase in damage the monsters do and neither do the stats of gearsets.

[anubusgold]

witcher 3 gameplay is deeper than elder ring you dont know when to use what spells and when and the other attacks and buffs that people ignore,. You are the same people that made them nerf witcher 2 first boss into the ground because you couldnt think how to beat him i killed him in 3 moves.

[jznrpg]

Well we all like different games . I personally loved the game but I’m into RPGs and always have been since I was a kid playing Nintendo

[Elda]

I like Rpgs too since the SNES days,playing mostly Squaresoft & Enix games. I like Jrpgs more so than Wrpgs.

[Eidolon]

Depends on what turned you off in the first place, was it the graphics/performance? I played at launch on PS4(base obv), and loved it, only having played the first Witcher a little. The theme/concept and lore is what kept my interest, but the RPG elements and combat mechanics made it even more fun, especially while playing on Death March difficulty. Could see how it could be clunky to some, as Asplundh said. GTAV was fun for a while, but guess I'm at the age or mindset where mindless sandbox chaos and driving around is not fun(cool for some funny recordings, I guess), been at like 70% of the story for years and keep saying I'll beat it, think I finally will so I can delete it if I need space.

[lucian229]

dont care anymore skyrim 2.0. tired of your re-re-re-rereleases

[vfl523]

It's a free next gen update and you are still complaining🙄

[lucian229]

Doesn't matter, need to stop wasting resources

[andy85]

Literally the first re-release and it's free unlike Skyrim. What are you talking about?

[jznrpg]

I thought the combat was much better than Skyrim

[Crows90]

Skyrim combat is dog doodoo so thats not saying much to be honest.

[anast]

I got above 50 downvotes the other day. I don't think this one will make it.

[Crows90]

Not a rerelease though

[Eidolon]

Wow, how misinformed you are..

[z2g]

best use of ray tracing on consoles i'd say. ray traced shadows a second. its funny. when i play the "next gen" gta V update, you can clearly see that the game is old no matter what, but the ray traced shadows look amazing... like too good for the rest of the game.

[jznrpg]

I’d rather have a good game without it then an ok game with it . Demons Souls remake didn’t have Ray tracing and it’s looks amazing . Returnal doesn’t have it I don’t believe and it was an awesome game to play. Cool if it’s there but if it isn’t not a big deal imo