How the PC is making consoles look out of date

PC & Tech Authority writes: "What has been clear from this year’s GDC is that consoles are beginning to show their age. We are currently experiencing the longest lifespan in console history.

No matter how fancy new console games look, they will be running on graphics hardware that was deemed cutting edge six years ago. In PC terms this is four Moore’s Law cycles, and in that time PC graphics hardware has not only gotten cheaper but has also increased exponentially in power and complexity."

[thebudgetgamer]

lol

[tacosRcool]

Well since the consoles are based of of old DX9 hardware and the answer is pretty much self explanatory

[MNicholas]

Those videos are both terribly underwhelming "real-time" cut-scenes. If that's the best Crytek and Epic can do with multiple modern GPUs, the 360 and PS3 have nothing to worry about.

Screen cap of a console game. You can see a range of incredible real-time shading and post-processing effects as well as the stunning textures. The anti-aliasing is gorgeous. The only visible flaw is the slightly jagged shadow due to the lower resolution depth map.

http://i49.tinypic.com/4l4r...

Here's a photo taken of an in-game scene from a console game. The image has been stretched out 3x yet the shading, detail and anti-aliasing hold up very well.

http://www.capsulecomputers...

Both these screens, by the way, are from a console game that typically runs at about 40-55 fps.

[kaveti6616]

linear games versus open-world games.

good going.

god of war 3, uncharted 2, killzone 3 are all linear games, not just in storyline but in level design.

that's why they look good, because there's so little to render.

[Arnon]

Not to mention the screen grab of God of War 3 you have there is a quick time event, allowing a lot more to be rendered as compared to the other screen grab you have, which you can clearly see a difference in actual quality.

[duplissi]

uh.. arnon have you played god of war 3?

im going to guess you havent because the entire fight looks like that- normal gameplay and quick time events.

edit: im not trying to claim that the ps3 is in any way superior to a high end gaming pc... thats just plain stupid. i was just pointing that out to you.

[MaxXAttaxX]

"quick time event, allowing a lot more to be rendered"

BULLSH*T!
Quick time events happen in-game, real-time, DURING gameplay.
There is no cut or loading.

Like this very moment:
http://savenload.files.word...
I am mashing the "O" button as quickly as possible to rip a piece of Hades' flesh before he gets up.
Here's proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
45 seconds in.

[awi5951]

Lol im not going to even answer that my old pc i gave to my sister with 3 4870's look far better than any console game ever could. And most games run at like 100 fps+ on my sisters pc even today.

[Simco876]

Its easy to make something look out of date when you can upgrade the graphics hardware every 6 months. Advantages of the PC

[Ranshak]

No need of new hardware, plug in 3-4 yr old hardware and the result will be the same when you are comparing it to 5-6yr old harware(consoles).

[paintsville]

I can see this happening a little at a time vs the 360. Given 360's multicore cpu and advanced GPU it's holding it's own pretty well. The ps3, however, is falling behind more quickly because of it's antiquated divided ram architecture and it's horribly inferieror GPU.

[cyclindk]

That... makes no sense whatsoever. Please read from books, don't rub them against your forehead. They don't work like that...

[MaxXAttaxX]

Antiquated and horribly inferior?
Not the words I would choose to describe a GPU that's 3 times faster and more efficient than 360's.

Oh and guess what, the PS3's GPU doesn't work alone. It renders WITH the Cell CPU, which does some of the work before it even gets to the RSX.

[awi5951]

Yeah the great thing about pc is when the graphics cards gets old you can start stacking them and they run faster than the new hotness that comes out. You may miss out on new DX features but most companies dont even use it. Only like 3 games used direct x 10 and most of those features were just an ad for vista. Since most features in Dx 10 could be unlocked on DX 9 with hacks.

[Spinal]

All cause of Battlefield 3 eh? Well this happened a long time ago, it just took some of you a while to realize it.

[Apollyn]

Ridiculous article! Some things don't need an explanation

[theonlylolking]

I agre. Frostbite 2, and Cryengine 3 make most console games look out of date. Last year I did not think so but with these new games coming out I can say yes, they are outdated now.

PC gaming is making it's return and with force. Can the PS3 keep up for at least a year?(we all know the xbox is left in the dust and the wii)

[plb]

PS3/360 will still be around for a couple of years but technically speaking they can never compete with a PC. Game wise sure they can. I think MS will release new xbox xmas next year with 2012 e3 announcement. Also this article just points out the obvious. Consoles are outdated when they are released with hardware that has been on the PC market for some time while PC you can pop and swap parts as you wish.

[arjman]

@Futureofgaming
Ignorant 360 fanboy arrives...

360 and PS3 cannot compete with the PC in terms of graphics, that's just common sense.

Gears of War is 'super linear' and Crysis 1 wasn't even released on 360.

360 had a years head start in sales and the PS3 has equalled it now.

For someone called Futureofgaming you're living in the past.

[Ranshak]

"Can the PS3 keep up for at least a year?"

Keep up with what? its no where near the PC, sure its ahead of the Xbox 360.

[duplissi]

have you taken a look at the sales? ps3 consistently outsells the 360 worldwide every year....

take your damn blinders off...

[silvacrest]

the PC can be updated with the latest graphics cards at any time, can have 10+GB of ram at any time

whatever specs a console has is what it will always have minus cosmetic or energy efficient components

comparisons in this area are pointless

[SuicideShaun]

I agree they are pointless because it's obvious that a pc, which you can change around and modify, will always be ahead. But these articles happen because of the silly fanboys who lie to themselves and say things like ps3 games look better than pc games.

[GiggMan]

Battlefield 3 does look amazing and is the main reason why I wish that they would usher in a new console generation soon. Personally I don't like gaming on PC's due to the fact that I work with them all day(to each his own though).

[Ranshak]

Its just not about graphics mate. Ever played BC2 on console then again on PC?

On console everyone tries to be Rambo, with PC most of the gamers are actually trying to work together. That itself is a huge difference for me. The PC gaming crowd is simply more mature which effects game play.

On console if i am dead there wont be a medic there to res me, PC you actually get ppl assisting you.

Team work > graphics

[GiggMan]

Good point.
I'm sure the PC crowd is a huge difference to game with, and the console gamers can learn a lot about teamwork.

It still doesn't change the fact that I personally don't like gaming on PC and would like to see a new console generation myself.

[Pjuice]

but if you knew about computers you would know that you could literally play that game with better graphics on your t.v with your pc while using a controller the game would be harder because pc gamers using a mouse have sick aim but its possible and theres allot of fps's out there now that you need to help with teamwork allot and not just get headshots which would be good for someone using a controller or they could drive a vehicle, i turn on my wireless xbox360 controller to fly and drive sometimes while in bc2 when i don't have my joystick hooked up.

[sway__z]

Tell me something I don't know!!

...PC tech has always outpaced consoles, since PC gaming existed.

As if 360 Vs PS3 flame baiting wasn't bad enuff, now we have the rise of the PC fanboy.

There is no comparison between console and PC, there cannot possibly be either. I prefer playing console games than PC. Most PC gamers own either a 360 or PS3 or both, simply because the PC (generally) isn't getting the games console owners are privy to.

[Substance101]

PC actually has more game releases then either console.

However when you even count the multiplat releases on consoles, they are a shadow of what they are on PC. Hence you cant really count them as releases against the PC. BF3 is like an exclusive on the PC since the console version will just be a shadow of the real deal.

[nycredude]

I have a great pc capable of playing anything but I would give it up in a minute if it I had to choose between the pc or games like the Uncharted or GOW or infamous series. It don't matter if pc is getting a lot of multiplat games. Graphics sure are better but it is like console games look like atari 2600 games. Let's not make the pc look like a supercomputer or something.

[therapist]

an 8800 gtx CRAPS on every game on console ever created as soon as you put it playing any AAA game from the last 2 or 3 years in 1080p with 4x anti aliasing

That card is 4 years old

and the consoles have been "outdated" since their inception

The games run @ or below 720p

1280x720 is ANCIENT is terms of resolution
The consoles use minimal anti aliasing and always have
The framerate on consoles runs from 20-30 frames typically
This is considered to be "unplayable" by many pc gamers

[Substance101]

True lol, my laptop which has a GTX 260m (equal to a 8800gtx) runs almost every game out there in 1080p with decent AA, hence even my 2 yr old laptop is ahead of consoles.

[CaliGamer]

These sort of articles are getting out of hand. The gaming community should strive for better than this.

[Big_Dom]

This is N4G, mate. Quality control need not apply. Now, if you own a PS3 and have no interest in other gaming platforms, then this place should be right up your street.

[Big_Dom]

The only thing surprising about this article is that it's tagged under "opinion" when in fact it isn't opinion, but just fact. It's also nothing eyrbrow raisingly new either. Consoles got smoked clean out of the water in 2007 (and possibly before that) when Crysis hit the scene. The sheer fact that BF3 is running at a pre-Alpha state and looks that stunning is scary and extrememly exciting. For any of the console fanboy freaks that don't understand what that means (yes, I am talking about the PS3 freaks in particular here) pre-Alpha in a game state is the initial graphical stage. It still had to undertake a secondary pass for it to go Beta, and then after that it goes gold. Even in it's pre-alpha state, it literally smokes anything seen on a console, and will ever ne seen, by several times over. It's a good time to jump back into PC gaming.

[Dr_Handsome]

I find the PC versus consoles debate funny.

It's mostly a demographic difference, where PC gamers are mostly PC enthusiasts, and console gamers don't want to troubleshoot hardware and software to get their games to run.

Both will be successful in the future, the two platforms just cater to different demographics.

[Big_Dom]

"where PC gamers are mostly PC enthusiasts"

No they aren't. So you're saying that even if you are a PC enthusiast, you still won't own one of the other systems? I've been gaming on PC's for 15 years of there abouts, but I still game on cosnoles. Everytime a generation of consoles starts to really show its age, I tend to jump back to PC's because it's only the PC that starts to push the envelope by then.

[TheBlackSmoke]

LOL, your comment is so full of it. YES PC hardware can always be greater than the consoles and obviously multiplats look better on PC but cmon, PC elitists go on like the Uncharted and Killzone series are SNES games in comparison.

This is not the 90's when PC games were 4-5 generations ahead of console. It is clear that consoles can hang better and better with each generation, PS3 exclusives in particular are really pushing the boundaries, they may not have the overall resolution and aliasing of PC games but in ways they are surpasing it, for example:

- KZ3's gun models are better than crysis

- god of war 3 and Heavy rains character models cant be surpassed.

- Uncharted's animation's, mocap etc.

Not to mention that these games actually have art direction and a bit of soul, which is seriously lacking in "super hi res jungle with explosions the game"

"Everytime a generation of consoles starts to really show its age, I tend to jump back to PC's because it's only the PC that starts to push the envelope by then."

I find this statement tremendously funny as last time I checked MOST of the hardcore PC gaming community are still playing TF2, CS AND WOW for 5 years in a row. Only a a tiny amount of PC gamers are wanking over aliasing which is why PC developers have moved to console because they know where they can actually make money.

Face it PC gaming is only being served by 2 companys, valve and blizzard, neither of which can boast about cutting edge graphics. All other devs make games for consoles with PC as an afterthought.

The most important thing to remember is that games are about gameplay. Crysis is only known of because of how it looks, as a game it really didnt do anything we haven't seen a million times before. Console exclusives are the games that are pushing gaming forward not PC tech demos.

[sway__z]

Okay, if we're going to get technical...all hardware is obsolete before it leaves the conveyor belt at the processing plant.

That includes PC hardware too. Such is the pace of technology, there's always going to be something better to replace what you have.

Just be content with what you have. If you never played a PC game, then you're missing out on absolutely nothing at all!

[therapist]

sway...thats true to an extent, but with consoles they are stuck in a time bubble the moment they ship

xbox360=2005 level of game graphics, ps3= 2006

pc= always next gen if you got a few bucks to spare

for myself and many other gamers, dropping about $200-$400
every 2-4 years to have the best gaming experience is nothing, and the investment pays out is huge benifits as true 1080p with 16x anti aliasing makes every game look better, and 60 frames per second has become something that, to me, is the only way to game.

I keep my ps3 for the 1 to 3 games that come out in a year that are exsclusive that cater to my paticular intrest, other than that, everything I want is on PC.

[MysticStrummer]

Is this supposed to make me want to game on PC? I did that in the past. No thanks.

[audiojet]

Hmmm, big decision.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start.

or

Y, Y, B, B, G, H, G, H, K, L, Enter.

...sorry easy decision.

[ShinFuYux]

Nice graphics don't grant supremity. PC gaming lacks games. Sure, there's multiplat games but how many exclusive titles are there?

being a pc gamer really doesn't warrant me to be satisfied with it's games, most of the time, I always end up buying a game for my ps3 than my pc. Back then, I was a bit satisfied that pc gaming had mass effect, Alan wake was coming, crysis and gears of war. Now, crysis is a terrible game, pretty but very bad, Alan wake became a 360 exclusive, mass effect ended up on the ps3, and gears of war was decent but I got pissed that its sequels will never show up on pc..

pc gaming really sucks.. I don't mod my games, I don't care about mods, and its community is something I don't really care about. I just simply want to insert my game and play.

[ChickeyCantor]

"PC gaming lacks games."

I suggest you stop smoking drugs.
Matter of fact is that PC games come with adjustable options. Something the Console versions usually lack.

[ShinFuYux]

The PS3 and 360 exclusives smack the PC gaming department silly.

It's about Quantity than quality in this case.

[gillri]

make an article on how console gaming makes PC hardware utilisation look like a joke

GOW3 and RDR were the best looking games of last year base on the awards they received, on 5 year odl hardware

[AntiHeroComplex]

and new cars are more fuel efficient than the ones from 20 years ago.

This is an article?

[HINDERIZATION]

not that i hate PC, i just prefer to game on console. i do love the games PC has though that consoles don't.

[Rifkens]

Consoles always go out of date, thats why theyre shit. Some Games for PC actually have requirements such as "Does not run on DX9" or "Does not work on XP" Point proven that PC is far more superior than Consoles

[HINDERIZATION]

and sometimes more of a hassle

[duplissi]

seriously can we just end this fucking discussion?

PC WILL ALWAYS BE AHEAD OF CONSOLES IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TECHNICALLY.....

damn you guys are acting like this is new fucking news...

[hellzsupernova]

no news here. the pc has been doing it for years