[Updated] Skyrim on the Xbox 360 is low res without an install

Lazy Gamer: [Update] Apologies this article is incorrect, the texture loading issue occurs if the game is installed not the other way around. We were all at a MW3 event yesterday so this mistake went unnoticed. Thanks to the abuse in the comments though, always much appreciated

[yesmynameissumo]

Expect to see this more and more. It is impressive the console has gone 6yrs and only now has this sort of thing begun to pop up.

[WetN00dle69]

That is true BUT for this particular title, the game isnt optimized to run from the 360 HDD. Therefore the game looks like crap IF installed onto the 360 HDD. So i for one will be running it off the disk till a patch rolls out.

[guigsy]

Yeah same with Halo 3, that game would take ages to load if it you installed it.

[kma2k]

Maybe im misreading what you are saying, but im getting you are saying that the game will look worse with the texture install than without? Im really confused, im not talking crap i just am curious if you really mean that? If so do you have any links proving it?

Cause first thing i do with every game is install it on my hdd.

[darthv72]

I remember MS even saying not to install halo 3 when that option came out. The game was optimized to run from the disc as well as others. Now we are seeing a slight shift in the optimization process.

Devs know the majority of 360 owners have hdd's and they are using that to their advantage. Making secondary discs to contain the high res stuff to be installed if the user want it. Otherwise they can play the game in standard mode.

I am not sure what the ratio is but even with the non hdd 360 being cheaper, it was reported that there were more that use the hdd than those who didnt. That was a while ago (before kinect) so I am not sure if that ratio still stands.

Still, it is one interesting way to keep the 360 relevant in the face of expansive games. Put the core of the game on one disc and the assets on another to be installed.

[WetN00dle69]

Yes. There is a bug that is causing for the game to lose texture quality when you install it onto the HDD.

[humbleopinion]

This happens when games are using the HDD as a temp cache to stream content faster (since HDD read speeds are faster). It basically copies some content from the CD to the HDD for later use.
The problem is that if you already have the game installed on the HDD, the console is basically trying to read&write on the HDD at the same time - and this is generally not a good idea since it really hinders performance (the HDD magnetic needle has to juggle between two locations on the plate).
There is a simple fix however: the game has to perform a check if the user already installed it on the HDD and then just disable this feature.

[gamingdroid]

That is actually not true at all. Newer games are practically all optimized to run on the HD and even if it wasn't that possibility is almost certain to be tested.

Only older games (and very few of them, like a handful) was recommended not to install.

This is a bug, that will be fixed. Skyrim only takes a few gigs and doesn't even use the entire DVD disc at only 3.8GB. That's less than half:

http://www.gamezone.com/new...

[fluffydelusions]

If it makes it look better I'm all for it. I have a 250gb slim so makes no difference to me.

[Perjoss]

Yep, large hard drives are the way to go, much better for having a few games installed and all the demos and videos you like downloaded. I still need to upgrade my PS3 as its still a 60g launch version with PS2 backwards compatibility.

[RedDead]

I only have the 20GB still...it's not so bad but you gotta uninstall other game if you want to install a new one. Downloading Skyrim on Steam right now anyway. Had to delete stuff as well haha.

[irepbtown]

LoL, and I have 80gb.
The 320gb model is catching my eye and the 250gb xbox 360 matte finish.

Hopefully by Christmas i'll get them. Only got like 10-15gb left from my PS3 right now :(

[gamingdroid]

I have the 40GB LE MGS4 PS3 console.... I'm just a step above the 20GB versions without WiFi.

[Keith Olbermann]

So if you own a 360 arcade, no worries.

[Chuk5]

This is all rumors and speculation at this point. There is not nearly enough evidence to prove this, much less a video

[ForROME]

Good - I think MS should be pushed to put atleast a 60GB on every console.

But then again this is JUST a RUMOR - could just be slow loading txt

[HeavenlySnipes]

barely a difference...

[NotSoSilentBob]

What Xbox360 retail game is truly HD resolution and not upscaled?

Heres a hint their are none.

[kaveti6616]

Fool of a Took.

[humbleopinion]

None? I have right next to me a copy of Fifa Street 3 running in full 1080p on my Xbox. There are obviously just a few retail games running in actual 1080p (just like the PS3) but you got it all wrong claiming there are none.

[Marquis_de_Sade]

What sad, pathetic waste of space has little better to do with their lives than troll gaming sites, leaving a trail of nonsensical drivel in their wake?

Here's a hint, his name is NotSoSilentBob.

[MischievousIQ]

You must be the arithmetic man; you add trouble, subtract pleasure, divide attention, and multiply ignorance.

[ufo8mycat]

Someone over on NEOGAF seems to have identified how to replicate the problem 100%.

Apparently according to him, it has nothing to do whether the game is installed or running off disk.

The cause is: the in game menu
When you bring up the in game menu, the game world goes blurred, while you have the menu up (for faster menu loading), then when you close the menu and return to game, the items you're wearing go low res.

So to sum it up

Good textures
Bring up the menu & close menu
Bad textures

This dude seems to have replicated it 100% both installed and not installed and clearing HD cache.

So looks like the problem lies with the ingame menu not 'restoring' some textures after it has been closed.

[WetN00dle69]

NICE! Thanks for the heads up on this. Hopefully they patch this up once the game releases.

[Shield]

Nice work, thanks for getting the facts straight.

[Rock_On_PS4]

Seriously, there is little to no difference between low setting and low-medium settings.

There is no chance in hell will this game play on either PS3 or XBox 360 on medium-high or high settings+.

Only 512MB of unified GPU and CPU to play with. 2005/06 PC specs, 5 or 6 year old computer architecture.

[MasterCornholio]

This is just a slight issue and i am pretty sure that bethesda will fix it. Its probably false that theres an additional texture pack for this game.

The only version of the game that will have additional textures will be the PC and maybe the PS3 version. I only say this because both the PC and PS3 versions are 5.5 GBs while the 360 one is 3.8 GBs.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

So there's a mandatory install on PS3 and you need to install the HD texture pack on Xbox 360.

Consoles are becoming more like PC's all the time.

[Mr Tretton]

Really they're becoming less like current PCs as they continue fall years behind in performance.

I'm sure the next consoles still won't be able to run a straight port of 2007's Crysis identical to the PC version. They'd have to make the consoles 500-600 bucks and that's not gonna happen again.

[Relientk77]

eww ugly, I would install