Mass Effect 2 - Tech Analysis @ Eurogamer

[Dhruin]

I don't know how interesting this is but Eurogamer has a Tech Analysis of Mass Effect 2, examining the frame rates and technical improvements of the sequel, particularly on the X360. Here's a quick sample to see if this is your thing:

There are similarities with the first game. Cut-scenes can and will drop down to 20FPS in order to maintain the excellent detail levels BioWare demands from its characters, and there are still jumps in places between 20FPS and 30FPS during the arcade sections, but overall performance, particularly when it comes to tearing (now at 2.5 per cent in these clips - most of the time ME2 passes as a v-synced game), is obviously smoother.

This has all been achieved with a range of technological improvements across the board, combined with sharper level design more in tune with the limitations of the engine.

More information.

 

[Thaurin]

Cool read. Mass Effect 2 on the Xbox 360 truly does look astounding and not in the least because of BioWare's excellent art direction. It's probably also near the max of what the Xbox 360 hardware can produce. Time for the next-gen?

It's interesting that the PC version looks so much the same. It runs smoothly on a modest graphics card. It does make me wonder what a fast PC can really churn out these days. I'm a graphics engine whore and I want to see the future.

 

[Kostas]

It does make me wonder what a fast PC can really churn out these days

Probably something which looks better than Crysis.
Consoles,and particularly X360 have been holding the graphic advancement back,and that's why most games still have that DX9 look.

 

[Thaurin]

I haven't played Crysis, but from what I've heard people say, that game doesn't even look that great compared to some others. Maybe it's the art direction and nothing technical, but screenshots and videos of the game couldn't really win me over, neither.

I'm longing for another revolution like the big engine updates brought by Doom, Quake, Unreal, Doom 3, Half-Life 2, etc. I guess that'll be Unreal Engine 4 for the next-gen hardware that's supposedly in the design stage and planned for 2012.

Anyway, there are still some big-budget PC-only games and even those do not offer revolutionary new graphical prowess. I guess most of them also have to consider the mid-end hardware in their game development.

 

[DArtagnan]

For what it's worth, I consider Crysis the best looking game I've ever seen, bar none.

 

[Kostas]

I haven't played Crysis, but from what I've heard people say, that game doesn't even look that great compared to some others.

To be honest,I think they're lying.
Crysis was released more than 2 years ago and it's still (technically)the best looking game.
As you said I expect id's next game to be revolutionary but until it's released Crysis has no competition.

 

[Thaurin]

I guess there's no replacement for seeing the game run with your own eyes. Video and screenshots don't do it justice, then. Time to upgrade my PC (still).

Anyway, graphics cards have had an awesome time these past two years and games could easily look even *better* than Crysis now. I'm just so very curious how that would look...

 

[DArtagnan]

I guess there's no replacement for seeing the game run with your own eyes. Video and screenshots don't do it justice, then. Time to upgrade my PC (still).

Anyway, graphics cards have had an awesome time these past two years and games could easily look even *better* than Crysis now. I'm just so very curious how that would look…

Gotta wait until the next-gen consoles

 

[JemyM]

With games produced for PS3/XBox, the power of the PC graphiccards aren't used.

 

[JDR13]

There are similarities with the first game. Cut-scenes can and will drop down to 20FPS in order to maintain the excellent detail levels BioWare demands from its characters

I wonder why the drop in FPS. Aren't the cut-scenes pre-rendered?

 

[Thaurin]

I wonder why the drop in FPS. Aren't the cut-scenes pre-rendered?

Not at all. This was obvious in the first Mass Effect where the texture pop-in occured more often and was more obvious. I don't think Mass Effect 2 has any pre-rendered cut-scenes anywhere, although I do suspect a few short scenes at the beginning to be pre-rendered. Not really sure there, but it's nothing major. I watched a very nice scene that cut away to a planet's surface just know and it had a loading screen before it. I think it's pretty damn impressive, the in-game scenes that Mass Effects 2 is able to produce.

Also, frame-rate drops or not, I haven't found them bothersome in the least.