Update 5: It turns out that Killzone: Shadow Fall‘s multiplayer wasn’t 1080p. I don’t know about you, but I thought it looked gorgeous.
Update 4: Maybe I’m not losing my mind after all.
I also noticed Digital Foundry‘s analysis didn’t incorporate either of the two big parkour sections where I experienced sub-15 FPS. Take it all for what you will; both of these current-gen versions are tragic.
I don’t know if it’s relevant, but I played a digital copy of the PS4 version and it was a week before release. I don’t think there was a patch, but partial install may have been involved. I’m not sure because I uninstalled the game.
Update 3: It’s worth noting that Digital Foundry’s analysis concludes that the Xbox One version has some benefits of its own, including 16xAF. This is something to take into consideration when choosing which version to buy. At the end of the day, the PC version is your only hope at finding happiness with the performance.
Update 2: Digital Foundry has posted a technical comparison between the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Thief, and they conflict with my argument.
I want to deeply apologize for spreading misinformation. In my defense, it wasn’t intentional. I was upset with the framerate of Thief on PS4 from the beginning of the experience, and immediately questioned why the developer didn’t opt to use 900p in an attempt to lock the framerate.
I understand that readers are upset for being steered in the wrong direction. All I can do is promise that in the future I won’t make claims without supporting evidence.
And to those hastily saying I’m an Xbox fanboy, you might want to check your information. I have been a huge PlayStation fan since 1998. If anything I’d call myself a PC/PlayStation gamer as anyone I know personally can attest to. After all, my Xbox Live account is bare while I have over 130 games logged with trophies on PSN.
Original Post: A lot of gamers are caught up in what has been dubbed ‘Resolution-Gate‘. The PS4 is a monster machine for $399, and the Xbox One is toast. Yadda yadda. But are gamers getting too caught up in numbers? After playing Thief I’d argue the answer is a resounding ‘YES’.
Playing through Thief on PS4 and Xbox One over the past week I’m not so sure 1080p on consoles is a standard that should be set for next-gen. The PS4 version struggles needlessly to try to maintain a 30 frames per second presentation, regularly dipping into the 15-20 range during gameplay. At several points in the journey, it even edges toward the single digits. That isn’t even something I remember dealing with on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
What makes this particularly controversial is the Xbox One version does a much better job of maintaining a steady framerate. I’d go as far as to say because of this, the Xbox One version is better.
So how is it that Thief on Xbox One is able to do this? Well, the short answer is 900p. It’s displayed at a lower resolution, requiring roughly 660,000 fewer pixels per image to be rendered. However, the visual clarity would make you think the six-digit figure is in no way accurate. The truth is that’s due to diminishing returns. Between 900p and 1080p the images don’t look nearly as different as going from the standard definition output of 480i up to 720p. Surprisingly, the pixel difference is the same.
Numbers are a big thing right now, and I understand that it’s an important factor for most gamers. After all, paying $100 more for a console that has less processing power is a tough sell.
As much as the Xbox One has been beaten up and called names all over the internet, it’s more powerful than gamers are giving it credit for. More importantly, developers feel less pressure to adhere to the 1080p standard which compromises texture quality, effects, physics, and in the case of Thief, framerate.
I’m not saying settling for less is a good thing, but if a developer decides to make a PS4 game 900p (as was the case with Battlefield 4), they shouldn’t be attacked for it. In the same vein, if a developer chooses to release a title that runs at 900p on on Xbox One, and it performs well, it shouldn’t be a big issue. As we saw with Ryse: Son of Rome, which many including myself argue is the best-looking next-gen title right now, 900p can make your jaw drop provided the game is optimized and has great art direction.
