I'm starting to see a fatal flaw in SSD = Next-gen game changer

[Playstation Tablet 1,852]

This applies to XBox X as well, and if Lockhart ends up a 4tflop console with less RAM doubly so. (I can't believe how underwhelmed people would be with such a console, given the poor PS5/X showing visually)

 

Currently the objective use for SSDs is simple.

 

1. RAM multiplier because we are getting a tiny RAM upgrade, basically virtual texturing to keep less stuff in RAM and access it when needed.

2. Quality of life, simply no loading times as is. Fantastic use, and great achievement of the gen.

3. Infinite level design, just come up with whatever the fuck you want without optimising level design around load choke points, transitions, elevators etc.

4. In theory you can fetch a huge amount of data per frame, but you actually have to MAKE that data as an asset as a developer, nevermind actually render it with the compute limitations of hardware.

 

But here is where we hit a CORE problem. The vast majority of games simply aren't designed around fast moving scenes, that change on the fly, and multiple enviroments. This whole notion "SSD = next-gen" implies your game is designed around VERY specific limitations and design choices that frankly don't fit the majority of games.

 

1. Gran Turismo/Forza for example. You drive in circles, and thats absolutely fine design. Are you going to add an open world fighter jet to fly on to make the game more impressive? Of course not. The SSD just doesn't benefit the CORE design of the game, not because an ultra fast SSD is bad, but because the developer has no use for it.

 

2. Demon Souls/Dark etc - It's a slow paced dungeon crawler, its not based around fast traveling, multile environments etc. You're literally a dude in slow armor walking around slow atmospheric enviroments. The design itself literally doesn't require an insanely fast SSD even if they gave a 20gbps SSD, there would be nothing in the design that ask for it. Asking to change the gameplay or design JUST because you have an SSD capable of doing X or Y is frankly idiotic.

 

3.Resident Eviil 8 - Highly scripted, claustrophobic controlled enviroments. There is no need for any scenes to switch on the fly. You're exploring a mansion/house/abandoned police department. The gameplay design itself doesn't revolve around the strengths of an SSD. That's also fine.

 

These examples could be used for other games, some will obviously benefit like Horizon 2 or Ratchet, but designing your game around the strngths of an SSD and not your vision in itself is idiotic. The SSD happens to benefit SOME games, while the majority simply use it as an instant load feature because it doesn't fit the core of their game vision.

 

 

 

 

[Remij 5,015]

Dude... slow moving games can benefit greatly too... and it comes in the form of textures, variety, geometric detail, animations and sound as well.  Being able to call up anything in an instant mid frame is game changing.

 

It's very early days man lol..

[madmaltese★ 2,801]

Stop acting like very single game has to use 100% of the resources in a system. Nearly no game does. Some games require different things than others. The point is now they have the ability if they want. It's about widening what is available and getting rid of limitations, not forcing everyone to use a certain aspect. 

 

 

[Remij 5,015]

Just now, madmaltese said:

Stop acting like very single game has to use 100% of the resources in a system. Nearly no game does. Some games require different things than others. The point is now they have the ability if they want. It's about widening what is available and getting rid of limitations, not forcing everyone to use a certain aspect. 

 

 

Yep, exactly.

 

Like I said before, a LOT of what Sony was going for, is to make developers lives easier.  If even it only allowed that... games would be better for it.

 

But things are just getting started.  With this kind of speed, devs will need time to become accustomed to it.

 

LMAO just wait for the next gen Naughty Dog game... jfc  

[jehurey 3,318]

in Gran Turismo, the asphalt on the track can be a very high-res texture with plenty of special mapping effects.

 

If you are driving in front bumper camera view, they could literally start RENDERING the asphalt and imperfections in the road with actual polygons, very quickly

 

Hell, if you drive off-track and there's gravel, it could start rendering the gravel kicking up in real-time.

 

I think racing games still haven't perfected the true sense of speed, I keep on watching F1 videos of the Go Pro camera in the cockpit, and the sense of speed there is much more violent and tunnel-visioned than fro what I see in video games.

[madmaltese★ 2,801]

1 minute ago, Remij_ said:

Yep, exactly.

 

Like I said before, a LOT of what Sony was going for, is to make developers lives easier.  If even it only allowed that... games would be better for it.

 

But things are just getting started.  With this kind of speed, devs will need time to become accustomed to it.

 

LMAO just wait for the next gen Naughty Dog game... jfc  

Cant even imagine. Would be one of the only devs to start full scale development entirely while all these exact specifics have been known too. Like you said, a lot of these would've begun in 2017.