Worried About Slowdowns

[Iceman]

The only place slowdowns most likely will occur will be in th multiplayer modes, where you can trade a little of the graphical qualilty for the ability to have 2 players playing at once.

 

[Jay]

I guess I'm one of the fortunate who doesn't notice these things or doesn't care. yay for me.

I'm talking about barely perceptible dips in a mostly solid 60fps game.

Yeah Im the same, I dont even notice the small slowdowns in GT4 replays becasue it doesnt bother me.

 

[un_peacekeeper]

okay...some ppl say there's slowdowns in GT3, i noticed none...so it should be fine in GT4 for me. those who sees slowdown in GT3...well, who cares bout those guys...picky ppl

 

[Sambert]

In the new demo, I've seen a couple times where the video stutters, as if the fields got swapped or something. But very brief and very rare. No slowdown of any kind other than that, even coming down Döttinger Hohe. Literally a mile and a half of sight distance right there.

There has been a slight replay stuttering issue since the introduction of GT-Concept. It is my view that it has something to do with the implementation of the zoom function. To check out the stuttering:

Concept: Midfield (under the bridge first or second lap.)
Prologue: New York (just as the cars take off from the line.)

Let’s hope that it is fixed for the final release.

Edit: although I have noticed the stutter once or twice in the demo, I am yet to put my finger on a specific location.

Oh, stutter was also present in Beemer demo.

 

[Jim X]

There has been a slight replay stuttering issue since the introduction of GT-Concept. It is my view that it has something to do with the implementation of the zoom function. To check out the stuttering:

Concept: Midfield (under the bridge first or second lap.)
Prologue: New York (just as the cars take off from the line.)

Let’s hope that it is fixed for the final release.

Edit: although I have noticed the stutter once or twice in the demo, I am yet to put my finger on a specific location.

Oh, stutter was also present in Beemer demo.

I second (or third?) this and what Sven said. I have noticed the brief rare slowdowns in the NEW GT4 Japanese demo, as well as the BMW demo. I also have Prologue and that game/demo does it a LOT.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

why not come out with a pc version of gt4?

1. The GT series is a successful tool for selling PS2 systems.
2. Notice the huge mod community of PC racing games? Seeing as how KY seems to be a (very slow-progressing) perfectionist, I don't think he'd be content with half-assed "additions" to his game.
3. It would appeal to a lot less people, as the cost of a high-performance PC is a fair bit higher than a PS2.

 

[Sven]

I can't even tell if it's actual slowdown, it seems more like weird video field interactions to me...

 

[JohnBM01]

If I can make out your screen name very well, you're trying to call yourself "Save Me," but prefered "Ceyvme." Am I right? Anyhow, let's get to business because that's what I do.

Donbenni said this would be a crap thread. Do I agree? Well, no. The best way to enjoy a racing game is when it stays fast and stays exciting. If the action gets slowed down, then we begin to lose some of that fast-paced action. Generally, if any game in the GT series had slowdown trouble, it's Gran Turismo 2. People keep saying it's faster than GT1, but to me, that's a damn lie. GT1 was as fast as you can get on the PS1. Replays were fast as was the action. GT2 had some slowdowns in racing action and with some replays. GT3 was almost perfect. It allowed little, if any, slowdowns. So if GT3 was fast, what makes you think GT4 won't follow suit? If GT4 doesn't minimalize or eliminate slowdowns, the action will be lagging and dull. And as you should know in racing, action is as fast-paced and always on the move. Like, I don't watch a basketball game to see everything moving so slow. Do you think the L.A. Lakers vs. Miami Heat would be slow-paced? Do you think Duke vs. North Carolina would be slow-paced? Then why would GT4 be slow for some reason?

In other words, I don't want to sound like I work for PD, but I think you won't be disappointed with how the game is paced. Enjoy fast, non-stop racing action with very minimal slowdowns. So, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! Alright? 👍

 

[Solidus Snake]

okay...some ppl say there's slowdowns in GT3, i noticed none...so it should be fine in GT4 for me. those who sees slowdown in GT3...well, who cares bout those guys...picky ppl

I never noticed slowdowns either, but thats flawed logic. GT4 is a completely brand new game, but still I doubt there will be any slowdown either.

 

[Jedi2016]

I doubt there will be any slowdown. We all know how much of a perfectionist KY is, and he likely has a standing rule that any employee or tester who sees a problem, no matter how small (like slowdown) is to report to him immediately. He'll then go about figuring out the exact cause of the slowdown, and either repair it or remove it (if it's something like an extra tree or whatever).

Slowdown is caused by a very simple problem, that's the same regardless of the game: The software is trying to get the hardware to do something it just can't do fast enough. Basically, the system is being pushed too far, and a certain effect or object is just too much for the system to render at full frame-rate. This can happen for several reasons, but I can think of only two "top" reasons why: 1) The game was rushed through development for the sole purpose of money (holiday season, rushing a sequel to bank off the success of the first game, etc). Or 2) The developers want to achieve a very specific look to an object/texture/effect, and are willing to take a small hit to frame-rate in order to make it work.

An example of #1 would be the new Price of Persia.. which has gotten decidedly negative reviews from users for being rushed, and apparently has a very unstable frame-rate. An example of #2 would be Killzone. The game looks fabulous, I don't think anyone can argue that.. but they had to make sacrifices in order to make it look as good as it does. Maybe a few too many sacrifices, according to some players, but that's a discussion for another place.

Now, GT4 doesn't fall into either of those two categories. I think we can all agree that the game hasn't been rushed... And I think we all know KY well enough to say that he's not going to make any sacrifices in order to make the game pretty. Especially with that little gizmo they have that tells them how the system is handling under what they're doing to it. That tells them exactly where they need to back off on something, or where they have room to add something more, without taking it over the limit. With the constant fine-tuning the game's been under for the last couple years, I think it's safe to say we're going to get a game that not only pushes the system to it's limits, but does so in an efficient manner without going over those limits, like Killzone did.

Oh, and like a couple of the others, I never noticed any slowdown in GT3... if it was there, it was so small I never saw it. And again, this time they have that gizmo.. they didn't have that when they made GT3. (I really need to find out what that thing's called, dammit...)

 

[Revolution 909]

The Gran Turismo series are the last games in the world where you should worry about slow downs. I have seen less frame drops in all my time of playing GT1, 2, 3, Concept and Prologue then I see in a lap of any other racing game. When it comes to slow downs while driving there are none. Sure there are other issues with the games but I never noticed any slow downs.

 

[T5-R]

If they stood to make more money in the long run by making a PC version they would.

The Facts:

1)Gran Turismo is a system seller. Even for snobby PC gamers.

2)They would have to dedicate a team to porting the game to PC, and it would have to be done to PD's standards. Certainly not cheap

3)Console games outsell PC games by a large margin.

4)More people have PS2s than PCs that could maintain Gran Turismo 4 at a solid 60 FPS with reasonable detail levels.

1) Snobby PC gamers eh? Console fanboy eh? I like to have both personally. Anyway... I bought a PS1 purely for GT1 (As it was so kick arse), wasn't as desperate to buy a PS2 for GT3 though, but GT3 + GTA3 = PS2 purchase
(This is no doubt the real reason not to port it to PC, KY has stated he would like to develop a PC version I believe but he's on Sonys leash )

2)They could probably make the money back through sales easily.

3) Pretty sure The Sims is the best selling game of all time & is PC based (I hate it myself though).

4)If No. 2 was followed through this wouldn't be a problem. If it was ported at PDs standard, GT4 would probably run just as well on a modest PC.

The Gran Turismo series are the last games in the world where you should worry about slow downs. I have seen less frame drops in all my time of playing GT1, 2, 3, Concept and Prologue then I see in a lap of any other racing game. When it comes to slow downs while driving there are none. Sure there are other issues with the games but I never noticed any slow downs.

What? GT2 was one massive slowdown...

 

[Revolution 909]

What? GT2 was one massive slowdown...

Lots of ugly textures, bad draw in and pop ups but never any dropped frames.

 

[capnlarge]

1) Snobby PC gamers eh? Console fanboy eh? I like to have both personally. Anyway... I bought a PS1 purely for GT1 (As it was so kick arse), wasn't as desperate to buy a PS2 for GT3 though, but GT3 + GTA3 = PS2 purchase
(This is no doubt the real reason not to port it to PC, KY has stated he would like to develop a PC version I believe but he's on Sonys leash )

I have a reasonable gaming spec PC. I guess it came off wrong. What I meant is that dedicated PC gamers tend to look down on console gaming like it's akin to licking the rim of the toilet bowl. Heck, even PC Gamer magazine does it.

The point is, there's nothing comparable to GT on PCs in terms of scope. No PC game even comes close to GT in offering as many vehicles and game play modes. As a result, the lure of GT is one that can even convince these elitist PC gamers to buy a PS2.

 

[T5-R]

Lots of ugly textures, bad draw in and pop ups but never any dropped frames.

Well I've had both NTSC & PAL versions and both of them crawled at times. Let alone the average framerate of about 20.

I have a reasonable gaming spec PC. I guess it came off wrong. What I meant is that dedicated PC gamers tend to look down on console gaming like it's akin to licking the rim of the toilet bowl. Heck, even PC Gamer magazine does it.

The point is, there's nothing comparable to GT on PCs in terms of scope. No PC game even comes close to GT in offering as many vehicles and game play modes. As a result, the lure of GT is one that can even convince these elitist PC gamers to buy a PS2.

Can't argue with that