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[Max_Po]

The game drops to 20fps occasionally .

The game doesn't run at 20fps.

Oh wow..big different.... Thanks...

 

[OrbitalBeard]

I still don't understand why it scored so high given it's running the way it is. Surely that would take a few points off from it being a 10/10 game?

(I'll never understand the review system)

You don't "understand the review system" because there isn't one. There isn't some universal standard.

 

[goldenpp72]

I still don't understand why it scored so high given it's running the way it is. Surely that would take a few points off from it being a 10/10 game?

(I'll never understand the review system)

It doesn't run that way routinely? I mean, I could be wrong but it seems like you play the game for 100 hours and might experience it in brief spots here or there, not a constant, game breaking issue. I have yet to read any reviews say 'this game runs at 20 fps almost all the time'

 

[Ultra Numb]

It's still not acceptable but apparently performance is actually significantly better after you depart from the Great Plateau.

 

[RoadHazard]

The point that I am trying to make , or be corrected on is: The is nothing in the Wii U Architecture that is superior to the Switch's in a pound to pound comparison. Unless I have underestimated the AMD that's in Wii U, None of this is a hardware issue.

And the Switch version does run much better than the Wii U version in handheld mode, at the same resolution. So you're right, the Switch is superior to the Wii U. But when pushed to 900p the Switch clearly struggles, even with the higher docked GPU cocks, which means that there is an issue here. And it's most likely related to a severe memory bandwidth bottleneck.

 

[Sapientas]

So many people salty over that 98 Metacritic. I guess most don't even read them since performance issues are constantly mentioned while still not being enough to detract from the whole experience significantly.

 

[Shin-Ra]

This level of performance and image quality isn't tempting me to spend £280+ for a very moderate improvement over Wii U on the big screen.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

Some people here trying to defend 20fps it's really impressive. When it comes to Zelda, they ask you to forgive performance issues, that 20fps is ok because the game is amazing. Sure, won't stop me from playing it, but people have the right to complain about this kind of performance, even if it is the almighty Zelda/Nintendo.

I'm fine with people complaining about frame rate issue to begin with, it's just that they immediately define the game with it and belittle the experience the reviewers and previewers had IN SPITE of these issue is where I take offense with it.

 

[Prithee Be Careful]

You should check out some Bethesda and Rockstar reviews.

I feel like you're being deliberately obtuse here: Fallout 4 reviewed well, netting scores between 84 and 88 across the three platforms. It's a score that leaves users in no doubt this is a good game with room for improvements. A 98 is basically unheard in 2017 and indicates a game of almost no notable flaws whatsoever almost peerless in everything it does.

Regular, sporadic dips to 20fps throughout a game is a notable flaw, not negated by the general excellence elsewhere and is far surpassed by many other titles. In the same way that TW3's fantastic writing doesn't excuse the slightly woolly combat, general design excellence doesn't excuse pervasive technical issues.

Technical merit is a facet of game quality and BotW falls short of many of its peers in this regard. That's a noteworthy thing that was sadly unnoted by the vast majority of critics.

 

[Instro]

Some people here trying to defend 20fps it's really impressive. When it comes to Zelda, they ask you to forgive performance issues, that 20fps is ok because the game is amazing. Sure, won't stop me from playing it, but people have the right to complain about this kind of performance, even if it is the almighty Zelda/Nintendo.

Is anyone particularly defending the performance? It seems like the main point of contention is from manbabies whining about a metacritic number.

 

[adamsapple]

I still don't understand why it scored so high given it's running the way it is. Surely that would take a few points off from it being a 10/10 game?

(I'll never understand the review system)

I'm there with you. Even if it's a tried and true franchise, if performance is being impacted this much it should definitely factor into the reviews more than a passing reference.

Some people here trying to defend 20fps it's really impressive. When it comes to Zelda, they ask you to forgive performance issues, that 20fps is ok because the game is amazing. Sure, won't stop me from playing it, but people have the right to complain about this kind of performance, even if it is the almighty Zelda/Nintendo.

True. In the age where games are called out for dropping from 30 to 28 FPS, it's weird seeing so many people defending 20 FPS stretches. Not saying they're 100% the same people, but you get my point. Bad performance should be acknowledged, not defended or deflected.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

Seems odd for Nintendo to create a system so heavily bottleneck by memory bandwidth.

We don't know if there were any memory improvements yet. But it's pretty interesting to me they didnt go 128bit opposed to 64

 

[ckaneo]

No it isn't. The Switch performs better when docked than when undocked. That's a fact, irrespective of whatever is going on with Zelda.

The is no power in the dock, at the very least anything possible on the docked version is possible with the portable plugged into a wall.

 

[Khalifa Jayy]

I see nothing wrong with their comment. What they mean is that with technology nowadays - as it's obvious better each year - we shouldn't be dipping that low.

Came to say that as well.

They've been in the game 30+ years.

Technology has advanced incredibly.

Why are we ok with 20 FPS?

 

[Persona7]

Not even going to bother with the day one update if it doesn't help with performance.

 

[Poster#1]

Wait for next gen Nintendo console for the optimal experience.

 

[BLAUcopter]

Oh hot tip! If you think the game looks super bright or washed out and you've just started playing, go fiddle with the systems display settings. Change the RGB range!

 

[ckaneo]

That's a noteworthy thing that was sadly unnoted by the vast majority of critics.

It was noted by the vast majority of critics though.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

True. In the age where games are called out for dropping from 30 to 28 FPS, it's weird seeing so many people defending 20 FPS stretches. Not saying they're 100% the same people, but you get my point. Bad performance should be acknowledged, not defended or deflected.

Bad performance was acknowledged. In most of the reviews. What?

It was noted by the vast majority of critics though.

this shit is seriously amazing.

 

[NimbusD]

No it isn't. The Switch performs better when docked than when undocked. That's a fact, irrespective of whatever is going on with Zelda.

The switch is clocked up, yes. But it's up to the software to properly take advantage of it.

Wait, is that what you're saying?

 

[CharminUltra]

Not even going to bother with the day one update if it doesn't help with performance.

BUT THE DLC BUTTON!!!!

 

[RoadHazard]

do we know how powerful Switch is compared to PS4 and Xbox one yet?

Not even close. It's closer to the Wii U than either of those. Which is understandable given that it's a handheld.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Is anyone particularly defending the performance? It seems like the main point of contention is from manbabies whining about a metacritic number.

Exactly. I've been harping on this game's performance for months now. Even back at E3, I was a bit worried about it.

 

[Crossing Eden]

If you look at the post history of people specifically mentioning metacritic you'd see it's not as poor as you think.

They're the exception, not the majority disappointed with the performance of this title in docked mode.

 

[Easy_D]

Came to say that as well.

They've been in the game 30+ years.

Technology has advanced incredibly.

Why are we ok with 20 FPS?

Brief drops to 20 FPS at very random intervals. It's not like the game has consistent performance issues.

Edit: Not to say I wasn't expecting rock solid 30, but still. I hope they fix this for those who want a good big screen experience.

 

[lonerism]

talk about hybrid power lmao

 

[SomedayTheFire]

I played the first 3/4 hours handheld and the next 2 docked. Man yeah the framerate docked is bad. I just got to a village and it's awful!

 

[Matt]

The is no power in the dock, at the very least anything possible on the docked version is possible with the portable plugged into a wall.

It's not possible, because the Switch doesn't upclock when just plugged into the wall (for several reasons).

 

[tkscz]

GTA V didn't run significantly better on 360, PS3 and 360 were about neck and neck.

GTA V just ran like shit on both platforms.



talking about how the performance issues in Zelda mean it should have received worse scores, no brainer, right?

and yet GTA V was mired with performance issues and you don't even remember them.

but that's not a bad thing. Just ask yourself why you don't remember those performance issues too strongly.

Did you have a good time with GTA V? Was it an awesome game for you?

This is what everyone who keeps wondering how it got such praise should look at, or hell, read the damn reviews. Reviewers noticed ALL the frame drops, but the game was so good in every single other aspect that frame drops becomes a nit-pik.

 

[ckaneo]

Not even going to bother with the day one update if it doesn't help with performance.

Just because it didn't help where DF tested doesn't mean it doesn't help everywhere lol.

What kind of logic is this

 

[theytookourjobz]

Came to say that as well.

They've been in the game 30+ years.

Technology has advanced incredibly.

Why are we ok with 20 FPS?

Looking at these scores, I don't think anything will change. When every outlet that matters doesn't dock points for technical issues, the devs don't have much incentive to make it a priority.

 

[Nightbird]

It's 98 all over again!

 

[Sanctuary]

Unless this gets fixed, I guess I'm out. Wasn't really looking forward to yet another "portable" only system. Main reason I stayed away from them in the past anyway was because of no way to hook them up to a larger screen, aside from the wonky PSP implementation.

 

[Matt]

The switch is clocked up, yes. But it's up to the software to properly take advantage of it.

Wait, is that what you're saying?

Yep.

 

[BLAUcopter]

It doesn't run that way routinely? I mean, I could be wrong but it seems like you play the game for 100 hours and might experience it in brief spots here or there, not a constant, game breaking issue. I have yet to read any reviews say 'this game runs at 20 fps almost all the time'

I know but wheather it's a bug or the system simply can't handle some areas without the frame rate chugging then that must factor into a final review score? 10/10 means it's perfect, it's means it's flawless.

 

[Tjamato88]

Anything on the Wii U version? Really wanna pick it up but worried it will be kinda busted.

 

[Persona7]

BUT THE DLC BUTTON!!!!

I figure its going to take me 20 minutes to make an account and set it up on my wifi. Not worth it!


I'll be fighting ganon within 20 minutes.

Anything on the Wii U version? Really wanna pick it up but worried it will be kinda busted.

It's playable but has a lot of framerate drops.

 

[Brhoom]

Can Digtal Foundry disable the comments?

 

[Selkies!]

I stumbled across a menu to set your default TV output resolution while messing around with my switch last night. Any word if setting it to 720p changes performance at all? Not sure if this has been covered yet, I'd test myself but unfortunately I'm at work.

 

[Matt]

I know but wheather it's a bug or the system simply can't handle some areas without the frame rate chugging then that must factor into a final review score? 10/10 means it's perfect, it's means it's flawless.

As has been pointed out time and time again, 10/10 does. It mean perfect. No game is perfect.

 

[sammyCYBORG]

Inexcusable.

 

[JrBaconCheeseburger]

Man this is some BS.

So does zelda run better on the wii u VS switch docked?

Please tell me this system is not less powerful than wii u.

 

[Khalifa Jayy]

Brief drops to 20 FPS at very random intervals. It's not like the game has consistent performance issues.

Edit: Not to say I wasn't expecting rock solid 30, but still. I hope they fix this for those who want a good big screen experience.

I've seen a video with worse than 20 FPS, btw. Where the game completely stutters/pauses, so quite frankly they need to sort this out.

But will that mean even worse aliasing/shimmering, lower rez sprites and effects, etc.? Let's hope it's just a bug that can be ironed out. Kind of doubting it, though.

 

[Gotdatmoney]

I know but wheather it's a bug or the system simply can't handle some areas without the frame rate chugging then that must factor into a final review score? 10/10 means it's perfect, it's means it's flawless.

Do you read reviews? Because lots of shit performing games get 10s. GTA4, GTA5, Skyrim, TLOU etc etc.

 

[Prithee Be Careful]

It was noted by the vast majority of critics though.

And yet not reflected in their overall asseseement of the game's quality. Imagine if you will:

Gameplay: 10
Art Direction: 10
Writing: 10
Presentation: 8
Perfomance: 7

The average here is: 9, not 10.

 

[Strings]

I stumbled across a menu to set your default TV output resolution while messing around with my switch last night. Any word if setting it to 720p changes performance at all? Not sure if this has been covered yet, I'd test myself but unfortunately I'm at work.

Nope, still renders at 900p.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

Looking at these scores, I don't think anything will change. When every outlet that matters doesn't dock points for technical issues, the devs don't have much incentive to make it a priority.

Reviewers dock points for technical issues when they feel those technical issues sufficiently drag the game down.
Maybe most of the reviewers didn't feel this way with Zelda.
(as they didn't with the example I used last page that was so conveniently ignored by the person I used it for: GTA V, when it first hit. Among many other games throughout the history of this hobby.)

 

[LordOfChaos]

Well that's a blemish.

Since the undocked mode runs at 30fps pretty consistently, at least it's not a CPU bottleneck. Sounds like they did a bit too much for the GPU and memory bandwidth to handle, so these drops can likely be patched.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

I know but wheather it's a bug or the system simply can't handle some areas without the frame rate chugging then that must factor into a final review score? 10/10 means it's perfect, it's means it's flawless.

No, it means it's close to flawless, this would be a flaw.

 

[RichiRamjag]

If Fallout 4 was called Zelda and had bombs and shit it'd be at 98 right?

Like damn. This really affected some of you. Obviously the game is just that good and the problem not that big a deal for the people reviewing. I'm not sure why some of you have to beat a dead horse and keep trying to stir up some shit (this part isn't directed at you in particular).