DF on Zelda Switch: Docked has major frame drops, portable doesn't (no score talk)

What a weird and disappointing outcome. As someone who makes a habit of playing handheld games on my TV, this makes the Switch all the less attractive. They really should patch this. Either by letting the game run natively in 720p mode when docked or optimizing the 900p native render if possible.

I think that would be the easiest way Nintendo could eliminate the big frame drops in docked mode although leaving the option for 900p docked for those that want image quality over framerate would be ideal. I would be one of those people because although 900p isn't great, 720p really looks dated at this point on large, modern TV's.
 
Didn't the Xenoblade Chronicles X guys help out with this game? That game had absolutely rock solid performance and featured a colossal world with tons of detail (on the Wii U hardware no less). I know Zelda has more complicated systems such as dynamic fire, physics, etc, but this still seems super odd.

It's really not odd if a more complex game runs worse than a simpler game. Monolithsoft makes a bunch of concessions to achieve what they do. The repeated Xenoblade comparisons don't hold water imo.
 
Yeah it's a real bummer on docked mode, which is what I was going to play it mostly, but now I'm playing on handheld mode and it's smooth enough. Hope a patch can sort things out.
 
Damn Wii U performance is baaaddddd even straight up. This is pretty disappointing. I'm sure it's a great game but this is rough

Edit: God damn it, it's really bad
 
Yup there are occasional frame drops I've see it in forested areas, it doesn't bother me much because the game still runs smooth just slower. It is there. Unlike most overblown issues in gaming this is real but not a huge deal .
 
Lol I'm on blackout so I don't know who to trust, those who say it's tolerable or those who are disgusted by the frame drops. Guess I'll just have to test it myself.
 
For those concerned about the frame rate, it definitely improves after the great plateau. That's been the worst area for me by far. I haven't noticed any prolonged drops since leaving, though others have said some towns can get rough
 
Their framerate teating machi e is a nintendo hater
Edit
Welp this confirms my fears.
Will sell the wii u while people still think it has value and pray for the emulator to work
 
It slows down somewhat on the Switch docked during combat and grass, but not enough to detract from the fun for me.

I'm glad I don't have the Wii U version.

I really hope they release more patches, regardless.
 
Playing the game for about an hour, the slowdowns are pretty obvious and repeatable. When the game has a high density of grass on the screen both near and far, it drops.
 
There's so many quick wins that could be had here to improve performance.

Why not use a dynamic resolution?
Why not implement triple buffer vsync?
Why not implement adaptive vsync (I.e let the game tear when it drops below 30fps)?
Why not give the option of a 720p output in ducked mode?

Implementing just one of those would all but fix the issue and given the fact Nintendo place such importance on performance it's strange that they haven't addressed the issue.

On the bright side, given the stable performance in handheld mode, it's clear that this is definitely something that can be patched.
 
There's so many quick wins that could be had here to improve performance.

Why not use a dynamic resolution?
Why not implement triple buffer vsync?
Why not implement adaptive vsync (I.e let the game tear when it drops below 30fps)?
Why not give the option of a 720p output in ducked mode?

Implementing just one of those would all but fix the issue and given the fact Nintendo place such importance on performance it's strange that they haven't addressed the issue.

On the bright side, given the stable performance in handheld mode, it's clear that this is definitely something that can be patched.

Honestly a menu setting for 720p would be the easy fix as the game obviously supports it already and from what I gather it fixes the issue.

I'm just hoping it happens soon and we don't have to wait til something ridiculous like version 8.8 to get released.
 
It being a streaming issue doesn't make sense to me. It's the same hardware docked vs undocked other than GPU clock speed.

If anything it should run better docked. 900p should be possible on a 2-2.5x increase in clocks.

What I don't understand is why Nintendo don't allow the clocks to increase further in docked mode? Battery life isn't an issue and surely the thing doesn't seem very hot when running docked as it is...

Nintendo must fix this. The system seems artificially gimped.

not everything is about the clocks. Streaming issue means the speed of the bandwidth could not keep up with the data being produced.
 
There are two areas on the Great Plateau where the framerate tanks, that slope and the flat area a bit further behind. Seems strange to me since there are other places with lots of shadows and foliage which are fine. Dunno what the issue is. Unfortunate but this is not a Shadow of the Colossus or Ocarina of Time situation at all.
 
For those concerned about the frame rate, it definitely improves after the great plateau. That's been the worst area for me by far. I haven't noticed any prolonged drops since leaving, though others have said some towns can get rough
This is not true for me at all. Still having major performance issues outside of the Great Plateau. This is Switch docked. Seriously starts to enter slideshow territory at some points.
 
Holy shit.

5256323-5208424-545493ws7y.gif

Lmao
 
I tried playing dock and the 20 fps in parts really turned me off.

The portable version plays great tho and looks even better. Plus handheld zelda always felt great to me. Being snuggled in and.losing yourself when that screen is closer to your face.

I hope future games run better on dock mode tho.
 
Looks like it to me. The first slope which should now be the benchmark for further patches (if there is one) runs much, much smoother in handheld mode (720p).

It runs smoother in handheld mode, but there are still lesser drops associated with heavy alpha effects like large explosions or sometimes in towns. It's not bad at all though, and the game feels much smoother overall.
 
20 fps bad? I'm wary of buying it now.

It's 30fps sometimes but can be sustained 20fps often with further drops in combat. (Made up numbers of course). If you feel you would be sensitive to it I'd recommend waiting at least until someone does a good analysis of it so you can get an idea of what it's like.
 
It's 30fps sometimes but can be sustained 20fps often with further drops in combat. (Made up numbers of course). If you feel you would be sensitive to it I'd recommend waiting at least until someone does a good analysis of it so you can get an idea of what it's like.
It's 30fps "sometimes"?

More like "it's 30fps with 3-5 seconds dips in 2-3 areas of the Plateau and even more rare and less severe in the Hyrule Field". Unless you're talking about WiiU, no idea of how that performs
 
I'm starting to wonder if the disc version on WiiU runs worse than off the internal memory as I've not been having the same complaints, definitely not to that degree. Though I noticed playing on gamepad masks framerate issues which were more apparent on TV. Luckily, Zelda is a great game to play in bed.
 
like I said many times, performance and tech overall for this game are terrible lol, it's my first Nintendo console since the 64 and wow, it's like pretty much the same gen to me lol ( obvious hyperbole but still close )
 
Currently on the Wii U version, most of the main stuttering and frame drops seem to be on the great plain, which is bizarre since later in wider areas the game seems more stable. I appreciate everybody has different tolerances for frame rates but not once has it affected playability and the game seems to recover quickly.
 
like I said many times, performance and tech overall for this game are terrible lol, it's my first Nintendo console since the 64 and wow, it's like pretty much the same gen to me lol ( obvious hyperbole but still close )

I wouldn't say that at all, despite being super sensitive to frame rate. In handheld mode it's very smooth overall and it's a technical marvel what they have managed to get running on a tablet sized handheld.

They obviously made some poor choices when it comes to the docked mode, but hopefully it's still something they can fix with patches.
 
I'm not going to be able to play Zelda for at least a week, maybe longer. I have school and I promised myself I'd finish Horizon first. Hopefully they have a patch for docked mode out by then.

Have they mention/recorded temperatures while in portable vs docked yet? From what I'm hearing about the plastic screen protectors bubbling from heat. I wonder if it's a thermal issue and is throttling?
 
It's 30fps "sometimes"?

More like "it's 30fps with 3-5 seconds dips in 2-3 areas of the Plateau and even more rare and less severe in the Hyrule Field". Unless you're talking about WiiU, no idea of how that performs

I am talking about the Wii U version specifically
 
Game looks so nice on TV but the frame drops are apparent that's why I'm playing in handheld mode now mostly. Weird situation, it really should be the opposite. Ideally it shouldn't occur at all.
 
If you are not cool with 15fps gaming in 2017, i would not recommend getting a switch.

Docked mode fps looks really bad. Why no 720p docked option?
 
It's 30fps sometimes but can be sustained 20fps often with further drops in combat. (Made up numbers of course). If you feel you would be sensitive to it I'd recommend waiting at least until someone does a good analysis of it so you can get an idea of what it's like.

I chuckled.

20 FPS is the high standard set by the Switch version.

If people tell you it's worse on Wii U, that means except dips to 10s in some instances...

Yeah.. the thing is, i played and loved Last Guardian, which runs like utter shit, but i had to take breaks every so often because of motion sickness.
Now part of that may have been the genius camera they implemented, but framerate definitely played a part.

Plus, in a game with dodges and parries like this Zelda, that seems a major problem.


But on the other hand, this isn't going to be fixed, and i'm not about to spend 300€ for a Switch, just to play Zelda at 20 fps anyway (i don't like handhelds so i'd play docked).

At the end of the day the question is, is it still worth it to play the game at sub 20 fps? And i guess i'll have to answer that myself, but i doubt, it being a Nintendo game it'll even go down in price anytime soon.

With Horizon, Nier and other games coming out or having to pick up, the choice is even harder.
 
Yeah.. the thing is, i played and loved Last Guardian, which runs like utter shit, but i had to take breaks every so often because of motion sickness.
Now part of that may have been the genius camera they implemented, but framerate definitely played a part.

Plus, in a game with dodges and parries like this Zelda, that seems a major problem.


But on the other hand, this isn't going to be fixed, and i'm not about to spend 300€ for a Switch, just to play Zelda at 20 fps anyway (i don't like handhelds so i'd play docked).

At the end of the day the question is, is it still worth it to play the game at sub 20 fps? And i guess i'll have to answer that myself, but i doubt, it being a Nintendo game it'll even go down in price anytime soon.

With Horizon, Nier and other games coming out or having to pick up, the choice is even harder.

Talk about assuming the absolute worst in every regard...

Even in docked mode, it is far from "running at 20fps". There are occasional drops and these drops only reach 20fps, not "sub-20fps".

Also, how do you know Nintendo won't patch this issue?
 
I wouldn't say that at all, despite being super sensitive to frame rate. In handheld mode it's very smooth overall and it's a technical marvel what they have managed to get running on a tablet sized handheld.

They obviously made some poor choices when it comes to the docked mode, but hopefully it's still something they can fix with patches.

Sure, I was talking about docked mode, the first time you got to the plain, holy molly, the framerate was all over the place and it was really distracting, I mean, it came th same week as HZD, in performance/visual standpoint, it's like a world, sorry, an Universe of differences...
 
I also confirmed that the Wii U Digital Version ultimately has the shortest load times for the game. Even Switch Digital lags behind by quite a bit. Seems like it has worse read speeds? Pretty odd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wwc_sbqgLk&feature=youtu.be
This popped up on related videos (sorry if alreadt posted):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=364I8grFQAU
The Wii U version is a disc version (system menu spot the disc icon) and you see slower initial boot but quicker area loading.

Now I don't know where the data packs are stored in that test. In the past speeds for digital Wii U games (some Japanese person using MH Tri U) have been something like external SSD>NAND>Disc>External hard drive.
Of course the data pack could give the Wii U an advantage because it is able to get data from the disc and the pack.

Same could hold true for digital switch though SD card read speeds tend to fine with write speeds being the bottleneck (and it does not sound like saves are being written to the SD card), something I notice with Kid Icarus on the 3DS (I have digital on two systems and the second system has a crap SD card so lags massively on the menus which auto save upon every press).
 
20 fps bad? I'm wary of buying it now.

Probably depends if your sensitive to performance drops or not, frame pacing in bloodborne didn't bother me in the slightest for example and I've spent a lot of time on the plateau and in the forest and nowhere has it been so bad as to reduce my enjoyment at all. I'm very happy with the Wii u version so far and who knows maybe there'll be some more optimisation in the worst affected areas.
 
Talk about assuming the absolute worst in every regard...

Even in docked mode, it is far from "running at 20fps". There are occasional drops and these drops only reach 20fps, not "sub-20fps".

Also, how do you know Nintendo won't patch this issue?

I've seen the videos of the Switch version, i'm not assuming.
That is not an improvement worth 300€ at all, for me.

I'll get the Switch next year or when they have more games i care about, but i'm not gonna spend that cash to not even have rock solid 30fps on one game i can play somewhere else.
-
I don't know that, but i'm not holding my breath.
The WiiU is probably legacy material at this point and it's in their interest to have you buy the switch version.
That one may be patched.

Probably depends if your sensitive to performance drops or not, frame pacing in bloodborne didn't bother me in the slightest for example and I've spent a lot of time on the plateau and in the forest and nowhere has it been so bad as to reduce my enjoyment at all. I'm very happy with the Wii u version so far and who knows maybe there'll be some more optimisation in the worst affected areas.
Yeah BB bothered me a lot.

But then Bayonetta i could enjoy just fine.
I guess when you have 30fps as a standard, i notice inconsistencies much more.
 
The Wii U version is completely playable but when you step into towns it becomes unbearable, dipping anywhere between 10-15fps. Just spinning the camera around almost made me sick. This might even be worse than the Last Guardian on base PS4. Its a shame because Framerate so far is my only major complaint with this game. I have no idea how good the Switch version is when you are in towns but i certainly hope its at least near 30. Otherwise Nintendo have really dropped the ball on this one. Its a major issue because the game wants you to be immersed in its world but anytime the framerate drops like a rock the immersion and enjoyment get shattered instantly.
 
Drops are a little annoying but they've been very infrequent for me. I would never swap to portable mode instead of playing on the TV, the drops just aren't that big a deal so far.

Still hoping for a patch at some point but if it stayed like this I'd be fine (so far).
 
I thought Nintendo were quite stubbornly smooth frame rate kings. What happened there.

They made an ambitious open world game. A lot of major releases that fit that bill tend to have technical issues. Furthermore, it looks like it was maybe better optimised for portable mode.
 
It's clearly an issue with the game not the System.

Compare:

Mario Kart 8:

Wii U 59 fps with 720p
Switch 60 fps with 1080p

Fast RMX/NEO:

Wii U 60 fps with sub 720p
Switch 60 fps with 1080p (and some scaling) and much better graphics

I think we are save...
 
Just wait a year and let CEMU deal to any problems. They've already got it loading....sort of.

It is great that Nintendo games are so easy to emulate. I'll never play old Nintendo games on anything but my PC. Hopefully Switch emulation is just as easy.
 
Ok if this is a streaming issue due to the RAMs bandwidth then I really feel that Nintendo should patch BoTW with Dynamic Resolution Scaling.

That way the game could run at maybe even 1080p when it can then scale the resolution down to 720p if it needs to, that way it can maintain a steady 30fps.
 
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