Schnozberry
Member
I've gone several hours between a few seconds of frame drops in Zelda, so if others games are a lot better than this then they should get a pass.
DF on Zelda Switch: Docked has major frame drops, portable doesn't (no score talk)
- Thread starter Theorry
- Start date
I've gone several hours between a few seconds of frame drops in Zelda, so if others games are a lot better than this then they should get a pass.
One would hope they did some customizing to improve the bandwidth from the stock X1,Buti doubt it.
lukeskymac
Member
Did The Witcher 3 get 0fps drops?
No.
"This bad"? Did you even touch the game?
It very likely has some SRAM that they can use similarly to eDRAM on Wii U thanks to TBR. Not everything can be tiled though, which can cause issues if they don't find other workarounds. Having 9 months to port a game this big while also developing the base version probably meant not having enough time to iron out all the problems. Maybe if Nintendo used the 3GB sticks with twice the bandwidth for the main pool the game would run better even in 1080p when docked.
GitarooMan
Member
Huh. It hasn't been that bad mostly for me. But I noticed it worst right out of the gate after coming out of the cave at the beginning the game. For a bit there for me you could see it chugging pretty hard
lukeskymac
Member
It does run at a lower res. Maybe your TV scales very well?
It's a nice Panasonic plasma. Hmm. I'm just shocked because the portable mode looks so aliased.
The Hermit
Member
People who are saying the framerate is tolerable on the WiiU haven't reached the most demanding part, just a little beyond the plateau.
It's that bad ( I am very sensitive to fps though, having a freesync monitor and all that)
It's that bad ( I am very sensitive to fps though, having a freesync monitor and all that)
MysticLeviathan
Member
The only thing that comes to my mind when I think about this game is how badly I want it on PS4 Pro/Xbox Scorpio level hardware. The Switch can't even play its own flagship killer app, yet we're supposed to expect 3rd parties to do better with the system? This is pathetic and embarrassing and my biggest fear thats come to light with this system.
And let's not beat around the bush about the graphics, as they're also mediocre as hell. As fine of a job as Nintendo does using art style to mask hardware deficiencies, BotW just doesn't do enough. I wish so badly the Switch could've been a more powerful piece of hardware. The good news is there's potential for a BotW remaster in the future, 1080p, 60fps, and upgraded textures, but it doesn't help the current situation.
I do want a Switch at some point, and BotW may be enough to push me to get one sooner than later, but it's frustrating and makes me very concerned for the future. For a game that isn't graphically intense to struggle like this, despite Nintendo themselves developing for it, I'm terrified of how badly devs will have to downgrade the experience... or that many would just be totally disuaded because of how weak it is. Just bummed.
And let's not beat around the bush about the graphics, as they're also mediocre as hell. As fine of a job as Nintendo does using art style to mask hardware deficiencies, BotW just doesn't do enough. I wish so badly the Switch could've been a more powerful piece of hardware. The good news is there's potential for a BotW remaster in the future, 1080p, 60fps, and upgraded textures, but it doesn't help the current situation.
I do want a Switch at some point, and BotW may be enough to push me to get one sooner than later, but it's frustrating and makes me very concerned for the future. For a game that isn't graphically intense to struggle like this, despite Nintendo themselves developing for it, I'm terrified of how badly devs will have to downgrade the experience... or that many would just be totally disuaded because of how weak it is. Just bummed.
Schnozberry
Member
Just explored that area in the rain. I had a few dips but nothing like you describe. I wonder if there's a memory leak somewhere that's causing the issue. Seems like everybody has a different experience.
TLZ
Banned
That is really weird. I swear I've had worse fps dips on switch than on Wii u. Especially in grass in open space.
Grass in open spaces gives me no dips at all. It happens (rarely) in small woods, especially if something is happening (like in the eastern area when the
apparead and it stopped immediately after he was gone) but not always. Another weird thing i noticed is that if i stop for 1-2 seconds when it starts dropping and then start moving again, most of the time it doesn't tank anymore. I wonder if some of the dips are related to some streaming bug or the aforementioned memory leak (the OS is beta to be gentle) while others are bandwidth related, which could possibly this weird phenomenon.
I also went to
Village and like i said in the other thread, i ran around the village 3 times and only noticed a 1 second dip before the bridge near the northern entrance.
By the way, a memory leak could also potentially explain why the first 10 times i tried to start the game it immediately gave me an error and didn't even boot, right? And since the game basically never drops in portable mode, maybe it uses less RAM that way?
giant skeleton
I also went to
Kakariko
By the way, a memory leak could also potentially explain why the first 10 times i tried to start the game it immediately gave me an error and didn't even boot, right? And since the game basically never drops in portable mode, maybe it uses less RAM that way?
papercan55
Member
These framerate issues are so strange.
I've been testing it out in different areas and sometimes it's easy to fix, other times it doesn't happen and other times it's far worse in areas where it didn't happen before.
Sometimes you can fix it by stopping for a second when it starts to get bad.
I've had really bad framerate in village areas and somehow other occasions when i've fast traveled close by it's been fine.
I really hope digital foundry tests this out properly as i've got a strange feeling this is something that nintendo could fix.
Fingers crossed for a patch.
I've been testing it out in different areas and sometimes it's easy to fix, other times it doesn't happen and other times it's far worse in areas where it didn't happen before.
Sometimes you can fix it by stopping for a second when it starts to get bad.
I've had really bad framerate in village areas and somehow other occasions when i've fast traveled close by it's been fine.
I really hope digital foundry tests this out properly as i've got a strange feeling this is something that nintendo could fix.
I think this might be the case in some areas.
Fingers crossed for a patch.
Sothis Krieg
Member
Do we think that a docked performance patch is something possible ?
Kudo
Member
What? No.
papercan55
Member
I really think this is something they could fix if they wanted to.
Hopefully they don't wait to long as it's not a good advert for the switch.
matrix-cat
Member
Would be pretty easy to add an option to drop the resolution to 720p in docked mode. Who knows with Nintendo, though.
Elfotografoalocado
Banned
Why not actually solve the problem? The GPU is underutilized as it is, and those streaming issues can be solved. Actually, the same could be said for the Wii U version.
Can't you just change the resolution in the settnings menu for docked mode?
Mr. Wonderful
Member
I agree. Dynamic resolution, or simply optimization could both help the game hit higher frame rates or resolution.
ElfArmy177
Member
this may be a dumb question, but is it possible when in docked its switching to 900p and its not increasing its processor clock rate? I was under the impression it downclocks in port mode and increases clock speed in docked... am I wrong?
I have a plasma tv too and the colors are much richer and deeper on there (as you would expect). Turning up brightness to 100 brought handheld mode closer though.
Aliasing, though, I'm not seeing. The outline around Link looks a little chunky maybe but otherwise it's nice.
You aren't. I finally played undocked and was wondering WTF people were talking about. Looks way better on my tv.
I thought that too when i read previews and reviews talking about frame drops, but considering that the console is apparently running at 16W with Zelda i don't think that's the case. Some drops are random, in the sense that they can happen in a certain spot and when you return there (or if you stop walking for a couple of seconds) they will disappear, while others happen in certain specific circumstances (mostly when there are tons of alpha effects together). The first type would suggest some streaming issues and/or a memory leak, while the other one is most likely related to poor bandwidth management.
Now technically it should be possible to fix these things, but we don't know if Nintendo will bother, at least with the bandwidth related drops, as they're pretty rare. But the streaming bug/memory leak are something that they need to address, because that would also solve the majority of the dips that we're seeing. If they fix these, even a dynamic resolution would help removing any other bandwidth related drop, because in portable mode at 720p it doesn't happen at all.
Sorry i meant to say when you put the Switch on the table using the kick-stand you wont be able to charge since the bottom of the switch will be facing the surface. Sort of a design flaw i think. I will be using it allot that way when i travel and now i wont be able to charge it while i use it sooooo that sucks.
Agree, much more beautiful on the TV, its not to bad but the world looks much nicer on my LG oled. Even if its 4k TV its much nicer to play it on a 55 inch
I've noticed some drops, but they mostly occur in a given setting: with the sun up and lots of grass around. Every other time and weather condition runs smoothly. But I suppose that huge waves of enemies with lots of explosions going on would get the system on its knees.
I just wonder how it went through QA - I mean the drops literally start in the beginning, because you start in high grass and sunshine. It's not the best way to introduce the game.
It's still close to perfect and is working its way up to be my GOTG (Witcher 3, beware!
) no matter the framedrops. But I still hope that Nintendo will patch it somehow.
I just wonder how it went through QA - I mean the drops literally start in the beginning, because you start in high grass and sunshine. It's not the best way to introduce the game.
It's still close to perfect and is working its way up to be my GOTG (Witcher 3, beware!
) no matter the framedrops. But I still hope that Nintendo will patch it somehow.
Pejo
Gold Member
This is the first place it was reallllly bad for me . I had some issues in grassy areas with wind, but man, rain in that forest just killed the FPS. And I'm never ever a guy that usually notices FPS. Playing docked Switch on TV, btw.
So far it has been noticeable but not terrible until that point.
I've noticed some drops, but they mostly occur in a given setting: with the sun up and lots of grass around. Every other time and weather condition runs smoothly. But I suppose that huge waves of enemies with lots of explosions going on would get the system on its knees.
I just wonder how it went through QA - I mean the drops literally start in the beginning, because you start in high grass and sunshine. It's not the best way to introduce the game.
It's still close to perfect and is working its way up to be my GOTG (Witcher 3, beware!
"Sun and grass" doesn't necessarily cause drops, there's usually something else going on. It drops with rain as well in certain situations, i went back to
Kakariko
Anyway the worst offender is double buffering because it makes the game automatically drop to 20fps even if it was actually running at say, 27. They should fire whoever thought that was acceptable.
Drops are still pretty rare, but that doesn't excuse such a stupid choice.
oO_CurrY_Oo
Member
Haven't bought a Switch yet but these performance issues are kind of a worry for future games. I'm sure it's mostly because it's essentially a Wii U port and they might have had to rush it a bit to get it done in time for launch.
Ill hold out to see how MK8 runs at least just to be sure or if they patch BotW.
Ill hold out to see how MK8 runs at least just to be sure or if they patch BotW.
Agreeing with these sentiments. In my brief time playing on the portable screen, I'm bugged by the texture quality. Everything feels more crisp, despite some extra drops, on my TV.
Love this game.
After playing over the weekend in handheld mode (being away from home) coming today and playing it docked, man, the difference is staggering. The framerate is all over the place wherever there is grass + something else (rain or fight or explosion or whatever adds a bit of complexity). It makes me want to play it just in handheld mode from now on.
Honestly, truly, what are you saying? I take it you don't own the Switch or the game. Outside the Great Plateau, I have experienced NO significant frame drops at all. So yes, the Nintendo Switch can play its flagship kill app well. The drops on the Great Plateau were far and few in between and no worse than what you can experience in any other open world game of this nature other than say Horizon. Secondly, the graphics aren't mediocre at all and it's a beautiful game in its own right. It doesn't need the graphical prowess of Final Fantasy XV or Horizon to look good. FFXV OG PS4 in particular runs much worse than this game.
What is up with these outlandish attitudes towards BotW about its performance? Some of the stuff I've been reading about the performance of the game is just so grossly exaggerated.
Mammoth Jones
Member
Notified the frame rate disparity. Doesn't break the experience for me. But it does make me want to see Nintendo develop games specifically for the switch so they can really give it the spitpolish it needs.
I think the game is great and perfectly playable, but it's true that there are some places with significant framerate drops. The long road to Zora's domain has nonstop rain and at one point there's a camp of Lizalfos with electric arrows. The framerate in that entire area tanks while docked. I took the Switch off the dock and it was running at a steady 30fps. This is true of several areas with lots of grass combined with water reflections, rain, environmental effects, etc.
Regardless I'd say so far this has happened less than 5% of my 15~ hours spent playing the game across 4 regions of the map. Claims that "the Switch can't play its own flagship killer app" are just a dumb lie.
Regardless I'd say so far this has happened less than 5% of my 15~ hours spent playing the game across 4 regions of the map. Claims that "the Switch can't play its own flagship killer app" are just a dumb lie.
I haven't read the thread, but from what I played doesn't the game feature a dynamic resolution? The framerate drops a little (and the fan turns at max power) during certain parts of the game where it rains, and during these moments the game is blurier than usual (actually it's as blury as Link in the inventory).
I suspect the game drops the resolution a little when the framerate drops, am I right or is it something else?
I suspect the game drops the resolution a little when the framerate drops, am I right or is it something else?
I don't buy that the framedrops have nothing to do with what's happening in-game. They very predictably happen when these two things occur:
- You're fighting 3+ enemies at once
- There's fire onscreen (more than just a simple campfire) - the bigger the fire, the worse the slowdown
- You're fighting 3+ enemies at once
- There's fire onscreen (more than just a simple campfire) - the bigger the fire, the worse the slowdown
LOL. I noticed my very first frame drop at the very first bokoblin encounter...right outside the chamber you wake up in. Seems pretty frequent when there are large patches of grass around. It's very distracting to me.