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[ThaneKrios]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-black-ops-2-on-console

Black Ops 2 on PS3 suffers from noticeable hit to image quality, where the additional blur comes from Treyarch's choice method of anti-aliasing. As a result, the 360 scales up an 880x720 native resolution alongside 2x MSAA to create a crisper image, while PS3 uses lower precision post processing to mask the jaggies.

First up: rendering resolution. Since the release of Modern Warfare, the Call of Duty engine has always operated in a sub-HD configuration, with Treyarch's Black Ops running at the COD standard 1040x600 with 2x multi-sampling anti-aliasing (MSAA) on Xbox 360. Alas, this saw a reduction to 960x540 on the PlayStation 3.

Resolution parity returned with Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 3, but this has changed once again with Black Ops 2; native resolution is now 880x720 on Xbox 360 with 2x MSAA. It may sound somewhat on the low side, but kudos to Treyarch here - the upscaling algorithm is remarkably refined when viewed in motion. The overall impression is that this is the crispest COD we've seen on 360. As you'll see in the comparison viewer below, the upscaled image generally compares quite well with the PC version running at native res.

In most gameplay areas, PS3 performance generally is significantly closer to the target 60FPS than it was in the first Black Ops, though more intense effects work clearly takes its toll on frame-rate.

There are still noticeable frame-rate differences between the two console versions of Black Ops 2, some of which we highlight here in a performance video based on like-for-like sections from the game.

 

[xclaw]

The PS3 images are horrifying, thank god I didn't spend money on it.

 

[Thoraxes]

Woah at that PS3 version...

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

Wonder if they'll update the article once the Wii U hits shelves.

 

[RoboPlato]

540p on PS3 AGAIN? C'mon Treyarch. Why can't they get PS3 versions right when IW can?

EDIT: Nevermind, it was referring to Blops 1. I read wrong.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Looks like that comparison image from a few days ago was legit

I've never seen a PS3 game look that blurry. It's ridiculous.

 

[strafer]

PS3 is always the one that suffers.

 

[StuBurns]

Highlighting the resolutions of BlkOps is just confusing.

 

[Nirolak]

Wonder if they'll update the article once the Wii U hits shelves.

They sometimes do separate articles for things like that when they're out.

 

[burgerdog]

Looks like that comparison image from a few days ago was legit

I've never seen a PS3 game look that blurry. It's ridiculous.

What the fuck. That's unacceptable.

 

[Raptor]

God damn it man!!

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

880x720 on Xbox 360 with 2x MSAA

864x720 on PS3 with 8x VAA

It's amazing what you can achieve on 10 year old tech.

 

[Kerub]

Treyarch struggling with the PS3 again. :-(

 

[RoboPlato]

Looks like that comparison image from a few days ago was legit

I've never seen a PS3 game look that blurry. It's ridiculous.

Goddamn

 

[Canis lupus]

Why don't they let IW handle the PS3 port.

 

[Kazuma Kiryu]

man, those two shots against the pc one are ridiculous.

 

[DMeisterJ]

woof. The PS3 version looks awful. That blur filter looks horrible.

 

[Xater]

So the resolutions are pretty much identical they just fucked up the anti-aliasing.

Again a lower framerate as well as freezes sucks as well.

 

[schwabdizzle]

I am sure MS paid Activision to do this.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

They've stopped trying entirely, haven't they? I almost don't blame them at this point - it's still going to sell 20 million copies.

 

[grimshawish]

Wonder if they'll update the article once the Wii U hits shelves.

Hope so.

 

[jbueno]

A roomate bought the game on PS3, and playing on a native 1280X720p TV it looks like crap. This only confirms it. Good thing he doesn´t care much about the technical issues.

And holy crap at the native res, that´s midway between 480p and 720p in terms of pixels pushed.

 

[Raptor]

So the resolutions are pretty much identical they just fucked up the anti-aliasing.

Any hope to that be patched out?

 

[Biggzy]

What is up with that AA?

 

[Mileena]

Treyarch getting outclassed by what's left of IW? :lol

 

[JB1981]

Looks like that comparison image from a few days ago was legit

I've never seen a PS3 game look that blurry. It's ridiculous.

I can tell on my iPhone how blurry it is

 

[xclaw]

Is it even possible to patch the PS3 version or should we just slowly walk away from it?

 

[biosnake20]

The PS3 is running at the same resolution as the iPhone 4 screen.

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

The PS3 is running at the same resolution as the iPhone 4 screen.

Don't tell Wario.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Wonder if they'll update the article once the Wii U hits shelves.

This could be both good and bad for Wii U if they did.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

Good, god, Treyarch is absolutely atrocious with the PS3. Even the remnants of what was once IW doesn't have this kind of trouble!

And that resolution...yeesh...

 

[Baconsammy]

man, those two shots against the pc one are ridiculous.

Not seeing much difference at all between the PC and 360 shot being referenced.


For the next year or so it's going to be fun seeing the comparisons include the Wii U as well.

 

[Lulubop]

What kinda AA is that? BXAA?

 

[Xater]

Any hope to that be patched out?

Maybe they could deactivate the AA? I don't know, but that would look like shit as well because of the low resolution. Can#t they get Sony's solution of MLAA running with this engine? That looks great.

 

[brandonh83]

Not seeing much difference at all between the PC and 360 shot being referenced.

eh, I kind of do and I'm graphics-dumb. I can tell that the shrubbery is a lot more crisp on PC, but the 360 version still looks alright especially compared to PS3.

You're right though in the sense that at first glance there doesn't appear to be a giant discrepancy, only when you pull out that magnifying glass.

 

[SirIgbyCeaser]

The blur is ridiculous. Its like someone pressed the wrong digit on assigning the AA blur to 10 instead of 1.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn they patch a different AA solution into the ps3 build after negative press about it, because no other game has done this to this extent on a multi-platform release.

 

[cgcg]

LOL it's almost as if they are purposely making the PS3 version look like shit. Pretty much the same resolution but holy shit at the blur.

 

[alr1ght]

360 is 880x720
PS3 is 864x720

It's not really clear from your bolding in the op. Still pathetically low. It looks like they just plastered a gaussian blur over the PS3 version.

 

[Maxrunner]

This could be both good and bad for Wii U if they did.

well eventually they'll do....

 

[funkystudent]

I am sure MS paid Activision to do this.

Nah MS wouldn't not do such a thing.

I mean look at the other games they had similar marketing and DLC deals with.

Bethesda and fallout 3 and skyrim, Rockstar and GTA4, Epic and the Unreal Engine, Crytek and that God of War looking Kinect/Durango game.


All those developers have great track records when it comes to multiplatform developme....Ehh... actually never mind.



It looks pretty even framerate and resolution wise. Hope they patch out the blur filter because jesus H christ that looks bad. Would gladly take no AA at all over whatever the hell that is.

 

[OdysseusVA]

This article isn't the face-off "Preliminary findings from the upcoming Digital Foundry Face-Off", but it should be available this weekend.

 

[Jasper Avenue]

Blech. I really wanted to get this for my PS3 because I love playing games on it but I'll probably go with 360 now. Kind of sad.

 

[Devilgunman]

I like PS3's blurry horse's ass

 

[LabouredSubterfuge]

Not seeing much difference at all between the PC and 360 shot being referenced.


For the next year or so it's going to be fun seeing the comparisons include the Wii U as well.

Yeah it'll be pretty funny watching a 2005 console perform on par with a 2012 console.

 

[Sethos]

Seriously, they have to be doing that shit on purpose. Like some sinister requirement of the 360 DLC exclusivity deal which also includes making the PS3 version look very unappealing.

/Tinfoil hat

I like PS3's blurry horse's ass

That horse is breaking wind. Can't unsee now.

 

[jett]

Jesuschrist the PS3 version looks like complete shit. Games with 3D enabled have better image quality. :lol This really is quite pathetic for a big franchise.

 

[Fersis]

I like PS3's blurry horse's ass

Wrong thread bro

 

[Waaghals]

360 is 880x720
PS3 is 864x720

It's not really clear from your bolding in the op. Still pathetically low. It looks like they just plastered a gaussian blur over the PS3 version.

If I'm not completely off, 880x720 is a bigger resolution than 1040x600.

 

[plagiarize]

What kinda AA is that? BXAA?

wrong prescription AA.

 

[Felix Lighter]

PS3 was always a capable machine but having an exotic architecture only works out when your way in the lead and publisher/developers are willing to go the extra mile when creating games on your platform. I can't wait for the x86 consoles next gen. There won't be a need for half-assed compromises on multiplatform releases unless MS or Sony made poor hardware choices.