Journey won GAF GOTY last year and that's a game where you basically just walk forward the entire time. I don't hold that against Journey since I was among those who voted for it then, would vote for it again and will likely end up voting for Beyond this year barring any surprises.
Seems like Blair Redford is the mo-cap actor. The other one probably provided the face. Or he did the mo-cap and Redford just voiced over. It depends on the situation, but sometimes they split it up like that.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.35:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.40:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.40:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.40:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.40:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
THE CONDENSER, holy shit! That was so fucking crazy! My hands were trembling, the level of fear and immersion- even if this game doesn't hold up entirely, that scene alone-INEFFABLE. It was so creepy! Running on the platform, hitting those directions to close the rift, protecting Jodie!
I'm exhausted. I took it so slowly, and it really really was unnerving. Cage's vignettes- that was magic. Even if my actions didn't have many consequences, or the scene played out in a very specific way, I was utterly blown away.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.40:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
Im sorry but LMAO!!! they would be the worsed devs in the world if they just slapped black bars over the remaining image, why would they do that? I am sorry but you have to be wrong. That or QD are idiots, that don't know how to actually program properly, I doubt that to be true. Of course you would use the extra horse power for games performance. There's parts where the framerate takes an absolute crap out. If what you say is true we could have had a solid 30fps game
Just beat it. I feel like there are parts of a pretty decent story buried in there, but every time I'd start liking a storyline they'd turn around and go over the top cliche with it. The birthday party scene is a pretty good microcosm of the game's problems, and the game's eye roll-inducing "Of course that happened" reaches its peak with the endgame reveal that
Nathan is now crazy and will bring down the containment field because that's what crazy grief-stricken fathers/husbands do when they're scientists.
Ultimately I felt like the younger Jody material was the strongest (I really liked the two bits where she's
seeing Nathan's wife and daughter's spirits,
even as I was groaning about where that was obviously going to lead), but that could be because those scenes tended to be shorter and more disjointed with less opportunity for the storylines to just get stupid.
The script needed a little extra work and it could have been something really special. As it is, it was an entertaining and pretty but largely unsatisfying experience to me.
Just beat it. I feel like there are parts of a pretty decent story buried in there, but every time I'd start liking a storyline they'd turn around and go over the top cliche with it. The birthday party scene is a pretty good microcosm of the game's problems, and the game's eye roll-inducing "Of course that happened" reaches its peak with the endgame reveal that
Nathan is now crazy and will bring down the containment field because that's what crazy grief-stricken fathers/husbands do when they're scientists.
Ultimately I felt like the younger Jody material was the strongest (I really liked the two bits where she's
seeing Nathan's wife and daughter's spirits,
even as I was groaning about where that was obviously going to lead), but that could be because those scenes tended to be shorter and more disjointed with less opportunity for the storylines to just get stupid.
The script needed a little extra work and it could have been something really special. As it is, it was an entertaining and pretty but largely unsatisfying experience to me.
Weird. You should try some of the more demanding scenes, like the horseback section. It already has trouble hitting 30 FPS with black bars. If the framerate doesn't go down at all with this hack I would be impressed.
I'm exhausted. I took it so slowly, and it really really was unnerving. Cage's vignettes- that was magic. Even if my actions didn't have many consequences, or the scene played out in a very specific way, I was utterly blown away.
the latter levels shouldn't be played in one sitting. play one long chapter for a day, play the next chapter the next day.
the difference between reviewers and gamers is that gamers don't have a deadline to finish the game, they don't have to sit through something they feel is going for too long, they pace themselves.
and that's how it should be. games shouldn't be made with "reviewers finishing the game within a day so we should be careful about pacing" approach. all gamers out there play games as their hobbies, not as their work or careers.
the latter levels shouldn't be played in one sitting. play one long chapter for a day, play the next chapter the next day.
the difference between reviewers and gamers is that gamers don't have a deadline to finish the game, they don't have to sit through something they feel is going for too long, they pace themselves.
and that's how it should be. games shouldn't be made with "reviewers finishing the game within a day so we should be careful about pacing" approach. all gamers out there play games as their hobbies, not as their work or careers.
The aspect ratio obviously helps performance. Posting a bullshot isn't any kind of evidence otherwise. There's no reason to believe they render and disregard a third of the image.
Not that it makes any possible difference to how beautiful the game is. I can't imagine anyone thinks the bars were a negative, and it's the best looking game on PS3, so who cares how it got there?
Weird. You should try some of the more demanding scenes, like the horseback section. It already has trouble hitting 30 FPS with black bars. If the framerate doesn't go down at all with this hack I would be impressed.
I'm gonna try to get to that point tonight. So far I haven't seen any really noticeable slowdown by removing the black bars. The hack doesn't explain what method they used to remove the black bars. I tried comparing the executables in Beyond Compare (basically a side by side hex editor, 99% of the file was different so they basically had to resign it I guess. It's impossible to see what was actually done.)
Edit: I just finished
Navajo.
During the more open moments it would hang around 20ish FPS. Infrequently it would drop to 15ish depending on the intensity. So there's that, it never went into slideshow territory though.
The aspect ratio obviously helps performance. Posting a bullshot isn't any kind of evidence otherwise. There's no reason to believe they render and disregard a third of the image.
So, the screenshot I posted was actually taken from my PS3, not from anywhere else. With that being said, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong about what I said earlier with the black bars being added on top of a 16:9 framebuffer. Performance wise I can't tell the difference between black bars and no black bars. However, I only tested it on the following chapters;
The Experiment, The Embassy and the beginning of Navajo.
(They're not necessarily impactful on perfomance, so if Beyond has a 30fps cap, it's possible that there isn't a difference in perfomance in the chapters I tested. There might be a huge difference in the others.)
The thing that makes me think that I'm wrong is actually Aiden's screen effect. I'm going to link to these as they could be seen as spoilers if you haven't started the
It gets obviously stretched in 16:9 and has strange blur artifacting at the top and bottom of the screen and has a very harsh transition from blurry to in focus. On the 2.35:1 screenshot, the blur extends down from the top and bottom of the screen and has a smooth transition. I added black bars to the 16:9 screenshot to compare it to the 2.35:1 shot and you can tell the post processing is completely different.
So yeah, pretty sure the framebuffer is actually 2.35:1, so I jumped the shark. Looks like the hack is similar to Durante's internal rendering fix in that it modifies the actual rendering resolution, rather than just removing black bars. Sorry dudes.
Beat this last night. I still can't stop thinking about the game. I didn't expect anything less from David Cage. I've never been sucked into a video game like that in my whole life. The emotion. The characters. It also got to the point where I forgot that I was even holding a controller. Experience was so natural and flawless. Graphics. Are they really rendered by PS3 or are they using cloud server to offload some computations? My god...
Started this last night with the girlfriend playing as Jodie and me on my phone playing as Aiden. The co op in this game is brilliant, and is perfect for couples where one might not be a gamer per se. We got up until the
Homeless
chapter, but then the game froze when
Tuesday was giving birth
. When I turned the console off I looked at the save data and noticed the last time it saved was an hour prior, so it looks like we'll have to play that entire chapter again.
Loving how the story is sliced up into vignettes of Jodie's life. My girlfriend liked it too, she kept commenting how cool and interesting it was. Also, while I know it's a criticism that it's very hard to "fail" in this game, I kinda of appreciate it because my gf can play through it pretty effortlessly without getting frustrated.
The graphics are incredible and the performances are as well, though I have to say, Naughty Dog pretty much set an unreachable standard in mocap/VO/performances with TLOU.
One more thing.
Why. is. this. game. so. DARK. Brought my backlight settings up on the TV and the blacks are still crushed as hell. Maybe I have to fiddle with some other settings. Why no brightness/gamma settings QD?
Very much in mind to clear this as soon as possible and get rid of, stat. Beyond (hehe) Ellen Page's performance there is just nothing here. Terrible characters, even more restrictive than Heavy Rain, I honestly don't know what David Cage was thinking with this. He has completely destroyed any credibility he may have had with Heavy Rain.
People saying 'GOTY', honestly what shit have been playing?
I just loved the game, and all of the tiny details that are so easy to miss. Did anyone else see
Jodie's fake mother standing around the campfire (in Aiden view) after the Homeless crew finally got to eat a meal? I had to do a double take. I figure she must have died somewhere else at about that point in the time line. I wonder if the fake father is in one of the scenes.
Well, this game finally arrived here so now I don't have to hide from this and that other thread anymore. Also, my Steelbook addiction has definitely got way out of hand. I got both the US and EU/AUS versions because I heard they are different. I kind of regret it now though. The US Steelbook is of awful quality in comparison to the EU/AUS Steelbok. Sure, the US one has internal illustrations on the inside but the quality of the Steelbook itself is bad.
It's unfortunate too that the soundtrack is only composed of 4 musical pieces but I definitely love what I've heard so far.
So, I just checked this out. I thought they were only able to render this kind of insane detail because they were using a smaller framebuffer.
Nope.
They aren't using a 2.35:1 framebuffer, they are using a 16:9 framebuffer with black bars literally sitting on top, so it's actually rendering at native 720p. So the aspect ratio was 100% artistic choice, not a performance one. Jesus.
Very much in mind to clear this as soon as possible and get rid of, stat. Beyond (hehe) Ellen Page's performance there is just nothing here. Terrible characters, even more restrictive than Heavy Rain, I honestly don't know what David Cage was thinking with this. He has completely destroyed any credibility he may have had with Heavy Rain.
People saying 'GOTY', honestly what shit have been playing?
I don't want to sound as bad as this but i do agree to an extent. I did Navajo last night and just laughed...it's shocking....I will always get a QD game day one as I do like the play style etc, but this game is terrible. I still don't have a clue in what the actual point of this is.
Everything that happened in that last section was laughably bad.
Like i said, insane graphics tho....Embarassing product tho...to think this is supposed to be an interactive/game movie. Its terrible
Why. is. this. game. so. DARK. Brought my backlight settings up on the TV and the blacks are still crushed as hell. Maybe I have to fiddle with some other settings. Why no brightness/gamma settings QD?
I just loved the game, and all of the tiny details that are so easy to miss. Did anyone else see
Jodie's fake mother standing around the campfire (in Aiden view) after the Homeless crew finally got to eat a meal? I had to do a double take. I figure she must have died somewhere else at about that point in the time line. I wonder if the fake father is in one of the scenes.
It's actually Stan's dead wife watching over him. You can allow him to talk to her, which is one of the most emotional scenes in the game probably. But yeah, the attention to detail is insane.
This week on jeuxvideo.com we give you a chance to win copies of the latest creation of the studio Quantic Dream: Beyond: Two Souls, as well as t-shirts and lithographs of the game, as usual, simply answer a few questions in order to participate in the draw to select the winners. Good luck.
I just loved the game, and all of the tiny details that are so easy to miss. Did anyone else see
Jodie's fake mother standing around the campfire (in Aiden view) after the Homeless crew finally got to eat a meal? I had to do a double take. I figure she must have died somewhere else at about that point in the time line. I wonder if the fake father is in one of the scenes.
Well, this game finally arrived here so now I don't have to hide from this and that other thread anymore. Also, my Steelbook addiction has definitely got way out of hand. I got both the US and EU/AUS versions because I heard they are different. I kind of regret it now though. The US Steelbook is of awful quality in comparison to the EU/AUS Steelbok. Sure, the US one has internal illustrations on the inside but the quality of the Steelbook itself is bad.
It's unfortunate too that the soundtrack is only composed of 4 musical pieces but I definitely love what I've heard so far.
Yeah the best music is in the game itself. Glad to hear that the EU steelbook is of decent quality though. I double dipped too. My SE from the UK still isn't here and then I have my early copy I just got so I could beat the game before the reviewers could ruin my hype. Glad I did it. What a beautiful game. Have fun!
finished the game last night.... wouldn't say its a bad game, but not much there I liked outside of some of the actors performances. I thought the writing was pretty bad, several moments where I laughed when I probably wasn't supposed to. I will say I think that playing the levels out of order was a good choice, if they had put them in order I wouldn't have made it to the end, the younger Jodi stuff wouldn't have kept my interest on its own...
But, I didn't finish Heavy Rain, and I did finish this game so I guess that's a positive, the story kept me interested enough to keep going this time.
Edit: forgot to mention I thought the game looked amazing, especially the faces and the lighting.
It's actually Stan's dead wife watching over him. You can allow him to talk to her, which is one of the most emotional scenes in the game probably. But yeah, the attention to detail is insane.
The problem I had with the adult stuff is that most of it tried too hard or doesn't make sense in context. Ryan's a mess, the entire mission chapter starts questionable and ends heavy handedly (why even send Jodie and Aiden to do that?
I was expecting the plan to be Aiden ghost-heart-attacking Jamal or something, but if the CIA was cool with an obvious execution, why risk the one-of-a-kind asset with no murder experience on what was basically a CoD mission? And any emotion I felt about Salim's dad was squashed when they decided to amp up the MY EMOTIONS!!! factor by also making them the good guys.
), the Homeless chapter starts pretty well but isn't content until it's gone over-the-top a and drowned it's basic emotional message in melodrama, and the Navajo chapter was IMO sort of a wash. It was really pretty and the idea behind it was good, but the determination to force giant movie climaxes on every scenario kind of blunted the impact. Any one of the scenes would have been fine independently, but piling them on top of the main storyline was just exhausting.
I did really like the part with
Jodie's mom in the psych ward
in large part because it avoided the constant escalation that hobbled the other stories.
I think the folks calling it terrible just are not getting the style in which the story is disjointed. People keep saying they have no idea where the story is going but in reality the game is more focused on Jodies life experiences not some ultimate resolution. Not to mention any time someone critiques the navajo part for being ridiculous I don't see why thats such a crazy moment in this world. I guess the story of Jodi having a spirit hanging around here or the condenser chapter wasn't enough to tell you this game has some unrealistic moments? I just cant fathom how this is a terrible game. Granted I play pretty much everything I can get my hands on, terrible is a word that should be reserved for stuff like Ride to Hell or Damnation not Beyond.
The problem I had with the adult stuff is that most of it tried too hard or doesn't make sense in context. Ryan's a mess, the entire mission chapter starts questionable and ends heavy handedly (why even send Jodie and Aiden to do that?
I was expecting the plan to be Aiden ghost-heart-attacking Jamal or something, but if the CIA was cool with an obvious execution, why risk the one-of-a-kind asset with no murder experience on what was basically a CoD mission?
But how do you explain this? I was dead certain the frame buffer was resource-limited to 1280x550. The fact that simple patch can change this, means that at the very least the memory for the frame buffer was not the problem when making this decision. Performance/framerate? I guess if it was severely affected the poster above would comment on it, so I'm guessing it's playable just fine?
But how do you explain this? I was dead certain the frame buffer was resource-limited to 1280x550. The fact that simple patch can change this, means that at the very least the memory for the frame buffer was not the problem when making this decision. Performance/framerate? I guess if it was severely affected the poster above would comment on it, so I'm guessing it's playable just fine?
He already edited his post. The open desert section runs with 15-20 FPS with this hack. This is reason enough that they put the bars there. I guess the framerate is well above 30 FPS in some parts (which is quite impressive), so it doesn't matter that much. But some sections become borderline nasty.
Just finished this. Enjoyed it a lot. I'm surprised it's getting torn to shreds for writing and story. I wonder what people are comparing it to and saying it's horrible? Call of Duty? Gears of War? Walking Dead is heralded as mind-blowing writing (way overblown imo) but I didn't find this to be any worse. It leans to melodrama sometimes but I didn't find it to be anywhere close to bad. At worst some aspects were simply acceptable quality.
Once the end hits I get why it's non-linear, but I do think it might have been better served if it wasn't so all over the place. Maybe if there was basically one solid progression line punctuated with flashbacks here and there. I think that would have still let them jump around the time line but not be so sporadic.
Graphics are really great too. Easily the best looking console game I've played.
I don't have too many complaints other than I wish there was more teen Jodie. I like the melodrama in them and I got really attached to her in ways that I don't usually do. Normally I don't care about my character. They do what I want them to do everything is driven by how I want to react to the world, but in these Quantic Dream games something happens. In Heavy Rain I'm trying to be a good dad because I don't want my character to be a bad dad and for his son to have a shit father. In Beyond, I'm really trying to nail a dance sequence not because of some DDR I want to be the best dancer, but because I really don't want this girl to embarrass herself when she's trying to fit in. I don't see myself as these characters (which usually happens in Mass Effect/BioWare games), but it's like their standing in the world is controlled by me. It's probably an equal amount of investment at the end of the day, but it manifest in different ways.
I found myself yelling at the screen about these things and wondering how other people took them.
#1
Really? Edgar Allen Poe is that serious? (Although I did laugh a bit at, "but that book is really rare"... "yeah, your dress is really rare) One lame gift and everyone turns crazy psycho? Shit, I can get the insults kinda but then one of em burns me with a cigarette and locks me in a closet 6th Sense style? Fuck you. And that one dude called me a slut. Super fuck him. I was in the moment and let you cop a feel without getting slapped and now I'm a slut? Fuck you. I could have played that scene straight scared lesbian but we had some fun, kissed a little bit like high school kids do... and now I'm a slut. Super fuck him. That's why you took a microwave to the head. The only thing I wanted more from that scene was the ability to kick it off by bursting into the room, shit talking everyone, and then trapping them in there like, "you still want to know what my powers are?"
#2
Another really but come on... that bar was ultra loser creepy middle aged dude hang out. Maybe you could have, but I didn't see the option of um, clearly I've made a mistake, this is not some cool teen hangout spot, and I'm leaving as soon as I walked in.
I went less Carrie on these guys even though they deserved it more. Not sure why. I think it was because I felt like I was partially flirting with death and additionally, I didn't want Jodie to look like she couldn't control herself and was a lose cannon. I just wanted to send a message of don't fuck with her.
#3 Far less exciting than the other two but
when you're kid Jodie and you have to get oil from the garage (who stores bottles of cooking oil in the garage anyways?) there was like a severed mannequin head glowing in the dark. I didn't like that at all. Not one bit. I haven't been that spooked out in a game since I was 5 years old and playing Mario 2 where (oddly similar) you're in a dark stage and there's a floating severed head chasing you.
. I wish there was an option to do the real life horror movie thing and just be like, "nah, I couldn't it and not going to investigate further into the creepy part to see if I missed it."
#4 This was I think, my first Jodie and her high morals moment.
When she was a super bum, she was actually acting like she was too good to take the money Aiden got from the ATM. W... T... F. She's like minutes away from blowing some dude for a cheeseburger or starving to death and won't take a twenty from an ATM? Come on, really? Your high ethics about the tragedy of some billion dollar bank being short $20 is going to get you killed.
Anyways, cool game or interactive movie or whatever. Based off of how much I liked the teen Jodie stuff, I think it'd be cool if he or somebody just made a straight drama game like this. No action scenes or sci-fi, just social situations that can get tense.
Just finished it. Liked it a lot but then i liked Heavy Rain too. Good job Cage.
Navajo part was my favorite. I even played it twice because
i didn't think to check on paul and when she said i know i could have saved him i facepalmed hard.
. Didn't mind how long it was. I actually liked that it was meaty i sorta disliked the whole play for 10 mins this segment and then 10 minutes that one.
Also the game is beautiful. Insane the work they did with the ps3. It had some really mind blowing moments graphically and it looked very clean and crisp. Whatever you may say about quantic dream but they are one of the top teams in graphics. (dem textures too).
Definitely worth the money even if its sort. But i always thought this is the way adventures should follow nowdays(glad the walking dead is a hit so we can stop listening is it even a game crap..).
I honestly thought the reason that the story is a jumbled mess is because Cage had no idea how to connect anything logically and comes up with some half assed handwave at the end. Then I realised what a nightmare this must have been to playtest. If you had played chronologically it would have been the videogame form of a rubber band, so I think they made the right call.
Homeless
was my favourite chapter. Lots of melodrama and stupid contrivances but also some very interesting intimate moments. A game of low lows and high highs. But man, DEM GRAPHICS!
Another really but come on... that bar was ultra loser creepy middle aged dude hang out. Maybe you could have, but I didn't see the option of um, clearly I've made a mistake, this is not some cool teen hangout spot, and I'm leaving as soon as I walked in.
#4 This was I think, my first Jodie and her high morals moment.
When she was a super bum, she was actually acting like she was too good to take the money Aiden got from the ATM. W... T... F. She's like minutes away from blowing some dude for a cheeseburger or starving to death and won't take a twenty from an ATM? Come on, really? Your high ethics about the tragedy of some billion dollar bank being short $20 is going to get you killed.
I honestly thought the reason that the story is a jumbled mess is because Cage had no idea how to connect anything logically and comes up with some half assed handwave at the end. Then I realised what a nightmare this must have been to playtest. If you had played chronologically it would have been the videogame form of a rubber band, so I think they made the right call.
Homeless
was my favourite chapter. Lots of melodrama and stupid contrivances but also some very interesting intimate moments. A game of low lows and high highs. But man, DEM GRAPHICS!
Jodie couldn't hook up with Ryan due to the bar. That scene happened so quickly that I wonder if it was cut in a weird way to avoid showing us more. Like maybe the guy did more to Jodie than just throw her on the pool table?
Jodie couldn't hook up with Ryan due to the bar. That scene happened so quickly that I wonder if it was cut in a weird way to avoid showing us more. Like maybe the guy did more to Jodie than just throw her on the pool table?
Likely. But even if not, it was still quite the traumatic experience. I mean she goes out for the first time in like 3 years and then this happens. It's only natural to be afraid after that. Of course it doesn't help that Aiden reminds her 1 hour before the date. If you skip the bar or leave early then nothing of that happens obviously.
Just played the demo for this. Was pretty impressive.
One issue I had are some weird artifacts showed up on Jodie's face after she gets on the motorcycle. She didn't have those in the trailer, so it must be some sort of glitch?
Just played the demo for this. Was pretty impressive.
One issue I had are some weird artifacts showed up on Jodie's face after she gets on the motorcycle. She didn't have those in the trailer, so it must be some sort of glitch?
