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[tomwhite2004]

So what are the chances Nintendo addresses the framerate via an update?

Is there much of a history of Nintendo having to patch such glaring performance issues before?

They could at least go with a sensible vsync solution so it doesn't drop to 20 anytime there is the slightest drop.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Looks like Nintendo shouldn't have increased resolution to 900p. Should've kept it at 720p docked in order to compensate for the streaming. Looks completely random in the DF vid, dipping for no reason. Def seems like a streaming issue. Not sure why it doesn't happen in handheld mode except for the lower resolution.

 

[Instro]

Is there much of a history of Nintendo having to patch such glaring performance issues before?

They could at least go with a sensible vsync solution so it doesn't drop to 20 anytime there is the slightest drop.

They did some performance patching during the WiiU era. One of the notable ones being the Splatoon patch to fix terrible performance in the hub.

 

[Dee Dah Dave]

Should have gone with dynamic rez. 30fps games suck enough already without nasty frame rate drops like these.

 

[tomwhite2004]

Not sure why it doesn't happen in handheld mode except for the lower resolution.

Seriously peeps, just read the digital foundry article, an explanation is clearly there.

 

[Wishmaster92]

Drop it down to 720p Nintendo

 

[base_two]

Drop it down to 720p Nintendo

I'm fully confident that the Switch can do this game at 900p with no problem, as the leaked specs are more than enough. I just think the docked mode for BotW needs to be optimized.

 

[KingV]

Nintendo should seriously consider lowering the resolution to 720p because this game is unbelievabe... But the performance is so, so bad.

Personally, I don't really mind 720p if the framerste is solid. They can spend the extra juice on antialiasing or something less demanding.

 

[boiled goose]

Weird Nintendo bumped resolution at expense of framerate. Very unNintendo.

Probably an engineers or producers pet project to show increased performance docked. Didn't work out too well.

 

[Jaysc]

Like what other reviewers/people have been saying, once you get off the Great Plateau, there isn't as many framedrops. Also by that point, you would have gotten used to it.

 

[SpookyBlackFish]

I just started the game and I noticed it a lot in the very beginning right when you get out from the cave but not so much later on. We'll see about it as I go on.

Same here. There are drops, but the periods when it happens are very short. Mostly my attention is tied to other things happening around, so it is even harder to notice in these moments. I wonder if any of the people who scream loudest at this "unacceptable for 98 metascore" actually played it. Seems to be a wonderful occasion for some to spit bile on this overrated crap IP as they sometimes call it.

But be as it may, there are framedrops, this can't be denied.

 

[KingV]

I'm curious if the main difference is different v sync implementations, like if the handheld is usinbf some sort of adaptive gsync-like solution, and docked is using double buffered. So small frame rate drops on the handheld are now big frame rate drops when docked.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Seriously peeps, just read the digital foundry article, an explanation is clearly there.

I subscribe to their youtube channel. I didn't know they had a site with written content. Don't assume, dude.

Now, anyone have a link?

 

[M_A_C]

Is there much of a history of Nintendo having to patch such glaring performance issues before?

They could at least go with a sensible vsync solution so it doesn't drop to 20 anytime there is the slightest drop.

yea it's just that double buffer that's causing the issues I think.

 

[KingSnake]

"Game is described as one of the best of all time, praised for everything it accomplish"

*DF report that it drops frames randomly at some places, but most of the time it's fine"

"Get your shit together Nintendo omg they're so bad at game dev, reviewers must have been paid"

Haha, I was waiting for this. No longer the fierce reaction like when it was about Wii U in the other thread, ha? Nice. Never change.

 

[LoveCake]

Why would it be worse when docked when it has access to mains power enabling higher clock-speed/GPU?

I cannot understand this, the games was designed for the WiiU a lower powered console, so when developing the Switch why wasn't it designed to run Zelda BOTW at 1080p 30fps 'locked' at lease that?

 

[sanni]

If I change my output resolution to 720p in the options, will Zelda still be rendered at 900p in docked mode?

 

[ec0ec0]

Also, I think it's worth pointing out that this is a technical thread and not the review thread. We really should quit discussing whether or not this calls into question the current Metacritic score. That's really derailing the discussion here.

Technical threads are always derailed on the very first page. Start bannig everyone the next time (or tell them to go elsewhere at least. To the review thread for example)

 

[Discokuningas]

Drops aren't bad at all after the plateau.

 

[Qassim]

I subscribe to their youtube channel. I didn't know they had a site with written content. Don't assume, dude.

Now, anyone have a link?

It's in the original post.

 

[Eppy Thatcher]

Those capture images in the OP do not look good... eesh.

And what an odd issue...

 

[HitCtrlAltDel]

If I change my output resolution to 720p in the options, will Zelda still be rendered at 900p in docked mode?

This is exactly what I want to know. Given that you can encounter drops right at the start of the game I will be testing this tonight; I'm still at work but everything is delivered and waiting for me at home. I don't have any equipment to capture it, but the drops are so oblivious that I should be able to tell. I'll report back tonight on my findings.

 

[Xliskin]

As someone wouldn't buy the switch right now , are we expecting a fix in few updates ??

or the switch can not handle 900p

 

[Deleted member 465307]

Hmm...that Switch performance video is entirely in the Plateau. Which is great from a spoiler perspective, but I also read that the Plateau is the worst part of the game performance-wise. Hopefully for players, that isn't representative of the full game. Since it runs basically flawlessly in handheld mode, I hope we can get a patch.

Also, that 20 fps line is deceiving from a "Switch can't run it" perspective because of the double-buffer v-sync they talk about. It's not like the game itself is crashing and dropping to 20; it's that it hit <30 fps and instantly dropped to 20. Of course, how it then plays as a result is no different to the player, no matter "why" it is what it is.

A patch for the Plateau would be great.

 

[xviper]

how is the Wii U version ?

 

[The Big N]

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.

Because 20 fps is not what the game normally runs at silly. Gaf exaggerates everything.

 

[icespide]

how is the Wii U version ?

worse

 

[Will the Thrill]

I'm fully confident that the Switch can do this game at 900p with no problem, as the leaked specs are more than enough. I just think the docked mode for BotW needs to be optimized.

I mean GPU wise yeah, but isn't the rumored bandwidth only 25.6 Gbs? I could see that causing issues.

 

[xviper]

worse

how much worse ?? does the Frames drop below 20fps ?

 

[icespide]

how much worse ?? does the Frames drop below 20fps ?

reports of hit hitting the low 10s

 

[Lylo]

I've said it in another thread and i'll say it here, when the Switch is docked, i believe this game runs at the same lower clocks of the handheld mode.

This could explain why it runs so well in handheld mode, because you have a game running at 720p with enough juice to keep a stable 30fps, but not quite enough to sustain a 900p resolution at the same 30fps.

 

[icespide]

I've said it in another thread and i'll say it here, when the Switch is docked, i believe this game runs at the same lower clocks of the handheld mode.

This could explain why it runs so well in handheld mode, because you have a game running at 720p with enough juice to keep a stable 30fps, but not quite enough to sustain a 900p resolution at the same 30fps.

or maybe even with the higher clock in docked mode the system just isn't powerful enough to avoid frame rate drops at 900p

 

[Discokuningas]

I had to investigate here and check more videos to even find clear info about the freezes that happen and how often it happens.

But that way you see only footage with freezes. How is that the real picture? I can give you a real picture because I have played the game. The plateau have frame rate issues. Some of them are bigger than others, still gameplay is almost all the time 30fps. After that there really isn't much problems at all. I have had some minor drops. But I haven't been yet everywhere in the game. And what I have read that is mostly what the reviews have been saying.

 

[RandomExpletive]

Hoping for a patch, as others have said the game SHOULD be fine at 900p, possibly 1080p. Hoping thats the case and we're just seeing a (disappointingly) unoptimized Zelda gmae

 

[sirap]

But that way you see only footage with freezes. How is that the real picture? I can give you a real picture because I have played the game. The plateau have frame rate issues. Some of them are bigger than others, still gameplay is almost all the time 30fps. After that there really isn't much problems at all. I have had some minor drops. But I haven't been yet everywhere in the game.

lol.

I've played the game too. Close to 62 hours now. Performance gets significantly worse outside the plateau.

 

[Nilaul]

Will newer game prints have any fixes and updates installed on them or will they all require a big hefty download to have it eventually run a constant 30fps?

 

[Discokuningas]

lol.

I've played the game too. Close to 62 hours now. Performance gets significantly worse outside the plateau.

What version? Switch version performance doesn't.

 

[FreedomFighter]

It's in the original post.

Thanks. Missed that link at the end of the quote. I just read the bolded parts before watching the vid. And I'm just now learning that DF and Eurogamer are attached at the hip. News to me. Had no idea.

This is exactly what I want to know. Given that you can encounter drops right at the start of the game I will be testing this tonight; I'm still at work but everything is delivered and waiting for me at home. I don't have any equipment to capture it, but the drops are so oblivious that I should be able to tell. I'll report back tonight on my findings.

I feel like it will still render at 900p but downscale in the hardware maybe? If so, same frame drops.

But if anyone can confirm, then by all means...

 

[Glass Shark]

Won't watch because i am afraid of spoilers. But does portable mode run well?

Don't be afraid of spoilers. They don't bite.

 

[sirap]

What version? Switch version performance doesn't.

Even docked? Cause I asked a friend who's playing the Switch version to check out specific areas I know has performance issues and he's experiencing the same thing. Probably not as bad as the Wii U, but he did say it was noticeable.

 

[Jacce]

how much worse ?? does the Frames drop below 20fps ?

Handheld mode seems to be mostly good around 30 fps. docked Switch mode drops into 20s, WiiU drops into the 10s.

 

[NSESN]

lol.

I've played the game too. Close to 62 hours now. Performance gets significantly worse outside the plateau.

Most reviewers and impressions says otherwise. Interesting that we have people experiencing the opposite.
With performance all over the place like this I really wonder what is causing this.

 

[OryoN]

This is very peculiar indeed. There aren't any significant visual enhancements in docked mode, apart from resolution. But resolution can't be the issue, as the clock-speed bump in dock mode far outweighs the resolution bump. The issues seems almost random, occurring in certain areas where much less is happening on screen compared to other busier moments.

Haters, of course, will have a field day with this despite it not being frequent enough to ruin the entire adventure, but it does seem like the perfect situation for a patch fix. I'm quite anxious to know what the issue really is.

 

[tomwhite2004]

I've said it in another thread and i'll say it here, when the Switch is docked, i believe this game runs at the same lower clocks of the handheld mode.

This could explain why it runs so well in handheld mode, because you have a game running at 720p with enough juice to keep a stable 30fps, but not quite enough to sustain a 900p resolution at the same 30fps.

But 720p to 900p is a 56% increase in pixel count, no way its running in handheld mode docked or it would have a lot more problems than it currently does, I cant believe Nintendo would really ship a flagship game like that.

It runs so well in handheld mode as the bandwidth is sufficient to manage a 720p display, the 20% increase in memory bandwidth when docked isn't enough to drive 900p, let alone 1080p.

 

[Bucca]

This is very peculiar indeed. There aren't any significant visual enhancements in docked mode, apart from resolution. But resolution can't be the issue, as the clock-speed bump in dock mode far outweighs the resolution bump. The issues seems almost random, occurring in certain areas where much less is happening on screen compared to other busier moments.

Haters, of course, will have a field day with this despite it not being frequent enough to ruin the entire adventure, but it does seem like the perfect situation for a patch fix. I'm quite anxious to know what the issue really is.

Multiple people report worse/continuous frame drops in villages/tropical/desert area.

So this isn't based on some unfounded hatred for the game.

 

[nOoblet16]

I suspect it has everything to do with bandwidth. Game is foliage heavy and also has large draw distance, at 900P there simply doesn't seem to be enough bandwidth for stable performance when there is a lot of foliage on screen.

WiiU suffers from the same exact thing, however at 720P. But ofcourse it's a weaker hardware.


This game does not perform good even if it's not sustained drops, since it can drop pretty much anywhere.

 

[ec0ec0]

I had to investigate here and check more videos to even find clear info about the freezes that happen and how often it happens. It's a Zelda game so I don't put much trust in the MC score, but I didn't find many of the reviews very informative.

Reviews are pretty useless regarding performance, really, more so with the switch, with has 2 separe modes for each game.

Digital foundry will, eventually, have a detailed article about the real performance of the game (backed up with data) on wiiu and both switch modes.

 

[Griss]

I believe so. Just takes time to get there and grab all necessary media.

Keep up the good work, man.

I'd recommend looking at the following areas (though I'm sure you'll find them yourself and have already heard about them)

Spoiler

Kakariko Village, especially in the rain, and in particular the back near the fields.
The tropical area to the Southwest of Faron Woods.
The paths near the top of Death Mountain/ Mount Eldin.

Save us Cemu, save us all

If Cemu gets this game working it may be what finally pushes me to buy a gaming PC.

Because I've never played a game where I was desperately wishing it was on better hardware as much as this one. Last time was probably Skyward Sword, wanting it to be in HD.

That said, at 4k resolution or whatnot it may be that the terrible textures just stand out more, and the game works better at a low res. It may be that the Switch portable mode remains the best way to play the game in terms of image quality forever. But I'm really interseted in seeing what it would look like at a higher res and framerate.

Most reviewers and impressions says otherwise. Interesting that we have people experiencing the opposite.
With performance all over the place like this I really wonder what is causing this.

I've been all over the map. The reason people say peformance is better outside the Great Plateau is because the areas immediately surrounding it ARE better. But the truly problem areas are in the extremes of the map, and they make the Great Plateau look like child's play.

 

[btrboyev]

But 720p to 900p is a 56% increase in pixel count, no way its running in handheld mode docked or it would have a lot more problems than it currently does, I cant believe Nintendo would really ship a flagship game like that.

It runs so well in handheld mode as the bandwidth is sufficient to manage a 720p display, the 20% increase in memory bandwidth when docked isn't enough to drive 900p, let alone 1080p.

You have no idea what you are really talking about.

 

[Discokuningas]

Even docked? Cause I asked a friend who's playing the Switch version to check out specific areas I know has performance issues and he's experiencing the same thing. Probably not as bad as the Wii U, but he did say it was noticeable.

I have played 90% docked. There are some frame drops. Not anything as big as in plateau and not nearly as constant. I can understand some people being more sensitive to drops than me but I can't understand someone saying it isn't improved after the plateau. It isn't nearly as bad as plateau and to me pretty much non issue.