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[Spider_Jerusalem]

I've got a question that Microsoft doesn't seem having addressed yet. They said that every 360 game will be rendered at HDTV resolutions (all 16:9 in aspect ratio) and then will be hardware-resized to match lower resolutions. They said too that it will look fine on standard TVs. Ok, but what does "fine" mean?

My concern is about two things, the first being about the aspect ratio: if every game will simply be scaled down to match inferior resolutions, how will it fit in a 4:3 TV? Will it be letterboxed? I'd think so, because cutting lateral portions of the screen like many DVD players do would mean cutting interface elements too (energy indicators, compasses and so on). So, seen that here in Europe HDTV is really, really niche and that the majority of the households have 4:3 TVs, will it translate for those people in gaming always with letterboxed games? This would suck, and I hope MS addressed this matter, maybe putting in the console a 4:3/16:9 switch like in Xbox, but this wolud conflict with their assertion that everything is rendered in HDTV resolution and then scaled down.

My second concern is about resolution and readibility. How will developers address this problemi in text-rich games like RPGs? Using HDTV resolutions, they could use fonts or little icons that are fully readible on HDTVs but being scaled down to lower resolutions could be difficult to read. Maybe MS has put in their games approval checklist something like "must be perfectly intellegible on low-def TVs".

I hope they'll be able to handle in the proper way those two problems. Have they already explained something about this?

 

[Rhindle]

I expect that these issues will be handled in much the same way that they are handled today with PC games and the handful of 720p/16:9 Xbox games that are out there. In other words, the games will need to be designed to scale based on the resolution/aspect ratio selected by the user.

You may get a few letterboxed games I suppose, but the vast majority should just adjust the screen elements to accomodate different ratios. Developers are not oblivious to the fact that the majority of their customers will be playing on plain old 480i boxes for at least several more years.

The big downside I see is that on non-HD sets, the "step-up" in visuals will not be nearly as pronounced as it will when games are displayed in full high-res. So we can look forward to a reliable supply of bitching about diminishing returns, Xbox 1.5 etc.

 

[acidviper]

Is there going to be stretching/shrinking or black bars?

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

I expect that these issues will be handled in much the same way that they are handled today with PC games and the handful of 720p/16:9 Xbox games that are out there. In other words, the games will need to be designed to scale based on the resolution/aspect ratio selected by the user.

Infact, I hope so. But MS said the console will handle resolutions adjustments... I only hope the developers will be able to handle different aspect ratios and not being constricted to HDTV ratios only. MS isn't dumb, and I hope they've addressed this.

However, is there here some 360 developer that can explain for us how will things work?

The big downside I see is that on non-HD sets, the "step-up" in visuals will not be nearly as pronounced as it will when games are displayed in full high-res. So we can look forward to a reliable supply of bitching about diminishing returns, Xbox 1.5 etc.

Yes, I completely agree. And I think the Revo will be the much more advantaged in this scenario.

 

[eso76]

I don't know about 4:3 and 16:9 ratios but i expect it will be handled the way it is on xbox1...games should be developed to run both in 4:3 and widescreen.

As for lower res tv's,X360 has some chip which takes care of scaling down the image to inferior resolutions, while the console internally still renders at hdtv res.
At the very least a 720p, AA'ed image, shrunk down to fit a regular tv, should be completely jaggy free.

 

[Particle Physicist]

..

 

[OmniGamer]

I'd think so, because cutting lateral portions of the screen like many DVD players do would mean cutting interface elements too (energy indicators, compasses and so on).

MS has already said that all devs have to design their games so that the HUD will be fully visible on 4:3 TVs

 

[Fafalada]

Infact, I hope so. But MS said the console will handle resolutions adjustments... I only hope the developers will be able to handle different aspect ratios and not being constricted to HDTV ratios only. MS isn't dumb, and I hope they've addressed this.

Developers have the choice to leave it to hardware (and get letterboxed 4:3) or implement explicit 4:3 support.
It's the reverse of current gen - 16:9 is mandated, proper 4:3 support is up to every individual developer.

 

[mrklaw]

Developers have the choice to leave it to hardware (and get letterboxed 4:3) or implement explicit 4:3 support.
It's the reverse of current gen - 16:9 is mandated, proper 4:3 support is up to every individual developer.

Good. So if you have a 16:9 TV you are fully supported as the lowest common denominator.

I'm sure MS will get a lot of stick for this, but good for them

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

Developers have the choice to leave it to hardware (and get letterboxed 4:3) or implement explicit 4:3 support.
It's the reverse of current gen - 16:9 is mandated, proper 4:3 support is up to every individual developer.

Nice! This reassures me

I only hope the majority of developers choses to support 4:3, but I think they will simply because It's the mostly used format, at least here in europe.

 

[C- Warrior]

What the hell is so wrong with letterboxed?

The way I see it, you play the game in the "view" it was meant to be played in.

Imagine the camera issues when you're playing a cropped next-gen game on a 4:3 set.

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

What the hell is so wrong with letterboxed?

Basically, I've got the feeling of underusing my tv. But I constantly watch letterboxed movies and played RE4, so it surely isnt' the end of all things

The way I see it, you play the game in the "view" it was meant to be played in.

Imagine the camera issues when you're playing a cropped next-gen game on a 4:3 set.

It depends. You can make a 16:9 image fitting 4/3 not cropping the porders, but adding the "hidden" portions at top and bottom ;-) So horizontal the viewing angle would stay the same, widening the vertical viewing angle.

Edit - Just found here: http://mondoxbox.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3960

31. If my TV has a 4:3 aspect ratio, will I still be able to play games at full screen?

Of course you will. The Xbox 360 is compatible with both 16:9 (widescreen) and 4:3 aspect ratio TVs. Just make sure that you set the video settings properly so the Xbox 360 knows which type of TV you have.