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[bananafactory]

In which technical aspect are they more advanced than the choices made in the first post?

The sheer size of Driveclub's environments alone make what they accomplished extremely impressive, with some of the tracks I believe consisting of nearly a million trees (Edit: Up to 1.2 million trees on one track). Everything seen is fully modeled in 3D and the lighting/cloud/weather system is the most impressive I've witnessed. Of course it's a bit of apples to oranges with Unity, considering one's a fully realized city sandbox and another is a track racer, but I was just more blown away by what Driveclub offered. I can see why some people would pick Unity, though. It's certainly no slouch.

Some of what Driveclub does is listed here:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/05/51-details-about-driveclub-on-ps4/

 

[SparkTR]

So is the list for years 2007+ only for games that runs off high-end pcs?

If that's where the most demanding and advanced technology was, then yes. Like in the 90s with arcades.

 

[twobear]

No The Last of Us or Driveclub?

Crysis 3 (2013)

The Last of Us (2013)

I don't see it for TLOU.

 

[Synth]

Good thread, but no Street Fighter 2 for SNES?

No Starflight for PC?

Street Fighter 2 for the SNES falls into Virtua Racing's year.

Seriously?

 

[icecold1983]

How many of those things weren't actually in Crysis 2? Besides the AI I mean.

the animation in crysis 2 is nothing like that fake scripted scene they try to pass off as gameplay, and again the beginning pc scene advertising deferred lighting. the lighting in crysis 2 never looked like that. there was also the complete lack of aliasing, which back when crysis 2 released was impossible to achieve.

reread my edited post. the tech trailer released alongside crysis 3 is probably a better example. i remember trying to recreate many of the scenes in the actual game and finding things didnt look quite as good.

 

[Summer Haze]

I've played the game for 60 hours, I still haven't even seen every nook and cranny, did you even see every district? How many of the building interiors did you see? Each district has differently styled interiors and also their own key buildings that are built to be 1:1 scale, AI and crowd behavior, How about the sewers, npcs under that as well. How about the main mission design where the enemy AI gets stricter than in the open world? Two hours is surely not enough to take in even a fraction of what the game has to offer on a technical level, especially if all you're doing is "watching someone run around the city killing guards." So basically that means that you likely didn't see how the game renders faces or hair during cutscenes. Which is a technical achievement in itself.

But like I said, I personally don't think it's technical advancements alone should be enough of a reason to include it in a list such as this one if they're detrimental to the how the game actually runs - which I doubt is any better in any of the other districts. Why does it matter if I saw them or not? I saw a game running worse than any other game I've seen in as long as I can remember, post-patch, so saying "did you see this, did you see that" means nothing to me. Because no doubt "this and that" will still be running sub-30fps and have tons of pop-in, for both NPCs and world objects.

And for the record, I have zero experience with the PC version, that's why I haven't mentioned it. If it runs well on a decent rig, then by all means I'll take back what I said. But I've only ever saw it running on a PS4, and it was shocking.

And in regards to me choosing Driveclub over Unity, that's based purely on what game impressed me more. Nothing in 2014 has impressed me more on a technical level than Driveclub. The lighting and the weather effects are unmatched imo. Racing in cockpit view with the rain set to 'heavy', seeing all of those raindrops moving across the windshield being affected by the car turning and the wind just blew me away. No pun intended.

 

[thelastword]

I stated multiple times that it does have technical issues but they aren't as severe as they were in the past. And on the other hand Driveclub doesn't have to push a ton of open world AI simulation or an open world that has interiors, sewers, etc. And the list is arcade and pc centric because for a long time consoles were behind both and in some cases still are.

Well I definitely would not make a case for Unity's Ai, just because there are 10000 npc's. There was a PS2 game with 265 000 npc's anyway and I've never heard it got a tech mention. Unity's Ai is like the Ai of the zombies in Dead rising 3, though I think the AI there might be better.

For console peasants.

Consoles have had some good technology in the past generations. Remember when the dream cast launched, was there a better looking game than soul calibur on 9.9.99? Btw, what game did he have for 99? Also, when the PS2 launched, I don't think anything on the PC beat SSX and Tekken Tag that year. That's why I said the list was a bit too pc centric.

 

[bananafactory]

But like I said, I personally don't think it's technical advancements alone should be enough of a reason to include it in a list such as this one if they're detrimental to the how the game actually runs - which I doubt is any better in any of the other districts. Why does it matter if I saw them or not? I saw a game running worse than any other game I've seen in as long as I can remember, post-patch, so saying "did you see this, did you see that" means nothing to me. Because no doubt "this and that" will still be running sub-30fps and have tons of pop-in, both NPC and world objects.

And for the record, I have zero experience with the PC version, that's why I haven't mentioned it. If it runs well on a decent rig, then by all means I'll take back what I said. But I've only ever saw it running on a PS4, and it was shocking.

And in regards to putting Driveclub above Unity, that's based purely on what game impressed me more. Nothing in 2014 has impressed me more on a technical level than Driveclub. The lighting and the weather effects are unmatched imo.

You can get Unity to run well but it requires an insane PC. Game is still not very well optimized compared to other titles out there.

 

[Celine]

Another good mention for 1992 is Alone in the Dark for computers:

Hugely influential for japanese developers (Resident Evil, Final Fantasy but also more obscure games like Hudson's Team Innocent).

 

[pottuvoi]

There are so many contenders one could add to the list, here few.


Elite 1984.

Ultima Underworld 1992, a proper freeroam RPG in a textured dungeon decent physics.

Frontier 1993, a galaxy in single floppy, curved polygon rendering, seamless transitions from planetary flying to space and ability to fly on any planetary body without loading using real scale.. (Frontier Firstencounter 1994 added fractal planets with mountains..)

 

[zero shift]

The list is very 3D heavy. Not enough 2D games.

Warzard for example had crazy detailed graphics for 1996. It still looks better than most 2D games today. The Capcom's CPS3 board was essentially a 2D focused Model 3.

 

[NinjamicWZ]

Surprisingly nice and informed list. I expected this to be a bunch of "my favorite game" cliches starting in the 80's. Model 3's polygon count was crazy for the time, and it took years for us to get that at home at such an affordable price.

 

[jaaz]

Street Fighter 2 for the SNES falls into Virtua Racing's year.

Seriously?

Absolutely. At the very least it deserves a "competition" mention. Capcom essentially ported an arcade game to a 16-bit console with minimal differences. It was an incredible technological achievement.

 

[Synth]

Well I definitely would not make a case for Unity's Ai, just because there are 10000 npc's. There was a PS2 game with 265 000 npc's anyway and I've never heard it got a tech mention. Unity's Ai is like the Ai of the zombies in Dead rising 3, though I think the AI there might be better.

Consoles have had some good technology in the past generations. Remember when the dream cast launched, was there a better looking game than soul calibur on 9.9.99? Btw, what game did he have for 99? Also, when the PS2 launched, I don't think anything on the PC beat SSX and Tekken Tag that year. That's why I said the list was a bit too pc centric.

I'm undecided on 2000 (I wouldn't nominate Tekken Tag at all though), but for 1999 I'd definitely put Quake 3 Arena ahead of Soul Calibur. Without question.

The list is PC centric because in most years the PC simply was ahead of consoles (or the arcades were depending how far back we go). The DC/PS2 launch is one of the few time windows where consoles weren't getting slapped around by one or the other.

Absolutely. At the very least it deserves a "competition" mention. Capcom essentially ported an arcade game to a 16-bit console with minimal differences. It was an incredible technological achievement.

This thread doesn't care what you were running on. Only that you were more advanced than your competition. Which basically prevents SNES/Genesis getting a look in.

 

[Celine]

The list is very 3D heavy. Not enough 2D games.

Totally agree.
It would be cool doing a thread for not polygonal games.

 

[inky]

No The Last of Us or Driveclub?

No.

 

[Crossing Eden]

the animation in crysis 2 is nothing like that fake scripted scene they try to pass off as gameplay, and again the beginning pc scene advertising deferred lighting. the lighting in crysis 2 never looked like that. there was also the complete lack of aliasing, which back when crysis 2 released was impossible to achieve.

reread my edited post. the tech trailer released alongside crysis 3 is probably a better example. i remember trying to recreate many of the scenes in the actual game and finding things didnt look quite as good.

Yea I played it on 360, I do remember being very impressed.

But like I said, I personally don't think it's technical advancements alone should be enough of a reason to include it in a list such as this one if they're detrimental to the how the game actually runs - which I doubt is any better in any of the other districts. Why does it matter if I saw them or not? I saw a game running worse than any other game I've seen in as long as I can remember, post-patch, so saying "did you see this, did you see that" means nothing to me. Because no doubt "this and that" will still be running sub-30fps and have tons of pop-in, for both NPCs and world objects.

And for the record, I have zero experience with the PC version, that's why I haven't mentioned it. If it runs well on a decent rig, then by all means I'll take back what I said. But I've only ever saw it running on a PS4, and it was shocking.

And in regards to me choosing Driveclub overUnity, that's based purely on what game impressed me more. Nothing in 2014 has impressed me more on a technical level than Driveclub. The lighting and the weather effects are unmatched imo.

It's not like it runs at sub 20fps 90% of the time like skyrim with a ton of graphical mods. Yea I have the game on ps4and although it's not a locked 30 like last year's game it's definitely running very much in line with how an AC game usually runs after the patches. And due to just how many different rig combinations of rigs out there you'll get contending answers on how the game runs on pc, some will tell you that it runs at 60fps, others will say it runs like crap. It's a taxing next gen only game like the first game so this is inevitable. But again, this is a technical achievement thread, tons of technical achievements in Unity, some better than others. It's very similar to the first game which was a first foray into a next gen only gaming experience.

Well I definitely would not make a case for Unity's Ai, just because there are 10000 npc's. There was a PS2 game with 265 000 npc's anyway and I've never heard it got a tech mention. Unity's Ai is like the Ai of the zombies in Dead rising 3, though I think the AI there might be better.

Consoles have had some good technology in the past generations. Remember when the dream cast launched, was there a better looking game than soul calibur on 9.9.99? Btw, what game did he have for 99? Also, when the PS2 launched, I don't think anything on the PC beat SSX and Tekken Tag that year. That's why I said the list was a bit too pc centric.

How many of those 265K AI were simulated though, as in had reactions based on what was happening in the world, the AI in Unity is definitely not like the AI of the zombies in DR3, I already had a post stating several things that the AI can do, I had a lot more but I decided not to make the list too long.

Please tell me you have a Ubisoft and/or Assassin's Creed logo tattoo.

The only tattoo i'm getting is the name of my child. I'm actually not a big fan of tattoos. You're welcome to add to the discussion at any time though.

 

[webkatt]

Yea I played it on 360, I do remember being very impressed.

Yea I have the game and although it's not a locked 30 like last year's game it's definitely running very much in line with how an AC game usually runs. And due to just how many different rig combinations of rigs out there you'll get contending answers on how the game runs on pc, some will tell you that it runs at 60fps, others will say it runs like crap. It's a taxing next gen only game like the first game so this is inevitable.


How many of those 265K AI were simulated though, as in had reactions based on what was happening in the world, the AI in Unity is definitely not like the AI of the zombies in DR3, I already had a post stating several things that the AI can do, I had a lot more but I decided not to make the list too long.

Please tell me you have a Ubisoft and/or Assassin's Creed logo tattoo.

 

[Crossing Eden]

The list is very 3D heavy. Not enough 2D games.

Warzard for example had crazy detailed graphics for 1996. It still looks better than most 2D games today. The Capcom's CPS3 board was essentially a 2D focused Model 3.

Glorious examples of 2d sprite animation.

I actually wouldn't mind a secondary thread on this.

 

[Summer Haze]

Yea I have the game and although it's not a locked 30 like last year's game it's definitely running very much in line with how an AC game usually runs.

Yeah...that doesn't really excuse the bad framerate, though, does it? I mean, those were last-gen games. Being in line with them isn't really a plus.

 

[Celine]

Consoles have had some good technology in the past generations. Remember when the dream cast launched, was there a better looking game than soul calibur on 9.9.99? Btw, what game did he have for 99? Also, when the PS2 launched, I don't think anything on the PC beat SSX and Tekken Tag that year. That's why I said the list was a bit too pc centric.

Consoles usually had a small chance in the launch period, at best.
Because before arcades (eighties and most nineties) and later PC with dedicated 3D cards offered superior specifications.

To take your example of FF/:
FF7 was released when it was already available a monster like Sega's Model 3.
From a technical point of view Virtua Fighter 3 was far above anything PS1 could have hoped to render.

The reason why ultimately console games (sort of) catch up to arcade first and then PC games was that both reached a point where there were little financial incentives to develop big budget hardware/software compared to the profits to be had with console games.

 

[Parhelion69]

There are 4 games that really impressed me in 2014:
Infamous
Ryse PC
Unity PC
Driveclub

I played both PC games maxed out on my 970. The other two on my PS4.


Infamous has probably the best dynamic lighting and particle effects I've seen, along with great IQ, superb facial animation with no slowdowns. The city is a little empty though

Ryse looks great, but I'd say it's the least impressive out of these four, animations are laughable, everything is too confined and while it has some great shaders and lighting, the geometry is at times a little too simple.

Unity is for now, the most impressive PC game I've seen yet. It does have some big issues, like NPC LOD, but the amount of detail is staggering. The more you see the city the more you realize this: textures, geometric detail, material shaders, shadows, etc. are a sight to behold.

But the winner is Driveclub, without doubt. Specially after the weather patch. The global illumination lighting was already impressive, absurd car detail, SSR, volumetric clouds, etc. you name the technology, it has it. But after that patch, now it has ridiculous status, it left me speechless, my jaw was on the floor. All these incredible effects are working together, with no hint of slowdown. This is a technical achievement, no doubt about it. No game touches it (yet) graphically.

 

[aygomyownroad]

I applaud you OP. Fantastic list. not sure of 2014 but the rest is great.

 

[Canis lupus]

Horrible choices for 2009, 2013 and 2014.

2009: Killzone 2/Uncharted 2
2013: Killzone Shadow Fall, Ryse or TLOU on PS3 considering it ran on 7 year old hardware
2014: Driveclub

 

[Crossing Eden]

Yeah...that doesn't really excuse the bad framerate, though, does it? I mean, those were last-gen games. Being in line with them isn't really a plus.

And how does framerate affect the pc version on a rig well enough to run it? Even worse is you mentioning GTAV when that game very clearly sub 30fps.

 

[Durante]

I feel like Magic Carpet deserves a mention. It might not be pretty in screenshots but holy shit real time terrain deformation in 1994.

Very good point. Magic Carpet was extremely impressive for its time.

The Last of Us (2013)

And that's a bullshot. An actual 2013 shot of TLoU would be a lot less flattering.

There are so many contenders one could add to the list, here few.


Elite 1984.

Ultima Underworld 1992, a proper freeroam RPG in a textured dungeon decent physics.

Frontier 1993, a galaxy in single floppy, curved polygon rendering, seamless transitions from planetary flying to space and ability to fly on any planetary body without loading using real scale.. (Frontier Firstencounter 1994 added fractal planets with mountains..)

Those are also all good additions.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Horrible choices for 2009, 2013 and 2014.

2009: Killzone 2/Uncharted 2
2013: Killzone Shadow Fall, Ryse or TLOU on PS3 considering it ran on 7 year old hardware
2014: Driveclub

Okay, people seriously believe this? Honest question, I'm struggling to see how Killzone or Uncharted are more technically advanced games than motherhumping Arma or Crysis (plus, running on an old hardware should count for something because...?).

 

[Celine]

Okay, people seriously believe this? Honest question, I'm struggling to see how Killzone or Uncharted are more technically advanced games than motherhumping Arma or Crysis (plus, running on an old hardware should count for something because...?).

It depends on what you want to believe in.

 

[hotnheavyload]

Okay, people seriously believe this? Honest question, I'm struggling to see how Killzone or Uncharted are more technically advanced games than motherhumping Arma or Crysis (plus, running on an old hardware should count for something because...?).

List parity.

 

[Summer Haze]

And how does framerate affect the pc version on a rig well enough to run it? Even worse is you mentioning GTAV when that game very clearly sub 30fps.

But we aren't talking about the PC version, I know full well that you own the PS4 version and are talking about the PS4 version when you reply to me. So lets not being up PC as a way to further make excuses for the game.

And the difference between GTA V and Unity is that one was marketed as a true "next-gen" game (lol), with an engine built from "the ground up" (LOL). And the other is a game made for consoles with 521MB of RAM. GTA V has valid excuses for it's framerate drops. ACU does not.

I was also suggesting GTA V for the 2013 category, not 2014.

 

[pottuvoi]

Well I definitely would not make a case for Unity's Ai, just because there are 10000 npc's. There was a PS2 game with 265 000 npc's anyway and I've never heard it got a tech mention. Unity's Ai is like the Ai of the zombies in Dead rising 3, though I think the AI there might be better.

Ikusagami 2005

It was 65535 units, limited by VU1 memory of 16kB on ps2.
Game ran nice 60fps.. without hickups.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vYo7SstRgU

 

[Caayn]

Great list, I don't really disagree with any of the listed games.

Okay, people seriously believe this? Honest question, I'm struggling to see how Killzone or Uncharted are more technically advanced games than motherhumping Arma or Crysis (plus, running on an old hardware should count for something because...?).

It's not fair for consoles!!!

 

[SparkTR]

It depends on what you want to believe in.

Best looking game is a valid option, considering aesthetics it differs from person to person. Most technologically advanced though? Objectively Crysis 3 and ArmA 2 (though to a much letter degree) stomped everything.

 

[bananafactory]

I didn't play Crysis 3 but the footage I saw didn't look better than Killzone Shadowfall. For those who played both - was it really that much more impressive?

 

[icecold1983]

Okay, people seriously believe this? Honest question, I'm struggling to see how Killzone or Uncharted are more technically advanced games than motherhumping Arma or Crysis (plus, running on an old hardware should count for something because...?).

his 2009 suggestions are absurd, but in 2013 killzone and ryse towered above everything else.

I didn't play Crysis 3 but the footage I saw didn't look better than Killzone Shadowfall. For those who played both - was it really that much more impressive?

crysis 3 definitely looks nice on my 980 w/ 2x txaa, but its last gen heritage is clear. shadowfall is superior IMO.

 

[Misterinenja]

I don't wanna sound like a fanboy but...

Metal Gear Solid 2 takes 2001. No question about it.

 

[shaki123]

Graphically more advanced doesn't necessarily mean better looking. I presume that's why Metroid Prime and Mario Galaxy are missing on this list.

 

[Gonzo The Great]

I'd be interested in seeing a separate list for console games only, since every game on here is from arcade or PC. There has always been a clear technological divide between the two.

 

[twobear]

GTA V has valid excuses for it's framerate drops. ACU does not.

If you can't look at ACU and understand why the performance is patchy on consoles then I don't know what to say. Can you name any other game that is pushing all of the visual effects it pushes, in an open world game, with thousands of NPCs?

 

[Dictator93]

the animation in crysis 2 is nothing like that fake scripted scene they try to pass off as gameplay, and again the beginning pc scene advertising deferred lighting. the lighting in crysis 2 never looked like that. there was also the complete lack of aliasing, which back when crysis 2 released was impossible to achieve.

reread my edited post. the tech trailer released alongside crysis 3 is probably a better example. i remember trying to recreate many of the scenes in the actual game and finding things didnt look quite as good.

I always thought Crysis 2 had perfectly fine animation

 

[Flachmatuch]

There are so many contenders one could add to the list, here few.


Elite 1984.

Ultima Underworld 1992, a proper freeroam RPG in a textured dungeon decent physics.

Frontier 1993, a galaxy in single floppy, curved polygon rendering, seamless transitions from planetary flying to space and ability to fly on any planetary body without loading using real scale.. (Frontier Firstencounter 1994 added fractal planets with mountains..)

Honestly I think these are such incredible technical achievements that the list appears to be "wrong" without them, subjectivity or not.

 

[omonimo]

No.

Driveclub deserves it but I know it's on console and blablabla 30 fps sucks no 16 AF budget hardware when there are others aspect really remarkable which people not give a fuck.

 

[TGO]

I remember Gran Turismo being the game that looked like it was real, nothing was like it until after when other games started using the same graphic effects due to GT but wasn't quite there, but I don't think this thread is about graphically defining games is it.

 

[hotnheavyload]

I always thought Crysis 2 had perfectly fine animation

Still so very impressive.

 

[icecold1983]

I always thought Crysis 2 had perfectly fine animation

that first gif looks really bad IMO. no transitional animations, he just instantly switches between routine. you cant say that looks anything like the animation in the crysis 2 tech trailer segment.

crytek has always had poor animation in its games during actual gameplay up until ryse. ryse was decent.

 

[omonimo]

If you can't look at ACU and understand why the performance is patchy on consoles then I don't know what to say. Can you name any other game that is pushing all of the visual effects it pushes, in an open world game, with thousands of NPCs?

It pushed thousand npc with multiple layers of pop in and bitmapped trees in the long distance. Yes it used bitmapped trees, you can check it when you synchronize the map. This game it's full of cheap tricks, I'd like to go in deeper but unfortunately I haven't the time to put under the lens the whole game.

 

[Barzul]

Is there a thread showing these wonderful Driveclub screenshots? I haven't really followed the game...

 

[SparkTR]

I remember Gran Turismo being the game that looked like it was real, nothing was like it until after when other games started using the same graphic effects due to GT but wasn't quite there, but I don't think this thread is about graphically defining games is it.

GT3 along with MGS2 and Rogue Leader should be contenders for 2001. That year consoles were well and truly ahead of PCs technically.

 

[bananafactory]

Is there a thread showing these wonderful Driveclub screenshots? I haven't really followed the game...

It's hard to illustrate Driveclub's technical achievements in a screenshot. It's about a stormy race in the rain, with the volumetric clouds zipping along because they're affected by the simulated windspeed, all the while trees and bushes sway from the strong breeze. Then as you come around a corner the sun breaks through and the lighting model shines like no other.

 

[Summer Haze]

If you can't look at ACU and understand why the performance is patchy on consoles then I don't know what to say. Can you name any other game that is pushing all of the visual effects it pushes, in an open world game, with thousands of NPCs?

I understand perfectly well why, I just don't agree with those things being used as an excuse as to why it runs so patchy. Imo could have easily made a game that was both technically impressive and ran well, but their eyes were too big for their stomachs.