Digital Foundry Direct Weekly 169: FSR 3.1, Dead Rising & Tech
Performance Analysis and Industry Developments
Digital Foundry Direct Weekly 169 takes a deep dive into the latest technical updates and industry news, focusing on key shifts in image reconstruction and game remakes.
AMD FSR 3.1 & Upscaling Hierarchy
The episode opens with early impressions of AMD's FSR 3.1. While the update offers qualitative improvements over FSR 2.2, analysis suggests that the overall hierarchy of upscaling remains unchanged—with DLSS and XESS still maintaining an edge in handling complex motion and anti-aliasing. The team highlights the didactic nature of their comparison videos, emphasizing that zoom-ins are used to showcase nuances visible to the naked eye rather than just pixel-peeping.
Remakes, Remasters, and Terminology
The panelists discuss the newly announced, unnamed Dead Rising project. They express frustration with the ambiguous use of terms like "Deluxe Remaster," noting that because the project involves a complete rebuild of assets, it fits more closely with the definition of a remake rather than a simple remaster. The discussion extends to Ubisoft's rumored plans to revisit classic Assassin's Creed titles.
Dragon's Dogma 2 & Technical Fixes
Dragon's Dogma 2 receives a significant performance update. The team notes a major improvement in playability for console users, largely due to the implementation of 120Hz support on PS5, which allows for better use of VRR to smooth out frame time variances that previously plagued the experience.
Digital Preservation & Unity Tick Rate Issues
The podcast concludes with a recurring critique of game preservation and engine-level bugs. The team addresses the upcoming delisting of Forza Horizon 4, underscoring the risks of an all-digital future. Furthermore, John Linneman reiterates his frustrations with the Unity engine's default 50Hz tick rate bug, which causes noticeable judder in camera movement for games like Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble.
"I still think for this game very specifically there were some really big low-hanging fruit issues... that were raised here that there's just a really low-hanging things."
- The team highlights the importance of technical critique in reviews, arguing that poor performance should be acknowledged regardless of a studio's stature.
- They advocate for better accessibility in PC ports, praising titles that offer comprehensive options for enthusiasts, such as Trails Through Daybreak's inclusion of SGSSAA.