Digital Foundry Direct: Flight Sim, The Ascent, and Tech Talk

Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox

• The game delivers an ultra-level experience on Series X, utilizing Velocity Architecture and advanced DirectStorage to overcome memory constraints.
• Achieving parity required tactical adjustments compared to PC, yet the visual presentation remains impressive while maintaining a stable 30 FPS.
• VRR support effectively masks frame rate fluctuations, although early benchmarks highlight the complexity and lack of transparency in current console implementations.

The Ascent: A Next-Gen Showcase

• The Ascent exemplifies the shift toward new hardware capabilities, particularly in drastically reduced loading times compared to last-gen hardware.
• While the game is an Unreal Engine 4 technical achievement, its DX12 ray tracing implementation faced pre-launch instability.

Graphics Technology & Hardware

• The team discusses the Radeon RX 6600 XT, praising its balance but noting the persistent disadvantage against NVIDIA's DLSS in ray tracing scenarios.
• The evolution of DLSS into a more accessible SDK signals a positive push for better integration, though the team advocates for a move toward DirectML for cross-hardware compatibility.

Industry Trends and Reflections

"Games are less and less constrained by hardware and more constrained by manpower and budget and time."

• There is a concerted call for the industry to return to advanced physics simulations and interactive environments, which were often sidelined during the previous low-power console cycle.
• The team expresses concern over the environmental impact of plastic parts (cracked rings) in VR controllers and discusses the necessity of having more diverse PC-exclusive showcase titles.