Digital Foundry: FPS Boost, PSVR2, and Hardware Analysis

Overview of Technical Developments

This episode of DF Direct Weekly covers a broad range of technical topics, focusing on console performance, upcoming hardware, and the nuances of PC graphics. The team discusses the latest FPS Boost initiatives for Xbox, the revealed controllers for PSVR2, and an in-depth analysis of driver overhead in low-level APIs like DX12 and Vulkan.

Key Topics Analyzed

FPS Boost and Backwards Compatibility

• The team examines the recent additions to the FPS Boost catalog, specifically the Bethesda titles like Fallout 4, Skyrim, and Prey.
• They express surprise at the decision to drop resolution to 1080p for Fallout 4 to achieve a locked 60 FPS, noting that it represents an interesting trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate consistency.

"It is fundamentally a system level hack, really, the FPS boost... it doesn't surprise me that there are going to be some minor issues that crop up."

Sony's Next-Gen VR

• Discussion centers on the recently unveiled PSVR2 controllers, highlighting their shift toward a modern, standardized ergonomic design.
• The team remains optimistic about the potential for higher immersion on PS5, though they await further details regarding headset resolution and refresh rates.

Driver Overhead and GPU Value

• The analysis moves to the long-standing debate over driver overhead in DX12 and Vulkan.
• A specific focus is placed on the Radeon RX 6700 XT, where the team critiques its value proposition, noting that while performance in many titles reaches a competitive level, it lacks the aggressive pricing or standout software features needed to disrupt the current market dominated by NVIDIA.

Retro Corner: Resident Evil History

• The episode features a special guest to discuss the upcoming book, Itchy, Tasty: An Unofficial History of Resident Evil.
• This segment highlights the evolution of the series over its first decade and the intricate storytelling involved in game development history.