Is Several Graphical Modes Something That Harm More Than Help Console Users?

ethomaz

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Another games with like 5 graphical modes to choose.
All of them bad.
Which one to choose?

Why developers continue the mantra that more options is better when you can't even delivery a single mode well done?
Is that trend harming more than helping the console experience?

After all you have a fixed machine so you can have a mode that delivery a perfect experience instead 5 Frankenstein modes.
I thought 2 modes was enough like one focusing in high framerate and other focusing in pushing graphics.

Console experience should be about turn on and play.
 

Sircaw

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Another games with like 5 graphical modes to choose.
All of them bad.
Which one to choose?

Why developers continue the mantra that more options is better when you can't even delivery a single mode well done?
Is that trend harming more than helping the console experience?

After all you have a fixed machine so you can have a mode that delivery a perfect experience instead 5 Frankenstein modes.
I thought 2 modes was enough like one focusing in high framerate and other focusing in pushing graphics.

Console experience should be about turn on and play.
I think it's just pointless having so many options.

Just have 2 maybe three at max, 5, 10, waste of resources, waste of time management.

Especially when this saints row game has so many other issues and problems, reallocate those resources to making the game better.
 

Alabtrosmyster

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Options are nice, always
Research has proven otherwise, also I noticed too many options will do many things:

People don't know what to pick (see the Linux distributions world).
Divert development time away from really important tasks.
When I game on PC I waste a lot of time tweaking the graphics... It diverts me from the actual hobby.

I think that should be 2 or 3 at most (none ideally).
 

Nym

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Research has proven otherwise, also I noticed too many options will do many things:

People don't know what to pick (see the Linux distributions world).
Divert development time away from really important tasks.
When I game on PC I waste a lot of time tweaking the graphics... It diverts me from the actual hobby.

I think that should be 2 or 3 at most (none ideally).

lol research ok. Choose a default then and provide more for those interested in the menus. I will not accept that providing more options to customize my experience to something I prefer is somehow worse than not giving me ways to customize settings.
 
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ethomaz

ethomaz

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lol research ok. Choose a default then and provide more for those interested in the menus. I will not accept that providing more options to customize my experience to something I prefer is somehow worse than not giving me ways to customize settings.
These modes need time and money to be added and tested.
That is the point.
When you put your time and money that are already limited to cater that "more options" mantra it end hammering the overall quality of the game with less modes.
2 well done modes will be always better than 5 bad modes because you don't have time or money to makes these 5 modes good.

In a perfect world you should have 5x the time/money for 5 modes compared with 1 mode but in reality the time/money for 1 mode is split for 5 modes.

BTW on PC you can have all the customization you want.
We are talking about a fixed machine that should delivery the best experience without any customization needed... maybe chose between Fidelity and Performance (2 modes).
 
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Nym

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These modes need time and money to be added and tested.
That is the point.
When you put your time and money that are already limited to cater that "more options" mantra it end hammering the overall quality of the game with less modes.
2 well done modes will be always better than 5 bad modes because you don't have time or money to makes these 5 modes good.

In a perfect world you should have 5x the time/money for 5 modes compared with 1 mode but in reality the time/money for 1 mode is split for 5 modes.

BTW on PC you can have all the customization you want.
We are talking about a fixed machine that should delivery the best experience without any customization needed... maybe chose between Fidelity and Performance (2 modes).

I suppose that maybe 5+ is too much sometimes and a couple of options is ideal. I haven't played anything with this many options, usually just 2 or 3
 
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Alabtrosmyster

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lol research ok. Choose a default then and provide more for those interested in the menus. I will not accept that providing more options to customize my experience to something I prefer is somehow worse than not giving me ways to customize settings.
I already expressed my opinion, so you just get the gif now:
homer GIF
 

Big Boss

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26 Jul 2022
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I'm fine with 2 options of performance versus visuals. I always go for visuals. I could care less about 60fps versus 30fps. In anything other than racing games, 60fps feels off for me.
 
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rofif

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Yes absolutely.
I wrote threads about this and it's a bad thing.
Sure, options are GOOD in principle but it's a console. I want to launch the game AND PLAY.
If I wanted options I would get a console.

Here are some thing that I think are the worst about modes:
-30fps modes get less attention and are less playable because of that. Input lag on 30fps modes is much worse in some games. Compare demons souls ps5 30fps to Bloodborne... 75ms of difference wtf. DF made a video about that last moneth.
-30fps mode is just a showcase mode. Then "the real mode to play" is often 60fps mode. So You start "wow this looks good"... oh well but I have to play this worse mode.
-It feels lazy to have 5 modes
-Modes are badly named/labeled. You usually have to go watch DF video to understand your choice..
-Is fidelity mode just 4k? or is fidelity mode all effects but less resolution?
-is 4k mode just pushing raw 4k and dropping on some effects to achieve it? then what's the point. Nobody wants 4k mode for the sake of it.
-Performance mode is often a sloppy, blurry mess.
-I don't like too much choice. And without watching DF and having fps counter... how do I chose ?

Imo this destroys focus on development and kinda destroys a part of what console gaming was.
OK let's have MAX 2 modes and offer VRR fps unlock for both modes so future consoles or vrr users will benefit... BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 imo.
I would personally like 0 modes and only vrr/fps unlock. Make the game best as possible. Optimize for it and let it rip.

Of couse there are games that do more than 2 modes well. Uncharted ps5 remaster have excellent modes. 4k30, 1440p60 an 1080p120. Each does what it should and 30fps mode is excellent and not laggy like demons souls.. but the game could have vrr unlock for all modes and 120fps mode is blurry.

Some other games do modes ok like ratchet.. althoug there is stupid pointless "performance" mode. IMO there should never be difference between modes with it comes to ray tracing and base features.

Fidelity which is ALL EFFECTS AT HIGHEST res and performance which is the same effects at lower dynamic res. This is also ok. But now, I am never sure if Fidelity is all effects or only 4k.

And finally - 40fps mode. This is good. I actually like this BUT only if there are no drawbacks to resolution or effects. Like ratchet does it... not like Horizon does it which is some weird mode with in-between resolution.

See all of this text up there? why? because there are too many badly named modes.

tl;dr
-0 modes - good
-2 modes - good but label it correctly and no effects difference
-3 modes? - ehhh in extreme cases
-4 modes? - gtfo
-vrr/fps cap? - yes. fo every mode please
 

Gh0stnTheBashShell

Active member
30 Jun 2022
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Yes absolutely.
I wrote threads about this and it's a bad thing.
Sure, options are GOOD in principle but it's a console. I want to launch the game AND PLAY.
If I wanted options I would get a console.

Here are some thing that I think are the worst about modes:
-30fps modes get less attention and are less playable because of that. Input lag on 30fps modes is much worse in some games. Compare demons souls ps5 30fps to Bloodborne... 75ms of difference wtf. DF made a video about that last moneth.
-30fps mode is just a showcase mode. Then "the real mode to play" is often 60fps mode. So You start "wow this looks good"... oh well but I have to play this worse mode.
-It feels lazy to have 5 modes
-Modes are badly named/labeled. You usually have to go watch DF video to understand your choice..
-Is fidelity mode just 4k? or is fidelity mode all effects but less resolution?
-is 4k mode just pushing raw 4k and dropping on some effects to achieve it? then what's the point. Nobody wants 4k mode for the sake of it.
-Performance mode is often a sloppy, blurry mess.
-I don't like too much choice. And without watching DF and having fps counter... how do I chose ?

Imo this destroys focus on development and kinda destroys a part of what console gaming was.
OK let's have MAX 2 modes and offer VRR fps unlock for both modes so future consoles or vrr users will benefit... BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 imo.
I would personally like 0 modes and only vrr/fps unlock. Make the game best as possible. Optimize for it and let it rip.

Of couse there are games that do more than 2 modes well. Uncharted ps5 remaster have excellent modes. 4k30, 1440p60 an 1080p120. Each does what it should and 30fps mode is excellent and not laggy like demons souls.. but the game could have vrr unlock for all modes and 120fps mode is blurry.

Some other games do modes ok like ratchet.. althoug there is stupid pointless "performance" mode. IMO there should never be difference between modes with it comes to ray tracing and base features.

Fidelity which is ALL EFFECTS AT HIGHEST res and performance which is the same effects at lower dynamic res. This is also ok. But now, I am never sure if Fidelity is all effects or only 4k.

And finally - 40fps mode. This is good. I actually like this BUT only if there are no drawbacks to resolution or effects. Like ratchet does it... not like Horizon does it which is some weird mode with in-between resolution.

See all of this text up there? why? because there are too many badly named modes.

tl;dr
-0 modes - good
-2 modes - good but label it correctly and no effects difference
-3 modes? - ehhh in extreme cases
-4 modes? - gtfo
-vrr/fps cap? - yes. fo every mode please
Bro you over complicate the living shit out of your experience.

Why is the idea of options a bad thing? Honestly if you don't want to have options just hit New/Load Game when you start and take the pre baked experience that was defaulted to you.

I remember when FoV sliders became a thing on consoles and suddenly everyone saw the benefit, and again, NO ONE complained only embraced it m

Hell, if consoles gave me the type of granular control PCs did I wouldn't have a reason to use it. Literally no one complained when Star Ocean 4 remaster launched with an entire graphics menu that you could run the game at 4K on the PS4 Pro.



I got my hopes up thinking something like this was headed to every console game but that severely dashed
 

rofif

...owns a 3080...why?
24 Jun 2022
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Bro you over complicate the living shit out of your experience.

Why is the idea of options a bad thing? Honestly if you don't want to have options just hit New/Load Game when you start and take the pre baked experience that was defaulted to you.

I remember when FoV sliders became a thing on consoles and suddenly everyone saw the benefit, and again, NO ONE complained only embraced it m

Hell, if consoles gave me the type of granular control PCs did I wouldn't have a reason to use it. Literally no one complained when Star Ocean 4 remaster launched with an entire graphics menu that you could run the game at 4K on the PS4 Pro.



I got my hopes up thinking something like this was headed to every console game but that severely dashed
I explained why. Don't be ignorant and dismissive
 
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Alabtrosmyster

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Maybe instead of straight up harm, unnecessary distraction or annoying in console would be better suited as a word.

I explained why. Don't be ignorant and dismissive
Just ignoring it is not the point, is it preferable to take the opportunity cost on this or are these options a waste when you don't need more than a very limited number of sensible options.
 
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rofif

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Every game should have three options

Performance
Graphics
Resolution
Makes no sense at all.
Graphics and resolution is too confusing.

Who would want 4k but with shitty graphics?
Graphics mode should be with ALL the effects at highest possible resoluion but probably targeting 30 or 40fps.
Performance should ideally be the same but at lower res and 60.

Resolution mode makes no sense.
 

DynamiteCop

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2 Jul 2022
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Makes no sense at all.
Graphics and resolution is too confusing.

Who would want 4k but with shitty graphics?
Graphics mode should be with ALL the effects at highest possible resoluion but probably targeting 30 or 40fps.
Performance should ideally be the same but at lower res and 60.

Resolution mode makes no sense.
A resolution mode doesn't mean the graphics go to shit, a few things are dialed back but the mode focuses on the highest IQ possible.

You're the one making no sense, tons of games have these very modes..
 

Alabtrosmyster

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Makes no sense at all.
Graphics and resolution is too confusing.

Who would want 4k but with shitty graphics?
Graphics mode should be with ALL the effects at highest possible resoluion but probably targeting 30 or 40fps.
Performance should ideally be the same but at lower res and 60.

Resolution mode makes no sense.
Resolution makes sense because sometimes clarity is preferable over slightly improved shadows or upscaling artefacts.

There is also a group of people who want to play best looking possible at 30fps, I think that they should have their heads checked, but they do exist.