Carmack: Rage Textures are “Exactly the Same” on all Platforms

PlayStation LifeStyle writes:

Some gamers were worried that Rage’s incredible mega-textures might be different on different platforms.

Luckily, there’s no reason to fret as Carmack has confirmed on Twitter that all the platforms will be treated equally, saying:

The texture[s] are exactly the same on all platforms.

Some early previews still suggest the PS3 version suffers from some a slight bit of screen-tearing, but we’d recommend waiting until the game is released before you make any rash decisions

[dark-hollow]

and here we go......

i think building a gaming pc this time is a good idea after all...

[gamingdroid]

It's a bummer the PC version is being gimped because of consoles.

[RememberThe357]

Hahahaha!

[LOGICWINS]

I hope thats not true. The PC version should have the superior textures IMO.

[gamingdroid]

It already is, as there is no technical reasons why PC shouldn't have higher resolution textures.

We all know consoles are bottle necked, especially on memory. The common denominator there is 256 MB of VRAM plain and simple.

Reading between the lines, I think it is pretty clear what happened.

[zero_gamer]

Mod support anyone? We PC fans could de-consolize this game. In other ways than graphics, like custom wastelands, etc.

[Army_of_Darkness]

Your just gonna upset the PC dudes! I get annoyed repeatedly hearing "no wayz is the pc version the same as the console versionzzz!! NOOO waaaay!!" blah, blah, blah...

[MrSpace]

So...

It's a bummer PS3 games get gimmed because of the 360 but you know what PS3 fans do.....deal with it

Besides PC is differen't, if it's being gimmped because of consoles then it's really the developers fault they care more about money then the "precious" PC fanbase especialy if it was a game born on the PC. You know how many games get cut because of the 360s stupid old dvd format, then sold as DLC when it could of fitted on blu ray in the first place...it's painful

[MysticStrummer]

Maybe if PC gamers bought and played more games, as opposed to comparing rig specs and trolling console game articles...

[kcuthbertson]

@MysticStrummer

I bet I own more games for my PC than you do for any consoles combined..

[Voxelman]

well with texture filtering and more RAM PC should get better textures in the distance, and he mentioned the possibility of a texture pack down the line (apparently compiling the textures takes months so there was only time to do one set which is why all platforms use the same textures).

@ zero_gamer I doubt it given that the raw texture files are Terabytes in size and take months on a server farm with 192GB of RAM and hundreds of quad core CPUs to compile and compress, no modder has that kind of resources and won't for many many years.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

"It's a bummer PS3 games get gimmed because of the 360 but you know what PS3 fans do.....deal with it

"

u got it all wrong, bcause the 360 has 512MB RAM while PS3 has 256MB VRAM. What happens when u lack vram? 360 has no such problem

psucks 3 has and will always hold back gaming

[BrianG]

All versions have the same textures, that may be true, but they all handle them differently.

In other words, the PC will have a "superior" way to display those textures. For instance, the PC will stream the textures at a higher resolution, making them appear superior, when in reality they are the same textures, just displayed differently.

So relax PC guys......

[gamingdroid]

***All versions have the same textures, that may be true, but they all handle them differently.

In other words, the PC will have a "superior" way to display those textures.***

I would hardly say upscaling is superior way to display textures. If that was the case, we could have upscaled a Wii game and it will look just as good as any game on the PS3/Xbox 360!

Upscaling sometimes bring artifacts into the picture so it might actually degrade it....

[evrfighter]

So the pc version is a console port after all. Thanks for clearing that up

Ill make sure to check out the full version and saving myself 60 bucks in the process

[aGameDeveloper]

Carmack talked a lot about multi-level caching of virtual textures at QuakeCon, for the purpose of reducing texture pop-in. Since you can have much larger caches on PC, you have less (perhaps imperceptible) pop-in - along with larger framebuffers and better filtering, of course.

[SilentNegotiator]

"The texture[s] are exactly the same on all platforms"

That doesn't mean that you can't set higher res textures on the PC version, people. It means that they're using the same textures, and iD is NOT making additional textures for the PC version.

So, crank the textures to high, set it to 16xAA, 1600p, and take a chill pill.

[lastdual]

Saying both "superior textures" and "exactly the same textures" may seem to be a contradiction, but that's only because we mere mortals cannot comprehend the mind of The Carmack.

The very fabric of reality bends to his will!

[Ducky]

He's brought the science of quantum physics into video game graphics.

[madpuppy]

yesss....the Carmack.....hiss waysss are mysteriouss...his mind...like the universe...ever expanding...to realms without end....the Carmack....the carmack.....

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

"It's a bummer PS3 games get gimmed because of the 360 but you know what PS3 fans do.....deal with it

"

u got it all wrong, bcause the 360 has 512MB RAM while PS3 has 256MB VRAM. What happens when u lack vram? 360 has no such problem

psucks 3 has and will always hold back gaming

[Kushan]

Yo Geniuses, have you not read a single thing about RAGE over the last few years? It uses MEGATEXTURE technology.
In short: Instead of patchworking levels with multiple textures of an arbitrary size, it's made up of one ENORMOUS texture. Clever streaming/compression techniques means that it only uses the bits of the texture that it actually needs to display, so why would any of the platforms use different textures? If you have a slow machine, you'll get the same textures but they'll take longer to stream on screen. This is why the 360 version will suffer a "popin" if you spin around too much and also why the PS3 version requires an 8GB install (streaming from the blu-ray drive is slow), but ultimately if you look at a particular area, all platforms should be about as good as each other.

Of course the PC version will be able to handle higher resolutions, better AA, etc.

[Trexman89]

good to hear

[LOGICWINS]

It's "good to hear" that the strengths of the platform your playing Rage on aren't being taken fully advantage of? Interesting thoughts ya got there.

[NukaCola]

God Logic why must you continuously hate everything anyone else says?

This game is getting 100% treatment on all systems. The textures are the same. The resolutions are different because the systems all vary. The installs, the data reading, the whole damn process is custom for each platform to ensure the game is running at it's best.

You want some logic? Here it is:

PC version will look and run the best if your PC is fully capable. The quality of the PC version will be 100%.

The PS3 version will run the best that it can handle. It's running at 100% proficiency.

The 360 version will run the best it can handle installed, and then also perform at it's best while steamlining data from the DVD without an install. It was 100% focused to do so.

This is the same game on all systems. The outcome varies by the platform and the output on screen is only altered by the system itself.
A 360 or PS3 could out perform an older PC if the cards aren't good enough. This game is optimized equally across the board for every system.

PC version will probably have mods and such and we will see sexier textures by the mod community. But this game is not gimped for the PC or any otehr platform.

Is that good enough? Cant you go ten seconds willout having to disprove everything anyone says? Calm down dude.

[LOGICWINS]

^^U wrote that long of a reply...and I'M the one that needs to calm down?

"God Logic why must you continuously hate everything anyone else says?"

Clearly u have some personal issue with me. If u want to talk, PM me.

[zero_gamer]

@NukaCola

"PC version will probably have mods and such and we will see sexier textures by the mod community. But this game is not gimped for the PC or any otehr platform."

Meh, we'll have to wait and see what the PC gaming community says about the game once they get their hands on it. I sure hope there will be mod support though. Custom wastelands would be nifty. Adding potentially hundreds of hours on top of the vanilla game would get more than my money's worth.

Unlike BF3, this game is primarily geared toward the console crowd.

[doctorstrange]

Wouldnt like to end up with a noticeably gimped version

[ftwrthtx]

I can't wait to play this on my PS3. Will the PC version look better on a high end PC? Probably. Do I care? No.

[AAWELLS09]

I cant wait to play this on my Xbox360

[dark-hollow]

" Will the PC version look better on a high end PC? Probably."

it is more than "probably".....

[ftwrthtx]

Agreed

[qwertyz]

exactly the pc version will have realtime lighting(consoles use pre-baked), volumic clouds(consoles use static skyboxes), high AA options, high AF options, can run at 1080p native and beyond, higher poly models, greater draw distance, realtime SSAO and shadows(consoles use pre-baked SSAO and shadows), high resolution alpha effects(low res on consoles), greater environmental interaction, highly detailed shaders etc

texture quality isn't everything the pc version will destroy the consoles in every other department even if ID chooses not to up pc texture resolutions

[Messatsu290]

If you don't care, why mention it?

[ftwrthtx]

Because that is what all of the worries about textures centers on.

[kramun]

'Will the PC version look better on a high end PC?'

It wouldn't even need to be high end to look better. It's funny how graphics isn't a big deal when it comes to a ps3 game compared to a pc game.

But when it's ps3 compared to 360....then it's all -

'There isn't a 360 game that looks as good as a ps3 exclusive'

'Come back to me when a game on the 360 looks as good as UC2 or GOW3 or KZ3'

Because then, graphics matter. Then it's important.

But when it's on the pc -

'Will the PC version look better on a high end PC? Probably. Do I care? No.'

[insertcoin]

I'm sure the graphics will look fine on any platform. I'm more worried about the gameplay.

[doctorstrange]

Never heard of it, graphics are obviously everything

[Chnswdchldrn]

Videogames are about both graphics and gameplay in equal amounts, never this black and white stuff people are always spouting like GRAPHICS ARE BEST or GAMEPLAY IS BEST. Theres a reason they call it a videogame and not just a game. You want fun gameplay? play some Chess or Monopoly or Football. You want fun gameplay AND eye candy/something cool to look at? Play a videogame. If my games don't look appealing then why the fuck would I waste time playing them? If my games aren't fun why would I waste time playing them? Theres gotta be balance

[Reborn]

@Chns

Sarcasm man.

[dark-hollow]

graphics only matters on this site when we talking about how bad the 360 version and how the ps3 is superior:
http://n4g.com/news/853089/...

but when we are talking pc vs ps3 its a complete 180!!:
http://n4g.com/news/852975/...

can someone please explain to me the mass amount of hypocrisy in this site without spamming the disagree button?
if graphics mattered when we talk ps3 vs xbox then it matter too with pc vs ps3.

[T3mpr1x]

You a PC gamer? xD

[saint_seya]

well u can have eyecandy playing chest, tennis or whatever if ure playing with a nice looking girl... just saying ;)

[MysticStrummer]

@dark-hollow - If you really don't understand why comparing PS3 vs 360 is completely different than comparing either console vs PC, then I'm not sure I can think of a basic enough answer to paint that picture for you.

[JsonHenry]

They are the same, but are they the same resolution? I doubt it.

[gamingdroid]

Doesn't exactly the same suggest "exactly the same" including resolution?

[JsonHenry]

It does suggest that, but it doesn't say that. He wants you to take the suggestion without taking it at its actual meaning.

The high resolution texture pack for Crysis was the same textures, but higher resolution.

Just because they are the same textures does not mean they are the same resolution. Obviously, the consoles simply don't have the VRAM for available for high rez textures. So why would anyone think they would be the same as when you turn on high/ultra settings in the texture options in Rage? If they were all the same why would there even be options on the PC for texture settings period?

Get my point?

[gamingdroid]

When somebody tells me "exactly the same" and not just "the same", that means to me same resolution and same detail. The emphasis on the word "exactly"... as far as I can tell, there is no if's and but's about it.

Which probably also means, the PC is getting the short end of the stick with lower resolution texture than what could have been.

[RyuCloudStrife]

who cares about graphics? only pc gamers care about graphics true gamers care about the gameplay.

@FatOldMan: Yeah its PC gamers fault.

[Ducky]

Is that why the top stories on the front page concern with BF3's visuals on each console?

[MidnytRain]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

... **** that, nothing ever changes here.

[Reborn]

Articles like that get hits.

What do you expect? It works. I'm sure Bobby would agree with me.

Sad, but true.

[caboose32]

I've seen tons of EVERY kind of gamer that only care about graphics.

@FatOldMan

My point exactly, at one point graphics is everything, then all of a sudden they claim to not care about them. There are at least 2 front page stories regarding graphics every day on this website.

[zero_gamer]

PC gamers care about flexibility of games, including gameplay. We have mod support to improve gameplay to our likings, and we have small-time developers taking risks with artistic approaches to gaming that are exclusive to PC. Then we have classic-style RTS games that has proven broken on consoles.

How many PS3/360 fans have you seen on this site drooling all over the graphics of Uncharted 3 and Gears 3? The Vita? Their fanboys bash the 3DS for being underpowered.

[Human Analog]

Thats good news since yesterdays poor journalistic speculation of the use of the 8GB install on the PS3. They really love starting flame wars now don't they.

[StanLee]

You're being kind calling what they do journalism or calling them journalists. The gaming media is generally pariahs who prey on the enthusiasm of fanboys.

[doctorstrange]

Don't group us all together. Some of us only prey on poptarts.

[ziggurcat]

doctorstrange: are you sure you don't mean doritos and energy drinks?

[iamgoatman]

Yesterdays article also showed how mind numbingly stupid some of N4G's community can be.

[BattleTorn]

**whimpers** But, but, but PS3 haz a 8gb-install that implies super-texture pack!

Haaaaaahahaha I hate my bubbles!

(/sarcasm. No I love them, go easy pls)

[Gamer3000]

i love my ps3
but that made me laugh haha

[Ulf]

Actually it means "no texture popping"

I would hazard a guess that the PC version also has a mandatory 8GB install. HDD streaming is far superior to any optical media.

[yesmynameissumo]

Look forward to checking out the PS3 version. The game that is, not the texture[s].

[gamernova]

PC all the way. I hate how people hate on the PC. How can you dislike comments of the PC version being superior? It is what it is. Look at bf3 and this trend is not gonna stop. Just accept it. Technology grows and so should people's minds but judging by the amounts of dislikes on pro PC comments, people are always gonna hate.

[badboy7428]

This has been the worst gen ever. When developers have to confirm S### like this.

[banner]

Would this really be a concern if you had both consoles?

[Ingram]

They're not the same, they're magical on PC.

Really, they jump at you like a colorful 90's Sunny Delight ad infographic, and then a cyborg lady comes and licks your manhood while moaning "Yes MASTER, You're THE MASTER RACE, you just bought an i7, a GTX580 and 2x4Gb 1866Mhz CL6 Corsair memory modules, EVERYBODY CARES about it, so go brag on N4G and then DO ME"

Disclaimer:*your experience might vary slightly if you're not a retarded elitist*

[kevnb]

anyone who says pc elitist is just jealous.

[Ingram]

Oh, come on, lighten up. I'm about to get an i5 with a 6850, I guess that makes me a worse human than you, since you have a much better rig mmmh? Also, I don't have an Iphone, I just plain suck, I guess.

Some of you just need to feel everybody is jealous of your belongings, that reflects in a lot of PC only "gamers", but in the end it's just an unavoidable part of human behaviour that, I'm sorry to say, I don't envy.

Pity is a much better word.

[Ingram]

Meat lover 1: "T-Bone is the best, is always the best part of the beef"

Meat lover 2: "Not at all, I enjoy ground beef hamburgers better"

ML1: "You know nothing about beef, you know nothing about FOOD, T-Bone is the best, and it will always be"

ML2: "Ok, will you let me enjoy my..."(ML1 interrupts)

ML1: "I just bought 7 buckets of Sirloin, HA!, cause I'm the best (goes on a rampage of food articles and gordon ramsay videos)

ML2: "Ok dude, can I just...?"

ML1: "You're just jealous, aren't you? look how jealous you are, you know nothing about food, look at me, I even bought a silver knife and fork, that's the way I roll dude, huh? Envy much?"

ML2: "..."

[kramun]

Are you high or something Vaistrat? Don't sniff glue, it's unhealthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[JonnyBigBoss]

Well this is surprising.

[ziggurcat]

why am i not surprised to see PC elitists beating their predictable drums in this thread, even after carmack himself says that the 3 platforms will be virtually equal?

yeah, okay, we get it... PCs have more RAM, etc... you don't need to keep trying to prove otherwise.

[kevnb]

he didnt, he said the textures are the same. Lets just wait and see.

[pr0digyZA]

Also he has already said that they are looking into a super texture pack for PC post launch. So this could mean that it launches the same,plus there is already mod support available so I if it's anything like crysis 2 then the modders will do a better job anyway.

[Sobari]

Hopefully the PC version will get a high-res texture pack at some point, whether it be an official one or from the modding community.

[kevnb]

Lets wait and see, we never really know until we actually have the game. Too much pr involved. Textures arent the only thing that make games look good, but it seems pr really likes to push the idea of high res textures.

[josephayal]

PS3 version

[Morgue]

Why is it that everyones comments are always the same? Day in and day out, 365 days a year the comments are always the same, it's the name of the game that changes.

[iamgoatman]

John McEnroe just ate my pajamas.

Happy now?

[Marie]

Day 1 360

[Laxman216]

Guys, us console gamers always get gimped from some big title that use PC as lead platform (Battlefield 3 comes to mind), so stop complaining and just deal with it. It still looks superb, and will play just the same. Unless there is something wrong with you, you're not going to let what 'could have been' stop you from enjoying what is sure to be a great title.

[Zephol]

The PC version looks always more better!!!!! John Carmack says this for calm down the fan boys!!

[Zephol]

And the xbox 360 wins in the battle of consoles!!

[Zephol]

always the same theme! what version wins? The PC wins!!

[humbleopinion]

Funny, this is exactly what I explained in response to the trollbait article from gamerblorge:
http://n4g.com/news/851831/...
This is just how MegaTextures work. Changing the texture resolution for a megatexture will have too much of an impact, and the whole purpose of the tech is to stream high res textures with no hassle.

[RAmar101]

Day 1 360 / Dvd 3 360

[Marie]

Day 1 son.

[Oaklnd]

well seems like theres nothing to worry about so its time to Rage!!