1070°

Mass Effect Andromeda Graphical Downgrade

Back in E3 2016, Electronic Arts showcased a trailer that appeared to be featuring in-game footage from Mass Effect: Andromeda. And since the review codes for Mass Effect: Andromeda have already been sent, you can find below some comparison screenshots between the game’s E3 2016 build and its final version.

KingKionic 2631d ago

Whatever lighting they used before for the character close up scenes was trashed and shelved. It was clearly better.

Bioware hopefully will get it together next time. If there work load is too much EA needs to let them stick to just one big rpg over a 3 year period.

Deep-throat2631d ago

The mass effect of console optimizations.

Zarock2631d ago

And yet those junkies still pay those liars every single time.

Jon_Targaryen2631d ago

And yet the PC version will just be a direct console port.. So yah....

mikeslemonade2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

lol you guys have no eye for graphics. The skin textures are clearly better here. I was down on mass effect graphics at the reveal, calling it Halo quality graphics. Now the graphics are actually better overall. And the PC version isn't a port. Gonna be the first game I use with my new 1080ti.

Skin is more important overall than eyes. Eyes is just a small percentage of the body. During gameplay what do you see!? You see the back of the suit and skin. You don't see the eyes. Don't care if graphics suck for the dialogue tree events.

Overwhelming2630d ago

It seems that you didn't need to buy a 1080Ti to play this game.

Gaming1012630d ago (Edited 2630d ago )

It has hardly been optimized. The character models look hideous, and I know that because the actors they are based on are gorgeous. Everyone looks like a bad wax figure with very poorly done facial animations, awkward and terribly done animations for all kinds of things, terrible AI, terrible writing and dialogue (which is supposed to be the reason I play the game multiple times).
I have a 30% off deal from black friday of 2015, that's how long ago this was put up for preorder. I just cancelled my order for it based on the atrocious previews. Even patching some of the glitches won't fix this mess, it's just under cooked and awful, a completely new team with untalented developers.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2630d ago
andrewsquall2631d ago

Yet Bioware are never going to be able to "get it together next time" when complete control of the game engine is out of their hands. People have been complaining about the character models since the game's reveal and yet all Frostbite engine games since Frostbite 2, even last gen, have incredibly bland character models with nothing impressive tech wise going on.

Faith from Mirror's Edge Andromeda (lol can't remember the name of it to save my life) was the only interesting one that comes to mind and even then every other character in the game looks like a soldier straight out of Battlefield.

It can be seen right across games like of Army of Two III, Battlefield 4/Hardline/1, Dragon Age Inquisition, even FIFA 17 (they wouldn't even use the game engine for Need For Speed 2015's cutscenes opting for live action scenes since what is the point when its Frostbite anyway).

Lets hope Visceral and Amy Hennig's new Star Wars game won't be using Frostbite or we are in for a bland character, unoptimised, semi open world game.

KingKionic 2631d ago

Frostbite 3 engine is one the best engines currently in gaming.

Dices Battlefield 1

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

and Battlefront

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

shows this.

Bioware should be held accountable for there actions. It has nothing to do with frostbite 3 a very advance gaming engine.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

ravinash2631d ago

The thing about Battlefield & Battlefront is their very fast paced games with the focus on the action.
Mass Effect will have a lot more focus on the character development and you'll be spending a lot more time looking at the faces of the people your talking to.
Frostbite does prove itself when it comes to environments, but when it comes to character animation, some of the effects to bring a face to life needs work.

KillBill2631d ago

@ravinash - you obviously have not played Battlefield single player games if you think the character graphics are poor. They are not.

ravinash2631d ago

@KillBill.

I didn't say the character graphics were poor, just not the best we've seen.
I'm sure a lot of the issues come from the face animations as well, bit of uncanny valley thing going on.

Ashunderfire862631d ago

The characters sure don't look bad for Battlefield 4 and 1. Even Star Wars Battlefront characters didn't look bad with the Frostbite Engine. The issue isn't the engine itself, it is Bioware reused assets from Dragon Age series into Mass Effect Andromeda. The human characters look horrible.

Bathyj2631d ago

There comes a point where you need to stop blaming the engine and start looking at the artist using it. Having the best pencils in the world doesnt mean you can draw. Its less about the engine and more about the artist and where they are focusing their efforts.

ravinash2630d ago

That is true.
The thing that gets me the most is the body language.
It's exactly the same for every character, even the aliens.

If you look at the people around you, you won't see two people move their arms in the exact same way when they talk. They need to create a series of body languages and assign them out to different characters to reflect different characters.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 2630d ago
Thunder_G0d_Bane2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

The consoles are holding back the visual/performance of games. Thats why i get all third party on my PC and only exclusives on consoles.

My Switch will be anything i want portable (its amazing playing zelda in bed)

But let me elaborate by saying visuals is not whats important about gaming as Zelda has proved its about the game itself what are they doing to give the player an incredible Gameplay experience.

BecauseImBatman2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

Same logic can apply to anyone with a low end rig. The majority of PC gamers don't have a high end hardware.

TheCommentator2631d ago

Visuals and performance is why you get 3rd party on PC? Why did you also say visuals is not what's important then?

bloop2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

I don't get it when people say consoles are holding back visuals in pc games. Surely that's down to developers?? And it also doesn't explain why pc games haven't visually matched or surpassed quite a few console exclusives that have come out in recent years.

Kribwalker2631d ago

The mighty Scorpio will rival high end pc setups, I can't wait for the reveal. With what They are saying about mordor I think it's gonna be awesome. Mass Effect on it will be crazy

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2631d ago
AuToFiRE2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

Told you :P Never trust EA

cyckiewicz2631d ago

To be honest, in case of Battlefield 1 that alleged real time reveal trailer turned out to be prerendered cutscenes in retail version :(

Nightmar3Demom2631d ago

*Their*
"there" is a place, not ownership

strangerthings19952631d ago

Maybe the original image was running on PC and the newer image was running on a console?

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 2630d ago
Fishy Fingers2631d ago

Looks as much of a design chance as it does straight graphical downgrade. But I do prefer the originals mind you.

KingKionic 2631d ago

No design change the skin is vastly different in the lighting.

The LOD is drastically different in up close shots of characters. The way the light hits the face shows more subsurface scattering off the skin as it reacts with the light.

Its much more flat now.

Fishy Fingers2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

Do you work there, or know that for a fact?

While I agree on the subsurface scattering (although why remove it from PC?) the actual overall colours used are vastly different, the ships internals have been redesigned not simply downgraded etc

I'm not disagreeing that there is a difference and largely to it's detriment but it seems there has been some clear design changes too.

KingKionic 2631d ago (Edited 2631d ago )

A design change doesn't change the quality of a image. Its a RPG. You can give characters different heads and clothes etc.

It doesnt change rendering. Lets not get ridiculous here.

Just look at the lips of these characters and compare them.

Christopher2631d ago

***No design change the skin is vastly different in the lighting. ***

Just FYI, that can be because of design changes. Changing to a more matte surface for the skin, for example, would absorb light rather than reflect it. In one of their PAX video they talked about this and how the artists didn't like that sometimes certain types of blacks would look more grey when they wanted it black, but the grey was realistic. They discussed the difference in how certain colors would be affected by lighting and how they specifically made design changes based on that.

joab7772631d ago

I heard that it didn't look good and was really buggy! Seemed odd because they are using checkerboard on Pro. And 4k vids looked fantastic! It's the Frostbite engine..c'mon!

Chaosdreams2631d ago

This seems more of a combination of design style/graphics, rather than a sheer graphical change.

Is it a downgrade? Yes, but it's more so a change so it's not that bad in retrospect.

Do I prefer the originals? Yes.

Will this stop me from enjoying the game? No. Though the dead eyes might do me in.

Seriously, what's up with the dead eyes? It's actually worrying me now.

Show all comments (81)
70°

Five Game Products Rushed Too Quickly

A little more time in the oven would've done these products some good a lot sooner.

Read Full Story >>
thegamebutler.com
shinoff2183511d ago

Sega Saturn made it but not the 360. Don't remember Saturn having a horrid rrod rate. Absolutely horrid

RetroCaptainSteve510d ago

The launch games were all right, but look at how Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA compared to their re-releases.

230°

Mass Effect Companions, Ranked from Worst to Best

From Xfire: "BioWare's Mass Effect franchise took gamers on a fascinating universal sci-fi journey that will never be forgotten. While fighting against the ever-looming threat of the Reapers was central to Mass Effect's storyline, what made the series so iconic was its vast and diverse cast of characters.

Not only do these companions accompany Commander Shepard as you make your way through hell and back, but, throughout your journey, you also get to learn who these characters were and are and what they think about what it is that you are doing. Some will even fall in love with you, and others will even become your enemy based on your decision."

sourOG1111d ago

When I looked at the list I thought they were saying Garrus was the worst lol. And tali being so far down the list was fighting words for me. But the numbered list is just the order they are shown so you are forgiven.

CYALTR1110d ago

I think they listed them from worst to best. Also keep in mind that this includes Andromeda characters that aren't part of the remastered trilogy. Interesting refresh on the characters though.

sourOG1110d ago

They did but I didn’t realize it until I started reading. That’s just the order they are shown.

Knightofelemia1111d ago (Edited 1111d ago )

I couldn't stand Miranda I could never like her as a character and I always skipped Jacob and James. I always liked Grunt, Jack, Legion, Tali, Garrus, Samara, Liara, Wrex, Edi, Zaeed, Kasumi I always use these characters. Using Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man just fits the character like using Keith David as Admiral Anderson was another good choice always feels like Goliath from Gargoyles is yelling at you which I like.

Rebel_Scum1110d ago

Kinda weird having a question mark at the end of that sentence?

Soy1109d ago

Garrus is best space bro.

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140°

Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2021

Zahi AR. from Link Cable Gaming writes “Welcome back Link Cable Gaming fans, with me in andromeda. Specifically, Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2021. With the recent announcement of Anthem shutting down its future plans, I wanted to look at another recent BioWare game. My switch to a PlayStation 5 destroyed my save file right while I was at the end. So, I decided to do a fresh start on the new console to see just how well (or not) it’s been since launch. How has the new generation of hardware treated the game that fell from grace? Should you play Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2021? Let’s find out.”

Read Full Story >>
linkcablegaming.com
iplay1up21177d ago

Such a good game! It got a 4K X1X upgrade and it looks fantastic! Also like the story! Was playing it again before Series X dropped. Going to download it for the Series X, as soon as I have more room on my HD. Playing too many other games right now.

Instant resume is AMAZING! I can Switch between 5 games in seconds. Like 10 to 15 at the most! No closing a game and opening another one! Thank you Microsoft!

giovonni1176d ago

It’s was decent to me. I didn’t feel the magic I felt when I played two or even three. I don’t know. It was repetitive, and the worlds felt bland.

jeromeface1176d ago

There's a reason it reviewed so poorly in the first place... these reasons among others.

anast1176d ago

I had a lot of fun with this game, but I haven't played 2 or 3 yet.

giovonni1175d ago

2 was wonderful, three was just as good as two the ending though 🤦🏾‍♂️

Wintersun6161175d ago

I finally gave it a go last autumn and was amazed by how bad a game can be. And believe me my expectations were low. After 10ish hours I just had to give up.

giovonni1175d ago

I powered through it, myself. It was just repetitive, and the Land Rover Exploration wasn’t interesting at all. The story also we mahhhhhhh.