Vertical slice graphics 'controversy'

Gameplay
#1

Hi all,

given the current problematic announcement that Watchdogs graphics were downgraded and that (very most likely) the previous footage was from to-max-buffed ‘vertical slice’ ( http://goo.gl/GA4Vw1 + http://goo.gl/kzVtiA ) - one have to ask -> did the Warhorse team had to also pimp-out a bit the presented footage (as Mr Vavra also mentioned that ‘vertical slice’ was prepared for the sales tour etc. ) ?

I know that you hear everywhere that the latest CryEngine is great and salivatingly wonderful and just … ‘ooomph’ - still what is the teams position / opinion regarding this -
a) Necessity to survive sales hell
b) (Limited)Necessary Evil
c) Never
d) Maybe
?

Thanks!

1 Like
#2

Meh, Watch Dogs just did the promo videos on a PC :stuck_out_tongue:

#3

Warhorse did as well…

#4

Well KC was also announced as a primarily PC game, so all’s good and dandy.

1 Like
#5

I think we will know for sure only few weeks / months before the release

Everything looked good & dandy for Watch Dogs as well - 2 years ago…

#6

Just as a note: it wasn’t “announced” that there was a downgrade. Some gamers have assumed it because of differences between the original reveal trailer (running on a PC and set at night-time) with the recent story trailer (running on unknown hardware but likely PS4 and almost entirely set in daytime). Even the short night scene is flooded with a helicopter searchlight that is much smaller in the 2012 reveal (these scenes are the most common comparison).

1 Like
#7

Well - it would be professional/business suicide to openly admit that they downgraded it - at least at this stage of the project, but the official statement speaks for itself -

“I think we’re delivering,” Morin said. “Are we delivering the movie [style vision] of every single person on Earth who saw that? Probably not, that’s not possible. But are we delivering on this fantasy of being a hacker, controlling everything and approaching things in different ways – yes.”

#8

It doesn’t speak for much of anything. It’s a creative director trying to avoid making any mention of the controversy at all because there is a difference between the PC/next-gen/last-gen.

Notice that in all of these articles and videos no-one is comparing this story trailer with the 2013 demo that was running on PS4 equivalent specifications or the more recent press demonstration from September that was running on a PS4. They’re only ever comparing it to PC footage. So if anyone at Ubisoft makes any mention of any difference between any current build of the game and the 2012 footage, gamers will take that as a tacit admission that the game has been downgraded and Ubisoft deliberately mislead them.

Apparently they will be releasing a new PC demonstration prior to release so the best thing to do is wait for that before buying into conspiracy theories.

#9

well - i’m really not that interested in Watch Dogs, but rather how the Warhorse had / would / will handle this -
both during the (past) vertical slice sales stage and then when the release data would be approaching
great graphics promissed, but under pressure - there will be suddenly not enough time for chickens in HD…

#10

Vertical slice is a business buzzword for prototype that was bastardised by the media. KCDs actual vertical slice stage was well over a year ago and [you can see footage of that on Youtube][1] where they show a very small piece of a map.

The Division demonstration was a vertical slice. It was specifically designed to show what kind of game they wanted to make but had barely got around to starting. Both KCD and Watch Dogs were announced at a stage where they were fully playable but not complete.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0XhH1d6hZk

1 Like
#11

watchdog is a console turd. kcd is a pc game first, and will be ported to consoles second.

ubisoft fails at everything, so don’t use them as a standard for industry practices.

1 Like
#12

Watch Dogs is too. It was built for PC before the new consoles were even announced. The reason is very interesting for PC gamers going forward too.

#13

Let’s be clear here. All these products are developed on PC. All of them. Regardless of launch platform.

Unless we imagine that they develop console games on the actual console. :confused:

Most of the previews, sneak peeks and tech demos will be run on PC prior to launch. Because that’s the way it is.

Acting surprised that consoles have cruddier GPUs and processing capabilities is very Ric Romero.

2 Likes
#14

ok - PC version will be ‘stunning’ - http://goo.gl/faFwYu - the crappy videos were from the consoles (?)

still - i have to agree with the jimquisition guy - marketing consoles product with shots from PC should be no-no

also he somehow points towards publishers re this and as Warhorse is its own publisher and main investor does not much understands the games - well, how knows how this ends :wink:

#15

what exactly is vertical slice we are talking about?

#16

http://goo.gl/FTFVad

#17

It’s being released on 5 platforms. How exactly are they supposed to market it for all of them without misleading? Show the worst version?

#18

well - with the latest reveal it seems that they added also 6th - WiiU :wink:

I would not mind some disclaimer stating - this footage is in-game running on this & this rig; next footage is for PS3 and this one is for PS4…

this would probably help to clarify any confusion…

2 Likes
#19

I agree with that. They did it at E3, no reason they can’t for trailers.

#20

Even if this game is half as pretty as it was in the promo vid’s it will still be gorgeous. On top of that this is a type of game i have wanted for so long i am more worried about the gameplay being bang on.

my 2 cents

Cheers

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