Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

[Shawn Zipay]

No hard drive on your Xbox 360? Don't like installing content for games onto your hard drive if you do have one? Well, it looks like you're up the creek without a paddle then when it comes to enjoying Battlefield 3's visual splendor on the Xbox 360. In speaking with Gamerzines, BF3's Executive Producer Patrick Bach said that failure to install the optional texture pack will give gamers a standard-def experience.

"It does make a difference, yes, absolutely. The whole engine is based around streaming textures, streaming terrain and a lot of other content.

"The thing with the 360 is that you need to be able to give consumers a game where you don't have to install it on a hard drive, because there are 360s without a hard drive. So we need to give you the option of installing it, rather than just demanding it. You could call it a 'standard-def' version for the 360 if you don't have a hard-drive.

"It's not the engine that demands it, but that it has the ability to create a more detailed experience. We can't use more memory of the actual machine itself, we need to flush that memory with new information depending on where you are in the game.

"What we let you do is let you have high-res information that gets streamed in and out of memory at all times, and that gives you a more detailed, varied and vivid experience on all platforms. We don't want to take that away from 360 players.

There you have it Xbox 360 owners, be sure to install that texture pack!

[Anarchy1]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

Well if they didn't give you the option, wouldn't it be unplayable for 360 owners without hard drives?

[RangerXML]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

Funny thing is, this isn't even a HDD issue, PS3 can handle the higher textures through the media it uses, Blu-rays. I know there is also some processing stuff, but the biggest issue actually is the fact that xbox 360 still uses DVDs.

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

Funny thing is, this isn't even a HDD issue, PS3 can handle the higher textures through the media it uses, Blu-rays. I know there is also some processing stuff, but the biggest issue actually is the fact that xbox 360 still uses DVDs.

Do you really think that the PS3 won't have a mandatory install for BF3?

[RangerXML]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

And, all PS3 come with a min 60GB HDD, even the old ones had a 20-40GB HDD. Its just a superior console all around :p

[papasmurf128]

It will probably end up like how Rage was, if you didn't install you would see pop ins and texture loads. Honestly though if you bought the xbox360 arcade, the one without a hard drive most not all of you probably aren't playing games like this and just using it for kinect and other family games.

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

And, all PS3 come with a min 60GB HDD, even the old ones had a 20-40GB HDD. Its just a superior console all around :p

It's superior because it came with a hard drive mandatory instead of optional as was/is the case with the 360? O... kay... then....

[Anarchy1]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

It's superior because it came with a hard drive mandatory instead of optional as was/is the case with the 360? O... kay... then....

I would say that's a pretty big advantage, along with free online and blu-ray. And I have a 360.

It will probably end up like how Rage was, if you didn't install you would see pop ins and texture loads. Honestly though if you bought the xbox360 arcade, the one without a hard drive most not all of you probably aren't playing games like this and just using it for kinect and other family games.

People playing early say that it plays fine without the textures and still looks pretty good.

[RangerXML]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

It's superior because it came with a hard drive mandatory instead of optional as was/is the case with the 360? O... kay... then....

In my defense Zips I was joking, but technically speaking the PS3 is superior in terms of hardware, but xbox 360 in terms of service.

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

In my defense Zips I was joking, but technically speaking the PS3 is superior in terms of hardware, but xbox 360 in terms of service.

Not quite. PS3 might have the CPU advantage but it's lacking in memory both for the videocard and system compared to the 360. I'd say they're on equal footing in terms of limitations of both.

[RangerXML]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

The whole point of the PS3 was to just process all the information and rely more on cache then memory, hence the complicated multi core CPU in the PS3 that is a real pain in the ars to program for, believe it or not, they thought they could stream it all from the media. Xbox 360 is just an unimaginative and under powered PC, that has all the money in the world backing it. The PS3 is still technically the superior console, no if, ands, or buts. This is not my opinion, this is fact. I'm not a Sony fanboy, I am not hating on the xbox, I own neither nor will I.

[Mavrik347]

Just curious, does this affect Playstations also?

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

The whole point of the PS3 was to just process all the information and rely more on cache then memory, hence the complicated multi core CPU in the PS3 that is a real pain in the ars to program for, believe it or not, they thought they could stream it all from the media. Xbox 360 is just an unimaginative and under powered PC, that has all the money in the world backing it. The PS3 is still technically the superior console, no if, ands, or buts. This is not my opinion, this is fact. I'm not a Sony fanboy, I am not hating on the xbox, I own neither nor will I.

But it's not fact. It's opinion and it's still wrong.

It was wrong even before you said that the 360 is an "unimaginative and under powered PC." If anything, you just described the PS3. 360 doesn't require installs for any games, the PS3 does. What else requires installs? Every PC and PC game. 360 has no web browser, the PS3 does. Keyboard and mouse support native (without the use of third party workarounds/hacks/mods/etc)? PS3. At their cores, all consoles are just stripped down PC's made at the time. And if you really want to be technical, the differences between the 360 and PC are actually quite a bit more in number than those between a PS3 and PC.

Want to know why the PS3 requires installs for some if not most of their titles? Because the read speed on Blu-rays is absolute garbage compared to the lower capacity DVD.

You also completely missed the point about the memory. The video memory on the PS3 is severely lacking compared to the 360. You ever see any comparisons of the multiplatform titles out there and how the PS3 textures are almost always noted as being less defined? That is the reason why. Sony skimped on the video memory AND the system memory compared to the Xbox 360. Then again, the 360 might have been in the same boat if it weren't for Epic pushing them to put in as much as they have in order to run Unreal Engine 3 titles on the platform.

Just curious, does this affect Playstations also?

It is more than likely that the PS3 will have it as a required install, much like with plenty of other titles on the system.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

Here is a comparison on the internet now:

[Stev0esque]

Re: Failure to Install Texture Pack Results in "Standard-Def" Experience on Consoles

Here is a comparison on the internet now:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1052[/ATTACH]

woah... Fuck me... Thats a helluva difference...