The debate over the importance of resolution in console games may have abated (temporarily), but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer a daily concern for game creators and hardware makers. Though software tweaks aren’t always enough to induce substantial performance enhancements, the folks at Techland seem convinced that Xbox One’s latest SDK improvements have gone a long way in making their lives easier.
Techland’s upcoming title Dying Light is already a 1080p 30fps confirmed game for both PS4 and Xbox One. Still, improved control and performance of critical ESRAM appears to have helped make that possible, according to Techland Lead Game Designer Maciej Binkowski.
We were using the latest version just prior to the new release that came out on December 12th. In terms of advantages, the main thing is just how much the ESRAM control has improved
The new API allows you to do a lot more with the ESRAM, things devs have always wanted to do but were not easily accessible. This together with better tools (PIX) allowed us to really improve performance and tweak ESRAM usage.
It’s only been one year since eighth-generation consoles launched (with the exception of Wii U entering its third year in 2015), and already the performance gap appears to be slimming with each passing month. Of course, Sony has surely been improving PS4’s SDK as well, and titles like Grand Theft Auto V demonstrate that the gap, though lessening, has not yet been entirely eradicated.
Techland’s Dying Light is slated for release next month on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It will be interesting see how the versions stack up, and if Techland can achieve the best console parity yet seen this generation.
[Via: GamingBolt]
