October 23rd, 2011
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A user on reddit named “xxgrplayer” was kind enough to take a few screenshots of the same exact frame of three versions of Battlefield 3 — PC, Xbox 360 with the HD texture pack installed, and Xbox 360 with out the texture pack installed. Needless to say, the differences are glaring. See for yourself below.
(Right click and select “view image” to see these pics in detail)
We know what we see missing from the non-HD texture pack version, but how about you? Give us your thoughts.
We will say one thing on this, judging by these images, not only are textures effected with the HD pack, but so are polygons and lighting. It appears that the lowest level of LODs are being displayed. At this point, we really won’t speculate very much until we see Battlefield 3 for ourselves.
Source: Gamezone
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the difference is abysmal.
the “no hd pack” image looks like an n64 game
Yeah it does look abysmal… Now I see the difference. Thanks LOT!
1,5GB of HD textures. Optional install on X360 mandatory on PS3. They should do it mandatory on X360 too IMHO if they do such blatant PS3 port – first time I see ZZZZx704 resolution on X360, etc.
2006 Core and some early Arcade users will have to simply insert a 2GB USB stick.
They should SHIP 2GB stick with game, they are so cheap..!
It is nice to see that X360 version and PC looks very similar.
in the end that HD pack is mandatory, the only thing was EA DICE manage to make the game run as some sort of preview.
I bet that if the madatory install was not made on ps3 it could have been looking as crappy as this. and loading time much more prolonged
HD pack is a seperate 1.5 gig optional install on PS3 as well according to playstaion lifestyle
According to Dice the HD pack is mandatory on PS3 and not optional.
Thats kind of… silly.
If you have mandatory 2GB install on PS3 why not install in one go that extra ~1.5GB texture pack too?
It’s not like 3.5GB would be a big one.
A USB stick to run a game? Wouldn’t that be a VERY bad idea?
The USB stick would be MUCH MUCH faster than DVD and BR with access times and random reads (especialy than BR drive in PS3 that is movie optimised with constant read speed = it needs to slow/spin up disc every laser jump), and also faster in sequential reads – at least 2-3 times more.
Depending on quality of flash and controler in USB stick it can be faster than HDD in console.
If you have old HDDless X360 and don’t want to buy propertiary HDD then 8GB or more of USB flash is a way to go – you can fully copy ‘ISO’ of game to it and play without stressing DVD and without noise. Optional full install is a very nice feature.
Anyway going back to BF3 IMHO they should ship X360 version of game with 2GB stick with already installed HD textures pack. At least in limited/special/etc. editions.
Toay you can get one with cereal box…
I always found USB flash drives to be MUCH slower than even DVDs (at least when I compare the transfer speeds). I remember seeing a Digital Foundry analysis of some XBLA games running off a USB drive and let me just say that it was not pretty at all..
If anything, I would rather use an external HDD if that’s supported.
Depends if it was a good or not USB stick I suppose.
BRx2 in PS3 is constatnt 9MB/s , DVDx16 in X360 is 8-20MB/s depending where on DVD is data.
USB 2.0 stick unless really crappy have reads 20-40MB/s (no more due to practical limits of UBS2.0) on PC.
Most cheaper ones have poor writes but those don’t interest us in this usege.
And access times are hundreds if not thousand times faster than optical media.
X60 have some limits in its hub but even then normal USB stick will be in most cases better than running game from DVD.
it isnt mandatory because some xboxs dont have a hard drive…but installing the texture pack is a must if you have the space in your hard drive
http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/075/873/original/Raisins_Face.jpg
The differences are like night and day.
Without the texture pack, just look at the lack of detail in that gun. Again, I know I’m gonna get some hate for this, but it looks flat out atrocious. It looks like an early Xbox game or a late PS2 game, and this is supposed to be the big graphical contender of the year. This install should be mandatory.
Wow huge difference!
Didn’t expected that much of a difference tbh.
Btw: Here is a flying mission from BF3 on X360 in HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITVLjNsVp3g looks really good! I don’t know if he installed the optional HD texture pack though…
PC is better.
Captain obvious!
The Xbox 360 came out on November of 2005…. Of course the PC version is better :/
can you play it in ANY 2005 pc?
There were no Triple core 3.2ghz CPUs hardly available in PCs in 05! Or Cells
there is something wrong with their engine.look at the game without the HD pack,it looks like sh*t.other games with far higher graphics didn’t need any HD pack to look good.but this game needs it.there is either something wrong with their engine or their engine is really built for the next generation.
This game makes heavy, heavy use of streaming for the consoles versions. Obviously from the lack of ram. There is nothing wrong with the engine, it probably would just have a harder time performing well reading the information off disc. The HDD would be much faster for the streaming of the beefier textures. They could also be trying to avoid noticable pop-in going this route, once you notice it in a game, it will drive you mad.
It is a game that was developed on PS3 – so HDD in all consoles, heavy streaming to compensate memory split, heavy Cell usage combined with RSX working on 64×64 pixel blocks (thats why resolution is 1280×704 – 704 is divisable by 64 (11×64=704), 720 is not) in deffered lightning engine – see PDF released by developers “SPU-Based Deferred Shading in BATTLEFIELD 3 for Playstation 3″.
X360 simply got port. Maybe if they had more time…
Xbox 360 got ported?… From PS3 version or PC version?
If you want to argue which one got ported, that would be both consoles. Everything was scaled back from what they were working with on PC. The 360 was not ported from the PS3.
ANONIM is the one who said the 360 was ported from PS3 not me. Thats why I asked was it ported from PS3 or PC… PC port makes more sense.
Just for peoples information the PS3 2 gig install does NOT include the HD textures pack which is a seperate 1.5 gig optional install
Thats according to “playstaion lifestyle” anyway
Battlefield 3 on PS3 will require 3.5 gig off HDD to look its best
My early impression from the vids appearing online are that the 360 might just edge this. However its impossible to tell as we dont know the quality off capture cards etc. Both versions do appear to run silky smooth though and iv certainly seen little or no screen tearing on either so thats a plus for both platforms
That’s f*cking retarded. If it’s “highly recommended” from DICE themselves then why not just include it in the mandatory installation?
Dice doesn’t agree with “playstation lifestyle” anyway.
Dice states that the PS3 version has a mandatory install that includes the HD Textures Pack.
Also there is such information here:
bf3blog.com/2011/10/battlefield-3-xbox-360-high-res-texture-pack/
Nah, The HD install in part of the mandatory install.
I don’t think there is anything in it (between the console versions). Both look pretty much identical from what I’ve been reading.
No surprise as the game is ported from PC and it’s using all the strengths of both consoles.
Great job by EA/DICE.
Dice Graphics Architect highly recommends texture install, please consider this Lens of Truth Staff:
https://twitter.com/repi/status/128178024930746369
Yes, Install the 360′s HD texture pack and do the comparision. Then, Just for the people who don’t have a hard drive on their 360 and have a PS3 you might want to show the differences between the two. I was kind of hopeing you would have done that with Rage.
Wow. The HD pack should just be mandatory. Seriously. Who the hell would play the game without it?
I don’t get it… Why does the game lose half of it’s polygons without the HD texture pack?
And, does anyone know whether the HD pack will be available only on marketplace or on a disc too?
Its literally on Disc 2…. The multiplayer disc.
@Zablito
The game doesn’t lose half of it’s polygons.
The poly count is always the same, but the textures are low res, and when I say textures I mean all the maps, including normal maps which are the ones responsible for the high resolution details and tessellation at render time. If normal maps are low res then you get poor results as far as concern render time poly count.
This is the reason why you see less details without the HD Textures Pack.
It actually does affect poly count in some areas, not sure why though.
@ LOT Staff
Will you guys be comparing the 360 and Ps3 with HD pack installed on both?
I hope so. Sure not everyone has a hdd but anyone that knows about bf3 should have one. I was glad that lot installed the xbox version of rage since it was recommended by the dev. If the dev says that it won’t matter don’t install it. BUT if they recommend it do it. It effects graphical performance and it is only fair to install it.
Walkthroughs have been popping out in the first few hours. The game looks good on both cons from haven’t found any good quality video to compare them. The only thing i really notice is, screen tearing, and allot of it. From the 360Walkthrough MediaCows put up, the game look very good on the 360 but damn the tear is bad. Not knowing the exact frame-rate the game runs smooth, maybe cutting down to 25 or so. Didn’t find a good video of the final version on ps3 i don’t know what to sai. But be honest i doubt is going to have only 1.4% screen tear :/ … still i have it pre-order for both cons, so im not really crying out.
This game is going to suck. Hell, Crysis 2 looks better than this crap.
The game to play this holiday season is Uncharted 3.
If you always judge games on their visuals and not gameplay then you’re not a real gamer, just saying.
I can’t believe IGN gave it a perfect 10!
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1210241p2.html
Of course, LoT will now install the game, once again going against their own policy. Biased results.
Just want to throw it out there to those watching vids on the net of this game on either console, when you think you are seeing screentear, many times its not screentear in game its from the software recording the video and the conversion.
I am actually impressed with the 360 HD pack. It actually looks decent compared to the PC. The non HD is just nasty.
Ive wondering what is the motives for this optional hd packs ? it should be default with HD huh ?
SELF PWNED
that’s enough! enough ramblings and jibarish
LENS OF TRUTH STAFF! YOU COMMUNITY WANTS BLODD!!
WE WANT HEAD 2 HEAD NOW!
NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!
the game is absolutely stunning even on consoles!
(xbox footage)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE0hbgvrkss&feature=feedlik
and guys u are never going to see something close to that on mw3.
that mission made me cry.
though i don’t really care if it suck on consoles! i WILL be buying this for both ps3 and pc.
In other news, IGN gave Uncharted 3 a perfect 10/10 score! Xbots, you mad?
Nice. I’ve been waiting to see if it would look better and it definitely does. The gameplay alone would of made me still buy bf without the hd pack, but this makes my bungholio clench it. This is a great comparison. Thanks LoT.
Moral of this story? When designing the 720 and PS4, please don’t skimp on the HDD size and ram. Also, please provide and plan for memory expansion later in the console life if you plan for us to use the things for 7 years.
Where are the PS3 vs Xbox 360 screen comparisons at?… I know itll take a couple days for analysis, but why dont we have the screenshot pics yet at least?
The steps are missing in the non-textured pack. I hope he wore underwear.
I wonder if LoT will still use their “out of the box” approach with this one. If they don’t, it pretty much invalidate every other previous comparison in terms of load times for the 360, because we all know when a game is installed on a HDD, it loads faster. This is, technically, an optional install, like every other game on 360.
Regardless of whether DICE says “this is how it’s meant to be played”, LoT has set up this “out of the box” analysis.. thing for every title before this, so why not this time too?