Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

The news of a PC port from Nixxes for Rachet and Clank raises the question: can PC handle the extreme storage demands of the Insomniac PS5 showcase? Alex weighs in with his thoughts on how the port will work. Meanwhile, Nvidia demos AI-driven conversations with NPCs, Redfall's development woes make the news again, while John's concerned about Nintendo's views towards emulation.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:08 News 01: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart coming to PC!

00:19:38 News 02: Nvidia demos AI-generated NPC conversations

00:37:54 News 03: Dolphin emulator blocked from Steam release

00:44:41 News 04: Redfall’s development issues detailed

00:54:56 News 05: HDMI 2.1 capture cards announced - but there’s a catch!

01:02:27 Supporter Q1: What are your predictions for next week’s Xbox showcase?

01:07:52 Supporter Q2: Does XMP make a big difference on DDR5 RAM?

01:10:36 Supporter Q3: Are plasma TVs viable for high-quality retro gaming?

01:14:54 Supporter Q4: Why doesn’t the Switch support HDR? Could it be included in a “Switch 2”?

01:16:32 Supporter Q5: Are we in a downwards spiral of declining developer output and GPU stagnation?

01:22:34 Supporter Q6: If a game runs at a locked 30fps or 60fps, is there any benefit to setting your console to 120Hz output?

01:25:55 Supporter Q7: Has Jensen’s prophecy been fulfilled already? Is Gran Turismo 7 ever going to hit PCs?

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With the first of the summer games events done and dusted, it's down to Rich, Oliver and John to shift through the games of the Sony showcase, bemoan trailergeddon, regale Marvel's Spider-Man 2 with praise then to discuss the merits of the Project Q streaming handheld. Meanwhile, the lack of a physical release for Alan Wake 2 upsets John - and Rich makes him talk about Marathon.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:15 News 01: Sony showcase recap!

00:40:02 News 02: Alan Wake 2 impresses, but why is it digital-only?

00:52:06 News 03: “Project Q” streaming handheld revealed

01:05:45 Supporter Q1: Nvidia’s server GPUs seem in heavy demand, so might the company shift resources away from gaming?

01:14:09 Supporter Q2: What’s the best way to measure and communicate the concept of frame-time stability?

01:23:44 Supporter Q3: Isn’t the 4060 Ti a lot more impressive when you bring DLSS 3 into the picture?

01:27:10 Supporter Q4: Could John make a video on running modern games on consumer grade CRT displays?

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This week on the show, Alex gets to grips with the latest patch for Jedi Survivor, testing to see whether the game's profound tech issues have been resolved. Meanwhile, the team discusses Nvidia's RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti announcements, while John has much to say about the poor state of day one console launches. Meanwhile, the buzz surrounding mid-gen console refreshes continues - but do we actually need them?

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:52 News 01: Jedi Survivor PC performance update!

00:17:04 News 02: RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs announced

00:48:20 News 03: Contemporary gaming in difficult territory?

01:00:48 Supporter Q1: Is there really a need for enhanced consoles when we have so few proper current-gen games?

01:07:17 Supporter Q2: Do you think games like The Callisto Protocol or Jedi Survivor would benefit from a 40fps mode?

01:12:32 Supporter Q3: Any thoughts on the UE5-powered Layers of Fear demo on PC?

01:16:51 Supporter Q4: Has Rich got any new thoughts on how to approach CPU video reviews?

01:25:32 Supporter Q5: Has the workflow for capturing and producing HDR gaming videos improved over the past few years?

01:32:25 Supporter Q6: John’s room tour. When?

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One of the biggest - if not the biggest - games of 2023 launched this week. Nintendo's Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has recently a massively positive reaction. John discusses his review and shares more thoughts on the game, while digging more deeply into the eternal question - is it too big for Switch? Meanwhile, Rich drops in from time off to share his impressions with the Asus ROG Ally and A Plague Tale: Requiem gets a 60fps patch... but what does it actually do?

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:04 News 01: Tears of the Kingdom launches!

00:26:05 News 02: Sharp producing next-gen Switch LCD?

00:34:49 News 03: ASUS ROG Ally reviews drop + our impressions

00:50:20 News 04: A Plague Tale: Requiem gets 60fps patch

00:56:36 News 05: John gets a new CRT!

01:02:53 Supporter Q1: With low sales and poor software support, where does the PS VR2 go from here?

01:07:36 Supporter Q2: Could DF revisit some of the recent troubled PC ports and see how they run now after patches?

01:11:23 Supporter Q3: Why does DLSS 3 produce a smoother experience in games with high CPU load?

01:15:47 Supporter Q4: Developers like to blame specific PC configurations for user issues. Could DF emphasize that PC performance issues are often common to all configurations?

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DF Direct Weekly returns after a seismic week in gaming, with Oliver, John and Alex discussing the crisis state of PC gaming 'in the here and now', raking over the coals of the deeply disappointing Redfall release, while we had to take a look at Man of Medan on Switch, which targets a cinematic 24fps. Meanwhile, John clues us in on the latest Analogue Pocket firmware update.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:58 News 01: PC gaming in crisis

00:24:12 News 02: Redfall reaction and follow-up

00:54:38 News 03: Man of Medan hits Switch at 24fps!

01:01:11 News 04: Analogue Pocket gets big firmware update

01:04:46 Supporter Q1: If a game developer is under the influence when implementing RTGI, could that be “baked” lighting?

01:05:37 Supporter Q2: Need for Speed (2015) still looks great today. What are some other early last-gen games that still look fantastic?

01:10:29 Supporter Q3: Could you tell the difference between DLSS 3 and regular rendering at high frame-rates?

01:14:05 Supporter Q4: Can we have an award ceremony for the worst PC ports of the year?

01:16:08 Supporter Q5: What are the possible incentives for publishers to release games in a decent state?

01:18:53 Supporter Q6: I’m worried that FF16, Starfield, and Zelda will release in a poor state. How can we make companies more aware of game issues?

01:22:47 Supporter Q7: Are Jedi Survivor’s image quality issues related to using an older version of FSR 2?

01:28:33 Supporter Q8: Do you prefer a higher resolution with less detail, or a lower resolution with more detail?

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This week the team discuss the arrival of Star Wars Jedi Survivor, share first impressions after EA delayed sending review code, then move onto 'The Power of the Cloud' seemingly blocking Microsoft's Activision acquisition. Rich shares a conversation he had with the Xbox Sustainability Team on improving in-game efficiency, while benchmarks finally emerge on the impressive looking Asus ROG Ally handheld.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:45 News 01: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor impressions!

00:23:57 News 02: Microsoft Activision purchase hits roadblock

00:34:30 News 03: Microsoft pushes for Xbox energy sustainability

00:48:21 News 04: ASUS ROG Ally chips benchmarked

00:55:50 Supporter Q1: If RT becomes a big rendering focus, could future GPUs regress in rasterization performance?

01:00:36 Supporter Q2: Are 8GB GPUs DOOMED to muddy textures on PC?

01:07:33 Supporter Q3: How did Don feel about his first video?

01:11:15 Supporter Q4: Will you make a GTA V retro time capsule video when the title hits its 10th anniversary later this year?

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This week, Rich is joined by Alex and Oliver to discuss a range of topics, including the Unrecord footage that's gone 'viral', the launch of the first Unreal Engine 5.1 title outside of Fortnite to use Lumen and Nanite, and the arrival of the Horizon Burning Shores DLC - which looks amazing. Meanwhile, discover why Digital Foundry won't be doing another office tour and learn about Rich's 'cone of respectability'. It's all here in this 68 minute show!

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:45 News 01: Unrecord footage revealed

00:09:28 News 02: Immortals of Aveum showcases UE5 features

00:19:12 News 03: Horizon Burning Shores launches!

00:26:36 News 04: ASUS ROG Ally specs leak

00:34:48 News 05: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. shown with path tracing

00:41:35 Supporter Q1: Could Cyberpunk on PS5/Series X run the RT Overdrive mode?

00:49:01 Supporter Q2: If AMD sold APUs with much more graphics power, would they sell well?

00:55:21 Supporter Q3: Does “going gold” really matter anymore for modern games?

01:01:00 Supporter Q4: Would RTX Remix work with emulated games?

01:02:40 Supporter Q5: When will we get another Digital Foundry office tour?

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Rich, Alex and Oliver sit down for the latest DF Direct Weekly, discussing the controversial move for Microsoft to ship Redfall at 30fps with a performance mode to follow, along with confirmation that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justive League is getting a length delay. The team muse over the implications of Cyberpunk 2077's RT Overdrive changing the face of PC graphics in future games, while the third - and last - Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer is also discussed. Do we still think it's 'too big for Switch'...?

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:52 News 01: Redfall to launch at 30fps on consoles

00:16:15 News 02: Suicide Squad delayed to 2024

00:21:54 News 03: Cyberpunk 2077 RT Overdrive mode launches

00:38:13 News 04: Final Tears of the Kingdom trailer drops

00:42:29 Supporter Q1: Does the negative reaction to Redfall's 30fps cap trivialize the filmic and artistic benefits of targeting 30fps?

00:47:59 Supporter Q2: What’s up with HDMI 2.1 capture cards? Why don’t capture devices support 4K/120Hz recordings?

00:53:34 Supporter Q3: Does “code” in the games industry refer to source code or game store codes?

00:55:42 Supporter Q4: Since the Steam Deck is well established, can you cover it from time to time?

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Rumours of a new PlayStation portable streaming device dominated the news this week, supplanting the actual reveal of the ultra-powerful Asus ROG Ally, first revealed on - believe it or not - April Fools Day. Meanwhile, John is seriously unhappy about Microsoft blocking emulation on Xbox Series consoles, while the applications of AI tools and the concept of affordable GPUs prompts further debate. And finally... Tekken 8 is on UE5 but is it actually using Nanite and Lumen?

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:41 News 01: Sony to launch streaming-only handheld?

00:16:09 News 02: Asus announces ROG Ally gaming handheld!

00:28:13 News 03: Microsoft blocks emulators on Xbox consoles

00:46:48 Supporter Q1: Can generative AI be integrated into games, like having RPG characters that never run out of dialogue?

00:53:26 Supporter Q2: Will upgrading from 16GB to 32GB of system RAM help with 8GB VRAM GPU bottlenecks?

00:59:22 Supporter Q3: Have any Unreal Engine 5-specific visual features been spotted in the Tekken 8 trailers?

01:02:57 Supporter Q4: When will affordable graphics cards consistently deliver 60 fps with ray tracing?

01:06:08 Supporter Q5: How do you feel about some of the relatively lackluster RT upgrades we’ve seen recently? Should developers even bother?

01:09:51 Supporter Q6: This Direct has one of the best banners of all time!

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We're not angry, we're just disappointed. And a touch baffled. Stupefied even. And actually, yeah, maybe a bit angry too. Just how did The Last of Us Part 1 launch on PC in the state it did? John, Rich and Alex discuss their impressions on the game, what went wrong with the port - and whether Sony should have launched it in this state at all. Meanwhile, it's a sad, sad day as E3 2023 is cancelled and the entire future of the Electronic Entertainment Expo looks bleak.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:59 News 01: TLOU Part 1 suffers performance problems on PC

00:39:37 News 02: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay showcase drops!

00:48:32 News 03: E3 2023 cancelled

01:00:16 News 04: Irem M92 emulation core created for MiSTER

01:06:12 Supporter Q1: Why is software Lumen cheaper than hardware Lumen, and could hardware Lumen be cheaper at the same precision?

01:08:31 Supporter Q2: Should Sony and Microsoft implement a 30fps cap option like the Steam Deck? Would there be technical hurdles?

01:12:28 Supporter Q3: How does DF prepare for various projects? Do you make explicit plans, or is it more free-form?

01:18:40 Supporter Q4: Could fully path-traced games bring back multi-GPU for gaming?

01:22:04 Supporter Q5: Thanks for the informative work!

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