Did FFX really look as bad as the HD vs SD Comparison?

[magomago]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20dK5j8Kjbc

It may be my nostalgic memory, but I could have sworn it looked MUCH closer to the HD version than the SD version.

Some items were obvious: I positively didn't have interlacing issues that are prominently featured throughout this comparison video.

But for other items, I don't recall that blurriness at all! I did play the game on a relatively small SDTV, so that may be why, but either way it seems out of whack. Anyone else notice the same thing?

 

[cmdrdredd]

If they are displaying the SD image on an HDTV, the flaws will be exaggerated.

 

[KaOTiK]

The HD remake is also using some higher quality character models and some new textures in areas as well. Honestly, the SD version still looks pretty good when you consider it is running on a PS2.

 

[Zodiark1593]

The HD version I would consider a refinement of the visuals. Primarily focusing on flaws that would otherwise become more obvious and detracting on an HDTV.

Now, where's my FFXII HD version dammit!?

 

[ImpulsE69]

Remember it came out early in the PS2 life as well, but yea...it looked good then if you were running it on a SD TV (which...not sure about the rest of you, but I was). Pretty much everything on PS2 looks "bad" on HDTV except GTA 3 and Shadow of the Collosus due to their higher resolutions.

 

[sweenish]

FFX looked great with an S-Video cable back in the day. Wish I cold have tried component, but oh well. Still looks pretty good on PCSX2.

I own FFX, but my PS3 YLOD'd, and the replacement doesn't do BC. Luckily, I am still able to run it fine from my pc, but I'll still pick this up. For X-2 (never finished it) and the international content.

 

[magomago]

The HD version I would consider a refinement of the visuals. Primarily focusing on flaws that would otherwise become more obvious and detracting on an HDTV.

Now, where's my FFXII HD version dammit!?

PCSX2 I'm slowly playing it on PCSX2, and the game with its unmodified textures is simply stunning when rendered at higher resolution. You don't need any fancy filters or anything like that.

Anyways I think its the whole HD vs SD thing; the game looked so much nicer on a phosphor screen that all those digital imperfections were not visible.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Particularly interlacing effects don't show up on a CRT but looks terrible when shown on an HDTV.

 

[nace186]

How about this comparison?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TdYaOFRXPc

 

[dagamer34]

Two things to point out:

1) The average TV size back in 2001 was probably 27", not the 50"+ behemoths we have today.
2) CRT TVs don't display detail very well compared to HD, so you don't notice that stuff is missing.

What's surprising is that I played Final Fantasy XII with PCSX2 and cranked up the internal resolution to 1080p and the textures in that game have a LOT of detail that is washed away by a native resolution of 512x224. We are spoiled by HDTVs even with games just at 720p.

 

[ImpulsE69]

How about this comparison?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TdYaOFRXPc

Scary thing is aside from a few times the hair textures are more detailed, the PCSX2 looks better.

 

[Dumac]

I would consider this if it had Japanese voice acting.

Unless PCSX2 has support for that.

 

[zerocool84]

Scary thing is aside from a few times the hair textures are more detailed, the PCSX2 looks better.

All the textures look infinitely better on the HD version, just look at the background. They still look ugly on the PCSX2. All the upgraded textures make everything look better on the HD version.

 

[ImpulsE69]

All the textures look infinitely better on the HD version, just look at the background. They still look ugly on the PCSX2. All the upgraded textures make everything look better on the HD version.

I disagree completely. The left side looks hands down better than the right. There are a few instances where (like I said) you can see more detail in their hair, and yes I do see the distance/rock textures are a bit better, but overall I prefer the PCSX2 version.

 

[lamedude]

I would consider this if it had Japanese voice acting.

Unless PCSX2 has support for that.

I see no reason why FFX undub wouldn't work.

 

[MaestroQuark]

Scary thing is aside from a few times the hair textures are more detailed, the PCSX2 looks better.

That video was released before the game, meaning they were taking an already compressed video of FFX HD and comparing it to a clean PCSX2 output. There's a few times (particularly looking at the sky) that you can see compression artifacts. In addition, look at the ground textures @ 48 seconds in. The PCSX2 version is sharper at points, but it's using sharpness to mask that the textures are just flat out less detailed.

Late edit: actually, for FFXII they lowered the polygon count vs FFX so that they could spend more graphics power on more detailed textures.

 

[ImpulsE69]

That video was released before the game, meaning they were taking an already compressed video of FFX HD and comparing it to a clean PCSX2 output. There's a few times (particularly looking at the sky) that you can see compression artifacts. In addition, look at the ground textures @ 48 seconds in. The PCSX2 version is sharper at points, but it's using sharpness to mask that the textures are just flat out less detailed.

Late edit: actually, for FFXII they lowered the polygon count vs FFX so that they could spend more graphics power on more detailed textures.

AH ok.

 

[Sonikku]

I would consider this if it had Japanese voice acting.

AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH

AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH

Yeah that dub was awful.

 

[MrPickins]

Now, where's my FFXII HD version dammit!?

Try playing it via PCXS2 and render at a really high res. The game looks really good.

 

[shortylickens]

I am currently playing X-2 on an emulator.
If you just go for the original look with no enhancements, the game doesnt look all that great.
Luckily it can be improved in PCXS2 and looks cleaner & sharper.


But obviously official re-releases for the consoles are meant to discourage emulation and help make money for the company. Overall I think it looks good and this may actually encourage me to buy a PS3 this summer if I can find one cheap.

Also, it looks like the Vita is also getting a version of the game on March 18th. I have no idea how it will look.

 

[Oyeve]

Still a shit game. Just looks better.

 

[JeffMD]

All the textures look infinitely better on the HD version, just look at the background. They still look ugly on the PCSX2. All the upgraded textures make everything look better on the HD version.

From what I can tell, like most of these HD conversions, no new textures are actually created. These are designed to be inexpensive ports, not remakes. At first I thought there was a new texture in place, the first pan around yuna clearly had a more detailed rock texture in the background on the ps4 version. Yet when titus walks up the rocks in the wideshot, the same rock structure looks more detailed on the pc version. So it is probably just something to do with the texture filtering methods used.

When it comes down to it though the pc versions has pop in issues, missing textures, stuttering, and bugs that lead to crashes, and at the same time the ps4 version offers a more revealing frame with a proper 16x9 window. The PC version is free if you have the old game, but quality of life is better on the ps4 version and there is very little improvement on the pc.

 

[Sulaco]

Still a shit game. Just looks [slightly]better.

Fixed that for ya