Neverwinter Nights PC Version's Graphic No Match for The PS4?

kingnight

Hi there, @JuliusBorisov , I think I have a little problem here.

I take a look on the PS4 version, and it looks so gorgeous, the reflection is shining, the lighting is great, it even looks like it has RTX effects. And I don't understand why the PC version's graphic looks so flat. I have a video card better than the PS Pro, so I think the performance is not my issue, than why I can't even match the console on graphics?

Please just take a look on the following captures, then we all know the differences are quite obvious.

The capture below is from PS4, from Youtube video:


And the capture below is from my PC:


It's obvious the armor's reflection is shining on console version, while the PC version have no reflection at all.

PS: I have updated the game to the latest version on steam.

JuliusBorisov

Indeed, the YT video shows a "console renderer". One example of an upcoming visual improvement for the PC version is a new dynamic lighting model https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1133392/#Comment_1133392

R_TEAM

I can see on the "very blury and low quality" YT screenshot an exaggerated bloom that looks misplaced (maybe nice looking for console kiddys.. and if you realy think one sec this is anything like RTX then you have no idea what you're talking about ) on the Hair and the leather dress of the dwarf and not realy an "reflection" (where is normal - leather dont reflect anything .....) and the armor of the guard looks on the PC version much nicer ....
on the other side, i see "maybe" a better lightning on the scene - as mentioned by JuliusBorisov - as the scenes not full identical and the quality from the YT screenshot is so low ...
To "no reflection" on PC version .... here an nice video (4k) just maked, where i see clearly reflections on the dwarfen armor (on metall parts..) and on the sword :
https://youtu.be/aylmX2X_-Yo

Ancarion

It does look like they're doing something different from the standard environment mapping we're all used to. The metal looks pretty good, but unfortunately it looks like it's affecting the hair as well. I agree that the bloom is not to my taste. That, and the over-saturation makes it not very agreeable to me overall. But I'm sure it's something that can be adjusted in the game settings, and will only get better... I do like the way object highlighting is handled, though. I think I prefer the highlight color being on the model rather than appearing as a halo around it. I look forward to seeing how this all progresses...

T0R0

the important thing here is, it is progressing. IMHO

R_TEAM

yea - i dont know for sure - but imho can you (if you like it ..) in the extended NWN:EE config gui already set much more bloom and glare and many exaggerated visula effects on the PC version ....
(as example - as seen on the video [maybe] - i have decrased the DOF effect a little - i like it more subtile..)

kingnight

To @R_TEAM and @Ancarion ,
My fault, I mean no reflecting lights. With close look, the armor do have reflections, and it's good enough, just as the video you have shown.

Although it's unnatural to see hair blooming, but the effects on body armors are really great! Please just take a look at the PS4 trailer below, it cheats me that the PS4 version really looks like a 8th generation title, and I wish I have the same experience on PC as well.

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0346-CUSA15670_00-NWNEEONCOLSOLEPS


Besides, the video link for the previous capture is below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUCBsvtINyI&t=455s

From the video, it seems the game do run at 1080p , I wonder if the game can hit a 4k resolution on PS4 Pro version, so I better leave this question to @JuliusBorisov.

WilliamDraco

http://nwn.beamdog.net/web/lighting_update/
Check out the improved lighting on PC coming in the next update.

Grymlorde

Personally, I find the armor reflections or blooms in the PS4 screenshots ridiculous and over-the-top. First off, real armor doesn't reflect like that unless it has a mirror finish. And mirror finishes require a lot of maintenance to keep that finish. I'm all in favor of reflecting light off the metal colors that already have a reflection value in the game. In that way, the designer can still choose. But to make all metals reflective is cartoonish and takes away choice from the designer.

R_TEAM

@Grymlorde
mpf - i have realy tryed to get not to harsh with the console look
but the good is - al user can self adjust the visual apearance to here liking ... where like it ultra shiny and vfx elsewear ........

FreshLemonBun

As others have said it doesn't look particularly good and otherwise doesn't show any real change between console and PC. I think the Switch uses the same effects as the PS4 if that's any indication. I remember when it came out that many people seemed shocked or laughed at the console gameplay previews. Then again I've also heard people talk about how Beamdog improved models and texture for NWNEE that were actually never touched. So subjective perception is a funny thing.

There is a streamer called Neberski that uses Diamond Edition still except compared to vanilla NWNEE it sounds better (EAX enabled) and looks better because shaders are applied in meaningful ways and some custom content is used. That's not to say NWNEE can't hope to be better but just turning up the bloom and saturation isn't going to do it.

R_TEAM

@FreshLemonBun
as you maybe see in my example Video - i use NWNCQ and Issig_Kurairyu's - Hands for Phenos - so it is still improvements from this over 6 year old overrides for NWN:EE .... (and new models for the weapon for better reflection)

FreshLemonBun

Right, most overrides work with both EE and older versions. Few haks actually use the fancy mapping texture that actually make a difference. Things like the color saturation and contrast filters for EE just look bad and age the look even worse than before. Overall the loss of color information on light reflections is bad. Hopefully all of that will be addressed by the new lighting so everything is balanced out more evenly and doesn't look garish. I'll say that because some of the effects do make a difference it doesn't make it look modern or improve the experience if it looks like the color depth degraded a decade into the 90s.

R_TEAM

mmhh - unfortunately that was not thought of showing the compatibility of old assets/overrides with NWN:EE .....
more to show "sadly" that i still need this 6+ years old assets to get a better gfx/overall-look in the brand new NWN:EE .... (and this is for new player still not easy to found/install/use on top of the criticism)

Cerabelus

For a moment there i though i was looking as one of those grainy bigfoot pics.

I tried it out on the Switch and i didn't like the controls, the visuals i didn't care about.

Some games i just can't play on a controller well.

FreshLemonBun

Oh I see what you mean. Well that's true, and sadly also true that the improvement rests more on the custom content (sometimes a decade old) and less on the changes they made with filters etc.

I personally was just looking at the color being displayed. Compared for example with the color values of games for a google search of "2019 rpg" such as Sekiro, Outward, Disco Elysium. They show better use of colors, not that saturated colors are completely absent but they stand out from the rest of the colors used. What I meant was that it seems NWNEE's changes do more to push NWN to the color space of 90s Mario and Sonic than to modern games.

Also note the PS4 gameplay video posted, at various points texture detail is completely lost due to the light sources melting everything away. This is an indoor scene mind you, so essentially it's a nearly impossible illusion in the absence of sunlight or powerful magic. Hopefully that kind of stuff is also addressed in their lighting update.

R_TEAM

as i have playtested the free demo of Solasta: Crown of the Magister (atm it looks the free demo was removed ..) - and i musst say .... in many parts, THIS is was i would say as next NWN 3 like game ..
Better (imho) as BG3 - more D&D feeling - very nice and immersive char generation - good gfx - D&D 5.1 ruleset - only the turn based game play i dislike ... and it is singleplayer only ... but the base game engine give me an incredible D&D feeling i have long time not have ..