Fake Optimization in Modern Graphics (And How We Hope To Save It)

Summary

This investigative report critiques the current state of modern game development, focusing on the industry's over-reliance on photo-realistic graphics, temporal anti-aliasing (TAA), and upscaling technologies like DLSS. It highlights the negative effects on creativity, game performance, and visual quality, particularly in motion clarity. The report calls out Unreal Engine for its inefficient use of these technologies and advocates for custom engines that prioritize performance and untainted realism. The creator proposes a solution through crowdfunding a new engine designed to improve gaming standards and restore focus on gameplay and artistic vision.

Takeaways

• 😀 The modern gaming industry is heavily reliant on microtransactions, which now constitute up to 75% of revenue for major companies like Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive, shifting focus away from actual game sales.
• 🎮 Creative quality in game development is declining as developers prioritize photo-realistic graphics over gameplay and art direction, leading to a lack of innovation and artistic variety.
• 📉 The focus on realistic graphics and performance has led to issues such as 30 FPS on next-gen consoles, which is deemed unacceptable for maintaining smooth gameplay and fluid interactions.
• 🖼️ The widespread use of Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) and upscalers in modern games negatively affects motion clarity and image quality, often resulting in ghosting, blur, and smearing during gameplay.
• 🖥️ TAA and upscalers are marketed as performance optimization tools, but they are often used to cover up lazy development practices, causing reduced quality and increasing the computational cost.
• 🚀 Modern game engines, particularly Unreal Engine, are criticized for prioritizing convenience and speed over true optimization, relying on inefficient temporal algorithms like TAA, which hurt motion clarity and overall image quality.
• 🎯 Epic Games' Unreal Engine is increasingly dominant, but it is criticized for pushing poorly optimized designs due to its reliance on engines and algorithms not tailored for real-time rendering in consumer games.
• 💡 There's a growing demand for a custom Unreal Engine solution that focuses on improving motion clarity and performance without sacrificing visual fidelity, addressing the industry's reliance on temporal smearing.
• ⚙️ Some game studios, like the developers behind *The Finals*, have used custom Unreal branches (like NVIDIA's custom UI) to achieve better performance, showing that custom solutions can significantly improve graphical output over standard engine offerings.
• 💸 The game development studio behind this video, Threat Interactive, aims to create a custom Unreal Engine, funded by crowdfunding, to address the issues in the current graphical standards and set new benchmarks for motion clarity and performance.

Q & A

What is the main issue with modern game development as presented in the video?

The main issue is the deterioration of creativity and gameplay quality, driven by the industry's obsession with photorealistic graphics, microtransactions, and the overuse of temporal upscaling technologies like TAA, which degrade both visual fidelity and performance.

How has the reliance on microtransactions impacted the gaming industry?

Microtransactions have shifted the industry's focus from creating high-quality, immersive games to generating continuous revenue through in-game purchases, often at the expense of gameplay innovation and creativity.

Why is 30 FPS on next-gen consoles considered unacceptable?

30 FPS is seen as unacceptable because it results in a choppy, jittery experience that negatively impacts motion clarity and responsiveness. Modern hardware should be capable of achieving at least 60 FPS for a smoother and more immersive gameplay experience.

What is TAA and why is it problematic in game rendering?

TAA (Temporal Anti-Aliasing) is a method that attempts to improve visual quality by combining multiple frames at lower resolutions. However, it introduces ghosting, blurring, and smearing during motion, compromising the clarity and fluidity of in-game action.

How does TAA compare to older anti-aliasing techniques like SMAA?

SMAA (Subpixel Morphological Anti-Aliasing) provides superior results to TAA in motion by eliminating jagged edges without introducing blurring or ghosting. TAA, on the other hand, is more prone to introducing visual artifacts and is often slower and less efficient.

What are the limitations of Unreal Engine's Nanite and Lumen technologies?

Nanite, while designed to render high-quality geometry efficiently, can lead to poor performance due to its excessive overdraw. Lumen, a dynamic global illumination system, requires intensive GPU power and can lead to visual issues, especially in destructible environments. Both technologies contribute to inefficient rendering in real-time games.

Why does Epic Games continue to promote 30 FPS despite modern hardware capabilities?

Epic Games' focus on 30 FPS is driven by their approach to optimizing Unreal Engine for games like Fortnite, where dynamic environments and destructible objects demand significant computational resources. However, this focus on optimization for a specific game undermines the industry's potential for higher frame rates and better graphics.

What role do temporal upscaling methods like DLSS play in modern games?

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and similar temporal upscaling methods are marketed as performance enhancers that boost frame rates by rendering at lower resolutions and upscaling the image. However, they can result in reduced visual quality due to blurring and ghosting, and may not always deliver the promised performance improvements.

What is the speaker's proposed solution to the current state of game development?

The speaker proposes the creation of a custom game engine through crowdfunding that prioritizes motion clarity, photorealism, and optimized rendering without relying on temporal upscaling or smearing techniques. This engine would aim to overcome the issues caused by current mainstream engines like Unreal.

Why does the speaker criticize Unreal Engine's approach to game development?

The speaker criticizes Unreal Engine for its reliance on temporary, cost-cutting solutions like TAA and its focus on optimization for games like Fortnite, which leads to poor motion clarity and suboptimal performance in other types of games. Unreal's emphasis on rapid development and high-level abstraction has, according to the speaker, resulted in a loss of innovation and performance in game visuals.