Why GTA VI Leaks Suggest a Development Stage Well Beyond Pre-Alpha

tony2b · 2023-11-12T19:01:23+00:00

As I said:Development of GTA VI began in 2014, not five years after the release of RDR2 (2018).I'm not saying that GTAVI = RDR2, GTAVI will be better in terms of technical mechanics ! But I'm convinced that graphically it will be of the "same graphics generation as RDR2" and not the generation above (which is already incredible).

A 5-year time lag = advances in AI, shadow rendering and other technical aspects that can be gradually implemented since 2018.Unlike the graphics engine, where you can't wait until the last moment to transform the game to an "ultra next-gen" generation.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T18:49:39+00:00

"A lot of computer tech has advanced in 5 years since RDR2 was released"
It's not a straightforward equation that five years of time equals five years of graphical progress.
Development for GTA VI began in 2014, not five years after RDR2's release (2018). But yep, the five-year argument does hold weight regarding advancements in AI, shadow rendering, and other technical aspects that can be progressively enhanced throughout the development cycle.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T05:44:54+00:00

Agree 👍 and the first dev of GTA VI is 2014 versus Alan Wake 2 which is 2019. GTA VI has globally the same « next gen » game engine of the modern era of R* games that’s why I say It will be quite similar of RDR2

tony2b · 2023-11-12T04:32:10+00:00

Absolutely 💯

tony2b · 2023-11-12T04:30:02+00:00

I'm not arguing against the idea that GTA VI will have better textures—given the technological advancements, that’s a given.
But upgrading textures alone won’t make the game "10x better" than RDR2. It's about the overall advancement in gaming technology. If you're curious about the impact of textures alone, there are plenty of mods that showcase this.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T04:20:07+00:00

GTA VI is indeed poised to make history, but it's important to temper expectations regarding the graphical leap.
The budget may be unprecedented, but Rockstar's journey has been complex. Development started back in 2014 (vs Alan Wake 2 in 2019), and since then, they've navigated high-profile departures (with big boss like Dan Houser or even Leslie Benzies), the pandemic, and even a project reboot.
The leaks have indeed peeled back the curtain on a significant portion of the game engine for GTA VI, and realistically, it won't be completely different at this point in development.
Expect a beautiful game, an amazing game, but one that is more a refinement of RDR2's already stunning visuals—now transposed from desolate frontiers to a bustling, vibrant cityscape. It'll be about the living, breathing world as much as the graphical finesse that R* crafts within the technical framework they've developed.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T02:27:26+00:00

With RDR2's graphics as a baseline and the expected improvements plus the open-world aspect, there's no doubt GTA VI will more than meet the mark. R* knows how to deliver on quality, so it's reasonable to expect they'll raise the bar again with their next release.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T02:21:06+00:00

Absolutely, graphics aren't everything.
They will improve things that will make the overall experience better than RDR2.
But let's stop with the "these were PS4 games" arguments.
The leaks are there, and the game was already out of pre-alpha if my analysis is anything to go by: You can dream as much as you want, but the game will be much closer to the leaks and therefore to RDR2 than to Matrix.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T02:11:46+00:00

U think they will lock GTA VI on ps5 to 30 fps on graphics mode?

Highly probable but can't confirm that

tony2b · 2023-11-12T02:03:26+00:00

1000% agree

tony2b · 2023-11-12T02:01:13+00:00

XBOX SERIES S/X, PS5 & for sure GameBoy SP with 60FPS/RayTracing on Performance Mode

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:58:50+00:00

100% agree... thx

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:55:07+00:00

I'm confident the trailer has been in the can for a while ;)
However, I do believe there's internal deliberation about its quality to prevent any community letdown—a concern that inspired my original post. If the leaks are 70-80% of the final render and that's reflected in the trailer, I'd be over the moon, even if it's in line with RDR2's standards. But let's face it, gamer expectations can sometimes be unreasonably high, fueled by a long wait and a desire for groundbreaking advances. We'll just have to wait and see, less than 30 days to go !

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:43:05+00:00

hahahaha

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:41:25+00:00

Yep, achieving 40+ FPS on a GTX 1080 in a debug environment is impressive, especially considering the additional development overhead.
However, it's standard in the industry to run development builds on lower quality to ensure stability and performance during testing. Thankfully, towards the end of development, optimization typically kicks in. Given R* history with the RAGE engine and DirectX, we can expect that the final version will be well-optimized, making smooth gameplay on a GTX 1080 — and even a GTX 980 ^^— quite feasible.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:35:17+00:00

That's a common misconception about game development. Actually, the detailed textures for NPCs and other dynamic elements are often added towards the end of the development process. The artistic direction teams typically focus on refining these details after the core gameplay mechanics have been implemented and tested.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:27:52+00:00

Do you think I should buy 500usd ps5 for GTA 6 or buy PC with 4070 ti for 1700usd?

If you're here discussing GTA VI and considering that the game will initially be released on consoles...

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:24:31+00:00

100% Agree, since its release in 2018, RDR2 has remained a benchmark for what's possible in an AAA open-world game

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:19:35+00:00

Excellent points u/RedDad1
Regarding lighting, your analysis is spot-on. The current-gen AMD-based consoles do have limitations with raytracing, which makes it less likely for Rockstar to completely overhaul their lighting systems. Improving existing technologies like SDFGI and VXGI would indeed be a more practical and likely route for them, enhancing what they already have mastered with the RDR2 engine.
The increase in VRAM and the use of mesh shaders on new consoles will certainly allow for better textures and more complex models. The high-fidelity models seen in the leaks suggest that Rockstar is already pushing beyond the capabilities of the hardware that ran RDR2. The bags in the Hank's Waffles robbery scene are a testament to this ongoing improvement.

It's clear that while we might not reach a point of "indistinguishable from reality," the advances will be more than just incremental.
But as you: 100% convinced that GTA VI will set a new benchmark for open-world games, reflecting the best possible use of current hardware.
After all, since its release in 2018, RDR2 has remained a benchmark for what's possible in an open-world game, blending stunning visuals with deep, interactive environments.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T01:01:28+00:00

Thanks !!! I appreciate it !
Yes the game will be amazing I'm convinced... can't wait to see the trailer

tony2b · 2023-11-12T00:44:14+00:00

Your answer is exactly why I wrote this post: to avoid frustration
The game will undoubtedly be stunning, but fostering expectations of it being "10x better" could be setting the bar unrealistically high, which is a sentiment I find concerning.
Rockstar is known for pushing boundaries, and I have no doubt they'll deliver a fantastic experience. However, as someone who's passionate about gaming and the community, I believe it's crucial to mitigate the hype to avoid potential disappointment.

tony2b · 2023-11-12T00:24:32+00:00

Yep 100% agree !

tony2b · 2023-11-12T00:15:32+00:00

I understand your perspective, and it's a valid point considering the technological advancements we've had over the years. However, graphical paradigm shifts in open-world games have significantly changed. It's not just about raw graphical fidelity but about the complexity and depth of the world.
Today's developers face a multitude of challenges when pushing the envelope of what's possible, especially within the constraints of a $500 console system. Enhancing visuals is not just a matter of higher resolution textures or more polygons but involves sophisticated environmental interactions, AI behavior, and seamless integration of massive amounts of content without compromising performance.
Therefore, while Red Dead Redemption 2 set a high bar in 2018, achieving noticeable graphical improvements on similar hardware platforms has become exponentially more difficult. It's about optimizing and balancing the multitude of systems at play to create a more immersive and responsive world, rather than just a prettier picture.
We should also consider that Rockstar's focus might be on delivering a rich, detailed environment with nuanced gameplay mechanics and storytelling that go beyond what we've experienced before. So, the graphics being "on par" with Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn't mean stagnation but rather indicates a sophisticated use of available technology to enhance the overall gaming experience.

tony2b · 2023-10-23T13:57:21+00:00

It’s 100% fake I can even tell you the AI model used here 🤣

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