Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Announced

[shirubagan]

After an incredibly long hiatus, I’m back into this after getting quite into Wo Long. Just lost about a million runes on the cliff ruins, but smashed up Magma Wyrm Makar after just five or six attempts. 
 

When things are going well in this game, it feels great  

[Fargo]

Ray tracing patch for PS5 and PC is live now apparently 

[Benny]

As you would expect from From, it's apparently garbage. Barely any visual difference, perhaps actually worse, but with a big hit to performance and no DLSS or FSR to soften the blow.

[df0]

Wait, you guys are playing the PS5 version? PS4 version on PS5 for that 60fps goodness ☺️

[smithstock]

2 minutes ago, df0 said:

Wait, you guys are playing the PS5 version? PS4 version on PS5 for that 60fps goodness ☺️

Yeah I read that close to launch, playing the PS4 version on PS5 was the best way to play in terms of performance. 

[Ste Pickford]

13 minutes ago, df0 said:

Wait, you guys are playing the PS5 version? PS4 version on PS5 for that 60fps goodness ☺️

 

Don't think that's an option if you have the PS5 disk version.

[df0]

2 hours ago, Ste Pickford said:

 

Don't think that's an option if you have the PS5 disk version.

Fair enough, did not consider that.
Don’t think I ever even played the PS5 version… 

[Darwock]

If the update is in fact out, it hasn’t auto patched on my PS5. I’ll have another look later on.

[Petrousgyre]

I needed to force the update. Can’t really see what the raytracing is doing but 30fps is no way to play Elden Ring so switched it off straight away. 

[K]

Wow, the difference between the RT and non-RT modes is night and day. Assuming you live in Greenland. 

[Petrousgyre]

The game does tell you you need to reload your save. Seems like it’s mostly shadow casting that’s been improved which isn’t that interesting. 

[dug]

The bushes are a bit shadowier. We live in a glorious age of wonders.

[df0]

The one and only example I ever saw of RT on a console was with Control. Without RT the window pane would be solid blurry-off white, with RT it was beautifully transparent and reflective. As the cost of 30+ frames per second. Never noticed the difference in Cyberpunk on PS5, I just do not seem to notice it unless it is a side-by-side comparison.

Guess I'll keep playing the PS4 version of Elden Ring.

[Lying Cat]

The problem with Ray Tracing is that while it looks nice and all, it's like going back to play Deus Ex 1. You really notice what it looks like for 10 minutes and then it becomes completely invisible.

[Hawklord]

Not enough to make me re-install 😕 

[Ste Pickford]

I had to save those two DF images and get them into photoshop so I could switch the layers on and off quickly to notice the difference!  The shadows around the vegetation and the character look a lot deeper and more solid, but the building in the distance looks worse - flatter and less shading / occlusion in the corners.  I guess they faked it a bit without RT for the buildings, and the fake version looks better.

[Monkeyspill]

I’d rather have a proper 60fps than ray tracing. 

[Vulgar Monkey]

I'd rather have dlss, yeah.

[Anne Summers]

I think the PS5 version looks much better than the PS4 version (running on PS5) and I don't notice the difference in frame rates. 

 

But I guess it's different for everyone. Everyone should try both and see what they prefer though rather than just believing the standard line that the PS4 version is always better. 

 

Anyway. I want to play this co-op with my nephew - teaming up to take on invaders, or invading as a team. What's the best way to set this up, in terms of items that we need and areas we should visit, etc? Should we play in arenas or open world?

 

[Darwock]

I think I agree, turning on ray tracing put me in the 30fps mode for the first time and I could feel the negative effect immediately. Switched it off again and the frame rate was back to how it always feels - butter smooth. I’ve never noticed any particular frame drops, even when crazy lightning attacks are going off. PS4 advantage must be minimal at best.

[Isaac]

On 23/03/2023 at 20:41, df0 said:

The one and only example I ever saw of RT on a console was with Control. Without RT the window pane would be solid blurry-off white, with RT it was beautifully transparent and reflective. As the cost of 30+ frames per second. Never noticed the difference in Cyberpunk on PS5, I just do not seem to notice it unless it is a side-by-side comparison.

Guess I'll keep playing the PS4 version of Elden Ring.

 

Cyberpunk's RT is gimped on consoles.

 

On PC it looks like a totally different game with RT on. It's the best example of the power of RT currently available. It genuinely looks like a generational leap, like the difference between a made for PS4 and made for PS5 game.

[Sane]

Gimped or not, raytraced Cyberpunk on Series X looks very good. Going back to performance mode really made everything look flat and lifeless.

[PikaStu]

Ray-traced lighting and reflections are cool, but shadows are pretty pointless, especially if it’s crippling the frame rate.

 

I tried the RT in Elden Ring yesterday and immediately turned it back off. Comparing the two is like night and later-that-night.
Also it’s nice to see after a year, the PC version still has crazy stuttering / frame-pacing issues 🤦‍♂️ (RTX 3070).

[MrHendo]

My YouTube algorithm introduced me to this guide maker:

 

 

His video guides are extremely well done and the builds look a lot of fun.

They all basically start the same - run around gathering all the items you need, fighting almost no-one. Level up the weapons and main character stats and then bully the bosses.

 

Also he doesn’t have “annoying YouTuber voice” as my partner puts it, he’s quite funny and is quite open about his fuck ups.

[Darwock]

Does he say “without further ado”?

 

There was another patch for t’Ring today - wonder if it improves performance?

[Tomdominer]

 

[Lovelyman]

On 25/03/2023 at 08:39, Isaac said:

 

Cyberpunk's RT is gimped on consoles.

 

On PC it looks like a totally different game with RT on. It's the best example of the power of RT currently available. It genuinely looks like a generational leap, like the difference between a made for PS4 and made for PS5 game.

Yeah it’s worth installing and loading to justify your expensive graphics card before uninstalling it. 

[Monkeyspill]

RT is pointless if it compromises performance. It never looks that much better, especially after a few hours when you get used to it anyway. I can’t get used to 30fps in first person games. In ER, I could cope with it, but 60fps trumps any sort of fancy graphics.

[Girth Certificate]

https://streamable.com/ps1xeg

 

*Mariachi Music*

[MrHendo]

Started a character yesterday as Astrologist. Used the Youtuber I posted about earlier’s guide on picking up a shit load of runes, stones and flask upgrades by just running through half of the game.

 

Pegged it through Caria Manor, picked up the Sword of Night & Flame, levelled it to +5, got my brand new character up enough that I could use the sword and a bit extra for health, FP and stamina.

 

Absolutely wrecks the early game. I can heartily recommend doing this for any build if you want to just stomp through the game.