One of the hot topics among console gamers these days is ‘optimization’. This is because games that are disappointing with optimization levels that do not meet expectations are appearing one after another.
For example, it became known that the highly anticipated ‘Starfield’, which started pre-sale on the 12th, runs at 30 frames per second on the Xbox console, causing dissatisfaction. ‘Final Fantasy 16’, which was released on the 22nd, is known to not be able to perfectly maintain 60 frames per second even though the resolution drops to a minimum of 720P in performance mode.
final fantasy 16. Source: Square Enix
Frames Per Second is a number indicating how many images (frames) are displayed in one second. The higher it is, the softer the screen feels. In the past, 30fps was common in console games. However, since the introduction of so-called 9th generation console game consoles such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, games that support 60 frames or more have increased significantly. accept it as a step back Last year, ‘Gotham Knight’ and ‘Flag Tale: Requiem’ were criticized for supporting only 30 frame mode at the time of release. ‘Flag Tail: Requiem’ later accepted the criticism and provided an additional 60 frame mode as a patch.
‘Flag Tail: Requiem’, which was disappointing by only supporting 30 frame mode at the time of release. Source: Focus Entertainment
Some view this phenomenon as a lack of skill and effort in optimizing game performance, but some experts see it as an inevitable trend. Digital Foundry, a game technology analysis media, said, “Final Fantasy 16 raises more questions about the current generation 60 frame game.” “This means that 60fps is not always achievable.”
Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry already predicted last year, “As the number of titles dedicated to the current generation increases, we should expect that the number of games that support 60 frames will gradually decrease.” Unlike before, when games were developed considering compatibility with previous generation consoles, it is explained that achieving 60 frames will be difficult as more games try to raise the graphic quality to match the current generation consoles.
In this situation, one of the alternatives is the 40 frame mode. The 40fps mode was first introduced by Insomniac Games in ‘Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’ and has since spread around Sony’s PlayStation Studio games. ‘Marvel Spider-Man Remastered’, ‘Horizon Forbidden West’, and ‘God of War Ragnarok’ all support 40 frame mode.
‘Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’, which introduced the 40fps mode for the first time. Source: Insomniac Games
The 40fps mode offers a compromise for users who want high resolution and graphics, but feel unsatisfied with 30fps. If you simply look at the frame rate, it looks like it has increased by 10 frames compared to 30 frames, but the actual effect is much greater. This is because the frame time, which represents the interval between frames, is 25 milliseconds, which is the middle value of 16.6 milliseconds (ms) for 60 frames and 33.3 milliseconds for 30 frames. That is the penetration rate of 120Hz displays. That’s because the 40fps mode is only available on 120Hz displays.
Unfortunately, the 40 frame mode is only available on high-end TVs or gaming monitors that support a 120Hz refresh rate. The photo is LG Electronics’ OLED TV. Source = LG Electronics
The reason why console games have been optimized for 30 frames and 60 frames is that the refresh rate of general displays is 60Hz. A refresh rate of 60 Hz means that the screen flickers 60 times per second. If you want to display 60 frames per second on a 60Hz display, you can update the frame according to when the screen flickers once. For 30 frames, it is enough to update the frame once every time the screen flickers twice.
However, since 40 frames are not neatly divided into integers like this, the interval inevitably varies from frame to frame. If the interval between frames is not constant, the screen may feel unnaturally cut off or vibrate.
On the other hand, for a 120Hz display, 40 frames can be updated at regular intervals. This is because it only needs to update the frame once when the screen flickers three times. This is also why the 40fps mode didn’t exist until 120Hz displays appeared.
The fact that 40fps mode is only available on 120Hz displays means that 40fps mode is a feature only available to gamers who own some high-end TVs or high refresh rate monitors. Omdia, a market research firm, predicted shipments of TV panels supporting a high refresh rate of 120Hz or higher at 25 million units last year. This is only 12% of global TV shipments, which were 203.25 million units last year.
Donga.com IT expert Kwon Taek-gyeong, reporter [email protected]
