Like many of you, I was wowed by the little bit of Uncharted 4 we got to see at Sony’s E3 conference. That was done using the game’s engine, but like Uncharted 3’s cutscenes, was probably pre-rendered. The game itself could never look like that. Naughty Dog insists it’s not only in-engine, but also real-time. And in-game.
According to Gamingbolt, Naughty Dog’s Studio Coordinator Rodney Reece and Lead FX Artist Keith Guerrette confirmed to them that the bit shown was actually running in-engine in real-time, and was part of a level from the game.
Naughty Dog Animation artist Corrine Yu confirmed the same multiple times as well.
@OutRawred @lb003g0676 @Jahlvardravito This Uncharted 4 trailer is captured from a real Playstation 4.We just have amazing character artists
— Corrinne Yu (@Corrinne) June 10, 2014
@ZirpPop Our U4 trailer is an in engine real game level running on a real PS4,Paolo.Our trailer doesn’t look good enough to be prerender CGI
— Corrinne Yu (@Corrinne) June 12, 2014
Even the folks from Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry. are impressed.
We’ve studied the video in a little more depth and have concluded that it’s definitely running at native 1080p resolution (as opposed to being rendered at a very high resolution, then scaled down – a process known as super-sampling). Small clipping anomalies, a touch of specular aliasing on Nate’s shirt as he sits up, along with some shadow aliasing on his forehead also suggest a real-time render. On the face of it, we’re still looking at some pretty incredible anti-aliasing here for a real-time technique on a game running at 60fps, particularly when it comes to the perfect, artefact-free rendering of Nate’s hair…
Naughty Dog has apparently tapped in to some sort of magical well of power within the PS4. I still doubt the game will look like this when it’s actually running, but I’d love for that to be the case. Naughty Dog says they’re targeting 60fps for the final game.
All footage you see in the trailer was captured completely in engine. That’s Nathan Drake rendered in 1080p full glory using the power of our PS4 engine. All footage you see in the trailer was captured completely in engine. We’re targeting 60fps for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and as you can see the visual fidelity for our character models will reach new heights. In fact, thanks to the power of the PS4, right now Drake’s Uncharted 4 model is over double the polygons of Joel from The Last of Us PS3.
Here’s the trailer again, followed by a colour-corrected one that’s running at 60fps so it’s not so dark an dingy. You’ll require a lot of bandwidth and a moderately fast PC to watch that one.
It may take some time for it to load, but it does.
Last Updated: June 12, 2014
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 12, 2014 at 13:34
get. the. fuck. out.
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 13:59
I’m fucking sold
Kevin Christopher Foster
July 8, 2014 at 20:38
Amen.
Cat
June 12, 2014 at 16:10
I don’t know which version I am more impressed with, the first dark and gloomy video or the second brightened video. If that is how the games are going to be looking like in the future from the PS4 it’s going to be hard not to get one to play with.
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 12, 2014 at 16:15
You know, Ive had mine for about 2 months now, Im not happy about the lack of media streaming capabilities, but apart from that (and the shitty controller battery lifetime) its a great improvement over the 3. If I were you i’d wait for price drops, theres no benefit at this moment in time to fork over full price. Games are coming in drips and drabs, but I dont think whats available warrants the 7k price tag right this moment.
I got mine because Slade is ultra fomo 99% of the time. i also hate advertising as a side note. 😛
Guest
June 13, 2014 at 05:23
It’s a pre-rendered in-engine cutscene. Not realtime.
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 13, 2014 at 09:46
Uh, did you read the article? Perhaps read articles before you comment, k? K!
Guest
June 13, 2014 at 15:00
I did and I think Naughty Dog are misleading us like they have with their other games with pre-rendered cutscenes.
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 13, 2014 at 15:20
Speculation requires evidence, something i fear you will struggle to get your hands on. Ive done some rudimentary research to your claim and come up with nothing. Do you have evidence that Naughty Dog has previously mislead gamers regarding trailer/e3 footage vs actual game play?
Guest
June 13, 2014 at 15:30
Yes. They used the same “the following is captured from a PS3” message for Uncharted 2, 3, and TLOU reveal trailers. All pre-rendered “in-engine” cutscenes.
And here’s a photo of the 8 PS3 render farm used to make The Last of Us pre-rendered “in-engine” cutscenes.
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 13, 2014 at 15:59
but your statement doesnt ring true. Uncharted has been famed for its graphical fidelity and Ive yet to hear anyone complain. I get your point, and yes there are unscrupulous developers out there, I just dont agree with you that Naughty Dog falls into that grouping.
Ubisofts fuckup with Watchdogs is a whole other story if you ask me. There I’ll agree with you wholeheartedly at the ruse they played. See now if you take that into comparison with your ND argument I would say that UBI is by far the worse of the two evils. But again, thats just me.
Guest
June 13, 2014 at 16:43
Did you not watch the youtube video of The Last of Us reveal trailer? It has the same “captured from a PS3” message.
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 17, 2014 at 09:32
Sure, but every developer has the right to modify settings prior to launch to ensure stability. I wouldnt say its a question of ethics, but I dont appreciate being lied to, much as you. However, I fear, as previously stated, there are developers who are more guilty of this then others. But I get your point!
Perry
July 22, 2014 at 08:00
Yes it does. And the game itself turned out looking better than that trailer..
Blockhead
December 7, 2014 at 19:03
Bet you are eating your words now.
Azyral
June 16, 2014 at 16:33
Naughty Dog aren’t the type of developers to mislead us, you f**king idiot. Have you seen games like Uncharted 1, Uncharetd 2, Uncharted 3 and the Last of Us? Those games have the best graphics in their respective release year than any other game on consoles, and the Last of Us is still has the best graphics on the last gen consoles.
Guest
June 16, 2014 at 17:26
Actually their uncharted 2, 3, and the last of us reveal trailers and cutscenes were all pre-rendered CG. Very misleading.
Imbecile fanboy.
fulufu
June 17, 2014 at 14:51
ND officially stated that starting with uncharted 4 they are no longer going to use pre-rendered graphics in cutscenes or trailers, plus Niel Druckmann (director) stated that it was real-time rendering on a single PS 4. So there you have it, not pre-rendered.
Guest
June 17, 2014 at 18:04
ND never officially stated that at all. That was a beyond3d poster claiming an anonymous source.
Silverwolf07
July 5, 2014 at 20:14
You idiot it was ND that stated it. The beyond poster was the one who just posted what he was told. You just don’t like the fact that Uncharted4 will be the best looking game to date.
Kevin Christopher Foster
July 8, 2014 at 19:02
ZOMG, if this is true I just got a nerd-rager in my pants. Ugh. Uncharted is great. I still remember playing Uncharted 2 for the first time and the opening sequence of the train feeling like a movie. I’m very very excited!
Anon A Mouse
June 12, 2014 at 13:39
The more I read the article the more I knew it was Geoff writing it. *Hint* *Hint*
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
June 12, 2014 at 13:42
I can;t even fix is. Site is fucked.
Rinceinantici
June 12, 2014 at 13:42
lulz
HvR - THE Average GAmer
June 12, 2014 at 14:00
That Konami breaking news that broke it
Rinceinantici
June 12, 2014 at 13:42
Shame, he’s all on his own!
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 12, 2014 at 13:45
…
Admiral Chief Cyber Commando
June 12, 2014 at 13:41
” fort it” ???
http://www.destination360.com/asia/india/images/s/agra-fort.jpg
Rinceinantici
June 12, 2014 at 13:41
Well slap me with a kipper and call me Shirley, that looks beautiful.
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 13:53
New pants please
hairyknees
June 12, 2014 at 14:00
*slap* there you go Shirley! 😛
Sith JJ
June 12, 2014 at 14:01
Where the hell did you find a kipper? Been looking for one since he said that.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 12, 2014 at 14:04
I believe kippers are optional when it comes to slapping him.
Sith JJ
June 12, 2014 at 14:08
Damn it.
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 12, 2014 at 14:04
…
Martin du preez (D4RKL1NGza)
June 12, 2014 at 13:45
Shows you just how advanced the game is. Wow Stunning really. We all know SONY has the world’s most powerful video game console to have ever been created in the history of video games.
Rinceinantici
June 12, 2014 at 13:45
Yeah, we all said the same about Aliens: Colonial Marines. Look how that worked out *sob sob
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 13:52
New Aliens game is looking good though
Michael Norris
June 12, 2014 at 17:55
Don’t compare ND to Gearbox that’s blasphemy.
Galbedir
June 12, 2014 at 13:51
PC MASTERRA….Oh wait…Dayum!
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 14:01
TBH I am blown away.
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 13:52
So is this Amazing then?
oVgeeeeee Comet Drop
June 12, 2014 at 16:22
HAIZING
Hammersteyn
June 12, 2014 at 16:40
LOL
hairyknees
June 12, 2014 at 14:00
I KNEW IT! That part where he is walking into the trees, thought it looked like it would be part of a level or the start of one or something. YAY NAUGHTY DOG <3
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 12, 2014 at 14:06
If he’s walking into trees they need to spend more time working on AI instead of AA. trollol!
hairyknees
June 12, 2014 at 14:27
Hahaha xD YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! I actually can’t phrase it any other way…
“He walking through the trees” – OMG DOES DRAKE HAVE POWERS NOW?
Azyral
June 16, 2014 at 16:35
F**k off.
Francois Knoetze
June 12, 2014 at 14:21
YES!! my 5am caffeine rant/clapping like a retarded seal after the press conference was worth it!!
Jonah Cash
June 12, 2014 at 14:22
Wow that looks awesome!! I really thought it was CGI trailer!!
Brian Murphy
June 12, 2014 at 14:26
The sign on the cage at ~1:56 with the skeleton, has a plaque that reads
“We receive the due rewards of our deeds” – Luke 23:41
Mark Treloar
June 12, 2014 at 15:09
Will it have the same ending as 2 and 3?
Rags
June 12, 2014 at 15:10
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/3897775/damn-gif-o.gif
Xcalibersa
June 12, 2014 at 15:31
Holy shit
Maxiviper117
June 12, 2014 at 18:45
Can definitely see the second video is running at 60fps, all videos run at 30fps off youtube.
CypherGate
June 12, 2014 at 19:16
That looks…. INCREDIBLE! The minute he pops out the magazine you can see its in-game. The way it drops in his hand, but damn…. That is some insane visuals. Most probably going to be the most visually stunning game of this year.
MrSec84 .
June 15, 2014 at 09:17
It looks like PS4 owners will be getting those Avatar level graphics after all, at 1080p 60FPS non the less!
Russell Gorall
June 29, 2014 at 00:13
It is a prerendered cutscene using the game engine running on a PS4. She only states that isn’t prerendered CGI. There is about twenty square feet of actual terrain for character movement. If you consider that gameplay…
Silverwolf07
July 7, 2014 at 15:16
What part of in engine and pre rendered don’t you understand? It can only be one or the two. It’s real time in game graphics. It’s just a cutscene hints, meaning you can’t control the character for the nick of time. A Ubisoft dev clearly stated its real time graphics based off what he was told and seen. DF also stated it was real time in game graphics and all of a sudden what they say means nothing now but yet anything else they are always right… Not to mention the numerous times ND said its all real time. You have no knowledge of how to make a AAA game nor do you have any knowledge of this game and yet state things like somebody is actually going to take your word over all these sources who been apart of the gaming industry all their lives. Smh
kxjwnsoow
November 14, 2014 at 00:12
Best graphics ever
melquiades
June 19, 2015 at 10:42
this game swallows…. graphics not bad in the video but still uncharted sucks and swallows.