Ready at Dawn’s The Order: 1886 will run at 30 frames per second, and has black bars to give it an overall cinematic look. That was the developer’s excuse for a lack of 1080p, 60fps gameplay when they first revealed the game, and they’re sticking to it. Speaking to Kotaku, Ready at Dawn’s Dana Jan has explained exactly why the game has to run at 30 fps.
“60 fps is really responsive and really cool. I enjoy playing games in 60 fps. But one thing that really changes is the aesthetic of the game in 60 fps,” Jan told Kotaku in defence of the 30fps cap.
“We’re going for this filmic look, so one thing that we knew immediately was films run at 24 fps. We’re gonna run at 30 because 24 fps does not feel good to play. So there’s one concession in terms of making it aesthetically pleasing, because it just has to feel good to play.”
According to Jan, there’s so much going on in the game – likely because of that incredible engine – that running at 60 fps would mean sacrificing all that wizardry.
“Then, on top of it, I don’t know of any other games that are gonna look like our game in real-time with no pre-rendered movies, with all the stuff that’s going on lighting-wise, and run at 60. I think that’s probably the thing that most people underestimate is [that] to make a game look like this—the way that they’re lit, the number of directional lights that we have… We don’t have a game where you’re just outside in sunlight, so there’s one light.
“We have candles flickering, fires, then characters have lights on them. So [to make] all those lights [work] with this fidelity means, I think, until the end of this system most people won’t have any clue how to make that run 60 and look like this.”
“That was something where we kind of said, ‘What was important to us?’ We’re visual creatures. when we see things, that’s kind of our first senses. I think immediately we look at this game, one of the things that’s exciting to me, it feels next-gen.
“It’s one of the first things that I go, ok, I think this is helping define what next-gen really means. Getting a new system and actually booting up and saying something that is like, ‘I’m blown away by what I’m seeing.’ There’s almost nothing that you can take away from that.”
I honestly think some games work better, and feel more natural when they’re locked to 30 fps. Racing games and shooters most certainly benefit from the higher frame rate, but most other genres don’t. Either way , The Order: 1886 is shaping up to be quite a visually sumptuous game.
Last Updated: May 30, 2014
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 12:10
This is all i have to leave here in regards to this
https://twitter.com/Totalbiscuit/status/471408286659776514
https://twitter.com/Totalbiscuit/status/471407119825387520
Umar's Crown
May 30, 2014 at 12:11
I love this. how people say 30 fps is a design choice….lol…But even then, I feel bad that devs needs to keep explaining why the game is 30fps
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 12:14
It’s a tough choice for them, they have to try and make the sales to console players and you can’t really say sorry you are getting an inferior experience due to the consoles, you aren’t going to get the sales needed, i would have thought the best option was to just have ignored it entirely, there would have been less press about it just have it at that and don’t bring it up at all.
Umar's Crown
May 30, 2014 at 12:16
Thing is right….Consoles are much more common than PCs, would be suicide leaving consoles out
Weanerdog
May 30, 2014 at 13:31
I think he means ignore the issue not the consoles, PR it away at launch by going but look how cool the awesome graphics are.
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 14:31
Yes, that is exactly what i meant
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 12:15
Wow that’s nasty.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 30, 2014 at 12:32
Typical fodder from Total Biscuit!
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 12:55
The second one does get a bit nasty, but its a joke to say that they are doing it by choice.
JD De Bruyn
May 30, 2014 at 14:20
*Read in the voice of the wonder Cleveland Brown…
Hammersteyn
May 30, 2014 at 12:31
Damn son
HisDivineOrder
May 30, 2014 at 14:56
Those were my first reactions as well.
GodGamerDerp
May 31, 2014 at 07:13
Uhh the developer admits PS4 isn’t powerful enough to have The Order level of visuals and run at 60 fps, and they decided visual effects were more important than framerate. Read the interview.
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 12:16
I still don’t get the 30 and 60 fps. (I actually dislike it running “faster”).
Admiral Chief Orca
May 30, 2014 at 12:19
Is that what she said?
😛
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 12:19
boom… ?
Admiral Chief Orca
May 30, 2014 at 12:20
Hey if she said boom, then you did it right
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 30, 2014 at 12:35
Then you did it… like a porpoise!
Admiral Chief Orca
May 30, 2014 at 12:37
Oppan Orca Style!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 30, 2014 at 12:37
(insert Orca noises)
loftie
May 30, 2014 at 12:56
and 1x seal slap
JD De Bruyn
May 30, 2014 at 14:22
And I was like “that will do pig, that will do”
Viking Of Science
May 30, 2014 at 12:19
Did you play on the Dreamcast at all? That was running everything at 60FPS, so look at Sonic Adventure, or the first Soul Calibur. The PS2 ran most things at around 30FPS. games do feel Smoother at 60 vs 30.
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 12:21
Well I can feel the difference when playing Killzone Shadowfall SP then Watch Dogs. I prefer the rate Watch Dogs plays at. And maybe that works for third person. I’m nort sure. I suppose what really confuses me is why it is a big deal?
Viking Of Science
May 30, 2014 at 12:22
Because Console gamers want what PC gamers have. but at console prices.
Viking Of Science
May 30, 2014 at 12:26
I mean, real world me is saving up to drop 10K on a new PC end of the year, so that I can play most things at 60fps, 1080p. It needs to be done. Console gamers want that out of a R7000 machine. Hell, I’ve seen videos of AMD and Intel Builds, that cost the same as a new gen console (in the States, that run all the Multiplatform games better than the consoles)
The mistakes made with the console (probably to keep production costs down) was to go with APUs. you just don’t get as much performance out of an Apu than you do with a seperate CPU/GPU setup.
Hammersteyn
May 30, 2014 at 12:30
Neither did I till I saw the pic below, but to b e honest it’s a lot harder to see the difference with so much going on in today’s games
http://simplepimple.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/fps.gif
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 12:31
cool! the 60fps creeps me out
RinceofFuturePast
May 30, 2014 at 12:36
Nice 😉
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 30, 2014 at 12:37
Wasn’t there a study on frame-rates where it showed that it was easier for our eyes to track objects at 30fps than 60fps? I distinctly remember reading something like that. I could be wrong though…
RinceofFuturePast
May 30, 2014 at 12:41
I think I saw that too. Still, I would rather 60fps to be honest, less stutter. It then comes down to how they make the actual game.
Hammersteyn
May 30, 2014 at 12:44
Dunno, how many FPS is real life?
Admiral Chief Orca
May 30, 2014 at 12:57
1?
oVgeeeeee Comet Drop
May 30, 2014 at 13:22
1 😛
Hammersteyn
May 30, 2014 at 13:33
hahahaha
Acornbread
June 2, 2014 at 18:06
Feels around 30 most days, except when you’re drunk, then you get 120 but with horrible stuttering.
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 13:15
You’re wrong…
oVgeeeeee Comet Drop
May 30, 2014 at 13:15
Infamous is at 30fps. BUT, 1080p. NOT 720, or 720 upscaled.
That Native 1080 makes all the difference.
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2014/03/11/infamous-second-sons-director-explains-why-the-game-runs-at-30fps/
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 13:09
i think i remember seeing a slower version of this with it compared to 30fps, which makes it a lot easier to tell, but even this shows a stark difference and makes me wonder why people think you can’t tell the difference
RinceofFuturePast
May 30, 2014 at 12:35
What are you doing here? 0-O
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 30, 2014 at 12:48
It’s the gluten of gaming. It’s bad, but no one knows why.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 30, 2014 at 12:51
(This is the best comment, I’ve read whole year – Absolutely spot on!)
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 13:14
I thought it was obvious why 30fps is bad vs 60fps. You still get people that doesn’t understand? Must be the console peasants.
Truan Frames
May 30, 2014 at 13:20
This man speaks truth… And also Praise GabeN
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 13:22
You need to follow his teachings closely. Only then can your eyes be opened to the glory that is the Master Race.
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 14:22
*don’t understand, yes. Amazingly, yes, I did admit my ignorance and was provided with wonderful answers.
“Peasants”? Name-calling is awesome! Stupid people who don’t have large budgets and struggle with technology. We are so inferior! *weep*
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 15:13
GabeN provides for all budgets. Praise GabeN!
GodGamerDerp
May 31, 2014 at 07:16
HURR HURR PEASANTS
Imbecile.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
May 30, 2014 at 13:16
http://www.lazygamer.net/general-news/whats-the-difference-between-30fps-and-60fps/
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 14:21
Forgot! Loved this piece.
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 13:18
You must really dislike real life then, since it’s even “faster” than 60fps.
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 14:21
Ye.
Hammersteyn
May 30, 2014 at 12:31
So what engine was Infamous using? lack of dev skills imo
Viking Of Science
May 30, 2014 at 12:34
BTW, Did anyone else notice the typo in the article header?
Why The Order:1866 runs at 30fps
Toodles
May 30, 2014 at 12:35
I think the reality of it is that no developer WANTS 30 fps, but some developers will choose to improve visual fidelity in more meaningful and noticeable ways.. and so it’s basically a concession. Calling it a filmic is a bit silly though.
oVgeeeeee Comet Drop
May 30, 2014 at 12:56
GOOD!!!
It will work on my GameBoy.
Praise Lord GabeN
May 30, 2014 at 13:17
Any PC gamer will smell the BS. The peasants may take some convincing.
Pieter Kruger
May 30, 2014 at 14:43
If it has black bars is it more like 720p then?
Weanerdog
May 30, 2014 at 14:49
900p I am guessing
Pieter Kruger
May 30, 2014 at 14:58
No need to even upscale then! I call a cop out! ????
HisDivineOrder
May 30, 2014 at 14:57
Sounds like he’s reaching for justification for the fact he couldn’t do with his engine what he wanted to without reducing the framerate.
That’s fine, these are consoles, but just be honest. The hardware can’t handle more.
The game still looks pretty incredible imo. It’s just… don’t use excuses.
And black bars on 16:9 is going to look very, very thin.
GodGamerDerp
May 31, 2014 at 07:14
Uhh the developer admits PS4 isn’t powerful enough to have The Order level of visuals and run at 60 fps, and they decided visual effects were more important than framerate. Read the interview.
Tauriq Moosa
May 30, 2014 at 15:02
The PS4 is damned powerful but not a high-end PC. I don’t see why I, as a PS4 owner, have no problem admitting this but devs do (this assumes this all is just PR-Speak).
Rags
May 30, 2014 at 15:33
Rofl 30 fps. How is that even playable as a game in which you need to aim?
What a joke.
Lars Anderson
May 30, 2014 at 18:22
Fucking nonsense. If this is the best ‘next gen’ has to offer, I’ll stick with PC.
Ross Woofels Mason
May 31, 2014 at 02:24
30fps is fine for adventure style games, people played in 30fps for years with out bitching and you put the average person in front of something running 30fps and then one running 60fps 90% of them wont be able to tell the difference unless they are next to each other.
Mark Treloar
May 31, 2014 at 07:58
So according to your Header Image its going to run like a fat ugly puppy?