Battlefield 1 just got a fall update, and PS4 and PC players are noticing some pretty nasty side effects. Is a deliberate graphics downgrade causing lower framerates and poorer texture detail? DICE recently responded to fan outcry via Twitter.
Discussion of the graphics downgrade first began when the update went live earlier this week, and now it’s reached a reasonably high level of fervor. An official forum thread documenting the issue was started on Tuesday, and the conversation has since swelled to 24 pages with hundreds of replies and comparison screenshots. As seen in the undoctored images below, texture detail and shadows have clearly been altered in some way. This phenomenon appears to be identical across, PS4, PS4 Pro and PC and is made worse by FPS drops and flickering in certain areas.
It was DICE producer David Sirland who was first approached by the Battlefield 1 community about the problem. While Sirland was quick to say “graphics has not been downgraded” he did mention that certain tweaks to texture pools have been made to ensure that performance stays pristine over time. Could these changes correlate to why graphics detail appears reduced? It’s possible. He notes that “lower res version[s] can be loaded at a specific time, for instance.”
As for the flickering and FPS problems, however, those reportedly have nothing to do with any texture downgrades that PS4 and PC players may notice. “It’s not [caused by] the same thing,” he clarified. “If there are performance issues there’s something else going on outside of that.” It’s added that any rendering issues with the update are considered a “top priority” for the studio and that PC shortcomings may stem from the latest NVIDIA drivers.
Knowing the source of the frustration can only do so much, however, as many of Battlefield 1’s diehard fans refer to the game as “unplayable” compared to what it was before. Shooters are a genre based largely on heightened precision and accuracy. That standard can be exceptionally difficult to maintain with low framerates and graphical glitches in tow. PS4 Pro and PC owners are inclined to take pride in performance enough to be impacted by even the slightest of negative adjustments.
@PeterBim @smathers11211 There are tweaks made to texture pools on all levels over time to make sure they are streaming smoothly.
— David Sirland (@tiggr_) November 18, 2016
Funnily enough, however, veteran franchise players were keen to note that Battlefield 4 visuals were reworked after a patch in 2014. Community members pointed out the flaws then too, but the supposed “bug” was never addressed. Framerates and flicker can always be improved, but will DICE opt to keep the toned-down textures this time too? The history is certainly there to suggest it.
Battlefield 1 ’s latest update ushered in a ton of changes including a fix for dysfunctional squad leaders, weapon balance and more. Beyond these hiccups, the adjustments have generally been appreciated.
Battlefield 1 is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Do you notice any graphics or FPS problems since the latest Battlefield 1 fall update? Are you impressed by its PS4 Pro performance? Tell us in the comments section!
