RTX and DLSS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider

[Xzibit]

While I didn't go back and reread it, didn't that performance improvement come with a quality reduction?

There was a interview with the Dev on the up coming performances changes after the initial patch was release. They talked about more aggressive culling and LODs.

Gamers Nexus also said they have less objects in the background when RTX and DLSS is turn on.

 

[neatfeatguy]

DLSS still looks fuzzy.

If you were to just include DLSS screenshots without any comparison and not tell us DLSS was on, I probably wouldn't notice. Sliding back and forth DLSS still has the same issue in this game as it does in others (albeit, not as bad here in Tomb Raider - maybe because most of the images are so dark already with always having lots of shadows or being in a tomb); makes the image have a blurry/fuzzy look to it.

RTX didn't appear to make much of a noticeable difference that jumped out at you. Sure, it helped with some of the shadows here and there, but I wouldn't say I'm overly impressed and feel the need to pickup an RTX card for the RTRT.

 

[notb]

Well... an example would be that shadows are actually drawn correctly which, unfortunately, the pre-cooked shadowmaps do better still. if you look at the first screenshot, the RTX side is a blurry mess, and the shadowmap of the tree and leaves is crisp and dark.

Because when you go out and look at the shadow of a real tree, it's a perfect projection in black. ;-)

 

[Xuper]

I only see her hairs.more blurs

 

[kabarsa]

SOTTR does shadows only, Metro does global illumination which is lighting + shadows

In modern games GI and shadow maps a two different things, despite it being a result of one physical process in a real world. GI is an indirect lighting, light bounces. Metro's implementation is GI only. It's basically what is made by SVOGI and other methods currently available, but using a ray tracing via DXR. Shadows in Metro are made traditionally using shadow maps.

 

[Vya Domus]

Because your expectations are unrealistic.

In Nvidia's own words : "Graphics Reinvented"

Those are big words, I expect it to be pretty life changing, "your expectations are unrealistic" just doesn't cut it.

 

[M2B]

In Nvidia's own words : "Graphics Reinvented"

Those are big words, I expect it to be pretty life changing, "your expectations are unrealistic" just doesn't cut it.

I don't care about what Nvidia says, you shouldn't either.
Just use your own brain.

 

[Vya Domus]

Just use your own brain.

I do and the technology is objectively underwhelming, with or without unrealistic expectations.

 

[notb]

I do and the technology is objectively underwhelming, with or without unrealistic expectations.

Hmm... and what are your expectations?
I'm not even asking about RTX. Generally, what direction would you like gaming graphics to take?

 

[Crap Daddy]

Shadows of the tomb raider, now ray traced.

 

[venturi]

To me the drop in detail was very noticeable
I play maxes eye candy, (but no DoF or motion blur).

The detail is definitely lessened with DLSS.



Side note

At 4K+ DLSS is not a good thing on quality

I have yet to see it not compromise the visual quality. My uneducated eye tells me it’s at a lower resolution and no longer 4K. The monitor says it’s 4k but the image is “lessened”

 

[Vayra86]

Hmm... and what are your expectations?
I'm not even asking about RTX. Generally, what direction would you like gaming graphics to take?

If you ask me - environments need much more interactivity. Physics - good physics. Physics equals gameplay, in a myriad of ways. Many of the greatest shooters we've seen had a good physics engine.

 

[EarthDog]

I don't care about what Nvidia says, you shouldn't either.
Just use your own brain.

Its a shame that people are sucked in by marketing...reinvented can mean so many things.... to expect photo realism or God only knows what people expected is ludacris to me. I prefer to lol at marketing and wait to see what's up.

 

[moproblems99]

Its a shame that people are sucked in by marketing...reinvented can mean so many things.... to expect photo realism or God only knows what people expected is ludacris to me. I prefer to lol at marketing and wait to see what's up.

If you hid the branding from me, I would have expected this to be an AMD feature release. Hyped to the moon but delivered only a 'meh'.

 

[Tolga]

DLLS = Dont Look Super Sharp? Xd

 

[SystemMechanic]

Why no DLSS + RTX benchmark charts ??

 

[Super XP]

RTX enabled is going to be personal preference. Because depending on the scenery, it looks good in some areas and not so good in others. Though in an indoor environment RTX looks much better on versus off. As for DLSS? Garbage, useless no thanks. DLSS continues to make the picture quality look washed out. You basically lose all finer details when you enable it. Its a failure, nevertheless.

 

[InVasMani]

A lot of hype for RTX for something that's only half enabled while also rendering less objects in the background.

 

[wolf]

Its a shame that people are sucked in by marketing...reinvented can mean so many things.... to expect photo realism or God only knows what people expected is ludacris to me. I prefer to lol at marketing and wait to see what's up.

Of course, it's the marketing teams job to make it sound like the next best things since sliced bread, If anyone takes this marketing dribble at face value and expects to live it, they need to wise up.

I look forward to seeing the differences myself when Pascal cards get access in April, but this isn't nearly as baller as global illumination in ME. Probably a bit of a case of too little too late for SOTTR unfortunately, but as W1z stated in his closing comments. And as always excellent and prompt coverage @W1zzard

I'd consider this more of a test run for future titles and to introduce developers to the tech, so they can create great things in their next game—the learned knowledge won't be lost.

 

[Camm]

A few of those comparison screenshots had scenes looking better with RTX off, and I see DLSS is still murdering image quality.

The first probably points at that games need to be better developed with RT in mind, as deficiencies in geometry and light-sources can be overcome with lightmaps design, which can't under RT.

The second, I don't think there is any hope for DLSS, and a bullet should probably be put into its head. Can we port more traditional AA techniques onto DLSS integer cores? That'd make more sense IMO.

 

[wolf]

Can we port more traditional AA techniques onto DLSS integer cores? That'd make more sense IMO.

That would be my preference if the Tensor cores can do it, offload traditional AA processing to them and aim for giving games the AA we know and love for no/virtually no performance hit.

 

[SIGSEGV]

in short: Meh!

 

[AmioriK]

Wow i came into this expecting some pretty awesome graphics but wth, that is really pants. the FPS drop for that is ridiculous. I won't blame RTX itself or the Turing GPUs, i blame a potato implementation in this game, looks like an afterthought, and as some have said, in outside scenes it looks basically the same.

20 series really aren't that attractive based on what we've seen of RTX so far, but it's early days. All tech has to start somewhere. (but i fear by the time it is ready, 20 series will already be obsolete for Ray Tracing).

Glad i didn't get the 2060 i was considering before the 1660 launched lol

anyway thanks for testing it w1zzard, much appreciated

edit: i jumped straight to the comparisons and missed the bit about it being shadows only. Lol that's why it doesn't look all that great. Not worth the performance impact at all, though, the normal shadows look fine

edit2: now i checked DLSS and i think it looks good as W1zzard says in conclusion. I have looked at the comparison sliders and the visual quality is very good and the perf increase from DLSS is definitely going to be noticeable. I thought as much, that DLSS will need time to get better as they tweak and refine it

 

[Nima]

I can't tell any meaningful difference between DLSS on and off in this game. depending on the scenery, DLSS may look slightly sharper or softer on moving objects which I think is due to the motion blur effect because on none moving objects sharpness is almost always the same between DLSS on and off which is amazing. I'm really exited to try DLSS on my GTX1080.

 

[Pumper]

Not even close to the visual difference compared to the Metro Exodus implementation. Just shows you that Tomb Raider devs did a lot better job with traditional baked lighting.