PS3 a real problem or not

[JonLuso]

Inventory space was not the reason why PS3 is limited. It's already been said that, by adding more inventory space to everyone, it would pose a problem on the server, resulting in longer load times (via teleports, retainers....think 1.0? Maybe not that hard.)

The only thing that is limited concerning displaying inventories is the way items are represented. They responded to a query in a LftP concerning the way items show-up on player inventories and the like. Users wanted these icons to be changed to words instead and such.

Yoshida responded that, while it was indeed possible to do so and that the servers could allow this to happen, the terms that make up words actually take up more memory to display than the picture icons do, and the PS3, in question, was not able to do this without resulting in stress being produced, much more than simple FPS drops, and this was due to the amount of RAM available.

It is partly for this reason that glamours were made in the form of prisms. They essentially killed 2 birds with 1 stone: in introducing these prisms, they not only made crafters relevant again (for economic-related purposes) but also to allow the PS3 client to allow glamours to be used. In most MMOs, you simply drag items you want glamoured into "vanity slots" that were also on the same window, if not a different one. However, the PS3 cannot display these icons in tandem with current equipped weapons and armor AND cycle through personal/retainer inventories. All of these are already loaded into memory.

In a sense, it's not really a big deal, but they basically had to work AROUND this issue on PS3; so, it's not really a restriction, but, at the root, it may be so.

[Gralna]

So you're saying PS3 users having to overgear to do content to a similar efficiency of hardcore PC players is not a real problem?

Never said as such, saying that if high end PC players can meet dps check of encounters that devs themselves said they should of been at least 10 ilvls too low to even achieve, then PS3 players doing content at ilvl the encounters were designed for should be no problem. Keep em coming, I can do this all day.

[BraveheartRamo]

The PS3's hardware limitations are most certainly holding things back.

I agree, also depends on which HDD size you are using and what else is saved there that could cause loads. I have one of the first generations of PS3 and I had to remove/ uninstall lots of saved games to keep sufficient space. I would be mostly interested to know about performance issues that Dev might highlight. At the same time I thank OP and the champs that responded, lots of technical advises which I will keep referring too.

As for display, a definite yes, PS3 is upscaling HD and not loading true HD. You & I should find huge difference with display in PS4 or at least that's what my friends keep tell me.

[BraveheartRamo]

Furthermore to visual features http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/sp/ps4/features/

[Gilraen]

Except that the hardest content in 2.XX was beaten with ilvl110 gear, if high end PC gamers can meet the dps checks for all the turns of final coil in ilvl110, a single PS3 player in ilvl120+ should have no issues keeping up, irregardless of frame rates and loss of uptime.

Add to that, some of those Lucrezia players were on a PS3 themselves, so even then it's not even needed to overgear that much. People put too much faith in iL, DPS and FPS. So long as you know how to play is all that matters. The first people to clear Turn 5 are proof of that.

[nakano13]

As a PS3 player, there are a few things I feel limit me while playing on the console, but it really doesn't affect me as a player overall in understanding a fight's mechanics and rules. Sure, there's a possibility I could be doing even more dps due to slower response while using my older gen system, and I know for a fact that my loading times suck when it comes to zoning to crowded areas and engaging Hunts, but, my PS3 has not prevented me from being able to clear hardcore content (it's just made it slightly more difficult in certain aspects...especially some animation lag). I'm participating in FCoB just fine, and I can't wait to upgrade to PS4 soon so I can enjoy the game even more!

[Tiggy]

PS3 limitations hold far less back than flatout direct design decisions not relating to hardware. Also, anyone that says Area Size is due to PS3 limitations are making things up - Not only did Yoshida say he scaled areas back in order to give them proper themes, but that the expansion will have rather huge zones.

A) That's a very different discussion that what the op was getting into.

B) The areas where scaled back to give a distinct theme yes in part, but they aren't bigger than are because of memory issues as well. All those thematic pieces take up memory and that directly limits the size of the map. Just because a thematic reason was listed doesn't for a second change the 512mb limit of the system that directly limits area sizes. Did you ever wonder why Coerthas was the biggest map? Have you ever noticed it has less overall detail than the other maps since it's mostly white snow and rocks? There is a trade off.

By the way, did you know? The XIV expansion will be released while the PS3 and PS4 is still supported?

So? Yoshi also said they have plans to drop it sometime after the first expansion pack based upon current usage and upgrade statistics.

They've repeatedly said the UI can't be expanded anymore on the ps3 due to memory issues.
Every new feature that is big they've mentioned ps3 issues.

It's not just design decisions holding the game back. You need to remember that those design decisions are made in part due to the memory limitations. You can't separate them into two different things because they are intrinsically connected.

Incorrect. You can't have beards because they'd have to go back and redo quite a bit of graphical assets - Nothing to do with limitations.

Those graphical assets take up memory. Which the ps3 is very low on. Add too many beards and now the average character requires more polys and therefore more memory. Graphical assets must take up ram to be used so any assets that add to memory directly contribute to the problem. Try to remember that they shrunk miq'ote butts for two reason. One was so that making new gear was easier across races, but if I remember correctly it was also mentioned that it helped put more on screen at once. That would be due to fewer poly's being used. Beards would be like bringing those butts back.

By the way, FFXI currently has 320 inventory slots that's actively on your character - It's a PS2 MMORPG.

Doesn't matter what FFXI did here since inventory is a server memory issue. The only way it's limited on the system is how many inventory slots can be displayed at once. Even FFXI had to split inventory into multiple different types of inventory in order to manage all that inventory on the limited system memory of the ps2.


You are very severely underestimating memory issues across the board when it comes to the ps3 and how those limits affect nearly everything about this game.

[Mogi]

Yes it dose hold you as a player back how can i tell? for one you will always take longer to load then players from pc or ps4. 2 You will always see less players around then pc or ps4 users. 3 You are missing out on a lot of the graphic design this game has 4 you will lag more in fates then others and or anything where is there a lot of stuff going on or players events hunts this is all facts and i know because i use to play on the ps3 and when i came to ps4 i was like OMG

[Cetra]

PS3 isn't keeping me from having fun. And I play on PC. Until I do, I don't think it's a problem. Then again, I'm too busy having fun with the game to sit around and pick it apart.

[Tupsi]

PS3 isn't keeping me from having fun. And I play on PC. Until I do, I don't think it's a problem. Then again, I'm too busy having fun with the game to sit around and pick it apart.

Common Rebuttal:

"But you could have flowing capes!!!!!11111111"
"You can have no invisible walls! (every MMO does)"
"They can't do a lot of content!!! (Yet lists no content being held back by the PS3 with proof of concept, e.g development videos.)"
"The world is tiny because of the PS3! (even though it was our request to have smaller yet detailed area design."

So on and so forth.