5 Biggest Leaps For Visuals Next Gen

The next generation is here, bringing a quaking mass of new gaming possibilities and progressions. As well as huge strides in the complexity of game worlds and gameplay aspects, there's a long list of new graphical techniques due to help take things to the next level. Here are the ones to watch.

Note: I have not included a section for reflections because I believe that that area will be maximally improved in the generation after that of the PS4 and XBox One. The areas mentioned here are all improved hugely over levels seen last generation.

Particles
It used to be that many effects like smoke, liquids and magic were never organic (#RapGod), limited to being represented by canned 2D animations that, whilst satisfactory,  just didn't ring true.

Today, with new physics and particle based technologies, advanced organic calculations are executable outside of PC enthusiast tower cases. This means that flocks of birds will fly over the horizon realistically, thousands of glowing orbs can surround a mage without pattern, hot air will evaporate into the wind of the cold night, explosions can be genuine, objects will break apart realistically and blood droplets will drip to leave marks where they land.

Resolution
Endless controversy is caused by games running at below desired resolution. In the PS2 era, games were ran at around 480p with little variance. The current gen, especially on the XboxOne side, has a standard of 720p upscaled which alone is unsuitable for the current 1080p HD and 4k HD market. This low resolution ailment leaves a game looking blurry, blocky and jaggy.

Faster processing in the 'next gen' machines allows for the universal viability of techniques that make edges smoother and images sharper. Compared to last-generation console gaming, the standard resolution size should now be twice as sharp (720+ to 1080) as before, which is well fitted for most of us, who are still on the 'last gen' of televisions.

With the raising of rendering resolutions in conjunction with the use of antialiasing, a technique now executable in all PS4 and XOne games that blurs the edges of objects, visible display pixels in images will be seen no more.

Texturing
Before, with the (even then) small memory capabilities of last gen graphics hardware, the scene on screen was never crystal clear and endlessly detailed. Every surface used to be pixelated and muddy; simply not as sharp as your eye could see.

Most of graphics memory is used for storing the textures to be used in the loaded level. Now, with available graphics storage as high as 8GB, scenes can theoretically and should actually be upwards of 10x as detailed as before. Of course there are always limits to the extent of production (production value) therefore one should expect that only AAA titles will reach the aforementioned level of improvement.

Ambient Occlusion

with ambient occlusion

One of the things that impacts a titles visuals is how much the games entities seem properly existent in their environments. A game world is more convincing and polished when its objects are given a sense of weight and place absent in scenes without realistic shadowing.

First seen on the home console space at low quality levels in AAA titles such as Gears of War and Uncharted 2, ambient occlusion automatically creates shadows for boundaries in close proximity (such as a cabinet against a wall) at a considerable price of processing power.

When implemented accordingly, this tech can make objects react to light realistically and add to definition and depth perception in a scene.

Animation
In previous generations, there was one omnipresent and insurmountable barrier that kept games consoles from producing truly realistic moving images. With hardware and production limitations, characters and environments were never able to be animated to move like they do in real life and many of the laws of dynamics were unavailable.

Processing improvements and better capturing techniques will allow for all games to be smoothly and realistically animated faster and easier. Physics based animation is now available to be used with increasing frequency on things like hair, clothing, explosions and environments. Smarter engines can now ensure that no 'clipping' (objects breaking the boundaries of space) or skipping will occur, making objects seem solid and naturally animated. Photorealistic graphics will be seen this new-gen, such a thing was possible on the last, but the biggest improvements are to be made in how the images move.

Before the end of this generation we will see universally astounding realism, who's first? My money's on Naughty Dog.

you nasty girl, eeww