The first magazine scans are hitting the web for Gears 3. Particularly this Russian one. 
 
http://www.allgamesbeta.info/2010/05...-of-war-3.html  
 
It's been translated by some Epic Games Forum members, apparently Cliff is quoted as saying they've dropped the frame rate to improve the graphics; complex shadows, constant large environmental changes etc. 
 
How will this effect you? For me I think I prefer the smoother frame rate but I'm not 100% sure. Anyone care to discuss your response to this odd tactic? 
 
UPDATED: Apparently the Russian translation was a little off. It was intended to say instead of taking Gears from 30 to 60 fps, they decided to LEAVE it at 30fps, and just improve the graphics.

I prefer smoother frame rate, but it mostly depends on how much they've dropped the frame rate.

It doesn't bother me.  As long as the game is good, I don't care.

Ive played competitive clan match's with 4/5 fp/s (and about zero with a smoke grenade) and done pretty well for myself (enough to stay on the team) so its never something that bothered me too much. If they drop it so much it becomes hard to aim then id take "lesser" graphics but if they can keep it high enough then its ok. Though they are the game designers and they have plenty of experience, it will probably work out ok. 

" Ive played competitive clan match's with 4/5 fp/s "

A smooth frame rate for sure.

60 fps or bust

They could go lower than 30 without it being noticeable, right? Shit, I don't know anything about this stuff.  Well, those scans look cool.

If it is an overall drop and doesn't fluctuate throughout gameplay then it will be fine.

" 60 fps or bust "

I think they could go as low as 24 (TVs display in 24 Hz) and it would be ok. The most important thing is that it's stable.

As long as the framerate is locked it shouldn't be a problem. The problem with framerate is that usually even a 60 fps game won't actually be running at a consistent 60 fps.

Short sleeve Marcus is freaking me out.

What did Gears 1 and 2 run at? 30 I presume? Not sure how a shooter can work below that framerate (which itself is already sort of iffy). 

" @Pazy said:

" Ive played competitive clan match's with 4/5 fp/s "

What. "

Frame rate really isn't an issue. As long as the game plays well at a locked frame rate we probably won't even notice.

assuming gears 2 was 60 fps, dropping it a bit means nothing, i have not installed those robotic eyes yet so i still cant see faster than 30 frames a second =(

theyre trying to compete with uncharted 2. just wait for uncharted 3 to blow our fucking minds. 

" Short sleeve Marcus is freaking me out. "

" What did Gears 1 and 2 run at? 30 I presume? Not sure how a shooter can work below that framerate (which itself is already sort of iffy).  "

I don't care much about graphics or framerate.

Framerate never really bothers me, I never really notice it, I played most of the 150hours I've clock in L4D2 at around 19fps, and to be honest if it wasn't for net_graph 2, I'd never have even noticed.
 
So I'll take the graphics over the framerate, as long as it's not 1fps, though playing a game with stills could be fun.

Considering that Gears 1 and 2 only ran at 30fps, they really couldnt get away with locking it in any lower.  The next point in vsync land is 15fps which is pretty much unplayable, and thing between that and 30 will lead to horrid screen tearing.

I think it's now going to be like 25-30 frames instead at times when there is alot of action. Cliffy b should consider porting his games to pc so I can run it at my default near 60 frames instead.