I saw the new footage of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim probably like everyone else. But I had a question...
 
" I wonder how it will look on the Xbox 360? I'm sure I won't have a PC that will handle this thing when it comes out. "
 
I got this reply from Mercanis, thanks for that by the way.
 
It'll look on the 360 exactly like it looks in that trailer: 
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/290735/news/elder-scrolls-v-gameplay-trailer-created-on-xbox-360/
 
Cool, check this out from the article.
 
A poster naming themselves as Bethesda Softworks community boss Nick Breckon saw a comment on NeoGAF ("Would be phenomenal if the gameplay trailer is predominately console footage.") and replied:

"Just to clarify, all of this trailer was captured on Xbox 360. Also, the draw distance is not faked in any way."

Just imagine what it's going to look like on PC. 
 
Okay, how does the Xbox 360 do it? I'm sure the PS3 will look great too, but the Xbox 360 will be close to 6 years old when this game is released. This machine just keeps on keeping on. I'm left scratching my head, but thankful that I'll get to play this game because I don't see a new PC in my future.

its closed hardware so developers can use code trickery.

" its closed hardware so developers can use code trickery. "

Developers learn how to max out the hardware. Just look at what happened with late gen PS2 games.

optimization. i don't have any clue how developers go about doing that but i'm going to pretend that i do.

Give me your gamertag so we can make babies. 
 
Derp, it's in your bio.

" Give me your gamertag so we can make babies.  Derp, it's in your bio. "

" @Claude: magic, thats all its is, magic...  "

Games always look better the further into the consoles life cycle developers go. My question is just how far this generation can go though. 
But yeah, I went back to play Oblivion today, and while it still looks good, it's not what I remember it looking like. 
Even so, Skyrim manages to look even better than my memory of Oblivion. I can't wait. I'm dropping out of Berkeley to play this game.

" @mrfizzy said:

" @Claude: magic, thats all its is, magic...  "

Fucking Wizards, they're everywhere. "

360 is showing it's age, as great as Halo Reach looked, it did have low framerate dips at many points in the game.

Imagine what PC developers could potentially do should they maximize the use of 2010's hardware. 
 
It's all about optimization and pushing the limits of not only the hardware, but of their clients. Lag/a low frame rate (where I can noticeably detect shudder/choppyness) is a no-no for me, and I see it increasingly more in the later stages of the current gen consoles. Developers can make greater looking games, but are taking a gamble on gamers.  
 
The last thing is that XBox and PC games usually do not share the same viewing angle (more objects being drawn on the PC)

" @Mordukai:  I'm still taken aback from it all. I wonder if that's why consoles fail. The code is made for the newer version, so the older version fails. "

aren't you the Nintendo guy?  
but yeah, it's like @DarkTravesty: said. The engineers behind the software come up with different tricks to use within the confines of the hardware.

" aren't you the Nintendo guy?  
but yeah, it's like @DarkTravesty: said. The engineers behind the software come up with different tricks to use within the confines of the hardware. "

it's because they optimize the coding. since it late in the generation, they know how to code games better than when it first came. look at some of the first games that came out for the 360 and now look at them. A FUCKING MASTER PIECE.

I'm glad this console generation has gone for this long and keeps on going.  No way do I want another console coming out soon.

You learn every inch of coding possibilities eventually, you know every limit, and you figure out how to push those limits to THEIR limits. Because it's always the same hardware, you can learn every detail about it and optimize perfectly for it. Or at least try to. Although, I think Skyrim is a bad example of it, honestly. The engine renders really nice but the assets aren't terribly impressive from what they have shown. But it's still totally true that even today, games look better and better every time, and comparing, for example, Gears 3 footage to footage of the original game, results in a massive "wow" factor. It's the beautiful phenomenon that allows the console to compete to an extent with PC on a tech level. I mean, if developers didn't figure out how to get past the Kameo level of detail, or the Call of Duty 2 level of detail, we already would be on our way to the successor of the 360's successor. But un-improving hardware is a double edged sword, because it allows for a much greater familiarity, and a much stabler, more predictable platform. In some ways, the rate of PCs improving as fast as the do is a disadvantage, because it means a lot of the crazy top of the line, bleeding edge hardware is useless at launch because it's not viable to make games at that level yet.

" I'm glad this console generation has gone for this long and keeps on going.  No way do I want another console coming out soon. "

Smoother code that makes better overall usage of what the console has to give.
also smarter use of polys of objects, characters and landscapes.  also their new engine is probably using the same technique as unreal, where you can make one static mesh and copy it around a lot and not really use any more processing power.
also better texturing. that shit can take up a lot of space.

When I saw the water, I figured it was console footage. 
 
Not that I'm trying to take anything away from it. Looks amazing.

" @Claude: So you won't get it on the Wii?  I am glad I can get a sexy looking game. "

" @ryanplus said:

" I'm glad this console generation has gone for this long and keeps on going.  No way do I want another console coming out soon. "

The feeling is mutual. Although I can use a hardware upgrade but I guess that's what computers are for.  "

Look at some of the less flattering screen shots and you'll notice most of the old Bethesda tricks in play. Most of the improvement you notice in all these sequels are comprised of the all around better art and feel of the game, as opposed to technical barriers being breached. 
 
The new engine at first glance doesn't seem to have anything Gamebryo didn't have. Except environment shadows, which is admittedly no mean feat. It also looks like it's pushing a few more polygons then it used to.

" Look at some of the less flattering screen shots and you'll notice most of the old Bethesda tricks in play. Most of the improvement you notice in all these sequels are comprised of the all around better art and feel of the game, as opposed to technical barriers being breached.  The new engine at first glance doesn't seem to have anything Gamebryo didn't have. Except environment shadows, which is admittedly no mean feat. It also looks like it's pushing a few more polygons then it used to. "

I am still amazed how good some games look on this generation of consoles. It is crazy to think that the 360 came out in 2005. 

" When I saw the water, I figured it was console footage.  Not that I'm trying to take anything away from it. Looks amazing. "  

Seems like Microsoft has been hiring some witch doctors to do some "voodoo magic".