If you're a gamer, then you'll likely be aware that the next main title in the Halo franchise, made by 343 Industries, is set to land next month. Ahead of the big day, the developer has revealed details about how the Xbox One exclusive will perform graphically, including frames per second and resolution numbers.
We've known for a while that 343 Industries has been targeting 60 fps for Halo 5: Guardians, and it's set to deliver on that front. However, the game won't hit 1080p resolution, at least not all the time anyway.
In order to keep the frame rate rock solid, the team has used a new progressive resolution system that dynamically scales the resolution depending on what's on the screen. That means that you'll get a full 1080p during more chilled sections of gameplay, but when things get more intense, with multiple vehicles on screen and complex visual effects in play, the resolution will take a hit.
According to the developer, the system allows the team to consistently hit its frames per second target without compromising the art direction or scale of the gameplay, which sounds like a reasonable approach.
While FPS and resolution specs get lots of attention, the average gamer probably isn't going to notice it all that much. We've seen plenty of Xbox One games that run at 720p or 900p and still look drop-dead gorgeous.
That said, it's not surprising that the developer is being so upfront about it. A game's resolution is far from the only factor in the quality of its graphics, but it can be a hot topic for gamers, and developers have come under fire in the past for not being clear on it. Just last year, PS4 exclusive Killzone: Shadow Fall was the subject of a (subsequently dismissed) class-action lawsuit regarding upscaling in its multiplayer component.
Aside from the resolution news, the Halo developer also revealed that it's made improvements to the realism of lighting models and in-game materials, and will make use of dedicated servers for both co-op campaign and multiplayer gameplay.
Halo 5: Guardians is set to land on Xbox One on October 27.
Source: Microsoft