On significance of platform transition: PS1/PS2/PS3/PS4

[Exhuminator]

In another thread the subject of platform transitional significance has been debated. Specifically in relation to the PlayStation series of consoles. That is to say; how noticeable of a difference one can infer from the computational complexity/graphical power of one system versus its immediate successor. So it is my hope that this thread can be used to discuss this issue in depth, without further derailing the original thread from which it spawned.

So what do you think? There's a poll, yes, but more informed responses would be welcomed in replies. Do you think the transition from PS1 to PS2 was considerably more advanced than that of PS2 to PS3? Do you think that going from PS2 to PS3 wasn't that big of an improvement, or was it quite dramatic? Could many PS4 games be graphically reduced and still play the same on a PS3? Or do you think every tier has brought serious improvement each and every time?

[fastbilly1]

An interesting comparison of a race in Gran Turismo's through the generations:


Sure they should have chose the same car on the same track, but you get the idea.

To me the jump from PSX to PS2 is the biggest, from PS2 to PS3 slightly less, the jump from PS3 to PS4 is marginal on the surface, but huge when you compare side to side:


Sadly the PS4 can get a bit to close to the uncanny valley for me.

Edit:
Interesting graphic I found on the subject:

[isiolia]

I think on a basic "what games look like on launch" type comparison, the PS1 to PS2 jump was the most significant.

The others are still pretty large jumps, depending on what you look at, and there are arguably large shifts on other parts of the platform. The difference between PS2 and PS3 online service, for instance, is pretty significant.

To a point, I think it's also reflective of development trends of the time. With more games already being designed around multiplatform release, based on licensed engines/tools, and so on...it's a different ecosystem. Plus, it's not always just in screenshots - there are lists of things cut from the Wii versions of CoD that aren't all represented there, for example.

[Kuruwin]

Look at dem shit graphics.....this is PS2 yet it look's like it's on PS1!!!!!.



And my goad. Dem PS1 games actually look like god damn SNES games.



What a ripp off.

[Jmustang1968]

The problem is, there is on the surface first look differences, which seem more obvious when you see early primitive ps1 era 3d vs PS2. But you also mentioned computational complexity, which is different. That complexity I think has greatly increased with more recent generations. Dev cycles have gone up a lot just due to these reasons.

Increased progress on things like AI, and multiple AIs at once, and then you get into texture and texture quality while maintaining framerates etc... all these things have drastically increased with recent gens.

[TSTR]

In the end, all this boils down to how well boobs are rendered.

[casterofdreams]

I think the transition to the HD era of gaming had the most significant transition.

From graphical detail to resolution support and display, I feel trumps PS1 to PS2 transition. If we look at other things such as sound design, hardware functionality, and even just infrastructure like online capabilities, it's easy to see the larger impact.

I know, or at least I think, the focus is on graphical capabilities here and if taken by itself I still stand by my vote.

[TSTR]

caster makes sense, so I voted PS2 PS3

COME AT ME BROS

[isiolia]

From graphical detail to resolution support and display, I feel trumps PS1 to PS2 transition. If we look at other things such as sound design, hardware functionality, and even just infrastructure like online capabilities, it's easy to see the larger impact.

I think a lot of that is true, especially with regard to online, given how gaming has evolved.

On the other hand, consider how many games "faked it" on the PS1 with prerendered backgrounds or other graphics tricks. In a lot of ways, PS2 (or sixth gen, really) was when a lot of genres started being able to be done roughly how they're still done now. Maybe part of that is because their general design doesn't call for anything better, but still.

[Kuruwin]

But seriously speaking at least feelings wise it's hard me to say which feel's the most significant jump. It wasn't until maybe year or two before the release of XBOX 360 when i got my first console which was the original XBOX so i didn't really get to experience the leaps the sameway like the others did.

Before slowly moving to consoles i only played on consoles at friends and relatives and at home we played one PC and gaming PC's of course get upgraded somewhat regularly so it's more gradual progression on PC.

Of course games get gradually more complex on consoles too but not at the same extent as games on PC on late 90's and early 2000's.

Caster makes good points but i would have to think about it longer to really choose what technically progressed things the most. There's lot of games that play badly on PS2 but most 3D action games are real clunkers on the PS1 so there was lot of improvement on the controls and camera which is pretty big thing.

Though i don't know if that should count because it's just more due to fact that 3D games on consoles were new thing and that should be looked at as just growing pains.

Not something that PS2 era of consoles should get credit for.