Games Happy

RPG Web site: When did you begin engaged on the Trails By way of Dawn II port?

Peter ‘Durante’ Thoman:

This looks as if a query that may have a quite simple and definitive reply, however it’s truly barely extra difficult. We began work on the undertaking in mid-2023, however that alone may be deceptive. We solely labored on it till November 2023, after which we had a (deliberate) interruption as we centered on different tasks. We picked up work on Dawn II once more in early October 2024, and have continued to work on it as much as the PC launch.

RPG Web site: Was there something you realized from porting Ys X that helped enhance this and even the primary sport by way of potential updates?

Durante: Whereas Ys X and each Dawn video games share the identical engine, the way in which it’s utilized in Ys is definitely fairly considerably completely different from the Trails video games. As such, whereas there are many issues which might be immediately transferable between Dawn I and II, this isn’t actually the case as a lot for Ys X. This truly meant that we needed to put extra effort than initially anticipated into ensuring to match all of the PC-specific options and settings we put into Dawn in Ys X, as a result of there’s various them. In fact, it’s nonetheless far simpler than working with a completely new expertise stack.

There are some things that we carried out for the primary time in Ys X which is able to discover their means into Dawn II, and ultimately Dawn I as nicely. One in all them is improved help for prime polling charge (>1000 Hz) mice, or broader and extra highly effective controller help with an SDL-based backend which permits for options corresponding to robotically displaying the proper controller glyphs.

Nevertheless, there’s additionally one thing that occurred very just lately that immediately pertains to your query: whereas engaged on Dawn II, we discovered a shadow sampling enchancment that can be relevant to Dawn I and Ys X. It’s fairly minor, however it doesn’t require any further efficiency in any respect, and we in fact plan to backport it to these video games when now we have a bit extra time.

RPG Web site: Given Trails By way of Dawn II was Falcom’s second sport on the engine, did you discover something that they had finished to enhance post-processing or different options on an engine degree?

Durante: It’s clear that Falcom is devoted to constantly enhancing the engine behind the scenes, even whereas engaged on their video games. With each new sport supply drop we additionally see adjustments and enhancements to the engine – generally these are simply minor tweaks, however generally it’s solely new options. I don’t suppose I ought to go into an excessive amount of element on that, particularly in the event that they haven’t been absolutely utilized in a shipped sport but. 

RPG Web site: That is one thing I’ve by no means thought of asking you earlier than in your ports, however how a lot work goes into the turbo mode function? Some video games battle with larger body charges and speeds. Even Falcom’s personal Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana has a digicam motion challenge with the 1.5x pace.

Durante: There are two appropriate solutions to that: it’s both “very onerous” or “trivial”. Let me clarify: the underlying challenge of turbo mode is precisely the identical because the underlying challenge of supporting arbitrary framerates. Since we take into account the latter one of many absolute top-priority targets for any PC port of a remotely fashionable sport we work on, turbo is sort of “free” – when you’ve mounted all of the arbitrary FPS help points, which generally is a ton of labor.

RPG Web site: Talking of turbo mode and dealing with sport logic at completely different body charges, are you able to cowl the way you dealt with the various mini-games in Trails By way of Dawn II guaranteeing the logic does not break at completely different body charges?

Durante: This has truly gotten a lot better in current Falcom video games in comparison with even 5 years in the past. I needed to examine again with a coworker since I wasn’t immediately concerned with any Dawn II minigames, however apparently there have been no points with arbitrary FPS help in these past small issues like cursor motion pace, that are typically fairly straightforward to resolve. The sport logic was already figuring out of the field.

RPG Web site: Are you able to clarify the way it was working with the Märchen Garten in Trails By way of Dawn II? That is one thing I’ve at all times puzzled about with how completely different or comparable it was for you in comparison with the Reverie Hall?

Durante: It was considerably simpler than the Reverie Hall, primarily as a result of the latter was a large effort. Each of them largely trigger further work for PC because of the further UI they introduce – all of which wants MKB help and a minimum of some work to not break in ultrawide facet ratios – however the Reverie Hall had much more of it. Our instruments for supporting UI in arbitrary facet ratios are additionally even higher now than they have been after we labored on Reverie.

RPG Web site: How a lot work goes into implementing options just like the “Present BGM Choice” or implementing extra area of interest ones like minimap MSAA that I do not see many individuals speak about, however are welcome additions?

Durante: Minimap MSAA was actually fairly easy, I recall that I did it in a single afternoon. I feel that is extra one thing you even have to consider and be prepared to do, each of that are true for me since I’m extraordinarily choosy about rendering particulars like that. Additionally, for some tasks I think about that it may be extra work so as to add new choices typically – our code for dealing with choices is one thing we’re fairly pleased with: including a brand new choice, by way of code, requires precisely one line – after which it’s accessible elsewhere within the code, loaded and saved from the config file, and has UI generated for it within the in-game menu. The one different factor you want are the user-facing description strings in every language.

The BGM data choice is considerably extra work. Not solely does it want some further UI layouting and primary implementation of studying out the knowledge and so forth., a component that shouldn’t be underestimated is definitely getting ready all the knowledge! There’s a ton of music in these video games (Dawn II has 286 BGM recordsdata), and you could know the precise identify in a number of languages, the album it comes from, and the unique sport if it isn’t first launched within the present one. We ship all of this in a .json file, so you’ll be able to take a look to see how a lot there actually is. Fortunately NISA helps us with that – we truly simply bought the ultimate file minutes in the past from me penning this.

RPG Web site: Did you’re employed with the PS5 sport code for this PC launch once more, or did you additionally find yourself working with the PS4 and Swap variations in the event that they helped for low finish techniques?

Durante: We attempt to solely work with the PS5 model as a base for PC. A lot of the code is shared anyway, however optimizations particular to PS4 (or particularly Swap) aren’t actually that relevant to even the lower-end techniques we help. For example, even the Steam Deck – which may be very a lot on the decrease vary of what we anticipate folks to play the sport on – has a lot sooner particular person cores and a way more fashionable GPU structure in comparison with PS4.

RPG Web site: Are you able to inform us the way you carried out the save information switch function on Proton and Steam Deck since nearly each sport fails to implement this nicely. Even Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth does not detect Remake save information on Steam Deck, however you carried out it for Trails By way of Dawn II and earlier than that for Trails from Zero to Azure.

Durante: Nicely, it’s a must to do a little bit of hacking, since sadly there’s not likely a local API for doing it, however it’s not that onerous. Right here’s the whole code, immediately from Dawn II, so if any builders learn this they will do it as nicely.

As I mentioned, it’s a hack, so it might cease working if any of the small print change, however even when it does you’re no worse off than earlier than. And it has been working for some time now. Valve, please give us an interface for this!

RPG Web site: What are your ideas on Ys X: Proud Nordics? I noticed some dialogue concerning the trailer wanting like a visible improve in methods.

Durante: I can’t say that a lot about it since I do know not more than anybody else – a visible improve wouldn’t shock me, a essential goal platform for the primary sport was Swap (1), and that basically requires sacrifices. On the PC model, simply examine the minimal LoD- and draw-distance-related settings to the utmost and allow the higher-end picture high quality settings, and on a couple of maps it appears to be like like a generational distinction.

RPG Web site: You beforehand talked about that you simply aren’t concerned in Trails within the Sky 1st Chapter however want to work on the PC port. Is there any progress on that entrance that you could touch upon? Additionally what do you consider the visuals within the trailer?

Durante: No updates on that but – we’re clearly nonetheless very . When it comes to visuals, I just like the look lots, although I do have an enormous nostalgic comfortable spot for the unique 00s (and nearly 90s-inspired) artwork model, and so I’ll miss {that a} bit.

RPG Web site: I at all times ask you concerning the state of PC ports, and there is a bit extra to cowl this time. After a really tough set of AAA PC ports in 2023, do you suppose we have seen enhancements in how large builders and publishers deal with the platform now?

Durante: There have been some very nice PC ports, however maybe not at all times of the most effective video games. An incredible instance is Dragon Age: Veilguard, which has a implausible PC model.

I do have one thing a bit extra vital to say: some ports are clearly higher than their predecessors, corresponding to FF7 Rebirth, however – on the threat of sounding like a snob – I really feel like individuals are a bit too fast to reward these efforts. If a giant writer releases a port that’s assured to promote, at very least, 100s of hundreds of copies, then it ought to help the PC fundamentals like arbitrary facet ratios, or efficient scaling of shadow high quality considerably past the console normal. It shouldn’t actually be praised simply because it stutters lower than its predecessor. I’ve been enjoying Rebirth, and it’s clearly a really handsome sport and runs decently (although not utterly stutter-free on my setup), however there’s no cause some shadow maps ought to must be distractingly low-res on my {hardware}, or why I ought to solely be capable to use the 16:9 subset of my monitor.

RPG Web site: With the rise of SteamOS and Bazzite and with how terrible WIndows 11 is getting for video games just lately, what are your ideas on the state of issues?

Durante: I don’t suppose that Home windows 11 has gotten that a lot worse, however that’s as a result of – from my perspective – it has been worse than Home windows 10 from the beginning. Microsoft does throw in a couple of real enhancements, however additionally they appear hell-bent on making the system much less appropriate for energy customers.

I do hope that Linux continues to evolve as a viable various to Home windows for gaming, and turns into sufficiently giant in order that it can’t be ignored by publishers. I truly don’t suppose it’s a giant deal if Home windows binaries and well-established, outdated Win32 APIs function a “steady ABI” of types for Linux by way of Proton – it’s a non-trivial downside to make the Linux system work together gracefully with probably decades-out-of-date, unmaintained binary blobs. However that’s what sport platforms in the end have to work with, and that isn’t going to vary to accommodate Linux. So if you’d like Linux to achieve gaming, there must be an surroundings with long-term binary stability.

I understand that I went a bit deep on the technical degree there, to make it extra digestible: Linux software program is generally open supply, so it may be recompiled if essential, e.g. to adapt to new interfaces. Nevertheless, business video games are distributed as compiled binary executables, so that you need an surroundings the place you’ll be able to nonetheless run that sport you acquire 10 or 20 years in the past.

RPG Web site: What are your ideas on the state of PC gaming handhelds? I just lately purchased a ROG Ally and the weakest hyperlink is the OS by far.

Durante: I used to be a really early adopter of this type issue, with the very first GPD Win, and whereas the Steam Deck has implausible {hardware} for its value, I really suppose that the principle means through which it revolutionized the area is software program.

So long as you keep on with the (large) library of supported video games on Steam, the Steam Deck is mainly precisely as usable as a console handheld, however with all the facility, flexibility and consumer management that comes with PC gaming. I at all times thought that this mix of the most effective of each worlds is completely potential – and there merely wasn’t the desire, talent and finances invested to make it occur – however it’s a lot simpler to persuade folks of this when there may be materials proof of it.

RPG Web site: Are you able to clarify why DX12 stutter occurs in so many video games and the way you keep away from it in your personal tasks? That is one thing not many individuals outdoors Alex from Digital Foundry actually cowl.

Durante: Nicely, avoiding DX12 stutter is straightforward for us to date: none of our tasks use DX12.

That mentioned, a few years in the past, when low-level APIs have been first floated for PC gaming and plenty of tech-affine lovers have been hyped for the probabilities, I urged warning. Sure, glorious engineers with a lot of time can clearly get extra out of a system with a lower-level API, however that’s certainly not the default state of tasks, neither then nor now. The lower-level an API, the much less probably it’s {that a} driver can adapt to {hardware} that works in considerably other ways in comparison with what a sport was developed and optimized for.

Even with DX11, avoiding stuttering throughout completely different {hardware} configurations shouldn’t be straightforward. In a number of of our video games I’ve carried out particular mechanisms to try to keep away from this as a lot as potential, and these are the sorts of issues that want quite a lot of expertise and engineering know-how. I wrote a bit extra about this for Ys X right here (significantly within the “GPU Question” half).

To reply your broader query, wanting on the state of the median PC model of a sport, I feel it’s fairly clear that for a lot of of them, nobody truly sat down for any vital period of time (i.e. a minimum of a month) to do PC-centric efficiency engineering. Stutters, or extra particularly, intermittent efficiency drops, are a more durable downside to diagnose than persistently low efficiency. With the latter, a standard profiler will typically pinpoint good areas to start out working, for stuttering you want extra time, extra specialised instruments, and infrequently extra expertise to even begin understanding the problem.

RPG Web site: With the Ys video games you’ve got labored on, you add co-op which is wonderful. Have you ever considered doing one thing like that (not particularly co-op) for the Trails video games to make the PC variations stand out much more apart from the massive technical enhancements?

Durante: I’ve, actually, thought of particularly co-op, significantly within the context of Dawn and onwards. If I had infinite time I’d have already finished it, however Ys video games have the benefit of being each considerably smaller and extra appropriate for benefiting from co-op, so these are the plain selection with restricted time and assets.

Even simply doing this for Ys is sort of equal to a smaller-sized porting undertaking by itself, so it’s a small surprise it occurred persistently for 3 video games now, and doing greater than that’s sadly not viable as of now.

RPG Web site: A very long time in the past, you reached out to Koei Tecmo to supply assist in bringing Atelier to PC. Having performed each Atelier sport since, the PC variations are simply one of the best ways to play them now, however it wasn’t at all times the case initially. We have additionally seen Dynasty Warriors Origins from them lastly see a Warriors sport get a very good PC conversion. Have you ever had time to play any of their current PC releases?

Durante: No, I haven’t performed any Ok-T sport since Ryza (1). That one was much better than a lot of their early efforts, however there are additionally nonetheless a lot of comparatively low-hanging fruits by way of PC choices and enhancements.

Truly, I’ve to make clear: I’ve truly performed Atelier video games since Ryza 1, since I nonetheless actually benefit from the franchise, however they have been earlier releases chronologically so not likely relevant for this query. There’s nonetheless fairly a bit within the franchise I have to make amends for.

RPG Web site: How was it engaged on Phantom Courageous’s PC and PS5 releases?

Durante: Phantom Courageous is a undertaking I particularly wished to look into, since it’s my general favorite sport out of Nippon Ichi’s huge library of SRPGs. It was additionally an fascinating first undertaking for us as a PS5 port. Clearly, with a sport this outdated you largely keep away from points associated to optimization, however we nonetheless needed to make some essential selections on the right way to proceed, e.g. by way of getting the renderer to talk to the PS5.

I’m actually completely satisfied that we have been capable of put out an replace for PC on the identical time, particularly since we might additionally repair some issues launched in earlier porting, back-port some options from subsequent releases, and add a couple of high quality of life and rendering enhancements of our personal.

One factor that was more durable than it’d seem was getting 120 FPS help to work. Keep in mind that that is initially a PS2 sport, from a really completely different period by way of sport growth and engineering, so quite a lot of techniques are designed particularly for a set body charge.

Total, I actually wish to say that the crew – I used to be largely in a consulting position on the undertaking, particularly in terms of PS5 – did an excellent job on this. Oh, and since “the  crew” would possibly sound a bit grandiose, let me make clear: it’s actually simply Markus and Alex.

RPG Web site: Since this was your first PS5 launch, I am curious in the event you’re engaged on another titles for the system. I nonetheless would like to see the PH3 Crossbell releases hit PS5 as a double pack.

Durante: As at all times when the dialog involves stuff like this: speak to the writer! We’d be more than pleased to work on that, and I feel the Crossbell PC (and Swap) ports are a few of our greatest work – you would possibly even name them remasters.

RPG Web site: What are your ideas on the Swap 2 reveal? You delivered 2 of the most effective Swap ports with the Crossbell video games. I might like to see you’re employed on among the missing Swap Falcom ports like Ys VIII and Ys IX for Swap 2. I feel you’d be capable to ship the definitive variations there.

Durante: Nicely, as per above, what we will work on is a writer choice. That mentioned, I agree that there’s a large alternative there to ship an excellent model of beloved video games like Ys VIII that haven’t had an excellent exhibiting on (console) handhelds to date.

RPG Web site: Did you find yourself making an attempt Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana on console in any respect? I am curious what you considered it in the event you did.

Durante: No – I can’t even remotely sustain with all of the PC sport releases I wish to play.

RPG Web site: Going again to Phantom Courageous, it was a shock undertaking for all of us. Did you pitch that to them or did NIS America method PH3 for it?

Durante: I hope I keep in mind this appropriately, however I feel NISA approached us about it since Sean, who’s one in every of our essential contacts on the firm, knew that I used to be an enormous fan of the sport.

RPG Web site: We just lately had Kai no Kiseki introduced and launched for PC with one other CLE port promising DLSS and different upscaling choices. Has Falcom offered you with the vector information wanted for the engine to implement this within the video games you’ve got ported? 

Durante: Sadly I can’t remark intimately on different releases or our personal upcoming tasks at this level.

RPG Web site: Talking of upscalers, what are your ideas on Sony’s PSSR, the present state of XeSS and FSR and in addition Nvidia’s new DLSS 4 options?

Durante: I attempted DLSS4 for the primary time yesterday and I feel its largest strengths are in areas that I personally don’t profit that a lot from: I’ve a really quick GPU paired with a sub-4k decision monitor, so I don’t have to e.g. use “Efficiency” (and even “Balanced”) DLSS modes in something, and am extra fascinated by DLAA.

That mentioned, among the comparisons I’ve seen are extraordinarily spectacular, e.g. how the brand new mannequin is ready to reproduce scrolling textual content on textures in Cyberpunk with only a few samples.

Total, I feel the present high quality rating for spatial upscaling is DLSS earlier than XeSS (on Intel HW), then PSSR and final FSR. I anticipate that DLSS4 will widen the hole even additional, particularly with further refinement of the transformer mannequin. I additionally hope that FSR4 will present a giant leap, in all probability slotting in round or forward of XeSS.

RPG Web site: Trails By way of Dawn II is one other PH3 launch with a number of graphics presets, previews for a lot of visible choices, and is one other stellar PC conversion. What are among the options you suppose gamers ought to pay attention to that they may not discover instantly when enjoying it on PC.

Durante: Nicely, one in every of them is the preview function you speak about: most graphics choices might be live-previewed in sport at any level to instantly see what they do, and folks appear to typically miss that – to be honest, it’s only a small immediate within the backside.

Gamers on Steam may also benefit from the timeline options. There are nonetheless extraordinarily few video games truly implementing the timeline API, so most individuals in all probability don’t learn about it. For those who open up the Steam recording interface whereas enjoying the sport, you’ll see that completely different play states are marked in another way on the timeline, sections are labelled, and varied occasions are tracked and indicated on it too.

However maybe most significantly, there may be a completely new battle digicam mode known as “free look”, which we carried out within the sport. We initially designed it primarily for mouse/keyboard, and it’s nice for that, however it additionally works on controllers. A few of our beta testers and builders even name it “the one good concentrating on mode”. I may not go that far, however it might be a disgrace if most individuals by no means even understand that it exists and that they may favor it. In reality, that mode was already in Trails by way of Dawn I, so in the event you’re a fan of that studying this then give it a strive.

In an analogous vein, there’s a directional mouse flick concentrating on mode that we additionally carried out for PC, however I personally favor free look.

RPG Web site: Talking of graphics presets, how a lot work goes into testing these for gadgets just like the Steam Deck or different lower-end {hardware} in comparison with once you work on dramatically enhancing how a sport scales for these with fashionable excessive finish gaming PCs in comparison with the console variations?

Durante: Steam Deck is now established as our low-end goal platform, and that may be a fairly handy testing surroundings. If a sport runs nicely at acceptable constancy on the Deck, you then might be fairly assured that it’s going to run on all the pieces else we’re concentrating on too. Our aim with ports of latest video games – i.e. ones for which the first growth goal platform was PS5 – is to make them work at a constant 45 FPS at least on the Deck with applicable settings.

In fact, high-end scaling is one in every of my private essential targets, and all the pieces in between that and the Steam Deck on the low finish is taken care of by our nice beta testing crew representing quite a lot of {hardware} configurations.

RPG Web site: Going again to the PC ports within the final yr or so, I feel Dragon Age: The Veilguard is without doubt one of the uncommon AAA video games to truly do a very good job on PC. Did you find yourself enjoying it? What are your ideas?

Durante: Heh, I clearly agree on condition that I already pointed to Veilguard as a constructive instance earlier. I haven’t performed it – as I mentioned, a lot of issues to play, too little time, and it’s not a high precedence – however I’ve used the character creator demo out of curiosity about its rendering.

What actually stood out to me was the hair. This would possibly sound foolish, however I’ve been fascinated by hair rendering and physics for a number of many years now, and I don’t suppose I’ve seen this degree of high quality paired with this degree of customization in a full, large-scale, transport sport earlier than. In reality, nothing else has come shut. You could have a lot of completely different hair kinds, and all of them not solely render at wonderful constancy but additionally behave fairly believably – a minimum of in comparison with the cutting-edge – by way of physics. Congrats to the hair crew at EA!

Hair rendering is fascinating since doing it very well might be costly for one thing that’s in all probability not a precedence for most individuals. Older readers would possibly recall the PS3 / 360 period of bald (or armored) area marines nearly turning right into a meme – whilst you can consider that largely as regular AAA consolidation, it’s additionally true that, particularly on that degree of {hardware}, rendering some bald heads saves you a considerable quantity of efficiency in comparison with some luscious high-quality hair.

RPG Web site: What have been your favourite video games of 2024 amongst all the pieces you performed?

Durante: With questions like these, I typically have the issue that I solely get round to video games a yr or extra after they’re launched, however I did play fairly a couple of 2024 releases in 2024, fortunately.

I like enjoying in co-op, and a spotlight in that regard was Earth Protection Power 6. It’s truthfully horrible at a technical degree, and the PC port is extraordinarily barebones, however there actually is sort of nothing comparable in terms of offering an superior motion co-op marketing campaign, with wonderful class selection and difficult missions (on Inferno problem). In the identical vein, and on the threat of tooting my very own horn, there’s actually not quite a lot of choices in terms of co-op motion JRPGs, and I had a ton of enjoyable enjoying Ys Nordics with a good friend (when not fixing one other co-op bug).

When it comes to single participant video games, what stood out to me from what I performed was Momodora: Moonlit Farewell (I’m at all times up for nice indie Metroidvanias), Metaphor: ReFantazio (Atlus truly managed to make a Persona-like which doesn’t die an early pacing dying), and 1000xRESIST – which is absolutely distinctive and grabbed me.

Speaking about nice indie Metroidvanias, let me throw in a 2025 sport: I already 100% accomplished Ender Magnolia, and I feel it’s an early GotY contender.

RPG Web site: Because you play quite a lot of co-op and even used the mod for Elden Ring, what do you consider Elden Ring Nightreign?

Durante: A correction: I by no means used the co-op mod for Elden Ring, or any of the Souls video games for that matter. We did play all of them utterly in co-op, the old school and barely cumbersome built-in means. However truthfully, having performed the unique PC launch of Darkish Souls absolutely in co-op, at launch, with the built-in mechanisms, the built-in co-op in Elden Ring already feels extraordinarily handy compared.

Regarding Nightreign, I’m actually completely satisfied to see From Software program specializing in co-op, though I really feel like from what we all know to date the precise design focus of the sport may not attraction to me as a lot because the mainline Elden Ring expertise does. That mentioned, I’m definitely going to play it, most definitely proper round launch.

I simply actually hope they provide us greater than 60 FPS and 16:9 this time round.

RPG Web site: Since I at all times ask about espresso, and I do know you bought an RGB kettle, how’s that been working to date? I might additionally like to know what sort of espresso you get for the workplace.

Durante: You at all times ask about espresso, and I at all times must disappoint you by telling you that we don’t have any espresso drinkers in PH3, or a minimum of not ones within the video games unit who drink espresso on the workplace. When it comes to tea, right here’s (Editor’s notice: the photograph hooked up above) the news on what I’ve been ingesting just lately – not sponsored.