Big Versus pits all three GRID versions against each other

by Ross Miller { Jun 3rd 2008 at 11:25PM }

After all that hubbub over GameTrailers' GRID comparison, are you ready for yet another side-by-side? Our friends at Big Download have a new Big Versus for the racer, with the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions all pitted against one another.

If you're the kind of person who drools when screenshots are cut in half and then re-spliced with similar shots from different platforms, there's no time to waste!

Tags: big-download, big-versus, grid

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

HighFiveJesus @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:37PM

I read on another site that the 360 version has a ton of bugs too, so while skimming that article, it was apparently enough to make the 360 either "Just as good" or a little worse.

Anonim @ Jun 4th 2008 12:32AM

I read something complete opposite. (read below)
Anyway The Big Something comparison is .. not very ...good... How can you do X360-PS3-PC comparison when you DON'T HAVE PS3 version?!

----

DEMO:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=139270

[quote]Why bother including this stat?
Screen tear can have a huge impact on picture quality. For example on one test I did on the Race Driver GRID demo, ***360 ran at a constant 30fps while PS3 averaged at 28.76fps.*** Not so much difference there you might think, until you factor in that almost ***40 percent of the 60Hz output of the PS3 version was torn frames***, versus 0 percent on 360.[/quote]

FULL VERSION is (by developers words) better:

http://www.psu.com/GRiD-retail-version-better-than-demo--a0003765-p0.php
[quote]
Executive Producer, Gavin Raeburn (Uncle Chewy), has stated that the game has made several improvements in comparison to how the demo played.

While he has stated that the PlayStation 3 version runs at 30FPS 99% of the time, it still leaves you wondering how developers can't even manage 30FPS 100% of the time this far into the consoles life cycle.

"Just a few updates: Firstly, we v-sync every frame, but allow the game to overrun if needed, which is very rare and is much preferable to a complete frame drop. Secondly, our performance tests show that the 360 is running at a rock solid 30fps and the PS3 rarely drops, being rock solid 99% of the time. San Fran in the demo is probably our worst performer when the action gets really heavy on a couple of those long straights.
[/quote]

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Jun 4th 2008 1:04AM

I think HighFiveJesus is just spreading some FUD.

No more skimming Jesus

HighFiveJesus @ Jun 4th 2008 2:20AM

hey now, i dug it up. its on destructoid, which i rarely skim through but i recall seeing it. it could be wrong though but it is evident.
http://www.destructoid.com/grid-for-the-360-broken-devs-try-to-figure-it-out-88532.phtml

Also, what is FUD?

derf @ Jun 4th 2008 4:46AM

FUD means Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt I believe.

Tiptup300 @ Jun 4th 2008 10:57AM

It's also related to JFGI.

JontheNinja @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:41PM

You guys are creating some kind of Frankenstein that will someday pull itself out of the very bowels of your monitor and strangle you.

The Sound @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:43PM

Anyone else think that it's strange to hear a 'reviewer' say to get the PS3 version over the 360 one?

After seeing all the issues with PS3 ports, I had to do a double take when I saw that the '360 version is broken'

Einhanderkiller @ Jun 3rd 2008 11:47PM

Codemasters did a surprisingly good job on the PC version. The game runs really well (the game never dropped below 45 FPS on Ultra settings with 2x MSAA and 16x AF on my 8800 GTS 512) and the game looks fantastic.
http://xs128.xs.to/xs128/08233/grid342.jpg

DWells55 @ Jun 4th 2008 8:03AM

Thanks for that benchmark, I have an 8800GT which is a bit slower, but I've overclocked it pretty nicely and my 19" monitor only goes up to 1440x900. I might have to pick up a copy later and pray that it works with my Logitech wheel I bought for GT5.

Wii60Warrior @ Jun 4th 2008 12:16AM

I've never even heard of this website before so I can't comment on how valid their judgements are.

I would still get the 360 version though for online alone. But the bottom line is that this game is NOT a system seller on either platform so people wiill buy it for whichever console they happen to prefer.

Overall though I think this game has excellent graphics on all systems so it really doesn't matter.

Einhanderkiller @ Jun 4th 2008 1:12AM

Big Download is Joystiq's PC gaming sister site.

unboring @ Jun 4th 2008 2:04AM

when you say for the online alone, im assuming your talking about xbox360's ability to send in game messages, invites, custom soundtracks. So I guess your forgetting the impending PS3 2.4 update bring in game xmb access, custom soundtracks, trophies (accomplishments) this month, and probably before mgs4 is released on june 12th. Great that you pay 50 dollars a year for pretty much the same thing except you dont have dedicated servers or what could be a very unique online experience with home.

your ignorant blantently blind fanboyism is always annoying. Im glad the XBOX360 version is broken with bugs, I hope your box RRoD on it.

John @ Jun 4th 2008 6:03AM

And in the blue corner, we have kettle, who has been really calling out and talking shit about pot all week.

Vcize @ Jun 4th 2008 10:38AM

unboring,

While I agree with you that W6W is pretty much the epitomy of blind fanboy, I don't think the idea of picking up Grid for XBL even with FW 2.4 coming is all that out there.

For starters, has this ever actually been confirmed that In-game XMB is coming within the next week or is this still in the rumor stage? We've all heard these "coming soon" things before...

Secondly, we have not seen it and we have no idea how functional or complete it will be, or whether or not it will actually work at all. I would almost go as far as to say that given Sony's history, expecting it to be everything XBL is and work perfectly right out of the gate is just as much "blind fanboyism" as you claim is coming from the other side.

Thirdly, dedicated servers aren't always a good thing. A large part of it is that to be frank, most console companies suck at them (see GTA4, R6V2, Orange Box which all launched fine on the 360 but were unplayable online out of the gate on dedicated servers on the other side). Also, it's not that there aren't dedicated servers on the 360, just less of them. You didn't really think that people were playing 50-player Frontlines matchs on a p2p connection did you? Also dedicated servers can be turned off when the game gets old even if people are still playing. Not a problem yet, but as someone who fell victim to this several times last gen let me tell you, it sucks when it happens.

Lastly, since XBL has had these features for almost 3 years now many people have already built up a friends list of people they prefer to play with there, both because it is easier to do and because they spent more time there due to those features. I can't speak for everyone but to me, playing with friends is pretty much goal #1 when playing online. My XBL friends list is full, my PS3 friends list has yet to hit double digits because it's always been a pain to add people there and because I spent less time on multi-plat games there.

Anyway, it's going to be awesome if FW2.4 implements all these features as well as XBL and I'll be the first one to be stoked about it, but right now I could still see someone buying the 360 version for online play (I know I will be) without it just being blind fanboyism (even though in W6W's case it would be).

arrrgh @ Jun 4th 2008 10:54AM

vcize

truth brotha

giantenemycrab @ Jun 4th 2008 12:20AM

This game is awesome, btw.

AZ @ Jun 4th 2008 2:08AM

I keep trying to enjoy the game. Its decent, but completely a arcade racer. We all know this, but i keep seeing the comparisons to GT5P and i cant figure out why. Yes they are both racers, but I kept reading about gamers comparing this game (while i think its people who have not played GT5 who are disparaging the most). So i decided to spend almost 3-4 hours playing this game last night.

Online is pretty boring. The first turn every idiot wipes out and crashes into each other...you simply need to brake way before the turn and watch the chaos take place in front of you. Zip around and the corner and pass the rest of the crash monkeys. Once you have first place, its almost impossible to lose that spot as long as you dont crash. I road perfectly behind another guy for 4 laps and since their is no concept of drifting, its almost impossible to pass the guy. Its almost like a barrier that you cant cross unless the guy makes a big mistake. Now granted the "no boomerang" effect was turned on so maybe this is why. Although i was about 15 ft behind the guy.

Braking is so unrealistic, cars stop on a dime and when you take a corner and you start to drift it almost feels like you can correct and come out of the drift too easily. The under and oversteer are very unrealistic. It almost feels like you can steer the back wheels to correct your skid...best way i can explain it.

It feels nothing like driving a car, at all. It feels like driving a racing game online. I used to race motocross so have a pretty decent understanding of racing, and this doesnt really feel like it. Yet i keep hearing people claim its so realistic.

The graphics...which people keep telling me rival GT5??? Cmon....honestly, they are nice, but not even in the same league. Im using a 1080p 56 inch Samsung on HDMI.

I dunno. Its ok, its fun if you find some decent drivers online, other then that, get in the lead, and you might not see another driver the whole time. If you understand driving you can clearly dominate online on this game. And playing both racing games online, there are a lot of glitches online. I keep seeing cars hoping for some reason, and then disappearing and reappearing.

Theres my review and my 2 cents.....vote me down, cuz everyone has a hardon about this game and i just dont, but am trying to understand why.

Paul (PSN: heypaul) @ Jun 4th 2008 10:13AM

Ross, I understand you guys link to Big Download because of the AOL love, but their Big Versus columns are some of the worst comparisons on the internet.

They don't seem to have any capture equipment (let alone copies of the game on each platform); instead relying solely on screenshots they dug up somewhere on the internet. Take a look at their Mass Effect comparison article, for example. "Weellll...in this vaguely similar PR screenshot, this guy's head's a bit bigger and the lighting's a bit dimmer, so it's pretty obvious that the textures are more detailed here." Forget the fact that the angles of the shots are different and the distances are variable enough that depth of field and level of detail effects should to be taken into account.

Okay, it's understandable that since they don't have the proper capture equipment, and all they can do is work off of EA's publicity screenshots. What's not understandable is why they would even bother when their resources don't allow for anything more accurate than a wet-thumb-to-the-wind comparison. It's far too obvious that they're doing it just because "that other site did it and got so many hits." When GameTrailers, GameVideos, GameSpot and even Beyond3D offer far superior comparison shots/videos/articles, linking to Big Download's comparison article smells a little too much like nepotism.

SovietSpartan @ Jun 4th 2008 1:23PM

Seriously, you can see I posted real screenshots in the comments for that article and right before it I did, the editor said something about negligible differences.

Mutant @ Jun 4th 2008 10:29AM

This comparison MAY be correct but if they didn't have the PS3 version then this isn't a good comparison.

Get the PS3 version and then do a true comparison.

Fanbois will react strongly to comparisons so it really helps to be able to point to good methodology. This article can't.

Dirty @ Jun 4th 2008 12:49PM

Im sure the 360 version will get a patch soon enough, Im not going to run out to play this game. I will play it during the summer drought.

jayeffaar @ Jun 4th 2008 1:52PM

Their argument that the consoles win on Controls because the PC version requires extra equipment if you want a wheel (and driving with the keyboard sucks is just bizarre). Obviously, if you play racing games on your PC, you already have the proper hardware, so why is that a factor?

A better point, as far as I'm concerned, is that both the PC and PS3 versions will let you use high-quality Logitech wheels, while on the 360, you're stuck with Microsoft's piece of donkey poo (don't shoot, I own a 360 and the MS wheel, so I know how horrible it is from personal experience).

From my point of view, PC and PS3 win on Controls, with the 360 lagging behind, unless you use a gamepad to drive, in which case the 360 is better (because of the triggers), or the PC with a 360 pad.

jayeffaar @ Jun 4th 2008 1:55PM

To clarify what I tried to write, I meant to say

"Their argument that the consoles win on Controls because the PC version requires extra equipment if you want a wheel (and driving with the keyboard sucks) is just bizarre."

The closing parenthesis ended up in the wrong place...