Face-Off Extra: BioShock frame analysis

100 like-for-like frames compared.

Image credit: Eurogamer

Blog by Eurogamer Staff Contributor

Updated on Nov. 4, 2008

Eurogamer's Face-Off king Rich Leadbetter likes to do things properly, which means going to unbelievable lengths in his research, sometimes just for the sake of a couple of sentences. So when he asked if we could put up the results of his BioShock frame-rate analysis - 100 like-for-like frames compared - we couldn't bear to deny him. Check out Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 Face-Off: Round 15 to see where all this fits in. Over to Rich:

Xbox 360

To carry out these tests, the same video was captured from both versions of the game and then trimmed to be 100% frame accurate; the same action, the same amount of frames. HDMI capture at full 24-bit RGB precision with lossless compression ensures a digitally accurate capture. The frame rate detector tool then compares each frame with the next. A 0.0000% reading indicates a duplicate frame.

With regards this Xbox 360 clip, every other frame in the 60fps capture a duplicate, meaning a solid 30fps output from the game.

frm 0: diff from frm 1 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 1: diff from frm 2 = 0.1546% at (576,0)
frm 2: diff from frm 3 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 3: diff from frm 4 = 0.1297% at (576,0)
frm 4: diff from frm 5 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 5: diff from frm 6 = 0.1787% at (576,0)
frm 6: diff from frm 7 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 7: diff from frm 8 = 0.0474% at (2112,0)
frm 8: diff from frm 9 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 9: diff from frm 10 = 0.1363% at (576,0)
frm 10: diff from frm 11 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 11: diff from frm 12 = 0.1745% at (576,0)
frm 12: diff from frm 13 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 13: diff from frm 14 = 0.1583% at (576,0)
frm 14: diff from frm 15 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 15: diff from frm 16 = 0.1400% at (576,0)
frm 16: diff from frm 17 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 17: diff from frm 18 = 0.1783% at (576,0)
frm 18: diff from frm 19 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 19: diff from frm 20 = 0.1243% at (576,0)
frm 20: diff from frm 21 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 21: diff from frm 22 = 0.0952% at (576,0)
frm 22: diff from frm 23 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 23: diff from frm 24 = 0.1031% at (576,0)
frm 24: diff from frm 25 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 25: diff from frm 26 = 0.1824% at (1856,0)
frm 26: diff from frm 27 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 27: diff from frm 28 = 0.1646% at (1856,0)
frm 28: diff from frm 29 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 29: diff from frm 30 = 0.1168% at (576,0)
frm 30: diff from frm 31 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 31: diff from frm 32 = 0.0636% at (576,0)
frm 32: diff from frm 33 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 33: diff from frm 34 = 1.2762% at (960,0)
frm 34: diff from frm 35 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 35: diff from frm 36 = 1.2633% at (960,0)
frm 36: diff from frm 37 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 37: diff from frm 38 = 0.9200% at (704,0)
frm 38: diff from frm 39 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 39: diff from frm 40 = 0.4318% at (768,0)
frm 40: diff from frm 41 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 41: diff from frm 42 = 0.7351% at (640,0)
frm 42: diff from frm 43 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 43: diff from frm 44 = 0.4210% at (576,0)
frm 44: diff from frm 45 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 45: diff from frm 46 = 0.4546% at (576,0)
frm 46: diff from frm 47 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 47: diff from frm 48 = 0.7846% at (832,0)
frm 48: diff from frm 49 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 49: diff from frm 50 = 0.2335% at (448,0)
frm 50: diff from frm 51 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 51: diff from frm 52 = 0.3295% at (576,0)
frm 52: diff from frm 53 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 53: diff from frm 54 = 0.2697% at (576,0)
frm 54: diff from frm 55 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 55: diff from frm 56 = 0.2477% at (448,0)
frm 56: diff from frm 57 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 57: diff from frm 58 = 0.2510% at (448,0)
frm 58: diff from frm 59 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 59: diff from frm 60 = 0.2086% at (448,0)
frm 60: diff from frm 61 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 61: diff from frm 62 = 0.1849% at (448,0)
frm 62: diff from frm 63 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 63: diff from frm 64 = 0.1961% at (448,0)
frm 64: diff from frm 65 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 65: diff from frm 66 = 0.1961% at (512,0)
frm 66: diff from frm 67 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 67: diff from frm 68 = 0.2905% at (448,0)
frm 68: diff from frm 69 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 69: diff from frm 70 = 0.3549% at (1216,0)
frm 70: diff from frm 71 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 71: diff from frm 72 = 0.2015% at (320,0)
frm 72: diff from frm 73 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 73: diff from frm 74 = 0.1882% at (576,0)
frm 74: diff from frm 75 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 75: diff from frm 76 = 0.2568% at (640,0)
frm 76: diff from frm 77 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 77: diff from frm 78 = 0.2926% at (576,0)
frm 78: diff from frm 79 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 79: diff from frm 80 = 0.2007% at (448,0)
frm 80: diff from frm 81 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 81: diff from frm 82 = 0.1912% at (576,0)
frm 82: diff from frm 83 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 83: diff from frm 84 = 0.1762% at (448,0)
frm 84: diff from frm 85 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 85: diff from frm 86 = 0.2747% at (576,0)
frm 86: diff from frm 87 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 87: diff from frm 88 = 0.3221% at (576,0)
frm 88: diff from frm 89 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 89: diff from frm 90 = 0.2045% at (512,0)
frm 90: diff from frm 91 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 91: diff from frm 92 = 0.2547% at (448,0)
frm 92: diff from frm 93 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 93: diff from frm 94 = 0.4496% at (576,0)
frm 94: diff from frm 95 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 95: diff from frm 96 = 0.3690% at (576,0)
frm 96: diff from frm 97 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 97: diff from frm 98 = 0.1421% at (320,0)
frm 98: diff from frm 99 = 0.0000% at (0,0)
frm 99: diff from frm 100 = 0.1450% at (512,0)
frm 100: diff from frm 101 = 0.0000% at (0,0)

PlayStation 3

Duplicate frames are often doubled, suggesting a 20fps output mixed arbitrarily with the standard 30fps pattern. A juddering update on-screen is an inevitable consequence.