Native Resolution vs. Supported Resolution...What's the difference?

[Ascended_Saiyan]

What does it all mean (native vs. just supported)? I'll define the differences between the two (in a very simple manner) and give a history as to why it was done.

Native vs. Supported

Native resolution means the developer created the game at that particular resolution (it's what the consoles render/create the images to be displayed at internally). In other words, the game is at it's best (the way it was meant to be seen) at that resolution. Anything higher than that native resolution is, basically, just stretching the image out. Anything lower is shrinking the image.

Supported resolution means the developers allow the game to be upscaled or down-res'ed to the resolutions listed on the back of the game.


The Last-Gen to Next-Gen (This-Gen now) Supported Resolution History Summary

Last-Gen almost everyone just had a SDTV (standard definition television...480 res). A handful of people had a HDTV. They wanted to let people know that the game will work with their TV set. The best way to do that was to list ALL the resolutions the game will work (display) under. At that time, the highest resolution listed was, generally, what the game's native resolution was.

Next-Gen started with the Xbox 360. ATI and MS promised that all Xbox 360 games will be 720p resolution with 4xAA. Developers did not even start out with EVERY game created at 720p with 4xAA (see link to Beyond 3d pixel counter). It was allowed, so it continued. That meant that instead of the highest listed resolution being a native resolution, it was, possibly, an upscaled image (blown up image like a picture). So, games created by developers for the Xbox 360, that weren't created at 720p, could sneak under the radar.

Now, the PS3 enters the Next-Gen game boasting about HDMI and 1080p graphics. MS called BS (). An MS exec. said 1080p graphics was, basically, impossible. Once, the PS3 had a 1080p or two, MS needed to find a way to not look outclassed. They worked on a work around. They upscaled to 1080p (even the dashboard interface)! Then, ANY game that was released under the Xbox 360 banner, now, had a 1080p added to their game boxes. Consumers were fooled, again. Of course, MS does have a small collection of less demanding native 1080p games (around 3 games).

On the other hand, Sony disabled the ability to upscale at first. It was rumored that a scaler didn't even exist in the PS3. It seemed like this was their way of making developers create games for their consle in, at least, 720p or higher, though this has NOT been confirmed. The 3rd party developers, that weren't creating 720p games on the Xbox 360, were pissed. Sony got yelled at from developers. Being that the PS3 didn't command a large install base, they caved in for the good of their sales. They allowed developers to use the vertical scaler in the PS3 for upscaling. It is believed by some that to compete with the Xbox 360's appearance of providing 1080p on every game, Sony started putting supported and not native resolutions on most game boxes.

That's why you have supported resolutions on the PS3 and Xbox 360 game boxes and not native resolutions most of the time.

Next time...we will learn the difference between 1080p and FULL 1080p!


Links:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x...defdetails.htm

http://www.nforcershq.com/article3041.html

http://games.kikizo.com/news/200603/101.asp

Native Resolution

Video Upscaler (Basically the same definition for upscaling)

PS3 upset at developers...hardware scaler discovered

Beyond 3D Pixel Counter Thread (for accurate native resolutions of games)