‘Protecting Players From Themselves’: Ys X Proud Nordics Developer Discusses Why Ultra Graphics Settings Should Not Determine Game Optimization

Challenges in PC Gaming: A Developer’s Perspective

PC gaming has faced significant hurdles in recent years, with many titles launching plagued by technical and optimization issues that remain unresolved. A major contributing factor is the perception of a game’s optimization often being evaluated through its Ultra settings. This situation necessitates that developers, like PH3’s Peter “Durante”Thoman, who is behind the Ys X: Proud Nordics for PC, PS5, and Switch 2, must “protect players from themselves”while seeking a balance between optimization and future-proofing their games.

Insights from a Legendary Developer

In a comprehensive interview with RPGFan, Durante, renowned for rectifying the notorious PC port of Dark Souls with DSFix, elaborated on his remark about “protecting players from themselves.”This statement arose during discussions about the Trails beyond the Horizon PC port, especially when players push settings to Ultra, only to later complain about optimization.

Understanding Player Behavior

Durante noted, “I don’t think it’s ‘a lot’ of players, but this does happen. And it is very annoying— not just because it’s our work, but because it’s genuinely counter-productive.”He explained their efforts to provide a comprehensive range of settings that cater to both low-power devices, like the Steam Deck, and high-end configurations, featuring a 500 Watt monster GPU.

The Importance of Scalability

Unfortunately, few PC ports today offer this kind of scalability, leading to significant challenges for developers. Durante emphasized, “That’s the crux: as a developer, we get to decide what e.g.‘Ultra’ means. Judging the ‘optimization’ of a game based on its performance at ‘Ultra’ settings generates perverse incentives.”He suggested that if they were to merely rename ‘Very High’ to ‘Ultra’ without any substantive changes, the game’s perceived optimization would improve by this misleading metric.

A Call for Future-Proofing in Game Development

This prevalent misunderstanding makes it challenging for developers to implement highly scalable settings that ensure future-proofing for their games. Durante, a PC gaming enthusiast for over 20 years, advocates for this approach, recalling the joy of returning to older games with modern hardware. He argued that discouraging developers from including high-end options directly undermines this experience.

Emphasizing Longevity Over Current Trends

Durante’s perspective underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of PC and console performance that seems to have diminished in recent generations. By avoiding the capping of a PC port’s settings to match those of its console equivalents, developers could focus on maximizing the platform’s primary advantage: longevity.

Personal Reflections on Gaming Evolution

Reflecting on personal experiences, exploring older titles like The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings at modern resolutions and framerates showcases what makes PC gaming distinctive. Had CD Projekt Red restricted settings to align with the hardware of that era, the opportunity to experience the game anew, as Durante described, would have been lost.

The Future of Game Development

While optimism persists that more developers will embrace future-proof Ultra settings, the frequent announcements of remasters suggest that this shift may not happen swiftly. As the industry continues to evolve, the hope for advanced scalability and tailored optimization remains vital for a thriving PC gaming environment.

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