The Switchback VR update patch notes describe many texture enhancements

The update patch notes are more detailed than the previous list of changes Supermassive Games revealed. It runs though the general improvements, the biggest of which is support for foveated rendering, which uses eye tracking to render the part of the screen the player is looking at at a higher resolution. Supermassive claims there is also better temporal anti-aliasing, textures, lighting, effects for wet objects, and overall effects, just to name a few. Most of these changes are visual in nature, but the studio has also added dynamic hit reactions to enemies.

These are just some of the alleged upgrades, as Supermassive detailed certain enhancements seen in each level. While quite massive, the studio explained that more support was on the way, but did not detail what was in store.

Players have been waiting for this update since its launch in March. Players and critics almost unanimously called out its muddy or blurry visuals to the point where Supermassive released a statement the following day.

After months of vague updates, the studio noted that it had missed its goal of releasing the update in late June and was aiming for the first two weeks of July. That window passed, which prompted Supermassive community manager Georgina Howlett to say that, despite it being 15 days later, the team meant two calendar weeks.

Here are the full Switchback VR update patch notes:

General

• Introduction of FSR (flexible scaled rasterization) and FR (foveated rendering) support to greatly improve visual quality.
• Enabled Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) for a smoother image
• Optimisation pass throughout the game for improved performance and prevention of objects and textures ‘popping’ as the cart moves.
• Memory usage improvements
• Various crash fixes
• Reduction in loading times
• New and improved models and textures for environment objects
• New higher-quality textures for several enemies
• Improvements to visual effects throughout the game, including fire, headshots and more.
• Added dynamic hit reactions to several enemies.
• Improved lighting in several levels
• Improved the look of fog throughout the game.
• Various fixes and improvements to enemy animations
• Various fixes to clipping issues throughout the game.
• Improvements to headset vibration caused by obstacles.
• Fixes for cart / track audio and haptic feedback on the controllers Improved fading effects for destroyed materials.
• Adjusted position of various objects throughout the game so they are no longer floating.
• Added missing materials to various objects.
• Various improvements to collisions, making it easier to shoot objects.
• Various fixes to checkpoints and reloading levels
• Various adjustments to enemy pathing
• Added shadow casting from the cart light.
• Improved decals like blood and oil
• Added wet effect on hands and weapons when the player is under the rain.
• Loading icon brightens up when spinning faster.
• Turning down audio sound effects no longer turns off haptics.
• Added sound effects to non-damaging head impacts.
• Fixed an issue where the player’s vision got progressively darker in several levels.
• Fixed various streaming issues that cause the environment to ‘pop in’ throughout the game

UI Fixes

• Various fixes to subtitles in several languages
• Various fixes to voiceover and subtitles timings
• Fixed an issue where an incorrect score was displayed on the leaderboard screen after every chapter.
• Fixed an issue where some text was getting cut off at the ‘Journey So Far’ screen in several languages.
• Fixed an issue where subtitles were visible in the pause menu if the subtitle settings were adjusted whilst dialogue is playing.

Haunted Shipwreck

• General
  • New and improved textures for the enemies in these levels
  • Added dynamic hit reactions to zombies.
• Maiden Voyage
  • New and improved fire effects
  • Fixed multiple instances of enemies clipping into the cart.
  • Fixed multiple instances of enemies floating off the ground.
  • Adjusted floating objects throughout the level.
  • Fixed issue with the chain-link fence in the first area changing opacity as you approached it.
  • Adjusted collision on the puzzle assets so only the valves can be shot to trigger them.
  • Fixed an issue with enemies not being close enough to the cart to cause damage.
  • Adjusted the timings of the light flickering in the encounter after the ‘Meat Tunnel’.
  • Adjusted the speeds of enemies in the boat encounter.
  • Reworked the paths and tasks of enemies in the last fight for better timing.
  • Adjusted curtain material to prevent seeing through them Fixed an issue regarding shooting the grenade launcher at the swarm of rats caused the game to crash.
  • Fixed an issue with gaps in the water.
  • Fixed an issue where an enemy left alive behind the cart and could be heard throughout the level, despite being far away.
  • Fixed collisions so the swarm of rats no longer gets stuck on the track.
• Into the Ship’s Heart
  • Fixed an issue where dying after the first branching track did not reset the level.
  • Adjusted floating and clipping assets throughout the level.
  • Fixed an issue with the blood rain visual where sound effects were not playing correctly in the ship’s kitchen.
  • Fixed an issue with broken helicopter blades appearing before the helicopter crash at the end of the level.
  • Adjusted timings on the last encounter with the boss’ attack to prevent the player being hurt too early.
  • Improved the demon dog animations.
  • Balance fixes to the demon dog fights.
  • Added rain haptics on the last outdoor section.
  • Fixed an issue where we could see an invisible barrel exploding when the boss dies.

Cursed Forest

• General
  • Multiple adjustments and fixes to the fog throughout both levels for better visual quality
  • New and improved tree and foliage throughout both levels
  • New and improved fire effects throughout both levels
  • Added more dynamic hit reactions to the enemies.
• Abandon All Hope
  • Fixed an issue in the Black Cat bar where some objects were misaligned.
  • Made the headset vibration more intense during the bus crash.
  • Adjusted collisions on objects to allow for easier shooting.
  • Adjusted the paths of the giant bats in the tunnel.
  • Adjusted the fire visual effects so they no longer clip with the walls inside the burning house.
• Burning Trials
  • Lighting improvements throughout the level
  • Demon in the police station can now be properly interrupted during their attack.
  • Improved the visual appearance of the UV decal.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the dolls to sometimes crawl sideways on the ceiling or walls.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the last demon to not attack during the final phase of the fight.

Forsaken Ruins

• General
  • New and improved textures for the enemies
  • Added more dynamic hit reactions to enemies.
• Ancient Temple
  • Lighting improvements throughout the level
  • Shortened the eclipse scene so that the fight starts sooner.
  • Fixed an issue with Belial clipping into the cart.
  • Fixes to several floating objects
  • Added missing sound effects when the environment changes with the blinking mechanic.
  • Added missing sound effects on the rock falls.
• Into the Abyss
  • Lighting improvements throughout the level
  • Environment improvements throughout the level
  • Fixed an issue where the passenger could still be heard speaking despite being dead.
  • Improvements on timings and other issues with the boss fight

Doomed Hotel

• Enjoy Your Stay
  • Scythes now deal significantly more damage.
  • Fixed several instances of enemies clipping through the floor when appearing.
  • Fixed an issue where shooting the mirrors resulted in blood effects coming out of them.
• Panopticon
  • Visual improvements to the acid traps
  • Fixed an issue where repeatedly shooting one of the animatronics with the stun gun caused it to be pushed through walls.
  • Fixed an issue where shooting through the mattress killed an animatronic on the other side.
  • Significant improvements to the environment, particularly outdoor sections
  • Lighting improvements throughout the level, particularly in the final section

Switchback Levels

• Welcome to Inferno’s Ride
  • New and improved trees and foliage throughout the level
  • Adjusted collisions on objects to allow for easier shooting.
• Frozen Hell
  • Fixed various floating objects, duplicated objects and clipping issues in dolls and mannequins
  • Fixed noticeable holes in icy objects
  • Fixed an issue with voiceover and subtitles being out of sync at the end of the level.

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The Switchback VR update will include a slew of visual fixes

Supermassive Games announced the date on Twitter with a very short trailer (one that seemed unrelated to the patch). It didn’t come with official patch notes — those are also slated for July 21 — but Supermassive has previously revealed generally what they will be:

• Fixes for blurred/low resolution visuals
• Fixes for textures and assets popping
• Greatly reduced loading times
• Enhancements to visuals, VFX, and lighting
• Improvements to textures and environment assets
• An introduction of FSR and foveated rendering

The studio had been teasing this patch for some time, and players have similarly been anticipating it for a while now, too. Switchback VR was widely criticized at its release in March for having poor visual quality and some bugs, the former of which those rough patch notes are focused on addressing.

Supermassive put out a statement the day after launch about the troubles and promised to remedy the situation. Players waited months for said patch, and Supermassive asked that they be patient. The developer aimed to drop the fixes in late June, but the studio noted that the update wouldn’t hit that window and said it was planning to release it in the next two weeks.

The first two weeks of July passed and the game remained unchanged, which didn’t go unnoticed. When players pointed this out, community manager Georgina Howlett claimed on Reddit that the studio meant “two calendar weeks” from that last post, even though it had been 15 days. Many have been vocally critical of Switchback VR and having to wait extra long for the game to hit a baseline level of quality didn’t help that sentiment.

The post Big Dark Pictures: Switchback VR Update Gets Release Date appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The Switchback VR update missed its two-week window

The update has a bit of a history that stretches back to the game’s rocky release. Supermassive was quick to address the problems and put out a statement just one day after the game launched, noting that it was “investigating the issues raised as a matter of urgency.” It even specifically called out the blurry visuals players were experiencing. Supermassive community manager Georgina Howlett later said in a Reddit comment that the update is going to contain:

• Fixes for blurred/low resolution visuals
• Fixes for textures and assets popping
• Greatly reduced loading times
• Enhancements to visuals, VFX, and lighting
• Improvements to textures and environment assets
• An introduction of FSR and foveated rendering

A patch for the game went live on April 12, which was mainly focused on stability. And while not quite what players were looking for, Supermassive gave a small update on the reported graphical and performance issues and “[hoped] to share news of another update very soon.”

That “very soon” came on June 29 when the studio explained that it had initially planned for the patch to drop at the end of June, but discovered it wouldn’t make that goal. It then said than an update on the update that it would come within two weeks.

That window has since passed, and Supermassive hasn’t given another proper explanation. Howlett claimed on Reddit that the studio meant “two calendar weeks” from that day, even though it had been 15 days from the post to the comment. She also said as of July 14 that she was still waiting on confirmation for its release date.

Regardless of the peculiar context, many were not pleased, as noted by the PSVR subreddit, which is full of various negative comments about the rail shooter and this illusive update. It seems as though many are tired of waiting for almost four months for the game to get to a more acceptable state and seeing this patch get delayed. This is also only after many, many threads and comments from the last few months detailing how disappointed some users were in the game. Switchback VR didn’t perform well critically, either, as it earned an average score of 68 on OpenCritic.

Supermassive’s titles over the past decade have tended to have technical problems, especially with the dawn of the annual Dark Pictures Anthology. The studio has developed 13 console games in the last eight years, and it’s likely that its next Dark Pictures game, Directive 8020, will bring that total to 14.

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What’s with Supermassive’s Dead by Daylight game?

As noted by Gematsu, Behaviour unveiled this during Dead by Daylight’s anniversary stream. Supermassive’s game will be “set outside the Entity’s [the all-powerful antagonist in the series] realm” and have a new cast of characters that will give players an “unprecedented experience beyond the fog.”

It also seems like it will stick closely Supermassive’s formula, as it will be an “interactive story game” and an “intense narrative experience” with branching paths and “powerful life or death choices.” The team also specifically stated that it was a single-player experience, meaning it will likely be more akin to Until Dawn and not as much like the Dark Pictures games that all have a multiplayer slant. Specific details were kept out, but more will be revealed later this year.

Supermassive already announced the next Dark Pictures game, Directive 8020, which is sci-fi title that will kick of the anthology’s second season. No release date was attached to it, but the Dark Pictures games have come out on a yearly schedule since 2019’s Man of Medan.

A second Dead by Daylight game was also revealed, and it is completely different from Supermassive’s. Midwinter Entertainment, which Behaviour acquired in September 2022, is developing a PVE Dead by Daylight title that will be in a “strange new corner of the Entity’s realms” and have themes that center around “greed and the lust for power.” Midwinter’s last game, Scavengers, was also a PVE title and was shut down in December 2022. Studio head Mary Olsen said this Dead by Daylight game is still in the “very early stages,” so users shouldn’t expect to hear more in the near future.

Twitter user dvveet also accurately leaked the existence of these two games on May 17.

The post Until Dawn Dev Announces Dead by Daylight Game appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

When is The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR release date?

A Message from the Switchback VR team. pic.twitter.com/7w5PvBv7Ps

— Supermassive Games (@SuperMGames) January 23, 2023

The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR will now be released on March 16, 2023 after it was delayed by approximately a month. Supermassive Games calls the game their “most ambitious VR project to date” but they need more time to provide that polished experience. As such, the game will no longer be one of the 30+ titles launching alongside PSVR 2 next month. The full statement reads:

Switchback VR is Supermassive Games’ most ambitious VR project to date, taking players through 5 extensive worlds that branch through various terror-filled rollercoaster routes based on the Dark Pictures franchise.

It has always been our aim to release in the launch window of the new PSVR 2 headset but it is also massively important to us that you, the players, receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible when you strap in for your first ride in Switchback VR. With this in mind, we have made the difficult decision to set a new launch date of March 16th, 2023.

Thank you for all your excitement and patience — it really means the world to us! We cannot wait to reveal more about our sinister rollercoaster from hell and watch this space for our new gameplay features video coming very soon!

The good news is that there we’ll be seeing more of the game relatively soon in the form of a new video. Players were hoping for a PSVR 2 showcase before the launch of the new headset, but its appearance at CES 2023 is likely to have thwarted that.

The post The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR Delayed Out of PSVR 2 Launch Window appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

What is The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020?

Directive 8020 seems to be set on a space reconnaissance vessel called CDC Cassiopeia that’s located in the Cetus Constellation according to the trailer uploaded by Game Trailers. The crew is aiming to land on a super-planet called Tau Ceti f and find a new home for humanity. The problem is that during the vessel’s journey, they suffered a hull impact that seems to have unleashed something deadly and it is turning the crew against each other.

Neither Supermassive Games nor Bandai Namco has released any more details about Directive 8020, but they’re sure to follow soon after the release of The Devil In Me tomorrow, November 18. At least it seems like the developer is not intending to take a break between the two seasons of the Anthology, especially as Bandai Namco insists Supermassive’s takeover by Nordisk hasn’t affected anything. If previous leaks are anything to go by, there will be at least another four games to follow too.

The post The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 is First Game of Season 2 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

How to get the free PS5 upgrade

Players who have purchased The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan and Little Hope on PS4 can grab the free PS5 upgrades for the games that they own. All that you need to do is go to the game’s PS5+PS4 store page on your PS5 console. On the right side of the screen is an icon to download the free PS5 upgrade. Unfortunately, those who picked up Man of Medan through PS Plus can go to the game’s store page but will not see the icon for the free PS5 upgrade and are only able to install the PS4 version of the game.

The good news is that the PS4 version of both games got a brand new content update, and there are new difficulty settings and other accessibility options, as well as a bonus chapter that’s been added for Man of Medan. The content update includes:

• New difficulty settings & QTE warnings,
• Improved UI & interactions,
• Updated bearing art & event triggers,
• Increased walking speeds,
• More accessibility options, including subtitle sizing,
• Additional Bonus for Man of Medan: discover a previously unseen chapter called “Flooded”, introducing new gameplay and new deaths to the climatic ending of the game.

In other news, the PlayStation Stars loyalty program has launched today in Asia and will follow in the Americas and Europe next month. Elsewhere, the Skull & Bones release date has unsurprisingly been delayed again but there will be an open beta.

The post The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan PS5 Upgrade Not Available for PS Plus appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The future for The Dark Pictures Anthology

The acquisition of Supermassive Games by Nordisk “doesn’t change anything in the relationship” with Bandai Namco, who is publishing The Dark Pictures Anthology. This is mainly because Nordisk doesn’t publish games. The Devil In Me, the game that is part four of the anthology and the final part of the first season, is due to be released on November 18 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A new trailer showing off new gameplay features and the game’s storyline can be seen above. At least four more The Dark Pictures Anthology games are expected to be released in the future.

The assurances came during an interview with GamesIndustry.biz where Bandai claimed the recent flurry of studio acquisitions is making it harder for a smaller publisher to take on games from “the best studios in the world” because there is too much money involved. However, they assured us they are still able to approach their preferred studios to create partnerships and “secure the IPs that we create with the studios we partner with”, such as The Dark Pictures Anthology that’s owned by Supermassive Games. They do this through methods like first option rights, IP ownership, and minority stakes in those studios.

In other news, analysts claim today’s PS5 price increase across the world (with the excpetion of the US) will not affect Sony’s sales in the future. Elsewhere, leaked images for the upcoming GPD Win 4 device show a design definitely inspired by the PlayStation Vita.

The post The Dark Pictures Anthology Unaffected By Developer’s Nordisk Acquisition appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Supermassive is currently working on The Dark Pictures Anthology

Last year we announced our partnership with Nordisk Games.

Today we’re delighted to share Nordisk Games’ full acquisition of Supermassive Games. Exciting times ahead!

Read more here: https://t.co/B7Vxj71g7d pic.twitter.com/z0hwnIHFzg

— Supermassive Games (@SuperMGames) July 12, 2022

Having released The Quarry, Supermassive is continuing work on The Dark Pictures Anthology. The next installment, The Devil in Me, will release this fall across all platforms except the Switch. In a press release, Supermassive’s CEO Pete Samuels said that the acquisition offers financial security and development resources. His statement reads:

It’s been a little over a year since Nordisk Games made an initial investment in Supermassive Games and our vision for the future. During that time, we have found that we share a lot of important values with Mikkel and his team, and we believe these values to be equally important to our existing commercial partners who we will continue to support. Having had such a positive experience over the past year it wasn’t a difficult decision when Nordisk Games wanted to explore increasing their investment. We have an exciting and ambitious growth strategy for Supermassive Games and Nordisk Games ownership only enhances that. I’m hugely excited about where the security offered by this partnership, and continued access to the expertise within Nordisk Games, will take us next.

Supermassive has a history of releasing PlayStation-exclusives. It has released a series of horror games on Sony’s platforms, with Until Dawn being the most notable and successful among the pack.

In other news, Square Enix has said that it opted against Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PS4 version because it’s graphically intensive, and a new report claims that Rockstar Games has dropped plans to port Red Dead Redemption 2 to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The post Supermassive Games Fully Acquired by Nordisk appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

What comes with the free Man of Medan Curator’s Cut

Unlocked after you complete the main mode for Man of Medan called Theatrical Cut, the Curator’s Cut features additional scenes that provide an alternate view of the game. This comes with even more options and decisions for players to make in a cinematic horror game known for having a gripping story with multiple branches. Those unfamiliar with this first installment in The Dark Pictures Anthology series might recognize Supermassive Games, the developer behind Until Dawn and The Quarry, to get an idea of how the game plays.

PlayStation Lifestyle reviewed the game in August 2019, with Sam Sant scoring it an 8/10. He praised the suspenseful story with an ensemble cast, the significance of your decisions on the story, the gorgeous lighting and character models, and the overall love letter to superfans of the horror genre. However, the occasionally choppy frame rate and imprecise character movement hold the game back.

As originally leaked in late June, also available alongside Man of Medan as free downloads for PS Plus Essential July 2022 are Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time and Arcadegeddon. Unlike Man of Medan which only has a PS4 version, these two games have both PS4 and PS5 versions. These three games can be added to your library until August 2, 2022 at 9:00 AM PST.

In other news, What Remains of Edith Finch is reportedly getting a native PS5 version, and a recent report states that GTA 4 and Red Dead Redemption remasters are now off the table after the poor reception of the GTA Trilogy.

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