So I've been waiting since the release of Skyrim to see Lens Of Truth do a head to head comparison of the PS3 version with the 360 version. I figured it would give some insight into what the hell is going on with all the reports of issues. They haven't gotten around to it yet but someone else has: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-face-off-skyrim.

The article includes screenshots as well as video comparisons anolyzing performance and FPS. It's not good. The PS3 version is shown to dip as low as 20 FPS in their video comparison while the 360 (and PC for that matter) never once did. During fights, during exploration, just standing still, even during the opening of the game itself the framerate on the PS3 is all over the map. People complaining about encountering issues with controller response seem justified after reading through the article and watching the videos. The article also makes mention of the save file size issue, it even links to these forums and one of the topics here about it. Most telling was this line:

"In the here and now, the issue hasn't manifested during our gameplay, but a colleague has switched over to the Xbox 360 version after 18 hours of play on PlayStation 3, describing the difference as "revelatory""

So basically we got the bad version all around. It's blurry, it's choppy, it stutters, it lags. There is no way they didn't know about these issues before this left for market. Bethesda was well aware of the problems on the PS3 and simply didn't care enough to bother being upfront about them. There appears to be a ceiling of quality with this game that draws nearer and nearer the longer you play and the bigger your save file gets. As more people who bought it approach that ceiling their level of enjoyment will diminish. All I wanted to do was kill some [censored] dragons, not watch a slideshow. Is that really so much to ask?

Apparently it was too much to ask.

Now I'm actually kinda EXCITED to start over on the XBOX version tomorrow, even if it is after investing 60+ hours in this version. Will KIND of be like experiencing your favourite movie on blu ray after years of VHS watching!

OK, not really, but I have to try to stay positive here...

I'm sick to death of the PS3 getting the crap, buggy port all the time.

If they are content to shove out crap PS3 ports time after time, the least they can do is charge us less than the 360 version.

I won't hold my breath

Good luck. I wanted to do that too but I don't know if I can go through replaying 20 plus hours just to get back to where I was let alone 60 hours. At the very least though you'll be able to play it, wish I could say the same : (

Hey my first post.

It's really frustrating. It's gotten to the point on my PS3 that I cannot even enter certain cities due to the drop in the fps.. Solitude is a no-go area for me at this point in time, as well as other places, heck even Whiterun. I assumed the PS3 would have been the safer choice to go with when playing a console version, as Oblivion was pretty good on the PS3 (but then again they had more time for the PS3).

After reading that, I honestly feel like I've been completely bumped. It's not a nice feeling. Probably the last game I buy from Bethesda unfortunately, I can't seem to smile when I realize I just wasted ￡50 on an inferior version of a game. Anyway moving off to AC Revelations until they patch the fps issue, then I'll just finish the main quest and get rid of this game which is an utter failure on the PS3. Really was loving the game too, I simply ignored a few graphical hick-ups here and there, but my game is unplayable now.

Oh btw does anyone know if it's possible to zoom in and out in 3rd person view on the PS3?

ed: I ask because the polygons can be clearly seen in 3rd person view when it's completely zoomed in (automatically as I can't seem to pan in or out).

A review site that actually states the truth about the quality of a badly ported game on Ps3?? Blasphemy!

I

I just wish I had waited till a few days and gone with a different version. I thought for sure that PS3's version was the safe bet considering the texture streaming issues on the 360. Boy was I wrong.

And I'm getting ripped apart in another thread for claiming that the PS3 version is a mess, and here is proof.

Hilarious.

The topic :http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1273887-ps3-lag-explanation-and-solution/
Closed OMG
does that mean that...

The ps3 has v-sync engaged which doesnt allow any screen tear, unfortunately the trade off is a hit in the framerate. The 360 doesnt have v-sync so it screen tears but ultimately keeps the constant 30fps.

glad you find this funny i for one am not amused i paid 60 bucks for a game i cant even play fully

Same here, this is a crap thing to do to loyal customers.

I'm sure I can't return my copy to GameStop, and I would probably have to go through Bethesda to return my game. It'll be a hassle, but I can barely stand the PS3 version right now. This kind of thing wouldn't happen if Rockstar Games made Skyrim.

Do not mention Rockstar as being good PS3 developers. Their games at least function properly on the PS3, sure... but they're always clearly inferior on the PS3. L.A. Noire was different only because it wasn't even developed by Rockstar, but GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption...

I think Sony should scramble up a first-party development company solely for the purpose of porting third-party companies' games to the PS3... just for the really incapable development companies out there. Those companies would outsource the game to Sony unless they pass a certain test (Bethesda's track record has convinced me they should never be allowed near a PlayStation again) so we wouldn't have to suffer broken garbage.

I'll have to keep an eye on that...

Um, did you pay with a credit card?

If GameStop won't take your return, just call the number on the back of your card and ask for a chargeback. Visa always sides with the customer, especially if you explain that you were sold a defective product.

If you want to be nice, let GameStop know that you will do a chargeback if they don't honor your return. Most businesses will cave, as otherwise they get hit with both the lost sale and chargeback fees, not to mention you keep the disk so GS can't resell it to some poor sap.

I run a business myself and believe me, even if you have virtually no good reason, Visa or American Express will happily reverse your charges. That's why I always issue refunds promptly if a customer is upset. Don't let GameStop push you around if you feel you need to return the game.

At least you could play Red Dead.

We warned them that there was something wrong because they never showed Ps3 footage, people called us crazy and to shut up and mocked us.
Honestly Beth has no valid excuse for this, I mean a problem that makes the game just plain unplayable!? WTF. What makes me more angry is simply the fact that they refused to show us the PS3 version, the fact that they kept saying they are the same, the freaking fact that even here in the forums we were told to shut up. and BAM now we have the game and our fears have been realized. And still we don't have any word from Beth regarding this Issue, oh but they quickly said they were going to fix the 360 and the PC versions as soon as they found out about the problems with them!

Yup, good thing is that this issue is all over the internet, with bad publicity lets hope Beth actually fixes a PS3 game this time.

Yes, it hurts... and to think people would still call us crazy and tell us to shut up while mocking us, as it's clear they would given the few of these threads that have seeped into the general section. I'm thinking we should all go out and inform gaming journalist sites of the problem as well as recruit people from other parts of the internet.

This all raises a big issue for me. Where the hell was the gaming press in all of this? Yeah it's nice that Kotaku, Gamestop, and some others are picking up the story now but they had review copies, what gives? It has to be one of two things:

1. Bethesda shipped out 360 versions early and PS3 versions late for review

2. Gaming press got bought off with ad revenue and marketing purchases

The first has some merit to it. Out of all the reviews and early coverage the only time I heard mention of people playing the game for multiple hours was on 360 versions of the game. Is it possible that Bethesda knew this problem existed and knew that if they sent out PS3 versions early that reviewers would play long enough to encounter the issue so instead they held off on shipping them and sent 360 version in their place? That is a pretty lowdown end run around the gaming press. It's either that or nobody can be trusted anymore. I think maybe its time for gaming outlets to adopt the Lens of Truth / Game Foundry methodology of running framerate and performance anolysis of all games they review to spot potential issues right from the start. These sorts of technical issues are unforgivable and I expect the press to give us a heads up about them.

Well, I quickly googled it, and allot of gaming sites are already complaining, I just posted on GG about it . Beth better fix this, imagine the uproar if they decide to leave it unpatched, the majority of the gaming community has already taken notice.

@Liz, of course Beth knew! Why do you think we were never shown any footage? Why do you think they only send in 360 versions up for review? They knew they were selling a broken game, but what do they care, the 360 version works fine besides the texture problem.

That's what really irks me. Last I saw the number of sales had it at about 750,000 to 900,000 copies sold for the PS3. That's a lot of people to screw over. I've also noticed the metacritic score for this game slipping day by day. GOTY my ass.

I'm thinking the majority of reviewers didn't get copies. I know IGN didn't get one for PS3, so I imagine a lot of other sites didn't as well.

OK, let's calm down everyone.


I, personally, don't find any problem with the PS3 version - SINCE IT STARTS LAGGING ONLY AFTER 7 HOURS. 7. - Who the hell plays for like 12 hours a day? I did play at max like ummh 9 hours when i got, and what's so bad about resttarting your console AND playing fine and smooth for another 3-7 hours. I mean the game is perfectly playable, i don't get it why there's so much hate towards Bethesda at the moment. I would undertsand if they made the same mistake they made with the Fallout 3 GOTY edition (THAT was unacceptable, worst port ever), but they didn't. I am enjoying Skyrim to the fullest and i certainly don't mind if i have to wait for a minute before continuing (aka restarting the console) after playing for at least 7-10 hours of my day. And i understand that some of us (me included, i usually just stay home and play) don't have jobs or "lives" and such, but still, who the hell plays for like 20 hours a day? Not normal.

i have full faith for Bethesda, i know they can patch this and come through. The game is perfectly playable. i HONESTLY don't understand why you people complain?


PS: My savefile size is about 9MB at the moment, and STILL the lag kicks in after SEVERAL (3-7) hours of gameplay, which i solve by just restarting my console and continue playing. Please people, calm down.

PPS: I'm not a really devoted fan by any means, i'm just trying to be optimistic, and i'm growing tired because people are so ungrateful, this is much better than Fallout 3 GOTY edition was, so i'm happy with it.

PPPS; This is not aimed at anyone in particular, but to everyone at forums complaining about the PS3 version being a crappy port
Thank you

The size of the file where it becomes unbearable varies for people. Some say it got bad at 6, some say 10, some say 12.

Personally, my file size is 12 MB, and when I start the game up, slight frame rate dips are there in the beginning, nothing too bad. After only 15 minutes of gameplay, any battle with 5+ people is a slide show. Same goes for any major city. You call that a playable game?

Just wait, your game will become as bad as ours before too long and you will understand.