THE REAL NEXT-GEN DIFFERENCE? More memory and processing power is par for the course, but the next gen will also bring the first SSD-equipped consoles, capable of loading data one hundred times faster than ever before. Developers tell us about the impact on engineering and design, as well as some exciting possibilities for the future
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hile Mark Cerny’s recent talk on PS5 hardware was a tad dry for consumers – it was originally intended for a GDC audience of course – we were riveted. While the Xbox Series X had already announced its commitment to SSD storage, it was Cerny that really delved into what that might mean for developers. Storage options have come a long way during the last two console hardware generations, at least in terms of capacity. At launch, the Xbox 360 optionally came with a 20GB hard drive, while the latest devices have comparatively whopping 1TB drives. Though install sizes are rising just as fast, to the dismay of many. Capacity aside, the typical hard disk drive (HDD) has long been a problem. With a throughput of just 50MB/s (though even that is far from steady), the current standard drive is a huge speed bump, one that has forced developers into creative solutions to mask the issue – such as those super-tight gaps your character squeezes through between rooms.
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SSDs, by comparison, are roughly one hundred times faster. That’s an exponential leap, the kind rarely seen in gaming hardware. So we ask some of the top technical minds at UK developers how they think the technology will change how games are made and how they play. SCIENCE FRICTION Modern games are big. For example the entirety of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on PS4 is now pushing almost 200GB of data – largely textures and other assets to fill its numerous, sumptuous environments. All that graphical detail may thrill gamers, but they pay for it elsewhere. The reality is that consoles have been struggling to keep up and that’s become a big issue, says Marc Fascia, VP of technology at Splash Damage. “A lot of the friction in the process of playing console games comes from slow storage operations. Installing a game on current gen takes a long time, to a point where features like intelligent installers or pre-downloading games had to be introduced.
