RANT!:Full Motion Video(FMV) Compression

So here I am, I have a 7-year-old 1080p video game console at my desk, I have 100’s of games and I have enjoyed and appreciated it beyond any other console that I have owned before it, I know next to all games released on it and I completed more than most people too…

The quality of the games has gone up and down since the release of the console due to various developers and engines used, some are by now very, very good and others seem to be just where it was 4-5 years ago.

I have games from 2007 that play FMV’s in full 1080p with no compression what so ever, it looks amazing! , it’s almost like you can touch it!.

This year (still 2013!) I have bumped into at least 5 games which have FMV’s in 720p (fine..) but with an awful compression(AAAAARF!), this is AAA titles that I am speaking of and not budget games or whatever.

I have no problem what so ever to understand technical limitations and financial problems being the problem of some of the engines or developers/publishers and so on but is it just me or does it seem to get worse?.

Here is an example which I think comes down to 1 thing, price!:

Ni No Kuni is an amazing looking exclusive PlayStation 3 title, the game is in 720p and the FMV’s is also 720p (fine..) but sadly the FMV’s are compressed and very noticeable too.

Ni No Kuni is 21gGB(i have used the downloadable version as a reference here) which sounds like they already had decided to fit the game on the standard 25GB BluRay format (due to price?) instead of going for the Dual Layer format which is 50GB.

Here is an example of the more common thing lately:

Crysis 3 is a lovely crafted game that has a very advanced 3D engine behind it and a project Crytek and Electronic Arts has put a lot of money down on, the game operates at a resolution which is less than 720p, the FMV operates at the same resolution (what!?!) and to top it off they even added compression so you get to see Macroblocking Artifacts all over the screen when there’s movement.

Crysis 3 is 8.4GB (i have used the downloadable version as a reference here), there are over 15 GB left of the BluRay that could have been used to make the FMV’s (and most likely the game) a lot better looking.

Before you go… it’s always been like this with the “ports” on the ps3!!!, just let me say this.. this is not the same thing as we are talking about actual full-motion video clips.

What do I think the reason is?

They used all the Xbox360 Assets for the whole game and not the PC ones as it was faster for them to just use the already downscaled data instead of using the original data and adjust that for the PS3 version.

You know it’s getting bad when low budget developers and indie teams do better FMV quality than AAA studios like Crytek, seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crappy Playstation MOVE games, budget games produced for Nintendo Wii and then ported to the PS3 do better FMV quality than the games above… CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.