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[IbizaPocholo]

Cyberpunk 2077 - CD Projekt Red on Pushing Graphics Tech Forward and Building Night City

At PAX Australia we had the chance to sit down with John Mamais, the head of CD Projekt Red’s Krakow studio.

www.ausgamers.com

“It's been a huge jump in terms of the number of people needed to make the game,” John Mamais, studio head at CD Projekt Red’s Krakow studio tells me. We’re discussing one of the most anticipated game releases of 2020 – the studio’s follow-up to award-winning The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, with the ambitious and stunning retro-future RPG Cyberpunk 2077.

With the release of Geralt’s third outing as a monster slayer turned saviour, CD Projekt Red grew considerably to match the vision the team had for the conclusion of The Witcher trilogy. Create a AAA-sized cap to match the indie thrift store pants and sweater that made up the first two outings. Exact numbers aside, at the height of The Witcher’s development the studio was home to around just under 200 people. As Cyberpunk 2077’s development commenced in full, and as the scope became clearer, the CDPR studio size now sits at around 500

“We weren't smart enough to know how many people we needed,” John admits. “When we wrote the initial concept [for Cyberpunk 2077], we didn't know. So, we grew alongside the design as it was developing. And really, you don't know how many cinematic animators you’re going to need until you have a scope for the number of scenes you’re going to have in the game. We didn't have that in the beginning, we just knew we wanted to have cool cinematics and we knew that we were going to be at least as big as The Witcher 3. We ended up hiring a lot more people than what we needed for The Witcher because the fidelity and overall requirements of 2077 crept up on us.”

Although PC-specific, and at launch tied to hardware from NVIDIA – Cyberpunk 2077 will look impressive no matter the platform it’s played on. Advanced shadow effects from long range shadows and contact shadows, to new Houdini physics simulations for particle effects, fluids, cloth, and more. The tech team is still hard at work in some key areas, with the Global Illumination (GI) used in Cyberpunk still being refined and improved upon. To hit a mark that goes beyond anything we’ve seen from the studio before.

“That's the game development sector that we're in, creating big, great-looking AAA games,” John concludes. “And as the technology changes, we're expected to use it too - and we want to use it cause that stuff keeps looking cooler and cooler, all the time. We'll always keep pushing the envelope on the way a game can look, and that's one of the most exciting things about working at CD Projekt Red; getting to do just that. I think Cyberpunk is going to be a real show piece in terms of tech. Especially as this generation of consoles is fading out. I think we're going to be that one last, big, exceptional looking title on this current generation of hardware.”

Check the link for more.

 

[yodine53]

The witcher 3 has unbelievable graphics, but for some reason this game doesn't look as good (from my point of view).

 

[dirthead]

If the videos released so far aren't complete bullshit, Cyberpunk's got a way higher triangle count than Witcher 3. I think it's the combination of their art style and the sterile looking day time city exteriors that make it look bad. Everything in Witcher 3 was dirty and gritty. The exteriors in Cyberpunk have the aesthetic of The Sims FMV or something. It is odd. This game should have been perpetual night like Bladerunner. Day time just doesn't fit this fantasy, sorry.

 

[jonnyp]

The witcher 3 has unbelievable graphics, but for some reason this game doesn't look as good (from my point of view).

Huh? I don't think TW3 has "unbelievable" graphics and I think Cyberpunk looks way better.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Fewer words more actual PC footage pls. Cmon CDPR show us a video running in PC 4k roaming around the city at night already.

 

[Solarstrike]

This game is going to be mind numbing. Both in terms of graphics detail(s) and scope. The only thing bad about Cyberpunk 2077 will be having to wait for Witcher IV

 

[CyberPanda]

Cool. Will be nice to see the game running on a high end rig, with all the bells and whistles on.

 

[mortal]

Fewer words more actual PC footage pls. Cmon CDPR show us a video running in PC 4k roaming around the city at night already.

I know right? CDPR has been going on and on and on about how amazing Night City is. I'll take their word for the most part, but it would be so much better just to actually see what it's like just to free roam Night City. Showcasing the vertically and density, entering and exiting random buildings, stealing vehicles, interacting with the NPCs, seeing Night City at night for once lol.

I understand the drip feed approach to an extent, but the most hyped this game has ever been is when they first dropped that 48 minute demo. Just show what the game plays like uninterrupted.

 

[v1oz]

I don't agree that this game doesn't look good. What I don't see is how this game would even run the base Xbox One and PS4 looking as good as it does.

 

[VCL]

my rtx 2070 is ready

 

[Exentryk]

I don't mind not seeing footage of this. Going blind as much as possible will make for a better overall experience.

 

[Justin9mm]

I don't agree that this game doesn't look good. What I don't see is how this game would even run the base Xbox One and PS4 looking as good as it does.

I'd expect massive downgrade for OG Xbox One that console is a POS.

 

[Pagusas]

The game has looked great in screens but the recent gameplay trailer left me feeling very underwhelmed in terms of its graphics. Still not sure why that was.

 

[Punished Miku]

The game has looked great in screens but the recent gameplay trailer left me feeling very underwhelmed in terms of its graphics. Still not sure why that was.

It kinda looks like an MMO to me. Lots of NPCs and text in the menus, but shit animations.

 

[Pagusas]

It kinda looks like an MMO to me. Lots of NPCs and text in the menus, but shit animations.

Yeah I think that’s it. And some of the shots of Johnny’s character model looks very very bad. Not sure why that would even pass quality control for the trailer.

Like what is this shit, PS2 Level of detail scaling?

 

[thelastword]

Cyberpunk looks ok, not the second coming or anything...…..In the PC space, iconic moments were...

Farcry
Doom 2003
Halflife 2
Crysis
Fear

I didn't feel that way with Witcher or do so with Cyberpunk......Cyber looks better than Witcher though, not anything jawdropping tbh...

 

[dirthead]

Cyberpunk looks ok, not the second coming or anything...…..In the PC space, iconic moments were...

Farcry
Doom 2003
Halflife 2
Crysis
Fear

I didn't feel that way with Witcher or do so with Cyberpunk......Cyber looks better than Witcher though, not anything jawdropping tbh...

Honestly, Riddick stole Doom 3's thunder. It came out months before it, actually did everything it did, and was a better game to boot.

The real iconic moments for PC gaming were:

1988 - King's Quest IV, first EGA Sierra game
1990 - King's Quest V, first VGA Sierra game
1991 - Wolfenstein 3D
1993 - Doom
1996 - Quake
2004 - Chronicles of Riddick (real time shadows and bump mapping)
2004 - Half-Life 2 (heavy use of pixel shaders)
2004 - World of Warcraft (holy fuck, no load times and crazy draw distance [more impressive than Far Cry, honestly])

 

[Pagusas]

Honestly, Riddick stole Doom 3's thunder. It came out months before it, actually did everything it did, and was a better game to boot.

The real iconic moments for PC gaming were:

1988 - King's Quest IV, first EGA Sierra game
1990 - King's Quest V, first VGA Sierra game
1991 - Wolfenstein 3D
1993 - Doom
1996 - Quake
2004 - Chronicles of Riddick (real time shadows and bump mapping)
2004 - Half-Life 2 (heavy use of pixel shaders)
2004 - World of Warcraft (holy fuck, no load times and crazy draw distance [more impressive than Far Cry, honestly])

I can’t agree about world of Warcraft, it was ugly on release, no one was praising it for anything graphical.

 

[dirthead]

I can’t agree about world of Warcraft, it was ugly on release, no one was praising it for anything graphical.

The impressive thing about the graphics was the draw distance and texture streaming which was novel at the time. Just look at HL2's load times and compare it to WOW where you could just walk endlessly.

 

[thelastword]

Honestly, Riddick stole Doom 3's thunder. It came out months before it, actually did everything it did, and was a better game to boot.

The real iconic moments for PC gaming were:

1988 - King's Quest IV, first EGA Sierra game
1990 - King's Quest V, first VGA Sierra game
1991 - Wolfenstein 3D
1993 - Doom
1996 - Quake
2004 - Chronicles of Riddick (real time shadows and bump mapping)
2004 - Half-Life 2 (heavy use of pixel shaders)
2004 - World of Warcraft (holy fuck, no load times and crazy draw distance [more impressive than Far Cry, honestly])

I'm talking about graphics and tech.....More or less in response to the poster who said Witcher 3's graphics looked unbelievably good...…..

When I first saw the trailers and played those 5 games I listed above, the graphics and technology behind those games were truly unbelievable...….Some of these titles are still very impressive looking games today, or in some cases; the technologies in said games have not been surpassed relative to immersion and impact....


Go look at some reactions to the Doom 3 reveal and the HL2 reveal, or when people first saw or played F.E.A.R...........I did'nt get that for any other game tbh as a real stepping point in graphics and tech (ai, Physics, animations etc.....)......I'll say one thing though, If Witcher 3 delivered that original trailer, then it would be on that list, no questions asked.....but it did not......

 

[Pagusas]

Honestly, Riddick stole Doom 3's thunder. It came out months before it, actually did everything it did, and was a better game to boot.

The real iconic moments for PC gaming were:

1988 - King's Quest IV, first EGA Sierra game
1990 - King's Quest V, first VGA Sierra game
1991 - Wolfenstein 3D
1993 - Doom
1996 - Quake
2004 - Chronicles of Riddick (real time shadows and bump mapping)
2004 - Half-Life 2 (heavy use of pixel shaders)
2004 - World of Warcraft (holy fuck, no load times and crazy draw distance [more impressive than Far Cry, honestly])

black and white in 2001 was a huge graphical achievement for the time, I’d have that on the list. Max Payne also showed us how a game could be dark and atmospheric, and utilized photo real textures well before it became super common.

 

[Stuart360]

I have to agree woith some of you on about Witcher 3. I mean its a nice looking game, but its never blown me away or anything, and i have the PC version.
Now Witcher 3 with the 'HD Reworked Project' mod, now that is something else.

 

[dirthead]

black and white in 2001 was a huge graphical achievement for the time, I’d have that on the list. Max Payne also showed us how a game could be dark and atmospheric, and utilized photo real textures well before it became super common.

What graphics tech was in Black and White that was novel, though?

 

[thelastword]

black and white in 2001 was a huge graphical achievement for the time, I’d have that on the list. Max Payne also showed us how a game could be dark and atmospheric, and utilized photo real textures well before it became super common.

Impressive game, though I prefer Giants Citizen Kabuto, but if we were to include a second PC tier list, I'd certainly put..........

Black and White
Giants Citizen Kabuto
Fahrenheit

…...on there, nice games with nice tech....

 

[scalman]

you can puch graphics as much and you want but if you will make shit game it will stay shit game. so here forst goes story and gameplay and choices and reasons to do stuff, and then all this is wraped in nice grpahics, then its masterpiece

 

[Hudo]

I'd love to see footage of Night City at night while it's raining. I want to see how cyberpunk they get with their visuals.

 

[Rat Rage]

"Night City"

 

[Sentenza]

The witcher 3 has unbelievable graphics, but for some reason this game doesn't look as good (from my point of view).

Everything I've seen about Cyberpunk 2077 so far looks far more impressive and almost on a different order of magnitude in terms of overall complexity.
And technical level aside even their art direction seems to be off the charts.

"Night City"

?
Yeah, what about it?

 

[rashbeep]

i think it's the biggest jump in visuals from a dev within this console gen

 

[fourfourtwo]

I think it's the combination of their art style and the sterile looking day time city exteriors that make it look bad. Everything in Witcher 3 was dirty and gritty. The exteriors in Cyberpunk have the aesthetic of The Sims FMV or something. It is odd. This game should have been perpetual night like Bladerunner. Day time just doesn't fit this fantasy, sorry.

Couldn't agree with you more. It's tough to imagine the cyberpunk a e s t h e t i c without the dark, grungy atmosphere that befits the genre. Hope there's a mod that removes the day cycle, and maybe makes it always rainy. Now THAT would be comfy.

 

[mortal]

I'd love to see footage of Night City at night while it's raining. I want to see how cyberpunk they get with their visuals.

It would sick if the next demo was one that took place especially in those moody conditions, while showcasing the dynamic weather and day/night cycle.

I can imagine the gameplay demo starts out at dusk with dark storm clouds rolling in with lighting dancing on the horizon in the distance and striking the tops and poles of sky skyscrapers.
Then the rainfall become heavier as the demo proceeds and night time falls over the city, seeing street lights and neon signs gradually light up (would make for a great showcase of the RTX raytracing in all of the puddles of water in city streets.)
Maybe ending with a vantage shot high above the glowing lights of Night City below, possible from an Aerial Vehicle or from the roof of a Syd Mead-esque skyscraper.

I understand and can respect that CDPR have their own creative vision of the cyber aesthetic, but they must realize just how visually pleasing this would be to see haha.

 

[Justin9mm]

Yeah I think that’s it. And some of the shots of Johnny’s character model looks very very bad. Not sure why that would even pass quality control for the trailer.

Like what is this shit, PS2 Level of detail scaling?

I thought the exact same thing, I'm thinking they are purposely trolling us to wow us with the final product. If it was that bad, it will be a huge flop. Or maybe that's taken from the downgrade they implementing for the OG Xbox One. lol

 

[Justin9mm]

you can puch graphics as much and you want but if you will make shit game it will stay shit game. so here forst goes story and gameplay and choices and reasons to do stuff, and then all this is wraped in nice grpahics, then its masterpiece

I totally agree with that, but I also think in 2019, it is unforgivable to have underwhelming graphics. If a AAA Title can't deliver on all these aspects, that's a fail in my book!

 

[existensmaximum]

I really hope the animation will be better than in Witcher 3. That game has some beautiful graphics, but I was really put off by the horribly "stiff" kinda weird animation. That to me really made the graphics much less impressive.

 

[andreymagnus]

People complain a lot about blury textures which you can see in some gameplay material. But they forget about the scale of the world. So if you want an optimized for current graphic cards game with open world, then you shouldn't complain on some points which are not totally perfect in a game. And as you may remember from Witcher 3, developers care about gamers, so they will definately try to fix all bugs and flaws

 

[data_jack]

500 people, good grief. How do they manage so much manpower? I've always found logistics like that to be very impressive, particularly when there is a huge project on the line. I had to look up Houdini physics engine and my mind was blow. This is a reel from just 1 year ago showcasing the neat stuff the simulations can do.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Well, let's see it?!

 

[Insane Metal]

This will be mindblowing on PC and nextgen consoles.

 

[Von Hugh]

500 people, good grief. How do they manage so much manpower? I've always found logistics like that to be very impressive, particularly when there is a huge project on the line. I had to look up Houdini physics engine and my mind was blow. This is a reel from just 1 year ago showcasing the neat stuff the simulations can do.

I'm still waiting for a proper physics revolution. This generation there was not a single game that had any notable impressive physics. Seems like all the developers forgot that physics are a thing. Case in point: Gear 5. It went all in with visuals and toned down the physics to worse level than Gears 1. I'm baffled.

Sure, the CPU power was weak sauce this generation. But still, there was PhysX craze ten years ago and even on PC the design has been to disregard physics. Damn, Psy-Ops from 2003 had the same physics as Control this year.

Those simulations look so great in that video. Proper animations, deformations and destructions are a dream of next generation. But now it seems that dream is again dropped from the way of 4K, loading times, "seamless" worlds.

But the worlds don't look very seamless if they don't even get the basics right. Focus in micro instead of macro, I'd say.

 

[ZywyPL]

Hasn't the game already been downgraded a bit? Nevertheless, I expect the final game not to look like what we saw on the reveal gameplay trailer, that thing was running on a Titan RTX right on the edge of 60FPS in 1080p. People praised the initial TW3 gameplay just as much (if not more) as they do now with CP2077, but once they got to know it was running on 980Ti (the most powerful GPU at the time) in a mere 30FPS they went on rampage, and CDPR had no choice but to "adjust" the graphics to wider audience, instead of making the game basically future-proof, and I have zero doubts the same situation will happen again. Plus, CP2077 will be also released on current gen consoles, that's where most of the money is, and the PC version cannot drastically differ from the console versions for obvious marketing reasons.

 

[Mendax89]

Pushing graphics forward? The game was downgraded, look at the last video. This is a current gen game because of the terrible tech that are Xbox One and PS4, weak consoles.

 

[Kenpachii]

Pushing graphics forward? The game was downgraded, look at the last video. This is a current gen game because of the terrible tech that are Xbox One and PS4, weak consoles.

Pretty much no clue how anybody find the visuals impressive.

 

[NeilH1982]

My most anticipated game this gen. can't wait for the next gen version

 

[Stuart360]

Pushing graphics forward? The game was downgraded, look at the last video. This is a current gen game because of the terrible tech that are Xbox One and PS4, weak consoles.

I know they would never of done it (or be allowed to), but they should of made this OneX/Pro only, or even save it for next gen only.

 

[Kenpachii]

I know they would never of done it (or be allowed to), but they should of made this OneX/Pro only, or even save it for next gen only.

They should have never announced it for current gen consoles.

 

[rashbeep]

Pushing graphics forward? The game was downgraded, look at the last video. This is a current gen game because of the terrible tech that are Xbox One and PS4, weak consoles.

it looks exactly the same...

 

[Dontspeakforme]

Witcher 2 was also a stunner when it came out. Even the original looked great for its time.

 

[Romulus]

I can imagine being stuck playing this powerhouse game on a standard Xbox one or ps4. That would suck. I'm considering upgrading my GPU or waiting till next gen and I have a ps4 pro.

I have a feeling the recent downgrade vids are the enchanced consoles, with the standard versions looking even worse.