Ghostbusters same on PS3 and 360

By Ellie Gibson Published 28 April, 2008

Performance levels equal.

Terminal Reality has said that the new Ghostbusters game will run at the same performance level on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Confirmation came at last week's Sierra showcase event, where Ghostbusters was up and running on both Sony and Microsoft's machines.

"We're demoing on both systems so you can see the game is fully running on both systems at the same performance level," said executive producer Brendan Goss.

However, there will be some differences under the bonnet. "Something unique for the PS3 is the displacement mapping," said Goss, demoing a scene where a Ghostbuster is walking down a cobbled alleyway.

"The ground you're looking at is only two polygons, it's a completely flat plane. We get the illusion of the 3D brick surface because of the relief map." Well there you go.

Ghostbusters is out on PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and DS this autumn.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #1 4 years ago

    Come now, we know that when developers say their game will be "the same" on both platforms it inevitably spawns a debate about which platform it is teh best on!

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #2 4 years ago

    "Its the same"

    "PS3 has displacement mapping"

    Eh you just said it was the same.

  • aldo_14 #3 4 years ago

    Surely it depends how you define 'performance levels', anyways? I mean, they could both run at 60fps and 4x blah blah, but not necessarily have identical graphics.

  • bushwod #4 4 years ago

    so it's the same...

    ...but it's different

    'spooky'

  • woodnotes #5 4 years ago

    I remember when COD4 was going to be the same. Then it wasn't. 360 version far superior.

    Then I remember when GTA IV was going to be the same. Then it wasn't. PS3 version far superior.

  • NickN4ck #6 4 years ago

    Yes the PS3 version of GTA IV is in another league, there is a trash can that pops in half a second earlier on the PS3 version.

    360 version = massive failure, not even worth playing.

  • Moz #7 4 years ago

    For the most part is both play as smoothly and both look good (even if one looks "better";) then i guess it doesn't really matter.

    This issue i have (currently with GTA4) is what system my friends are playing on for multiplayer perposes.

    Though was easy last gen the Xbox was just better then the PS2 in terms of technology with no arguments.

    Is Ghostbusters going to be any good at all anyway?

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #8 4 years ago

    @woodnotes:

    Kindly point me towards the information where it's stated that the PS3 version of GTA IV is "far superior"?

    I don't mind flame-baiting comments like this when they're true but this clearly isn't. The PS3 version is slightly superior but it certainly isn't "far superior".

  • OrgasmicMutton #9 4 years ago

    Saying a game is "the same" is becoming an increasingly clever marketing tool; garnering interest in games both from obsessive fanboys spoiling for a fight over which is actually slightly better and those of us who like to tut disapprovingly at said fanboys or be entertained by their name calling and schoolboy style fighting.

    It's like school when someone riled up a couple of people to fight, then after a bunch of other people started encouraging them to pound lumps into each other sneaked off so they didn't get into trouble when a teacher came to break up the fight.

  • NickN4ck #10 4 years ago

    It's only in the last few days that I have fully realised how pathetic gamers really are. GTA IV has shown me the light, fanboys (99% of gamers) are nothing but a buch of sad cunts and I am no longer visiting gaming forums as I don't want to mix with such pathetic creatures.

    People wonder why gamers get a bad rep, it's because they are cunts, simple as that.

  • IronGiant #11 4 years ago

    And COD4 is not far superior on the 360.

  • Ryze #12 4 years ago

    Apparently the HDD install gives the PS3 the edge in terms of loading textures more quickly then loading from the DVD. The 360 has no install option.

    The 360 version has a better framerate, though, plus Xbox live so there's no PS3 advantage overall.

    M$ need to let big blockbuster games require the HDD from this moment onwards.

  • woodnotes #13 4 years ago

    "And COD4 is not far superior on the 360."

    It is, textures are far better. And as for GTA IV, I was taking the piss.

  • Steroyd #14 4 years ago

    The PS3 version has 12395632 pixels and the Xbox 360 version has 12395631 pixels.

    The developers LIED!

  • morriss #15 4 years ago

    Should have been PS3 exclusive. It would have been better.

    According to the devs anyway. :)
    Edited by 1 at 28/04/08 @ 13:57

  • Widge #16 4 years ago

    huzzah, displacement mapping means that the ps3 is far superior

    ... in the world of grand sweeping statements

  • PlugMonkey #17 4 years ago

    woodnotes:

    Prove it.

    Prove he was taking the piss? Ok. This could be interesting.

  • Lebowski #18 4 years ago

    "Xbox and PS3 owners, livin' together ... mass hysteria!"

  • Redeye #19 4 years ago

    Couldn't give a rat's arse either way about fanboy willy-waving, all I know is I'm looking forward to this! :D

    *fires up proton pack*

  • neilka #20 4 years ago

    Worth keeping in mind that it's based on a Sony film...

  • actionfitz #21 4 years ago

    Woodnotes:
    "I remember when COD4 was going to be the same. Then it wasn't. 360 version far superior.

    Then I remember when GTA IV was going to be the same. Then it wasn't. PS3 version far superior."

    except for when you want to play multiplayer and all your cheap bastard mates have yet to buy a P$3 :)
    (im one of the cheap bastards btw heh)

  • zedzee #22 4 years ago

    @ redneon:

    Agreed, regarding GTA-IV being allegedly "far superior" on PS3. I've not seen that evidence anywhere! And after all, we do have the PS3 [to thank] for the actual delayed launch of the game in the first place...let's not forget that.

    At least the X360 gets exclusive DLC in the form of those episodic contents this and next year. That's something the PS3 version will never have.

    I'm not a fan of either console; got a PS2 and PSP that I'm happy with, but don't like fanboys spreading F.U.D. either!
    Edited by 2 at 28/04/08 @ 14:38

  • Grim... #23 4 years ago

    You mean they're slowing the 360 version down? Shame.

  • zuljin #24 4 years ago

    @Woodnotes
    No offence mate, but COD4 is pretty much the same on both platforms. Kudos to Infinity Ward on that one.

    As for GTA IV:
    [link url=htt p://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3167589&p=37
    ]http://ww w.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=316...[/link]

    "slightest visual edge", though I'd say that if you do have both consoles, just buy the version on which you have most friends...

  • Trigga_Tybalt #25 4 years ago

    ha! take that xbox...

  • Skooch #26 4 years ago

    "M$ need to let big blockbuster games require the HDD from this moment onwards."

    @ Ryze - This is an interesting point. My vote would be for an optional install on certain games if, like it seems to be with GTA IV, there is a graphical advantage to doing so. Whereas all PSŁ's (see, I can do it too!) have a HD Microsoft are determined to support their lowest price sku - which I think is the right thing to do. Especially as they are advertising it so much alongside GTA at the moment.

  • jaywalker3010 Verified Mastering Manager, Square Enix #27 4 years ago

    Hmm 360 vs PS3.. talk about crossing the streams

    *gets coat*

  • seasidebaz #28 4 years ago

    displacement mapping is good.

    it means less polygons to achieve the same visual result, which means the gpu has less vertices to deal with, meaning higher performance.

    whether that means the ps3 can only achieve the performance of the 360 by lowering the poly count remains to be seen. as it stands, though, it seems developers are finally utilizing some advanced techniques :)

  • soviet_ #29 4 years ago

    That's a similar technique used in Crysis, it's really something. That's a nice edge for the PS3 version actually because in Crysis turning the effect on and off showed a huge difference in quality, congratulations PS3 owners, TR seems to know what they are doing.

    Edit: In other words, it makes for example a beach look fully 3D, the pebbles, stones, debris etc look like they are modelled when it's just a texture
    Edited by 2 at 29/04/08 @ 04:16

  • Knot #30 4 years ago

    quoate seasidebaz ] "displacement mapping is good.

    it means less polygons to achieve the same visual result, which means the gpu has less vertices to deal with, meaning higher performance."

    Wrong. You're mistaking displacement mapping with normal mapping.

    Normal maps use the normal it's vector to shade the surface as if it were lit from a different angle ; which creates the illusion of surface bumps & depressions.

    In contrast, displacement mapping uses the actual polygon geometry for details & deformations.

    So ; normal mapping = a way to lesson poly budget while retaining the illusion of detail. Displacement mapping = a way to add (animated) deformation & detail using a rather sufficiently high polygon budget & not having to actually spend time to meticulously model that detail because the depth values of the image file, deform the surface it's geometry.

    Conclusion : the PS3 version features some rather hefty vertex geometry transformation.
    Edited by 3 at 01/05/08 @ 01:47

  • menschenfracht #31 3 years ago

    *foams*