No 1080i in Uncharted PAL after all

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 January, 2008

Worth considering if you have old HDTV.

Sony has confirmed to Eurogamer what some of you have been arguing about in our forum - that the European version of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune doesn't support 1080i resolution after all.

"Naughty Dog only added it to the US version very late in the development process," Sony told Eurogamer. "Including this in the PAL version would have meant delaying the game's release as a result of QA testing each localised version again."

"The extra time spent on QA could have resulted in the game launching post Christmas (rather than two weeks after the US) which would have upset consumers," the spokesperson explained.

This means that a very small sub-set of PS3 owners in PAL territories will discover that their HDTVs only display the game in 480p.

The reason for this is that some older HDTVs don't support 720p resolution, which is the game's highest available, and despite the developer's ability to upscale that 720p image to 1080i that does require a bit of extra programming to achieve.

Fortunately not many people in Europe will suffer on account of it, because most of our HDTVs are more up to date. In the US, however, the problem is much more prevalent, which is presumably why - alerted to it at the last minute - Naughty Dog acted quickly to satisfy its customers there.

In the end then, we got Uncharted on 7th December with 480p and 720p support, but not 1080i.

It's not all bad news for those two or three of you with older HDTVs, however, because the PlayStation 3 does not discriminate against games from other regions, meaning that you can always pop along to somewhere like NCSX, Videogamesplus or wherever and snag the US version, and enjoy the game in 720p upscaled to 1080i after all.

Plus, of course, it doesn't actually look bad in 480p anyway. Those Naughty Dog kids, they're not messing about.

For more on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, check out our Uncharted: Drake's Fortune review.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (56) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • Inspirius #1 4 years ago

    It's a disappointing design decision in the PS3 to not support arbitrary scaling, probably the reason why VGA is not supported.

  • superted1974 #2 4 years ago

    But was the demo 1080?

  • JediMasterMalik #3 4 years ago

    The least they should have done is patch it later then, very disappointing for those who have 1080i only. Soz morriss.

  • morriss #4 4 years ago

    Thanks for that, Tom. I must be the only one in Europe! :)

  • Carlo #5 4 years ago

    I think you ARE the only one morriss.

    Still, your voice is one of the loudest :)

  • LeD #6 4 years ago

    morriss has a crap telly! Let's all point at him and laugh, kids!

  • Artemis_Matsas #7 4 years ago

    /points finger

    Har Har Har

    Seriously now, if you really want to play the game, get the US version. Works perfectly :)

    And given the chance, although the game is great, the platforming sections are SHITE. Shame Naughty Dog. Sit.

  • JediMasterMalik #8 4 years ago

    They are not shite, they're just surrounded by more shooting.

  • tobsen #9 4 years ago

    I still don't understand whether it would actually look better in 1080i than in 720p. Anyone can shed any light on this?

  • Arwin #10 4 years ago

    @tobsen: the point is that some tvs only support 1080i or 480p, but not 720p.

    By the way, VGA isn't supported, but you can still use some displays using an XCM component to VGA adapter or if you have a DVI connection, HDMI to DVI. Your monitor does have to support the 1280x720p or 1920x1080 resolutions (doesn't have to be its native resolution, it just needs to accept it), but then it does work. Although many games these days only support widescreen, so if you don't have a widescreen monitor, some games will look odd.

  • Rpt81 #11 4 years ago

    A lot of the demos I've played on my PS3 have been 720p only, and judging by the backs of cases, so do a lot of the full games, so this may be a more widespread problem.

  • Artemis_Matsas #12 4 years ago

    @Jedi

    I love the game to bits, but each time i have to figure out that i have to grab hold of an almost invisible ledge with the camera being absolutely horrible, i cannot help but think that these sections should have been so much better.

  • MBar #13 4 years ago

    Hello once again, Europe. It's your old friend Sony.

    Bend over, would you?

  • JediMasterMalik #14 4 years ago

    Replace Europe with morriss, and you're there. :D

  • Darren #15 4 years ago

    Uncharted runs better at 480p anyway with far less screen tearing from my own experiences.

  • Kenshin001 #16 4 years ago

    Tom, totally OT but since morriss' issue got some attention next time you talk to Sony could you ask them about what they intend to do about the region locked DLC issue? There is an almost 300 post thread about it on the US PS forums. Loads of people have import versions of online games like Warhawk and Motorstorm and found they have been unable to get DLC because a) it is region locked despite the games being region free and b) the Playstation stores do not accept all international credit cards, only cards with a local address so they can not purchase the DLC from the country they imported the game from. Thanks.

    Edit: Actually it is kind of on topic since you suggested getting a US copy of Uncharted and there will be much woe and gnashing of teeth if they ever released DLC for it.
    Edited by 2 at 18/01/08 @ 12:34

  • bdc #17 4 years ago

    Playstation 3 - the only truly high definition console on the market.






    lol

  • BobsUncle #18 4 years ago

    I compared 1080i and 720p on with my 360 and thought 720p looked better anyway.

  • philw #19 4 years ago

    Doesn't really affect me, but will there be an EU patch out for poor ol morriss? Seems the logical course of action.

  • Gaol #20 4 years ago

    A good article for people with 1080i sets - they know to get hold of a US copy, hardly an ordeal; and Naughty Dog should get some credit for at least getting it in to the US version in time - a lot of devs don't bother.

  • kangarootoo #21 4 years ago

    @MBar and bdc

    Its not Sony that made the decision, it was Naughty Dog. Wakey wakey.

  • caligari #22 4 years ago

    @ Artemis

    The platforming sections are shite? Perhaps you're just shite at the game. ;)

  • drxym #23 4 years ago

    Who cares about 1080i? There are very few sets where it would make the slightest difference. Even in the US, the only people who seem to care are the very vocal, extremely small, and dwindling number who own 480p/1080i sets. Europe very sensibly ensured that all "HD Ready" sets must support 720p and 1080i irrespective of their screen resolution. As 720p is common, there should be no issue playing at that resolution.

    Even if Uncharted did support 1080i, it would do so by employing one of the PS3's video modes that sacrifice horizontal resolution to give it to vertical (think anamorphic projection), so it probably wouldn't look any better.
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/08 @ 12:54

  • JediMasterMalik #24 4 years ago

    You lot are missing the point, a few people have sets which do 1080i but not 720p, so no 1080i means they go down to SD resolutions.

  • Boob_Man #25 4 years ago

    I think also, it goes to 576P and not 480P.

  • BobsUncle #26 4 years ago

    "a few people have sets which do 1080i but not 720p, so no 1080i means they go down to SD resolutions."

    Serves them right for being cheapo shits buying crap TV's, then.

  • Les #27 4 years ago

    "I compared 1080i and 720p on with my 360 and thought 720p looked better anyway."

    Yeah, but that's not the problem. People with some TV sets that support 1080i but not 720p get neither but 480p. And that's definitely worse than both 1080i and 720p (once you've seen either of them; the problem with HD is that going back to SD detracts from the play experience while the upgrade doesn't add).

  • oreillymj #28 4 years ago

    HD-Ready sets only have 736 vertical lines so 1080i on these sets is some sort of fudge.

    I'd stick with 720p unless you have a "Full HD" 1080p capable set. Your not missing anything. If fact not what you won'tsee is the flicker caused by viewing an interlaced display.


  • Artemis_Matsas #29 4 years ago

    @caligari

    Oops... the truth is finally revealed :p

    Seriously now, sometimes i'm really confused in these sections. Maybe it's true that i'm not too good at it because i don't hear anyone else expressing the same opinion.

    So... i guess it's my fault then.

    /goes away crying

  • rhinoxious #30 4 years ago

    "You lot are missing the point, a few people have sets which do 1080i but not 720p, so no 1080i means they go down to SD resolutions."

    I don't think anyone is missing the point, its just such a small number of peopleare effected in europe that the discussion has moved on to 720p vs 1080i.

  • Slamhound #31 4 years ago

    WWAD?

  • crickson #32 4 years ago

    Is it generally true that 'the PlayStation 3 does not discriminate against games from other regions'? Or is it just Uncharted:DF?

    Sorry if that's general knowledge - I had no idea the PS3 wasn't region-locked.

  • JediMasterMalik #33 4 years ago

    It's not locked, the content is just ever so slightly different.

  • aabyssx #34 4 years ago

    Do NOT use 1080i !!!
    It's a terribly bad format. Use a smaller but NOT interlaced signal instead if your TV does not support 720p or 1080p.

  • oreillymj #35 4 years ago

    BTW cheapo PC monitors are a waste of time with the PS3 unless you get one with HDCP or get that little gadget which strips HDCP.

    Can't remember the name of it offhand, but surprised it hasn't been removed from the market yet.

  • DB2k #36 4 years ago

    i thought if a TV didnt support 720p it didnt count as an HDTV here in the UK anyway

  • zoidberg #37 4 years ago

    Shouldn't all games run at 1080p, like the PS3 promised?

  • JamieR #38 4 years ago

    I want that game why haven't i bought it yet -_-

  • darkphoenix #39 4 years ago

    dual 1080p and 120fps ( HUNDRED TWENTY FRAMES PER SECOND ), get it right!
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/08 @ 16:53

  • Apologie #40 4 years ago

    Gamesradar reported way back in mid June,2007 that Crysis might be coming to the PS3. Apparently a new rumour has surfaced on Gamesradar claming that Crysis is indeed coming to PS3.

    "Even before the PC version released, rumours of a PS3 conversion of the stunning Crysis (developed by Far Cry creators Crytek) were rife, and not far off the mark if insiders at the studio are to be believed. The game looks to be a port of the PC original plus some extra modes and features, a kind of Crysis 1.5. Like the PC game you can expect a visual powerhouse; an open-world shooter that begins on a beautiful tropical island before things take a turn for the worse and aliens from a parallel world stake a claim on Earth. Only the mighty Killzone 2 could possibly hold a candle to this shooter. For technical reasons we hear an Xbox 360 version of Crysis isn’t in development. Bet you’re glad you bought a PS3 now, eh? "

    http://www.n4 g.com/ps3/News-101081.aspx

  • Slamhound #41 4 years ago

    To answer my WWAD? earlier, it seems the answer is "post something utterly irrelevant to the current discussion."

    Well done, Apologie. you never cease to amaze me.

  • smelly #42 4 years ago

    lol

    (remembers when sony was touting ps3 as the only "true" hi-def console)

  • Apologie #43 4 years ago

    @Slamhound

    To answer my WWAD? earlier, it seems the answer is "post something utterly irrelevant to the current discussion."

    ------------------------------

    Do you think "No 1080i in Uncharted PAL after all " is relevant??? god bless you son.... let's just say that Crysis coming out for the Ps3 is something from my prespective a little more relevant ok..... ;)
    Edited by 2 at 18/01/08 @ 18:17

  • peterfll #44 4 years ago

    Perhaps if it was a bigger problem for Europe (nee Morris) they would release a patch.

    Still, where's the 1080p Sony? Then it wouldn't be a problem. I thought by default - especially platform exclusives - would support 1080p.

    Of course, its a smashing looking game as it stands. But Sony are the self-proclaimed 1080p kings.
    Edited by 1 at 18/01/08 @ 18:21

  • smelly #45 4 years ago

    Problem with 1080p (or indeed 1080i) is that it'll nuke your framerate.

    I think it'll be VERY rare to see games over 720p...

  • NinjaWilliams #46 4 years ago

    UK gets shite stained again, surprising? not really! LIVE WITH IT or DEAL WITH IT PPL! lol

  • Les #47 4 years ago

    Just import. Especially for UK residents this shouldn't be a problem at all and often way faster than waiting for the EU version, let alone much cheaper. This is a non-issue.

  • Royal Fool #48 4 years ago

    kangarootoo:
    "Its not Sony that made the decision, it was Naughty Dog. Wakey wakey."

    Since Naughty Dog is a Sony-owned studio, I'm quite certain they had a part in the decision making process.

  • kangarootoo #49 4 years ago

    "i thought if a TV didnt support 720p it didnt count as an HDTV here in the UK anyway"

    True.

    @Apologie

    I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "relevant". It requires context, which in this case is the article and the question raised on this thread.

    Dictionary definition:
    "not connected with the subject that is being discussed"

    You seem to be getting confused between "relevant" and "important".

  • Apostle #50 4 years ago

    Developers stealing "p"s and "i"s again! What is the world coming to..?

  • kangarootoo #51 4 years ago

    @Royal Fool

    I guess so, but tbh it doesn't really seem like something that would really get discussed outside of the studio itself. Display resolutions are the business of the dev, so long as you meet TRCs and pass platform sunmission QA, I'm not sure anyone in the board room is much interested.

    I'm not saying its not an issue for anyone btw, though the cold truth is that barely anyone in this country has one of the tvs that result in this situaiton being a problem. Peopl rant and rave about it, but the only person we know of on here that actually suffers the issue is morriss, and he/she always takes it very cordially. We might well see an eu patch in the future I guess.

  • Kryon #52 4 years ago

    "The extra time spent on QA could have resulted in the game launching post Christmas (rather than two weeks after the US) which would have upset consumers," the spokesperson explained.

    Bwahahaaa, Yes, thanks Mr Spokesperson, thank you so much for caring about the consumer, you're so selfless and kind, I'm sure the decision had bugger all to do with the fact that you wouldn't have sold as many copies of the game (or system+game) had you released it after Christmas. I feel all warm inside knowing that Naughty Dog/Sony care so much for me *tear rolls down face*...

  • Quak #53 4 years ago

    WTF I thought the PS3 was powerful enough to run graphics on TWO screens at the same time, at 1080p and 120fps?

    It MUST be true because Sony said so back in 2005!!

  • Kryon #54 4 years ago

    @Quak

    Don't be so cynical mate, of course the PS3 can do all those things, it can do all that while rendering in 4D as well according to Sony...lol

  • seedaripper #55 4 years ago

    er...quite a few games run natively in 1080p on the ps3...ridge racer...tekken DR...FLoW...superstardust HD...etc...
    even COD4 is available in 1080p...i know..i got a 47 in 1080p set...
    besides...uncharted still looked amazing in 720p...er...so NERRR!

  • Kryon #56 4 years ago

    Tekken? Oh you mean that PS2 game, yeah, hardly next gen though is it, and RidgeRacer? Oh you mean that game that was released a full year earlier on 360 and was (according to EG) actually better on the 360 even though it's a PS flagship title?...and flow...lol...Yeah, the second I saw flow I knew that teh powa of teh CELL was a reality ;-)