The final chapter of our NVIDIA DLSS 3 Developer Tech Talks is all about Need for Speed Unbound, available today to EA Play/EA Play Pro subscribers and users who pre-ordered the Palace Edition.
Need for Speed Unbound as a racing game is an interesting use case for DLSS 3. As we’ve seen in previous articles, NVIDIA’s new technology can dramatically increase FPS thanks to its Frame Generation component which operates independently of the CPU. However, the downside is that there is a bit of extra latency compared to DLSS 2 (super resolution) and Reflex, which could potentially be an issue in precision-focused games.
We discussed this and more, including confirmation of AMD FSR 2.2 in-game support and additional PC spec details, with Criterion Studio CTO Andrei Shires. Stay tuned to Wccftech for more on Need for Speed Unbound, including our review.
What was your first impression of DLSS 3 as a developer? Do you think AI based frame generation is the future of rendering to keep up with advanced but taxing technologies?
Our first impression was really positive. As a game focused on smooth, fluid frame rates, this felt like a great new tech to tap into. Like any rendering technique, we want to use the best available technology to achieve the best result for the player.
How does DLSS 3 improve your game compared to DLSS 2 (super resolution)?
The addition of Frame Generation allows us to achieve frame rates that would not otherwise be possible with the hardware we see today. In the same way that super resolution allows for a higher quality image, all of this helps to get the most out of the software and hardware available to readers. It can only be a good thing.
One of the potential drawbacks of DLSS 3 is the added latency, which would be particularly noticeable in a racing game. Does frame generation add significant latency in your implementation, or is Reflex able to cover that?
Our studio is focused on a tight driving experience that would be significantly affected by any large increase in latency. We’ve tested this technology and found that it doesn’t impact the player experience, and in fact having a higher frame rate is a benefit you really notice.
Do you also plan to add support for other scaling technologies beyond DLSS 3, such as AMD FSR 2.2 and/or Intel XeSS?
We already support AMD FSR 2.2, which is available now. This is a late addition that we have worked hard on with AMD, and are pleased with the results. We are currently investigating Intel XeSS technology with Intel for a potential future update.
Will there be ray tracing support in Need for Speed Unbound? If not why ?
Ray tracing is currently not supported in NFS Unbound. We have focused our technical and artistic efforts to make NFS Unbound the most beautiful game the franchise has ever seen for everyone.
Can you share the target resolution, frame rate, and graphics preset for the minimum and recommended settings, respectively?
We’ve targeted the minimum spec at 30fps @ 1080p and the recommended spec at 60fps @ 1080p. However, we expect players to tweak their exact system settings, and they can use both dynamic resolution scaling or AI-based scaling, depending on the cases, to achieve the best possible appearance and performance.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about Need for Speed Unbound’s tech?
As I said above, Criterion always focuses on a seamless gaming experience with a high value placed on gameplay feel. We’ve dramatically improved the overall simulation and rendering experience with Unbound, which means that players can experience tighter control of the most realistic cars in the franchise. This is not about any particular technology or change, but about optimizing and harnessing the overall power of the Frostbite engine and building on the continued development of the franchise, which has taken place over several years.
Thank you for your time.
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