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Why does MK11 look so much better than MKX?

MKX was 4 years ago and this is Netherrealm's 3rd game on this hardware generation. Games always get better looking at the end of a generation when developers learn more about the hardware and how to squeeze more out. Just compare Uncharted 3 to Uncharted 1. Gears of War 3 to Gears 1, etc from last generation.
 

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
Given that they are both PS4 titles. The leap in graphics is huge.
Them both being PS4 titles really doesn't mean anything. Look at the leap in graphics between the very first PS3 titles and something closer to the end of the generation like The Last of Us or Uncharted 3.

Being a generation of games afterward gives you tons of time to optimize the graphics and squeeze every little pixel out, refine and build new shaders and effects, come up with tricks and techniques to get a certain visual sheen, and generally just polish everything until it shines.

(In addition to that, imo they fixed the big issues with MKX's color palette -- it was blander and more sepia-toned, and MK11 pops with bright colors and life like an MK game is supposed to. The art direction is just better in MK11 overall).
 
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Vslayer

Juiced Moose On The Loose
Lead Moderator
Literally, every few months a new better, faster, smaller PC part is created and thrown on the market. Technology advances really rapidly.
 

trufenix

bye felicia
Definitely a perk of developing all their tech in house. They can optimize it however they want.

I'm sure the MK11 engine would be a dumpster fire for anything else performance wise, but for 2-3 characters doing this for a couple rounds? Magnifique.
 

xWildx

What a day. What a lovely day.
Because MKX’s characters looked like they were modeled after a Stretch Armstrong figure that was left in the sun too long then smooshed back into proper form.
 

ismael4790

Stay focused or get Caged
I don't think it looks "so much better", specially for a difference of 4 years. Imo, fighting games is the genre where the difference in graphics is less important from one title to the next one.
 
You got that backwards. MKX was always next gen, a 360/ps3 build never actually happened.
Exactly. As i recall, PS4/Xbox were the lead platforms and the last gen versions were going to be ported later in the development process. Something happened at some stage and it got canned.

While it doesn't mean that there wasn't some degree of dumbing down to help, it wouldn't have been to the degree of difference we're seeing between the two titles.

Would pretty much be just getting better at optimising the code and being able to get more out of the same.
 
They got more efficient at optimising this generation's console capabilities AND modified the engine heavily.
The characters are now scanned off actual people and aren't weird 3d creations. There was a lot of progress with effects and fabrics. Also the game isn't predominantly brown, so it just looks better.
 

Kenshi-Keanu-Kool

D1 mashing is the tactic when skill fails !
Does it ? If you are talking about the faces , Characters Animations movements and some ligthning and colors issues . Sure . But ás for sound , Pace , fun , combo swagg , stylish moves , like kenshi F4 or kung lao F4 ,só cool moves to do on opponents .the Trash talking between Characters ,there alto of things where MK 11 feels ...blend and Boring .
 
Am I the only one that thinks MK9 looks better than MKX? The lack of color makes MKX look pretty muddy and dark.I always found myself adjusting the brightness/gamma. Also the sweat on the character model looked ridiculous.
 

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
Am I the only one that thinks MK9 looks better than MKX? The lack of color makes MKX look pretty muddy and dark.I always found myself adjusting the brightness/gamma. Also the sweat on the character model looked ridiculous.
Agreed -- MKX pushes more pixels, but the art direction on the whole is better in MK9. Mortal Kombat is a colorful series at the heart and has been always a mix of bright and dark, funny and serious, etc..
 

trufenix

bye felicia
Exactly. As i recall, PS4/Xbox were the lead platforms and the last gen versions were going to be ported later in the development process. Something happened at some stage and it got canned.
What happened to the 360/PS3 ports is the same thing that happened to hte PC port; WB hired High Voltage to do it, and they failed. The rest is angry fanboy history.

NRS has never worked on any of the ports of their games, except a couple re-releases like Gold and Trilogy.