Feral Interactive Has No Plans To Adjust "Small Input Delay" In Alien: Isolation On Switch

They can go to Nintendo to get a refund from the eshop but I don't think Nintendo will be sensitive to their issue. Never heard about this at all till this article from both reviewers and players.

A system full of compromises. Even when things look great there's things that hiccup. Maybe when switch 2 comes around things will run better.

@sixrings Triple buffering would cause input delay on any device, by design. The delay is so small that most people wouldn't notice, and I'm almost confident you've played a game with triple buffering without noticing the delay, either.

They’re imagining it. 🤷‍♂️

@AG_Awesome The developer has admitted the issue is there. However I'm guessing more people will now notice it after it's been reported on.

@AG_Awesome err, the dev's are openly saying it exists. Some people just notice subtler things that's all.

@sixrings you know he’s talking about game design in general, and not just the switch?

Everything in life is a trade-off. You can’t poo while eating dinner.

@AG_Awesome Just like we're imagining your comment?

@Friendly yes for the opportunity to play portable which I never do I get to play Botw, Mario Odyssey, platoon 2, Yoshi, Mario Tennis Aces, in sub 1080p. Also I get to play BOTW, Kirby, LA, LM3, in sub 60fps. And none of the games can play with HDR. Everything is a trade off. Wish Nintendo would just release a pro console so those that want to play things 1080p and 60fps could trade off more money for more fidelity. I'm tired of compromises

Sounds like the devs have done all they can in this instance.

Hmmm it didn't bother me one bit. I played this game with all of the DLC to completion on Switch in a matter of days. I mostly played in handheld mode with headphones on. It was a great experience and gyro aiming was an added bonus.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

@sixrings Pro consoles barely manage to make games run at 1080 60fps anyway. They usually cut corners. If you want that then you're wanting a PC

@Kalmaro @brunojenso @Kineas I’m aware. I know it is there. However the players whining about it are imagining they’re having the game ruined by it. It’s negligible and unnoticeable. There is just a contingent of people who pretend they have super sensitive abilities when gaming. It’s kinda embarrassing.

Sorry if this infuriates you guys. 🤣😂

@AG_Awesome Can't speak for the other guys, I'm not infuriated. I just was confused since it looked like you were saying people imagined something that even the developer pointed out.

I'm actually fine with the triple buffering.

@Kalmaro Imagined is the wrong word I guess. “Over exaggerating” is more along the lines of what I meant. And in particular just those trolling the devs and saying the game is unplayable due to it.

@AG_Awesome I guess, for someone people, they may be just SO BOTHERED that they can't play the game. I'd say they are being a tad sensitive but it's my opinion vs theirs so what can I say?

@Kalmaro I'm not talking about read dead redemption, cod, or RE2 at 1080p 60fps. I'm talking about the exact same Nintendo games like BOTW, Odyssey, Kirby, Luigi at 1080p 60fps. An OG xbox one could run those games at 1080p 60fps. Let's not pretend I'm asking for some massive jump in power.

@sixrings You're right, the Xbox could run those games easily.

The problem is that, instead of making games that could run that well, everyone is too busy making games so demanding we never see them run so smoothly.

That's part of why Nintendo games look so good. They aren't hyper realistic and the style they use is easier to run on the hardware. Meanwhile, Sony and Microsoft are busy trying to show off how many pores they can show on their character's face. Then wonder why their games run at sub 30 fps.

@Friendly challenge accepted.

@AG_Awesome 'pretend they have super sensitive abilities when gaming'

I would not say they are pretending. I have an audiophile friend who spends crazy money on headphones. I believe he can hear things that I cant, and for him it can be both a blessing and a curse – since he can hear beautiful details of music but really notices when those details are missing. I think this is a bit like that.

For me, frame rate inconsistencies, or input lag need to be very exaggerated before I notice or care. So lucky me; but the recent development of blurry details and over anti-aliasing is driving me nuts in Switch games.

The justification for this seems perfectly fair, I think if this is an issue for a small group of gamers they would likely be better off choosing another system for these multi-plat games as I imagine these are the same category of gamer who would be complaining about the Doom, Witcher and Wolfenstein ports for instance. The Switch is clearly not the optimal platform for these games and its a small miracle that they are even able to run at all let alone at the quality that they do.

Question for anyone.

I have Alien Isolation. When playing last night, for about 30-45sec the game stuttered as I was walking and turning directions but then it went away. I’ve played 3-4hrs so far and this only happened once so I don’t care. Things happen.

Is this what they’re talking about or something else?

@CTmatic Something else. There is a few millisecond delay when you press a button and then the action takes place.

@CTmatic
nope that's one of the uncommon bugs (there are more like the alien freezing, or the enemy being able to see you even inside the locker, and level not loading up, but they are very rare to occur and just do a reload fix everything nothing game-breaking they are common to all platform

I've only noticed this delay on the right analog, and it's not often or significant.

Like most 5 year old rehash ports on Switch. I Have a Better version sitting in my Steam library I can just re-install 🙄

@sixrings easy solution for you. Don't buy Nintendo hardware. Moaning about compromise but still continue to buy hardware just seems silly. You knew exactly what you was getting when you purchased the switch.

@kobashi100 I'll stop buying Nintendo hardware when Nintendo starts releasing their games on other systems. Otherwise there will always be Nintendo gameplay fans that are forced to buy a Nintendo to play their games but ultimately not be satisfied playing at sub 1080p. Maybe one day Nintendo will release a pro model and then I won't annoy you so much.

I can’t say I’ve noticed this while I’ve been playing, the controls seem perfectly responsive to me. I have just noticed that I’ve been got by a facehugger again. I need to pay attention to the motion tracker more. 😩

@sixrings Can you fit OG Xbox one tech in a tablet as thin as a Switch, plus a decent battery and screen, and release that tech in 2017 at a price of $299? Its not just compromise for the sake of compromise, Nintendo was going for portability - the feature that makes the Switch stand out from competitors.

@Thegaminggeek it's soon 2020. Please figure it out for 2020 and or ditch the screen and the battery and release a switch og xbox powerful as a switch pro.

Has anyone tried playing this game on a Nintendo switch lite? I have noticed that the motion controls don't work at all on the switch lite, It won't register movements unless you move the unit aggressively and so you can't make fine adjustments with it. I actually contacted Feral about the issue and they told me to calibrate the switch, which i had already tried and mentioned the triple buffering. The games motion controls work just fine on my OG switch and on the lite motion aiming works just fine on all my other games that use it like Wolfenstein and BotW. Has anyone else tried this or has similar experience on the switch lite?

@sixrings yes, there will always be fans, but nothing will ever force their human hosts to "buy a Nintendo" except for fans themselves. Outside this fanship ulcer, I can name a whole ton of games still exclusive to certain home consoles that I really want to play, but that miraculously doesn't force me to buy hardware I'd manage to play a few times per year at best. Either you play the games you want to play on the available terms or you don't play them and stick to all the backlog you have elsewhere with more teraflops, because outside these games - as you clearly stated - you aren't in the market for a hardware that compromises select dedicated perks of its facets to bundle them all into something financially accessible for all the tech and R&D of its caliber. Better luck with Switch 2 or 3 or whatever successor will get these games re-released without these compromises you're reportedly tired of. It's not a matter of the year being 2020 or 2030, it's a matter of component capabilities and prices a console maker can access to approach the balance of their vision and its marketability. So far we have the most powerful hybrid console you can get below 400 bucks, and there's no legitimate reason why its compromises can be denied the slack people sanely cut portable and hybrid PCs in comparison to dedicated purely desktop machines.

It's perfectly fine to wish for more, but wishes don't excuse fan-reeking arrogance and lack of respect for the choices made. Please understand (tm) that for all you know, you may simply not be quite the customer Nintendo is interested in, that they can afford losing your "potential" money and that even all of the people with your demands may not constitute enough of a peripheral market in their eyes (unlike, say, the portable-only crowd they threw a Switch Lite bone towards - but who if not Nintendo to perceive that crowd as sizeable?😆). A past limited facelift for 3DS is the only precedent you can bet your hopes on - but hopes, not folded-arms condescension. As long as your inner fan is smugly set on "annoying other people" with the latter, don't act perplexed to have your inbox stuffed with reactions that likewise "annoy" your entitled and self-admittedly obsessed worldview in return.

Screen tearing doesn't look great, but input delay doesn't play great.
I'm very sensitive to input delay and more of a player than a watcher, so options would be great.

Forget screen-tearing and input delay, I just want a physical release...Actually, don't forget about that stuff, for if I do not get it, I will hack into the game with my epic gamer tech skills and implement those issues until my desires are pandered to. All will suffer until my way is gotten! Mwahahahahahhaha!

That's a very articulate response from Feral. When I've finished DQ11 (probably in the new year now) I plan to treat myself to Alien: Isolation. I'm a big fan of their work on the GRID port.

@sixrings can you post anything without sounding like an angsty teenager on the verge of crying? We’d love to see that.

@nhSnork nicely put.

@sixrings you seem to have misread the part with "losing" and "money" in it. And "blue ocean" philosophy is how we got Switch itself in the first place. The "Switch Pro" buzz is mainly talked down to because it's served like something Nintendo is obliged to do (including your own comments) but refuses to detail what kind of tech it's supposed to have in 2020 for a significant spec and performance upgrade that wouldn't simultaneously bump the pricetag above $500. And when Nintendo had an opportunity with the already incorporated chip's update, they used it to boost battery life instead. They kinda view the spec arms race as a limiting environment in opposition to the blue ocean they sail, after all - and have done so for over a decade. It's fine to beg to differ, but if you deny Nintendo the right to beg to differ as well, you're in no position to allege anyone else's snobbery.

@sixrings

Just like every other system available...

Yes, because there are other consoles that have no lag. Oh wait.

@nhSnork all I'm advocating for is options. That's fine to have a base system. But both Sony and Microsoft have managed to make two consoles this generation and it sounds like they are going to continue that trend going forward. I guess both Microsoft and PlayStation are taking loses with two models. It doesn't make sense. We live in a world of options. Apple releases more than one phone. Samsung LG more than one tv. Toyota has Lexus. Options are everywhere except for Nintendo fans who want to play their games at 1080p 60fps.

@Agramonte you sure your pc version is better? Since it apparantly is better on switch than on the ps4 and the xbox one. Or do you consider digital foundry to not be experts?

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/video_alien_isolation_looks_better_on_switch_than_ps4_says_digital_foundry

@sixrings the switch is pro for its targeted audience. Name any other console with such high demanding games that you can play on the go?

Even after almost 3 years the switch has NO competitor on the market.

@sixrings And when the PS5 comes out, even though I don't own a 4K TV or care about support for higher resolutions than 1080p, I'll have to accept that most developers will be coding their games to try to hit native 4K instead of going for smoother performance, which would be my preference. But — and this is the clincher — the world doesn't revolve around me, so I'll either have to make my peace with that or not buy the system.

Maybe that's the problem. Maybe Nintendo owners are less likely to own 4k tv's. When I had a 1080p tv the switch was good. Then I got 4k and the switch went from good to passable.

I don't usually notice input delay and hopefully I'm not about to start. Come to think of it I rarely notice the difference from 720p to 1080p and think things are better for me that way.

@wazlon I wish I didn't notice. Once you notice you start to feel like 720p looks like N64 games.

@sixrings Nintendo isn't for you then.

Everyone keeps talking about Switch Pros, or Switch 2 etc... It's utter nonsense!

Nintendo's history shows that's not something they are interested in at all.

As for Nintendo releasing on other consoles - why on earth should they? Sega only went that way when they realised they had not managed to make a financial success of their console hardware after the Genesis – whereas Nintendo have been successful hardware pushers with everything but the Wii U.

Again you are asking for something Nintendo just doesn't do, which is futile. There is no evidence of them having any wish to release full (non-mobile) titles on other consoles – so it's wasted mental energy wanting it. And in my opinion you will never get your Switch Pro. I'll be happy for you to be wrong, but until there is some hard evidence Nintendo are interested in such a thing it remains a nonsense rumour.

Before the Switch Lite came out, everyone seemed to be expecting a Pro, and I had no idea why. Then the Lite came out and everyone was like, ah of course, this is what Nintendo tends to do for revised models. Now they are back on the Pro train.

They don't do Pro models, accept that - or buy a different console

In all of Nintendo's history the closest we've had to an upgraded console of the same name was the N64 expansion pack and the 'New' 3DS models. The Wii U doesn't count – that was a new console with a branding hangover.

@brunojenso before this generation pro and x models werent a thing. So history has nothing to do with it and Nintendo has a new president and a new bowser. They're not married to the past. They can make changes if they want.

@sixrings Yeah, I wouldn't hook my Switch up to a 4K set. I'm sure it looks worse than it would otherwise.

If you want your games to look better, doesn't it make more sense to play them on hardware that they'll look good on? I use a medium-sized 1080p computer monitor to play my Switch games docked, and they mostly look pretty decent. It's a tablet, so I'm obviously not expecting the games to look as good as they do on my PC or PS4, but, considering the hardware, the visuals are usually serviceable (and sometimes even gorgeous; Mario + Rabbids, in particular, is a looker).

Can’t believe I’m reading a 40 year old man acting like a child. But here we are.

@brunojenso
People really want those awful yearly hardware updates that has cursed phones, we almost sorts have we go two years from hearing about Xbone X is the fastest console ever to how Xbone Series X is the fastest console ever zomg!!!111. These same people can’t stand how much has been gotten out of the 2015 hardware in Switch.

@sixrings Sure, nothings impossible and yes nothing is fixed/permanent; and I do get your point about the Pro and X models, but there are patterns, and new President or not, Nintendo does have 'its way of things' that extends to more than one or two members of the company – and you're choosing to ignore it.

That's fine, but it means you are at least highly likely to spend a considerable amount of time wanting something you probably won't get.

If you've cool with that, then... cool. Keep the Pro flame alive.

Nintendo recently talked openly about how it is more interested in new experiences than its legacy, but what they meant wasn't about throwing their core-principles away, but quite the opposite.

Above all they expressed that what interests them as a company most is finding new and interesting ways of interacting with/playing games (not exclusively video games either) – and increasing the tech isn't going to scratch that kind of creative itch.

If you want to know what Nintendo 'is' look at Labo! Success or not I bet Nintendo loved making those products, and I believe Labo and stuff like Ring-Fit Adventure represents the 'essence' of Nintendo. They just are not like Sony and Microsoft at all.

They are a collection of the 'Willy Wonkas' of the gaming world.

So whereas Sony and MS future consoles are essentially new versions of the thing before, when Nintendo upgrades, it won't be a Switch – it'll be a 'new experience' whatever that is. Again it's a pattern, which is reasonably likely to continue.

@SalvorHardin Yes!, it's insane how we can't just stay with a product for a while, and I love how Nintendo comes along and says 'this is what you've got for the next 6 years'. It really messes with the general trend of the world, which I consider a very good thing.

Input delay is a serious pet peeve of mine. It's the main reason I quit playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

@WiltonRoots Who? Are our ages visible somehow?

@SalvorHardin at least you acknowledge it is people. Not just myself. Plenty of people want an upgrade.

@brunojenso sixrings has said numerous times he’s 40. I know loads of 40 somethings and none of them act as pathetic as this.

I am older than 40. I'm too tired to act like a child anymore.

Have been loving everything about Alien Isolation. The controls haven’t been an issue at all. Sucks that there are people who are sensitive to the slightest input delay, in that it prevents them from fully enjoying a game, but for me, it’s been an absolute joy to play. Incredibly solid port. So glad I finally decided to buy it.

@sixrings I’m with you. On here you get crapped on for mentioning such things.

@sixrings the OG xbox was a 480p console. So no, you're not asking for a huge power increase. You're actually asking for a power reduction. You think 720p is bad?, wait until you get a load of 480p, or worse 480i.

I would like a Switch pro too, but we are talking about a hybrid console that is using the tegra chipsets. So where as the xbox one x is suppose to be around 4 times as powerful as the xbox one, as far as I can see, the beefed up tegra chips (the X2 and X1+) are only about 20-30% more powerful than the Swutch's X1.

This is all just rough estimations, but a Switch pro wouldn't do 4k. It would only do improved 60fps and 1080p, which I get is probably all you want, but how do you market that?. The xbox one x and ps4 pro take advantage of 4k tvs. For people with that tech, the upgraded consoles sound good. But a switch pro wouldn't satisfy 4k owners or 1080p owners. It sits in a wwird bubble of those who just want better performance. I do think there's three options though.

Do a switch "home". God knows what tech they'd use to beef the console up to 4k and keep it 100% compatible with the switch, but a dedicated home switch would be both different from the switch and have more option hardware wise to make that happen.

Or, do the minor chip upgrade, just to improve performance at 1080p, but also add in other options for "Pro" players. Things that more serious gamers would take advantage of. Like Bluetooth headset support, a 1080p handheld screen maybe, 500gb internal card (while still able to expand), and more stuff like that.

Or even just replace the Switch with a pro version. Have the new Switch "Pro" with upgrade chip just be the standard base model as we go in to next gen next year.

Triple buffering is helping us get used to the latency issue, when cloud streaming became mainstream in the future, delay is the norm.

@BenAV Same, mostly. I notice if a game is 30fps or under during bumpy travels, like car journeys... I get nauseous and a small headache for some reason. Happened since a kid and only realised now that 60fps Switch games like Mario Kart 8 dx are the only ones I can play for longer than like 20 minutes.

@Friendly On PC you can just apply modern anti-aliasing techniques with the GPU control panel. That is a console problem.

@Richnj I meant a Og xbox one. Sorry I miss spoke but I don't agree 4k owners would not be content with 1080p gaming. I keep saying over and over that 1080p gaming looks great on my 4k tv and that's all I'm looking for. How much of a GPU boost or whatever do you need to get 900p games like Mario Odyssey, Botw, Mario Tennis Aces, splatoon 2 to 1080p. People here are acting like I'm asking for a xbox one x powerful system. I'm not. I'm being reasonable by asking for Mario, Zelda, splatoon 2 to be 1080p. If anything it's unreasonable to think everyone's going to be happy with 720p-900p in a 4k world.

@Friendly

I'm pretty sure I could eat while pooping if I tried.

@sixrings Sony and Microsoft do reportedly sell consoles at a loss whereas Nintendo reportedly never does. Sony and Microsoft also market a good chunk of their offerings on the wave of remarkable graphics and need something to maintain said narrative six years into the lifespan of their hardware that more arrogant PC users used to mock even when said hardware just came out. Nintendo's current policy also makes it a point not to do anything just because other console makers do it.

And it's fine to WANT options, but advocation shouldn't try and publicly shame the concerned party into making an option that few to no advocates seem to have any practical idea about a realistic implementation of. Your own comment above essentially suggested they ditch all the modes but one and make a BoxStation with Mario and Zelda on it, compactly speaking. You'd think that, after even Switch Lite managed to retain two modes to switch between (it can still function as a tabletop console, if no longer out the box), Nintendo's intent to stick to the whole point of the console in any of its variants would be obvious. Especially when this point proved topical in its practicality perks and shows no signs of devs and customers alike growing apathetic towards it like it was with 3D view (although 2DS subseries didn't need much adjustment for its punny name and still remained a dual screen console in itself). Which keeps bringing us back to the elephant in the room: how do you balance this point with more RAM and computing power + proportionally more efficient cooling + more battery capacity to withstand it all AND manage to sell it at without a loss with the likely iPhone pricetag they entail?

The answer is something I've already dwelt on before. The option you want undoubtedly looms ahead of you - just not now, probably not within the next couple years and potentially not this gen (especially if you want HDR and 60 FPS in the same constant package). But would you survive waiting to play all the BotWs and Odysseys and Astral Chains in the meantime? That's up to you, but as someone who is still catching up with most of the previous generations' libraries to this day, I can attest to this survivability. Just like Ace Attorney games don't become any less of Ace Attorney games in their recent advent to HD consoles, BotW won't become any less BotW a few years from now.

@nhSnork oh yes. They are able to sell their consoles at a loss and still make money because they charge third party companies for each games released. So lose on the console. Get a higher install base. Make money on the games. Nintendo doesn't have that luxury as it is infamous for not being easy to work with from a third party perspective.

@sixrings

“A system full of compromise.” 🙄 😂 What a laughable comment. Truly laughable. Grow up and get real, kid.

@Agent721 joy con drift, have to buy a lan adapter, WIfi problems, no analogue triggers(i have to play grid using a GameCube controller from 2001), a phone app, no native voice chat (until fortnite made them), no way to purchase nes,snes,64 games and yes a compromise graphically when other systems are doing 4k 60fps and Nintendo's own first party games are struggling to make 1080p 60fps.