Cyberpunk 2077 RT: Overdrive Mode Seemingly Cripples RTX 4090 Without DLSS 3

It’s been a couple of years since CD Projekt Red (CDPR) launched Cyberpunk 2077 and in spite of a rocky launch riddled with bugs, glitches and unplanned disappearing acts of vehicles, the studio has already brought the game up to an acceptable enough level, and is still constantly adding on new improvements, patch after patch. In fact, in its next update, the game will be getting a patch that gives players access to an upgraded version of ray-tracing mode, known as RT: Overdrive Mode.

We first wrote about RT: Overdrive Mode back in March, when GDC 2023 was in full swing, and both NVIDIA and CDPR gave a technical session regarding the technology. The mode, also known as Full ray-tracing, which is also known as path-tracing, is actually just one of the two popular methods used by game developer whenever they wish to simulate the behaviour of light in-game. With the more conventional ray-tracing, the in-game engine traces the path of light rays and their interaction with different objects; this processing method requires a lot of graphical power but the end results are images and environments with very accurate reflections, refractions, and shadows.

 

With path-tracing that is used by the RT: Overdrive Mode, the lighting calculation is randomly computed and involves the path of lights that are sampled within an environment. It’s a less complex and demanding process but as a trade-off, the final product is an image with higher noise levels. NVIDIA, in this case, seems to have successfully mitigated that issue, as evidenced by its latest teaser video, showing off the mode in all its glory. In the brand’s words, “full ray-tracing models all properties of light from an unlimited number of emissive sources, delivering physically correct shadows, reflections, and global illuminations on all objects.”

There is a very clear and obvious trade-off for the new RT: Overdrive mode, and that’s an increased strained or processing power by the GPU, and NVIDIA actually shows it in the product demo. With full ray-tracing activated and its DLSS upscaling technology turned on, the feature effectively kneecaps an RTX 4090, with the GPU just able to churn out 16 fps on average, and at 4K resolution. Of course, flip the switch on the brand’s DLSS 3, and the framerate ratchets back above the 100 fps mark and stays there for the remainder of the short tech demo. Honestly, we’re not sure if that massive drop in frames is actually legitimate, but if it is, it does feel a bit soul-crushing, especially given the power a GPU such as the RTX 4090 commands.

CDPR Created Cyberpunk 2077 Bug Montage Before Game’s Release

CD Projekt Red has been churning out fixes for Cyberpunk 2077, which launched in quite the state. Unsurprisingly, a game that launched with that many bugs will have enough for a montage video or two. And a few of those have made their way online.

VGC reports that the leaked videos were part of the files stolen from CDPR during the major hack it suffered earlier in the year. The videos show various bugs of Cyberpunk 2077, edited for comedic effect.

On its own, a bug montage is not necessarily a bad thing. CDPR probably intended to also include it with Cyberpunk 2077 as a sort of bonus material, the way it did for The Witcher 3. But considering the state it launched in, it’s probably understandable why the developer decided against it.

One of the producers of Cyberpunk 2077 also confirmed that the bug montage is legitimate on Twitter. The tweet has since been deleted, also for obvious reasons. To say that it would have been taken poorly would be an understatement. But to be fair, it was a reply to another tweet by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, which was also deleted.

If you want to see the video montage for yourself, you can do so by heading to VGC’s report, linked below. But be warned that the second video opens with extremely NSFW bugs.

Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition OnePlus Watch Launching In China

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that was unexpectedly met with infamy from both gamers and critics due to its constant delays, troubled launch, and disappointingly unpolished release. Despite its mixed reception, it appears that certain brands are still banking on the CD Projekt Red-developed game to market limited edition products to consumers. One such brand is none other than Chinese tech company OnePlus.

After launching a special edition of the OnePlus 8T last year, the company has announced that it will be releasing another Cyberpunk 2077-themed product in China next week. This time around, the device in question is confirmed to be a limited edition of its first ever smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch.

Much like the smartphone, this version of the wearable also comes with similar design elements such as the neon yellow stripes, black on black lines, and the game’s branding. However, these are only limited to the straps. Its main body, on the other hand, is presented in the same gun metal black as the regular version of the smartwatch, which is somewhat disappointing.

OnePlus did not provide any details regarding the limited edition’s hardware, but it is believed that the specifications will be no different from the original. As a quick refresher, the OnePlus Watch features a 1.39-inch OLED display, 1GB RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and a battery that is capable of lasting up to two weeks. It comes with a rating of IP68 in terms of dust and water resistance. Unique to the limited edition is the onboard Cyberpunk 2077-themed watch face and user interface.

Last but not least, the Cyberpunk 2077 limited edition OnePlus Watch also comes with a display stand that is modeled after Johnny Silverhand’s, well, hand. It wasn’t revealed if the accessory would feature some form of charging capability, or is merely just for decoration.

Pricing for the smartwatch will only be confirmed by the brand when it launches in China next week on 24 May 2021. Whether OnePlus is planning to have the device see an international release after this is not known at this time. But seeing that the OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition did eventually make its way to Malaysia in December of last year, there’s a chance that we might see this version of the wearable released locally as well.

Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 1.2 Now Live; Addresses Hundreds Of Bugs And Glitches

CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has finally launched the long-awaited Patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 and it is massive. The patch is nearly 30GB in size and addresses hundreds of in-game bugs and glitches, literally.

As per the list on its official page, the patch fixes a myriad of issues that CDPR has thoughtfully divided up into different categories: Gameplay, Quests, the open world, Cinematic Design, Environment and Levels, UI, and its graphics, audio, and animation, to name a few.

One particular fix addresses how officers of the game’s Night City Police Department (NCPD) would suddenly appear out of thin air, whenever the player character, V. commits a criminal act. Now, a scout drone will appear in advance to give players the feeling that the local authorities are assessing the situation, before they start to swarm in.

Moving on, CDPR has also added a “Rocking/Rotating” feature for the game’s vehicle. This allows the players to cradle their in-game vehicles back and forth, should they find them stuck, beached, or flipped upside down.

If you already have Cyberpunk 2077 installed via Steam, Epic, or if you’ve got the DRM-free version of the game, you should’ve already received a prompt about the update. Once again, the list is incredibly long and detailed, so if you wish you check out all the fixes, you can do so by heading to the official page in the source below.

(Source: Cyberpunk 2077)

CDPR Details Upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 1.2

CD Projekt Red delayed patch 1.2 for Cyberpunk 2077 from February to the end of March. With that patch coming soon, the developers have released details about what players can expect in it. And it is pretty massive in scale, addressing a number of the biggest issues concerning gameplay.

The first is regarding the police spawning immediately behind you when you get wanted. Once the patch rolls out, they will stop materialising out of thin air. A scout drone will also appear in advance to give the impression that the police are assessing the situation.

On vehicles, CDPR said that the new patch will add a new Steering Sensitivity option. This will hopefully make your car more obedient to your inputs, rather than plowing straight ahead when you turn the steering wheel. The patch will also add an Unstuck feature to Cyberpunk 2077. And it kicks in when you’re hitting the accelerator paddle but not moving. In such situations, you can rock your vehicle to get it the right way up.

And finally, there’s a new option to turn off dodge by double-tapping a directional input. Which is great if you frequently get frustrated by dodging when all you wanted was to make quick micro-adjustments to your position.

You read the patch notes yourself by following the link below. CDPR has written it in a very tongue-in-cheek way with a TV news format. That could serve as its own form of entertainment. Though the devs did not say when will Cyberpunk 2077 actually get the patch 1.2.

Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 1.2 Delayed To March As A Result Of CD Projekt Hack

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red delivered the first of two major patches for the game exactly a month ago. We’re supposed to be getting the second one this month, but it looks like that’s not happening anymore. And the company claims that this is because of the hack that occurred earlier in the month.

In a series of three tweets, CDPR explains that the effect of the hack and the extent of the Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 1.2 means the devs will have to push its release back. The tweet says that the devs are aiming for a release in the second half of March.

Though according to Bloomberg, one major detail that CDPR left out is the fact that “most” of its employees have been locked out of their work VPN. This means that they can’t get access to their work tools from home. To work around this, employees had to take their computers to the company’s IT department to screen for malware.

While CD Projekt may have backups to deal with the hack, it looks like it’s not a completely seamless recovery. No doubt that getting hacked is no laughing matter. But the problem of not being able to access the company VPN sounds a little ridiculous.