Modders uncover a hidden path tracing mode in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Modders have found a hidden path traced renderer in Dragon’s Dogma 2, showing us the future of the RE Engine
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s PC version has a secret hidden within it, an inaccessible path tracing mode that gives us a glimpse into the future of Capcom’s RE Engine. Thanks to the modder EXXXcellent and their “Graphis Suite Alpha” mod, this graphics mode is now available to PC gamers.
Digital Foundry were quick to test this new mod, showcasing the benefits of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s path tracing mode. However, it is clear that this path tracing mode is not ready for primetime, as it has some clear issues.
As it stands, Dragon’s Dogma 2’s path tracing mode is something that Capcom could build upon with a future game update. Either that or we may see a future Capcom game utilise this technology. After all, the RE Engine is used by most of Capcom’s major releases. Could a future Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, or Devil May Cry game use this renderer? Maybe, I guess we need to wait and see.
The main problem with this hidden path traced render is its lack of a denoiser. Denoising is an essential process for ray traced visuals. Without it, ray traced visuals will look incredibly grainy and unstable. This can be seen throughout Digital Foundry’s analysis above. It can also be seen in the image below, especially when 1 Sample Per Pixel (1 SSP) is used.
Without a denoising solution, Capcom’s path tracing mode doesn’t look as good as it could on PC. Perhaps modders will find a way to add a good denoising solution to this game, or Capcom will revisit Dragon’s Dogma 2 and officially release a “gamer-ready” path tracing mode for the game.
(Image from Digital Foundry)
Capcom probably shouldn’t finish Dragon’s Dogma 2’s path tracing mode, at least not yet
As it stands, Capcom’s engineers probably shouldn’t be focused on finishing/releasing Dragon’s Dogma 2’s path tracing mode. This game has performance issues on PC, and the game would really benefit from some CPU-focused optimisations. This is especially true within the game’s cities.
Capcom needs to address Dragon’s Dogma 2’s existing performance issues before focusing on better visuals. While an official path tracing mode with a good denoising solution would be nice, more stable framerates in the existing game is a better use of development time. That said, a path tracing mode like Cyberpunk 2077’s would be a welcome addition once other issues are fixed.
You can join the discussion on Dragon’s Dogma 2’s hidden path traced renderer on the OC3D Forums.
