The image (composition, whatever) was designed at 16:9, which is the opposite of most games in history (though, will probably be common in the future). So, if the designers wanted an 80-degree FOV (making up that number), they made the "real" (16:9) version of the game 80 degrees.

Now, you really think they should cut the 4:3 version down to 50 or so degrees? That would be serious tunnel vision for those users (there's a lot of them). So, they gave the 4:3 viewers 80 degrees horizontally as well.

If "80 degrees" (made up number) was the "right" FOV before, it still is.


I think you inadvertently touched on the real problem here, and the reason there is such an emotional outcry. In the past, for a FPS, the FOV has always been 90°. When 16:9 TV's hit, all of us gamers thought "WOW, now were going to see even more".

That should put the horizontal FOV at about 112°. Instead, Halo 3 and now Bioshock have taken us backward to a less than 90° horizontal FOV and God knows what tiny little vertical FOV(maybe 50°). Then, to add insult to injury, Bioshock let's the 4:3'ers see more. Holy crap! I bought a widescreen TV to see less? WTF?

I think that's one reason why 3rd person games are gaining popularity, you aren't constantly looking down to find items, and up to get a headshot on opponents.

Just for example some movies that were released in 4:3 open matte on DVD where the 16:9 version was true to the theater and the 4:3 showed more but was not the artists intent include

"Dark City"
"Run Lola Run"
"Terminator 3"

I'm sure there are many more out there as well but those are a few I came across quickly on my search.

Also HD showings of Gladiator and the Matrix where shown open matte on HBO to make the 2.35 movies into 1.85

Again while this does show "More" of the movie it is not what the movie is supposed to look like. More is not always better.

I think you inadvertently touched on the real problem here, and the reason there is such an emotional outcry. In the past, for a FPS, the FOV has always been 90°. When 16:9 TV's hit, all of us gamers thought "WOW, now were going to see even more".

That should put the horizontal FOV at about 112°. Instead, Halo 3 and now Bioshock have taken us backward to a less than 90° horizontal FOV and God knows what tiny little vertical FOV(maybe 50°). Then, to add insult to injury, Bioshock let's the 4:3'ers see more. Holy crap! I bought a widescreen TV to see less? WTF?

I think that's one reason why 3rd person games are gaining popularity, you aren't constantly looking down to find items, and up to get a headshot on opponents.

You hit the nail on the head. This is the best explanation of the problem. I also agree on your opinion of 3rd person games. GoW gave us a much wider FOV than any similar shooter. It was nice not having to move the view around as much.

They're giving us half the FOV that we enjoy with our own eyes; you'd think that developers of an FPS, given the term alone, would want to simulate our natural FOV as best they can. I doubt this will become a trend, given the uproar about it. I hope it won't.

yeah just like movie directors want to always give us natural field of view on movies or natural looking color pallettes...

Even with all this debate I can soundly say that this supposed "issue" didnt detract from my Bioshocl experience to date and it sure didnt keep me from beating the game so I'm not really sure why this is such an issue

Even with all this debate I can soundly say that this supposed "issue" didnt detract from my Bioshocl experience to date and it sure didnt keep me from beating the game so I'm not really sure why this is such an issue
Its all about entitlement. HDTV owners are entitled to the best view without debate - isn't that why you bought your set? Developers' intentions be damned.

Its all about entitlement. HDTV owners are entitled to the best view without debate - isn't that why you bought your set? Developers' intentions be damned.
Well, I bought my set to get HD resolutions, something 4:3 set owners wouldn't have.

If you REALLY want bigger widescreen so bad, hook your 360 up with VGA, set the 360 to output a 4:3 or 5:4 resolution and let your TV scale it. You now have the same FOV, and nothing will be stretched, except the menus. It works for the PC version, at least. Or, you could always play the game @ 480p.

I was forced to play the game at 480p 4:3 while dogsitting since the weekend. I would NOT recommend it. In fact, after playing it a few hours at 4:3, I had to stop playing it. Yeah, the additional vertical FOV allowed me to spot first aid kits and other items on high shelves or on high rocks, but it just seemed unnatural to me. I can't wait to finally go home today and hook the 'box up to my widescreen TV and play this game again the way it was meant to be played!

Okay, does anyone recall the discussions of the demo and how the graphics in the first portion appeared to be better than the parts further in the demo? I was intimately involved in that debate ; ) Anyways, I am finally getting further along in the game, and last night I noticed that when you finish neptune and get into the next portion underground on the way to arcadia, the textures appeared to be bumped up again in resolution much like the very opening scene in the game! It looks amazing!! (and the field of view no longer even concerns me). The arcadia graphics just look so much better to me for some reason than the preceding levels. Strange, but needless to say I am really loving the game and the graphics, and especially the fact that they appear to improve in certain portions that have less going on.

Strange, but needless to say I am really loving the game and the graphics, and especially the fact that they appear to improve in certain portions that have less going on.I think I know what you're saying... to me, the Medical Pavilion didn't have quite as much "oomph" as the intro scene, and now that I've gotten a little further along to the entertainment district, the environments seem better and more interesting and 'pop' out at me more. I know that for my part, I've always been better at modeling/texture work toward the end of a given project. After spending X number of years on a title, an artist will be more facile toward the end because of tips and tricks learned along the way, and latter levels or environments look better than the earliest.

I'm just glad people have stopped talking about this, people get so into things sometimes. I just wrapped up neptune last night, and I agree, the game looks even more amazing in the arcadia section...it's almost as if they were teasing us.

I think the point being made is that the 16:9 mode is how the game is supposed to look and the 4:3 mode is actually zoomed out like some DVD's are widescreen

Sure, if you believe everything people tell you. I find it hard to believe that the developers artistic vision has always been for 4x3 users to see more, and that the FOV appears to change at different aspect ratios.

Since the game was designed for widescreen why is it so hard to believe that the widescreen mode is displayed properly and that they messed up the FOV for the 4:3 version?

Sure, if you believe everything people tell you. I find it hard to believe that the developers artistic vision has always been for 4x3 users to see more, and that the FOV appears to change at different aspect ratios.As the old proverb goes, there is none so blind as he who will not see.