BioShock Infinite PC Specs

For the first time in a long time 2013 is going to be a year filled with titles that are best experienced on the PC. That isn't to say that console versions will be slouches by any means, but there's no denying that PC ports have begun to surpass their multi-platform brethren, in some cases, by leaps and bounds.

Among the must-have titles that could presumably look best on the PC in 2013 is BioShock Infinite, Irrational Games' follow-up to their beloved title from 2007. Expansive skylines, detailed enemies, and a high-speed aerial roller coaster-esque system called a Sky Hook are not just par for the course in Infinite; they could make the game a venerable high-end PC showpiece.

There is, of course, one barrier to entry for PC gamers — the minimum PC Specs — which we have for you today. Those gamers who can run a game like Far Cry 3 on its highest settings will have no problem meeting the requirements, but for anyone looking to upgrade here's what you will, at the very least, need. As well as what is recommended.

MINIMUM

  • OS: Windows Vista Service Pack 2 32-bit
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO 2.4 GHz / AMD Athlon X2 2.7 GHZ
  • Memory: 2 GB
  • Hard Drive: 20 GB free
  • Video Card: DirectX10 Compatible ATI Radeon 3870 / NVIDIA 8800 GT / Intel HD 3000 Integrated Graphics
  • Video Card Memory: 512 MB
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

RECOMMENDED

  • OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64-bit
  • Processor: Quad Core Processor
  • Memory: 4 GB
  • Hard Drive: 30 GB free
  • Video Card: DirectX11 Compatible, ATI Radeon 6950 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560
  • Video Card Memory: 1024 MB
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Infinite will also support AMD EyeFinity, NVIDIA Surround, and Matrox TripleHead2Go.

To celebrate the unveiling of these requirements, PC Gamer was able to sit down with Technical Director Christopher Kline about some of the game's PC-specific features, like the new benchmark tool. In essence, the benchmark tool will allow gamers to test out a wide variety of settings to see how best their machine handles them. Anything from resolution to aspect ratio to graphics quality level can be evaluated by the tool, which will then provide a detailed chart explaining the requisite machine's performance.

Kline also discusses the inherent challenges to developing a game like Infinite versus the first BioShock, a challenge that begins first with the fact that Infinite's setting Columbia is vulnerable to sunlight.

Right from the beginning our rendering team was faced with the problem of supporting BioShock Infinite’s much wider range of environments. To do this they had to implement a new renderer with entirely different approaches to lighting, shadowing, and level of detail. The resulting technology is a powerhouse that can handle not only the hugely expansive and brightly lit outdoor areas of Columbia, a floating city where everything is constantly moving, but also dark and creepy interiors similar to those in the original BioShock. Supporting these extremes well, and increasing visual quality at the same time, was an enormous challenge for the teams led by both Steve Anichini, our principal graphics engineer, and Spencer Luebbert, our Technical Artist. The result of all that hard work is the amazing world of BioShock Infinite–a place that BioShock veterans will instantly notice is both wondrously different and yet somehow… strangely familiar.

And rest assured that BioShock Infinite will support a wide variety of Direct X11 exclusive features as well, like Contact Hardening Shadows and support for AMD's High Definition Ambient Occlusion. Though it's hard to evaluate what elements from the interview come into play in the game's stunning trailers, it does make one consider upgrading their gaming rigs doesn't it?

BioShock Infinite releases March 26, 2013 for the PS3, PC, and Xbox 360.

-

Source: PC Gamer

Follow me on Twitter @ANTaormina