Bethesda has released the latest patch for Fallout 3 on both Xbox 360 and PC in preperation for The Pitt DLC which arrives this month.
More interestingly the patch has also provided a visual upgrade to the Xbox 360 version of the game. The update has secretly added specular maps which help combat ‘flat’ textures.
”…despite its superior frame rate and full-on 4x MSAA,” blogs Digital Foundry on Fallout 3’s Xbox 360 version, it ”had flaws of its own - notably some inferior textures when viewed close up, along with a lack of specular maps on the monsters and characters, resulting in a somewhat flat look compared to the other versions of the game.”
”As it happens, the latest Fallout 3 patch isn’t just preparation code for the upcoming DLC… one of the small issues with the launch 360 game has been addressed: the specular maps are back,” they continued, but noted not all areas have been improved.
Here is a before and after shot of the latest Xbox 360 update, courtesy of Digital Foundry:
