Goddammit, let me explain the nature of Crysis.
Crysis is an extremely heavy game. Now we'll split this up into 3 issues: CPU-related tasks, GPU-related tasks, and RAM issues.
CPU-
The PS3 is more then capable of handling CryEngine 2.0s usage of physics, procedural generation, AI, destructible objects that's implemented. What it comes down to of course proper programming. Now one other thing the PS3 has up it's sleeve that the Xbox 360 cannot do very well is graphics related calculations on the main processor. I'm not to sure how Cell BE would best utilized for a game like Crysis when it comes to graphics. But Naughty Dog did state that a good deal of graphics was processed on the Cell BE in tandem with the RSX in their beautifully made game Uncharted: Drakes Fortune. Considering they were utilizing 30% at the most of the Cell BE's capabilities with graphics, AI, physics, etc, that's pretty ******* brilliant. Hell I think Insomniac would be a good partner for Crytek if they were to ever do such a port (very unlikely though).
GPU-
The G71 processor that makes up the RSX is nothing I would call special, considering a GeForce 8600 is around the same capability as the GeForce 7800GT of which has a G71 GPU, I would think on the RSX alone we can automatically assertain the PS3 could achieve close to or about "medium" quality graphics settings in a 720p screen format with proper GPU optimization (Crytek is a pro at optimization). That alone is a pretty nice thing. With the Cell BE brought into the equation I think it's possible to achieve maybe a bit higher geometry or possibly lighting.
Now what I've talked about can pretty much be taken with a grain of salt, however Crytek did say that the PS3 and 360 could handle Crysis decently if they were to port it when it comes down to their CPUs and GPUs. However.......
RAM-
This is the PS3 and 360's achilles heel. Even at medium graphics, Crysis wants RAM, and tons of it. I play the game at high settings at it eats about 1.2 GB of the stuff, and Crytek said this is their biggest problem with a port to either system. The PS3, no matter what model does have an HDD, which automatically means they could texture stream easier as well as have the aid of a page file/memory caching system, which from what I've heard from either Naughty Dog or Insomniac that using a page file on the HDD is like having another extra 120 MB of RAM at their disposal. It's not the real thing, which is best, but it's understandable in that sense to you guys. However this still probably wouldn't be enough for "medium" textures, therefore the page file system + a robust texture streaming system would have to be utilized. And even still we don't know if that would be enough to express Crysis the way it should be.
So as you can see, the amounts of RAM are a huge issue with this game and the idea of it being ported. Frankly I could care less about seeing the PS3 and 360 fanboys appeased, however I would find a port of Crysis intriguing as an interesting case study of taking a full fledge PC centric game, and moving it onto a console(s) that has a severe limitation possibly couldn't be worked around. Half Life 2 of course saw light on the Xbox, but it's plagued with using an underpowered CPU however it did utilize a streaming system. So I guess time will tell, be it Crytek moves onto to other projects or they decide (or EA hassles them to) to port the game over. In my honest opinion I can say that the PS3 I think is better equiped to handle the game if it was fully and properly made for the system. However the 360 is a bit more readily capable for a port. It uses a DX9 API system, and translating the game to it's PowerPC based processor wouldn't be too difficult, especially since it's a symetrical tri-core system. Of course RAM is the issue and I do think that a 360 version should require an HDD no ifs ands or buts because it would desperately need it. Ever play Elder Scrolls 4 w/o the HDD? I tried that once, and damn the framerate was aweful. So I hope that lights some of your brains up as to why this is a difficult issue. If you don't understand what I explained, then sorry.
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