360 Slowing Progress on GTA IV

[Icarusintel]

What an interesting quandry


Sort of a role reversal from most of the other news, but it does point out that the 360's lack of a hard drive in the lowest model and the lack of a larger disc format are causing problems. I'm no Sony fanboy, but something tells me this will become an even bigger problem as time goes on.

 

[<RJMC>]

I care more if this consoles really pull up great visual and that stuff cuz thats what they are aimed for

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Why did they bother making a statement crying about this? Did Sony make it the ultimatum for giving up exclusivity? Such a big fuss. The article also goes on to say the PS3 is creating hurdles for them too, simultaneous development has been challenging, I'm sure, since day one. This is a case book example of the gaming press blowing something out of proportion.

Houser does admit that of the two consoles, "both have enormous challenges," and "both have their own particular pleasures and pains."

In the end I'm sure both versions will end up fine.

 

[dream431ca]

That's why GTA 4 should be PS3 exclusive. Pick a system and make a game for it. It's becoming to difficult to make the same game on 2 systems that work very differently.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Each platform has their own challenges.

I'm sure they're talking bad about the 360, because Sony is probably giving them tons of TLC trying to persuade them to make it PS3 only. It wouldn't surprise me if Sony hired one guy to do sole tech support for Rockstar, since I'm sure Sony wants them back for an exclusive for GTA5.

I do think that the lack of HD was sort of a mistake on Microsoft. I really don't know that many people who want a core anyways if you're a serious gamer. Even if you're not, you might as well get the HD instead of buying a memory card for saved games / arcade.

On the flip-side, I'm sure it's a major pain in the ass for Rockstar that Sony allows you to put in your own drives. With Microsoft, if there is a drive, you pretty much know it's capacity, read/write speed and all sorts of technical junk. With the PS3, they gotta do all sorts of checks, hope it's fast enough and can read / write fast and reliably so that the game doesn't slow down from it.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

That's why GTA 4 should be PS3 exclusive. Pick a system and make a game for it. It's becoming to difficult to make the same game on 2 systems that work very differently.

The development cost to profit margin for making a PS3 game right now it simply not worth it, I'm sure that's why the decided to make it for both systems. Especially with a game that is really only insanely popular in NA/Europe. That's the reason PS3 is losing it's exclusives afaik

 

[smwScott]

Each platform has their own challenges.

I'm sure they're talking bad about the 360, because Sony is probably giving them tons of TLC trying to persuade them to make it PS3 only. It wouldn't surprise me if Sony hired one guy to do sole tech support for Rockstar, since I'm sure Sony wants them back for an exclusive for GTA5.

I do think that the lack of HD was sort of a mistake on Microsoft. I really don't know that many people who want a core anyways if you're a serious gamer. Even if you're not, you might as well get the HD instead of buying a memory card for saved games / arcade.

On the flip-side, I'm sure it's a major pain in the ass for Rockstar that Sony allows you to put in your own drives. With Microsoft, if there is a drive, you pretty much know it's capacity, read/write speed and all sorts of technical junk. With the PS3, they gotta do all sorts of checks, hope it's fast enough and can read / write fast and reliably so that the game doesn't slow down from it.

Not to be combative but none of that is really true, except for how MS should have included a HDD standard.

If anything it's MS trying to get Rockstar in their pocket, seeing as they paid them for episodic content that will at least be a timed exclusive. As far as the non-standard HDD comment ... that's such a non-issue it isn't even relevant. The lowest capacity it could possibly have is 20GB, with 60GB being what most people have. Also I would guess that very few people have actually replaced the HDD, and if they had I'm sure read speeds wouldn't be an issue.

I also wish that GTA4 was an exclusive, though not because I don't want 360 owners to get it. I don't think the game will be as impressive as it would have been otherwise. I would almost rather them release it first for the 360, then release a "redux" version later for the PS3/PC.

 

[VirusType2]

That's why GTA 4 should be PS3 exclusive. Pick a system and make a game for it.

You wouldn't be saying that if you only had a 360.

It's becoming to difficult to make the same game on 2 systems that work very differently.

Many people are saying things like that, but I don't believe it for a second. If it was too difficult, Rockstar and other companies wouldn't do it. So don't worry about it.

There is a learning stage for both consoles, and because both consoles are new. Each developer has to learn how to use the toolkits. Rockstar already made (at least one) game for the 360, so they should be very familiar with what the 360 can and can't do.

If anything it's MS trying to get Rockstar in their pocket

Everyone is in it for the profit. No profit = no more job. Large profit = more salary. Rockstar has already made (at least one) game/s for the 360. It's not like Microsoft is paying them to work for them. Rockstar willingly took the opportunity to make games for the system.

If anything it's MS trying to get Rockstar in their pocket, seeing as they paid them for episodic content that will at least be a timed exclusive.

I would like to read about this. Did you read something on this, or is this just what everyone is saying?

Why did they bother making a statement crying about this? Did Sony make it the ultimatum for giving up exclusivity? Such a big fuss. The article also goes on to say the PS3 is creating hurdles for them too, simultaneous development has been challenging, I'm sure, since day one. This is a case book example of the gaming press blowing something out of proportion.


Quote:
Houser does admit that of the two consoles, "both have enormous challenges," and "both have their own particular pleasures and pains."

In the end I'm sure both versions will end up fine.

I'm with you on this.

If Rockstar can't make a good game, it's Rockstar's fault, not any kind of challenges with (wippie) 2 different consoles. I'm sorry, but PC games have to support hundreds of configurations, and you don't see them even mentioning it.

Rockstar has the money to hire however many people they need. This is a huge opportunity.

At the price of these consoles, not as many people will be owning both consoles at this point. It's really a no-brainer to release it for both consoles.

The 360 has more console owners (more potential game buyers), and the PS3 has a limited game library (less competition) - either way, they are going to sell a large amount of games on both systems, being one of the most anticipated games.

I think Rockstar is just explaining the challenges they are facing, since people (news reporters) are asking. It's not an issue, just another day at the office for their programmers. When I'm at work, I know I complain sometimes too.

Programmers are known for figuring out work-arounds, that's what a programmer does. So just let them figure out how best to work around it.

It seems pretty obvious to me. None of the other GTA games required a hard drive. instead, there were loading screens at certain places in the game. The best thing they could do is use loading screens, and if a 360 owner has a hard drive installed, let them take advantage of it to bypass these loading screens. It seems like a minor task to me.

Besides, It makes me wonder what will happen if your hard drive is full on the PS3. What happens, you can't play the game? I mean, loading screens are pretty much mandatory.

For example, Oblivion loads off the hard drive, but if it has to, it pauses the gameplay momentarily to allow a slower configuration to catch up. "LOADING LOD..", or "loading area...". If your hard drive and memory can keep up, you won't even see these pauses and messages.


I hope this comes out for PC after they finish with the consoles. I won't be getting it otherwise. Also, is it still not a multiplayer game?

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

That's why GTA 4 should be PS3 exclusive. Pick a system and make a game for it. It's becoming to difficult to make the same game on 2 systems that work very differently.

Yeah, so we have to spend ?400+ on a console that will crack my discs. Yay!
Ah well, I'll get the PC version when it comes out.

 

[Cerpin]

I'm absolutely sure that the PS3 is hindering GTA 4 in a lot of ways too. Memory, for example.

 

[Gargantou]

Also, is it still not a multiplayer game?[/B]

GTA is and have always been a singleplayer game, but GTA4 will contain some form of multiplayer mode(Like Saint's Row) but they've said it's nothing close to trying to be a MMO or huge online experience.

 

[Sainku]

Thought it was strange they would come out and say that until I read the actual quote, seems like a bigger deal is being made out of this than it really is.

During an interview with our partners in crime at Official PlayStation Magazine, Rockstar's creative vice president Dan Houser was asked: "On PS3 you've got a guarantee that every machine is going to have a hard-drive and, with Blu-ray, you've got plenty of storage, whereas on Xbox 360 there's no guarantee of a hard-drive and you're working with the DVD format. Does that create limitations?" To which he replied, "Yep, to be honest with you we haven't solved all those riddles yet." The difficulties aren't limited to working on Microsoft's box, as Houser explains that "both have enormous challenges" and that "both have their own particular pleasures and pains".

I also wish that GTA4 was an exclusive, though not because I don't want 360 owners to get it. I don't think the game will be as impressive as it would have been otherwise.

A 360 user could say the same. Aside from a higher capacity disk format, the need for which is debatable, there just isn' a huge gap in hardware between the ps3 and 360 like there was with the ps2 and xbox. Both of them are going to suffer from this being multi-platform.

 

[phantomdesign]

Meh, they should just make it a PC exclusive.

 

[Ren.182]

I'm not worried about this at all. Rockstar will do a fine job with it.

Also, wasn't the video from the trailer taken from the Xbox 360 version? Or didn't some people see a demo of it on the 360, which they said looked fine.

If it looks like the trailer I will still be impressed.

 

[smwScott]

A 360 user could say the same. Aside from a higher capacity disk format, the need for which is debatable, there just isn' a huge gap in hardware between the ps3 and 360 like there was with the ps2 and xbox. Both of them are going to suffer from this being multi-platform.

True enough. If the game was developed from the ground up on the 360 it would probably be better than the end result too, as exclusive games are ALWAYS more impressive than multi-platform games. However, I definitely believe that the potential for the game would certainly be higher on a console with equal/better hardware and a standard HDD and larger disc format.

 

[Gargantou]

smwScott, you have to keep in mind that just because all that space is there doesnt mean they will take advantage off it, there are manpower limitations and time limitations as well.

 

[VirusType2]

Meh, they should just make it a PC exclusive.

werd.


heh, won't happen.

 

[Krynn72]

What?! Developing for multiple platforms makes things take longer?!!??!?!




NO WAI!

 

[Xune]

That's why GTA 4 should be PS3 exclusive. Pick a system and make a game for it. It's becoming to difficult to make the same game on 2 systems that work very differently.

That's why all games should be PC exclusive. Develop for the best technology on the market and then strip out content to suit the inferior platforms.

I'm fed up of gimped games because Console X couldn't handle it.

 

[smwScott]

smwScott, you have to keep in mind that just because all that space is there doesnt mean they will take advantage off it, there are manpower limitations and time limitations as well.

Maybe they will use it, maybe not. But I was speaking purely from a potential point of view. If nothing else not having to worry about keeping the space down and being able to easily solve certain problems by caching crucial data to the HDD would alleviate development pains and allow them to work on making the game better.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

I hope this comes out for PC after they finish with the consoles. I won't be getting it otherwise. Also, is it still not a multiplayer game?

It's never a multiplayer game.

 

[smwScott]

It's never a multiplayer game.

Yes it is. They haven't announced specifics, but they said there will be multiple online game modes.

This is just speculation, but you may look to the PSP games for what to expect. I have a feeling they were the testing grounds for GTA4.

 

[Gargantou]

smwScott, I think he meant it's never a multilplayer game as in a game where the MP is the focus and recieves the majority of attention of the devs, Rockstar has stated that GTA4s main focus will be SP but it will contain MP modes too.