Video Game Chatter

[Smitty]

Game developer says it’s ‘physically impossible’ for Xbox One to match PS4 performance

The Xbox One’s graphics performance is expected to significantly improve once Microsoft releases new DirectX 12 drivers. But according to one popular game developer, that won’t put the console on par with Sony’s PlayStation 4. In fact, it’s apparently “physically impossible” for the Xbox One to match the PS4 when it comes to computing power.

Oddworld Inhabitants co-founder Lorne Lanning suggested in late March during an interview with Xbox Achievements that the performance gap between the two consoles will disappear in the future. However, it appears that he wasn’t actually referring to the computing differences between the two devices. A few days later, in an interview with Worlds Factory, Just Add Water CEO Stewart Gilray said that Lanning’s words were misunderstood.

“Actually that is NOT what he said,” Gilray said. “I spoke to Lorne afterwards and what he meant when speaking to that guy was that budgets, schedules and perceivable differences would narrow, NOT that the Xbox One performance is improving to align with PS4, that is just physically impossible. The PS4 has MORE COMPUTE units, and faster memory and a whole bunch of things, that would make that physically impossible to happen.”

Lanning is working on a new “from-the-ground-up” remake of Oddworld for PlayStation 4, and the game could also arrive on the Xbox One, as the game developer is already in talks to bring the new title to Microsoft’s console under the ID@Xbox program. If the game does arrive on both platforms, Lanning expects it to perform well no matter what console buyers choose.

“For us, we aren’t taxing it that heavy, like I say it’s not Battlefield,” Lanning said. “For us, we don’t really see that we’ll have performance problems on either and we’ll be able to get what we want, with very dynamic looking lighting, particle effects, etc.”

Just Add Water has also worked on various Oddworld titles so far, and is involved in the upcoming Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty game for PS4 (and other platforms).

 

[Texas Ace]

Yeah, but people like Bioware will be there.

Yea, it's still going to be an interesting event due to a lot of 3rd party developers showing off new material.

I'm most interested to see what else they reveal about this twisted game from Bethesda:

 

[Texas Ace]

I don't know how it is on PS4, but on XB1 digital download is the way to go. So bad ass to switch between games, TV, music, whatever...without having to move.

I have yet to download a retail game yet, but from my understanding it works the same way.

You can download it and even play the game as it's downloading or go back and play another game or use an app or whatever.

 

[Texas Ace]

Yeah, Amy Hennig. Could be bad, but I doubt it will matter TOO much. She was actually really only the true lead on Uncharted 1 and 3, and I thought 3 was the weakest.

Neil Druckmann was really the lead designer on Uncharted 2, from everything I've heard, and that was the best of the series. Hhe also created and wrote the Last of Us, which Hennig wasn't really involved in. He is now the lead on the new Uncharted.

Given how great the Last of Us was, I doubt it will matter.

Right, it won't make much a difference in the end.

The gameplay will remain the same which is what matters most, but even then, the story is interesting but it isn't what drives the game. Uncharted's characters have always been cool, but it's never been a story driven game like Last of Us was.

Uncharted will be just fine without her.

 

[Texas Ace]

Ya, but do you think if anything amazing was going to be announced Sony would skip it? Doubtful. Especially not if it were one of their exclusives.

BTW, the former lead writer for Naughty Dog (did all 3 Uncharted's) has left and moved on the company making the new Star Wars games. That could be interesting.

I'm sure Sony are just gonna wait until E3 in June to make any major announcements....unless their secrets get revealed beforehand like they almost always do.

 

[Texas Ace]

I like digital download if it can be a Steam-like system, or Apple, where the games you purchased for download are linked to your account and you can always re-download them. Not sure if that's the case with the XB1 and PS4.

Yes, you can download that game on any PS3/4 that your account is activated on.

That is exactly why they changed it to where you can only have 3 consoles activated at the same time because people were sharing their login information with all of their friends so they could download stuff for free.

 

[Smitty]

Yea, it's still going to be an interesting event due to a lot of 3rd party developers showing off new material.

I'm most interested to see what else they reveal about this twisted game from Bethesda

I wish Bethesda would get off their ass and announce Fallout 4 already.

It was four years between Morrowind (2002) and Oblivion (2006). It was two years between Oblivion and Fallout 3 (2008). It was three years between Fallout 3 and Skyrim (2011).

It's now 2014, it's been 3 years, and we don't even have an announcement of Fallout 4 yet.

Get on it, Bethesda. Because I'd also like another Elder Scrolls before 2020 and at this increasing development rate, it's not gonna happen.

I don't count that bullshit fake Elder Scrolls MMO, either, so if that's what they are wasting their time on, I hope it bombs. If they have a separate team for that game, fine, but they shouldn't be diverting resources away from the team that cranks out the Elder Scrolls single player games and the Fallout series.

 

[Texas Ace]

I wish Bethesda would get off their ass and announce Fallout 4 already.

It was four years between Morrowind (2002) and Oblivion (2006). It was two years between Oblivion and Fallout 3 (2008). It was three years between Fallout 3 and Skyrim (2011).

It's now 2014, it's been 3 years, and we don't even have an announcement of Fallout 4 yet.

Get on it, Bethesda. Because I'd also like another Elder Scrolls before 2020 and at this increasing development rate, it's not gonna happen.

I don't count that bullshit fake Elder Scrolls MMO, either, so if that's what they are wasting their time on, I hope it bombs. If they have a separate team for that game, fine, but they shouldn't be diverting resources away from the team that cranks out the Elder Scrolls single player games and the Fallout series.

If there is going to be a Fallout 4 announcement, and I'm guessing there will be, then it will be at E3 and it will likely be demoed on whatever console they've agreed to do exclusive content with.

 

[Smitty]

Though I'll say this.... I know when they were deciding what to do with Skyrim, they were trying to decide if they were gonna make it for the last generation, or wait until the next generation.

Obviously, since they released it in 2011, a full 2 years before the PS4/XB1 came out, that question was way too premature. That would mean they would have been developing a game for PS4/XB1 architecture that they didn't even know the details of yet, the game wouldn't have come out until 2014, and that would have been an even LONGER wait between Fallout 3 (2008) and Skyrim (2014).

But since they went ahead and did Skyrim on the previous generation, I bet they put off Fallout so that they could specifically design it as a next-gen game.

What I mean by that is, most of the games out now (like Assassin's Creed IV or Killzone) are really PS3/XB360 games dressed up as next gen. They were designed as previous generation games and then converted to the new consoles. They are limited because the games all run on the previous generation of hardware. The AC4 game for the PS3 isn't radically different from the PS4 version in terms of gameplay, missions, world size, AI, or even graphics; it's just tweaked and optimized.

I bet they are designed Fallout 4 as next-gen only. Built specifically for next-gen hardware. Which means it will probably (hopefully) be a big leap over Oblivion/Fallout 3/Skyrim, which had incremental improvements but all felt somewhat similar.

 

[Texas Ace]

Though I'll say this.... I know when they were deciding what to do with Skyrim, they were trying to decide if they were gonna make it for the last generation, or wait until the next generation.

Obviously, since they released it in 2011, a full 2 years before the PS4/XB1 came out, that question was way too premature. That would mean they would have been developing a game for PS4/XB1 architecture that they didn't even know the details of yet, the game wouldn't have come out until 2014, and that would have been an even LONGER wait between Fallout 3 (2008) and Skyrim (2014).

But since they went ahead and did Skyrim on the previous generation, I bet they put off Fallout so that they could specifically design it as a next-gen game.

What I mean by that is, most of the games out now (like Assassin's Creed IV or Killzone) are really PS3/XB360 games dressed up as next gen. They were designed as previous generation games and then converted to the new consoles. They are limited because the games all run on the previous generation of hardware. The AC4 game for the PS3 isn't radically different from the PS4 version in terms of gameplay, missions, world size, AI, or even graphics; it's just tweaked and optimized.

I bet they are designed Fallout 4 as next-gen only. Built specifically for next-gen hardware. Which means it will probably (hopefully) be a big leap over Oblivion/Fallout 3/Skyrim, which had incremental improvements but all felt somewhat similar.

Yup, I think you're spot on.

That's why they can have games like Tomb Raider and even Last of Us out so quickly for the PS4 - because they're optimized for PS4 as opposed to being built from the ground up. But there was no way Sony was going to give that treatment to Uncharted, which is why that game won't be out till 2015.

 

[Smitty]

Sony Reveals New MMO H1Z1 (apparently, "H one Zed one")
Zombies, middle America, and crafting, oh my!


Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley revealed today that the company has been developing a free-to-play MMO called H1Z1.

"It’s a massively multiplayer game in which players fight for survival in a world where death is the only sure thing," Smedley said. "The H1Z1 virus devastated mankind and left nothing but death and destruction in its wake and a world nearly empty of human life where the remnants of humanity are in a fight against extinction against those infected with the virus."

Smedley addressed the similarities between H1Z1 and other survival/zombie titles by pointing to many of the features that SOE hopes will make H1Z1 rise above the rest. Some of the features Smedley spoke of include multiple servers with different rule sets that can hold "thousands of players," crafting, an in-game economy built around a trading system, and many more.

"It uses our proprietary next-gen Forgelight engine and that means we’ve had a lot of really cool technology to work with to make the game we wanted to make," he added. The game will also use the roadmap system from Planetside 2 to "clearly communicate what features we’re working on."

Smedley also stated that the game is designed to allow players to become part of the design process.

"We’ll be opening it up for Player Studio creations too so expect player-created items to make their way into the game," he said. The design team is putting emphasis on "player ownership and building."

The game's newly formed subreddit is "very open to answering questions," and the team will be doing a livestream of a playtest session next week. Be sure to keep checking back to IGN for more news as it develops.

 

[Texas Ace]

I eventually want an Xbox One as well but it just doesn't have the exclusive games to draw me in yet.

Whereas with PS4 you know you are getting Uncharted and Last of Us sequels, which were by far the bulk of the games I played on consoles last generation.

I also played Red Dead Redemption, GTA IV and V, and various sports games, but those will be on either console without much difference.

That is exactly why Sony remains my #1 choice, even in the last-gen where I thought Xbox won and clearly had the better online experience.

It's all about the games for me, and Sony has all the exclusives I want.

 

[Texas Ace]

Speaking of The Last of Us:

Late last month, an executive from Sony's Eurasian division let slip that The Last of Us would be coming to PlayStation 4. It was as obvious as the day is long that this executive wasn't mistaken (remember how Gran Turismo 6 leaked?), but Sony was mum on the port. Until now.

After PlayStation Network leaked the game this morning (and after Amazon posted it for pre-order), Sony finally broke its silence.

The Last of Us Remastered is a port of arguably PlayStation 3's best game. The Last of Us on PS4 will run in 1080p, "with a list of upgrades including higher resolution character models, improved shadows and lighting, upgraded textures, along with even more improvements." TLoU Remastered will also include a director's commentary for every in-game cinematic.

Additionally, The Last of Us Remastered comes with DLC, including the Left Behind single-player expansion, the Abandoned Territories multiplayer map pack, and the Reclaimed Territories map pack (more on the latter is promised soon).

Pre-ordering The Last of Us Remastered at a participating brick and mortar retailer, you will get 100 Supply Points for Factions mode, bonus skins for Joel and Ellie, increased crafting and healing speeds in the campaign, and increased reload speed and clip capacity for select weapons. Pre-ordering on the PlayStation Store will net players early access to the Brawler Survival Skill, additional loadout points, and some costume components, all for use in Factions Mode.

If you want to learn more about The Last of Us on PlayStation 3 while you wait for it to arrive on PlayStation 4 this summer, read our review, watch the video review embedded above, and learn about how it won IGN's 2013 Game of the Year.

 

[Smitty]

I saw that.... I wonder if there will be an "upgrade" option for people already owning the PS3 version.

If not, even if I have to pay full price, I might consider it if I can transfer over my saves or at least my already earned trophies and achievements.

 

[Texas Ace]

I saw that.... I wonder if there will be an "upgrade" option for people already owning the PS3 version.

If not, even if I have to pay full price, I might consider it if I can transfer over my saves or at least my already earned trophies and achievements.

I'll get it just because I enjoyed the game so much.

I'm generally against lazy remakes like this because they just seem like a ploy to get more money, but this one makes sense simply because you have a ton of Xbox 360 converts who are now PS4 users who never played TLoU, and this is a great way to experience the game in an upgraded version.

 

[fortsbest]

I take it Last of Us is worth buying?

 

[junk]

I'm not sure I get the hype for the game honestly. It was fun, but it was short. I don't think it was even really comparable to something like Skyrim or GTA.

 

[Smitty]

I'm not sure I get the hype for the game honestly. It was fun, but it was short. I don't think it was even really comparable to something like Skyrim or GTA.

It was a narrative, not an open world game. Of course it will be much shorter than Skyrim or GTA. By the story was so much better.

It still was about an 18 hour single player game, and it was so good that I want to play it multiple times, so I'll get 40-60 hours out if it. There's also a multiplayer mode.

Well worth it is an understatement in my book. If you don't like single player narrative games like Uncharted or Gears of War or Halo, games that have competeable main story lines without an open world, then LOU won't be for you.

But if you played and liked Uncharted, this game might be even better.

 

[boozeman]

I'm not sure I get the hype for the game honestly. It was fun, but it was short. I don't think it was even really comparable to something like Skyrim or GTA.

Agreed.

 

[boozeman]

But if you played and liked Uncharted, this game might be even better.

The Uncharted games were way more fun to me.