Red Faction Guerilla Delayed on PC

[lost]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/LostGames/2009/redfactionscreenshot.jpg

Sad news for PC gamers looking to crush stuff with robots and explosives as retail sites announce that the Windows version of the upcoming Red Faction sequel will see a delayed release. From BigDownload. (http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/05/21/red-faction-guerrilla-delayed-for-pc/)


While the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are due out in early June, retail web sites like Gamestop and Amazon are now showing an August 25 release date for the PC version of the game. The port, which is actually being handled by Reactor Zero, will have support for Games For Windows Live (which is a mixed blessing at best). While there's no official word from THQ about a PC version delay it's not likely that the retailers moved the date back just because they wanted to.

I should have a pre-launch review up for the console version!

[lockwoodx]

No problem. Console ports to PC don't translate well anyways.

[brandonjclark]

No problem. Console ports to PC don't translate well anyways.

I always find these statements funny. See, ALL GAMES ARE DEVELOPED ON A PC. ALL OF THEM.

During development they bring parts of the code over, piece by piece, to test it on the consoles.

What makes me even more pissed, is that games which are developed FOR the 360 are already using DirectX. Hell, that's where the original XBOX got it's name, from using ancient PC technology, Microsoft's DirectX.

There's no reason that games developed FOR a console can't work well on a PC because, suprise, they originated there. Now, I understand that gameplay is tweaked differently, but it's not like you have a lot to change if bringing a console game to PC.


Rather than this being a "oops, we fucked up" thing, I think it's more of a Mass Effect-type "let's make sure that pirates don't get it first and in the meantime make it even better, which I can deal with (the second part, at least) thing.


Anyone disagree?

[Phinor]

Anyone disagree?

I get your point but disagree, although for a different reason. The "console ports" as such are not usually bad, it's that games are developed mainly for consoles now which really limits the gameplay, game interface, consoles have very strict memory limits and so on. The game usually doesn't change much going from a console to PC; it's just that they were made for consoles, not for PCs.

Case in point, last year's game of the year: Fallout 3. It was a great game but it had quite stupid limitations for a PC game. With little extra effort they could have added things like more dialogue options visible on a PC but they decided against that. Probably not worth it.

Then there's the fan favourite Halo series. Very mediocre fps games but among the best fps games released on consoles. On the other hand the killers that are Half-life + HL2 didn't translate that well into consoles.

[Mr.Green]

I get your point but disagree, although for a different reason. The "console ports" as such are not usually bad, it's that games are developed mainly for consoles now which really limits the gameplay, game interface, consoles have very strict memory limits and so on. The game usually doesn't change much going from a console to PC; it's just that they were made for consoles, not for PCs.

Case in point, last year's game of the year: Fallout 3. It was a great game but it had quite stupid limitations for a PC game. With little extra effort they could have added things like more dialogue options visible on a PC but they decided against that. Probably not worth it.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that today's high end PCs are more powerful than a few years old consoles and therefore have less limitations but that's a very, very weak example. Lost Odyssey says hi.

You guys usually fall back to Deus Ex 2. This one is tried and true.

Then there's the fan favourite Halo series. Very mediocre fps games but among the best fps games released on consoles. On the other hand the killers that are Half-life + HL2 didn't translate that well into consoles.

Halo is as good a FPS series as anything that ever came out on PC, whether you like it or not. Besides, I could bet my shorts that you didn't even play the damn thing so why am I arguing with you again? Oh right. I can't let somebody be wrong on the internet. :D

And I've played HL2 + Episode one on PC, and Episode 2 + Portal on 360. It played and looked just as well. I'm sorry but that was another terrible example.

[Sarconix]

Anyone disagree?

Possibilities:

The PC port is being done by a third-party, either because it was not a priority, not enough staff, not enough expertise, or some combination. Contracted work is quite likely to fall behind.

Some game engines are tweaked solely for consoles, so even though they are developed on PCs, it doesn't mean that they run on PCs. One extreme platform is the Nintendo DS: games are developed on PCs with an emulator, but you can't just sell that as a "PC version" of the game.

However, when you are talking about the big three (360, PS3, PC), you would be foolish to use an engine that doesn't more-or-less seamlessly handle all the platforms, like Gamebryo. DirectX certainly helps for the 360 and PC versions; I know this from personal experience.

Controls are different, UI is different. RTS games are notoriously difficult to port to consoles (e.g. C&C), and platformers are clumsy on PC with a mouse / keyboard (e.g. LEGO Indy).

Could be the piracy thing, too, but they won't admit that.

(That's just a brain dump... sorry if that duplicates what is already said here.)

[lockwoodx]

My statement stands.

[brandonjclark]

My statement stands.

Your statement is an oak, tried and true as only the Gods may know.

May praises be sung unto the heavens and the name LOCKWOODX be heard a thousand years.

But.... I still disagree. Because the assets are still in raw format on PC, there is no reason to me why they can't be properly ported over. Just take a look at how well Oblivion turned out once the mod community got it's dirty rotten hands on it. It seems that noone takes the proper amount of time to do the BEST PORT POSSIBLE. Which is why I said in the OP that I wouldn't mind if they would take extra time to do it right, like Mass Effect.

I guess if I had to interpret my first post it was to laugh at the idea that it can't be done, and shitty ports are the norm and acceptable. That's what really bothers me.

[Syl]

Console ports to PC have generally been BETTER on PC this generation. Hence why I wait for the PC release of any title if there is going to be a PC version. Not only are they graphically superior, they usually also come out at a cheaper price - and generally entirely available on a digital download service.

Quite frankly, i think that most people who get the console versions are getting screwed for some of these titles.

[alienchild]

Yay I always wanted a third person red faction console game! I hope they have added a ton of quicktime events, use save portals, features one type of bullets for all weapons, have a crosshair and HUD that covers 40% of the screen and have weird feeling movement instead of a proper sequel for the first brilliant title. IN FIRST PERSON.

[Sarconix]

Console ports to PC have generally been BETTER on PC this generation.

Still hit or miss... best to do your homework. My personal preference remains PC for reasons cited by others above, but I have made the occasional (very rare, really) exception. The LEGO games are one example, Assassin's Creed is another.

[brandonjclark]

S The LEGO games are one example, Assassin's Creed is another.

For pretty much any 3rd-person platformer, of which I consider AC to be, I'd rather use my XBOX360 controller for Windows.

I own Lego Indy, Lego Star Wars 2 and Lego Batman and whenever the kids play they use the Xbox360 controller for them as well.

Yes, sometimes analog movement is better, but for me only in racing games and platformers.

Strategy, RTS, RPG, and FPS games are all immensely superior on Keyboard and Mouse setups.

Now, for flying games, I use my Saitek X45, FTW. Oh, and bringing up flying games, no one told me HAWX was going to be this much fun! All I ever heard was complaining about the OFF mode.

[HALO 32]

Yikes! This thread needs a “chill pill”.

[Syl]

I consider a 360 a perfectly adequate extension of a PC these days. So the "keyboard and mouse being inferior for X type of game" simply doesn't fly when I can have the option of using my 360 controller.

Assassin's Creed on PC is mindboggingly beautiful.