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View Full Version : Xbox 360 Development of Prey Switched to In-House Developer?

fitbabits
02-08-2006, 11:26 AM
Thanks to Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com) for the news (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/08/xbox-360-prey-now-in-the-hands-of-2ks-venom-games/).

2K Games has put the responsibility for the Xbox 360 version of Prey into the hands of its own Venom Games studio (Rocky: Legends). To date, Prey's resuscitation has been under development by Human Head Studios, while supervised by 3D Realms (the company that birthed the Prey concept back in the 90's). Not to put Venom Games' ability into question, but splitting development can spell a recipe for disaster. Let's hope, instead, that it's an efficient move that will benefit Xbox 360 owners.
So let's see if I've got this straight - the development of one of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360 is now in the hands of the same people who developed Rocky Legends (http://www.gametab.com/xbox/rocky.legends/3333/)?
Evil Avatar
02-08-2006, 11:33 AM
Someone needs to buy a clue. Sometimes having the port done by a 3rd party developer is the best thing. Look at Quake 4 and DOOM 3. The 360 port of Quake 4 was done by Raven and the DOOM 3 Xbox port was done by Vicarious Visions.

VV did a fantastic job with the DOOM 3 port, the game looks and plays almost exactly like it did on the PC.

Raven's port of Quake 4. Meh. A pretty average port that wasn't optimized for the 360 at all.
Serapth
02-08-2006, 11:34 AM
So lets see if I've got this straight...

You think that Prey is one of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360?!?!?!?!?!?!
fitbabits
02-08-2006, 11:38 AM
So lets see if I've got this straight...

You think that Prey is one of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360?!?!?!?!?!?!
Well, it's been on my radar for absolutely ages... And I know of other people who have that listed along with GRAW as part their most anticipated games list.
Reanimated
02-08-2006, 11:45 AM
It just so happens that I'm selling clues today.
Serapth
02-08-2006, 11:48 AM
Well, it's been on my radar for absolutely ages... And I know of other people who have that listed along with GRAW as part their most anticipated games list.

Maybe its just me then. Of the games coming out, this one has perhaps my lowest interest... well this and that GTA clone, Saints something. Maybe its because I remember Prey being announced in the previous millenium... or that fact it still looks like just another generic FPS ( now with 100% more Indian! ).

Meh.
jacktion
02-08-2006, 11:48 AM
I too have clues for sale... and monkeys.

But Venom Games is no Raven, or even a Vicarious Visions. Those are two of the most accomplished 3rd party teams out there if you know your game history. Almost everything they have touched has turned out well, although Quake 4 is really godawful.
Venom is an unknown quantity. Maybe they are really good and this will be an amazing port. But the odds are not in their favor. Looks like the 360 falls another rung! Kachung!
fitbabits
02-08-2006, 11:52 AM
Maybe its just me then. Of the games coming out, this one has perhaps my lowest interest... well this and that GTA clone, Saints something. Maybe its because I remember Prey being announced in the previous millenium... or that fact it still looks like just another generic FPS ( now with 100% more Indian! ).

Meh.
That's why it's been on my radar for a while...
Serapth
02-08-2006, 12:00 PM
That's why it's been on my radar for a while...

Man your radar has a long lasting memory!!! :D
fitbabits
02-08-2006, 12:02 PM
Man your radar has a long lasting memory!!! :D
I know, and yet I simply cannot remember what the hell I had for my dinner last weekend... :(
Cool AN
02-08-2006, 12:08 PM
So let's see if I've got this straight - the development of one of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360 is now in the hands of the same people who developed Rocky Legends (http://www.gametab.com/xbox/rocky.legends/3333/)?

Yeah but then again, Human Head Studios aren't known for amazing games either. Who knows, they might surprise all of us.
see colon
02-08-2006, 12:43 PM
Yeah but then again, Human Head Studios aren't known for amazing games either. Who knows, they might surprise all of us.
rune was amazing. dead man's hand was amazingly drab.
EGO
02-08-2006, 01:26 PM
Plus, last I checked, Human Head had no console experience worth mentioning.

People seem to think that the names of these companies mean something. They don't! It's about the people doing the actual work! Just because a company did something great before, doesn't mean the people that actually did the work didn't pull up stakes and leave.

Unless it's coming from a People Farm, like EA or Ubisoft, all bets are off when it comes to companies, nowadays!
see colon
02-08-2006, 01:36 PM
console experience
dead mans hand was on xbox, rune was on PS2. thouigh, if memory serves, they may have outsourced rune's port. not that any of that matters. they are using an off the shelf engine that's already been ported to the target hardware.
jacktion
02-08-2006, 01:36 PM
Kachung Kachung!1
fitbabits
02-08-2006, 01:37 PM
Kachung Kachung!1
Bless you!
MStiles
02-08-2006, 02:15 PM
This isn't news. The 360 port of the game has ALWAYS been handled by 3rd party, not Human Head. This is not at all unusual.

And it doesn't mean the 360 version will suck or anything. The game design and assets are still being made by HH. The 3rd party is just responsible for getting it to run on the 360 and dealing with the console-specific stuff.
fitbabits
02-08-2006, 02:22 PM
This isn't news. The 360 port of the game has ALWAYS been handled by 3rd party, not Human Head. This is not at all unusual.

And it doesn't mean the 360 version will suck or anything. The game design and assets are still being made by HH. The 3rd party is just responsible for getting it to run on the 360 and dealing with the console-specific stuff.
How do you explain this then?
To date, Prey's resuscitation has been under development by Human Head Studios, while supervised by 3D Realms.
Is Joystiq's take on this erroneous? I'm not asking to be deliberately antagonistic - I'm simply curious is all.
Serapth
02-08-2006, 02:28 PM
How do you explain this then?

Is Joystiq's take on this erroneous? I'm not asking to be deliberately antagonistic - I'm simply curious is all.

Well, joystiqs comment could still be just as valid if read as followed.

To date, Prey's resuscitation has been EXCLUSIVELY under development by Human Head Studios, while supervised by 3D Realms.

Basically it could just be saying that HH intended to do the 360 port, but for whatever reasons, isnt now.
player66
02-08-2006, 04:37 PM
A port developer can't really f*%$ it up unless they are Gearbox and the game they are porting is Halo to the PC.
A-Team
02-08-2006, 05:08 PM
From what 2K told the press, Venom is doing minimal work on the game. To be more specific, they are incorporating the eight-player multiplayer support for Xbox Live and making sure that the 3-D engine isn't going to cause the Xbox 360 to flip out.

A unique twist on the first person shooter genre, Prey features such innovations as the ability to walk on walls, manipulate gravity and perform a "spirit walk" by leaving your physical body behind. The Xbox 360 version of Prey will feature full online support for up to eight players on the Xbox LiveŽ online game service and beautiful high-definition graphics in addition to other Xbox 360 exclusive features. Built upon a highly modified version of id Software's Doom 3 engine, Prey is expected to take advantage of the power of the Xbox 360.
I think Joystiq's post throws the news out of proportion a bit, especially with that whole bit about splitting development between two developers equaling a "disaster." My feeling on the matter is that 2K wants to get the game out there so that they can make up for the lower-than-expected Holiday 2005 sales.
Royal Fool
02-08-2006, 07:14 PM
VV did a fantastic job with the DOOM 3 port, the game looks and plays almost exactly like it did on the PC.

Raven's port of Quake 4. Meh. A pretty average port that wasn't optimized for the 360 at all.

Let's not overlook the fact that Quake 4's port was most likely rushed to stores so that it would make the 360 launch. You know, like some of the other 360 ports...
Apache
02-08-2006, 07:22 PM
uh, anyone remember the whole "we don't have a dev kit thing"? HELLO. They didn't have one. That's why these guys are doing it. :P
SuperMonkeyFighter2
02-08-2006, 07:58 PM
uh, anyone remember the whole "we don't have a dev kit thing"? HELLO. They didn't have one. That's why these guys are doing it. :P

That was Moron superstar, Scott Miller from 3DR, not Human Head. 3D Realms has done zero coding on this title (PC or Xbox360) ... 100% of all coding for the PC version was done at Humanhead.
Dirty Harry
02-08-2006, 10:36 PM
A port developer can't really f*%$ it up unless they are Gearbox and the game they are porting is Halo to the PC.
okay that was funny.
jeffool
02-09-2006, 12:56 AM
That was Moron superstar, Scott Miller from 3DR, not Human Head. 3D Realms has done zero coding on this title (PC or Xbox360) ... 100% of all coding for the PC version was done at Humanhead.I didn't want to, but I find myself compelled to ask... Why Moron-Superstar? Save his opinion that the Nintendo Revolution isn't the greatest thing since the last really great thing, I find myself in almost 100% agreement with him.