Check out what a NASCAR developer from EA Tiburon said to Xbox Evolved, in regards to a PS3/Xbox 360 comparison:
“The truth is the PS3’s tools and the way it works just sucks. The truth is they are both virtually the same in terms of hardware when it comes to how powerful they are, maybe the PS3 has a few different things that makes it a bit more advance, and Sony has this idea that it is designed for optimal development but that’s a load of crap. In the last generation we would make the game for PS2 and then port it over to Xbox, but because Xbox was easier to develop for, we could actually enhance the title a little if we wanted to. The case with this generation is different, now we make the game for 360 first and then port it over to PS3, but we really don’t have the time to mess with how the PS3 works to really add to much more. It will change in the future, but for now it sucks.”
They have as much time as they want to make the PS3 version just as good, or better than the 360 version.
That is a scheduling decision by EA corporate, seems to me. It isn't like this developer is going to come out and say, "we can't make a decent ps3 game because we're always rushing the product out the door before it is ready, blame management!", now can he?
So yeah, the ps3 tools were late and probably aren't up to the same level as the 360 tools, but that doesn't excuse lackluster ports. If you can't make a good port, don't make it at all.
If you can't make a good port, don't make it at all.
You do realize this is EA we're talking about. If they stopped making ports (and sequels) they'd be out of business.
__________________ I still think that my great grandma thought I was working at a porn shop until I told her it was security. - re: to working at Wackenhut Security cppcrusader
It's the same line people have been throwing out there since the PS2. Sony's developer tools suck and it takes a few years for the studios get up to speed. Bitch about Microsoft all you want, but the one thing they do better than anyone is development tools and developer support.
That said: in the context of this site, we're all gamers. I don't care what this guy's job-gripes are. I don't care if EA management, Sony tools or the goddamm toothfairy is to blame for lackluster ports and delays.
The games are either good or they're not. Why doesn't matter to me.
Right.
And we all know how many sales a title makes if it's 3 or more months later on 1 platform than another.
I'm not even a EA fan, but, I can understand the business implications of a delayed release.
...actually, we don't know that. You're not understanding the business implications, you're assuming them.
If they're that worried about the time difference they shouldn't release the 360 version until they've narrowed the window to what they're comfortable with.
A good port 6 months later is going to sell more copies than a shitty port 3 months earlier, imho. Either way the sales shift is to the other SKU.
Think about it, if they lose sales from being later, that would mean that the people are buying the other version, right? They make money either way and don't look like bumbling incompetents while doing so.
Make all the excuses you want for EA's shitty ports, but they're just that: excuses.
Why matters to me. Wanting to be an informed consumer and making informed decisions on how to spend my hard-earned money is important to me. If someone was going to give me a choice to recommend the PS3 or the 360 to a friend, I like to make a good recommendation to that person, being a friend.
__________________
But there's no sense crying over every mistake
You keep on trying until you run out of cake!
I thought something like this might happen when EA hired Peter Moore. EA needs Sony's system to sell games....Sony doesn't really need EA to sell systems.
A good port 6 months later is going to sell more copies than a shitty port 3 months earlier, imho. Either way the sales shift is to the other SKU.
Think about it, if they lose sales from being later, that would mean that the people are buying the other version, right? They make money either way and don't look like bumbling incompetents while doing so.
Make all the excuses you want for EA's shitty ports, but they're just that: excuses.
1. EA has makes shitty ports as part of their company charter. It's their bread and butter.
2. These shitty ports come swiftly. There is little to no delay between the original and the port.
3. Since EA sells millions of games a year, this business model must be working.
It's the same line people have been throwing out there since the PS2. Sony's developer tools suck and it takes a few years for the studios get up to speed.
Exactly.
And just because one angry developer is pissed there is no "port x360 game to PS3" button in the developer tools he is bitching around...
Its no news people dont like to work and as developing is a hard and complicated process of course you will see overworked developers bitching about how hard it is to code on PS3. But then again they could just license the new Unreal game engine and have a lot less worries and expertise they have to put into their projects.
Take the Dirt developers for example - they praise the PS3 hardware and say their port of the X360 version will be superior and well worth the wait. Or take the japanese developers like Konami, they dont bitch they just deliver (take a look at the MGS4 gameplay video).
Jesus, people here usually are pissed at EA (evil empire). But when EA is badmouthing sony they are all of a sudden righteous Mofos? *shakehead*
Hiring Peter Moore has nothing to do with whether or not the PS3 sucks to develop for. The PS3 sucks to develop for. Sony was late on their hardware and provided ZERO support initially. We had large teams of developers just dedicated to getting something to run on the PS3. Also deadlines mean everything to EA. Stock forecasts and shareholders depend on things to ship when they do so that they can accurately gauge what the revenues for studios will be. This is critical for sports titles like Madden who's marketing strategy depends on it shipping in early August. So either your console is easy to develop for and we can make the ship date with the best version of the game or your console has crapy tools and an overly complex architecture and you get the least next gen version of the game. Porting games across consoles makes this very obvious and is EA's main marketing strategy. If you are an exclusive title you can get away with so much more because you can invest time in one technology. Every thing about the PS3 is different, like how it handles memory and even textures.
If they stopped making ports (and sequels) they'd be out of business.
