Firaxis Explains Why XCOM 2 Had to be PC Exclusive
- Thread starter Steven Bogos
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this basically makes sense to me, don't necessarily like it but there ya go, I have Enemy Unknown on PS3 and even then, it's blatantly a PC game built for a PC interface, now, I have a PC these days so this news is no skin off my back, so I'll probably still get it, but I do know people who will be disappointed by this news
God, with all the whining, you'd think that gaming wasn't an entitlement but rather was a privilege that you had to work for or something...
PC gamers staying classy, I see.
There's not a lot I can say, though, other than repeat that XCOM:EW was one of my favourite games of last gen, and it completely sucks I won't be enjoying the sequel. 'Sticking to what you know' is fair enough, I suppose, but it's also deeply unambitious and slightly disingenuous when considering the platforms that EU/EW appeared on, successfully. And, as others have stated, the mention of graphical fidelity seems a bit ridiculous - on an XCOM? Really? Pft, don't think so, unless the end result is some kind of benchmark for the [sub]genre.
If I ever do ever get a PC that can run new games (highly unlikely, in the near future), I hope they at least implement excellent controller support, because XCOM:EW worked so damn well with a pad.
There's not a lot I can say, though, other than repeat that XCOM:EW was one of my favourite games of last gen, and it completely sucks I won't be enjoying the sequel. 'Sticking to what you know' is fair enough, I suppose, but it's also deeply unambitious and slightly disingenuous when considering the platforms that EU/EW appeared on, successfully. And, as others have stated, the mention of graphical fidelity seems a bit ridiculous - on an XCOM? Really? Pft, don't think so, unless the end result is some kind of benchmark for the [sub]genre.
If I ever do ever get a PC that can run new games (highly unlikely, in the near future), I hope they at least implement excellent controller support, because XCOM:EW worked so damn well with a pad.
Anyone else worried they're punching above their weight class here? Either that or they're trying to rush it out and are cutting the fat to save time.
Either way, I'll wait for general consensus before buying it.
PS. Woah, didn't realise people were still salty about the whole exclusive crap. Shit happens.
Either way, I'll wait for general consensus before buying it.
PS. Woah, didn't realise people were still salty about the whole exclusive crap. Shit happens.
on what basis? PC's a pretty high up there, in performance terms, and the stuff they're talking about implementing is nothing to sneeze at in terms of the kind of raw performance it requires.Briantb said:
OK, if they have any common sense they'll figure out how to get this running on fairly old PC's, in which case a console port is going to be reasonably easy on a technical level...
But if they are really pushing the envelope on PC... I'm sorry. Consoles are likely to struggle.
And this is the big reason. Money talks. What was the cost of production:net revenue for consoles? Knowing that would put the whole debacle to bed.Wiggum Esquilax said:
XCom has always been a PC game and one must admit the console nature of it caused systems to be... simplistic compared to its predecessors.
I'm actually a little bummed out by the news. I only play on PC anyway, but Enemy Unknown was very comfortable with a controller and I just liked it better than the mouse & keyboard approach. If it's being optimized for M&K, then I guess I'm fine. But I will miss the convenience the controller has been with this game in XCOM 2.
Well, I think this bodes well.
Like I said in the other thread, it felt like the term 'exclusive' was being used here in a non committal way, in that they were confirming the PC release, but as a debut and not wanting to state unequivocally that they are releasing on console or IoS.
All that said, the reason I think this is a good sign is that after a time on pc, the porting to the consoles will be something they could do to extend revenue from the release.
A solid release on PC followed by a demonstrable desire for the release on consoles could be all that's needed.
I hope it happens, not just for the company and the revenue it'll bring, but for the gamers who do love this style of game and franchise.
They deserve a chance to join in the fun.
Like I said in the other thread, it felt like the term 'exclusive' was being used here in a non committal way, in that they were confirming the PC release, but as a debut and not wanting to state unequivocally that they are releasing on console or IoS.
All that said, the reason I think this is a good sign is that after a time on pc, the porting to the consoles will be something they could do to extend revenue from the release.
They could test bed controller schemes on the pc release for those who like the big tv and couch method of playing games, making that aspect of the transition even less of an issue (which I doubt it would be given they got the controls working nicely for the previous version).SilverUchiha said:
A solid release on PC followed by a demonstrable desire for the release on consoles could be all that's needed.
I hope it happens, not just for the company and the revenue it'll bring, but for the gamers who do love this style of game and franchise.
They deserve a chance to join in the fun.
HA, MY REVENGE!
But seriously, I don't even feel bad. The amount of games I have missed out on because "muh exclusives". Not that making a bunch of PC exclusives helps or changes anything, mind you, but I'll gloat just a bit over this.
Oh, sweet sweet irony.Bat Vader said:
The only way to get more comfortable with it is to spend more time with it.tippy2k2 said:
OT: As long as my ancient PC will be able to play it, I'll be fine. Hopefully it'll get a port eventually for the people who don't want to make the jump to PC gaming (though seriously, unless you're just scared by the thought of having more control over everything, in this day of constant installations and software updates PC offers all of the advantages of consoles and then some -- you can set up basically any controller to play on PC and most games these days have native support for Xbox pads, which non-Xbox pads can typically emulate, you can actually troubleshoot problems that happen and get more of an answer than "did you try turning it off and on again?", most PCs these days even come with HDMI ports so you can just hook it up to your TV if you're more comfortable that way).
Good. I picked up Xcom: EU during a sale for my old 360 and the controls were horrible. Now that they just have to focus on one market (and best market), Xcom 2 should be amazing.
SHOULD be, doesn't mean it will.
SHOULD be, doesn't mean it will.
tippy2k2 said:
but really, this *should* be a great game to hop onto PC gaming for!
#onceyougopcyounevergoback
I can't believe that X-Com Enemy Within/Unknown came out on consoles at all.
I don't have a WiiU but it's games like this that make me think about all the wasted potential of having a controller attached to a large tablet.
Like I said, I never bought a WiiU but I was always hoping that RPGs with unwieldy inventory systems like The Witcher and Strategy RPGs and RTS's would have a shot at piercing the console market with the WiiU.
(Yes, I know it's underpowered, but Witcher 3 aside, good RPGs and RTSs don't rely on uber specs)
I'm of the minority that wants everyone to have a chance to enjoy everything possible. Plus as a plain tech nerd, I really want to see people using existing tech in ways that we haven't seen yet.
I don't have a WiiU but it's games like this that make me think about all the wasted potential of having a controller attached to a large tablet.
Like I said, I never bought a WiiU but I was always hoping that RPGs with unwieldy inventory systems like The Witcher and Strategy RPGs and RTS's would have a shot at piercing the console market with the WiiU.
(Yes, I know it's underpowered, but Witcher 3 aside, good RPGs and RTSs don't rely on uber specs)
I'm of the minority that wants everyone to have a chance to enjoy everything possible. Plus as a plain tech nerd, I really want to see people using existing tech in ways that we haven't seen yet.
The real problem is this: Both Microsoft and Sony demand five and six figure sums to put patches through their respective distribution systems. Since post release patching is a fact of life, you either take the Valve route and abandon console games immediately after release, or you sink most of your sales revenue straight back into the platform.Briantb said:
For small and medium scale releases that simply not a viable strategy anymore.
As for the power issue, they're both running on downclocked and down specced versions of mid-low range graphics cards from early 2012. Available processing is a serious issue for both, but especially the Xbone, see the extreme lack of 1080p/60fps in releases for either of them.
Not sure why any of this wouldn't work on a console or why a turn based strategy game has "high-fidelity characters and environments, physically based rendering" and "better-looking destruction" listed as crucial elements for the game to work at all but ok.
The problems of EU were a bit more fundamental than shiny alien butts or sparkly explosions.
For instance your guy not having line of sight of the alien right in front of his face, then getting shot through 3 walls or only being able to move twice so you can't correct inevitable line of sight issues which is bullshit or not being able to directly take aim at cover with your regular guns so cover destruction is completely random in a game where cover destruction is everything and where an exploding car can be the difference between loss and victory or how terribly that panic system was being handled.
But sure, it has to be PC exclusive because of pretty explosions and shiny graphics which are irreducably crucial and consoles totes can't handle auto-tiled maps, fo reals yo.
If that's really their focus, this game is gonna suck.
I'll trade shinyness for substance any day of the week when it comes to an xcom successor since a lack of stuff to do differently was its biggest shortcoming
The problems of EU were a bit more fundamental than shiny alien butts or sparkly explosions.
For instance your guy not having line of sight of the alien right in front of his face, then getting shot through 3 walls or only being able to move twice so you can't correct inevitable line of sight issues which is bullshit or not being able to directly take aim at cover with your regular guns so cover destruction is completely random in a game where cover destruction is everything and where an exploding car can be the difference between loss and victory or how terribly that panic system was being handled.
But sure, it has to be PC exclusive because of pretty explosions and shiny graphics which are irreducably crucial and consoles totes can't handle auto-tiled maps, fo reals yo.
If that's really their focus, this game is gonna suck.
I'll trade shinyness for substance any day of the week when it comes to an xcom successor since a lack of stuff to do differently was its biggest shortcoming