State of Decay PC Version Features Exclusive Enhancements

[Steven Bogos]

State of Decay PC Version Features Exclusive Enhancements

State of Decay will be coming to the PC via Steam's Early Access program.

State of Decay, Undead Labs' zombie sandbox survival game, is coming to the PC via Steam's Early Access program. Via its official Twitter account [https://twitter.com/undeadlabs], the developer has revealed a whole wealth of exclusive enhancements that PC users will have over their Xbox 360 brethren.

First up, being released on the Early Access program means that fans will be able to play the game literally as it is being developed, just like Arma 3 and Prison Architect. The PC version will also sport higher-resolution graphics, better textures, support for higher monitor resolutions and a boosted frame rate.

While Undead Labs said that it had "no objection" to fans making user-created mods for the game, it won't ship with official mod tools, so perspective modders will have to tinker with the game's nuts and bolts to get mods working.

No official release date for the PC version has been given, but the team hopes to that it "will be out before the end of the year."

State of Decay was a smash hit for the Xbox Live arcade, selling co-op focus [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124766-State-of-Decay-Sells-250K-Copies-In-Two-Days-On-XBLA].

Let's see if some of PC gamings more ambitious modders can't try and refute that statement. They did, after all, manage to hack multiplayer into GTA III back in the day.

Source: Polygon [https://twitter.com/undeadlabs]

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[Ruairi iliffe]

Let's see if some of PC gamings more ambitious modders can't try and refute that statement. They did, after all, manage to hack multiplayer into GTA III back in the day.

I endorse this Idea


Also, Kinda funny seeing a port being developed like this, though I've really liked the Early Access program so far.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well apart from early access it all sounds good, also the sort of exclusives that make sense and won't piss off your fan base.

And if mods are indeed doable then some sort of multiplayer will get made eventually.

 

[SecondPrize]

Yay! Freakin' hurry up, undead labs. This is the one game I can't wait for patiently.

 

[1337mokro]

Type-O, US coming to the PC

Eh I can wait, with the steam sale on I am drowning in games.

 

[MrGalactus]

State of Decay is weird. I liked it a lot it at first, then loved it, then liked it, started not to like it near the end, and now, after I've finished, I wouldn't say I liked it. Too many boring, disappointing, or nonsense story events, I think.

 

[ASnogarD]

I dont understand...

Why early access ? 360 code is practically DX9 level PC code, should be a relative cinch to port over so why the huge development time ? Why the big deal over early access ?
Exclusive Enhancements my arse... Higher resolutions, yeah thats bloody hard to add screen_width = 1920 screen_height = 1080 right, better Textures yeah just take the original texture art and not compress it so much... Boosted frame rate, ahh so we wont cap it at 30 and if your rig can run it faster than 30 you get boosted frame rates.

It gets my goat when developers having finished milking the console fans will toss the PC lot a bone, and try make it as if they are really doing a lot to make up for not offering the title at the same time or very shortly after the console launch.

Its even worse because fans support it like a pack of hungry hounds, fighting over the leftover bone the console gamers have finished gnawing on.

... or am I missing something here ?

 

[Sarge034]

So as a console gamer that bought the game on day 2 and contributed to your record sales I'm getting the shaft? Why the hell should I buy their next game when it comes out if I'm going to get a subpar version? At least release a patch to standardize everything for those of us who actually made the game successful enough to port... I'm tired of devs using one system as the "lab rats" to release better versions to the other systems and not standardizing their shit for their loyal customers. I WAS set to buy SoD 2 day one, but now... Now I'm angry, and my wallet doesn't open when I'm angry.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I'd settle for a PC game simply having a decent f*****g UI and no unnecessary title screens, login requirements for single player play and quicksave.

 

[Denamic]

So as a console gamer that bought the game on day 2 and contributed to your record sales I'm getting the shaft? Why the hell should I buy their next game when it comes out if I'm going to get a subpar version? At least release a patch to standardize everything for those of us who actually made the game successful enough to port... I'm tired of devs using one system as the "lab rats" to release better versions to the other systems and not standardizing their shit for their loyal customers. I WAS set to buy SoD 2 day one, but now... Now I'm angry, and my wallet doesn't open when I'm angry.

You realize that the enhancements are there because a PC can handle it? The 360 has lower resolution and shittier textures because that's all it can manage. Modern PCs has many times more RAM than a 360, and enough crunch to render far higher frames per second. Also, the early access being only for PC is because there's simply no way in hell xbox live would ever allow that.

You're 'getting the shaft' because you're on a system that necessitates it.

 

[Sarge034]

You realize that the enhancements are there because a PC can handle it? The 360 has lower resolution and shittier textures because that's all it can manage. Modern PCs has many times more RAM than a 360, and enough crunch to render far higher frames per second. Also, the early access being only for PC is because there's simply no way in hell xbox live would ever allow that.

You're 'getting the shaft' because you're on a system that necessitates it.

Oh well get used to it, PC gamers had to deal with that crap for years.

And its part of the apology to PC gamers for shafting them, because they had troubles for PC and that's why it didn't launch before.

Even then, the consoles output to 720p anyway so resolution is a moot point. They wouldn't handle higher resolution textures nor would they notice the extra frame rate. Consoles normally go for 30 FPS and that's capped.

If you want something better, get a platform that can handle it. Its getting more and more common for PC to get texture packs to boot so its not like this is new.

All these bonus exist because its standard for PCs now. Higher textures, higher resolution, higher frame rate. Its basic porting.

Anything below 60 frames is considered bad. Consoles normally go 30.
Anything that doesn't offer a full range of resolution is considered awful. 1080P is common now.
Higher quality textures is optional, but nice.

So then how do you explain away the games that look better on consoles than on PC? How can CoD possibly run at 60 FPS on the dirty, dirty consoles? I never said anything about the early access. I couldn't care less actually. But if I am getting a substandard product I had better be paying less or getting a patch to standardize the product.

Now why you two feel the need to bring PC elitism into this I will never know. I was arguing for equality, why not just get behind that as gamers and leave the system prefaces at the door? I never had the nerve to say, "deal with it" when PC gamers were getting the shaft. I wonder how you will like it when the PC game selection becomes even smaller. The Xbone requires Kinect and the PS4 has a track pad in addition to its' controller. How many games will actually get ported I wonder? And the PC master race will cry out in anguish, "Save us!" and console gamers will whisper, "Deal with it."

 

[Denamic]

You realize that the enhancements are there because a PC can handle it? The 360 has lower resolution and shittier textures because that's all it can manage. Modern PCs has many times more RAM than a 360, and enough crunch to render far higher frames per second. Also, the early access being only for PC is because there's simply no way in hell xbox live would ever allow that.

You're 'getting the shaft' because you're on a system that necessitates it.

Oh well get used to it, PC gamers had to deal with that crap for years.

And its part of the apology to PC gamers for shafting them, because they had troubles for PC and that's why it didn't launch before.

Even then, the consoles output to 720p anyway so resolution is a moot point. They wouldn't handle higher resolution textures nor would they notice the extra frame rate. Consoles normally go for 30 FPS and that's capped.

If you want something better, get a platform that can handle it. Its getting more and more common for PC to get texture packs to boot so its not like this is new.

All these bonus exist because its standard for PCs now. Higher textures, higher resolution, higher frame rate. Its basic porting.

Anything below 60 frames is considered bad. Consoles normally go 30.
Anything that doesn't offer a full range of resolution is considered awful. 1080P is common now.
Higher quality textures is optional, but nice.

So then how do you explain away the games that look better on consoles than on PC? How can CoD possibly run at 60 FPS on the dirty, dirty consoles? I never said anything about the early access. I couldn't care less actually. But if I am getting a substandard product I had better be paying less or getting a patch to standardize the product.

They run at 60 FPS because they have low resolution textures, low poly count terrain, and very little shading. The game uses visual distractions to call attention away from the ugly, such as head bobbing, low field of view, high res gun taking up 25% of the screen, motion blur, aggressive depth of field, among other things. But if you pay attention, you'll start noticing very low res textures and models with a polygon count lower than 50. They're really not graphically advanced games.

Now why you two feel the need to bring PC elitism into this I will never know. I was arguing for equality, why not just get behind that as gamers and leave the system prefaces at the door? I never had the nerve to say, "deal with it" when PC gamers were getting the shaft. I wonder how you will like it when the PC game selection becomes even smaller. The Xbone requires Kinect and the PS4 has a track pad in addition to its' controller. How many games will actually get ported I wonder? And the PC master race will cry out in anguish, "Save us!" and console gamers will whisper, "Deal with it."

This isn't about elitism. It's about facts. PCs have way more power than the 360, so they get higher resolution textures and higher framerates. You can't just patch it into the 360 version. They didn't chose to have worse graphics for the 360 out of spite. They made it according to the performance of the 360.

 

[Reaper195]

Annoyingly, those 'enhancements' are needed on 360. The game looks and runs rather terribly.

 

[Bat Vader]

You realize that the enhancements are there because a PC can handle it? The 360 has lower resolution and shittier textures because that's all it can manage. Modern PCs has many times more RAM than a 360, and enough crunch to render far higher frames per second. Also, the early access being only for PC is because there's simply no way in hell xbox live would ever allow that.

You're 'getting the shaft' because you're on a system that necessitates it.

Oh well get used to it, PC gamers had to deal with that crap for years.

And its part of the apology to PC gamers for shafting them, because they had troubles for PC and that's why it didn't launch before.

Even then, the consoles output to 720p anyway so resolution is a moot point. They wouldn't handle higher resolution textures nor would they notice the extra frame rate. Consoles normally go for 30 FPS and that's capped.

If you want something better, get a platform that can handle it. Its getting more and more common for PC to get texture packs to boot so its not like this is new.

All these bonus exist because its standard for PCs now. Higher textures, higher resolution, higher frame rate. Its basic porting.

Anything below 60 frames is considered bad. Consoles normally go 30.
Anything that doesn't offer a full range of resolution is considered awful. 1080P is common now.
Higher quality textures is optional, but nice.

So then how do you explain away the games that look better on consoles than on PC? How can CoD possibly run at 60 FPS on the dirty, dirty consoles? I never said anything about the early access. I couldn't care less actually. But if I am getting a substandard product I had better be paying less or getting a patch to standardize the product.

Now why you two feel the need to bring PC elitism into this I will never know. I was arguing for equality, why not just get behind that as gamers and leave the system prefaces at the door? I never had the nerve to say, "deal with it" when PC gamers were getting the shaft. I wonder how you will like it when the PC game selection becomes even smaller. The Xbone requires Kinect and the PS4 has a track pad in addition to its' controller. How many games will actually get ported I wonder? And the PC master race will cry out in anguish, "Save us!" and console gamers will whisper, "Deal with it."

A lot of games that have come out for the PC within the last year would never have been PC ports a couple of year ago. Games like Deadpool, Dark Souls, and Deadly Premonition Director's Cut which is getting voted for on Greenlight. I assume that most developers will still port things to the PC even with the X-Box One requiring Kinect and the PS3 having a track pad. I agree that it sucks when a developer gives another platform exclusive stuff that other platforms don't get like L.A. Noire with the Consul's Car case or with Kratos only on the PS3 version of MK9. It would be nice if they brought the updates to the console and maybe they will.

On Topic: I have heard good things about State of Decay. I am looking forward to the PC version. I just hope it doesn't use GFWL and instead uses Steamworks.

 

[Sarge034]

Imma preface this with, "LOL, wut?"

What games look better? its the same damn game. The console look is the minimum.

The games that are console exclusive and the games that were made for the console and then haphazardly ported (ie Fallout 3 & FO:NV no mods).

And COD doesn't run on 60 FPS, because consoles use TV sets instead of monitors. Console games are capped at 30, and that is indisputable fact.

False. /credibility
http://reviews.cnet.com/consoles/microsoft-xbox-360-s/4507-10109_7-34118625.html
http://www.giantbomb.com/60-fps-on-consoles/3015-3223/games/

PC isn't getting smaller, its growing. In fact, its growing by leaps and bounds because it allows developers to start up. Consoles rely on AAA and publishers for the majority of their games, and they are not keen on new ideas, new games, and small developers in the regular space.

True, developers are mostly weary of new ideas. However, how will the pc cope with Kinect/Smart Glass/Sony cam/Sony track pad requirements? MS is pushing the Kinect and Smart Glass is the next thing to be shoved down our throats. And we all know how much MS likes to bend over backwards for the pc folks. Halo anyone?

Now I will concede that the pc is a great place for developers to start up, but it is NOT the only place. Hell, we are in a thread talking about an indi game that came out on the 360 first.

Its not elitism if I point out that PC does things differently. It is EXPECTED to have a range of resolutions supported, its EXPECTED to have 60 frames per second. It may not be noticeable on TV, but it is on monitors. Higher resolution textures are original textures that aren't compressed.

Not supporting a range of resolutions is like saying "sorry, you own a sony TV, come back with another one."

It is elitism to say that you deserve all the extra content because you have THE superior system and you are owed this due to your particular troubles or to directly quote you, "Oh well get used to it, PC gamers had to deal with that crap for years. And its part of the apology to PC gamers for shafting them, because they had troubles for PC and that's why it didn't launch before." Do I expect pc quality? No. But I do know that the game is not running at the system's full capabilities.

Not removing the FPS cap on games turns games into chugging slideshows, and games like Overlord I fell into that trap. It was very noticeable and almost made the game unplayable by how much of a slideshow it became.

CoD runs quite smoothly... at 60fps... on my 1920 x 1080 tv... using a HDMI cable... for my xbox 360...

None of this is elitist. Its the bare minimum. I doubt you even know what you talk about when it comes to hardware. Hell you still think PC games are becoming rare when its all becoming digital, do you even know of steam and Green man gaming?

I seem to know more than you.

Also, pc ports will dwindle when the peripherals required can no longer be emulated by the pc (ie Kinect). I'm talking about the future.

They run at 60 FPS because they have low resolution textures, low poly count terrain, and very little shading. The game uses visual distractions to call attention away from the ugly, such as head bobbing, low field of view, high res gun taking up 25% of the screen, motion blur, aggressive depth of field, among other things. But if you pay attention, you'll start noticing very low res textures and models with a polygon count lower than 50. They're really not graphically advanced games.

This is true, but I know that this game is not running at full system specs. I'm not asking for pc quality graphics, I just want to have the current graphics fleshed out a little. I despise how the shrubs and trees will go 1D if you look at them the right (wrong?) way. A little polish would be nice. I'm more upset about the free extra content you all are getting.

This isn't about elitism. It's about facts. PCs have way more power than the 360, so they get higher resolution textures and higher framerates. You can't just patch it into the 360 version. They didn't chose to have worse graphics for the 360 out of spite. They made it according to the performance of the 360.

To be fair I kindda lumped you in with the other guy. However, it is still a little elitist to assume that the 360 version is as good as it could possibly be and if I want better I need to switch platforms.

 

[Sarge034]

The evidence you have is a CONCEPT of consoles being 60 fps (not true ability), and the second only says MAX resolution. The reason consoles use 30 is because of the age off when they were made in, where old TVs still were around.

A concept? Ok how about these? They implicitly state that the "Call of Duty engine" runs at 60FPS on consoles. Google it.
http://www.charlieintel.com/2012/10/10/treyarch-defends-their-60fps-call-of-duty-engine/
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-black-ops-2-60fps-challenge

/credibility

Developers are known to upscale 720p into a pseudo 1080p. That isn't true 1080p, and most developers can't even be bothered to make true 1080p.

Most, not all. You have defeated your own point. /credibility

Like it or not, this generation of consoles is absolutely ancient. We have to do more and more invasive optimizations and sweeping limitations under the rug. This is called an indie game, it doesn't have the resources or money AAA games can push out to pay for the optimizations and better graphics that it allows. PC hardware is so powerful you don't need to worry much about anything. You don't need to compress the textures, and everything else as much to fit.

They had the money and resources to provide a patch to the pc version. Also there is no standard for pc hardware. This makes coding more difficult. You might end up with the same situation Crysis did back in the day. Very few could run the game at full specs, most had to run it on the bare minimum, and some could not play it at all. The console is a standard and stable coding platform.

And the microsoft games that use smart glass, kinect, and the other gimmicks are xbox exclusives like dead rising. Microsoft even wants kinect on PC, but we all know the kinect is a gimmick technology that won't be adopted. The Ps4 isn't pushing the eye because it makes them lose the price point they have over the xbox one. The touch pad is to give the controller more buttons to use for more complex games. The PC has loads of buttons and a mouse, it doesn't need a track pad in the first place.

Even if they do go for motion controls, the PC has motion controls too.

Wait. So first things first. "...but we all know the Kinect is a gimmick technology that won't be adopted." The Kinect is REQUIRED to play the Xbone. How can you say the technology has not already been adopted?

So anyway, you're saying that no matter what, the pc will be able to port console games? All I can say is that you are quite the optimist. I'll leave you alone now so you can play Halo 4 on the pc.