@VenomousAlbino
Why is that an rediculous argument? Do you honestly believe, you can think of everything somebody is offended by? You cannot, and exactly that's the point. So, where do I start to warn, and where can I end it? You would have to resort to general warnings that most likely don't cover every flavour of offendedness - which in turn would lead to people complaining AGAIN.
It's simply not reasonable to shift this responsibility to a content creator. It's reasonable for an easily offended person, however, to work on him- or herself. Because otherwise literally any occasion can be misused to suffocate creativity or discussions.
@VenomousAlbino No. Same way, as they are not warned when going to a museum and see naked statues of men, women and little fat angle children ...
I'm sorry that I have to play the Machiavelli here, but as hard as it sounds ... it's THEIR problem. If they are offended by art, fiction, a discussion or whatever, it clearly shows they have things to come to terms with. The very first thing being able to distinguish between reality and imaginary things. If they are not ready, and cannot bear it, the only reasonable course of action is to withdraw from the situation, and continue working on their problems - without blaming others for their own sorrow. I would argue, the latter is actually psychologically unhealthy, because it's a form of evading to work on the problem. It's transfering the responsibility over to a person who just creates something, and doesn't have to do anything with the actual abuse.
That's not to say it's their fault for being the victim of a crime, but it's most certainly also not the duty of a content creator to intercept every eventuality. That would be the same kind of absurdity that breeds manuals, which warn you to not dry a hamster in a microwave. I mean, WTF?
As a developer or content creator, I would so not care. Maybe the delicate flowers want me to lay out the whole plot with annotations, that in this or that section, there might be something controversal to be found, before they cosume my work?
HELL NO!
Grow up and fix YOUR OWN attitude towards fiction/art, damnit! The audacity of some people ...
Quick Resume was one feature I looked forward to, but in the end, I didn't use it because of its unique quirks in some games. I decided, it's better to quit every game when I'm done for the day and start it fresh the next time around. This way I circumvent any trouble that would ultimately lead to an actually longer start up time.
Good idea, problematic implementation. Hopefully future games take it into consideration during the development process.
Well, that is strange. Isn't that game owned by Microsoft? Removing it from the pass is a bit disconcerting. I always thought, at least their own titles would stay.
Game is well done. Graphics, animations and especially sounds of the weapons are nice. Loot and progression keeps its head over water. I dislike the setting however. Cyberpunk does not need other planets and aliens. It takes away from the thing that's so eerie about it - being a scenario that is so close to our time and way of life.
I too would give it a 6 or 7 out of 10. Definitely worth picking up from the Game Pass.
@GrafUlrich88
Kraken is not Sony exclusive. It's at least 5 years old and can be used by anyone. It's a general purpose compression. Microsoft has its own compression, called "BCPack", which is more efficient when it comes to texture compression. On top of that, the velocity architecture encompasses more than mere compression/decompression. It's a set of tools that cleverly approaches storage I/O.
I realize, that I'm sounding like a MS sales person right now, and I don't like it - but I dislike even more, how Sony manages to downplay everything MS does, with basically "magic" as an explanation. In that regard, your comparison of patch sizes doesn't show much. These are two different game versions, with different approaches to problems, hence they have to be patched differently from time to time.
Why should I play this in multiplayer, instead of the dozens and dozens of other options out there? Honest question, which - I think - developers always miss to answer.
PS: "It's Halo", doesn't cut it, to be honest. I like Halo, but I'd like to see something really special, related to the gameplay.
Sony is trying to downplay the Game Pass, because at the moment it's their biggest threat. Not because MS is competing directly, but because at some point Sony's customers will ask, why they don't do it like MS. That's when Sony will get into a skid. Better to propagate early on, that the very successful model is actually not working ... -_-
Sadly this is common practice with Sony. This does not work, that makes no sense, this is not viable, you cannot do that, etc. I am really ANNOYED by this bs! After the PS3, at the latest, they started to do and say things, which I consider unworthy for such a time-honored company.
@Mr_Ditkovitch I was pretty sure you would answer like this. It's common among people with a lack of self-awareness. You know, whether you accept it or not, words do have meaning.
@Mr_Ditkovitch You're trying to evade. Of course you didn't claim it. That would be nonsensical from a rhetorical point of view.
However, here is an exact quote of you: "Because they probably aren’t fans of the series, and only praise games like CoD or mobile games."
In case you didn't notice: This sentence implies, that the opinion of people, who do not enjoy the game the way you do, is invalid. Which in turn means, you're raising your view on this topic to the only valid one. Everyone else is just not a fan and makes the mistake to compare the game to different genres. It's condescending. Hence, my analogy regarding the center of the universe.
Could be they implement AMD's Fidelity FX Super Resolution. The developers have become known for eagerly adopting new AMD technologies in the past, like TressFX for Lara's hair.
I feel like this discussion is faulty at its base, because the term "preservation of games" wasn't defined first. One group seems to think the term means "ensuring that games we bought are still playable after decades", while the other group seems to mean "keeping the code of a game SOMEHOW runnable, so that it is - in principle - accessible SOMEHOW", like on emulators in a gaming museum. Depending on where you're comming from, the argument MS cannot be the spearhead with their Game Pass is either somewhat correct or absolutely incorrect. People will not come to a solution, if they continue to mix this up.
Copying features from PS controllers would be an exercise in futility. Apart from few exceptions, developers won't make much use of these features, which was already proven by the PS4, PS5 and even Switch controllers. Even in the rare cases they do, I honestly don't want to trade battery life for crappy touch controls or trigger buttons that can lock in place. Not to mention the mechanical issues that inevitably pop up eventually.
What I want to see is: a) The utter annihilation of every and any drifting issues, first and foremost. So, quality. b) Inputs that register every single time I press a face-button, no matter the angle. If it clicks, it has to register! So, again, ... quality. c) Even better ergonomics and weight distribution. d) Make programmable paddles on the back a standard, and design them such a way that I can easily reach them, without triggering them accidentally. That's a tough nut to crack, yes, but it would also be the only sensible addition at the moment. e) A metric *****-TON of options and materials in the Xbox Design Lab. Give me every kind of possible D-Pad. Give me plastic, give me metal, give me freakin' high-grade-wood! Give me psychedelic colors and much, much more!
@Richnj This. Love to watch extremists punctuate their idiocy publicly.
It's kinda the same with those people, who come here and state MS was lying, when they said they wouldn't directly compete with Sony any longer. These people still don't understand that it is the ecosystem MS is selling, and everything around it is merely an access point to said ecosystem.
Showing that you can play on it with a Sony controller (or potentially any controller really), has got nothing to do with direct competition or rivalry. In that case you would have to say, that MS is competing with Samsung, Huawei, Apple etc. in the gaming sector, because you can use the hardware of these companies to play on the Xbox platform. Sony fanatics, of course, don't do that, because it's evidently nonsense. However, they seem to lose any left-over shred of cogitation, when it comes to defending Sony, ... or rather the decision they've made to purchase a PlayStation.
"Because I bought XYZ, everything else HAS TO BE *****, and cannot be allowed to be good in the future. Otherweise I would have to challenge my buying decision ... And ... OH LAWD, ... what would the group think of me? ... I so desperately want to be part of the group!!! Because it's much easier and much more fun to distribute responsibility ... and maybe group-kick-down on minorities or some weak!"
This kind of madness exists on every side, but Sony fanatics go out of their way to really put it on display. Some call this tribalism. I would call it much worse ...
@UltimateOtaku91 Cannot say anything about Man of Medan, but otherwise I have to agree. Blooper can do art, but cannot do gameplay or significant horror. It's still strange to me, that I have to look for indie titles to get good horror nowadays.
Bloober Team is good at creating visuals, but up until now their "games", were not really games. They are more like walking simulators, with very limited gameplay and choices. Also, they lack in the horror department. Some few neat ideas, but nothing to write home about. Hopefully Konami will remedy that.
@NEStalgia Wow, ok. Guess I am lucky that this ***** is pretty much gone, where I live. Unless we’re talking mobile phone, stationary 5G, or some fancy satellite stuff.
The explanation seems strange to me. Respecting bandwidth for a device like a console? Are volume contracts still so much a thing on landlines? Anyway, it seems so easy to solve, by providing options. Almost seems natural. Wonder why they already discussed it internally and then decided that wouldn't be a good thing. Oo
The perceived difficulty of souls-like games is nothing more than a clever disguise for a massive grind. Where in other games you rotate between spawn points, souls games rely on the player's character dying to reset the enemies, and start the rotation anew.
So, the design idea is to find ways to kill the character as often as possible. To achieve this, the games don't tell you a lot about the rules or what you have to watch out for. They even go as far as using surprises to e.g. kick the character of a ledge - at least the first time you encounter the situation - which is not difficult, but simply a lack of knowledge. The whole system artificially prolongs what would otherwise be very short games.
The enemies always behave the same way, and it's only a matter of repeatedly studying and reacting accordingly. Building muscle memory. I don't think this is difficult. It's just like learning the text of a new song or the notes, while you generally already can play the instrument. Difficult, for me, would be, if the enemies changed patterns and tactics. That would require some investment in AIs, though.
On a side note: Stating that Bethesda games will be where Game Pass is, is such a shrewd move. It basically offloads the blame sneakily onto Sony. "Well, ... we're open to bring all these exclusives to PlayStation, you know? ... However, ... for some reason Sony doesn't want our Game Pass there!" ^^'
@Magabro I'm all for games coming to all platforms. It would be okay for me if MS would bring their first party titles to PC, PlayStation and Switch or whatever other platform. I'm not in the slightest affected by it, so why would I want to block this? I would even want to have cross-play. Players in general benefit from this.
And you're right, it's Game Pass that gives me a great deal. I feel like I subscribed to a premium service, and am treated accordingly. That makes me happy. Period.
@Snake_V5 I agree with you, that this is what brought them success. But I honestly don't think this is a good thing. As I see it, Sony is currently not investing enough in future strategies.
They continue to rely on exclusives. But that's a risky thing to do. Just because a company throws out exclusives, doesn't guarantee, that these exclusives are always well received. It's not really viable to only stand on one leg. MS understood this and is in a much better position right now, concerning the future.
@Snake_V5
"Because you buy the Series X to be able to play Series X exclusives (...)"
See, that's the problem right there. You're still thinking exclusives are all there is to consoles. That's Sony thinking. If that was the case, Xbox One (X) wouldn't have sold at all. Same goes for PC, if you think about it.
I am just one example, but for me exclusives were never a topic. Sony wasn't able to lure me in with them, not with the PS3, nor the PS4, nor the PS5. If the game isn't on the platform I choose, I simply don't play it. Same goes for stunts Epic Store pulls, for example. Anyway, having now seen Death Stranding and Horizon on my PC, shows me that I was right all along. The market is so overrun, I can find several similar games to play. Maybe I'm too old, but none of the exclusives I see are anything special to me.
For me, it's important that the device is well thought through and will deliver the better results. That includes graphics, performance, back comp, and the eco system like Game Pass. You cannot imagine the amount of money I am saving through game pass. And I want to use GP on a simple yet powerful device. PC always works, but the overall experience sometimes is lacking.
PS:
Oh, and of course, cloud gaming has always worse quality than on prem gaming. Don't wanna bash it, but there is physics ...
@Halucigens The contraction of "must have" is "must've". You're welcome.
On the topic: Sony has to do this, otherwise they look bad, compared to MS. At the end of the day, it's just public relations. Same as some of the stuff Phil does.
Don't get me wrong: I'm fine with this game being out and doing well, but I honestly don't understand why it is considered to be so much "next gen". Loading worlds in an instant is always brought up, but that's not what's actually happening, is it?
Firstly there is a cleverly disguised loading screen every time this happens (the psychodelic tunnel) and secondly, from what I have seen, it's not loading whole worlds, but limited condensed areas. The presentation is great, but at the same time it's actually nothing new - just an illusion.
One of the beautiful things about the Cyberpunk subgenre is, that it doesn't need aliens, or other planets, or any other excessive elements. It has enough interesting topics to tackle, while staying very grounded and believable. Creating a world that is easily thinkable, with technology not far off our own, and in a familiar, yet evolved, environment makes it so palpable.
In this regard, I don't consider The Ascent to be a Cyberpunk game. It's just sci-fi with neon colors sprinkled in between. Unfortunatelly this is becoming a common thing. Concoctions which are merely painted a certain way, trying to ride on the Cyberpunk wave to make money. Dilutes the term more and more. Next, just about everything is Cyberpunk.
Edit:
Before you ask, yes I have my issues with Shadowrun ...
@themightyant
People around me, who don't buy into GP, simply don't understand what it really is or would mean for them. It's one of these things you have to use to clearly get a grasp.
When I tell them with GP they have a lot of games they could download any time and play, they answer that they most likely are not interested in many or even all of these games. So why pay 15 a month? But that's just the thing ... One of the statements you hear regularly from subscribers is that they have found gems, which otherwise they wouldn't have, because they never would have bought game X, Y, and Z. I'm sure, if my naysayers would try it out at least around 70% of them would stick, because then they suddenly get what's so valuable.
Of course you would tell console players to just hook up a keyboard and mouse to their consoles to even the odds ... because that's exactly what the majority of console gamers want and are absolutely used to.
And there is certainly no issue with the way these consoles are arranged inside living rooms and the like. Nor is a couch distinguishable from a desk chair. Not to mention certain tables ...
I too have to ask: How the heck could anyone, no matter the time they have to play games, not get value out of a 15 currency subscription that offers several hundred games, with monthly new additions?
How, just, how? I get the notion that some people play more and some less. I get the notion that some people are short on time. All well and fine, but still, you could either pay 15 a month and get a huge catalogue of install ready games or you pay (most likely) 2x - 4x the amount for just ONE single game. Does that make sense? Because, remember, if you BUY the game you still haven't got the time you wished you had. Plus, you might not like the game after all ... I'm not even mentioning perks, discounts, PC games, and Games with Gold. Oh, wait, I did ... moving on ...
The percentage of people who don't get their worth out of GPs 15 a month - roughly the price of two cinema tickets or two good meals - must be staggeringly low. And even among them, I'd wager, most just perceive it to be not worth it. It's a gut feeling. If they really would do the math, they would come to a different conclusion. I mean, people can do whatever they want with their money. You could light your farts with it, for all I care. But someone claiming GP right now isn't a great deal, for the vast majority of gamers, and doubting that most subs will be kept, are sleepwalkers in my eyes.
@zupertramp I understand the concern. However, these are most likely not even the same resources. Under normal circumstances the developers divide the workload across several teams, with each team having its own project. For example, we heard that CDPR wants to pick up the Witcher franchise once again. You can bet on it, that they already are working on it, and that the teams are others than those working on Cyberpunk.
There is also a certain threshold were a team or the amount of teams working on one single problem can grow too much, meaning, they will lose efficiency - with one person going full steam, while the other is twiddling thumbs, because the first guy cannot split up a specific task. So, they cannot just pull one team from one project and slap it onto another. It's not that easy, unless the company is a very small one. Often when big developers give statements like "We pull the team, so that other projects profit from it", it's just damage control. I believe Anthem is one of the younger examples. What they do not want to say is: "Sorry guys, this game is done and there is no silver lining to it." They have to somehow sell their decision as beneficial to the customer. But now we're deep in marketing waters ... ugh ...
@zupertramp
That's not how it works. Again, neither the Xbox One, nor the PS4, nor cheaper PCs held down their respective more potent counterparts. Ever. That's because games were developed with the better system as baseline in mind.
Even in pure PC games development it always goes from high to low. You first code the game on/for powerful workstations, where the first versions look stunning, but run like crap, and then you tone it down and optimize around a targeted system composition. The rest is handled by presets and granular graphics settings. If it doesn't run smooth enough for your system, you're out of luck and know it's time to upgrade.
That, for example, is also the reason why you can find "hidden" switches, activated via config files, in some games, that make them look even better. It would be absolutely stupid to do it the other way around. Imagine where we would be, if developers always targeted systems which most of the people had at home. Take a look at e.g. Steam's database, to get an idea of how low that is and in fact always was. Games are a big driver for people to upgrade. It just takes the right one, from an individual's point of view. A whole industry revolves around that.
@AgentGuapo What the ... No! Why would they? Would you? And if yes, why the f*** would you do such nonsense?
If I know, I have two systems, and I want to impress with graphics (because that is what people expect from me), I'll take the more powerful device as my baseline, and then adjust (take away/lower graphical features, resolution etc.) from there, until it runs acceptable on the weaker device. Why the heck would I do it the other way around? That would either hamper my success on the more powerful device, OR make it much more complicated in the long run to add to the "high-end version". You can always cut something easily. Adding afterwards is a completely different beast.
How could this ever be a hindrance? Was the Xbox One a hindrance for the Xbox One X? Was the PlayStation 4 a hindrance for the PlayStation 4 Pro? Is a 1000$ PC a hindrance for a 2000$ PC? The answer to all of these questions is "NO". Underlying game engines are not completely rigid. Developers can decide which graphical features are disabled or enabled, and if enabled to what extend. That is a fact which is several decades old. Graphical presets, nothing new to see here.
Dear devs, some of you need to stop making up excuses and simply come clean. It's okay to not want to cover every system. Just say it, but don't lie! In the end, nothings stops you from just leaving out this or that device. You only have to decide, whether the convenience is worth the financial loss.
I think, that the whole Gold pass should be canceled. MS should concentrate on Game Pass and deliver the most value for it. Does that mean I don't want monthly free games I can keep as long as I subscribe? No. That can continue under Game Pass. Mediocre or not doesn't matter at all, because a) tastes differ and b) it's free stuff on top. Makes for a nice surprise once in a while - nothing more, nothing less.
PS: I realize that some people like the price of the Gold program, but I honestly don't care. I want MS to put their resources into Game Pass. I don't think the price for GP is unreasonable, considering what you get, so I'm okay with cutting off old pigtails and some few disgruntled gamers. Sorry, guys, but there is a saying where I live: Those who don't go with the times, will go in time.
Comments 190
Re: Xbox Game Pass's Boyfriend Dungeon Is Proving To Be Controversial For Some Players
@VenomousAlbino
Why is that an rediculous argument? Do you honestly believe, you can think of everything somebody is offended by? You cannot, and exactly that's the point. So, where do I start to warn, and where can I end it? You would have to resort to general warnings that most likely don't cover every flavour of offendedness - which in turn would lead to people complaining AGAIN.
It's simply not reasonable to shift this responsibility to a content creator. It's reasonable for an easily offended person, however, to work on him- or herself. Because otherwise literally any occasion can be misused to suffocate creativity or discussions.
Re: Xbox Game Pass's Boyfriend Dungeon Is Proving To Be Controversial For Some Players
@VenomousAlbino
No. Same way, as they are not warned when going to a museum and see naked statues of men, women and little fat angle children ...
I'm sorry that I have to play the Machiavelli here, but as hard as it sounds ... it's THEIR problem. If they are offended by art, fiction, a discussion or whatever, it clearly shows they have things to come to terms with. The very first thing being able to distinguish between reality and imaginary things. If they are not ready, and cannot bear it, the only reasonable course of action is to withdraw from the situation, and continue working on their problems - without blaming others for their own sorrow. I would argue, the latter is actually psychologically unhealthy, because it's a form of evading to work on the problem. It's transfering the responsibility over to a person who just creates something, and doesn't have to do anything with the actual abuse.
That's not to say it's their fault for being the victim of a crime, but it's most certainly also not the duty of a content creator to intercept every eventuality. That would be the same kind of absurdity that breeds manuals, which warn you to not dry a hamster in a microwave. I mean, WTF?
Re: PSA: Mortal Shell's The Virtuous Cycle Expansion Will Be Free For Its First Five Days
@Kilamanjaro
It's like Dark Souls, only actually good.
Re: Xbox Game Pass's Boyfriend Dungeon Is Proving To Be Controversial For Some Players
As a developer or content creator, I would so not care. Maybe the delicate flowers want me to lay out the whole plot with annotations, that in this or that section, there might be something controversal to be found, before they cosume my work?
HELL NO!
Grow up and fix YOUR OWN attitude towards fiction/art, damnit! The audacity of some people ...
Re: Xbox Exec Explains Why Quick Resume Isn't Always Available For New Releases
Quick Resume was one feature I looked forward to, but in the end, I didn't use it because of its unique quirks in some games. I decided, it's better to quit every game when I'm done for the day and start it fresh the next time around. This way I circumvent any trouble that would ultimately lead to an actually longer start up time.
Good idea, problematic implementation. Hopefully future games take it into consideration during the development process.
Re: Forza Motorsport 7 Is Reaching 'End Of Life' Status, Will Leave Xbox Game Pass This September
@antstephenson
Got it. Thanks for the summary. I am less concerned now.
Re: Forza Motorsport 7 Is Reaching 'End Of Life' Status, Will Leave Xbox Game Pass This September
Well, that is strange. Isn't that game owned by Microsoft? Removing it from the pass is a bit disconcerting. I always thought, at least their own titles would stay.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Are Saying About The Ascent
Game is well done. Graphics, animations and especially sounds of the weapons are nice. Loot and progression keeps its head over water. I dislike the setting however. Cyberpunk does not need other planets and aliens. It takes away from the thing that's so eerie about it - being a scenario that is so close to our time and way of life.
I too would give it a 6 or 7 out of 10. Definitely worth picking up from the Game Pass.
Re: Xbox Issues Reminder As PS5 Unveils 'Confusing' SSD Expansion Process
@GrafUlrich88
Kraken is not Sony exclusive. It's at least 5 years old and can be used by anyone. It's a general purpose compression. Microsoft has its own compression, called "BCPack", which is more efficient when it comes to texture compression. On top of that, the velocity architecture encompasses more than mere compression/decompression. It's a set of tools that cleverly approaches storage I/O.
I realize, that I'm sounding like a MS sales person right now, and I don't like it - but I dislike even more, how Sony manages to downplay everything MS does, with basically "magic" as an explanation. In that regard, your comparison of patch sizes doesn't show much. These are two different game versions, with different approaches to problems, hence they have to be patched differently from time to time.
Re: Video: Here's Our First Look At A Full Halo Infinite Multiplayer Match On Xbox Series X
Why should I play this in multiplayer, instead of the dozens and dozens of other options out there? Honest question, which - I think - developers always miss to answer.
PS:
"It's Halo", doesn't cut it, to be honest. I like Halo, but I'd like to see something really special, related to the gameplay.
Re: Former PlayStation Exec Shares Concerns With Xbox Game Pass Model
Sony is trying to downplay the Game Pass, because at the moment it's their biggest threat. Not because MS is competing directly, but because at some point Sony's customers will ask, why they don't do it like MS. That's when Sony will get into a skid. Better to propagate early on, that the very successful model is actually not working ... -_-
Sadly this is common practice with Sony. This does not work, that makes no sense, this is not viable, you cannot do that, etc. I am really ANNOYED by this bs! After the PS3, at the latest, they started to do and say things, which I consider unworthy for such a time-honored company.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Are Saying About Microsoft Flight Simulator For Xbox Series X|S
@Mr_Ditkovitch
I was pretty sure you would answer like this. It's common among people with a lack of self-awareness. You know, whether you accept it or not, words do have meaning.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Are Saying About Microsoft Flight Simulator For Xbox Series X|S
@Mr_Ditkovitch
You're trying to evade. Of course you didn't claim it. That would be nonsensical from a rhetorical point of view.
However, here is an exact quote of you:
"Because they probably aren’t fans of the series, and only praise games like CoD or mobile games."
In case you didn't notice: This sentence implies, that the opinion of people, who do not enjoy the game the way you do, is invalid. Which in turn means, you're raising your view on this topic to the only valid one. Everyone else is just not a fan and makes the mistake to compare the game to different genres. It's condescending. Hence, my analogy regarding the center of the universe.
I'm sorry you chose these words.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Are Saying About Microsoft Flight Simulator For Xbox Series X|S
@Mr_Ditkovitch
Or maybe you are not the center of the universe, and not everyone has to enjoy something the same way you do? Just a thought ...
Re: Deals: All Classic Xbox Games In The Xbox Summer Sale 2021
Weird, it seems to me, every time it's the same games on sale.
Re: Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Appears To Be Getting Optimised For Xbox Series X & Series S
Could be they implement AMD's Fidelity FX Super Resolution. The developers have become known for eagerly adopting new AMD technologies in the past, like TressFX for Lara's hair.
Re: Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Gives His Initial Thoughts On Valve's Steam Deck
Phil: "Nice! Another access point for Game Pass. Gotta praise it!"
Re: Not Everyone Is Happy With Xbox's Recent Comments About Preservation
I feel like this discussion is faulty at its base, because the term "preservation of games" wasn't defined first. One group seems to think the term means "ensuring that games we bought are still playable after decades", while the other group seems to mean "keeping the code of a game SOMEHOW runnable, so that it is - in principle - accessible SOMEHOW", like on emulators in a gaming museum. Depending on where you're comming from, the argument MS cannot be the spearhead with their Game Pass is either somewhat correct or absolutely incorrect. People will not come to a solution, if they continue to mix this up.
Re: Phil Spencer Praises PS5 DualSense, Says There's More Work To Do With The Xbox Controller
Copying features from PS controllers would be an exercise in futility. Apart from few exceptions, developers won't make much use of these features, which was already proven by the PS4, PS5 and even Switch controllers. Even in the rare cases they do, I honestly don't want to trade battery life for crappy touch controls or trigger buttons that can lock in place. Not to mention the mechanical issues that inevitably pop up eventually.
What I want to see is:
a) The utter annihilation of every and any drifting issues, first and foremost. So, quality.
b) Inputs that register every single time I press a face-button, no matter the angle. If it clicks, it has to register! So, again, ... quality.
c) Even better ergonomics and weight distribution.
d) Make programmable paddles on the back a standard, and design them such a way that I can easily reach them, without triggering them accidentally. That's a tough nut to crack, yes, but it would also be the only sensible addition at the moment.
e) A metric *****-TON of options and materials in the Xbox Design Lab. Give me every kind of possible D-Pad. Give me plastic, give me metal, give me freakin' high-grade-wood! Give me psychedelic colors and much, much more!
Re: Recent Xbox Insider Update Causes 'Black Screen Of Death' On Xbox One
Fact: These things are to be expected.
Re: Video: Feast Your Eyes On This Ludicrous New Bright Memory: Infinite Trailer
Gameplay for the first game felt really good and fresh. I'm interested whether this time it will be reasonable in the playtime department.
Re: Random: Xbox Playfully Uses PlayStation And Nickelback To Advertise Game Pass
@Richnj
This. Love to watch extremists punctuate their idiocy publicly.
It's kinda the same with those people, who come here and state MS was lying, when they said they wouldn't directly compete with Sony any longer. These people still don't understand that it is the ecosystem MS is selling, and everything around it is merely an access point to said ecosystem.
Showing that you can play on it with a Sony controller (or potentially any controller really), has got nothing to do with direct competition or rivalry. In that case you would have to say, that MS is competing with Samsung, Huawei, Apple etc. in the gaming sector, because you can use the hardware of these companies to play on the Xbox platform. Sony fanatics, of course, don't do that, because it's evidently nonsense. However, they seem to lose any left-over shred of cogitation, when it comes to defending Sony, ... or rather the decision they've made to purchase a PlayStation.
"Because I bought XYZ, everything else HAS TO BE *****, and cannot be allowed to be good in the future. Otherweise I would have to challenge my buying decision ... And ... OH LAWD, ... what would the group think of me? ... I so desperately want to be part of the group!!! Because it's much easier and much more fun to distribute responsibility ... and maybe group-kick-down on minorities or some weak!"
This kind of madness exists on every side, but Sony fanatics go out of their way to really put it on display. Some call this tribalism. I would call it much worse ...
Re: Konami And Bloober Team Announce Partnership, Reportedly Working On Silent Hill Project
@UltimateOtaku91
Cannot say anything about Man of Medan, but otherwise I have to agree. Blooper can do art, but cannot do gameplay or significant horror. It's still strange to me, that I have to look for indie titles to get good horror nowadays.
Re: Konami And Bloober Team Announce Partnership, Reportedly Working On Silent Hill Project
Bloober Team is good at creating visuals, but up until now their "games", were not really games. They are more like walking simulators, with very limited gameplay and choices. Also, they lack in the horror department. Some few neat ideas, but nothing to write home about. Hopefully Konami will remedy that.
Re: Xbox Exec Promises To 'Look Into' Ways To Improve Game Updates
@NEStalgia
Wow, ok. Guess I am lucky that this ***** is pretty much gone, where I live. Unless we’re talking mobile phone, stationary 5G, or some fancy satellite stuff.
Re: Xbox Exec Promises To 'Look Into' Ways To Improve Game Updates
The explanation seems strange to me. Respecting bandwidth for a device like a console? Are volume contracts still so much a thing on landlines? Anyway, it seems so easy to solve, by providing options. Almost seems natural. Wonder why they already discussed it internally and then decided that wouldn't be a good thing. Oo
Re: Everything You Need To Know About Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance On Xbox Game Pass
@GunValkyrie
Fair enough. It really does look awful, in almost every regard.
**carefully uninstalls the pre-download**
Thanks!
Re: Everything You Need To Know About Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance On Xbox Game Pass
How about you two explain what is so god awful about the game?
Re: Elden Ring Will Be Easier Than Other Souls Games, But Has No Difficulty Options
The perceived difficulty of souls-like games is nothing more than a clever disguise for a massive grind. Where in other games you rotate between spawn points, souls games rely on the player's character dying to reset the enemies, and start the rotation anew.
So, the design idea is to find ways to kill the character as often as possible. To achieve this, the games don't tell you a lot about the rules or what you have to watch out for. They even go as far as using surprises to e.g. kick the character of a ledge - at least the first time you encounter the situation - which is not difficult, but simply a lack of knowledge. The whole system artificially prolongs what would otherwise be very short games.
The enemies always behave the same way, and it's only a matter of repeatedly studying and reacting accordingly. Building muscle memory. I don't think this is difficult. It's just like learning the text of a new song or the notes, while you generally already can play the instrument. Difficult, for me, would be, if the enemies changed patterns and tactics. That would require some investment in AIs, though.
Re: Night Call Dev Expresses How Important Xbox Game Pass Was For The Game
Sometimes I test games on GP. Then I think, "Hm, this would play nicely on my Switch." So, I buy it for the Switch.
Re: Todd Howard Suggests Bethesda Leaving PlayStation Behind Will Make For A 'Better Product'
On a side note: Stating that Bethesda games will be where Game Pass is, is such a shrewd move. It basically offloads the blame sneakily onto Sony. "Well, ... we're open to bring all these exclusives to PlayStation, you know? ... However, ... for some reason Sony doesn't want our Game Pass there!" ^^'
Re: Astria Ascending Is A New RPG From Final Fantasy Veterans, Hitting Xbox Game Pass This September
Something about the animations and some of the faces is off-putting for me. It looks all kinds of wrong.
Re: It's Official, Microsoft Is Bringing Next-Gen Games To Xbox One Via The Cloud
@Magabro
I'm all for games coming to all platforms. It would be okay for me if MS would bring their first party titles to PC, PlayStation and Switch or whatever other platform. I'm not in the slightest affected by it, so why would I want to block this? I would even want to have cross-play. Players in general benefit from this.
And you're right, it's Game Pass that gives me a great deal. I feel like I subscribed to a premium service, and am treated accordingly. That makes me happy. Period.
Re: It's Official, Microsoft Is Bringing Next-Gen Games To Xbox One Via The Cloud
@Snake_V5
"Maybe it's because Sony feel they don't need to do anything outside of the exclusives (...)"
That's what I'm afraid of. It's Intel all over again. Resting on their laurels, while someone else pulls ahead.
Re: It's Official, Microsoft Is Bringing Next-Gen Games To Xbox One Via The Cloud
@Snake_V5
I agree with you, that this is what brought them success. But I honestly don't think this is a good thing. As I see it, Sony is currently not investing enough in future strategies.
They continue to rely on exclusives. But that's a risky thing to do. Just because a company throws out exclusives, doesn't guarantee, that these exclusives are always well received. It's not really viable to only stand on one leg. MS understood this and is in a much better position right now, concerning the future.
Re: Woah, Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water Is Coming To Xbox This Year
@dani3po
INSTANT BUY!
Re: It's Official, Microsoft Is Bringing Next-Gen Games To Xbox One Via The Cloud
@Snake_V5
"Because you buy the Series X to be able to play Series X exclusives (...)"
See, that's the problem right there. You're still thinking exclusives are all there is to consoles. That's Sony thinking. If that was the case, Xbox One (X) wouldn't have sold at all. Same goes for PC, if you think about it.
I am just one example, but for me exclusives were never a topic. Sony wasn't able to lure me in with them, not with the PS3, nor the PS4, nor the PS5. If the game isn't on the platform I choose, I simply don't play it. Same goes for stunts Epic Store pulls, for example. Anyway, having now seen Death Stranding and Horizon on my PC, shows me that I was right all along. The market is so overrun, I can find several similar games to play. Maybe I'm too old, but none of the exclusives I see are anything special to me.
For me, it's important that the device is well thought through and will deliver the better results. That includes graphics, performance, back comp, and the eco system like Game Pass. You cannot imagine the amount of money I am saving through game pass. And I want to use GP on a simple yet powerful device. PC always works, but the overall experience sometimes is lacking.
PS:
Oh, and of course, cloud gaming has always worse quality than on prem gaming. Don't wanna bash it, but there is physics ...
Re: PlayStation Team Congratulates Xbox On 'Great' E3 2021 Showcase
@Halucigens
The contraction of "must have" is "must've". You're welcome.
On the topic: Sony has to do this, otherwise they look bad, compared to MS. At the end of the day, it's just public relations. Same as some of the stuff Phil does.
Re: Xbox Boss Congratulates Sony's Insomniac Games On Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Don't get me wrong: I'm fine with this game being out and doing well, but I honestly don't understand why it is considered to be so much "next gen". Loading worlds in an instant is always brought up, but that's not what's actually happening, is it?
Firstly there is a cleverly disguised loading screen every time this happens (the psychodelic tunnel) and secondly, from what I have seen, it's not loading whole worlds, but limited condensed areas. The presentation is great, but at the same time it's actually nothing new - just an illusion.
Re: Cyberpunk RPG The Ascent Launches On Xbox Game Pass This July
One of the beautiful things about the Cyberpunk subgenre is, that it doesn't need aliens, or other planets, or any other excessive elements. It has enough interesting topics to tackle, while staying very grounded and believable. Creating a world that is easily thinkable, with technology not far off our own, and in a familiar, yet evolved, environment makes it so palpable.
In this regard, I don't consider The Ascent to be a Cyberpunk game. It's just sci-fi with neon colors sprinkled in between. Unfortunatelly this is becoming a common thing. Concoctions which are merely painted a certain way, trying to ride on the Cyberpunk wave to make money. Dilutes the term more and more. Next, just about everything is Cyberpunk.
Edit:
Before you ask, yes I have my issues with Shadowrun ...
Re: Xbox Appears To Be Cracking Down On One Cheaper Game Pass Loophole
@themightyant
People around me, who don't buy into GP, simply don't understand what it really is or would mean for them. It's one of these things you have to use to clearly get a grasp.
When I tell them with GP they have a lot of games they could download any time and play, they answer that they most likely are not interested in many or even all of these games. So why pay 15 a month? But that's just the thing ... One of the statements you hear regularly from subscribers is that they have found gems, which otherwise they wouldn't have, because they never would have bought game X, Y, and Z. I'm sure, if my naysayers would try it out at least around 70% of them would stick, because then they suddenly get what's so valuable.
Re: Mini Review: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance - A Barebones Re-release Of A Classic
@Xenomorph_79
"Might try it when it comes to Game Pass but wouldn't pay for it."
There, fixed that for you. Good Xenomorph!
Re: Gears 5 Will Now Be Forcing Cross-Play Between Xbox & PC Players
Of course you would tell console players to just hook up a keyboard and mouse to their consoles to even the odds ... because that's exactly what the majority of console gamers want and are absolutely used to.
And there is certainly no issue with the way these consoles are arranged inside living rooms and the like. Nor is a couch distinguishable from a desk chair. Not to mention certain tables ...
**cough**stuckinarut**cough**
Re: Xbox Appears To Be Cracking Down On One Cheaper Game Pass Loophole
I too have to ask: How the heck could anyone, no matter the time they have to play games, not get value out of a 15 currency subscription that offers several hundred games, with monthly new additions?
How, just, how? I get the notion that some people play more and some less. I get the notion that some people are short on time. All well and fine, but still, you could either pay 15 a month and get a huge catalogue of install ready games or you pay (most likely) 2x - 4x the amount for just ONE single game. Does that make sense? Because, remember, if you BUY the game you still haven't got the time you wished you had. Plus, you might not like the game after all ... I'm not even mentioning perks, discounts, PC games, and Games with Gold. Oh, wait, I did ... moving on ...
The percentage of people who don't get their worth out of GPs 15 a month - roughly the price of two cinema tickets or two good meals - must be staggeringly low. And even among them, I'd wager, most just perceive it to be not worth it. It's a gut feeling. If they really would do the math, they would come to a different conclusion. I mean, people can do whatever they want with their money. You could light your farts with it, for all I care. But someone claiming GP right now isn't a great deal, for the vast majority of gamers, and doubting that most subs will be kept, are sleepwalkers in my eyes.
Re: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Will Also Be A Timed Sony Exclusive
Yes-yes, let them Sony boyz play beta testers for me! Then give me the full package! Hehehe ... insert picture of thievishly grinning racoon
Re: Dirt 5 Dev Says He Doesn't See The Xbox Series S As A Hinderance
@zupertramp
I understand the concern. However, these are most likely not even the same resources. Under normal circumstances the developers divide the workload across several teams, with each team having its own project. For example, we heard that CDPR wants to pick up the Witcher franchise once again. You can bet on it, that they already are working on it, and that the teams are others than those working on Cyberpunk.
There is also a certain threshold were a team or the amount of teams working on one single problem can grow too much, meaning, they will lose efficiency - with one person going full steam, while the other is twiddling thumbs, because the first guy cannot split up a specific task. So, they cannot just pull one team from one project and slap it onto another. It's not that easy, unless the company is a very small one. Often when big developers give statements like "We pull the team, so that other projects profit from it", it's just damage control. I believe Anthem is one of the younger examples. What they do not want to say is: "Sorry guys, this game is done and there is no silver lining to it." They have to somehow sell their decision as beneficial to the customer. But now we're deep in marketing waters ... ugh ...
Re: Dirt 5 Dev Says He Doesn't See The Xbox Series S As A Hinderance
@zupertramp
That's not how it works. Again, neither the Xbox One, nor the PS4, nor cheaper PCs held down their respective more potent counterparts. Ever. That's because games were developed with the better system as baseline in mind.
Even in pure PC games development it always goes from high to low. You first code the game on/for powerful workstations, where the first versions look stunning, but run like crap, and then you tone it down and optimize around a targeted system composition. The rest is handled by presets and granular graphics settings. If it doesn't run smooth enough for your system, you're out of luck and know it's time to upgrade.
That, for example, is also the reason why you can find "hidden" switches, activated via config files, in some games, that make them look even better. It would be absolutely stupid to do it the other way around. Imagine where we would be, if developers always targeted systems which most of the people had at home. Take a look at e.g. Steam's database, to get an idea of how low that is and in fact always was. Games are a big driver for people to upgrade. It just takes the right one, from an individual's point of view. A whole industry revolves around that.
Re: Dirt 5 Dev Says He Doesn't See The Xbox Series S As A Hinderance
@AgentGuapo
What the ... No! Why would they? Would you? And if yes, why the f*** would you do such nonsense?
If I know, I have two systems, and I want to impress with graphics (because that is what people expect from me), I'll take the more powerful device as my baseline, and then adjust (take away/lower graphical features, resolution etc.) from there, until it runs acceptable on the weaker device. Why the heck would I do it the other way around? That would either hamper my success on the more powerful device, OR make it much more complicated in the long run to add to the "high-end version". You can always cut something easily. Adding afterwards is a completely different beast.
Re: Dirt 5 Dev Says He Doesn't See The Xbox Series S As A Hinderance
How could this ever be a hindrance? Was the Xbox One a hindrance for the Xbox One X? Was the PlayStation 4 a hindrance for the PlayStation 4 Pro? Is a 1000$ PC a hindrance for a 2000$ PC? The answer to all of these questions is "NO". Underlying game engines are not completely rigid. Developers can decide which graphical features are disabled or enabled, and if enabled to what extend. That is a fact which is several decades old. Graphical presets, nothing new to see here.
Dear devs, some of you need to stop making up excuses and simply come clean. It's okay to not want to cover every system. Just say it, but don't lie! In the end, nothings stops you from just leaving out this or that device. You only have to decide, whether the convenience is worth the financial loss.
Re: Talking Point: Should Xbox Continue Its Games With Gold Initiative?
I think, that the whole Gold pass should be canceled. MS should concentrate on Game Pass and deliver the most value for it. Does that mean I don't want monthly free games I can keep as long as I subscribe? No. That can continue under Game Pass. Mediocre or not doesn't matter at all, because a) tastes differ and b) it's free stuff on top. Makes for a nice surprise once in a while - nothing more, nothing less.
PS:
I realize that some people like the price of the Gold program, but I honestly don't care. I want MS to put their resources into Game Pass. I don't think the price for GP is unreasonable, considering what you get, so I'm okay with cutting off old pigtails and some few disgruntled gamers. Sorry, guys, but there is a saying where I live: Those who don't go with the times, will go in time.