The Elder Scrolls Online

[Enkidu]

Graphics matter, we obviously aren't playing Zork, but it's not the most important factor in a good MMO... Most people compare the game to Skyrim; obviously the leaked footage was more Morrowind then Skyrim, but we have little details on what settings that was run/recorded with.

Saying it's a cash-grab at this point is a little naive. There would be little reason for them to include 1st-person view if that was the case. The console release might have more to do with the PC-like architecture of the PS4/XBone and less with just grabbing money from the console community. I mean they've already said that the PC would likely release first. It is shitty though, but less shitty then XIV being released on a dead console, at least PS4/XBone are a good 3-6 years ahead of the "average" PC. I'd like to think it was pushed back to increase quality, though that is probably just as naive...

Not trying to white knight this game, just think it deserves a fair shake. I even gave ARR a fair shake after the single worst MMO release of all time.

[Hyan]

"The capabilities" of the PC platform are practically bullshit. You could make a good looking PC only MMO, sure, but you won't, because you would lose subs. But when the MMO is released on a console, suddenly it's the console's fault that the game doesn't meet the PC platform's capabilities. It COULD do so, but it won't because console limitations.

Essentially the master race keeps thinking just because their PC could handle better graphics and more of everything, this never translates to reality in neither a PC MMO or console MMO. In fact now we have ARR that shits on many PC MMO's graphically (let's remember though that graphix dun mattah) while being less taxing even on shitty PC's. Potentially increased revenue from the PS3 subs also allows for the DX11 development. However if it wasn't for the evil PS3 version the game would already have DX11, amirite

I'm sure you would take it as me strawmanning, the PC audience really is this stupid though.

[Lucavi]

I don't know of many "PC Master Race" enthusiasts that argue PC superiority in MMOs over graphics, unless speaking about a game that comes out both for console AND PC, in which the PC will always look better. Its more about load times, anti-aliasing, mod support, ect.; things that a PS3 just will not be able to do.

I'm taking you for strawmanning because you were. Read up on it.

[Hyan]

You don't know of many "PC master race" enthusiasts who shit on the console version of their MMO whenever there is some technical limitation in their game? You don't know people who say the console is holding the MMO back?

I can point one out for you, if you so desire.

[Lucavi]

I know PC master race enthusiasts who shit on console MMOs when there's a PC equivalent, like XI and XIV, and yes, the PC Master race blows both console versions out of the water. Better graphics, more graphical options, faster loading, better UI and customization options.

The console held XI back. Its no lie. PS2 limitations. It remains to be seen if PS3 holds XIV back, but it already has in the graphics department, at least until PS4 comes out and we find out if SE will update the graphics engine.

This is incredibly off-topic, though. Also, its you, so its ultimately worthless.

[Hyan]

The console held XI back. Its no lie. PS2 limitations. It remains to be seen if PS3 holds XIV back, but it already has in the graphics department, at least until PS4 comes out and we find out if SE will update the graphics engine.

It's like the last few posts have not been registered at all in that little brain of yours.

But let's not act like there are better things to talk about in this thread lol. We could keep going about how this game is going to suck I guess.

[Enkidu]

I'd say there's a 99.9% chance the PS3 will hold XIV back, and sooner rather then later. I think they already claimed "PS3 limitations" in regard to some things, pretty sure I read that somewhere. Releasing a brand new game that has a 5-10 year lifecycle at the very end of a consoles lifecycle is just dumb. Releasing on PS4/XBone at the start of their lifecycle is not a horrible idea, though as a "master race enthusiast" I'm not happy about it... All in all the PS4/XBone are rather meager in terms of CPU/GPU, but they're still a good 3-5 years ahead of the "average" PC gaming-wise and with the enthusiast PC market drying up pretty quickly it's not hard to see consoles staying competitive for most of their lifecycle.

I think we can leave XIV out of this discussion though. XIV is already a shitty game, at least "TEStanic" has a chance at being a decent game. If you want to be a XIV apologist --> go here.

[Ohemgee]

I wanted to play FFXIV for a while after playing the beta for a bit. But after playing it at E3, I'm still excited for ESO.

And if anyone who knows me, I'm always excited for an MMO (SWTOR).

So I just hope that they give me something I can be happy with. LOTRO is awesome because I love the lore. I love ES lore. So who knows

[Hyan]

I'd say there's a 99.9% chance the PS3 will hold XIV back, and sooner rather then later.

Once again; what holds MMO's back, lack of subs or console limitations? Developing for the lowest common denominator or console limitations? Saying PS3 will hold a game like XIV back when PS3 revenue will be THE factor to let the devs even reach said limitations in the first place.... Yes, a "master race enthusiast" if I've ever seen one.

[GoggleHead]

No amount of subs is going to fund a complete rewrite of the entire game engine, so I'm going to go with the engine being the limiting factor and said engine design being heavily influenced by the lowest common denominator(read: consoles).

[Hyan]

The game engine can't be the limiting factor if the devs don't get/expect enough revenue to even develop a game that exceeds the console's limitations lol. Money talks, and when console/PC bring in more money than PC alone, that's the only thing that matters. More revenue for the company, more incentive to support the game itself.

The great fallacy here is that everyone thinks that a game like XI would have gotten to the point where PS2 limitations were even relevant had the game been PC only.

I have to mention it's also hilarious that now we are ignoring the lowest common denominator (shitty PC's) when building 2013 PC only MMO's with graphics from 2004. Shitty PC's don't influence engine design, only consoles? Mmhmm

[Enkidu]

No, shitty PC's are not the lowest common denominator, that's stupid. PC only games change system requirements on expansions when necessary, compare the launch reqs of WoW with WoW:MoP, you'd need 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to have a PC from 2004 that would hit the minimum specs today...

XI has never changed system requirements because they can't. They did a PS2 -> PC conversion benchmark way back in 2002 and that's where their minimum specs will always stay.

[Hyan]

What you're saying is that the definition of a weak PC changes over-time. Does that mean weak PC's don't influence the game engine design as the lowest common denominator? No.

[Enkidu]

What you're saying is that the definition of a weak PC changes over-time. Does that mean weak PC's don't influence the game engine design as the lowest common denominator? No.

It means that any limitations due to design choices will evolve over time in the PC only market while they stagnate in the console/PC market. Do you understand that?

There's a huge difference between designing for a static console and designing for a mid-range PC in terms of hardware limitations...

[Meresgi]

its all about maxing profit through box sales and then going F2P when your game tanks

Don't most developers comment that the box sales don't come near the actual development price? I mean i'm sure it does on some, but something on the scale of SWTOR or ESO I find it hard to believe box sales could cover that cost up front, especially if only counting on the die hards to purchase w/o reviews or looking into the game. That said though, this game is gonna tank hardcore.

Aiming for the most subs = making games for the lowest common denominator; that means making ugly games that every tom dick and harry PC can run to achieve max subs.

Yeah that only works for games that have a "style" like WoW where they can pull off shit looking features by fooling most into thinking it's "artistic". Man I still love dem blades of 2 dimensional grass or all those painted on textures for armor! I always loved hearing people who were playing that shit on a Intel Celeron or Windows 98.

[Lucavi]

Yeah that only works for games that have a "style" like WoW where they can pull off shit looking features by fooling most into thinking it's "artistic". Man I still love dem blades of 2 dimensional grass or all those painted on textures for armor! I always loved hearing people who were playing that shit on a Intel Celeron or Windows 98.

So, you mean that only works for the most profitable MMO in existence and its legions of MMO-ripoff clones? Yeah, I said the same thing. That's a pretty sweet version of "that only works when...".

[6souls]

Next-Gen is easier to port to than Current-Gen

The Elder Scrolls Online is heading to PC, PS4 and Xbox One, care of Bethesda, but company vice-president Pete Hines has said while porting to multiple platforms from PC is much easier than it has been on PS3 and Xbox 360, it’s still not a simple task.

Speaking with OXM, Hines said, “It’s really not easy, but it’s certainly much easier. I’m not trying to insult Sony or Microsoft, but they’re high-end PCs, the way they’re architectured. Though they’re still in development, they’re not done, they’re much easier to develop for.”

However, while Hines said that both consoles are easier to code for, he added that the game’s PS4 and Xbox One builds tend to conflict and cause issues. “They don’t all play with each other,” he continued. “PC and Mac play together, but Xbox One is its own thing and PS4 is its own thing. The whole cross-platform thing is just a nightmare.”

On the game’s Xbox One development specifically Hines added, “Are we looking forward to developing on Xbox One? Yes. It’s a nice robust machine that allows to do lots of cool stuff and put more cool things in the game.”

http://www.vg247.com/2013/07/08/the-...en-says-hines/
http://www.oxm.co.uk/57868/bethesda-...s-a-nightmare/

[Hyan]

They'll need all the help they can get.

“PC and Mac play together, but Xbox One is its own thing and PS4 is its own thing. The whole cross-platform thing is just a nightmare.”

Fucking lol.

[Cleverness]

If SE can get crossplatform going between systems of different generations and platforms, I don't see they can use that excuse with a straight face.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Mouse+kb PvP players will obliterate pad-users 99% of the time. That should be their only excuse. It will happen in XIV just the same.