Half Life 2 CANCELED for Xbox

[Tappy_Tibbons]

Believe me or not, go to EBgames.com and see for yourself.

From what I've heard, those who preordered HL2 for Xbox from EBG recieved a notification that their credit cards will not be charged and HL2 for Xbox will NOT be sold at EBgames.

Oh well, Half Life is overrated crap anyway...now if they cancel Doom 3 I'm gonna raise some hell.

["The Game"Evolution]

Believe me or not, go to EBgames.com and see for yourself.

From what I've heard, those who preordered HL2 for Xbox from EBG recieved a notification that their credit cards will not be charged and HL2 for Xbox will NOT be sold at EBgames.

Oh well, Half Life is overrated crap anyway...now if they cancel Doom 3 I'm gonna raise some hell.

After what happened with those hackers the PC version of HL2 wasnt even completed yet.So the Xbox's version is on hiatus until the PC's version is completed.But an Xbox version of HL2 is still on the drawing board though.Thanks to those hackers we have to wait alot longer before we can get our hands on it.

[no.1gamer]

This is probably for the better. Half Life is the signature PC FPS game. It doesn't belong on a console. Hopefully it didn't already become "consolefied" from the Xbox development.

["The Game"Evolution]

This is probably for the better. Half Life is the signature PC FPS game. It doesn't belong on a console.

So a game like HL2 doesnt belong on a console huh? Well a 32-bit game with a cosmetic makeover being charged full price doesnt deserve to be on the GC either.Your point is? HL2 is still coming to the Xbox.It has to be completed on the PC front first.

[no.1gamer]

So a game like HL2 doesnt belong on a console huh? Well a 32-bit game with a cosmetic makeover being charged full price doesnt deserve to be on the GC either.Your point is? HL2 is still coming to the Xbox.It has to be completed on the PC front first.

I edited my post Evolution. The reason it doesn't belong on a console is because it will then risk being consoleified.

["The Game"Evolution]

I edited my post Evolution. The reason it doesn't belong on a console is because it will then risk being consoleified.

The PS2 & The GC would have to undergo a ton of sacrifices just to have a more simple version of the PC game.But the Xbox is the only console powerful enough to make a fine PC port.Hell even the Xbox has to make sacrifices just to make a port.So the risk of HL2 becoming consolefied is slim and none no1gamer.

[Renzatic Gear]

I dunno...Deus Ex 2 didn't turn out too well and it was developed for the PC and Xbox concurrently. One of the main reasons listed was because they tried to cram in as many PC-like effects into the game, but had to limit the size of the levels and the texture resolution to cram it in the Xbox's 64 megs of ram.

The end result was a game that didn't fare well for either platform.

[no.1gamer]

Technical aspects aside, console games are designed differently than PC games. A game developed for both platforms will suffer on both platforms.

Now factor in the relatively low system specs of a console and you've got a seriously lacking PC game. So the PC game takes another hit.

Sorry Evolution, but it doesn't matter what console the joint development is for, the PC version of the game will hurt bad. My PC has 383 MB of RAM. Why should my Half Life 2 experience suffer so Xbots can play a joint developed game? What amazes me is how you Xbots anticipate these half @$$ PC/Xbox games and accept them as good! Don't you want to play games developed specifically for your console to cater to your gaming preferences?

[Hieremias]

Technical aspects aside, console games are designed differently than PC games. A game developed for both platforms will suffer on both platforms.

Now factor in the relatively low system specs of a console and you've got a seriously lacking PC game. So the PC game takes another hit.

Sorry Evolution, but it doesn't matter what console the joint development is for, the PC version of the game will hurt bad. My PC has 383 MB of RAM. Why should my Half Life 2 experience suffer so Xbots can play a joint developed game? What amazes me is how you Xbots anticipate these half @$$ PC/Xbox games and accept them as good! Don't you want to play games developed specifically for your console to cater to your gaming preferences?

I imagine the Xbox will get ports of Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 the same way they did of Max Payne 2. Take the amazing PC game and gut it.

Deus Ex 2 was developed specifically with both platforms in mind, and thus it suffered. Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 are first and foremost PC titles. Always have been. The Xbox may eventually get gutted and castrated versions of each of those, and no doubt Xbots will parade them around as "their exclusive titles" to the other console owners.

Anyway, Xbots, don't put too much faith in EBgames announcements. Unless you hear it from Valve, then assume you will eventually get a version of Half-Life 2, and hey, there's a remote chance it <i>might</i> have half the eye candy that the PC version has.

[mandark]

I dunno...Deus Ex 2 didn't turn out too well and it was developed for the PC and Xbox concurrently. One of the main reasons listed was because they tried to cram in as many PC-like effects into the game, but had to limit the size of the levels and the texture resolution to cram it in the Xbox's 64 megs of ram.

The end result was a game that didn't fare well for either platform.

No need to worry RG. Valve already addressed this issue in an older volume of PC Gamer. The one with the Half Life 2 cover. Look it up. Half Life 2 will be optimized for the PC community first and foremost. After all that is done Valve can dumb down the X-box version to the lowest common denominator for all I care, ie. x-box FPS gamers.

[The Buzz]

Believe me or not, go to EBgames.com and see for yourself.

From what I've heard, those who preordered HL2 for Xbox from EBG recieved a notification that their credit cards will not be charged and HL2 for Xbox will NOT be sold at EBgames.

Oh well, Half Life is overrated crap anyway...now if they cancel Doom 3 I'm gonna raise some hell.

According to the OXM Rumor Mole Vivendi Universal has passed on the opportunity to publish HL2 on Xbox. Looks like Microsoft themselves, like in the case of Counter Strike, is poised to pick up the title.

I'm curious...why is it so important for the PC crowd to crap on every and all Xbox/PC games? Why shouldn't Xboxers be given the chance to play some of these games if they so wish..."dumbed down" or not as you people love to say? Xbox pulls off some of these games quite nicely.

[Tappy_Tibbons]

http://www.gamedreamz.com/index.cgi?m=stories&s=read&id=633

There's the link.

Anyway, Hieremias, I wouldn't say the Xbox version of Max Payne 2 was "gutted" at all. I've played both versions. The Xbox version is 98% like the PC version...with no mods. MP2 still feels more like a console game if you ask me.

[Daman_He_Hate_Me]

I really doubt this game is cancelled, it may be delayed significantly, like many people have noted, VALVE has to worry about the integrity of the PC game and also having a good launch on the PC. The PC version is delayed and will likely see further delays, so you know the XBOX version will be delayed even more.

As far as people crying about Deus Ex2, let me tell, XBOX didn't ruin this game. Co-development doesn't ruin a game, crappy developers ruin games. Deus Ex2 was bad because the developers did a bad job, end of story. If anyone thinks Valve was going to sacrifice anything or any quality for the sake of the XBOX, they are ignorant. And sorry Tappy, but Half-life isn't crap, in fact Half-life was the pinnacle in FPS circa 1997. Doom had already been overtaken by Unreal, and Half-life completely blew away both. And was still the best FPS ever until Halo came out. This time around, it may be a different story, ID is completely remaking the game, and sparring no expense, Valve is also working hard, as well as Bungie. Instead of always pitting these games against each other, I say we should be happy to receive all 3 games, XBOX or PC. Who cares which is the best, i'm going to enjoy them all. I likely won't be getting any PC version, obviously not of Halo2, but not of Doom3 or Halflife2 either, I'd rather wait for the XBOX version. I just think the gaming experience is much better on a 60inch HDTV and a dolby5.1 system sitting in the comfort of my living room or bedroom(48 inch hdtv there). I would rather experience these games that way, than on my pc, which is no slouch either. Only way I play one on the PC is if it does get canceled on the BOX.

[Darwin]

As far as people crying about Deus Ex2, let me tell, XBOX didn't ruin this game. Co-development doesn't ruin a game, crappy developers ruin games..

I'll second that. Take a look at Halo, a launch game. Halo had bigger levels, more AI on screen at once, and still had a better and consistent framerate. There is no excuse for Deus Ex 2's framerate (or long loading times for that matter) because Xbox has shown that it can handle games like Halo just fine.

Deus EX 1 had bad framerate issues as well (from what I played on my PC and the PS2). Deus EX games do not run smoothly. They are much more about the story, choices, and atmosphere. To enjoy the DE games, you have to "put up" with a lot of technical flaws.

[trebor]

I'm curious...why is it so important for the PC crowd to crap on every and all Xbox/PC games? Why shouldn't Xboxers be given the chance to play some of these games if they so wish..."dumbed down" or not as you people love to say? Xbox pulls off some of these games quite nicely.

That's an easy one to answer. I believe that the PC crowd could honestly give a rat's ass if the Xbox gets a ported game. What they do care about is that when a game is developed for Xbox and PC at the same time, the PC version suffers do to the game being optimized for the Xbox, while current PC's can handle much, much more.

So the "dumbed down" element is that the game ends up not looking as good as it would on the PC if it was made for PC and then ported to the Xbox.

Or in terms you might understand better - if a multiplatform game gets released on PS2 and Xbox, the Xbox version will look better if the game is made for Xbox, instead of being made for PS2 and then ported over. Get it?

[folken001]

Looking at Xbots' reaction to the "possible" cancellation of HL2 Xbox, you would understand why MS was never able to get rid of it's PC image.

HL2 is supposed to be a game my computer can barely run and my computer is more powerful. Xbots are so now delusional and upset about their watered down PIII with Geforce3 didn't get a chance to run HL2. funny...

["The Game"Evolution]

According to the OXM Rumor Mole Vivendi Universal has passed on the opportunity to publish HL2 on Xbox. Looks like Microsoft themselves, like in the case of Counter Strike, is poised to pick up the title.

I'm curious...why is it so important for the PC crowd to crap on every and all Xbox/PC games? Why shouldn't Xboxers be given the chance to play some of these games if they so wish..."dumbed down" or not as you people love to say? Xbox pulls off some of these games quite nicely.

Nothing else to add.You said pretty much what I was going to say on the issue Buzz.Good one.

[no.1gamer]

It's just that the Xbox seems to leech off of other platforms time and time again. Which would be fine but sometimes other gamers get screwed because of it. Admit it, without other platforms to share games with the Xbox wouldn't have 2 legs to stand on. Why does the Xbox have to drag other platforms down with it?

[Nissian X]

After what happened with those hackers the PC version of HL2 wasnt even completed yet.So the Xbox's version is on hiatus until the PC's version is completed.But an Xbox version of HL2 is still on the drawing board though.Thanks to those hackers we have to wait alot longer before we can get our hands on it.

Yes, I do agree with game here. If they were going to cancel HL 2 for Xbox they wouldv'r mentioned it shortly after the source code got stolen, I think this is a rumour being told by someone who blew things out of proportion, sounds like it.

[Bob-the-Fish]

I think this is a rumour being told by someone who blew things out of proportion, sounds like it.

Ahh, the wonders of the internet and the "information age." Isn't life grand?

[Renzatic Gear]

I'm thinking the same thing. We don't have any confirmation from Valve or Vivendi, just EBGames cancelling and refunding preorders.

All that means is that the game has been put into TBA limbo at the moment.

[Nissian X]

I'll second that. Take a look at Halo, a launch game. Halo had bigger levels, more AI on screen at once, and still had a better and consistent framerate. There is no excuse for Deus Ex 2's framerate (or long loading times for that matter) because Xbox has shown that it can handle games like Halo just fine.

Deus EX 1 had bad framerate issues as well (from what I played on my PC and the PS2). Deus EX games do not run smoothly. They are much more about the story, choices, and atmosphere. To enjoy the DE games, you have to "put up" with a lot of technical flaws.

Exactly, Darwin.
look at Halo 2, its going to be one of the best looking games yet, better looking than HL 2 even. You KNOW that Halo 2 is going to run just as well as Halo did, when you look at the two series of games you'll notice that Halo has A LOT more going on simutaneously, as opposed to HL 2 which has very little happening at once. If Xbox can run Halo 2, it can EASILY run HL 2 without it being "dumbed down".

[Renzatic Gear]

lol, are you kidding Nis? Have you SEEN the videos for HL2 yet?

And anyway, HL2 is a Direct X 9 game...some of the effects will have to be cut to fit on the Xbox. Not only that but Halo 2, while using ALOT of onscreen special effects, is pretty lowpoly in comparison to HL. Something more than just DX9 features will have to be cut to get it to run properly on the box.

[Joah_from_Alberta]

Have a look at the minimum recommended specs for this game:

http://www.demoindex.com/index.php?free_game=Painkiller&g=774

The graphics are b-eaut-iful. I can run the first level of the demo on my Athlon900Ati9700pro system, but the second level is like a fish in a jello bowl.

[Nissian X]

Yes, I actually have seen A video of HL 2, and IMHO Halo 2 looks, a fair bit better, even if it does have a low poly count, they developers told everyone that, infact to use a specific example, Bungie was saying that if you compare the MC in Halo and the MC in Halo 2, MC in Halo has a much higher poly count than MC in Halo 2, which one looks better do you think?

[no.1gamer]

Halo had bigger levels, more AI on screen at once, and still had a better and consistent framerate.

While Halo's framerate is "consistent," it still suffers from slow down.

The PC Half Life 2 will have more polys, better textures and higher screen resolution. Sorry Xbots you loose this argument. Any console FPS pitted up to a PC FPS will look kind of blurry and less detailed. Check out the minimum system requirements for Half Life 2 when it comes out. The Xbox's system specs will not handle it. Therefore it can't look as good on the Xbox. While it will look good for what it is (a console FPS) it won't be as good as it can look on a PC.

[Renzatic Gear]

Have a look at the minimum recommended specs for this game:

http://www.demoindex.com/index.php?free_game=Painkiller&g=774

The graphics are b-eaut-iful. I can run the first level of the demo on my Athlon900Ati9700pro system, but the second level is like a fish in a jello bowl.
lol, only problem with using that game as reference to the PC's power is that it's also coming out for the Xbox. I've played it though, just got the demo earlier today, it's really cool in a simple oldschool sorta way.

Niss, I guess it depends on which movie you checked out. The big 600 meg behemoth shows of ALOT of action scenes whereas the rest are mostly facial expression videos. The one scene on the streets with the giant walking...uh...thing is easily comparable to the action scene show off in Halo 2.

[Zilla Man]

Guys: there's a simple solution to this problem. I'll simply ask my friend at Vivendi if the rumours of HL2 Xbox cancellations are true. She should be able to tell me.


First off, an opinion. I saw both HL2 and Doom 3 last year at E3. And as much as I love Doom (and I do love it - I've got it on several systems), it's still basically the same game with excellent graphics, lighting, and slightly more interactive environments, but it's still Doom. Not that there's anything wrong with that! :rolleyes:

But what I saw on Half Life 2 blew me away even more. The interactvity, enemy AI, graphic environments, and character interactions were light years ahead of anything ID's latest had. We're talking HUGE open environments, creatures that never react the same way twice, and all types of stuff. Believe me, guys, it goes waaay beyond simple fragging (even though there's plenty of that too). In fact, several of the ID guys came back to watch the presentation more than once to try to figure out how things were done (a proprietary graphic and . If you don't believe me read the interviews with Warren Spector and his thoughts on both the games' E3 showings -- it was HL2 not Doom 3 that literally sent him back to his booth crying. That being said -- I'll be getting BOTH games.

As for the Xbox not being able to handle it without it being Dumbed Down -- that may not be necessarily true. Example: the PS2 port of Half Life had characters that were higher in polygon count then it's original PC brethren and no slow down. I know because I've played through both several times. So, Tappy, don't even try to spread your stupid anti-PS2 propganda about it being a bad port.

Unlike Deus EX 2, HL2's not being developed concurrently with the console version. Gabe Newell's said as much in several interviews. So, Xbots, don't let all these PC naysayers get you down.

["The Game"Evolution]

While Halo's framerate is "consistent," it still suffers from slow down.

The PC Half Life 2 will have more polys, better textures and higher screen resolution. Sorry Xbots you loose this argument. Any console FPS pitted up to a PC FPS will look kind of blurry and less detailed. Check out the minimum system requirements for Half Life 2 when it comes out. The Xbox's system specs will not handle it. Therefore it can't look as good on the Xbox. While it will look good for what it is (a console FPS) it won't be as good as it can look on a PC.

It all depends on who develops the Xbox's version of HL2.(Besides notice that the Xbox's version of Halo had better review scores than the PC's version of Halo? check www.gamerankings.com if you need validation on this.)

The Xbox's version of HL2 will come very close to the quality of the PC's version.No doubt about it.But like I said before some things will have to be altered in order for the version to be remotely close to being as good as the PC's.But since we will have to wait until we ever get to see either version anytime soon why lose any sleep over it?

[mandark]

As for the Xbox not being able to handle it without it being Dumbed Down -- that may not be necessarily true. Example: the PS2 port of Half Life had characters that were higher in polygon count then it's original PC brethren and no slow down.

This statement of yours would have been acceptible if Half Life was developed after the PS2 was launched, meaning developers were using technology that is newer than what is in the PS2. But you have to remember that the original Half Life was released back in 1998 when the Pentium speeds were only as high as 450 MHz. Back then Half Life ran very well on 300+ Mhz computers with TNT cards. So, of course, naturally Half Life should run better on the PS2.

Half Life 2 on the other hand is in a different boat. It is being developed with the newer and faster CPU's and GPU's in mind. Valve has already mentioned before that HL2 is being developed to run well with 2 GHz comps(with a lot of tweaking) but to get the full potential of the game a system should at least be running at 2.8 GHz and higher with DX9 compatible graphics cards. And if I remember correctly the X-box does not have a DX9 compatible card. Does it?

[Bob-the-Fish]

It all depends on who develops the Xbox's version of HL2.(Besides notice that the Xbox's version of Halo had better review scores than the PC's version of Halo? check www.gamerankings.com if you need validation on this.)

I would think the reason that Halo was given better reviews on Xbox has something to do with what Tappy said on another thread. He said that the big reason Goldeneye was such a big deal is because there were not really any other FPS games on the N64 at that time. This transfers over to the Box as well. Not only were there no other good FPS games on Xbox when Halo was released, there really weren't any quality games in general, at least not multiplayer which I think is Halo's biggest strength, and this remained true for some time.

Now when the PC version hit, it was a two year old game that was being compared to the computer fare of this day. I'm not trying to start up that PC shooters vs Xbox shooters argument again here. I don't play FPS on PC, but from what I've seen there are games on the PC now that are miles ahead of Halo. Hopefully, the reviewers of the PC version of Halo were primarily PC gamers and would be able to make those comparisons. Also, one of the main focuses of PC shooters is online play and while Halo's multiplayer is good in the console setting, I just don't think reviewers thought it was up to par with the likes of Battlefield, Raven Shield or whatever version of Unreal they're playing now.

[GameLegend]

Who the hell made up this word anyway: "consolified"?!!!!

Well...if Half Life 2 is CONSOLIFIED, not only will the graphics be a bit "dumbed down" but the level design MAY have to be altered. Lets face it, a controller can not even compete against and a keyboard and mouse.

[mandark]

I would think the reason that Halo was given better reviews on Xbox has something to do with what Tappy said on another thread. He said that the big reason Goldeneye was such a big deal is because there were not really any other FPS games on the N64 at that time. This transfers over to the Box as well. Not only were there no other good FPS games on Xbox when Halo was released, there really weren't any quality games in general, at least not multiplayer which I think is Halo's biggest strength, and this remained true for some time.

Now when the PC version hit, it was a two year old game that was being compared to the computer fare of this day. I'm not trying to start up that PC shooters vs Xbox shooters argument again here. I don't play FPS on PC, but from what I've seen there are games on the PC now that are miles ahead of Halo. Hopefully, the reviewers of the PC version of Halo were primarily PC gamers and would be able to make those comparisons. Also, one of the main focuses of PC shooters is online play and while Halo's multiplayer is good in the console setting, I just don't think reviewers thought it was up to par with the likes of Battlefield, Raven Shield or whatever version of Unreal they're playing now.

The Price is Right, Bob! Just kidding. You are correct on your theory though. If Halo was released for the PC back in 2001 like it was intended there is no doubt that Halo would have recieved numerous accolades from the PC gamers and reviewers since games like BF1942 were not even released back then. But as it stands now Halo is simply an average shooter compared to what the PC already has to offer.

Lastly, is it just me or what? Whenever I try to play Halo I can't shake the feeling of boredom going through my veins. The gameplay, environments and overall feeling is just so flat.

[Glockstar]

I dunno...Deus Ex 2 didn't turn out too well and it was developed for the PC and Xbox concurrently. One of the main reasons listed was because they tried to cram in as many PC-like effects into the game, but had to limit the size of the levels and the texture resolution to cram it in the Xbox's 64 megs of ram.

The end result was a game that didn't fare well for either platform.

A lot of you guys here have been hard on the game, but the pro's liked it.
And quite frankly, I did too.

Of couse, I'd never played the first one; and I think that's got a lot to do with it.
("It" being the bad "reviews" from yuse guys and guys like yuse.)

[Renzatic Gear]

Well the game isn't HORRIBLE, in fact it did have it's own charms once you got past it's main issues, but it was stripped of alot of the stuff that made the original so fun.

Overall I would've given it a 7/10..not awesome, but not as bad as most people made it out to be.

[Tappy_Tibbons]

Half Life 2 really doesn't look in the same league as Doom 3. Doom 3 will annihilate HL2.

[Renzatic Gear]

I dunno..HL2 looks to be trying to do something new while Doom 3 looks like a good hardcore oldschool game with a fresh coat of paint.

I think they're both gonna be great, just in totally different ways.

[mandark]

Half Life 2 really doesn't look in the same league as Doom 3. Doom 3 will annihilate HL2.

The only thing you can compare between Doom3 and Half Life 2 is the graphics. Other than that the two are trying to accomplish different things. I would have to say that when it comes to action, fragging and the like Doom3 has the upper hand. But when it comes to story telling, plots, adventure, physics and interaction Half Life 2 has the edge.

Have you seen the 600mb demo for HL2? Its nothing short of amazing. Especially the scene when some drums, pieces of wood and the bed mattress were placed in the water. The interaction between the water and objects were right on.

[Bob-the-Fish]

Lastly, is it just me or what? Whenever I try to play Halo I can't shake the feeling of boredom going through my veins. The gameplay, environments and overall feeling is just so flat.

Playing Co-op through the campaign is great and 12 player multi-link games are the best.

I agree with you though, the single player game in Halo is actually quite dull in most of the levels. The repetitive level design had a lot to do with that. A couple of the levels are great but even those can get stale after you trudge through the same room three or four times in a row. And there's no excuse for the Library. That is one of the worst levels I have played in any game, ever.

Lets face it, a controller can not even compete against and a keyboard and mouse.

I think Rainbow Six 3 has shown that it is possible to map a very good FPS control scheme on a handheld controller. It lets you do pretty much everything that you can do with a keyboard, including ducking and peeking around corners. Now that designers are starting to use the circular menu set up where you push one button and select you choice with the joystick, a controller can be used just as quickly and precisely as a keyboard's many buttons. Of course the look speed and accuracy will probably never be up to par with a mouse, but it doesn't take long to get used to analog joysticks at all. And just like the KB-M set up, once you get a feel for it, it's leathal.

[Hieremias]

According to the OXM Rumor Mole Vivendi Universal has passed on the opportunity to publish HL2 on Xbox. Looks like Microsoft themselves, like in the case of Counter Strike, is poised to pick up the title.

I'm curious...why is it so important for the PC crowd to crap on every and all Xbox/PC games? Why shouldn't Xboxers be given the chance to play some of these games if they so wish..."dumbed down" or not as you people love to say? Xbox pulls off some of these games quite nicely.
You misunderstand. I don't think any PC gamer is crapping on the Xbox for getting PC ports. Heck you guys can get EVERY PC game for all I care. If they want to dumb it down for the Xbox, it doesn't bother me.

What really sucks is when potentially great PC games are dumbed down <i>for the PC</i> to cater to the Xbox's hardware and <i>audience</i>. Deus Ex 2, Knights of the Old Republic, and it looks like the upcoming Thief 3 are examples. All developed concurrently, all suffered enormously. Yes, I know KotoR is considered a great game for the Xbox, but that only points to the serious lack of any decent RPGs on <i>any</i> console system.

Not all games have to be like that. Morrowind was brilliant, it didn't suffer for the sake of the Xbox. Our version of Max Payne 2 was spectacular. If Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 turn out like that then I'll be perfectly happy, and I suspect they will because they were always designed as PC games from the start.

PC gamers don't like the Xbox because it's too close to a PC--albiet a severely inferior PC with poor controls, crappy resolution, very little video memory, and a console gamer audience. No matter how big your HDTV screen is, all Xbox games will be developed to run at very low resolutions and they will always have very poor texture quality, the Xbox could NOT have handled the hi-res textures of Max Payne 2, not with its limited memory.

But since the Xbox is architecturally similar to a PC it's too easy for developers to create games for both systems concurrently, and too often the game suffers as a result. PC gamers aren't jealous of the Xbox, they're pissed off that the Xbox gives developers a too-easy route to another audience at the cost of dumbing down otherwise great games.

Like I said, not all games have to be like that. I sincerely hope the trend of dumbing down PC games so they'll fit onto the Xbox and appeal to a console audience is a brief one. But Deus Ex 2 and KotoR could have been <i>so much better</i>.

[The Buzz]

You misunderstand. I don't think any PC gamer is crapping on the Xbox for getting PC ports. Heck you guys can get EVERY PC game for all I care. If they want to dumb it down for the Xbox, it doesn't bother me.

What really sucks is when potentially great PC games are dumbed down <i>for the PC</i> to cater to the Xbox's hardware and <i>audience</i>. Deus Ex 2, Knights of the Old Republic, and it looks like the upcoming Thief 3 are examples. All developed concurrently, all suffered enormously. Yes, I know KotoR is considered a great game for the Xbox, but that only points to the serious lack of any decent RPGs on <i>any</i> console system.

Not all games have to be like that. Morrowind was brilliant, it didn't suffer for the sake of the Xbox. Our version of Max Payne 2 was spectacular. If Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 turn out like that then I'll be perfectly happy, and I suspect they will because they were always designed as PC games from the start.

PC gamers don't like the Xbox because it's too close to a PC--albiet a severely inferior PC with poor controls, crappy resolution, very little video memory, and a console gamer audience. No matter how big your HDTV screen is, all Xbox games will be developed to run at very low resolutions and they will always have very poor texture quality, the Xbox could NOT have handled the hi-res textures of Max Payne 2, not with its limited memory.

But since the Xbox is architecturally similar to a PC it's too easy for developers to create games for both systems concurrently, and too often the game suffers as a result. PC gamers aren't jealous of the Xbox, they're pissed off that the Xbox gives developers a too-easy route to another audience at the cost of dumbing down otherwise great games.

Like I said, not all games have to be like that. I sincerely hope the trend of dumbing down PC games so they'll fit onto the Xbox and appeal to a console audience is a brief one. But Deus Ex 2 and KotoR could have been <i>so much better</i>.

Like it or not things in the video game world are the way they are. It's a business after all and where ever the money is, is the direction it will go.

Maybe you PC gamers that have "issues" should take up photography so you won't be subjected to being "dumbed down" in the future.

[Hieremias]

Like it or not things in the video game world are the way they are. It's a business after all and where ever the money is, is the direction it will go.

Maybe you PC gamers that have "issues" should take up photography so you won't be subjected to being "dumbed down" in the future.
Actually with the Xbox not exactly being a runaway success and the Xbox 2 dumping its hard drive and adopting a more "consoley" architecture, the direction seems to be going in the way I'd prefer. For now I'll just have to suck it up and live with the fact that Deus Ex 2 and KotoR will never be the games I had hoped them to be.

[Glockstar]

Actually with the Xbox not exactly being a runaway success...

While this statement may be true, it is not really fair. Two reasons:

1) Japan. XBox sales are virtually nil in one of (the three) markets - while it's competition doesn't have that problem

2) Image. Miscrosoft underestimated how much people hate them. And they really didn't do anything to try and clean up their image prior to the XBox's launch. Actually, they still don't. They do some (giving away XBoxs to our troops is really nice), but it's still not enough.

... and the Xbox 2 dumping its hard drive and adopting a more "consoley" architecture, the direction seems to be going in the way I'd prefer.

I don't know if I'd go around telling people this, if I were you. It's just not accurate information. The Next Box is still about two years away - there's no way anybody can say for sure what's going to be inside of it. There's rumors, and that's it.

Frankly, I'm not sure I care all that much about the harddrive being packed in anymore. (Or for the harddrive at all, for that matter.) But that's beside the point... because I'm still pretty danged sure that the XBox Next is going to be even more like a PC. Or actually... more like a laptop. ;)

- - -

As far as being angry or frustrated with the XBox itself for sloppy ports of some PC games... don't you think your... "anger"... is a little... misdirected?

Now, we Xbots can relate. Believe me. But you don't really see us going around blaming the actual PS2 system. I mean, yeah it's technically way behind the XBox, and we may laugh at it, but we know that it's the developers who make the games. And ultimately, that's who our frustrations with "sloppy seconds" are directed at.

EA is perfect example. Many an XBox owner has it in, or at least has a bone to pick with, EA - because the XBox versions of their games, not only fail to take advantage of the XBox hardware, but they are also bereft of many of the same gameplay modes and features. So while it's understandable that EA would develop their cross platform games based on the "lowest common denominator", it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't incorporate the extra capabilities of the superior system into those versions. That's laziness. And that's frustrating.

[The Buzz]

While this statement may be true, it is not really fair. Two reasons:

1) Japan. XBox sales are virtually nil in one of (the three) markets - while it's competition doesn't have that problem

2) Image. Miscrosoft underestimated how much people hate them. And they really didn't do anything to try and clean up their image prior to the XBox's launch. Actually, they still don't. They do some (giving away XBoxs to our troops is really nice), but it's still not enough.



I don't know if I'd go around telling people this, if I were you. It's just not accurate information. The Next Box is still about two years away - there's no way anybody can say for sure what's going to be inside of it. There's rumors, and that's it.

Frankly, I'm not sure I care all that much about the harddrive being packed in anymore. (Or for the harddrive at all, for that matter.) But that's beside the point... because I'm still pretty danged sure that the XBox Next is going to be even more like a PC. Or actually... more like a laptop. ;)

- - -

As far as being angry or frustrated with the XBox itself for sloppy ports of some PC games... don't you think your... "anger"... is a little... misdirected?

Now, we Xbots can relate. Believe me. But you don't really see us going around blaming the actual PS2 system. I mean, yeah it's technically way behind the XBox, and we may laugh at it, but we know that it's the developers who make the games. And ultimately, that's who our frustrations with "sloppy seconds" are directed at.

EA is perfect example. Many an XBox owner has it in, or at least has a bone to pick with, EA - because the XBox versions of their games, not only fail to take advantage of the XBox hardware, but they are also bereft of many of the same gameplay modes and features. So while it's understandable that EA would develop their cross platform games based on the "lowest common denominator", it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't incorporate the extra capabilities of the superior system into those versions. That's laziness. And that's frustrating.

In the case of Japan...I don't think it has as much to do with people hating MS...it's more the Japanese don't see the need to invest in a North "American" product when the home based Sony and Nintendo companies have been catering to their own unique tastes in video games for years. They may warm to MS over time or they may not. The Japanese are a different breed are very loyal to their own kind. On the flip side look how many years it took for North Americans to embrace Japanese cars...over twenty?

It speaks volumes that the Xbox can basically run a "dead heat" with a company like Nintendo and it's GC overall world wide with virtually NO Japanese support at all...and that little statement says more than most anti-Xbox fans would care to admit.

[GameLegend]

Now, we Xbots can relate. Believe me. But you don't really see us going around blaming the actual PS2 system. I mean, yeah it's technically way behind the XBox, and we may laugh at it, but we know that it's the developers who make the games.


You wanna know whats really frustrating?
Xbox owners laughing at the PS2 "cuz it's technically way behind the XBox"
but when PC people laugh at Xbox, Xbots get all whiny and soar. Obviously i m generalizing and i m sure xbots in system wars would never do that! (sarcasm)

[Glockstar]

You wanna know whats really frustrating?
Xbox owners laughing at the PS2 "cuz it's technically way behind the XBox"
but when PC people laugh at Xbox, Xbots get all whiny and soar. Obviously i m generalizing and i m sure xbots in system wars would never do that! (sarcasm)

"We get all whiny and soar"?

Hey, what with all of the great games we're playing on the system, you know we're flying high, but I don't know where you're getting that "whiny" part from.

Hmmm... are you even smart enough to generalize?

[Glockstar]

RUMOR #1: The Xbox version of Half-Life 2 has been cancelled.

Source: Gamers whose pre-orders had been nixed by EB Games.

The official story: "EB Games does not have any additional information on the status of Half-Life 2 for Xbox. As our pre-order information was speculative, we decided to cease accepting pre-orders."--An EB Games Spokesperson.

What we heard: After receiving e-mails from alarmed gamers, GameSpot contacted Valve, VU Games, and EB Games about the status of the Xbox version of Half-Life 2. What we got were a variety of responses: Valve said that while it had plans to eventually bring the game to multiple consoles, right now it was "concentrating on getting the PC version done." VU would only say that the Xbox HL2's status had not changed since last June, when a VU spokesperson re-confirmed Gabe Newell's comments that a version was being developed for the Microsoft console. As for EB, they issued the above statement. So what does all that mean? Basically, that the PC version of Half-Life 2 is so far off, a console port is no longer even on its developer's, publisher's, or retailer's radar.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus. Half-Life 2 will eventually come to the Xbox. However, when--and in what form--is still very much in flux.

I think most of us calm, rational, and self-centered types, already knew all of this though.

I also think that it's perfectly understandable, the way that Valve is proceeding on the game's development - especially given the circumstances. It's pretty obvious that - if one version had to come out before the other - the PC game would have to come first. And considering that they are waayyy behind schedule now...

[Deathstroke]

There was speculation a while back that Half Life 2 would not show up on X-box but rather on the next generation of consoles, mainly, X-box 2 and PS3.

["The Game"Evolution]

I dunno..HL2 looks to be trying to do something new while Doom 3 looks like a good hardcore oldschool game with a fresh coat of paint.

I think they're both gonna be great, just in totally different ways.

Sounds more like you're talking about the upcoming GC game Metal Gear Solid:Twin Snakes more than DOOM III.Dont you think?(sarcasm) I think so.

[Renzatic Gear]

Stay On Topic! Rah!

["The Game"Evolution]

Stay On Topic! Rah!

Its all good.Besides you know this is more true than what you had to say about DOOM III.At least DOOM III was built from the ground up.MGS:TS wasnt,it was just given a facelift.Besides I've already spoken my piece on the original thread.

"Dont have a cow man."-Bart Simpson.

[Renzatic Gear]

How did you correct me? All you did was throw in one of your GC jabs and then backpeddled when I called you out using your favorite little phrase.

Even Id has said that Doom III is gonna be a very oldschool style game..nothing too complex, just immersive and full of scares and action. In other words it's gonna be like Doom 1 & 2 updated to modern standards.

Man, you're WAYYYY too defensive sometimes.

[folken001]

There was speculation a while back that Half Life 2 would not show up on X-box but rather on the next generation of consoles, mainly, X-box 2 and PS3.
Just play that game on PC. Is that so hard people?

["The Game"Evolution]

How did you correct me? All you did was throw in one of your GC jabs and then backpeddled when I called you out using your favorite little phrase.

Even Id has said that Doom III is gonna be a very oldschool style game..nothing too complex, just immersive and full of scares and action. In other words it's gonna be like Doom 1 & 2 updated to modern standards.

Man, you're WAYYYY too defensive sometimes.

Even though DOOM III is gonna be a very oldschool style game its still being built from the ground up isnt it? Yes it is.MGS:TS isnt made from the ground up.Thats the bottom line.Get it? Got it? Good.

[Renzatic Gear]

I dunno where the hell you got MGS from, it's not like I'm too excited about that game anyway so if you're trying to get to me it's not working.

You do know that since you've officially broken topic by throwing in your own little MGS spiel when we wern't even talking about it I can now do the same anytime I want, right (course I usually did it anyway)? You can't say ANYTHING about staying on a particular topic if you can't do the same thing yourself.

SO HA! YOU CAN'T BS YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS ONE. Not like you could BS all that well anyway...but hey, you try.

["The Game"Evolution]

I dunno where the hell you got MGS from, it's not like I'm too excited about that game anyway so if you're trying to get to me it's not working.

You do know that since you've officially broken topic by throwing in your own little MGS spiel when we wern't even talking about it I can now do the same anytime I want, right (course I usually did it anyway)? You can't say ANYTHING about staying on a particular topic if you can't do the same thing yourself.

SO HA! YOU CAN'T BS YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS ONE. Not like you could BS all that well anyway...but hey, you try.

Since you think your getting 1up on me think again Gear.Why should I have to BS my way out of anything? I was telling the truth.But why bother talking about this? Lets talk about the original thread then.

Heres some more on the original thread and some extra news on things in the videogame world:

Rumor Control: MIA Xbox Half-Life 2 and "The Gamer's Virus"


PSP prototypes, Pokemon patches, and another Xbox price-cut round out the week's whisperings.

RUMOR #1: The Xbox version of Half-Life 2 has been cancelled.

Source: Gamers whose pre-orders had been nixed by EB Games.

The official story: "EB Games does not have any additional information on the status of Half-Life 2 for Xbox. As our pre-order information was speculative, we decided to cease accepting pre-orders."--An EB Games Spokesperson.

What we heard: After receiving e-mails from alarmed gamers, GameSpot contacted Valve, VU Games, and EB Games about the status of the Xbox version of Half-Life 2. What we got were a variety of responses: Valve said that while it had plans to eventually bring the game to multiple consoles, right now it was "concentrating on getting the PC version done." VU would only say that the Xbox HL2's status had not changed since last June, when a VU spokesperson re-confirmed Gabe Newell's comments that a version was being developed for the Microsoft console. As for EB, they issued the above statement. So what does all that mean? Basically, that the PC version of Half-Life 2 is so far off, a console port is no longer even on its developer's, publisher's, or retailer's radar.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus. Half-Life 2 will eventually come to the Xbox. However, when--and in what form--is still very much in flux.

RUMOR #2: Sony has finished a working prototype of the PSP.

Source: Japan-centric game site The Magic Box and the Sony sentinels at PSPinsider.

The official story: "Sony Computer Entertainment President and CEO Ken Kutaragi presented at Sony's quarterly investor meeting in New York last quarter. At that time, he showed a concept model of our upcoming portable entertainment device, PSP. It is important to note that this is only a concept model, and as such, all elements disclosed may not be included in the final design, to be unveiled at a later date."--A statement issued by Sony's American PR rep this week.

What we heard: On Tuesday afternoon, forum posts and Web rumors began to appear about the functional PSP. While Sony wasn't talking (see above), the rumored details on the handheld were intriguing. Citing "sources in Japan," the Magic Box said the PSP would have a 10 hour battery life and would have connectivity features with the PlayStation 2, much like the Game Boy Advance does with the GameCube. The tidbits on PSPinsider were even more tantalizing, as they reportedly came from member of a PSP focus group. The member claimed that PSP and PS2 versions of the same game would be bundled together, and the devices' connectivity would allow users to "to save progress on the PSP version of a game, and continue the progress on the PS2 version of the same game (and vice versa)." However, the news wasn't all good: According to PSPinsider, the handheld's MP3 and WiFi functionality will not be ready for its Winter 2004 launch. (Though a PSX-style update is all but assured).

Bogus or not bogus?: Present a burnt offering to the deity of your choice in the hopes that it's not bogus.

RUMOR #3: The patch for the Pokemon Ruby Version and Sapphire Version bug will be available in the U.S.--but only to purchasers of the Pokemon Coliseum pre-order disc.

Source: One unhappy gamer armed with a copy of Nintendo Power magazine.

The official story: Nintendo had no comment.

What we heard: Last December, our Japanese correspondents reported on a bug in the twin Pokemon games which disturbed the growth cycle of power-up berries, causing them to shrivel and die. According to Nintendo Japan, the bug only affected gamers who played the games over one year. Nintendo of America did not comment on whether the bug would affect the American version of the games, which were released in March 2003. However, one gamer clued GameSpot into an article in Nintendo Power magazine hyping the new Jirachi the Wishmaker character, which is available only on the Pokemon Colosseum pre-order bonus disc:

"As a bonus when you import Jirachi into your Ruby or Sapphire Pak, you'll receive a small blessing for your berry gardens in the GBA games--they'll keep producing the useful fruits forever. If your berry gardens dry up after your first year of gameplay, you'll want to have Jirachi do a little spring gardening for you!"

The gamer in question was understandably irritated. "Nintendo needs to comment on this--how can they justify making a patch an exclusive pre-order bonus?" he grumbled. However, when GameSpot forwarded the e-mail to Nintendo reps, they did not reply.

Bogus or not bogus?: Since you can't get the character anywhere else, for now, it's not bogus. However, if Ruby and Sapphire players start experiencing the bug en masse next month, look for the patch to become free very quickly.

RUMOR #4: Microsoft is cutting the Xbox price to $149 in April.

Source: The renowned game authority that is The New York Post.

The official story: What is the sound of one hand not picking up the phone?

What we heard: Rumblings about an Xbox price-drop have been the subject of many articles, including a previous Rumor Control. However, the fact the mainstream press is starting to report them means that something is definitely in the air. The Post piece quoted IDC analyst (and frequent GameSpot contributor) Schelley Olhava as saying Microsoft might--might--announce the price cut at next month's Game Developer's Conference in order to sell 16 million consoles by July. However, to cover its bases, the Post also cited an "analyst consensus" that the price cut will be deeper--possibly as low as $129--and would happen later in the year. What the Post didn't consider would be a more logical staggered price-lowering strategy which would lessen the financial loss Microsoft already takes every time an Xbox is sold.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. Would a publication owned by Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch lie? Oh, wait...

RUMOR #5: A gamer wrote the Bagle.B virus currently plaguing PCs worldwide.

Source: The recently reprimanded BBC.

The official story: "A new variant of the Bagle worm, Worm_Bagle.B .... has some reference to the 'Ultima Online messenger service'."--Tech security firm Trend Micro.

What we heard: On Wednesday, an article appeared in the BBC's technology section with the headline "'Gamer's virus' aims to hit users." However, the article only had two lines referencing games: "Anti-virus firms speculate that the creator of the virus is a keen gamer, as the malicious program uses settings associated with Ultima Online. Also one of the sites that infected machines report to is all about computer games." While most would dismiss the article as typical anti-gamer hysteria, upon further investigation it has some merit. According to Trend Micro, besides using settings associated with the Ultima Online messenger service, some machines infected with the Bagle.B virus reported to the dead URL http://intern.games-ring.de. Heretofore, Games-Ring.de (whose main page is currently "down for maintenance") was a respected German game-community site. Whether the Bagle.B author was part of the collective or merely trying to throw cybercops off his (or her) trail will probably never be known.

Bogus or not bogus?: It's safe to say someone tech-savvy enough to write a worm like Bagle.B is probably familiar with the concept of "PC gaming." Technically not bogus.


By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot [POSTED: 02/20/04 07:20 PM]

[Renzatic Gear]

How bout them Patroits?

["The Game"Evolution]

Just play that game on PC. Is that so hard people?

Nothing to add here.Folken said it all.

["The Game"Evolution]

How bout them Patroits?

Betting on those Patroits got me the money I needed to pay for my copy of Ninja Gaiden.I got nothing but love for Tom Brady & Co.