Fable II

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

pc615 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:11:36 GMT

Its all hype, and it works. I know the second that it is ported to the pc I will buy it. Game developers and Microsoft in general are all masters at hype. Money is a big part of it, well really all of it, other wise what few games that would exist would all be opensource.

What really sucks is I bought the game for the 360 and got it home put it in the console and the 360 red ringed before i even got to play it. So I have owned the game for over a year and can't even play it It is just sitting in the closet next to the 360 brick.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

AuddinTC — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:04:14 GMT

Merranvo:
PC Gamers are notorious for piracy.

It's not nearly as bad as the software giants make it out to be. They're basing the piracy numbers on lack of sales and Windows' piracy. (Let's face it, I doubt anyone on these forums that didn't buy a PC that included Windows bought a copy of the OS themselves.)

Merranvo:

A little debatable, but having a fixed hardware makes it easier on the devs.
Funny note, most PC games are designed to be playable well below their "minimum requirements", most actually are. Thing is, Dev's make their games playable on that 10 year old behemoth and that Sleek 'n Shiney Gamers PC...
To the console gamers, thats like running a DS game on a N64, a PS3 game on your PS, or a 360 on your old Black Brick. Further on the same note, Dev's who realize that Consoles Suck utilize "unsupported features" to make up for their suckage... I seem to recall that Halo 2 utilized it's own version of "virtual memory" to make up for how much 64mb of ram was total****. The general point is that it's easier developing when you know the limitations, it's easier hacking that when you know that your "hack" will always work... but when you go to PC... all holds are off.

Now this just means that console games only exist because either
A) The Devs want to make Money      (aka, not deal with DRM and Piracy)
B) The Devs want to make Money      (aka, get benifits for releasing to console)
C) The Devs want to make MONEY   (aka, release to public sooner)

Erm. Okay? But seriously, back to reality here.. Game programmers do not code DRM or anti-piracy except in extreme cases. DRM / Anti-Piracy measures are licensed from a company that specializes in protection, SafeDisc, SecuRom, or whatever UbiSoft's flavor-of-the-month is.. Much the same way that most games outsource the Engine.

The second myth stated is that game developers must code for a plethora of possible hardware configurations. To the contrary, except for 32/64bit configurations, software doesn't deal with the hardware, ever, that's the job of the Kernel, OS and 'drivers'. Dev's code DirectX/D3D/OpenGL (btw; just like XBox, it uses DirectX) and those interfaces deal with the rendering, which is passed through the drivers and then gets plastered onto the display.
There aren't many modifications that need to be made to the code itself, mainly what must be done is; Stripping all the XB code from the source, the XB interface compatibility and untweaking the code to work on the 360s Xenon triple-core-wtf processor. (Speaking of, Xenon's performance was never top-notch. It was a tweaked version of the Cell processor that was used in the PS3)

Really read on Xenon/360 Proc here.

So if anything, the difficulty in porting is because they tweaked a program that was designed in Windows to work for a bizarre processor architecture.

Lastly, a parting word; A Dev doesn't code for specific hardware, a " DEV" codes something to work the way he envisions it should. Code is the clay.

(I painfully oversimplified as much as I could to make it easy to understand for people that aren't software engineers. I hope all this made sense, I just woke up, haven't even had the coffee yet.)

--Your software coding friend.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

Merranvo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:31:00 GMT

You know, there HAS to be a 90% chance this has already been mentioned but...

PC Gamers are notorious for piracy.
Of COURSE Lionhead wants to keep this a Console Game as long as possible. Piracy is rampant on PC but most console users don't even know how to mod their xbox, let alone the fact that there are plenty of "piracy mods" for the xbox o.O

The only reasons games are being developed for consoles instead of PC is

A) Piracy
B) MONEY (not from sales, but from the console company)
C) It's easier

Alittle debatable, but having a fixed hardware makes it easier on the devs.
Funny note, most PC games are designed to be playable well below their "minimum requirements", most actually are. Thing is, Dev's make their games playable on that 10 year old behemoth and that Sleek 'n Shiney Gamers PC...

To the console gamers, thats like running a DS game on a N64, a PS3 game on your PS, or a 360 on your old Black Brick. Further on the same note, Dev's who realize that Consoles Suck utilize "unsupported features" to make up for their suckage... I seem to recall that Halo 2 utilized it's own version of "virtual memory" to make up for how much 64mb of ram was total****. The general point is that it's easier developing when you know the limitations, it's easier hacking that when you know that your "hack" will always work... but when you go to PC... all holds are off.

Now this just means that console games only exist because either
A) The Devs want to make Money      (aka, not deal with DRM and Piracy)
B) The Devs want to make Money      (aka, get benifits for releasing to console)
C) The Devs want to make MONEY   (aka, release to public sooner)

Now, just to clarify, I'm stating two points here:
A) The release to console is simply a money grab...
B) The delayed release to PC is simply... a money grab...

Whether or not Lionhead releases a PC port is really up to them, more likely than not, given the success of the 360 version. There is a strong chance in favor, but the delay is almost entirely based off the piracy issue.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

guitarscout — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:14:58 GMT

AuddinTC:
Woody needs to come back and lay this one to bed.

Seriously, over a year of waiting. Think we deserve a simple yes or no, time frame notwithstanding.

Is Woody the only moderator around here?

No.

All you have to do is Report Abuse, and maybe eventually they will lock it up.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

AuddinTC — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:26:40 GMT

Woody needs to come back and lay this one to bed.

Seriously, over a year of waiting. Think we deserve a simple yes or no, time frame notwithstanding.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

deliriousstudios — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:10:08 GMT

Well yeah, if you have money to spare and the desire to play the absolute latest games then go for a console. But some of us just don't care so much about fashion as you do. Some of us just want to game on the PC, and we do.

Those of us who can't afford to go buy a Wii, PS3 and an Xbox360 on top of a computer that will suit our needs, and those of us who simply prefer the gameplay a keyboard and mouse on a PC provides and we will stick to that.
We simply prefer it and would like to see more games developed for it. Surely there's nothing wrong with that.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

GRYWOLF1979 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:00:43 GMT

Yeah yeah yeah, I understand PC's are versatile and all of that, and yes I know that GTA was born on the PC (I used to own the original back when it first came out). I grew up using both PC's and consoles, and in my experience, they are both great for games.

Okay, yeah, I could plug in a 360 controller to my PC, but why? So much more selection in games for the Xbox than the PC -- maybe not overall, but most retail stores don't carry a huge selection of PC games, not even so-called "game" stores. There are literally hundreds of Xbox and PS2 titles (not so much for PS3) available at any game store, versus maybe a couple dozen PC titles? That's not to say that they haven't MADE a lot of titles for PC's (they have), but most of them just aren't available unless you order them online. I buy consoles because of game selection, because they are gaming machines and game companies make games specifically for them, end of story.

No, you can't mod the games, and yes, they are closed platforms, but that hasn't stopped developers from creating hundreds of new console titles year after year, now has it? Why do you think that is? Obviously a PC is superior in terms of customization, graphics, upgradability, etc., so why haven't consoles gone the way of the dinosaur? Apparently millions of people still buy them, and millions of dollars are still made on console titles, which is why game companies will continue to make console titles (that may or may not also be available on PC). Your arguments are pointless. I never said PC's were inferior or that you couldn't mod a PC to work exactly how you would want it to for your games, I just said I wouldn't bother. A console is a one-stop shop that enables you to play hundreds of different titles right out of the box, without having to constantly change or upgrade the console. It's just simpler in that respect, and game developers know this. I think that if anyone knows anything about computers, it would be a company like Microsoft, right? So why did the almighty Bill Gates decide to create an inferior closed platform designed specifically for video games? Hmmm?

Regarding the comment about me not being with keyboard and mouse -- on the contrary, I am far superior on games like first person shooters using a mouse than I am with a console controller, and I type around 60-70 words per minute. I have NO problems using a computer. But for me, playing a racing sim with a keyboard just does not FEEL right. Nor does playing the next-gen GTA titles on PC. The original overhead-view games, yes -- there's really no point in playing such a simplistic game on anything BUT a PC. But for me, the new open-world 3D GTA titles just feel better played with a console controller.

Owning a console may be redundant, but they're not disappearing anytime soon. Most big-name titles come out on the consoles long before they come out on PC, so unless you want to sit around twiddling your thumbs while everybody else plays the newest, hottest games, I'd say you better hold on to your consoles. I still don't see the PC version of Fable II anywhere, do you? I wonder why that is? I know you think PC's are far superior to consoles, and in most ways you are 100% correct. But it's not me you need to be convincing here -- try convincing Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Lionhead, Rockstar, etc. etc. etc. first. The day they stop making console titles and port everything directly to PC is the day that I'll hook up a console controller to my PC. But I don't see that happening anytime soon. Do you?

On a side note: PC's are versatile, yes. But mine is nearly a decade old. Just what kind of games do you think I could play with 512 MB of RAM? Oh sure I could go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a new PC just so I could play Fable II when and if it ever comes out on PC. Or I could just buy games that come out for the 360 that I already own, and that doesn't require any upgrading until the next-gen console comes around. YOUR computer may be a superior gaming machine compared to the Xbox, but MY computer is a dinosaur. I doubt they even make games that will run on this junk machine any more.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

deliriousstudios — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:50:24 GMT

GRYWOLF1979, Grand Theft Auto was born on the PC, and it plays absolutely fine. In fact, I enjoy it more on the PC than on the consoles. Same with racing games.

Your inability to use a keyboard and mouse doesn't mean the controls are bad, it means you're crap at it.

Besides, you can buy controllers if you really want.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

quaseman — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:40:07 GMT

GRYWOLF1979:
But that's no reason to throw your Xbox in the trash. Plenty of reasons to have a console. For example, ever tried playing a car racing game on a PC? A word of advice: DON'T. Forza Motorsport, Grid, Burnout, NFS, Midnight Club, Project Gotham, etc., with a mouse and arrow keys? No thank you! Unless you're going to invest the money for a steering wheel plug-in, which you might as well just get one for the 360 instead. There are some games you won't -- and *shouldn't* -- be able to get on PC.
It's not just racing games, either. A lot of games just wouldn't be the same on PC. Grand Theft Auto on PC? Not unless you want to feel like you're playing an ultraviolent version of The Sims. Face it, some games are just better on consoles. The selection and variety for console games is usually better. The technology may not update as quickly as on a PC, but in the computer world, you're always one step behind anyway. Who the hell wants to buy a new computer every year just to be able to play the newest PC title, when you can own a console and have dozens of new titles to pick from that will still run on your sputtering old Red Ring of Deathbox?

You are sooo wrong, I nearly had an heart attack reading this.

You simply do not understand the nature and the main difference of a PC to an console. A PC can adapt to anything, from an Office machine, over an entertainment center, gaming machine, data storage to an automation center for factory production control ... and many many more things which are only a matter of hardware combined with the specific software. On top of this it lays on your hands to specialise your PC in that area you want it to be. If you know how, you could write the software yourself or build hardware yourself. Thanks to standardised interface and programming languages the PC is an open platform. A console will never run anything other that was not designed or written for it ... it is a closed platform that can not be customised.

That said you can plug in any controller you want into the PC and use it for games. Nobody forces you to use keyboard and mouse. Want to use a 360 controller, well plug it in and use it ... mmh the PS3 controller is better because of Sixaxis, well no problem plug that one in and use it ... but I would like a Wee-mote, well ... you say, stay away from me with those silly console controllers, so how about a joystick, steering wheel, a touchscreen or trackball or a VR glove ... see where I am coming from.

I see no reason why any genre would not work on the PC, with one exception that is party or mulitplayer games that are played on a single screen, like for example fighting games. Single Player works very well on the PC too of course or you connect your PC to the TV in your living room where you can probably do multiplayer fighting games on a bigger screen and with a bigger audience.

Various ways that make owning any console redundant in my eyes!

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

GRYWOLF1979 — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:29:17 GMT

No offense to Lionhead, but I didn't get my 360 for Fable 2. It's a game, but it's not *that* .

Yes I have a decent comp, and I have some decent computer games. Computers are great for things like first person shooters, point and click RPGs, RTS, etc. But some games are just better on a console. Is Fable 2 one of them? I don't know. It might be better on a PC.

But that's no reason to throw your Xbox in the trash. Plenty of reasons to have a console. For example, ever tried playing a car racing game on a PC? A word of advice: DON'T. Forza Motorsport, Grid, Burnout, NFS, Midnight Club, Project Gotham, etc., with a mouse and arrow keys? No thank you! Unless you're going to invest the money for a steering wheel plug-in, which you might as well just get one for the 360 instead. There are some games you won't -- and *shouldn't* -- be able to get on PC.

It's not just racing games, either. A lot of games just wouldn't be the same on PC. Grand Theft Auto on PC? Not unless you want to feel like you're playing an ultraviolent version of The Sims. Face it, some games are just better on consoles. The selection and variety for console games is usually better. The technology may not update as quickly as on a PC, but in the computer world, you're always one step behind anyway. Who the hell wants to buy a new computer every year just to be able to play the newest PC title, when you can own a console and have dozens of new titles to pick from that will still run on your sputtering old Red Ring of Deathbox?

I kid Microsoft, but at least my Xbox has never been infected by a worm or virus, required daily "maintenance" or hundreds of dollars in software, given me a blue screen of death, or been slowed down by it's own operating system (like some other Microsoft products I could mention). Consoles are for games, computers are for pr0n. Mostly. Though I hear certain consoles can be for pr0n too.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

WoollyPenguin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:29:10 GMT

Ade5:
Hello! I don't understand why Lionhead want port Fable II on computers. I am sure that half of users Xbox 360 have modern computers but they bought Xbox, and a lot of them boght Xbox because Famle 2 released on it. And now Lionhead want to port this beautiful game on comps and we become losers?

Wait, What? I call misleading title.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

guitarscout — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:26:04 GMT

agent_Jekov:
Redwinters:
Once the DLC plays out in sales we could very well see a type of "complete pack" ported by lionhead or a 3rd party next year Q3 or Q4 if the party is zealous enough.

What does that mean? Another at least 6 months of waiting?

Or longer

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

agent_Jekov — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:50:25 GMT

Redwinters:
Once the DLC plays out in sales we could very well see a type of "complete pack" ported by lionhead or a 3rd party next year Q3 or Q4 if the party is zealous enough.

What does that mean? Another at least 6 months of waiting?

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

MysterD — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:08:43 GMT

Redwinters:
If you want my two cents, they will wait for the new DLC to release, let it play out its course on the 360, then release a PC version with the DLC included.

This seems to be the trend with PC ports lately as it allowed for the maximum sale time for a console version.

If they do this PC version w/ all the extra content included, it makes the PC version upon release look like a Gold Edition -- containing Original Game + ALL of the game's DLC.

Re: Computer or Xbox 360

Redwinters — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:38:46 GMT

fablepower:
Yet there probably won't be anymore DLC.
The teams working hard on Fable III.

I was referring to see the future, after being up in the mountains for a few months I did not realize it released :3

Once the DLC plays out in sales we could very well see a type of "complete pack" ported by lionhead or a 3rd party next year Q3 or Q4 if the party is zealous enough.

Then again, while I would love nothing else but to have Fable 2 on the PC it remains a nice game for the 360 to hold as an exclusive till Fable 3 releases from a marketing standpoint. [ halo 2 sales boosted after the announcement of halo 3 and the subsequent lead up to release ect.]