Mass Effect Coming to the PC

On Mar 15, 3:14 am, Nostromo <nos... DeleteThis @forme.org> wrote:
> Thus spake "JLC" <jc@nospam>, Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:33:37 -0700, Anno Domini:
>
> >In a perfect world that would be the case. A game developer would always
> >have the good of the PC gamer in mind and would work hard into the long
> >nights to make sure that when their console game was ready for the PC, it
> >would be perfect. But that's just not the way it works now. It's all about
> >the bottom line and consoles are a way to make a lot of money. Just the fact
> >the Bioware a long time PC game maker made ME for the 360 first says it all.
>
> Certainly, money talks, everything else walks. Doesn't mean I or we have to
> like it. There should be a better way to vote than just with one's wallet,
> as greed just begets greed, not better work/effort/games.
>
> Let's ask Jeff Vogel, for instance, what's more important to him: more &
> more cash (essential income to provide for your family aside), or genuine
> praise & thanks from thousands & thousands of grateful & loyal fans who love
> indy/retro/classic crpgs & play his games & support him in his presumably
> passionate work...?
>
> --
> Nostromo

It's not all evil about consoles really. I do hate the delayed PC
releases, if they came out at the same time it would be perfect. We
always complain that this or that game is good but has too many bugs.
Well, good thing about consoles is that they have to be released in a
much better state than usual PC releases are. The PC delayed release
is just a marketing instrument, nothing to do really with the game
needing more time for the PC... if they came at the same time, then
maybe, just maybe, we'll start seeing game releases that don't need 4
patches to make them playable. I can only hope
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

"Blig Merk" <blig_murk.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7c755e04-0d92-44aa-b232-a9b735aba737@n58g2000hsf.googlegroups.com
> Graphics and controls are greatly improved. Facial
> character animations have been improved. Download content
> comes with the game. The comments have been it seems like
> the game was designed and developed for the PC, then
> ported over to the console in inferior form.
>
> http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/bioware-rpg/853707p1.html
>
> "Makes great use of the PC interface; graphics will
> apparently benefit greatly from advanced hardware."

This sounds good, ME is one of the best RPGs I've played in a long time.
It's one of the few games that I'd pay for a second time to play with
improved graphics and a mouse. The 360 version does make good use of the
hardware interface but at the end of the day a control pad just aint as
elegant at the KB/mouse combination.
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

Thus spake "JLC" <jc@nospam>, Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:33:37 -0700, Anno Domini:

>In a perfect world that would be the case. A game developer would always
>have the good of the PC gamer in mind and would work hard into the long
>nights to make sure that when their console game was ready for the PC, it
>would be perfect. But that's just not the way it works now. It's all about
>the bottom line and consoles are a way to make a lot of money. Just the fact
>the Bioware a long time PC game maker made ME for the 360 first says it all.

Certainly, money talks, everything else walks. Doesn't mean I or we have to
like it. There should be a better way to vote than just with one's wallet,
as greed just begets greed, not better work/effort/games.

Let's ask Jeff Vogel, for instance, what's more important to him: more &
more cash (essential income to provide for your family aside), or genuine
praise & thanks from thousands & thousands of grateful & loyal fans who love
indy/retro/classic crpgs & play his games & support him in his presumably
passionate work...?

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

Thus spake "CoinSpin" <coin^spam^spin@hotmail.com>, Fri, 14 Mar 2008
23:16:12 -0400, Anno Domini:

>Nah, the big problem is that the push for originality is no longer for PC
>gaming, but for consoles. That's where the money is. And with the
>increasing complexity and power of the next-gen consoles, more and more of
>the PC gaming functionality are available to the console crowd. Which is
>why companies that have been PC developers since the beginning of time are
>now defecting in droves to the console industry.
>
>PCs get their turn, but it's becoming the norm for the consoles to get
>things first. Then the PC gets a slightly better version eventually, having
>taken much longer to produce due to the massive variety of hardware that has
>to be accounted for. At least we tend to get improved versions, and by the
>time the PC version hits they have learned a few tricks and improved on the
>console version (usually through player feedback on what works and what
>doesn't). The only time we get the new best awesome stuff is when it's
>ultra-bleeding-edge and pushes the limits of any hardware out there. Rather
>sucks that our blockbuster titles for PCs typically hit the market these
>days and will only run decent on about 30% of the PCs out there, and run
>great on about 10% of them. But if you release a console title, it's
>guaranteed to run on 100% of the platforms you release it for (unless of
>course you have to update the firmware ala the x360 debacle not too long
>past).
>
>Hell, even many of the indies seem to be targeting consoles these days, and
>you can see why... *sigh*

I don't doubt (or misunderstand) the reality, I just don't like the trends
or think they're doing anything for gaming in general. Luckily, there will
always be an indy market who understands its good gaming roots & long-term
loyal fans/customers. And then there are the rare commercial successes (ala
The Witcher), which are at least inspiring & great on their own. Let's see
what CDP's 2nd game will be like (he says as he cringes severely). Hey, most
dev houses don't even get the one hit, so they're still in the top 5% now,
no matter how badly they mangle the next iteration with their money bags

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

Thus spake khaight.DeleteThis@lefDELETEtistME.org (Kyle Haight), Fri, 14 Mar 2008
23:51:49 -0500, Anno Domini:

>In article <13tmfrto4qcjg25.DeleteThis@corp.supernews.com>,
>CoinSpin <coin^spam^spin@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>PCs get their turn, but it's becoming the norm for the consoles to get
>>things first. Then the PC gets a slightly better version eventually, having
>>taken much longer to produce due to the massive variety of hardware that has
>>to be accounted for. At least we tend to get improved versions, and by the
>>time the PC version hits they have learned a few tricks and improved on the
>>console version (usually through player feedback on what works and what
>>doesn't).
>
>PC gamers have been complaining for years about having to pay for "beta
>quality" software that needs multiple patches before it runs properly.
>Seems like the developers have started using console gamers as their
>beta testers, which is arguably a good thing if you're a PC gamer.

At last! A decent use for consoles! Cheers Kyle

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

In article <a5umt3tjtla1918ifnf0jp4n67bue11qdj RemoveThis @4ax.com>,
Nostromo <nospam RemoveThis @forme.org> wrote:
>
>>Seems like the developers have started using console gamers as their
>>beta testers, which is arguably a good thing if you're a PC gamer.
>
>At last! A decent use for consoles! Cheers Kyle

I crossed the line and became a dual PC/console gamer in December of
last year. I'll stack my PC RPG credentials up against anyone; I
cut my teeth on the original Wizardry on the Apple 2 back in the
mid-1980's. I bought a console specifically to play Mass Effect, and
I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I expect to play more console games
on it going forward. (I've got Bioshock for both the PC and console,
and will probably play it on the console because a 50" HDTV screen
looks a lot nicer than my 21" PC monitor.)

The platforms are different, and they have different strengths and
weaknesses.

--
Kyle Haight
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

On Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:12:07 -0600, khaight RemoveThis @lefDELETEtistME.org (Kyle
Haight) blabbed:

>(I've got Bioshock for both the PC and console,
>and will probably play it on the console because a 50" HDTV screen
>looks a lot nicer than my 21" PC monitor.)

I use a 32" flatscreen hdtv/monitor combo for my computer, so
the same benefit can be had on the computer as well. 32" at the back
end of my desk 1) gives me way more real estate on my desk than my old
21" monitor that took up the entire desk (that alone made it worth
it), 2) it fills my entire field of vision, but its not so big that I
have to turn my head to see things, just the right size for the back
of my desk and 3) since you sit so close to it, you get a movie
theatre type effect (full field of vision) for a lot cheaper than a
50" plus t.v. at the other side of a room. heh, even though I also
have a large television in my bedroom, I find myself just watching
t.v. on my computer monitor all the time instead, think I'll get rid
of the t.v. altogether even (its large, but an old cathode television
that takes up a ton of room, who needs that). I use the living room
t.v. still, but don't need one in my bedroom anymore w/this monitor.

For a console, I still haven't graduated from the ps2, which
is hooked up downstairs. I treat the console as the multiplayer
machine for when people are over, w/football games and such. And when
you're drunk w/friends, no one cares if its not the latest gen of
graphics, some tekken and nfl blitz along w/brawts and beer goes a
long way still. hmmm, now I want some brawts w/mustard and black
butte porter. Maybe I'll make a trip down to the store here, hehe.
Look what you did to me w/this topic! My liver may never forgive you.

http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/BrewPub/OnTap/5832.aspx

Leo
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

"Kyle Haight" <khaight RemoveThis @lefDELETEtistME.org> wrote in
message news:pKCdnVMCMNcagkHanZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d@giganews.com
> In article <a5umt3tjtla1918ifnf0jp4n67bue11qdj RemoveThis @4ax.com>,
> Nostromo <nospam RemoveThis @forme.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Seems like the developers have started using console
> > > gamers as their beta testers, which is arguably a
> > > good thing if you're a PC gamer.
> >
> > At last! A decent use for consoles! Cheers Kyle
>
> I crossed the line and became a dual PC/console gamer in
> December of last year. I'll stack my PC RPG credentials
> up against anyone; I cut my teeth on the original
> Wizardry on the Apple 2 back in the mid-1980's. I bought
> a console specifically to play Mass Effect, and I enjoyed
> it quite a bit, and I expect to play more console games
> on it going forward. (I've got Bioshock for both the PC
> and console, and will probably play it on the console
> because a 50" HDTV screen looks a lot nicer than my 21"
> PC monitor.)
>
> The platforms are different, and they have different
> strengths and weaknesses.

Well said.

I don't get this childish fanboy idea that you must be loyal to one platform
or another. I got a 360 about a month ago due to the dwindling supply of
decent games for the PC and a couple of Consol only games that I wanted to
play. I still use my PC for games, and will continue to use it for games
but I'm not going to refuse to get a console due to some idiotic schoolyard
mentality. Hell I might even get a PS3 to widen my choice further and watch
BlueRay films.

Plus my 360 also lets me stream video fro my PC to my 360 so I can watch it
on the big screen. For example, I missed Ashes to Ashes this week, I've just
set it on download and I'll watching on the TV later.
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

In article <LrVCj.3564$Ff4.2117@newsfe5-win.ntli.net>,
Morgan <Nospam DeleteThis @nospam.com> wrote:
>"Kyle Haight" <khaight DeleteThis @lefDELETEtistME.org> wrote in
>message news:pKCdnVMCMNcagkHanZ2dnUVZ_j2dnZ2d@giganews.com
>>
>> I crossed the line and became a dual PC/console gamer in
>> December of last year. I'll stack my PC RPG credentials
>> up against anyone; I cut my teeth on the original
>> Wizardry on the Apple 2 back in the mid-1980's. I bought
>> a console specifically to play Mass Effect, and I enjoyed
>> it quite a bit, and I expect to play more console games
<snip>
>I don't get this childish fanboy idea that you must be loyal to one platform
>or another. I got a 360 about a month ago due to the dwindling supply of
>decent games for the PC and a couple of Consol only games that I wanted to
>play. I still use my PC for games, and will continue to use it for games
>but I'm not going to refuse to get a console due to some idiotic schoolyard
>mentality. Hell I might even get a PS3 to widen my choice further and watch
>BlueRay films.

I would like to echo the sentiment, and to add only this: The games are
what matters, and not what platform they're made for. We're all gamers,
and we don't benefit from intramural conflict among ourselves. What we do
benefit from is healthy competition from the game developers, but this
sometimes translates into fanboy arguments as their marketing methods
filter down into the masses. As long as we buy what we enjoy playing I
think everybody's safe.

-KKC, making shopping plans.
--
-- "Arabs are the new Asians, at least in media. Stereotypes gave way to
deeper roles over 40 years of assimilation into western culture. Bruce Lee
kicks ass, Jackie Chan gets laughs, B.D. Wong is a top. Arabs have | kendrick
had Klinger and Monk. Clearly, they have some catching up to do." | @io.com
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

Kyle Haight wrote:

> In article <13tmfrto4qcjg25 RemoveThis @corp.supernews.com>,
> CoinSpin <coin^spam^spin@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>PCs get their turn, but it's becoming the norm for the consoles to get
>>things first. Then the PC gets a slightly better version eventually, having
>>taken much longer to produce due to the massive variety of hardware that has
>>to be accounted for. At least we tend to get improved versions, and by the
>>time the PC version hits they have learned a few tricks and improved on the
>>console version (usually through player feedback on what works and what
>>doesn't).
>
>
> PC gamers have been complaining for years about having to pay for "beta
> quality" software that needs multiple patches before it runs properly.
> Seems like the developers have started using console gamers as their
> beta testers, which is arguably a good thing if you're a PC gamer.
>

No it isn't.

Console players are a less demanding bunch more used to click fests than
games where any serious amount of brain power is demanded.

Consoles are to PC's what mixing retards, normals and exceptionally
smart students all into the same class did to education in the US. In
other words dumbed it down to the lowest common denominator.
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

Thus spake khaight RemoveThis @lefDELETEtistME.org (Kyle Haight), Sat, 15 Mar 2008
13:12:07 -0600, Anno Domini:

>In article <a5umt3tjtla1918ifnf0jp4n67bue11qdj RemoveThis @4ax.com>,
>Nostromo <nospam RemoveThis @forme.org> wrote:
>>
>>>Seems like the developers have started using console gamers as their
>>>beta testers, which is arguably a good thing if you're a PC gamer.
>>
>>At last! A decent use for consoles! Cheers Kyle
>
>I crossed the line and became a dual PC/console gamer in December of
>last year. I'll stack my PC RPG credentials up against anyone; I
>cut my teeth on the original Wizardry on the Apple 2 back in the
>mid-1980's. I bought a console specifically to play Mass Effect, and
>I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I expect to play more console games
>on it going forward. (I've got Bioshock for both the PC and console,
>and will probably play it on the console because a 50" HDTV screen
>looks a lot nicer than my 21" PC monitor.)

"But your honour, I didn't murder anyone for 40 years, doesn't that count?"

.. o O (another one lost to us *huge Shrek sigh*

>The platforms are different, and they have different strengths and
>weaknesses.

So long as self-rationalisation makes you sleep well at night Kyle ;-p

I'm not going to debate the point yet again. Suffice it to say that consoles
are a large _symptom_ of why PC gaming has gone downhill in the past 10
years or so, though the underlying root cause is most likely the attention
spans & instant gratification X/Y/ME generation of kiddies & kidults with
grade 2 reading & writing comprehension.

However, I'll be damned if I'll fuel the fire in reverse - long time PC
gamers like yourself turning mercenary & going over to the dark side does
*nothing* to keep decent pc games being developed, quite the opposite. Enjoy
your eye candy & thumb callouses while it lasts & keep hoping there will be
some decent cerebral, non-intelligence-insulting games on consoles in 10
years time, because it's not me destroying my favourite hobby one purchase
at a time.

--
Nostromo
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:22:40 +1100, Nostromo <nospam RemoveThis @forme.org> wrote:

>However, I'll be damned if I'll fuel the fire in reverse - long time PC
>gamers like yourself turning mercenary & going over to the dark side does
>*nothing* to keep decent pc games being developed, quite the opposite. Enjoy
>your eye candy & thumb callouses while it lasts & keep hoping there will be
>some decent cerebral, non-intelligence-insulting games on consoles in 10
>years time, because it's not me destroying my favourite hobby one purchase
>at a time.

1 min before I read this, I was pricing up a 360...Now I feel guilty !

The only thing that's stopping me is the feeling that any game that
comes out for it that's really good will eventually show up on the PC.

Mass Effect is one the big 360 titles, so I was surprised to read the
announcement.
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC 

In article <13mot3pbdci5ahgh634sa7qg4180p6rul7.DeleteThis@4ax.com>,
Nostromo <nospam.DeleteThis@forme.org> wrote:
>
>. o O (another one lost to us *huge Shrek sigh*

I would say that the pile of PC RPGs off to the side proves the contrary,
but that would no doubt provoke a rant on how none of them are actually
RPGs and I'm not interested in arguing with True Scotsmen.

>The underlying root cause is most likely the attention spans & instant
>gratification X/Y/ME generation of kiddies & kidults with grade 2 reading
>& writing comprehension.

I rant about these people and their social consequences on a near-daily
basis. (Although I think technically I may be GenX, born in 1971.)

>However, I'll be damned if I'll fuel the fire in reverse - long time PC
>gamers like yourself turning mercenary & going over to the dark side does
>*nothing* to keep decent pc games being developed, quite the opposite.

Whenever I see what looks like a decent PC RPG, I buy it. In some
cases I buy it more than once, e.g. I plan to buy the enhanced edition
of The Witcher even though I already own the original one. When I've
already hit the maximum possible economic demand in the PC market,
because there's no additional product in that market I want to own,
that's it. I can't spend money on things that don't exist. I can
and do spend money on things I like that do exist.


>Enjoy your eye candy & thumb callouses while it lasts...

Ironically, after Mass Effect I think the game I have spent the most
time playing on the 360 is Geometry Wars. Care to explain how my
enjoying that is Destroying The RPG As We Know It(tm)?

>Keep hoping there will be some decent cerebral,
>non-intelligence-insulting games on consoles in 10 years time...

Well, there's always chess.

--
Kyle Haight
 >> Stay informed about: Mass Effect Coming to the PC