I've been saying this for a while now. In all honesty I don't like the idea of it but at this point I think it is strictly naivety for anyone to think this won't eventually happen. You and I can kick and scream all we want but when the next generation of consoles is released I'm willing to bet a large chunk of the MMO market will be made strictly for consoles or possibly a hybrid model like FFXI and in 6-10 years playing MMOs on a PC will be a thing of the past. Why?
1. There is a huge market out there for people who might love to play MMOs but would never imagine spending the amount of money it costs on a decent gaming PC to be able to play the latest and greatest MMOs.
2. It happened with the FPS market. Why? because with online capabilties in this generation of console and increased bandwith that can support voice chat, playing FPS games on PC is oldschool now.
3. Not much is holding it back. Really the only thing holding back the switch at this time is voice chat. Many a console player hates the idea of having to type to communicate and when a system is made that integrates voicechat in the MMO the keyboard will eventually be obsolete. For all those people that hate voice chat you are now becoming the minority and gamers are getting more and more used to the idea of talking with strangers via their headsets.
4. One might make the case that controls are better suited for PC but that argument seems silly when you look at what happened with FPS games. Plus in games like FFXI many actually preffered the controller for playing the game. It's all about how the UI and controls are configured. One just has to realize that just because controls are typically a certain way now doesn't mean they will always be that way.
5. When people stop looking at this issue as to what they would prefer to happen and what actually makes sense there is really no logical reason why this won't happen other then MMO players don't want it to happen. At the same time I didn't want it to happen with FPS games yet look at the current scenario. COD, Halo, rainbow six, etc.. all these big selling games are made for consoles now which wasn't the case 6-8 years ago.
Though you and I might not like the idea of it, the trends show that eventually this will happen. Just like the arcade before it sadly it seems eventually PC gaming will become a novelty with us oldschool guys talking about the glory days.
I know some of you will disagree with me, you always do . Just realize the true test is going to be time and nobody right now really knows the answer we can just look at past trends to make an educated guess.
Just to make a point to the statemnt higlighted, you do realize mmo's are desiged to be played on the lowest common demoniator systems correct? They don't actually require a CRAY to run
Between the 360 and PS3 there are about 100 million out there that play on a console. Thats more than enough people to start a good community on consoles. Sure , the pc is more powerful with better graphics but we all know that platform stability and gameplay is extremely important to mmos too, thats is where the console will shine. Defiance and Undead Lab's zombie console mmo is what I am looking forward too and hoping that 38 studios mmo comes to the console as well.
ROFL omg. OK hopefully I will not get a warning for this post but honestly mmo/consoles the way of the future. I think not. Just take a look at that mess that DCUO became. I am sorry but I am not interested in console gaming. If I were I would be on another site and not this one.
Just my 2 copper's worth and that is not worth much in any game.
I've been listening and reading about consoles overtaking computers as n.1 gaming platform eversinse PS1. I don't think I will ever see that happen. It's one thing ot raise marketing hype so that a bunch of people buy your hardware product, and it's entirely another when the said product is totally incompatible with the expectations (gameplay style, controls, etc) of most of the gamers out there.
1. There is a huge market out there for people who might love to play MMOs but would never imagine spending the amount of money it costs on a decent gaming PC to be able to play the latest and greatest MMOs.
Just to make a point to the statemnt higlighted, you do realize mmo's are desiged to be played on the lowest common demoniator systems correct? They don't actually require a CRAY to run
Well let me word it in a way so you understand what I meant a little better. I'm not talking about guys like I used to be that spends thousannds of dollars on PCs. I'm well aware that MMOs don't take the specs that FPS games used to. What I'm getting at is there is a market out there of gamers that will only buy consoles for gaming and would give MMOs a try if they were on a console.
Oh and another thing, right now the most expensive console is the PS3 at $300 for the 120 gb version. We'll take the monitor out of the argument because to use a console you need a TV. So can you build me a PC from scratch that will be able to run a new game like Rift remotely well? Oh and if you can do that, don't forget that most of the console guys I'm talking about probably never built a PC and don't have the knowledge or drive to build a PC. So if you can build a PC with everything needed to run rift decently can you also find a pre-built PC for 300 dollars that runs Rift decently? That's the type of scenario I'm getting at.
If we are talking about the future, then our pc's, consoles, tv's, and phones will all be (including everything else electronic in our homes) one unit. Face it. That is the real future.
I own PC and PS3. I disagree, a large chunk of the social aspect of MMO's is missing from console MMORPG games and the formula of console MMORPG's is lacking IMHO (Even though its single player only they should look at Torchlight on Xbox360 for some pointers).
Ultimately there is more designers can allow for on a PC because the input devices (keyboard and mouse) allow you a lot more control options & control mapping space, plus you can type messages. Console has a hard limit to how many buttons a controller has & how many practical multi button combinations you can push.
That said there are several PS3 game franchises that are just begging for an MMO conversion and would work quite well although they would be more action MMO's than the traditional tab targetting types. Red Dead World Online anyone ? with practical character progression and decent PvP mechanics a sandboxy old west MMO would be a hit I think.
OH yeah FFXIV clearly shows that the consoles are the way to go. Heh. You got one thing right though, if dumbed down shallow MMOs is what the companies want to sell, they will probably sell better to the console players... I wouldn't call that much of a future though.
parrotpholk-Because we all know the miracle patch fairy shows up the night before release and sprinkles magic dust on the server to make it allllll better.
While I agree that console MMOs add a greater degree of accessibility to the genre, new consoles need to start thinking of themselves in terms of functional entertainmene tdevices (besides just in name) and come equipped with standard keyboard/mouse support. Playing MMOs on controllers has proven challenging in the past; communicating without a keyboard makes it that much worse.
That said, the prospect of dealing with more 13-year-old pre-pub voices on X-box live is not one I relish in my MMO.
OH yeah FFXIV clearly shows that the consoles are the way to go. Heh. You got one thing right though, if dumbed down shallow MMOs is what the companies want to sell, they will probably sell better to the console players... I wouldn't call that much of a future though.
Not sure what you're getting at. FFXIV has been out for PCs for nearly a year and there still isn't a console release date.
I own PC and PS3. I disagree, a large chunk of the social aspect of MMO's is missing from console MMORPG games and the formula of console MMORPG's is lacking IMHO (Even though its single player only they should look at Torchlight on Xbox360 for some pointers).
Ultimately there is more designers can allow for on a PC because the input devices (keyboard and mouse) allow you a lot more control options & control mapping space, plus you can type messages. Console has a hard limit to how many buttons a controller has & how many practical multi button combinations you can push.
That said there are several PS3 game franchises that are just begging for an MMO conversion and would work quite well although they would be more action MMO's than the traditional tab targetting types. Red Dead World Online anyone ? with practical character progression and decent PvP mechanics a sandboxy old west MMO would be a hit I think.
Back in the EQ days, I'd have to agree with you. The social aspect made that game. These days, with the majority of MMO's, there's little requirement for socialization. Heck, for anything that requires any decent amount of typing, you'll just see the console makers release a bluetooth keyboard with touchpad. But most games are using voice officially or unofficially anyways.
Like it or lump it, the days of the gaming PC are numbered unless the PC genre can set itself seperate from the consoles.
Well let me word it in a way so you understand what I meant a little better. I'm not talking about guys like I used to be that spends thousannds of dollars on PCs. I'm well aware that MMOs don't take the specs that FPS games used to. What I'm getting at is there is a market out there of gamers that will only buy consoles for gaming and would give MMOs a try if they were on a console.
Oh and another thing, right now the most expensive console is the PS3 at $300 for the 120 gb version. We'll take the monitor out of the argument because to use a console you need a TV. So can you build me a PC from scratch that will be able to run a new game like Rift remotely well? Oh and if you can do that, don't forget that most of the console guys I'm talking about probably never built a PC and don't have the knowledge or drive to build a PC. So if you can build a PC with everything needed to run rift decently can you also find a pre-built PC for 300 dollars that runs Rift decently? That's the type of scenario I'm getting at.
Most people today own a PC, even if it is far from all that owns a high end PC.
Still, I feel that money really isn't the reason some people prefer consoles. I think it have a lot more to do with mouse and keyboard Vs controller.
Sure, console players earn a little money when theey buy their console (an acceptable PC can be found for 500 bucks) but games cost more for a console, and they drop in prices a lot slower than they do for a PC.
I don't think there are actually economical gains to buy a console like a PS3 if you buy a game every second month or so.
A console is easier to use and have different input devices compared to a PC. It is also more sociable accepted since we PC gamer still gets a few nerd points.
So what ive gathered from the posts in this thread so far is...
1) the majority of people on this site have absolutely no clue that consoles also have keyboard peripherals you can get
2) there absolutely no way controls will change in the future for consoles to allow more functions. after all, we're still using the same 1 & 2 button controllers from back in the days of systems like Atari to control our Xbox and PS3. /sarcasm
3) the future of MMOs is playing the exact same games the exact same way we have been for over a decade with no change to the control systems and other various things that would make them more compatible with consoles, and so because of that, and because you "cant use a keyboard on a console" (see #1), theres no way MMOs will move to consoles.
Sure it could happen... if microsoft backed off on xbox live... or the new nintendo console is more mmo friendly.(kudos to sony for their open policies) Still the vast majority of mmo fans are pc gamers... and I wince at the idea of playing a mmo focused around a game pad. Sure you can buy keyboards for the games but do you really think the average console gamer is going to go to buy an extra piece for their system when most games work fine without it? I doubt it.
On the up side it would allow devs to push the envelope more.. instead of focusing on the lowest common denominator. Meaning better graphics and a smoother running game in general. They wouldn't have to make it work on as many different systems. So maybe but we'd havet to see a shift in the current attitudes of the companies running these systems for it to be truly worth it.
I actually believe that console MMOs have great potential, but the only company that seems to get the point is Zombie labs.
A ported PC MMO will always suck, and a MMO that is made for both with about the same controls will suck as well.
To make a successful console MMO the game needs to be made for console players only. The controls needs to be like they are in console games, not like in PC games.
A MMO based on Soul calibur for an instance have great potential with console players. Combo systems like that would work fine, just let the player lock up more possible combos as he/she levels.
Another option is to limit the number of attacks you can make or even have a Diablo styled combat where you click a lot.
Most of us probably wont like it anyways because most of us are PC gamers, but that doesn't mean that you can't make a very successful console MMO, if anyone talked about a console FPS 10 years ago most people laughed but now they are as popular with consoles as with PC, mybe even more.
Of course the social aspect might suffer unless the players plug a keyboard to their console or if the game have a good voice over system.
Only ignorant people laughed 10 years ago. The original Halo was released in November 2001 and Goldeneye 007 was released in August 1997. Both were highly acclaimed first-person shooters.
How does (2) MMO IP's ported to console (FF/DCUO) create such a defacto notion of Console MMOing being the future?
Let me pick apart the reason why that never will be :
1. Quality, lets face it, having games dedicated to a PC market means you can run your end game requiremets for hardware, and specialized software much-much-much higher.
2. Social Networking.. i don't care how much you preach, Consoles will never compete with personal computers as far as social intergrating, and socialogical interfacing in games go.
3. Pricing, Consoles are capped hardware/software wise, they don't really deviate in their basic structure, meaning that all games regardless of graphical/core engines, size, capabilites, and more subtle software requires would be -forced- to design their games targetted towards a capped pontential. So either the console would have to be dramaticilly verstile, and more improved then the current generations, or game developers would be forced into designer communism. The former would make console too expensive and would chase off your more casual gamers, the latter would ruin quality and chase off more avid gamers, either way consoles are a lose-lose.
4. Console demographics -- Most people who game via console don't buy consoles with MMORPGS in-mind, they do it with console-unique genre, or titles in mind.
5. When it's all said and done computers offer more progressive content options, and mainteniance, and as we all learned... recentily better stability to 3rd party attackers.
EDIT :
6. Techonological advances for PCs advance dramaticily faster then consoles.. PC advancements are not broken into generational tiers, again restricting development of the genre.
- How crappy would a MMO be if it released in 2011 and it's targeted system was a console generation that is been out in the market for 6 years now? Seems backwards.
--- Typed this really quick sorry for typos or errors.
Sure it could happen... if microsoft backed off on xbox live... or the new nintendo console is more mmo friendly.(kudos to sony for their open policies)
Microsoft is actually the publisher (and funder) for the Undead Labs zombie MMO. And the whole notion that Xbox Live is 'closed' and the PSN is 'open' is totally false.
Both are closed networks where exceptions have been made. Even SOE's own MMO, DCUO, has to go through an approval process for patches and additional content. An approval process that actually slows down the PC version's patching as well. On the other hand, FFXI and PSU patches, content, etc. on the Xbox 360 require no approval from Microsoft.
Uhhh - I've been playing MMOs on the Xbox for years - for no monthly fee. They're MMOFPS, but so what? The latest is called Halo:Reach. I play it daily with over 100k others. How many pc MMORPGs have 100k users online daily?
Uhhh - I've been playing MMOs on the Xbox for years - for no monthly fee. They're MMOFPS, but so what? The latest is called Halo:Reach. I play it daily with over 100k others. How many pc MMORPGs have 100k users online daily?
thats actually a very low number.. though perhaps for a console.. not so bad..
Uhhh - I've been playing MMOs on the Xbox for years - for no monthly fee. They're MMOFPS, but so what? The latest is called Halo:Reach. I play it daily with over 100k others. How many pc MMORPGs have 100k users online daily?
thats actually a very low number.. though perhaps for a console.. not so bad..
I imagine 90% or better of the games listed on this site don't have 100k players online at any one time. Hell SOE probably doesn't have 100k gamers online at any one time across all their station games. That's pure conjecture on my part of course.
I think those of us posting here vastly overstate the popularity of MMOs other than WoW . . .
So what ive gathered from the posts in this thread so far is...
1) the majority of people on this site have absolutely no clue that consoles also have keyboard peripherals you can get
2) there absolutely no way controls will change in the future for consoles to allow more functions. after all, we're still using the same 1 & 2 button controllers from back in the days of systems like Atari to control our Xbox and PS3. /sarcasm
3) the future of MMOs is playing the exact same games the exact same way we have been for over a decade with no change to the control systems and other various things that would make them more compatible with consoles, and so because of that, and because you "cant use a keyboard on a console" (see #1), theres no way MMOs will move to consoles.
Um... wtf are you people smoking?
First off I know that you can get a keyboard that is not the issue. The issue is 1 TV's, 2 Internet connections, and 2nd and 3rd xbox in my house. The cable requirements along with an extra modem would run my Internet up by 60-100 bucks a month for the extra outlets and modems.
I don't have to do that,, with my computers, can run them all though the current router. I would have to add a 2nd router, 2nd cable box. 2 more tv's in the living room so everybody has their own.
Only ignorant people laughed 10 years ago. The original Halo was released in November 2001 and Goldeneye 007 was released in August 1997. Both were highly acclaimed first-person shooters.
My point was not that smart people laughed, my point was that 10 years ago console FPS were close to what console MMOs are today.
There will be a Halo for console MMOs as well sooner or later. That game changed everything and so will a MMO as well.
I think the problem here is that almost all of us including me are PC gamers and we tend to look down on consoles, but there is no way that this genre wont be on consoles as well unless it will die really soon. And I dn't think it will.
I don't believe in P2P MMOs on console, console owners are too used to B2P to go for that.
First off I know that you can get a keyboard that is not the issue. The issue is 1 TV's, 2 Internet connections, and 2nd and 3rd xbox in my house. The cable requirements along with an extra modem would run my Internet up by 60-100 bucks a month for the extra outlets and modems.
I don't have to do that,, with my computers, can run them all though the current router. I would have to add a 2nd router, 2nd cable box. 2 more tv's in the living room so everybody has their own.
Just not happening.
Dude, I payed 30 bucks for my wireless hub, and I can put 4 cables on it as well and plug it into my PS3 (which BTW havn't been one since that guitarr hero party last summer), my laptop and desktop if I for some reason would like to have long cables all over my apartment.
I hate cables and get rid of these ones are cheap.
How does (2) MMO IP's ported to console (FF/DCUO) create such a defacto notion of Console MMOing being the future?
Let me pick apart the reason why that never will be :
1. Quality, lets face it, having games dedicated to a PC market means you can run your end game requiremets for hardware, and specialized software much-much-much higher.
2. Social Networking.. i don't care how much you preach, Consoles will never compete with personal computers as far as social intergrating, and socialogical interfacing in games go.
3. Pricing, Consoles are capped hardware/software wise, they don't really deviate in their basic structure, meaning that all games regardless of graphical/core engines, size, capabilites, and more subtle software requires would be -forced- to design their games targetted towards a capped pontential. So either the console would have to be dramaticilly verstile, and more improved then the current generations, or game developers would be forced into designer communism. The former would make console too expensive and would chase off your more casual gamers, the latter would ruin quality and chase off more avid gamers, either way consoles are a lose-lose.
4. Console demographics -- Most people who game via console don't buy consoles with MMORPGS in-mind, they do it with console-unique genre, or titles in mind.
5. When it's all said and done computers offer more progressive content options, and mainteniance, and as we all learned... recentily better stability to 3rd party attackers.
EDIT :
6. Techonological advances for PCs advance dramaticily faster then consoles.. PC advancements are not broken into generational tiers, again restricting development of the genre.
- How crappy would a MMO be if it released in 2011 and it's targeted system was a console generation that is been out in the market for 6 years now? Seems backwards.
--- Typed this really quick sorry for typos or errors.
There is also the point that Consoles, to date, arent able to cope with modern MMO's... the few that have been designed for consoles have not exactly done too well, the only real exception has been FF XI ... FFXIV although originally intended for the console.. is so far PC only.. though with all the problems with the game, its hard to tell if the reason it never appeared on the PS3 is because of hardware limitations of the console, or just plain lack of resources to allocate to its development for consoles. As for DCUO.. if anything it only highlighted just how limiting consoles are for MMO's (and the PC port suffered enormously for all the interface issues.. not to mention in game communication problems) the second largest hurdle - after the hardware limitations of consoles that is - consoles just can't handle the high end graphics that PC games tend to have... is the control interface, or gamepad.. their just not ergonomically suitable for MMO's.. the PC has been, and remains, the only viable platform for MMO's. Which is why the number of MMO's on the PC are so numerous and varied.. and the console ones.. er.. barely exist, and when directx 9.c is eventually phased out and replaced by directx11 ... they will become even further behind the technological event horizon.. modern consoles.. arent really.. modern.. their old technology.. and it really does show.
There is also the point that Consoles, to date, arent able to cope with modern MMO's... the few that have been designed for consoles have not exactly done too well, the only real exception has been FF XI ... FFXIV although originally intended for the console.. is so far PC only.. though with all the problems with the game, its hard to tell if the reason it never appeared on the PS3 is because of hardware limitations of the console, or just plain lack of resources to allocate to its development for consoles. As for DCUO.. if anything it only highlighted just how limiting consoles are for MMO's (and the PC port suffered enormously for all the interface issues.. not to mention in game communication problems) the second largest hurdle - after the hardware limitations of consoles that is - consoles just can't handle the high end graphics that PC games tend to have... is the control interface, or gamepad.. their just not ergonomically suitable for MMO's.. the PC has been, and remains, the only viable platform for MMO's. Which is why the number of MMO's on the PC are so numerous and varied.. and the console ones.. er.. barely exist, and when directx 9.c is eventually phased out and replaced by directx11 ... they will become even further behind the technological event horizon.. modern consoles.. arent really.. modern.. their old technology.. and it really does show.
Since when are MMOs all about graphics and technology? MMOs like UO, EQ and even WoW aren't exactly graphical and technological powerhouses. There are plenty of very good old MMOs you could add to that list. Gameplay trumps all.
And when you actually design MMOs for consoles the interface and communication problems are solved.
Comments
Just to make a point to the statemnt higlighted, you do realize mmo's are desiged to be played on the lowest common demoniator systems correct? They don't actually require a CRAY to run
Between the 360 and PS3 there are about 100 million out there that play on a console. Thats more than enough people to start a good community on consoles. Sure , the pc is more powerful with better graphics but we all know that platform stability and gameplay is extremely important to mmos too, thats is where the console will shine. Defiance and Undead Lab's zombie console mmo is what I am looking forward too and hoping that 38 studios mmo comes to the console as well.
ROFL omg. OK hopefully I will not get a warning for this post but honestly mmo/consoles the way of the future. I think not. Just take a look at that mess that DCUO became. I am sorry but I am not interested in console gaming. If I were I would be on another site and not this one.
Just my 2 copper's worth and that is not worth much in any game.
I've been listening and reading about consoles overtaking computers as n.1 gaming platform eversinse PS1. I don't think I will ever see that happen. It's one thing ot raise marketing hype so that a bunch of people buy your hardware product, and it's entirely another when the said product is totally incompatible with the expectations (gameplay style, controls, etc) of most of the gamers out there.
Well let me word it in a way so you understand what I meant a little better. I'm not talking about guys like I used to be that spends thousannds of dollars on PCs. I'm well aware that MMOs don't take the specs that FPS games used to. What I'm getting at is there is a market out there of gamers that will only buy consoles for gaming and would give MMOs a try if they were on a console.
Oh and another thing, right now the most expensive console is the PS3 at $300 for the 120 gb version. We'll take the monitor out of the argument because to use a console you need a TV. So can you build me a PC from scratch that will be able to run a new game like Rift remotely well? Oh and if you can do that, don't forget that most of the console guys I'm talking about probably never built a PC and don't have the knowledge or drive to build a PC. So if you can build a PC with everything needed to run rift decently can you also find a pre-built PC for 300 dollars that runs Rift decently? That's the type of scenario I'm getting at.
If we are talking about the future, then our pc's, consoles, tv's, and phones will all be (including everything else electronic in our homes) one unit. Face it. That is the real future.
I own PC and PS3. I disagree, a large chunk of the social aspect of MMO's is missing from console MMORPG games and the formula of console MMORPG's is lacking IMHO (Even though its single player only they should look at Torchlight on Xbox360 for some pointers).
Ultimately there is more designers can allow for on a PC because the input devices (keyboard and mouse) allow you a lot more control options & control mapping space, plus you can type messages. Console has a hard limit to how many buttons a controller has & how many practical multi button combinations you can push.
That said there are several PS3 game franchises that are just begging for an MMO conversion and would work quite well although they would be more action MMO's than the traditional tab targetting types. Red Dead World Online anyone ? with practical character progression and decent PvP mechanics a sandboxy old west MMO would be a hit I think.
OH yeah FFXIV clearly shows that the consoles are the way to go. Heh. You got one thing right though, if dumbed down shallow MMOs is what the companies want to sell, they will probably sell better to the console players... I wouldn't call that much of a future though.
parrotpholk-Because we all know the miracle patch fairy shows up the night before release and sprinkles magic dust on the server to make it allllll better.
While I agree that console MMOs add a greater degree of accessibility to the genre, new consoles need to start thinking of themselves in terms of functional entertainmene tdevices (besides just in name) and come equipped with standard keyboard/mouse support. Playing MMOs on controllers has proven challenging in the past; communicating without a keyboard makes it that much worse.
That said, the prospect of dealing with more 13-year-old pre-pub voices on X-box live is not one I relish in my MMO.
Not sure what you're getting at. FFXIV has been out for PCs for nearly a year and there still isn't a console release date.
Back in the EQ days, I'd have to agree with you. The social aspect made that game. These days, with the majority of MMO's, there's little requirement for socialization. Heck, for anything that requires any decent amount of typing, you'll just see the console makers release a bluetooth keyboard with touchpad. But most games are using voice officially or unofficially anyways.
Like it or lump it, the days of the gaming PC are numbered unless the PC genre can set itself seperate from the consoles.
Most people today own a PC, even if it is far from all that owns a high end PC.
Still, I feel that money really isn't the reason some people prefer consoles. I think it have a lot more to do with mouse and keyboard Vs controller.
Sure, console players earn a little money when theey buy their console (an acceptable PC can be found for 500 bucks) but games cost more for a console, and they drop in prices a lot slower than they do for a PC.
I don't think there are actually economical gains to buy a console like a PS3 if you buy a game every second month or so.
A console is easier to use and have different input devices compared to a PC. It is also more sociable accepted since we PC gamer still gets a few nerd points.
So what ive gathered from the posts in this thread so far is...
1) the majority of people on this site have absolutely no clue that consoles also have keyboard peripherals you can get
2) there absolutely no way controls will change in the future for consoles to allow more functions. after all, we're still using the same 1 & 2 button controllers from back in the days of systems like Atari to control our Xbox and PS3. /sarcasm
3) the future of MMOs is playing the exact same games the exact same way we have been for over a decade with no change to the control systems and other various things that would make them more compatible with consoles, and so because of that, and because you "cant use a keyboard on a console" (see #1), theres no way MMOs will move to consoles.
Um... wtf are you people smoking?
Sure it could happen... if microsoft backed off on xbox live... or the new nintendo console is more mmo friendly.(kudos to sony for their open policies) Still the vast majority of mmo fans are pc gamers... and I wince at the idea of playing a mmo focused around a game pad. Sure you can buy keyboards for the games but do you really think the average console gamer is going to go to buy an extra piece for their system when most games work fine without it? I doubt it.
On the up side it would allow devs to push the envelope more.. instead of focusing on the lowest common denominator. Meaning better graphics and a smoother running game in general. They wouldn't have to make it work on as many different systems. So maybe but we'd havet to see a shift in the current attitudes of the companies running these systems for it to be truly worth it.
Only ignorant people laughed 10 years ago. The original Halo was released in November 2001 and Goldeneye 007 was released in August 1997. Both were highly acclaimed first-person shooters.
How does (2) MMO IP's ported to console (FF/DCUO) create such a defacto notion of Console MMOing being the future?
Let me pick apart the reason why that never will be :
1. Quality, lets face it, having games dedicated to a PC market means you can run your end game requiremets for hardware, and specialized software much-much-much higher.
2. Social Networking.. i don't care how much you preach, Consoles will never compete with personal computers as far as social intergrating, and socialogical interfacing in games go.
3. Pricing, Consoles are capped hardware/software wise, they don't really deviate in their basic structure, meaning that all games regardless of graphical/core engines, size, capabilites, and more subtle software requires would be -forced- to design their games targetted towards a capped pontential. So either the console would have to be dramaticilly verstile, and more improved then the current generations, or game developers would be forced into designer communism. The former would make console too expensive and would chase off your more casual gamers, the latter would ruin quality and chase off more avid gamers, either way consoles are a lose-lose.
4. Console demographics -- Most people who game via console don't buy consoles with MMORPGS in-mind, they do it with console-unique genre, or titles in mind.
5. When it's all said and done computers offer more progressive content options, and mainteniance, and as we all learned... recentily better stability to 3rd party attackers.
EDIT :
6. Techonological advances for PCs advance dramaticily faster then consoles.. PC advancements are not broken into generational tiers, again restricting development of the genre.
- How crappy would a MMO be if it released in 2011 and it's targeted system was a console generation that is been out in the market for 6 years now? Seems backwards.
--- Typed this really quick sorry for typos or errors.
Microsoft is actually the publisher (and funder) for the Undead Labs zombie MMO. And the whole notion that Xbox Live is 'closed' and the PSN is 'open' is totally false.
Both are closed networks where exceptions have been made. Even SOE's own MMO, DCUO, has to go through an approval process for patches and additional content. An approval process that actually slows down the PC version's patching as well. On the other hand, FFXI and PSU patches, content, etc. on the Xbox 360 require no approval from Microsoft.
Uhhh - I've been playing MMOs on the Xbox for years - for no monthly fee. They're MMOFPS, but so what? The latest is called Halo:Reach. I play it daily with over 100k others. How many pc MMORPGs have 100k users online daily?
thats actually a very low number.. though perhaps for a console.. not so bad..
I imagine 90% or better of the games listed on this site don't have 100k players online at any one time. Hell SOE probably doesn't have 100k gamers online at any one time across all their station games. That's pure conjecture on my part of course.
I think those of us posting here vastly overstate the popularity of MMOs other than WoW . . .
First off I know that you can get a keyboard that is not the issue. The issue is 1 TV's, 2 Internet connections, and 2nd and 3rd xbox in my house. The cable requirements along with an extra modem would run my Internet up by 60-100 bucks a month for the extra outlets and modems.
I don't have to do that,, with my computers, can run them all though the current router. I would have to add a 2nd router, 2nd cable box. 2 more tv's in the living room so everybody has their own.
Just not happening.
My point was not that smart people laughed, my point was that 10 years ago console FPS were close to what console MMOs are today.
There will be a Halo for console MMOs as well sooner or later. That game changed everything and so will a MMO as well.
I think the problem here is that almost all of us including me are PC gamers and we tend to look down on consoles, but there is no way that this genre wont be on consoles as well unless it will die really soon. And I dn't think it will.
I don't believe in P2P MMOs on console, console owners are too used to B2P to go for that.
Dude, I payed 30 bucks for my wireless hub, and I can put 4 cables on it as well and plug it into my PS3 (which BTW havn't been one since that guitarr hero party last summer), my laptop and desktop if I for some reason would like to have long cables all over my apartment.
I hate cables and get rid of these ones are cheap.
There is also the point that Consoles, to date, arent able to cope with modern MMO's... the few that have been designed for consoles have not exactly done too well, the only real exception has been FF XI ... FFXIV although originally intended for the console.. is so far PC only.. though with all the problems with the game, its hard to tell if the reason it never appeared on the PS3 is because of hardware limitations of the console, or just plain lack of resources to allocate to its development for consoles. As for DCUO.. if anything it only highlighted just how limiting consoles are for MMO's (and the PC port suffered enormously for all the interface issues.. not to mention in game communication problems) the second largest hurdle - after the hardware limitations of consoles that is - consoles just can't handle the high end graphics that PC games tend to have... is the control interface, or gamepad.. their just not ergonomically suitable for MMO's.. the PC has been, and remains, the only viable platform for MMO's. Which is why the number of MMO's on the PC are so numerous and varied.. and the console ones.. er.. barely exist, and when directx 9.c is eventually phased out and replaced by directx11 ... they will become even further behind the technological event horizon.. modern consoles.. arent really.. modern.. their old technology.. and it really does show.
Since when are MMOs all about graphics and technology? MMOs like UO, EQ and even WoW aren't exactly graphical and technological powerhouses. There are plenty of very good old MMOs you could add to that list. Gameplay trumps all.
And when you actually design MMOs for consoles the interface and communication problems are solved.