Former Harmonix Developer Bags PS3
Since inception, the PS3 has been receiving a lot of criticism from the fan base. Sony has maintained a strong position behind their hardware, citing that the hardware costs are justified by it's performance, Blu-ray capabilities and first-party and exclusive titles. While I tend to side that the hardware is great no one has really itemized the hardware problems quite as concisely as Jason Booth, former Harmonix employee.
Booth proceeds to basically manhandle every defense PS3 users and Sony has repeated for months. He itemizes Blu-ray storage and read performance issues, the multi-core processor and even the video-fill rate. Ok, so I'm a bit bias as being an Xbox fanboy. It is just nice to see someone other than a gamer or marketing spin-doctor defend the system for a change.
Why the PS3 version often pails in comparison to the 360 version, and why exclusives often suck:As outlined above, getting equivalent performance out of the PS3 requires a lot of work unique to the platform, and in many cases, even with all these tricks, you still won't see equivalent performance. Thus, many ps3 games have simplified shaders and run at lower native resolutions than the 360 versions. On top of this, there is shrinking incentive to do this work; the PS3 isn't selling.
I now expect the flame flood-gates to open up on me as I post this. I would just like to say this, Sega's hardware division died as the result of pushing multi-processor architecture. Genesis, Saturn, and eventually the Dreamcast. Developers don't want advanced hardware if it is hard to use. I'm not going to say the PS3 isn't a good system, I'm just sick of the hype. And as a disclaimer, I recommend everyone read his full post before you start bashing him.
PS3 misconceptions and spin [Blog of Booth]
[via PS3 Fanboy]
Asterick
Posted to Video Games on 26 October 2007
· Comments (13)
Other stuff like this: Criticism, Hardware, Harmonix, PS3
No flaming comments here (I flame in other ways), but I have to agree. The PS3 is just overengineered for its time. Sony was put up against the wall by M$ having the bx360 out a year earlier, and the Wii (GO WII!) in the same season. So, I think they decided to just throw it out there and rely solely on their name to sell units.
Bad choice.
Reading all of those angry Sony fanboy comments on his blog is amazing.
I guess if I'd forked over $599 for a system, $60 for another controller, and $60 for each of my games...I'd be a little defensive about it, too.
Can I hear an amen? *cheers* Right on!
I think that it's unfair for anyone to jump over his comments by saying "lazy developer!" He's speaking his viewpoint with direct hands-on experience (which is a lot more than 99% of these fanboys)
From a developer's point of view, it's really hard to say "just add more people/time/money to the project." The time and budgets that *most* third party developers are working with do not allow room for fudging/error/hardware excentricities. Adding the PS3 X-factor only makes it worse, especially when software sales are what they are (read: not great).
He brings up some valid points (except for not recognizing the benefits of the BRD medium for some games).
Doesn't mean that PS3 is a worse console than 360, just means that direct porting will yield worse ports for the PS3 because of the different architecture.
In the right hands, you get exclusive PS3 games like Ratchet & Clank or improved ports like GRAW2.
In the wrong hands, well, let's just say "EA Sports" and be done with that...
No offense, but what about the 360's 13% failure rate? The red rings of death has literally scared me away from buying a 360. I rather have something that works with a little less resolution that something that has a chance of dying after about 2-3 months.
And no..I'm not a Sony fanboy..I've had friends to experience the same fate, and I know first hand with the standard Xbox that Microsoft's custumer support isn't all that great. Just thought I would throw my two cents in.
It comes down to the games for me. I've said from the beginning, that wherever Final Fantasy XIII drops, which right now is most likely going to be the PS3, i'm going to buy that game and that console.
I'm still holding a candle out for some good games for the PS3, for a game that will make me want to buy it.
On the flip side, and perhaps by way of full disclosure, the only reason why i've adopted this attitude about buying the PS3, is because I feel like I was burned by the 360. I don't have ill feelings towards the PS3 (or the 360, really), but for the games retailing industry as a whole.
To make a long story short, I'm a much more informed gamer now, and articles like Jason Booth's, are just another data point for me before taking the $500 plunge.
As someone who's worked on the development end of the new-gen of consoles (Okay, just the QA side, but still) I have to say, all of these comments form the so called "Lazy developers" have merit. This thing really is a beast to develop for, and a pain in the ass to debug on. It's not a bad or incapable system, it just requires ALOT of investment to bring out it's full potential, and until the market is there to warrant that effort, companies will take the easy way out.
The attitude I've seen among studio employees is that everyone dreads being assigned the PS3 version of the game. It means more work, a lot more long hours, and a less satisfying final product. Games have to be designed from the ground up for it. That requires a whole separate dev cycle for the PS3 version apart from the 360 version. That requires splitting off the code further down the tree, and requires a lot more specialized people working on it. And to justify that kind of resources, it better be pulling in some serious bank. But in a vicious catch 22, the PS3 versions won't sell as well until they start looking as good, or better then the 360 ones. This attitude is no different to how companies like EA handled the Xbox versions of games vs. the PS2 ones, but this generation it seems a lot more noticeable.
It'll take time, and more developers will finally master it, it's just a matter of surviving that long.
Ahh but lest we all forget how great Oblivion looks, no dlc though
add this to the pile of posts on gaygamer saying exactly the same things about the ps3. i've read this post at least 10 times now.
we get it guys, you're critical of sony and the system, hence only one of you actually owns it...which makes having a non-biased "video game website" pretty impossible.
"i'm just sick of the hype." sick of what hype?
Actually, I know of at least 3 of our weekly writers that own the system. Tiny Dancer and Fruit Brute included in that.
I do admit that I am bias. I have also said on numerous accounts that I like the PS3 hardware, I just thought it was interesting that a developer actually posted a first hand account on developing for the system.
I will eventually buy a PS3, and I'm sure when I get it I will love it like every other console that I own. Final Fantasy and White Knight alone sell the system for me, and Sony still has a massive load of software that will only ever be released for the system.
As far as the hype, it's the "PS3 is a super computer" and "the PS3 is so much better than X". There is so much marketing spin surrounding the system.
I almost considered not posting this because of how much bad press we've been giving the system. The truth is, is that there isn't much good press surrounding the system. I can't give first hand accounts since I don't have much reason to own one (yet), and all other press outlets do is complain about the system.
I'm sorry if this upsets you, but the second I find a reason to love the system, I will jump on the chance.
I would also like to go on record as having once said "I will never buy an xbox 360". Look where I am now.
@PA:
I agree 100%. I just have to add that, to a certain degree, calling a programmer "lazy" is something of a complement. Well, productively lazy. Programming is all about getting a task done with the least amount of effort. Always, always, always. Anything else, and you're wasting time and money, two things programmers, especially (from what I understand) game programmers, usually don't have.
Davem, add at least one weekend writer to the list of PS3 owners. Personally I love my PS3 for a lot of little things: Everyday Shooter, Super Stardust HD, the ability to add media via a USB drive, easy DVD upscaling, and (since I own a 60GB model) backward compatibility. The one thing I don't love is how 3rd parties are treating their Sony ports. Obviously when Madden only runs at 30 fps and games like The Orange Box and Stranglehold come out months after their original due dates and XBOX counterparts, something is up. Articles like this (from actual game developers) are a piece of that puzzle.