XBox developers get a clue
This is a call out to publishers in general, but tonight, Ubisoft.
You have a current niche in the market as a leader in the markets active XBox Live titles, but who the heck does your QA? Tonight I was in Brothers in Arms and couldn't send an invite to my friends who I knew owned the game (everyone was playing the new Halo maps). The thing is, this is not just a problem with BinA, who I know you never intended to take over the live community, but it is almost every title on your roster that has a serious problem with XBL communication. But don't feel isolated, because your best friend, Electronic Arts, has the exact same problem!
I have decided, as actual hard-core Live gamers, we should create a list of XBox Live features we insist on, and find a way to be heard. Sure, I personally feel that all XB games should be XB aware, aka Prince of Persia (developers, this is just smart marketing), however if I can't have that, I will settle for being able to:
I am not asking for another fantastic Halo lobby experience. With the exception of Rainbow Six, that seems to be a pipe dream. All I ask of everyone out there - is not to totally fuck it up. Welcome to gaming in 2000 damn 5.
You have a current niche in the market as a leader in the markets active XBox Live titles, but who the heck does your QA? Tonight I was in Brothers in Arms and couldn't send an invite to my friends who I knew owned the game (everyone was playing the new Halo maps). The thing is, this is not just a problem with BinA, who I know you never intended to take over the live community, but it is almost every title on your roster that has a serious problem with XBL communication. But don't feel isolated, because your best friend, Electronic Arts, has the exact same problem!
I have decided, as actual hard-core Live gamers, we should create a list of XBox Live features we insist on, and find a way to be heard. Sure, I personally feel that all XB games should be XB aware, aka Prince of Persia (developers, this is just smart marketing), however if I can't have that, I will settle for being able to:
- listen to my voice mail in ANY XBL game
- send a voice message from any XBL game
- and navigate my friends list without repagination every time someone signs on
I am not asking for another fantastic Halo lobby experience. With the exception of Rainbow Six, that seems to be a pipe dream. All I ask of everyone out there - is not to totally fuck it up. Welcome to gaming in 2000 damn 5.
Ditto.
Cause you know, it just makes sense.
Posted by
psyho case |
8:52 PM, April 26, 2005
Amen!! and Hallelujah !! Kat...I can't stand the damn issues with some of Ubi's online problems. I can't say much for EA because I can't stand thier games.
Shouldn't the GDC have addressed this issue of Live compatibilities (i.e. send messages, Live awareness, and the freakin' friends list scrollin out of control everytime someone logs on)
Whew! my ranting is over.
Posted by
STEEL ONIMUSHA |
6:19 AM, April 27, 2005
Why do QA when you can patch all your problems online a year after the game has gone completely stiff?
Meeting their deadline seems to be more important that releasing a well rounded solid product. When time gets short (and it always does) XBox Live is what is given the short stick.
Hopefully a lot of this will not be an issue on XBox 360 as a lot of the Live functionality seems to be built in. Hope that's the case!
Posted by
Calistah |
9:22 AM, April 28, 2005
I'm sure some developers will find a way to screw up with online issues in Xbox 360
Posted by
STEEL ONIMUSHA |
9:38 AM, April 28, 2005
It's more than likely going to be a learning process.
The question is, will developers learn?
Posted by
The DCD |
9:03 AM, April 29, 2005
"Meeting their deadline seems to be more important that releasing a well rounded solid product. When time gets short (and it always does) XBox Live is what is given the short stick."
Well, usually this is due to the marketing department. Unfortately when the developers say, "Hey we need more time on this game" the marketing team says "You can’t! We've already setup ads and reserves for this game on that date!" Some of the time, the developers win, most of the time though marketing wins because of the "almighty dollar". That's the reason why sometimes games get pushed back a few months and they still suck, because the team needed more time but couldn’t get it.
Sadly, there’s a list of things to be sacrificed when this contingency comes up, and multiplayer features are one of the first ones. There's only a few companies I know of that don't follow marketing plans and worry about what the game’s content and such is like before release. That's Blizzard and Bioware and you can usually tell by when people will ask, "When will the game be out?" and they reply, "When we're done with it."
Course this is just my views on it, mainly because I hate battling with marketing teams. ;)
Posted by
Binary |
12:06 PM, April 29, 2005
why does everthing have to be compared to halo 2? oh wait, because it is the best. :)
Posted by
bentllama |
1:12 PM, April 29, 2005
Except it doesn't run at 60 fps...
Posted by
Plink |
1:55 PM, April 29, 2005
neither does your mind.
Posted by
bentllama |
10:54 AM, May 02, 2005
lmao, I love you too.
Posted by
Plink |
9:38 AM, May 03, 2005