Carmack: PC "A Unique Platform"

[Sep 07, 2008, 1:16 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

There's a John Carmack Q&A on Computer and Video Games talking about Quake Live and related topics in an interview that also gets responses from id executive producer Marty Stratton. No conversation with the id Software Technical Director is complete these days without asking his thoughts on the uncertain state of PC gaming, and this one prompts an answer saying that developers need to appreciate "the PC as a unique platform rather than a gaming machine that happens to be in your den rather than your living room." He goes on to explain: "The traditional big-budget, media-rich, single-player type games like we used to make at id Software through to Doom 3, all that really has to be done cross-platform on the consoles now, to basically cover the development expenses for something like that. But the PC still has huge success stories, with things like The Sims 2 and World of Warcraft, which have been bigger successes than any console game has ever been, or possibly ever could be in the near future. At the end of the day, you have to look at the PC as a platform with its own strengths and weaknesses."

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23.

No subject

Sep 8, 2008, 11:53

Nameless Again

Go easy on him. It's not like he's the first grumpy old man in the history of the fucking world. Oh yeah, you're a fine one to talk. Say one bad word about TF2 and get your head handed to you on a plate. Fuck you, hypocrite.

22.

Re: ---

Sep 8, 2008, 01:04

Jerykk

What isn't fair though, is making a mutiplatform game specifically for console, then porting it to PC later. It should be vice versa, considering it's easier to dumb down things like menus, texture sizes and interfaces rather then add and improve them at the end. No, it's not easier to dumb things down. What's easier is to make things dumb to begin with and then just port them over the PC with minor changes. Trying to port Deus Ex or SS2 over to a console would be hell, as you'd have to completely rework the interface to make it both readable on a TV and functional with a gamepad. Porting complex PC games which require many keys (space sims, flight sims, mech sims, RTS, etc) to a console requires that you remap those keys to a controller with 10 buttons. Then you have the internal hardware aspect to consider. Designing a PC game that requires at least 1 gig of RAM and then trying to port that over to a console with only half that much is very, very difficult. Then you also have to consider the much slower read speeds and limited capacity of DVD media. Simply put, porting a console game to the PC is much, much easier than porting a PC game to a console. That is why, in this age of multiplatform development, PC is almost never the lead platform. This comment was edited on Sep 8, 01:05.

21.

---

Sep 8, 2008, 00:21

siapnar

I don't blame any developer for wanting to go the console route (in addition to PC development), since that's where the money is now. It's like some of you guys don't realize how businesses work. If most of your target clientele is moving elsewhere, you make the same move to accommodate them.

What isn't fair though, is making a mutiplatform game specifically for console, then porting it to PC later. It should be vice versa, considering it's easier to dumb down things like menus, texture sizes and interfaces rather then add and improve them at the end.

Really? So "Creston" isn't really Latin for "grrrrrrrrrrr!", give or take a few R's? Amazing...<sigh>

Looks like you've still got that pickle rammed up your ass...<sigh>

This comment was edited on Sep 8, 00:32.




I have projectile dysfunction.

20.

No subject

Sep 7, 2008, 23:56

Wallshadows

Two of the same. I just want quality on whatever platform I am playing with regardless of how much of a sell out or douche bag they are. Me having fun = less time reading about other people with a corn cob jammed up their ass.

19.

No subject

Sep 7, 2008, 21:06

beigemore

Whoa, if that other guy doesn't ever respond about the Quake Live invite, I'll take it off your hands. jbmarks gmail

18.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 19:18

Nuclear Watchdog

I just joking Nuke Dog.

Really? So "Creston" isn't really Latin for "grrrrrrrrrrr!", give or take a few R's? Amazing...<sigh>




================================================ "Whattadya wanna hear, that I'm your bitch? Fine. You came in here, took it to me, and now I'm your bitch. Happy now?" - Creston

17.

No subject

Sep 7, 2008, 18:33

Reckless

Will these goddamn reporters please stop asking the same question(s) regarding the PC. Perhaps then we could read something interesting instead of this 'fluff' every week

16.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 18:32

Kxmode

I just joking Nuke Dog. ----- http://www.gamemusicjukebox.com/ Game p/reviewer for http://www.gameindustry.com/ EA advocates nakedness instead of patience when dealing with problem services!

15.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 18:32

Bone43

Why don't you just admit that 4 million copies sold is not enough for you anymore? Stop bleating all this bullshit and just be fucking honest, that like the rest of the anti-PC horde, you just want to make a billion dollars per game? Asshole. Creston Yep Carmack's just another console sellout never thought I would see the day! This comment was edited on Sep 7, 18:32.

14.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 18:03

sponge

I'm more concerned about how he constantly talks directly to the people that the article is about, like they're watching us or something, personally.

13.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:50

Nuclear Watchdog

I think Creston is Latin for "grrrrrrrrrrr!" give or take a few R's.

Go easy on him. It's not like he's the first grumpy old man in the history of the fucking world.




================================================ "Whattadya wanna hear, that I'm your bitch? Fine. You came in here, took it to me, and now I'm your bitch. Happy now?" - Creston

12.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:41

wtf_man

Example Tabula Rasa, not everyone likes that game but it made its publisher 1.9 million last quarter. yet that is looked at as a "failure" that is on life support and may need to get canned. Uhm... not that I'm disagreeing about greedy publishers / developers... but was that 1.9 million truly "profit" over the huge and long delayed development??? I didn't think Tabula Rasa sold enough to "break even" on the development costs.

11.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:33

SamuraiSaint

Creston is right. Everyone in the industry has gone crazy. If a game does not make them 50+ million profit then it is a failure and not worth doing. look at mmos. Wow is supposed to be the only success story. Example Tabula Rasa, not everyone likes that game but it made its publisher 1.9 million last quarter. yet that is looked at as a "failure" that is on life support and may need to get canned. If your game is pulling down 6 million a year That should be more than enough for you to pay a decent sized development team, servers, technology, and hold a decent community together for the gamers. And STILL be able to back a few hndred thousand pure profit per year. What a fliping greed soaked world we live in these days.

10.

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:20

Kxmode

christ who pissed in your coffee this morning. I think Creston is Latin for "grrrrrrrrrrr!" give or take a few R's. ----- http://www.gamemusicjukebox.com/ Game p/reviewer for http://www.gameindustry.com/ EA advocates nakedness instead of patience when dealing with problem services!

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:13

Nuclear Watchdog

christ who pissed in your coffee this morning.

Who drinks fucking coffee on the weekend?




================================================ "Whattadya wanna hear, that I'm your bitch? Fine. You came in here, took it to me, and now I'm your bitch. Happy now?" - Creston

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 17:11

Nuclear Watchdog

Why don't you just admit that 4 million copies sold is not enough for you anymore? Stop bleating all this bullshit and just be fucking honest, that like the rest of the anti-PC horde, you just want to make a billion dollars per game?

Asshole.

Creston

Wow. Aren't we being a little critical of someone who basically helped put PC gaming on the map with excellent tech demo after tech demo. Some of those tech demos were actually used by creative people to make decent games, if I recall correctly.




================================================ "Whattadya wanna hear, that I'm your bitch? Fine. You came in here, took it to me, and now I'm your bitch. Happy now?" - Creston

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 16:43

Gandhi

christ who pissed in your coffee this morning.

May be John Carmack?




You cannot make anything fool-proof. The fools are too inventive GW: Tr Gandhi (Ra), Shiva Sung (Mo), Mangal Pandey (Ne), Rana Pratap Singh (Wa), Boddhi Satwa (Ri), Bhagat Singh (De), Bahadur Shastri (Pa)

Re: Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 15:59

verybad

Why don't you just admit that 4 million copies sold is not enough for you anymore? Stop bleating all this bullshit and just be fucking honest, that like the rest of the anti-PC horde, you just want to make a billion dollars per game? Asshole. Creston christ who pissed in your coffee this morning.

Re: No subject

Sep 7, 2008, 15:31

Verno

I want into the Quake Live Beta damnit

You can have my Quake Live invite if you want it, they gave me two for some reason. Post your email or whatever so I can send it to you.




Playing: Super Mario 3D Land, Tales of Graces F, Fire Emblem 3DS Watching: Hannibal, Community, Life

Fuck you Carmack

Sep 7, 2008, 15:23

Creston

Why don't you just admit that 4 million copies sold is not enough for you anymore? Stop bleating all this bullshit and just be fucking honest, that like the rest of the anti-PC horde, you just want to make a billion dollars per game? Asshole. Creston

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