On 2K Boston's Next Project

[Feb 03, 2009, 10:30 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

2K Boston's Job Listings on Gamasutra offer some hints as to what's going on at the BioShock developer, where it sounds like they are working on an Unreal Engine 3 game that will include multiplayer support. The listing for a Lead Multiplayer Engineer, for instance, mentions, "backend support for an action-packed AAA multiplayer title," and: "Responsible for delivering a robust, scalable, and responsive multiplayer gameplay code and backend services for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 platforms." Thanks Mike Martinez and 1Up.

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25 Replies. 2 pages. Viewing page 1.
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25.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 4, 2009, 00:27

Jerykk

Irrational doesn't have much multiplayer experience. Tribes Vengeance (developed by Irrational Australia, not Boston) was a debacle. I highly, highly, highly doubt this will be another Tribes game, given that this is a multiplatform title and will likely have 360 as the lead SKU. Given the rumors about a new X-COM game, this will likely be it. Of course, it won't be anything like the original games. I predict it will be a squad-based FPS with a third-person cover system, regenerating health, aim assist and all that good stuff.

24.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 4, 2009, 00:16

Prez

I've come to expect nothing less but complete legs up, cheeks spread, greased up complacency from you on industry performance.

But you are right, I am disappointed in many of today's games. But many of them, made by people who strive for excellence and something better are anything but disappointing.

Sadly, you'll be too busy playing LOUD NOISES 2K+9 with FLASHING LIGHTS micropayment DLC!!1! to know what I'm talking about.

I'M SHOUTING SO YOU CAN HEAR ME OVER YOUR XBOX360 FAN.

LMAO! That was one of the funniest posts I ever read!




Prez on Soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=604888

23.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 21:01

Free Mumra

Viral marketing.

22.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 16:55

Bhruic

I think Clear Sky is a damned good example that even PC-exclusive games aren't magically better. No one has said that PC exclusive games are magically better, so there's really no need for an example to disprove it. PC games can be just as bad as console ports. Console ports, however, have a much higher tendancy to be bad, especially in ways that annoy "hardcore" gamers. Great, so why don't we save the bitching for when that complaint is relevant? Bioshock was not the case of a shitty PC port. You're right, I'm willing to cut them some slack since they did a fairly decent job with Bioshock - I'm not nearly as in love with the game as many people seem to be, but as far as the "port" went, it was generally satisfactory. Hopefully they can do the same (or, preferably better) with whatever game they are working on now.

21.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 16:54

elefunk

Which is why I said it was a good example, not an amazing example. The fact that mouse issues (something that I noticed but worked around using Logitech settings-per-game software) are really the only technical issues that existed with the game is a huge improvement over most console ports that people here bitch about. To compare relatively minor mouse issues that are easily worked around to the insane stability, AI, mission-design, and other issues that Clear Sky still has today is utterly absurd, regardless of developer budget. Games like Sins of a Solar Empire had similarly small budgets, yet suffered practically none of those same issues. Bioshock is a good example that 2K can create a competent PC game with few technical issues. It's a very important example here because, of course, the same company is developing the game that this entire thread is about in the first place. I only used Clear Sky is an example that people's elitist attitudes towards anything non-PC-exclusive is misguided. Some PC exclusives suck, some cross-platform games don't suck. Luckily, 2K's next project that this thread is about is from the studio that made a cross-platform game that didn't suck, and that happens to have yet another intelligent mind behind it this time around too (Shawn Elliott). This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 16:58.

20.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 16:18

vrok

Since I played Clear Sky before SoC, my perspective differs from yours and I can absolutely say that I prefer Clear Sky to Bioshock, with no bias coming from SoC at all. I didn't even enjoy either that much. Should be mentioned that I didn't play Clear Sky until the 1.5.07 patch though. If you want to talk technical issues I'll again refer to the severe (can't stress the severity enough) mouse issues in Bioshock, budget differences and add developer experience. Not to mention the fact that Bioshock is using UE3 while GSC went with their own stuff that's admittedly lacking in quality in comparison, which is to be expected I think. It's not exactly a fair comparison. Even though I don't hold either developer in very high regard it's noteworthy. At least as noteworthy as Bioshock's lack of PC negligence, compared to the worst offenders, that you're trying to highlight. Bioshock did still suffer from console compromises when it came to gameplay though. Casual gamer compromises if you want to nitpick, but the vast majority of casual gamers with capable hardware at the time were no doubt 360 owners. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 16:24.

19.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:52

elefunk

I'd agree about Shadow of Chernobyl - one of my favorite games of 2007 - but Clear Sky was a huge disappointment in almost every way, no way whatsoever comparable to BioShock. The thought makes me laugh. Besides, aren't we talking about exactly that here - technical issues? Technical issues due to shitty ports causing poor performance instability, poor interfaces, and other such issues? The things that so many console-to-PC ports suffer terribly from? Those are the exact types of issues that 2K did a great job of avoiding for BioShock, but that were incredibly prevalent throughout all of Clear Sky - somehow far worse than they ever were in Shadow of Chernobyl.

18.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:48

vrok

I think Clear Sky is a damned good example that even PC-exclusive games aren't magically better. Still better than Bioshock if we're judging the games by themselves and not by their technical issues. I'd guess that Bioshock's budget dwarfs that of both the Stalker games combined as well. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 15:50.

17.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:39

In 99% of cases, multiplatform = console is lead SKU and PC version is a port. In the case of L4D and TF2, PC was the lead SKU. 360 was the lead SKU for CoD4, but IW went above and beyond with the PC port and actually added functionality, like leaning. Unfortunately, this is the exception to the rule as most PC ports don't add anything. Which is why I don't buy shitty after-the-fact console ports. But if you spend tons of money making a game, it makes sense to release it on as many platforms as possible (a few exceptions notwithstanding). That doesn't mean the PC version has to be a stinker, however. I don't begrudge CoD4 being designed for the 360 because the PC version is ace. Since I'm not a businessman, I really don't care about lead SKUs and what-not. What I do care about is how a given PC game actually plays. If it's fun and well-made, then they get my money.

16.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:29

A51Abductee

Then why did it have tons of various mouse issues? For me the game was 100% unplayable without massive fiddling with the mouse config settings and custom binding of a key (the only way to enforce said settings as they had to be reapplied constantly). I was certainly not the only one with either a Razer or a high dpi mouse to try and play the game. Even their own fucking artists should have been using high dpi mice. I completely agree. The controls and bindings in BioShock were a complete nightmare, particularly for (the admittedly very few) left-handed gamers like me. Hard-coded left and right clicking, regardless of your windows settings. It was also an unstable POS on every box I played it on. It didn't help that it would idiotically reset all your custom config files every time the game crashed. Eventually I resorted to writing a little 1990's-style batchfile that would copy/rename them for me. This was a decent and entertaining game but nowhere near the epitome of PC gaming perfection that some people like to maintain.

15.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:26

elefunk

Can you share with us examples of games that you do love that came out this past year? Games that only came out on the PC? Thanks, that will help us know what you mean and what you are looking for. -Mount and Blade -The Witcher Enhanced Edition -Trackmania United Forever -Dawn of War 2 Beta (probably buying the full game) -Crysis Warhead -STAKER: Clear Sky -Left 4 Dead (though you probably don't count that) I think Clear Sky is a damned good example that even PC-exclusive games aren't magically better. In 99% of cases, multiplatform = console is lead SKU and PC version is a port. In the case of L4D and TF2, PC was the lead SKU. 360 was the lead SKU for CoD4, but IW went above and beyond with the PC port and actually added functionality, like leaning. Unfortunately, this is the exception to the rule as most PC ports don't add anything. Great, so why don't we save the bitching for when that complaint is relevant? Bioshock was not the case of a shitty PC port. And the PC port did add extra customization - turning off "consolish" features like item glows, directional arrow, etc. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 15:28.

14.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 15:12

Jerykk

Multiplatform =/= console port. L4D, TF2, and CoD4 are available across multiple systems, yet I enjoy the hell out of the respective PC versions. In 99% of cases, multiplatform = console is lead SKU and PC version is a port. In the case of L4D and TF2, PC was the lead SKU. 360 was the lead SKU for CoD4, but IW went above and beyond with the PC port and actually added functionality, like leaning. Unfortunately, this is the exception to the rule as most PC ports don't add anything.

13.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 14:31

vrok

Then why did it have tons of various mouse issues? For me the game was 100% unplayable without massive fiddling with the mouse config settings and custom binding of a key (the only way to enforce said settings as they had to be reapplied constantly). I was certainly not the only one with either a Razer or a high dpi mouse to try and play the game. Even their own fucking artists should have been using high dpi mice. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 14:36.

12.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 14:21

Fang

Can you share with us examples of games that you do love that came out this past year? Games that only came out on the PC? Thanks, that will help us know what you mean and what you are looking for.

11.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 13:47

elefunk

I grew up playing Tribes, spare me the bullshit farce elitism. Yes, BioShock was a good PC game. It has an interface that was completely redesigned to take advantage of the platform, it ran well, and it played well. Did I say it was an amazing PC game? Did I say that it was an example that all developers should follow? No, of course not. But I know my shit, and in a world where so many developers release shitty ports as an afterthought, BioShock was a good game that avoided that type of disaster. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 13:48.

10.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 13:29

Bluesfanboi

You are using BioShock as an example of a good PC game? Furthermore as a good example of PC game that co-exists as a console-developed title? Are you INSANE? No, you're not insane, you're confused. You've probably never actually experienced a decent PC game. Bioshock has good art direction. Which is a small part of the visual experience of a game which itself is only a part of a game. Don't make me list the parts of a 'game' unless you really don't know. Then we can share. Are you 16? 20? I smell the arrogance of youth.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 13:12

elefunk

I'M SHOUTING SO YOU CAN HEAR ME OVER YOUR XBOX360 FAN. Funny, my PC game playing vs. my 360 game playing ratio for the past couple years is probably around 100:1. Sorry if you take personal offense to me being one of the only optimistic, slightly rational voices on this site. Sorry if I expect a good game to come from a studio who put out a damned good PC release before (BioShock) and happens to have one of my favorite minds in the industry working on it too. But you're right. It's also coming out for PS3 and 360, so it's gonna suck! Just like Bioshock, Orange Box, Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, and others! (aw, who am I kidding, you probably do think those games suck) Not that I don't think they'll do a decent job on the PC version (BioShock was a pretty decent port) but you think because one die-hard PC fan is on the team, that he'll have anywhere near the amount of influence necessary to ensure the PC version gets the same amount of attention at the other versions? Shawn Elliot's awesome but he's also new there. True, but his being on the team certainly won't hurt things - and I have no reason to believe this will end up a worse port than BioShock. BioShock had an entire team devoted specifically to developing the PC version alongside the console versions - it wasn't a port done after the console versions were done. BioShock also went on to sell more than a million copies on PC alone, during the same amount of time that the 360 version sold only slightly more. With the sales and success of the PC version of BioShock, there's no reason why 2K would degrade their development process for this new game when they have a tried-and-true process already.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 12:47

Parallax Abstraction

Besides, as I mentioned above, Shawn Elliot is working on this game - above all other former game writers, he knows his shit when it comes to hardcore PC games. I've never known a bigger fan of Company of Heroes.

Not that I don't think they'll do a decent job on the PC version (BioShock was a pretty decent port) but you think because one die-hard PC fan is on the team, that he'll have anywhere near the amount of influence necessary to ensure the PC version gets the same amount of attention at the other versions? Shawn Elliot's awesome but he's also new there.




Parallax Abstraction Geek Bravado \| Retro Flashback \| All Together Now

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 12:30

Bluesfanboi

"May as well just quit gaming altogether from now on with this ridiculous attitude." I've come to expect nothing less but complete legs up, cheeks spread, greased up complacency from you on industry performance. But you are right, I am disappointed in many of today's games. But many of them, made by people who strive for excellence and something better are anything but disappointing. Sadly, you'll be too busy playing LOUD NOISES 2K+9 with FLASHING LIGHTS micropayment DLC!!1! to know what I'm talking about. I'M SHOUTING SO YOU CAN HEAR ME OVER YOUR XBOX360 FAN. This comment was edited on Feb 3, 2009, 12:31.

Re: On 2K Boston's Next Project

Feb 3, 2009, 12:11

"for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360" Console port? Pre-pass. Funny, The Orange Box has the same line-up. Multiplatform =/= console port. L4D, TF2, and CoD4 are available across multiple systems, yet I enjoy the hell out of the respective PC versions.

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