Valve - Lazy? Bias? Unfair?? Don't Care????

[ZenfoldorVGI]

Groucho said:

Jo21 said:

they are not smart enough to code in c++ and opengl based on parallel processing cpu.
or too lazy to get to do it.

its either one or both, but being an ass with the console then retracting its quite honorable from them.

Getting the most out of the Cell pretty much requires abandoning a load of the spiffiest language features of C++, and instead thinking in terms of good-ole C, and streaming data.  I would wager that anyone "addicted" to things like templates, virtual functions, etc. (virtual functions being *very* handy, IMO... but kinda bad for performance) would have a lot of trouble thinking in the terms necessary to get a PS3 game running well.

I'm sure Valve's developers *are* talented -- HL2 wouldn't be so good if they were not.  However, it possible that their engine (all proprietary, as I recall) is *very* rooted in heavily object-oriented (and single-threaded) concepts that just don't go over well on the PS3's SPUs.

So... your statement about C++... is kinda backwards.  They'd probably be better off if they only knew the basics of C++, and didn't go to town with all the performance-killing, hard-to-make-parallel features it has to offer.  Dumping those features is why EA, and many companies, are choosing to develop for the PS3 first -- because although those features are fully usable on the X360, they still suck, from a performance persepctive.

I agree that stating a more honest reason for avoiding the PS3 (other than "it sucks" or some other BS) is a good move, however.

 

I think the reasons are fairly obvious. It's difficulty to design for. The time/value ratio for man hours is inefficient. Even if it was efficient, the PS3 hasn't been a significant source of profit for Valve.

To be honest, I seriously doubt that the 360 would be that large of a priority for Valve, except for the fact that it's just very easy to port their games to the console, and costs them very little, thus is easy money. PS3 development is at best, hard money, and at worse, a loss of time, resources, and money.

Valve doesn't like to put unpolished games out. They can't haphazardly throw together an inferior PS3 version of the game and be satisfied. The amount of time and money it would take to get it right, would probably render the project unprofitable.

Thus, you have this sort of thing.

Sony should, I dunno....pay them some money, and they would care more.