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clandecyon on 31 December 2007
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crumas2 said:
clandecyon said:

That's because companies are using one thing or another in hopes of it catching the wave.


I'm not sure that's as big a factor with the PS3/360 game development when compared to cost. Those two machines are very expensive to develop for due to higher resolutions, multi-threaded CPUs/GPUs, etc. Some estimates go as high as $30-40m to create a AAA title on those machines, where the previous generation estimates were $5-10m.

 

I agree that some companies are just trying to "cash-in" with something flashy or trendy, but I believe most companies are trying to keep the costs under control until this generation is more mature and the software sales can more easily support the bigger budgets.


I'm sure that is also a big influence on why they do spend so much time on graphics and aren't "as" concerned with gameplay at least on those systems. They know that the PS3/360 audience (moreso PS3 and online for 360) is more concerned about visuals as they put the money out for it, so regardless if they put more effort in the controls or not, they still risk alienating the audience that the system has and they are developing for if they don't concentrate on graphics to the point that it is better than the last million seller. And regardless of how much they make on these first gen titles, they are going to feel that all future games will have to be based heavily on graphics for those systems and be better than their last effort or they will lose the attention of their audience. It is much easier for these companies to just copy/paste gameplay code and get to work on the real selling points, graphics.

I'm willing to bet as well that they have AWESOME ideas to make the graphics even better, but they hold off, partly to get the product out the door, but to also leave something to add on for the next project. Some companies I'm sure are almost afraid to make a game perfect, because they think they will run out of ideas and that that perfect game will hinder sales for their future potentially mediocre games; plus they have to get the game finished so they can eat to live to make the next project. There is a lot of pressure on the 360/PS3 developers to concentrate on the graphics, one mistake could cost them millions, which even further widens the gap in the debate.