Is The Computer Gaming Industry Finished?

[Loser]

If you didn't worry abotu the interface, but just about the requirements of the stock game, how primative, how old of a consol could you run SE IV on?

I would be most amused to find, one day, a SNES port of Space Empires IV.

[Atrocities]

Really if you stop to think about it, SEIV is pretty much point and click. You can include a game keyboard for adding names and such to ships, but for the most part set data files can handle that.

And since most consules now link, you can play head to head or even use an on line web site to host the game and turns much like PBW does now.

I wonder if their is a market? This has all been discussed before though. I think under the topic or disucssion of alternate uses of SEIV or branching SEIV out. I honestly don't recall its been so long.

[geoschmo]

I guess you are right you wouldn't need a keyboard. I just don't see a market for a console Version of the game. I think you might be able to sell a fw copies if you could port it to work on a PDA or something.

My own dream would be to have it run on the machine that does the show at the planetarium. wouldn't that be cool? Course those are a tad bit expensive.

[Atrocities]

Unfortunetly I tend to agree that there really wouldn't be a strong market for the game. And that is truly a real shame for the game would bring something entirely new to the consule market.

Hey I have this philosophy that if they say its not going to work, or its a bad idea, jump on it.

Examples:
"Peanut butter, who would want to buy that? Here you can the formula for free."
"You want tectronix to make something called a mouse? I think not."
"Why would any one want a home computer Mr. Jobs?"
"Who the hell will buy coffee from a coffee shop in seattle?"
"You want me to invest in something called Microsoft? Sounds like a toilot paper product to me."

DO IT AARON! Make it into a console game! Do it now!!!!!!!

Oh by the way I think this is the original thread on the subject. I have not read all of the old Posts yet so I could be wrong.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin...3;t=004715;p=3

[ November 07, 2003, 13:59: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[Cyrien]

Wouldn't need a keyboard? If you don't have a keyboard how are you going to mod anything! Cutting and pasting everything would be a real pain in the butt. As would those little on screen keyBoards that you point and click at! The HORROR!!!

[Katchoo]

Everything revolves around the almighty dollar, so Atrocities' prophecy of doom doesn't sound all that implausible

Why exactly are console games cheaper to produce than on PCs? The only thing I can think of that would reduce cost would be the lack of responsibility console game makers have after they release a game. On the PC a game maker could spend the next 5 years patching and resolving problems with their inital design (multiply this time by 50 to get an idea of how long it could take to fix MOO3). But if you put your game on a console, there's little to no updating or patching required (ok, it's required just as much on the PC side, but console game makers have the excuse that they can't update their software as easily as they could on the PC). Granted that Online capabilities & the inclusion of hard drives in newer consoles (ie: X-Box, and the upcomming PS3 or whatever it'll be called) are making this "post-release quality control" easier, but I don't see console game makers ever fretting over their product the way the way they do when it's developed on the PC ('cause us PC people are picky & savvy, deservedly so).

Anyways, I don't think the hardware vendors on the PC side will sit idly by and watch their support structre vanish like a fart in the wind. Video card manufactures make money hand over fist by cranking out a new video card every 2 months, and they aren't going to let that money just dry up.

And I don't think we would have optical mice this soon had PC games not been around, so i'm sure there are other technologies out there on the cusp of production that are strongly driven by the existance of PC gaming.

Would we realize the existance of a great game right away if there wasen't a glut of garbage games to compare it to? That could be worrisome...

[dogscoff]

Feh... A few years from now there will be very little distinction between a home PC and a
console anyway. Just as the gap between your palmtop and your phone is narrowing, and the gap between your phone and your digicamera, and your camera / portable data storage, and your portable data storage / mobile mp3 player...

"Serious" PCs (for commercial and industrial use) will remain a seperate market but as the average power of the hardware continues to outstrip the actual requirements of all but the most demanding user, any home machine will be able to take on the role of any other with ease. Also, all the hardware in your house will be automatically wirelessly networking together, sharing resources, whispering behind your back and secretly perverting your next-generation intelligent kitchen appliances, which will completely obsfucate any remaining distinction between the platforms anyway.

10 years from now your copy of SEVII will follow you from TV to microwave as you walk around the house, and when your fleet runs out of organics the fridge will automatically order you a pizza. The Blob is coming! You have been warned...

[Baron Munchausen]

I'm really surprised that you've noticed the primary fact of the 'game industry' -- money rules all -- and not recognized what have got to be the strongest forces driving this shift. The all-important profit margin is much improved by selling both hardware and software. A "PC" is a generic thing that can be bought from any of thousands of dealers all over the world. A 'gaming console' is a proprietary device that you can claim patents on and so make a bundle of extra money by keeping anyone else from selling it. A legal monopoly! Also, has it occured to anyone that piracy might be a problem in the game industry? The 'generic' PC is a vulnerability in that sense, too. As a general purpose machine it is very easy to manipulate and crack any attempts at copy protection of your software, not to mention basic game security that prevents cheating (whether single or multi-player). A proprietary console helps dramatically in all of these areas. Sure, you can hack a console and/or copy a game cartridge but it's far harder and so it's done far less often.

I think MM will have to resort to something clever to reduce piracy of SE V very much. Perhaps the 'multiplayer' mode should require an external 'third-party' server that requires a commercial license. The 'client' (the regular game) would have to have a unique registration code from MM to run on the server. Only sell the server to a few carefully vetted people and let them run the on-line multiplayer systems, and co-operate with MM in watching for faked codes (of course the 'codes' will be figured out... but if you control the multiplayer field you can still catch the crackers). That way, at least 'pirates' could only play the solo game, not the full game. The incentive to buy would be strong if you wanted a serious opponent smarter than the AI.

[ November 07, 2003, 17:14: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

[Cyrien]

I disagree with making "smarter" security protections to protect the software. It is a losing battle that can never be won. No matter what you design others will still break/hack/whatever it and do what they want with it.

Time and time again I have purchased a game only to have it not work/work poorly due to the copyright protections the company built into it. When this happened what did I do? I went and downloaded a simple patch that removed those offending protections that hindered my game enjoyment. Special servers you say? You mean like B.net? Ermm... well they have that cracked now as well and I doubt MM could afford the same legal fight to prevent it that Blizzard can.

PS: Software piracy isn't as big a problem as many think it is and companies attempt to lead us to believe it is. Most of the people who pirate the software wouldn't have purchased it in the first place or spent their money purchasing a different piece of software and ran out for that one but still want it. This being the case they either A> wouldn't buy it OR B> couldn't afford to buy it. There have been studies and surveys to demonstrate this but they are largely ignored. The companies want to have an easy scapegoat when profits fall instead of saying it is something they did (damn those hackers and pirates making my perfect business plan fail!)

PPS: Does anyone else hate those anti movie piracy commercials before movies in the theatres now? Hello, if I am in the theatre watching the movie I am probably not pirating it! And when did set designers/makeup people/whatever start getting payed on a royalty basis for the movies they make ? Just wondering.

[geoschmo]

Baron,

I don't really think the profit from selling the console is all that great compared to the games themselves, although I could be wrong about that. I am pretty sure the margins are much lower on the consoles, and couple that with the fact that for each console you might typiclaly buy a dozen or more games. But one thing I am fairly certain of is that profits from sales of consoles is not going to be a factor for a company like EA trying to decide whether or not to put their resources into a console game or a PC game since they don't sell consoles.

But your point about piracy is certainly a factor I am sure. Think about what happens if you are at your buddies house and try this great new console game he bought. What do you do? You go buy one yourself. But if it's a great new PC game instead? "Hey man, great game. Burn me a copy will ya?"