Blacksite: Area 51 loses online Co-Op (PS3 & 360) and multiplayer features (PS3 only)

[Queasy]

Link

The demo never grabbed me but this has to be disappointing.

With the Xbox 360 version of the game, players will be able to play ranked and unranked matches, and voice support will have constant chatter for teammates while everyone will be able to hear each other if they're close enough, regardless of which team they're on. Unfortunately, the PlayStation 3 version will feature none of these options, and PC support is TBD.

It's also unfortunate that we must report that the online co-op that was promised for the game early on won't make it into the final release. Whether or not it could be added in a downloaded pack remains to be seen, though we're not holding our breath.

update:
PS3 Blacksite Plagued with development trouble, says insider

Yesterday, we talked a bit about Blacksite: Area 51 and the missing online features in the PlayStation 3 version. Since that story ran, an insider contacted us to say the PS3 version's problems may run deeper than a lack of voice chat.

"The PS3 version is experiencing issues and missed deadlines," he tells us. The insider also notes Midway's unhappiness with these issues; the PS3 demo and launch will likely end up being delayed as a result.

"Midway isn't happy at all about the progress, and it's a story I've heard over and over this year across the industry when it comes to the PS3 and cross-platform titles," the insider states.

The Unreal Engine powers Blacksite, which presents the possibility that the engine itself is leading to development problems. Midway's other big PS3 releases of Stranglehold and Unreal Tournament 3 have also seen long delays.

Sadly, the problems with Blacksite: Area 51 only further the growing list of problematic multiplatform releases on the PS3, and could reinforce the qualms about working with the Unreal Engine among multiplatform developers.

 

[purbeast0]

that is pathetic.

they are going to put out a half assed game instead of delaying it and fixing it.

sad. i'm glad i thought that game sucked as it was.

 

[RagingBITCH]

I agree with both of you - that demo was bad. To make it even worse, it was all of like 8 minutes long. Killed a bunch of aliens at the gas station, cross a broken bridge and then "Demo over, thanks for playing". WTF?

 

[Queasy]

Yeah, it really doesn't make any sense. They are obviously rushing it out for the holiday season but they are going to get killed with all the other releases coming out at the same time. It was a 2nd to 3rd tier game to begin with.

Capcom just delayed their Harvey Birdman game because they realized that it would get lost in the shuffle of all the games coming out for the holidays. And it is already complete! The Blacksite devs should do the same. It is getting to the point that no online co-op is a big no-no for games.

 

[blurredvision]

I'm the opposite of you guys, I thought the Blacksite teaser demo from around May was pretty awesome. The graphics looked great, the sound was awesome and very "meaty", and the huge-ass worm alien thing at the end intrigued me. I was sad that it was pushed back from it's original early September release.

In regards to info that is the basis of this thread, if a game isn't finished, don't release it. I most likely wouldn't have bought it anyway (might have had it hit it's September release), but it sucks to know they've taken out stuff just to meet a deadline.

I'm still looking forward to how it turns out, though.

 

[Aikouka]

Sounds kind of like what happened to Crysis. I was going to make some snide remark against EA (publishers of Crysis), but unfortunately this is a Midway game.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: blurredvision
I was sad that it was pushed back from it's original early September release.

And that's the crazy part to me. They made it sound like it was ready in September but they delayed it because of Halo 3. Here it is almost November and they are cutting parts out to make a release date. Ridiculous.

 

[Modeps]

omg, just delay it till after the holdiays. The demo was unremarkable but online coop could have made it much more interesting.

 

[mlm]

The producer (?) for this game was a speaker for one of the lectures in my game design class. He said there is supposed to be another demo coming out--longer and including a rail-shooter portion.

I wasn't too impressed with the game when he demoed it for us though. It felt like they just took a weak shooter and focused more on the satire rather than the gameplay.

 

[Queasy]

PS3 Blacksite Plagued with development trouble, says insider

Yesterday, we talked a bit about Blacksite: Area 51 and the missing online features in the PlayStation 3 version. Since that story ran, an insider contacted us to say the PS3 version's problems may run deeper than a lack of voice chat.

"The PS3 version is experiencing issues and missed deadlines," he tells us. The insider also notes Midway's unhappiness with these issues; the PS3 demo and launch will likely end up being delayed as a result.

"Midway isn't happy at all about the progress, and it's a story I've heard over and over this year across the industry when it comes to the PS3 and cross-platform titles," the insider states.

The Unreal Engine powers Blacksite, which presents the possibility that the engine itself is leading to development problems. Midway's other big PS3 releases of Stranglehold and Unreal Tournament 3 have also seen long delays.

Sadly, the problems with Blacksite: Area 51 only further the growing list of problematic multiplatform releases on the PS3, and could reinforce the qualms about working with the Unreal Engine among multiplatform developers.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Hasn't every Unreal engine PS3 game been delayed?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: bl4ckfl4g
Hasn't every Unreal engine PS3 game been delayed?

Pretty much.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: bl4ckfl4g
Hasn't every Unreal engine PS3 game been delayed?

Pretty much.

Don't worry, Phil Harrison will just send some Ninja's in again like he always does...everything will be good.

And since randay hasn't had a chance yet... "just another nail in the coffin for the Wii".

In all seriousness, it is a shame that Midway is thinking like a business and not an artist and attempting to shove it out for Christmas. The publisher is being plagued by holiday misses and delayed underperformers (Stranglehold). I understand they have to make money...but if a game gets shoved out that sucks...that isn't going to happen either. Sad. Wait till next summer with a polished product when we're starved for some good releases and you might see some money.

 

[herkulease]

its stuff like this that makes me very leary of picking up the 40gb ps3 now. few days ago with the responses here I was ready to get one next friday. Now I'm backing off a bit.

damn you sony. Get in there and figure out what's the problem. I'm betting they are slow on giving devs tools.