PC Exclusive FPS! No, it isn't April fools

[AstroManLuca]

What's with the obsession with multi-player? I'm actually a lot more excited for this game because it is single-player only. Not every FPS needs to offer multi-player.

A basic FPS can be fine for single- and multi-player, but recently the single-player has been essentially non-existent, with only a brief and unsatisfying token appearance so that the developer can't be called out for being the first to remove single-player.

However a single-player only game will be forced to have a longer, more immersive storyline. It also has a lot more potential for interesting gameplay mechanics that would be too unwieldy to bring to multi-player, which can add a lot to the basic FPS experience.

100% agreed. Everyone's trying to be Call of Duty these days. Nice to see a developer do something different for a change - PC exclusive, single player only. Hopefully that will allow them to focus on making it a better game. PC exclusive means they won't have to dumb down the gameplay or interface to make it easier for console players, and single player only means they can put all their effort into making a solid single player game instead of tacking a hastily made 3-hour campaign onto a multiplayer game (see Homefront, Call of Duty).

I actually love single player FPSs like Metro 2033, STALKER, BioShock, etc. No one complains when single player RPGs come out so why should FPSs be any different?

 

[frozentundra123456]

Gee, PC gamers are a bunch of crybabies after all. First we cry about console ports, then when someone makes a PC exclusive, its not good enough because it doesnt have multiplayer, DX11, etc.

Personally, I prefer single player and would not miss multiplayer at all. Sci fi shooters dont especially appeal to me, but we should appreciate that someone is trying to cater to PC gamers. Maybe it will start a trend.

 

[sigurros81]

Gee, PC gamers are a bunch of crybabies after all. First we cry about console ports, then when someone makes a PC exclusive, its not good enough because it doesnt have multiplayer, DX11, etc.

Personally, I prefer single player and would not miss multiplayer at all. Sci fi shooters dont especially appeal to me, but we should appreciate that someone is trying to cater to PC gamers. Maybe it will start a trend.

Agreed. I only care whether a game has multiplayer if and only if it's done right. A lot of games come with multiplayer, but how many people do you see playing it? Personally, the games that I dedicate the most time to in MP are usually the ones that are designed with multiplayer in mind--BC2, HoN, COD, TF2. I'd rather a developer focus on an awesome single player experience by not focusing on MP than making a game that's mediocre and forgettable in both.

 

[mb]

I am interested too!

I'm also glad it doesn't have MP. Gives the devs more focus on making a quality SP experience. There are enough excellent MP games... they don't need to try to compete with those.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Like every other small game developer, once they make money off the PC they'll focus on the console market.

 

[PrayForDeath]

...but recently the single-player has been essentially non-existent, with only a brief and unsatisfying token appearance so that the developer can't be called out for being the first to remove single-player.

Actually ID Software released a multiplayer-only game long ago (Quake 3.) But yes I agree with you, not every FPS has to offer multiplayer. And I personally love immersive singleplayer FPSes (original Unreal, though old, comes to mind.)

Art direction, Engine and game assets are far more important to how a game looks visually.

Very true, just look at the Witcher 2.

 

[Ryland]

I only play single player games so I am happy that that is what this developer is focusing on. Now if i could just find some time to play through my game backlog I would be happier.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

What's with the obsession with multi-player? I'm actually a lot more excited for this game because it is single-player only. Not every FPS needs to offer multi-player.

Basically, online multiplayer offers potentially far more replay value than single player. It's also possible that it would allow for custom content (maps and mods). It also allows for a type of intense, competitive play that just isn't available from mindless bots.

 

[JSt0rm]

I don't understand why all the fuss over whether or not a game is DX11. So far there has not been a Single title where DX11 brings a night and day difference to visuals over DX9. Art direction, Engine and game assets are far more important to how a game looks visually. There are great looking games in DX9 as well as DX11. Deadspace 2, Resident Evil 5 and Crysis are all good examples.

No. I just maxed out witcher 2 last night. Ubersampling and all (6970 2gb does it) and I have to say amazing. Dx10+dx11 looks very very very good. I'm a picky bitch too.

 

[Dankk]

Holy shit! A single-player FPS made by developers from People can Fly and CD Projekt Red? Wake me up, I'm dreaming.

As someone who absolutely LOVED the original Painkiller, as well as NecroVisioN (made by The Farm 51, a studio that branched off from People Can Fly) I'm so ready to play this game. This will most likely be a Day 1 purchase for me. I love Painkiller, I love Serious Sam, I want this game. GIVE ME NOW.

To all of the PC gamers who are being whiny bitches: Quit being whiny bitches.

I agree, but if it isnt DX 11 i'll probably pass. Np point in going PC exclusive if you arnt using leading edge grapgics.

Seriously?

No. I just maxed out witcher 2 last night. Ubersampling and all (6970 2gb does it) and I have to say amazing. Dx10+dx11 looks very very very good. I'm a picky bitch too.

You'll be even more surprised to know that The Witcher 2 is DX9 only.

Edit: Dang, it's gonna be hard for me to decide between all of the shooters coming out in the next few months. Red Orchestra 2, Serious Sam 3, and now Hard Reset. I don't think I can afford all three of them. I'm gonna have to make a decision.

 

[Stringjam]

I already have a pet multi-player - there's plenty of great ones already out there.

I think developing an FPS solely focused on delivering a great single player experience is righteous, so I'll be watching this one.

 

[JSt0rm]

You'll be even more surprised to know that The Witcher 2 is DX9 only..

That would be surprising considering there is tessellation all over the place. Do you have a source for this info?

 

[Molondo]

this is gonna get pirated to high heaven lol

 

[Dankk]

That would be surprising considering there is tessellation all over the place. Do you have a source for this info?

http://pcformat.techradar.com/blog-entry/witcher-2s-senior-producer-talks-pc-format-17-05-11

Excuse me, but how exactly can you tell that there is tessellation "all over the place?" The reason why CD Projekt Red didn't use DX11 is because they could achieve everything they wanted to in DX9. Believe it or not, you don't need DX11 in order to make a very pretty game.

 

[Sureshot324]

What's with the obsession with multi-player? I'm actually a lot more excited for this game because it is single-player only. Not every FPS needs to offer multi-player.

A basic FPS can be fine for single- and multi-player, but recently the single-player has been essentially non-existent, with only a brief and unsatisfying token appearance so that the developer can't be called out for being the first to remove single-player.

However a single-player only game will be forced to have a longer, more immersive storyline. It also has a lot more potential for interesting gameplay mechanics that would be too unwieldy to bring to multi-player, which can add a lot to the basic FPS experience.

This.

I like multi player FPS, but I'm not interested in trying new one's all the time. I just keep playing the ones I like. Going through the period of being a n00b is just not fun.

That said, if this is your typical, run of the mill, linear, scripted FPS I'll skip it.

 

[Rifter]

Seriously?

Yes seriously, if im going to buy a new PC game full price near release its going to have to have one of the following:

1. Be Diablo III
2. Have leading edge best in class graphics
3. Have a metacritic score of 95+, or multiple reviews of 9.5+/10


If it doesnt meet one of those three things i will wait till it hits the steam bargin bin at $5 a year or 2 later. I prefer to wait and save money on games so i have high standards if im going to pay $60 for a game.

 

[Dankk]

I prefer to wait and save money on games so i have high standards if im going to pay $60 for a game.

That's fine and all, but this isn't a $60 game. It probably won't even be $50. At the very most, it will be $40 on release. Read the article. Similar to Painkiller, this game isn't going to be one of those $60 AAA big-name multi-platform titles. Rather, it's a smaller PC-exclusive shooter made by a lesser-known eastern european software house with a cult following. Even I understand that they would have to be insane to price this game at a full $60.

Red Orchestra 2, which will likely be the greatest multiplayer PC-exclusive shooter of the year, has been announced to release next month for $40. Serious Sam 3 - another PC-exclusive coming out these year - doesn't have a price yet, but if it's anything like the previous games, it won't be anymore than $30 or $40.

$60 pricetags are for mediocre annual console-rehashes like Call of Duty and Madden. One of the great things about PC gaming is that even though we get a lot of shitty ports, once in a while we have a little gem come along like "Hard Reset" that will be great and most other people won't know about.

 

[JSt0rm]

http://pcformat.techradar.com/blog-entry/witcher-2s-senior-producer-talks-pc-format-17-05-11

Excuse me, but how exactly can you tell that there is tessellation "all over the place?" The reason why CD Projekt Red didn't use DX11 is because they could achieve everything they wanted to in DX9. Believe it or not, you don't need DX11 in order to make a very pretty game.

Thats pretty crazy. The ubersampling looks like tess to me.

 

[Rifter]

That's fine and all, but this isn't a $60 game. It probably won't even be $50. At the very most, it will be $40 on release. Read the article. Similar to Painkiller, this game isn't going to be one of those $60 AAA big-name multi-platform titles. Rather, it's a smaller PC-exclusive shooter made by a lesser-known eastern european software house with a cult following. Even I understand that they would have to be insane to price this game at a full $60.

Red Orchestra 2, which will likely be the greatest multiplayer PC-exclusive shooter of the year, has been announced to release next month for $40. Serious Sam 3 - another PC-exclusive coming out these year - doesn't have a price yet, but if it's anything like the previous games, it won't be anymore than $30 or $40.

$60 pricetags are for mediocre annual console-rehashes like Call of Duty and Madden. One of the great things about PC gaming is that even though we get a lot of shitty ports, once in a while we have a little gem come along like "Hard Reset" that will be great and most other people won't know about.

If it is $40 and gets good reviews then maybe i'll bite. guess time will tell. I hope its on steam.

 

[zerogear]

Yes! Single player only!

this +1

 

[coloumb]

Painkiller? Isn't that game centered around boxed in areas where you have to kill all of the incoming hoards before moving onto the next boxed in area? Ugh.. please no...

 

[-Slacker-]

Painkiller? Isn't that game centered around boxed in areas where you have to kill all of the incoming hoards before moving onto the next boxed in area? Ugh.. please no...

must ... resist ... urge to kill ...


Yeah, I guess they should just keep making more poorly imitated "black hawk down" cash ins, because it's only been like 10 $&#&ing years since that movie has been released, pretty sure it's good for another 2-3 decades. But as long as it sucks the fun right out of the very core of being a god damn video game instead of a Michael Bay-esque spoof for insecure adults, that is ashamed of the medium it exists in and tries to convince said adults that they somehow aren't playing with a TOY ... wait, I forgot where I was going with that sentence...





But it still counts!

 

[WMD]

Thats pretty crazy. The ubersampling looks like tess to me.

The reason it looks like tessellation is they used high polygon models in the first place. Honestly DX11 and its tessellation are overrated. And its not just my opinion. Todays video cards are fast enough to run sufficiently high polygon 3d models that adding tessellation will bring only subtle improvements.

Compare Resident Evil 5 DX9 benchmark which runs at over 100fps on last generations 5800 series graphics card

To Lost Planet 2 DX11 benchmark running at only ~40fps on the newest 6900 series graphics card.

Does the DX9 game looks obviously blocky that it needs tessellation to improve the visuals? Infact we have gone a long way from lower poly models used in say the original Fear and we are even able to run it with an excess of performance. As graphics hardware gets better still I would say the importance of tessellation will be even further diminished.

 

[JSt0rm]

yeah that does make sense. Lost planet 2 never seemed to me to have the best art direction though. I think tess will matter most when its used artistically and creatively sometime in the future. I just bought a 6970 because it was the perfect time for me to leap frog off of my older hardware. I basically got it for free.

 

[Red Hawk]

DirectX 9 is a solid API, I don't think anyone is questioning that. With a few updates it's lasted almost 10 years, and remains prevalent despite Microsoft releasing two successors. Great-looking games can still be made with DirectX9.

The point is, I think, that as much as DirectX 9 can do, DirectX 11 can do more. Tessellation can add detail to artwork. More realistic lighting systems can be implemented without taxing the system as much as it would in DirectX 9. It makes programming games for multi-threading easier. DirectX 11's potential is greater.

Why don't we see games truly meeting that potential, though? Because they're still coding for DirectX 9 as well. Almost no game developer wants to lock out XP users and users still using pre-DirectX 10 hardware, thus games at their core must be compatible with DX9. Only once DX9 is left behind can DirectX 11 reach its full potential. Two things probably need to happen for developers to get on board with that: first, XP's market share must shrink so that it doesn't matter anymore. Secondly, Microsoft needs to release a new console based on DirectX 11. Battlefield 3 is the single game coming up that will only support DX10 and DX11 on PC, but it's still being made to be compatible with the DirectX 9-based Xbox 360.

A PC-only game is not tied down by needs of consolization, and can be made for DirectX 10/11 only. They have the opportunity not only to add DirectX 11 but to make it from the ground up for DirectX 11. If they did, it could be better than The Witcher 2. PC gamers feel let down if a PC exclusive game does not meet its full potential.