Any plans for DCS on the console?

[Vault]

I bought a Xbox 360 today and I'm very impressed with the performance of it. Smoother frame rates and much better graphics has converted me to give up gaming on the PC. My £150.00 Xbox has better performance than my 2K PC system (wtf?).

I know alot of the hardcore simmers here are probably shuddering at this post but DCS would run much better on a 360 than most high end PC's. Since my X52 gave up the ghost I've been using a programmable Saitek P2600 gaming pad and TBH now that I've adapted to it I'm more than comfortable playing DCS with a game pad in realistic mode. I can see no reasons why ED wouldn't release a console version of DCS so I thought I'd ask will ED ever release DCS on the console?. Sorry if this has been asked before.

[GGTharos]

DCS would run much better on a 360 than most high end PC's.

 

It would absolutely not, unless you wanted a very cut down version of DCS. the 360 has less processing and graphical power and less RAM than your high-end PC, or even mid-end PC.

[Vault]

It would absolutely not, unless you wanted a very cut down version of DCS. the 360 has less processing and graphical power and less RAM than your high-end PC, or even mid-end PC.

 

Whilst I cannot speak for DCS I have played Fallout 3 on both the console version and PC version, the console version whips the ass off my PC version BIG TIME for FPS and graphics hands down. WTF is that all about?.:mad:

 

BTW the Xbox has 3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2ghz. Which is as good as any top end PC CPU.

[SuperKungFu]

Something like this would require revamping the entire game engine. Right now the game is 32 bit, if you covert it to 360, well let's just say that's a major change. I don't think that's going to happen

Edited January 20, 2009 by SuperKungFu

[GGTharos]

Consider this then:

 

Typically console games have a smaller draw distance than PCs - also shooters, specifically because of this, are suited better to consoles. In addition there are strict quality requirements, so the devs are MADE to ensure play is smooth by the manufacturer.

 

Whilst I cannot speak for DCS I have played Fallout 3 on both the console version and PC version, the console version whips the ass off my PC version BIG TIME for FPS and graphics hands down. WTF is that all about?.:mad:

 

BTW the Xbox has 3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2ghz. Which is as good as any top end PC CPU.

[DTWD]

... the 360 has less processing and graphical power and less RAM than your high-end PC, or even mid-end PC.

 

They aren't really comparable, so your above statement doesn't really mean much.

 

Although saying that the 360 has a three core 3.2Ghz processor.

 

I think it "could" run fairly well on a 360 if it was written correctly.

 

If anything the game mode would make it to the consoles, the sim mode wouldn't, there is no chance in making the sales to cover the outlay in work involved in getting onto a console. Also can you imagine trying to get that many keys onto a joypad?

 

So I don't think it will happen.

[GGTharos]

They aren't really comparable, so your above statement doesn't really mean much.

 

I see.

 

Although saying that the 360 has a three core 3.2Ghz processor.

 

So this means nothing either since

a) it's a PPC

b) DCS doesn't do multicore yet.

 

I think it "could" run fairly well on a 360 if it was written correctly.

 

I'm sure it could run fairly well on a 386 if written correctly too :D

With that, I suppose we can be done with meaningless statements.

 

If anything the game mode would make it to the consoles, the sim mode wouldn't, there is no chance in making the sales to cover the outlay in work involved in getting onto a console. Also can you imagine trying to get that many keys onto a joypad?

 

So I don't think it will happen.

 

Yep, I agree, game mode would be the best candidate, and probably quite enjoyable.

[GGTharos]

Having said all this, the answer to the question is no.

[haigotron]

first of all, if your PC dates from several years, of course the Xbox360 has better performance, but compared even to today's mid-range PCs, the X360 is lagging behind.

[Vault]

Something like this would require revamping the entire came engine. Right now the game is 32 bit, if you covert it to 360, well let's just say that's a major change.

 

OK now I understand. I wish ED could adapt and overcome this problem and sell DCS to a much larger gaming community on a different gaming platform.

Limiting such a great product as DCS to one platform is illogical especially in a niche market. I just don't see the logic in selling a niche product for only the PC considering there's ALOT more console gamers than PC gamers in this world.

[DTWD]

OK now I understand. I wish ED could adapt and overcome this problem and sell DCS to a much larger gaming community on a different gaming platform.

Limiting such a great product as DCS to one platform is illogical especially in a niche market. I just don't see the logic in selling a niche product for only the PC considering there's ALOT more console gamers than PC gamers in this world.

 

Thats true, but have you seen the dross that becomes a best seller?

 

Sadly the masses that play consoles are idiots, try XBL and tell me that isn't true. If you can get on with your mates it's amazing, if you can find someone with intelegence it's brilliant. Sadly the majority of it is full of 10 year old americans swearing and not playing within the spirit of the game. And all that is before we even get onto the french! (joke).

 

On a side note, I was dead set against HAWX, but I might give it a go. After playing BS for hours you just sometimes need to throw simulation to the wind and enjoy mad over the top visuals that have very little basis in reality.

Edited January 20, 2009 by DTWD

[DTWD]

I'm sure it could run fairly well on a 386 if written correctly too :D

 

LOL yeah, ED really are lazy with there programming aren't they!?! :D

[Focha]

I think consoles have their place. And PC have it's own too. I don't see me playing a fighting or platforms game in the PC, it's more pleasure in the console, but I don't see me playing a simulation on a console. Why? Well, I think it's pretty obvious. Range from hardware to the simple specific things that consoles and PCs exist and are made for. So leave consoles for gaming not for simulation. Unless if Ka50 was made for console in the arcade/game mod.

 

Regards.

[Flori]

...and please release it on nintendo ds and gameboy!

[Mustang]

...and please release it on nintendo ds and gameboy!

 

LOL! :D

[SuperKungFu]

another problem with consoles is the lack of controls. If you look at the Ka-50 layout, we have a sh*t load of combo keys, ctrl, shift, alt...etc. So unless xbox can expand its keys function, PC is the best way to go. Economic factors also play into the equation, there's simply not enough market for a serious flight simulator game in the console world. Everyone wants to play those "shoot em up" types of games like Ace combat or HAWX. Only real men stick to simulators ;)

[GreenGriffon]

Why in the world would anyone want to see such a complex and deep simulation "dumbed down" for an 8-button gamepad?

 

Unless you have a budget PC or one that is several years old, there's no way the XBox360 should outperform a PC.

 

I would hate to see ED start catering to the console crowd. Their games would suffer for it, just like UBI and many more, and they would likely alienate the hardcore sim fanbase in the process.

 

Simply including a game mode in Black Shark gave me dry heaves.

[Boberro]

...and please release it on nintendo ds and gameboy!

 

Pegasus too!

[Vault]

They aren't really comparable, so your above statement doesn't really mean much.

 

Although saying that the 360 has a three core 3.2Ghz processor.

 

I think it "could" run fairly well on a 360 if it was written correctly.

 

If anything the game mode would make it to the consoles, the sim mode wouldn't, there is no chance in making the sales to cover the outlay in work involved in getting onto a console. Also can you imagine trying to get that many keys onto a joypad?

 

So I don't think it will happen.

 

You can get keyboards for Xbox. If you have to titles on both platforms try playing them v's each other Xbox is far faster and graphics are superiour. I am currently playing DCS on a programmable dual stick gaming pad in realistic mode.

 

If the Xbox isn't a good candidate to run DCS can some one explain to me why I can run Fallout 3 MUCH better on the console than the PC?.

 

My specs in a nutshell are Intel E8500, GTX8800 SLI, ASUS P5NT, 500GB 7,200 SATA, 3GB DDR2 RAM.

[DTWD]

I am sure there will be a difference, but a lot of PC games are now developed for consoles and then also released on PCs.

 

So it's quite possible the code was written for consoles and then tweaked to work on a PC, this will mean it will be more efficient running on a specific console hardware.

 

This brings me onto my next point, a console is a set set of hardware. Making a tweak to one particular part of the game to increase FPS will work on all 360's all over the world. The same can't be said for PCs, there are so many different hardware combinations it's impossible to streamline the code for any particular PC platform.

 

I have seen the two running side by side in video's and your right to say there isn't much difference, there isn't, but that's not the same as saying they aren't different.

 

Oh and the final bit is that the native resolution of Fallout 3 on the 360 is 1280*720 with little or no AA which is probably not what you ran it at on your PC?

[lucasdigital]

If the Xbox isn't a good candidate to run DCS can some one explain to me why I can run Fallout 3 MUCH better on the console than the PC?.

 

My specs in a nutshell are Intel E8500, GTX8800 SLI, ASUS P5NT, 500GB 7,200 SATA, 3GB DDR2 RAM.

 

Consoles have an architecture that's built for ONE job, to run games, games written specifically to match the capabilities of that hardware. This hand and glove match-up makes for games that look fluid and play great. Look carefully though and you'll see that the PC versions of many of these games are doing more, with richer textures and higher resolutions.

[RedTiger]

 

If the Xbox isn't a good candidate to run DCS can some one explain to me why I can run Fallout 3 MUCH better on the console than the PC?.

 

For the same reason that I could run Morrowind on the Xbox without all the stutters of the PC version: proprietary components.

 

Do not underestimate this. Each component of a console is far from being "off the shelf". The entire system is designed and tuned to work with all the other components. It is not designed with you cracking it open and using the processor or GPU on some other platform. There's also not a steady stream of driver updates you see for the PC. This is a HUGE deal. Furthermore it makes the developer's job far easier. He or she can tune the game to run at 30-60 fps on this hardware and can be sure that this performance will be almost if not EXACTLY the same across all consoles. Instead of the GPU manufacterer having to update their drivers every time a new game comes out, the game developer is forced to make their game work with the console and software as-is.

 

Compare this to your PC. Your processor, GPU, motherboard, sound card, harddrive, disk drives, etc. are all designed to be compatible with a wide variety of hardware. As such, there will never be a perfect fit. Also, now the developer must take into account all these various conbinations AND drivers to boot! This is why you might see a patch address some obscure thing like "fixed problem where game would crash on Geforce 7s with so and so on" etc.

 

The catch here is that the console will never change. You may be able to run Fallout better on your console now, but you will eventually be able to run it on your PC with far, far greater graphical quality. Look at Oblivion. That game was a game dumbed-down both game-play and graphical wise for consoles if I've ever seen one. The Xbox player is playing the same game he originally bought. The PC player can now download texture replacements that are 3 to 6 times the size of the default ones. He can crank all the settings up to max. AND he has the construction set tools available to tweak the game-play to his hearts desire.

 

I'm not sure I would want to have any DCS modules on a console. I like having the ability to tweak and add mods.

 

As for why I don't think they would work? Well, mostly because of the lack of a keyboard and HOTAS.

[RedTiger]

Consoles have an architecture that's built for ONE job, to run games, games written specifically to match the capabilities of that hardware. This hand and glove match-up makes for games that look fluid and play great. Look carefully though and you'll see that the PC versions of many of these games are doing more, with richer textures and higher resolutions.

 

You beat me to it! :mad: ;)

 

I also agree. Look closer. You might find that the PC version is indeed "doing more".

[the_pantman]

I'm wondering if I've been seeing the same consoles as some of you guys. I've never seen fallout3 on any machine, but I've seen some titles on the PS3, Xbox 360 and the my PC and the PC version has looked and run not just slightly better, but in a whole different league to both the consoles. I always find console games look unbelievably good on the TV ads and screen shots, but then I can't believe I'm looking at the same thing when I actually see them cos they always look awfull. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong games or something??

[DTWD]

I'm wondering if I've been seeing the same consoles as some of you guys. I've never seen fallout3 on any machine, but I've seen some titles on the PS3, Xbox 360 and the my PC and the PC version has looked and run not just slightly better, but in a whole different league to both the consoles. I always find console games look unbelievably good on the TV ads and screen shots, but then I can't believe I'm looking at the same thing when I actually see them cos they always look awfull. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong games or something??

 

No your looking at the same games, but your standing/sitting directly in front of it. Sit the same distance away as you watch TV and they look good. That is there big draw for me, when I get home from work and have something to eat I can't be bothered to sit and play Black Shark, it takes too much effort and I am not comfortable sitting at a desk. If I play on my xbox I can slob on the sofa and not have to worry about cables getting wrapped around my controllers, whether I can tweak anything to make it run better, if I am running the latest patches etc.

 

BS is a weekend game for me, and that's where my problem lies as I don't get much time on the weekend as the missus want's to do stuff.