The Problems With Porting Games

mr_sifter writes "There's a large lexicon of monosyllabic, four-letter words for describing something you don't like — but only PC gamers use the word 'port' with such a fervent degree of repulsion. Common complaints about console ports include meager graphics options, dodgy third-person camera angles, poorly-thought-out controls and sparsely distributed save points. In this feature, Bit-tech talks to developers of games such as Dead Space, Red Faction and Tales of Monkey Island to find out why porting games between the three major consoles and the PC is so difficult. Radically different CPU, graphics and memory architectures play their part, as do the differences in control methods and the rules Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo set about how games should work on their systems."

Comments

Don't forget Bowlderizing

[Drakkenmensch]

A hardcore, hard-hitting, take-no-prisoners storyline on a 360 or PS3 console would have a hard time making it past the nintendo comitees unscathed. See the Expurgation of Maniac Mansion for a famous case of this self-censorship that nobody really asked for: http://www.crockford.com/wrrrld/maniac.html

Re:Obligatory

[tepples]

If one of the major game publishers (EA or Valve?) were to start selling Bluetooth-enabled motion sensor style controllers, and supporting them on multiple titles, we really could see PC gaming become superior to console gaming in all categories (except price, of course).

Here are some other things that would have to happen before PC gaming can cut the console makers out of the equation:

• Video game publishers start porting their local multiplayer games from consoles to PCs. Remember that not all shared-screen is split-screen: for example, see Super Smash Bros. series.
• PC game manuals start coming with instructions to connect a PC to a television set or other sufficiently large monitor. At minimum, they would have to explain VGA to VGA, DVI-D to HDMI, HDMI to HDMI, S-Video to composite, S-Video to S-Video, where to buy a VGA to S-Video adapter, and various audio connections.

Just forget about consoles.

[kulawend]

All these games should be made for the PC only because it's the only good gaming platform. Here's why: 1. Consoles are becoming more and more like computers, but in a half-baked and proprietary sort of way. 2. The Wii is only powerful enough to play watered down versions of today's demanding 3D games. 3. If developers don't have to port the PC game to consoles then you save costs and can afford to offer the game at a lower price. That can in turn bag more sales and save people money. 4. Computers offer freedoms that consoles cannot ever compare to. 5. Why buy a console for play and a computer for work when you can just buy the computer and save the money you would have spent on the console? 6. Games for the PC can be modded, extending gameplay and enjoyment. 7. Computer games are universal. You can't go over to your friend's house and play your PS3 version of Unreal Tournament on his Wii, but you can play your computer version on his computer! 8. Computers can play games, why should you spend more money on a console when you already have a machine that can (perhaps with a few upgrades) play games. 9. Playstation 3 = $300, 8800GTX = $100 10. You can build, upgrade, and repair a computer yourself. Try that with a console.