Ubisoft Talks Splitscreen and the Division

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ubisoft Talks Splitscreen and the Division

Posted by timothy on Friday February 12, 2016 @12:39PM from the what-are-you-looking-at? dept.

SlappingOysters writes: Ubisoft's next entry in the Tom Clancy series is pushing at the boundaries of three genres, mixing the RPG, the squad-based shooter and the MMO into The Division. The game features drop-in, drop-out co-op in a near-future, post-pandemic New York that seamlessly allows players to transition from PvE to PvP environments without any menus or lobbies. However, despite its co-op gameplay, The Division does not support splitscreen. Finder.com.au recently ran an extensive hands-on with the game, as well as an interview with Ubisoft Massive's creative director Magnus Jansén regarding the decision to forgo splitscreen co-op.

55 comments

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Great, more Republican/CONservative pandering here by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 12:46 · Score: -1

This site has become so hard-core CONservative.
Re: Great, more Republican/CONservative pandering by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 12:48 · Score: -1

Well is owned a by a corporation.
Explanation sounded reasonable by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 12:54 · Score: 2, Interesting

While I don't really buy the line:

One of the biggest reasons why there is nothing like that in The Division is because of the progression nature of the game.
The other comments seemed reasonable. Sounds like current generation consoles are simply not powerful enough to do it. Many development companies are struggling to hit the 60FPS/1080p target, let alone doing it split screen.
1. Re:Explanation sounded reasonable by SlappingOysters · 2016-02-12 13:58 · Score: 2
  
  I had the same feeling to that line. What about Borderlands?
2. Re:Explanation sounded reasonable by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 14:31 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Power of the platform is largely irrelevant to split screen or not to split screen. Designers and artists will always find a way to consume more resources than are available. Supporting any target faithfully be it split screen, 1080p/60fps, VR, etc. requires a design, mindset and commitment from the beginning.
This gen console hardware sucks by TechnoCore · 2016-02-12 12:54 · Score: 2, Informative

That's why split screen is hard to be found nowadays, it would drastically reduce the quality of the game.
1. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by GuB-42 · 2016-02-12 14:26 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  I don't think it will drastically reduce the graphics quality. Correct me if I am wrong but with all these new deferred rendering and complex shader stuff, more and more things are done per-pixel rather than on the geometry. It should make the penalty proportionally less. We are also to the point where graphical improvements are becoming subtle : enough for people to feel the difference but not enough for most of them to say exactly why.
  This should actually make split screen easier. Other parts of the game such as physics can be done once for all players.
  But as I've seen somewhere, split screen is not just a feature, it is a way of life. Split screen or single screen multiplayer in general is a totally different experience from network and solo play. Reducing a very different way of enjoying a game to a question of detail in a 3D renderer is rather silly IMHO.
2. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 14:52 · Score: -1
  
  The CPU nor GPU actually matter in any of this, to be perfectly honest.
  Like is always true with consoles, the bandwidth is the problem. They always get gimped so damn hard it makes the CPU and GPU worthless.
  Why they even bother putting the damn things in is beyond me. They could put cheaper processors in and more bandwidth and have something at least half decent instead of something over-specced with a broken leg.
  It was the same with PS3 too, the bandwidth to the GPU was stupidly small for some reason, not completely, but in regards to calls that actually matter when it comes to certain operations (I forgot which, been a while), so you ended up with a processor capable of far more than the foundations it was seated.
  360, similarly, had some weird architecture. The really GOOD thing the devs did there was the daughter co-processor on the GPU that basically allowed them free AA, but only for a 720 frame (well, a little higher).
  When it came around to them touting how they could "totally support 1080p", you could tell they were lying through the teeth since they'd have added more memory to actually support that frame resolution.
  PS2, likewise, suffered GPU bandwidth issues.
  Not sure about Xbox though, not sure about Nintendo hardware at all, or some older gen hardware. Never cared much about the hardware back then as I do now. Might look it up one day
3. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 15:43 · Score: 1
  
  That's why split screen is hard to be found nowadays, it would drastically reduce the quality of the game.
  Nope, splitscreen isn't found anymore because it bypasses the multiplayer "eco-system" of the publishers. You know the one where your multiplayer goes dark after 2 years because Ubishit or EA has decided you have to buy the new version ? Local lan disappeared for the same reason years ago from pc games and never came back. The same trend is happening/has happened on consoles.
4. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 18:06 · Score: 0
  
  That's why split screen is hard to be found nowadays, it would drastically reduce the quality of the game.
  Why can't we plug a second keyboard, mouse, maybe monitor into a PC and play local mutliplayer, the hardware sucks?
5. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 21:38 · Score: 0
  
  Wouldn't the engine have to render the massively larger area encompassed by four view frustums? Presumably a lot of things are ignored because they're unseen, but there'd be less unseen in 2-4-player split-screen.
6. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by thegarbz · 2016-02-12 22:35 · Score: 1
  
  I don't miss it. 16:9 displays killed the split screen
  Now alternating frames with 3D glasses used to show 2 full screen games at once but a different frame to each player would be amazing!
7. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by thegarbz · 2016-02-12 22:38 · Score: 0
  
  You'd be wrong. The underlying rendering before effects are applied takes a big hit. Remember when split screening you don't just crop a section of the view, the view is zoomed out things are made smaller and far more geometry is put on the screen, and that's before effects are applied. There are many recent games that take a noticeable performance hit when doing split screen.
8. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by drinkypoo · 2016-02-12 22:47 · Score: 1
  
  To be fair, it's also a whole mode that you don't have to write if you don't use it. Consoles are cheap, most gamers have their own if they want them, most PC games don't even have a split screen mode, etc etc.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
9. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Zarhan · 2016-02-12 23:14 · Score: 1
  
  Just get two consoles and hook them up as separate input feeds. At least LG's TV's support this.
10. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by GNious · 2016-02-12 23:33 · Score: 1
  
  Sony was talking about this - it went nowhere, fast.
11. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by Opportunist · 2016-02-13 00:46 · Score: 2
  
  Consoles are cheap and, let's not forget that, very, very portable compared to PC rigs. What did you have to do to get your console over to a friend's house? Move the console and the controllers. He had a TV. And that's something you can put in a backpack.
  Consoles and playing console games with 4 or even more people were the staple of geek parties. Hell, Nintendo pretty much built the Wii around the idea of being a party gimmick when you look at it and its library of games. Every other game has some sort of multiplayer mode and is supposed to be easy to pick up with little to no training time required to play along sensibly.
  Sorry, but saying that "pretty much everyone who wants a console nowadays has one" is not going to nullify this argument. Yes, many people today own a console. This isn't so different from the past, though. Consoles didn't just get cheap in that last decade since it became the norm for game developers to axe a local multiplayer mode. And you may remember that the first console generation pretty much REQUIRED you to have someone playing with you. Pong is only so much fun if there's no other player playing that ball back.
  The last console I got (a Wii, incidentally) I got for the sole (!) purpose of having a party gaming console at hand. I have no use for consoles that don't cater to this necessity.
  I have a PC for my other gaming needs.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
12. Re: This gen console hardware sucks by slydder · 2016-02-13 03:08 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, but with the New Laptops with the geforce GTX 980 (desktop Version not mobile) in them the only reason now is price.
  
  --
  IT Admins Group: Where you decide the content
13. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by CronoCloud · 2016-02-13 04:34 · Score: 1
  
  Yep, they call it Simulview. People who had the necessary hardware (and the few games that support it) liked it.
  However 3D displays and glasses did not take off.
14. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by thegarbz · 2016-02-13 11:59 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah because the solution to something that would require a small amount of software and hardware 3D support is buying 2 consoles, 2 controllers, 2 copies of the game. It reminds me of that xbox360 racing game which allowed multi-monitor support, except that you needed an xbox360 per monitor, and a copy of the game per xbox to make it work.
  You can't be serious with your suggestion.
15. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by thegarbz · 2016-02-13 12:01 · Score: 1
  
  Sony was talking about this - it went nowhere, fast.
  Not surprised. Back when they were talking about it 3D TVs were a new thing. It would make sense to not put the effort into coding something that nearly all of the users can't use. But give it a few years. 3D TVs are becoming the norm, despite most people not using them. Maybe once something like this happens I'll have a reason to go look for my 3D glasses which probably have flat batteries right now.
16. Re:This gen console hardware sucks by thegarbz · 2016-02-13 12:03 · Score: 1
  
  However 3D displays and glasses did not take off.
  Yes they did. The USE of 3D displays did not. I look around and I see most of my friends have a 3D TV and many a 3D bluray player too. Most of them (including myself) couldn't tell you where their 3D glasses are or if they work, but we all have the necessary hardware.
17. Re: This gen console hardware sucks by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-14 03:12 · Score: 0
  
  "3D TVs are becoming the norm, despite most people not using them."
  Go to the Best Buy website and click their TVs link. You'll scroll past more than 20 TVs of all shapes and sizes before you get to a 3D one. And the ones they have are expensive "every feature but the kitchen sink" models. 3D TVs haven't budged an inch closer to normal than where they stared.
Let's cut to the important bits by Opportunist · 2016-02-12 13:05 · Score: 2

Always-on copy protection that keeps the honest player from playing for the first month or two while it doesn't bother those copying it illegally again? Or something sane for a change.
Cut to the important parts that decide whether or not someone with half a brain even ponders looking at what the game is like before he dismisses it as "do not want".

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Meh, not getting it.... by Lumpy · 2016-02-12 13:17 · Score: 2

I played the betas, It's just Destiny in modern new york except the dark zone is the land of assholes that makes COD online feel civilized.

--
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
1. Re: Meh, not getting it.... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-14 03:18 · Score: 0
  
  I played the betas too and don't think it's that much like Destiny. The best parts of Multiplayer Destiny (the raids) don't seem like they're going to be there. The loot is not as heavily decided by randomness. There don't seem to be artificial weekly lockouts to slow your progression. PvP is more like reservoir dogs than team sports. You never see random real players wandering around the city, just in special areas. For better or worse, it's much more like Grand Theft Auto than Destiny.
Marketing by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 13:42 · Score: 0

Ubisoft's spreading their redundant console shooter marketing to the Slashdot articles now with excuses about dropping one of console's strengths, being local play? Okay.
Re: Great, more Republican/CONservative pandering by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 13:49 · Score: -1

Those repukinaz loves Clancy.
Interview is a load of bollocks. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 13:50 · Score: 0

The interview is a load of bollocks.
Split screen would work just like one person playing except there's two of you at once.
And since they're both there in the same room, you can both decide when to stop playing, and I assume your characters will be in close proximity (within the same level at the very distant, if you're sniping or something), so there's no big crazy dilemma when one player wants to do one thing and one player wants to quit.
Solution: You quit split screen, save your statuses, see your friend to the door, they catch the bus, you return to your console, you click Continue Game > # Players = 1, and you resume your character in a non-split-screen game.
All I'm seeing from the interview is the words of either an incompetent or a liar.
Re:Meh, not getting it.... by ajarin · 2016-02-12 13:54 · Score: 1

I played the betas, It's just Destiny in modern new york except the dark zone is the land of assholes that makes COD online feel civilized.
owh... really???
Alternative to Slashdot??? by santax · 2016-02-12 14:10 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Well since slashdot is ruined since the sale and it's all about advertisting, does anybody know of a better site? A mirror of the old slashdot with the old responders who actually know shit about IT would be perfect... because this slashdot has become horrible imho.
1. Re:Alternative to Slashdot??? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 18:36 · Score: 0
  
  You can try SoylentNews, maybe. Community's much smaller and has its share of crackpots, but there's a good balance of dissenting opinions modded up instead of echo chamber mod-bombing, and so far no articles of this type have shown up. It's more technical and science focused for the submissions generally, with some breaking news stuff and an occasional flamebait submission that gets called out as such. Anything that even LOOKS like it might be a veiled advert gets called out and ripped apart by the commentariat
  It's not perfect, but it's closer to the late 90s/early 2000s slashdot of old.
2. Re:Alternative to Slashdot??? by KGIII · 2016-02-13 11:20 · Score: 1
  
  You mean to tell me that you don't know that Slashdot has always had articles like this, about games, and such? If anything, the quality of the articles and the comments have improved, significantly, since the sale.
  No, Slashdot's always had this sort of thing. I kind of know this 'cause this is actually my second account, having lost track of the first one's email address and password... So, no... It's not ruined. It's not just about IT. In fact, the great thing about Slashdot is that you're not obligated to view articles that get your knickers in a knot. I'm sure you'll be a valued member of whatever community is you wander off to. The lack of your complaints will be golden silence.
  
  --
  "So long and thanks for all the fish."
Couch-coop is fun but not split screen by perlface · 2016-02-12 14:33 · Score: 1

I like games like Hell diver and diablo 3 for couch-coop fun. Split screen is too distracting for me - never liked it.
Loss of Couch CoOp by orlanz · 2016-02-12 15:37 · Score: 2

I really miss couch coop. I would give up a lot of today's graphic details to gain that back. That and good unique stories; rather than movie rehashes. Even if the story is a generic rehash. I am not really interested in creating clans, leader boards, who wasted a weekend doing what, etc. I just want a simple, fun game that when a friend comes over we can just start up and play. Having network capability and all is a plus, but can't be the core value.
I think the whole "fun" aspect of gaming has long died and I miss it. The last POS I bought was Destiny. CoD, Resistance 3, Crisis, MoH, etc are ok games. But I just can't get the feeling out of my head that I had more fun 8 years ago. The last fun games I played were Lost Planet 2, Army of Two, and Gears of War.
I guess I am an old fart and clearly not today's gaming demographic. It feels like today, all the game needs is a good marketing campaign. Maybe I will buy a PS4 this Christmas if this year's games live up to half their shiny.... but probably not. Certainly not falling for any pre-order bullshit.
1. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 19:09 · Score: 0
  
  There's actually quite a few games that support couch co-op. This site is very useful for finding them:
  http://www.co-optimus.com/
  For example, the recent Call of Duty: Black Ops III has couch co-op for the entire story-mode campaign.
  Enjoy!
2. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by SlappingOysters · 2016-02-12 21:29 · Score: 2
  
  Sounds like Gears of War 4 is keeping it - source
3. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by drinkypoo · 2016-02-12 23:05 · Score: 1
  
  The last POS I bought was Destiny. CoD, Resistance 3, Crisis, MoH, etc are ok games. But I just can't get the feeling out of my head that I had more fun 8 years ago. The last fun games I played were Lost Planet 2, Army of Two, and Gears of War.
  I just replayed LP2 on PC because it was recently on sale, holy crap it's so much nicer playing with a mouse and keyboard, shock amazement. As it turns out, LP3 is pretty good too. Not as good as you would have expected a sequel to LP2 to be, but the production value is very very high.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
4. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-13 19:50 · Score: 0
  
  yeah... game companys really want to sell one game copy and allow TWO people to play...
  when they could be selling TWO copys to let TWO people play...
  what you want is irrevelant. companys want money. first, last and always.
5. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-14 12:48 · Score: 0
  
  Maybe you are just getting too old for casual broshooters? There is a whole vibrant world of co-op gaming out there, you just aren't going to find it by looking at zero-risk genres and tired franchises.
6. Re:Loss of Couch CoOp by orlanz · 2016-02-14 12:56 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks for the link. Wow, my google-fu sucks. Anyway, I know about 1/2 those games and most of the remaining aren't that great. BUT, that still leaves a lot of really ok to good games to play. Rating system seems to align to my personal tastes too. Seems 2014 was the last good year for PS3, which is 2 years worth of games that I haven't touched. The last great game seems to be Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel; Oct 2014. Played it, but the remaining games of that time should keep me busy for the year. In November, I can check this site to see if the PS4 (or Xbox?) is worth it this year.
  Thanks again. Here is hoping this site doesn't get too popular. Then the Gods that Be will effect the rating system and site value.
inforVmative mareMare by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 19:16 · Score: -1

some of you have like they are Come of a skoLid dose and was taken over
Three things by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 19:53 · Score: 2, Insightful

1. Split-screen really only works on consoles.
2. No split-screen means every player needs to buy a copy.
3. As a matter of general principle, fuck Ubisoft.
Re:Meh, not getting it.... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 20:12 · Score: 0

Yes, really.
The dark zone outright encourages players to be literal backstabbing assholes. You can literally kill ANYONE, even your own "teammates", and steal their loot. Naturally, this means that (seemingly) everyone acts like a backstabbing asshole on the completely justified basis of 'well fuck you, thats how the game is designed!'
Re:Great, more Republican/CONservative pandering h by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-12 21:51 · Score: 0

no. it just isn't trying to be gawker media as much.
It's easy to understand by Chris+Mattern · 2016-02-13 00:23 · Score: 1

Split screen results in two people playing on one purchase. Get rid of it and now they have to buy it twice. What's hard to understand about that?
1. Re:It's easy to understand by Opportunist · 2016-02-13 01:03 · Score: 1
  
  That no split screen means I have no reason to get it in the first place 'cause I can't play it at my parties, resulting in zero purchases.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Re:Meh, not getting it.... by Opportunist · 2016-02-13 00:49 · Score: 2

An strange game. The only winning move is not to play it.

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Re:Interview is a load of bollocks. by Opportunist · 2016-02-13 01:02 · Score: 1

Corporations lie when they tell us about their motivations?
C'mon. Next you're gonna tell us that the always-online requirement in Sim City and the village-size maps were not to enhance our experience!

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Re: Meh, not getting it.... by slydder · 2016-02-13 02:05 · Score: 1

Where are my mod points!!?!?

--
IT Admins Group: Where you decide the content
Ubisoft = DRM mess by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-13 03:25 · Score: 0

Yeah, no way in hell ill ever buy another game that is in any way connected to ubisoft.
Re:Great, more Republican/CONservative pandering h by elrous0 · 2016-02-13 04:50 · Score: -1

You could always go over to Twitter. Once their new Ministry of Truth is up and running, with Anita Sarkessian at its head, you'll get all the liberal hugs you want and will never have to hear from anyone who disagrees with you ever again.

--
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Ubisoft loves DRM by Gravis+Zero · 2016-02-13 11:06 · Score: 1

fuck off Ubisoft.

--
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Killing the Golden Goose by Anonymous Coward · 2016-02-14 13:42 · Score: 0

Half of my fun playing games is split-screen co-op. Anymore my game buying decisions hinge solely on whether or not the game supports split-screen. While I enjoying online play, I also enjoy being in the same room and all of us yelling at the TV. Stop trying to turn us all into isolated islands of net connections who never see other humans in person.
Re:Meh, not getting it.... by ajarin · 2016-02-16 02:38 · Score: 1

What a terrible game. since when it happen?