cpp_is_king
Member
$100 games incoming.
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GI Biz: A developer sees model costs double for Durango sequel to Xbox 360 title
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It does indeed please me. I love the direction they're taking here. Very bold.
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
Am I crazy to think that next-gen games won't be $70-80 but possibly be $100?
Bah just buy them in bulk like I do. Always good to have a few polygons put aside for a rainy day. Screw triangles though I deal exclusively with trapezoids.
Games are going in that direction already, just not in an explicit manner.
Seems like with the next generation the console industry is looking to double down on making the core market pay more for each game. Or extract a fee out of those who buy used, which they've already started with online passes.
Which I guess makes sense when you consider that the growth prospects for the next generation of consoles, so far as the size of the userbase goes, aren't all that promising.
This for Christ sake.
Even the textures this gen, are probably downgraded and compressed for consoles, but the assets are done in high quality.. I really don't get this kind of HD cost talk.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
I'm ready then, I even got them in different colors
Triangle Depot, Polycounts be Damned!
I think that devs might just up port from the Wii U if this becomes the case, unless games are $70-$80 and sell really well on PS4/Xbox720, I don't see this generation repeating into the next, I see multiplatform games going across all 3 platforms and looking a lot closer to Wii U then not.
Either that or Japanese developers move to Wii U and a lot of western developers die off this gen, including THQ, who is already in big trouble.
Welcome to Australia/NZ, ahead of the curve.
It's completely and utterly illogical which makes me wonder about the author of the article. It says he has 30 years experience but shouldn't he know things like this?
Most publishers already charge $100+ for their games via DLC.
Just expect them to hide more behind the paywall.
Maybe it's a small studio, not really working that way. Then they surely need to adopt.
Acheteedo
Member
God forbid games get affected by inflation like every other product, and apparently rising dev costs aren't a good enough reason either. Games are cheaper than they've ever been, it can't stay that way forever.
LightofRohan
Member
Yea probably. Still cheaper then most hobbies with this much time to money ratio. Shit, I mean movies cost $35 new and are generally 1-2 hours w/ minimal content.
But like with any technology affiliated thing, you can wait it out for it to be cheaper. If you ever want something BRAND NEW it's costly.
Maybe I should look into reading more books...
Why not just slightly bump the texture/poly count of the models, go for simpler art styles that require less intensive art requirements, and throw all that power at IQ and cool things.
dragonelite
Member
The problem is games are entertainment not critical to life. So i dont think they have the way of forcing us to pay $70 for a game i would just wait a month and get it for $40.
Backfoggen
Banned
Kickstarter will take care of this.
so you love the direction but aren't ready to pay for it?
Who did he talk to that told him this? That's what I want to know. That studio is in massive trouble next gen that's for sure.
LightofRohan
Member
Haha I was almost thinking it'd be a cool idea for every big title to have a Kickstarter associated with it. So those that want can aid in the development cycle. But that would lead to way too many problems..
I agree with the point you're trying to make, but most developers are in a suicidal game of chicken in approaching rising budgets so it's never going to happen.
There's always been opportunities to make things just run better, but people always choose the top-of-the-line graphics over performance. We could have locked most games into looking like PS2 games this gen and had 60fps and 1080p, yet most devs decided that people care more about the wow factor of the graphics as a driver of hype and sales. So they responded to that economic reality by pushing all sorts of effects on screen regardless of whether it could handle it.
Why would it change next time?
dragonelite
Member
That is the problem he just throws it in the article and from my feeling completely out of context. If i were a dev i would be afraid giving a interview that will be typed out instead of video recording. And if they type it out i want to see the version that goes online. Just saying stuff like X region is behind and i can already see the N4G articles pop up.
There are plenty of products that don't experience inflation, and regularly experience deflation. Consumer electronics for example.
Most products that experience consistent inflation tend to be staple goods.
You only need to look at Ubisoft, who aren't even waiting for the next generation to massively increase their development costs with Assassin's Creed 3.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Kickstart such and such title
10 months later, Game cancelled
Backers: WAT?!?, Refund
Kickstarter Company: Welcome to
Yeah it's nice to be a leader in the games industry in some way.
Acheteedo
Member
It'll take longer to get to $40, and in the meantime more money will be made.
It doesn't matter anyway, since the games industry has been forced to keep the prices the same, we're getting attacked from every other angle instead. Second hand sales being axed, microtransactions, day 1 DLC etc.
Backers: Welcome to the court!
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Kickstarter Company: Our Publishers Lawyers Welcome You... LAWL!
Exactly, when given the choice, megapublishers are going to go big over being modest, because it's the only thing that separates them from the little publishers/developers. It's idiotic and is the kind of mentality that kills a company after a single mistake, but most of them have this blind faith they can ride a couple of super budget franchises annually without running them into the ground.
Acheteedo
Member
Don't the production costs get cheaper for consumer electronics? We see that with the consoles themselves, the prices can be dropped because the unit costs a fraction to produce than what it used to.
BlackIronCount
Member
i fear the need of even bigger budget for next gen development, would make lots of japanese dev get even more focused on handheld compared to this gen.
Sounds like nonsense to me. Especially the notion that there needs to be a higher budget for better textures.
Now to be fair, I'm no texture artist, but as far as I know textures are usually created at an extremely high resolution and then scaled down. Similarly with character models, where there are usually multiple characters models in place for gameplay and cutscenes. All in all this sounds like just another excuse to up the prices. And if there is some form of truth to all of this then they should focus less on improved assets and instead go for improved resolution, framerate and AA. Not every game has to look like the prettiest game in the world. How about you dazzle us with creativity instead? You know, instead of giving us the same crap in a new and more expensive coat of paint.
Now to be fair, I'm no texture artist, but as far as I know textures are usually created at an extremely high resolution and then scaled down. Similarly with character models, where there are usually multiple characters models in place for gameplay and cutscenes. All in all this sounds like just another excuse to up the prices. And if there is some form of truth to all of this then they should focus less on improved assets and instead go for improved resolution, framerate and AA. Not every game has to look like the prettiest game in the world. How about you dazzle us with creativity instead? You know, instead of giving us the same crap in a new and more expensive coat of paint.
Thing is, even that arena is becoming rather expensive too, especially if you want to compete with the big fish. We're talking near Gamecube/Wii and PS3-level assets for 3DS and Vita respectively, though those can be circumvented with some smart design choices and planning.
Exactly, also doubling the budget for models != doubling the budget
jono51
Banned
Welcome to $80 retail games and the only people making them being EA, Acti & ubi?
Looking at what happened to Japanese development with rising dev costs this gen, next gen I can't see them making games on anything other than WiiU & handhelds. (Outside of perhaps SE).
A shenmue 3 $500m kickstarter? 
Looking at what happened to Japanese development with rising dev costs this gen, next gen I can't see them making games on anything other than WiiU & handhelds. (Outside of perhaps SE).
dragonelite
Member
I think the industry will adept.
I can see publisher making their own in house engine like Ea did with Dice and FrostBite 2.0.
It would save costs to hire for every studio a complete engineering team. So each studio has like 3 or 4 engineers for specialized modules to add to the engine for their game.
Streamline the art pipeline should be possible with higher polybudget. Maybe even automate some parts of it. Like having a million polygon source model will be easier to make a 50k+ model out of it then a 20k one automatic. I could see Mega Meshes making Level editing easier.
I can see publisher making their own in house engine like Ea did with Dice and FrostBite 2.0.
It would save costs to hire for every studio a complete engineering team. So each studio has like 3 or 4 engineers for specialized modules to add to the engine for their game.
Streamline the art pipeline should be possible with higher polybudget. Maybe even automate some parts of it. Like having a million polygon source model will be easier to make a 50k+ model out of it then a 20k one automatic. I could see Mega Meshes making Level editing easier.
Christ guys, a big bucket can also carry a small amount of water.
Game developers need to quit being so god damn stupid and begin understanding that cost structure is important and not every player can be raining down blockbuster titles. EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Take Two and whatever firms get support by the console producers can maybe play in that field but everyone else is stupid to chase them.
If developers find it too costly and time consuming to keep up with the graphics, then provide depth or good writing or 60fps/1080p or genres and settings we don't see very often. A better canvas or superior tools have never forced anyone to be less creative or less successful. Explore new avenues of differentiation than purely who can render the most realistic gun barrel or destroyed city.
The film industry didn't die because blockbusters cost $200mm, because smaller players provide different and valued products compared to blockbusters.
Game developers need to quit being so god damn stupid and begin understanding that cost structure is important and not every player can be raining down blockbuster titles. EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Take Two and whatever firms get support by the console producers can maybe play in that field but everyone else is stupid to chase them.
If developers find it too costly and time consuming to keep up with the graphics, then provide depth or good writing or 60fps/1080p or genres and settings we don't see very often. A better canvas or superior tools have never forced anyone to be less creative or less successful. Explore new avenues of differentiation than purely who can render the most realistic gun barrel or destroyed city.
The film industry didn't die because blockbusters cost $200mm, because smaller players provide different and valued products compared to blockbusters.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Near Future
Call of Duty: Space Warfare
Retail $99.99
Elite Sub $69.99
PR Release
COD = $1.35 BILLION
Budget = $150 Million
Rest of the Industry = $300-$500 Million dollar projects green-lighted for the "Me Too" syndrome
Call of Duty: Space Warfare
Retail $99.99
Elite Sub $69.99
PR Release
COD = $1.35 BILLION
Budget = $150 Million
Rest of the Industry = $300-$500 Million dollar projects green-lighted for the "Me Too" syndrome
I'll say this: I'm loving it, umm.., as a spectator.
It'll be fascinating to see how the market responds.
KingJ2002
Member
yeah... likewise. there's no way companies can continue like this.
jump_button
Banned
I can see alot of devs not trying that hard Look at PC games most gen you can look at the top end of games on PC to see what coming when you look now they not that much better
Right, and equipment a developer needs to make a game is constantly getting cheaper and more accessible, which is why self-publishing and digital distribution are becoming so prevalent.
The problem with applying the inflation argument to videogame prices is that the bulk of the increase in development costs is self-determined because they're working with larger teams to try and make bigger, more complex, high-fidelity titles. It's not like the wages they pay suddenly skyrocketed by 200%.
In fact a lot of companies, like Ubisoft, employ cheap labor overseas for the more mundane parts of asset creation.
Stuff like this is already happening, and not only at the bigger studios. I have really no idea where that nonsense interview comes from. And not every game needs a "high poly count" just because it's on next gen systems, that totally depends.
Which is ultimately self-defeating. Even if Gamers pay those prices, they'll do it by buying fewer games, which is another trend we're starting to see.
The PC looks a lot more attractive in comparison, as do handhelds. I think, at a minimum, we see a console crash in Japan next-gen (less space for consoles, less friendly environment for DLC) , if not worldwide. The crash will mostly be on the hardware makers, as the PC will still be around , and I don't think Windows 8 will be as damaging as some people think.
What does that have to do with anything?
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