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THQ Nordic kinda disappointed by the Switch's power
- Thread starter Nere
- Start date
Man, sometimes THQ Nordic makes no sense. Why did they release Darksiders Warmastered on the Wii U in 2017 and not the Switch? That game ran in 1080p on Wii U and I'm sure would run great on Switch.
They also released quite a few games on Wii U like Darksiders 2 and Legend of Kay. Why is the Switch's power an issue but Wii U's wasn't?
They also released quite a few games on Wii U like Darksiders 2 and Legend of Kay. Why is the Switch's power an issue but Wii U's wasn't?
Come now that's no way to act.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
Yes, but this is a tech based thread so i dont know what your point is?
OdysseusVA
Banned
As did most people
The trouble is, what western developer is interesting in making AAA handheld games?
If it is the most powerful handheld, then it isn't much better for third party support.
It's not just one publisher. You ain't gonna see Red Dead Redemption 2 on Switch either.
And THQ would like to bring more games to Switch but due to its underpowered hardware, they don't see that as possible. No need to be butthurt about a publisher saying not-so-good things about a console.
LordKasual
Banned
You guys really must not understand just how far behind modern consoles are as far as GPU and CPU power goes.
The PS4 was technically already weak compared to PCs when it was released. The Switch was a 2017 release and it's even weaker.
Of course people are disappointed by it.
And honestly, as artistically beautiful as Breath of the Wild is, it looks pretty mediocre as far as modern games go. Aliasing, alot of pop-in, LoD cutoff is quite close, low resolution textures, ect ect.
BotW and Odyssey are just examples of Nintendo knowing how to make shit look good with the tools they have. Take Nintendo out of the equation, and yeah, the Switch's horsepower may seem problematic.
Well I dunno about that, unless you just mean GAF, then sure.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
But it would sell even less. The major selling point of the Switch is that it's a console you can take on the go, and it actually works. That's the important part. People are amazed that Nintendo actually did it.
Alexander DeLarge
Member
If it wasn't powerful enough to accommodate people's needs, maybe they shouldn't have done a hybrid console yet. I say this as a Switch owner but I certainly didn't buy it for third party software.
Dark Ninja
Member
If it takes effort certain developers and publishers will be disappointed by it.
JonnyDBrit
Member
I think in this case Nordic are, much like posters in this thread, wishing for something more idyllic even if it doesn't necessarily gel well with what we know of the Switch's nature and its production. It's not necessarily a position rooted in 'we think they clearly could have done this because of X, Y, Z', so much as 'but wouldn't it be nice...?'
The Tegra X2, though it exists, would have been a relatively late, significant change in the hardware if they had tried to opt for that over the X1. Nvidia would have also likely been more willing to part with the X1 at a reduced cost than they would the X2. The Switch ultimately makes sense for what was available to Nintendo at the time for the purposes they required.
The Tegra X2, though it exists, would have been a relatively late, significant change in the hardware if they had tried to opt for that over the X1. Nvidia would have also likely been more willing to part with the X1 at a reduced cost than they would the X2. The Switch ultimately makes sense for what was available to Nintendo at the time for the purposes they required.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
Yes, and again, this is a thread based on "satisfaction with the power of the machine". In that aspect, i dont care how much it sells or doesnt. It is strictly speaking on what you think about the technical capabilities of the machine.
Mister Wolf
Member
Whatever you say about BOTW its leaps and bounds above Battle Chasers. Where do you think the struggle to run Battle Chasers is coming from?
It's THE most powerful handheld. They're either asking for another PS4 level console or a 400+ dollar handheld with minimal gains.
The Wii sold gangbusters despite wiimotes being gimmicky crap. It's not mutually exclusive.
OuterLimits
Member
Nintendo would have been idiotic to make a traditional home console that is having to directly compete with the other two.
Instead they smartly focused on a system that could be used as a portable as well. With Sony abandoning this market, it pretty much leaves them as the only viable option for those that like handheld games. With a nice bonus of being able to play it on a TV as well.
Instead they smartly focused on a system that could be used as a portable as well. With Sony abandoning this market, it pretty much leaves them as the only viable option for those that like handheld games. With a nice bonus of being able to play it on a TV as well.
Alexander DeLarge
Member
I don't think it's reasonable to expect third party to specifically develop a Switch version separate from current gen Xbox/Playstation/PC versions because the processing just doesn't hold up. Either developers hold back to accommodate Nintendo's for the sake of efficiency or they butcher their games to accommodate Nintendo's. Neither is a great solution.
Good for a handheld. A gen ahead of the Vita an two over the 3DS. THQN even said they expected a 3DS successor, so dont bring that Nintendo says its a console crap.
nogoodnamesleft
Banned
Why does nearly every switch thread trying to discuss the technical aspects of the machine end up with defensive "BUT SALES!!!!1111" comments?
We get it, its selling well, and its going to get good support because of that. We get that.
This has nothing to do with discussing how satisfied or dissatisfied we are with the power of the console.
We get it, its selling well, and its going to get good support because of that. We get that.
This has nothing to do with discussing how satisfied or dissatisfied we are with the power of the console.
Mister Wolf
Member
It was the same thing with I Am Setsuna. You telling me Mario Odyssey is 60fps but I Am Setsuna had to be 30fps on the Switch? I'm calling bullshit.
One designed for baseline PS4/XB1 specs? Those specs aren't really "beefy" anyway. The switch is just below the standard for the generation. This obviously means games designed for those systems will be difficult/impossible to port sometimes. It's a gamble Nintendo obviously was willing to take, and the fans should accept that they took that gamble. I have a switch and I understand this as well.
SinCityAssassin
Member
I just lament the fact that now everyone will be talking back and forth about the Switch's power and THQ Nordic's capability as a developer and not about the actual article, which is actually pretty interesting. They're talking about they're trying to learn from the previous mistakes from THQ, like focusing on more serious looking games, and not trying to spread themselves thin with so many games in development.
BlackBanditSho
Member
I still don't understand why whenever people mention ports, they talk about PS4 or XB1. PS3 and Xbox 360 should be the goal. Now if the hubbub is that Switch can't handle those games, we've got the makings of a good conversation.
Remember that "Gaf only likes bad news" thread ?
It's using Unity which has trouble running even on XB1 and PS4 and since three out of the four platforms Battle Chasers is coming for are more powerful, they just might be doing things under the hood in a way that doesn't translate well to running on an inferior hardware without doing bigger changes/adjustments/tons of optimization. Nowadays even smaller games might do some pretty intense stuff under the hood so just because they aren't open world games like BOTW it doesn't mean you can run them on modern toasters.
Blackleg-sanji1
Banned
I think they're going to come out swinging with darksiders 3 and go up from there I think they can do it
OmegaDL50
Member
With a handheld device of the Switch's form factor, I don't know many other devices that surpass it. This factors Apple and Android devices within the Switch price range too.
Even if we get beyond the Switch price range most of the high end expensive mobile options in the Switch form factor generally don't provide the same sort of experiences to had in a console-like experience the Switch provides.
Then again it is a unrealistic expectation and scenario to expect PS4 Pro level fidelity in the form factor the Switch has, especially with reasonable battery capacity pushing those levels of visuals IN 2017 EVEN.
Mister Wolf
Member
So Unity is a piece of shit engine that developers love to use.
/thread
If they indeed are disappointed then let them be, don't know why anyone would get mad at that statement. I'm sure they're not the only ones who have that opinion as I think there are several western developers who see the Switch as a home console with portable capabilities.
This has nothing to do with the whole subject though?
Serenitynow
Member
My point is that Nintendo was correct for going for the tech they did if it was necessary for them to achieve the Switch's form factor. They clearly have a stronger understanding of the hardware market than THQ Nordic.
It absolutely does. It'd be like if I was a developer and said, "I'm kinda disappointed with the 3DS power..." Like, it's main appeal isn't power. Get over it. In fact, the Switch's power is actual pretty impressive for what it is going for. And the sales prove Nintendo was right to go down that route. So who cares what THQ Nordic thinks about the Switch's power? Definitely not Nintendo...
Lord of Ostia
Member
Im pretty certain that 90% of this disappointment is related to Darksiders 3 not working on the platform.
Mister Wolf
Member
What was so impressive under the hood about I Am Setsuna that it had to be 30fps on the Switch?
And what does that look like?
We're past stuff where games like FFXIII (and probably XV too) can run on the Switch after all.
On top of that a strictly turn based system doesn't require that much computation where shit like pokemon can run on a fucking 3DS and be mightily more complicated than most turn based system.
WTF are they doing that is turnbased and requires that kind of specs?
I mean sure games like DKCTR cannot run on anything but WiiU for example but you will never see anyone make the argument that it couldn't be made to accommodate lower specs either.
What part of the experience requires something that is so beyond what the Switch offers?
It's good to see THQ Nordic are willing to straighten up after their previous terrible antics but come Sin, you've been here long enough mate. Reading the article is for sissies!
Expect a move onto Nintendo's mobile app/voice chat/online shenanigans once the Spla2n Direct is over.
Kelegacy
XBOX - RECORD ME LOVING DOWN MY WOMAN GOOD
But is it a handheld? If so, yes it's the most powerful dedicated handheld. Is it a console? If so, it's weaker than consoles released in 2013.
So, it's a toss-up. It's all about perception. I think Nintendo sees it as a console first, so in that respect, it's weak.
It doesn't mean that's a bad thing necessarily, but more power would always be nice for third parties that have to develop for 2 much more powerful systems.
Wii U's power is an issue - Warmastered runs like shit on it. And they had plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the hardware - same can't be said of any developer launching a big game this early in Switches life (probably why we haven't seen one yet).
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
No amount of optimization is going to make Zelda look like Horizon.
Schnozberry
Member
Unity is an engine with nice tools and is pretty much universally supported from a platform standpoint. That being said, it's never been easy to get great performance from it, and many unity games reflect that.
It's a piece of shit in the sense that it is often very CPU bound, which is unfortunately a weakness for all current consoles, even moreso with the Switch. Obviously it has some other issues as well, but ease of development makes it worthwhile for a lot of developers though.
This seems like a nothing headline, and a bit warped. The overall article itself is much more interesting than what was pulled out here. I think everyone is aware that the Switch is a low power device, that may or may not cause porting issues depending on the game.
Polygonal_Sprite
Gold Member
It's a tablet brah, how 'beefy' do you want it while maintaining a minimum of 2.5 hours of battery life and a sub $300 price tag?
Man, these posts. It is not a "piece of shit". It is a cheap engine that is quite comprehensive for the price, very easy to use, has a robust community supporting it, and lets you deploy to many platforms, including mobile. Most of those platforms handle it relatively well. Switch is the exception I guess. Without it, we wouldn't have gotten many awesome games, including:
Kentucky Route Zero, Teslagrad, Broforce, Dreamfall Chapters, Endless Legend, Hearthstone, Square Enix Go series, Oddworld remake, Cities: Skylines, Grow Home, Ori and the Blind Forest, Pillars of Eternity, Firewatch, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Oxenfree, Overcooked, Pokemon Go, Superhot, Super Mario Run, and many more.
The only piece of shit here is your post.
It's not necessarily about "part of the experience". Do you understand programming? Engines? Software development isn't magic. If you build your game assuming a certain set of resources, it might be difficult to decouple the assumptions and make them scale for lower resources. Sometimes that's trivial, sometimes it isn't.
Most platforms can brute force Unity for all its issues. Switch does not have all that extra power to brute force. Unity managed to get as successful as they did because Unreal dragged their feet on costs for as long as they did. If they had opted to be more competitive earlier Unity would never have gotten as large as it has.