Steam box approaching.

[Vympel]

Funny enough the Wii has done nearly as much as both the PS3 and 360 combined worldwide. (94 mil Wii to 65 mil 360/62 PS3 mil)

Yeah, but no one buys games for it anymore.

[weemadando]

Another question I would like to see answered - if they are actually going to have multiple "storefronts" on this system, will they demand the concession from their partners that they must use SteamWorks for matchmaking, friends lists etc?

It's bad enough for experienced pc folk trying to manage layers of friends lists, logins and matchmaking services. If they're wanting to be more consumer friendly, then that's a huge issue.

[VF5SS]

So what happens if the next Gen consoles allow mods? UH OH!!

We already have character, map, and mission editors, we don't need people screwing around with stuff just for engine breaking lulz. There's like one in a thousand mods that ever make good on PC. Most of them are just attempts by brand slaves to update and fix old broken games like the Mektek jerks.

[Mr Bean]

It's the main sticking point I can see is the extra's like friend lists, matchmaking and the like. EA has a stick up their ass about setting up new Ghetto's for each new game so you have to start and create new friends lists for each individual game. And I can't see how without a pile of cash they will give up their tiny empire building.

[weemadando]

We (read I) are a dedicated (read utterly unskilled and lazy) team looking to make a XCOM total conversion for this game. We need (insert list of every technical skill imaginable).

Last updated: 2 weeks before the game came out.

The mod scene is fucking fucked.

[Stark]

Ando, they'd need to pool stuff like voice and matchmaking anyway; third party shit can deal with it so let's hope Valve can. Exclusives will be a problem, but there's no way around that for them anyway.

[Havok]

Were I Valve I'd again hit the tie in market and have someone (Madcats?) get a something bundled in so it can take any controller. You can play on the Steambox with everything from an Atari 2600 controller to a Kinetic motion sensor. Something like that for a single controller would add two dollars to the price and they can use it as an awesome bizarre marketing point.

Sooo... what you are saying is that the Steambox will end up needing a different controller for all the different games that developers make... just... like... PC. Uh huh, what a great marketing point.

So what happens if the next Gen consoles allow mods? UH OH!!

Microsoft is a fucking computer software company. I'm sure they have programs just sitting around that would allow customers to mod games, and if they don't, they can have one by the end of the day.

Havok, there are few PC gamers willing to pay 15$ for a multiplayer map pack. But on Consoles they have no choice. There's a reason why Skyrim was supposed to have mods on the 360 but got axed by Microsoft because they want to charge for that.

I can understand that. It would cut into their Twinkie budget.

What is going to make the PS3 and Xbox360 owners of today, that encompass THE ENTIRE CONSOLE MARKET (The Wii is a gimmick)

Funny enough the Wii has done nearly as much as both the PS3 and 360 combined worldwide. (94 mil Wii to 65 mil 360/62 PS3 mil)

How many of those Wii owners ONLY own a Wii?

[weemadando]

Sounds like it's a case of confusion.

Gabe Newell has said at GDC that they aren't making a Steambox, but had been seeking hardware partners to test the new ten foot interface with.

In even weirder news, apparently Cliff Bleszinski just told the audience at GDC to walk away from MS, Sony, Nintendo, iOS & Android and just develop for PC. Interested to hear his reasoning for that.

[MKSheppard]

The mod scene is fucking fucked.

Games have just exploded in complexity/quality requirements really. If you want a decent conversion or mod, you need some really dedicated people; with a lot of skills, as opposed to the early mod scene in the good old days.

Those skilled people have better things to do with their time than work on an unpaid project.

[weemadando]

No, I meant that the majority of the mod scene is up its own arse on a misguided, extended nostalgia trip, dedicated to remaking remakes of shit mods of shit games for eternity.

It's fucking laughable.

For every genuinely interesting new idea, we've got half a gajillion Tacticool shooters following the EXACT counterstrike formula and zombie survival games mimicking L4D mindlessly and "WE MAED FEMALE CHARACTERS TITS BIGGER AND HER NAKED" mods.

Seriously, go on ModDB and try digging through the endlessly repetitive, formulaic, plagiarised shit for that one mod that is actually worth your time.

[weemadando]

And Rock Paper Shotgun clarified Cliff's statement. He was addressing smaller and start up devs, telling them to avoid the shitty contracts and heavy restrictions of the closed marketplaces (and in particular, ghettos like XBLIG) in favour of going on PC and using the established and growing indie games market there - as unless you can produce a big budget A level game out of the gate, you're competing in the wrong areas. Prove your ability on PC, test your business on mobile, then look to console...

Nothing really new.