CM Cameron
10-24-2007, 06:46 PM
Unfortunately, for PS3 owners, it appears that the online portion of Blacksite: Area 51 will be very bare bones when compared to the 360's features.
Source (opposablethumbs.com) (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/10/23/blacksite-omissions)
If you were thinking about picking up Blacksite: Area 51 for the PlayStation 3 or PC, you may want to think again. In a recent hands-on with the title, IGN found out that the PlayStation 3 and possibly the PC version of the game will have severely handicapped multiplayer options compared to the Xbox 360 release.
The IGN preview notes a variety of omissions, including some that are fundamental for most online shooters these days. First and foremost, online co-op has been gutted, which in its own right is a little disappointing—but vaguely familiar. However, some of the other issues are far more troubling. From the text of the preview:
With the Xbox 360 version of the game, players will be able to play ranked and unranked matches, and voice support will have constant chatter for teammates while everyone will be able to hear each other if they're close enough, regardless of which team they're on. Unfortunately, the PlayStation 3 version will feature none of these options, and PC support is TBD.
Blacksite: Area 51 is being billed as a sleeper hit. Ben enjoyed his time with the title, citing the atmosphere and saying that the single player experience as gripping, while I was rather indifferent due to the caliber of other releases we saw. However, with the multiplayer side of games becoming increasingly important, it's going to be hard to justify the full price of the non-Xbox 360 versions of the game, given that the single player action is a big unknown.
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It also seems that the PS3 version of Blacksite is running into multiple development problems.
Source (opposablethumbs.com) (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/10/24/industry-insider-blacksite-area-51)
Yesterday, we talked a bit about Blacksite: Area 51 and the missing online features in the PlayStation 3 version. Since that story ran, an insider contacted us to say the PS3 version's problems may run deeper than a lack of voice chat.
"The PS3 version is experiencing issues and missed deadlines," he tells us. The insider also notes Midway's unhappiness with these issues; the PS3 demo and launch will likely end up being delayed as a result.
"Midway isn't happy at all about the progress, and it's a story I've heard over and over this year across the industry when it comes to the PS3 and cross-platform titles," the insider states.
The Unreal Engine powers Blacksite, which presents the possibility that the engine itself is leading to development problems. Midway's other big PS3 releases of Stranglehold and Unreal Tournament 3 have also seen long delays.
Sadly, the problems with Blacksite: Area 51 only further the growing list of problematic multiplatform releases on the PS3, and could reinforce the qualms about working with the Unreal Engine among multiplatform developers.
__________________________________________________ ______________
It's times like these that make me wish Sarcastic Gamer had a "DOH!" emoticon.
Source (opposablethumbs.com) (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/10/23/blacksite-omissions)
If you were thinking about picking up Blacksite: Area 51 for the PlayStation 3 or PC, you may want to think again. In a recent hands-on with the title, IGN found out that the PlayStation 3 and possibly the PC version of the game will have severely handicapped multiplayer options compared to the Xbox 360 release.
The IGN preview notes a variety of omissions, including some that are fundamental for most online shooters these days. First and foremost, online co-op has been gutted, which in its own right is a little disappointing—but vaguely familiar. However, some of the other issues are far more troubling. From the text of the preview:
With the Xbox 360 version of the game, players will be able to play ranked and unranked matches, and voice support will have constant chatter for teammates while everyone will be able to hear each other if they're close enough, regardless of which team they're on. Unfortunately, the PlayStation 3 version will feature none of these options, and PC support is TBD.
Blacksite: Area 51 is being billed as a sleeper hit. Ben enjoyed his time with the title, citing the atmosphere and saying that the single player experience as gripping, while I was rather indifferent due to the caliber of other releases we saw. However, with the multiplayer side of games becoming increasingly important, it's going to be hard to justify the full price of the non-Xbox 360 versions of the game, given that the single player action is a big unknown.
__________________________________________________ ______________
It also seems that the PS3 version of Blacksite is running into multiple development problems.
Source (opposablethumbs.com) (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/10/24/industry-insider-blacksite-area-51)
Yesterday, we talked a bit about Blacksite: Area 51 and the missing online features in the PlayStation 3 version. Since that story ran, an insider contacted us to say the PS3 version's problems may run deeper than a lack of voice chat.
"The PS3 version is experiencing issues and missed deadlines," he tells us. The insider also notes Midway's unhappiness with these issues; the PS3 demo and launch will likely end up being delayed as a result.
"Midway isn't happy at all about the progress, and it's a story I've heard over and over this year across the industry when it comes to the PS3 and cross-platform titles," the insider states.
The Unreal Engine powers Blacksite, which presents the possibility that the engine itself is leading to development problems. Midway's other big PS3 releases of Stranglehold and Unreal Tournament 3 have also seen long delays.
Sadly, the problems with Blacksite: Area 51 only further the growing list of problematic multiplatform releases on the PS3, and could reinforce the qualms about working with the Unreal Engine among multiplatform developers.
__________________________________________________ ______________
It's times like these that make me wish Sarcastic Gamer had a "DOH!" emoticon.