Witcher 2 Xbox 360 console exclusivity explained

[Sub-stance1]

I'm not really into RPGs so much but I may just give this one a shot. Apparently CDP is a small team and chose 360 for now. I think this will make it to PS3 sooner or later. Glad its coming to 360 first though.

If you're looking for a game to drag you kicking and screaming away from Skyrim, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings may be up to the task. It's a completely different kind of RPG, but it scratches much the same colossal pence-per-hour itch. Speaking to OXM in our new issue, on shelves next week, CD Projekt's Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and Jakub Stylinski explained how the PC epic found its way to Xbox 360... but not to PS3.
"It's our first experience with consoles - we've only worked on the PC until now, and we wanted to make a really good adaptation of our game," Tomaszkiewicz began. We've used the same team who worked on the PC version to make a really good adaptation.
"We've used the same team who worked on the PC version to make the transition to Xbox, mainly because when we tried to outsource the first Witcher, it ended up being a bad experience. We could have tried to bring it to other consoles, but we just wanted to focus on the one platform.""Our team isn't that large - we can't focus on three platforms at once," Stylinski put in. "What we're doing now is making the same additional content for PC and Xbox, and if we were working on PS3 too we just wouldn't be able to get it all done."
Porting the further adventures of Geralt (the Witcher of the title) to Xbox had its share of challenges. "I think the memory limits were the biggest problem," Stylinski mused. "You know we wanted to make the game look as good as the PC version.
"So the majority of work was done by the programmers who had to create a new kind of streaming to feed the console. The art assets are one thing, but we also had to figure out a way of streaming all the quests in too. We had to cut each of the main quests into many smaller parts and that means - because you have more quest parts on Xbox - there are more gameplay sections to debug and polish."
Worried by all this talk of cutting back? Fear not - the core game hasn't been altered. "We didn't have to alter the content of the quests at all, but we just split them into smaller chunks."
The Witcher 2 is out on 17th April in the UK and Europe. Read all about it and other candidates for Skyrim's throne in OXM 83, landing 22nd February. You'd be reading the issue now if you'd set up a subscription. Just thought we'd point that out.
http://www.oxm.co.uk/38960/witcher-2...ity-explained/

[MGSfan]

I think they went with the 360 because it's easier to port.

I really want to play this game but my computer can't handle it

[Inzane2050]

That would make sense I guess. And this is there first time working with consoles. I'm sure fitting to 512MB was a bitch, lol. The PS3 will be that much harder with only 256MB of memory for the console to work with.

[Sufi]

That would make sense I guess. And this is there first time working with consoles. I'm sure fitting to 512MB was a bitch, lol. The PS3 will be that much harder with only 256MB of memory for the console to work with.

Well, with the advancements, I'm sure they can get more than 256MB out of it as far as RAM needed for graphics.

I'm sure it wasn't a bitch for them to fit the game on the 360...just that the transition was probably tough. Had they made the game from scratch, it would've been done better but porting is easier...though again I'm sure trying to decide what's important and what's not is likely a big issue.

It's the same issue DICE had to deal with, also Bethesda.

One thing to note is that the game likely doesn't need a lot of VRAM to begin with, PC is an open platform and even after that, the minimum card required is likely 256MB.

[BoyBettaKnow]

Minimum for TW2 is 512mb

[Sufi]

even so, it's hard to compare it to a closed system. generally the number will be inflated for the PC configuration. but since it's a port, there will obviously be noticeable issues on the PS3 as opposed to the 360. Though both will have issues compared to PC. 360 doesn't have 512 all available to VRAM either.

[Inzane2050]

Sufi~

Yes, but it takes a special kind of developer to properly make use of the Cell BE for visuals. Only a few developers out there have been able to pull it off, especially given that the Cell BE has its own physical constraints. Tho I suppose the Cell BE being used for texture streaming can solve a lot of problems for a PS3 port, but this game is still definitely massive and with real-time loading of the maps (no load screens); and these can prove problematic.

[BoyBettaKnow]

There are loading screens when you leave from one area to another iirc

[Inzane2050]

Not as much as other games. A lot of the exploring has very few loading screens.

[TEJ2025]

I'm not really into RPGs so much but I may just give this one a shot. Apparently CDP is a small team and chose 360 for now. I think this will make it to PS3 sooner or later. Glad its coming to 360 first though.

Why are you glad it came to the 360 first?

[Sub-stance1]

Why are you glad it came to the 360 first?

We would probably be waiting til 2013 if they were working on multiple console versions. Plus it's cool that the 360 gets another console exclusive title. It shows that MS are working to get more core exclusive content on xbox which is a good thing.

[Inzane2050]

Microsoft didn't do anything with this. But that aside, don't be a corporate cheerleader, foo!

Some nice info here tho on how CD Projekt apparently like to roll:

Developer CD Projekt Red has said it would “love” to bring critically acclaimed RPG The Witcher II to PlayStation 3.

The fantasy sequel launched last month for PC and CD’s already confirmed that it is beavering away on an Xbox 360 version for release later in the year.

Chatting with Eurogamer, senior producer Tomasz Gop said the Polish company is eager to get a PS3 version out the door.

"The technology, the Red engine, is capable of doing all three: PS3, Xbox 360 and PC," said Gop. "We are focused on Xbox 360 right now. Obviously that doesn't mean we would not like to do PS3 later on in line, like next after that. We would love to. Yes, I can say we would love to."

Gop further added that CD is currently on the lookout for a PS3 developer in order to facilitate The Witcher II’s transition to Sony’s flagship box.

[BoyBettaKnow]

Not as much as other games. A lot of the exploring has very few loading screens.

Oh, really?

This is the first RPG that i've ever actually given any time (and i really enjoyed it, makes me think i should play some others)so i'm not really sure how the other games do it.

[Sub-stance1]

Microsoft didn't do anything with this. But that aside, don't be a corporate cheerleader, foo!

You are naive if you think they didn't. How is wanting more exclusive content on 360 being a cheerleader? Its no different than others cheering for exclusives on other platforms.

[Sufi]

Sufi~

Yes, but it takes a special kind of developer to properly make use of the Cell BE for visuals. Only a few developers out there have been able to pull it off, especially given that the Cell BE has its own physical constraints. Tho I suppose the Cell BE being used for texture streaming can solve a lot of problems for a PS3 port, but this game is still definitely massive and with real-time loading of the maps (no load screens); and these can prove problematic.

Yea, I agree that they will get more issues with the PS3 than the 360. I don't know who developed the game but it seems to me that they're likely PC developers (since they didn't even announce it for the consoles until now) and so the PS3 might get the biggest shaft.

[Sub-stance1]

The studio has already stated that if the game comes to PS3 it would be by another developer. One of the reasons they chose xbox360 is because they have people that are already familiar with 360 development.

[Sufi]

The studio has already stated that if the game comes to PS3 it would be by another developer. One of the reasons they chose xbox360 is because they have people that are already familiar with 360 development.

Well, I mean, it's pretty close to the PC structure so that right there gives it the edge with PC devs.

[Inzane2050]

What CD Projekt meant by "they are looking for another developer to facilitate the transition of Witcher 2 to the PS3," they mean they want to find developers to help CD Project do the port as a collaboration.

[Sub-stance1]

What CD Projekt meant by "they are looking for another developer to facilitate the transition of Witcher 2 to the PS3," they mean they want to find developers to help CD Project do the port as a collaboration.

I don't think they ever stated that. My thought is that PS3 development is just too much of a risk for them. I'm thinking they want another studio who is more familiar with PS3 development do the project. Its possible that they just don't have the resources to cover a more expensive PS3 version.

[Inzane2050]

You are saying they don't have the resources to do it themselves, and yet they have the money to hire someone else for it. It's not very sensible if you think about it. Developers don't just handover their engine tools and say "have fun with it. See you in three months." These things are always done as a collaboration with other developers to speed things up. Smaller developers do this all of the time. That and CD Projekt could do a lot better port if they were working with someone accustomed to working with the PS3 hardware, flaws and all, of course.

[Minnzy]

I should actually give the Witcher 2 another shot, kinda didn't do it for me but I was very drunk all 6 times I decided to try and play it

[Sub-stance1]

You are saying they don't have the resources to do it themselves, and yet they have the money to hire someone else for it. It's not very sensible if you think about it. Developers don't just handover their engine tools and say "have fun with it. See you in three months." These things are always done as a collaboration with other developers to speed things up. Smaller developers do this all of the time.

Most likely the studio isn't gonna foot the bill. This comes down to who will publish it. What I'm getting from all this is that the publisher didn't wanna risk a ps3 version. At least not yet. Sony may have to step in and help make this happen. This may all depend on how well the game does on the 360.

That and CD Projekt could do a lot better port if they were working with someone accustomed to working with the PS3 hardware, flaws and all, of course.

Right. that's why i said ps3 was too much of a risk.

[Inzane2050]

But the publisher is never at risk in letting a developer port and release a game for multiple platforms. And CD Projekt's publisher is not going to ever fork the bill for a developer to port the game, nor will Sony publish a game already released on Xbox. Think about it, won't you?

And CD Projekt will never not have their hand in developing the port. No developer would do that. Trust me.

[darky89]

But the publisher is never at risk in letting a developer port and release a game for multiple platforms. And CD Projekt's publisher is not going to ever fork the bill for a developer to port the game, nor will Sony publish a game already released on Xbox. Think about it, won't you?

And CD Projekt will never not have their hand in developing the port. No developer would do that. Trust me.

Though I believe you're correct on this occasion. What I got from what CD have said is that they want a hand in developing a port for PS3. But wouldn't completely outsource it. Other developers do. Like Valve didn't have anything to do with the PS3 port of the orange box, and though I can't think of any other examples of the top of my head... I'm sure there are more.

[Inzane2050]

Orange Box is a very abnormal case tho, and we all know how well that port turned out, lol.