Sony removing the barrier between PS3 and PC

[Ghost-Rhayne]

It started with Portal 2, where gamers on both platforms could chat and game together, but this feature didn't really cause any waves.

More recently there was DUST 514 which links the PS3 FPS to the PC spaceship MMO EVE. While the interaction right now consists only of chatting with them and requesting orbital strikes, eventually they will be fully blended, and eventually DUST mercs will be able to go up to EVE pilot's ships and see them "face to face", or fire at each other with EVE's orbital strikes and DUST's orbital cannons.

Recently I read that Final Fantasy 14 will also have cross-platform play, so again, gamers on PS3 and PC will be able to play together. I expect that if Guild Wars 2 comes, it will probably offer the same feature.

Is this an important directionmovingforward, or should console and PC remain seperate?

[Sir_Scud]

I think it would be awesome if more and more games did, but there's a glaring reason why most games cannot be played together on separate consoles: patches/updates.

Keep in mind Counter Strike: Global Offensive was originally supposed to be cross-platform with PS3, but the expense to update/patch those games are costly because of the process games have to go through on console. It would not be viable when Valve releases patches/updates all the time for their games.

Portal being the exception, since it was what spearheaded the movement for steamworks. Unfortunately, I don't think they wanted Counter Strike to suffer on PC in any way, shape or form. The console versions, weren't the greatest ports ever.

Chances are most games that are multiplatform won't take advantage of such an open network until it is easier/faster to submit updates for approval, and for it to not cost developers a bunch every time they want to add or fix something in the game. Dust, XIV, and even games like DCUO (which is not cross-platform) use their own servers outside of the Sony network. Still costly on their end, but these are games that offer subscriptions or micro-transactions, things that GO or other games won't do.

So in all, I don't see many games taking advantage in the short-term. Maybe it will be something we see with PS4.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Yeah the update issue is a problem, but I think in the MMO space, theyare figuring ways around it. I know thisis the case in DUST's case:

"There are many different ways we can go about [updating Dust 514]. We can change the data in the database on the fly, so we can actually create new items just by logging, 'OK, we need 24 new assault rifles by [X] with these price points, with these abilities and with these stats.' We can just do that because we built the ability for that data to change on the fly.


"We can also change the back-end server because that lives within CCP. It's the Eve back-end, we have to have control over it, because we need to change it for Eve, we'll need to change it for Dust. So we can change those things.


"We've actually built a lot of technology over the last 18 months to enable us to have this layer between Dust and the server," he added, "so we can change the server without affecting the client. We've still got to be very careful.


"But if we want to do major client updates to the PS3, then we go through Sony's usual submission process. But we do have ways of just being able to change other parts of the infrastructure as we need to."

I agree that it might be more of a feature next gen, but it the mean time, looks as though PS3 gamers will get some MMO action with their PC mates.

[Sir_Scud]

That's really cool about the Dust situation. It's actually amazing that both Final Fantasy XI and Phantasy Star Online were games available on 360. There's a well documented struggle just getting XI through on 360. MMOs definitely will have a place on ps3, if developers wish to put their game on it.

Dust's concept alone is something very unique and very welcome. I'd love to see more games come together, like Guild Wars 2. I actually have the dilemma of whether to play XIV on ps3 or pc. My pc can handle it, but I probably would be more comfy with my couch and keyboard hookup.

[itachi73378]

planetside 2 is also a persistent world MMO on PC and has been teased for ps4

[Ghost-Rhayne]

That's really cool about the Dust situation. It's actually amazing that both Final Fantasy XI and Phantasy Star Online were games available on 360. There's a well documented struggle just getting XI through on 360. MMOs definitely will have a place on ps3, if developers wish to put their game on it.

Dust's concept alone is something very unique and very welcome. I'd love to see more games come together, like Guild Wars 2. I actually have the dilemma of whether to play XIV on ps3 or pc. My pc can handle it, but I probably would be more comfy with my couch and keyboard hookup.

Yeah It's a shame Live is closed in that respect. DUST 514 would have probably been PS3/360/PC had things been different. As far as your XIV dilema, I guess just wait for the reviews!

planetside 2 is also a persistent world MMO on PC and has been teased for ps4

Wow really? I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest. DUST is going to PS4, this has already been confirmed by CCP. Looks like the next PlayStation might further embrace cross-platform.

[radgamer420]

Yep it wouldn't be the first time the open nature of PSN and the closed nature of Live was PS3's gain and 360's loss. Unreal Tournament on PS3 got not only the Epic map pack which was free but free user created maps as well.

[Fijiandoce]

planetside 2 is also a persistent world MMO on PC and has been teased for ps4

planetside is owned by sony too

at this point, sony should be able to position themselves favourably for next gen. put Dust AND planetside on EVERY console they ship (and market it as FREE) and they're golden.

i don't think PC and Console games will ever compete head to head though, especially in FPS games, but no doubt coalescing these two markets can only be a good thing. even though the PC guys will look on in disdain -.-

[TDbank24]

As far as FFXIV goes this was the case with FFXI on the PS2 as well.

Sony has always been down to trying new things.

[itachi73378]

Wow really? I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest. DUST is going to PS4, this has already been confirmed by CCP. Looks like the next PlayStation might further embrace cross-platform.

planetside is owned by sony too

at this point, sony should be able to position themselves favourably for next gen. put Dust AND planetside on EVERY console they ship (and market it as FREE) and they're golden.

Like Fiji said, SOE owns planetside 2. You guys forgot DC universe online. That game is owned by SOE and is cross platform

[Shingo]

I am definetely sure microsoft has some plans with next xbox and win8..
Sony just don't want to fall back so nice early move it will be.

[Cybertox]

I think that this is pretty cool. Maybe not in every genre but in most its quite a good feature. As fr as there are no advantages or disadvantages on either one or the other machine.

[muddy13001]

Its really cool that they are making the PC and PS3 come together in they ways that they are

[Old Man Gamer]

There are a couple of reasons that this is not a good idea. One is DLC (unless Sony is going to start offering all of it for free) and the fact that most PC gamers use the mouse/keyboard combo which is deadly when compared to a gamepad. Unless of course you play with the mouse/keyboard combo on the PS3,which most people don't.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Fijiandoce]

There are a couple of reasons that this is not a good idea. One is DLC (unless Sony is going to start offering all of it for free) and the fact that most PC gamers use the mouse/keyboard combo which is deadly when compared to a gamepad. Unless of course you play with the mouse/keyboard combo on the PS3,which most people don't.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Dust allows Mouse and Keyboard to be used on the PS3. in fact, every PS3 FPS has had the option of including M/K as a control scheme. but M/K aren't as widely used compared to the controller that comes with every console. IF the gap were to be bridged, no doubt other devs would follow suit and allow it, as everybody has a mouse and keyboard of some shape.

i don't get what you mean by free DLC though? if specific to dust, then yes, it is my understanding that DUST expansions will be free.

[claud3]

but then Microsoft should have done this from the get go, So when the first xbox came out

I assumed that it would have a xbox to pc connection via online gaming, And yet Sony are getting in first

So Microsoft will be next, since they should have been the first to try this out

[PS3-The Ultimate Machine]

I think with the rise of cloud gaming, this cross compatibility between Sony's MMOs will probably become standard, like Dust514, developers could just update their servers and at log on, it would be as simple as syncing a browser. A bit optimistic, but definitely possible, and with the Gaikai purchase, even more likely.
Also on the mouse+keyboard issue, Sony is rumoured to go with a hybrid or at least dual controller/control system for the ps4, and as anyone who has played an fps with the Move can tell you, lining up headshots is as easy as it would be with a mouse on pc. So that, in my opinion, really is a non-issue.

[RedOrb_Collector]

There are a couple of reasons that this is not a good idea. One is DLC (unless Sony is going to start offering all of it for free) and the fact that most PC gamers use the mouse/keyboard combo which is deadly when compared to a gamepad. Unless of course you play with the mouse/keyboard combo on the PS3,which most people don't.

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Shadowrun, which is crossplay between 360 and PC, dispelled the myth of keyboard/mouse superiority.

In fact, they had to balance it out to give keyboard and mouse users less of a disadvantage.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

On the 10th of January, DUST 514 was moved over to the server that houses the PC spaceship MMO EVE Online; Tranquillity. It has never been done before, but now two different genres on two different platforms co-exist in just ONE single shard digital existence. There is no JP/EU/US servers, there is just Tranquillity, and there are no different sub servers in TQ, just one single universe consisting of over 7000 solar systems and 450,000 hardcore EVE pilots...and now DUST 514 mercs playing this F2P MMORPGFPS game. DUST 514 supports DS3, M/KB and Move. Matchmaking will eventually segregate the different controller demographics, and things like latency and skill will also help keep similar calibre gamers together. EVE and DUST gamers can now communicate and form corporations and alliances and DUST mercs can call down real time cross platform orbital strikes from EVE players. It costs €0.00 to buy and will be getting about 2 expansions a year; the season pass for these will cost you €0.00.

CCP have accomplished something incredible in the gaming industry, something that can't really be done by anyone else. It goes far beyond cross-platform gaming like FF14 and potentially GW2 etc; two different games on two different platforms enriching one single IP.

Personally, I'm amazed! CCP have gone from being an obscure studio to the leaders of gaming innovation. The technology that's gone into the union is mind blowing haha, and it's ONLY the beginning. There is A LOT of hardcore shit that will make DUST 514 a massive game down the line. 5 years of development already planned...



<3 CCP.

[Soldier 95B]

I am glad these console companies continue to look at this. It's needed and wanted.

[MonkeyClaw]

Like I said in a previous thread, I would love to see this happen, it would be great to be able to play games with people on other systems! I would be insanely fun to have PlayStation vs Xbox matches in games like Call Of Duty, etc.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

I've been playing EVE Online and fuck me is it a beautiful game. So relaxing and serene, in depth and interesting...and DUST 514 is the perfect compliment. This union is going to soar to mindfucking heights...people don't see it yet though . CCP is at the forefront of gaming innovation and I'm glad Sony made it possible for them to realise their vision on console. There is nothing and will be nothing that matches what they have achieved with the EVE Universe and this is only going to BLOW UP big time...ONE single server, two genres, two platforms, one IP...amazing.

[keefy]

I call shenanigans.
They must have allowed aim asist on controllers/xbox like Crytek did for Crysis 2 that gave controller users way too much advantage it locked onto cloaked enemies.
Or did soemthing to gimp mouse users.

http://youtu.be/hzZaupqKCj8?t=45s

[Ghost-Rhayne]

Haha

[admartian]

There should be more cross-platform play. At least set up servers for it.

But I can understand why it won't be in any of MS or Sony's interest to have a game like COD have cross platform capability.