Take-Two buys Firaxis

[perryrutherford]

While we imagine and hope the Firaxis team will retain some creative control, the fact is that publicly held companies are required by law to maximize shareholder value. This normally leads to actions that dirrectly impede production quality. My guess is they will layoff the talents and have 2 or 3 releases that are x-packs or console versions of old games. SMAC2 on xbox360 maybe that is just SMAC with the CivIV engine? Being creatve means taking creative risks and that is something that just doesn't help the stock price.

Also, notice how Sid made a point of not being critical of GTA on his public radio interview? He also mentioned that SMAC2 is now the most anticipated Firaxis product and 'he wasn't sure they would make it".

SMAC was a 'Brian Reynolds design' -- who went and made Rise of Nations. Does he have rights to make Rise of _Factions_? hmmm... there's an idea.

 

[Ravinhood]

[PC's are on their way out. The future is laptops, perhaps with the upgradability of PCs for the hardcore types.]

Lol, you'd like to think so and have heard that bs for 10 years now. Laptops will never be able to compete with full blown desktop pc because of hardware issues, and if you look around what's getting smaller are desktop computers, more compact, but, still able to deliver the punch of a huge desktop.

Reason laptops will never supercede desktops is and always has been "heat" issues. A laptop can't handle the heat that the high end desktops with high end graphics cards have. Gotta have air flow baby and lots of it to run with the big boys. So, just you keep on dreamin, maybe in another lifetime laptops will be able to handle what the big boys can.

 

[mweather]

Anyway, this corporate takeover might mean that the next version in the series will be released to a console, perhaps even in conjunction with a PC release. Let's face it. PC's are on their way out. The future is laptops, perhaps with the upgradability of PCs for the hardcore types.

As long as there is an XBox version, there will be a pc version. It's too easy to port the code not to release it on both.

 

[DreadCthulhu]

Remember, the Xbox 360 comes out in a couple weeks, so I doubt you will see many new Xbox games. And the Xbox 360 has hardware that very different from a PC or Xbox.

 

[GrendelS]

I think this is on topic since it will probably, in some way, affect Civ4 support and xpacs (and Civ5).

xpacs?





(ten characters)

 

[Vael]

Expansion packs, like Play the World and Conquests for Civ 3.

 

[KevinTMC]

Regarding laptops, they could supplant desktops someday, perhaps, but several changes in the computer business would have to occur. Foremost among them:

1) The inverse relationship between size and cost for computer components would need to weaken much further than it already has.

2) Laptop components would need to be much more standardized and commoditized than they are now. (Proprietary designs and components are a major source of quirkiness in the laptop world...even on a platform like the Mac where the OS and hardware development are overseen by the same company.)

3) Some reinvention of the docking station would need to prove itself a winner where so many others have gone before and fizzled. Because gamers will want to be hooked up to to a big display, 7.1 sound system, and so forth at least some of the time!

Consoles will also not succeed in killing off the PC games market--at least until such features as the keyboard+mouse input format, the ability to create and download patches and mods, and high-definition displays become much more widespread in the console world.

Just my .02...

-- Kevin​

 

[pvzh]

... the ability to create and download patches ...

-- Kevin​

Patches? You must be joking. It is sure way to run console gaming to the same mess as PC gaming: realease now (maybe) to patch later

 

[Astax]

Patches? You must be joking. It is sure way to run console gaming to the same mess as PC gaming: realease now (maybe) to patch later

For real, that should be made totally illegal like releasign a defective product. Internet was really the worst thing for pc gaming :/

 

[mweather]

Remember, the Xbox 360 comes out in a couple weeks, so I doubt you will see many new Xbox games. And the Xbox 360 has hardware that very different from a PC or Xbox.

It's still running windows, so porting should still be easy.

 

[abbamouse]

This is terrible, terrible news. The company that gave us Battlecruiser 3000AD (possibly the buggiest game ever, which even its author said was woefully incomplete upon release) now has control of Sid's games. I didn't like it when Firaxis prostituted itself to Take 2 for Civ IV, and I find this to be a giant step in the wrong direction.

 

[AER]

Regarding laptops, they could supplant desktops someday, perhaps, but several changes in the computer business would have to occur. Foremost among them:

I think that laptops will supplant desktops much sooner than you imply.

1) The inverse relationship between size and cost for computer components would need to weaken much further than it already has.

The only remaining factor, here, is the graphics card. Most laptops come with fully game-capable CPU speeds and RAM, and many high-end laptops come with good, low-latency LCD displays.

2) Laptop components would need to be much more standardized and commoditized than they are now. (Proprietary designs and components are a major source of quirkiness in the laptop world...even on a platform like the Mac where the OS and hardware development are overseen by the same company.)

Believe me, as a tech support person: the vast majority of people do not want to have to upgrade their computers, ever. I've also found that, compantibility wise, laptops are much closer to PCs than you would think. Again, the only area I see standardization being a significant problem is in the area of graphics, because many manufacturers (DELL in particular) release laptops with graphics adapters that will only work with manufacturer-provided drivers. This means that when Civ V comes out, and many people get no textures on the world view, it will take 8 months instead of 1 for the new driver to come along and fix it.

3) Some reinvention of the docking station would need to prove itself a winner where so many others have gone before and fizzled. Because gamers will want to be hooked up to to a big display, 7.1 sound system, and so forth at least some of the time!

I've known and met many gamers who are perfectly satisfied with their 15" or 17" wide screen displays. I think that attaching monitors might catch on, but I don't think that docking stations will become necessary any time soon. A good dock is usually $75-$150, and all it really does for you is connect two USB cords, a DVI cord and an optical out. That seems like money better spent on a bigger display.

Consoles will also not succeed in killing off the PC games market--at least until such features as the keyboard+mouse input format, the ability to create and download patches and mods, and high-definition displays become much more widespread in the console world.

-- Kevin​

I agree; the keyboard/most combo is probably the biggest thing keeping people loyal to PCs now. The new consoles will be HD, and consoles have actually used downloads and patches before (ala XBox Live.) I don't know why Microsoft didn't jump on the opportunity to include a cheapo USB keyboard and mouse with the 360.

 

[EMan]

Take 2 produced GTA, which presumably was mostly bug-free?!

Firaxis/Atari produced Civ 3, and then produced patches up to 1.29 (29?), PTW with patches up to 1.27 (27?) and Conquests up to 1.22 (22?).......and there are still bugs/exploits in all 3 versions!!

Realistically, PC strategy games are a lot more complex than console games..........and if you kept revising them until bug-free, Civ 3 (THREE) might NOT yet have been released!!

Thank goodness for the Internet and Free patches........I, for one, am a Happy Camper!

 

[EdCase]

For real, that should be made totally illegal like releasign a defective product. Internet was really the worst thing for pc gaming :/

Well basically then you'd have had 0 game releases other than "dumb" console fighting/platform games for at least the last 10 years.
A game worth playing is bound to have some bugs initially as it will contain a whole lotta coding.

 

[KevinTMC]

Patches? You must be joking. It is sure way to run console gaming to the same mess as PC gaming: realease now (maybe) to patch later

I'll grant your point that the easier it is to distribute a patch, the greater the moral hazard to the developers ("ahh, screw it...we'll fix that in the patch").

But I'll gladly take that risk, in exchange for the hope of broken things actually getting fixed, and the promise of being able to mod things that may not exactly be "broken" but could use improvement.

My favorite console game series, EA's NCAA Football, could provide its fans a lot less frustration (mixed in with its undeniable sweetness) if we weren't forever stuck with every single bug and exploit and stupid design decision that was present when each year's edition went gold.

And some games are indeed so complex that you won't uncover every flaw--from flat-out bugs to features that simply need rebalancing--until: a) thousands of hard-core fans spend a couple of weeks playing the heck out of it, and b) tens of thousands of new and/or casual users try to get it to run and then try to understand it.

-- Kevin​

 

[WildWeazel]

I can see it now:

Oh no!! I downloaded this new patch for Civ4 and now Catherine is naked!!!!!

 

[PeterM]

Hi Guys,

I have an Athon XP 2500+, 512 RAM, GeForce 4 MX 64 MB. The graphics seem to be OK at first, but the explored terrain will be black out again soon as my units move out of it. Basically, I can only see my land and the quares surrounding my units. Is that the behavior of Civ 4, or it is another big bug?

Thank you for helping me resolve the problem if you can.

Sincerely,

Peter

 

[WildWeazel]

First of all, that has nothing to do with this thread. If you want to ask a technical support question, it would go in the technical support forum. Secondly, there are a lot of similar problems with black terrain. Look for stickied threads about graphics card problems.

On a lighter note, welcome to CFC

 

[builderchad]

...
Stock Tip: ALL CivFanatics run out and buy Take2 stock (TTWO).......Today, you can now own a piece of "Sid's Company"!
...

Hahaha you are SHAMELESS EMan! Kudos though

 

[jimkirk]

Hi Guys,

I have an Athon XP 2500+, 512 RAM, GeForce 4 MX 64 MB. The graphics seem to be OK at first, but the explored terrain will be black out again soon as my units move out of it. Basically, I can only see my land and the quares surrounding my units. Is that the behavior of Civ 4, or it is another big bug?

Thank you for helping me resolve the problem if you can.

Sincerely,

Peter

i have similar specs but i see the map fine its only a little sluggish