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Call of Duty 4 Developer Disses LIVE Anywhere

gamewad.com — Grant Collier and the team over at Infinity Ward are hard at work on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. At one point along the way they were contacted by Microsoft, who attempted to spur the inclusion of LIVE Anywhere support in the multi-platform title. Infinity Ward "actively rejected" this offer. Grant Collier tells the story:

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  • passivejj, on 10/11/2007, -13/+57I can't wait for Call of Duty 4, but I'm a bit disappointed with Infinity Ward. First they said destructible environments destroy gameplay. I think most gamers would agree that they would love to see destructible environments become the norm. It's just more realistic and immersive. If I shoot a wooden shack with a rocket launcher it should explode. If I shoot those same walls with a rifle, I should be able to see through the holes in the wall. They seem to be dissing it just because they choose not to implement it.

    Live Anywhere isn't just for card games. There's plenty of interesting ideas they could come up with that would add depth to their game if they just tried. Here's some ideas off the top of my head:

    View your personal/clan stats/leaderboards from anywhere
    Designing/Painting an emblem/logo/arm patch in your spare time
    Order your teammates around like the commander in Battlefield 2
    Setting up templates for custom matches
    Sending game invites from in game to your friends anywhere
    View achievements from anywhere
    View/purchase/queue DLC game content

    These are just a few quick ideas. If Infinity Ward wasn't so quick to condemn Live Anywhere, we could have had few more cool game features. What's so bad about that?
    • jimbojim, on 10/11/2007, -15/+18Yeah I'm not sure why Live Anywhere seems like such a bad idea to alot of developers. All it does it add more content to the game. Even if the player doesn't want the Gold subscription, they can still do everything they could always do with a silver (free) subscription... and more (single player achievements, etc.).

      Though, I still don't like the idea of mouse and keyboard vs. controller... and maybe that's why Infinity Ward was so quick to dismiss it. I think it's only a matter of time until keyboard and mouse become the norm for console shooters.
    • agrabob, on 10/11/2007, -20/+15Why is it a bad idea? Two obvious reasons:

      *MS will charge for premium content(i can get past this one)
      *MS is locking gamers into Windows as much as possible. First DX10 for Vista only, now certain games _require_ Windows Live subscriptions.

      Do you think these games will ever be easily ported to Mac or Linux?
    • cool8man, on 10/11/2007, -17/+9There needs to be higher quality standards for PC games. If Microsoft could successfully establish a Live Anywhere brand that ensured a uniform and reliable gameplay experience I think I would be much more interested in PC gaming. As it is I don't have any interest in PC gaming, I'm comfortable with the console/Xbox Live experience and I'm not really interested in installing programs, downloading drivers, searching for patches, finding separate IM and voice programs and learning which of the 104 keyboard keys apply to what functions in each particular game. Problem is that many PC developers don't want to turn over any control over what they publish to an outside company so the PC gaming platform continues to rot and more PC developers migrate to consoles as a result. Epic, Infinity Ward, iD, Valve, etc. used to be PC developers and now they are heavily focused on console development. Without someone guiding and setting standards for the PC it is going to continue to take a back seat to consoles.

      Live Anywhere as a way of connecting PC's to consoles may in fact be stupid for some games, but Live Anywhere as a standard to connect PC games is not stupid. A uniform friends list, a built-in standard for voice chat and messaging, game invites across all PC games, a standardized game controller, achievements, auto-patching standards, and a single downloadable content marketplace would benefit PC gaming greatly.
    • agrabob, on 10/11/2007, -9/+34@linkedlist:

      Shadowrun and Halo 2 for PC both require Vista to install. And they both require Windows Live to play online multiplayer. I'm sure MS is hoping for many more.


      http://shadowrun.com/
      http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/halo2.aspx


      @cool8man: I'm all for raising qualty standards and even allowing PC and console gamers in the same online games, but what MS is doing is a lock in tactic. They effectively keep these games from going to other OS's.
    • DBiz, on 10/11/2007, -11/+7I buy my consoles to play CONSOLE games.

      Part of the experience of owning a console is to play with the controller. FPS's have a distinct advantage with a keyboard and mouse... so why integrate the two?! Why even own a console if I'm at a disadvantage?

      I understand their stance, and although not all of it may be 'correct', console games and PC games should stay SEPARATE.

      I'm counting down until the 1,000 achievement points for the 360 include having to play on both Vista and your XBox. Example: 500 total points for playing multi and single in a game, and 500 total points for doing that same thing on Vista while logged into your XBL account. If that ever happens, I'll spend the two hours on the phone in India to cancel my XBL subscription.
    • Dot0, on 10/11/2007, -3/+16@cool8man: Believe me, simplification is not always good. I'd rather see my PC remain the same, and if you really want a console-like experience, you should go play on a console, that's all.

      Sure, Live Anywhere may sound attractive in many terms, however, it may harm modding, it may harm existing digital distribution services, it may harm PC gaming in general, all just for a unified gametag and crossplatform multiplayer!
      The potential harm to modding is something that worries me the most-what incentive is there for developers to release modding tools so that end users may make their own content, when they devalue an extra source of income they would be getting with microtranscations on the Live Marketplace?

      Could Live Anywhere be good for PC gaming? Yes, but only if MS rethinks their strategy. As it is now, having developers to build in Live directly into their games won't lead to any good results. What they have should done would be to make Windows Live a serparate application, like XFire, remove all limitations they placed on developers(no built-in voicechat, no serparate "achievement tracking" a-la BF2142, et cetera), and it could be a good thing.
      And as for crossplatform? If it is implemented, users should always have the option to play exclusively against their home platform, with no crossplatform balancing.
    • Rileyper, on 10/11/2007, -12/+4From the article "PCs allow for precision control, and thus precision DOMINANCE, that will take console players right out of the game."

      Dude they said the 360 is slow they dissed "LIVE" and they dissed the Xbox360
      O.o wow
    • Murdats, on 10/11/2007, -8/+10"Part of the experience of owning a console is to play with the controller. FPS's have a distinct advantage with a keyboard and mouse... so why integrate the two?! Why even own a console if I'm at a disadvantage?"

      according to the shadowrun beta players the 2 systems are pretty equal, I get the feeling those who have played PC vs Console games would have a slightly more informed opinion then the rest of us

      "Shadowrun and Halo 2 for PC both require Vista to install. And they both require Windows Live to play online multiplayer. I'm sure MS is hoping for many more."
      those games require an account, not a subscription, in the same way steam does. (shadowrun is only multiplayer)
      most of the games you play now wont work on windows 3.1, is that another case of windows and their lockout scheme?
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -3/+14
      "View your personal/clan stats/leaderboards from anywhere"
      why would i care about it anywhere but in game? to brag?
      "Designing/Painting an emblem/logo/arm patch in your spare time"
      why do i care? if i have the skill for such things, ill make mods, if not, i wouldnt be doing anything artistic. with pc gaming, artists often find mroe value in producing things for others to enjoy, as well as themselves.
      "Order your teammates around like the commander in Battlefield 2"
      like in bf2? a non-live anywhere game? what?
      "Setting up templates for custom matches"
      what?
      "Sending game invites from in game to your friends anywhere"
      xfire?
      "View achievements from anywhere"
      once again, why would i care other than for bragging rights?
      "View/purchase/queue DLC game content"
      ive got the internet! the internet!

      "according to the shadowrun beta players the 2 systems are pretty equal, I get the feeling those who have played PC vs Console games would have a slightly more informed opinion then the rest of us"
      i too have heard this, but ive also heard that the pc controls are gimped, and that the gamepad gets autoaim. and the weapons are designed so that aim is relatively unnecessary. however, ive played bf2 with a gamepad, which comes without an aimbot, and that didnt work at all. aiming, while smooth, did not track well, and it was impossible to keep up with m/k players.
    • ilikesboobs, on 10/11/2007, -5/+7Passivejj, I rather have them not make the game for PC then use Microsoft Live.

      The reason is because Microsoft already has a monopoly in gaming. But I want the developers to branch out and get used to the idea of maybe developing for another OS. I want them to consider using Linux instead of Vista. Use OpenGL instead of DirectX.

      I've used the Windows OS for a long time now. But very recently I have started playing around with various distributions of Linux. And I gotta admit, Vista scares me. I do not want to upgrade to it. It has horrible backward compatibility, is a resource hog, and Linux can do what it does better and faster.
      I'm hoping more and more people will try out other OS and move away from MS. Now if I were to switch to Linux and all the developers are suddenly going with Microsoft Live, I would be screwed because I'm pretty sure Microsoft would not want them to make games for my Linux.
    • ilikesboobs, on 10/11/2007, -4/+13I forgot to add about stats keeping. PC games currently does a hell of a lot better then Live. BF2 can keep track of every statistic I can think of for that game. And thanks to EA, I can view them from anywhere in the world through the internet. And lacronicus I think hit the spot, we don't need Microsoft Live when we have the internet (in case you didn't get it: free mods, free add-ons, free stats keeping, free anything that Live provides and more with out being restricted by what Microsoft will allow).

      I guess thats the main thing, we don't want PC games to be restricted by what Microsoft says.
    • taintedzodiac, on 10/11/2007, -5/+6"most of the games you play now wont work on windows 3.1, is that another case of windows and their lockout scheme?"

      I think you need to review Steam's latest user hardware report. I think that "locking out" 94% of Windows users is quite absurd, but to each their own.

      Halo 2 has already seen development of a patch to allow it to run on XP. This is the kind of thing that real world companies do when they connect two products and one of them fails (in the short term, anyway).

      Windows Vista = Windows Millenium? We'll see.
    • jeet404, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4"i too have heard this, but ive also heard that the pc controls are gimped, and that the gamepad gets autoaim. and the weapons are designed so that aim is relatively unnecessary. however, ive played bf2 with a gamepad, which comes without an aimbot, and that didnt work at all. aiming, while smooth, did not track well, and it was impossible to keep up with m/k players."

      Umm..Shadowrun makes you realize that if you don't stop and aim then your aim is going to totally blow. The first tutorial mode in the game gives you like a 10 minute lecture on why firing in burst mode and standing still is important to actually hit your target not spray and pray. They made the PC controls so that if you turn really quickly your aim is way less accurate then standing still or turning slowly. Which to me is realistic and more games should include this. I am not really sure what you mean with BF2 not coming with aimbot and didn't really work. I liked it but the only thing is I got bored of BF quick. But thats the only thing..heck I didn't even know it didn't have aimbot until now.
    • Gehof, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0The thing with destructible environments is that if they go too far, i.e. pieces of wall or ceiling all over the place, destroyed vehicles everywhere, etc, etc they REALLY start to mess up AI, block triggers, and screw up other events (such as an ambush or the arrival of a reinforcement squad) that are supposed to occur in scripting.

      Developers definitely need some time to develop more dynamic environments/gameplay/AI before they start building dynamic destructables for the aforementioned reasons. I think that having some is definitely a great idea, but a reasonable extent would be negotiable obstacles such as wood breaking, walls chipping and breaking but not collapsing, and the like.
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7you do realize that no matter how fast you turn a gun, it still shoots straight right? and wtf is up with all the vista hate? its fine, ive got great framerates, and little if any resource hogging. you may notice that your ram use is high, but need i remind you that xp showed you your page file usage at a gig, even with a gig of ram still free? its a good thing that stuff is using your ram, and right now, explorer takes up 11 megs of ram. out of what, 512 at least? some memory hog right there. and on the opengl vs dx, id rather have MS do it, since they can actually back up their standard. where opengl needs to have workarounds for lack of hardware support, dx, simply because it is backed by MS, forces the gfx card developers to support EVERY feature of dx10, something opengl can never do as an open project. opengl's openness is its greatest strength and weakness, since it will never have full hardware support with all the features of dx, since manufacturers arent required to support every feature.

      all in all:
      MS is not the root of all evil
      vista is not a bad os
      dx10 is actually a good thing
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -2/+7crysis, a largely destructible game, has fully dynamic AI that responds to blocked paths, fallen trees, brush, cover, all such things. some AI is even said to rely on infrared, so if you stand by a fire, your practically invisible. if you pick up a tree, you can use it as cover, but must act cautiously. AI will hear and see you move the leaves of trees and brush, even if they dont actually see you. AI will even pull in reinforcements from other areas of the island. if you break a tree along the road, they will go around it, or move it. AI in tanks will even attempt to run over you even if your in a building. destructibility is not a gimmick if a game is built around it well. a game environment can be made to be destroyed, so can the game itself, and if done right, can be the most fulfilling game ever.
    • roosterjm2k2, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4I fail to understand the vista side of the argument.

      For years, people have bitched and moaned (including developers) at the shortcomings of windows/directX. A good bit of the reason for those shortcomings is having to deal with backwards compatability.

      They finally answered by rebuilding the system from the ground up. Now people bitch because there is less backwards compatability.

      Heres a question though. Which linux distro is actively supporting a 7 year old distro? Or, how many mac programs come out that will work on the mac of from 7 years ago?

      Face it, microsoft has done so WELL in the area of backwards compatability that you are spoiled to it...
    • vermin, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2@roosterjm2k2

      People are annoyed that MS won't release DX10 for XP, not that it harms backward compatibility. Make no mistake, MS could very easily make DX10 for XP.
    • revengebomber, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0One of the main features of OpenGL IS, in fact, its extension system. Case in point: Quake 3. While it was being developed, there was not a card on the market that supported Hardware T+L. After its release, people with the spanking new GeForce 256 (or was it the GF2?) could enjoy a feature that didn't even exist when the game was made. Try doing THAT with strict standards.
  • Soggydoughnuts, on 10/11/2007, -9/+13I do believe that an excellent example of a cross-platform game is Shadowrun. Has anyone really complained? There have been many discussions about the fairness of the 360 vs. Vista, however all usually end in one conclusion.. Its fair. Many people play the game shadowrun on both 360 and Vista and there are little to none complaints of it being unfair. I personally think that certain FPS games could be where Live anywhere could excel.
    • autocrawler, on 10/11/2007, -7/+24Should I remind you about the level of "balancing" applied to PC controls for Shadowrun? Having all the accuracy of a shotgun with every and each weapon is *not* what I would call fair. This may be OK for console shooters, however it is totally unacceptable for the PC.
      I'd rather not see any cross-platform multiplayer implemented like this further on. It is pointless, and only harms PC gamers in the long run.
    • xerus, on 10/11/2007, -5/+19I'm not sure why you have -1 there Autocrawler... Shadowrun is awful. If you have to gimp a platform that much to make it fair to play with the other, you just shouldn't do it in the first place.
    • lollercopters, on 10/11/2007, -5/+12Shadowrun is a decent game... but why should PC gamers get less accuracy to "make it fair"? Let the truth be known, keyboard and mouse>controller in FPS.
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2the problem here is that the two inherently arent fair. since this is the case, for them to become fair, the balance must go towards the gamepad, since the m/k must be handicapped to be fair. such is the case, since the only advantage the m/k has is ultimately taken away with the shotgun weapons and slow aiming for the pc.
    • QEDbitches, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2It doesn't matter whether you play on a PC or 360, the compatibility of systems is dependent on the programmers, not the input device. Whether someone is holding a mouse/keyboard or a controller, if the game is designed with LIVE anywhere in mind it should be a fair fight.

      Regardless, I'm looking forward to CoD4.
  • RawOysters, on 10/11/2007, -4/+7Well let's see.........console gamers have an obvious disadvantage, no argument there. But if your on a PC and want to play cross platform, you have to be running on Vista (choke) and from what I am hearing there are few PC players because gamers are refusing to put that "ball and chain" of an OS on a PC that is going to be used for gaming (i being one). Looks like Microsoft has a lot of issues with "Live".
    • TehMasterer, on 10/11/2007, -9/+2idk i mean i can see everyones argument with vista and all, but i'm been using it for about 2 months and loving it. DX10 is great, definetly a nice upgrade, even if u don't have a DX10 Graphics Card... That said sometimes it is nice to sit back and relax and game it up with ur friends on a console too. Plus it's nice to be able to challenge your friend to a nice game of Halo 2 even if it may be a little unfair. Then u can just laugh at them for getting a console instead of a new PC...
    • lostmongoose, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8@tehmasterer
      How exactly is DX10 a nice upgrade if you don't have a DX10 card? It's performance with DX9 is bad enough that you have to install the DX9 redist to get the performance in DX9 games back. Saying it's great even if you don't have a DX10 card is utter BS.
    • QEDbitches, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2Console gamers do have the advantage of waiting for Vista to ***** the bed while they're playing. =)
    • xino, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@tehmasterer Halo 2 Vista is a Live enabled game, but the Xbox/Xbox 360 players can't play with the Vista players. The only game that does that right now is Shadowrun.
    • noots, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2lostmongooose, could you give a bit of info on "DX9 redist"?

      i tried a quick search on google and the results weren't very good.
  • xike, on 10/11/2007, -6/+13I'm okay with dominating console gamers. Show of hands- who else?
    • MatttK, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Yeah, I was actually kind of looking forward to proving that the mouse and keyboard are superior. haha :/
    • Ajajadude, on 10/11/2007, -8/+6I'm just ok with not having to deal with incompatible drivers, viruses, incompatible hardware and software, the usual Windows stability issues, etc. If I want to play other PC gamers, I'd play games on my PC. There's a reason why I have my consoles.

      PC mouse/keyboard fanboys, Digg me down! I just know you guys couldn't last 5 seconds playing games on a console.
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5I'm just ok with not having to deal with incompatible drivers, viruses, incompatible hardware and software, the usual Windows stability issues, etc. If I want to play other PC gamers, I'd play games on my PC. There's a reason why I have my consoles.

      my drivers all work, even in vista. my hardware all works, windows has not yet crashed since February. get over it man, pc gaming is not that hard. if youve actually got virus', you dont know how to manage a computer. ive never gotten one, likely never will.
    • revengebomber, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Anyone who tells you KB/M isn't superior to a pad, has obviously never tryed to play Quake 3 on the Dreamcast. At least you could get a DC keyboard and DC mouse to stay competitive.
  • mohamedmansour, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4I am disappointed to see that they are taking out Live Anywhere, because it would be nice to see console and pc gamers challenge each other...

    They even could a simple property in the "Create Server" option that would let the "admin" allow Live Anywhere to be active on that server. For instance, an admin could allow only XBOX players to play on that server, only PC players, or even both in a simple dropdown.

    But I guess they are right, the precision for PC gaming is far better and comfortable and better than any console on the market, I guess XBOX should make a new hardware controller which is similar to ZBoard that will have an XBOX Mouse and Xbox Keypad for FPS games.
  • modifiedbears, on 10/11/2007, -7/+2This is not a surprise coming from the guys who made the most crippled multi-player experience for Xbox Live with Call of Duty 2. Baby steps Infinity Ward, baby steps.
  • DjOverEZ, on 10/11/2007, -14/+2Why does the Infinity Ward guy have to be such an *****? I mean, Microsoft clearly would like game developers to develop games for Live Anywhere and they only way to get the word out is to go to the developers themselves. A simple no thanks would have be more appropriate. Quite unprofessional.
    • binaryspiral, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17Unprofessional is having to nerf your PC version so that players on the console have a chance...

      Why should IW not have the ability to make each platform independently fun and enjoyable?

      And why the ***** should I need vista to play a god damn video game on my computer? So I can put on a headset and listen to some twelve year old assclown on an xbox shout cursewords and call me a newb all day long...

      No, I think I'll stick to PC games and team speak - that run on XP.
    • pantsbandit, on 10/11/2007, -7/+3Why? Just look at the comments here, he gets the anti-MS dollar automatically just for acting like a jerk. Oh yea, from what I have seen, crysis will pwn COD4 anyways, which makes me happy since they are way cooler guys all around.
    • Ajajadude, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5@pantsbandit

      Holy *****, you know these developers personally?

      That's what I thought.

      Considering what appears to be unnecessary constraints put into this whole concept, I don't blame them for telling Microsoft to screw off.
  • FallenOmen, on 10/11/2007, -7/+5I think it's this very kind of thinking that will continue to separate Consoles Gamers from PC Gamers and i think it's wrong!!!

    Live Anywhere should have just as a far shake as Xbox Live - Why ? Because they make the Online Community bigger and better.........

    This guy i sa complete ass hole far as i'm concerned ...basically with his own logic he is basically saying gamers that use a Mouse and Keyboard are better
    so it's an unfair advantage to joypad players.Thats totally BS !! ........If this were true(which it isn't ) than all gamers better be glad the Wii remote and Wii aren't cross platform gaming to PC's cause than we would all be screwed !!

    I think Live Anywhere can only get better ...for Years gamers world wide complained they couldn't play there friend or team up with their friend when one had a PC and the other had an Xbox or 360...when they were both playing the same game !!

    I in my opinion wish and think any console with the same game should be able to join a neutral SERVER and game with each other -given they are playing the same game -doesn't matter if it's Wii, PS3, 360 or PC or MAC !!

    Thats my dream anyways :) .....but getting these companies and developers and figuring out the rights of distribution would be a nightmare

    Still a GAMER CAN DREAM :)
    • revengebomber, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0You're an idiot. Play Quake 3 Dreamcast and tell me how "fair" it is. Also, supporting the extension of MS's monopoly into PC gaming is definitely bad. Even though the performance is worse (damn you, closed drivers), I still play every game possible on Linux, just to say "fsck you" in my own little way.

      Also, you CAN use a Wiimote on a PC. Google it,
  • FallenOmen, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2Also with the inclusion of the Xbox 360 game pad ...Wireless attachment for 360 wireless devices.....like Steering wheels , headsets, controllers etc along with Live Anywhere.Microsoft is giving PC gamers the option of enjoying games with their friends that have the same game on the console and they-"PC Gamer", can enjoy and play like them along with them( the 360 console gamers) via the Xbox 360 attachments.....................


    All Microsoft is trying to do is bridge the gap between console and pc gamers...something Gamers have requested for almost 5 yrs now.i don't see why this
    guy who works for Infinity Ward would have such an issue ...if thats the case ***** CALL OF DUTY 4

    and just boycott the ***** game !! Pc gamers are still pissed enough Call of Duty 3 never even came to the PC !!! Where it was birthed and hosted 2 chapters of it !!

    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2i didnt want it. i dont like consoles because its not like the pc. console gamers like consoles for the same reason. if i like something inherently different than them, how could i end up wanting the same thing? especially with something so radically different. sure, theyre both for gaming, but i like my pc for practically every reason people would want a console. i hate xbox live, and i love the pc server system. i despise achievements, but i love getting actual rewards for skill, as in bf2 and quake wars. i like upgrading, i like the internet, overall, i simply like pc gaming. any more consolish would make me like it less, and i know that many console gamers feel the same way. i like that my pc is a pc, and they like that their console is a console. keep them seperate.
  • Prospero424, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3You know, it would be really, really easy for a console to properly support a mouse and keyboard, or just a mouse! And if anyone would do it, it would be Microsoft because they make the fricken things. I really and truly don't understand why you can't just plug your PC mouse into your Xbox and have your favorite FPS games use it right off the bat.

    Console gamers aren't "better" or "worse' than PC gamers, but the mouse is indisputably better for certain types of control systems than a joy/thumbstick is. Why not give consoles the ability to use both?

    It just doesn't make sense to me. The only thing I can think of is that productivity software and keyboard/mouse support are the only things keeping the Xbox from being a value desktop PC replacement, which would mean fewer PC sales and fewer Windows sales.

    • binaryspiral, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4why not just make the console game fun instead of worrying about keeping up with a PC's input efficiency?

      The only reason I see a need for Live anywhere is for games that won't have enough online players in any single platform to make it sellable.

    • Prospero424, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Because you're inevitably going to have games intended to be run on both PCs and consoles. Instead of having a developer spend time creating two different and therefore sub-optimal control systems for the same game, they could choose ONE that best fits the game itself to focus on. Not having to worry about platform-specific inputs IS what would allow a developer to focus on making a game fun.

      Here's a good example: Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The console version was created around a gamepad, but when the PC version was released, gamers found, to their horror, that the developer had spent so little time porting it to the PC and to PC inputs that they hadn't even allowed you to define your own controls on the KB/mouse. It literally made the game unplayable for a great number of people.

      Granted, this is due almost entirely to the laziness of the developer, but it never would have happened if gaming input had parity between consoles and PCs in the first place.
    • Bootes, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2The PS3 supports a mouse and keyboard. The game just has to allow them to be used. MS limits a keyboard for just typing text. =/
  • binaryspiral, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2It's very much like having a big race and inviting all nascar, indy, and rally racers and their cars to run on some kind of combination track that they can all sorta race on - and calling it equal because they're on the same track. It's not fun to watch, it's not fun to race, and really sounds pretty stupid. Folks, I give you LIVE anywhere.
    • EvilWalksWithMe, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0And some people just can't understand progression. Thank god some people do though, or we might all be living in caves knocking out the women folk with wooden clubs.
  • Wartz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2blogspam, heres the real article. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/796/796451p1.html




  • realyst, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Dear MS:

    Keep your console nonsense off my damn PC. PC game connectivity works fine as it is. Also, because the devvers can do fun and fantastic things, we got to see lots of advancements that you yourself have 'adopted' into your pay-based Live service such as VOIP, lobbies, etc...

    If you want to stifle the amazing innovation and progress online gaming has made of late just so that you can attempt to justify the Vista price tag, I will kindly ask you sodomize yourself with a rusty, 4 foot pole. Make it a "Compatible with Vista" rusty pole, however, as to guarantee your safety.

    Don't take just my word for it, however. Take the word of many PC gamers and apparently Epic Games and Infinity Ward.

    Your 360 developers appear to have their ***** straight. So take your lawyers and bean counters the ***** away from them.
  • palehorse864, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I like the idea of playing a console gamer, if only to compete against some friends who insist thumb controllers are superior to KB/M. But, if it is anything like Shadowrun where you have intentionally inaccurate weapons and bullet spread to compensate for inaccurate controls, gimped pc controls (Turn to fast and you can't shoot well), and auto aim (which is borderline cheating in a PC fps), please keep Live Anywhere FAR AWAY from the pc.

    I really don't want to play a multiplayer game with cheap auto aim, crappy spread fire weapons (Ever see the reticle size on some halo weapons?).

    I wish someone would just develop a decent game with precision weapons, no auto aim, and no tricks. Let the debate finally be settled. Quake 3 Arena for dreamcast allowed interplayability and the dreamcast players quickly rushed out to buy the supported keyboard and mouse set for their dreamcast when quake players were flipping over their heads, circle strafing them, and every other trick in the book.
  • VGLegends, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I have to agree with the first comment. Console vs. PC is stupid. There is no reason for it and in most instances someone has and advantage. But the value of Live Anywhere is the cell phone link up, other items that link up to the Live Anywhere thing that can transmit your game data to those devices. It truly is how online gaming is going to be in the future and I'm happy someone is at least trying to create it now. Just because some developer doesn't like doesn't mean it is bad or stupid. Those that use the ideas, take the possibilities of this program and create something unique with it. When Starcaft 2 comes out I'd love it to support the Live Anywhere system for monitoring my stats with other players, what my friends stats are, and other things I may be interested in. I'm not saying Live Anywhere should be mandatory, but I do believe it has the possibilities of creating a richer experience from the game.

    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1wtf does it matter? if your honestly going around checking your stats on your cell phone, you really need to find something better to do. waht difference does it make, when your going to work or school, what your stats are? i couldn't care less!
  • thinsoldier, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0In response to any posts mentioning controllers being part of the "console experience"

    The reason why PC gaming continues to lose out to consoles is because despite all the MMORPGS and Deathmatches we have for PC, the consoles have "proper" Multi-Player. As in, 2 or more people, playing together, at the same time, in the same room, on the same machine, on the same screen. I don't understand why console games with 4 person split screen multiplayer get ported to windows with only single player and online multiplayer.
    We've got pc's now capable of running XP while playing Halflife 2 and virtualizing vista playing quake 3. We have the power. Why don't we get the ability for a couple friends or siblings to gather around the monitor and share a good 2 player game with the same ease, comfort and features as you would expect on a console?

    We can connect a dozen devises via usb and use them mostly simultaneously but it's still impossible to get 2 keyboards & 2 mice working with 2 pointers on 2 desktops on 2 screens using just one computer (think of how much $$$ schools would save if they only needed 1 pc per 2 students)
    • lacronicus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2continues to lose out? thats the only thing consoles still have. pc has superior online gaming, including lan, which imo, is far more proper, since i can play anyone anywhere in the world. not but an hour ago, i was playing with friends from new zealand, texas, and a number of other places, while sitting here in VA. while you can do that in consoles, the experience is not nearly as fulfilling, since you will likely never see the same person twice, unless you list them the first time you meet them, which is rare. given my hectic schedule, it is difficult to go to a friends house to play games anymore. it is fun, however rare it may be, but on a pc, we simply agree on a server, and get on. no waiting, no whiny twelve year olds, none of that since theres always a well administered server on. and since you usually pick the same server to play on, you are often friends with most of the regular players. popping in and seeing 15 people you know and talk to is a good experience, one not likely matched on any console service.
  • EvilWalksWithMe, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0I like the idea of Live Anywhere... and the sooner more games can be played online together from multiple platforms the better.
    • palehorse864, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Unless they screw up the weapons so they spread, or offer auto aim on either platform. Bleh. Someone who plays shadowrun on Xbox 360 mentioned that they use the look stickc less to aim and find it better to let the game help them out by leaving it more or less alone.

      There are enough console fpsers bragging about the superiority of the controller. Provide a game with accurate weapons and remove auto aim and the like if you cross platform in multiplayer. Allow them to prove their worth to teh world of kb/m users.
  • fantasticFlan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4Love the way he talks about it, like he won't even consider dumbing down the PC version for the sake of the consoles.
  • nullynull, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Consoles hurt Gaming, not just PC gaming. It's like the McDonaldsification of gaming. The exclusive deals, the dumbed down gameplay, lame developer kludges, and lethargic corporations that gobble up any promising start-up, and strangle creativity. Its really sad to see.

    And seriously, come on driver issues? With the exclusiveness, always looming as this article demonstrates, it virtually exists in the consoles market, XBOX, PS, whatever name Nintendo is currently using, then there's the portable plats, what's 2 or 3 more (PCs, Mac, Linux). Its almost like a tower of babble effect on gaming, while their existing console platforms are strictly standardize, you still have different version of the games, even when the siren song of exclusiveness fails to completely lock out the other platforms. And as far as PCs go, there's what effectively only two really players in the video card market ATI and Nvidia, sound is effectively dead, creative and MS saw to that. PC hardware standardization is getting better, and if the copyright exploiters have their way it will be even more standardized, but I'm not sure I like the looks of the baggage that comes with that Vista is a good preview of what they want to see done.

    I really hope Linux gaming evolves, imagine a LIVE disk version of a game. Or perhaps Virtualization which has come a long way, which shouldn't be too hard since, IIRC aren't most consoles games developed on a PCs?

    • Izacus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Funny that. I checked the titles from last two years on PC and consoles... and PC got the most of the dumbed down generic games.
    • revengebomber, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Dumbed down generic games? Like Narbacular Drop? Or Darwinia? DEFCON?

      Face it, an open platform is simply more supportive of innovation than a big license circlejerk. Thank god I don't have to wade through NFL 2001/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9 while looking for something to play.
  • Menoats, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Ya long story short Microsoft is trying to let PC's and Console gamers play together so some non-creative developer gets anal and some blogger rants at how cool he is. I'm not always with Microsoft but I think PC's and Console gamers should get an opportunity to play each other. Plus ummm...last time I checked didn't the 360 support a mouse and a keyboard?
    • 35263526, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Certainly not for gaming purposes. Someone made a sort of converter, but it ultimately didn't compare to a real k/m combination hooked up to a PC. The controls systems are too different for any sort of competitive online play to be fair except in the simplest of games.
  • hamidious, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Everybody should learn by now that any Microsoft action is usually targeted towards monpolization. The company wants games to play only on Vista so players will be forced to pay for it. I don't think PC gamers want Microsoft to tell them what OS to run and how to play their games online. Live is meant to force PC gamers to pay for what they have always had for free, Free online gaming that comes as part of buying the game from retail.
  • DarkSideofOZ, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1This story is true, gimme a pc, a mouse and keyboard and give the #1 halo player in the world a controller.. I'll WTFPWN his face. It is simply impossible to get the speed and accuracy of the mouse with the xbox control sticks, the only way to make Live anywhere plausible is to have developers include basic support for plug and play mice/keyboards..... but then, that kind of defeats the purpose of it being a console... with controllers... playing on a TV... on a couch... not in a chair at a desk... so yea... live anywhere = retarded
  • revengebomber, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It's nice to see more companies opposed to this crap. Now if they'd only put in the effort (if you can call it that) to develop for OpenGL, OpenAL, SDL, etc. instead of the Microsoft ***** Libraries, maybe we'd see some real games coming to Mac/Linux (apologies to iD and friends, keep up the good work).
  • rockrapdude, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1good work about the dissing.
  • enforcerpsu, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Keep them separate! Stop dumbing down pc games to account for precision aiming. I applaud them on their stance.
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