Ports

[sgtsmokey]

I am studying games development at the moment and I am using Unreal 4 there, but I also own Cry engine as well and this applies to most engines. A game engine which makes games for console on a PC has the option when packaging the game ready for distrubution. Has the option to export to Playstation, Xbox, Android, Ios and PC, nothing needs porting with these engines as it is made the same way and then exported out to cater for the different platforms its that simple.

I have always known that porting is when they design a game for console it needs to be re-coded for PC, but with new engines that doesn't need to happen because the engine is built for that purpose and is done automatically. So how do people claim that the PC version is a console port if it uses an engine that supports this facility?

I hope you understand as it seems difficult to explain. 

[NICKT]

I don't mind ports, though, to be honest.

Just as long as the game runs well on appropriate hardware, and is efficient and utilizes the benefits of the platform it's on, there's really no reason to complain.

People complain about things like interfaces and the like, but you can just throw a controller at their faces because they're stupid.

 

I think what people have a problem with, that is valid, is when a game comes to PC and it operates poorly, often requiring more than necessary hardware because optimization never occurred. When a game runs at low frame-rates and resolutions despite PC being a more than capable platform to at least deliver a 48fps and 1080p experience, minimum.

[Interfectorem]

Because not all games use Unreal 4 or Cry Engine?

[Raid]

Not all games can be played acceptably on PC due to issues with playing with mouse and keyboard. Same applies the other way around. Also, not all games use Unreal or Cry Engine.

Games also tend to be designed with certain specifications in mind. For example, a PS4 may only display so many objects on screen at once in any given project. Whilst a PC may be also to display tons more objects there's no point in adding them as the game has already been designed around the limited set of objects available on the slowest platform. Changing your design would only complicate matters. It could either not fit into the design at all or it may just end up creating more work which wouldn't be worth it.

Of course there's also the matter of optimization. Whilst the console versions only need to work withing certain specifications on certain hardware (for example: a constant 720p 60fps on a PS4) a PC port would need to work on AMD, Nvidia and Intel GPU and all sorts of processors and resolutions.

Another issue is platform integration. Adding Steamworks to an existing project may not always be easy or even possible without major re-design of certain key components. Same applies to equivalent features on consoles.

One of the most important issues when it comes to ports is publishing. It's not free, you know. And if your publisher wants the game to remain console exclusive then it will.

[sgtsmokey]

Unreal and Cryengine were just examples. You will find that most of the modern game engines support every console to pc.

Ps I am a Games Development student and have made several mini games over the past 6 months, whilst I am working on the art for concept and 3D for a much bigger project . I could go into different types of culling, the render pipeline of direct x or open gl, lighting, physics and more. Your almost right, but you make it sound harder than it actually is

[T6kke]

You are only looking at it from engine development point. But you should also look at it from game design and UI design point.

 

For example before FPS games were mostly made for consoles you could carry lots of different weapons. On consoles it's more difficult to change between 10 different weapons compared to switching between 2. This is a controller oriented limitation in game play. But it goes further then that. There is no need for scavenging for resources if you only can carry 2or3 weapons and you can swap it out for another one on the ground(that enemy dropped) when you run out of ammo on your gun. So there is no need for levels with hidden goodies so levels became more linear to the point of corridors. Look at game like Half-Life 2. It's very linear but it also has a lot of hidden goodies that you can easily miss if you just don't explore. And it goes further then that. This lack of extra goodies to find gave birth to regenerative health. If you don't have any extra stashes of goodies then there is no health to put there. And it's easy to let the player gain full HP if he just stays in cover for a few seconds.

 

The dreaded universal do everything key. Why is there one key for running, jumping, opening crates, talking to NPCs, entering a car and whatever else. I have like 100 buttons on my keyboard. Why can't I have all these functions on different keys.

 

Key remapping. Good port allows mapping all functions to different keys and even mapping same key to different functions if the game play allows it. But this should also be an option on consoles and I don't understand why it isn't(swapping between layouts is a good alternative to remapping).

And this demands a new options screen that someone has to create.

 

And good mouse support is needed. I don't want some locked mouse acceleration or even locked sensitivity. And menus should be usable with a mouse. And if you have settings with lots of different options then make a drop down box where I can choose my preferred option with two clicks and not have to click through 10 different settings to get what I want. Also mayor minus points if resolution settings applied when scrolling through options.

 

Graphics options(as before this also needs an extra menu screen). PC hardware has a huge range and having customizable options allows everyone to get the game running the way they want it. And there are graphics options that some people don't like. Good example would be motion blur. A lot of people want to turn it off because it's just bad. And this applies to a lot of different options like depth of field, bloom and whatever else people dislike. And PC gamers don't want their games locked to some stupid resolution because the console version only had that resolution.

 

Understanding that PC players sit a lot closer to the screen then console players. And sometimes PC players sit far away from the screen. This is why you need FOV slider. It's an important comfort thing(lots of people get simulation sickness at wrong FOV) not a cheating thing like some people say.

 

I could go on but the important thing is to understand how gaming on PC is different from consoles. Or even different from mobile. Steam has been getting lots of mobile ports and one thing that most games don't have is tool tips. I understand that on touchscreen you can't hover over item to get extra info but on PC you can.

 

 

 

 

I also want to add that I don't know how any of the engines port the games. For example do they automatically add mouse&keyboard support to the game or not? Do the porting option add graphics options automatically?

 

 

One more thing to consider is modding. Do you want your game to sell 5-6 years later at 60% of the release price because someone made an awesome mod for it and everyone is getting the game? Or you want to let the sales of the game die after a year or two because it's not profitable for you to make extra content and you are not allowing the community to do it for you.

Dedicated server are similar here. How long do you want to pay for the server. It's a lot cheaper to allow the player to do it on their own. Dedicated servers also create communities around them and communities keep the game alive and selling for a longer time.