Elwro
Arcane
I have no idea from what the site takes its name, but they have just published a new interview with Daniel Oberlerchner from Deep Silver. Since he's not from Piranha Bytes, it's understandable that the inerview contains little new info about the game. But there are a few puzzling comments on PC vs. console gamers (emphasis mine):
The difference between the PC and consoles is that the PC serves as a device for work, entertainment and communication, whereas the consoles are more or less focusing on entertainment, though communication features are being slowly introduced.
The media consumption habits of console players differ from those of PC gamers in the way that the majority of console gamers don’t have many hours in the day to dedicate to games. That doesn’t mean that they don’t spend a lot of time playing a game once they know how to play it, it’s just that the attention span is lower, the need for early incentives is higher, so that the content has to be prepared for folks who come home from work in the evening and want to enjoy their game in chunks.
The way we tackle this challenge without diluting the experience for the dedicated hardcore gamer is that we don’t force the help we are offering to beginners down the throat of every player.
We made sure that the learning curve is not as steep as in Risen 1 and also restricted the actions one can take in the first minutes of the game. Genre veterans however will be able to get through the prologue in a few minutes, while beginners will enjoy not only proper guidance on what to do but also information about the story of the hero character in case the player hasn't played Risen 1 at all.
Weird. I'd have though the situation would be opposite time-wise. Anyone has any sources?
You said recently that there is a technology gap between platforms – between Xbox 360 and PC, for example, but that it was important to create the optimum experience for each one. That must be a challenge.
Although the technology on PC is constantly evolving, the question you have to ask yourself is whether that means that you have to move at the same pace.
In the case of Risen 2 we are very fortunate that we don't have to lead in the technology race. Risen 2 already looks stunning in DirectX 9 because better technology doesn't necessarily allow for a better RPG experience.
Although Risen 2 features fluid animations, advanced lighting, particle effects, 3D soundscapes and very cool water shaders with real time caustics and refractions and all those bells and whistles, it’s the living and breathing world that is the star. In the end, it’s not about the brush that paints the picture, but the artist.
Spotted at: Game Banshee
(...) what do you think the differences are between PC and console players – and how do you cater to those differences with the same game?
The difference between the PC and consoles is that the PC serves as a device for work, entertainment and communication, whereas the consoles are more or less focusing on entertainment, though communication features are being slowly introduced.
The media consumption habits of console players differ from those of PC gamers in the way that the majority of console gamers don’t have many hours in the day to dedicate to games. That doesn’t mean that they don’t spend a lot of time playing a game once they know how to play it, it’s just that the attention span is lower, the need for early incentives is higher, so that the content has to be prepared for folks who come home from work in the evening and want to enjoy their game in chunks.
The way we tackle this challenge without diluting the experience for the dedicated hardcore gamer is that we don’t force the help we are offering to beginners down the throat of every player.
We made sure that the learning curve is not as steep as in Risen 1 and also restricted the actions one can take in the first minutes of the game. Genre veterans however will be able to get through the prologue in a few minutes, while beginners will enjoy not only proper guidance on what to do but also information about the story of the hero character in case the player hasn't played Risen 1 at all.
Weird. I'd have though the situation would be opposite time-wise. Anyone has any sources?
You said recently that there is a technology gap between platforms – between Xbox 360 and PC, for example, but that it was important to create the optimum experience for each one. That must be a challenge.
Although the technology on PC is constantly evolving, the question you have to ask yourself is whether that means that you have to move at the same pace.
In the case of Risen 2 we are very fortunate that we don't have to lead in the technology race. Risen 2 already looks stunning in DirectX 9 because better technology doesn't necessarily allow for a better RPG experience.
Although Risen 2 features fluid animations, advanced lighting, particle effects, 3D soundscapes and very cool water shaders with real time caustics and refractions and all those bells and whistles, it’s the living and breathing world that is the star. In the end, it’s not about the brush that paints the picture, but the artist.
Spotted at: Game Banshee
