12th March 2004, 2:12 PM
You're right, DJ. My info is outdated. But it's also based on generic models not specific companies. These generic models are based on 'average' game developers who are, for the most part, not interested in ever opening the www door.
"Most game companies making online games barely make enough off of them to keep the services up and running."
This is essentially, exactly what I said.
Would it be a true statement to say that in the cases of console development houses that they would be the ones footing the bill for massive servers while 3rd parties would reap the benefits of the individual game sales?
More specifically, that the only way Nintendo itself would return a profit is to factor in online game play in to every in-house release? The R&D for every game would drastically add to their individual development time and the overall time line of released games per quarter. Nintendo's highest point in their history only gave us around 10 titles in a year. To turn a game out every year and have it available for net play (ie: combed and tested for bugs, more so than with normal development). Let's say they could provide 1 to 3 online titles within a year. That would be a sad state of affairs. A smaller 3rd party could afford such a huge gap between games released, but Nintendo (as the console developer and the server provider) could not.
As far as menus are concerned, I wasn't speaking of in game menus such as the start menus. I was talking about the menus that you need to navigate when connecting and finding viable hosts and players. But with good R&D I suppose those menus could be made as simple and effective as the in game menus. I've only seen it done through a mouse/keyboard.
Lastly, about the keyboard; Am I mistaken that a headset (microphone and speaker system) would transmit and receive the audio data over the same network that you are playing the game on? Wouldn't this add to lagging problems? If not, then that's great. But every PC telephone I’ve used has lagged my connection.
From what you're saying there's definitely an easier solution to getting plugged in to net play. But in the end it's still much more expensive and requires more technical know-how on the consumer's part than traditional game playing, for now atleast. And those two factors are good enough for the Suits to ignore it and focus on traditional, business-as-usual structures for their development. I also agree with you that Nintendo is looking at the bottom line more than anything else which should be obvious since they have more money in 'The Bank' than Sony and MS's game divisions combined... Nintendo likes da monies.
"Most game companies making online games barely make enough off of them to keep the services up and running."
This is essentially, exactly what I said.
Would it be a true statement to say that in the cases of console development houses that they would be the ones footing the bill for massive servers while 3rd parties would reap the benefits of the individual game sales?
More specifically, that the only way Nintendo itself would return a profit is to factor in online game play in to every in-house release? The R&D for every game would drastically add to their individual development time and the overall time line of released games per quarter. Nintendo's highest point in their history only gave us around 10 titles in a year. To turn a game out every year and have it available for net play (ie: combed and tested for bugs, more so than with normal development). Let's say they could provide 1 to 3 online titles within a year. That would be a sad state of affairs. A smaller 3rd party could afford such a huge gap between games released, but Nintendo (as the console developer and the server provider) could not.
As far as menus are concerned, I wasn't speaking of in game menus such as the start menus. I was talking about the menus that you need to navigate when connecting and finding viable hosts and players. But with good R&D I suppose those menus could be made as simple and effective as the in game menus. I've only seen it done through a mouse/keyboard.
Lastly, about the keyboard; Am I mistaken that a headset (microphone and speaker system) would transmit and receive the audio data over the same network that you are playing the game on? Wouldn't this add to lagging problems? If not, then that's great. But every PC telephone I’ve used has lagged my connection.
From what you're saying there's definitely an easier solution to getting plugged in to net play. But in the end it's still much more expensive and requires more technical know-how on the consumer's part than traditional game playing, for now atleast. And those two factors are good enough for the Suits to ignore it and focus on traditional, business-as-usual structures for their development. I also agree with you that Nintendo is looking at the bottom line more than anything else which should be obvious since they have more money in 'The Bank' than Sony and MS's game divisions combined... Nintendo likes da monies.