PlayStation 3 harder to develop for? Nonsense, says GRAW team

RC Cola · Aug 17, 2007

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27782

"It's wrong to say it's harder to code on the PS3" - Le Tensorer

The team responsible for one of Ubisoft's most acclaimed videogames – Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter – has told GamesIndustry.biz that developing titles for the PlayStation 3 is no harder than working on Microsoft's Xbox 360.

Despite analyst reports and internet chatter, the BAFTA-award winning team says it's just a case of developers getting up to speed with the new hardware, as Sony's console is earlier in it's lifecycle than Microsoft's Xbox 360.

"It's wrong to say it's harder to code on the PlayStation 3, it's just something that needs to be learnt," said Yann Le Tensorer, co-founder of Ubisoft's Tiwak studio and co-creator of the Yeti engine powering GRAW and the upcoming Beowulf game.

"It's not harder to develop on the PS3 than it is on the 360, it's just a different console. Developers might says it's harder because it just takes time to understand the technology, we're still early in the lifecycle."

As more studios learn the intricacies of developing for the PS3, so the entire development community will benefit says Le Tensorer. "We need all developers to learn from the console, it was the same with the PlayStation 2. Our team are more than happy with the PlayStation 3."

Earlier this week a review in USA Today labelled Electronic Arts' PS3 version of Madden NFL 08 as "sluggish" compared to the Xbox 360 version.

And industry analyst Michael Pachter has gone on record saying that the delay of Grand Theft Auto IV from November until next year was due to Rockstar struggling to port the Xbox 360 version of the game – a problem that would be down to the developers themselves, not the hardware.

Adrian Lacey, international brand manager for Ubisoft, is confident that the success of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter is due to forward planning on the developers part, and has meant that the sequel due on PS3 next month will match the standard set by the franchise.

"Because we built the engine for this generation of hardware we've been very well placed – Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter hit that level of quality early in the cycle when the 360 first came out because we had our engine in mind for PS3, 360 and PC from the very beginning," he commented.

As the studio continues work on the game based on upcoming movie Beowulf, due for PS3 and Xbox 360, Lacey admits there's still plenty to learn about both home consoles.

"For us it's been a learning curve and technology changes very quickly. We're learning step-by-step to use the PS3 to its fullest capacity," he said.

"If you take the PS2 for example, when God of War come out people saw it was tremendous. But it wasn't until the end of the PS2 cycle that we've seen the machine being pushed to its fullest," added Lacey.

A full interview with the Adrian Lacey and Yann Le Tensorer, where they discuss Beowulf and the challenges of working with movie studios, will be published later this month.
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Given the PS3 work done by Ubisoft, I'm not really sure how he could say that (multiple delays to all Ubisoft games IIRC, some being downgraded). I guess if he thinks those problems are attributed to the PS3 just being "different," that might sort of explain it. Of course, other developers would probably explain it by saying it was "difficult" rather than "different." I tend to count them the same (if it take 3 years longer to figure out the system, then yeah, it is more difficult).

Realjad · Aug 17, 2007

RC Cola said:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27782

Given the PS3 work done by Ubisoft, I'm not really sure how he could say that (multiple delays to all Ubisoft games IIRC, some being downgraded). I guess if he thinks those problems are attributed to the PS3 just being "different," that might sort of explain it. Of course, other developers would probably explain it by saying it was "difficult" rather than "different." I tend to count them the same (if it take 3 years longer to figure out the system, then yeah, it is more difficult).
Click to expand...

At this precise moment in time, its harder to code for the PS3.. Since there isn't as much information and practice on it as the 360. So at this moment in time it is fact that it's harder for most of the big developers. Theres no its or buts about it.

With that said, even in the long haul many other devolopers such as Rockstar, EA, Epic and Irrational will still say PS3 is harder to develop for.. Thats not saying they wont develop for it, Rockstar already has an exclusive license for the ps3. They just acknowledge that its much harder to do it on the Sony hardware then it is on the 360, even in the predicting long haul.

With more complexity USUALLY comes more freedom, so the ps3 should have an advantage there. Anyways I will own both but expect much much more form my 360.. even in the longer haul. Versatility and ease goes a long way.

BTW, Microsoft has been involved much much much more then Sony has, helping developers learn easier. Sony has been more like 'hey here you go guys, play around with it a bit and figure it out on your own in the process, later!"

Point is, given the same time frame.. 3-4 years until Sony Code enlightenment occurs you can't forget about Microsoft. Not only do they already understand the Microsoft code as is RIGHT NOW, but imagine the things they can and will be doing with it in 3-4 years down the road around the same time. Basically Microsoft is always going to be a year or two ahead of Sony

Coach AI · Aug 17, 2007

Didn't some guy at Ubisoft also say something recently about the PS3 not being 'as good at AI' as the 360?

Seems Ubisoft is trying to dip its hand into every pocket.

Ah Ubi, keep on contradicting yourself and never change. (except with the ****ty ports)

DaDakota · Aug 17, 2007

ROFLMAO !!!

When you have lots of cash and unlimited resources, it is just a problem to solve.

Most of the time though developers are limited in so many ways, and learning the X-box 360 is beneficial for both PC and X-Box 360...whereas what you learn for the PS3 is only good for that console.

It gets easier to develop for Sony products as time goes on, and 3rd party software solutions become available or problems have been solved by other developers and shared throughout the community.

The 360 is just a PC.....much easier.

DD

RC Cola · Aug 18, 2007

Rokkit said:

Didn't some guy at Ubisoft also say something recently about the PS3 not being 'as good at AI' as the 360?
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Thought he said something about the way they were doing AI in the new Splinter Cell game, the PS3 wouldn't do as good a job...or something like that...don't remember the direct quote (if there ever was one). That probably is true; depending on the algorithm they used, Cell probably wouldn't run it all that well without any optimizations (or maybe even with them).

DaDakota said:

Most of the time though developers are limited in so many ways, and learning the X-box 360 is beneficial for both PC and X-Box 360...whereas what you learn for the PS3 is only good for that console.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess that sort of explains most of the differing opinions I've seen between developers. I've noticed most of the guys who specialize in PC stuff or also work on the PC seem to talk the most about how much more work it takes to develop on the PS3. On the hand, console-specific developers (especially those from Japan) don't really seem to make a big deal out of it.

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