PC-PS3 interplay re-deconfirmed?

[Sephiroth_VII]

There has been a lot of talk about the possibility of cross-platform play in Unreal Tournament 3 (PC, PS3, and Xbox 360). The addition of mouse and keyboard support to the game's PlayStation 3 version has also fueled further speculation about PS3-PC online multiplayer.

While it certainly is a very interesting idea, Epic Games has finally confirmed that no, there will not be any cross-platform online multiplayer in Unreal Tournament 3. At launch, anyway. Here's what Epic VP Mark Rein had to say about the subject in a recent IRC chat with Beyond Unreal:

The biggest challenge in doing cross platform play is synchronizing the builds such that the build on the PC is 100% compatible with the build on the PS3. Unfortunately (or fortunately) when you games on console you have a lengthy certification process to go through each time you release anything new...


We looked at how this would impact our ability to respond quickly to things happening at internet speed on the PC side of the equation and realized that would not be in the best interests of our very loyal PC user base because we would constantly be holding on to updates to wait until they passed cert on the console platform

There's is still some hope, though. Rein went on to say that cross-platform play may still be added "after the game has settled down". For the full chat log, click on the Read link below.
Source (http://ps3.qj.net/Confirmed-No-PS3-PC-cross-platform-play-in-UT3/pg/49/aid/103368) & Orig. source (http://www.beyondunreal.com/content/articles/203_1.php)

[VonGak]

LOL, you had me scared there for a moment.

I thought that it was in general, there's some upcoming cross platform RPGs which I got my eyes on.

[LiquidEagle]

I dunno how, but I instantly knew this was about UTIII when I saw the subject :laugh:

[Sephiroth_VII]

Lali, could you please change the title to "UT3 PC-PS3 interplay in re-deconfirmed?"?

[cliffbo]

i've got a bad taste in my mouth about this one... lets see if the 360 version or the new GOW has cross platform play

[Sephiroth_VII]

Let's keep away from the conspiracy theories for now, please ;)

[VG Aficionado]

There's a simple reason why it can't be fully done on consoles: because of PAL. Just like PAL console owners can't play online with NTSC owners, I'm not sure there's a way to get together PAL, NTSC and PC players in the same game. Whether this can be solved somehow, I don't know, but it is a European problem and don't think PS3 is the only one that can be affected by it.

[GTAce]

You could play NFS Underground on PS2 against PC gamers so i dont think it has something to do with PAL and NTSC.
And you could play for example MoH RS on PS2 against Japanes and American people iirc.

[VG Aficionado]

Some games do have a 50 Hz / 60 Hz restriction when it comes to online multiplayer. Whether it's universal or not, I don't know. And obviously, if you play in NTSC / 60 Hz mode, you won't have those issues if you live in Europe.

[Segitz]

There's a simple reason why it can't be fully done on consoles: because of PAL. Just like PAL console owners can't play online with NTSC owners, I'm not sure there's a way to get together PAL, NTSC and PC players in the same game. Whether this can be solved somehow, I don't know, but it is a European problem and don't think PS3 is the only one that can be affected by it.

I do not think, that this is essentially a PAL problem. The difference in FPS (50 to 60 HZ) is no problem for any PC game at all (since not everybody can run any game at full speed on any pc). Either it is a infrastructural problem (i.e. servers and lag) or something else completely (SCEE vs SCEA vs SCEJ maybe) I cannot tell. This is like the thing where allways the progressive scan modes were cut out of the EU releases..

[LaLiLuLeLo]

i've got a bad taste in my mouth about this one... lets see if the 360 version or the new GOW has cross platform play

99% unlikely due to the closed nature of Live. Developers have gone on and on about this whenever they choose PSN over Live. Free Radical for example, and Epic in UT3's case. Do your homework!:whip:

[Sephiroth_VII]

There's a simple reason why it can't be fully done on consoles: because of PAL. Just like PAL console owners can't play online with NTSC owners, I'm not sure there's a way to get together PAL, NTSC and PC players in the same game. Whether this can be solved somehow, I don't know, but it is a European problem and don't think PS3 is the only one that can be affected by it.

Warhawk, Resistance, Motorstorm: all 3 have worldwide online servers.

[VG Aficionado]

Warhawk, Resistance, Motorstorm: all 3 have worldwide online servers.That's beside the point. Anyone with a NTSC capable TV or a HDTV can play worldwide from anywhere. Those who are limited to PAL 50 Hz only possibly can't.

[Sephiroth_VII]

Don't you think we'd have heard of this issue?

[VG Aficionado]

Do you know someone who plays on PAL 50 Hz format online? Just because there isn't anyone here doesn't mean the problem isn't there and that it doesn't have to be solved.

[Raitei]

well, i have played warhawk at 50hz against the world, honestly dont see what the problem could be

Ps2 could play against PC [pes6]

[VG Aficionado]

Are you sure you played against non-EU players?

Anyway, you cannot play Burnout 3 or Burnout Revenge on PS2 with non-European gamers if you run on PAL 50 Hz mode. However, if you play on NTSC 60 Hz or 480p, you can play with anyone worldwide... except with those poor 50 Hz Europeans.

[Nameless]

^ I play against people from the UK on Xbox Live daily...
I have played with people in the UK on both GOW & GRAW.

[VG Aficionado]

^ I play against people from the UK on Xbox Live daily...
I have played with people in the UK on both GOW & GRAW.Again, that means nothing. Anyone with a HDTV or a NTSC capable TV can do it.

[Sephiroth_VII]

Could someone please debunk this for me? I have a US PS3, so I can't.

[Gegenki]

Since when does refresh rate have anything to do with on-line play?
It's not like frame rate changes unless they decide to v-sync that said most people run their pc's at 60hz, alot at 70, alot at 72, alot at 75, some at 30 ish.
Theres nothing saying that you can't play warhawk against people in other countries.
To please you all I just set my PS3 to 576i and connected to a SCEA server in warhawk.
They cant change your refresh rate on the fly because it could mess up your tv and they would have to tell you in the manuals that you can only play against certain people.
All that said frame rate doesn't even have an effect on network programming. Provided you have a proper timing mechanism which all games do these days because loads of PC's run at different speeds, network communication will take place at the same speed, provided your system reaches at the minimum required speed, the speed it was programmed to run at, e.g. 15 messages per second would mean it needs to complete 15 cycles per second but if a pc were running 200 cycles it would still work at 15 cycles or appear to work at 15 cycles but a very slow system might only be doing 13 cycles

[VG Aficionado]

Well, then I guess that was a problem with some PS2 games, and maybe not even with all of them :shrug:

By the way, are you sure you're not running on PAL 60 Hz?

[Gegenki]

yes, checked my tv, reported 720x576i 15.1khz/50hz
I left standard pal as the only available option on the ps3

[GTAce]

I cant run 60hz too because my TV doesnt support RGB and i dont want a black & white picture.

EDIT: Btw. this is your chance!
Spend money to the "Give GTAce a 1080p Bravia because he deserved it for a reason nobody knows foundation"