How devs are making next-gen games on consoles you already own

The studios creating the next-generation today...

[milohighclub]

If u think 360s is doing next gen then play uncharted 3's campaign. U can play the game from start to finish without it loading whilst pumping out easily the best console graphics to date with no framerate issues or freezing whilst it saves (cough gears) all in 3d. BOOM!

[Tachyon_Nova]

It does load, you just get to watch a few hours of pre-rendered cutscenes instead of a loading screen.

[decrypt]

If Next gen games are being developed on current consoles then why is BF3 only featuring 24 players and smaller maps? Its pretty simular to BC2 actually. Entry level to midrange hardware on PC is playing the game at high settings, while consoles are running the game at low settings at best.

For true progress better hardware is needed. 6 year old hardware cant magically get stronger.

Imo we arent seeing new consoles yet is because Sony and MS have both made losses or arent as profitable as they would have like to be, hence are milking old hardware as long as possible. Many of the devs have already spoken out and said console tech is holding them back, Even exclusive devs like naughty dog have mentioned they cant do much more with current hardware.

Any dev still claiming there is more potential in these consoles is either doing a lip service or trying to sell their game.

[mike_d_]

@decrypt i would have to disagree with you.On several game titles,each time it releases the developers say this is it,this game is maxed out no more can be done and we are pushing the hardware to its limits.But yet with each release it gets better and better.The games are evolving more and more with the devs learning the hardware better.Look at PS2 for instance how crappy the games looked for the first few years but as time passed and devs got more experience with what that were working with,the games looked better.IMO on the Battlefield comment,i think that more than 24 players,at least on TDM is a waste of time,its too overcrowded.I think we won't see a new console for at least another 2 years.

[lorianguy]

Uncharted 3 has a great campaign with all of the advantages you have listed and it loads and saves in the background, like 99% of Mario games.

But that did sound very fanboyish lol - even if I do agree with your points :)

[death2smoochie]

Never knew this was a Uncharted 3 thread......

[dangert12]

I don't think that Is 'next gen' standards
As the game will load if you press start on the cutscene maybe next gen hardware will be so fast or hold enough memory to only to load everything all at one time and not con you into thinking its not loading while it loads during a cut scene

[qwertyz]

LOL UC3 isn't a next gen game even bulletstorm or red faction Armageddon pc maxed out wipes the floor with its visuals and those aren't even impressive looking pc games.

Games like crysis 1, crysis warhead, crysis 2(even without direct 11), metro 2033, hard reset, Battlefield 3, witcher 2, shogun 2 and a few others on pc make UC3 look worse than a ps2 game in fact BF3 running high 720p with no AF or MSAA already looks a generation ahead of UC3 not to speak of the game running maxed out 1080p+

but UC3 is the best looking game on consoles right now but doesn't look much better than UC2 but it does look noticeably better

UC3 like all console games still uses crappy texture filtering, low res textures, runs at low res, low res alpha effects and terribly linear yet has very weak AI, no recoil damage on AI entities, weak gun battles(nothing nearly as intense as KZ2/3), per-calculated physics, per-rendered skyboxes....LOL and that is next gen ? IGNORANCE

just about every AAA game released on pc over the past 4 years looks better than UC3 for the worst looking ones(even when maxed out) all you need to is shoot up AF, AA and resolution up to 2560x1600 and it blows UC3 and every other console game out of the water even call of duty MW2 with this technique smashes UC3

killzone 2/3 are still the most technically impressive ps3 exclusives open your eyes they do MUCH more than UC3

[Alos88]

I really like the way most of the loading in games like uncharted 3 is done during cutscenes, it's far less tedious than just watching a vanilla loading screen.

[Godmars290]

Article quote: "Developers have stopped fighting 360 and started understanding it instead"

???

Wasn't the 360 designed with devs in mind? built around already existent Window-based and friendly tool sets anyway.

Also, since when did it start using USB 2.0? Thought it was still 1.2?

[Fishy Fingers]

Umm... Has it finally got to the point where "generations" doesnt actually relate to, I dont know, generations and now it's just some silly console term for describing the powerr!!11

Give it a break, the console are struggling to "wow" anyone these days, they're really showing their age. If anything I'm currently seeing is "next-gen" stuff, then I dont expect much from "(actual)next-gen".

[LegendarySins]

Too me next gen should mean, 1080p 60fps x8AA as standard locked down.

Then my wishlist to see; no more loading screens, an almost silent machine, choice of disc or download version for all games with downloadable versions being cheaper.

That would be a good start anyway.

[gypsygib]

CVG is such a fanboy site: "Technologically, the world's most popular console is a geriatric."

360 is not even close to the worlds most popular console, arguably its the least popular.

Who approves this crap.

[Chuk5]

Not even close? Come on now, that's a lie. In western society, the 360 is just about the most popular console.

If this was a ps3 article have difficulty believing that you would say the same thing.

[gypsygib]

I definitely would say the same thing if was PS3, I actually own a 360 and PS3. CVG sound like fanboys calling 360 the worlds most popular console when it's clearly not.

[josephps3]

Next gen 1080p, 60fps, 8AA etc but the real distinguishing gameplay enhancing feature:

1) Multiple monitors: 3-5 monitor support. Imagine playing Batman, Darksouls, Skyrim, Battlefield, MW etc with peripheral vision where you actually have to look to your left and right by turning you head. You'll be really drawn into the game.

2) 3D support. Next gen isn't going to come out until 2013 earliest and 2014 most likely. That's still few years away. 3D tech would have greatly improved and maybe even glassless 3D will be available. 3D gaming 1080p 60fps 8AA is truly next gen.

3) Full Keyboard and Mouse Support: There are so many amazing gaming KB and mouse on the market that can really enhance all gaming experience. FPS and RTS would be the biggest benefit.

[eraursls84]

I really hope the next gen consoles don't have kb and mouse support, if you want that then play on a pc. I like consoles because it puts everyone on a much more level playing field, only difference being the tv being played on. Also I rarely play games on pc because mouse and kb just isn't fun and its to easy, and if you have people with a mouse & kb against people with game pads its a huge advantage.

[Chuk5]

IMO, The radiant AI in Skyrim is pretty next-gen. The fact that it augments facets of a quest in your game based on how you play, where you've been, and your past decisions, is some thing Peter Molnyeux tried to do with Fable and even more impressive than Mass Effect's ME1-ME2 decision carry over.