L.A. Noire

[Snarky]

... Actually, never mind ...

[Stee]

Simply put, the only way to get developers to reconsider their console exclusivity is to boycott the game. Don't buy games for consoles.

It worries me that this is the stance companies are taking now. Regardless of what they say it's not much more difficult to pirate for a pc as it is for a console. Much easier than it used to be.

L.A Noire is a nice game though. Well worth the money, just a shame publishers and developers are killing the pc market.

On the bright side, it opens up the market for new startups and a fresh approach to PC gaming. I'm not a fan of most indie companies titles (bar a few exceptions) as they seem to mainly target a casual market or some other niche.

My feelings about LA Noire can basically be summed up by: "Someone at Rockstar found a list of everything Dave likes and made a game out of them."  It's lovely so far.

Glad you like it Dave. Maybe we can see some inspiration in your new titles. 

[Eggie]

Honestly I don't think the big leap in dominance consoles have taken has much to do with piracy; it's just where most of the gamers are right now. As far as I understand it gaming used to be something done in little secret sessions on bedroom computers, computers are where the work and the spreadsheets are meant to go and it was almost like a secret shame. Now games are big and shiny and accepted and mainstream they live on the television because the television is in the living room and the living room is where entertainment goes.

My two problems with this is that getting a game onto these consoles (even the X-Box arcade) requires so many resources that are beyond the reach of the average talented indie authors that communities like this produce meaning they get stuck on the dirty, shameful end of the market while big developers get to monopolise where the real money and the big audience is.

My second problem is that I HATE navigating a 3D world with a joystick. I haaaaaaate it. I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE IIIIIIIT.

Anyway, what are we talking about? I'm quite tired.

Also, LA Noir is actually inspired by the Max Griff games. there's a secret area where you can see Cole Phelp's framed 'first dollar'. Or there should be, one of those two. Did I mention I'm tired?

[Layabout]

LA noire is IMO one of the finest games produced this year. While it has it's nuances, it can be forgiven as it has some of the most believable performances ever see ln in videogames.

The main reasons many developers chose to develop for consoles was the piracy issue. Now with the current issue of losing sales to 2nd hand purchases, pc is once again looking to be a more favorable option. Ther will probably be quite a shift going on soon where more games are available on pc that in recent years.

[Anian]

My second problem is that I HATE navigating a 3D world with a joystick. I haaaaaaate it. I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE IIIIIIIT.

Navigating is not so bad compared to aiming in FPS type games.

[Wreck]

I agree L.A. Noir looks very interesting, will probably pick it up at some point when I have more time.

On the subject of P.C. Piracy vs Console second hand sales (and touched on by Layabout a couple of posts back) Lionhead studios gave a very interesting interview recently to Eurogamer as they have just released a PC port of Fable III:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-17-lionhead-pre-owned-worse-than-pc-piracy

[Chicky]

LA Noir is great fun, the facial animations add a fresh layer of depth to what would be a tired old game mechanic. I like how they start to mix up the structure of story progression around the 50% mark.

That failure sound in the interrogations is such a downer!

[Eggie]

My second problem is that I HATE navigating a 3D world with a joystick. I haaaaaaate it. I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE IIIIIIIT.

Navigating is not so bad compared to aiming in FPS type games.

Yeah, that's what I meant. I always end up staring at the damn ceiling. I don't even like watching competent gamers aim with those things, so jerky and unnatural...

[Igor Hardy]

Honestly I don't think the big leap in dominance consoles have taken has much to do with piracy; it's just where most of the gamers are right now. As far as I understand it gaming used to be something done in little secret sessions on bedroom computers, computers are where the work and the spreadsheets are meant to go and it was almost like a secret shame. Now games are big and shiny and accepted and mainstream they live on the television because the television is in the living room and the living room is where entertainment goes.

That's an interesting theory about gamers switching rooms which they devote to gaming's pleasures, but I think it's only half true. First of all, it doesn't seem like the PC market for games did ever shrink, just the opposite. It's simply now competing with the consoles for some of the very same titles - some of the biggest titles. And its' true consoles are currently better suited for the most expensive visual stuff. They don't have all the compatibility issues that PCs have. Also, the living room and giant screens are the perfect places to showcase flashy and loud kind of entertainment. And I bet Sony and Microsoft give the companies special offers regarding the publishing schedule and marketing of particular titles, while the PC is always a huge wild west.

Nevertheless, ultimately the PC is always the most flexible platform with the greatest amount of quality titles to choose from and the easiest to innovate on. Whatever happens I'm sure the PC will be the last gaming platform to die off.

[Igor Hardy]

Nevertheless, ultimately the PC is always the most flexible platform with the greatest amount of quality titles to choose from and the easiest to innovate on. Whatever happens I'm sure the PC will be the last gaming platform to die off.

Something from a new PC Gamer post to back me up on that statement:

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/26/chris-taylor-on-why-pc-gaming-is-bigger-than-ever/

[TheRoger]

L.A. Noire is going to be released for PC!!! Somewhere in Autumn. Rockstar says that it won't be just a port. It will have controls special for PC, better graphics and 3D support.
I wish Alan Wake would do the same : (

[Igor Hardy]

That's very very very neat!