The founder of VoodooPC, now owned by HP, has spoken out on a secret cross-platform online gaming concept that was apparently shelved by Microsoft before it came to market.
Blogging on his personal site, Rahul Sood claims that there was a secret project in development at Microsoft that “was to bridge XBOX gamers with PC Gamers” enabling cross-platform gaming in titles like “Unreal and or Gears of War” as part of their LIVE strategy
“Personally I wish it would have stayed the course,” says Sood. “I’ve heard from reliable sources that during the development they brought together the best console gamers to play mediocre PC gamers at the same game… and guess what happened? They pitted console gamers with their “console” controller, against PC gamers with their keyboard and mouse.”
“The console players got destroyed every time,” he claims. “So much so that it would be embarrassing to the XBOX team in general had Microsoft launched this initiative.”
“Is this why the project was killed?” he asks.
Via SPOnG.
tonycawley
People always go on about how much better keyboard and mouse are, but I just can’t get to grips with it as a way of controlling a game. I’m a very good typer, so that’s not the issue, I just can’t imagine using them as a means of contolling a game. I suppose it’s whatever you’re used to.
Person678
It’s not the keyboard people use it for, it’s the pinpoint precision of a mouse.
tonycawley
Yeah, I get that, but I just can’t get to grips with the whole control mechanism, and trust me, I’ve tried.
bajere
this is why i think Move enabled gamers will have an advantage over those with DS3 only. KZ3 online will be interesting
PhilipJWitow
If you play strategy games you will almost NEVER want to play console versions over PC versions.
Keyboard and mouse are perfect for strategy games at least.
hazelam
with move you might
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uF_fasPphc
rts footage from 1.50
woodsy321
Anyone seen the PS3 mouse? the ** splitfish frag fx ** COD with a mouse on the ps3!! I had one, it was fairly good too!
3shirts
This has always been the case. My boss at my old job was a Xbox360 COD4 obsessive (we worked out roughly a year after it came out that he’d played, on average, 2 hours a day everyday since it’s release!).
We had a training room at the office and would occasionally have after work mass-gaming sessions. We played COD4 in there and he was crap, getting owned by those of us who played occasional FPS games on PC but not COD4 specifically. Movement, aiming, turning speed and just using a separate keyboard and mouse make it a very different experience.
Console FPS’ are a slower experience.
Pete_UK
That’s why almost all console shooters have a cover system nowadays, to help disguise / validate the slower run-hold-run gameplay style.
gurglesletch
they do? I haven’t noticed COD or Battlefield or Halo having it and they are the biggest FPS’s.
Deathbrin
Just restrict it to using a “360 for Windows” pad? More pad sales, more game sales, more happy gamers – problem solved?
Octaeder
If you think that would lead to more happy gamers you clearly don’t know the mindset of most PC gamers.
I RUVZ TEH SIXED AXES !!!1!!!!!
Wasnt there a video from a few years ago wich had players from both PC and XBOX playing some game ?
Octaeder
Some games do it, like Shadowrun. The problem was they nerfed mouse control to keep the playing field level so it reviewed terribly and just died.
bunimomike
I lean towards the PC for FPS if I have the option. If not, consoles will do.
Nauraph
I think the learning curve for controllers is much steeper.
But I’m a console gamer, but when I play a certain game (MW2) on both ps3 and a pc wíth a controller. I don’t notice any difference in my ranking. Which means pc players don’t have a particular advantage over me.
carson321
Thats not the point of the issue, the thing is that an advantage comes from using a mouse, where would the difference be in using a joypad on the pc, there is none
maneorix
I’ve re-read your argument, and it makes no sense carson..
I agree with Nauraph, if you’re good enough it shouldn’t matter if you play with a controller/joypad or a mouse. It’s all about adaption. Using a mouse to play FPS’s is probably a lot easier but not necessarily better imo.
DrOf1337
Did they learn nothing from Shadowrun?
Octaeder
This is why Valve have the right idea with trying to get Portal 2 co-op working PC/PS3 cross-platform. If it’s co-operative, who cares if the mouse has increased accuracy.
Tzares
They actually spent money on testing and planning this? i could have told and explained to them, WITH fancy charts how this would NOT work.. kind of retarded..
DJ Judas
I’m a bit annoyed with this being canned if true.
Why not just have a console only and PC only option for competitive players to choose from?
Call me cynical but I genuinly think its been eliminated because of the amplifications in the ‘need to win’ at any cost mentality of some LIVE gamers, who are the reason I cancelled my subscription. Too much bitchin’ from other people and not enough fun :/