The Agency will not feature PC-PS3 cross-platform play
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Aug 18th 2008 at 6:00PM }
"PC guys say, 'PS3 guys have aim assist and the controls nerfed for them'. And PS3 guys say, 'PC guys have a mouse and keyboard - it's all easier for them'. Even if it's not true," Hal Milton said. He also added, "a couple of members of our team gained a lot of experience working on Shadowrun, and no matter how well you fine-tune it, you end up with a player-base that's polarized." [Ed's note: Shadowrun is one of the few games that features cross-platform play between Windows and Xbox 360 systems.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
chililili @ Aug 18th 2008 6:11PM
Not really interested in this game but I hope this doesn't hurt its chances, as its tough for an MMORPG to stay afloat these days and get a good fan base. Some people are bound to get pissed off they can't be with their friends in the other version.
sicklesdawg @ Aug 18th 2008 6:21PM
Who cares about PC their user base will most likely pirate the game on release...Yes I am Generalizing a community.
kentuckyfried @ Aug 18th 2008 6:30PM
true; such a large part of the PC community seems so devoted to playing and not paying. Which also explains why COD4 has probably been the least successful on PC, since so may exploits were utilized to the point where the game was unplayable.
I always find it laughable that people on the PC complain that they can't do 180 turns with a flick of the wrist. Well, duh. It's a cheap mechanic that's thankfully not really present on consoles.
Zach Adams @ Aug 18th 2008 8:24PM
That's usually not much of a problem with MMOs, since you need a CD key and credit card.
And I suspect this bodes ill for DCO as well, and that one will be IMO hurt even more by segregation since the PS3 version will be left looking like a PS2 game for no good reason.
Saeth @ Aug 19th 2008 6:31AM
Yeah was going to say you can't really pirate MMOs unless you have a private server to go on.
Even then 90% of private servers are completely overran by server stability issues and just bugs in general.
kentuckyfried @ Aug 18th 2008 6:26PM
this's too bad.
kentuckyfried @ Aug 18th 2008 6:31PM
I mean, to be consistent, the ideal is nice but not workable in a practical circumstance.
DarklighterPS3 @ Aug 18th 2008 6:27PM
this makes me more likely to get this game
I don't to be forced to play with pc players. PC is an inferior system (even more inferior than the 360) and I don't think those players could keep up with PS3 users. PC is also a non gamers system. People who are seriously into gaming are going to play on consoles. Having a bunch of weak pc users on weak pc hardware would bring the whole game down.
Bdub? @ Aug 18th 2008 6:32PM
you forgot "/sarcasm"
Lord_von_Punx @ Aug 18th 2008 7:14PM
acctaully no to put to fine of a point but i have all 3 next-gen consoles but i also have a full 1080p video card in my pc that
with all hardware rigged up enuff to play crysis at full setting
with no problems at all .. also. i play a lot of my pc games
with my ps3 sixaxis controller
R_Shackelford @ Aug 19th 2008 12:42AM
Right. A PC with a graphics card that alone packs twice the RAM as the entire PS3/360 is "inferior" to consoles.
People who are *seriously* into gaming are going to spend more on a video card alone than the price of any console.
Having at least 20 assignable keys at my left-hand fingertips is "inferior" to the 16 total fixed-assignment (usually) buttons on a controller. (hell, I get 8 assignables on my mouse alone)
I moved from PC to PS3 because I got sick of the constant upgrades, and the fact that it's not as convenient to connect to my 56" HDTV in the living room, but I at least recognize which is superior.
Virduk @ Aug 18th 2008 6:35PM
That sucks.
Guess that also means no mouse and keyboard for the PS3 edition. PC version for me it is then.
followthategg @ Aug 18th 2008 6:38PM
Why could intergrate the ps3 version will keyboard and mouse. There are USBs and the console does support them...
Lord_von_Punx @ Aug 18th 2008 7:07PM
yes that is true also you can use a blue tooth keyboard and mouse like i do
Popfrogs @ Aug 18th 2008 6:41PM
Does anyone besides Epic know that the PS3 supports USB keyboard and mice? I guess even Sony doesn't know.
Lord_von_Punx @ Aug 18th 2008 6:55PM
ummm.. and why cant they just add keyboard and mouse support to the ps3 version?
KristoffXIII @ Aug 18th 2008 8:54PM
That's a bunch of crap. PS3 users can use a mouse and keyboard. (and if they want, they could release a driver for PS3 controller for PC) They could of done what Epic did with UT3
Metal_Gear @ Aug 18th 2008 7:08PM
Not had good experience with SOE (Sony Online Entertainment). I was a subsciber to The Matrix Online for about 2 and a half years and to my knowledge, there was never an animator on the Dev team, in fact, not long after I joined, the only Dev who was willing to edit MxO's code was moved to work on The Agency and they were left with 3 devs, one being mainly Q and A, one doing Programming and only ever seemed to work on a big thing every few months and the other Dev who amazingly did everything, story, live events, weekly missions, creating items and other content and managed to re-skin clothing to make it look new.
But as The Agency is free to play after you have bought it I may give it a try, but if it doesn't become as big as Everquest quick I'd suspect it will get team reductions for that other SOE MMO DC Universe Online. Then again, SCE will be pushing them to keep support up on The Agency as it is for the PS3 and they would love a huge MMO on it and they will fap over 2 huge MMOs on the PS3.
/end wall of text >_>
Lord_von_Punx @ Aug 18th 2008 7:14PM
thats weird that a comment i asked last turned out to be befor ethe one i asked first
DarklighterPS3 @ Aug 18th 2008 7:44PM
why would you want to play with a keyboard and mouse when you could play with a PS3 controller
the PS controller has been awesome since the ps1 unlike nintendo controllers which have needed constant alteration and now have become the trainwreck that is the remote. (though still superior to a mouse and keyboard). Still the PS controller is the best controller I have ever used.
chowley @ Aug 18th 2008 10:10PM
oh for the love of god, are you for real? Seriously?
Ok try playing an mmo? You need a keyboard and mouse. Theres a hell of a lot more to it than your average console game, you need plenty of keys to macro and oh god forbid text communication. Besides its just far more intuitive with the layout of a keyboard.
Another thing, keyboard and mouse is far far superior to playstation or xbox pad for FPS, there is no competition.
Try playing an rts with a pad then try it on a keyboard and mouse, hhmmm who wins?
Christ if you spent a few days getting your head around keyboard and mouse control you would never want to use a pad for those genres again. I cant stick those games on consoles.
Khaled @ Aug 18th 2008 7:52PM
They could make it support a keyboard and mouse. I find them easier and more accurate than controllers.
Wrathbringer @ Aug 18th 2008 8:53PM
@ all the people who are asking about PS3 supporting mouse and keyboard:
It would be pointless to add mouse and keyboard support for this game, since then people would be discouraged when buying it since they'll also need the M&K to be competitive. People know that PC users are much faster with their M&K than we are with our analog sticks, and so they'll bitch and complain when they're forced to buy more plastic just to keep up with everyone else. It would make everyone happier (and sell more games) to keep PC and PS3 online components separate.
MakaiOokami @ Aug 18th 2008 9:40PM
Can't they just make it to where you can use Keyboard on the PS3 and controller on the PC as optional control schemes and seperate the control schemes?
Might be a pain... but... at the same time... couldn't be so bad could it? If done right?
JayFight @ Aug 19th 2008 8:17AM
personally i prefer the controller over K&M for most games though it is true that you need at least a keyboard for an mmo(i learned this when playing FF11 on the 360) but you can still use a controller instead of a mouse just fine and if i was playing an mmo on my ps3 i would rather have the controller because my living room area is not set up for me to use a mouse with ease others though i can see there stand on needing them and it should be easy for them to integrate the use on the ps3 since you can already use them on the internet through it so i say we find a way to let them know they can use M&K on the ps3 and smack them for not realizing there are already controllers built for the pc (including playstation style controllers)