Portal 2 Catch-All

=P If ever there was a way to end the controller/mouse&keyboard debate...

Considering the fact that the only multiplayer in this game is cooperative, Mouse/keyboard controller disparity should not be an issue if cross platform support is implemented.

Plus, this is Valve. Have some faith!

Also don't forget it is a cooperative game and not a competitive game like the previous cross platform attempts.

The crossplatform issue is a difficult one, but not really because of different input styles. I think it's more about MS/Sony trying to keep their systems nice and closed so they can exploit their userbase to the greatest extent possible. Of course, with Steamworks coming in that problem could disappear in short order.

I propose an experiment. Allow any given console shooter game to accept both controller and M+KB as input devices, and separate online lobbies such that players could decide they want just controllers, just M+KB, or both (default to 'just controllers'). Then see what happens. Will a strong M+KB community emerge, signifying that a decent chunk of people enjoy having that option? If so, why not include such an option?

4xis.black wrote:

The crossplatform issue is a difficult one, but not really because of different input styles. I think it's more about MS/Sony trying to keep their systems nice and closed so they can exploit their userbase to the greatest extent possible. Of course, with Steamworks coming in that problem could disappear in short order.

I propose an experiment. Allow any given console shooter game to accept both controller and M+KB as input devices, and separate online lobbies such that players could decide they want just controllers, just M+KB, or both (default to 'just controllers'). Then see what happens. Will a strong M+KB community emerge, signifying that a decent chunk of people enjoy having that option? If so, why not include such an option?

That's an awesome idea. Since some people have preferences and others don't. And it'd be nice if it actually enforced people with one control setup or the other out of the those that have a negative preference for it. It might polarize the community some, but I think it'd be worth doing from Valve's POV to empirically show how the community likes it. Versus the typical flame wars.

It might be so different a case that it doesn't apply at all, but FFXI talked to PS2s, PCs, and eventually 360s and PS3s.

Additional: I can play this! Woohoo!

I didn't even realize that Valve hired the Tag team from Digipen, until I saw the oozes and knew where that came from. I'm dubious about the liquids, only I imagine I have no reason to be.

I really don't care if the 360 is going to be the "worst" platform to play this on.....it's the only one I have that will let me play the game rather than play a 5fps slideshow

I haven't played P1 on 360, but I don't imagine it's the sort of game where you're going to be short changed on the experience. Of any game, portal is one I would say to just play it on whatever platform you like.

E3 Demo in its' entirety:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Well, AP beat you by a page, but it was still fun to watch those a second time.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

The more I watch that clip, the less I like the companion orb. He sounds like the Geico gecko.

It's placeholder stuff, not done by a real voice actor.
Strange to put that in an E3 demo though, the performance was terrible

Yep, he still sounds like the Geico gecko.

WTF is that sh*t?

Why does he just sound like a normal person? I don't think that fits very well when you have turrets, Glados and every other mechanical beastie in the HL2 universe having "synth"-like vocals. This isn't Lock, stock and two portal focalisers!

Duoae wrote:

This isn't Lock, stock and two portal focalisers!

You heard it here first. Guy Ritchie is doing the Half Life movie.

One thing I'm concerned about is whether the thing will shut up and leave you alone for a time. One of the things I liked about P1 was the solitude, the lack of pressure, no nagging NPCs prompting you to do anything. Having a personality sphere with you (is it the only one?) changes that.

Duoae wrote:

WTF is that sh*t?

Why does he just sound like a normal person?

Brits don't sound like normal people.

I feel compelled to add that most Brits (that I know) don't sound like him. That seems to be an almost stereotypical British accent.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Duoae wrote:

WTF is that sh*t?

Why does he just sound like a normal person?

Brits don't sound like normal people.

I can't tell if you're being facetious or not (you probably are), but Duoae's talking not about the accent but about the lack of a mechanical feel to the voices. They Auto-tuned the crap out of GLaDOS's voice and the voices of the turrets to make them sound like robots; they don't seem to have done that with Mr. Geico's voice.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Yep, he still sounds like the Geico gecko.

Nope, that's Alistair with a few more Fs.

wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Yep, he still sounds like the Geico gecko.

Nope, that's Alistair with a few more Fs.

Falistfair?

Could be a rumor but I remember hearing that the new voices were placeholders.

cyrax wrote:

Could be a rumor but I remember hearing that the new voices were placeholders.

If that's true i'll be happy.... of course it would help if Valve actually stated this during the whole preview stuff. Nothing like some bad publicity through this sort of bad communication can put people off buying your game. Didn't we just have a discussion (the larger gaming community) about poor demos and such?

wordsmythe wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Yep, he still sounds like the Geico gecko.

Nope, that's Alistair with a few more Fs.

All the more reason to pass on Dragon Age.

Duoae wrote:
cyrax wrote:

Could be a rumor but I remember hearing that the new voices were placeholders.

If that's true i'll be happy.... of course it would help if Valve actually stated this during the whole preview stuff. Nothing like some bad publicity through this sort of bad communication can put people off buying your game. Didn't we just have a discussion (the larger gaming community) about poor demos and such?

The voice was originally meant to be a placeholder (it's done by a Valve employee) but the rumor I heard was that since it's gone over so well (except with British people) that Valve's thinking of leaving it in.

Stengah wrote:
Duoae wrote:
cyrax wrote:

Could be a rumor but I remember hearing that the new voices were placeholders.

If that's true i'll be happy.... of course it would help if Valve actually stated this during the whole preview stuff. Nothing like some bad publicity through this sort of bad communication can put people off buying your game. Didn't we just have a discussion (the larger gaming community) about poor demos and such?

The voice was originally meant to be a placeholder (it's done by a Valve employee) but the rumor I heard was that since it's gone over so well (except with British people) that Valve's thinking of leaving it in.

You're trying to make me mad aren't you?

Duoae wrote:
Stengah wrote:
Duoae wrote:
cyrax wrote:

Could be a rumor but I remember hearing that the new voices were placeholders.

If that's true i'll be happy.... of course it would help if Valve actually stated this during the whole preview stuff. Nothing like some bad publicity through this sort of bad communication can put people off buying your game. Didn't we just have a discussion (the larger gaming community) about poor demos and such?

The voice was originally meant to be a placeholder (it's done by a Valve employee) but the rumor I heard was that since it's gone over so well (except with British people) that Valve's thinking of leaving it in.

You're trying to make me mad aren't you? ;)

No, that's honestly what I read.

Edit -

Ars Technica[/url]]We were told that the audio we were hearing was simply a Valve employee performing a test voice, which is usually thrown away, but it seems as if this one would be kept through the final product. That would be a wise move, as both the writing and the voice work felt great, full of life and character.

OH....... MY.........ASKLDHJASHDJHDJAHDJSAHDIUSAHUID!!!!

I was really looking forward to this game, Valve..... don't ruin it with cheap-assed charicatured voices!