News

Total War console interface "actually solved" but 'would it sell?'
Posted: 07.12.2010 13:03 by Simon Priest Comments: 29
Developer Creative Assembly still has ideas for the Total War franchise getting to consoles, at least in their periphery. The control scheme is 'already done'.

It's actually a matter of would it "sell on console?" It's RTS with a love of history and deeply rooted to PC. They're "looking at everything" for the future.

"At some point. Maybe. I don't know," said Creative Assembly lead artist Kevin McDowell, on whether Total War will come to console in all its strategic glory. "Somebody give Sega a bucket load of money to pay for it and we'd be alright," he joked.

"We have actually solved the problem with controlling Total War games using a control pad anyway." Let's hope it’s not like that system Creative used for Stormrise on Xbox 360 and PS3, which was not received very well at all.

"In the past one of the artists actually coded up some experimental stuff just on his own time and was like, 'Oh that actually works really well,'" continued McDowell.

"But I think the biggest issue really is, would Total War sell on console? It's kind of difficult to answer that question without spending all that money."

"There's also, which is the better platform to push for, which is the best method?" added Total War: Shogun 2 lead designer Jamie Fergusson. "I mean you've talked about using joypads, we've also looked elsewhere, we're looking at everything including iPhones, online gaming as well. Just different ways of playing."

"A legitimate question is, 'Why would we do it on console and not on Facebook?'" noted McDowell. Fear not for now though as Creative Assembly are squarely focused on PC exclusive Total War: Shogun 2, which has the series revisit feudal Japan.
Source: CVG

Comments

By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 07, 2010
SirRoderick
Don't.Even.Try.

I WILL hunt you down!
By Kres (SI Elite) on Dec 07, 2010
Kres
Omg imagine if consoles top PC strategy game sales. I would go underground. But would you drive a car by sitting in it and driving it with a joystick? Some stuff is not replaceable! Me hopes.
By Chosen_One (SI Elite) on Dec 07, 2010
Chosen_One
Bad idea...
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 07, 2010
SirRoderick
This is the first spambot I've seen on SI. Must be a smart one :)
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Dec 07, 2010
herodotus
Someone Admin that guy, please!!!
As for CA going with console...did they learn nothing from GPG and EA ("Sup Com" and "C&C" - both failures now after succumbing to the console false promises).
By bosnian_dragon (SI Core) on Dec 08, 2010
bosnian_dragon
They're just trying to make a joke out of Total War obviously. How can someone play strategy using a joystick ROFL
By Kres (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
Kres
Sorry about the bot guys. Will be sorted tomorrow as it was late when it posted and we're having some problems with it. So need devs to take care of it. The bot was obviously built and configured for SI. What an honor heh...
By Eversor (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
Eversor
Deffinitly a bot, when you click his home page it redirects you to some page on Earthlink.com.

I don't think that the Total War series would do well on the Consoles. It might though, and if it does, well that could be alot of money that Sega could make. What I want to know is how exactly could you make the TW series and all of it's complicated game play compatible for the Consoles?
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Dec 08, 2010
herodotus
"ETW" and "NTW" are 15GB and 20GB respectively. How are they going to transfer that to console, then back to PC without blowing the installation size out the door, or worse dropping much of it's complexity (look what happened to "Civilisation V").
However, I could almost see this coming with "ETW" which more a re-invention of the series than a "RTW"-sytle evolution. Achievements and Trophies...bah humbug.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
SirRoderick
@eversor:
That's what tipped you off? Not the giant post advertising pants and sunglasses and such?
lol.

On achievements:
I don't MIND achievements, but i don't particulary want them either. Only when they are ridiculous in nature like "spend 10 hours playing" and stuff like that, then i get mad.
By Eversor (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
Eversor
I guess so. Also, I agree with you on achievements. However, I don't think that they are a thing that you need in a game like Total War.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
SirRoderick
Something along the lines of what Paradow wants to do.
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?504499-Paradox-Achievement-Design-Guidelines
That sounds good to me.
By RaviL (SI Core Member) on Dec 08, 2010
RaviL
OMG the bigest mistake of all times is going to happen if this game is going to get released on the consoles, how can you transform an RTS to console the hole concept and idea i's a no brainer.
By Wowerine (SI Elite) on Dec 08, 2010
Wowerine
I would welcome minority report styled game controls. Might get me back into the RTS business :)
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 09, 2010
devel
Why not just adapt the game to allow a mouse and a keyboard? Would be quite simpler..
By VHugoSama (SI Core) on Dec 09, 2010
VHugoSama
i agree with devel with would be the most simple way to solve the problem, and probably cheaper too.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Dec 09, 2010
herodotus
Perhaps the graphical nature of TW would suit a next- NEXT Gen console, but not the ones currently available. "NTW" chomps happily on any mid-range PC (where the 360 and PS3 sit) but suits high-end PC's really. The next one will require everyone to upgrade their PC's to run it at Max settings, and the consoles would be very, very poor cousins.
By Kres (SI Elite) on Dec 10, 2010
Kres
My fear is what if they actually make it good? Or better?? What a nasty thought.
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 10, 2010
devel
Better than on a PC? Hell no! PC will always be the top gaming platform. and this is me speaking, a more console based player..
By VHugoSama (SI Core) on Dec 10, 2010
VHugoSama
Agreed in terms of hardware the PC completely destroys any console in the market...
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 10, 2010
devel
I wouldn't put it in terms of destroying ahaha its just that its a very close call nowadays, although that's also changing, new GFX are always coming out.. perhaps someday an even higher definition standard will be released ahah
By K3Spice (SI Core) on Dec 11, 2010
K3Spice
This would only be possible on the PS3. The reasoning being that the PS3 uses blu-ray disc which can hold the amount needed while the 360 is using DVD disc. I really don't think they should spend the money for the consoles, they could use the money to make the PC versions even better. :)
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 11, 2010
devel
Blu-ray discs doesn't have to do with it that much. You guys know that games like Mafia II, Assassins Creed II Only have 7 Gigs on a Blu-ray disc? It even gets more pathetic when games made by Disney only occupy 1 Gb or 700!! A waste of space in my view. The only game out there that has a full Blu-ray is God of War III, with 40 Gb's or so.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 11, 2010
SirRoderick
Metal Gear 4.

Pretty damn sure that didn't fit on the DVD :)
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 11, 2010
devel
Yeah, MGS4 is about 32 Gb's or so. But that's a must, Kojima also said that if he pushed too much in that Bluray he might be out of space in it ahaha
By VHugoSama (SI Core) on Dec 11, 2010
VHugoSama
That's Hideo Kojima san for you...
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Dec 12, 2010
herodotus
However, how much of the 30+ GB of "MGS" is playable, and how much cut-scenes and story telling?
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Dec 12, 2010
SirRoderick
The cutscenes combined will be at least 4 hours, probably more.

But, that doesn't even matter. They were an integral part of the game and just as entertaining as the gameplay.
By devel (SI Elite) on Dec 13, 2010
devel
Around 4 Gb's are Sound and I believe another 8 For cut scenes, out of those 32 add perhaps 4 more to cut scenes ahaha which makes the game around 40Gb's. Same as GoW IiI.