Topic: Hideo Kojima wants to make games for PC and X360

[MysterD]

Looks like we might see Kojima make something for the PC, eventually...

Kojima Eyes 360, PC for Future Projects
And still isn't sure about MGS4's online components.
By Patrick Klepek, 01/22/2007

It's been too long since we've had a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots update, so, thankfully, GamePro managed to grab a few minutes of face time with Hideo Kojima, where he dodged almost every question until the interviewers gave up asking about Metal Gear and focused on Kojima.

We learn a couple of interesting bits, including Kojima's personal interest in working on both Xbox 360 and the PC -- plus, he maintains he will make a Wii game at some point. He's been saying that for a while, though.

    "Well, yes, I do have strong interest in creating something for the Xbox 360. In the US and Europe, it is selling, and I think it will sell a lot this year as well. I'm a fan of Gears of War as well, it's very interesting.

    Frankly speaking, I want to create something on the PC. It's a multi-platform [format]. I've been regularly studying work on the PC anyways, and I want to provide something as a world-wide platform because of the consequences with timing on the PlayStation platforms, MGS4 is actually for the PS3 only so far."

Also buried within the interview is a comment about the status of online multiplayer, a feature introduced in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, where Kojima admits even he isn't sure about what's happening because Sony has yet to outline their online plans to him. Weird.

    "Well, actually, Sony has not really spoken with us about their online plans. What I have is Metal Gear Online, and I'm always thinking of how we can conduct this plan on the Sony platform."

You better not be the reason MGS4 misses its 2007 release date, Sony.

[gpw11]

Thinking about it, Konami's pc ports are usually pretty horribly coded.  I'd hope this wouldn't be the case if it was something they ever wanted to seriously get into.

[idolminds]

Hopefully it'd be a PC game first and foremost and not just a port.

[gpw11]

I don't know if that would help.  They'll probably still only have nvidia support, only let you configure options through windows, and make it so that if you tried to play it two years down the road you can't use the best effects settings because your videocard is locked out since it's newer than the game.

[Quemaqua]

It's always hard for console developers to make the switch.  Don't know why, but it just never seems to work.

[idolminds]

PC dev to console means after having dealt with getting a game to run on a platform with literally thousands of system configurations, targeting one platform is a breeze.

Console to PC means leaving the one platform and now you've got tons of issues to deal with that you never had to handle before.

[Quemaqua]

It isn't even just that, though.  Stuff like menus and little things tend to work horribly.  There's like this untouchable thing console devs do on PC (even when it isn't a port) that just don't mesh right even when it seems like there shouldn't be a huge difference in that one area.  I dunno'.

[MysterD]

It isn't even just that, though.  Stuff like menus and little things tend to work horribly.  There's like this untouchable thing console devs do on PC (even when it isn't a port) that just don't mesh right even when it seems like there shouldn't be a huge difference in that one area.  I dunno'.

It's usually an interface issue -- more so than anything, the way they design it, I think.

Just look at Deus Ex: IW -- game was fine, but the interface sucked when in comparison w/ the original. It was consolized, but never adjusted when it came to the PC.

Some really know how to port a game from PC to console, like say Bioware -- just look at the original SW: KOTOR. Came out great, on the interface and controls.

[gpw11]

Yeah, but SW:KotOR was a pc game first, and then got pushed back once they decided to do an xbox version.  The interface would have been designed with the pc in mind and then altered for the xbox...not the other way around.

[MysterD]

The Suffering is another game I can think of developed for both the PC and consoles -- and its controls turned out fine.

[Xessive]

So far all the Konami titles that made it to PC turned out pretty decent. The ones I've mainly experienced are MGS 1 & 2 and Pro Evolution Soccer (Winning Eleven) series. Granted they're more enjoyable when you have a joypad, but they still play great with the keyboard. And more importantly there is a solid support for the titles from Konami.

[Pugnate]

It's always hard for console developers to make the switch.  Don't know why, but it just never seems to work.

I think it is much like asking a child to take the training wheels off his tricycle... it isn't easy.

Sorry I am just a shameless PC fanboy.

[Cobra951]

The thing is that the PC is by far the more flexible platform.  So games can be designed with consoles in mind, and then ported or co-developed to work under the same constraints on a PC.  FPS's would be the exception, in that no one is going to accept joypad controls on a PC FPS.  But other games turn out fine.  One of my favorite PC games is Psychonauts, and the best way to control it is with a DS-style joypad.  While I have not played it on a console, I'm sure everything about it and its interface works perfectly on them.