Ubisoft explains Splinter Cell exclusivity

[PSman]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154109

"Splinter Cell was created on the first Xbox, so we thought it was important to come back for one volume with Microsoft to create a very good quality title focused on using the full power of the system," he said.

Your thought?

Personally I feel that it'll probably be timed exclusive at best

 

[Tap In]

I think this version, Double Agent is exclusive but there most likely will be future versions (by another Splinter Cell name) which will go to PS3.

 

[expletive]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154109

"Splinter Cell was created on the first Xbox, so we thought it was important to come back for one volume with Microsoft to create a very good quality title focused on using the full power of the system," he said.

Your thought?

Personally I feel that it'll probably be timed exclusive at best

If you're using 'at best' to mean its clearly a timed exclusive and is likely a permanent exclusive, then yes, i agree.

I think this version, Double Agent is exclusive but there most likely will be future versions (by another Splinter Cell name) which will go to PS3.

Its not SC:double agent that was announced exclusive, its the next SC, 'Convictions' by Ubi Montreal thats the exclusive one. I think DA is already on multiple consoles this gen.

 

[Acert93]

E is right -- they were talking about Splinter Cell 5 / "Conviction" made by the Montreal team and not Splinter Cell 4 / "Double Agent".

 

[Tap In]

E is right -- they were talking about Splinter Cell 5 / "Conviction" made by the Montreal team and not Splinter Cell 4 / "Double Agent".

woops... thanks guys... well I can't wait to see what the Montreal team does while focusing solely on the 360. :smile:

 

[Powderkeg]

E is right -- they were talking about Splinter Cell 5 / "Conviction" made by the Montreal team and not Splinter Cell 4 / "Double Agent".

That is correct, but it should be noted that Double Agent still hasn't been announced for the PS3 at all while it has been announced for every other system including the Wii.

It's obviously not 360 exclusive, but not even being announced for MS's biggest competitor says a lot.

 

[Acert93]

woops... thanks guys... well I can't wait to see what the Montreal team does while focusing solely on the 360. :smile:

It is UE3 based, so all the hoohaahaa from Ubi about designed specifically for the 360 yada yada yada is PR. Expect another nice UE3 game... which of course using such middleware leaves certain doors open... But right now it is a 360 exclusive and they seem pretty firm on it. Not just "not announced" but exclusive. Timed or otherwise who knows.

 

[karlotta]

well if ya dont work for the companys, who cares?

 

[scooby_dooby]

It is UE3 based, so all the hoohaahaa from Ubi about designed specifically for the 360 yada yada yada is PR. Expect another nice UE3 game... which of course using such middleware leaves certain doors open... But right now it is a 360 exclusive and they seem pretty firm on it. Not just "not announced" but exclusive. Timed or otherwise who knows.

Looking at Mass Effect and Lost Odyssey, another very good UE3 exclusive doesn't sound so bad. Though, how do we know what engine they'll use?? We know they are using the existing SC engine for DA, but they could be creating a new next gen engine for SC5, is Assassin's Creed using UE3??

Edit - Apparently AC is using a new proprietary engine called 'Scimitar'. So, I would be careful assuming that SC5 will definately use UE3.

 

[AlNom]

Nothing wrong with using UE3 IMO. Ubi Montreal has had an awesome track record thus far.

 

[kyleb]

Not being able to use AA is something I can't quite get over with UE3.

 

[StefanS]

Not being able to use AA is something I can't quite get over with UE3.

I thought that woud be fixed after implementing tiling into UE3, which has yet to be done.

 

[Acert93]

I thought that woud be fixed after implementing tiling into UE3, which has yet to be done.

No, the issue is not tiling but the defferred rendering techniques used make MSAA (on any current platform) expensive.

@ Scoob: I have assumed it is UE3 because it has been on the UE3 list for a long time, long before it was even announced. The same list has been right on for a number of other games as well... so it could be wrong, but seeing as SC has a long history of using Unreal Engine I lean toward the list being correct. But like I said another "nice" UE3 game. Based on some of the engines/art some dev houses have shown that could be a really good thing! Especially if some of the Ubi defections are true. But the AC guys have put together a decent engine with nice shadowing, so Ubi does have some internal guys with a lot of skill and could obviously leverage that. So we will see. I personally hope it is a new engine aimed to exploit and push the 360 specifically. If it is gonna be exclusive, go all out IMO. If not, share and port

 

[AlNom]

ERP explained the AA issue awhile back. Sweeney also clarified somewhat too I think. That doesn't mean Ubi Montreal has to use the same shadowing method.

 

[StefanS]

No, the issue is not tiling but the defferred rendering techniques used make MSAA (on any current platform) expensive.

You're right. A simple forum search would have cleared up the issue for me. Damn sometimes I am just a lazy bastard.

 

[Acert93]

You're right. A simple forum search would have cleared up the issue for me. Damn sometimes I am just a lazy bastard.

NP The question comes up a bit as the two issues at one time appeared to have some overlap. ERP was kind of enough to give some really good details on it which Sweeny confirmed separately a few weeks later. Should be in the B3D FAQ

 

[Inane_Dork]

@ Scoob: I have assumed it is UE3 because it has been on the UE3 list for a long time, long before it was even announced. The same list has been right on for a number of other games as well... so it could be wrong, but seeing as SC has a long history of using Unreal Engine I lean toward the list being correct. But like I said another "nice" UE3 game. Based on some of the engines/art some dev houses have shown that could be a really good thing! Especially if some of the Ubi defections are true. But the AC guys have put together a decent engine with nice shadowing, so Ubi does have some internal guys with a lot of skill and could obviously leverage that. So we will see. I personally hope it is a new engine aimed to exploit and push the 360 specifically. If it is gonna be exclusive, go all out IMO. If not, share and port

I wouldn't find it too hard to believe that SC5 was based on UE3 at some point. It probably allowed Ubi to start messing around with gameplay way before the game's engine was stable and well-featured. But since the project went specific to 360 and PC, I think it's quite possible that they have opted to make their own engine.

I think SC's gameplay could benefit greatly from an engine designed for it. I mean, look at how hot Assassin's Creed looks in-game. Sam (or maybe his replacement?) could really benefit from being more nimble. He's more of a tank spy at the moment, which I know is at least partially intended.

 

[fulcizombie]

I can't wait for the first videos/screens of SC5 to be released.It is probably going to be a milestone in terms of graphics and animation.

 

[dodo3]

Looks like Ubi just lost my support for the SC franchise. I don't have enough money to buy every console nor time to make that money. Here's to hoping Ubi will put it on PlayStation 3.

 

[archangelmorph]

Pseronally I don't know why they bother with this franchise..

Double Agent looks bloody good as a multi-platform title so I think they should just release the next one multi-plat & spend much more time developing the gameplay/animation than wasting any more time making an incredibly pretty looking game, "prettier"..

Sure graphics are nice but unless things "move" & "play" well every game has "suck-potential".. You only have to look at the lack of high resolution textures on AC to see that graphics "horsepower" definitely don't make a game "look pretty" (I.e. AC looks damn gorgeous without having some of the "umm" and "ahhh" of games like GOW which seem to focus so much on eye-candy..) without good art direction and how the introduction of new gameplay paradigms/systems can make even the most "so-so looking game" into a killer app (a la GTA..)