Bioshock Infinite - No Lead Platform

Chris Kline posted at the Irrational Games Forums that they are doing simultaneous in-house development on the PS3, 360 and PC versions of the game. This was mostly to assuage PS3 owners' fears that it'll be a simple port:

We’re doing simultaneous in-house development on the PS3, 360, and PC versions of the game,” wrote Kline. “We all know that the PS3 is powerful but unique console with its own strengths and challenges. But compared to the PC, the Xbox 360 is challenging too. So instead of declaring a 'lead platform' and porting the game to the others, we’ve instead changed the game engine so that all platforms look (to a programmer) more like a PS3.

More information.

One way to look at is its a good idea.Many companies just port copies and they are terrible.On the otherhand it cost more to have three teams making the same game.It better sell better than bioshock 2 based on what they said the sales were.

I'm actually looking forward to this game after seeing the preview video. I know I'll probably be disappointed, but what I've seen so far did look rather unique.

Same here. Despite its flaws the Bioshock universe is a great setting. Just wish they would throw in a little more depth to the character development, but it's not half bad for a shooter with a few rpg elements

Better this than a crappy port, but I know I'll be longing for a Bioshock 1-like experience..great PC version as is often the case with 2K.

I'm going to miss the underwater environment though. Really enjoyed that, but it's a good thing they're moving onto a new setting. I don't know how they would explain Rapture STILL being down there after all hell it's been through.

I have a slight logic problem :

This was mostly to assuage PS3 owners' fears that it won't be a simple port:

They fear it won't be a simple port ?

Fixed.

Thanks.

So instead of declaring a 'lead platform' and porting the game to the others, we’ve instead changed the game engine so that all platforms look (to a programmer) more like a PS3.

Isn't the PS3 the "lead platform", then? I'm confused.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
One way to look at is its a good idea.Many companies just port copies and they are terrible.On the otherhand it cost more to have three teams making the same game.It better sell better than bioshock 2 based on what they said the sales were.

It doesn't take 3 full teams to develop the game for 3 platforms since 90% of the code for a game is the same for all platforms! Where I've worked we've been doing multi-platform games for years.. it's a single team doing the game, with a relatively small sub-team of "platform programmers"… guys that knows a lot about the various differences and hardware limitations of the consoles. In my opinion it does indeed lead to a better product across the platforms that way.

Originally Posted by Hindukönig
Isn't the PS3 the "lead platform", then? I'm confused.

Quite. I think it's BS. It sounds like they are designing to the PS3 hardware and user interfaces.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Quite. I think it's BS. It sounds like they are designing to the PS3 hardware and user interfaces.

Thanks guys, I was thinking the same thing. PS3 is the lead. Why all to obfuscation?

Originally Posted by Dajjer
Why all to obfuscation?

Yeah… this isn't V:TMB.

Aye! But we can be hopeful.

The thing that concerns me most is that this decision was made because the feared PS3 fans would be disappointed that this game wouldn't get the max potential out of the PS3's graphical horsepower, and NOT because PC users would be stuck with a console version on their computer.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Quite. I think it's BS. It sounds like they are designing to the PS3 hardware and user interfaces.

I agree that it's probably BS, but if their making a game for both consoles AND PC, I'd be REALLY surprised if they the PS3 was the lead platform.

My guess? The 360 is the lead platform, period.

I have to agree: This is simply not true. Of course there's a lead platform - the code is written on one platform, and then tested on various platforms after the initial tests. He's probably just saying "we're not focusing on a specific platform and then porting it to the others", but his statement is still wrong, as there is definitely some sort of lead platform.

I think they are using a multiplatform engine. So basically what they mean is the graphic engine we are using support all the three platforms… but we are making an interface which will work on the PS3.

The lead platform is irrelevant to "core gamers" if it's not PC.

As long as it's restricted by console hardware and perceived audience - it will suffer.

I fear it might actually be vice versa.

The PC seems to be "big" only here in Europe; and that is not the preferred market, after all, especially being fractured down into several EU countries with their own languages and legislative … And in the US or so I understood it, the consoles are much "bigger".