Patch#2 Notes - Patch is Live

[grkrama]

talking of steam, did valve do anything at E3, they were supposed to announce HL3, any ideas...

anything about steam box?

 

[Acid Burn]

@BigAntStudios

Is the Patch only coming out on Fridays , or can we expect any other day after that if it somehow fails or gets delayed for whatever reason ?

 

[Chief]

did valve do anything at E3, they were supposed to announce HL3

E3 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.... etc etc.

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... maintain a decent frame rate and keep within the resource limits. That sort of thing wouldn't be subjective.

No. There are quantifiable "let's draw the line HERE" numbers there. I'm just saying that it would be incredibly difficult to do it across all matters of the game. "Resource limits" are easy to quantify on closed platforms where all hardware is the same, but on others not so much.

I'm not saying we should have NO rules and regs here obviously. I'm just saying that it's tough to draw lines on some aspects.

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As for the Wii U, with the hype around Mario Kart 8 and many of their products at E3 I would be very cautious writing it off. To my knowledge there are still more Wii Us out there than Xbones, and just about as many as the PS4. With the lacking libraries of the Xbone and PS4 the situation could very quickly change. Not saying it will, but I wouldn't be so quick as to write it off.

Anecdotally from what I hear there are 2 PS4s for every Xbone and WiiU is bang in between them (albeit with a big head start). Interestingly in terms of software sold it's a different story: Wii U is waaay behind the other two.

Personally I think the price was too high for what it was, and the games so far have not been there. I fully expect WiiU to start a big recovery now that the games are getting to the level you'd expect and the price is so much more enticing. If only they could get rid of the controller and replace it with a standard one and then you'd be talking.

 

[Alberts]

E3 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.... etc etc.

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No. There are quantifiable "let's draw the line HERE" numbers there. I'm just saying that it would be incredibly difficult to do it across all matters of the game. "Resource limits" are easy to quantify on closed platforms where all hardware is the same, but on others not so much.

I'm not saying we should have NO rules and regs here obviously. I'm just saying that it's tough to draw lines on some aspects.

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Anecdotally from what I hear there are 2 PS4s for every Xbone and WiiU is bang in between them (albeit with a big head start). Interestingly in terms of software sold it's a different story: Wii U is waaay behind the other two.

Personally I think the price was too high for what it was, and the games so far have not been there. I fully expect WiiU to start a big recovery now that the games are getting to the level you'd expect and the price is so much more enticing. If only they could get rid of the controller and replace it with a standard one and then you'd be talking.

The "games not there" argument seems a bit odd considering that they have had the best games of the console generation so far. There are plenty of games, it just seems that they failed in terms of product differentiation and have struggled to really get a market share when people pictured serious console gaming as "da graphics!" In terms of games that are actually worth the time playing (and exclusive):

- Super Mario 3D World
- Pikmin 3
- Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
- New Super Mario Bros U
- Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
- Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate
- The Wonderful 101
- Mario Kart 8

Even Zombie U was pretty well put together. When you compare that to the virtual wasteland that is PS4 and Xbone exclusives it actually is pretty impressive, the issue appears to be with how the system was marketed from the get go. Rather than make an argument for why having fun games is better than that "WOW, GRAPHICS!" experience they instead seemed to look to make it a replacement for the Wii and that was about it. Even the gamepad is poorly fleshed out.

I have absolutely no idea what was going through their heads when they chose the name Wii U, it makes it sound like a peripheral for the Wii and I know many people who haven't even realised that it was a new console. The fact that Wii remotes are also compatible with it, and now sold with "Wii U" written on then hasn't helped that situation. In general I think they really missed the mark on it in general.

In terms of console sales, at this point in time it is something like:

Wii U: ~6.2 million units (32.3 million in software)
PS4: ~8.1 million units (20.8 million in software)
Xbone: ~4.57 million units (14.91 million in software)

Although it's hard to verify how accurate or up to date such figures are. If the case though, the Wii U, whilst well below predictions is hardly in a position that is compete doom, and if Mario Kart 8 has moved enough units you'd expect they could be in a position to at least tread water from here, especially with the big name in Smash Bros coming before the end of the year (probably) and a Zelda title next year. It's not pretty reading considering the Wii Us head start, but it would be recoverable. It's worth noting that many predicted doom for the PS3 early in it's life as well.

What's more interesting about those numbers is that it still looks like Don Bradman Cricket for PS4 and Xbone aren't really great options, as it could be a huge investment for a small player pool. When you consider that there's something of the order of 100 million PS3s out there and around 80 million Xbox 360s, and less than 13 million PS4s and Xbones combined. I wouldn't be surprised to see the next gen versions completely scrapped until future iterations to be honest. It's worth noting that not even EA were prepared to make a World Cup 2014 FIFA game for the next gen consoles.

 

[Vans]

Cant wait for Ross to come on here and post that the patch is out and ready for download.

Hell Yeah!!

 

[sami ullah khan]

I was also kind of hoping to get a surprise today but I fear that is not on cards any more. Let us hope that the platform approval not yet granted, goes through quickly enough.

 

[BRAB]

Any assertations that these weren't the developers to bring cricket gaming forward certainly must be quashed with this next patch. This much support for a sporting game is unprecedented, hopefully BigAnt set the standard for other gaming companies to follow, because I'm so shocked to see another patch has been approved, and it's coming out tomorrow, just marvelous.

 

[Vans]

When i have my 1st kid im gonna name it "Big Ant"

my second kid will be "Patch 2"

 

[Saeglopur]

When i have my 1st kid im gonna name it "Big Ant"

my second kid will be "Patch 2"

Got a wonderful image in my head of every time you introduce them somewhere, cricket fans throughout the room nodding sagely and murmering in mutual approval and understanding, haha!

 

[BigAntStudios]

Except for the absolute disasters in history, some that eventually killed companies, I cannot remember a system with a lower attach rate* - it has the lowest attach rate in my house of any console I have ever had.

I've got more Vectrex cartridges than Wii U games!

*Attach rate = number of games sold per console sold

 

[kusudial]

anyone know what time the patch will be released?

 

[BigAntStudios]

If I knew I would tell you for sure - one of the platform holders is making us wait.

 

[Bullman]

Hi Ross

I have asked this question before and understand you can't answer everything, but still think it's important so will keep trying.

Would you please look at possibly including the ingame bowler economy in a future patch?

While bowling ingame the general stats include, overs, maidens, wickets and runs conceded for each bowler but no economy rate.

Look at the example below. Excuse the size of the image. First time uploading a picture.

Thanks

 

[Alberts]

Except for the absolute disasters in history, some that eventually killed companies, I cannot remember a system with a lower attach rate* - it has the lowest attach rate in my house of any console I have ever had.

I've got more Vectrex cartridges than Wii U games!

*Attach rate = number of games sold per console sold

Where are you getting those numbers from. The current figures for "attach rate" are something like:

Wii U: 5.2 games per console (some sources suggest about 4.1)
PS4: 2.6 games per console
Xbone: 3.3 games per console

From what I can tell, although I'm not sure of the overall accuracy of those numbers. Again, they have had a headstart, but they aren't completely dead from those numbers, particularly as that would be better than both the Xbone, PS4, as well as the PS Vita, PSP and such.

In truth, not that bad at all. Particularly consider the sales boom with the Mario Kart 8, which sold over 1.2 million units in it's first 4 days, selling faster than Titanfall and Infamous Second Son (~1 mil in first month, and 9 days to reach the million mark respectively from what I can find), so it's not exactly all doom and gloom.

All that said, are there still plans in place for the PS4 and Xbone, considering that their take up rate is still quite small (the Xbone having sold less than the Wii U still)?

 

[79cricket]

If I knew I would tell you for sure - one of the platform holders is making us wait.

Cough Microsoft cough cough Ross. PS Can't wait for tomorrow as i am sick of bowling in patch 1 form.