E3 2019 - Conference times and general chat

[Suits]

Was expecting/hoping to find out what Halo Infinite is and maybe see some gameplay.

I wonder if you'll have to have the new console to play it.

Turns out that Halo Infinite will launch on Scarlet and the Xbox One.

Which is good news.

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

Really mixed feelings on the Xbox briefing.

It feels harsh to be too critical as it was jam packed with games of all shapes and sizes, many of which looked fantastic. Plus if you’re a Game Pass subscriber like me the number of times “launching on Game Pass” popped up next to a cool looking game, you can’t be anything other than pretty chuffed with where the service is heading. I mean aside from the new stuff we’re getting Batman Arkham Knight! Borderlands Handsome Collection! Metro bloody Exodus!!!

Can’t really ask for much more from this service right now. High fives all round!

On the flip side – so many CG/cinematic trailers. It felt like the only thing there was actual gameplay for was the indies, and anything AAA was just a load of smoke and mirrors. Gears 5 is out in just a few months – where was the gameplay? The game will be great as always, and being a Game Pass subscriber I’ll have it at launch whatever (another high five for Game Pass!), but as an attempt to sell it to anyone else they did a pretty poor job.

I also feel like I know nothing about X Cloud that I didn’t know before (apart from the fact my console can act as a server – interested to see how that works), and the half-reveal/talking heads bit about Scarlett (with two ‘t’s!) was all as expected and therefore a bit underwhelming.

Strange one overall. But then it did have Keanu Reeves being awesome live on stage, which automatically makes it the best conference of the year and possibly ever…

[Alex79]

I thought the MS conference was fantastic, but was left feeling confused as to what the next Xbox is.

[FemalePheromones]

That Blair Witch game looked interesting. Did anyone else get the sense that when you die you start over again, well obviously you can do that in any game, but I mean like it felt the game was based around that.

It seems strange if that is the case as 12 Minutes also looked like it worked the same way and also Deathloop that Bethesda revealed. What are the odds 3 games would be shown on the same day with the same core concept.

However, if you saw the Blair Witch film...

Spoiler: show

you would know that there is some weird thing with timelines int hat movie that could explain it.

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

I thought the MS conference was fantastic, but was left feeling confused as to what the next Xbox is.

My take-away from the bit about Scarlett is that despite all the hullabaloo around streaming, they're still building a super-powerful hardware-based traditional console. They didn't say anything different to what Mark Cerny talked about in the PS5 Wired article (8K, next gen SSD, no loading, DDR6 RAM etc) so looks like MS and Sony are aiming for essentially the same goals.

It'll be interesting to see which one hits that sweet-spot of power and price this time round when they systems get revealed properly next year. It was definitely Sony this gen, but I've got a feeling MS won't be making the same mistakes twice. The Xbox One X proving to be such a brilliant, refined product has also restored my faith in them producing something pretty special.

Can't wait to see how it all plays out!

[Chopper]

explained why I still use HDDs.

This is the big question coming out of E3 for me. Something to do with video and recording playthroughs?

[Alex79]

Just watching the Bethesda show on my lunch break. Some interesting bits. I'll definitely give Blades a go on the Switch, and Deathloop looks pretty good.

[countstex]

That Blair Witch game looked interesting. Did anyone else get the sense that when you die you start over again, well obviously you can do that in any game, but I mean like it felt the game was based around that.

It seems strange if that is the case as 12 Minutes also looked like it worked the same way and also Deathloop that Bethesda revealed. What are the odds 3 games would be shown on the same day with the same core concept.

However, if you saw the Blair Witch film...

Spoiler: show

you would know that there is some weird thing with timelines int hat movie that could explain it.

True but things like that happen quite often as devs all get inspired by the same catalysing event. But like I say, was just a feeling I got rather than anything concrete. I wrong more than I am right

[KSubzero1000]

Oh, I almost missed out on my man Shinji's next game!



Unfortunately, Bethesda is still involved. Looks intriguing, though.

*please be good please be good please be good*

Few things in gaming would make me happier than to see this man reclaim his throne.

EDIT: The director appears to be Ikumi Nakamura, his long-time protégée. Splendid!

[Chopper]

Unfortunately, Bethesda is still involved.

You mean Bethesda, the best publisher of the last few years? Seriously though, their non-Fallout properties have been pretty great, if not in sales figures, unfortunately.

There you are, this is the e3 chat you came here for, right guys?

As someone who's been using shitty work laptops for 20 years, I love it. It feels like a real luxury, and is something non-techies can notice and enjoy. I love it every time!

And I play strategy games (or pretend I do) so there are big benefits in the time it takes to process turns. I've definitely noticed this too. On the other hand, I estimate less than 10% of the games I play now are Triple A, and probably then on console, so you're right, no real benefit there.

[Flabyo]

It sounds like they’re planning to use an ssd as a RAM disk in the Scarlett. So it’s not what you’re downloading your games onto, but something they’re adding in as a secondary cache element to speed overall loading times.

The primary storage will probably end up as an ssd as well anyway, but it’s specifically the concept of using a super fast one as a buffering unit that’s new. At least to console architecture.

[ratsoalbion]

Same on PS5 from what I understand. The SSD in both next gen consoles is as much about facilitating more spectacular and seamless game worlds as it is about reducing loading times (though it should help with those too).

[JadePhoenix]

Interesting, cacheing involves a lot more discrete write actions than mass storage does, and most SSDs don't hold up that well being written to over and over, I hope these consoles don't have limited lifespans because of that...

[Alex79]

Finished the Bethesda conference. I just can't get excited about Doom. I guess it's just not for me, but that Wolfenstien Young Blood looked pretty cool.

[FemalePheromones]

But it does look very Doom.

[Flabyo]

Watch Dogs 3 looks fun.

And I know most of you didn’t play the second one, you missed out. Was way better than the first.

[dezm0nd]

But it does look very Doom.

Correct answer

[Alex79]

Yeah Watch Dogs Legion looks brilliant. Like the look of that Gods & Monsters at the end, too. I think Ubisoft always put on a good show.

[Suits]

Yeah, I thought Watch Dogs 3 looked fun.

Wasn’t too sure about the accents though.

[KissMammal]

Anyone else think that the FF7 character designs lose every single ounce of charm and instead actually look really silly when they’re rendered in the quasi realistic style of the remake?