construction kit for ps3/xbox

Post » Thu May 26, 2011 11:42 pm

it would be great if there was a way to transfer mods from pc to ps3 or xbox, unreal was able to do it for ps3 so it is possible in some degree, ive heard that there are issues with xbox though.
if its early enough in the dev cycle i think this should be looked in to.

CLARIFICATION: im not suggesting being able to mod on the ps3/xbox. what i am suggesting is a way to transfer pc mods (made on a pc) to a ps3/xbox.
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Madison Poo
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 6:30 am

it would be great if there was a way to transfer mods from pc to ps3 or xbox, unreal was able to do it for ps3 so it is possible in some degree, ive heard that there are issues with xbox though.
if its early enough in the dev cycle i think this should be looked in to.


From an Xbox point of view I dont think its a problem with developers releasing a construction kit, I think its more to do with Microsoft not wanting this as we could get MODs for free then and wouldn't be lining Bill's pockets with cash.
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Darlene Delk
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 8:12 am

From an Xbox point of view I dont think its a problem with developers releasing a construction kit, I think its more to do with Microsoft not wanting this as we could get MODs for free then and wouldn't be lining Bill's pockets with cash.

yeah, thats what i was refereeing too.
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Lynette Wilson
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:15 am

I'd settle for a level/map builder...
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lillian luna
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 4:55 am

it would be great if there was a way to transfer mods from pc to ps3 or xbox, unreal was able to do it for ps3 so it is possible in some degree, ive heard that there are issues with xbox though.
if its early enough in the dev cycle i think this should be looked in to.



Doesn't Sony (and possible Microsoft, I have no idea) charge the developer per download of an item? Who would be paying for the download fees?
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Lillian Cawfield
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 7:18 am

I really don't see this happening, there are legal and contractual issues as well as technical problems - if it wasn't possible with Fo3, I don't see how Obsidian is going to change something that big in 18 months time.

Hopefully a dev will clarify this early on, but I suspect the PS3/Xbox situation will be the same for NV as it is for Fo3 - I don't think it would make sense any other way (or the FO3 fans would go crazy that they didn't have it, and its the same engine).
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Scott
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 12:50 am

99% sure it's not going to happen, just as with every other game that can be modded.
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Kyra
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 10:09 am

When will people get that the GECK os something simmilar needs the power of a PC since consoles are too weak to A) run them and B) support 3rd party mods.

And that's the BIG issue.
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SHAWNNA-KAY
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 2:17 am

it would be great if there was a way to transfer mods from pc to ps3 or xbox, unreal was able to do it for ps3 so it is possible in some degree, ive heard that there are issues with xbox though.
if its early enough in the dev cycle i think this should be looked in to.


Wow, I was actually unaware that Unreal had that option for the PS3. So technically, its not impossible, but improbable based on reason others have listed above.
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Ben sutton
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 4:49 am

nevermind
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Ron
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:04 pm

if its early enough in the dev cycle i think this should be looked in to.

This is something that probably needs to be considered when the engine is first being built, which isn't the case with New Vegas.

Unreal has access to some user-made content because an application was made that lets you port over PC maps. However from my understanding it's rate of success isn't terribly impressive and even then it can take a lot of work to get the maps to work. And this is for stand alone content, FO3/FNV plug-ins are integrated in to the established game which would make porting content more difficult and likely make running the game with mods even more unstable.

As for actually running an editor on the console, as some have brought up, this is less feasible. The Construction Set is a Windows Application - not a program that runs in Windows but a program built around Windows architecture. Even if either console had the hardware to support the CS, which is doubtful (both probably have insufficient RAM) they CS would have to be re-built from scratch.

So either way I don't see this happening. Yes I know it svcks but each platform has its strengths and weaknesses and the PC's strength is its ability to play mods.
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Ysabelle
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 6:44 am

Wow, I was actually unaware that Unreal had that option for the PS3. So technically, its not impossible, but improbable based on reason others have listed above.


Thats what I think, or it would have been done with Fo3. Rather, we heard a trail of horror stories about compatibility issues with porting stuff to the consoles. Just imagine what porting the main GECK and all of the support stuff over would take - it would be a major deal to try and do.

Plus the situation is the same as it was with Fo3 - modding takes alot more than just the GECK for most things. You need graphics programs, modelling programs, text editors, sound editors, movie editors, etc, etc - it is Not simple to build mods. I just don't think the GECK was designed with console ports in-mind. I'm not sure what the Unreal world editor is like, or how flexible it is compared to what you can do with the GECK, but the GECK has 1,000 stove pipes and more functions than any of us in the modding world can fully document or understand. Porting all of that over to a console, debugging it and making it work would be a Huge waste of resources unless there was money involved (i.e. if the sold the GECK).

Hopefully they will clarify for us soon, so the moderators can keep us in-line when these threads start proliferating the way they did for Fo3.
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Marguerite Dabrin
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:15 pm

Wow, I was actually unaware that Unreal had that option for the PS3. So technically, its not impossible, but improbable based on reason others have listed above.


early on you had to make the mods seperatly, one specifically for the ps3 and another for pc, but later they made a program that would bake the mods to make them work either way.

the kit would be used on pc, so the power of the console only effects optimization of the mods. the downloads are hosted on any site, and wouldnt be downloaded through psn/xbl.

because it was possible with unreal 3 it would be possible for another game, such as fall out. the only issue is if the engine can support it. if it can take DLC it should be able to take mods.
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Heather beauchamp
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 7:54 am

early on you had to make the mods seperatly, one specifically for the ps3 and another for pc, but later they made a program that would bake the mods to make them work either way.

the kit would be used on pc, so the power of the console only effects optimization of the mods. the downloads are hosted on any site, and wouldnt be downloaded through psn/xbl.

because it was possible with unreal 3 it would be possible for another game, such as fall out. the only issue is if the engine can support it. if it can take DLC it should be able to take mods.


Its a nice thought, and I know it would make alot of console users happy, but I just don't see how its technically feasible given how the GECK works - Hungry Donner gave a good response to this too.
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!beef
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:28 am

Its a nice thought, and I know it would make alot of console users happy, but I just don't see how its technically feasible given how the GECK works - Hungry Donner gave a good response to this too.


The questions arises as to why you just aren't able to create a mod on your PC then export it for PS3 use, then just integrate it into the game as an add on. The programming for that type of work flow doesn't seem too difficult; in theory, as I know nothing of it, lol. :brokencomputer:
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Carlos Vazquez
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 2:21 pm

I think my PS3 has more than enough power to run GECK or any similar application on the planet. No need to be arrogant and bring up a Console vs pc pissing match.

The XBox 360 and PS3 probably don't have enough RAM to run the GECK. One of the advantages of a console is its streamlined hardware, in this case streamlined to play games. However the GECK requires far more RAM than games do, and since these consoles don't need lots of RAM for their intended purpose they don't have any extra lying about. It's like comparing a professional CAD/CAM workstation to a home PC, they're built for different purposes and as such their hardware configuration is different. For most things the two computers are fine but when it comes to running high end 3D modeling software the home PC can't compete - it doesn't have the necessary hardware because it's not designed to handle such things. (The home PC is also much cheaper for this, just as gaming consoles are much cheaper than equivalent PCs, particularly at launch).
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Juliet
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 8:55 am

The question is more legal than practical, I think - which is why at present Sony and Microsoft don't seem to allow it.

The GECK is no mere level editor. It is a complete development program that allows you to create almost anything you choose. Sony and Microsoft would have no way of exerting (quality) control over what you produce, and that would be A Problem.

- What if your mod breaks the game?
- What if your mod uses assets illegally? (Copyright infringement)
- What if your mod is obscene?
- What if your mod conflicts with other mods?

On the PC, people can make and share pretty much anything and there's no obligation to fix it if it breaks everything - and it can break everything. We already have problems with some mods not working with Windows Live, and mods catastrophically conflicting with each other or the hardware/software you have installed. At least on PC, you can simply uninstall everything and start again if you run into issues. You can't do that quite so easily on the console.

There's a billion and one things to be worked out before mods are ever allowed on the console. It's a future pipe dream, though, and one that will probably come true eventually.

Yup - and agree with HD's points about memory - the GECK needs 2GB RAM to work, and if you install any new textures/meshes/whatever, that can add gigabytes to your Data folder. I remember my Morrowind Data Files folder reaching 50GB.
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Nathan Risch
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 12:24 am

The questions arises as to why you just aren't able to create a mod on your PC then export it for PS3 use, then just integrate it into the game as an add on. The programming for that type of work flow doesn't seem too difficult; in theory, as I know nothing of it, lol. :brokencomputer:


I think it is more of a legal constraint than a technical constraint, but both are important limitations to putting the GECK on a console. I don't know all the issues involved with the console, but I do know something about the GECK now and after modding for 14 months, there is ALOT involved. The programming might not be the hard part, simple storing of the files or load-order issues could be Huge. Just look at the PC Modding scene, we need Fo3Edit's MasterUpdate feature just to keep a big mod-list from crashing, FOMM to keep it all organized - and those aren't going to run on consoles either, so how would we overcome the issues that burden-us on the PC without those tools? Realistically we can't.

So not only would it take a ton of technical time to debug and get right, there would have to be legal issues to overcome - and I suspect those walls are much higher to try and overcome. It was just posted in another thread, I'll try to paraphrase; "If you add a music mod to your PS3/Xbox, and the music you put into it is copyright to someone else, an instant legal issue could arise.".
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STEVI INQUE
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 10:20 am

There are zero technical challenges to putting user-made mods on consoles except the DRM that Microsoft and Sony have put in place for the specific purpose of keeping user-made mods off the console. From the technical perspective, there is not the slightest difference between a user-made mod and an official DLC or expansion like Broken Steel or Shivering Isles. It's simply a business/legal decision. I'm surprised this hasn't been locked already, since all the companies involved seem to regard end-user knowledge of these issues to be thoughtcrime.
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T. tacks Rims
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 12:42 pm

The XBox 360 and PS3 probably don't have enough RAM to run the GECK.

Indeed they don't, 2GB of system RAM is recommended to do world building. PS3 got 256MB, and another 256MB of video RAM.

Bethesda didn't develop GECK only to PC to be extra nice to PC users. They developed GECK to easily develop the game, and they developed the game on the PC. All the graphics, sounds and so on were made using PCs, not consoles. Then they just released their tool for free, and have no intention of developing and spending money on a tool to the consoles they won't use. Just like how Photoshop or 3DS MAX aren't released for consoles either.

Sorry, but GECK will never be available for the consoles. Just like how the editor for Morrowind and Oblivion never was released for consoles either. And with that we end this.
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Stryke Force
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 6:43 am

There are zero technical challenges to putting user-made mods on consoles except the DRM that Microsoft and Sony have put in place for the specific purpose of keeping user-made mods off the console. From the technical perspective, there is not the slightest difference between a user-made mod and an official DLC or expansion like Broken Steel or Shivering Isles. It's simply a business/legal decision. I'm surprised this hasn't been locked already, since all the companies involved seem to regard end-user knowledge of these issues to be thoughtcrime.

Bethesda had to push back the release of the FO3 DLC on the PS3 several times so there are apparently some technical challenges.

This doesn't mean that getting a mod to run is difficult, it probably means that getting multiple mods to run is difficult. And in fact this is the reason Bethesda gave: they were having trouble getting the PS3 to handle running all five DLC at once. If you look in the hardware forums for the two consoles (moreso the PS3) you can find a lot of people encountering issues that seem to stem from memory problems. The PC can encounter these problems as well but most people playing on the PC either have lots of RAM or are playing on reduced settings, and you can tweak the PC version down more than the XBox or PS versions.

On the subject of the PC running mods, some mods are real resource hogs even on PCs, and some don't run well unless you have a really high end system (and honestly some don't run well on any system :)). This wouldn't be improved by releasing those mods on a console even if it was allowed. As PS points out some mods can be extremely large, larger than even the official DLC. If Bethesda is having a difficult time getting their mods to run smoothly on a console I don't see the situation being any better for these large user-made mods.

So while the technical challenges of getting a mod to actually run on a console may be slight, the technical challenges of getting a mod to run well - or of getting many mods to run well at the same time, is far from easy.
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carly mcdonough
 
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