Shake Appeal
Member
There is approximately 0% chance people at Rocksteady did not play the PC version before release. That doesn't mean it's their fault, but I doubt they are "amazed" at this. They would have known for some time.
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Batman: Arkham Knight On PC Is Not Very Good [UP: WB suspends future sales until fix]
- Thread starter XANDER CAGE
- Start date
I'm also a developer mate (system developer, to be exact), maybe I just used the wrong wording (not a native english speaker).
But yes, I agree with you. A patch can, hypothetically, fix everything wrong with the game. But I just don't see the interest from WB to fix this, at least within a reasonable time frame. But yep, of course I hope to be proven wrong on this.
The desire should be obvious: try to fix what is now a bit of a PR disaster, and hopefully mitigate an affect on sales.
Most of the last games sold 2+ million copies. Considering most of those wer elikely digital sales, and digital PC sales bring in nealry twice as much money to WB than a retial console sale, this ain't chump change. Even if the PC only represents 15-20% of the sales, it's likely they represent a larger chunk of profits. That's not something a publisher is just going to shrug about, specially when the cost of a PROPER port, or the cost of properly fixing this terribad port is just a drop in the bucket.
wordslinger
Neo Member
What must it be like to be working on this port, and then to see the release date and know deep down
"this is going to broken as shit and it's going to piss off everyone"
While we're all counting down the days in excitement, they're probably counting them down in dread.
Maybe someone suggested they stop cranking out dlc until the actual game parts is in a working state. I assume that was met with laughter and mockery, just like it would be at Dice.
"this is going to broken as shit and it's going to piss off everyone"
While we're all counting down the days in excitement, they're probably counting them down in dread.
Maybe someone suggested they stop cranking out dlc until the actual game parts is in a working state. I assume that was met with laughter and mockery, just like it would be at Dice.
Doctor Ironic
Member
What can they hypothetically do to fix this? Aren't the problems engine-deep? Won't they have to redo the entire port?
diablos991
Can’t stump the diablos
And then they look at their pre-order numbers and the amount of complete suckers who will also buy the console version on top of the broken PC version and they realize they are still profitable as hell and they still get their bonus for meeting sales expectations.
wordslinger
Neo Member
No, they can patch it. It's still the unreal 3 engine. They need to better optimize...and apparently they suck at that job.
We don't know what the problems are (in a detailed, technical sense), or what it would take to fix them.
Still, I don't see the issues as being insurmountable for even a small team, with the required expertise, to solve. The question is will the necessary resources and time be given by WB?
I hope so.
Basically we need:
- Fix for texture streaming (possible solution to stutter too)
- a fix/restoration of shaders - possible optimization on them.
- Addition of AO
- Improved performance for Batmobile
- Better optimization on mid-range and lower end hardware
StalkerUKCG
Banned
Bare minimum we need AO and rain textures added back in.
Ideal world we need a full host of graphics options and optimization.
Ideal world we need a full host of graphics options and optimization.
wordslinger
Neo Member
I don't know that the studio doing a port gets any share of that money. There just a third party hired to complete a job for a set fee, no?
They don't get to dip into rocksteady earnings
Schweinehund
Member
It's most likely WB you should be channeling your efforts toward, but really just don't buy/pre order games from WBE anymore, if you have to, buy it during a steam sale or rent/borrow the game for consoles, let other people know problems exist. Most sites are already reporting it anyways, I don't think there's any more need to elevate it unless it's not patched/fixed within a couple of weeks.
Doctor Ironic
Member
That's the problem, people are just throwing out vague claims of "optimize it!" like every other discussion of performance on the Internet, like optimization is this magic wand you can wave over a game. I don't disagree that the game should be running better given what the PS4 version can handle but nobody appears to actually know what can be done aside from just trusting Iron Galaxy will know what to do, and that's what frustrates me, because given the state of this game now I sincerely doubt they actually do.
kenjigreat
Banned
I wouldn't settle for anything less full graphical features and performance gains.
What a fucking mess.
I don't agree with that, I think they're hoping it blows over. If people want stuff done you have to hit hard right now when the game is initially released. Need to get a hashtag viral and trending. Like #wbtechsupport with ridiculous tech support responses like their initial response to this.
Winterblink
Member
Bought this at 40% off through GMG, turns out you really do get what you pay for.
It's playable on my system but obviously not at anywhere near an ideal state. Will go back to other games while I wait for patches to fix the thing.
It's playable on my system but obviously not at anywhere near an ideal state. Will go back to other games while I wait for patches to fix the thing.
Yep, no way do they get a pass. I do development work for my company, which is very large. It's not game related, more data collection/capture stuff. When we outsource projects to external vendors, we have to babysit and supervise their work along the way so they don't F it up. I don't get a free pass if the vendor releases a piece of crap into production because I didn't personally code it.
kenjigreat
Banned
I like how people here say Rocksteady has nothing to do with this.
Honestly if you put your fucking name FRONT and CENTER on the Project . YOU ARE PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE for the mess.
kenjigreat
Banned
THIS , when something runs fine on underpowered consoles and runs like garbage with less effects on GTX 970s . There is something very wrong.
WB may feel that way but Iron Galaxy? I'm sure they knew damn well how it was coming together. Whether someone buys the console version after being disappointed by the PC version is not something that interests them - quite the opposite. This is a situation that will severely damage their reputation. People actively avoid and regularly shame the likes of High Voltage and Other Ocean for their work but a port like this is bound to get Iron Galaxy "black listed", so to speak.
Warner Brothers decides when these things are released. Instead of delaying it, they said fuck it and shipped.
Praetorpwj
Member
I was always slightly suspicious of the 40% discount at GMG; seemed a bit generous for a pre-release game.
However if I was a major publisher aware that I was about to release a thoroughly cacked port and also knowing that most of those sales were going through Steam which has just started a refund policy perhaps arranging a juicy discount through an alternative dealer that doesn't offer refunds was a good idea?
However if I was a major publisher aware that I was about to release a thoroughly cacked port and also knowing that most of those sales were going through Steam which has just started a refund policy perhaps arranging a juicy discount through an alternative dealer that doesn't offer refunds was a good idea?
diablos991
Can’t stump the diablos
If this had been a UBI game, the shit would be all over the place.
I wonder too why there hasn't been much publicity about this port. Maybe they are scared to speak out against it?
jaundicejuice
Member
I got Arkham: Origins for free with the purchase of my last graphics card and had no issues with it whatsoever but I know a lot of people did encounter serious problems and Warner Bros answer was, to roughly paraphrase, "we're prioritizing work on the season pass content not bug fixing". That they would ship the PC port in the state its in is kind of unsurprising. I wouldn't hold my breathe expecting them to fix this any time soon, not unless enough of a stink is raised, and bombing their user metacritic rating probably isn't enough.
TheBaronOfNA
Banned
Just realesed? And people complained for years that journalists were not as agressive for Ubisoft stuff.
family_guy
Member
They were also giving this game away to people who bought 970s/980s. Think how people feel who bought those cards for this game.
balladofwindfishes
Member
I honestly find the fact that the game barely runs on my 970, despite being bundled with it, to be kind of hilarious, in just how ridiculous it is.
But I wasn't really hyped for this game anyway. I'll just wait for the GOTY edition to collect the DLC and then play through it properly in a few years like I did with Asylum and City.
No, all PC-related sites are still playing through the PC version of the game for their reviews. PC Gamer indicated that their review will be posted on Friday.
d00d3n
Member
Or a Titan X for that matter, a graphics card that cost me 1500 dollars in my country.
Jesus Christ, really?
GMG was offering the same discount for The Witcher 3. Anything "slightly suspicious" about that pre-release game too?
but High Voltage keep getting hired by publishers to port their game somehow. (after the disaster ZOE on PS3 they worked on Saints Row and then MKX and did horrible job at them). seems like for publishers there is no black list as long as these studios port games for cheap.
Oppo
Member
go find your friends at /redpill?
"damage". you guys are silly. no one wants to ship a busted game. you're not even blaming the right company.
I like to think that it's 70 people in a room telling each other that no one will notice.
- Create a negative review on Steam BEFORE you get a refund.
- Add negative reviews for previous Warner Bros titles. Hit them in the catalog, not just with this title.
- Get a refund.
- Report the product on Steam (flag icon next to the Share and Embed buttons on the page). Report it as "Broken"
- If you bought from a non-Steam source (such as GMG), ask for a refund anyway. It might feel like you're wasting your time, but GMG isn't ever going to create refunds unless there's demand. And trust me, with enough customer support tickets, GMG will put pressure on Warner Bros.
- Report Warner Brothers to the Better Business Bureau.
- If you know anyone in the video game press, ask them to cease all coverage of Arkham Knight until the PC issues are resolved.
- Don't let threads in gaming communities fail
- Use social media for public shaming of Warner Brothers. Commit to some reasonable schedule. Don't harass or threaten them, simply state your disappointment every few days.
People need to get over the fact that some games simply are going to be bad. Don't buy it. Stop pre-ordering. Move on and play other games.
Gemüsepizza
Member
TotalBiscuit has claimed this was false, but it's possible that he didn't test this properly with all 4 Gameworks options enabled. You also have to restart the game to enable the 2 nvidia exclusive features.
I think the false advertising is a bigger issue.
TheBaronOfNA
Banned
I think the part in doing negative reviews for the other WB titles made by different studios and the "ask journos friend to not talk about the game thought is not broken in other platforms" is a little unfair.
Otherwise fair points. Get (or ask) the refund and flag the game in Steam
I don't think this is necessary at this point. Let's wait and see what the first patch does and when it hits.
matrixman92
Member
from what ive seen of theirs not really. The vita version of borderlands 2 had problems at launch, and I believe both versions of handsome collection had some major frame rate issues, along with screen tearing
I havent seen their PC stuff before though
Obliterator
Member
Bull crap. The other Arkham games sold like 2 million copies each on PC. That isn't chump change at all. They are making bank off of us, and the fact they have the balls to release a port so obviously awful is a fucking slap in the face to every one of us who have purchased their products.
WB need to feel the heat on this one and they need to feel it hard. Nvidia too honestly. What build was in your fucking trailers Nvidia?
the video WB probably sent them to use in their trailer.
wordslinger
Neo Member
2 on metacritic. One from some Turkish site calling the pc port an absolute disaster and giving it a 60
TheBaronOfNA
Banned
They did delayed the game. I bet they could not wait any longer and the PC version was, sadly, low priority during all the development cycle.
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