DF Direct Weekly #134: Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Reaction, TLOU 2 Remastered? Alan Wake Flashback!
Oct 23, 2023
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Jörg Tittel, director and writer of C-Smash VRS, joins Alex Battaglia and John Linneman to discuss Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the prospects of TLOU2 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remakes, and the Alan Wake: Flashback concept. The podcast also covers AMD's AntiLag+ disabling, the state of virtual reality gaming, best GPU control panel settings, the rumor of a digital-only Nintendo Switch, game optimization for graphics drivers, and the release of Cities: Skylines 2 despite performance issues.
The C-Smash VRS team successfully brought the classic game Cosmic Smash to life in a positive and immersive VR experience, garnering positive reviews and excitement among VR enthusiasts.
Releasing a game with known issues can negatively impact its reputation and longevity in the PC digital-only market, highlighting the importance of addressing significant problems before release.
Deep dives
The Journey of C-Smash VRS: From Idea to Reality
C-Smash VRS is a collaboration between musicians, artists, and developers, with the goal of creating a virtual reality experience based on the classic game Cosmic Smash. The project was initiated by your himself, who had a vision of creating a positive and immersive VR game during the pandemic. It took time and persistence to acquire the rights to Cosmic Smash from Sega, but eventually, the team was able to bring the game to life. C-Smash VRS combines stunning visuals, gameplay mechanics inspired by squash and breakout, and an incredible soundtrack to create a unique and engaging VR experience. Despite being limited to the pricey PS VR 2 headset, the game has garnered positive reviews and generated excitement among VR enthusiasts. The team has showcased the game at various events, gathering a strong following and even receiving a nomination for Best VR Game at the Golden Joystick Awards.
Developer admits to not achieving targeted benchmark for game release
The developer of Cities: Skylines 2 has admitted that they have not achieved the targeted benchmark for their game, but are still proceeding with the release without changing the release date. This decision is concerning as the game has been reported to have serious issues and the developer's acknowledgment of them raises questions about the release. Releasing a game with known problems, especially in the PC digital-only market, could negatively impact its reputation and longevity. It would have been better if the developer had addressed the issues before release to ensure a more stable and optimized experience for players.
Graphics drivers optimization and game compatibility
Graphics drivers need to be optimized for games because games can do things that certain drivers don't support, or they can have API illegal actions. The responsibility for optimization depends on the API used. Older APIs like OpenGL and DirectX 11 require more optimization from graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel. However, newer APIs like DirectX 12 and Vulkan place a lot of the optimization responsibility on the game developer. Collaboration between developers and graphics card manufacturers is necessary to achieve the best performance and compatibility for games.
Releasing games in an incomplete or buggy state
The decision to release a game in an incomplete or buggy state is a challenging one to make. While developers aim to release a polished and stable product, various factors can influence the decision-making process. Financial constraints, release deadlines, and issues with optimization and performance can contribute to releasing a game with known issues. It is essential for the gaming community to show patience and understanding, as game development is a complex process. However, developers should strive to address significant issues before release to ensure a positive experience for players.
Jörg Tittel, director and writer of C-Smash VRS, joins Alex Battaglia and John Linneman for the latest edition of DF Direct Weekly, discussing their reactions to Marvel's Spider-Man, the prospects of TLOU2 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remakes along with the Alan Wake: Flashback concept. Meanwhile, AMD pulling AntiLag+ makes its way to the docket, and with Jörg on the panel this week, we get an excellent insight into the current state of virtual reality gaming.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:58 News 01: Spider-Man 2 review reaction!
0:24:55 News 02: Is a The Last of Us Part 2 remaster really needed?
0:35:27 News 03: What’s up with Alan Wake: Flashback?
0:43:15 News 04: AMD disables AntiLag+ tech
0:48:35 News 05: Assessing the state of VR
1:13:50 Supporter Q1: What are the best GPU control panel settings for PC gaming?
1:16:34 Supporter Q2: What do you make of the rumour that the next Switch will have a digital-only model?
1:20:49 Supporter Q3: Why can’t games optimize for graphics drivers, instead of the other way around?
1:26:46 Supporter Q4: What do you think about Cities: Skylines 2 being released despite admitted performance issues?
