The Dark Souls PC version controversy.

[Stavros Dimou]

We've heard that the pc version of Dark Souls would have some limitations such as a 30 frames per second cap,and that it would only render graphics in 720p,meaning that if you played on a higher resolution monitor the picture would be upscaled to fit,meaning less clarity and sharpness.
We have been informed that shortcomings like these where due to From Software's inexperience with the PC platform,and we where lead to believe that the quality of the port would be bad.

The game released on PC just a few hours ago,and there is already a solution to the render resolution problem: A modder named "Durante" made the game render graphics at full native monitor resolution in 23 minutes. It was as simple as editing a line in the .ini folder with Windows Wordpad.

That of course is good news if you are a PC gamer and interested in playing Dark Souls,as the image quality will be noticeably better,but this also brings a rather surprising and controversial subject on the surface: The limitations of this port wasn't because the programmers of From Software are inexperienced as we were lead to believe,but instead these limitations where applied in purpose on the PC version of the game,as a design choice,to avoid console players getting jealous that the PC version can be played at higher resolutions than the console versions.The developers sabotaged the PC version of their own game in purpose,by offering unusual sub-standard standards relative to PC gaming,for the shake of 'equalizing' game platforms.

Screenshot comparison between the default version of the game,and the modded one follows.

With resolution fix: (1920x1080p render resolution,1920x1080p screen resolution)

http://www.abload.de/img/data2012-08-2319-18-3m8kbf.png

http://www.abload.de/img/data2012-08-2319-29-00ojjb.png

Without resolution fix: (1024x720p render resolution,1920x1080p screen resolution)

http://i.imgur.com/cRXOu.jpg

http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2012/04/Dark-Souls-2.jpg

 

[Daystar Clarion]

The limitations of this port wasn't because the programmers of From Software are inexperienced as we were lead to believe,but instead these limitations where applied in purpose on the PC version of the game,as a design choice,to avoid console players getting jealous that the PC version can be played at higher resolutions than the console versions.

Yes.

It's most certainly jealously that is the cause of all this.

I mean, how could I possibly enjoy a game if I knew that PC gamers where getting it in a higher resolution?

The thought just terrifies me.

 

[yuval152]

I highly doubt it, you need to be a special kind of dumbass to sabotage your own product, I don't care that someone on the PC has better graphics than me I already knew it when I bought the console.(X360 player)

Or as shrekfan246 said:

 

[shrekfan246]

The limitations of this port wasn't because the programmers of From Software are inexperienced as we were lead to believe,but instead these limitations where applied in purpose on the PC version of the game,as a design choice,to avoid console players getting jealous that the PC version can be played at higher resolutions than the console versions.The developers sabotaged the PC version of their own game in purpose,by offering unusual sub-standard standards relative to PC gaming,for the shake of 'equalizing' game platforms.

Because console gamers get jealous of PC resolution all the time with every other game, right... ?

I mean, I can't even count the number of PS3 and Xbox 360 users that I've seen rage at PC games natively supporting the 1080p resolution over the last seven years, it just happens so often...

 

[Sassafrass]

I highly doubt it, you need to be a special kind of dumbass to sabotage your own product, I don't care that someone on the PC has better graphics than me I already knew it when I bought the console.(X360 player)

Or as shrekfan246 said:

You'd have to transcend "dumb-ass" to do that. Maybe stuff rats up your nose and do the can can naked kinda stupid.

But yeah, til this gets a creditable source, I'm not gonna believe it.
Also, speaking as a console user on the whole "Being jealous" thing about graphics.

Spoiler

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Dark Souls is not even 720p at rendering resolution. Like many 360 games they are rendered at an even lower resolution than that and scaled up. 720p is 1280×720 and Dark Souls is 1024x720.

The speculation about devs torturing PC gamers with bad resolutions because console gamers would be jealous seems a little silly to me. Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

 

[Stavros Dimou]

I highly doubt it, you need to be a special kind of dumbass to sabotage your own product, I don't care that someone on the PC has better graphics than me I already knew it when I bought the console.(X360 player)

Or as shrekfan246 said:

You'd have to transcend "dumb-ass" to do that. Maybe stuff rats up your nose and do the can can naked kinda stupid.

But yeah, til this gets a creditable source, I'm not gonna believe it.
Also, speaking as a console user on the whole "Being jealous" thing about graphics.

Spoiler

It's the "platform equality" issue.
OK maybe most console users don't give a damn,but that's what some developers seem to think.
The fact that they didn't did something as simple and basic as this means that they added that limitation on purpose rather because of inexperience.
If one person who isn't a professional programmer can do something like that alone in so little time,shouldn't a team of professionals that have much more time be able to do that ?
After that realization one might wonder what was the reason for them behind willing to enforce such an unusual limitation,since it was something technically possible,that didn't needed much time or people working on it.
What could be the driving factor that made From Software to decide to imply that needless limitation on this version of the game ?
"To let the PC gamers enjoy the exact same game as it arrived on consoles"

The funny thing is that awkward decisions like these aren't likened neither by pc gamers or console gamers,as all are happy with a game just making full use of the features of their own platform.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

It's the "platform equality" issue.

What fairy tale world are you living in? I'm living in a world of console exclusives, exclusive preorder bonuses, and timed exclusive DLC. There isn't some grand conspiracy to protect the delicate little feelings of gamers, they're just lazy or pc illiterate.

 

[Stavros Dimou]

anc[is]

It's the "platform equality" issue.

What fairy tale world are you living in? I'm living in a world of console exclusives, exclusive preorder bonuses, and timed exclusive DLC. There isn't some grand conspiracy to protect the delicate little feelings of gamers, they're just lazy or pc illiterate.

Hehe.
You are right. Game Companies bring the equality issue only when their product isn't making use of PC features,but when it comes to xbox360 features... Well Microsoft has enough cash to pay for dirty deals.
Actually Microsoft generally screws PC gamers even if it isn't for promoting xbox360.

That's why Valve and a lot of pc gamers start thinking of migrating to Linux in the future.

 

[yuval152]

anc[is]

It's the "platform equality" issue.

What fairy tale world are you living in? I'm living in a world of console exclusives, exclusive preorder bonuses, and timed exclusive DLC. There isn't some grand conspiracy to protect the delicate little feelings of gamers, they're just lazy or pc illiterate.

Hehe.
You are right. Game Companies bring the equality issue only when their product isn't making use of PC features,but when it comes to xbox360 features... Well Microsoft has enough cash to pay for dirty deals.
Actually Microsoft generally screws PC gamers even if it isn't for promoting xbox360.

That's why Valve and a lot of pc gamers start thinking of migrating to Linux in the future.

Even gabe isn't "nice" enough to migrate to linux, unless microsoft turns windows into a video converter it will never happen.

 

[StriderShinryu]

So there was a big conspiracy to keep the PC players of the game from accessing higher resolutions.. and yet the "fix" to this devislih developer crafted plot was left sitting in an easily edited .ini file? Seems plausible to me.

 

[Eddie the head]

I thought the controversy was over Games for Windows live? Am I missing something?

 

[black_knight1337]

Even gabe isn't "nice" enough to migrate to linux, unless microsoft turns windows into a video converter it will never happen.

Erm, Valve are already working on a Linux version of the Source engine. There was an article on here about it a while ago, the results of the testing were pretty impressive. Here's the link to the article http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118882-Valves-Source-Engine-Runs-Better-on-Linux-Than-Windows

 

[TheFathomlessMaster]

Wow, all the hate this game is receiving is awful. Hate all you want but remember that you will be missing one of the best RPG´s ever made.

 

[Andrewtheeviscerator]

Even gabe isn't "nice" enough to migrate to linux, unless microsoft turns windows into a video converter it will never happen.

Erm, Valve are already working on a Linux version of the Source engine. There was an article on here about it a while ago, the results of the testing were pretty impressive. Here's the link to the article http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118882-Valves-Source-Engine-Runs-Better-on-Linux-Than-Windows

That doesn't mean he's switching Steam to Linux, they're just porting it over, the same thing they did with Macs. And if Steam did switch over to Linux completely and stopped supporting Windows well that would be up there in terms of stupidest ideas in history.

 

[Loop Stricken]

So what am I meant to be taking away from this thread?

That the game developers intentionally sabotaged their game, and thus sales, to appease people who had already purchased an earlier version?
Because that sounds stupid.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Even gabe isn't "nice" enough to migrate to linux, unless microsoft turns windows into a video converter it will never happen.

Erm, Valve are already working on a Linux version of the Source engine. There was an article on here about it a while ago, the results of the testing were pretty impressive. Here's the link to the article http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118882-Valves-Source-Engine-Runs-Better-on-Linux-Than-Windows

That doesn't mean he's switching Steam to Linux...

No, but the PC gamers, the second party in the original statement, just might.

If a free OS starts supporting games properly, and running them better? Of course PC gamers are going to switch.
I hold no love for Microsoft Windows in my heart, I just use it because I can be sure all my shit will work.

 

[Rylot]

Riiigghht. What company would be that dickish to their players just because they could? That would be like sticking two Silver Knights with Dragon Slayer Bows at the end of an incredibly narrow walkway where they can shoot you the whole wa-... OH MY GOD IT'S TRUE!!! 100% TRUE!!!!

 

[Westaway]

I've said it once, I'll say it again.
I'm just afraid this flop with leave From without enough time and money for the next Souls game.