Reagent’s Crackdown 3 has been making waves with Microsoft hyping up the potential of destruction in-game (with the highest amount achievable only in multiplayer) using the power of cloud computing. Naturally this has sparked interest from various developers. Bioware level/tech designer Jos Hendriks stated on Twitter that, “Seeing Crackdown 3’s destruction makes me excited to see that game, but one question came to mind immediately surrounding that narrative.”
He further followed it up by asking, “What happens to games making use of any kind of cloud computing when that stuff goes offline, either temporary, or end of service?” This was answered by 343 Industries multiplayer designer Patrick Wren who basically said that it would be the same as any multiplayer game where the session would end and you’re taken offline. Hendriks further asked, “Is it, though? I somehow got the impression that the destructible city bit stood apart from multiplayer.”
When it was somewhat clarified that this destructibility was limited to multiplayer (with the single-player having significantly scaled down amounts), Hendriks said, “I hope you are wrong in this case, because I’d love to see that destructibility in SP.”
It’s interesting to see that some developers are speculative about the potential of cloud gaming even after Microsoft showcased a trailer which displayed the so called power of the cloud. But the most interesting bit of reaction comes from Naughty Dog’s Jonathan Cooper, an animator for the upcoming Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. He stated that, “Crackdown 3 spectacularly showing how Microsoft should have pitched the ‘always on’ functionality so people could see the benefits.” Now that you think about Microsoft should showcased such a demo when they revealed the Xbox One back in 2013. Unfortunately, it’s little too late for that.
Crackdown 3 senior producer John Noonan talked further about the game’s tech on Twitter stating that the destruction is completely based on compute and does not require any sort of rendering. Interestingly, when asked if Azure would be necessary for the Windows 10 version, Noonan said, “I don’t think we’ve said anything about Windows, but the destruction massively outpaces what our giant dev PCs can compute.”
Fans have also been wondering how much destruction would be present in the single-player campaign along with whether multiplayer can be played alone. The response? “Specifics about modes & player counts aren’t ready, but Crackdown has always celebrated the sandbox.”
We’ll have to wait to find out more obviously. At this point, Crackdown 3’s multiplayer is set to release on Xbox One in Summer 2016.
Seeing Crackdown 3's destruction makes me excited to see that game, but one question came to mind immediately surrounding that narrative.
— Jos (@Sjosz) August 6, 2015What happens to games making use of any kind of cloud computing when that stuff goes offline, either temporary, or end of service?
— Jos (@Sjosz) August 6, 2015@Witdarkstar Is it, though? I somehow got the impression that the destructible city bit stood apart from multiplayer.
— Jos (@Sjosz) August 6, 2015@Witdarkstar I hope you are wrong in this case, because I'd love to see that destructibility in SP.
— Jos (@Sjosz) August 6, 2015Crackdown 3 spectacularly showing how Microsoft should have pitched the 'always on' functionality so people could see the benefits.
— Jonathan Cooper (@GameAnim) August 7, 2015@BSanbizzle I don't think we've said anything about Windows, but the destruction massively outpaces what our giant dev PCs can compute.
— John Noonan (@JohnNoonan) August 6, 2015@BearClawGaming specifics about modes & player counts aren't ready, but Crackdown has always celebrated the sandbox #KeystotheCity
— John Noonan (@JohnNoonan) August 6, 2015
