Zoo Tycoon Downgraded xbox 360

[eviltiger13]

Just be announced on video gamer site the 360 version of this game will only have 55 species of animals, smaller maps, no kinect and no online multiplayer.

check the source out

http://www.videogamer.com/xboxone/z..._has_50_smaller_zoos_and_is_offline-only.html

I have to say I am most disappointed with this. And I am struggling to understand why. In this day in age when whole worlds can be brought to life such as the witcher 2 or skyrim on xbox, when real time strategy games have proven to work on xbox 360 such as red alert 3 and ruse, and when tycoon management games are a joy on the console such as tropico 4. WHY this short coming?

This was going to be a day one purchase for me but now.....well whats the point? Your telling me i need to spend 500£ buy a whole new console in order to play this or buy 40£ for a game that has been gutted like a fish?

NOT HAPPY

To keep this in perspective...when the original zt2 launched there were 35 animals (not including the prebuilt reptiles and insects etc) 10 years later u mean to tell me 55 is the best you can do on the current generation?

I am assuming you cant even give dlc anymore either for current generation xbox 360.

NOT HAPPY

 

[Varanis]

No PC version and an extremely gutted 360 version. Microsoft are so desperate to catch up to Sony, that they're trying to push console sales by limiting the true experience to xbox one.

 

[Ashley Barley]

Hi guys,

The game was primarily designed for the Xbox One, which is a significantly more powerful machine than the Xbox 360. A workable 360 version would always need some alterations to work and it isn't as simple as saying "Game A had this many animals/units/widgets on the screen at once, so why cant Game B have this many?"- its a lot more complicated than that.

This isn't some cynical marketing strategy, it comes down to the capabilities of the two systems, and the fact is that the 360 doesn't offer enough resources to have all the features that we want for the Xbox One version.

The Xbox One version will be superior to the Xbox 360 one, but both will still be great games that we're sure everyone will love. Hopefully once you get to see more footage from both versions this will become more apparent.

 

[KrspaceT]

Hi guys,

The game was primarily designed for the Xbox One, which is a significantly more powerful machine than the Xbox 360. A workable 360 version would always need some alterations to work and it isn't as simple as saying "Game A had this many animals/units/widgets on the screen at once, so why cant Game B have this many?"- its a lot more complicated than that.

This isn't some cynical marketing strategy, it comes down to the capabilities of the two systems, and the fact is that the 360 doesn't offer enough resources to have all the features that we want for the Xbox One version.

The Xbox One version will be superior to the Xbox 360 one, but both will still be great games that we're sure everyone will love. Hopefully once you get to see more footage from both versions this will become more apparent.

Might I point out the fact that the X-Box one is currently not a popular system: being considered rather expensive, having little backwards compatibility and not even having been released yet, and with a bad reputation. The Zoo tycoon fandom is fractured enough about the game being ported to the X-box system, if this keeps up you'd be lucky to even complete one of Microsoft's goals for release.

Now, I am practical enough to appreciate the game even if I only have two options for Giraffes instead of 4. However, with the flaws that the One has, and its bad reputation, it might have been a better idea to focus on the more available 360 first, then when the One has been out for a while and the hate dialed down, released a Final Mix of the game on the One.

Or just send us all free Ones, considering that as a college student, I can not afford to get a system just for one game, particulary if it is 500 dollars, and I doubt that that many Zoo Tycoon fans will as well. All I can say is: those cut animals better just be extra versions of animals (Example: One exclusives being Asian Lions, West African Giraffes, Sumatran Tigers while the 360 and one share African Lions, Reticulated Giraffes and Bengal Tigers), or else Frontier Developments will have killed a franchise like the Eragon Movie, Batman and Robin or the third season of Gargolyes

 

[Sir.Tj]

Hi Guys,

I understand the frustration in your posts but...

The decision on what systems the game is released/ported to is made by Microsoft as they are the publisher of the game.

Frontier are in a partnership on the development of the game, developers will create a title for a publisher using a remit from the publisher. I don't know the details in this case but usually it tends to go like this:

Both publisher and developer have input in the game. depending on the publisher's remit when engaging the developer, said developer may or may not have input into which system the game will be released on. ultimately the publisher tends to have the final say on such matters not the developer.

I'd suggest contacting Microsoft and telling them what platform etc. you would like the game to be released on if enough people ask nicely you never know.

Hope that helps.

 

[eviltiger13]

if thats the case...

To Ashley,

I accept whole heartily xbox one more powerful. Thats fine. BUT why is it that no other developer/publisher is having to do this to their games.

Now what I mean by that is simple.

I havent heard Ubisoft saying that their assassins creed 4 360 version is going to be vastly different from xbox one. You may argue that this game was designed for 360 ....ok

I havent heard square enix or edios stating that theif is going to be vastly different on the consoles and that game was designed specifically for the next generation.

So in short....what gives?

TO T.J

I thought this was the place to get both frontiers and Microsoft studios attention?

I am not saying frontier are doing a bad job but I have concerns and these concerns were increased and inflamed with the news yesterday of an inferior version of the game coming to 360

I am just confused as to why other companys, publishers and developers can release on both next and current generation without issue.

Why cant you?

PS. SO where do we ask microsoft nicely about a pc version (which will have same size maps as xbox one and same species as xbox one)?

 

[Ashley Barley]

Hi again,

If there are no differences between the two versions of the game, then it has been developed primarily for the inferior console, which means it isn't utilising the power of the superior one.

There's nothing wrong with this and for a multi-platform game it makes sense commercially this early into a new console generation. But Zoo Tycoon hasn't been designed to be multi-platform, it is being developed as a launch title for a new piece of hardware. In this circumstance it doesn't make sense to inhibit the Xbox One version of the game so it can be equal to the version on the 360.

As we previously mentioned a PC port of the game isn't our decision, that lies with the publisher (Microsoft). If you want to petition them to consider Zoo Tycoon for other platforms, then the main page for the Microsoft Studios site can be found here.

 

[KrspaceT]

Hi again,

If there are no differences between the two versions of the game, then it has been developed primarily for the inferior console, which means it isn't utilising the power of the superior one.

There's nothing wrong with this and for a multi-platform game it makes sense commercially this early into a new console generation. But Zoo Tycoon hasn't been designed to be multi-platform, it is being developed as a launch title for a new piece of hardware. In this circumstance it doesn't make sense to inhibit the Xbox One version of the game so it can be equal to the version on the 360.

As we previously mentioned a PC port of the game isn't our decision, that lies with the publisher (Microsoft). If you want to petition them to consider Zoo Tycoon for other platforms, then the main page for the Microsoft Studios site can be found here.

It still makes me consider buying both versions of the game and holding onto the One version until a price cut: after all Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming out, so why not two birds, one stone.

I mean, I'd feel bad asking for a 500 dollar system for just one game, and no ability to play any older games.

But, again who knows, maybe the 360 will be better because it has no Kinect

 

[withnail]

It's not going to play on my original xbox is it?

Will hope for a windows version at some point in the far future.

 

[Ouroboros]

I think we all understand that compromises need to be done in order to get this game running on the Xbox 360. And we even understand the advertising side of it. It is obvious that the primary objective is to sell the Xbox One version.

However I can't say that the recent news don't sadden me greatly, me and apparently a good part of the community.

In most aspects I agree with the user KrspaceT and what he says.
I will be buying the game nonetheless, I will even buy both versions eventually but when I finally get to play the full game (Xbox One version) certainly the community will be smaller and while playing the Xbox 360 version won't have access the whole experience.

I hope, at least, that we have local multiplayer so we can show other people our zoos.

I really hope this game turns out great, I really do.


A small suggestion/question to finnish.

Wouldn't be better to tell the fans first about these news instead of giving it out to the press?

Openly discussing it with the fans, particularly the ones greatly interested in the game, the ones that come to your site and forums could "dissolve" the bad news, and show that are still good things to come. It would create a close relationship with your fans and that is good thing, I presume.

 

[Michael Brookes]

Unfortunately the release of information is controlled by the publisher in this case, we can't discuss what they haven't revealed.

Michael

 

[eviltiger13]

Will there be any incentive to owning xbox 360 version? That is the question

 

[Ouroboros]

Unfortunately the release of information is controlled by the publisher in this case, we can't discuss what they haven't revealed.

Michael

I understand, thank you.

And, I sorry for my last post.

Thank you for bring Zoo Tycoon back, and to both consoles too.

 

[Varanis]

I understand, thank you.

And, I sorry for my last post.

Thank you for bring Zoo Tycoon back, and to both consoles too.

You're thanking them for taking this franchise from PC and making it console exclusive? It's despicable behaviour and they certainly deserve no thanks.

 

[Pangea]

I think you should be look at Microsoft for all this, they hold all the chips. Frontier's just the developers.

 

[Ouroboros]

You're thanking them for taking this franchise from PC and making it console exclusive? It's despicable behaviour and they certainly deserve no thanks.

It's better to have a good new zoo tycoon on the consoles only than no new zoo tycoon at all.

And as Pangea said, its to the publisher (Microsoft Studios) to decide in what platforms they release the game.

 

[Varanis]

It's better to have a good new zoo tycoon on the consoles only than no new zoo tycoon at all.

And as Pangea said, its to the publisher (Microsoft Studios) to decide in what platforms they release the game.

Not when my 360 RROD'd and I don't plan on buying an xbox one.

 

[Sir.Tj]

You're thanking them for taking this franchise from PC and making it console exclusive? It's despicable behaviour and they certainly deserve no thanks.

As Michael and Ashley mentioned, Microsoft being the owner of the franchise make the decisions on what platform the game is released on and if you like "employed" Frontier to make the game for them using the remit that Microsoft wants for the game.

One thing to think on is the fact that the game will be created using Frontiers Cobra Engine. All of Frontier’s games are developed using our Cobra proprietary cross-platform technology, allowing code and resources developed on PC to be compiled and run on XBox360, PS3, iOS, Nintendo WiiU etc. (with new platforms in development), whilst offering the ability flexibly to take advantage of the different platforms’ capabilities (e.g. different artwork resolutions, shaders etc.).

So if Microsoft decide to release the game on other platforms the capability is there to do so.

 

[xboxfanuk]

Hi - new to the forums. I loved Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 BTW one of my favourite tycoon games.

I am looking forward to the 360 release of this game since I am not sure how soon I can pickup the Xbox One. I understand the limitations on the systems and all.

My main question is when will the 360 version be released (or at least a release window)? I know the Xbox One version is launch title, so considering it's coming in November is the 360 going to be pushed to 2014 or is still coming alongside the Xbox One version?

Are you anywhere near going gold with the title?

If it is coming out at the same time will we be seeing any screenshots or more concrete information on the 360 version anytime soon? I would hope development is going well and we will learn more about it soon.

Other then that any screenshots from the 360 version would be appreciated.