What platform did he experience these issues on, how bad were they, and was the performance the only problem he had with it? He could properly answer these questions after the embargo, but instead we're just left with a 17-page thread urging people to cancel preorders based on the most vague of comments.
Jim Sterling, Laura Kate Dale: Warning to Yooka-Laylee Pre-Orderers
- Thread starter Harlequin
- Start date
What platform did he experience these issues on, how bad were they, and was the performance the only problem he had with it? He could properly answer these questions after the embargo, but instead we're just left with a 17-page thread urging people to cancel preorders based on the most vague of comments.
Thanks so much for this info! I'm pleased to hear that.
FWIW, it's entirely possible they were referring to performance and not gameplay.
Yep, fingers crossed. We'll know soon enough anyway.
I'm still getting this game. I getting the PC version, and the Toybox runs great (even on my GPD Win). I have watched PS4 version videos and didn't see any problems (unless Sterling has robot eyes that calculate FPS rates). I don't agree with Sterling's reviews. I wonder what version of the reviewers will get reviewing? Anyway, I have this game preodered, along with Cosmic Star Heronine, Shiness, Disney Afternoon Collection, Prey, and Persona 5.
Did I miss the part where it's a twitch action game? It's better at 60 (or anywhere higher really) but it doesn't look like the type of game where gameplay would be a major issue at 30 either.
Quadraphonic
Member
If I could survive playing Banjo-Kazooie at 6FPS on the N64 at 320x240, I can handle whatever this is
evilromero
Member
Why would you assume only twitch action games benefit from 60 fps? I'm fairly certain Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 ran at 60 fps, or 3D World. Can't remember. 60 fps isn't purely functional. Often it's a stylistic feature that just make everything look better. I prefer 60 in most games. Metroid Prime was such a stunning experience at 60 fps.
Considering the embargo is still active he dropped a very effective FUD bomb.
Blam
Member
It's just a general thing across all developers that Unity will be a setback farther down the road with any kind of bigger games that don't take a week or 2 to create.
The engine has underlying problems that are most likely never going to be fixed which impact performance on all platforms. Broforce if I remember correctly runs like shit on the PS4, and there's not much that could be done because the engine is at fault not the developers.
It's good for small projects, but anything big will be better off on a different engine.
Salty Hippo
Member
What a load of horseshit.
Compare to Super Mario 3D World. YL is looks worse and running twice slower on hardware which is way more powerfull than wii u
don't blame playtonic, unity adressed ps4 perfomance issues only in latest versions of engine, but YL development began long time ago so they probably using not the newest one
Did you mean Banjo-Tooie?
Triforce141
Member
You mean, the European version of Tooie?
MistaBowaa
Member
My friends and I did a podcast over the weekend discussing the potential of Yooka-Laylee based on the talent behind the game.
Most of the major players, though big Rare players back in the day, last worked on Kinect Sports Rivals. The main composer last worked on 2016s Ghostbusters.
A quick look at the review scores for those games lends credence to the claims that Yooka-Laylee may have issues. Just because they made Banjo Kazooie back in the 90s does not mean they can do it again 20 years later.
As such, we were concerned about Yooka-Laylees prospects, and I even said I thought it would be a "Pass." As in "pass on playing it." Sadly it looks like we might have been on the right track.
Most of the major players, though big Rare players back in the day, last worked on Kinect Sports Rivals. The main composer last worked on 2016s Ghostbusters.
A quick look at the review scores for those games lends credence to the claims that Yooka-Laylee may have issues. Just because they made Banjo Kazooie back in the 90s does not mean they can do it again 20 years later.
As such, we were concerned about Yooka-Laylees prospects, and I even said I thought it would be a "Pass." As in "pass on playing it." Sadly it looks like we might have been on the right track.
If it ran like shit I'm pretty sure Ash wouldn't have played 25 hours.
He has some issues with the camera and noticed slow down and some frame drops. The slow down is also apparent on PC according to Andre.
Consoles have a 30 fps lock, with PC running at 60 fps. Also playtonic has confirmed YL will not get a PS4Pro patch.
(Sidenote: I'm sure you know that, but people who haven't seen the videos might be confused with what 'runs like shit' means. )
um... wat
They're making this game specifically because they were stuck making Avatars and Kinect Sports instead of the Banjo game they wanted to make when they were at Rare. Also, it's not Grant's fault that Ghostbusters was a crappy game, he takes the jobs he can get. Before that he did the well-recieved Civilization: Beyond Earth and Castle of Illusion remake.
AzureSkies
Member
but the main reason why they made this game in the first place was because they were sick of making kinect sports.
also, does it really matter the quality of the game that Grant Kirkhope last composed? That has nothing to do with this game's overall quality lol
I'll be happy even if the technical problems are on par with Banjo-Tooie. That game ran like crap (framerate wise) in quite a few areas but it's still one of the best games from that generation.
MistaBowaa
Member
It's admittedly an unorthodox way of looking at things. But looking at it through the lens of "you're only as good as the last thing you worked on" can be fun/interesting. I know Grant shouldn't be looked at poorly for Ghostbusters. Was just making an observation about the quality of the game that turned out to be in line with the OP impressions.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
Unless they're so bad that the game is totally unplayable, performance issues generally are not enough to get me to not buy a game I'm interested in. So if that's all this is about, I can deal with it.
If they're saying they have issues with how the game plays, though, that's a bigger problem. That said, GameXplain seems to like the game, and their tastes in gaming are much more in line with my own than Jim Sterling's are. So I'm not too worried.
Well, it's a moot point for me anyway. Since I backed the game on Kickstarter, there's not much I can do about it at this point.
If they're saying they have issues with how the game plays, though, that's a bigger problem. That said, GameXplain seems to like the game, and their tastes in gaming are much more in line with my own than Jim Sterling's are. So I'm not too worried.
Well, it's a moot point for me anyway. Since I backed the game on Kickstarter, there's not much I can do about it at this point.
Judging a composer by the quality of a game's overall value is silly. Tim Follin is one of the best vgm composers of all time and most of the games he composed for were shit.
First of all, people shouldn't pre order anything ever, though backing isn't a pre order and as someone who might buy yooka laylee I wanna thank y'all for donating so it could exist.
Second, embargoes exist because information and threads like this are bad! Just look, you have 3+ other folks including someone from digital foundry chiming in with posts saying they are playing it and while they can't say anything definitive they are surprised by what they heard and want to know what platform they are on. Embargoes might be anti consumer in some ways but they also let everyone get information out at the same time and guarantee everyone had enough experience with the game to bring you meaningful impressions, this wink wink stuff that nobody can refute or confirm is not helpful.
So as a general rule, as a player don't pre order, as a reviewer don't break embargo, and everyone in this thread including me should wait until you get to hear the full details about a game before making informed decisions.
Also unity is amazing and terrible in many ways but so are other engines, don't jump to conclusions in that regard either.
Second, embargoes exist because information and threads like this are bad! Just look, you have 3+ other folks including someone from digital foundry chiming in with posts saying they are playing it and while they can't say anything definitive they are surprised by what they heard and want to know what platform they are on. Embargoes might be anti consumer in some ways but they also let everyone get information out at the same time and guarantee everyone had enough experience with the game to bring you meaningful impressions, this wink wink stuff that nobody can refute or confirm is not helpful.
So as a general rule, as a player don't pre order, as a reviewer don't break embargo, and everyone in this thread including me should wait until you get to hear the full details about a game before making informed decisions.
Also unity is amazing and terrible in many ways but so are other engines, don't jump to conclusions in that regard either.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Is this just to plug your podcast or something? Their last game doesn't matter when they leave to make this game because they had the projects they keep being assigned to and instead are going back to old style games that made them famous and so respected. But hey they worked on kinect sports and ghostbusters or something so clearly this game is trash. SMH
I'm curious if Jim gets any back up on his opinions. He's too attention grabbing with his views that I get the feeling this might be overblown so I have to wait for a more credible source before worrying.
MistaBowaa
Member
That wasn't the intent at all. But why shouldn't the last piece of work someone does be considered when talking about game potential? After all, potential is what we are talking about. None of us have played it. This thread is just "it's Unitys fault" or "It's just one opinion" or "wait for more."
Was just trying to add to the conversation. You don't have to agree with the idea, but I certainly wasn't looking to come in, plug a link, and bail.
In the past this was true, but I do think there are valid reasons to pre-order in this day and age. I personally bought the game on PSN so I can pre-load it to play immediately at midnight, on Steam you can get a refund no questions asked within two hours of playtime, and with Amazon Prime (and apparently GCU, though I don't have that) you get 20% off new games with free launch day shipping. If you want to play a game on Day 1, there's plenty of incentive not to wait.
On a PS4 Pro.
Tom Nook Sawyer
Member
They didn't break embargo. They're allowed to preview the game
VibratingDonkey
Member
People are allowed to say negative things in their pre-release coverage of games. If they can't or don't, it's basically just marketing. Who wants to read/listen to marketing?
Also, their mouth sounds basically come down to; "don't pre-order, wait for reviews n things." Hardly some vicious attempt to sabotage the game.
When I skimmed a little of the thread it smelt of discordant controversy, the possible justifications for which seem stupid.
I backed this thing for the lowest tier (£10, I think) and don't have personal history with ye olde Rare games, so I can't be too disappointed by this. Still, I hope I'll appreciate it more than these two seem to have.
Also, their mouth sounds basically come down to; "don't pre-order, wait for reviews n things." Hardly some vicious attempt to sabotage the game.
When I skimmed a little of the thread it smelt of discordant controversy, the possible justifications for which seem stupid.
I backed this thing for the lowest tier (£10, I think) and don't have personal history with ye olde Rare games, so I can't be too disappointed by this. Still, I hope I'll appreciate it more than these two seem to have.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Because the last piece is irrelevant and something they hated doing... I'm not sure why you would want to count it whether it's potential or not. They're not making another kinect sports game, they're making the games they have always been amazing at. Michael Jordan sucked playing baseball, that doesn't mean everyone thought he would be a benchwarmer when he went back to the NBA. There's no logic in that train of thought at all.
TheAggroCraig
Member
I backed this game at a relatively high level, played the PC Toybox at release and enjoyed it but it definitely has its limitations from the engine. I later gave it a go on the PS4 and I couldn't even be bothered to finish it on the PS4 because I didn't like how it ran.
This is a very bad way of looking at things. Some talented people get stuck making things that are either underbudget or just go tits up part way through production. Shit happens.
You should instead think of all of the talented people who get put on projects doomed to fail and just acknowledge their individual merits.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Boy, if people are disappointed with this.. they must not want a 3d platformer in the vein of older gen titles. Thats all I'll say about my time with it so far. Some folks needs to relax on the doom and gloom train.
DrDomVonDoom
Member
Am I the only one who doesn't think Jim Sterling is gods gift to gamers? Like he's not my cup of tea, everything is sarcasm, which I like sarcasm, but not when it gets to being just overly obnoxious and nauseating. He tends to fan the flames of his own 'controversies' having how many videos on the same digital homicide devs. We get it, your a martyr for the news journalism community. I don't even care about most of his controversies, so he gave Zelda a 7/10 who cares.
If I had to guess I'd say reviews will mostly slam the camera control, minigames, technical performance on console, and character voices. The quiz sections will also get some hate since they seem to be a recurring thing in the hub world instead of an end-game challenge this time around.