Topic: It's time for a roadmap

@Ralizah Off-topic, but I’m curious how much you paid for your “budget-build pc”. Cost of hardware is definitely one factor that turns me off of PC gaming (not the only factor, but a big one), and I’m curious if I’m off-base in that regard or not.

@LunarFlame17 I carried over the power supply, so I think I ended up spending about $700 on it. RX 6650 XT, Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB RAM, 1TB Sata SSD, and a new mobo, because my old one wasn't compatible.

By no means a super computer, but at 1080p it gets pretty good performance in pretty much everything.

While my GPU has been good, though, you're better off getting an NVIDIA card like the RTX 4060 Ti, since DLSS produces nicer results than FSR in general.

@Ralizah Did you build it yourself or go through one of those PC Build websites?

I would probably save money building it myself, but I haven't built a PC in probably 20 years (man, I'm old).

@GamingFan4Lyf I just identified what pieces I wanted based on my budget and a little bit of research and the computer was built gradually. The new GPU was actually the last component, and I spent half a year with everything else installed.

You have tech literate friends, right? Ask one of them to build it for you when your components arrive. This is especially helpful if you flatter and bat your eyes at the men in your life.

@Patellioli You are right, but they announced certain games very early because people wanted to know what games will Xbox have on top of Halo, Gears and Forza. I think that's why they announced Fable and Perfect Dark, two games that people adore.

The uncertainty you talk about is also true and one consequence of the hands-off approach, that I insist is the only base problem that Xbox has and that triggers the rest. In that sense, the problem with Perfect Dark is not the long development per se, but that the team has no hierarchy, no leadership, no common goal and Microsoft had to bring Crystal Dynamics in, a consolidated studio that knows how game development works and what has to be done to make progress. That's why I said it's lack of efficiency and a waste of time and resources.

Rare's Everwild is made by a bunch of artists that are organised as if they were creating Disney's next classic. I still love Rare. I love Gregg Mayles and I want a new Banjo-Kazooie game. I don't mind if they hire Playtonic or work with Toys For Bob to make it, as long as Gregg Mayles is the designer and as much as possible of the original team is able to work on it. Gregg is the original designer. He has never left Rare. Composer Grant Kirkhope is a freelancer that would die for being on board again. Banjo-Kazooie can be made and Xbox needs that kind of games. Same can be said about Conker and Viva Piñata, the latter being one of the most original and charming games I have ever played. I also love Robin Beanland and he also works at Rare. There's a lot of magic at Rare, a lot, but maybe they need Playtonic or Toys For Bob. Playtonic because they still want to make that kind of games and Toys For Bob because they are technically good.

@Ralizah Okay, that is less than I imagined, but still more than I would want to spend, especially since I already have a PS5 and a Series X. Thanks for answering.

@Banjo- oh yeah! I did forget that they do sometimes announce games early so their consumers can know what games are going to release on Microsoft’s consoles, and to sort of give them a reason to stick around for new games releasing on the Xbox. I do know that Perfect Dark and Fable are two classic franchises that everyone loves a lot, so yeah, you are likely right about that reason why they announce games early.

I believe why The Initiative exists is to solely make “AAAA” games so it maybe isn’t all that surprising of how poor the hierarchy at the studio is, why they had to bring in Crystal Dynamics for assistance on the project since it was going down poorly and because making “AAAA” games appeared to be the only goal or reason behind the studio’s establishment. Video games, usually higher-end ones, take longer to make of course. I am hoping that, despite the troubles it has apparently been going through, the game still turns out well.

I also do love Rare too, of course! I would love if some of their other older IPs got reboots or revivals like Perfect Dark, Killer Instinct, and Battletoads by other studios that are capable of delivering good games and have structure, which I think is a reason they gave for why some of their more popular legacy IP, like Banjo-Kazooie, have yet to receive modern entries since they want to do it right this time, on top of it being up to Rare if they wanted to make more games like that, which they obviously, don’t have an interest in doing. I am sure someone at Microsoft really wants a new game to happen, but they need to first find a team or studio that has an interest in making the game, as well as having the capabilities to make good games and not poor ones, ESPECIALLY since Banjo-Kazooie is a fairly popular IP Microsoft has under their helm and they wouldn’t want to generate disappointment after being away for nearly two decades! I honestly can’t stop imagining new entries in Rare’s old series and having a blast with them… it would make my day! I just think Microsoft needs to give Rare better structure and a leash with creativity on Everwild. I do agree that Rare definitely still has some magic there (despite not retaining a majority of their original employees over the years) but some changes likely have to be made in order for Everwild’s development to go forward smoothly and to make it as successful as possible once it releases or close to its release. I would hope to hear good things about it when it comes out.

@Pastellioli They said, as you mentioned, that they want to do it right if they do it, but maybe finally organise a project and choose the studios? They said not long ago that they acknowledge the demand for those games, including Banjo-Kazooie, but they of course shouldn't disappoint because they are beloved IPs. After Killer Instinct, Battletoads and Perfect Dark, it makes sense. There are a lot of rumours about a new Banjo-Kazooie game.