Massive Bear Studios Responds To Mafia II PS3 Version Issues

Massive Bear Studios writes: There’s nothing quite like waking up to an inbox full of angry emails about game features! Having been in this industry for 10 years, I wish I could say it’s the first time, and I’m definitely sure it won’t be the last! We’ve had emails asking about Mafia II PS3 before, but never this many, all almost identical. Some were actually quite polite (thanks Stacie)!

One of the emails actually had a hint as to what they were all talking about, so eventually I found my way here:

http://n4g.com/news/585874/...

That’s right folks. That’s the press, and that’s our name. Yay?

Anyway, to anyone who may find their way here via that (and a couple of other) sites, let’s clarify.

2k made it. We helped. We did not ‘port’ the game.

[Jack Klugman]

Devs are literally ganging up on themselves trying to lay blame for yet another crap multiplat game.

Don't worry fella's you are not alone when it comes to a crappy port on the PS3.

You are just ALL lazy!! LOL Yeah, that has to be it!

[Lovable]

Inexperience would be the right word.

[morganfell]

That and infamous. And they aren't famous, they are infamous. Infamous and too stupid to realize that it isn't infamous in a PS3 superhero cool character manner either.

With their latest comments they have succedded in taking the only possible path that has made them bigger dolts than they were when they first woke up this morning.

[nveenio]

Bottom line is that it's not the developer's fault. If the publisher didn't say, "That's all the money and time we're giving you for now," then I'm sure that the developers would do everything they possibly could to make it perfect. (That's why Sony's exclusives are so amazing. Sony stands behind them until it's ready. No Sony exclusives are rushed to market.) Developers do what they can. If a shoddy game is published, then it's the publisher's fault. They don't have to publish something that's crap. They could say, "Fix it." They just didn't.

But that's EA for ya.

[BattleAxe]

Massive Bear Studios along with Slant Six are making Vancouver look bad.

[MGRogue2017]

This Man speaks the truth!

There is no excuse for the stuff missing in the PS3 Demo/Full PS3 version.. No excuses at all. It is all just pure laziness from either 2K Games or Massive Bear Studios.

And we will show them that they have done wrong by not buying the PS3 version of Mafia II, Whose with me?? :D

[nveenio]

"Who's".

[gamingdroid]

Yet most people won't even notice the difference in graphics.

[evildeli]

At least 2k and Massive Bear has the balls to stand up and say something. So many companies like Activision and Sega turn such a blind eye to bad ports.

[gamerzBEreal17]

can you guys not talk so mmuch? what happend to graphics dont make the game? does the ps3 have somethingo gameplay? NO! so why are u crying? it's just GRASS BLOOD AND CLOTHING! it does not effect the story it does not effect the gameplay it does not take away the fun i really wouldn't care about these things i would just buy the game and play it i loved the demo and i would pay $60 for the full version even if it was like that

[raztad]

The biggest offender are not graphics, but framerate (25 fps average) and screen tearing (close to 40% in some sections).

"New information has been uncovered revealing that the PS3's version of Mafia 2 is a direct port from the XBox 360, instead of it being a game built from the ground up. This is most likely to blame for the recent issues PS3 Mafia 2 owners have complained about."

xbox to PS3 ports === FAIL. Not buying crap, sorry.

[number47]

Wonder why.

[BeaArthur]

And this is why I own the 360 and the PS3.

[talltony]

Still I rather see less foliage than take the risk of turning on my 360. I am way over due for a rrod. And I am saving some if its life for reach.

[gamerzBEreal17]

"Still I rather see less foliage than take the risk of turning on my 360. I am way over due for a rrod. And I am saving some if its life for reach."

And this is why I only own a PS3

[Ascalon94]

if you have warranty just send it in, in 3 weeks you will get it back with 1 month free of Live

[talltony]

I have had my 360 since launch. My warranty is way over.

[lastdual]

Great exclusives on both consoles and the best versions of every multi-plat release. Unless you're poor, there's no reason not to own them all if you're a serious gamer.

[MRMagoo123]

what exclusives are on the 360??

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

It's not a bad port.

[T9X69]

Compared to PC and 360, yea its a pretty bad port.

@Darkside66 - If you mean the demo (which 2K said would represent the final version of the game) then yes, I've played all 3. PC>360>PS3. You obviously haven't played the other versions if you think the only problem is the grass. There is also lousy shadow textures, screen tearing, frame rate issues, no blood effects, certain clothes like Trench coat are stuck to your body, controls mapped based off the 360 controller, etc. There are many reasons why the PS3 version falls VERY short compared to the other 2. Personally I wanted the PS3 version for the exclusive content, but after this BS I'll be passing on it.

[kevnb]

its going to sell best on pc, just like mafia 1.

[Anon1974]

You've played the game extensively on all 3 systems? You have proof, screenshots and live video evidence of this "bad port"?

I'd love to see it. Please, grace us all with a link to your evidence of just how bad this port is.

A couple of missing textures and small physics differences don't make a "bad port". It means there's a couple of different textures and the physics engine work's differently. For all you know there may be other areas where the PS3 version shines - but so many trolls are so eager to leap all over the negative.

How about you shut your pie hole until you know for sure, and then try to be realistic about the impact of any differences. So the grass is different. Spend a lot of time playing a game to stop and stare at the grass, do we?

[kevnb]

have you seen the pc version? It looks like an entire generation ahead of the console version, I tried the demo on 360 and was surprised. Sure almost every game is much better on pc, but this is even more so than usual.

[jack_burt0n]

Yeah its such a shame I was only planning on buying the game for the grass......................... ............................... ......../sarcasm

[ddurand1]

If you cant do something right, do it until you can.

This is pure laziness.

[kevnb]

its not laziness, its a third party dev trying to port a pc game to ps3 on a limited budget. They didnt have to make this game at all, they probably almost didn't bother with the ps3 and its often low software sales. I suppose you think they should of spent 40 million dollars on the ps3 version?

[Scotland-The-Brave]

If it needed 40 million then yes. It should have the same budget as other platforms. "often low software sales" its not 2006 now. The attach rate for games is higher on ps3 now

[MRMagoo123]

higher than the 360

[budbundystyles]

Canceled my PS3 preorder after playing the demo. Not quite baked.

[Omega Zues]

Now their playing the blame game. Some ones gonna get fired.

[chasegarcia]

i will buy probably buy the game used or for a reduced price.

[Slient Knight 9]

i guess the grass looks greener on the other side after all, who knew

[JonnyBigBoss]

Running around pointing fingers isn't the right thing to do by either party. However, it would be nice if you'd address the public as to why the PS3 port is shoddy. I'm sure as a developer it's frustrating spending months on a game and struggling to optimize it to the level where the management team is satisfied. I'm also sure your development team didn't neglect the PS3 on purpose, and instead ran into trouble with working the code into the SPUs.

The fact of the matter is that many of us own several gaming devices but simply prefer the PlayStation 3 platform. In several cases, particularly in the past, we have received disappointing ports which make us feel like developers don't respect us as customers. The thing to remember is that you're (or in this case another company) charging the consumer $59.99 for the product. That's a lot of money during a recession. All I ever ask is that a development team does their best to equalize each iteration of the product to show that they care about the consumer.

The way I see it now, it looks like 2K Games just threw the game onto the PS3 to capture a few extra bucks, and I want none of it. I loved the first game and beat it twice on my PC, and also have a powerful gaming PC which can easily play the upcoming Mafia II with solid graphics. However, I have no desire to support such a weak job, and as a result, I will be renting the game. Oh, and if the port were done to a satisfying level, I easily would have purchased the game since it's on my top 10 list of 2010.

It's really a shame, because saving a few bucks by rushing the PS3's product might very well do the opposite in the end run. Because trust me when I say this, there are thousands of people just like me who look at a retail purchase as a way to support a company. Not only that, but my word impacts dozens of people that I know, and me saying "just rent it" is just one example of a consumer's buying power.

[pr0digyZA]

The PC version isn't a weak job, I know you are talking about PS3 (before you reply)but I just don't see your logic you aren't going to buy the cheaper version (PC) with physX(PC) better graphics (PC) because you dont like what they did.You play the first one twice and you still won't support them.

[jy_mrnd]

I agree getting the game on steam superior version!

[JonnyBigBoss]

If a developer is lazy enough to just throw a port over then I'm not touching the game. Period. Especially when it's so easy to get the PC version for free.

[Dellis]

I told all the fanboys on the N4G forums their was an issue here with this game, and all they did was try to deny it LOL

I am right all along

btw all DLC having games= bad ports

it is pity DLC.

[souljah]

MASSIVE BEAR delivers:

* High Level Rendering Pipeline, Gameplay, Art Scheduling and Coding Tasks Management and Content Optimizations.
* Intelligent partitioning and movement of processing to the PlayStation 3 SPUs.

RIIIIIITE !!!

[ElementX]

"Having been in this industry for 10 years,"

I've never heard about Massive Bear until today....

[pr0digyZA]

probably because they are not known for making games.

[enigmaticheretic]

This feels like the Orange Box all over again this is getting retarded

[gypsygib]

I'd like to know the dev cost for each the PS3, PC and 360 versions. In fact it would interesting to know from companies that can make equal or superior PS3 versions of games (like EA) how much more it cost, if at all, to make an equal PS3 version. Is it 2 million or more like 200000?

[Belasco]

Honestly, I played the demo on the 360 and even though they say its not the finished product, I was literally shocked at how bad it was, it skipped backwards one generation.

[gnosis]

Yeah, I canceled my PS3 pre-order this week. What a shame, wish I could skip on this altogether but I'm such a fan of the original I'll probably pick it up on pc.