How fortuitous that the winner of our first Dead Rising giveaway just recently acquired a new HDTV -- on that old set of his, he'd likely have some difficulty reading the annoying edicts coming from security guard and phone etiquette fiend, Otis. After users of non-HD television complained about the unusual amount of squinting required to read the on-screen text, Capcom admitted awareness of the problem and doled out a list of DIY solutions, none of them nearly as effective as a downloadable patch would be. So, what's the word on that?Unfortunately, the word is "no." Speaking to 1UP, a Capcom representative pointed out that "the amount of text and the size of the patch necessary to change the text" were prohibitive in producing a patch. "We had asked the team if it was even possible but ... due to the scope of what a patch would need to cover, it wasn't possible." This is far from a game breaking fault, but it's certainly disappointing that Capcom completely failed to spot a problem that would end up affecting a notable group of players. Coupled with King Kong's scenes of SDTV darkness, it seems some developers are a little too eager to rush into the HD era.













(Page 1) Reader Comments
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
"The word... is no. I am therefore going anyway."
XD
Reply
And really... all they have to do is change the font size. Now, admittedly, they'd have to make sure all of the text still fits throughout the game, and I bet they're pretty much done with the game at this point, but still.
With all of that said... I can't stop killing zombies. Who cares if I go blind!
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Developing for a console means considering the lowest common denominator. Neglecting to do this and making assumptions about your user base is bad development, in my opinion.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Hmm... But, I suppose if I got a 360, I could hook it up to my PC monitor (19" flat panel). That'd work fine, yeah?
Reply
Reply
Pass.
Reply
my question is: How could not being able to read the text on anything but a HDTV be considered anything less than a "game breaking fault"?
Reply
Reply
Like i said, I never designed a game before so I don't know how they're compiled in memory but if it's possible to build a patch to replace all the text, I'd assume it'd be possible for a scaler to intercept the text before it renders on screen.
Reply
This coupled with all the 1st games bugs ironed out, should keep everyone happy.
Reply
We'll see how it looks on the HD when my game arrives :)))))
Reply
aZn_1080p. . . That is one of the most uninformed, asinine things I've read on Joystiq, ever. There is no "half-hd" and your wholesale swallowing of Sony's marketing pamphlets and made-up talking points is wearing thin. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were one of the many iterations of B, BD, etc. Your trolling is getting annoying, and I fail to see why they haven't gotten rid of you yet.
You never contribute anything positive to the discussion, and most of the time you only seem to be quoting Kutaragi or spitting out Sony propaganda. You hate every console but the PS3, and you let us know it AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. Frankly, you're starting to bug the crap out of me with your "1.4" BS and your inane babbling about things you clearly do not understand and have no technical knowledge about.
Now, as to the article-- This was a problem that could have been avoided had the developers been using equipment that simulates both the low-end and the high-end of consumer experiences. Clearly, they didn't do that. Perhaps the rest of the industry will learn a lesson from this blunder, and some good will come of it. ANY developer of ANY product should consider both ends of the consumer spectrum before they release to the public.
(Of course, this shouldn't affect Sony's PS3 version at all-- Oh, wait. There is no PS3 version! In fact, the PS3 isn't even out yet, and people probably won't get their hands on one until March or April of 2007. Damn. Well, I guess having a slightly flawed version is better than not being able to play it at all.)
Reply
Reply
I can't play past the first 5 minutes of the game with the HDD attached. Why won't any of the gaming sites cover this issue.
Capcom, thanks for nothing.
Reply
If they had a proper character map drawing system in the software, you know, like the Macintosh managed with 128K of RAM back in 1984, implementing a larger font should be no problem. The volume of the text itself cannot be an issue. The text of a good length novel measures out to mere hundreds of kilobytes. An amount whose download time would be but a few seconds.
Capcom is either lying or has made a tacit admission that this was a poorly programmed game. One has to wonder how much of a hassle it is to localize for verious languages if its text handling is so badly implemented.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
"What about the problem involving the HDD.
I can't play past the first 5 minutes of the game with the HDD attached. Why won't any of the gaming sites cover this issue.
Capcom, thanks for nothing."
Somebody silence this person. Josh, joshy, josh. Obvioulsy you have not been informed about how it's only "KOOL" to bash Sony consoles. You just aren't man if you start mentioning the glaring faults of rival consoles. Just like the "3%" 360 failure rate that MS declared, when all other "REAL WORLD" indications hinted at more around the 23% mark.
You see media sources & fanboys alike, have turned Sony into a bin laden like evil doer figure in the console world. Whereas in reality the only thing they share in common is neither have been caught yet & Sony don't look to be.
Capcom should have to recall the game & re-release it, if it has bugs like what you have mentioned. It seems a lot of games are having issues with the 360 hardware from what's been reported on various forums. I've also heard of this game & others overheating peoples machines. The best part is, these 360 fanboys happily bash the unreleased PS3..... But then stick up for the 360 when THEIR OWN machine is overheating (out of warranty period), by shrugging it off with comments like " all I have to do is turn it off for a couple of hours".
They basically say it's fine that MS gave....no sold... them a machine that struggles to stay aive for anymore than 2-4 hrs at a time.
Capcom & MS need to get these issues worked out by the sounds of it..... I've even heard that 2nd & 3rd gen 360's are struggling with overheating issues on certain games. Sorry if it seems like I'm bashing all you 360 owners, I hope you haven't had & continue to not have these problems.... But it is blatently apparent that many do. And as much as software can be blamed, some evidence points to a bigger picture for some problems relating to the hardware.
Reply
Reply
Maybe the Joystiq group here can throw money around and buy HD stuff but I sure as hell can't and neither can most people I know.(ie; they are poor college students, a huuuuuuge percentage of the gaming populace).
Don't even start throwing numbers at me telling me how cheap you can get an HD for now. I don't have the money for, nor do I know anyone with the money for a new TV, whether it be HD or SD.
Trying to save up money for extravagantly priced consoles, accessories and games is bad enough without companies just expecting everyone to have the latest and greatest in home theater entertainment.
Another issue, when I go home (from college) for breaks, I would like to play games. However, I, like many gamers, may move my consoles around from TV to TV. There are 0 HD TVs in my house but even if there were 1, it would piss me off to know that my 360 games will only function to 100% capability (that is, have fricking readable text) on the HD.
Please, feel free to tell me if you all have houses with an HD TV in every room, because then I could understand some of the general neutrality towards this issue. But, as far as I can see, stores still sell SD TVs, and lots of them. SD is not dead, HD is not the standard, yet. I like to think that I live a comfortable distance between the (expensive) wave of the technological future and being technologically outdated (*gasp*)...but aparently that isnt good enough anymore.
When the day comes that console games have a list of required specs on the side of the box like PC games, that is the day that I shall cease to be a gamer. I swear, it seems like we are one format war away from that reality.
Many people blow this off, but the fact that Dead Rising is a huge blockbuster title makes this a big deal. It reflects a general lack of concern with game quality and capability that is staggering.
Last time I checked, being able to read the text in games has been pretty standard for awhile now.
For the poor college student demographic, stuff like this is, and shall remain, complete bullshit.
Reply
The game is so damn good however that it's completely acceptable ;)
Of course it is a shame for SDTV users but honestly these games look so much better in HD that you should consider it another reason for upgrading.
Reply
As for the game, yes it is definitely a fault and no amount of us players with gleaming HDTVs telling you to upgrade is going to be helpful (or a realistic proposal for a single game).
I find it very hard to believe that CAPCOM and MS didn't know about this before shipping (even if late in the day) but probably wanted to hit the release date anyway. Bugs or design issues can be considered less vital than the money lost or bad press gained by missing release targets.
It may also be a ploy to "encourage" uptake of HDTV because most people "raving" about 360 games happen to play them on HDTV where they thrive. I have tried my games on both SD TVs and HD TVs and the HD is a big reason why the console is considered "next gen".
Lastly, those who are unable to play (properly) by not being able to read the text, are you not entitled to some refund either from the retailer or by contacting Capcom and quoting their 90 day warranty (fit for intended purpose).
To sum up, if you have a HDTV then BUY this beautiful masterpiece, even the save system is not messed up it actually encourages experimentation and allows you to play your own way. If you "restart" it's not in vain because you get to keep your level status. It's your call on which save type to do and I have been going in knowing that "this game is 3 day surivial purely" or "this game is achievement based" and happily restartin g to do all the scoops/cases by which time you have become aware of the best way to do things quickly.
I thought it was messed up at first but it allows time to explore the mall just as you instinctively want to. just do NOT dive in on your first game and attempt to play it 100% perfectly, take it easy and "live a little". The game is in my top ten all time. It's cut scenes are flawless and the engine is jaw dropping (HD). The gameplay walks an interesting line between sandbox and linear goal settting and any deviations between the two will still be enjoyed. A landmark game that is under appreciated due to some "quirks" that do not fit in with what we have expected from typical games.
Reply
Reply
Reply
If you can afford a $400+ Game Console, You should be able to own an HDTV. Nuff Said!!
Reply
( ui_text.scale = 200 )
Reply
There are a lot of bigger bugs in this game that could/should have been worked out.
Reply
Does anybody here call the cable company or TV network when they can't read the credits at the end of a movie shown on TV? You paid good money for the service right?
Reply
Reply
I can't play past the first 5 minutes of the game with the HDD attached. Why won't any of the gaming sites cover this issue.
Capcom, thanks for nothing."
Are you getting 'Disc can not be read' errors?
You have to clean your Dead Rising disc with a wash cloth (nasty, but tissues didn't solve the problem).
It worked for me.
If not, you got a bad copy.
Reply
I guess I'll go and talk to...I dunno, Konami, and see what they have to say. Their programmers actually know what they're doing.
(As any technically minded person knows, programmers *hate* having their 'skillz' questioned. It's like saying 'I guess you can't get Linux installed on this here toaster...' It just makes them want to show you what a stupid n00b you are, you know?)
Reply
You have to clean your Dead Rising disc with a wash cloth (nasty, but tissues didn't solve the problem).
It worked for me.
If not, you got a bad copy."
Nope it just sits at loading, it will stay there for over 15 minutes. If I remove the HDD it loads in under a minute.
I tried 2 copies of the game and I doubt EB games will take back a third if its just the disc.
I am about ready to take my HDD back to BB under warranty but I don't care to lose my saves or buy a memory card.
* off to look up the way to back up Saves over the network.
Reply
Sure they could of made the text a bit bigger, (actually they should of just used voice acting) but its still very playable on sdtv. I dont know how anyone can complain considering Im coming from the gamecube generation where games like Xmen and LOTR and every game basically had VERY blurry text (although not as small).
I didnt even consider a patch needed until I came online and read the comments. Seeing as Im now 2 achievments away from all 50 in the game (I rented it then burrowed the game off a friend), I really couldent care less about a text patch. If I was gonna complain about anything about the game, it would be the lack of co-op mode and multiplayer.
Reply
Poop to Capcom, and just to show how much dissapointment I have in them, I won't be buying the game in december when I get my HDtv either.
They should learn to respect and provide to all users.
Reply
I'm a fan of zombie movies so this is probably biased but I'd rate this (even with its faults) as one of the best games I've ever played. I think it would be a shame to not play it before you see if your tv behaves the same as some other ones seem to.
Just my two cents
Reply
pwned
Reply