Hey guys,
I wanted to get an opinion on which platform to you would build first. We are planning on releasing our game for PS4 and Steam (possibly mac and pc). I’m leaning towards PS4 first, since we are getting that all set up now.
But a part of me thinks it may be easier to just work on a PC build first, then port it over to PS4 later.
Any opinions and why? Thanks!
PC and steam have a much lower entrance barrier. Consoles are much harder to get on to, you need an established track record, or a game that is a proven success.
So build the rep first on PC, then use that as your leverage to get to console.
You should start with PC. You can design it for a game controller and test it on the PC. Then when you can reach out to console companies at some point to expand to console platforms. If/When you want to develop for PS4, you will need to contact Sony for a dev kit.
Why not develop on both simultaneously? Actual gameplay could be developed on the PC but you could use the PlayStation 4 for additional playtesting and profiling. Using its controller on both platforms is pretty straightforward too.
I completely agree.
I would suggest you start with PC as its much easier to release for than the ps4
Well, the Unity IDE runs on PC, so I’m going to say PC. I always consider PC to be my initial target, even if I’m planning on making a mobile title. If it doesn’t run on PC, there’s a good chance that it won’t run anywhere else.
Also, the PC is simply one of the most flexible devices when it comes to various inputs and configurations, which makes it a pretty solid choice for initial versions of almost any title. If you want to ultimately target controller-focused consoles, you can test for those on the PC. If you want to target touchscreen-focused devices, you can test those on the PC. (via mouse input and emulators) If you need to get some networking running, PC, etc…
Thanks for the advice and opinions, I’ll stick with pc build to being with.
We are PS4 developers and can confirm it’s probably best to just make it on desktop. When you have a finished game you can port it with ease thanks to Unity.
Thanks hippocoder!
We use InControl (on asset store, or for an older version free on github) and this enables us to play it with xbox or ps joypads just fine using the same api so it’s not confusing trying to work out platform specific button bindings (which is an utter nightmare otherwise).
I was actually looking into this, glad to hear it works! Thanks for your help! When dealing with Playstation, do you have to have a static IP address? I’m running everything from home and Comcast is a pain to talk too, lol.