Sigh. DMC4 “load times” on PS3. DO NOT PANIC!
February 4th, 2008 Chris "Kramez" Kramer
Hey, all. It’s true: the first time you drop your DMC4 Blu-Ray disc into your PS3 tray, you’re going to be treated to an exciting 22 - 25 minute load process as the disc spins a few gigs of data onto your hard drive. While the game is loading, you get to watch a really nifty series of screens that completely catch you up on the DMC4 backstory. Think of it as compressing the last three “seasons” into a single info blast, accompanied by some fantastic DMC artwork. It’s great for those new to the series and also a good refresher to serious fans (you can also check out all these screens again later in the Library mode).
If you don’t want to watch the “Previously, on Devil May Cry…” portion of the install process, go make a sandwich and grab a soda, then come on back. You’re going to be spending some serious time with this game, and we don’t want you going hungry. Low blood sugar will make you dizzy and you’ll need to be focused like an Alan Parsons Project to defeat the enemies in this game.
Wah! The game takes 20 minutes to install the first time. Wah! Have you ever played a PC game? At least we aren’t making you shuffle multiple discs into a ROM drive, or continuously click “Yes!” on a series of endless Windows dialog boxes. Installing on a console may seem like a weird idea, but there’s a real benefit. Unreal Tournament also has an option to install files onto your PS3; I’ve done it and it makes a great game even better.
Once installed — once, mind, not every time you play, as I’ve seen “reported” on certain web sites less interested in facts than in OMG histrionics — the PS3 version of the game has near-Super Nintendo speed load times. You’ll be amazed how fast levels load, the virtually instantaneous transition from cut scenes to action and that you’re continuously playing the game, as opposed to staring at loading screens of a door opening every time you move from one room to the next.
Everyone good? Deep breaths! DMC4 should start hitting North American stores tomorrow. Hope you get a signed copy of the Collector’s Edition!
PS: all DMC4 cut scenes are also instantly skippable, just in case you’re pressed for time. You can always go back later and watch any cut scene you skipped in Theater mode once you’ve beaten the level. Heck, the game will even play all cut scenes in order without pausing, which is sorta like watching a DMC4 CG movie!
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Sweet! I think I may have to trade in a few old games so I can pick this up sooner rather than later…
I hope it’s out tomorrow and not Wednesday. I so want to play DMC4 now… I have pass the Demo around 700 times already…
Anyways, I hope Capcom is planning some DLC, because I have heard that DMC4 only has 2 extra customs, 1 for each character and that is not right. DMC1,2 and 3 have featured more than 1 custom for each character, I also wish they could put DMC2 Dante custom, because that is the only cool thing about DMC2.
Should be in most game retailers tomorrow, with bigger chains coming in on Wednesday!
Isn’t there a way you can patch the PS3 version so that we don’t have to install the 5GB? I use my PS3 as a media center as well and have many videos and musics on there and plan to put more. I don’t want game data taking up 5GB of space. =[
Also, bring Dead Rising to PS3! =]
The demo loadtimes (not sure you could even call some of them ‘loadtimes’) really impressed me so I’m glad I’ll be able to experience the same speediness in the full PS3 game.
Hey Chris! I read an article on CVG that said the loading times were only 2-3 seconds faster on the PS3 than on the X360! I don’t if that’s true or not, if it is, then I’m not sure a 20 minute install time is worthwhile. Just wondering if you could set me straight or something. Thanks!
Hey, Chris, nice job avoiding discussing the 360 version.
The load times on it are 2-3 seconds slower than the PS3 version’s… taking into account YOU ALREADY INSTALLED IT ON PS3. Is it honestly worth sitting through 21 freaking minutes just to have the load times decrease by a few measly seconds?
“the PS3 version of the game has near-Super Nintendo speed load times.”
That just makes me laugh…
Oh, great! Next-gen consoles have FINALLY managed to catch up to SNES. That’s a real achievement…
/sarcasm
“At least we aren’t making you shuffle multiple discs into a ROM drive, or continuously click “Yes!” on a series of endless Windows dialog boxes.”
So, you’re comparing a PS3 game to PC game… instead of making a better comparison — the 360 version.
Sigh.
This is a response? Mocking the customers?
If people want PC installation times, they’ll probably play games on their PCs. This should be an option, not a forced process. While undoubtedly you think your game is the most important thing to every PS3 owner, maybe they don’t feel the same way- maybe they don’t want to devote gigs of space to it. And maybe they don’t want to wait 20+ minutes for this forced process to finish. It is not unreasonable that some are upset at being blindsided.
And your response is, “Cry me a river, at least we aren’t making you jump through more hoops”?! Yeah, silly users… We should be grateful, after all we had the privilege of paying for the game and all. Who are we to complain?
I am much more bothered by this response than by the problem itself, because the attitude is ridiculous. I don’t feel this company cares about customer satisfaction or responding to complaints, and as such, I don’t feel they deserve my money. That’s okay- all the time I’m not playing DMC4 I can spend making sandwiches, right?
Is the installation the end of the world? No. But it makes more sense to let people choose whether they want it or not, for perfectly valid reasons. Responding like this makes your company seem lazy, as well as arrogant. As someone who’s supported Capcom in the past, this upsets me, and will make me think twice before I support them in the future.
That’s BS and you know it. It’s clear that the developers were just too lazy to optimize the game for Bluray. It’s going to be the same thing with Lost Planet.
Maybe if you guys actually cared about us, you would’ve given us the option.
Well, this pretty much sums it up. w00t for PA!
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/02/06
Geez man, keeping yourself occupied for 21 mins isn’t the most gruelling task in the world. It kind of sucks, but it’s only a one off thing and then you don’t have a problem. I don’t have a 360 nor do I want one for the sake of 21 mins loading time. If you have one, go for it.
It looks like an awesome game, and I think I’ll be grabbing a collectors ed version. Im sure if the screens arent interesting enough I can find something else to do like most other people that are hanging out for it.
Why don’t you just admit you’re as retarded as every other developer for the PS3? I love the snide work on your cute little post here, too, by the way. It really goes hand-in-hand with Sony’s attitude of: “hey, we pretty much rule, and if you have anything to say about it, then you’re a douchebag.”
“PS3! For those who love basketball!”
“Wah! The game takes 20 minutes to install the first time. Wah! Have you ever played a PC game?”
Are you SERIOUSLY mocking people who are intending to purchase a game and support your employer?! Besides, if I wanted to sit through an install process I WOULD play a PC game. Yet another stunning example of my I am glad I bought a 360 instead of a PS3!
Calling people crybabies for making a valid criticism? Weak. As you said, on Unreal tournament (and most other PS3 games I’ve seen this “feature” in), it’s an OPTION.
“Wah” is your answer to a 20+ minute install time to shave 2-3 seconds off of loading?
That is your response to paying customers? Really?
That you are still employed by Capcom in any public facing capacity strains credulity.
Congrats on almost cathing up to the SNES. Did you even read this thing before you put it up?
You need to realize that while it may not be intended, you are making yourself and your company look like serious assholes.
Obviously there are some people that have questioned this, or complained about it. Now you’re making fun of it? These are your customers. Without them you would not have a job.
Very immature move on capcom here. I don’t think you’re ready for an official blog if you can’t keep your official bloggers from ridiculing your customers. I know i’ll think twice the next time I’m about to purchase a capcom game with the attitude displayed here.
Im not wasting 5gbs for this game, just because Capcom was TOO LAZY to no include an option to play without installing the game. So, capcom is giving the alternative of making food and getting a soda, but is not giving me the alternative to not install this game??? Im not supporting this mandatory install crap. A lot of PS3 looks much better than this, and they dont req a mandatory install, so there is not excuse.
Im not getting this game ultil they solve this. You will need to work a little harder to get my money Capcom.
So, if you can’t load the game on your PS3 for whatever reason, you can’t play it?
Well that blows. Can you see the problem when this becomes common practice? You can do it on PCs because we have hundreds upon hundreds of Gigs of space to use, not so much for the PS3, which at most has 80. 80 Gigs compared to 320Gigs (and that’s not even close to max). Yeah, fair comparison!
And coming back to the game will be a pain in the rear after you delete it to make room for movies/music/software/etc. Then one day you want to just play DMC4 but realize you need to wait 20minutes. Well, guess what the player does? Plays a different game.
I hope the Sony check was fat enough
To Solea,
“Hey, Chris, nice job avoiding discussing the 360 version”.
Did you ever think that this game has ALWAYS been a playstation game since it first came out and that 90% of the people that are going to purchase this game are going to be from the ps3 community? Nobody is going to know what the hell DMC4 is unless they have owned a ps/ps2. So why would they be interested in buying a game based on story line when its the 4th in the series.
“The load times on it are 2-3 seconds slower than the PS3 version’s… taking into account YOU ALREADY INSTALLED IT ON PS3. Is it honestly worth sitting through 21 freaking minutes just to have the load times decrease by a few measly seconds?”
If you are patient and just watch a tv show while it installs, imagine how much mind numbing time that can be avoided later.
“That just makes me laugh…
Oh, great! Next-gen consoles have FINALLY managed to catch up to SNES. That’s a real achievement…
/sarcasm”
This comment really shows how idiotic you really are, SNES was a cartridge based system which virtually eliminates load times, do you realize how much information has to be transfered from the disc into the RAM everytime a HUGE ASS level loads (it has to load everytime because after you pass that section of the game the RAM is then wiped)? I just wish they did this for assassin’s creed too
“So, you’re comparing a PS3 game to PC game… instead of making a better comparison — the 360 version.”
You’re really obsessed with the xbox 360? and since the xbox came out, all it has been is a dumbed down version of a computer that uses a controller for a keyboard, and that is what all newer consoles are like, Why NOT compare it to a PC? All new systems are moving to be just like computers with it’s primary purpose being GAMES.
“Sigh.”
X-box obsessed Halo playing newbie, why not at least try giving real gaming systems a chance that have more than 1 decent original game.
HERES A HINT, TRY A PS3 OR A Wii!
Nintendo/Sega and Sony have been the longest standing platforms and most popular for a reason.
halo will eventually die out as fast as WoW will eventually.
Wow, I don’t know what kind of PC you play games on, but even my system (a rather average system) loaded Gears of War PC in less than 3 minutes (8 Gigs copies to HD, but the game starts after the first gig or so copies).
Not since Dungeon Master ST (That’s Atari ST) have I thought a game takes too long to load, but 20 minutes for a console game? What crack are you guys smoking?
Don’t care how many screen shots you got displayed to keep the gamers occupied, but maybe if you took out the loading images and focused on copying the game to the HD, maybe you could cut down your loading times?
This has got to be one of the most patronizing pieces of crap I’ve ever read. If you don’t like the criticism you’re getting, either come out like a professional and debate it like an adult, or pull your damn head in, admit it could have been done better, and remember that for next time.
Honestly, this blog entry reads like a spoiled, pouting child.
pffffffft.
I’m currently installing this now. I got the collector’s edition(unfortunately not a signed copy) but I have had a chance to flick through the book, read the story on the screen, and by the time I have finished writing this I’m sure it will be over.
Staying occupied for 20 mins isn’t exactly the biggest mission in the world and I think reducing loading times throughout the game is a decent payoff for a 1 off install.
Interesting article from over a year ago!
and…
Another from Sept. of 2006
and even…
Kotaku reports on this in late 2006.
Old news. Do your research guys.
Kind of ridiculous to wait a few seconds for a level/area to load as opposed to a full 25 minutes when you first put the game IN the machine. I’d rather play the game RIGHT WHEN I INSERT THE DISC, because I’m sure over-all load time within the game itself doesn’t tally above 25 MINUTES.
I know the PS3 gets the “luxury” or the cached install since a hard drive is ALWAYS a standard option, but are there any contractual obligations for publishers to make a cache OPTION for 360 games? Although having a hard drive is not required (and therefore all 360 games have to function on the premise that a potential consumer owns a 360 without a hard drive), how difficult would it be to just menable an option in the settings menu “Cache frequently used files on the hard drive” if the particular 360 happens to have a drive installed?
Granted you, as a blogger, don’t have any control of the development process, so I’ll step back and again emphasize the fact that I’d rather deal with load times here and there than wait half an hour to play a game I’ve just run out and purchased. I watched a friend playing the 360 version earlier this evening before we played the new Smash Brothers and I didn’t notice any drastic or distracting load times. What’s funny is by you pointing it out to such a degree, you seem to have made it more of an issue than it would have been in the first place.
I guess the real point at hand is not enough people own a PS3 to really make the complaints they’re going to have that significant
How nice of you to mention the OPTIONAL INSTALL for Unreal Tournament 3. Did I mention the install was OPTIONAL? Because I don’t think you quite got that while you were choking on your sandwich. Anyway, I have UT3 and I one of the reasons I bought it was because of the OPTIONAL install to the HD. BTW, did I mention the install was OPTIONAL for UT3? Because I’m not quite certain you understand what the word means.
Listen, we all know why the install was mandatory. Your poorly written MT framework engine has issues on the PS3 and it can’t seem to load data fast enough.
Hey dude, what do you suggest we do with the 5GB install for that pathetic Lost planet port? Take a dump?
It’s silly how big the load times are for a next gen system. reading this I’m glad i haven’t gotten a ps3 yet. btw the ps3 really need to go with blue ray? the system is over priced enough, it would have been nice if they could have tried to keep the price of games down.