Valve has revealed that the PS3 edition of the upcoming Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will feature support for keyboard and mouse controls, as well as the Move motion controller.
The extra control options should help level the playing field for planned cross-platform play between the PS3 and PC/Mac versions of the title, which Valve tells Kotaku it is "striving to include in the game." Valve also included Steamworks-powered cross-platform play in the PS3 version of April's Portal 2.
Though the PS3 supports most standard USB and bluetooth keyboards and mice, Unreal Tournament 3 is one of the only PS3 shooters to include support for the controls, which are preferred by many PC players.
Valve is also striving to open the Counter-Strike experience to franchise novices, with a new "Casual mode" that allows for unlimited weapon purchases, open voice chat between teams and the option to spectate a member of the opposing team after death.
The company will allow players to host their own servers for Counter-Strike: GO, though Valve's own servers will be the only ones that allow for matchmaking based on centrally tracked ELO skill levels.
A PC-only beta test for Counter-Strike: GO is being planned planning for October, with attendees at this weekend's Penny Arcade Expo and next month's Eurogamer Expo receiving vouchers for access.
I wonder how this will work in practice. Seemingly, cross-play between PC and consoles in a VS mode game means that anyone using a controller will be outclassed, period. Which doesn't exactly sound like great gameplay for the couch gaming crowd that isn't balancing a keyboard/mouse on their lap.
It's thus nice that they added keyboard/mouse for the PS3 version, but that doesn't exactly solve the problem. Will the legions of console gamers that are playing with controllers just be completely unable to compete?
I assume that they will include some kind of of server filter that lets you see if the current game supports both keyboard/mouse and gamepad, or if it only supports gamepad. I belive Unreal Tournament 3 for the PS3 had it like this. UT3 doesnt have cross platform play with PC though, but the game did support keyboard/mouse.
I also cant imagine that the auto matchmaking will automatically pair PC and PS3 versions together. Unless there is a manual option to allow this.
Well, a larger community is good. Being able to use your input method of choice is great.
Ending the who's got the best input method is the best thing I've heard all day. I mean we already know controllers probably won't win... At all. But at least -they'll- know that too now.
Also: Most long time m/k users aren't too interested in playing a FPS'er with a different input device, usually. That can easily be challeneged, but control sticks aren't the answer.
It's thus nice that they added keyboard/mouse for the PS3 version, but that doesn't exactly solve the problem. Will the legions of console gamers that are playing with controllers just be completely unable to compete?
And still, matchmaking will put players against others of their same level of competitiveness.
I also cant imagine that the auto matchmaking will automatically pair PC and PS3 versions together. Unless there is a manual option to allow this.
I think it's high time console players get the superior experience of KB&M.
No they won't be able to compete without adapting.
Perhaps Gabe Newell and Playstation had that as a first thought.
Simple browser filtering could allow proper matchmaking.
Ending the who's got the best input method is the best thing I've heard all day. I mean we already know controllers probably won't win... At all. But at least -they'll- know that too now.