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Re:$500? by gabebear · 2005-05-13 08:10 · Score: 1 · on The Xbox 360 Unveiled

With multi-threading, strange altivec, and 3 cores per chip these don't look like they will have much in common with the G5 or Power4.

The only thing I could see resmbling specs for the CPU are at IGN:

Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU:

3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each
2 hardware threads per core; 6 hardware threads total
1 VMX-128 vector unit per core; 3 total
128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread
3 symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each
1 MB L2 cache

VMX is IBM's name for Altivec. Does each VMX unit on the Xbox360 have 256 registers(128 per hardware thread)? The G5(PPC970) has 2 VMX units with 32 registers each(64 VMX registers total). Up until now I think all VMX/Altivec CPUs have had 32 registers per unit.

If the PS3's CELL CPU is going to have 1024 128bit registers per CPU then the Xbox360 may have 768 total.

The amount of RAM is really impressive to me, having 512MB+10MB to play around with is going to make for some pretty crap.

Re:Hot air to slow sales on the XBOX2 by itsallgeek2me · 2005-05-13 00:43 · Score: 1 · on PS3 Still Possible This Year?

Well... It does look like that games are in development.. IGN also has this rumored PS3 game screenshot http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/744/744412/img_2745 088.html

Re:Ok so? by MC+Negro · 2005-05-12 19:22 · Score: 2, Informative · on Final Fantasy Advent Children Release Dated

Why is this is such a big deal? There has been no previous mention of Advent Rising hitting the PSP. What just because Square has released a ton of games for the PS2 that means all their content will be available on a Sony game device?

Um, yes there has been.

Sony even had PSPs on display at E3 last year showing the trailer for it.

How you and the submitter missed all this is beyond me.

Re:Ok so? by MC+Negro · 2005-05-12 19:22 · Score: 2, Informative · on Final Fantasy Advent Children Release Dated

Why is this is such a big deal? There has been no previous mention of Advent Rising hitting the PSP. What just because Square has released a ton of games for the PS2 that means all their content will be available on a Sony game device?

Um, yes there has been.

Sony even had PSPs on display at E3 last year showing the trailer for it.

How you and the submitter missed all this is beyond me.

Confusing... by Anonymous Coward · 2005-05-11 05:04 · Score: 0 · on 45GB Triple-Layer HD DVDs

This artical seems to say that an agreement was made. I thought it sounded strange and saw this artical on theregister today. I dont think anyone knows whats going on at the moment :) I -- as someone else mentioned -- hope that Blue-Ray tech gets used for the media. As its far superior.

Re:Gameboy emulator widens appeal by jericho4.0 · 2005-05-10 09:01 · Score: 1 · on Gameboy Emulator Released for PSP

I had originally found that (maybe) fact on a DS development forum, and can't find that link. I did find This review of a 'media' add on for the DS. From that link;

"Play-chan takes the form of a deluxe-sized Game Boy Advance cartridge that features a slot for an SD card. The cartridge plugs into either a GBA SP or DS (the original Game Boy Advance is, according to Japanese technology site Impress Watch, not supported) and includes a hardware decoding chip that brings the portable systems up to MPEG4 and MP3 specifications."

Which would seem to indicate that the DS is too underpowered to decode mp3 on its own.

Re:I like the translations by mike.dulany · 2005-05-09 06:00 · Score: 3, Funny · on The DS and Revolution to Connect Wirelessly

And what are nintendogs

cute digital dogs?

In a word ... Yes

Size by tini1212 · 2005-05-08 08:47 · Score: 1 · on Live Picture of the Next Xbox

For those wondering how big it is, check out http://media.xbox360.ign.com/articles/608/608394/i mg_2748824.html .
It was made by comparing the CD drives.

Re:Pathetic Waste of Money by kafka47 · 2005-05-07 18:00 · Score: 1 · on Turbine Lands $30 Million in Venture Capital

Definitely agree with you. AC was probably acquired very cheaply, since it was likely to get killed by Microsoft anyways.

The game was stupid to make things where high level char's could not really help lower level characters so there's no incentive to help people.

To a lesser degree, WoW doesn't do the "assistance" game very well either. There are no qualified methods within the game's mechanics to sweeten the prospect of helping lower-level characters.

City of Heroes has the "exemplar" and side-kick system to bring level differences closer. See IGN's 'CoH Tips' page

It isn't perfect but is a far cry from WoW's complete lack of "levelling the level playing field". Ouch, it makes my head spin trying to say what I'm trying to say. :-)

Re:out of hand by fakedupe · 2005-05-04 04:30 · Score: 1 · on ATI Announces 512MB Graphics Card

Yeah, well guess what? If you have an xbox (if) then you can play hl2 too! It'll apparently look pretty pretty damn close to the pc version. Who'd thunkit. http://xbox.ign.com/articles/608/608385p1.html

Re:Find a lookalike for the original by GregoryD · 2005-05-03 19:50 · Score: 1 · on Sony Online Seeking Queen of Everquest II

http://pcmedia.ign.com/media/news/image/eqbel002.j pg

Denise Harris as Firiona Vie /never played everquest /really

Re:revolution by goodenoughnickname · 2005-04-30 20:51 · Score: 3, Informative · on Holographic Projected Rumour Control

But wasn't it confirmed long ago that Revolution would hook up to a computer monitor? I can't find the original source, but here's a snippet from IGN's Revolution FAQ:

Q: Will Revolution hook up to a television? A: Yes. It will also be able to interface with a computer monitor. In June 2004 Nintendo engineer Genyo Takeda said: "You'll be able to play [Revolution] not just by linking up to a television but to a computer monitor as well."

I honestly don't think Nintendo's new idea will be in how you look at the games, but rather how you play them.

Re:DNA by Daetrin · 2005-04-29 05:19 · Score: 1 · on Douglas Adams Remembered By Those Who Knew Him

Endlessly readable, never forgettable. There was a guy who really knew where his towel was.

Except if you had read TFA you would know that he _didn't_ know where his towel was.

"I thought, of course. You have to be the kind of person who doesn't know where his towel is to notice that the people who do are the truly cool people. And I was glad Douglas didn't."

Off Topic by wgaryhas · 2005-04-22 09:27 · Score: 1 · on RAM Manufacturers Fined for Price Fixing

about your sig: would this work?
And is there a way to send a private message instead of posting off-topic in the future?

OMG by Anonymous Coward · 2005-04-22 04:40 · Score: 5, Funny · on More Details on Zelda Emerge

Link gets some pussy!

They will be FREE on June 28th. by larsoncc · 2005-04-19 05:40 · Score: 3, Informative · on New Halo 2 Maps April 25th

According to Bungie, the Killtacular map pack will be free just two months after its release.

(I have a vacation in May, so I think I'm waiting!)

As for the update, it's already been pushed to everyone (yesterday). It's changed the game dramatically, encouraging a lot of grenade play.

Other items of note:

Videos of the maps, and a 3D [QuickTime] rotating picture of Warlock here.

Brazel Druggy? by micromuncher · 2005-04-19 04:11 · Score: 1 · on TrekUnited Campaign Ends

Reading throught the controversy, The Vicci Link was insightful!

I guess anyone who experimented with soft drugs isn't worthy of fundraising! Pot heads are all criminals after all!

The moral decline of America is what killed interprise. My Bill O'Reilly sense is tingling ( if neo_conservative then make_shit_up ) - al Trekkies (Trekkers) must be pot heads! Tepol was a druggie! WTF!

Arrg!

Re:Sad by 0x461FAB0BD7D2 · 2005-04-19 02:14 · Score: 4, Informative · on TrekUnited Campaign Ends

It's all here: Trek Report: "Bound"

Paramount is owned by Viacom, whose owner is a bitter rival of Rupert Murdoch, who owns SkyOne, one of the participants in the deal.

Re:Fun hacks but... by interiot · 2005-04-17 11:54 · Score: 2, Insightful · on PSP As Home Remote Control

Because we all need a remote control whose batteries only last 2 hours and 46 minutes. Using Wifi for a remote control is a horrible idea. Bluetooth or any other low-bandwidth RF have much more sensible power consumption (albeit some with limited range, but what's the point of range if you have to constantly tether the thing to an outlet?)

Re:Am I the only one reading this the other way? by Anonymous Coward · 2005-04-16 09:56 · Score: 1, Interesting · on Video Game Sales Up 32% in March

yes, you are

>If those numbers are right, that means people only bought one or two games to go with their PSP..

this ign article http://psp.ign.com/articles/604/604548p1.html says that 30% of DS buyers on launch day DIDN'T EVEN BUY A GAME. psp's 1.77 games/system ratio on launch day absolutely kills DS's .7 games/system (on launch day)

"Social contract" in private x-actions is nonsense by Money+for+Nothin' · 2005-04-15 11:31 · Score: 1 · on Does Adblock Violate A Social Contract?

IANAL, but it seems only fair (to all parties) that any private form of so-called "social contract" is nonsense.

I signed no contract saying that I would be bound to watch advertising in my browser or on TV. It's "just there", and until the advent of AdBlock and TiVo, I didn't have a say in the matter on most channels or most websites -- the advertising was rammed down my throat, and my only option was to flip the channel or find another, ad-free website.

But the fact is, TANSTAAFL. If you want "free" content, you'll have to *pay* for it somehow. PBS and NPR used to be basically ad-free, but now both have the occasional corporate sponsor, because people don't donate in quite sufficient-enough amounts to keep them afloat. Yet, they are still *mostly* ad-free. But if we wanted them totally ad-free, we have to pony up.

Same will go for our currently ad-supported websites. That's why I personally don't block the ads on sites I like, like Slashdot (though not The Economist, because they use ad.doubleclick.net, which shows up everywhere and it's far-easier to just block http://*.doubleclick.net/* than to make exceptions for each site). Sites I don't care about or which have craploads of ads (*looks at IGN*) -- sorry, you're gonna hit AdBlock.

Sooner or later, we'll have to find some other way to fund websites. Whether it'll be via advertisers' cleverness in getting around AdBlock (somehow) or via a system of micropayments or subscriptions (like with The Economist, Wall Street Journal, and other high-end newspapers and magazines), remains to be seen.

Re:So they went with the worst possible name. by LordNimon · 2005-04-13 07:18 · Score: 1 · on Xbox360 Name Confirmed

I would have preferred "Xbox 2", but at least they didn't pick "Xbox Next".

What are they going to call the third Xbox console? Xbox 360 2? Xbox XP? Why confuse the customer and make life difficult for the marketing department?

In either case, I won't believe any of this until I hear it straight from Microsoft, and that's probably not going to happen until May 12.

Re:I'm taking all bets by cthellis · 2005-04-13 04:57 · Score: 1 · on Xbox 2 To Be Unveiled on MTV May 12

You're right, they didn't claim 66 million. They claimed 300 million at GDC 2000, downgraded it to 125 million at launch (100+ million sustained transformed and lit polygons), and--exactly like the PS2--come nowhere near those numbers.

Now I'm not sure what demos may exist for either (I was told by someone who ran a huge amount of Performance Analyzer tests on PS2 games that some code exists that comes close to the theoretical maximums--but that's about as meaningful as my saying one car tire CAN spin at 1,000,000 RPM... but not when it's powered or even attached to my car. Fun geekery, but that's about it.) but if we're talking "real world numbers"... No, the tech specs that get bandied about are utterly useless in making a determination.

...and if one is REALLY wanting to laud a company for it, try Nintendo or Sega, whose aim has been much closer to reality. Microsoft is NOT the company to defend when comparing to Sony in that arena.

IBM wins the video game war, hands down by USCG · 2005-04-11 06:54 · Score: 2, Informative · on Xbox 2 To Be Unveiled on MTV May 12

Kind of cool, IMHO that IBM has contributed to the Sony Cell CPU, and they are building the XBOX2 CPU and whatever Nintendo's next machine is.

Thank humanity for big blue!

Concept Sketches by karn096 · 2005-04-11 05:09 · Score: 4, Informative · on Half-Life 2 - Lost Coast Details

Theres some concept sketches up on IGN heres the link http://media.pc.ign.com/media/492/492830/imgs_1.ht ml the concept sketches are in the center..the others I believe are just typical halflife2

Re:Just be careful by Mark+Hood · 2005-04-08 04:07 · Score: 1 · on EFF Guide To Blogging Anonymously

We always 'google' our perspective new-hires.

Cool, so I can now add Sound Recording Engineer, Psychology Seminars and speeches, photography and Apple Advocacy & consulting to my Resume...

Unless of course, you do a check to see if the Google results actually refer to me! (Hint, only one does).

I trust when you say 'people have been not hired' you mean 'people have been given a chance to confirm if an offensive item on the internet was written by them or not, and if they confirm it, they have not been hired', right? Because someone could sign up to (say) a violent hate-group's online website with your name tomorrow, post incitment, racist tracts, and God knows what else, and the first you'll know of it is when you get fired by some over-zealous HR rep? Please note, this is not a threat! :) Or less disastrously, you could be mistaken for a fat emulsifier...

Mark Hood
I'm not former Sierra Online Senior Vice President either.

Re:Oh god please. Robert Rodriguez? by StalfrosGR · 2005-04-06 06:30 · Score: 2, Interesting · on 'Transformers' Live Action Movie from DreamWorks?

Somebody didn't see the full length Transformers:The Movie with Orson Wells as Unicron. Although it was rated PG in 1987 I bet it would pull a PG 13 rating if released tomorrow. Besides, Transformers was a comic book before a hit cartoon. According to IGN Film Force Spielberg himself will be producing it and he seems to be a fan of the original comic book series. http://filmforce.ign.com/transformers/

Re:PC game decline by pnice · 2005-04-04 16:27 · Score: 2, Informative · on Quake IV Confirmed For QuakeCon

That also begs the issue of additional content. It's no trouble to download or purchase new content for games, or even to make my own. What if I want the new levels for Halo 2 but don't want to shell out for Xbox Live? I'm SOL.

For the most part your statement has been true with the Xbox and Xbox Live. As far as Halo 2 goes, you will be able to purchase all of the new multiplayer maps along with a documentary, a cinematic extra, all of the updates released so far, and some unannounced extras for around $19.95. The disc is supposed to release the same time as the maps are avalible for download on Xbox live...AND, if you want to get them on Xbox Live as soon as they are avalible I believe you will have to pay extra cash in addition to your Xbox Live subscription. By end of summer the new maps will be free for Xbox Live players.

I'm proud to annouce, in this particular case, you are not SOL...although in every other instance of new content on the Xbox thus far, you would be SOL.

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/599/599105p1.html

My favourite "alternative" review... by ReKleSS · 2005-04-02 21:38 · Score: 1 · on NYT On New Games Journalism

Here. (Yes, it's IGN, but it's not really a serious review.)
-ReK

Playing the Bones. by Anonymous Coward · 2005-04-02 13:47 · Score: 0 · on 3 Electronic Maestros Interviewed

"...and Dave Smith, the father of MIDI."

Wow! Created MIDI and a comic book

April Fools Day Sites by Urgo · 2005-04-01 02:10 · Score: 4, Informative · on Say 'Cheese' to Google Satellite at 10AM

Isn't April Fools Day just the best? =] For a 'full' list of sites pulling pranks today check out this list here

Here is a sample:

kellyosbourne.org - Sanctuary records group shut us down
nukefreezone.net - Making fun of atrios.blogspot.com
weebl.jolt.co.uk - Replaced with Cats-By-Mail
telecom.co.nz - Click 2 Brick
ytmnd.com - (NSFW) hacked by teens for christ
wingus.ampedhost.com - Site converted into Mingus' Gently-Used Furniture store. Oh dear. Why won't he be kind?
homestarrunner.com - Now a pay service.
whirlpool.net.au - Australia's biggest Luddite to head Australia's largest telco
thinkgeek.com - Fake product listings.
theregister.co.uk - Bush twins to join Air Force tech unit in Iraq
creativebits.org - Site purchased by Microsoft
ocremix.org - Now partnered with EA (or something like that). Called EA ReMix.
spacedaily.com - Bush Cancels Space Shuttle Program
planet.gnome.org - Switched sites with planet.kde.org
planet.kde.org - Switched sites with planet.gnome.org
ietf.org - RFC: Efficient Transformation Formats of Unicode
beejaysworld.de - Gentoo dropping livecds for x86
nature.com - Apollo bacteria spur lunar erosion
antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov - Water On Mars
smh.com.au - (Free Reg Req) SMEGmail offers 1 terabyte storage
smh.com.au - (Free Reg Req) Linux looks to Hilton for exposure
thetoque.com - Canada Builds Own Missile Defense Shield
onion.com - U.S. Dog Owners Fear Arrival of Africanized Fleas
chron.com - Bush Twins in Maxim
ask.com - Jeeves has been replaced by a robot
animenewsnetwork.com - Viz Unlicenses Naruto
uninventthewheel.co.uk - New BMW technology to get around the EU ban on right hand drive cars in Europe.
newgrounds.com - changing to numagrounds.com
neopets.com - neopets adds 50 new pets
www.firstloox.org - The Loox is being recalled
packages.gentoo.org - Adobe doesn't sell products for Linux
pc.ign.com - Microsoft World of Wordcraft (Extremely Obvious)
spamusement.com - Page full of spoof banner ads
gentooexperimental.org - Gentoo using the NT kernel
moddb.com

Other links by frikazoyd · 2005-03-31 10:56 · Score: 5, Informative · on Nintendo Revolution Details Reaffirmed

Also of interest,
Rumor Control: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/25/news_61211 12.html
Same story from Gamespot: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/29/news_61212 64.html
More Rumors and speculation from IGN: http://cube.ign.com/articles/522/522559p1.html?fro mint=1

The latter has some interesting theories and "leaks", as well as some drawings of interest.

Photo quality graphics!!!1 by pnice · 2005-03-31 10:16 · Score: 1 · on Next Zelda Game Examined

I was checking on the pictures of the new Zelda on that IGN link and I can't believe how real the game looks!! I mean, is this crazy or what? It looks photo-realistic...although I'm not sure if link is supposed to be Asian or not.

http://media.cube.ign.com/media/572/572738/img_214 8235.html

Re:-sigh- the psp crusade. by pnice · 2005-03-30 08:55 · Score: 2, Funny · on PSP Not A Sellout Hit

Keep in mind that slashdot also had an article about Dead DS Pixel issue and what Nintendo was going to do about it. http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/24/ 1451248&tid=207&tid=137

It's hard to tell which system will end up winning in the end and there is so much contradicting information that points in one direction or the other that our best bet is to wait and see...and in the meantime, buy whichever system you prefer (or better yet, if you can afford it, buy both!)

Japanese Retail Favors DS http://ds.ign.com/articles/567/567985p1.html
Sony almost sells out of PSPs on the first day http://psp.ign.com/articles/572/572696p1.html
NDS Launches in Japan (Gamers sleep in due to bitter cold) http://ds.ign.com/articles/569/569911p1.html?fromi nt=1
DS reaches half million mark in just four days in Japan http://ds.ign.com/articles/571/571189p1.html
DS Half a Mil and Climbing http://ds.ign.com/articles/568/568983p1.html
Nintendo Expects Five Million DS Systems http://ds.ign.com/articles/568/568983p1.html
PSP Launch: Retail Report http://psp.ign.com/articles/598/598794p1.html
PSP Launch: Hot or Not? http://psp.ign.com/articles/599/599156p1.html

It's like:
The DS is what the Japanese want not the PSP!!!
PSP almost sells out the first day in Japan!!!
NDS launch sucks in Japan!!
NDS sells 500,000 in four days in Japan!!!
NDS expects to sell 5,000,000 by March 2005!!!!
PSP launches in US, stores selling out like crazy!!
PSP launch...not as sold out as people thought!!!

"Mortal Kombat for Sega Genesis is the best game ever.
I disagree.....Mortal Kombat is a good game, but I think Donkey Kong is the greatest game ever.
Donkey Kong sucks!
You know something? You Suck!"