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GameCube Really And Truly For Sale
Several readers have submitted the news that the GameCube is now officially for sale. With the GameCube and Xbox newly on offer, and the still-amazing PlayStation2 still hanging on, and dirt-cheap, high-power PCs on every corner, it looks like the predicted deaths of both console and PC are still some ways off. On the whole, I'd rather have the Mandrake Gaming edition (mentioned previously) than a new console.
I enjoy playing Pikmin on Mandrake gaming edition! I especially enjoy playing networked Super Monkey Ball on Mandrake gaming edition vs. people in the same room as me.
[o]_O
I got my hands on an xbox and halo and it is quite a nice system. The built in hd is great because you don't have to drop $$ on memory units, I did pick up the dolby digital adapter and halo and madden 2002 look and sound great (the crowd noise in madden is great).
Halo is a great game, although control IS definately a little harder without my aswd and mouse that I'm used to. Its a shame the network play isn't ready (for both xbox and halo/madden).
--"Karma is justice without the satisfaction"
"GameCube and Xbox newly on offer, and the still-amazing PlayStation2 still hanging on, and dirt-cheap, high-power PCs on every corner, it looks like the predicted deaths of both console and PC are still some ways off."
Actually, in my mind at least, that's actually an indication of the problem(s) to come for hardware companies. The fact that high-powered systems are everywhere you look means the market will become saturated with "more of the same" at some point.
Already, PC hardware manufacturers are facing vanishingly small profit margins (except for Apple, which always makes it a point to sell their stuff at a price that actually makes some money). Yeah, I know all the stuff about various tech leaders making sweeping statements about "never needing more than 640K of memory" and such, but we really are headed for a "meaningful speed" cap on this.
The gaming market will probably be the last of the hardware sectors to really feel the crunch in this respect, because new games always drive hardware to the limits (unlike business apps, which run fine on my old P2-266). One could say that companies like Microsoft drive hardware with new (arguably bloated) OSes that require bigger & badder computers to run well, but even that has to stop at some point.
Basically, there will be a point soon where even gaming consoles will all be "fast enough", which will mean bad news for hardware manufacturers until the "Next Big Thing" emerges to max out even cutting-edge stuff. Will it be "true virtual reality"? Who knows? I for one will be interested to see...
On the whole, I'd rather have the Mandrake Gaming edition (mentioned previously) than a new console.
No you wouldn't. Come on, admit it.
Monkey Ball is the shiznit. I played it until the wee hours, as soon as I brought it home. Multiplayer goodness to the extreme.
python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
I personally don't see whats so great about packing a bunch of old systems into one.
Huh? Did you read something that lead you to believe the gamecube is an amalgamation of NES, SNES, N64?
Im not much of a gammer but even if i were i won't spend $300 on the game cube.
That's good, because it's $200. Add a game, $250.
python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
I hate Gran Turismo. But anyway...
No DVD in the GameCube allows them to be $100 cheaper than both the PS2 and the Xbox. That sounds like a good first reason for not having it. Secondly, they're marketing it as a GAMES machine, not a home-entertainment centre for your living room. And thirdly, Playstation 2 got off to a dreadful start in Japan because a ton of people bought them just as a cheap DVD player (which was somewhat of a rare thing in Japan at the time). That means they didn't buy games, the companies who created PS2 launch titles lost a fortune (like Namco) and Sony lost money too, because of course they make money from the game sales.
Thats your other reason for no DVD in the GC. And also the reason why most Japanese developers are now happy to create games for all three consoles, instead of putting all their eggs in one basket and getting burnt again (like they did with the PS2, losing them money and killing the Dreamcast).
PCs really took off when there became many different manufacturers. Wouldn't it be great if many manufacturers could make the same gaming console? Had to have the same specs and such, so all games would work, but it would definitly be very interesting never the less.
On the whole, I'd rather have the Mandrake Gaming edition (mentioned previously) than a new console.
This is humping Linux for Linux' sake, but of course, it's FUD. Linux is not a gaming platform - we've seen a plethora of evidence for this. The Linux gaming companies can't turn sustained profits, games get released months (sometimes years) after their other-platform counterparts, and support is sketchy, at best.
Timothy saying he'd rather have M:GE instead of a GameCube would be like me saying I'd rather use my bicycle to travel from LA to Boston instead of taking a plane. Sure they both serve essentially the same function, but one is more practical in an exponentially more obvious way.
If you're going to parade Linux around, at least do so intelligently in markets where it actually has the edge.
I'm Sticking them on eBay soon as they are good and out of them and let the people who MUST have one get one.
No one must have a Gamecube, so don't pretend that you're pursuing a noble cause. Having said that I hope Nintendo absolutely swamps the market will millions, meaning that the most you'll ever get is retail (and it sounds like it will be like that as Nintendo has good production, meaning that I'd much rather pay retail than deal with the hassle of Ebay and some unknown person. I doubt anyone is going to profiteer off the Gamecube, or the Xbox for that matter. It was sweet after Christmas last year seeing hundreds of wankers trying to pawn PS2s at progressively lower prices, eventually taking a pretty heavy loss as the store prices dropped). The fact that scalpers such as yourself run and buy up all the stock just to rape families whose kids want a game to play really pisses me off, and I hope that you are left holding the bag on that.
although someone needs to beat the engineer that though not using a standard dvd was a good idea over the head with several SNES machines. what moron in engineering or management thought it was a good idea to not have a feature that everyone else has?
It was a management decision. Any engineer(ing team) that could design the GC would want a full DVD player in it. Just wait for the Panasonic GC with full DVD capability, if you dont already have multiple DVD players in your house. They used the miniature size so that the DVD couldnt be duplicated to a standard DVD and still FIT in the GC (that's my guess anyway)
"I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
I don't want consoles with operating systems, dvd players, harddisks, web browsers. That's what PC's are for. When I fire up my PS1 or N64, I expect them to load the games quickly, without crashes.
;)
I think it's a good thing that the gamecube doesn't have these things. "Do one thing, and do it well".
And btw, Zelda 64 is the greatest game ever.
Can you hear me, Major Tom? I'm not the man they think I am at home...
A few observations:
- The console setup menus look a lot cooler than the PS2 (I've not seen the X-box's yet)
- If you've not yet held the controller, just let me warn you that it will be hard to put it down. It is the single-most ergonomically-pleasing controller I've ever held (maybe that is because I have average size hands, but it is way nice).
- Rogue Leader just flat out rocks, no two ways about it.
I am totally pleased I bought a 'Cube, now I can't wait for Super Smash Bros. Melee to come out for it.Compare:
"XBox Released" to "Blah, it just happened - who cares?"
and:
"GameCube Really And Truly For Sale" ... to "The day when our Lord and Savior shall return has come!"
Somehow, I get the impression that Slashdot is somewhat biased towards one of these systems =)
Anyway, I hope the console market will find a good direction too... and at least my sister will shut up when GC comes to Europe and she'll be able to get one =)
(And remember, verily, we shall speak like Shakespeare, for ever and ever...)
Even if Xbox goes where Jaguar and NeoGeo went, It will have some awesome games to go along with it.
I don't know what is up with "fanboys" and console loyalty, but to me, it is about the fun and the games.
I will buy and Xbox, and i'll get my nephew a GameCube, i have no interestd in Pokeman or Mario, i played that back in the 80's when it was fun for me, kind of burned out on that.
People will buy whatever they want, but it is way to early to forecast the death of anything. People say the DC died a horrible death, but it still chugs along. Most stores have long since wiped out the N64 shelves or have moved on to used games only, but even out here in Amishville they carry a great selection of DC games as well as every new release..
buy what you want, but no one is right. Jaguar has some awesome games. And as far as people missing the bandwagon, thats what it appears to me as.
My bets? Xbox goes the way the Jaguar went. It will die, but at least have better numbers than ATARI was possible of. '
Of the XBox failes (not likely) it will be more of type of failure the Dreamcast had. A big buzz at release and a quick fade with a remaining and steady fanbase.
It isn't even SANE to think the Xbox will fail in any way similar to the Jaguar.
The Jaguar wasn't even truely 64 bit, had a horrid selection of first and third party games, had hardware that was very similar to the already ancient SNES, and had a price-tag in the area getting close to the vastly superior NeoGeo.
No games. Crappy Hardware. No fanbase. High Price. Atari's 64 Bit Gagwire. Do the math.
The XBox may not dominate. If any one of the three dominate, it will probably be the Playstation 2 simply because it's already situated well in the market. But I doubt even the PSY will dominate any more than the XBox will fail.
Me personally, I'm investing more into building up a Gamecube game library, then buying Xbox and PSX/Y titles on a see-them-as-they-come basis. Well, really, I do that with every system, but I already have a larger list of "I-gotta-get-it" titles for the Gamecube -- and none of THOSE are even out yet.
"Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.