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MS Reveals Big-Name Xbox Games
LukeG writes "At this year's huge X02 event in Seville, Microsoft pulled out all the stops to convince the vast contingent of mainstream journalists present that the Xbox did indeed have the credentials to take on Sony and Nintendo. As well as the huge acquisition of Rare, Microsoft also reveled in the number of other potential AAA titles confirmed at the show. The best of these are examined in this preview."
You've apparently never done any development work with FS2K. I'm working on a research project where we're forcing pilots to fly pre-configured IFR flight scripts, and it's a nightmare. We *cannot* make the plane situation files start a plane in straight and level flight, no matter what. It's not an isolated problem either.
I've set a plane into a ten-minute straight-and-level flight, saved the flight situation file, immediately reloaded it, and the plane would dip down as if it were starting at a slower speed and was trying to catch up.
I'll grant that Flight Simulator is a good product, but it's far from perfect. Unfortunately, like many other products, its presence on the market hinders the availability and viability of other unique and competitive products like Flight Unlimited.
"Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
I mean, you don't see /. mentioning Sony or Nintendo's big line up, do you?
1.) Rare has a veeeeery bad habit of taking their time with games. Rare releases a game when THEY feel it is worthy. A good motto that nintendo didnt mind since that is what they strive for too.
But cause of that they release maybe 2 games a year!
Microsoft cant have that. They didnt pay 350 million for 2 games a year.
So one of two things will happen.
Microsoft willlet them do their thing in which case they over payed again, 350 million for 2-3 games a year..
or they force Rare to go faster in which case the quality of their games drops. If that happens then they arent Rare anymore and is Rare by name only.
2) all they make is platforming HUNTING games anyway...gather 100 coins, barrels, whatever.
same formula they have used for 10 years or so.
and as for perfect dark..the Goldeneye team, the people that made it LEFT rare long ago.
The reason Nintendo's still around is because they had a lot of momentum from the Super Nintendo. If it weren't for the Game Boy and Pokemon, they may not have survived past the N64.
Yes, you're right on that one, but you forget one thing. The Gameboy and Pokemon weren't just "good sellers." They WERE ENORMOUS SELLERS. There is a distinction. Certain titles will always keep 'Tendo on the float, and they'll keep floating until the next Pokemon comes along. Also, keep in mind that the portables market is theirs, and its huuuuge. Totally wrapped up. Forget trying to even get into it. They own it. That is an 800 pound Gorilla.
Admittedly, I like the idea of an X-Box. I am not a snob, I see the titles that are coming out. But at the end of the day my wife loves MARIO. So we got a gamecube. I have not even put more than three games in it yet. Mario rocks too hard to not love it, and it has hardly left the machine. Simply put, my wife, not unlike most parents with their children, TRUST NINTENDO to send them many fun games without the blood splatter... it is a DUAL PURCHASE. I was buying for more than just me. In that situation, Nintendo usually wins over the others.
One of the biggest reasons Sony had so many more games coming out for PSX than Nintendo did for the N64 was that it was easier, and much cheaper, to obtain a PSX dev kit and license, than a dev kit and license from Nintendo.
So... Sony enticed devlopers to make PSX games by making it cheaper and easier and having the functionality the developers wanted... And Microsoft got developers by buying out the companies...
Please explain to me how these are the same tactics.
Shoot Pixels, Not People!
We all know that Sony will be #1 this Christmas. It should be clear that XBox will be #3. Why? Because the one possible AAA title mentioned above is not going to come close to the demand for The Legend of Zelda or Metroid Prime. Two of the most anticipated games ever in the history of games. That means there is no way in hell XBox can beat Gamecube this Christmas.
I have all 3 so I don't care which one wins. I just want to play the best games. This Christmas it's clear they will not be on XBox. Maybe next year.
I have a friend who bought an Xbox and it stopped working after 5 months. He was told it would be at least $200 to fix it and apparently this is quite common.
Either find a reseller who's willing to warranty it for a year themselves or don't bother buying one, you've been warned.
It seems that this has usually been their strategy with new products. Simply plug away at them as they get progressively better, combined with some nice market leverage. I wonder if in 3 years Nintendo and Sony will still be smiling. This is almost exactly how the Office story played out.
You know, as much as I hate the Xbox, I sure as hell wish that I could use the Xbox controller. Or really, any damn controller other than the dual shock. It's too small--any game that requires a lot of L or R button pushing gives my hands RSI in half an hour. And with the Xbox little kids like yourself can just buy the smaller Microsoft controller. On PS2, normal sized hand folk like myself are obliged to buy poorly made 3rd quality controlers. What I wouldn't give for a quality larger (or at least better designed--the gamecube controller doesn't give me problems) PS2 controller. How I miss luxuriously perfect (except for the dumb video memory unit) dreamcast controller.