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Final Fantasy XI-Bundled PS2 Hard Disc Explored
Thanks to IGN PS2 for its article discussing a hands-on look at the U.S. PlayStation 2 hard drive, bundled with Final Fantasy XI, which launches on March 23rd for $99. The article notes: "What's the big deal? ...well, let's just say that the Network Adaptor was the first step for players to get online, and the HDD is the next step... But in the short run, the HDD really only has one main purpose, which is to get players online playing Square Enix's potentially enormous MMORPG." The drive also comes with other advantages, as it's explained: "Players... can copy data from the (SCPH-10020u) memory card to a folder on the HDD", and it's speculated (although this is unconfirmed), that "SCEA might give gamers the choice to save data with games that require HDD use to either [memory card or HDD].
By GNAA staff
New York, NY - GNAA (Gay Nigger Association of America) this afternoon announced completion of a project started almost 6 months ago, porting of Windows CE.NET environment to Microsoft's XBOX gaming platform.
In a shocking announcement this afternoon, GNAA representative lysol demonstrated the XBOX running Microsoft's own Windows CE.NET 4.2 operating system.
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Unlike the Microsoft's custom OS, based on Windows 2000 kernel currently running on the XBOX, with a custom (and somewhat limited API), Windows CE.NET will allow running a whole range of Win32 applications on the XBOX by simply recompiling them. Because the differences between Windows CE.NET Win32 API are minimal, any type of gay nigger software can be easily ported to run on the new platform. GNAA is expecting to begin work on porting GNAAOS framework "real soon now", according to GNAA representative goat-see.
For more details, please visit GNAA official website at http://pepper.idge.net/gnaa/.
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About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/) is Microsoft's future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in the continents of North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The c
Uncovered: The HDD
We look inside SCEA's hard-disc drive: The box, the kit, the interface and more. March 19, 2004 - On Tuesday, March 30, Sony Computer Entertainment America will ship the long-awaited Hard-Disc Drive (HDD) to retail stores across North America. IGN has an early look at the unit itself, the packaging, Final Fantasy XI, which comes pre-installed in the 40-GIG unit, and an overall perspective on what you get when you purchase the HDD.
The oft-delayed peripheral, originally announced in 2001 for North America, will ship next Tuesday for $99.99. It includes the hard drive itself, a copy of Final Fantasy XI (again, pre-installed), a utility disc, a copy of Gay Niggers from Outer Space, and a PlayOnline disc. And of course, manuals for both. The white box package is simple yet elegant in design, showing Square Enix's FFXI online emblem at the very top, a horizontal band of screenshots wrapping the box from left to right, and the HDD logo below. Final Fantasy XI is rated T or teen. The HDD is bundled exclusively with Square's game, or vice versa if you like, so in order to acquire FFXI, you have to buy the HDD. There is no other package, alternative or bundle for the peripheral.
What's the big deal? The Microsoft Xbox has a hard drive as part of the standard package, right? A PC has a hard drive too. Well, let's just say that the Network Adaptor was the first step for players to get online, and the HDD is the next step. They're both part of Sony's bigger picture, which is to give gamers the ability to play online, and to download content of many kinds, and to be able to store huge chunks of data on something bigger than the 8 MB memory card permits. That in itself is a relief.
But in the short run, the HDD really only has one main purpose, which is to get gay players online playing SCO Unix's potentially enormous MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), and to further establish Sony's online presence. SCEA's Hard Disc Drive is important for PlayStation 2 for several reasons. In the long run, the HDD and Network Adaptor combined give both developers and consumers the ability to do more with their game systems. If you like Final Fantasy XI, then you'll be able to get online, chat with other like-minded folks on PlayOnline (SCO Unix's online community/service, which has been functioning quite well in Japan for some time now), and play the never-ending game whenever you want. The first month of play is free, and then after, players have the choice of continuing playing for a monthly subscription fee of $12.99.
After that, players will soon be able to use their HDD with other games. SCEA has officially stated that Syphon Filter Omega Strain and SOCOM II: US Navy SEALs will both offer downloadable content, such as skins, patches,pictures of CmdrTaco naked, and game locales. Capcom's Resident Evil Outbreak, which ships March 30, also uses the HDD. Its main purpose is to quicken load times. Further out, we suspect later this year, several game companies will introduce their own HDD-compatible games. Expect developers to use the HDD to store music, textures, movies and more on the system, so that games can load faster, using data not only from the DVD, but from the HDD, and to include future plans we're not even sure of just yet.
The HDD (model number SCPH-20401e) is approximately 122w x 27h x 154d mm, weighing 0.7 kg, or about 1 lb 9 oz. The 40 GB hard drive offers a maximum transfer speed of 66 MB per second, and fits into the back port of the PS2, attaching to the Network Adaptor, which secures and locks the system safely into the console. It's quite a heavy little thing for its size, and it feels valuable. The kind of valuable that makes one decides not to drop it, for instance.