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Where is MS Taking the 360?

Posted by Zonk on from the someplace-shiny dept.

The Inquirer has an article up asking the question where is Microsoft taking the 360? The author had a chance to sit down with UK Xbox head man Stephen McGill to get a sense of what they want to do. From the article: "You gotta love the PR hype and mud slinging that goes on during the run up to a really, really major competitive product launch. Sony and Microsoft are at loggerheads over their upcoming next-generation releases, and while we have all the tech specs (relatively) nailed and the hype about what will make each console Gods Gift to 14 Year Olds, what about the actual direction in which the two companies are pulling their franchises?"

48 comments

  1. Where is MS Taking the 360? by acxr+is+wasted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Around in circles!

    jerk

    --
    "Come on, let's go drink till we can't feel feelings anymore."
  2. V-chips by warmgun · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Five will get you twenty that now they're considering putting in a V-chip style device. What better feature to advertise to parents than the ability to lock out Mature or Adults Only games in light of the recent ridiculousness?

    1. Re:V-chips by blackicye · · Score: 1

      I'm offering 1 : 10 odds on the kids figuring out their way around V-chip type mechanisms within a month of launch.

    2. Re:V-chips by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doubt it. You see, most parents will by mature rated games for their kids anyway, and let them play without so much as batting an eye.

      The ones who get up in arms over mature rated games are the ones who already protect their kids from everything bad, and want everyone else to be protected from those things. Free will be damned.

      They hear stories of sex games being sold and they want it stopped, god dammit! They hear stories of murder, rape, robbery, etc, and they can only do what they've been taught: Complain to their congressman (or parent, or pastor, or whoever they can).

      Media whores (Fox, Politicians, anyone who thinks everyone has a right to THEIR opinion) take it upon themselves to cry out for decency, or some other nonsense(mostly just wanting attention, hey! look at me!) and this is how we get stories on stupid crap in video games.

      Apologies for the bold. Mostly.

      Thompson, H. Clinton, T. Gore, Lieberman.. to them I have but one thought..

      Thank god they haven't discovered internet porn and filth. Not like they could do anything about it though.

      Hmmm.. what the hell, this was mostly OT, so AC I post.

    3. Re:V-chips by cornface · · Score: 1

      You don't get out much, do you?

      The CDA and COPA were their last efforts to do something about it. Luckily neither of them stuck.

    4. Re:V-chips by Suddenly_Dead · · Score: 3, Informative

      Eh, the Xbox had a parental lock as well. You could set maximum game ratings (ESRB) and movie ratings, protected by a password.

      I'm not sure, but I wouldn't doubt that the PS2 had the feature as well.

    5. Re:V-chips by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If by "get out much", you mean "read up on CDA and COPA" then no, I guess I don't.

      It shows the truth to the fact that they will complain about god damn anything nowadays, though.

      Hmm.. I personally blame diet soda for all of this. Stuff makes you crazy, I tell ya.

    6. Re:V-chips by warmgun · · Score: 1

      I had remembered that shortly after I made the post. But how much you want to bet that the feature will be getting more adspace and promotion for the new system?

    7. Re:V-chips by Suddenly_Dead · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, I Googled it, and this does sort of add something new. Apparently, when you set up a profile for the system (it supports multiple user accounts, sort of like a PC, for storing seperated save games and settings in a house with multiple gamers), you can set the person's age. If the parent wishes, they can instruct the Xbox 360 to automatically restrict games based on the age.

      It's not really any different functionally from the old way, it must makes it easier and doesn't require knowledge of the ESRB. Sounds like a pain though, I used to play T rated games when I was younger than 13 and have grown up fine. Parents setting blocks based on their kids' maturity level would still be best, but I suppose all can't be bothered.

      It's definately going to be hyped though. That's already begun.

    8. Re:V-chips by N3Roaster · · Score: 1

      You mean you used to play games that would have gotten a T rating when you were younger than 13 and have grown up fine, right? IIRC, the ESRB has only been around since 1994. Had you been 12 then, you'd be around 23 now. The game companies would still usually have some lower limit on player age printed on the box, but it was a statement rather than a box containing a big letter. You had to read the box to see it. Same here, but I did most of my young gaming with friends whose parents also played video games so it wasn't as though I was alone in my room for hours on end being raised by violent games.

      --
      Remember RFC 873!
    9. Re:V-chips by Keeper · · Score: 1

      The PS2 does indeed have this feature.

    10. Re:V-chips by bigman2003 · · Score: 1

      As long as the parents don't know about it (the ones who have NOT bought the 360), it doesn't matter.

      V-chip is just a marketing scheme. Its intention may have been something else, but the end product is just for marketing.

      I have methods on my TV and cable box to block adult content, but I have no idea how to use them. My fear is that I will set them up to block the kids out, but then I'll never figure out how to watch the late-night sex shows on HBO.

      God forbid I miss those...

      --
      No reason to lie.
    11. Re:V-chips by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm offering 1 : 10 odds on the kids figuring out their way around V-chip type mechanisms within a month of launch.

      You mean like the standard 4-digit code that turns off parental controls on a PS2? Somehow I think a month is about 3½ weeks more than they'll need.

  3. Where are they taking it? by gakon5 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Franchises? You mean the console? From what I can tell, the Xbox 360 is going to be a media box that happens to play games. It does TV, DVDs, streams movies and music, lets you buy music, wire into a PC, and all this other stuff that could pretty much remove every other piece of media hardware in your basement. Well, it probably could. Oh, did I mention it plays games too? That's pretty neat. Sony appears to be taking the same route, being a media company at heart anyway. And as for Nintendo, they don't appear to be taking much of an interest in media-tising the Revolution.

    --
    "Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about Rock and Roll..." ~ Shigeru Miyamoto
    1. Re:Where are they taking it? by name773 · · Score: 1

      "And as for Nintendo, they don't appear to be taking much of an interest in media-tising the Revolution."

      but it will still be televised.

  4. Doomed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Dreamcast 2, here I come!

  5. Down the... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Crapper, hopefully.

    I hate you, Microsoft!

  6. Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by DavidD_CA · · Score: 3, Interesting
    This article from Wired really gave a good perspective of where Microsoft is taking the X-Box:

    http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.06/xbox.html

    From that article:

    For Allard, Xbox 360 is all about gaming. For Microsoft, it's about gaming - and a whole lot more. The big picture isn't 10 million hardcore gamers trash-talking one another over a massively multiplayer version of Halo 3. It's 100 million Middle Americans using Xbox 360 as the linchpin of their Windows-powered digital home.
    --
    -David
    1. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by fondue · · Score: 0, Troll

      It's interesting that they will now openly admit that gaming isn't the focus of the device.

      This only becomes a problem if the non-gaming plans for the device result in the system's gaming functions being compromised, as happened with Xbox Live.

      --

      Preferences > Homepage > Customize stories on homepage > Authors > Zonk > Uncheck

    2. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by DavidD_CA · · Score: 1

      I admit I don't know anything about the X-Box or X-Box Live ... but I am looking forward to the 360 as both a gaming platform and a "spare" computer around the house.

      It will be nice to casually use when I'm downstairs and the PC is upstairs.. or a spare when a guest is over.. or to play music from my digital collection.. etc.

      Looking at the article though, the guy it focuses on seems pretty determined to keep it a console first, and computer second.

      --
      -David
    3. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by bigman2003 · · Score: 1

      I am thrilled about the expansion of the Xbox 360. I'll be buying one no matter what...but the idea that I can stream my pictures and music to my Xbox from my PC sounds great. I am planning on buying a new speaker system just for the music that is streamed over. My wife doesn't like the idea yet, but she is going away to visit some friends next weekend, and that is a good time to add some in-wall speakers....

      I know there are methods to stream the content now- but I am not going to put any effort into my current Xbox, when the new one comes out in about 4 months.

      Plus, I'm lazy, and I think I will like their implementation more than having to screw around with any sort of add-ons.

      --
      No reason to lie.
    4. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, the xbox demographic.

      Guys who want to talk about their home AV setup.

      No wonder the xbox has a shit library of games.

    5. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by gabebear · · Score: 1
      From what I've read so far it sounds more likely that the PS3 would be a better "spare" computer than the 360, that is if Sony actaully does put Linux on the PS3's HDD...

      Why?
      1. Firefox
      2. Open Office, MythTV, etc...
      3. Blue-Ray HD-Movies
      4. No built-in Bluetooth/WiFi on the 360, both are in the PS3.
        • The 360 will require either a USB keyboard or a "special" wireless keyboard.(bluetooth is much nicer)
        • WiFi makes running a home network much easier.(I know you can add optional WiFi to the 360)
      Anyhooo, I'm looking forward to seeing all the new consoles released. If i
    6. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by erunaheru · · Score: 1

      XBox Live is compromised? Exactly how? And compared to the competition (PS2 has almost noexistent online play, Gamecube is literally non-existent) XBox live is pretty superior.

    7. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was talking about his AV to make a point about the console. I realize this may have been too subtle for some demographics.

    8. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by C0rinthian · · Score: 1

      How did Live compromise gaming functions?

      I picked up Battlefield 2 the other day, and the server list method of finding a game seems painful compared to, say, Halo 2 matchmaking.

    9. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've used Linux on my Xbox, and your forgeting that the 360 will come with a hd, where as the ps3 will not.

      Also 360 will be out first, and more then likely cost less then the ps3.

      Esp when the ps3 launches, expect a 360 price cut.

    10. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um, ok...?

    11. Re:Wired Mag has Great X-Box Article by gabebear · · Score: 1

      I have Linux installed on my XBox as well, but MS most certainly doesn't want people installing Linux on the current XBox, much less the 360. At best you are looking at hackers getting Linux running O.K. about 1 year after launch, but I'm betting it's never going to as simple and functional as it is on the XBox1. Until Linux runs on the 360 you are looking at very few apps on the 360. MS hasn't even said that Internet Explorer will come with the 360. It's very likely MS doesn't want to include IE on the 360 because it's a support nightmere! The only thing MS could do would be to include a reformat disk with every 360, so when people call with problems MS can tell them to just reformat their console.....

  7. Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/636/636018p1.html

    Ouch!

    Maybe this is why we aren't seeing anything from the 360? Sounds like the real 360 hardware is giving sub-E3 type performance.

    Sounds like developers are having a real hard time with the 360 hardware. Only a few months away from shipping, this doesn't sound good for launch titles.

    1. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by DeadScreenSky · · Score: 1

      The article actually mentions again and again that the Beta devkits (incidentally the Alphas running G5s were "real devkits" too) have better performance (though still not up to the final level) than the last ones. Apparently these kits were actually supposed to hit pre-E3, which is one of the reasons things were a little more underwhelming than they should have been.

      It's an interesting article to read, but I am not sure what the anonymous parent is referring to.

      --
      There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. -- Francis Bacon
    2. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Keeper · · Score: 1

      Did you even bother to read the article you referenced?

      * What gamers want to know, however, is will the games look better than the early versions at E3? Will they run with fast framerates and look spectacular? All of the developers' indirect answers leaned to "Yes." How will that happen? The Beta Kits are simply more powerful than the Alpha Kits. They're a better, closer representation to the final console's power.

      * "They're better than the Alpha Kits," said one local developer. "They're still not quite as powerful as final hardware, but they're much more representative of what we expect final hardware to look like."

      * When asked about the power of the system, he said the best example of that was Gears of War. "You've seen the answer to (all of your) questions. It's called Gears of War. What you've seen is just a tiny sample of what we'll be able to achieve in our first generation Xbox 360 title and clearly we're pretty darn excited about it. More will be revealed over time."

      * "On our side, we've been working very hard to tap into the full power of the Betas. On a technical side, while the GPU is nearly twice as powerful as the Alpha kits, the CPU architecture requires very clean logic coding in order to take advantage of its full potential." (We'll get to the clean logic bit later on in the story.)

      These were the only two negative performance paragraphs in the article:

      * "Right now, we're still wrapping our heads around them, but I have to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with the Beta Kits. Microsoft still has a lot of work to do in terms of optimization. Also, the Beta Kits are loud to a point of distraction."

      * "In some respects, the Beta Kits are a bit slower," explained one local coder. "But we're still working on partial hardware, and I'm quite sure Microsoft will get us dev kits that will be running perfectly in the next stage."

      None of them make any reference to the Alpha kits.

    3. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "These were the only two negative performance paragraphs in the article:"

      Only two?

      It sounds like developers are having trouble with the hardware and that the actual real life performance of the 360 isn't what MS has been claiming it to be. Yeah, that is "only two"

      E3 we were supposed to be blown away. We weren't. And now only a few months from release we hear this from developers. I read someone on Ars talking about how the 360 should perform around the level of current G5 Macs and everyone jumped on him. Now it looks like that guy was right on the money.

      This is not good.

    4. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Keeper · · Score: 1

      In what universe is 2 paragraphs from a 6 page article full of comments from devs talking about how much they like the system mean that "developers are having troulbe with the hardware and actual real life performance isn't up to snuff?"

      You've got two guys complaining that the beta kits aren't as close to the final hardware as they'd like, and you've got a few other comments mentioning that the system punishes you for writing poor code (which is a giant DUH given the architecture of the system).

      Take the Sony shades off and join the real world.

    5. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That might be because there are 2 types of devkits, the lame g5 ones, and then the 360 itself, microsoft sent out all the good ones to all their main devs about 3 months ago

      Primal_theory

    6. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Read the article!

      It sounds like the devs are saying the 'real' 360 hardware is SLOWER than the G5 devkits.

      It would certainly explain why we aren't seeing any real in game footage coming out of 360 developers.

      It might be prudent for MS to postpone the 360 launch if the real hardware has turned out to really be this poor in power.

    7. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by cornface · · Score: 1

      Were you reading the same article?

      We quickly learned the Xbox 360 games at the show were almost all running on alpha kits, i.e. off-the-shelf PCs with specs equivalent to the 360. Which meant that these machines were also only running at 25%-35% of the console's capacity.

      The Beta Kits are simply more powerful than the Alpha Kits. They're a better, closer representation to the final console's power. ...and so on.

    8. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by erunaheru · · Score: 1

      That is exactly the opposite of what they're saying. The article references one person saying that "in some ways" they are slower, and 4 pages of people saying they're faster. The big deal with the XBox architecture was the way the GPU and CPU switched off loads and where the vectors were turned into pixels (This is from memory, so it may be slightly off. Don't flame me on a technicality). That wasn't available on the G5s, so even if the clock speed or the floating-point per sec. are slightly slower, the performance will still be much faster.

    9. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess xbox fans have wandered off into their own reality.

      The 360 reminds me of what happens when a dog is held above water. Its legs will start to paddle even if it never touches the water. Xbox fans have been screaming "Most Powerful!" for so long now, I don't think they know what to do now such weak hardware is in the pipeline for them.

      Monday's 360 event is going to be ugly...

    10. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by Rallion · · Score: 1

      That article seems like an attempt to put problems in a positive light, without outright lying.

      The games are harder to make, but that's a good thing. For some ill-definted reason. Same for price! Yeah! More artists. That's good, or something. I guess.

    11. Re:Real 360 Devkits Slower Than G5s by erunaheru · · Score: 1

      How is this a response to what I said? I'm just saying the zenon-based beta devkit is faster than the G5 based alpha devkit, not that xbox 360 is faster than PS3

  8. huh? by AaronBrethorst · · Score: 2, Informative

    The author of the FA refers to an XML development standard that will ease writing software for the XBox 360. I'm guessing he's actually referring to XNA and XNA Studio.

    --
    No, but I used to work for Microsoft.
    1. Re:huh? by M.C.+Hampster · · Score: 1

      Wow, thanks for the clarification. I just sat, reading that statement over and over again trying to figure out what he was talking about.

      --
      Forget the whales - save the babies.
    2. Re:huh? by bethanie · · Score: 1

      Dude. Check your gmail.

      ....Bethanie....

  9. Where's the beef? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it just me, or did that article not really answer any questions? It was like a lead-up to a story that they forgot to write.

  10. Boneheaded mistake in the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, the XML development standard...

    Boy, parsing text and doing transforms for all the graphics routines, let me tell you - that's the FUTURE of rock n roll, baby!

    *cough*XNA*cough*

    1. Re:Boneheaded mistake in the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is hilarious to hear all the little xbox fanboys screaming about how MS now has the POWER OF XNA!!!

      MS has done what any company rich enough to have legions of marketing types trying to turn attention away from the company's shitty hardware.

      Rebrand the devkit!!!

      THE POWER OF XNA!!! was clearly shown to be unstoppable at this years E3...