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Rejected Xbox 360 Prototype Designs
Matt writes "Next-Gen.biz has published the second set of prototype designs that were considered, but ultimately rejected, for the Xbox 360. Note the distinct similarities to the final design actually chosen." I wonder if I'm alone in just wishing that consoles looked like stereo components and fit in my rack without scary balancing acts and lopsided aesthetics. A Gamecube, PS2, and X-Box can not be stacked nicely.
Sure they can. Have you never heard of duct tape?
A Gamecube, PS2, and X-Box can not be stacked nicely.
It doesn't help with the marketing, I imagine. They want each console to be (and LOOK) different than the others, to have its own character. This is not as important for stereo components.
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I've often wished the same thing, and it turns out that Sony actually made something to cater to that market.
The PSX is a DVD Recorder/Tivo-Like device (that uses an interface similar to the XMB type used in the PSP) that's also a PlayStation 2. If you look at the image on the first link, you'll see it wouldn't be at all out of place in a home theatre set-up. It looks like they're still making them, but you can't get them outside of Japan.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever.
- George Orwell
But the Coral Cache works fine. http://www.next-gen.biz.nyud.net:8090/index.php?op tion=com_content&task=view&id=1550&Itemid=2
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever.
- George Orwell
Here
At least the systems mentioned would stack better than this monstrosity.
"I wonder if I'm alone in just wishing that consoles looked like stereo components and fit in my rack without scary balancing acts and lopsided aesthetics. A Gamecube, PS2, and X-Box can not be stacked nicely."
Although that would be nice for the consumer, it offers Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo no product differentiation. They want their systems to be flashy and unique so the convenience of stacking for the consumer goes right out the window.
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I've often thought of modding my GC right into my computer. There's a lot of empty space in the bottom front of my tower, and it would be a great place to put it. With the revolution being even smaller, it looks like it will even be easier. Maybe in the future we can just use the same computer forever, since most productivity applications don't require that much CPU power, and use consoles that drop right into a drive bay in order to facilitate playing games.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
I remember an article when the super nintendo came out, they said they made the surfaces non-flat so that you wouldn't set your drinks on it. Seems logical since most kids back then would sit on the floor and play (shorter cables?), and drinks spill easy when sitting on the carpet.
...
Yes, I wish game consoles were in a standard shape that fit into a home theatre / entertainment center setup as well. I'd be especially happy if manufacturers will ditch top-loading designs (such as the GameCube, SNES, Genesis, and Dreamcast) and instead use tray loading designs (like the PS2 and XBox). With top-loading designs it pretty much means you can't put anything on top (or even near the top) of the unit.
Maybe that fits in well with how the company would like our living rooms to look (just one system, theirs, on the top of everything else), but it's not how reality works.
All I know about Bush is I had a good job when Clinton was president.
If you have a rack, insist on putting all of your gear in that rack, and worry about the stability of items because they're not designed for the rack, why not buy some shelves for your rack?
I know, whining is much cheaper and easier, but this ain't exactly new technology.
I wonder how many ordinary problems would be gone if we just used our energy for solving them, instead of complaining.
~D
This sig has been enciphered with a one-time pad. It could say almost anything.
-Rob
Biblical fiscal responsibility
Modern consoles (PS2 and up) run *hot*. I've often wondered if the awkward styling is to *prevent* stacking. The cooling systems aren't designed for numerous hot boxes stacked in close quarters.
But I still think all of the xbox designs are missing a certain amount of aesthetics. Not to troll here, but I think Apple got it right, as well as NAD (although the green is hideous) and Bang and Olufsen. Those somehow "radiate" the idea of quality, sturdiness and coolness.
Can anyone give an insight as to why this is? Are the maketing people at MS trying to push it too far? or did they intend to make it look like a run-of-the-mill pc?
I for one would hide the xbox in another box or cupboard. It looks cheap. The PS3 design is much better IMHO.
just my 0.02 cents.
B.
Every experiment which ends in a big bang is a good experiment.
Put the Gamecube on top of your PS2, and put the XBOX in the garbage!
Well, there's one more option, slot loading. Definitely most space-efficient, more reliable than tray, position-independent (good for horizontal and vertical CD-ROMs and quite comfortable to that. Unless people stuff junk in the slot. And of course it won't work with 8cm mini-CDs but I doubt that should be a requirement for a game console.
(there's the fourth option, casette loading like in the first CD-ROMs, where you put the CD in a special container which you then insert in the drive, but it sucked so much that let's forget it.)
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
Jesus Christ, it's David Brent.
"Hayes is visibly excited about the fact that 'his' product will soon be released into the wild. At the end of our interview, I asked him what it's like to work as a designer within a technology-oriented company. He picks up the table cloth between his fingers. "Table cloth right? Microsoft is the table cloth. Everything is influenced by technology. So the brand team has to come up, and understand and integrate the technology. As an industrial designer, I'm only as good as the technology we use. It's kind of the common language that connects everyone. But it also needs to be balanced out."
WHAT THE HELL IS HE ON ABOUT?
There were actually a few PC/Game Console Combo systems. One was a PC/Sega Genesis combo system that was only released in Japan. There was also one for the NES (aka the Famicom in Japan) that let you play NES cartridges, NES games on floppies, and PC games. Again, it was only released in Japan. Seems like the Japanese get all the great stuff and we only get it if we start demanding it. Maybe I should consider moving overseas. Hmmmmm.
Michael "TheZorch" Haney
thezorch@gmail.com
http://thezorch.googlepages.com/home
It's basically a rack shelf with a laser cut panel in the front that perfects fits the components (it doesn't work for Game Cube or any other "top loading" system, unless you put those on a sliding rack shelf, which is certainly doable.) I've not only racked my game systems, but everything else...DVD players, DSS, etc. And I've got a neat, clean, "custom fitted" appearance for everything.
Check them out...http://www.middleatlantic.com/
StupidChildren...the reason jesus is crying
And is it just me, or is this "viral" advirtisement getting worse and worse?
At least there have been some occasions where it got disguised as something other then pure spam.
Please, for the sake of us all, mod the parent down.
build a classy HTPC in the case of your choice (mine is smaller than anything else (ooh am i going to slashdot them?) in my stack and powerful enough to run N64 emus and possibly later systems), say screw the new games, and play anything from about 1970 to 2000. I'm half serious.
This is my Sig, this is my Gun. One is for Slashdot and one is for Fun.
No.
Network cable has very high gauge (ie. skinny as hell) wire; bad quality, easy to burn out with high-voltage. It's not shielded very well (compare to a decent Monster cable); really bad quality problems. It's also got the wrong number of wires for just about everything.
To sum up: use the right tool for the job.
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Amstrad sold a PC with a MegaDrive (Genesis) built into it.
m puter_1/amstrad_megadrive_computer_1.html
http://assembler.roarvgm.com/Amstrad_megadrive_co
If a square is really a rhombus, why aren't all triangles purple?
In Europe the French came up with a one-for-everything TV connection solution called SCART, as a standard connection between TVs and stuff like VCRs etc. (RGB and composite video input, with a composite video output line, stereo sound, plus some control lines like a "look at me" signal, a widescreen signal etc.) Unline many French standards, this was has actually been adopted by almost all European TVs.
Now it's great, especially as it means most European TVs have RGB input. But it was designed in the early '80s, so newer standards like S-Video and YUV Component effectivley had to be hacked on later, and so you have a problem that TVs may or may not accept certain types of signals over SCART (yukky composite is about the only one you can be certain of, although RGB SCART is the most common version of the connector by far) It also doesn't support HDTV (except the YUV variant?), but that's probably moot as the all-in-one HDMI connector seems to being push for HDTV connections.
Oh, and the SCART connector is posibley the worst connector design ever made.
(Oh, and as most European TVs have SCART, games consoles are naturally ship with composite + stero connectors (RCA jacks) and a cheap adaptor, rather than a full RGB SCART cable, which is extra.)
10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
20 GOTO 10