I agree the hd is key. I'm also sure that any games that require it will have either a bundle with it, or a coupon to use on the hd. Either way, Halo and Halo 2 (yes, old, original XBox games) will sell many, many hd upgrades. The market cannot "fracture" as there is nothing keeping a user from buying a hd if he wants/needs it. I'm guessing games that do not take advantage of the hd when available for advanced features are going to be few and far between.
Well, sketchy may apply to some, but as long as you have the hd model (which is required for backwards compatability anyways) I guarantee that Halo and Halo 2 will work. I would be very surprised if any top tier game was incompatable.
No market for a new system? Are you mad? People are chomping at the bit for a new system to be released. They are not two different systems, one just comes with more stuff, like the little hd, ready to be plugged into the slot, and the other you must buy the hd (and all the other stuff) seperate.
Oh wait, I meant to say that one is in a configuration such that it is fully usable, and the other is to allow MS to say they released at $299.
Either way, the choice is easy for me. I (as do most people I'm guessing) require backwards compatibility so I can play Halo on my shiny new hardware. Therefore I get the one with the hd. Easy.
"Oh, wait, it's an MS product. I'm not going to buy it for any amount of money."
Likely I hate MS as much or more than you do, and will not let their steaming pile of shit OS anywhere near my pc, but I gotta admit. They do make fun toys:). Plus, it helps to keep my PC Windows Free(tm), as then I do not need it to play games (most of my gaming is done through dosbox, if it isn't a native Linux game).
I'll let you borrow my strategy.. buy they Xbox, MS loses money on every one. Then just do NOT buy games new, buy them used, then MS does not get a cut. Voila. Anti-MS gaming using MS toys.
Ohhh, not heard that before. That sounds cool:). Just take my hd and plug it into my buddies X360, not worrying about transferring stuff to and from the memory card, etc.
Who is "We"? I know that, for MONTHS now, speculation has been that a base model will be $299, and a bundle will be $360. How is this so much worse than that? Just that you didn't know what was included in the bundle and found out it's something you gotta have, oh, and it's $40 more than was speculated? Big whooping deal.
No, not "MUST NOT" but that to reach the broadest audience it would be best to be usable without the hd. Guess what? That's not gonna fly. There WILL be games that require the hd (at least to play optimally and use all features.. if not flat out have to have it). This will be used to sell more hd's to people that cheaped out at the start, and get even MORE money from then over time than the people that bought the full bundle from the start. Don't know about you, but I don't care to render my original XBox library useless by cheaping out at the start (hd is required for backwards compatability).
Bingo! We have a winner. Halo 3 (and Oblivion, to a lesser extent) will sell hard drives like candy.
The big thing is also being able to play Halo, and Halo 2 on your shiny new X360, can't do that either without the hd. The stripped package is nothing more than MS finding a way to say they launched at $299. It's not gonna fly.
I am guessing that standard cables are included and the hd cables are added. I know the optional svid cables on the original had the standard cables built into them (all in one cable set) so I'm guessing it will be similar. They know they would piss alot of people off if they tried a scam like that.
You're being a bit overly optimistic I think. For one thing, the hd will be REQUIRED for backwards compatibility. That, in itself, is worth well over $100 for me. There will be games that require the hd (who hasn't seen games from previous generation consoles that say "This game requires blah-blah optional hardware."), and there will be game/hd bundles available (or preferably, just coupons in said games for money off hd upgrade). I rekon Halo 3 will require the hd. Guess hd sales will go up next spring lol. Some games coming out will have MASSIVE levels (think Oblivion), and I personally can't see that running as transparently if there is no hd there.. longer load times for levels, etc.
The crux of the whole matter is, the $299 package is nothing more than marketing, so MS can say they launched at $299. Nothing more. Sales will be slow on that model, and it likely won't last long until the only option is the model with the hd.
I'm absolutely certain there WILL be games that require the hd. If you don't get one, there will be game/hd bundles available.
I can also see that some games that are written to optionally take advantage of the hd will likely run faster/smoother in some places, perhaps loading levels faster, etc. This of course will be nulled in some way in multiplayer games, at least when played over Live, likely by the server code to keep all players on equal ground.
Don't get pissed off. It's just a marketing scam so MS can say they released the XB360 at $299. Ignore that option if it doesn't suit you (because believe me, you're far from alone.. I would suggest the $299 sales will be dire) and move on to some crazy fast console goodness:). Just pretend they never said it and get on with life.
HELL no. Then I would be forced to use Windows on my computer to play games. I'd rather buy a dedicated piece of hardware from MS to use as a toy than be forced to run that unholy piece of steaming crap on my pc. My plan is the same as with the Xbox, buy hardware new, because MS takes a loss on each one, then buy as many games as possible used, so they don't get another cut from the game sale. My plan has served me well so far, so no need to change it.
"At any rate, X server crashes are rare these days. This is all pretty much irrelevant."
That is, unless you use Xorg and are playing with composite. If it's not happy it WILL promptly lock up, with NO keyboard control. Then again, you learn real quick not to play around with composite if your machine doesn't like it.
" What's so funny is the fact that, although they love linux, they still make the animaton in shockwave, which macromedia doesn't release for linux."
Wow. I guess you need to tell my Debian box that, as it just played it flawlessly. The only possible reason for you to post that is that either you don't use Linux, or you suck at it.
"Halo 3 will sell the Xbox 360, there's no question about it."
Absolutely. I hate MS, but am tingly just thinking about Halo 3 (and PGR3, and Oblivion to a slightly lesser degree). I really couldn't care less about other FPS games. I guess I'm odd, because I'm about as far from their targeted demographic as possible, being a 40 yr old female who's been a gamer since Pong, and still loves more than anything classic DOS games (oh how I love my dosbox on Debian).
Slashdot Mirror
I agree the hd is key. I'm also sure that any games that require it will have either a bundle with it, or a coupon to use on the hd. Either way, Halo and Halo 2 (yes, old, original XBox games) will sell many, many hd upgrades. The market cannot "fracture" as there is nothing keeping a user from buying a hd if he wants/needs it. I'm guessing games that do not take advantage of the hd when available for advanced features are going to be few and far between.
Well, sketchy may apply to some, but as long as you have the hd model (which is required for backwards compatability anyways) I guarantee that Halo and Halo 2 will work. I would be very surprised if any top tier game was incompatable.
No market for a new system? Are you mad? People are chomping at the bit for a new system to be released. They are not two different systems, one just comes with more stuff, like the little hd, ready to be plugged into the slot, and the other you must buy the hd (and all the other stuff) seperate.
Oh wait, I meant to say that one is in a configuration such that it is fully usable, and the other is to allow MS to say they released at $299.
Either way, the choice is easy for me. I (as do most people I'm guessing) require backwards compatibility so I can play Halo on my shiny new hardware. Therefore I get the one with the hd. Easy.
"Oh, wait, it's an MS product. I'm not going to buy it for any amount of money."
:). Plus, it helps to keep my PC Windows Free(tm), as then I do not need it to play games (most of my gaming is done through dosbox, if it isn't a native Linux game).
Likely I hate MS as much or more than you do, and will not let their steaming pile of shit OS anywhere near my pc, but I gotta admit. They do make fun toys
I'll let you borrow my strategy.. buy they Xbox, MS loses money on every one. Then just do NOT buy games new, buy them used, then MS does not get a cut. Voila. Anti-MS gaming using MS toys.
Ohhh, not heard that before. That sounds cool :). Just take my hd and plug it into my buddies X360, not worrying about transferring stuff to and from the memory card, etc.
Who is "We"? I know that, for MONTHS now, speculation has been that a base model will be $299, and a bundle will be $360. How is this so much worse than that? Just that you didn't know what was included in the bundle and found out it's something you gotta have, oh, and it's $40 more than was speculated? Big whooping deal.
No, not "MUST NOT" but that to reach the broadest audience it would be best to be usable without the hd. Guess what? That's not gonna fly. There WILL be games that require the hd (at least to play optimally and use all features.. if not flat out have to have it). This will be used to sell more hd's to people that cheaped out at the start, and get even MORE money from then over time than the people that bought the full bundle from the start. Don't know about you, but I don't care to render my original XBox library useless by cheaping out at the start (hd is required for backwards compatability).
Bingo! We have a winner. Halo 3 (and Oblivion, to a lesser extent) will sell hard drives like candy.
The big thing is also being able to play Halo, and Halo 2 on your shiny new X360, can't do that either without the hd. The stripped package is nothing more than MS finding a way to say they launched at $299. It's not gonna fly.
I'm guessing Oblivion (as well as Halo 3) will require a hd. System requirement on console game boxes is not a new thing :).
The cables in the front got nada to do with the cables in the back.
I am guessing that standard cables are included and the hd cables are added. I know the optional svid cables on the original had the standard cables built into them (all in one cable set) so I'm guessing it will be similar. They know they would piss alot of people off if they tried a scam like that.
The model with the hd will be a requirement for backwards compatibility. You wanna play Halo/Halo2? Don't even think twice. Get the bundle.
You're being a bit overly optimistic I think. For one thing, the hd will be REQUIRED for backwards compatibility. That, in itself, is worth well over $100 for me. There will be games that require the hd (who hasn't seen games from previous generation consoles that say "This game requires blah-blah optional hardware."), and there will be game/hd bundles available (or preferably, just coupons in said games for money off hd upgrade). I rekon Halo 3 will require the hd. Guess hd sales will go up next spring lol. Some games coming out will have MASSIVE levels (think Oblivion), and I personally can't see that running as transparently if there is no hd there.. longer load times for levels, etc.
The crux of the whole matter is, the $299 package is nothing more than marketing, so MS can say they launched at $299. Nothing more. Sales will be slow on that model, and it likely won't last long until the only option is the model with the hd.
I'm absolutely certain there WILL be games that require the hd. If you don't get one, there will be game/hd bundles available.
I can also see that some games that are written to optionally take advantage of the hd will likely run faster/smoother in some places, perhaps loading levels faster, etc. This of course will be nulled in some way in multiplayer games, at least when played over Live, likely by the server code to keep all players on equal ground.
Don't get pissed off. It's just a marketing scam so MS can say they released the XB360 at $299. Ignore that option if it doesn't suit you (because believe me, you're far from alone.. I would suggest the $299 sales will be dire) and move on to some crazy fast console goodness :). Just pretend they never said it and get on with life.
HELL no. Then I would be forced to use Windows on my computer to play games. I'd rather buy a dedicated piece of hardware from MS to use as a toy than be forced to run that unholy piece of steaming crap on my pc. My plan is the same as with the Xbox, buy hardware new, because MS takes a loss on each one, then buy as many games as possible used, so they don't get another cut from the game sale. My plan has served me well so far, so no need to change it.
You do realize, don't you, that the graphics are not an indicator of the quality of the engine, but the quality of the artist?
I looked at other shots there, and it really doesn't look half bad. Could be very fun to play around with.
"At any rate, X server crashes are rare these days. This is all pretty much irrelevant."
That is, unless you use Xorg and are playing with composite. If it's not happy it WILL promptly lock up, with NO keyboard control. Then again, you learn real quick not to play around with composite if your machine doesn't like it.
Hamsters got nothing on badgers :D.
Hello kind sir! You are quite talented. Thanks for sharing :).
" What's so funny is the fact that, although they love linux, they still make the animaton in shockwave, which macromedia doesn't release for linux."
Wow. I guess you need to tell my Debian box that, as it just played it flawlessly. The only possible reason for you to post that is that either you don't use Linux, or you suck at it.
"Halo 3 will sell the Xbox 360, there's no question about it."
Absolutely. I hate MS, but am tingly just thinking about Halo 3 (and PGR3, and Oblivion to a slightly lesser degree). I really couldn't care less about other FPS games. I guess I'm odd, because I'm about as far from their targeted demographic as possible, being a 40 yr old female who's been a gamer since Pong, and still loves more than anything classic DOS games (oh how I love my dosbox on Debian).
Is it reading or comprehension skills you lack? They were talking about the Xbox at the $149 pricepoint, not the Xbox360.
"I would dare say that there is a larger number of IT professionals who *do not* read slashdot"
/. *also* despise MS.
And all those that I know that do not read
I'm putting my money on Target, though I don't just HAVE to have one at launch, if I do try it'll be there.