Or, the hype machine telling people to drop an extra hundred bucks on the 360 package worked wonders. I lost count of the number of articles that came out recently basically telling people if they're not at HD yet they won't get their money's worth from the 360.
Just spotted this little bit of news at Gamespot about how half of surveyed "active" gamers said they would wait until they had choice before buying in to the next generation.
And really, why not? People will buy it, for many times the price of the actual item in stores. The vast majority of those with them will probably make some cash off of it and go buy one from the stores when the hype dies down, after lining their pockets at the expense of the early adopter.
What's really goofy is we see the same thing in EVE Online whenever new things are released to the game's market. New player skills have to be bought, and frequently the day things are released the popular skills are bought in an entire region and put back on sale at a hefty markup. Only works for the first day, after which the NPCs reseed the markets, but it's an interesting thing to watch how virtual markets can work the same way.:)
How about a future where this technology can handle the focusing in realtime, extremely fast, and at high enough resolution to go into a bionic eye replacement. No more nerd goggles at all.
To be honest, I don't give a rats ass about tech specs anymore. It's all about the games.
With the last generation, I picked up a PS2 and a Gamecube (not at the same time mind you). I had friends with XBoxen, and they had some decent games, but nothing that was exclusive that would make me go and spend more money on hardware to play. And the PS2 and GC had titles that I had wanted to play more.
This generation, I'm waiting. I might pick up the YBox, I might not. Ditto for the PS3, or the Revo. All three sound good, sound like they've got some pretty impressive specs and design philosphies all around. But I'm going to wait until the PS3 comes out to see how the games play on it, and see which of the first two I'm going to go for. Not to discount the Revo of course.
But I'll base my decisions on how developers use the new hardware to do something interesting, because I don't care to play yet another console FPS or RPG unless it's different, and not just in the better graphics department.
Vastly better? How about "They have it PERIOD". The PS3 isn't getting its own central online service at all, they're leaving it up to the game publishers/developers to determine how best to offer online services. For a lot of people, that could end up swinging their decision towards the 360.
Not to start a political war, but just to provide a counterpoint to yours: there are some in the world that would say the same about the US. I'm not saying that's MY opinion of course, just that your statement can apply to both MS and the US depending on one's perspective.
The Slashdot crowd really intrigues me. On one hand we're adamantly against operating monopolistic tendencies in one regard (Microsoft with Windows and other software ventures), yet we cheer when another one is formed (US having control over the internet).
If there's a difference in philosphy here then can someone please point it out to me? I can't be the only one befuddled by the difference of opinion between the two issues around here.
Nobody's being fooled into thinking the launch lineup is "worse than it actually is" (those are YOUR words, I might add). They're merely pointing out that this initial subset of games reviewed didn't exactly turn their crank as much as they expected. It's called hype. The ybox will be the victim of hype as much as everyone else will be.
And if you're so sick of the Microsoft bashing, why did you read the comments instead of the story, which you're obviously far more interested in?
To be honest, they'd have a LOT of work ahead of them to make it worth playing.
They'd be up against EVE Online, a game which is pretty well established after 2.5 years of live play. It's an extremely detailed, extremely deep game that has a heavy emphasis on PVP (not just combat, but economics as well). If a B5 game is to be released as a MMO, it would be tough to not fall into the trappings of SWG, E&B, or MxO, all of which had good concepts but were horribly mismanaged from day one.
Don't get me wrong - if there's one universe I'd love to play in (aside of EVE) it would be B5. Rarely does a TV show have as much depth and background as that. My fear is that if JMS is involved heavily, you'll see a wide sweeping story arc that will be as ill-concieved in terms of game as the one for MxO. Make the universe, make the toys, give us ways to build it, and let the players make the stories.
My bad about the Halo thing.
But yeah, I'm not marginalizing the Revo at all. In fact, I agree with your final statement entirely. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what kind of showing they'll have, especially how developers use the new controller style.
Personally I don't think the industry can support two consoles that are basically just more of the same that's out currently, except with better graphics. A lot of the genres are tired.
I don't know what some of you were expecting. What, you think the XBox1 or the PS2 had games like Ico, Halo, Shadow of the Colossus, etc. at launch? Nope. The first batch of games are always basically gen1 games with a bit of a facelift.
Give it time. Give BOTH consoles time. The truly innovative games are rarely seen on day one.
As long as it comes with a longer than normal cable, I'd be happy with consoles that are more stereo componentish.
My problem is my rack is way up by my television. I have a fairly large TV, so I sit further back, so I'd probably end up needing at least an additional 4" of cable on my controller to reach comfortably. Preferrably more, so it's not stretched taut, a couple feet above the ground.;)
Sorry, what was interesting about Oblivion again? Don't get me wrong, it looks pretty and all that... but it had better do something unbelievably different to be anything other than yet another fantasy game.
I recently picked this one up, and I have to say that even with the odd graphical oddness it's amazingly BEAUTIFUL to play. I brought down one colossus last night, believe it or not it took almost an hour to figure out how to get at the weak part. The thing was literally the size of a skyscraper, smashing a club/sword thing the size of a building down at me.
Nothing will prepare you for battles of this scale. Every fight is truly epic.
Someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you already be held on a contempt charge for not giving up ciphers when ordered to by the court to obtain evidence?
This will translate into most developers putting their effort into the X-Box Live enabled versions of their games, and half-assing their PS2 online efforts, if bothering at all.
This is all nice and all, but how are the GAMES? There's plenty of folks in there playing things, are there any opinions from them as to what games are worth buying? Or whether the 360 is even worth the effort at this point?
Slashdot Mirror
Or, the hype machine telling people to drop an extra hundred bucks on the 360 package worked wonders. I lost count of the number of articles that came out recently basically telling people if they're not at HD yet they won't get their money's worth from the 360.
Just spotted this little bit of news at Gamespot about how half of surveyed "active" gamers said they would wait until they had choice before buying in to the next generation.
;)
Well at least I know I'm not alone.
From the article:
Windows Live is designed to compete with similar online offerings from competitors such as Google and Yahoo.
What similar online offerings by either of those two is this designed to compete with?
And really, why not? People will buy it, for many times the price of the actual item in stores. The vast majority of those with them will probably make some cash off of it and go buy one from the stores when the hype dies down, after lining their pockets at the expense of the early adopter. What's really goofy is we see the same thing in EVE Online whenever new things are released to the game's market. New player skills have to be bought, and frequently the day things are released the popular skills are bought in an entire region and put back on sale at a hefty markup. Only works for the first day, after which the NPCs reseed the markets, but it's an interesting thing to watch how virtual markets can work the same way. :)
That the stats for today? Not bad. Little low on the Windows side though... must be a good day for Microsoft.
Oh you can do better than that. :)
How about a future where this technology can handle the focusing in realtime, extremely fast, and at high enough resolution to go into a bionic eye replacement. No more nerd goggles at all.
What has been your most challenging myth to bust? And is there a particular myth you feel would be a challenging one to try taking on?
To be honest, I don't give a rats ass about tech specs anymore. It's all about the games.
With the last generation, I picked up a PS2 and a Gamecube (not at the same time mind you). I had friends with XBoxen, and they had some decent games, but nothing that was exclusive that would make me go and spend more money on hardware to play. And the PS2 and GC had titles that I had wanted to play more.
This generation, I'm waiting. I might pick up the YBox, I might not. Ditto for the PS3, or the Revo. All three sound good, sound like they've got some pretty impressive specs and design philosphies all around. But I'm going to wait until the PS3 comes out to see how the games play on it, and see which of the first two I'm going to go for. Not to discount the Revo of course.
But I'll base my decisions on how developers use the new hardware to do something interesting, because I don't care to play yet another console FPS or RPG unless it's different, and not just in the better graphics department.
I wonder if they gave him a special controller where A B X and Y buttons were changed to A X Q and F?
"... violent games 'have no place in Germany's bedrooms.' "
:)
Wait a sec... what are we talking about here?
Vastly better? How about "They have it PERIOD". The PS3 isn't getting its own central online service at all, they're leaving it up to the game publishers/developers to determine how best to offer online services. For a lot of people, that could end up swinging their decision towards the 360.
Not to start a political war, but just to provide a counterpoint to yours: there are some in the world that would say the same about the US. I'm not saying that's MY opinion of course, just that your statement can apply to both MS and the US depending on one's perspective.
The Slashdot crowd really intrigues me. On one hand we're adamantly against operating monopolistic tendencies in one regard (Microsoft with Windows and other software ventures), yet we cheer when another one is formed (US having control over the internet).
If there's a difference in philosphy here then can someone please point it out to me? I can't be the only one befuddled by the difference of opinion between the two issues around here.
Nobody's being fooled into thinking the launch lineup is "worse than it actually is" (those are YOUR words, I might add). They're merely pointing out that this initial subset of games reviewed didn't exactly turn their crank as much as they expected. It's called hype. The ybox will be the victim of hype as much as everyone else will be.
And if you're so sick of the Microsoft bashing, why did you read the comments instead of the story, which you're obviously far more interested in?
To be honest, they'd have a LOT of work ahead of them to make it worth playing. They'd be up against EVE Online, a game which is pretty well established after 2.5 years of live play. It's an extremely detailed, extremely deep game that has a heavy emphasis on PVP (not just combat, but economics as well). If a B5 game is to be released as a MMO, it would be tough to not fall into the trappings of SWG, E&B, or MxO, all of which had good concepts but were horribly mismanaged from day one. Don't get me wrong - if there's one universe I'd love to play in (aside of EVE) it would be B5. Rarely does a TV show have as much depth and background as that. My fear is that if JMS is involved heavily, you'll see a wide sweeping story arc that will be as ill-concieved in terms of game as the one for MxO. Make the universe, make the toys, give us ways to build it, and let the players make the stories.
My bad about the Halo thing. But yeah, I'm not marginalizing the Revo at all. In fact, I agree with your final statement entirely. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what kind of showing they'll have, especially how developers use the new controller style. Personally I don't think the industry can support two consoles that are basically just more of the same that's out currently, except with better graphics. A lot of the genres are tired.
I don't know what some of you were expecting. What, you think the XBox1 or the PS2 had games like Ico, Halo, Shadow of the Colossus, etc. at launch? Nope. The first batch of games are always basically gen1 games with a bit of a facelift.
Give it time. Give BOTH consoles time. The truly innovative games are rarely seen on day one.
"If you walk the corridors of Sony Music right now all you can hear is the sound of a toilet flushing."
Yeah, but only if you agree to the EULA.
As long as it comes with a longer than normal cable, I'd be happy with consoles that are more stereo componentish.
;)
My problem is my rack is way up by my television. I have a fairly large TV, so I sit further back, so I'd probably end up needing at least an additional 4" of cable on my controller to reach comfortably. Preferrably more, so it's not stretched taut, a couple feet above the ground.
Sorry, what was interesting about Oblivion again? Don't get me wrong, it looks pretty and all that... but it had better do something unbelievably different to be anything other than yet another fantasy game.
... we can also focused on what hasn't changed: Michael Dell is still an asshole.
Right on par with basically what Gamespot says.
I recently picked this one up, and I have to say that even with the odd graphical oddness it's amazingly BEAUTIFUL to play. I brought down one colossus last night, believe it or not it took almost an hour to figure out how to get at the weak part. The thing was literally the size of a skyscraper, smashing a club/sword thing the size of a building down at me.
Nothing will prepare you for battles of this scale. Every fight is truly epic.
Someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you already be held on a contempt charge for not giving up ciphers when ordered to by the court to obtain evidence?
This will translate into most developers putting their effort into the X-Box Live enabled versions of their games, and half-assing their PS2 online efforts, if bothering at all.
This is all nice and all, but how are the GAMES? There's plenty of folks in there playing things, are there any opinions from them as to what games are worth buying? Or whether the 360 is even worth the effort at this point?