On par with what? PS2 games have no issues with keeping up with XBOX games, even though the XBOX is suppose to be a more powerful console.
It also greatly depends on the developers, and how well they manage to use the hardware that is provided, and also how good the gameplay of their games is, since hey, the Nintendo Revolution won't be "on par" with either the XBOX360 or PS3 in terms of horsepower. All three will probably be nowhere near par versus PC games, in terms of graphics.
But I guess that's one of the advantages of having a stable platform to develop on. You can't rely solely on better graphics and a better physics engine to sell your game... you also have to work on the gameplay a bit.
From the early reports around the net from the developers working on both of these consoles, they aren't saying one is a lot more powerful than the other... and who knows... 3 years from now... Microsoft might just release another one.
The thing is, the Media Center PC's are not meant to be gaming PC's. They are meant to be the central hub for all the electronic entertainment devices that are networked in your house. They (Microsoft) want you to connect your XBOX360 onto the network with the Media Center PC, but not replace your XBOX with it.
They want you to connect your TV, Sound System, Gaming Consoles, Portable Entertainment Devices to your Media Center PC.
So basically, the "killer app" of having a Media Center PC is that it will make the rest of your electronic entertainment system a lot more convenient and useful.
There are several reasons for that, but basically, gaming consoles main role is gaming. Console game developers also have years to squeeze every last drop of performance out of a gaming console, while PC game constantly have new hardware to play with.
But seriously... Those games you mentionned running on a PS2 is not the same thing as running HL2 on a top-of-the-line gaming PC @ max resolution on your widescreen LCD, with AA, AF, and HDR enabled.
-- Besides, most people seem to be forgetting the fact that to take full advantage of your XBOX360 or PS3, you will need an HDTV... which oh... costs around the same or even more than a top of the line gaming PC + LCD.
So why don't PC game publishers let me split my 1280x720 pixel HDTV into four 640x360 windows for four players, all controlled by the same PC?
You already posted the answer to that... Gaming consoles already do that, and do that well, for a lot cheaper. And while Media Center PC's are getting a lot more popular, they are not THAT popular yet...
Lifespan of a console? 3 years? 4 years? Between their release date and the release date of the next-generation console, PC's will get a lot more processing power.
Except the news last week that people were rather pissed over the fact that Blizzard wouldn't be sending copies to retailers to re-stock until they fixed the issue with their servers (some servers are overloaded). Apparently, on various forums around the net, peole are complaining about not even receiving their copy yet, even when they pre-ordered the game.
You're kidding me right.
On one side, we have geeks throwing money left and right on trying to get the fastest and newest computer hardware and software out there. And now we're talking about "energy conservation"?
Maybe sometime far down in the future, when car companies can actually get "hybrid" and "power" in the same line, will it sell.
MPG is nice. Some students seem to love it. Probably many people who believe cars are just a mode of transportation to get from A to B also think "MPG" is nice. Hey, maybe even Slashdotters might believe a higher "MPG" count will make you 1337er than the next/.er
Forget SUV's.
Horsepower sells. Car magazines love horsepower. Car nuts love horsepower.
If we choose to decide to compare computers to cars, which you people seem to do so often, then we'd put power consumption of PC's, servers, and etc. mainly ahead of power.
So hey. Buy a hybrid, and throw away that computer there with a 300W PSU.
I'm sure if they work hard at it... we might actually see an energy efficient car with "more than enough" horsepower sometime soon.
Yep, soon like in 10 - 20 years.
Slashdot Mirror
"will these graphics even be on par in 3 years?"
On par with what? PS2 games have no issues with keeping up with XBOX games, even though the XBOX is suppose to be a more powerful console.
It also greatly depends on the developers, and how well they manage to use the hardware that is provided, and also how good the gameplay of their games is, since hey, the Nintendo Revolution won't be "on par" with either the XBOX360 or PS3 in terms of horsepower. All three will probably be nowhere near par versus PC games, in terms of graphics.
But I guess that's one of the advantages of having a stable platform to develop on. You can't rely solely on better graphics and a better physics engine to sell your game... you also have to work on the gameplay a bit.
From the early reports around the net from the developers working on both of these consoles, they aren't saying one is a lot more powerful than the other... and who knows... 3 years from now... Microsoft might just release another one.
The thing is, the Media Center PC's are not meant to be gaming PC's. They are meant to be the central hub for all the electronic entertainment devices that are networked in your house. They (Microsoft) want you to connect your XBOX360 onto the network with the Media Center PC, but not replace your XBOX with it. They want you to connect your TV, Sound System, Gaming Consoles, Portable Entertainment Devices to your Media Center PC. So basically, the "killer app" of having a Media Center PC is that it will make the rest of your electronic entertainment system a lot more convenient and useful.
There are several reasons for that, but basically, gaming consoles main role is gaming. Console game developers also have years to squeeze every last drop of performance out of a gaming console, while PC game constantly have new hardware to play with. But seriously... Those games you mentionned running on a PS2 is not the same thing as running HL2 on a top-of-the-line gaming PC @ max resolution on your widescreen LCD, with AA, AF, and HDR enabled. -- Besides, most people seem to be forgetting the fact that to take full advantage of your XBOX360 or PS3, you will need an HDTV... which oh... costs around the same or even more than a top of the line gaming PC + LCD.
So why don't PC game publishers let me split my 1280x720 pixel HDTV into four 640x360 windows for four players, all controlled by the same PC? You already posted the answer to that... Gaming consoles already do that, and do that well, for a lot cheaper. And while Media Center PC's are getting a lot more popular, they are not THAT popular yet...
Lifespan of a console? 3 years? 4 years? Between their release date and the release date of the next-generation console, PC's will get a lot more processing power.
Except the news last week that people were rather pissed over the fact that Blizzard wouldn't be sending copies to retailers to re-stock until they fixed the issue with their servers (some servers are overloaded). Apparently, on various forums around the net, peole are complaining about not even receiving their copy yet, even when they pre-ordered the game.
Uh Dude... They made it for Team Fortress 2.
Oh yes, I can hear it now. This was a Microsoft sponsored Slashdot article. Let the flames begin.
You're kidding me right. On one side, we have geeks throwing money left and right on trying to get the fastest and newest computer hardware and software out there. And now we're talking about "energy conservation"? Maybe sometime far down in the future, when car companies can actually get "hybrid" and "power" in the same line, will it sell. MPG is nice. Some students seem to love it. Probably many people who believe cars are just a mode of transportation to get from A to B also think "MPG" is nice. Hey, maybe even Slashdotters might believe a higher "MPG" count will make you 1337er than the next /.er
Forget SUV's.
Horsepower sells. Car magazines love horsepower. Car nuts love horsepower.
If we choose to decide to compare computers to cars, which you people seem to do so often, then we'd put power consumption of PC's, servers, and etc. mainly ahead of power.
So hey. Buy a hybrid, and throw away that computer there with a 300W PSU.
I'm sure if they work hard at it... we might actually see an energy efficient car with "more than enough" horsepower sometime soon.
Yep, soon like in 10 - 20 years.