Um, why do you need a keyboard for a MMORPG? All Xbox Live enabled games have voice communication. Why not just talk? Proximity voice and messaging would pretty much take care of it, without having to stop moving to type on a keyboard. Keyboard communication really sucked in Phantasy Star Online, for example. Matter of fact, I won't ever buy a console game that requires a keyboard: If I wanted to play games at a desk I'd do it on my PC.
They don't want to ship it with a hard drive because they don't want to pay for them, plain and simple. They also want to make money of selling them, and overcharge everyone again by selling them required memory cards. Sure, it's great that the user can choose, but this also means that developers can choose whether or not to use the HD (since chances are it won't be there, considering how few people buy them), which makes it another mostly useless peripheral (unless you want Linux on a PS3). You won't be able to save to it, you won't be seeing custom sountracks in games, and you won't be getting content download for online games as a result, for the most part. Despite Sony trying to put a positive spin on it ("no matter how much space we give it, it'll never be enough!"), it's really just trying to cover up that fact that they're using the exact same HDD plan as before, which didn't work out at all. So, yup, you'll be listening to the same suck-rock while playing Gran Turismo 5.
Wrong. You're basing that off really old rumors that turned out not to be true. Microsoft is shipping all XBOX 360s with a 20 Gig HD, included in the box. It's removable to be upgradable and portable so you can take your data/saves/music with you to use on other XBOX 360s though.
Except for your average user still won't buy and use them, which means developers won't either. How many games used the PS2 HD? Two? FF Online and Resident Evil? People don't buy these types of add-ons, regardless of how widely available they are, or who makes them, which in turn means developers won't use them, which means it's a totally useless 'feature'.
People always seem to forget that this deal includes uniforms, logos, and stadiums as well. It's not just the player names, it's everything except how the game is played.
Assuming it's true...
on
HD-Less PS3?
·
· Score: 1
It really means one thing. Sony isn't nearly as serious about their online plan as they should be, and bye-bye to content download as a standard option on the PS3. Sure, there are other uses like custom sountracks, media capabilities, game saves, and caching for faster or seamless loading, but that's really the main issue, as the others can be worked around.
Um, care to explain why four of the top ten games in Japan are for the DS then, and why none of them are for the PSP? Perhaps your facts also need some checking.
Are you an idiot? Thanksgiving is on Nov 24th this year. You know, like after Halloween, which is the last day of October? I predict a November 15th launch date. Why? Because it's a Tuesday, for starters, and both the Xbox and Xbox Live launched on November 15th in their respective years. Halo 2 was November 9th, also a Tuesday.
Hey, don't forget the return of the rubber ducky demo they used to show off the PS2's capabilities that no game ever matched either!! When I saw that, I laughed. Hard. Then I wondered who was going to fall for it. Again. Then I came to slashdot, watched some G4tv, and realized that everyone was doing exactly that. I congratulate Sony on being able to sell ice to eskimos yet again.
Shortly followed by the demo of swirling leaves where he said, and I shit you not, the each leaf (out of thousands) could have its own audio channel used to great effect to simulate....wait for it...'rustling'. I couldn't make this stuff up.
Just a note, it's been confirmed by the developers that the Killzone footage is 'what we intend the game to look like'. I.E, it's all pre-rendered CGI. Heck, even the animation gave it away. I wouldn't get you hopes up for the game to look like that trailer. Good, yes, but like that? I don't think so.
Third person. The story has it completely wrong. It's a third-person survival horror action game. Apparently, according to the article, it seems like it plays a lot like Namco's KillSwitch, where you strategically move from one spt to the next to take cover, pop up and fire, take more cover, move ahead, etc. Most of that is actually in-game footage in the trailer, if you look closely enough. Note that this is NOT a launch title. It's supposed to be out next spring.
I would think that being 720p (which is a requirement on XBOX 360) would at the very least count for something, at least over the PS2 and canned XBOX version. Especially when you consider that it probably would've been ported from the PC version, and downgraded somewhat to run on the original XBOX. Heck, that new Tony Hawk game isn't getting much of a graphical upgrade over the PS2 and XBOX versions either. Looks about the same to me. That's the problem with ports sometimes. No biggie.
You mean the same pre-rendered stuff and rubby ducky demo (which saw when the PS2 got announced), where none of the games ever came close to looking like that? Don't get me wrong, I watched all of it, and it got me excited in a 'what-if!?!?' sort of way, but I'm not stupid enough to think the actual Killzone 2 would ever look anywhere near what they showed in the CGI movie. God forbid Microsoft actually focus on showing actual games, that will actually be playable at the show and released in the fall, and people rag on them for it by comparing them to the pre-rendered CGI footage and tech demos from the PS3.
"First is the "media center" idea of the XBox 360. Good luck. You'll need it. I have a DVD player. Everyone does. In fact, I have many (computer, PS2, etc.). But the feature is nearly free, so I don't blame them for including it. Sony will do better in that regard because their machine will play Blu-Ray discs. But as for the rest of it, they are going to have a hard time getting me to use it for anything but games. Play music? Why should I rerip all my CDs? And even if they were in MP3 (they are in AAC), I bet I couldn't just copy them over to the X-Box 360, I'd have to re-rip them. I'm not going to do that. Unless I can stream them to the machine, I won't use that part. I won't play DVDs on it (already covered that). Now playing video would be nice if I could stream if off my computer (a Mac). But my guess is that you can only do that from a Windows Media Center eddition computer, which doesn't help me. They can put all the media features they want, it doesn't matter to me, I'll only be buying it for the games. I don't care about videoconfrencing, VOIP chat, or editing home movies (or anything else they come up with). It is a console, and while it is nice they will pack on all those features, I don't think it will make any real difference in sales."
Maybe you'll be happy to know that you've missed out on all the stuff you can do, even without a Media Center PC...granted, you won't be able to do some things like stream video, record tv, etc., firstly on a Mac, and also because you don't have a Media Center PC, but don't think for a second that Longhorn (when it comes out) won't have all these things standard. This info from Xbox.com:
Steinglass:...Xbox 360 gives you flexibility around where you store your music. You can still rip CDs to the console's hard drive. But you can also store music on your PC and stream it to Xbox 360, or you can stream it from any portable media player, a Rio Carbon, or an iPod.
TriXie: No way. I can plug my iPod into my Xbox 360?
Steinglass: Yep. We know that a lot of people have spent a lot of time organizing their music on their PC or portable player. We see the Xbox 360 as replacing your CD player in your entertainment center, but also as the best digital media amplifier available. Your PC is a great place to manage your music, but it's not always the best place to enjoy it. With Xbox 360 you've got one central place to listen to all your music on the best sound system in the house.
TriXie: So, I've already done the learning curve on ripping and managing my music on my PC and portable player. Please tell me I'm not gonna have to learn a whole new system.
Gunn: No, you won't have to learn a new system to use Xbox 360's music features. The UI has been optimized for browsing, and allows users to find and play their music in a simple and intuitive way. Users can browse their music by artists, albums, songs, playlists, or genres. The new UI is both flexible and powerful and will provide a very robust music experience. The design of our interface was influenced by industry standard user interfaces--most notably, Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. No one should have trouble using the music feature.
TriXie: Any other tricks we should know about?
Gunn: You can listen to your music while you view a slideshow of digital images stored on your PC, CD, or USB Storage device. DVD playback will be automatic--no need to buy a remote. We are packing Xbox 360 with around five times the media capabilities of the first Xbox. This will truly be the best digital media amplifier available.
Also note that DVD playback is progressive this time, although I'm not sure what the de-interlacing algorithm/chip they're using is.
Yeah dude, all the Hurricane Packs were free and part of the Master Ninja Tournament. So, for those with Xbox Live, this whoe thing doesn't even show up on the radar is something you would even consider buying since you've already got it.
It's not blacked out. It's black. That's a custom video port, into which you plug whatever custom adapter/cable you purchase seperately. Exactly like the current Xbox. Expect COAX, Composite (included in the box), S-video, Component, and hopefully DVI/HDMI.
Nah, he define's the 'hub' as the PC. The Xbox simply accesses the hub. Seriously, would you want to store all your music, video, images on an Xbox, or on your PC? What I don't get it Microsoft's obsession with the damn Media Center PC. How many people actually own one of those damn things? If I can't do certain things with my Xbox 360 because I don't run Windows Media Center, well, I'm going to be irritated.
I believe they have an upgrade/replacement plan where they pay a nominal amount to replace your current TiVo, reciever, or HD TiVo when you exchange it for a new one. The way I read it (which was somewhere else on Slashdot in another TiVo story) was that they obviously won't pay you waht you paid for the HD TiVo, but the newer receivers would be significantly lower in price, and that 'new ' price would pretty much match what they give you for the exchange. Surely they don't want to alienate customers, especially those that are obviously willing to pay for premium hardware/content.
just tell us how great it will be to surf the net on their TV at a crappy resolution..
Normally, I'd agree with you, especially about WebTV when I've got a computer a few feet away, but you gotta admit, there ain't nothing wrong with 1280 by 720 resolution on an HDTV. Remember, we're talking about the 'HD-era' here, so you have to assume that'd be included.
I don't want to defend or refute the 'fanboys' you're talking about, but it's been a common conception for years that all these companies want to dominate the whole 'digital set-top box' market, and making a good gaming machine was obviously the first step in doing that. Hey, if it wants to give me IPTV, web browsing, caller-id, PVR capability, music/media storage all at the same time...fine by me.
That being said, and to answer your question, I actually use my Xbox as a music server. Whenever I buy a new CD, I copy it to my Xbox (and PC for my ipod), then keep the disc in my car from that point forward. And no, I don't use the crappy RCA-style remote, and instead programmed it into my universal remote. I would argue that alot of people (mostly youngsters) watch DVD on their systems. The largest issue with the Xbox as a DVD player is that it's not progressive-scan, 3:2 pulldown, or any of that.
I have absolutely no faith in this so-called preloaded Halo idea, more often called 'Halo 2.5', which is not at all unlike 'Halo 1.5' which was another user-community invented rumor. We all know that Bungie is only just now finished with the new maps, and even openly admitted in an interview on Monday that they're using their time to to determine what to do next. On top of that, you'd then have two totally different versions of Halo 2 playing against eachother over the same Xbox Live, which is just flat-out a bad idea.
The obvious solution is that players will be forced into buying the hard-drive, not because it's required for backwards compatibility from a hardware perspective, but simply because it 'allows' it, and maybe includes some sort of cost for licensing fees to NVidia if they're needed (for emulation), much like the DVD playback kit covers those codec fees so it's not included in the price of the Xbox itself. Then, the Xbox 360, would simply allow you to play with the original disc. Once again, none of this is confirmed, and the hands-down best indication of backwards compatibility (if there is any) was in fact that Allard quote from above. And that's the best we've got from any sort of reliable/identifiable source.
My problem with the whole idea is that the people most likely to see backwards compatibility as a make/break selling feature are those that don't have a lot of money in the first place, and are more on the fence about buying the next Xbox. So, only include it in the more expensive model, which is the one that early adopters will buy anyway? Why not have it in the cheaper system, so little Timmy, who only has a couple games, is still in middle-school, and has to trade in his system to afford the new one will be able to have it as well?
What is it with Zonk considering anonymous sources as confirmation of something? Until Microsoft says it, nothing is confirmed. This is just a more specific version of the rumor from November that came out regarding multiple versions of the Xbox. Likely? Yeah, but really it's all just speculation until the MTV special next month. Shudders at the thought of MTV as an actual source of information. And how come these anonymous sources never bother to mention for certain whether the HD version will have backwards compatibility?
Slashdot Mirror
Um, why do you need a keyboard for a MMORPG? All Xbox Live enabled games have voice communication. Why not just talk? Proximity voice and messaging would pretty much take care of it, without having to stop moving to type on a keyboard. Keyboard communication really sucked in Phantasy Star Online, for example. Matter of fact, I won't ever buy a console game that requires a keyboard: If I wanted to play games at a desk I'd do it on my PC.
They don't want to ship it with a hard drive because they don't want to pay for them, plain and simple. They also want to make money of selling them, and overcharge everyone again by selling them required memory cards. Sure, it's great that the user can choose, but this also means that developers can choose whether or not to use the HD (since chances are it won't be there, considering how few people buy them), which makes it another mostly useless peripheral (unless you want Linux on a PS3). You won't be able to save to it, you won't be seeing custom sountracks in games, and you won't be getting content download for online games as a result, for the most part. Despite Sony trying to put a positive spin on it ("no matter how much space we give it, it'll never be enough!"), it's really just trying to cover up that fact that they're using the exact same HDD plan as before, which didn't work out at all. So, yup, you'll be listening to the same suck-rock while playing Gran Turismo 5.
Wrong. You're basing that off really old rumors that turned out not to be true. Microsoft is shipping all XBOX 360s with a 20 Gig HD, included in the box. It's removable to be upgradable and portable so you can take your data/saves/music with you to use on other XBOX 360s though.
Except for your average user still won't buy and use them, which means developers won't either. How many games used the PS2 HD? Two? FF Online and Resident Evil? People don't buy these types of add-ons, regardless of how widely available they are, or who makes them, which in turn means developers won't use them, which means it's a totally useless 'feature'.
People always seem to forget that this deal includes uniforms, logos, and stadiums as well. It's not just the player names, it's everything except how the game is played.
It really means one thing. Sony isn't nearly as serious about their online plan as they should be, and bye-bye to content download as a standard option on the PS3. Sure, there are other uses like custom sountracks, media capabilities, game saves, and caching for faster or seamless loading, but that's really the main issue, as the others can be worked around.
Um, care to explain why four of the top ten games in Japan are for the DS then, and why none of them are for the PSP? Perhaps your facts also need some checking.
Are you an idiot? Thanksgiving is on Nov 24th this year. You know, like after Halloween, which is the last day of October? I predict a November 15th launch date. Why? Because it's a Tuesday, for starters, and both the Xbox and Xbox Live launched on November 15th in their respective years. Halo 2 was November 9th, also a Tuesday.
Amen. Stupid girls wo always kicked my ass with Mileena, that cheap ass Sai-throwing whore.
Hey, don't forget the return of the rubber ducky demo they used to show off the PS2's capabilities that no game ever matched either!! When I saw that, I laughed. Hard. Then I wondered who was going to fall for it. Again. Then I came to slashdot, watched some G4tv, and realized that everyone was doing exactly that. I congratulate Sony on being able to sell ice to eskimos yet again.
Shortly followed by the demo of swirling leaves where he said, and I shit you not, the each leaf (out of thousands) could have its own audio channel used to great effect to simulate....wait for it...'rustling'. I couldn't make this stuff up.
Just a note, it's been confirmed by the developers that the Killzone footage is 'what we intend the game to look like'. I.E, it's all pre-rendered CGI. Heck, even the animation gave it away. I wouldn't get you hopes up for the game to look like that trailer. Good, yes, but like that? I don't think so.
Third person. The story has it completely wrong. It's a third-person survival horror action game. Apparently, according to the article, it seems like it plays a lot like Namco's KillSwitch, where you strategically move from one spt to the next to take cover, pop up and fire, take more cover, move ahead, etc. Most of that is actually in-game footage in the trailer, if you look closely enough. Note that this is NOT a launch title. It's supposed to be out next spring.
I would think that being 720p (which is a requirement on XBOX 360) would at the very least count for something, at least over the PS2 and canned XBOX version. Especially when you consider that it probably would've been ported from the PC version, and downgraded somewhat to run on the original XBOX. Heck, that new Tony Hawk game isn't getting much of a graphical upgrade over the PS2 and XBOX versions either. Looks about the same to me. That's the problem with ports sometimes. No biggie.
You mean the same pre-rendered stuff and rubby ducky demo (which saw when the PS2 got announced), where none of the games ever came close to looking like that? Don't get me wrong, I watched all of it, and it got me excited in a 'what-if!?!?' sort of way, but I'm not stupid enough to think the actual Killzone 2 would ever look anywhere near what they showed in the CGI movie. God forbid Microsoft actually focus on showing actual games, that will actually be playable at the show and released in the fall, and people rag on them for it by comparing them to the pre-rendered CGI footage and tech demos from the PS3.
But Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance also came out for the XBOX. Which system is this game going to be on?
"First is the "media center" idea of the XBox 360. Good luck. You'll need it. I have a DVD player. Everyone does. In fact, I have many (computer, PS2, etc.). But the feature is nearly free, so I don't blame them for including it. Sony will do better in that regard because their machine will play Blu-Ray discs. But as for the rest of it, they are going to have a hard time getting me to use it for anything but games. Play music? Why should I rerip all my CDs? And even if they were in MP3 (they are in AAC), I bet I couldn't just copy them over to the X-Box 360, I'd have to re-rip them. I'm not going to do that. Unless I can stream them to the machine, I won't use that part. I won't play DVDs on it (already covered that). Now playing video would be nice if I could stream if off my computer (a Mac). But my guess is that you can only do that from a Windows Media Center eddition computer, which doesn't help me. They can put all the media features they want, it doesn't matter to me, I'll only be buying it for the games. I don't care about videoconfrencing, VOIP chat, or editing home movies (or anything else they come up with). It is a console, and while it is nice they will pack on all those features, I don't think it will make any real difference in sales."
Maybe you'll be happy to know that you've missed out on all the stuff you can do, even without a Media Center PC...granted, you won't be able to do some things like stream video, record tv, etc., firstly on a Mac, and also because you don't have a Media Center PC, but don't think for a second that Longhorn (when it comes out) won't have all these things standard. This info from Xbox.com:Steinglass: ...Xbox 360 gives you flexibility around where you store your music. You can still rip CDs to the console's hard drive. But you can also store music on your PC and stream it to Xbox 360, or you can stream it from any portable media player, a Rio Carbon, or an iPod.
TriXie: No way. I can plug my iPod into my Xbox 360?
Steinglass: Yep. We know that a lot of people have spent a lot of time organizing their music on their PC or portable player. We see the Xbox 360 as replacing your CD player in your entertainment center, but also as the best digital media amplifier available. Your PC is a great place to manage your music, but it's not always the best place to enjoy it. With Xbox 360 you've got one central place to listen to all your music on the best sound system in the house.
TriXie: So, I've already done the learning curve on ripping and managing my music on my PC and portable player. Please tell me I'm not gonna have to learn a whole new system.
Gunn: No, you won't have to learn a new system to use Xbox 360's music features. The UI has been optimized for browsing, and allows users to find and play their music in a simple and intuitive way. Users can browse their music by artists, albums, songs, playlists, or genres. The new UI is both flexible and powerful and will provide a very robust music experience. The design of our interface was influenced by industry standard user interfaces--most notably, Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player. No one should have trouble using the music feature.
TriXie: Any other tricks we should know about?
Gunn: You can listen to your music while you view a slideshow of digital images stored on your PC, CD, or USB Storage device. DVD playback will be automatic--no need to buy a remote. We are packing Xbox 360 with around five times the media capabilities of the first Xbox. This will truly be the best digital media amplifier available.
Also note that DVD playback is progressive this time, although I'm not sure what the de-interlacing algorithm/chip they're using is.
Yeah dude, all the Hurricane Packs were free and part of the Master Ninja Tournament. So, for those with Xbox Live, this whoe thing doesn't even show up on the radar is something you would even consider buying since you've already got it.
It's not blacked out. It's black. That's a custom video port, into which you plug whatever custom adapter/cable you purchase seperately. Exactly like the current Xbox. Expect COAX, Composite (included in the box), S-video, Component, and hopefully DVI/HDMI.
Let's see. 40 percent, plus 50 percent = 90 percent, which leaves 10 percent for Nintendo. Dur.
Media Connector? What's that? Can't find anything on Microsoft's site about it.
Nah, he define's the 'hub' as the PC. The Xbox simply accesses the hub. Seriously, would you want to store all your music, video, images on an Xbox, or on your PC? What I don't get it Microsoft's obsession with the damn Media Center PC. How many people actually own one of those damn things? If I can't do certain things with my Xbox 360 because I don't run Windows Media Center, well, I'm going to be irritated.
I believe they have an upgrade/replacement plan where they pay a nominal amount to replace your current TiVo, reciever, or HD TiVo when you exchange it for a new one. The way I read it (which was somewhere else on Slashdot in another TiVo story) was that they obviously won't pay you waht you paid for the HD TiVo, but the newer receivers would be significantly lower in price, and that 'new ' price would pretty much match what they give you for the exchange. Surely they don't want to alienate customers, especially those that are obviously willing to pay for premium hardware/content.
just tell us how great it will be to surf the net on their TV at a crappy resolution..
Normally, I'd agree with you, especially about WebTV when I've got a computer a few feet away, but you gotta admit, there ain't nothing wrong with 1280 by 720 resolution on an HDTV. Remember, we're talking about the 'HD-era' here, so you have to assume that'd be included.
I don't want to defend or refute the 'fanboys' you're talking about, but it's been a common conception for years that all these companies want to dominate the whole 'digital set-top box' market, and making a good gaming machine was obviously the first step in doing that. Hey, if it wants to give me IPTV, web browsing, caller-id, PVR capability, music/media storage all at the same time...fine by me.
That being said, and to answer your question, I actually use my Xbox as a music server. Whenever I buy a new CD, I copy it to my Xbox (and PC for my ipod), then keep the disc in my car from that point forward. And no, I don't use the crappy RCA-style remote, and instead programmed it into my universal remote. I would argue that alot of people (mostly youngsters) watch DVD on their systems. The largest issue with the Xbox as a DVD player is that it's not progressive-scan, 3:2 pulldown, or any of that.
I have absolutely no faith in this so-called preloaded Halo idea, more often called 'Halo 2.5', which is not at all unlike 'Halo 1.5' which was another user-community invented rumor. We all know that Bungie is only just now finished with the new maps, and even openly admitted in an interview on Monday that they're using their time to to determine what to do next. On top of that, you'd then have two totally different versions of Halo 2 playing against eachother over the same Xbox Live, which is just flat-out a bad idea.
The obvious solution is that players will be forced into buying the hard-drive, not because it's required for backwards compatibility from a hardware perspective, but simply because it 'allows' it, and maybe includes some sort of cost for licensing fees to NVidia if they're needed (for emulation), much like the DVD playback kit covers those codec fees so it's not included in the price of the Xbox itself. Then, the Xbox 360, would simply allow you to play with the original disc. Once again, none of this is confirmed, and the hands-down best indication of backwards compatibility (if there is any) was in fact that Allard quote from above. And that's the best we've got from any sort of reliable/identifiable source.
My problem with the whole idea is that the people most likely to see backwards compatibility as a make/break selling feature are those that don't have a lot of money in the first place, and are more on the fence about buying the next Xbox. So, only include it in the more expensive model, which is the one that early adopters will buy anyway? Why not have it in the cheaper system, so little Timmy, who only has a couple games, is still in middle-school, and has to trade in his system to afford the new one will be able to have it as well?
What is it with Zonk considering anonymous sources as confirmation of something? Until Microsoft says it, nothing is confirmed. This is just a more specific version of the rumor from November that came out regarding multiple versions of the Xbox. Likely? Yeah, but really it's all just speculation until the MTV special next month. Shudders at the thought of MTV as an actual source of information. And how come these anonymous sources never bother to mention for certain whether the HD version will have backwards compatibility?