This is the reason why Microsoft has console exclusives for their Xbox and 360, but they're publishing games for GBA and DS (such as Rare's games) because they do not have a hardware competitor with Nintendo there. They can do nothing but make money by publishing software on Nintendo's handhelds.
I personally see this a pretty diplomatic move from Microsoft. Not only that but they have never specifically targetted the Revolution as their competition for 360, only the PS3. Whereas Sony thinks it's going to put Microsoft and Nintendo (both console and handheld) out of business someday.
I'm excited enough about the new "realistic" Zelda I've even considered a Gamecube pruchase for it (can't justify it yet). I wish Ninetndo would port this to other consoles like PS2.
This message brought to you by the same trolls who whine that Apple should release Mac OS X on any x86 system and don't understand a damn thing about hardware business.
Blu-Ray is Sony. Sony, the people who thought the $900 PSX would take off (it failed in Japan, a bad sign). Sony, the people who thought a $250 hi-rez PSP would beat Nintendo's handhelds (it didn't). Sony, the people who are considering releasing the PlayStation3 for $500 possibly.
They market towards the high-ends, and in this case, the videophiles. My guess is Blu-Ray players will not be that much less expensive than a PS3 which can play Blu-Ray.
"Mom and Dad" or "that guy from accounting" wouldn't know the difference between Blu-Ray and DVD. They would say "but I just switched over to DVD from VHS not long ago."
No, this technology is definitely geared towards the tech-savvy and high-end videophiles, until (if) it replaces DVD and becomes a simple standard. That is unless HD-DVD doesn't beat it, and it probably will. And these people tend to be people who know what DRM is, and what Sony is doing with it for Blu-Ray.
Sorry Sony, but it looks like Blu-Ray is going to join your other list of winners: Betamax, Atrac, Minidisc, PSP, PSX, etc...
Any way you look at it, it seems the PSP, PS3 and Blu-Ray are going to be the end of Sony.
Hmmm... a box on every TV set, that connects to Sony's servers and reports back to big brother, and also can send back information that could disable your box, or worse. I think I know who Sony hired to design this...
Additionally, the Seattle Times has piece up indicating that Microsoft is planning on battling Nintendo in the streets of New York City, with a possible Times Square store of their own
Don't they mean "battling Sony"? Sony is the one, not Nintendo, who has its own retail store in New York. That and, time and time again, Microsoft keeps saying Sony is its biggest competitor, not Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft seem to just be going after each others' throats this time, both laying off Nintendo.
Forget True Fantasy Live Online. I'm sure that more RPG gamers have cried 'round the world over the lack of an Earthbound 64 (Mother 3).
On a bright note, there's rumor the game is back in the works for GBA (with the 2D style), but GBA is started to fade out in favor of DS. Maybe it will be a DS title? The DS is capable of N64 graphics, so maybe the DS will get the actual Earthbound 64.
Runner up on biggest RPG heartbreak was probably the move of Final Fantasy 64 to FF7 for PSone.
Of course you don't have to just use RAID for backups.
You could just use RAID-0 for very fast speed, albiet very insecure. Since laptop harddrives should be treated as insecure data anyway (back it up often on outside sources), it seems that doing RAID-0 on a laptop makes sense.
Laptops don't need security boosts (like someone said earlier, if it's stolen the thief now just has two copies of your data). Laptops need the speed increase since they tend to have only 5200rpm drives (7200rpm only if you have a metallic case, such as in Powerbooks).
Speaking of Powerbooks, I'm sure someone will tie this story into Apple somehow...
Because each of those 4GB flashcards cost like $200+ in themselves. Apple will mostly get them discounted and you'll not likely pay $200 just for the internal, but if they put even two of those things in an iPod Mini, it would have to cost the consumer at least $400 (for an 8GB player!) in order for Apple not not go bankrupt over it.
The Revolution is, in fact, using the same processor, but a faster one, as the Gamecube: The IBM PowerPC. So developers who have coded for the Gamecube can easily jump into the Revolution.
The Xbox 360 and PS3 all are changing processors. Xbox was Intel P3 (x86) and Xbox 360 is triple-PowerPC. PS2 was MIPS and the PS3 is IBM Cell.
So 360 and PS3 developers need to learn something new. Revolution developers will be using the same processors (just faster) but will need to learn to code for that controller, which is probably only going to be as hard as learning how to code for the analog stick or rumble pak like in the past.
I don't know why people think the Revolution is going to be some underpowered system. The PS3 and Xbox 360 have multi-processors (both based on PowerPC) sure. But I'm a computer guy and even I know that if the Revolution is going to have a single 3.0Ghz+ PowerPC processor and a modern ATI GPU, thst's still more than overkill for a console dedicated for running games. Perhaps it's because the 360 and PS3 will be running media center operating systems underneathe, but Nintendo keeps stating they're building nothing but a games system.
I find it absolutely amazing that there's all this doom and gloom prediction about the XBOX 360. But when Sony says their machine will be expensive, nobody cares.
What I find amazing is that everyone thinks that Sony and Microsoft are the only two players in this game, and seem to think Nintendo's Revolution is going to be some sort of niche/toy. Perhaps this is all part of Nintendo's master plan? They *are* the smartest and wisest of the three companies, afterall...
THIS will be Nintendo's contribution to the gaming industry.
As if Nintendo hasn't already done more for the gaming industry than anyone else already?...
Revived the near-dead industry from Atari
First 4-way directional pad
First expandable system (Famicom + Disk System)
First game not fixed on one static screen (Super Mario Bros)
First battery-save catridge
First portable gaming system (Game & Watch)
First portable multi-title console (Gameboy)
First 4-player games (NES Satellite)
First game console gun (Zapper)
Idea to include system upgrades right in the game cartridge (Super FX/Star Fox)
First analog stick for games (N64)
First rumble feature for games (Rumble Pak/Star Fox 64)
First system to have 4 controller ports (N64)
First backwards-compatible system (Gameboy Color, or Advance if you're picky)
First attempt at 3D virtual reality in a console
First time to use two sets of d-pads or analog sticks (Virtual Boy)
First upgradable RAM for a system (N64/Jump Pak)
First writable catridge/flash-memory based console (Gameboy Advance)
First handheld-to-console connection
First official RF wireless controllers
First console with two screens
I'm sure I'm missing a few. People seem to think whatever new technology Nintendo is going to introduce with the Revolution will make them a niche system rather than "standardized" the way 360 and PS3 are going to be. No doubt it will be something along the lines of their many other firsts which others have adapted. Their track record speaks for themselves, especially since everyone from Sega to Sony has copied them.
Why all the talk about the second button being a big deal? Anyone notice they have a scroll wheel thingy too (as well as it acting as the third button)?
I know many of you cannot live without the second mouse button, but I'm one further. Once I learned to use the scroll wheel, I couldn't go back. The $50 Apple mouse with one button and no scrolling just wouldn't do (and it sucks that you have to pay for that useless thing when you buy a Mac).
Thank god Apple finally made scrolling (as well as a second and third button) standard on their mice, cuz we all know that even though you *can* buy a Logitech or Kensington mouse with multibuttons, most Apple users just stick with what they get from the box (much like most Windows sheepel stick with Internet Explorer cuz it's what they get out of the box).
So how long until this is built-in to their laptops? I use to have an iBook but couldn't stand the single button mouse, and yes there WERE times I couldn't just whip out an external mouse. Once this and either the G5 or Pentium M goes in the Powerbooks, I'm getting one. Till now, my G5 desktop with multi-button mouse will have to suit my Mac cravings.
When you buy a Gamecube game, you shouldn't be pissed off that it will not run on your PlayStation2. For example, if you're primarily a PS2 gamer but just can not live without playing the new Zelda game, even though it's the only Gamecube game you really want to play, you might use the same logic you should be able to play it on YOUR hardware (the PS2) because you bought it and you own it. Sorry but you'll have to crack down and buy a Gamecube to play it.
Same thing with Mac OS X. Get over it, the only point of the DRM is so it only runs on Mac hardware. Mac OS X doesn't even ask for a serial key when installing, so they're not all that concerned with pirating, just keeping their software on their hardware. There's no conspiracy to lock down your music or video (why would they make iTunes and iDVD?) and there's definitely no conspiracy to limit your freedom through DRM here. STFU and realize the Mactel DRM is not here to bring on Orwellian oppression on your cheap ass.
Mac software, Mac hardware. Gamecube software, Gamecube hardware. It's not going to run on your 1337 AMD box made out of cheap spare Dell parts from your basement. If you want Mac OS X, you're going to have to buy a G4, G5 or wait for the *real* elite computer: the Intel Mac.
You might say "well Apple would make more money if they just sold the OS for any x86 system." Well sorry, but Apple isn't going to run out of business just because they lost your sale. They already make billions a year in profit with their mere 3% market share, and it's only going to go up when the Mactels come out. Don't even pretend you were going to buy it anyway if they *did* release it for any x86 machine. You were probably going to just wait for a torrent release of it, and you'd probably come up with some valid logic why that's OK too. Please, that kind of thinking is for Microsoft OS's, Apple deserves a little better.
My biggest concern is my programs not matching. Seeing as I like GTK themes better then most KDE themes, and nothing exists to match GTK themes on KDE (just the other way around) I'm stuck with just attempting to match my colors...Sure this is all apperance and doesn't say much about function but it's still pretty annoying...
Isn't that what the whole Bluecurve project was all about? Making Gnome and KDE apps look almost like they were the same interface? The final version of it (in Fedora Core 3 and RHEL 4) seemed to pull it off nicely.
Too bad that starting with Fedora Core 4, Redhat is switching the default theme to that ugly-ass Clearlooks and it's light-blue/light-brown color scheme. I guess since Fedora is suppossedly no longer a fork of Redhat, they have to pull the plug on redhat-artwork which means R.I.P. Bluecurve.:(
A "simpler approach" meaning they're using an already existing architecture (IBM PowerPC) vs Sony's decision to use not-yet-born architecture (IBM Cell). Don't make it sound like Microsoft's putting out a Pentium 3 vs Sony's Pentium 4 MP. Microsoft is just using a proven technology that's already out, and is overkill as far as videogame CPU's need (and the Cell is definite overkill), so that's the only reason it's coming out earlier.
Being the Revolution can play Gamecube discs and use their controllers means the Gamecube format can live on. (in fact, the Rev has just faster versions of the same PowerPC and ATI graphics card, so backwards compatibility is not hard at all here). Since the Rev is only supporting up to 480p as far as HDTV/progressive scan goes, and Gamecube games can already support this, it seems the Gamecube format can be a stepping stone to developers learning the Rev format. Developers can still make Gamecube games and Revolution owners can still play them. Unlike playing PS1 games on the PS2, playing GC games on the Rev will look just as good as playing them on the original console.
Actually Sony lost money on the PS2 and continues to do so, and they will lose even more on the PS3 than Microsoft will on their Xbox and Xbox 360. Nintendo is the only one who actually makes a profit, yet all the Sony/Microsoft-buttfuckers call Nintendo the "loser" of this generation.
Slashdot Mirror
This is the reason why Microsoft has console exclusives for their Xbox and 360, but they're publishing games for GBA and DS (such as Rare's games) because they do not have a hardware competitor with Nintendo there. They can do nothing but make money by publishing software on Nintendo's handhelds.
I personally see this a pretty diplomatic move from Microsoft. Not only that but they have never specifically targetted the Revolution as their competition for 360, only the PS3. Whereas Sony thinks it's going to put Microsoft and Nintendo (both console and handheld) out of business someday.
Blu-Ray is Sony. Sony, the people who thought the $900 PSX would take off (it failed in Japan, a bad sign). Sony, the people who thought a $250 hi-rez PSP would beat Nintendo's handhelds (it didn't). Sony, the people who are considering releasing the PlayStation3 for $500 possibly.
They market towards the high-ends, and in this case, the videophiles. My guess is Blu-Ray players will not be that much less expensive than a PS3 which can play Blu-Ray.
"Mom and Dad" or "that guy from accounting" wouldn't know the difference between Blu-Ray and DVD. They would say "but I just switched over to DVD from VHS not long ago."
No, this technology is definitely geared towards the tech-savvy and high-end videophiles, until (if) it replaces DVD and becomes a simple standard. That is unless HD-DVD doesn't beat it, and it probably will. And these people tend to be people who know what DRM is, and what Sony is doing with it for Blu-Ray.
Sorry Sony, but it looks like Blu-Ray is going to join your other list of winners: Betamax, Atrac, Minidisc, PSP, PSX, etc...
Any way you look at it, it seems the PSP, PS3 and Blu-Ray are going to be the end of Sony.
Hmmm... a box on every TV set, that connects to Sony's servers and reports back to big brother, and also can send back information that could disable your box, or worse. I think I know who Sony hired to design this...
Most "videophiles" tend to be tech-savvy folk who are probably all well aware of DRM and this Sony BS. I think we're safe for now...
Jackass.
Good job posting that link to God Hates America on here. Hopefully now the Slashdot effect will wipe it off the face of the Internet.
Off-topic, and probably not the place, but... I'd like to meet these so-called "kilohumans" the parent mentions.
Well for some reason Super Mario is a cameo in the movie, played by a chick though...
Don't they mean "battling Sony"? Sony is the one, not Nintendo, who has its own retail store in New York. That and, time and time again, Microsoft keeps saying Sony is its biggest competitor, not Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft seem to just be going after each others' throats this time, both laying off Nintendo.
Forget True Fantasy Live Online. I'm sure that more RPG gamers have cried 'round the world over the lack of an Earthbound 64 (Mother 3).
On a bright note, there's rumor the game is back in the works for GBA (with the 2D style), but GBA is started to fade out in favor of DS. Maybe it will be a DS title? The DS is capable of N64 graphics, so maybe the DS will get the actual Earthbound 64.
Runner up on biggest RPG heartbreak was probably the move of Final Fantasy 64 to FF7 for PSone.
Of course you don't have to just use RAID for backups.
You could just use RAID-0 for very fast speed, albiet very insecure. Since laptop harddrives should be treated as insecure data anyway (back it up often on outside sources), it seems that doing RAID-0 on a laptop makes sense.
Laptops don't need security boosts (like someone said earlier, if it's stolen the thief now just has two copies of your data). Laptops need the speed increase since they tend to have only 5200rpm drives (7200rpm only if you have a metallic case, such as in Powerbooks).
Speaking of Powerbooks, I'm sure someone will tie this story into Apple somehow...
Because each of those 4GB flashcards cost like $200+ in themselves. Apple will mostly get them discounted and you'll not likely pay $200 just for the internal, but if they put even two of those things in an iPod Mini, it would have to cost the consumer at least $400 (for an 8GB player!) in order for Apple not not go bankrupt over it.
The Revolution is, in fact, using the same processor, but a faster one, as the Gamecube: The IBM PowerPC. So developers who have coded for the Gamecube can easily jump into the Revolution.
The Xbox 360 and PS3 all are changing processors. Xbox was Intel P3 (x86) and Xbox 360 is triple-PowerPC. PS2 was MIPS and the PS3 is IBM Cell.
So 360 and PS3 developers need to learn something new. Revolution developers will be using the same processors (just faster) but will need to learn to code for that controller, which is probably only going to be as hard as learning how to code for the analog stick or rumble pak like in the past.
I don't know why people think the Revolution is going to be some underpowered system. The PS3 and Xbox 360 have multi-processors (both based on PowerPC) sure. But I'm a computer guy and even I know that if the Revolution is going to have a single 3.0Ghz+ PowerPC processor and a modern ATI GPU, thst's still more than overkill for a console dedicated for running games. Perhaps it's because the 360 and PS3 will be running media center operating systems underneathe, but Nintendo keeps stating they're building nothing but a games system.
Wonderful. Just what Slashdot needs: an article for both the Google and Apple fanboys to rant about...
- Revived the near-dead industry from Atari
- First 4-way directional pad
- First expandable system (Famicom + Disk System)
- First game not fixed on one static screen (Super Mario Bros)
- First battery-save catridge
- First portable gaming system (Game & Watch)
- First portable multi-title console (Gameboy)
- First 4-player games (NES Satellite)
- First game console gun (Zapper)
- Idea to include system upgrades right in the game cartridge (Super FX/Star Fox)
- First analog stick for games (N64)
- First rumble feature for games (Rumble Pak/Star Fox 64)
- First system to have 4 controller ports (N64)
- First backwards-compatible system (Gameboy Color, or Advance if you're picky)
- First attempt at 3D virtual reality in a console
- First time to use two sets of d-pads or analog sticks (Virtual Boy)
- First upgradable RAM for a system (N64/Jump Pak)
- First writable catridge/flash-memory based console (Gameboy Advance)
- First handheld-to-console connection
- First official RF wireless controllers
- First console with two screens
I'm sure I'm missing a few. People seem to think whatever new technology Nintendo is going to introduce with the Revolution will make them a niche system rather than "standardized" the way 360 and PS3 are going to be. No doubt it will be something along the lines of their many other firsts which others have adapted. Their track record speaks for themselves, especially since everyone from Sega to Sony has copied them.Why all the talk about the second button being a big deal? Anyone notice they have a scroll wheel thingy too (as well as it acting as the third button)?
I know many of you cannot live without the second mouse button, but I'm one further. Once I learned to use the scroll wheel, I couldn't go back. The $50 Apple mouse with one button and no scrolling just wouldn't do (and it sucks that you have to pay for that useless thing when you buy a Mac).
Thank god Apple finally made scrolling (as well as a second and third button) standard on their mice, cuz we all know that even though you *can* buy a Logitech or Kensington mouse with multibuttons, most Apple users just stick with what they get from the box (much like most Windows sheepel stick with Internet Explorer cuz it's what they get out of the box).
So how long until this is built-in to their laptops? I use to have an iBook but couldn't stand the single button mouse, and yes there WERE times I couldn't just whip out an external mouse. Once this and either the G5 or Pentium M goes in the Powerbooks, I'm getting one. Till now, my G5 desktop with multi-button mouse will have to suit my Mac cravings.
When you buy a Gamecube game, you shouldn't be pissed off that it will not run on your PlayStation2. For example, if you're primarily a PS2 gamer but just can not live without playing the new Zelda game, even though it's the only Gamecube game you really want to play, you might use the same logic you should be able to play it on YOUR hardware (the PS2) because you bought it and you own it. Sorry but you'll have to crack down and buy a Gamecube to play it.
Same thing with Mac OS X. Get over it, the only point of the DRM is so it only runs on Mac hardware. Mac OS X doesn't even ask for a serial key when installing, so they're not all that concerned with pirating, just keeping their software on their hardware. There's no conspiracy to lock down your music or video (why would they make iTunes and iDVD?) and there's definitely no conspiracy to limit your freedom through DRM here. STFU and realize the Mactel DRM is not here to bring on Orwellian oppression on your cheap ass.
Mac software, Mac hardware. Gamecube software, Gamecube hardware. It's not going to run on your 1337 AMD box made out of cheap spare Dell parts from your basement. If you want Mac OS X, you're going to have to buy a G4, G5 or wait for the *real* elite computer: the Intel Mac.
You might say "well Apple would make more money if they just sold the OS for any x86 system." Well sorry, but Apple isn't going to run out of business just because they lost your sale. They already make billions a year in profit with their mere 3% market share, and it's only going to go up when the Mactels come out. Don't even pretend you were going to buy it anyway if they *did* release it for any x86 machine. You were probably going to just wait for a torrent release of it, and you'd probably come up with some valid logic why that's OK too. Please, that kind of thinking is for Microsoft OS's, Apple deserves a little better.
Yeah but do the tired old jokes run Linux?
Too bad that starting with Fedora Core 4, Redhat is switching the default theme to that ugly-ass Clearlooks and it's light-blue/light-brown color scheme. I guess since Fedora is suppossedly no longer a fork of Redhat, they have to pull the plug on redhat-artwork which means R.I.P. Bluecurve.
That's all the PS3 needs is a Sega CD / 32x type add-on to hammer the final nail to its coffin.
A "simpler approach" meaning they're using an already existing architecture (IBM PowerPC) vs Sony's decision to use not-yet-born architecture (IBM Cell). Don't make it sound like Microsoft's putting out a Pentium 3 vs Sony's Pentium 4 MP. Microsoft is just using a proven technology that's already out, and is overkill as far as videogame CPU's need (and the Cell is definite overkill), so that's the only reason it's coming out earlier.
Being the Revolution can play Gamecube discs and use their controllers means the Gamecube format can live on. (in fact, the Rev has just faster versions of the same PowerPC and ATI graphics card, so backwards compatibility is not hard at all here). Since the Rev is only supporting up to 480p as far as HDTV/progressive scan goes, and Gamecube games can already support this, it seems the Gamecube format can be a stepping stone to developers learning the Rev format. Developers can still make Gamecube games and Revolution owners can still play them. Unlike playing PS1 games on the PS2, playing GC games on the Rev will look just as good as playing them on the original console.
Actually Sony lost money on the PS2 and continues to do so, and they will lose even more on the PS3 than Microsoft will on their Xbox and Xbox 360. Nintendo is the only one who actually makes a profit, yet all the Sony/Microsoft-buttfuckers call Nintendo the "loser" of this generation.