[quote]Hmmm he should have got NFL Fever 2003 online with the Beta kit.<hr></blockquote>
I did get Fever. I also got the year wrong. <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
Still, I've only played one game so far and the guy left at halftime saying I was 'cheap' for picking the Patriots. For reference, he was the Rams. I don't know why he left, especially since I was only up by 3 points.
Revolt is still dead. I sat in the lobby pressing refresh for about 15 minutes and no one showed up. I'm kind of surprised considering it's one of 3 Xbox Live titles available and the only other two are football.
BTW, if anyone is on Xbox Live, my 'gamertag' is Minion. Yes, before you ask, all the other cheesy names were already taken.
As for GameCube, I'm having a pretty good time with the new Animal Crossing game. Aimed at younger audiences? Yes. Similar to the Sims? Yes. Tons of fun? Yes.
As for the Dreamcast, it's still an awesome console. I just picked up a new game called Ikaruga which is really cool. Of course you won't find a new one anywhere.
[quote] <strong>I REFUSE to play any FPS games (UT, Quake, RtCW, MOHAA, etc) with a damn controller. </strong> <hr></blockquote>
Then you'll have to play them on a computer: the console versions have redesigned control interfaces that don't even have keyboard/mouse options, to lesser or greater degrees of success.
I'm really of the opinion that the platforms are much of a muchness when it comes to the actual hardware (willy-waving spec comparisons aside, anyone can make a game that looks bad on all three), so the choice is really going to come down to what games you want to play.
Xbox, Sony and Nintendo have all latched onto this, which is why they're tying the big franchises into multiyear exclusivity deals (I think GTA is PlayStation only for the next 3 years).
For a lot of people (me included), this is a deciding factor: no point buying a box that won't have the games I want. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
I also vote for the gamecube, the most fun I've ever had playing a multiplayer game with my buddies is 007: Agent Under Fire for the GC. But I also own the PS2 for it's huge amount of available games.
More advice, just play them all if you can and see which one you prefer. Find some buds that have them and go over and test it out. You'll know which one you want after playing them all.
Gamecube has the best games and the most enjoyable gameplay experience.
Get an Xbox or a PS2 if you want to brag about specs, or if you're going to play 5+ new games per month.
But if you're like most of us -- busy enough that you're going to play each game for dozens or even hundreds of hours, meaning that you only have time to buy & fully play a dozen games a year, at most -- you'll best off with the GC.
Another way of putting it is that if you compare the five or ten best games on every platform, GC wins.
'snuff said right? They might as well change the name of the console to PlayGrandTheftAuto3Station 2 because after playing the other 9 'top 10 games' I only bought this one. And the cracked up part is... it is worth buying the system for this one game. It is THAT good.
The USB ports on the PS2 dont look like normal USB ports. Also the Xbox. Do I need adapters?
Can I actually RECONFIGURE the keys to keyboard keys and mouse?
I want to be able to strafe and move forward backward with keyboard and look around with mouse. (plus all the other usual keys)
There is no way you can achieve that precision and immersiveness with a controller.
Pro gaming will never come to these handicapped consoles until you have something as damn basic as a keyboard and goddam mouse!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Ummm.. I have played Halo online with my xbox in till I bought my iBook and the controls are fine once you get them down. It was fun in till I sold my PC
<strong>The USB ports on the PS2 dont look like normal USB ports.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Nope, they're bog-standard, just like the iLink port is a bog-standard 4-pin Firewire port.
The real question is one of software drivers that can handle the keyboard/mouse inputs, and the games don't necessarily have these (although the PS2 Linux dev kit does, along with a pretty fugly keyboard). The code is out there in the libraries, but most FPS games are rewritten to adapt them to the platform, often to the extent of modifying levels to reduce the reliance on keyboard-type behaviours.
[quote]<strong>I want to be able to strafe and move forward backward with keyboard and look around with mouse. (plus all the other usual keys)</strong><hr></blockquote>
There are other ways of doing the same thing, say left and right shoulder buttons for strafing and an analogue stick for looking around: it's all about good interface design on the part of the developer.
[quote]<strong>Pro gaming will never come to these handicapped consoles until you have something as damn basic as a keyboard and goddam mouse!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Probably because it's not supposed to: a console is, ooh, a tenth the price of a computer, so will necessarily not deliver the same experience.
Anyway, we're getting offtopic here, and heading towards a computer vs console gaming debate which is often as bloody as the Wintel vs Mac one...
Much in the same way buying a Mac shows that one can appreciate great software design, buying a GameCube is what separates the casual gamers that play stuff for blood, guts, and tits, from the actual hardcore that know what to look for in a quality masterpiece--a work of art.
the only reason to go xbox would be halo. which of course is coming to mac/pc. despite all the m$ bashing it is definitely a sweet machine, but the games besides halo are pretty weak. i'd look forward to the other m$ offerings, Black Hawk Down, and MechWarrior Assault... it plays dvd much better than ps2, but it's still not progressive scan.
on the ps2 i'd talk about GTA III and GTA Vice City... there are a hell of a lot of other great titles for the ps2 thought it is starting to get long in the tooth... psst gamecube
-- PS2 has solid state memory which doesn't go bad while the xBox has a hard drive which will eventually die. This may seem like the end-all-be-all of this point, but consider this : hard drive life is about 2 years. In about 2 years the next generation of game consoles will be out. This PS2's memory sticks also need to have power to keep their info. Which means you will have to turn your power on every so often, granted that 'every so often' in this case is maybe a year or more. XBox also has memory cards if you purchase them, and ditto for the GameCube.
--PS2 has Final Fantasy X, Grand Theft Auto 3, Gran Turismo 3, and Metal Gear Solid 2. Consider this though: Final Fantasy X doesn't have a lot of replay. Grand Theft Auto 3 has a lot of replay, but it gets old fast after you finish the missions. Metal Gear Solid 2 gets old after the first time through. Gran Turismo 3 has a sharper learning curve (control-wise ... as in game physics ... when to apply the parking brakes, when to ease off the gas, etc) than other racing games.
-- xBox has RalliSport, Fusion Frenzy, Halo, SSX Tricky, and Jet Set Radio Future. ( I know that SSX Tricky is on PS2, but I like the XBox version better ... I have played both versions ) Consider this: RalliSport doesn't have much replay value in single player, but there is lots in multiplayer. Downside of RalliSport is lack of cars and maps compared to Gran Turismo. Halo is the best console FPS since GoldenEye ( I liked GoldenEye better than Perfect Dark ). Halo has mucho replay value, try beating the game on Legendary and you'll see what I mean. Fusion Frenzy isn't at all a single player game. You can play single player, but the computer is so bad at a lot of the games, even on hard, that you really need other human players. This is a very good multiplayer game on par with Mario Party. Jet Set Radio Future is a graphically pleasing game that is different from the norm. ( It is even in a No Doubt music video ;-) ) I enjoyed the game play, though I have no beat it. I am undecided on the replay value though.
--GameCube has Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros Melee, Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2, Metroid Prime, Zelda, Mario Party 4. Granted, some of these games are yet to come out, but they are from Nintendo, and they have a reputation for making their great games better on each new console. Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2 are great multiplayer games as is Mario Party 4.
--xbox and gamecube have 4 controller ports built-in and no need for multi-tap. Due to the built-in extra ports, more games for xbox and gamecube will be multiplayer for up to 4 players since EVERYONE that purchases an xbox or gamecube will have that functionality.
--StarCraft:Ghost will only be on xbox or gamecube.
--PS2 plays DVDs out of the box, but the remote control for DVDs is $20
--Xbox supports DVDs as long as you buy a $10 remote control
--PS2 also has the collection of PS1 games you can play on it. Counter-Point : This is a mute point if you already have a PS1.
--PS2 has more RPGs and more games for it. Counter-Point : More games doesn't necessarily mean more 'good' games.
--PS2 graphics tend to be subpar to xbox and gamecube, and I've even had someone tell me that he thinks the DreamCast has better graphics than PS2.
--xbox has xbox-live which will have better QoS (Quality of Service) as far as network speeds go since one central place (MS) will control it all.
--PS2 and gamecube are not MS.
--gamecube runs on an IBM designed chip and IBM supports linux (for whatever that's worth)
--None of the 3 have Marvel vs Capcom 2 =(
--xbox has DoA 3 (I can't comment anymore, since I have not played it)
--PS2 has DDR (Dance Dance Revolution)
--xbox and gamecube both have fun multiplayer games. (xbox mainly has halo)
--xbox graphically doesn't look bad even when I am able to slow the system down (You can slow down the xbox too. In halo the Elites and Jackels bleed purple blood, this blood is rendered as particles rather than splotches like the other aliens' blood. Beat the dead bodies, or kill enough of those aliens in a really small area, then look at the blood really close. The game REALLY lags, but this is due to the way the particles are rendered.)
--xbox has HDTV video output and 5.1 audio
--xbox has built-in ethernet. while PS2 and gamecube require adapters.
--PS2 needs extra equipment for 5.1 audio
--gamecube has starfox and sonic adventure 2
--only PS2 will have GTA3 : Vice City, but is anyone doubting that it will be ported to PC?
The Dreamcast does have better graphics than the PS2 (I think it has something to do with anti-aliasing). Sega is also a very good developer that knew how to take full advantage of their hardware.
Now, I don't own any of the consoles, but have access to a GC an Xbox and a Dreamcast. The Dreamcast was the most fun. The GC is second, or now first, by virtue of Nintendo not being bankrupt. I think there are some good games out there for PS2, but really, I dunno.
Anyway, this talk about the display capabilities of Xbox vs the others is largely illusory. Yes the video-output of the Xbox can be HDTV, but the games probably will never be rendered (internally) in that resolution. All the consoles render one resolution internally and then have their output scaled by a special circuit. Xbox may go a little further but even M$'s offering will cough and sputter under the weight of 1920x1080 frames. It's output circuit might scale them to match, but don't expect much more than 1024x768 (maybe 1280x720) internally. Most likely, though, will be 480 or 540P scaled to match your 1080i set. Even this psuedo HDTV will look good, smoother than others, but it won't offer more real detail. Even the Dreamcast rendered internally at 1024x768, the PS2 goes up to 1280x1024, but you'll never see these actually output. Xbox can actually draw the HDTV frames internally, but at what cost in framerates? I'll bet that while it's better than the others, it isn't good enough for the 1080P they advertise. Anyway, that's all moot. HDTV won't be of any significance untill 2006, and even then it won't be more than a third of all sets. We'll have a new gen of consoles by then and those will all support HDTV.
Anyway, on to more important things. PS2 will be in the neighbourhood of 40 Million installed users by Christmas time (they have 30+ right now). They lead everywhere and still outsell M$ on week to week basis, sometimes by as much as 4:1. Gamecube is second, outselling M$ by anywhere from 50% to 2:1 week to week -- they should be over 10 Million installed users soon. M$? Last numbers that came out had them at about 6 Million worldwide about now. But more tellingly they're getting their asses handed to them on software sales. With the top selling titles mainly on PS2 (courtesy of that HUGE base) and first party GC (thanks to some great brands). M$ is getting killed...
On this generation, at least...
Will they slink away in the next? I dunno. At this point the PS brand isn't something Sony can afford to lose, it accounts for as much as 50% of their revenue. Nintendo? They only do games and franchises, and VERY profitable handhelds. They're small, but they're money makers. Sega, well, they're gone but they have software and arcade presence, though by definition that means they're small and could get bought out by either Sony or Nintendo. I expect Sony to fight M$ tooth and nail if (more likely, when) M$ comes back for another round. Why do I bring up Nintendo and Sega?
Because M$ is still a very scary adversary (hehe). Some strategic licensing control might be neccessary in the next round. I fully expected M$ to make a play for Sega, and it'd be a very different picture if they had, and it still could be if they do (though only for the next gen). Gaming is matter of national pride in Japan. I expect some strategic partnrships from Japan Inc before they let too many franchises migrate to foriegn soil. Nintendo-Sega? would have shored-up just about evry game worth owning, but it remains unlikely. You can only promote so many franchises. Fun was a strength of each, but they were also both the smallest players. Sony-Sega or M$-Sega? Would be great for either Sony or M$ to get those Sega franchises, but Sony would have given Sega a much bigger base to sell to. Nintendo? Hrmm, I dunno, they seem the least likely to join anyone. But they'll be at least one key merger in Japan before the next generation begins in full.
<strong>Actually, if you haven't already made the purchase, I would recommend the GameCube. I own all three consoles, and I can say that the GC will be my most-used this fall and holiday. Nintendo's lineup is simply stunning--we haven't had something this grandiose from the industry in years. Super Mario Sunshine and Animal Crossing, both already released and ready to be snatched up and enjoyed to their fullest, kick off the celebration, with Star Fox Adventures (a title that has spent over FOUR YEARS in development) coming onto shelves September 22nd. Additionally, Metroid Prime will make its way to stores in November, marking the first return of Samus since Super Metroid, after almost ten full years. In January or February, Nintendo will again shock the world with the cel-shaded Zelda game.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I rented Animal Crossing on Friday on my way home from work. Saturday morning I went to the store and bought it. It is, by far, the most addictive and engrossing game I have ever played. There's simply so much detail put into it. It reminds me a lot of the Sims, but completely devoid of all the annoying realism. It's like GameCube's equivalent of Ocerena of Time. If you don't own the console, this game alone would make buying it worthwhile 10 times over. I wish they'd quit pimping GBA all the time, tho
Check the front page of cnn.com today for an interesting article analyzing the possible future of Xbox if it doesn't exceed sales expectations this coming Christmas season.
<strong>Check the front page of cnn.com today for an interesting article analyzing the possible future of Xbox if it doesn't exceed sales expectations this coming Christmas season.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Already read that article- it has some factual issues (for example, it gets the launch date of the XBox wrong by 6 months).
Folks, MS just paid $400 million for Rare, do you think that they are leaving this market aytime soon? MS is in this for the long haul, and this is a GOOD thing. If MS wasn't threatening to release a new console system every three years, then Sony would continue to stick to its 5 year upgrade cycle. It is good to have MS causing Sony to have to figure out how to innovate.
Matsu, regarding the HDTV support, this is something that I have been looking into (thinking of buying a HDTV, want to continue to use my XBox). Where games do have to explicitly support resolutions greater than 480p, the XBox is fully capable of rendering images at the higher resolutions. The first 1080i game will be Dragon's layer and you can preview HDTV screenshots even now. These shots are enormous and should make for great gameplay. People who have bought HDTV's and use them with their XBoxen say that the HDTV picture looks far better than normal TV's.
Comments
to basiclly sum up the arguments so far.
XBox folks: we have better specs
PS2 folks: we have a shitload more games
Gamecube folks: we have the most fun games
so take your pic. specs, quantity or fun.
I did get Fever. I also got the year wrong. <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />
Still, I've only played one game so far and the guy left at halftime saying I was 'cheap' for picking the Patriots. For reference, he was the Rams. I don't know why he left, especially since I was only up by 3 points.
Revolt is still dead. I sat in the lobby pressing refresh for about 15 minutes and no one showed up. I'm kind of surprised considering it's one of 3 Xbox Live titles available and the only other two are football.
BTW, if anyone is on Xbox Live, my 'gamertag' is Minion. Yes, before you ask, all the other cheesy names were already taken.
As for GameCube, I'm having a pretty good time with the new Animal Crossing game. Aimed at younger audiences? Yes. Similar to the Sims? Yes. Tons of fun? Yes.
As for the Dreamcast, it's still an awesome console. I just picked up a new game called Ikaruga which is really cool. Of course you won't find a new one anywhere.
[ 09-20-2002: Message edited by: Fran441 ]</p>
[quote] <strong>I REFUSE to play any FPS games (UT, Quake, RtCW, MOHAA, etc) with a damn controller. </strong> <hr></blockquote>
Then you'll have to play them on a computer: the console versions have redesigned control interfaces that don't even have keyboard/mouse options, to lesser or greater degrees of success.
I'm really of the opinion that the platforms are much of a muchness when it comes to the actual hardware (willy-waving spec comparisons aside, anyone can make a game that looks bad on all three), so the choice is really going to come down to what games you want to play.
Xbox, Sony and Nintendo have all latched onto this, which is why they're tying the big franchises into multiyear exclusivity deals (I think GTA is PlayStation only for the next 3 years).
For a lot of people (me included), this is a deciding factor: no point buying a box that won't have the games I want. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
More advice, just play them all if you can and see which one you prefer. Find some buds that have them and go over and test it out. You'll know which one you want after playing them all.
PS2 has the most games.
Xbox has the best specs.
Gamecube has the best games and the most enjoyable gameplay experience.
Get an Xbox or a PS2 if you want to brag about specs, or if you're going to play 5+ new games per month.
But if you're like most of us -- busy enough that you're going to play each game for dozens or even hundreds of hours, meaning that you only have time to buy & fully play a dozen games a year, at most -- you'll best off with the GC.
Another way of putting it is that if you compare the five or ten best games on every platform, GC wins.
'snuff said right? They might as well change the name of the console to PlayGrandTheftAuto3Station 2 because after playing the other 9 'top 10 games' I only bought this one. And the cracked up part is... it is worth buying the system for this one game. It is THAT good.
<strong>what console has better support for a keyboard + mouse combo? I think only Xbox, right?
I REFUSE to play any FPS games (UT, Quake, RtCW, MOHAA, etc) with a damn controller.
Is GTA3 available for Xbox?
I have never owned a console... except an Atari 5200 back in, oh, 83 or so.
I have broadband connection so would be cool to play also online.
If I get keyboard plus mouse for Xbox, can I configure the keys for Halo?
[ 09-19-2002: Message edited by: ZO ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
umm, you can use a regular usb keyboard and mouse w/ the usb ports on the ps2 for games like UT...
<strong>
umm, you can use a regular usb keyboard and mouse w/ the usb ports on the ps2 for games like UT...</strong><hr></blockquote>
The USB ports on the PS2 dont look like normal USB ports. Also the Xbox. Do I need adapters?
Can I actually RECONFIGURE the keys to keyboard keys and mouse?
I want to be able to strafe and move forward backward with keyboard and look around with mouse. (plus all the other usual keys)
There is no way you can achieve that precision and immersiveness with a controller.
Pro gaming will never come to these handicapped consoles until you have something as damn basic as a keyboard and goddam mouse!!!!
<strong>
The USB ports on the PS2 dont look like normal USB ports. Also the Xbox. Do I need adapters?
Can I actually RECONFIGURE the keys to keyboard keys and mouse?
I want to be able to strafe and move forward backward with keyboard and look around with mouse. (plus all the other usual keys)
There is no way you can achieve that precision and immersiveness with a controller.
Pro gaming will never come to these handicapped consoles until you have something as damn basic as a keyboard and goddam mouse!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Ummm.. I have played Halo online with my xbox in till I bought my iBook and the controls are fine once you get them down. It was fun in till I sold my PC
<strong>The USB ports on the PS2 dont look like normal USB ports.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Nope, they're bog-standard, just like the iLink port is a bog-standard 4-pin Firewire port.
The real question is one of software drivers that can handle the keyboard/mouse inputs, and the games don't necessarily have these (although the PS2 Linux dev kit does, along with a pretty fugly keyboard). The code is out there in the libraries, but most FPS games are rewritten to adapt them to the platform, often to the extent of modifying levels to reduce the reliance on keyboard-type behaviours.
[quote]<strong>I want to be able to strafe and move forward backward with keyboard and look around with mouse. (plus all the other usual keys)</strong><hr></blockquote>
There are other ways of doing the same thing, say left and right shoulder buttons for strafing and an analogue stick for looking around: it's all about good interface design on the part of the developer.
[quote]<strong>Pro gaming will never come to these handicapped consoles until you have something as damn basic as a keyboard and goddam mouse!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Probably because it's not supposed to: a console is, ooh, a tenth the price of a computer, so will necessarily not deliver the same experience.
Anyway, we're getting offtopic here, and heading towards a computer vs console gaming debate which is often as bloody as the Wintel vs Mac one...
:cool:
on the ps2 i'd talk about GTA III and GTA Vice City... there are a hell of a lot of other great titles for the ps2 thought it is starting to get long in the tooth... psst gamecube
--PS2 has Final Fantasy X, Grand Theft Auto 3, Gran Turismo 3, and Metal Gear Solid 2. Consider this though: Final Fantasy X doesn't have a lot of replay. Grand Theft Auto 3 has a lot of replay, but it gets old fast after you finish the missions. Metal Gear Solid 2 gets old after the first time through. Gran Turismo 3 has a sharper learning curve (control-wise ... as in game physics ... when to apply the parking brakes, when to ease off the gas, etc) than other racing games.
-- xBox has RalliSport, Fusion Frenzy, Halo, SSX Tricky, and Jet Set Radio Future. ( I know that SSX Tricky is on PS2, but I like the XBox version better ... I have played both versions ) Consider this: RalliSport doesn't have much replay value in single player, but there is lots in multiplayer. Downside of RalliSport is lack of cars and maps compared to Gran Turismo. Halo is the best console FPS since GoldenEye ( I liked GoldenEye better than Perfect Dark ). Halo has mucho replay value, try beating the game on Legendary and you'll see what I mean.
--GameCube has Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros Melee, Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2, Metroid Prime, Zelda, Mario Party 4. Granted, some of these games are yet to come out, but they are from Nintendo, and they have a reputation for making their great games better on each new console. Super Monkey Ball 1 & 2 are great multiplayer games as is Mario Party 4.
--xbox and gamecube have 4 controller ports built-in and no need for multi-tap. Due to the built-in extra ports, more games for xbox and gamecube will be multiplayer for up to 4 players since EVERYONE that purchases an xbox or gamecube will have that functionality.
--StarCraft:Ghost will only be on xbox or gamecube.
--PS2 plays DVDs out of the box, but the remote control for DVDs is $20
--Xbox supports DVDs as long as you buy a $10 remote control
--PS2 also has the collection of PS1 games you can play on it. Counter-Point : This is a mute point if you already have a PS1.
--PS2 has more RPGs and more games for it. Counter-Point : More games doesn't necessarily mean more 'good' games.
--PS2 graphics tend to be subpar to xbox and gamecube, and I've even had someone tell me that he thinks the DreamCast has better graphics than PS2.
--xbox has xbox-live which will have better QoS (Quality of Service) as far as network speeds go since one central place (MS) will control it all.
--PS2 and gamecube are not MS.
--gamecube runs on an IBM designed chip and IBM supports linux (for whatever that's worth)
--None of the 3 have Marvel vs Capcom 2 =(
--xbox has DoA 3 (I can't comment anymore, since I have not played it)
--PS2 has DDR (Dance Dance Revolution)
--xbox and gamecube both have fun multiplayer games. (xbox mainly has halo)
--xbox graphically doesn't look bad even when I am able to slow the system down (You can slow down the xbox too. In halo the Elites and Jackels bleed purple blood, this blood is rendered as particles rather than splotches like the other aliens' blood. Beat the dead bodies, or kill enough of those aliens in a really small area, then look at the blood really close. The game REALLY lags, but this is due to the way the particles are rendered.)
--xbox has HDTV video output and 5.1 audio
--xbox has built-in ethernet. while PS2 and gamecube require adapters.
--PS2 needs extra equipment for 5.1 audio
--gamecube has starfox and sonic adventure 2
--only PS2 will have GTA3 : Vice City, but is anyone doubting that it will be ported to PC?
--xbox will have Halo 2
Can't think of much else for now
Marvel vs. Capcom is planned for all 3 consoles, the PS2 version will be released first in November: <a href="http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=280514" target="_blank">http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=280514</a>
Anyway, this talk about the display capabilities of Xbox vs the others is largely illusory. Yes the video-output of the Xbox can be HDTV, but the games probably will never be rendered (internally) in that resolution. All the consoles render one resolution internally and then have their output scaled by a special circuit. Xbox may go a little further but even M$'s offering will cough and sputter under the weight of 1920x1080 frames. It's output circuit might scale them to match, but don't expect much more than 1024x768 (maybe 1280x720) internally. Most likely, though, will be 480 or 540P scaled to match your 1080i set. Even this psuedo HDTV will look good, smoother than others, but it won't offer more real detail. Even the Dreamcast rendered internally at 1024x768, the PS2 goes up to 1280x1024, but you'll never see these actually output. Xbox can actually draw the HDTV frames internally, but at what cost in framerates? I'll bet that while it's better than the others, it isn't good enough for the 1080P they advertise. Anyway, that's all moot. HDTV won't be of any significance untill 2006, and even then it won't be more than a third of all sets. We'll have a new gen of consoles by then and those will all support HDTV.
Anyway, on to more important things. PS2 will be in the neighbourhood of 40 Million installed users by Christmas time (they have 30+ right now). They lead everywhere and still outsell M$ on week to week basis, sometimes by as much as 4:1. Gamecube is second, outselling M$ by anywhere from 50% to 2:1 week to week -- they should be over 10 Million installed users soon. M$? Last numbers that came out had them at about 6 Million worldwide about now. But more tellingly they're getting their asses handed to them on software sales. With the top selling titles mainly on PS2 (courtesy of that HUGE base) and first party GC (thanks to some great brands). M$ is getting killed...
On this generation, at least...
Will they slink away in the next? I dunno. At this point the PS brand isn't something Sony can afford to lose, it accounts for as much as 50% of their revenue. Nintendo? They only do games and franchises, and VERY profitable handhelds. They're small, but they're money makers. Sega, well, they're gone but they have software and arcade presence, though by definition that means they're small and could get bought out by either Sony or Nintendo. I expect Sony to fight M$ tooth and nail if (more likely, when) M$ comes back for another round. Why do I bring up Nintendo and Sega?
Because M$ is still a very scary adversary (hehe). Some strategic licensing control might be neccessary in the next round. I fully expected M$ to make a play for Sega, and it'd be a very different picture if they had, and it still could be if they do (though only for the next gen). Gaming is matter of national pride in Japan. I expect some strategic partnrships from Japan Inc before they let too many franchises migrate to foriegn soil. Nintendo-Sega? would have shored-up just about evry game worth owning, but it remains unlikely. You can only promote so many franchises. Fun was a strength of each, but they were also both the smallest players. Sony-Sega or M$-Sega? Would be great for either Sony or M$ to get those Sega franchises, but Sony would have given Sega a much bigger base to sell to. Nintendo? Hrmm, I dunno, they seem the least likely to join anyone. But they'll be at least one key merger in Japan before the next generation begins in full.
<strong>Actually, if you haven't already made the purchase, I would recommend the GameCube. I own all three consoles, and I can say that the GC will be my most-used this fall and holiday. Nintendo's lineup is simply stunning--we haven't had something this grandiose from the industry in years. Super Mario Sunshine and Animal Crossing, both already released and ready to be snatched up and enjoyed to their fullest, kick off the celebration, with Star Fox Adventures (a title that has spent over FOUR YEARS in development) coming onto shelves September 22nd. Additionally, Metroid Prime will make its way to stores in November, marking the first return of Samus since Super Metroid, after almost ten full years. In January or February, Nintendo will again shock the world with the cel-shaded Zelda game.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I rented Animal Crossing on Friday on my way home from work. Saturday morning I went to the store and bought it. It is, by far, the most addictive and engrossing game I have ever played. There's simply so much detail put into it. It reminds me a lot of the Sims, but completely devoid of all the annoying realism. It's like GameCube's equivalent of Ocerena of Time. If you don't own the console, this game alone would make buying it worthwhile 10 times over. I wish they'd quit pimping GBA all the time, tho
<strong>Check the front page of cnn.com today for an interesting article analyzing the possible future of Xbox if it doesn't exceed sales expectations this coming Christmas season.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Already read that article- it has some factual issues (for example, it gets the launch date of the XBox wrong by 6 months).
Folks, MS just paid $400 million for Rare, do you think that they are leaving this market aytime soon? MS is in this for the long haul, and this is a GOOD thing. If MS wasn't threatening to release a new console system every three years, then Sony would continue to stick to its 5 year upgrade cycle. It is good to have MS causing Sony to have to figure out how to innovate.
[ 09-23-2002: Message edited by: Yevgeny ]</p>