Xbox 360... who?

D

Destroyer.Sam

Guest
I haven't heard anything about the xbox 360, no small in-class conversations about it, nobody I know even mentioning it (even when they own one), or even 360 game ads on the internet.

Maybe it's too early to tell... but is the 360 a flop? Or just poor post-release marketting?
 
I'm enjoying it - and certainly looking forward to the games to come. The problem for many ppl seems to be getting hold of a machine.

Once developers understand the hardware a little more, and we see some stunning games coming out, the interest will follow. I'm hoping Gears of War and Oblivion turn out to be decent - it'd do the machine a world of good.
 
Due to delays, and massive, massive hardware shortages, there's not really a lot to market right now. Between now and late March, I think we pretty much have Full Auto and Fight Night Round 3. And it's going to be at least three to four months before the pre-order backups on the console itself have been taken care of.
 
They should have held back the console release to have more units in a first few weeks, and to have more launch games available. If they had of done world wide release in April they'd have a few more games and lots more consoles. Japan was an absolute failure for the 360 much worse than the original xbox, MS changed their sales forecasts because they won't be able to sell as many as planned. Australian release date was pushed back due to lack of consoles. The launch hasn't been smooth in other words.
 
Xbox360 is great...

Some schools just aren't as techy as others... Depends on your location.

Oh, and the availability of it also sucks, since you can't really talk about something you don't have.
 
It's been a slow and bumpy start and it already died in Japan which was expected but hopefully things will get better. I have an Xbox 360 and it's pretty cool though I am personally holding out for the Revolution.
 
I love it. My first console and I like the concept. The games to me are very enjoyable but I van understand people when they say that it's more of the same as the xbox versions (e.g. DOA4). But as said, give it a couple of months more. People expect a world shaking experience from minute 1 (admittedly created by Microsoft hype). but I wouldn't call it a flop.

My worries go out more to the PS3 development. A developer who was worked on it has spilt his guts on a blog and got canned for it. Apparently he wasnt too enthousiastic about the PS3 (where is it, he said) and tech people around him from both camps pointed out that the xbox360 could do more/perform better.

article:

I've spent some time the past year developing for the PS3. Actually it was a cinematic demo to be shown at e3 in 2005 at a closed door viewing.


I was one of the few artists selected to work on it for the demo. My job was primarily asset creation. I was creating assets to populate the path where our camera would be flying during the demo. The company I work for is also working on a launch title that but I am not working on that project. In short, I've spent some time around the PS3 and or a team developing for it.

I've really had to sit here and think for a long time about what my first comment about the PS3 would be. Will I say, its GREAT or will I give it two thumbs down. Well my immediate impression of the PS3 is - where is it? Seriously, where is it? They have a case, a controller and a dev kit. But the system still doesn't even exist. So what is there to say? We received one of 5 PS3 dev kits in the United States some time ago. Several companies in the US as well as companies over seas were given the daunting task of creating a demo in less than 9 weeks on a first generation dev kit. Now I'll be honest with you. What most companies do is fake the entire demo. I mean they come up with some great visuals and neat tricks and scripted events. In the end however, its not a real time demo and its not running ON the actual box. We were the only company to my knowledge that showed something that ran it live on the box. Even then it was a scripted event. You could not pause the camera and fly around the scene. So if you saw the demo once, you saw it again the exact same way the second time. Also this was on a brutally early dev box. You could always tell where the PS3 dev box was because it's the room that had the f-bomb coming out of it half the day.

Lots of time has passed since that demo and the dev box has gone from a totally jimmy rigged computer and box of parts about the size of a small child, to a much more realistic size. Although its still the size of a normal pc. I have been pretty excited about the whole cell processing thing. I am not a very technical person but my understanding of it was pretty clear. (Multiple processors to handle individual events in parallel). Sounds pretty good to me! To hear people talk, you'd thing that a processor revolution was about to happen. So I've been pretty excited to say the least. Now in my opinion it doesn't matter how good the PS3 is. If the XBOX 360 is better, then it doesn't really matter how the cell processors work or how good they say it is. Realistically one of them will be better over all. Now I've spoken with people who are on the technical side of the PS3. I've also talked with people on the technical side of the XBOX 360. The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, "The XBOX 360 is better". They are saying that it is capable of just doing more. (shrugs) Now take that for what its worth. If you watch all the videos on the PS3 they will say how much more powerful it is than the XBOX and vice versa. Im just telling you what I am hearing. They proceeded to go into a lot of technical info that I don't understand. So I just nod.

The game that we are creating for a launch title is a "just get it out" title in my opinion. It doesn't look next generation. I don't see how anyone could debate otherwise. It looks good. But it looks good for a game that has come out in the last couple years or so. I mean we are talking about a box that will be with us for the next 5+ years! In 5 years will the games we are making today look good? The only way for that to be possible is if the new games coming out for the PS3 are drastically improved. So good that they can stand the test of time until the next system comes out. We've all seen Gears of War for the xbox 360. If that even looks half as good when it comes out then I'll be floored! The game we are making isn't even in the same league as Gears of War. In fact there are many current games out that look just as good and are using the exact same specs. So, on our end we are either not pushing the bar or were just trying to "get a title out". To be fair, this is a business. Sometimes you have to treat it as a business and not make the best title you can. The best title you can make usually costs 20-40million dollars/3 start overs and 4 years of your life. You just cant do that every time out. Its impossible. Our game just keeps getting moved back, and back...and back...and back. Again, where is the box? Where is the final system? When is it coming out? No one knows and in the mean time people in the industry are starting to get just a little salty. I mean I was at e3 2005 and PS3 was almost no where to be seen.

In closing, I started of VERY excited about the PS3. I was very confident that it was going to just destroy the XBOX 360 just on the name SONY alone. The more time that goes by the more I am becoming doubtful. Everything I've developed or seen developed has yet to be "next gen". The poly counts are not really any higher, im not seeing sub surface scattering, im not seeing much HDR lighting. (or they are faking it and not really doing it), I'm not seeing next gen fluid dynamics or object dynamics. I suspect that you'll be able to have more dynamic objects in a scene than before. But im not seeing games doing this yet. We dont have a controller, there is no network code and there is no box. Its still the size of a normal PC. Oh well, at least they have normal maps. Although I'm over the normal maps fad ok everyone!

I'm confident that the PS3 will have a few "crazy" games that show it off to its potential. But I would expect the full capabilities of the box to not show up until the system has been released PUBLICALLY for over a year. This is the extra time the developers will need with a FINAL system to truly make next gen games.
 
Stigmata said:
Due to delays, and massive, massive hardware shortages, there's not really a lot to market right now. Between now and late March, I think we pretty much have Full Auto and Fight Night Round 3.
Click to expand...
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, TES4: Oblivion, BF: Modern Combat. March is when the system really gets into gear.
 
RoyaleWithCheese said:
I love it. My first console and I like the concept. The games to me are very enjoyable but I van understand people when they say that it's more of the same as the xbox versions (e.g. DOA4). But as said, give it a couple of months more. People expect a world shaking experience from minute 1 (admittedly created by Microsoft hype). but I wouldn't call it a flop.

My worries go out more to the PS3 development. A developer who was worked on it has spilt his guts on a blog and got canned for it. Apparently he wasnt too enthousiastic about the PS3 (where is it, he said) and tech people around him from both camps pointed out that the xbox360 could do more/perform better.
Click to expand...
Ha! Its all up to the developers to make one system do better than the other. They are both powerful machines, but it will take serious talents and funds to produce the top-notch titles on either system. I am still waiting....
 
I know, developers and games decide the success of a console, not (only) the underlying hardware. But the fact that an insider who has worked with the devkit is so critical is not positive for Sony. They just can't afford bad rumors right now..
 
I'm still waiting to see a game with next-gen gameplay, I'm really getting tired of mere graphical upgrades with the same old shit rehashed over and over
 
true, but next-gen gameplay could be achieved on any platform. So that's not unique for new consoles such as the xbox360. You're right though, it would be nice to see some new types of games..
 
what is next generation gameplay?
how do you define it - surely an original concept is an original concept
unless you mean next generation interactivity - using more useful peripherals
 
If you ask me, next-gen gameplay is actually going on THIS generation. If everyone could focus their attention on this title please...It looks like one of the most uniquely artistic and creative titles I have ever seen. An absolute must-have if you are tired of all of the garbage on the shelves at your local EBGamestop.

Games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus too, bring a refreshing new flavor to the current generation of re-hashed techniques, themes, and gameplay. Its good to see that there are some developers out there that are thinking way outside the box.

I'll say it again, pushing the next generation on consumers so quickly is not at all necessary--developers have only begun to take full advantage of the hardware of this generation and are finally able to tap into their more creative sides because understanding the hardware is no longer an issue. It'll be a while before we see games like those that I have mentioned above on "next-gen" platforms I fear....
 
well I can not think of anything to say exept for WOW! Well said VictimofScience!
 
Well the main issue lies with the consumers, if you look at 2005 Best Sellers (and past) you'd see it's filled with games that it's mostly filled with games that use tried-and-true formulas. The companies see this and thus push for games that feature the same "techniques, themes, and gameplay" as previous titles. There's really no big incentive to create innovative games such as Ico / Shadow of Collosus, not to mention the fiscal risk involved. Until the people stop buying re-hash sequels (Madden anyone?), there'll always be a shortage of big-budget innovative games.
 
VictimOfScience said:
If you ask me, next-gen gameplay is actually going on THIS generation. If everyone could focus their attention on this title please...It looks like one of the most uniquely artistic and creative titles I have ever seen. An absolute must-have if you are tired of all of the garbage on the shelves at your local EBGamestop.

Games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus too, bring a refreshing new flavor to the current generation of re-hashed techniques, themes, and gameplay. Its good to see that there are some developers out there that are thinking way outside the box.

I'll say it again, pushing the next generation on consumers so quickly is not at all necessary--developers have only begun to take full advantage of the hardware of this generation and are finally able to tap into their more creative sides because understanding the hardware is no longer an issue. It'll be a while before we see games like those that I have mentioned above on "next-gen" platforms I fear....
Click to expand...

This is a good point here. I hadn;t really thought of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus that way, but this all rings very true. Games like this and many of the more creative games also coming out of Japan strike me as a new generation of games focused on bringing creativity back into the market. It's games that require you to play in a whole new way that are what I'm looking for.
Nothing I've seen announced for the new consoles offers anything like those experiences. Though I'm sure a couple games will come in time. Also, the Revolution has a damn good shot at providing some wholly new gameplay experiences.
 
Yea,360 is hard to find,I hang out at circuit city and best buy all the time and people constantly ask me where they can find one.Me personally,I hate consoles.Im only looking forward to the PS3 because im a huge fan of the resident evil and metal gear solid series.
 
RoyaleWithCheese said:
I love it. My first console and I like the concept. The games to me are very enjoyable but I van understand people when they say that it's more of the same as the xbox versions (e.g. DOA4). But as said, give it a couple of months more. People expect a world shaking experience from minute 1 (admittedly created by Microsoft hype). but I wouldn't call it a flop.

My worries go out more to the PS3 development. A developer who was worked on it has spilt his guts on a blog and got canned for it. Apparently he wasnt too enthousiastic about the PS3 (where is it, he said) and tech people around him from both camps pointed out that the xbox360 could do more/perform better.

article:

I've spent some time the past year developing for the PS3. Actually it was a cinematic demo to be shown at e3 in 2005 at a closed door viewing.


I was one of the few artists selected to work on it for the demo. My job was primarily asset creation. I was creating assets to populate the path where our camera would be flying during the demo. The company I work for is also working on a launch title that but I am not working on that project. In short, I've spent some time around the PS3 and or a team developing for it.

I've really had to sit here and think for a long time about what my first comment about the PS3 would be. Will I say, its GREAT or will I give it two thumbs down. Well my immediate impression of the PS3 is - where is it? Seriously, where is it? They have a case, a controller and a dev kit. But the system still doesn't even exist. So what is there to say? We received one of 5 PS3 dev kits in the United States some time ago. Several companies in the US as well as companies over seas were given the daunting task of creating a demo in less than 9 weeks on a first generation dev kit. Now I'll be honest with you. What most companies do is fake the entire demo. I mean they come up with some great visuals and neat tricks and scripted events. In the end however, its not a real time demo and its not running ON the actual box. We were the only company to my knowledge that showed something that ran it live on the box. Even then it was a scripted event. You could not pause the camera and fly around the scene. So if you saw the demo once, you saw it again the exact same way the second time. Also this was on a brutally early dev box. You could always tell where the PS3 dev box was because it's the room that had the f-bomb coming out of it half the day.

Lots of time has passed since that demo and the dev box has gone from a totally jimmy rigged computer and box of parts about the size of a small child, to a much more realistic size. Although its still the size of a normal pc. I have been pretty excited about the whole cell processing thing. I am not a very technical person but my understanding of it was pretty clear. (Multiple processors to handle individual events in parallel). Sounds pretty good to me! To hear people talk, you'd thing that a processor revolution was about to happen. So I've been pretty excited to say the least. Now in my opinion it doesn't matter how good the PS3 is. If the XBOX 360 is better, then it doesn't really matter how the cell processors work or how good they say it is. Realistically one of them will be better over all. Now I've spoken with people who are on the technical side of the PS3. I've also talked with people on the technical side of the XBOX 360. The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, "The XBOX 360 is better". They are saying that it is capable of just doing more. (shrugs) Now take that for what its worth. If you watch all the videos on the PS3 they will say how much more powerful it is than the XBOX and vice versa. Im just telling you what I am hearing. They proceeded to go into a lot of technical info that I don't understand. So I just nod.

The game that we are creating for a launch title is a "just get it out" title in my opinion. It doesn't look next generation. I don't see how anyone could debate otherwise. It looks good. But it looks good for a game that has come out in the last couple years or so. I mean we are talking about a box that will be with us for the next 5+ years! In 5 years will the games we are making today look good? The only way for that to be possible is if the new games coming out for the PS3 are drastically improved. So good that they can stand the test of time until the next system comes out. We've all seen Gears of War for the xbox 360. If that even looks half as good when it comes out then I'll be floored! The game we are making isn't even in the same league as Gears of War. In fact there are many current games out that look just as good and are using the exact same specs. So, on our end we are either not pushing the bar or were just trying to "get a title out". To be fair, this is a business. Sometimes you have to treat it as a business and not make the best title you can. The best title you can make usually costs 20-40million dollars/3 start overs and 4 years of your life. You just cant do that every time out. Its impossible. Our game just keeps getting moved back, and back...and back...and back. Again, where is the box? Where is the final system? When is it coming out? No one knows and in the mean time people in the industry are starting to get just a little salty. I mean I was at e3 2005 and PS3 was almost no where to be seen.

In closing, I started of VERY excited about the PS3. I was very confident that it was going to just destroy the XBOX 360 just on the name SONY alone. The more time that goes by the more I am becoming doubtful. Everything I've developed or seen developed has yet to be "next gen". The poly counts are not really any higher, im not seeing sub surface scattering, im not seeing much HDR lighting. (or they are faking it and not really doing it), I'm not seeing next gen fluid dynamics or object dynamics. I suspect that you'll be able to have more dynamic objects in a scene than before. But im not seeing games doing this yet. We dont have a controller, there is no network code and there is no box. Its still the size of a normal PC. Oh well, at least they have normal maps. Although I'm over the normal maps fad ok everyone!

I'm confident that the PS3 will have a few "crazy" games that show it off to its potential. But I would expect the full capabilities of the box to not show up until the system has been released PUBLICALLY for over a year. This is the extra time the developers will need with a FINAL system to truly make next gen games.
Click to expand...
http://www.shoutwire.com/viewstory/4551/Sony_Employee_Fired_Compared_PS3_with_XBox


the guy got fired from SOE for that blog entry.
 
Anthraxxx said:
http://www.shoutwire.com/viewstory/4551/Sony_Employee_Fired_Compared_PS3_with_XBox


the guy got fired from SOE for that blog entry.
Click to expand...
Um, yeah, we know--it was in the post you quoted. :|

Reading Comprehension: F- (see below)
I suppose one could argue that he gets an A+ because he stated the fact that this person did indeed get fired, just like it says in the post, but then why the heck post such redundance?

RoyaleWithCheese said:
A developer who was worked on it has spilt his guts on a blog and got canned for it.
Click to expand...
 
Im loving it. Even i dont get to play it much. To much to do these days.
 
VictimOfScience said:
Um, yeah, we know--it was in the post you quoted. :|

Reading Comprehension: F- (see below)
I suppose one could argue that he gets an A+ because he stated the fact that this person did indeed get fired, just like it says in the post, but then why the heck post such redundance?
Click to expand...
lol, oops. No. I get an F.

That's what I get for not reading the whole thing. :thumbs:
 
Anthraxxx said:
lol, oops. No. I get an F.

That's what I get for not reading the whole thing. :thumbs:
Click to expand...
Hahaha! Good for you for admitting it! Now your grade become an 'A' because you passed the test of whether you would come clean or get nasty and petulant! Good work! :cheers:
 
But the fact that an insider who has worked with the devkit is so critical is not positive for Sony. They just can't afford bad rumors right now..
Click to expand...
But their just Rumors, Epic on the other hand well they said it wasn't nearly as hard as everyone had predicted.
You're right though, it would be nice to see some new types of games..
Click to expand...
*Cough*Revolution*Cough*
 
Minerel said:
But their just Rumors, Epic on the other hand well they said it wasn't nearly as hard as everyone had predicted.
Click to expand...
Personally, I would assume that Epic is trying to keep the image of one of their product platforms from being damaged. If it truly wasn't "as bad as it seems", Epic would probably say that the situation is great, or excellent, or some other form of hyperbole.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Krynn72
You guys, what the **** is up.
Replies
11
Views
2K
Tollbooth Willie
Tollbooth Willie
MFL
Fascinating look at the ongoing psychological evolution of flat hieirarchies.
Replies
2
Views
2K
Tollbooth Willie
Tollbooth Willie
bbson john
Hi everyone. I am new to this forum!
Replies
11
Views
6K
Tollbooth Willie
Tollbooth Willie
B
Half-Life's lost feature, Timeline
Replies
0
Views
6K
Barnz
B
-smash-
Steam Dev Days: day 1
Replies
0
Views
19K
-smash-
-smash-
Back
Top