What a sweet time to be a gamer. With all three platforms having announced their new hardware lineup, all that is left is to gawk at the games they make possible. And gawk we will. Killzone 2 and Ghost Recon 3 both look amazing, in fact I don't think I've seen a nextgen game trailer that looks marginal.
Admittedly I'm having a hard time believing that the Playstation's chipset can beat Xbox's three G5 processors?! Nor do I grok how the Xbox 360 doesn't melt from all the heat of those G5s when you consider that Apple put brick size heat sinks on top of their processors to keep things from liquifying.
Leaving those questions to science, I'm hoping to get my hands around a 360 controller at E3. I'd also like to get some time with a Playstation 3 but I don't think Sony is ready for that step yet — let's hope their controller design is still a work in progress. Last year's huge software show was amazing and with all the industry unveilings this year I can't imagine how crazy its going to be. The hardest part will be going home.
On another note, I haven't seen any pre-show press for Blizzard. I hope they have something planned that will improve World of Warcraft. The new PvP Honor System sucks rocks and it has significantly altered the game-play in a way that has crippled the entertainment value.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
It's not actually three G5's. It's a triple core (all on one chip), PowerPC-based custom architecture.
Also, it's water cooled... and while I love my Xbox, I'm not sure I want to trust Microsoft with a water reservoir sitting on top of my audio receiver.
Just to be clear, they are not G5's in the xBox. All G5's are PowerPC's, but not all PPC's are G5's.
Holy Crap is all I think I can say right now. Regardless of the guts, graphically I thought they looked quite fantastic.
As far as WoW goes, it'd be nice to see something from them. Esp. in the ways of an expansion pack that would include a few new things like races, professions, and classes.
I agree that the PvP thing could use a great deal of help. I'm on a PvE RP server so it's a little easier to ignore, but I've seen it become an obsession with many.
Ah, see I knew there had to be something about the Xbox processor(s) that I was missing. So what makes Sony's architecture so hot?
"... brick size heat sinks on top of their processors to keep things liquifying"
As funny as it is to think about my Mac's processor staying in a constant liquified state, I'm sure you didn't mean it like that Greg :)
While I sometimes regret the inability to play games like Grand Theft Auto... I'll be holding out for the Revolution.
Mario Kart and whatever Zelda game they pop out will make the lack of some great adult titles easier to bare.
Not to mention the ability to download every game made for every nintendo system ever made. Here's hoping they price this reasonably. (I'm thinking... 5-10 bucks a pop, depending on the game.)
I see a lot of complaints that gaming companies don't innovate, and pump out the same game over and over... it seems to me that these same people should probably give Nintendo another look.
Sony's architecture is based on the "Cell" processor approach, much different than conventional. Google "Cell processor" and you'll get a truckload of info. I believe ArsTechnica did a review of it as well... (in as much detail as they could get). "Cell" itself is next-gen
What makes the cell so hot is that it's a pretty radical departure from normal design. This explanation is kind a technical and I'm not a CPU designer but do understand the basics. Anyway, here we go:
Cell has a VERY stripped down PowerPC chip that is the main controller. Then instead of your normal instruction window which does register renaming, out-of-order execution, branch prediction, etc... (the stuff that makes modern processors fast, irrespective of clock speed.) You get a group of cell's, each is like a basic RISC chip (or PowerPC 601 chip) with it's own cache and without all the modern stuff (what used to be in the instruction window.)
And here's what make it so cool, once you combine a group of cells, now you can do all you could before and more, instead of a few operations executing at the same time (under certain circumstances) now you're limited by the number of cells (6 cells - 6 simultaneous operations). Also you can now do several unrelated tasks simultaneously. The downside is that people aren't used to programming like this so it may be difficult at first. The first generation games on xbox360 will probably look better than stuff on PS3 but in the long run, it should kick the xbox's ass. Note: I own an xbox, and a dreamcast before it, I have never even thought about buying a PS1 or PS2, but this generation?... I'm probably going to buy both, it should be fun to see how things shake out, as it's looking like wichever platform has the better games (playability not graphic-wise) will win.
As technical as this seems, it's a pretty glossing overview, if you're looking for more I really recommend the stuff on ArsTechnica about the cell:
Part 1 and Part 2
Thanks Josh! Oh, and does anyone know if Sony's previews for thier next-gen games were cinematics? The rippeling skins on the fighter's face and such... I was blown away. I can't believe that's in-game until someone gives me proof. As it is I'm guessing I missed information about it being cinematic?
Steve, if you watch the Sony press conference (or at least the Unreal engine demo), you'll see that everything was being rendered in real time. They played it all the way through, then played it again, this time pausing the action, then moving the camera around...and it looked amazing.
As far as that Killzone video, I can't say, but if that's real-time graphics, it's definitely got my attention. Of course, it all depends on if the game itself is any good, which I understand the first one was not.
One question I would like answered is price. Anybody hear anything?
I just watched the Quake 4 trailer and it looks nothing like Quake 3 at all. I was a real fan of Quake 3. I hope 4 isn't a disappointment.
Josh, are you sure all three cores are on one chip?
Tony, yeah it's three cores on a single chip as seen in
Tom's Hardware hand's on w/the 360
Clearly I don't know how to read these things, but this diagram, which is apparently from a MS Patent related to the Xbox, had me thinking there were multiple CPUs (not just multiple cores):
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/7421/Xbox-2-Patent/
Shows what I know, I suppose. ;)
I'll buy whichever one is easier to mod!
Am I your only reader who plays WoW too? I am still surprised to see how little the number of people in our industry that plays game is.
But anyways, I think once Battlegrounds is launched, it will really clear up the ganking. And with all of the new things (like capture the flag) that it will introduce, it will really add something awesome to the game.
But I am only a level 30 dwarven priest, so I am still new.
This sounds nerdy.
Jim, it probably won't be the 360. From what I hear, it's going to be completely sealed with fireproof safe technology. Supposedly Microsoft is willing to replace entire units if just one part breaks in them.
But then again, I've only seen it on a forum, and what I've seen of forum members (in any forum), they ain't so bright. But it does sound logical, from a Microsoft point of view.
The Honor System has changed WoW considerably and I'm in my "I didn't realise I was playing Blizzard to test their gameplay for them" phase.
Hopefully Battlegrounds will give people something to do besides hang around neutral towns all day long (I'm on a PVP server). In times of high ganking, it's good to brush up on your warcraft geography and go somewhere else.
Yeah, I've got to admit I haven't had the chance to check on WoW, but I kinda am setting my sights on Guild Wars... So I prolly am making a big jump from UO lol
I started saving for a HDTV a few weeks ago, I think by the time Xbox 360 ships I should have some giant 42" beast sitting in my room. I can't wait!
Yeah, the pvp honor system sucks the hardest. can't quest in stranglethorn anymore (lvl36 gnome mage), arathi is loaded with lvl60 horde. They absolutely have to do something about it.
But there are interesting problems involved when you think about the usual propositions for solution (dishonorable kills from -5lvls): what about AoE Spells that kill low levels around?! What about high-levels walking around with low-levels to prevent others from killing them?
Screw PVP Honor System replacements. I'd like to see Blizzard announce some sort of support group program for those of us who have had friends and family lost to the seedy underworld of WoW addiction. If ever there was a good reason for 12 more steps, I'd argue that WoW is it.
Maybe there's a patch? (get it...nic patch... software... ahem.)
The boys in the room who were watching television where I was literally froze and gaped at the new stuff. No sexist beer commercial, just the consoles' debut.
I'm not much of a gamer (anymore), but if the Nintendo Revolution will actually play NES, SNES, N64, and GC games as rumored, I'll pick it up in a heartbeat.
Here's the solution to all your WoW problems... play on a PvE server! It is great to see other readers playing though. I can't believe they released the honor system before the Battlegrounds came out.
If you havent tried the battlegrounds yet on the test server, I suggest you try (assuming your higher level). It's going to add a whole other dimension to the game. Very fun stuff..
Love the site Greg.
I guess we shouldn't be surprised... After all, Blizzard has a history of making games that are GREAT, for a while...
But then at some point they become redundant, simply doing quests over and over, just hoping to get that item that has a .00000000156243% chance of dropping.
Look at Diablo 2. Great game, but it took a couple weeks to finish. Then what, do it over again in "hard mode?" Then after another 2 weeks, do it again in "ludicrous mode?" That's more painful than having to watch Haden Christensen act in the next Star Wars movie...
Regardless of how good WoW is or any expansion-pack-thingie Blizzard might throw out way I think it's time they go back to what they do best: RTS. They should be working on expanding Starcraft or Warcraft, not making add-ons. And yes, i'm an ex-level 60 Troll Shaman and level 60 Gnome Warlock.
All these comments and no-one mentioned Halo(1/2/3)?
I was impressed by both Xbox 360 and PS3's specs, I'll probably end up with both. I think MS have got the long term game sewn up, though, the Xbox Live thing is just too good, both from the punter's and developers perspective.
Spectator Mode in any team FPS? Wow.
Can Sony deliver something like that?
I remain slightly skeptical. It takes more than a great platform to make a modern game console perform, it takes a good developer.
When Josh mentioned the architecture of the PS3's Cell processor (one thing Sony does good is interesting hardware design; pity they're also big on DRM), I was reminded of the trouble developers had with the custom processor on the PS2.
If memory serves me right (and it usually does), there was only one console game developer who looked at the specs presented by Sony and saw anything more than a programming headache waiting to happen: Jason Rubin of Naughty Dog, the company that produced the "Crash Bandicoot" series for the PS1 and the "Jak and Daxter" series for the PS2.
Consequently, I'll be most interested in seeing what they and the other company I watch, Insomniac Games (producers of the "Spyro the Dragon" series for the PS1 and "Ratchet and Clank" series for the PS2), eventually do with the PS3.
I read on their website, though, that Insomniac is aiming their next "Ratchet and Clank" game for the PS2 again, and I've heard not one peep from Naughty Dog. I hope this means the lustre isn't off the pearl.
I'm a level 60 pally on Shadowsong. On the side, I just acquired a one month old baby girl. I'm hoping WoW battlegrounds will provide an avenue of entertainment that doesn't require 4 hour long blocks.
A one month baby girl?! Is that a drop you get in the Burning Steppes or the Arathi Highlands?
the multi-core G5 is getting heavy optimization and heating issues may not be as relevant as in past.
starcomber
http://bamboo.contagiousmedia.org/quiz/index.html
Greg,
I wouldn't worry about the honor system once they push battlegrounds onto the live servers. I've spent several hours in both Warsong Gulch (CTF) and Alterac Valley and both are amazingly fun. I'm not suggesting battlegrounds will stop ganking, but the people looking for constructive PVP will almost certainly migrate to them.
> A one month baby girl?! Is that a drop you get in the Burning Steppes or the Arathi Highlands?
ROFL!
Well, PS3 will have BluRay DVD capability, that means 25Gb (single layer) and 50Gb (dual) on a single disk. That alone opens some possibilities in the long-run. And it will be probably be the first or one of the first BluRay devices out there (that I know of). I know that there's another standard out there (HD DVD) but as usual the standard that is most popular will be the one that gets adopted in the end (though not necessarily the better one...), and it IMHO the millions of PS3s that will be sold will give Sony's standard that kind of popularity.
As to the processor thing, Sony is claiming 1.8 Teraflops against 1 Teraflop announced for the Xbox, which (assuming nobody is exagerating, which is by no means certain) almost 2x the theoretical processing power of the Xbox processor.
Also I read somewhere (don't really know where) that nVidia's GPU that powers the PS3 is some orders of magnitude above the ATI chip of the XBOX 360, though that remains to be confirmed.
Anyway, it was annouced that the PS3 will ship with a price tag around $450, which I would say its pretty reasonable, even if you never play a single game on it and use it as a pure BluRay capable media-center. Especially when BluRay DVD burners enter the computer market.