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[Mahonay]

Going by their last two consoles.... Microsoft is anything but vanilla

Really? What about the 360 and the original Xbox was radically different?

Aside from Xbox Live setting the standard for online gaming and services on consoles, I can't think of anything in particular.

On a hardware level and general functionality, both of those consoles seemed pretty standard to a simpleton like myself.

 

[RoboPlato]

Really? What about the 360 and the original Xbox was radically different?

Aside from Xbox Live setting the standard for online gaming and services on consoles, I can't think of anything in particular.

On a hardware level and general functionality, both of those consoles seemed pretty standard to a simpleton like myself.

360 GPU was pretty damn advanced for 2005. It has a lot of features that didn't make it to PC GPUs for a year or so.

 

[Mahonay]

360 GPU was pretty damn advanced for 2005. It has a lot of features that didn't make it to PC GPUs for a year or so.

Hmmm, yeah actually you might be right about that. At least I remember reading up on it and it seeming like some pretty fantastical stuff. I'm pretty much in the dark though when it comes to PC rigs and PC gaming in general. I don't have a good place to compare from.

 

[abadguy]

Posts like these shows your projecting your own biases more than anything.

It's like a sports fan thinking the refs are biased against their favorite team because of bad calls. When in reality those bad calls happen all the time to every other team in the league, but since they're not emotionally attached to the other teams, they don't notice or care.

Sorry but thats a load of crap.

 

[Salaadin]

Something just smells fishy.

I see. I thought you might have been one of those gaffers who received a secret PM and you weren't sharing

 

[KillerTravis]

Damn just 11 days for this. I hope this one keeps me awake. Some speeches on the PS4 reveal were far too long.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

I see. I thought you might have been one of those gaffers who received a secret PM and you weren't sharing

Those PMs go out next week

 

[Klocker]

Bkilian, a former MS audio engineer who worked on Durango confirmed it on B3D.

he doesn't nor has he "confirmed" anything

gave hints, vague hints that are at least 6 mos old from his last contact iirc

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

I hope Microsoft shows something amazing, whether it be a game or live feature, I want to excited for the Nextbox after May 21st.

 

[SniperHunter]

Something just smells fishy.

Dual APU's confirmed, PS4 smelling fishy.

Bow Reiko <3

 

[Izick]

I hope Microsoft shows something amazing, whether it be a game or live feature, I want to excited for the Nextbox after May 21st.

I hope so too. I think they will save a lot of surprises for E3, but I think that we'll see at least one very exciting, amazing thing at this conference.

 

[MCD]

I hope Microsoft shows something amazing, whether it be a game or live feature, I want to excited for the Nextbox after May 21st.

Kids corner will do the trick.

 

[Appollowexx]

Sad Face.

I'll be at work during the conference. It starts at 6pm here and I don't get home until 10pm.

EDIT: Will there be a place to watch the conference afterward, the same night. Like a spoiler free thread we can bookmark?

 

[DopeyFish]

Really? What about the 360 and the original Xbox was radically different?

Aside from Xbox Live setting the standard for online gaming and services on consoles, I can't think of anything in particular.

On a hardware level and general functionality, both of those consoles seemed pretty standard to a simpleton like myself.

NV2A, MCPX and UMA, Hard drive in Xbox

Xenos, EDRAM and UMA in 360

In terms of hardware features themselves? Xbox was pretty ordinary outside of breakaway cables

Second Xbox introduced the OS button, controller labeling (ring of light), wireless controllers out of box.

This is outside of the massive amounts of OS level stuff. I know a bunch of stuff they were going to implement and never did, at least fully. We had some things like custom soundtracks and whatnot.

Next gen, so far we have hdmi in as a likely. Not really game related but whatever. Also adhoc wireless.... Could be looking at system link without router required... Also potentially playing games on tablet or PC (multi screen strategy)

Also kinect out of the box... But in terms of secretive game changing things, Nintendo wii type things.... I don't think we will see much change. Games will be played probably the same way as always

 

[Mahonay]

Sad Face.

I'll be at work during the conference. It starts at 6pm here and I don't get home until 10pm.

One of the few times working nights works in my favor. Starts 10AM EST here. Just have to get up a little earlier than I normally do.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

I expect a few tweaks from what the leaked specs were but nothing too substantial.

 

[RoboPlato]

Who is that and what does it mean? Looks like a character from Naruto or something but I don't know how they connect to my post.

 

[Satchel]

No bias it is just Microsoft has lost the trust of the hardcore.

Yeah. Ok.

 

[UnlovedJew]

Who is that and what does it mean? Looks like a character from Naruto or something but I don't know how they connect to my post.

I do know that is Itachi Uchiha. As to what it has to do with your post? No idea.

 

[Servbot24]

No, some people actually prefer Microsoft's past consoles and franchises compared to Sony and Nintendo's.

How? What franchises do you like and what makes you like them better than those of Sony & Nintendo? I'm not having a fuss here, just genuinely curious. Those of my friends with XBox only play Halo and Gears, so I feel like there are under the radar games I'm missing.

edit: that "how" sounded snarky, sorry about that

 

[Mahonay]

Who is that and what does it mean? Looks like a character from Naruto or something but I don't know how they connect to my post.

Starting a trend of posting anime images at complete random.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Who is that and what does it mean? Looks like a character from Naruto or something but I don't know how they connect to my post.

It's Uchiha Itachi from Naruto, and his fighting style is largely associated with crows. It was my intentionally playful way of suggesting that maybe people thinking there won't be a substantial difference could end up eating some crow.

It isn't based on anything I actually know. Just a funny feeling I have based on how things have been playing out. It all seems too simple.

 

[Appollowexx]

How? What franchises do you like and what makes you like them better than those of Sony & Nintendo? I'm not having a fuss here, just genuinely curious. Those of my friends with XBox only play Halo and Gears, so I feel like there are under the radar games I'm missing.

edit: that "how" sounded snarky, sorry about that

Halo, Gears, Forza, Fable.

As opposed to -

Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Killzone, God of War, Infamous, Resistance and Ratchet.

Personal taste.

 

[Mahonay]

It's Uchiha Itachi from Naruto, and his fighting style is largely associated with crows. It was my intentionally playful way of suggesting that maybe people thinking there won't be a substantial difference could end up eating some crow.

It isn't based on anything I actually know. Just a funny feeling I have based on how things have been playing out. It all seems too simple.

I...I can't...

 

[jond76]

Sad Face.

I'll be at work during the conference. It starts at 6pm here and I don't get home until 10pm.

EDIT: Will there be a place to watch the conference afterward, the same night. Like a spoiler free thread we can bookmark?

Xbox live will have it on demand afterwards.

 

[RoboPlato]

It's Uchiha Itachi from Naruto, and his fighting style is largely associated with crows. It was my intentionally playful way of suggesting that maybe people thinking there won't be a substantial difference could end up eating some crow.

It isn't based on anything I actually know. Just a funny feeling I have based on how things have been playing out. It all seems too simple.

Oh, OK.

I disagree with the "it all seems to simple" logic that a few people have been using. Sure, things can change but the fact is the info we have are leaks, stuff that we're not supposed to know and has been corroborated by several sources who have proven to be fairly reliable after the PS4 reveal (although the RAM threw most of them). It takes years to design a console around a single goal and the hardware needs to be in place so that the API and OS can fit around it. If MS is truly doing some advanced OS and Kinect things, they would have to have had the architecture and specs locked down a while ago.

 

[Appollowexx]

Xbox live will have it on demand afterwards.

That would be fantastic if I still had my 360. Which is something you couldn't have possibly known, so thanks anyway.

 

[KidBeta]

Oh, OK.

I disagree with the "it all seems to simple" logic that a few people have been using. Sure, things can change but the fact is the info we have are leaks, stuff that we're not supposed to know. It takes years to design a console around a single goal and the hardware needs to be in place so that the API and OS can fit around it. If MS is truly doing some advanced OS and Kinect things, they would have to have had the architecture and specs locked down a while ago.

Everyone locks down specs years in advance, its just people on neogaf who think that a APU gets made overnight so they can cling to hope of major spec upgrades.

 

[Bobb]

I hope MS shows something epic like Lost Odyssey. When the CG cutscene switched seamlessly to gameplay, it blew us away.

 

[Reiko]

Everyone locks down specs years in advance, its just people on neogaf who think that a APU gets made overnight so they can cling to hope of major spec upgrades.

KidBeta, I know you have been privy to inside info in the past...

But hey, maybe, just maybe... MS will surprise on the hardware front. You've been setting low expectations since last year. It's unhealthy. lol

 

[RoboPlato]

Everyone locks down specs years in advance, its just people on neogaf who think that a APU gets made overnight so they can cling to hope of major spec upgrades.

I think people just want there to be more direct drama between Sony and MS. They want things to be exciting and feel like the leaked info an Sony's announcements could cause a huge rebuttal from Microsoft. If the rumors are true and they don't really see Sony as much of a competitor any more, I don't see this happening. I'm not saying that the leaked specs will be 100% correct, in fact I'm expecting there to be some differences, but massive overhauls won't happen.

The biggest thing on the hardware front that I think MS could do at this point is somehow finding a way to add full BC for the 360. I know it's a challenge but it's not as impossible as it is for the PS4.

 

[R3TRO]

Oh man Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon were great.

 

[Mahonay]

I think people just want there to be more direct drama between Sony and MS. They want things to be exciting and feel like the leaked info an Sony's announcements could cause a huge rebuttal from Microsoft. If the rumors are true and they don't really see Sony as much of a competitor any more, I don't see this happening. I'm not saying that the leaked specs will be 100% correct, in fact I'm expecting there to be some differences, but massive overhauls won't happen.

Yep, I'd say it's more just people getting pumped for a new console war after so many years.

I don't think there are many people, who actually follow the gaming industry, that think these consoles will somehow magically match top of the line PCs. It has never worked that way. Most people understand that.

In reality NextBox is going to look very similar to the PS4. I'd be shocked if we see anything legitimately different.

 

[jond76]

It really doesn't matter to me if the next Xbox is less powerful than PS4, I think MS will blow Sony away when it comes to UI and services.

The games will look largely the same. MS has been going wild securing content providers, and I think its gonna pay off next Gen.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Did Microsoft really confirm that the event would only be 1 hour? Seems pretty short.

It really doesn't matter to me if the next Xbox is less powerful than PS4, I think MS will blow Sony away when it comes to UI and services.

The games will look largely the same. MS has been going wild securing content providers, and I think its gonna pay off next Gen.

I really don't think they will blow them away with UI and services. I think those are basic "commoditized" features these days. It may have blown people away back in 2005 when some of this stuff was new, but Sony's already shown that their UI and ease of use has been dramatically improved, and they're also taking initiatives to bring new features like share and live streaming (which Microsoft will have as well). I can't really think of anything that would blow me away beyond something like that.

Having cable box interaction doesn't mean diddly to me.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Oh, OK.

I disagree with the "it all seems to simple" logic that a few people have been using. Sure, things can change but the fact is the info we have are leaks, stuff that we're not supposed to know and has been corroborated by several sources who have proven to be fairly reliable after the PS4 reveal (although the RAM threw most of them). It takes years to design a console around a single goal and the hardware needs to be in place so that the API and OS can fit around it. If MS is truly doing some advanced OS and Kinect things, they would have to have had the architecture and specs locked down a while ago.

Well, keep in mind with the PS4 that just 4 more GB of GDDR5 was considered (rightfully so) by most to be a substantial difference. What would it really take based on existing Durango specs for the final specs to be considered substantial? 4 more gigs of ram? 8 more? Maybe a GPU that instead of 12 CUs has 16 or more? Or perhaps the CPU having enhancements that people weren't expecting it to have?

Any of those things could be considered substantial. Nobody is saying there needs to be a drastic rework of the entire design, but it isn't all that impossible that SOMETHING might have changed without entirely making the final design completely unrecognizable in comparison to the specs we have currently. For example, the PS4 is still very much recognizable from the leaked specs even with the surprise ram upgrade.

Oh man Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon were great.

I agree.

 

[RoboPlato]

Did Microsoft really confirm that the event would only be 1 hour? Seems pretty short.

Yep and since it's being televised on Spike I expect that to stay a pretty concrete time limit.

Well, keep in mind with the PS4 that just 4 more GB of GDDR5 was considered (rightfully so) by most to be a substantial difference. What would it really take based on existing Durango specs for the final specs to be considered substantial? 4 more gigs of ram? 8 more? Maybe a GPU that instead of 12 CUs has 16 or more? Or perhaps the CPU having enhancements that people weren't expecting it to have?

Any of those things could be considered substantial. Nobody is saying there needs to be a drastic rework of the entire design, but it isn't all that impossible that SOMETHING might have changed without entirely making the final design completely unrecognizable in comparison to the specs we have currently. For example, the PS4 is still very much recognizable from the leaked specs even with the surprise ram upgrade.

The difference is that all of those upgrades would require a substantial reworking of the design. Sony got lucky and higher density chips became available which allowed them to add 4 more GB of RAM for the same number of chips and had to make it 8GB total so they didn't have to alter the memory controller. Extra RAM on Durango would need an entirely different memory controller and the GPU is rumored to be 14 CUs with two locked so more than that would be an entirely new GPU. Clock speed upgrades can happen but given the design they went with it seems like they're pretty locked into the specs.

 

[Mahonay]

Did Microsoft really confirm that the event would only be 1 hour? Seems pretty short.

Saving the rest for their E3 conference most likely.

 

[60_gig_PS3]

I hope MS shows something epic like Lost Odyssey. When the CG cutscene switched seamlessly to gameplay, it blew us away.

the one thing I'm worried about is that they've given up on Japan so no more Japanese exclusives.

 

[KidBeta]

Well, keep in mind with the PS4 that just 4 more GB of GDDR5 was considered (rightfully so) by most to be a substantial difference. What would it really take based on existing Durango specs for the final specs to be considered substantial? 4 more gigs of ram? 8 more? Maybe a GPU that instead of 12 CUs has 16 or more? Or perhaps the CPU having enhancements that people weren't expecting it to have?

Any of those things could be considered substantial. Nobody is saying there needs to be a drastic rework of the entire design, but it isn't all that impossible that SOMETHING might have changed without entirely making the final design completely unrecognizable in comparison to the specs we have currently. For example, the PS4 is still very much recognizable from the leaked specs even with the surprise ram upgrade.

But the PS4 RAM upgrade doesn't require a change in the design at all, nearly everything you mentioned does. This cannot happen this late.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

the one thing I'm worried about is that they've given up on Japan so no more Japanese exclusives.

The Japanese game development community hasn't given up on Xbox, so Xbox shouldn't give up on the Japanese game development community. That's how I see it.

But the PS4 RAM upgrade doesn't require a change in the design at all, nearly everything you mentioned does. This cannot happen this late.

A change in the capacity of the GDDR chips is a design change Keep in mind also that a 12 CU GPU might in reality be a 16 CU GPU with 4 CUs just disabled for redundancy purposes.

The 360 GPU was actually a 64 Unified Shader GPU with 16 unified shader pipelines disabled, leaving it with 48. If they opted to go with 16GB of ram, that wouldn't necessarily qualify as a design change either, since it would just be going with higher capacity chips, same as the case with the PS4 move to 8GB, using the same logic that suggests the ps4 ram upgrade isn't a design change.

 

[FallbackPants]

How? What franchises do you like and what makes you like them better than those of Sony & Nintendo? I'm not having a fuss here, just genuinely curious. Those of my friends with XBox only play Halo and Gears, so I feel like there are under the radar games I'm missing.

edit: that "how" sounded snarky, sorry about that

They've got a crazy number of IPs they haven't done anything with for far too long. Things from Alan Wake and PGR to Rare IPs, Mechwarrior, Crimson Skies or even Shadowrun. That's on top of Halo and Gears which I for one am still a huge fan of

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Yep and since it's being televised on Spike I expect that to stay a pretty concrete time limit.

Well I hope the presentation is densely packed. I fear we're not going to get a very large glimpse at games.

Sony's presentation seemed to be pretty packed as well and that was two hours long.

Somehow I think they're only going to give a brief overview of new features and kinect 2.0 without really going too much into the technical specs. I fear that we won't know much more than what we already know now, which would be horrible.

 

[DopeyFish]

Halo, Gears, Forza, Fable.

As opposed to -

Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Killzone, God of War, Infamous, Resistance and Ratchet.

Personal taste.

Also have rare and FASA franchises.... There's also Alan wake....

Mass Effect was also a 1st party game until EA bought out bioware

Microsoft takes a lot of chances... Look at xbox 1 and beginning of 360... (Until execs had enough of losing money)

When they are in form, they pump out a lot of quality titles and take a lot of gambles. That is why I like Microsoft. Sure they had duds, but so does everyone else.

PGR, RSC, Amped, Top Spin are other titles that were excellent. I look forward to see what MS can do when they are confident, and not fucked from being economically crimped.

 

[PopcornMegaphone]

the one thing I'm worried about is that they've given up on Japan so no more Japanese exclusives.

Yeah, I'd say there's about 0% chance MS releases an exclusive JRPG next gen.


edit -

Also have rare and FASA franchises.... There's also Alan wake....

Mass Effect was also a 1st party game until EA bought out bioware

Microsoft takes a lot of chances... Look at xbox 1 and beginning of 360... (Until execs had enough of losing money)

When they are in form, they pump out a lot of quality titles and take a lot of gambles. That is why I like Microsoft. Sure they had duds, but so does everyone else.

PGR, RSC, Amped, Top Spin are other titles that were excellent. I look forward to see what MS can do when they are confident, and not fucked from being economically crimped.

I'll also add - Crackdown and xbox live exclusives like shadow complex.


Generally I've enjoyed the 360's exclusive content over the PS3.

 

[Appollowexx]

Saving the rest for their E3 conference most likely.

Yep. COD: Ghosts and maybe 1 or 2 other games shown and the rest saved for E3.

It's a hardware event and unlike Sony, with their super long 2hr conference, I suspect MS will actually focus mostly on the hardware with a brief glimpse of what the games look like running on it; but with the majority saved for the 'main event'.

Also have rare and FASA franchises.... There's also Alan wake....

Mass Effect was also a 1st party game until EA bought out bioware

Microsoft takes a lot of chances... Look at xbox 1 and beginning of 360... (Until execs had enough of losing money)

When they are in form, they pump out a lot of quality titles and take a lot of gambles. That is why I like Microsoft. Sure they had duds, but so does everyone else.

PGR, RSC, Amped, Top Spin are other titles that were excellent. I look forward to see what MS can do when they are confident, and not fucked from being economically crimped.

Well those aren't really franchises they've had one game each, aside from ME and that downloadable AW spin off. I class a franchise as a running series of games, hence the reason I didn't list stuff like Heavy Rain, Warhawk, Folklore ect for Sony. I did forget Motorstorm however - 3 games, not a great series IMO though.

Yeah, I'd say there's about 0% chance MS releases an exclusive JRPG next gen.

Yeah MS are done with Japan. Then there's the rumours of Square-Enix and Sony partnering up for the next Final Fantasy. I think they've conceded to the fact Japan doesn't want what they're peddling.

 

[MikeE21286]

Sob what's up with this time again? A Tuesday. 2PM/10AM.

How the hell is anybody gonna be able to watch this...?

 

[jond76]

Did Microsoft really confirm that the event would only be 1 hour? Seems pretty short.



I really don't think they will blow them away with UI and services. I think those are basic "commoditized" features these days. It may have blown people away back in 2005 when some of this stuff was new, but Sony's already shown that their UI and ease of use has been dramatically improved, and they're also taking initiatives to bring new features like share and live streaming (which Microsoft will have as well). I can't really think of anything that would blow me away beyond something like that.

Having cable box interaction doesn't mean diddly to me.

What I'm getting at is that the games will be the without a doubt, where MS will set itself apart is Live and other stuff. And I think they can deliver.

 

[Baconsammy]

Really? What about the 360 and the original Xbox was radically different?

Aside from Xbox Live setting the standard for online gaming and services on consoles, I can't think of anything in particular.

On a hardware level and general functionality, both of those consoles seemed pretty standard to a simpleton like myself.

Xbox Live was huge. Hardly vanilla. 360 changed the gaming industry when it comes to achievements. The indies store. XBLA. They led. Sony spent an entire generation following, copying, and catching up. You don't play catchup in so many areas when your competition is vanilla.

 

[RoboPlato]

Well I hope the presentation is densely packed. I fear we're not going to get a very large glimpse at games.

Sony's presentation seemed to be pretty packed as well and that was two hours long.

Somehow I think they're only going to give a brief overview of new features and kinect 2.0 without really going too much into the technical specs. I fear that we won't know much more than what we already know now, which would be horrible.

It's going to really suck if they don't confirm specs and just say something like AMD APU with 8 cores, 8GB of RAM, and a custom GPU.