Are you ready for the next generation of consoles?

AniHawk said:
I was just gonna make a topic about how long this generation has been. By the time the Xenon is launched, it'll be 7 years since this gen began. By the time the gen officially ends with the launch of the PS3 (DS, PSP, and Xenon are early comers), it'll have been 8 years. That only ties the NES/Famicom 8-bit era.

Breakdown since the NES:

NES/Famicom 8-bit era (1983-1991)- 8 years
Genesis/SNES 16-bit era (1989-1996)- 7 years
N64/Saturn/PSX 32/64-bit era (1994-2000)- 6 years
DC/GC/Xbox/PS2 era (1998-2006)- 8 years
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Why do you list the generations as overlapping? It seems they should stop once the next gen starts. Or, if you are really going by the definition of "generation" shouldn't you list the end date as when the console was officially dead?

NES would be 1984-1995, for example.
 
Not at all.

Visuals this gen may have reached a ceiling (though I still think there's more that can be done, honestly; it's amazing the kinds of graphics that can be squeezed out of systems later in their life cycle), but there's still room for progress in terms of gameplay, AI, etc. on the current hardware. It's usually in the later years of a console's life that developers say, 'OK, we know what we can squeeze out of this machine visually. Now let's see what we can do to make our games more entertaining in other ways.' MS seems to be cutting this part of the cycle short, which is regrettable, IMO.
 
Well considering that HL2 already runs at 60fps at a higher resolution than standard TV's on current high end hardware...it's pretty much a guarantee Xenon games will look better than that at 60fps on a TV at 640x480. Seeing as Xenon's GPU is going to be a generation after whats going into PC's next year err this year. (R500 Xenon = R600 on PC, as R520 = steroided R420 with more pipes and higher clock). Don't underestimate Xenon.
 
Nope, I've only had an Xbox for about 6 months, and a catalogue of games to catch up on (Only just got Soul Calibur II today).

That and my PS2 dying over the summer means I need to pick up a PSTwo and catch up with that catalogue too.

I'm not usually a buy at launch type anyway, I prefer the fuss to die down, good retail availability without scalping and the expanded choice of line-up a late purchase brings.

I'm tempted to get a PSP when they launch here, but will probably still wait a few months rather than get scalped.

Next year is looking more & more like a PC upgrade year for me.
 
8-bit era:

Nintendo Famcom 1983 until the release of the Sega Megadrive in 1988.
PC-Enigine in 1987 didnt really start the new generation imo)
 
I'm always ready for a new generation of hardware, but I do think that software has become more stagnant. Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be less innovative games these days, more sequels, more copy cats, and even though the graphics have improved, it's been awhile since something has really blown me away with how different, unique, and new it was. Perhaps I'm just jaded by all my years of gaming playing on tons of different systems. :D

Either way, I' excited about the POTENTIAL of the next gen systems. I'd just like to see more of that potential reached. Better graphics are just the tip of the iceberg. We need larger, more fully realized worlds to explore.

Someone mentioned that the specs on the Xenon were not as powerful as would be expected. Have tech specs on any of the next gen systems really been released yet? I mean besides the rumors and conjecture?

KFJ
 
Mama Smurf said:
If Sonic Adventure (one of the very first DC games) came out today on the PS2, I think we'd say it looks average at best (probably poor), but wouldn't doubt it's this gen. Unlike if the best looking N64 or PSX games were to do the same.

With the best looking games (like Shenmue II), it wouldn't even be questioned.

To me, that says that, graphically at least, the DC is part of this gen.
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Yeah, but even the best of the SNES looked better than the worst of the playstation, the same is true for this generation and will most likely be true for the next.


If Sega had made a console after the Dreamcast, and released it in the same timeframe as they did between the Saturn and the Dreamcast, then that new console would have been released in 2002. Would that new system be a part of the current generation or the next?
 
That's an interesting point to mention JJ, the simple answer would be yes but the longer answer is definetly no. A dreamcast 2 that had come out in 2002 would basically be at current PC level technology , perhaps a bit lower even. In other words it'd be like a baby step up from Xbox, perhaps just enough that Xenon would seem like baby step up from it ...


So yeah, if a dreamcast 2 had come out in 2002 it would technically be a centimetre into the "256 bit" generation of systems , a generation that the Xbox seems to be 10 centimetres away from and Xenon is probaly 50 centimetres into... compared to PS3 prolly being 75 centimetres into..

Idono I"m just rambling here... pay no mind....
 
Error Macro said:
Why do you list the generations as overlapping? It seems they should stop once the next gen starts. Or, if you are really going by the definition of "generation" shouldn't you list the end date as when the console was officially dead?

NES would be 1984-1995, for example.
Click to expand...

I was counting the first competitor's console to the introduction of the market leader's console. It was always Sega beginning generations, and then Nintendo and Sony respectively ending them.
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If Sega had made a console after the Dreamcast, and released it in the same timeframe as they did between the Saturn and the Dreamcast, then that new console would have been released in 2002. Would that new system be a part of the current generation or the next?
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Actually, going by the Saturn/DC model, then their next system would've come out in 2004, and not 2002. They released their next system early because their 32 bit system was dead in the US by 1998. Kinda like how the Genesis was brought about in 1988 when their Master System put up far less than stellar numbers.

The DC is about as much of a "half-gen" system as the Genesis and Saturn were.
 
JJConrad said:
Yeah, but even the best of the SNES looked better than the worst of the playstation, the same is true for this generation and will most likely be true for the next.
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Perhaps. I wouldn't like to say as I don't know what the worst looking game this gen is to compare to the best the last. However, I expect they'd look close.

That isn't true for the DC to current systems. The best of the DC still looks good, or at least average, when compared to Xbox games. And the average DC game looks like a poor PS2 game. The same can not be said for the average N64 to average PS2.
 
Even though I still have a ton of games from this generation to play through I am ready enough for the next generation to start up this year.
All telling we should only have one new console this year. So we still have a lot of time for the next gen to really get going.
Bring em on.

I want new purty games. :D
 
I don't need or want a new generation of system's. The game's you listed aren't even good examples of graphically impressive games. Visuals should've even be a concern for an industry lacking in imaginative ideas. We should be using the power we have, the current systems, and putting interesting software on them. Fuck next gen systems. Just bring me something for my current three.
 
Personally I'm satisfied with the graphics of this gen (of course better looking stuff is always welcomed) I'm just excited about the new consoles coming now because of the possibility to create worlds so big that GTA would seem like a village in the bush.
 
Actually I thought the world of San Andreas was too big. It wasn't refined enough and was just far to grand to really catch my interest. I'd rather have something that starts out focused and introduces you to the environment without just setting you loose. Also, I realize SA tries to limit you at first were you can go, but it's so simple to go around road blocks and such. I prefer a more linear path, but steaped interactivity.
 
doncale said:
8-bit era:

Nintendo Famcom 1983 until the release of the Sega Megadrive in 1988.
PC-Enigine in 1987 didnt really start the new generation imo)
Click to expand...

Since you're referring to Japanese systems -- the PC Engine, not the Megadrive, is what pressured Nintendo into developing and releasing the Super Famicom.
 
Sigh...Yes the DC is a part of THIS generation. Obviously it's the weakest graphically, but here's a simple example. Compare Soul Edge/Blade for PSone to Soul Calibur for Dreamcast...clearly SC is a generation ahead of SE/B. Compare Soul Calibur for Dreamcast to Soul Calibur II for PS2/GC/XBOX....SCII is not a generation ahead of SCI.
 
Definetely not ready yet. Too many games I still need to get, and too many games I'm looking forward to in 2005. I'll wait until summer '06 at the earliest before I buy any new consoles.
 
Anihawk, you're the one who started this gen with the japanese DC release. Now, which is it... 1998 or 1999? ;)
Didn't Sega stop production of the Saturn in 1998. Following that pattern, that new console would have been released before the Gamecube or Xbox. :D

Starting the next-gen by the end of this year does have its advantages. It'll mean that by the time I'm ready to enter the next-gen, they're be a larger selection of games and prices would have already dropped. On the down-side, the systems won't be as powerful as they could have been. Then there's the unknowns; like if the Xbox 2 turns out to be as profittable as the first Xbox, will we be having this same conversation in just 4 years?
 
Mrbob said:
Yeah I think the DC is one reason why this generation feels longer. Those of you who didn't jump on until PS2 or GC or XBox I can see perhaps wanting this gen to continue. But those who hopped on with the DC know this gen has been around for a long time.
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Nah, I picked up the DC on day one, and I still want this gen to continue. I guess I'm a sucker for wanting to save some money. :)

Damn, I still have games from the PS1/Saturn/N64 gen that I need to get!
 
JJConrad said:
Anihawk, you're the one who started this gen with the japanese DC release. Now, which is it... 1998 or 1999? ;)
Didn't Sega stop production of the Saturn in 1998. Following that pattern, that new console would have been released before the Gamecube or Xbox. :D
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I never said anything about 1999. They put the DC out 2 years before the market leader brought out their next system. They did it before with the Saturn, and a little earlier with the Genesis even.

Just because it died early doesn't mean it's not this gen.
 
OmniGamer said:
Sigh...Yes the DC is a part of THIS generation. Obviously it's the weakest graphically, but here's a simple example. Compare Soul Edge/Blade for PSone to Soul Calibur for Dreamcast...clearly SC is a generation ahead of SE/B. Compare Soul Calibur for Dreamcast to Soul Calibur II for PS2/GC/XBOX....SCII is not a generation ahead of SCI.
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very much agreed.
 
Kung Fu Jedi said:
I'm always ready for a new generation of hardware, but I do think that software has become more stagnant. Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be less innovative games these days, more sequels, more copy cats, and even though the graphics have improved, it's been awhile since something has really blown me away with how different, unique, and new it was. Perhaps I'm just jaded by all my years of gaming playing on tons of different systems. :D

Either way, I' excited about the POTENTIAL of the next gen systems. I'd just like to see more of that potential reached. Better graphics are just the tip of the iceberg. We need larger, more fully realized worlds to explore.
Click to expand...


me too :D
 
Taking my year long break from gaming was a bad idea; I have such a killer backlog at the moment but in a year I think I should be ready for the xenon.
 
I wouldn't say I'm not ready, in that I actively don't want the the next-gen to start, I'm just not that bothered. There's still plenty of stuff for the current systems over the next year that I'm not even thinking next-gen.

I probably won't take the next-gen plunge until the PS3 anyway.
 
This reminds me of when DK was released for the Snes in '94 and it bares repeating, it's up to the developers and how damn good the games are. Looking at Resident Evil 4, Jade Empire, Zelda, GT 4, I feel we haven't seen all there is to see just yet. But that's just my opinion.
 
I don't think this generation is totally washed up yet. There are plenty of games I'm buying in 2005 for the current gen. I'm just ready for the next generation to come.
 
Am I ready? NO WAY! After just purchasing the Xbox, It's time for me to play catch-up again like I do every generation. The cool part about this technique is that i don't have to break the bank for some gaming goodness. Since I was smart enough to not only book a vacation covering both christmas and newyear's weekend, I set myself up to really get aquainted with the best of this generation.

KOTOR for me was a revelation as far as features go. It was like God said "let me create the ultimate game for 2003". I was a skeptic of this system for a long time, but when you can have worlds, voice acting, and plots this complex, not to mention quick harddrive loadtimes, I just need time to savor this generation a little bit longer.
 
CES in just a few days, maybe we hear something.

GDC in about 100 days, we should absolutely hear something, maybe see something.

E3 in about 130 days. We should absolutely see something, and maybe some will get to play.

About 320 days. I will be shopping, and the boards will explode with next gen goodness.


Oh yea, 45-75 days... PSP ships:)


Next gen is here this year, embrace it. The excitement is beginning all over again. DAMN, this is such a kick ass hobby! SO much to look forward to... all while enjoying the huge stack of kick ass games from this gen, last gen... hell there are a ton of SNES/Gen games I still have fun with!!!
 
JoDark said:
CES in just a few days, maybe we hear something.

GDC in about 100 days, we should absolutely hear something, maybe see something.

E3 in about 130 days. We should absolutely see something, and maybe some will get to play.

About 320 days. I will be shopping, and the boards will explode with next gen goodness.


Oh yea, 45-75 days... PSP ships:)


Next gen is here this year, embrace it. The excitement is beginning all over again. DAMN, this is such a kick ass hobby! SO much to look forward to... all while enjoying the huge stack of kick ass games from this gen, last gen... hell there are a ton of SNES/Gen games I still have fun with!!!
Click to expand...



RIGHT ON MAN :D
 
Flakster99 said:
This reminds me of when DK was released for the Snes in '94 and it bares repeating, it's up to the developers and how damn good the games are. Looking at Resident Evil 4, Jade Empire, Zelda, GT 4, I feel we haven't seen all there is to see just yet. But that's just my opinion.
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I agree completely. DK Country basically killed 3DO and Jaguar really. I feel that if Xenon is being released this year, it'll have to have titles that are head and shoulder above titles like RE4, GT4 and Zelda. The thing with those titles is that they look so great not just because of their graphics engine, but also because there is so much attention to detail that takes time and man-power on the developer's part as well as technology.

I'm not so sure the first wave of the next-gen can give us that and whether developers are ready for it. We'll get big titles from big developers, but I hope smaller developers and publishers get a chance as well. If they next-gen consoles are backward compatible though, I'll get them fairly eaerly for sure.
 
There's really no rush imo. I'm enjoying MGS3, Halo 2, and Half Life 2's graphics right now. They're extremely impressive. But I was wondering, do you think that Xenon and PS3 will far surpass HL2? Because if not, like said, there's no point. I want to see something I can't imagine right now. If that's what they're bringing, then I say bring it on as soon as possible. And yeah, I got DC at launch and consider it this generation. The better looking games of that systems launch gave me that feeling of "woah, how can something look this good?" back then. PS2, Xbox, and GC wowed me but never to next generation extent. DC greeted me for that.

Oh, and has it become fact now that graphics wise, Xenon will be weakest but first, and PS3 and Revolution a bit beyond that? I haven't even read the concept names of the systems until now so I don't got a clue, but I figured some spec-head should :p

Timbuktu said:
I agree completely. DK Country basically killed 3DO and Jaguar really. I feel that if Xenon is being released this year, it'll have to have titles that are head and shoulder above titles like RE4, GT4 and Zelda. The thing with those titles is that they look so great not just because of their graphics engine, but also because there is so much attention to detail that takes time and man-power on the developer's part as well as technology.

I'm not so sure the first wave of the next-gen can give us that and whether developers are ready for it. We'll get big titles from big developers, but I hope smaller developers and publishers get a chance as well. If they next-gen consoles are backward compatible though, I'll get them fairly eaerly for sure.
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Yeah, about the man power bit, that's spot on. If the technology is utilized by an artist next generation, then I literally can't wait to see it. But if there's these no talent hacks, who can't even model a decent looking character creating the launch titles, then I don't want even want to jump into the next gen. And the point about backward compatability is also a big seller for me.
 
J2 Cool said:
Oh, and has it become fact now that graphics wise, Xenon will be weakest but first, and PS3 and Revolution a bit beyond that?
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Xenon is the only one with really known spec, so it's hard to call it facts :P
Though personally, based on what I know of PS3 now, I have a pretty clear expectation of where it'll be relative to X2.
Revolution on the other hand is a complete unknown, I literally haven't even heard any rumours about it yet.
 
Yes. It´s not I´m done with games this generation but I´m more than ready for next generation. It´s not only bcause better graphics, it´s about what the new technology it´s capable to do it.

Expansive almost photorealistic scenarios with lot of freeedom, epic battles of hundreds of highly detailed character, new possibilities...

I can still buy the games I´m interested this gen so it´s not like I´m going to jump completely to the new consoles forgetting about this ones. But as always there are new systems, the potential and ideas of the games that could come makes me terribly excited about it.
 
Even with a backlog of games from this and previous generations I don't even want to think about, I am more than ready for the next gen. Not only am I excited about the new technology, but it will also give me a chance of a fresh start .. in a way.
 
I'm ready and I'm glad the launch dates are spaced out. Xbox 2 this year and PS3 in 2006. Works great for me. Games are starting to look like crap on the Consoles compared to PC.

For those that are late adopters to the Xbox. It will still power up and you can play it when the Xenon releases. Just thought I needed to make that clear.
 
When looking at the Xbox, I would say yes. Halo2 visuals don't look like there surpassable, well maybe in a FPS sense. PGR2 visuals were inspiring, particularly the way the cars reacted to sunlight.

PS2 most definitely, MGS3, GT4 has pushed the limilts of the console. I don't think were gonna see anything that will surpass them. Ico 2 may change my mind though.

GC not just yet, RE4, Zelda will be great visually, but there's some genre's I would like to see done on the GC with the same visual quality. MP2 visuals are great, but are not in my eyes a accurate representation of of what can be achieved on the console. A GT4 style racer would be nice and a traditional FPS on the console, so I'm hoping for a port of FarCry.

The fur rendering in DKJB has me excited though.
 
Being primarily a sports gamer for the past couple years, I cannot wait until the next-gen of consoles. I think sports games benefit the most from an upgrade in hardware. After that first awkward year of releases, things really start to change.

However, I just picked up Fifa 2005 the other day and I simply cannot see how the game could get much better visually. I mean, other than a fully 3D crowd and better looking kits (uniforms)...I mean how can it get better? Zidane looks just like Zidane. Just like I am watching him on TV.

I guess the leap would be to HD. That might be the key. Lighting could get better, but as far as player models go I think EA is really pushing things to the limit with this years Fifa.

That said, a lot can be done for Madden. Player models still aren't where they should be in my opinion. Hopefully they will really nail player faces in the next gen. It just doesn't look like im watching McNabb on TV when I'm playing Madden 2005. When I play Fifa 2005 it really feels like I'm watching Zidane or Beckham on TV.

Another thing in sports games that I think is just one generation away is crowds. It's getting better every year but it's not quite there yet. I want crowds that react realistically and dramatically to big plays. Not "camera shake." (Looking at you, NCAA). When a big down comes up, the whole place should be standing. And I should be able to see that. NHL 2K5 is as close to this ideal as it gets right now. But the crowd randomly stands up and sits down without any correlation to the flow of the game.

Enough rambling.
 
I want Sony to forget they are a traditional Japanese company for one moment, and be cold, calculating corporation.

They should launch headlong against Xbox in the west (or at least the US if they don't have stocks). Thanksgiving up to Christmas is the biggest buying season in the US.

Xbox is already popular in America (I don't know how popular when moms have to buy another one so soon, but hey), so sony should cover the most difficult battleground. Fuck Japan, its not like thats going anywhere for them.
 
Personally I don't look at it as the generation started at such and such now it's time for new consoles

I look at it as the Xbox launched in November of 2001 and for the Xbox2 to be out in 2005 is way to fucking soon IMHO

but that's me and this time around I wont be buying one right away because if it's anything like this generation the consoles are going to be an assload cheaper in no time after launch
 
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