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[isamu]

Greetings gentlemen.

I'd like to ask you some questions regarding Microsoft's Xbox part 2.

1)In your humble opinion, will Xbox II be released next year? What month do you suspect it will come out?

2)Is Xbox II and "Xenon" the same thing? Or is Xenon a different platform altogether?

Number three is the most important question so bear with me....

3)The chick who hosts Pulse said something about Xbox II having standard USB ports, and how all controllers will be cross compatible with the existing PC contollers....can someone....ANYONE confirm if this is true?

The reason I emphasize number three, is because if this is true, wouldn't it mean that all current and future force feedback steering wheels for the PC would work on all Xbox II/Xenon racing games, providing the code is there?

4)Can any of you describe to us, what you have heard regarding Xbox II's online capability? Has it been announced or confirmed that a newer, improved version of Xbox Live with launch with Xbox II? Do you feel the online component will improve upon what is already being done with the current Xbox Live function?

Discuss please.

 

[IJoel]

Greetings gentlemen.

I'd like to ask you some questions regarding Microsoft's Xbox part 2.

1)In your humble opinion, will Xbox II be released next year? What month do you suspect it will come out?

2)Is Xbox II and "Xenon" the same thing? Or is Xenon a different platform altogether?

Number three is the most important question so bear with me....

3)The chick who hosts Pulse said something about Xbox II having standard USB ports, and how all controllers will be cross compatible with the existing PC contollers....can someone....ANYONE confirm if this is true?

The reason I emphasize number three, is because if this is true, wouldn't it mean that all current and future force feedback steering wheels for the PC would work on all Xbox II/Xenon racing games, providing the code is there?

4)Can any of you describe to us, what you have heard regarding Xbox II's online capability? Has it been announced or confirmed that a newer, improved version of Xbox Live with launch with Xbox II? Do you feel the online component will improve upon what is already being done with the current Xbox Live function?

Discuss please.

1. It has been widely rumored that the Xbox 2 will be released during the Holiday season of 2005. This would mean from September to December, though I'd say it's likely they'd go for November (Xbox's 4th year anniversary) to release it, if they were indeed releasing it on 2005.

2. Exact same thing. Xenon is the rumored development codename for the Xbox 2.

3. Very likely. MS is pushing the XNA development platform that will facilitate development across PC and Xbox/Xbox 2 consoles as well as cross-platform development. They've made comments that indicate that they'll pursue compatible peripherals (controllers, etc.) from the PC to the Xbox 2 platform, in which case, they'll most likely use the USB format.

4. Xbox Live will move onto Xbox 2 and will most likely undergo some growth in capability. Recent MS job postings suggest they'll implement more features including an Observer mode, in which people could join games and just look at them, sort of watching a match on TV. They'll also be using Xbox Live on the PC, so cross-platform Live games should be quite possible during the next generation. MS improves Xbox Live from year to year based on feedback they receive. I don't see this trend changing. Xbox Live should continue evolving for the better.

 

[hirokazu]

3. Yes, something has been said to that tune recently, can't remember from whom though.

 

[isamu]

Aww C'mon.

I think you guys are just pulling my leg. How could you possibly know this information ahead of time?

 

[Deleted member 1235]

what happens to xbox live as we know it when this new machine is released (way to early)

 

[DopeyFish]

what happens to xbox live as we know it when this new machine is released (way to early)

XboxLive isn't platform dependant.

 

[isamu]

XboxLive isn't platform dependant.

yes it is.

 

[DopeyFish]

yes it is.

no, it's not actually

 

[Wario64]

I'm pretty sure you'll be able to carry your Xbox Live gamertag to the next Xbox console

 

[isamu]

Yeah, you're right Dopey, my bad. By the way I just got this response from another guy on team xbrick....

I'm going to focus on #3 because nobody here seems to be giving you all the details on that. Will the Xbox 2 controller work on the PC? Yes, that has been confirmed by Lester, but nobody here can tell you that current gamepads/wheels will do so. The Xbox 2 is still a console and games are developed for the specific gamepad, so if any of you think you can go get a Logiteck gamepad off the shelf right now and expect to use it for Xbox 2 then you are just wrong.

It's a given the Xbox 2 will use USB 2.0 ports since the Xbox 2 controller plugs into the PC, but that doesn;t mean the port will accept anything you plug into it. More then likely companies that create gamepads for the PC and want them to be compatible with the Xbox 2 will have to go through MS for that. If you look at the current PC gamepads on the market you can see the quality isn't that of a PS2 or Xbox gamepad.

So all I'm saying is yeah in the future MS will make it to where PC peripherals work on the Xbox 2, but don't expect the PC gamepad or steering wheel you're using right now to work with it.

If he is right, that will be awesome!

In your humble opinion, will most, if not all racing game developers implement force feedback into their Xenon racing games? Or do you think they will continue to ignore the importance of such a feature and decide not to put it in the game? This was one of the things that has sorely dissapointed me this gen with all current Xbox racing games. For there to be no proper force feedback wheel on the market for the Xbox is nothing short of a TRAVESTY!

I sincerely hope Logitech, Microsoft and all the racing developers do not make the same mistake twice

Do you guys think the rumours are true that Logitech has hired Gek54 to design their next force feedback wheel?

 

[DopeyFish]

Well there are rumors about an FF wheel to go in line with Forza.

But then again, that wouldn't change much with the current Xbox racing lineup :s

 

[JJConrad]

#3 It should be noted that Windows Graphics and Gaming general manager Dean Lester only said, "Xbox 2 peripherals will all work on PC." The Xenon having standard USB 2.0 ports is speculation.

Also, Dean Lester is not directly involved with the Xbox 2's hardware or software, his comments shouldn't be taken as a solid promise.

 

[isamu]

#3 It should be noted that Windows Graphics and Gaming general manager Dean Lester only said, "Xbox 2 peripherals will all work on PC." The Xenon having standard USB 2.0 ports is speculation.

Also, Dean Lester is not directly involved with the Xbox 2's hardware or software, his comments shouldn't be taken as a solid promise.

JJ are you sure about this?

 

[Chittagong]

1. Fact. Xbox 2 will not be out on the market next year.

 

[isamu]

1. Fact. Xbox 2 will not be out on the market next year.

WHAAAAA?

 

[JJConrad]

JJ are you sure about this?

Lester's quote came from a Gamespot article about Longhorn, MS' new PC-operating system. The quote was really just secondary information that people have latched onto.

The article also puts that quote in the context of *PC-games using longhorn can be compatible with the Xbox 2 peripherals.* Don't expect universal compatibilty.

 

[DIrtyWeasel]

If I were M$, I wouldn't come out with Xenon until Halo3 is ready to be a launch title.
If it took Bungie three years for Halo 2, I doubt they'd be able to come out with Halo 3 in one.

 

[Defensor]

1. Fact. Xbox 2 will not be out on the market next year.

Maybe in your country of living
Xenon launch = 2005 USA

 

[isamu]

Maybe in your country of living

Yeah, that one thew me for a loop. Chittigong = Sony employee???

 

[isamu]

Pulled this from Gamefront today....

Moore attributes the fact that Xbox was no able to prevail in Japan to three factors: Xbox is as big as a VCR and the design does not appeal to Japanese tastes. Secondly, there were too few games available, and those that were available did not appeal to Japanese consumers. Finally, Playstation 2 had a two year head start and it would have been impossible to catch up in any event.

'Next time we wont make the same mistakes', says Moore. Xbox2 will have a smaller and simpler design. In Japan Moore wants to offer an extensive software range from the outset, and one that is better suited to Japanese tastes.

Because Sony wants to use Blue-ray Discs with the PS3, it is likely that next to games, films and music will play a larger role. Nikkei Business Publications bases that on a statement by Ken Kutaragi, that an increased convergence of the three media is possible.

According to Peter Moore, Microsoft is retaining the concept of a pure game console with Xbox 2, which will be online-capable from the outset. In particular, an expansion of online services is being targeted, and Internet telephony could be an option.

Moore will not comment on the launch date for Xbox2, repeating only that the competition will not get a head start. He sounds a combative note: “Victory in the game business is not decided in a single generation.”

Sounds very exciting for Xenon. I am looking forward to it and think MS will definitely win the next gen and make PS3 go out of business.

 

[Chittagong]

Maybe in your country of living
Xenon launch = 2005 USA

I thought the whole 2005 thing was mainly media speculation, rather than coming from devs and pubs.

Well, I guess it's who you talk with. And I'm willing to bet that neither of us can say anything about that

 

[Baron]

I read this news two weeks ago, I'm surprised nobody else saw it.

Xbox 2 peripherals to be compatible with PCs

Future Windows PCs to support Xbox controllers, Xbox Live, and XNA

Microsoft's efforts to tie the Windows PC and Xbox platforms closer together have moved forward once more, with Windows Gaming boss Dean Lester revealing that Xbox 2 peripherals will work on PCs. Speaking in an interview this week, Lester confirmed that "Xbox 2 peripherals will all work on PC," while the next version of Windows, currently codenamed Longhorn, will provide support for Xbox Live functionality.

The inclusion of Xbox Live functions in Windows isn't news - in fact, it was one of the first tangible benefits to be announced from the XNA programme, which aims to make cross-platform development across Microsoft's systems as easy as possible. However, the cross-compatible controllers are new, and suggest that Xbox 2 will utilise the standardised joypad design which Lester and his team have been championing as a concept for Windows Gaming for some time.

The current generation Xbox peripherals use a "ruggedised" version of the USB standard to connect to the console, and third-party adapters have been made available which allow normal USB devices to be connected to the Xbox. It seems likely, based on Lester's comments, that future Xbox peripherals will have the ability to plug directly into PC USB ports as well as into the more rugged ports on videogame consoles.


Source: GameSpot

 

[cvxfreak]

I think that's an interesting feature, PC/Xbox peripheral compatibility.

 

[Chittagong]

Chittigong = Sony employee???

Yep.