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Xbox 2 at CES? | |
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| Time: 12:00 EST/17:00 GMT | News Source: E-Mail | Posted By: Chris Hedlund | ||
The year-old question is about to be answered. This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been the rumored launch-platform for Bill Gates’ next big toy, Xbox 2. There are many hints out there that it will indeed be introduced at CES. Then again, there are just as many hints that it won’t be. If we had to guess (which we like to do), we would say it’s more likely than not. PC Magazine covers the non-story with an opinion of its own. | ||
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| #1 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 1/3/2005 1:48:18 PM |
| Let's hope the PS3 is at LEAST as good as Xbox 1. Dang I love my Xbox! |
| #2 By 2960 (156.80.64.173) at 1/3/2005 2:04:09 PM |
|
I haven't followed this much, but I've heard two things that bother me about Xbox 2:
1. Not compatible with Xbox Games. 2. No longer uses a Hard Drive. I guess we'll have to see what reality brings. TL |
| #3 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at 1/3/2005 2:46:23 PM |
|
TL--I used to think the lack of backward compatibility was a pretty big mistake, but several people have pointed out that, 1) if you already have XBox 1 games, then you likely have an XBox already (you can still play them), and more importantly, 2) once you have an XBox 2, you probably won't care all that much to play those old games anymore, anyhow. However, I have heard rumors that, since the machine will be so powerful, there may be an emulator that can run the old games.
As for the lack of a hard drive, there is also a rumor that the device will not come with one, but that it would be available as an add-on. You're right... who knows what it will be, exactly. Maybe not even Microsoft, yet. :P |
| #4 By 37 (24.183.41.60) at 1/3/2005 6:39:16 PM |
|
No I don't believe that games make the platform. However, there is no question that the Xbox is stronger in the grapics department than PS2. There is no doubt about it. In fact it's known that cross platform games lose certain features and graphics when porting from Xbox to PS2. That is controlled by the console.
Secondly, I enjoy the ability to have downloadable content, even at a premium in some cases. And not having to use memory cards for remembering my information, etc. THAT is controlled by the console. And my number one reason for enjoying the Xbox over the PS2 is the online gaming experience with Xbox Live. I believe Halo 2 did the right thing by connecting users with similar bandwidth. I like the fact that it's broadband (less the xbc peeps out there), we have a centralized friends list for all games, we can invite each other to another game from within a different game, we can send text and voice messages during games or when offline. I like the fact that it shows me connection rates for my games and so I can choose to connect to higher speed games, or just block oversized games so that I only SEE the games that match my speed requirements. I like the fact that I can be online at home, work or even have my MCE up on my TV and seen when friends are online playing, which game, get invitied, or just getting alerts as to when they logged on, and to which game. I have never experienced a single bit of downtime with LIVE gaming, but I have seen issues with my friends list that is at xbox.com connected to my messenger not working sometimes. So for example, I have Star Wars Battlefront (which is a good game offline, but great game online). I don't think it's the best game I have and I am confident that my experience offline with the game on PS2 is the same. However, my online gaming experience is TOTALLY different, with the Xbox experience online being much better. So, is the console what makes the game? No. Can a *console* improve upon a "decent" game, it sure as heck can. My experience with Star Wars Battlefront is just one example of an experience that I have had with the two platforms. A better console "can" improve your gaming experience. Will it improve it enough to the point that I don't mind not being able to play the other games? Right now, yes. It's all a matter of gamers opinions. I don't have a PS2, but I have played MOST of those games you mentioned that you like, and I personally never found anything TOO exciting from them to make the switch. Had the PS2 had the Xbox features when it came out, I would be using a PS2 right now as well. And I can say that if the Xbox 2 and PS3 offer the same/similar feature sets, then I will opt to get both. I will probably RENT PS3 games and buy Xbox games (well most of my Xbox games are free that I get anyway as an MVP for MS :oP). My guess is that Xbox 2 will interact with MCE even better, so I am confident that it will be my primary gaming machine since I love my MCE. |
| #5 By 116 (24.173.215.234) at 1/3/2005 9:08:30 PM |
| Halcyon do you in fact own an Xbox??? I can't believe that you think that PS2 Online has anything on Xbox online. And I am talking ESPECIALLY about sports. I don't know anyone that has both the PS2 and the xbox claim that the PS2 is "better". I don't think you have played one let alone have one. Prince of Persia is definitely not the same across all platforms. Xbox is best by far. Have you even played that game on both consoles??? |
| #6 By 37 (24.183.41.60) at 1/3/2005 9:30:17 PM |
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"And the other way around, MGS2 suffered from slowdown, Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2 was much better looking and playing on the PS2. If you cared about online sports you'd own a PS2. While games such as Grand Theft Auto receive upgrades and Need For Speed Underground are slightly faster on the X-Box, the differences aren't such a big deal if the core game is good. MGS2 and Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2 can be fun on the X-Box as well. Other games such as Prince of Persia, Beyond Good & Evil, Burnout 3, etc are identical across all platforms. In the end, to most gamers the differences in third party games are not nearly as important as the games you can't get on the X-Box. "
Oh believe me, I have NEVER seen graphics suffer from going from PS2 to Xbox. I have two cousins and one friend that are close enough to me that I have experienced MANY cross platform games and the Xbox in EVERY instance has enjoyed better graphics. Online sports? Hal, where should I start??! I have EVERY EA Sports and ESPN Sports titles! NASCAR to Tiger to Madden, etc. AND all the Sega Sports games as well. On my Xbox. My friend and cousin's that have PS2's have switched over to the Xbox for most of their online sports. The only online sports investment that suffered with the Xbox is the XSN Sports line from MS. Otherwise, the Xbox versions of the online sports is awesome with Xbox Live! Hook up with sometime if you ever get Xbox Live! Great list here: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/catalog.htm?cat=Sports "In the end, to most gamers the differences in third party games are not nearly as important as the games you can't get on the X-Box. " I would say it depends. But your opinion is noted. "That's good, but if there aren't that many fun games on the system you won't be playing much online or offline." But that isn't the case with Xbox as you know. In fact the Xbox has more time played per game than any other console. It also has record online playing stats. Xbox has been releasing just as many games as the PS2 in the past two years. The PS2's library is bigger because it has an almost 2 year head start. "If you prefer sports" Xbox's online sports is SUPERIOR to that of PS2. "or franchises such as Final Fantasy you wouldn't be using the X-Box to get online." Wrong again. Final Fantasy is NOT the end all be all. In fact, I find that Ubisoft is a huge Franchise that benefits the Xbox even though they are cross platform including PC. Exclusive's are nice (i.e. Bungie) which shows you that Halo 2 is a sales phenomenon, but even shared franchises are someone beneficial as well. Look at the popularity of the Ghost Recon/Rainbow Six series. While it's not Final Fantasy, Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon 2, Rainbow Six 3, Rainbow Six 3 Black Arrow and the new Rainbox Six 4 are all very exclusive to the Xbox in content and graphics when compared to the PS2. The PS2 doesn't get as many weapons, maps or features as the Xbox, and the Xbox has superior graphics (again) when compared to the PS2. "I agree the X-Box has many good reasons for getting online itself, and I'm not a big online gamer so I can't really comment on which is better but the PS2 doesn't have a lack of popular online games either." FWIW, I have substantial online time with both. "I've seen various games on both consoles played online (Halo 2, Unreal Championship, Burnout 3, SSX3, Final Fantasy XI, Need For Speed Underground, Ratchet & Clank 3) and the experience is pretty easy and seamless for both consoles." Then you haven't seen enough. First, you are very limited to the number of people in the online games with Sony compared to the Xbox games. Check out the max numbers you can have online with Rainbow Six 3 on PS2 vs. Xbox. Also, LAG is the BIGGEST issue with the countless number of dialup users out there. |
| #7 By 37 (24.183.41.60) at 1/3/2005 9:30:32 PM |
|
"You might enjoy a few more features with the X-Box but there is still fun to be had on the PS2, and it's not hard to go without the added features."
FUD Hal. True FUD. You say a "few" more features. By my extensive research, Xbox's better graphics, and of course no question that load times for games are faster in the Xbox, the Hard Drive, Online gaming Community that is linked to ALL games, not limited to individual games, ability to burn personalized music for customized soundtracks, broadband dedicated support for substantially less lag, FREE and Premium downloadable content such as new cars, maps, weapons, etc., and even it's ability to be extended with MCE is just another feature that I would consider worth more than a FEW features. Not to mention, the Xbox has some nice exclusive titles as well. "Have you gotten into gaming more recently, or maybe you're traditionally a PC gamer?" The last time I owned a console before my Xbox was an Atari 5200. However, my sisters have had Nintendo, Super Nintendo and PS1. I am not fond of PC games because I don't like using a keyboard/mouse for gaming. However, I do enjoy the Flight Simulator from Microsoft for the PC. "The X-Box has added features that benefit a smaller market than the value brought to customers by all of these franchises on other consoles." True. Not everyone will take advantage of all the feature of the Xbox. I think that is the case with most anything. I myself use EVERY SINGLE possible feature that the Xbox has available to it (except for that fruity karoke crap). "I guess we'll never know why and we have to look to sales results for that. Halo 2 might attract a lot of gamers on the X-Box since that console has a more specific audience (as opposed to the broader audience the PS2 targets as a result of a larger library and bigger user base)" Halo 1 helped sell Xboxes, but Halo isn't the only game. The PS2 library IS bigger because of a 2 year advanced release time to the Xbox. But the Xbox currently has more time spent per game, online and offline compared to any other console. It also has been releasing a similar sized library in new releases that equates the PS2 releases. Remember, the Xbox was the underdog to begin with. The library has now grown, it exceeded Nintendo sales as the number 2 console, has outsold the PS2 for the "majority" of the year up until the "slim" PS2 was released, and is infamous with TV shows, celebs and the like. Xbox has made it self an "appliance" name now. "but on the PS2, a single game won't get that much attention because the user base is spread out over a larger variety of games." I can agree that since the PS2 has a larger library, it will indeed spread itself thin over the games, especially with 70 million consoles out there over the past 5 years that it has been out. "There are a lot of tastes to satisfy and the PS2 library extends to more genres with more third parties to specialize than the X-Box library." That "was" the case, but I don't think that is the case any longer. The pride and joy GTA is making the Xbox..albiet late, but it's there. The exclusitivity isn't necessarily a strong point for PS2. "No matter how good a few X-Box titles get, it won't be enough to attract as broad an audience." I beg to differ on two counts. There is no longer only a FEW Xbox titles that are good. The library has grown immensely and is growing at the same pace if not faster than the PS2. Secondly, I think that if the Xbox were released at the same time as the PS2, the competition would be within 10 million units. I would say that if the Xbox had been released the same day as the PS2, we would see a 35 million unit sale of Xboxes vs. 55 million PS2's (90 million current estimate between both consoles) with the other 20 million being the PS1 diehard looking for that backward compatibility. |
| #8 By 37 (24.183.41.60) at 1/3/2005 9:37:56 PM |
| Should have said within 20 million units, not 10 million. Sorry about that typo. |
| #9 By 61 (65.32.168.114) at 1/3/2005 10:45:03 PM |
| Talk about a couple of guys that are passionate about their console gaming.... good lord. |
| #10 By 12071 (203.217.26.160) at 1/4/2005 1:18:12 AM |
|
#1 I think it's just personal preference. Compared to the huge black box that the XBox is currently, I think this is a much nicer design.
#17 And I think they've only just started =) |
| #11 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 1/4/2005 8:51:57 AM |
| Read your entire reply Hal, but no time to reply today. But I agree with you on some of your points indeed. |
| #12 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 1/4/2005 11:08:32 AM |
|
"Has someone hacked into AWBrian's account? I never knew you were such a MS fanboy; I thought you more open-minded."
No MS fanboy here. Just know a good thing when I see it. Xbox is good. PS2 is good. IMO, Xbox is better. If the Xbox was made by Sony instead, I still would have bought it. I guess you could call me a Sony Fanboy too had they made it. I guess I am a Dodge fanboy cuz I own a 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab. Or am I a GrandPrix Fanboy cuz I also own a 2003 Grandprix? Of course my flat panel SONY HDTV, SONY front speakers, SONY DVD, SONY VCR and SONY 7.1 Surround Receiver works fine with my Microsoft Xbox. If I wanted a SONY PS2 I would have bought one. I love Sony products. I don't think the PS2 meet my needs for a gaming platform, and it obviously doesn't meet the needs of others. |
| #13 By 61 (65.32.168.114) at 1/4/2005 3:43:08 PM |
| ... That thing got a hemi? |
| #14 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at 1/4/2005 5:02:10 PM |
| No Hemi, sorry to say. It's the 4.7l Magnum V-8. It's the 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab Sport 4x4. I tell you what though...this V-8 that I have, while not a Hemi, rocks. |
| #15 By 61 (65.32.168.114) at 1/4/2005 8:43:33 PM |
| You'ra 'bout ta find out! |
|
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