neXtBox Speculation!

[PhilG]

The speed of your connection definitely makes a huge difference, and certainly the 360 servers are waaaay faster than the ps3 servers. As djtickle says, 360 updates are a breeze on a 20mbit connection, and I can download a 1gb demo in a few minutes. On the other hand the ps3 takes comparatively ages to update/install and the Uncharted demo I downloaded (1gb) took around 15-20 minutes.

Obviously it would be better if there were no updates at all. On the other hand it does permit bugs and such to be fixed (although this sometimes appears to result in poorer QA).

[PhilG]

Time wise I`d say you`re spot on. Cant see MS wanting to include Bluray. As a company I dont think Microsoft want to even support Bluray (netflix VOD). They have spent a lot of time on Windows 7 and the 360 as an extender, as such they seem keen to support download services over solid formats.
If they did go with Bluray wouldnt that mean them handing over money to Sony? Then again they do have Sony Pictures stuff on Netflix.

Don't MS own the rights to the VC1 codec used to encode many Blu-ray movies? I don't think they'll overtly support blu-ray on the 360 unless it suits them financially, or until blu-ray becomes truly mass-market like DVD, and they are forced to.

TBH I can't see downloads ever becoming the norm in the next 10 years, simply because so many people don't have fast broadband. Until ADSL speeds improve significantly there are large areas of the country where 2mb is the fastest you can get. Physical media is going to be around for a good while yet, regardless of what the big corporations like to tell us.

[charlesr]

I have been thinking about something lately... doesn't anybody just want a game console anymore?

That is why I liked the GameCube and PlayStation 2 so much - they were pure game consoles.

It seems to be a case of making these new consoles an 'all-in-one media device' instead of focussing on what they are (or were) really about in the first place.

I'd agree about the GC, but the PS2 was heavily marketed as an 'all-in-one media device'. Most of Japan bought one because it had a DVD player and thus they didn't have to have a separate one. Even the PS1 was marketed as having a CD player.

I'd like a pure games console, but the sheer power of the machines makes them ideal to stream HD films (from PC or internet), so may as well make use of this. With the advent of digital connections, the sound and picture quality is always going to be "good enough". Perhaps what I mean is that I'd like them marketed as gaming machines that also do all this other stuff, but looking at the PS3 ads, it's a toaster* (*media center) that might also play games if you read the small print. Since the games industry pulls in more revenue than the film industry now, you'd think the focus was all wrong.

[Matt]

Don't MS own the rights to the VC1 codec used to encode many Blu-ray movies? I don't think they'll overtly support blu-ray on the 360 unless it suits them financially, or until blu-ray becomes truly mass-market like DVD, and they are forced to.

TBH I can't see downloads ever becoming the norm in the next 10 years, simply because so many people don't have fast broadband. Until ADSL speeds improve significantly there are large areas of the country where 2mb is the fastest you can get. Physical media is going to be around for a good while yet, regardless of what the big corporations like to tell us.

Like you, I can't see next-gen being download only; sure, it'll be pushed, but many of us want a physical product for a retail price. Downloads are perfect for cheaper, ?5 to ?20 titles

I can't see any way the next Box can't have a BR drive in it. DVDs are starting to be a limiting factor on some 360 games already, and multi disc titles are going to become more prevalent over the next few years. With much higher texture resolutions next gen (got to figure a gig on the GPU) MS will have to re-invent HDDVD, go entirely proprietary, or have BR. HDDVD is a non starter imo, as it has no movies.

[davek22]

Most games aren't even doing 1080P, and not that upscaled nonsense, lets get the devs creating great looking 1080P games, before any talk of next gen.
I dont think it's going to happen any time soon as MS have dropped 1080P standard, remember that saying at launch ( all games will be 1080P ) , 720P is the new holy grail, pretty sad.

Mrbubbles heres a good read on the problems with 1080p vs 720p issue

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-sacred-2-1080p-interview

[capcom_suicide]

So now is the time of PC gaming superiority, where the massive grunt of the available GPU/CPU out perform consoles, even where fantastic code gets the last drop out of the system. (EG Uncharted 2)

Have a look at a PC today that whilst powerful, isn't a ?2000 monster or anything:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVtz7DmFgV8

I would imagine that a new console in 2 years won't be far off this performance.

I think it also means that for the enthusiasts that love to play the best current gen games at super high settings, it's not a bad time to buy a reasonable PC for gaming.*

*As long as you have some cash to burn.

[Matt]

There's still pop-up

i7 920, ATi 5870, it's not that expensive a PC. It we go on the 2012 release, I think we'd be looking more at a 7850 or 8750 style performance for the GPU (I've not seen any recent ATi roadmaps, so that's pure speculation as to where they'll be in 2 to 3 years time), with a gig of RAM and true 1080 HD res The CPU will be noticeably better than the 920 as well. So we'll have something better than that I expect

The vid did look great, despite the glitches. That's how GTA4 should look - long draw distances, nice shadows, smooth. It looks fun to play

[SuperBeatBoy]

The problem with the GTA4 port is that its rubbish.

[capcom_suicide]

There's still pop-up

i7 920, ATi 5870, it's not that expensive a PC. It we go on the 2012 release, I think we'd be looking more at a 7850 or 8750 style performance for the GPU (I've not seen any recent ATi roadmaps, so that's pure speculation as to where they'll be in 2 to 3 years time), with a gig of RAM and true 1080 HD res The CPU will be noticeably better than the 920 as well. So we'll have something better than that I expect

The vid did look great, despite the glitches. That's how GTA4 should look - long draw distances, nice shadows, smooth. It looks fun to play

Yeah sounds about right. That type of machine can be had for less than ?600 too, so I for one intend to hop onto "Generation next" a tad early.

[cavalcade]

But why bother - hardcore development on the PC is drying up. Apart from Crysis and the MMO space, there aren't any, nor will be any games on the PC that clearly demonstrate "next-generation" credentials over what can be achieved on a PS3 or 360, simply because there isn't the financial impetus for companies to commit to the PC in the same way they used to. You could buy a PC, but all you'll be playing on it is high definition, smoother versions of the styles/types of game you can play on a console. And I can't see this changing before 2013 or whenever the next wave of home consoles appear. PC gaming still nails the MMO space, and I can't see a game with the richness of content that EVE or WOW has on a home console, but in all cases with MMOs they don't really demand a lot of power anyway. I play both on a 2 or 3 year old gaming laptop, and both are entirely acceptable at higher settings. Stuff like Uncharted 2 proves that absolute graphical fidelity doesn't drive gaming experiences as much as it has done in the past. Good mo-cap, scripting, and design will trump anything that purely runs to exploit a high end PC gaming rig.

[Matt]

Yeah sounds about right. That type of machine can be had for less than ?600 too, so I for one intend to hop onto "Generation next" a tad early.

Oh yes And don't forget, you'll be saving at least a tenner per game, so depending on a game a fornight over 2 years it's paid for itself

But why bother - hardcore development on the PC is drying up. Apart from Crysis and the MMO space, there aren't any, nor will be any games on the PC that clearly demonstrate "next-generation" credentials over what can be achieved on a PS3 or 360, simply because there isn't the financial impetus for companies to commit to the PC in the same way they used to. You could buy a PC, but all you'll be playing on it is high definition, smoother versions of the styles/types of game you can play on a console. And I can't see this changing before 2013 or whenever the next wave of home consoles appear. PC gaming still nails the MMO space, and I can't see a game with the richness of content that EVE or WOW has on a home console, but in all cases with MMOs they don't really demand a lot of power anyway. I play both on a 2 or 3 year old gaming laptop, and both are entirely acceptable at higher settings. Stuff like Uncharted 2 proves that absolute graphical fidelity doesn't drive gaming experiences as much as it has done in the past. Good mo-cap, scripting, and design will trump anything that purely runs to exploit a high end PC gaming rig.

That's it though - with many titles, you can have very similar gaming experiences on both console and PC right now, but you can get better graphics on the PC without too much hassle. Isn't that always the case though? Same game, better graphics and res, lately you get better physics as well. Sure, a great game is a great game regardless of graphics; add in astounding graphics and it's even better

There is quite a huge jump between console and PC versions right now. Next weeks CoD6 - sure, 60fps on console, but at a low res. The PC vids look astounding, the world is full of more life, more particles, higher res textures, etc.

Your argument, at a stretch, holds for the first wave of titles of every console generation - you're playing the same title as last gen, just with shinier graphics. But we still buy them at launch. Sure, PC development is no longer leading the way it did in the past, but it's still a great platform - multiplatform titles give you better graphics, and there are enough exclusives to make it worthwhile if you don't already have one.

Plus, you can use it for posting on this very forum

[capcom_suicide]

There is quite a huge jump between console and PC versions right now. Next weeks CoD6 - sure, 60fps on console, but at a low res. The PC vids look astounding, the world is full of more life, more particles, higher res textures, etc.

Your argument, at a stretch, holds for the first wave of titles of every console generation - you're playing the same title as last gen, just with shinier graphics. But we still buy them at launch. Sure, PC development is no longer leading the way it did in the past, but it's still a great platform - multiplatform titles give you better graphics, and there are enough exclusives to make it worthwhile if you don't already have one.

Plus, you can use it for posting on this very forum

That's exactly my point, I will probably use the 360 pad too, I just want to experience some AAA titles at uber high res and better visuals. I won't use this pc for normal stuff (Have several Win7 laptops in the house already) but will put the PC under the HDTV in the upstairs lounge, and think of it as a HTPC/Games machine.

[Matt]

That's what I have - a smallish PC under my TV with BluRay drive. Why stream over a wailing 360? I used to have a modded XB1 I used exclusively as a media center, which was excellent, and got the PC to replace it to increase funcionality. You can't beat a PC under the TV; PC gaming on a large TV is no difference to a console really, you can use a 360 pad as you say though I use a little keypad and dinner tray for my mouse mat

Then I buy the game for whatever platform suits me more - I'll get Cod6 on 360 so play online with my friends, whereas Dragons Age will be PC as it's not multiplayer and they'll be mods on it. Actually I still have Fallout 3 PC sat on the shelf I've not even played, time to see if there are any texture packs out for it

[capcom_suicide]

That's what I have - a smallish PC under my TV with BluRay drive. Why stream over a wailing 360? I used to have a modded XB1 I used exclusively as a media center, which was excellent, and got the PC to replace it to increase funcionality. You can't beat a PC under the TV; PC gaming on a large TV is no difference to a console really, you can use a 360 pad as you say though I use a little keypad and dinner tray for my mouse mat

Then I buy the game for whatever platform suits me more - I'll get Cod6 on 360 so play online with my friends, whereas Dragons Age will be PC as it's not multiplayer and they'll be mods on it. Actually I still have Fallout 3 PC sat on the shelf I've not even played, time to see if there are any texture packs out for it

Cool. Which HTPC package did u go for? Standard WMC from MS, or XMBC or similar?

[Matt]

I used Media Portal.

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/

I liked it. But these days I just boot into W7 and use Explorer to do what I want. I'll probably set up MP again once the W7 beta expires and I'm forced to do a complete re-install (hoping work does W7).

MP was mainly for the bird Now I'm home more in the evenings, it's not an issue.