Xbox 1.5

[CE]

One thing that seems underappreciated is that with 3D graphics reaching its apex,writing good looking games can only get easier. Now game companies will be able to spend a majority of their time on physics, AI, and content creation, instead of tuning their 3D graphics engines. This may cause most games to put all their development energy into high-res models and super detailed textures, but I prefer to believe that most games will put energy into making the game more fun.

[Green Gibbon!]

I'm totally with Penguin - the last console that made me wet myself with excitement was the Cast. When the next three came out, it was more along the lines of "oh cool, it's a little bit more powerful than this one", but it didn't bother me much because, as CP said, I still considered it part of the same "generation".

I'll wait and see what Sony and Nintendo are up to before I lament the end of the era of excitement. Sony's supposed to unveil the PS3 on Monday, right?

[Protodude]

Sony's holding a press conference tomorrow regarding the PS3 at about 3 p.m. Chances are they're unveiling it.

But now I'm not that excited, because I don't want to get my hopes up now that I've seen the 360.

[Opa-Opa]

To be honest no console has impressed me since Dreamcast. The technical demos were enough to show how big of a step up the console was, and Sonic Adventure, a "first generation" game blew me away.

Everything since then has just been small steps, which doesn't bother me seeing as they're all part of the same "wave" or "generation" of consoles as the Dreamcast. But if Xbox 360 truely is the beginning of a new "generation" then colour me thoroughly unimpressed.

Ditto. That's why I hated the fact that they stopped making games. Today, I look at some PS2 games and think "The Dreamcast could easily do this!"m but they don't, because they're all bastards.

I didn't watch this X-Box 360 thing since MTV Brasil didn't show it and, frankly, I couldn't care less. I'm more excited with the Nintendo DS. Actually, I'm just sitting here waiting for an emulator, since with taxes and all the system and the games end up costing like a gajillion gold pieces. But that's just me. Today I just play the PC and the DC.

[Green Gibbon!]

But now I'm not that excited, because I don't want to get my hopes up now that I've seen the 360.

Me either, but y'know... just trying to keep that hope alive until tomorrow. That's all there is left.

[Protodude]

I suppose if Sony fails to impress there's still Nintendo. But then, I can honestly say I'm not really looking forward to the Revolution so far.

[The Doc]

I personally think they're all kind of lame.

The big thing I think they should concern themselves with in this next generation is the fact that, in my opinion, they have completely played out the whole shooter thing. Seriously, if you put Metal Gear Solid 3 and Splinter Cell 3 in front of me right now on two different screens and I had to say which was which otherwise I'd get a bullet in my head, I would be dead. Likewise with two World War II-based shooters. There's WAAAAY too many of those out right now. They should burn that bridge and move on with the next generation coming in.

Another thing that I would pay to see is something I've been saying since this generation's consoles came out, and before I explain it, I'll give the example: Green Hill in Sonic Adventure 2. It was a blast from our past, only revamped...yet not. The level layout was basically the same (save for the requisite changes for 3D), the look of the stage was pretty much the exact same as it was when we first saw Green Hill Zone in 1991. The only big difference was, like I said, the addition of the third dimension.

If that was done with, for instance, the rest of Sonic the Hedgehog, I'd go out and buy that right damn now. Hell, Sonic 3 & Knuckles would probably go down in the sales record books if done in 3D. And it would probably go across the board: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid...hell, fuckin' ICE CLIMBER, among others.

When Nintendo released their Retro Series, I wasn't attracted to it because, sure they were great reminders of how the past was, but I wouldn't shell out $20 for something I spent $50 on 15 years ago. Mixing past with present and future makes for a surreal environment and it's an idyllic mixture of preevolution and evolution. In other words, it's bringing back your childhood while keeping your adulthood safely intact.

[Ancient]

It's called a remake, and it's cheating... Although no one has tried to completely remake a 2D game yet...

And yes, we do know everything on the 360, go trot along to gamespot.com to see everything you need to know. I doubt the PS3 will be much better but the Revolution could be really crap or really awesome

Hence the interest on my part, I mean... What the hell are they getting at?

[Omni Hunter]

It's called a remake, and it's cheating... Although no one has tried to completely remake a 2D game yet...

So? How do you class compilations? Because I have seen many people jaffing over the possibility of new compilations featuring Sonic CD among others. Is that, which is not even making a new game, cheating? Not only has the point of remaking old games been raised in the GHZ and in other forums but some people are actually genuinely excited at the prospect and yes dammit, I am one of them.

[Frieza2000]

The only application I could see for such powerful hardware would be to give a game the level of detail of Myst 4, or to make your console into a server. Otherwise, advancements are just academic until we find a use for them.

Perhaps such conditions will result in a large-scale return of 2D games. Unable to sustain the costs required for next-gen 3D games, smaller developers (or larger companies looking for a quick return) simply won’t bother competing and instead release new games with cheaper-to-develop 2D graphics.

I think it's more likely that they'll split their efforts like they do now; part of their company will develop a major game, and the rest will develop half-assed ones, most likely involving the milking of franchises. The Sonic advance games are an example of this division.

One thing that seems underappreciated is that with 3D graphics reaching its apex,writing good looking games can only get easier.

It still has to be drawn. New graphics programs will save time, but the artistic talent will always be needed, and the level of detail consoles are capable of displaying leaves room for a lot to draw.

The industry should, therefore, unite and release a single platform.

This would be beautiful. It'd save us money, save companies money, and cut down on fanboyism and the polarization of the gaming world. But what will it take to make the big 3 agree to it?

[Esrever]

There already is a single system being manufactured by multiple developers. It's called a PC.

[CE]

Esrever just called the PC a single system. I'm not sure if I should laugh at him or cry for him.

[Ancient]

So? How do you class compilations? Because I have seen many people jaffing over the possibility of new compilations featuring Sonic CD among others. Is that, which is not even making a new game, cheating? Not only has the point of remaking old games been raised in the GHZ and in other forums but some people are actually genuinely excited at the prospect and yes dammit, I am one of them.

Compilations are fine since they're an assortment of games. However, I'm quite annoyed they couldn't fit whatever's going in Sonic gems in the original collection...

Generally, remakes are an easy way to cash in, and unless done well then they're generally unsatisfying. Resident Evil is the only good remake I can think of, Twin Snakes was good if you'd never played the original. Face it, graphics are all fine and dandy but you get over them pretty quickly, and you're elft with the same game you played a few years ago

Although, as I said, it could work in this case since it's going from 2D to 3D, and that's not small jump... It's almost an entire new game

To be honest though, I'd prefer new level designs, there's no fun in knowing what to expect

[Locit]

Hee hee, "elft".

[Esrever]

I think you're missing my point, CE. Big Smile said he wants a single system that can be made by multiple manufacturers, like DVD players or VCRs. I'm saying that if you do that to game consoles, you'll get a situation similar to the one we have with PCs... where certain manufacturer's consoles will be better than others, and certain games will work better on certain console versions, and so on.

[big_smile]

The only big difference was, like I said, the addition of the third dimension.

If that was done with, for instance, the rest of Sonic the Hedgehog, I'd go out and buy that right damn now. Hell, Sonic 3 & Knuckles would probably go down in the sales record books if done in 3D.

A good 3D game needs good 3D level design. One of Sonic Heroes core problems was that it was a 2D game pretending to be 3D. This caused it to contain too many bottomless pits, which made it frustrating to play. It wasn’t possible to explore the levels and move at a high speed, which was a central attraction of the original Mega Drive games.

3D GHZ also suffered from this problem. If the player moved too quickly without following the main path, s/he would almost certainly fall of the edge. While it is possible to rectify this problem, (for example, through using invisible walls, or Pumpkin Hill style winds), converting a 2D level into 3D doesn’t really offer any major enhancements.

The SA1 Sonic levels worked so well, because they contained true 3D level designs. The final part of Sky Deck or the switch sections of the Lost World are both examples of level designs that can only exist in 3D. SA1 was also less punishing of high speed exploration, as (compared to later 3D efforts) there were fewer bottomless pits – the levels filled more of the 3D space instead of trying to recreate the narrow appearance of 2D stages. ^_^

I'm saying that if you do that to game consoles, you'll get a situation similar to the one we have with PCs... where certain manufacturer's consoles will be better than others, and certain games will work better on certain console versions, and so on.

I guess that would be the only problem with a single format – it would be impractical (although, perhaps not impossible) to have competition between manufacturers and ensure that their systems were more or less the same. Although I’m not sure if such a situation would be worse than the one we have now. ^_^

[j-man]

Has anyone here seen the new Perfect Dark? It's Counterstrike with hovercrafts. There is no place for a generic ruined middle-eastern city in this once-mighty game. I don't want to buy weapons and defuse bombs and fight terrorists, I want to kick alien ass in Air Force One with sniper rifles that shoot through walls. Come on Rare, don't drop the ball. Again.

In short, it makes me a saaaaad panda.

[Light Speed]

Is it just me or did the 360's specs make it sound like it'll cost 800 dollars? Also the only thing that has really impressed me since the Dreamcast was Xbox Live, it is the only thing that is really new to the consoles, and it wasn't even really new. Too bad every game on it is some form of a shooter.

I think I have to agree with Big Smile though, where else does the gaming industry have to go? Since the 3D games became the norm, all we have really gotten was better graphics and loading times, and perhaps tighter more responsive controls. Basically since the Saturn games have just improved technically and haven't changed physically.

Also I think you guys are also quite quick to judge, when are these consoles even supposed to come out? We've seen very little at a very early stage in the consoles life, give it some time. I mean I doubt it will impress you later, but judging now seems way to soon.

[Ancient]

I never purchase consoles until very late in their life cycle anyway... Money problems... Oh joy

Call be biased but I hope the 360 dies a slow painful death. There's a reason I like consoles better than PC's for gaming and old Bill just won't rest until he's 'corrected' it.

Damn Microsoft and their money

[Ash Holt]

Call be biased but I hope the 360 dies a slow painful death. There's a reason I like consoles better than PC's for gaming and old Bill just won't rest until he's 'corrected' it.

I don't understand what that's supposed to mean at all.

[Omni Hunter]

Internets, jokes and the obvious...gotta love 'em.
Making a 3d game from a 2d game doesn't usually work, look at Street Fighter, I feel the 2d versions are far superior to the likes of Ex+. Besides if a game is made in 2d then you play it like it's 2d because that's how it was designed to be played.
Smile hit the nail on the head, in all fairness there havent been any physical changes to games as such. Until something revolutionises the industry again I won't be too excited.

[Esrever]

Also I think you guys are also quite quick to judge, when are these consoles even supposed to come out? We've seen very little at a very early stage in the consoles life, give it some time. I mean I doubt it will impress you later, but judging now seems way to soon.

Well, the Xbox 360 launches in just under 7 months. I'm sure whatever we see of the PS3 and the Revolution will be pretty early, but these 360 shots are of games that are launching later this year. Games like Perfect Dark Zero must be reasonably close to completion. I mean, 7 months... that's what, about 1/50th of Rare's average game development time?

[Green Gibbon!]

Remember when Kameo was supposed to be for the N64?

[Lizard]

Kameo has never been a N64 game in any stage of it's life. It was however supposed to be one of the first games for the cube though, I can give you that. I must have seen atleast 6 different versions of that game by now. From being a clownboots fairy to an elf in military fatigues.

[Segaholic2]

I heard Sony's going to be showing near-complete PS3 hardware at E3, meaning Nintendo's going to be the only one without anything concrete to show.