Title: Xbox 360
willowroolz - May 16, 2005 12:32 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
| Manufacturer’s Description--Key Highlights Hardware, software, and services: Xbox 360 represents a dramatic leap forward in high-definition gaming and entertainment experiences. Fusing powerful hardware, software, and services, Xbox 360 fully engages you in a gaming experience that is more expansive, dramatic, and lifelike, where the possibilities are limitless and your imagination knows no boundaries. Industrial design: A merger of form and function, Xbox 360 wraps powerful technology in a sophisticated exterior. Two of the most innovative design firms in the world came together to craft a sleek, stylish system that conveys the very essence of Xbox 360. Xbox Gamer Guide: The Xbox Gamer Guide is an entertainment gateway that instantly connects you to your games, friends, music, movies, and downloadable content. Available at a touch of the Xbox Guide Button, the Xbox Gamer Guide gives you instant access to the experiences and content you want, from the gamer card of the player that just invited you to play online to new downloadable content for the game currently running. Personalized interface: Xbox 360 lets you create your own unique system and experience. With interchangeable Xbox 360 Faces, it's easy and fun to change the appearance of your console. Switch on your system and customize the look and feel of the Xbox Gamer Guide and Xbox System Guide with unique "skins." From sleek and sophisticated to fun and funky, pick the Faces and skins that show your personality. Xbox Live: Xbox Live is where games and entertainment come alive, the only unified place where you can play with anyone, anytime, anywhere. And the best just got better. Connect your Xbox 360 to your broadband connection and get instant access to Xbox Live Silver. Express your digital identity through your Gamertag and gamer card, talk with others using voice chat, and access Xbox Live Marketplace--all right out of the box, at no extra cost. Upgrade to Xbox Live Gold and enter the exciting world of multiplayer online gaming. With intelligent matchmaking, access to all your achievements and statistics, video chat and video messaging, and an enormous selection of games, Xbox Live Gold delivers your competition, on your terms. Xbox Live Marketplace: Keep your favorite games fresh with instant access to new content. Xbox Live Marketplace is a one-stop shop to download new game trailers, demos, and episodic content, plus new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins, and more. Accessible to everyone who establishes a broadband connection with their Xbox 360, Xbox Live Marketplace lets you personalize and extend your experience, on demand. Games: Xbox 360 redefines what games look like, sound like, feel like, and play like to engage you like never before. With Xbox 360, epic worlds are alive with detail, from thunderous skies rumbling over a mountain range to tiny blades of grass rustling together in the breeze. Vibrant characters display depth of emotion to evoke more dramatic responses, immersing you in the experience like never before. You'll see all Xbox 360 titles at 720p resolution in 16:9 widescreen, with anti-aliasing for smooth, movie-like graphics and multi-channel surround sound. Digital entertainment: Amplify your music, photos, video, and TV. Watch progressive-scan DVD movies right out of the box. Rip music to the Xbox 360 hard drive and share your latest digital pictures with friends. Make the connection, and Xbox 360 instantly streams the digital media stored on your MP3 player, digital camera, Media Center PC, or any Microsoft Windows XP-based PC. Technical Specifications: Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU: Three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each Two hardware threads per core; six hardware threads total VMX-128 vector unit per core; three total 128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread 1 MB L2 cache CPU Game Math Performance: 9 billion dot product operations per second Custom ATI Graphics Processor: 500MHz processor 10 MB of embedded DRAM 48-way parallel floating-point dynamically scheduled shader pipelines Unified shader architecture Polygon Performance: 500 million triangles per second Pixel Fill Rate: 16 gigasamples per second fill rate using 4x MSAA Shader Performance: 48 billion shader operations per second Memory: 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM 700 MHz of DDR Unified memory architecture Memory Bandwidth: 22.4 GB/s memory interface bus bandwidth 256 GB/s memory bandwidth to EDRAM 21.6 GB/s front-side bus Overall System Floating-Point Performance: 1 teraflop Storage: Detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM Memory Unit support starting at 64 MB I/O: Support for up to four wireless game controllers Three USB 2.0 ports Two memory unit slots Optimized for Online: Instant, out-of-the-box access to Xbox Live features with broadband service, including Xbox Live Marketplace for downloadable content, gamer profile for digital identity, and voice chat to talk to friends while playing games, watching movies, or listening to music Built-in Ethernet port Wi-Fi ready: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g Video camera ready Digital Media Support: Support for DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD Ability to stream media from portable music devices, digital cameras and Windows XP-based PCs Ability to rip music to the Xbox 360 hard drive Custom playlists in every game Built-in Media Center Extender for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Interactive, full-screen 3-D visualizers High-Definition Game Support * All games supported at 16:9, 720p, and 1080i, anti-aliasing Standard-definition and high-definition video output supported Audio: Multi-channel surround sound output Supports 48KHz 16-bit audio 320 independent decompression channels 32-bit audio processing Over 256 audio channels System Orientation: Stands vertically or horizontally Customizable Face Plates: Interchangeable to personalize the console |
:drool:
melian - May 16, 2005 12:34 PM (GMT)
Will they stop making games for the old console when this is released?
willowroolz - May 16, 2005 12:38 PM (GMT)
At a guess, they'll gradually fade them out.
Did I say :drool: ?? :lol:
Did I say :drool: ?? :lol:
goth willow fan - May 16, 2005 12:57 PM (GMT)
Apparently they will still release XBox games for a couple of years (till sometime in 2007)
and very :drool: indeed.
Like the out of the box broadband readiness. The reason I don't have XBox live is that I can't be arsed to set up a home network :)
and very :drool: indeed.
Like the out of the box broadband readiness. The reason I don't have XBox live is that I can't be arsed to set up a home network :)
rob - May 16, 2005 01:28 PM (GMT)
I never keep up-to-date with consoles, can't see why anyone would pay extraordinary amounts on hardware that just isn't worth it, having said that, the Morrowind sequel "Oblivion" is due out on the 360 :shifty: But seriously, no :) Maybe in years to come when it's down to £100 or less :)
Here's some info on Nintendo's next gen attempt, sounds interesting :)
Here's some info on Nintendo's next gen attempt, sounds interesting :)
| QUOTE |
| Nintendo's Revolution - [Console Hardware] Submitted by RaiseR RoofeR on 5/14/2005 11:43:13 AM 46 Comments "Nintendo is good and cute...and there's nothing wrong with that," says Robbie Bach, Microsoft's chief Xbox officer and senior vice president. "They'll be a competitor, but in a different category almost. I don't think they have the same ambition that either Sony or Microsoft does in the more mainstream interactive entertainment space." Bach's words were presumably based on Nintendo's long-standing policy that game consoles should be for games, period. This philosophy was at the core of the company's current-generation console, the GameCube, which uses a proprietary three-inch disc format, versus the DVDs used by the PlayStation 2 and the current and next-gen Xboxes. However, it appears that will soon change. In a statement on its official Web site, the company "stated loud and clear that [it is] not to be overlooked in the next-generation home console race." Nintendo announced that its new console, code-named the "Revolution," will play DVDs and be backward compatible. "Nintendo's legions of loyal fans will be happy to learn that Revolution will be backward compatible, playing both Nintendo GameCube three-inch discs, along with its own standard, double-layered DVD discs in the same self-loading media drive," said the company. Speaking of DVDs, Nintendo also mentioned that the Revolution "will be about the thickness of three standard DVD cases and only slightly longer." This would make it the Japanese game giant's smallest console to date, as well as making it barely larger than Sony's new slimline PS2, which is about two times as thick and about an inch-and-a-half longer than a DVD case. Like the PS2 and the Xbox 360, the new Revolution will be able to lie on its side or stand on one end for horizontal or vertical display. Unfortunately, Nintendo's statement, which appeared strategically timed to deflate some of the hype surrounding the Xbox 360's unveiling, had few other specific details. It reconfirmed details revealed in Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's 2005 Game Developers Conference keynote address. Namely, it reconfirmed that the Revolution will be "wireless Internet ready out of the box" and will be powered by an IBM CPU and an ATI GPU. That said, the statement concluded with a tantalizing tease for Nintendo fans. "There's much more to Revolution that will be revealed over the coming months," it read, "but the combination of its compact size, wireless Internet, backward compatibility, quick start-up time, and quiet, low-power operation add up to the start of a great game system." Nintendo also confirmed what has been long suspected...that the Revolution won't arrive until next year. The last line of the statement read, "Get ready for the Nintendo Revolution in 2006!" |
jamiearmour - May 16, 2005 01:30 PM (GMT)
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
Looks much prettier than the big black brick it's replacing.
I'm sure that the price will give me pause to <_< though.
Looks much prettier than the big black brick it's replacing.
I'm sure that the price will give me pause to <_< though.
ant - May 16, 2005 03:09 PM (GMT)
Cool. I want one... I bet it would be about £400. Maybe I will stroke a bit of luck and find £400 on the floor. :lol:
willowroolz - May 16, 2005 03:14 PM (GMT)
All I've heard so far is that it's going to be "more than £160" :lol:
ant - May 16, 2005 03:22 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ May 16 2005, 03:14 PM) |
| All I've heard so far is that it's going to be "more than £160" :lol: |
I'll have a bit of spare money left over to buy one of the games. :lol:
willowroolz - May 16, 2005 03:23 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (ant @ May 16 2005, 04:22 PM) | ||
I'll have a bit of spare money left over to buy one of the games. :lol: |
:lol: Yeah, what they're not saying is the games cost £200 a piece :o :lol:
melian - May 16, 2005 04:03 PM (GMT)
I think I'll stick to my old 'black box' for the time being ;) I've grown rather attached to it :D
willowroolz - May 17, 2005 10:15 AM (GMT)
There's an excellent 10-page feature on the Xbox 360 in this month's Edge magazine :thumbsup:
willowroolz - May 17, 2005 10:24 AM (GMT)
From MSNBC News:
| QUOTE |
| New Xbox to run older games Microsoft also announces 'Final Fantasy' deal Updated: 12:28 a.m. ET May 17, 2005LOS ANGELES - Microsoft on Monday unveiled the high-profile games it planned for the launch of its new Xbox 360 console and revealed it would not abandon its existing Xbox platform for the foreseeable future. Microsoft, which hopes to overtake Sony as the number one console maker in the next generation of machines, made itself popular with current players of its Xbox titles when it announced that the 360 would be compatible with older version games, as well as the high-definition ones being produced especially for the 360. There had been widespread speculation that Microsoft would make a clean break with its first attempt at a games console by winding down production of the original Xbox and making the new one incompatible with older games. But Robbie Bach, head of its Home and Entertainment division, said: "We are absolutely committed to shipping today's Xbox well into 2006 — there will be 200 new games for it this year and we continue to encourage our publishing partners to develop games for 2006." Sony is still selling its original PlayStation several years after introducing the PlayStation 2. Mr Bach said the Xbox would appeal to a slightly different audience as enthusiasts moved on to the 360. Microsoft gave no details on price, date of release or the number of units it expected to ship this year, but Mr. Bach said it would be shipping in North America, Europe and Japan during the Christmas holiday season — a first for all three territories to be shipping a new console in the same holiday season. Analysts at Goldman Sachs expect Microsoft to ship 2 million to 3 million 360s by the end of the year, giving it a significant time-to-market advantage over Sony, whose PS3 is not expected to appear until several months later in 2006. At an event on the eve of the E3 video games trade show in Los Angeles, Microsoft unveiled many of the titles that would feature on the Xbox 360 at launch. A key capture was Square Enix's Final Fantasy XI, the latest in a popular series. "We are very confident that the Xbox 360 will be the most powerful platform in the next generation," said Mr Bach. "We are way ahead in software and services, where Sony hasn't even begun to invest yet." |
:)
willowroolz - May 17, 2005 10:27 AM (GMT)
And from the BBC:
| QUOTE |
| Microsoft lines up Xbox 360 games By Alfred Hermida Technology editor, BBC News website Up to 40 games are expected to be available by the end of the year for the Xbox 360, Microsoft says. At a news conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft officials said 160 titles were under development for the console, including the best-selling Final Fantasy XI. Having a wide range of good games is vital to the success of a new console. This will help Microsoft challenge Sony's dominance in home game consoles with its new machine. Old favourites The Japanese giant has also unveiled a new console, the PlayStation 3, which is due out in the spring of 2006. Nintendo is due to provide more details about its plans later on Tuesday. The Xbox 360 was showcased last week on MTV, casting a shadow over Microsoft's news event at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 in Los Angeles. Microsoft did reveal that gamers would be able to play their favourite Xbox games on the new machine. The 360 will be what is called backward compatible with top-selling Xbox games. But Microsoft's focus is on gaining broad support from game makers for the 360. It said 160 games were heading for the console, with between 25 and 40 expected by the end of the year. Final Fantasy In a significant move, it announced a partnership with Square Enix. The Japanese game publisher has in the past made games for Nintendo and Sony. The first fruits of the new deal will be a version of the role- playing, fantasy game Final Fantasy XI, for the Xbox 360. The Final Fantasy series has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. Among the other titles heading for the console is the popular fighting game Dead or Alive 4. The games giant Electronic Arts, which makes games for all current consoles, also stressed its commitment to the 360. Its line-up of games includes the racing title, Need for Speed Most Wanted, the massively popular Madden NFL 06 and a game of the classic film, The Godfather. The Xbox 360 is due to go on sale in the US for the holiday season, which starts after Thanksgiving. It will be released in Europe and Asia shortly afterwards. The price of the game system has not yet been announced. |
willowroolz - May 17, 2005 10:50 AM (GMT)
E3 Insider is now being regularly updated, so expect lots of news on the next gen consoles :thumbsup:
willowroolz - August 18, 2005 07:59 PM (GMT)
jamiearmour - August 18, 2005 08:08 PM (GMT)
Aparently you can buy it without the hd set up and save yourself £70.
But since the hd is one of it's major selling points, doesn't that make the whole thing a bit redundant :blink:
But since the hd is one of it's major selling points, doesn't that make the whole thing a bit redundant :blink:
willowroolz - August 19, 2005 11:19 AM (GMT)
My thoughts exactly, Jamie :)
That cheaper bundle has a wired controller too. I thought one thing they'd trumpeted about it was that wireless controllers would be the norm? :ermm:
The Amazon deal includes a special AV cable that doesn't seem to be in the Game one, too.
I'm sure better bundles will come along :unsure:
That cheaper bundle has a wired controller too. I thought one thing they'd trumpeted about it was that wireless controllers would be the norm? :ermm:
The Amazon deal includes a special AV cable that doesn't seem to be in the Game one, too.
I'm sure better bundles will come along :unsure:
goth willow fan - August 19, 2005 12:25 PM (GMT)
I'll probably wait a month or two, when there are a few more deals etc available, before thinking of getting one.
I wonder if anywhere will do trade ins for the big black brick :ponder:
or not :ph43r:
I wonder if anywhere will do trade ins for the big black brick :ponder:
or not :ph43r:
jamiearmour - August 19, 2005 03:49 PM (GMT)
I'll probably wait a while. Till the competition comes out and the prices go down a bit.
That'll give me the chance to measure it up against the ps3 and the revolution. I'll buy the best one, not the first one to come out. It seems reasonable enough to me, :D
That'll give me the chance to measure it up against the ps3 and the revolution. I'll buy the best one, not the first one to come out. It seems reasonable enough to me, :D
willowroolz - August 19, 2005 03:57 PM (GMT)
That's far too sensible an attitude, young man :snooty: :lol:
goth willow fan - August 19, 2005 04:03 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ Aug 19 2005, 04:57 PM) |
| That's far too sensible an attitude, young man :snooty: :lol: |
Absolutely - buy now, think later :D
jamiearmour - August 19, 2005 04:15 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ Aug 19 2005, 03:57 PM) |
| young man |
Bless you kind sir
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I knew I liked you, I now remember why.
willowroolz - August 23, 2005 02:19 PM (GMT)
goth willow fan - August 23, 2005 02:26 PM (GMT)
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my preorder for a PSP (which in all honestly I'll probably hardly ever use) and transferring the money to a 360.
willowroolz - August 23, 2005 02:32 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (goth willow fan @ Aug 23 2005, 03:26 PM) |
| I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my preorder for a PSP (which in all honestly I'll probably hardly ever use and transferring the money to a 360. |
Aw, and I was going to ask you if you were looking forward to the PSP. It's out next week isn't it? :)
goth willow fan - August 23, 2005 02:39 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (willowroolz @ Aug 23 2005, 03:32 PM) | ||
Aw, and I was going to ask you if you were looking forward to the PSP. It's out next week isn't it? :) |
Yep out next Friday.
I said "thinking of " not "will" ;)
Anyway I probably won't be able to get one on the release day seeing as how I will be elsewhere :)
willowroolz - August 23, 2005 02:59 PM (GMT)
I've pretty much knocked the idea of getting a PSP on the head. I hardly use my DS so I can't see the point in getting another handheld really :shrug:
goth willow fan - August 23, 2005 03:03 PM (GMT)
That's pretty much what I was thinking - I would make far more use of a 360.
willowroolz - August 24, 2005 07:22 AM (GMT)
According to Game's website their initial allocation of the £279.99 360 bundle has already gone. If you place an order now, they can no longer guarantee that you will get your console before Christmas because demand has been so high.
The cheaper bundle is still available to order.
The cheaper bundle is still available to order.
jamiearmour - August 24, 2005 07:45 AM (GMT)
Yes, the cheaper bundle, where you cannot use X-Box live because you don't have a hard drive? Apparently it can be connected to live, if you buy a memory card, which would be redundant if it came with the hard drive as standard :rolleyes:
willowroolz - August 24, 2005 07:51 AM (GMT)
I'm willing to bet the hard drives will sell out pretty damn quick now :lol:
Dan Brown - August 24, 2005 12:29 PM (GMT)
So does anyone have any ideas to how its going to be backwards compatible if the only controller you can use on the machine is losing two buttons which are very important in some XBOX games?
Also do people think that the loss of these two buttons may make it more hard to control as more actions will have to be added to fewer buttons?
Some games such as First To Fight are very fiddly on the XBOX controller already....
Also do people think that the loss of these two buttons may make it more hard to control as more actions will have to be added to fewer buttons?
Some games such as First To Fight are very fiddly on the XBOX controller already....
goth willow fan - August 24, 2005 12:34 PM (GMT)
Which 2 buttons is the 360 losing? :unsure:
willowroolz - August 24, 2005 12:38 PM (GMT)
Look at the sort of bundle the Americans are getting:
| QUOTE |
| The Premium Bundle: $699.92 This bundle includes: Xbox 360 Premium System Xbox 360 Game Console Wireless Controller Combination High-Definition Component and Standard A/V Cable 20GB Hard Drive Ethernet Cable Headset Universal Media Remote Xbox Live Silver Xbox Live Gold 30-Day Trial Perfect Dark Zero Limited Edition Dead or Alive 4 Kameo: Elements of Power Project Gotham Racing 3 Extra Wireless Controller Play & Charge Kit (for extra controller) Rechargeable Battery Pack (for included controller) |
:o
As far as the backwards compatibility goes, I'm not sure about the controller :shrug:
It's losing the black and white buttons, Paul ;)
Dan Brown - August 24, 2005 12:38 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (goth willow fan @ Aug 24 2005, 12:34 PM) |
| Which 2 buttons is the 360 losing? :unsure: |
The XBOX 360 Controller will not have the black and white buttons which are found on the XBOX Controller.
Ahhh Perfect Dark Zero Special Edition
Its sooooo special there isn't even a game inside.... :lmao:
Other than that its a good bundle.....
...anyone else bit miffed at these wireless contollers and recharging the batteries. I want a bundle with a hard drive and a normal controller...I don't want to pay more for something I don't need! Its also too much hassle I'll always forget to recharge and will the battery last one of my 24 hour gaming sessions? I'll always have to be using the play and charge kit and that defies the whole purpose of a wireless controller!
goth willow fan - August 24, 2005 12:49 PM (GMT)
I have never liked the black and white buttons anyway - they are too small and damned akward to use. <_<
willowroolz - August 24, 2005 12:52 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Daniel Brown @ Aug 24 2005, 01:38 PM) |
| I want a bundle with a hard drive and a normal controller...I don't want to pay more for something I don't need! Its also too much hassle I'll always forget to recharge and will the battery last one of my 24 hour gaming sessions? I'll always have to be using the play and charge kit and that defies the whole purpose of a wireless controller! |
You could get the cheaper bundle, which includes a wired controller, plus a hard drive for £280 :)
I'm quite pleased about the wireless controllers, I've got too many cables running round the floor as it is :lol:
Dan Brown - August 24, 2005 12:54 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (goth willow fan @ Aug 24 2005, 12:49 PM) |
| I have never liked the black and white buttons anyway - they are too small and damned akward to use. <_< |
Granted, and maybe its good that they are gone for 360 games but what about backwards compatibility for example...(its a rubbish game but good example) Enter The Matrix the black button is actually the trigger button for the weapon you are using if this button is not avaliable then I can't shoot things!
Well thats taking into account that Enter The Matrix is backwards compatible.....
willowroolz - August 24, 2005 12:56 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (goth willow fan @ Aug 24 2005, 01:49 PM) |
| I have never liked the black and white buttons anyway - they are too small and damned akward to use. <_< |
I can't think of many games on the Xbox where I used all of the buttons. Just Halo, maybe :ermm:
They'll probably use the d-pad for the black/white functions :ponder: