XBOX 360?

[tommy]

I haven't gotten a chance to pick one up yet.(might wait for something else)

What do you guys think of it? If you say the first XBOX graphically was a 7 on a scale of 1-10(10 is best) what would you say the 360 is?

[elvis]

Don't you think it's a bit early to give a verdict on it?  Give developers at least another 12 months before we see the real potential of the hardware.  The stuff that's out so far is pretty rushed.

[AtomSmasher]

Don't you think it's a bit early to give a verdict on it?

[tommy]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

The game devs know what the machine can handle,  it's either much better than the first XBOX or it's not.

It also depends if you have a high def tv or not.

[SirPoonga]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

The game devs know what the machine can handle,  it's either much better than the first XBOX or it's not.

It also depends if you have a high def tv or not.

It also depends on how long hte developers have had their hands ont he system.  Later games are generally better looking than the earlier games because developers had time to play aorund with the system and see what take advantage of.

A good example of this is the gran turosmo series.  GT4 looks much better than GT3.  GT3 came out shortly after the ps2 was released.

[mairsil]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

Yeah, well the GC isn't the most powerful console to begin with and it had a well documented processor to work with.

The game devs know what the machine can handle...

Well, if you have ever developed for a console you would know that this is just not true. Developers have deadlines and sometimes cannot explore the hardware like they want to. As they program, they work out solutions which they can use later to save time. This time saved can go towards optimizing or new features. This is when improvements can be made.

Sadly, people are overemphasizing the graphical aspect of the 360. The damn thing has six processing threads and I can think of six different things to use them with instead of using them all just for graphics:

Graphics
Sound
Physics
AI
IO
General game management

[elvis]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

The game devs know what the machine can handle,  it's either much better than the first XBOX or it's not.

It also depends if you have a high def tv or not.

Oh, so you've been following all the developer blogs where they are all bitching about how hard it is to use the 3-processor design of the 360, and how games won't take full advantage of the power for at least another 12-24 months yet?

Or are you just shooting your mouth off based on evidence from a previous generation of single-processor game consoles based on different architecture?

Apples and oranges dude.  At least try to compare like analogies before jumping the gun.

[SOAPboy]

I haven't gotten a chance to pick one up yet.(might wait for something else)

What do you guys think of it? If you say the first XBOX graphically was a 7 on a scale of 1-10(10 is best) what would you say the 360 is?

Pick one up, play on a high def screen, then come back and ask..

It looks loads better than the first xbox, and not a single game out right now really USES the whole system..

Good example, call of duty 2, looks "alright" on the 360.. on pc? loads better.. is it because the 360 cant to it? of course not, its because there was a launch push and it needed "DONE"..

[SirPoonga]

Good example, call of duty 2, looks "alright" on the 360.. on pc? loads better.. is it because the 360 cant to it? of course not, its because there was a launch push and it needed "DONE"..

I disagree on this.  According the the Steam hardware report that was released last month most people have an ati 9600 or graphics card that is simular.  The 360 version definately looks better than than what the average Steam user uses.

If you compare the 360 to a simularly priced PC (around $500) then there is no question which one will have better graphics.

[ferrarimanf355]

Voted "amazing". Anyone who votes anything else needs to see Project Gotham Racing 3. 

[Fig]

I picked one up this weekend and got call of duty and the game is just amazing 10x better then the xbox ver. I dont know what you guys want this system is really nice only time will tell and if its anything like the 1st xbox we are going to have a nice ride there 

[mnm1200]

Sure, it looks better, but not even close to the jump that used to be made for each console generation. out of all the games on the 360 that i've tried, kameo is my favorite. graphics-wise, it has definitely improved quite a bit and does some things quite well that previous systems haven't. still not a gaming revolution, though. holding out on ps3 and revolution to see what they have to offer.

Another incoherent post!

[ferrarimanf355]

Sure, it looks better, but not even close to the jump that used to be made for each console generation. out of all the games on the 360 that i've tried, kameo is my favorite. graphics-wise, it has definitely improved quite a bit and does some things quite well that previous systems haven't. still not a gaming revolution, though. holding out on ps3 and revolution to see what they have to offer.

Another incoherent post!

I'd rather not wait for more broken promises and the worst excuse for a controller ever made, thanks.

[Fig]

How big of a jump do you want? To really get the full power of the next gen systems you need a high dollar HD TV. A standard TV even with componet hookups can only give you what it was made to give.
 

[tommy]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

The game devs know what the machine can handle,  it's either much better than the first XBOX or it's not.

It also depends if you have a high def tv or not.

Oh, so you've been following all the developer blogs where they are all bitching about how hard it is to use the 3-processor design of the 360, and how games won't take full advantage of the power for at least another 12-24 months yet?

Or are you just shooting your mouth off based on evidence from a previous generation of single-processor game consoles based on different architecture?

Apples and oranges dude.  At least try to compare like analogies before jumping the gun.

Microsoft makes their own games, are you saying they can't properly make games to take advantage of their own system?

[SirPoonga]

Microsoft makes their own games, are you saying they can't properly make games to take advantage of their own system?

That's sorta incorrect.  Microsoft owns companies that create games, like Rare.  They are in the same ball park as other developers on the specs, develoepr tools, etc...

It will take time for developers to figure out neat tricks to take advantage of the system.

When you moved to windows xp did you start taking full advantage of what the OS can do right away?

[AtomSmasher]

That's all bull, the graphics on the cube werent any better after a year... same with the PS2.

The game devs know what the machine can handle,

[tommy]

I'm not a programer and understand it's not an easy thing to do, on the other hand for Microsoft to make a console and rush it out making sub-par games is not acceptable.

Given the product plans and what the console should be capable of,  they "should" be able to make  games that take full advantage of it right off the bat. If they release it knowing that it's not right yet... they have really let down the public IMO.

How can you make a car and then say "it has alot of problems that we don't know how to fix yet"?

Billion dollar companies should already have all the bases covered.

[AtomSmasher]

Heh, then I guess every console ever released has not been an acceptable release.  Although I think microsoft did rush the release of the 360 too much so that it would be released in time for christmas, making sure they get as big of an install base as possible before the playstation 3 comes out. 

Why do you think they refer to game releases in generations, as in, this is the first generation of games for the 360, and in about a year the second generation will come out.  They refer to it like that because the games should be evolving and getting better with each generation, if each generation were equal, then there would be nothing to tell them apart.  Also, if the first generation of games were the best they possibly could be then consoles would probably have a pretty short life, not the several years they currently have.  I mean, if first gen games were equal to 10th gen games, why would anyone buy the 10th gen games.  Its a fact of gaming, as time goes on the programmers will learn new tricks and techniques so graphics and gameplay will continue to improve.  Once they come close to the best a console can perform, they release a new console and the whole process starts over again.

How can you make a car and then say "it has alot of problems that we don't know how to fix yet"?

Theres not a "problem" with the console or with the games, their just not the best they possibly can be.  Lets expand on your car theory, I currently own an '04 gto, it was the first of its model (excluding the ones made 30+ years ago), the '05 model they increased the engine size, split the exhaust, and added scoops to the hood.  the '06 model they changed the color of the tail lights so they look better and they improved a few interior pieces.  Every generation of the car its slightly improving, there was nothing broken with the first model of the car, yet the newest model is superior to the first one.  Understand?

[SirPoonga]

Heh, then I guess every console ever released has not been an acceptable release.  Although I think microsoft did rush the release of the 360 too much so that it would be released in time for christmas, making sure they get as big of an install base as possible before the playstation 3 comes out. 

Right, every console has done this.  I think people are complaining more about the 360 because, apparently, there aren't any must own titles (Halo).

The PS2 had 1st gen stuff too.  Even the console.  The dvd software didn't work that well, you needed to get something to put on your memory card to get it to work.

The programmers are not going to know what the machine is capable of until they get time to play with it for awhile.  It's like playing pacman.  We all know what the maze looks like, right?  Let's say I gave you a detailed map and the ai to the ghosts so that you have all the tech specs and tools needed to get through the first level.  Let's say you have to find the fastest route only using the specs I gave you, you can't play the game yet.  This is analogous to programmers trying to create a game for a system that isn't final or they were just given a developers unit that isn't exactly the same as what the release system is going to be.  You realize a new console is going to want games upon release.  Well, it takes a year or two to greate a decent game.  The developers had to start when the xbox was still on the drawing board for the most part.
So now if I let you play pacman for awhile you will probably find faster routes than what you did with only the specs and tools.
Same goes with a new console.  As time goes on programmers will find ways to speed up their code with the new tools.  In programming there are usually many ways to solve a task and you are always looking to see if there is a better way.

In order for the developers to take full advantage of the system they would need the final system for some time.  That's why first gen games usually don't take full advantage of a system.  It's hard to develop for something that you don't have yet.  That's why I am waiting to get my hands on an LEDWiz before I make a controls.dat interface for it.  I could start now but if I can get my hands on one I might find a better way to deal with it.

A good example the difference in 1st gen games vs later is look at super mario bros 1 and 3.  3 has much better gameplay and graphics than 1 but they are on the same system.

I think you will see this with the revolution.  At first the games that use the motion controller will seem gimicky but as developers get time with it I am sure you will see some really cool games that use it.

[traknfieldSUPAstar]

The graphics area really nice on the 360... however, if you don't have an HDTV that supports 1080i, then I wouldn't bother with the system just yet (wait till they solve their supply problems or better yet, wait til its cheaper or a must-have game comes out).

[AtomSmasher]

I think you will see this with the revolution.