[StratComm]

Ok I'm a bit late, but with the number of graphics people around here, how did someone not scream "FAKE!!!!" for those pics?  The first one absolutely screams low-quality render.

And that second one is a shameless kitbash of an XBox 1 and a gamecube.  Not that creative, even for a hoax.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by IceFire

How do you know?

How do they solve the problem of having a completely different graphics core driving the whole thing?

If the new architecture was powerful enough, possibly they could just write an abstraction layer.

[IceFire]

Originally posted by StratComm
Ok I'm a bit late, but with the number of graphics people around here, how did someone not scream "FAKE!!!!" for those pics?  The first one absolutely screams low-quality render.

And that second one is a shameless kitbash of an XBox 1 and a gamecube.  Not that creative, even for a hoax.

I pretty much knew that from the start...but its still kind of fun

Gets the brain thinking about what they may actually be doing.

Aldo, interesting point...I don't know enough about the actual programming but I guess that this wouldn't be too difficult to do then (in the grand scheme of things)?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by IceFire
Aldo, interesting point...I don't know enough about the actual programming but I guess that this wouldn't be too difficult to do then (in the grand scheme of things)?

Don't know enough to be sure, in all honesty.  But we already have the likes of console-PC emulators, made by 3rd parties, so it's obviously possible for a pro.  Other side is how the architecture is structured.  If it is parallel, then there may be very tough load balancing issues, for example.

[Kamikaze]

I'd heard that the Xbox 2 was following a more traditional console design so it's not a bastardized PC like the Xbox was. Did they actually decide to go with another PC-based thing?

Methinks emulation would be really difficult, even with a lot of processing power. Vmware can emulate Windows (Xboxes use a stripped down WinXP iirc) on x86, but there's no way you're going to run a high quality game on it at a playable speed. Vmware is a commercial product that's gotten years of work into it, so if Vmware can't play games I doubt the Xbox2 will have some magic, working Xbox emulator.

[StratComm]

It all really depends on how much of their games is actually being run through hardware-specific features, and how much is being done through the OS.  I suspect it's largely hardware based, but if it isn't I doubt MS would have trouble adapting whatever OS the Xbox2 will use to be compatable.  And I think that mainstream consoles are going the bastardized-PC route by default now, not that MS is deviating from their previous tactics.

[01010]

From what I hear the biggest problem with backwards compatibility (which is out from what I've read) is the Xbox hard drive. Xbox2 is apparently not going to ship with a HD and the way the current generation titles work, it would make it a nightmare. For example, Crimson Skies on the Xbox reportedly uses up to 1gb for texture cacheing alone.

[Styxx]

I don't know, I'd probably buy an X-Box 2 if it was backwards compatible ( for Halo and Halo 2, mostly), but I don't think I'd buy one if it wasn't. Almost certainly not.

[Deepblue]

Definitely wouldnt get it if it wasnt, but I'm sure it will be.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]Did Bungie ever get their act together with the PC version of Halo? Heard it wasn't well coded or somesuch and didn't run very fast even on high end machines.
[/color]

[Deepblue]

Runs flawlessly on the Xbox, but apparently it didnt do so well on the PC.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]Did Bungie ever get their act together with the PC version of Halo? Heard it wasn't well coded or somesuch and didn't run very fast even on high end machines.
[/color]

It was Gearbox that did the conversion, and yes it was a god awful conversion that doesn't run well on machines even vastly exceeding the min & recommended specs.  i.e. I have something like 2 or 3 times the min specs in my case, and it doesn;t run well at anything beyond min res, all setting off and the 1.4 pixel path (in fact, it doesn't run well at this, either).

[Turnsky]

Originally posted by aldo_14


It was Gearbox that did the conversion, and yes it was a god awful conversion that doesn't run well on machines even vastly exceeding the min & recommended specs.  i.e. I have something like 2 or 3 times the min specs in my case, and it doesn;t run well at anything beyond min res, all setting off and the 1.4 pixel path (in fact, it doesn't run well at this, either).

the reviewer of that here.. (PC-Powerplay) Reccomened at least a 4ghz machine... (yes, that's right, an ludicrously OC'd box, back then anywho)

Halo was /nice/ on the xbox, it should needed a 2ghz+ processor at the most if it was done properly for PC.. in anycase, has gearbox done any real development outside Half-life mods?
Bungie shoulda let a more well-known dev do the conversion, like monolith, or something of the like..

that said, (and back on topic) i'd be interested to hear what official words microsoft have to say concerning a second generation xbox console.. hopefully a more refined system, faster, etc.. and hopefully they should keep the HDD feature of the system intact, it makes things so much easier to manage as far as playing it "right out of the box" is concerned..

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Turnsky


the reviewer of that here.. (PC-Powerplay) Reccomened at least a 4ghz machine... (yes, that's right, an ludicrously OC'd box, back then anywho)

Halo was /nice/ on the xbox, it should needed a 2ghz+ processor at the most if it was done properly for PC.. in anycase, has gearbox done any real development outside Half-life mods?
 

Not really (as a company, at least), a quick gander of their website indicates;
Halo: Combat Evolved
James Bond 007: NightFire
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
Half-Life for Playstation 2
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Half-Life: Opposing Force
Half-Life: Platinum Pack
Half-Life: Counterstrike
   
(also Brothers in Arms, which looks impressive tobefair).

[Turnsky]

Originally posted by aldo_14


Not really (as a company, at least), a quick gander of their website indicates;
Halo: Combat Evolved
James Bond 007: NightFire
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
Half-Life for Playstation 2
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Half-Life: Opposing Force
Half-Life: Platinum Pack
Half-Life: Counterstrike
   
(also Brothers in Arms, which looks impressive tobefair).

well, other than CS, and OpFor (blueshift was a so-so) Nightfire wasn't /that/ good, i dunno about tony hawk's.. never played it..

brothers in arms does sound good, but, i fear it will "just be another ww2 game" at least its premise is a cool feature.. based on a true story and all.

[Admiral Edivad]

@.:Firestorm:.

COMMAND: INCOMING JUMP SIGNATURE! NEW USER CONFIGURATION!
Helm! Ready all beam cannons!
Lock Beam Cannons and fire on my command!
FIRE!

 

NO, YOU IDIOT! USE THE BIG BEAM CANNON!
Insert plasma core... target the n00b... OPEN FIRE!

 

Welcome to the HLP Station. Exits are located to the right, left, up, down, and 4th-dimensionally. However all of them are blocked, except the 4-d one, and no one's yet figured how to reach it. In the event of a landing of any kind, you can and will be used as a flotation device. All references to FS and the number 3 must be removed from your person to prevent accidental damage. Do not feed the resident Shivan Carl as he will become voracious and chew your leg off. You can find him in the ventilation duct. Throw him your lunch and he'll leave you alone (usually). Flamethrowers can be found under your seat but due to financial constraints have been re-filled with holy water. Phased Plasma rifles (40 watt range of course) can be found in storage lockers. To prevent act of n00b, however, these can only be opened by Moderators, Volition or a hyperintelligent shade of BluE. Please remember that any attempt to use the ASCII characters 0046h, 0053h, and 0033h in sequential order will result in you being trampled by FreeSpace fan boys. Your trampled remains will be fed to Carl so that the rest of us don't have to carry around so much food for lunch. In the event of catastrophic hull failure please board the nearest lifeboat which is pre-programmed for autonomous flight to our sister station the Game-Warden outpost. Thank you and enjoy your stay!

[Turambar]

this is why the mages' guild in oblivion banned necromancy

[aldo_14]

What in the name of ****?  Not only do you resurrect a long dead thread (2 years), you do so to 'welcome' someone who hasn't posted since 2004?!

[Admiral Edivad]

Well, it was to try how to send the "Beam"
And, as you noticed, the attempt failed....

[Turambar]

awww its ok.  dont worry about it.