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"X-Box And Gamecube, My Views"

Two major game console releases, the Microsoft Xbox and the Nintendo Gamecube, are scheduled to ship in time for the 2001 holiday season. Not long ago, it would have been hard to imagine that these two companies would be able to release these machines at the same time. Nintendo displayed a working prototype of the Gamecube as early as August 2000, and Microsoft didn't offer a peek at the Xbox until early January 2001.

The Nintendo Gamecube will be a step toward the company's goal of creating the ultimate hardware for playing games. The system will run on something like a 405-MHz IBM PowerPC, and performance figures released by Nintendo indicate that the Gamecube will be the fastest console on the market when it is released (hundreds of millions of polygons per second versus today's tens of millions). The Gamecube will have expansion slots for more memory and a modem/broadband adapter. You'll also be able to use the next-generation Game Boy Advance as a controller with a personal viewing screen. Unfortunately, the Gamecube will not be backward compatible with the Nintendo 64, nor will it play DVDs.

The Microsoft Xbox essentially will be an inexpensive PC that can be connected to a TV. Preliminary specs call for an Intel CPU in excess of 1 GHz, a 300-MHz nVidia graphics chip, 64MB of RAM, a DVD drive, an 8GB hard drive, and Ethernet. The Xbox looks great on paper, with proposed performance far exceeding anything currently available in game consoles.

Microsoft claims that software can be developed rapidly and easily for the Xbox, since it's actually a specialized PC. But even with nVidia on board, developing graphics for NTSC (TV) will be more difficult than for VGA. Besides, one of the benefits of gaming on a PC is that hardware can be upgraded. That isn't the case, of course, once the technology is frozen into a console.

I've followed both of these projects deeply through their production stages, and I for one am excited in terms of the future of gaming. What do you guys think? Am I just hyping these two machines way to excessively? Is ny optimism just wishful thinking? One thing is for sure, I'll be the first to place down my deposit when Special Reserve give us information on their first batches.



Jason Bagnall
UK, Birmingham

lol@MolineuxGuy

No one was flaming you man... chill

:)

I may have mentioned the insults thing already. I`m not bothered, as I only usually get insulted over the net, so its kinda fun. However, the best way to get along in these forums is to not insult any of the notables. Once that happens, they may dislike you, and then the rest of us lemmings will follow.

Anyway, as Armitage Shanks says, Hi there and welcome to the FOG (Or by the sound of your last reply, welcom back).

I'm sincerely sorry, I stand corrected, seemingly the Game Cube will be released SIX MONTHS after the US release here, but the X-BOX will be either side of christmas. Hadn't checked my 'sources' in awhile since I've been shy of my net connection, so please forgive me. Anyway, whatever guys, there's no need to act like idiots about it, people used to be cool here, I can't understand why you're are getting all emotionaly exploited and rebellious over something so minor. Lets just focus at the damn issues at hand, if I make a mistake, by all means correct me but don't flame me.

oh... MolineuxGuy... by the way... welcome to FOG! :)

Hmmmmm.....2001, eh???

It could be later than spring 2002, actually.

So whatever your 'source' is, don't bother checking it. Check another one.

Great way to start. Insulting the others, and telling us what is slightly out of date, and certainly not fact.

Anyway, some good points made, and you did say it was your feelings on the subject, so it is not our business to disagree with feelings, only incorrect facts.

No, it's released in Spring, 2002.

Oh and I think I should clarify that BOTH the X-Box and Gamecube are scheduled for release prior to Christmas, that is FACT! Not fiction. It's been well documented, check your damn sources people! Jesus.

Indeed, there will be delays, it's just the way this queer industry is sometimes. I'm positive the X-Box will be worth the wait, not sure about the Gamecube though, that really is a hit/miss ordeal. As for taking information from other sources, that's how we are educated, I know this info because I purchase on average five game magazines monthly, not to mention the wide range of quality gaming sites online. It's not as if I'm an employee of Sega/Nintendo or anything. ::Sigh:: Who knows, maybe one day.

I know what you mean ... I think