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And there is a very simple explanation for it too........
This time around, nothing new is being done by the guys who make the consoles, simply because nothing new has become available to the mass market. This will lead people to feel underwhelmed and disappointed in their new console. I do have examples to show this, so please just hear me out.
First we take the Playstation 2.
What exactly can the PS2 do, that the PSX can't? Emmm, not much really. In terms of graphics, yes there will be massive advances forward, and this is already visible, all you have to do is compare the original Ridge Racer, to Ridge Racer 5 on the PS2. Massive graphical difference between the two, and in terms of gameplay, well, RRV is just RRIV in disguise isn't it?? Yes, it is, and that's because the initial launch games of the Playstation 2 were no better than PSOne games with a higher frame rate, and nicer graphics, yes, that counts for SSX too. The big advances for the PS2 will come when MGS2 is released, simply because of the vastly accurate representation of real actions included in the game. This is possible because of the amount of math which the PS2 can churn through, which isn't to do with graphics. (Yes, for those of us who care little for how much better the GC or Xbox graphics look than the PS2, be content that it can handle the gameplay no bother at all.) But in terms of visual impact or presentable qualities, most people who don't appreciate the finer things in life, like melting Ice Cubes, the impact will be minimal.
As for the Gamecube, it will be more impressive visually than the Playstation 2, and it will support massive frame rates, so the F-Zero Next-Gen non-sequel, will run faster than ever before. But the system doesn't do maths at the drop of a hat. Listen to the same Ninties who told you that graphics don't matter to games a couple of years ago, and they have all becoma expert games developers, and know everything there is to know about texture compression, Hardware Transformation and Lighting, memory latency and disc buffers. All of which have everything to do with graphics, ask them about FPU calculations dedicated to AI, Physics and geometry, and that is now what doesn't count, the things which important to gameplay. Basically, what we will see from the NGC is exactly what Nintendo wanted the N64 to be, a bright, colourful and simple console, nothing too extravagent, nothing too complicated. N64 games at 60fps, some of us will be content would have been content with this a year ago.
As for the Xbox, well, it's a dark horse. People compare it to PCs all the time, but forget that Windows takes up more than 50% of your system resources at any given moment. The Xbox doesn't have Windows, so there are vastly improved levels of system resources available to the games developers. None of us can tell the capabilities of an Xbox. When you consider that the Dreamcast is no more than a PC based console without Windows, then Sega fans may begin to realise that the limited spec of the DC could produce marvelous things, what could the same console have done with a P3 733 and a geforce 3, under it's belt? You may begin to realise that the Xbox is a very exciting technical prospect. But it does have a major issue. It doesn't have any must have games, there isn't anything at the moment which will set it apart from any other system. Some will be attracted to it because of Shenmue and Jet Set Radio, but those same people can see Sonic and PSO heading for the Gamecube. So the best system has the worst games list.
So in the end, the new consoles can be narrowed down and compared to upgrading a PC.
The Playstation 2 is like taking yous PC and fitting a new processor and a not so top of the range graphics card, it will do maths like nothing else, but is limited in terms of graphical output.
The Gamecube is like spending most of your dosh on a geforce 2 graphics card, and a not so hot CPU. It will do as much math as you need, but it will struggle to do really advance calculations simultaneously.
The Xbox will be like buying the ultimate PC, better than anything else. Shame that it dosn't support PS2 software, or it would have won the console war no bother at all.
This time around, nothing new is being done by the guys who make the consoles, simply because nothing new has become available to the mass market. This will lead people to feel underwhelmed and disappointed in their new console. I do have examples to show this, so please just hear me out.
First we take the Playstation 2.
What exactly can the PS2 do, that the PSX can't? Emmm, not much really. In terms of graphics, yes there will be massive advances forward, and this is already visible, all you have to do is compare the original Ridge Racer, to Ridge Racer 5 on the PS2. Massive graphical difference between the two, and in terms of gameplay, well, RRV is just RRIV in disguise isn't it?? Yes, it is, and that's because the initial launch games of the Playstation 2 were no better than PSOne games with a higher frame rate, and nicer graphics, yes, that counts for SSX too. The big advances for the PS2 will come when MGS2 is released, simply because of the vastly accurate representation of real actions included in the game. This is possible because of the amount of math which the PS2 can churn through, which isn't to do with graphics. (Yes, for those of us who care little for how much better the GC or Xbox graphics look than the PS2, be content that it can handle the gameplay no bother at all.) But in terms of visual impact or presentable qualities, most people who don't appreciate the finer things in life, like melting Ice Cubes, the impact will be minimal.
As for the Gamecube, it will be more impressive visually than the Playstation 2, and it will support massive frame rates, so the F-Zero Next-Gen non-sequel, will run faster than ever before. But the system doesn't do maths at the drop of a hat. Listen to the same Ninties who told you that graphics don't matter to games a couple of years ago, and they have all becoma expert games developers, and know everything there is to know about texture compression, Hardware Transformation and Lighting, memory latency and disc buffers. All of which have everything to do with graphics, ask them about FPU calculations dedicated to AI, Physics and geometry, and that is now what doesn't count, the things which important to gameplay. Basically, what we will see from the NGC is exactly what Nintendo wanted the N64 to be, a bright, colourful and simple console, nothing too extravagent, nothing too complicated. N64 games at 60fps, some of us will be content would have been content with this a year ago.
As for the Xbox, well, it's a dark horse. People compare it to PCs all the time, but forget that Windows takes up more than 50% of your system resources at any given moment. The Xbox doesn't have Windows, so there are vastly improved levels of system resources available to the games developers. None of us can tell the capabilities of an Xbox. When you consider that the Dreamcast is no more than a PC based console without Windows, then Sega fans may begin to realise that the limited spec of the DC could produce marvelous things, what could the same console have done with a P3 733 and a geforce 3, under it's belt? You may begin to realise that the Xbox is a very exciting technical prospect. But it does have a major issue. It doesn't have any must have games, there isn't anything at the moment which will set it apart from any other system. Some will be attracted to it because of Shenmue and Jet Set Radio, but those same people can see Sonic and PSO heading for the Gamecube. So the best system has the worst games list.
So in the end, the new consoles can be narrowed down and compared to upgrading a PC.
The Playstation 2 is like taking yous PC and fitting a new processor and a not so top of the range graphics card, it will do maths like nothing else, but is limited in terms of graphical output.
The Gamecube is like spending most of your dosh on a geforce 2 graphics card, and a not so hot CPU. It will do as much math as you need, but it will struggle to do really advance calculations simultaneously.
The Xbox will be like buying the ultimate PC, better than anything else. Shame that it dosn't support PS2 software, or it would have won the console war no bother at all.
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Good post Bonus, not sure that i entirely agree, but a good post none the less :P
And there is a very simple explanation for it too........
This time around, nothing new is being done by the guys who make the consoles, simply because nothing new has become available to the mass market. This will lead people to feel underwhelmed and disappointed in their new console. I do have examples to show this, so please just hear me out.
First we take the Playstation 2.
What exactly can the PS2 do, that the PSX can't? Emmm, not much really. In terms of graphics, yes there will be massive advances forward, and this is already visible, all you have to do is compare the original Ridge Racer, to Ridge Racer 5 on the PS2. Massive graphical difference between the two, and in terms of gameplay, well, RRV is just RRIV in disguise isn't it?? Yes, it is, and that's because the initial launch games of the Playstation 2 were no better than PSOne games with a higher frame rate, and nicer graphics, yes, that counts for SSX too. The big advances for the PS2 will come when MGS2 is released, simply because of the vastly accurate representation of real actions included in the game. This is possible because of the amount of math which the PS2 can churn through, which isn't to do with graphics. (Yes, for those of us who care little for how much better the GC or Xbox graphics look than the PS2, be content that it can handle the gameplay no bother at all.) But in terms of visual impact or presentable qualities, most people who don't appreciate the finer things in life, like melting Ice Cubes, the impact will be minimal.
As for the Gamecube, it will be more impressive visually than the Playstation 2, and it will support massive frame rates, so the F-Zero Next-Gen non-sequel, will run faster than ever before. But the system doesn't do maths at the drop of a hat. Listen to the same Ninties who told you that graphics don't matter to games a couple of years ago, and they have all becoma expert games developers, and know everything there is to know about texture compression, Hardware Transformation and Lighting, memory latency and disc buffers. All of which have everything to do with graphics, ask them about FPU calculations dedicated to AI, Physics and geometry, and that is now what doesn't count, the things which important to gameplay. Basically, what we will see from the NGC is exactly what Nintendo wanted the N64 to be, a bright, colourful and simple console, nothing too extravagent, nothing too complicated. N64 games at 60fps, some of us will be content would have been content with this a year ago.
As for the Xbox, well, it's a dark horse. People compare it to PCs all the time, but forget that Windows takes up more than 50% of your system resources at any given moment. The Xbox doesn't have Windows, so there are vastly improved levels of system resources available to the games developers. None of us can tell the capabilities of an Xbox. When you consider that the Dreamcast is no more than a PC based console without Windows, then Sega fans may begin to realise that the limited spec of the DC could produce marvelous things, what could the same console have done with a P3 733 and a geforce 3, under it's belt? You may begin to realise that the Xbox is a very exciting technical prospect. But it does have a major issue. It doesn't have any must have games, there isn't anything at the moment which will set it apart from any other system. Some will be attracted to it because of Shenmue and Jet Set Radio, but those same people can see Sonic and PSO heading for the Gamecube. So the best system has the worst games list.
So in the end, the new consoles can be narrowed down and compared to upgrading a PC.
The Playstation 2 is like taking yous PC and fitting a new processor and a not so top of the range graphics card, it will do maths like nothing else, but is limited in terms of graphical output.
The Gamecube is like spending most of your dosh on a geforce 2 graphics card, and a not so hot CPU. It will do as much math as you need, but it will struggle to do really advance calculations simultaneously.
The Xbox will be like buying the ultimate PC, better than anything else. Shame that it dosn't support PS2 software, or it would have won the console war no bother at all.
This time around, nothing new is being done by the guys who make the consoles, simply because nothing new has become available to the mass market. This will lead people to feel underwhelmed and disappointed in their new console. I do have examples to show this, so please just hear me out.
First we take the Playstation 2.
What exactly can the PS2 do, that the PSX can't? Emmm, not much really. In terms of graphics, yes there will be massive advances forward, and this is already visible, all you have to do is compare the original Ridge Racer, to Ridge Racer 5 on the PS2. Massive graphical difference between the two, and in terms of gameplay, well, RRV is just RRIV in disguise isn't it?? Yes, it is, and that's because the initial launch games of the Playstation 2 were no better than PSOne games with a higher frame rate, and nicer graphics, yes, that counts for SSX too. The big advances for the PS2 will come when MGS2 is released, simply because of the vastly accurate representation of real actions included in the game. This is possible because of the amount of math which the PS2 can churn through, which isn't to do with graphics. (Yes, for those of us who care little for how much better the GC or Xbox graphics look than the PS2, be content that it can handle the gameplay no bother at all.) But in terms of visual impact or presentable qualities, most people who don't appreciate the finer things in life, like melting Ice Cubes, the impact will be minimal.
As for the Gamecube, it will be more impressive visually than the Playstation 2, and it will support massive frame rates, so the F-Zero Next-Gen non-sequel, will run faster than ever before. But the system doesn't do maths at the drop of a hat. Listen to the same Ninties who told you that graphics don't matter to games a couple of years ago, and they have all becoma expert games developers, and know everything there is to know about texture compression, Hardware Transformation and Lighting, memory latency and disc buffers. All of which have everything to do with graphics, ask them about FPU calculations dedicated to AI, Physics and geometry, and that is now what doesn't count, the things which important to gameplay. Basically, what we will see from the NGC is exactly what Nintendo wanted the N64 to be, a bright, colourful and simple console, nothing too extravagent, nothing too complicated. N64 games at 60fps, some of us will be content would have been content with this a year ago.
As for the Xbox, well, it's a dark horse. People compare it to PCs all the time, but forget that Windows takes up more than 50% of your system resources at any given moment. The Xbox doesn't have Windows, so there are vastly improved levels of system resources available to the games developers. None of us can tell the capabilities of an Xbox. When you consider that the Dreamcast is no more than a PC based console without Windows, then Sega fans may begin to realise that the limited spec of the DC could produce marvelous things, what could the same console have done with a P3 733 and a geforce 3, under it's belt? You may begin to realise that the Xbox is a very exciting technical prospect. But it does have a major issue. It doesn't have any must have games, there isn't anything at the moment which will set it apart from any other system. Some will be attracted to it because of Shenmue and Jet Set Radio, but those same people can see Sonic and PSO heading for the Gamecube. So the best system has the worst games list.
So in the end, the new consoles can be narrowed down and compared to upgrading a PC.
The Playstation 2 is like taking yous PC and fitting a new processor and a not so top of the range graphics card, it will do maths like nothing else, but is limited in terms of graphical output.
The Gamecube is like spending most of your dosh on a geforce 2 graphics card, and a not so hot CPU. It will do as much math as you need, but it will struggle to do really advance calculations simultaneously.
The Xbox will be like buying the ultimate PC, better than anything else. Shame that it dosn't support PS2 software, or it would have won the console war no bother at all.
Page: