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"Future Consoles?"

We started off with the 8-Bit Master System.Then we had 16-Bit not that long after.A few years later,we have a 32-Bit system in the Playstation.Again,another few years later,the bit is doubled to 64-Bit,in the N64.2 or 3 years later,the Dreamcast is released with 128-Bit.Then,we have 3 other consoles in development with the same bit-rate.The X-Box,PS2 and Gamecube.My question is,how higher can they go?Will we see a console with 256-Bit capabilities?I say yes.Will we see consoles with 512-Bit or even 1024-Bit?I doubt it.They may even go into new measurements of Bit-Rates such as a Gigabit because lets admit it,no-one wants to say their system is 1024-Bit do they?The next few consoles may bring the end of an era in Bit-Gaming.What do you think?

Hmmm...I never played on a Jaguar, I've heard that Alien vs Preditor was the best game, being in glorious 64 bit colour!

Sonic

While we are on about bits, the first 32 bit console was the Amiga CD32, and the first 64bit machine was the Atari Jaguar, which was actually released before the PSX.

Basically what all this Hz/bits business means is that there will probably be one or two generations more before we stop noticing any improvements in graphics. At that time it will be the innovation and playability of the games that sells consoles, not the graphics. I cant wait!

Bit ratings stopped to mean anything when the N64 came out. It has more bits than the PSX, but actually runs slower. The reason is that the PSX has dedicated graphics boards etc. (Before u argue, the reason the N64 games look "better" is that they use weird in console anti-aliasing that Sony could have put into the PSX to the same effect)

Nowadays it's a cobination of Hertz/proccessor speed and archetecture that shows a consoles power. So the PS2 has a faster processor than the DC, but has pooor archetecture, so it almost the same speed (until good dev tools are released at least).

Mind u, thinking back, the Saturn was another odd one. The dual 16 bit processors were NOT 32bits in total! And same kind of thing with the Mega Drive!

Sonic

Final Fantasy VII was a decent game. Personally, I hold a grudge against it since it used the name "Final Fantasy," yet wasn't a true Final Fantasy game. There is, after all, a difference between sci-fi and fantasy.

Bits don't tell alot do they?

Exactly honour,will we be able to notice a difference because they graphics are so good now,will there be a noticeable difference?

The bit-rate is how many bits the CPU can process at once. The DC and the X are both 128bit, but the X is said to be more powerful because its CPU has a higher clock rate, therefore it can process more lots of 128bits per second than the DC.

I read somewhere that manufactuing processes exist to go up to 1024bits, which would be called a kilobit machine. The thing is, will you notice any improvement in the graphics between a 512 and a 1024bit machine?

At the moment we have amazing graphics and we are only at 128bit. Graphics can only improve so much until the human eye wont notice any extra details. Im quite looking forward to when this happens because then it will be the innovation and quality of the games that will sell the consoles, not how good the graphics are.

I absolutly hate Mario games.They are too "cute" and innocent for my liking.FF7 is one of the greatest games ever made.

And I'd say that Mario is a better game than FF7 because Mario actually has skillful gameplay while FF7 is just tactical.

If FF7 had no story, it would be nothing.
But as it does have a story and a very good one at that, it might not be a true "game" but it's still great fun ti play through. It's what you'd call an interactive movie...

Good point Dan.Most people do judge consoles by their Bit-Rate which is unfair.I would rather play Final Fantasy 7 than Mario.FF7 has a lower bit-rate but is a better game(in my opinion)