Poll: Best Next Generation game console to own will be?

[Paynekiller]

First flame of the day! *my day today that is*. And I know Vyzer, but

trust me, we're NOT the same guy. Check our IP if you can, you'll see.

Now then, I really don't talk down on the other consoles because it's

pretty early to say. And yeah, from what you've read, Xbox 360 is gonna

be as powerful. I didn't even doubt when I saw that MGS4 trailer. But

we can't really count out the Revolution yet. The Gamecube was a solid

piece of hardware that was more powerful than the PS2 a bit (Go on,

read any tech comparision charts) even though it was not as powerful as

the Xbox. I think the reason why it didn't do well was because:

1) The Media format was smaller than the rest.

2) The controller.

3) Everyone wanted to be the "1337 Mr.Ownage" by getting a Xbox or PS2, the so-called Hardcore system.

...Much left to be desired?! You didn't even get the tech specs!

Yeah I won't mind it at all if anyone gets a Xbox 360 or PS3, but when

they downtrodden the NREV before we even get some solid info, that's

when I have to take my stand.

[Shade]

It's pretty cool that Nintendo is offering their previous games for

download & use on the new console. There's a decent retro gaming

market out there. People have been emulating console games to run on

PCs for better than 10 years now. Nintendo was one of the more

aggressive mfr's to try and shut this down. It's good that they've

finally realized that there's $$$ potential there, and are making these

games available again.

[dragonfyr]

OK, let's stomp on the ant hill!
Here is an alternative view.

It's cute to watch the 'my platform kicks your platform's @ss" tirades, but if that were true, you wouldn't have to try to make the case. It would be self-evident.

And as far as the DVD format wars are concerned, I am pretty much resolved at this point where I will be going.

And HD-DVD and Blu-Ray can fight it out right into the museum of formats time passed by! They have pretty much blown their wads! The technology was really promising when Sony announced that they would be available for consumer purchase for the fall 2003 (yep, this announcement was made in the fall of 2002!!!). And in that time frame they offered a significant advancement.

And now you can add Microsoft & Intel to the HD camp. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

But...
Now that InPhase has announced that it will ship its 300GB write-once holographic disks (to be manufactured by Maxell), initially aimed at archival storage in 2006! To be followed by re-writable drives and media by 2007, and 1.6 TB re-writable densities by 2009. Well...

Investing in the blue laser technology is but a very limited stop-gap measure that offers little scalable growth and their capacity, while novel several years ago, is simply not keeping pace with the exponential needs of the market - primarily that of data. Thus an investment in this format will quickly require replacement and migration of all archived data once again as the new higher density formats proliferate (as there is little desire in the enterprise to maintain multiple formats simultaneously!). Not an attractive proposal.

But all of you can continue to argue over which game will determine your choice of platform. And you can debate which platform will dominate.

The fundamental problem is, that while you can debate over who 'rules', you have failed to present a compelling reason for someone who doesn't lust after games to buy one! Thus you are simply fighting over market share the same small fragmented niche market!

And the real significant fact is that, just like with the media center PC. within the total market space, none of the game platforms will dominate, as the majority of the market will purchase none of them! And this is a critical factor! (And in that sense it would almost behoove them to become interoperable and to compete on the basis of the various bells and whistles they each offer instead of which incompatible format you want!) The only way this format grows is if it becomes more central to the home's entertainment needs. Instead it has become mired in trivial format debates. The average mom and pop buyer is going to opt for compatibility! Just ask the Beta and the Mac users. Although the Mac is in a big position finally after 20 years to turn that proposition on its head with its complete UNIX and Windows compatibility!

And this market share is the issue that the media world is becoming focused on more then you realize! It is interesting that this very fact is already driving discussions in the trades (trade press) about just where to invest strategically for the future! The next game platform debate may be marginalized before it even 'begins'!

It seems to me that the only game platform that offers any additional leverage - although in a totally proprietary way, is Sony's, as the PS3 has the potential to become an extension/adjunct to its current Vaio line. But the Vaio isn't exactly taking the world by storm. And as Apple moves to Intel with its formidable graphics capabilities and available packages, Vaio will be further marginalized.

So have fun! But ~$500, plus the cost of games, is not worth it to me to simply play a few games and to dream of my 1080p TV when in reality it will be YEARS before I even consider a 1080p set and maybe longer before there is a critical mass of the consumer base available to justify the manufacturers making this a format standard for mass media distribution! After all, business fundamentals will determine corporate investment, and the impetus is NOT there!

[TheEAR]

The best next gen console will e decided among two contestants.The second generation Microsoft and third gen Sony consoles.

The one with the largest devlopper support sporting the most quality titles will take the lead in the end.At the start the Sony should have a larger following,as the PS and PS2 have a huge fan base.

Both will feature capable CPU's with state of the console art video chips and high rez support.Lan and wireless should be common on these consoles as multiplayer is now mandatory for any half serious next gen console.

Competition is great for the customer as SOny and Microsoft compete for first place.

[Paynekiller]

So far, graphics seem to be 65% Priority for Sony while 35% is left for

everything else (My opinion thank you). And even though I don't really

plan to get a Xbox or Xbox 360 at all, I can't help but notice how

Microsoft kinda balanced everything out. Xbox Live, Graphics, Plenty of

games showed, I haven't seen that much innovation in some of the games

(And if you say Full Auto, Twisted Metal, Prince of Persia and Burnout

kinda beat it to it -.-; but I'm sure it's there, maybe I

didn't get a good look ;;;;;.

So yeah, I kinda give Microsoft the thumbs up for the first 2 years.

Once the 2nd generation games come out for the system, IT'S GONNA BE

WAR.

...I'll still be playing my NREV though <.< >.>;;;....*runs*

[fletcherkane]

Well spoken Dragon...I love reading well written posts.

[dblue]

Just wanted to post some links to some new shots of some 360 games...big MS press today about the system at X5 in amsterdam.

In-engine shots of NBA Live

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/748/748506/imgs_1.html

Movies look pretty good too. I don't like basketball, but these shots are unbelievable.

Call of duty 2. All press indications are that with the current

builds (probably close to final since it comes out for pc in a few

weeks), the PC version is running at 30 fps, while the 360 version is

running at 60 fps with a farther draw distance. Nice.

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/743/743289/imgs_1.html

Just an update to get everyone excited for HD gaming! woo hoo.

[skonopa]

As I said, either platform is too much to

simply play the one or two pet games that you may be a fan of, and

your favorite games and their availability will quite frankly have more

to do with your choice of platform then any other obtuse technical

consideration!!

That is precisly my deciding factor on which console(s) that I end

up buying. Which one has the games availble that I am intersted

in. The main reason I ended up with a PS/2 is because I wanted to

play the Final Fantasy games as well as many of the other RPGs that are

available for it (such as Star Ocean and XenoSaga). For the FPS

games and RTS games, I'd much also just play on my PC.

The couple of games that I was intersted in for the Xbox ended up

being available for the PC anyway, so I never bothered to get one.

As for the DRM issues, I also have to agree with dragonfyr

as well. It has nothing to do with pirating material, but

everything to do with my ability to digitally rip things to my PC, my

ability to make copies to use in the car, my ability to record off the

TV using TiVo/DVR type functionality and so forth. I did read up

on the DRM schemes that are being proposed, and frankly, I don't like

it. The fact that they can just "turn-off" a player because there

may have been a hack has me concerned. They say there are going

to be no "false-positives" and other errors, but I whip out my yellow

BS button! I've been a software engineer for to long to know how

things can go awry with even the best of intents.

Like dragonfyr, I also have no intention to buy one of these to use

to store my digital music files, and so forth. I already have a

server setup for all that, without all the DRM crap.

But to answer the original post, it seems that I am leaning towards

the PS/3, since that seems to be where the games, such as Final

Fantasy, that I am interested in, will be available. Also, it'll

be backwards compatible with the PS/2 so I can still play some of these

RPGs that I've not got around to finishing yet.

And lastly, for Xbox LIVE - frankly, I don't give a $#!+!

There are plenty of places I can go and play on-line games with the PC,

many of which I don't even have to pay a monthly subscriber fee.

[skonopa]

Also the controller is way innovative. I mean, what would you rather

play an FPS with, an analog stick or a gun-like controller? You can

also play tennis, play baseball, use lightsabers, fish, and WHACK

PEOPLE!

Will be interesting to see how this new controller actually works out

in "real world" usage. I wonder how it'll stand up to extended

play sessions as well as how comfortable it'll actually be. It

certainly is innovative (although this type of thing is not new -

anybody remember the Power Glove?). It is essentially what is

called a "Flying Mouse". It is the first time that I've seen

something like this become "standard" on a new console.

I am certainly not rulling out the Revolution, as NIntendo is known for

putting out some truly awesome games. And being able to download

and play thier older library is certainly a nice (provided they offer

the games at reasonable prices). Hell, I still like to dust-off

my old SNES to play Donky Kong Country every now and again. Just

will be interesting to see how this new "innovative" controller

actually works out in the "real-world" as well as seeing what games

that comes out that'll take advantage of it.

[m00n]

Havn't done any research really but I will be getting the XBOX 360.

Can't wait to see Madden NFL on this.