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Round XXX - FIGHT! [The Upcoming Console Wars]

24

Posts

  • BogartBogart Streetwise Hercules Registered User, Moderator mod
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    I'm pretty sure your account, Trophies, Trophy-related-score and games/DLC* you bought will continue onto the PS4. Continuity of account is a great way of encouraging loyalty.

    *Not that this does much good right now.

    No, I meant my 360 gamerscore. I want that to be recognised by all the next gen consoles, because goddamn it I worked hard at that.

  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    You do though. You use your fingers to position the controller comfortably in your hand. Pressing buttons back there can be kinda awkward. Especially if you are also trying to press buttons on the front.

    it is entirely possible this is reflective of how i hold a controller

    of course, it also indicates that everybody else is bad and wrong and must adapt

    surrealitycheck's ideal controller configuration

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  • OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    Fallingman wrote: »
    Is there any news re: planned announcements for the new XBox/Steambox etc?

    April sometime for Microsoft.

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  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    The 720 (for lack of a better name) is rumored to be online only which is a deal breaker for me.

    I heard a rumor that it's going to spit fire at my loved ones so I'm in the same boat.

  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    edited February 2013
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    matt has a problem on
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  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    I never "hold" a controller for half an hour, anyway. I change grips a lot.
    DS is pretty funny, though. Lifting the whole thing around on a pinky or whatever. The wriststrap is solid confidence.

  • Moridin889Moridin889 Registered User regular
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    That's not how the 360 store works. I can load up my profile wherever and redownload my games and play them.

    I can even put my saves in a cloud and resume my progress.

    I doubt they'd go back on this for the nextbox

  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    That's not how the 360 store works. I can load up my profile wherever and redownload my games and play them.

    I can even put my saves in a cloud and resume my progress.

    I doubt they'd go back on this for the nextbox

    On a 360, yes. On any 360 even. But they're not going to play on the Nextbox, because the Nextbox is entirely different hardware. If you want to play games you bought through your live account on a 360, you need a 360. If I want to play games I bought through Steam on an old Dell from 2003, I just need a PC. Any PC.

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  • OSUJumpManOSUJumpMan Registered User regular
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    That's not how the 360 store works. I can load up my profile wherever and redownload my games and play them.

    I can even put my saves in a cloud and resume my progress.

    I doubt they'd go back on this for the nextbox

    On a 360, yes. On any 360 even. But they're not going to play on the Nextbox, because the Nextbox is entirely different hardware. If you want to play games you bought through your live account on a 360, you need a 360. If I want to play games I bought through Steam on an old Dell from 2003, I just need a PC. Any PC.

    This is pretty speculative at best. The games are tied to your gamertag which by all accounts will be the same gamertag for the NextBox.

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  • GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    There are a lot of questions I've got that the various companies are going to need to answer me before I consider dropping down cash on a new platform. Questions like:

    1. Backwards compatability: I know it's a bitch for you guys to make your system able to process older systems, but It's pretty hard to ask someone to drop down $300+ for a system and not neccesarily have any games to play on it asude from whatever your launch title is. I've heard that the PS4 is going to suck in this regard, and that's deffinitley a knock against it.

    2. Motion control: I'm willing to admit that there are some good motion control games, but I'm given to understand that the overwhelming majority of the Kinect required ones are shovelware. Besides that, If I wanted to ride a bike or play hockey or run a marathon, I could do that for free. In short, If a system is designed to incorporate it more so after the last 2 years, I'm gonna be less then impressed.

    3. Library: Obviously, the company that has the best library of games is going to intrigue me the most.

    4. Re-used games: I can't always afford to get games brand spankin' new and may not think think they're worth $60, so that means digging through the bargin bin from time to time. I've heard rumors from some folks that some companies are looking to cut out the used games industry and If someone is doing that, then I'm less then thrilled.

    5. Hardware stability: There is nothing worse then having your console fucking die on you and the company trying to gouge you on repairs for it; Microsoft wanted me to shell out $150 for repairs on mine, before the cost of shipping and handling (I wound up purchasing a used one from a guy at film school with a pile of used games and a Wi-fi cable for 200 instead).

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Well, you need a PC that can play that game. Which may not always be true.

    Something like Xbox Live just makes it more obvious by having faster hardware revisions.

  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    OSUJumpMan wrote: »
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    That's not how the 360 store works. I can load up my profile wherever and redownload my games and play them.

    I can even put my saves in a cloud and resume my progress.

    I doubt they'd go back on this for the nextbox

    On a 360, yes. On any 360 even. But they're not going to play on the Nextbox, because the Nextbox is entirely different hardware. If you want to play games you bought through your live account on a 360, you need a 360. If I want to play games I bought through Steam on an old Dell from 2003, I just need a PC. Any PC.

    This is pretty speculative at best. The games are tied to your gamertag which by all accounts will be the same gamertag for the NextBox.

    It doesn't matter what's tied to your gamertag. What matters is the hardware in the system. Unless they make the Nextbox hardware completely backwards compatible with the 360, the 360 Marketplace games won't work. And seeing as Sony has stated the PS4 won't be backwards compatible with any physical or downloaded games from the PS3 or earlier, it's a pretty safe bet Microsoft will be doing the same.

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  • Moridin889Moridin889 Registered User regular
    OSUJumpMan wrote: »
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    Bogart wrote: »
    If Sony allow me to transport my gamerscore to the PS4 I'll be tempted. Awful, I know.

    This is why the console digital distribution model is such broken crap, and not a draw for me at all. If I bought Half-Life off Steam when the service launched in 2003, any computer I install Steam on today, I can still load and play Half-Life. It'll be that way until the Steam servers go offline, for every game I buy through Steam. Any games I've bought through the 360 and PS3 stores, though, are locked to those consoles, and unplayable anywhere else, unless I re-buy them on the newer console, even though it's the exact same game.

    That's not how the 360 store works. I can load up my profile wherever and redownload my games and play them.

    I can even put my saves in a cloud and resume my progress.

    I doubt they'd go back on this for the nextbox

    On a 360, yes. On any 360 even. But they're not going to play on the Nextbox, because the Nextbox is entirely different hardware. If you want to play games you bought through your live account on a 360, you need a 360. If I want to play games I bought through Steam on an old Dell from 2003, I just need a PC. Any PC.

    This is pretty speculative at best. The games are tied to your gamertag which by all accounts will be the same gamertag for the NextBox.

    It doesn't matter what's tied to your gamertag. What matters is the hardware in the system. Unless they make the Nextbox hardware completely backwards compatible with the 360, the 360 Marketplace games won't work. And seeing as Sony has stated the PS4 won't be backwards compatible with any physical or downloaded games from the PS3 or earlier, it's a pretty safe bet Microsoft will be doing the same.


    Or Microsoft could do it for any games available to be downloaded from xbl. We don't know yet.

    I thought the ps4 used weird hardware structure which is why it was so hard for it to work with backwards compatibility.

  • gundam470gundam470 Drunk Gorilla CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    I'm going to give my money to whichever console* revolutionizes the Netflix watching experience.

    *Not the WiiU

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  • PLAPLA The process.Registered User regular
    I'll give my money to the company with the hostages I like most.

  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    I do hope Microsoft's new offering has at least some backwards compatibility, even though I know that it pretty much doesn't affect how well a console sells.

    I mean, Sony was pretty much screwed because they bet on the Cell (just like everyone else who bet on the Cell, but that's not me being bitter or anything, no) but the 360 was a pretty straightforward three-core PPC chip and it shouldn't be impossible to emulate, at least for some popular subset of games the way Xbox emulation worked on the 360.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Daedalus wrote: »
    I do hope Microsoft's new offering has at least some backwards compatibility, even though I know that it pretty much doesn't affect how well a console sells.

    I mean, Sony was pretty much screwed because they bet on the Cell (just like everyone else who bet on the Cell, but that's not me being bitter or anything, no) but the 360 was a pretty straightforward three-core PPC chip and it shouldn't be impossible to emulate, at least for some popular subset of games the way Xbox emulation worked on the 360.

    It'll be interesting to see if they bother with the effort in over to provide some sort of continuity of experience for their online account system.

  • spacekungfumanspacekungfuman Poor and minority-filled Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    I can't imagine buying MS's system this go around. I bought all three last time (the first time I ever did so) and everything other than the PS3 has been a disappointing purchase to me. The problem I have with the 360 is it has basically no exclusive games. I bought multi platform games for it because I like the controller better, but if I only had a PS3 and computer I would not have missed out on a single game that I played this generation. With the consoles becoming even more PC like, I think that the PS3 will be the only worthwhile console purchase, because of its strong first party lineup and history of exclusive Japanese games.

  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    Ill probably get the ms3 because I like the controller better + xboxlive is the devil I jnow

  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    I thought the ps4 used weird hardware structure which is why it was so hard for it to work with backwards compatibility.

    The problem is actually the PS3's weird architecture.

  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    I'd bet lots of the XBLA games get some level of emulation support. i mean you could run something geometry wars on a cell phone.

  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    The real question is, will I be able to play my oXbox copy of Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction?

  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    It's sort of weird how backwards compatibility has become this must-have feature for some people, when two generations ago it was this awesome new bonus that had never been seen before. The PS2 pioneered* the concept of console BC, and by the time the PS3 and 360 came out, it was all, "GRARRR MY 360 DOES NOT PLAY EVERY XBOX GAME EVER MADE, WHY DO YOU HATE US MICROSOFT" and "SONY REMOVED BC FROM IT'S SLIMLINE PS3, INJUSTICE!"

    Back in ye olden days, if you wanted to keep playing your last-gen games, you kept your last-gen system plugged in. In reality, there are never more than one or two games I want to play on an old system once I have the new one, so BC is nice but not a big deal to me.


    *Okay, technically that was the Atari 7800, which I'm not counting because nobody remembers that system. I am also not counting systems that were BC with the purchase of an adapter. I am also not counting portable systems because shut up.

    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • AllforceAllforce Registered User regular
    Yeah it's definitely a VERY vocal minority of players in this bubble called the internet that are decrying no BC, the stats have shown these companies that it's a feature not many people are using.

    At least now everything uses HDMI and a PC power cable which will cost you about 5 bucks total for both. I used to transfer the 360 to different rooms every few days and it was always nice to just grab the box and the power brick and leave all the cables plugged into their respective TV/outlet. Took all of 20 seconds to set things up.

    I can't imagine having to dig out component cables or the little weird proprietary dongles that Nintendo used to use for all it's connections.

  • PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    The best thing is the PS4 (and likely the XBOX whatever) is built basically using PC components but we'll still get lolol PC gaming is dead stories every 6 months.

    I'll probably buy one a launch and one within a year of launch. The PS4 had some good points on the presentation but I'm used to the brobox.

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    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    I have never used backwards compatibility. I don't think most people actually care.

    Also if Kinect2 isn't better in smaller rooms that could actually win it for PS4. I don't want to have to design my living space around something I don't even want to use.

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    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    Allforce wrote: »
    Yeah it's definitely a VERY vocal minority of players in this bubble called the internet that are decrying no BC, the stats have shown these companies that it's a feature not many people are using.

    At least now everything uses HDMI and a PC power cable which will cost you about 5 bucks total for both. I used to transfer the 360 to different rooms every few days and it was always nice to just grab the box and the power brick and leave all the cables plugged into their respective TV/outlet. Took all of 20 seconds to set things up.

    I can't imagine having to dig out component cables or the little weird proprietary dongles that Nintendo used to use for all it's connections.

    It all changes when digital distribution comes into play though, especially if user accounts follow you from PS3 to PS4, 360 to Nextbox etc. If 360 matthasaproblem has a dozen games bought through Marketplace, I buy my Nextbox and can log in with 360 matthasaproblem still, I'm going to want my Marketplace games to still be playable on the Nextbox, the same way I want my Steam games to be playable when I build a new PC. They're the ones pushing the PC digital distribution model on consoles.

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  • DissociaterDissociater Registered User regular
    Backwards compatibility matters more near launch when the game library is smaller and to people who don't own the previous hardware. For example. I'm considering a WiiU, I looked up to see if it had BC because I never owned a Wii and so the ability to play some older games on it would be kind of nice.

  • PantsBPantsB Fake Thomas Jefferson Registered User regular
    Allforce wrote: »
    Yeah it's definitely a VERY vocal minority of players in this bubble called the internet that are decrying no BC, the stats have shown these companies that it's a feature not many people are using.

    At least now everything uses HDMI and a PC power cable which will cost you about 5 bucks total for both. I used to transfer the 360 to different rooms every few days and it was always nice to just grab the box and the power brick and leave all the cables plugged into their respective TV/outlet. Took all of 20 seconds to set things up.

    I can't imagine having to dig out component cables or the little weird proprietary dongles that Nintendo used to use for all it's connections.

    It all changes when digital distribution comes into play though, especially if user accounts follow you from PS3 to PS4, 360 to Nextbox etc. If 360 matthasaproblem has a dozen games bought through Marketplace, I buy my Nextbox and can log in with 360 matthasaproblem still, I'm going to want my Marketplace games to still be playable on the Nextbox, the same way I want my Steam games to be playable when I build a new PC. They're the ones pushing the PC digital distribution model on consoles.

    I'd expect there to be backwards compatibility on the 720 for Arcade games. The architecture change is much smaller and Arcade games tend to be much less taxing so I'd be surprised if they didn't offer it there. Plus they know XBL is probably their biggest draw

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    QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    PantsB wrote: »
    Allforce wrote: »
    Yeah it's definitely a VERY vocal minority of players in this bubble called the internet that are decrying no BC, the stats have shown these companies that it's a feature not many people are using.

    At least now everything uses HDMI and a PC power cable which will cost you about 5 bucks total for both. I used to transfer the 360 to different rooms every few days and it was always nice to just grab the box and the power brick and leave all the cables plugged into their respective TV/outlet. Took all of 20 seconds to set things up.

    I can't imagine having to dig out component cables or the little weird proprietary dongles that Nintendo used to use for all it's connections.

    It all changes when digital distribution comes into play though, especially if user accounts follow you from PS3 to PS4, 360 to Nextbox etc. If 360 matthasaproblem has a dozen games bought through Marketplace, I buy my Nextbox and can log in with 360 matthasaproblem still, I'm going to want my Marketplace games to still be playable on the Nextbox, the same way I want my Steam games to be playable when I build a new PC. They're the ones pushing the PC digital distribution model on consoles.

    I'd expect there to be backwards compatibility on the 720 for Arcade games. The architecture change is much smaller and Arcade games tend to be much less taxing so I'd be surprised if they didn't offer it there. Plus they know XBL is probably their biggest draw

    It also wouldn't surprise me if popular 360 games ended up popping up on XBLA as $10 dollar purchases and whatnot. From their point of view a flat-out port of the software is probably easier than maintaining true hardware backwards compatibility.

  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    Heck, they already have some of the older 360 games on XBLA for like $20.

  • FallingmanFallingman Registered User regular
    One thing that hugely disappointed me with my 360 is how loud it is. The idea that something designed to be a media centre would be that loud is awful.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • YarYar Registered User regular
    I remember my parents and my friends' parents were all furious that the SNES wouldn't play NES games. They considered it a big scam. But we didn't understand at all. If we wanted to play NES games we'd play them on the NES. I still have my NES today.

  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    Fallingman wrote: »
    One thing that hugely disappointed me with my 360 is how loud it is. The idea that something designed to be a media centre would be that loud is awful.

    The Slims are fine. The original ones had to be like that or they would have melted the chips (well, melted them faster anyway). A good chunk of the noise people complained about was actually the DVD drive, too.

  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    a5ehren wrote: »
    Fallingman wrote: »
    One thing that hugely disappointed me with my 360 is how loud it is. The idea that something designed to be a media centre would be that loud is awful.

    The Slims are fine. The original ones had to be like that or they would have melted the chips (well, melted them faster anyway). A good chunk of the noise people complained about was actually the DVD drive, too.

    Yeah, I sometimes forget how loud the DVD drive is because I install all my games. Then I start watching a DVD and have to turn the volume way up.

  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    Honestly, depending on the BC, that may be the thing that pushes me to get a PS4 or whatever earlier than I normally would (18 months after launch, give or take the game library). My PS3 gets loud when it's hot, and I'd like to not have the fan come on while watching movies.

    The consensus I take from what we know so far is that the manufacturers are sort of "over" the idea of hyper-custom architecture. Everything is just x86. The PS3 already used standard parts, which I ended up really liking about it, including HDD swapping. No weird chargers for the controllers, either -- just plain ol' USB. Microsoft will ideally pick up at least that from Sony. Just use standards! Keep your costs down and stop reinventing the wheel for a mere 5 years!

    Still, I'm very firmly tied to consoles essentially because of the controller. I hate gaming with a mouse & keyboard.

    || Flickr — || PSN: EggyToast
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    The thing about next-gen consoles is that I don't understand what they're offering beyond exclusives and a worse OS, compared to a Steam-capable PC.

    And if the 360 dash is any indication, I would like to minimize contact with a console OS.

    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    The thing about next-gen consoles is that I don't understand what they're offering beyond exclusives and a worse OS, compared to a Steam-capable PC.

    And if the 360 dash is any indication, I would like to minimize contact with a console OS.

    They offer standarization and a lower cost. So 5 years from now you know that any releases will work just as well as the first games for the system.

    But in return for that you do give up power of the system itself, and you have to live with whatever interface they give you.

    Steam Profile: FoomyFooms
  • enc0reenc0re Registered User regular
    This is an outrage! The Steambox will conquer all. I demand the OP be amended.

    But seriously, by giving me cross platform (PC, Mac Laptop, and console) access to all my games, and the bestest sales, and the bestest Newell; the Steambox seems most attractive out of the coming consoles to me. I also like the idea of being able to build my own console in addition to buying premade ones.

  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    Well, let's be honest: The WiiU's sales figures so far has been horrible. Maybe that will change if/when killer apps are released for it, but the data we have now doesn't paint a pretty picture.


    I wonder if this might be the last console generation - or, at least, the last one produced by dedicated video game manufacturers.

    With Love and Courage
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