This is the first I've heard of the plans for the next xBox in quite a few months ... not because it's necessarily recent news, I just haven't checked into it for a while so we can avoid all of the "I can't believe you didn't know that already" stuff. NEway, the article is here.
I found this tidbit pretty interesting ... "And nine months ago, the company [Microsoft] unveiled a new development platform for game makers called XNA, which will allow PC and Xbox gamers to play together online – and plug the Xbox 2 controller into the PC." How crazy is that? I can't say I ever even thought about playing Halo2 against PC users but that's a pretty crazy idea if they can pull it off. There's plenty of other info. that makes the article above is worth reading.
On a related note ... if you haven't checked out Microsoft's XP Media Center Extender for xBox, it's pretty freakin' cool too (if it works as described) and I'm hoping that a large amount of that technology makes its way into the next generation xbox. From what I gleamed from the article above, it sounds like it just might.
Posted by languorous at January 7, 2005 12:42 PMAn interesting point is that PC-Xbox compatibility is going to get a lot harder with Xbox2. The first Xbox uses a slightly modified Intel Pentium 3, but Microsoft is teaming up with IBM to supply a PowerPC processor for the Xbox2. They'll almost certainly a derivative of the IBM PowerPC 440 series, better known as the Apple G5. This results in the strange coincidence of it being easier, on paper at least, to make an Xbox2 game compatible with a Mac than with a PC.
Realistically, of course, it's unlikely you'll see any Xbox2-Mac ports, as while they'll share a processor line, MS will be providing all the firmware and software. However, this brings up another thought: If Microsoft's re-coding whatever embedded OS they're using for the Xbox2 to run on PowerPC, is it possible that we'll see a desktop Windows run on IBM/Apple hardware someday?
Desktop, I wouldn't bet on it. Server platform, yeah, I can definitely see that.
Posted by: languorous at January 7, 2005 04:10 PMI've always seen PCConsole iteroperability as more of a business roadblock than a technical one. I mean, who has the staff and marketing influence to develop/test/integrate two versions of a piece of software as complicated as a production quality video game...besides Microsoft?
Posted by: Garrett at January 8, 2005 11:58 AMThe one place you'd think that it would be easy to do interop would be in multiplay. You'd think that the network code between, say, Halo Xbox and Halo PC wouldn't change that much.
Then again, the difference in control schemes might be a good gameplay reason to keep them seperate. I wouldn't want to use an Xbox controller to face someone it a mouse.
Posted by: Jason at January 8, 2005 12:28 PMUnless the person with the mouse was J...then it doesn't make a difference, surprisingly! :-)
Posted by: Garrett at January 8, 2005 01:30 PMThe mouse is way overrated in terms of close combat. If you're sniping from a distance in a carefully hidden campsite... well, that's a different story.
But don't bring that mouse bullshit into my house!
Posted by: Robb at January 8, 2005 01:33 PMyeah, agreed, the mouse is a great tool for spreadsheet work and internet surfing.....but there is a reason the only mouse that ever came with a gaming system was for Mario paint :-) I was considering getting a xbox media extender, I think they are quite the shit
Bitches, please. Bring me a mouse, and I'll give you some fucking ownage. Do you all forget the instagib slaughterfests of days gone by?
Posted by: Jason at January 14, 2005 03:28 PM