Microsoft press conference

[DemoCoder]

I understood and like the Live vision and the potential consistency it brings (See my previous post).

I'm just saying that the mobile phone domain is more than just a "platform". It's not only a question of too many phone model (with new ones coming out every few month). It is also about how telcos negotiate, package and operate their networks. These phones are customized by the telcos for their purposes. They get end-of-lived quickly with no support. Configurations also get overwritten from time to time depending on what the users do.

Microsoft, while strong and healthy, will not have the resources to track down these problems worldwide. This is on top of their own problems running Windows on assorted PC hardware (but worse).

It's just a reality check. Other than that, go MS go !

It's worse than that. Mobile operators are ADAMANT about owning the customer relationship. They are deathly afraid of becoming just a "data pipe" service. They don't want to become commoditized.

 

[Tap In]

well I think the whole phone idea is stupid but the PC integration is solid IMO and since MS is already living there, it's a no brainer.

The integration with the PC is going to be good for the Xbox brand too, no doubt. Whether you love them or hate them, they are making good moves here.

 

[Tap In]

this may have gotten lost in translation also...

The Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows connects existing and future Xbox 360 wireless accessories to the PC, allowing gamers to enjoy the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 Wireless Headset and Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel on a second platform.

 

[RobertR1]

this may have gotten lost in translation also...

Nope! A very critical piece of integration. MS isn't stupid. They'll slowly convert people to the point where they'll be just as dependant on the xbox360 (and more importantly future consoles) are they are on their PC.

 

[Acert93]

Cool! I really like the idea of unifying controllers and such. I bought a PS2 controller for my PC to play Madden, even though I have 4 GameCube controllers. If you can use a nice game wheel on both a PC and 360 it adds longevity, it also could revitalize the PC perephrials market. Nice move. 'bout time!

 

[expletive]

No truer description of Microsoft has ever been written.

Except the 'go out of business' part i assume?

 

[J_Saint]

Apparently an article posted on Xbox.com originally listed the HD-DVD add-on with a $200 price but has since been edited.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/events/e32006/articles/e3pressbriefing.htm

 

[Tap In]

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/events/e32006/articles/e3pressbriefing.htm

hey that's a pretty good (brief) recap of the conference there.

 

[Trawler]

Apparently an article posted on Xbox.com originally listed the HD-DVD add-on with a $200 price but has since been edited.

Yep, it definitely said $199 yesterday.

 

[J_Saint]

HD-DVD Hands On

We were a little surprised they held out on us with the 360 HDMI cable we've all been waiting for

 

[Tap In]

drive itself had only a power plug (which looked to be of the variety that runs to the wall, no adapter required), a mini USB host port for connecting to the 360, two full USB ports for the device to otherwise act as a USB hub, and a spot for your 360 WiFi adapter to latch on the back since it could possibly be displaced by the use of the rear USB port to get this thing running on the console.

interesting little article but more questions than answers

 

[J_Saint]

 

[JasonLD]

hmmm...............................
it simply doesn't match well with console unit...not ugly but not pretty either...i think i will pass..lol

 

[DemoCoder]

HD-DVD Hands On

Not surprising, since it is unlikely the XBOX-360 can't be technically or legally made to offer HDMI without a new SKU. There is no internal HDCP/TMDS hardware, and sending digital data out to a dongle which does HDCP would seem to violate AACS rules. MS would have to get some kind of exemption from AACS, and then they'd have to find a way to potentially get 5Gigabit/s digital video stream out of one of the other ports on the device. Regretably, I think us current X-Box360 owners are stuck.

 

[RobertR1]

"But will you be able to plug it into a computer and have a functioning HD DVD drive..."

Very interesting, esp. with MS hell bent on integrating Consoles and PC's this wouldn't surprise me by the time it's released.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Well I've checked out this conference a bit. Something I'm not sure of though. Firstly, do we know any realtime footage shown from the big announcements? As I understand it, Fable 2, Halo 3, were teaser trailers and not in game? Same with Blue Dragon, which was the same footage from last year or TGS I think. After the previous in game scenery and character demos I was hoping for some real game footage. I guess what I'm after is how much is MS taking a leaf out of Sony's playbook and showing 'CG simulations' and 'enhanced promo material' to get people talking, and how much was showcasing real games as they actually play? Of the major titles I watched, there doesn't seem to have been any game footage and it's mostly pre-rendered I think.

No news on EyeToy like gaming either? I was expecting them to make a deal of their camera with their guesture gaming, but it seems limited to just a webcam, right?

 

[Paul_G]

Well I've checked out this conference a bit. Something I'm not sure of though. Firstly, do we know any realtime footage shown from the big announcements? As I understand it, Fable 2, Halo 3, were teaser trailers and not in game? Same with Blue Dragon, which was the same footage from last year or TGS I think. After the previous in game scenery and character demos I was hoping for some real game footage. I guess what I'm after is how much is MS taking a leaf out of Sony's playbook and showing 'CG simulations' and 'enhanced promo material' to get people talking, and how much was showcasing real games as they actually play? Of the major titles I watched, there doesn't seem to have been any game footage and it's mostly pre-rendered I think.

At the very least, Halo 3 was real time, or according to Bungie it was.

We won't ruin the content of our short presentation by describing it frame by frame, but we will note that everything you're seeing here is being rendered in real-time on the Xbox 360, using the current version of our Halo 3 game engine. The HDR lighting, self-shadowing, GPU-run particle system and many other effects should make it intact (and more) to our final game.

​

We demonstrated the real-time nature of the demo after the press conference (thanks to our friends at Pioneer with awesome audio-video assistance) to a small group of reporters, so we'll wait and see what their judgment on the presentation was, but you should feel free to make your own.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Yep, the biggest inhouse names, Forza and Fable2 were pure cgi and much of the thirdparty games seemd to be also.
Apparently Halo3 was realtime, at least Bungie says so in the website (though whats to be trusted any more, after the PGR3 and Bizarre website claims of realtime graphics and all, and the "after conference small reporter group" showings always sound a bit fishy to me... call me sceptical but these companies have been caught too often from lying and I'm not talking only MS)
Better leave the final judgements to the show floor where other games should be playable.

 

[Pugger]

rabbit what are talking about. HALO3 is realtime 100% the other titles shifty mentioned were CG no doubts and no one said otherwise. As for PGR3 I have no idea what you your talking about Bizarre were always honest about what was shown.

 

[hey69]

not that i find halo3 that technicly impressive to even doubt its not realtime . i'm I the only one not so hyped up for halo3 ? i liked the first, didnt play a lot the second...