News & Rumors: Xbox One (codename Durango)

[warb]

If the reason to exclude Benelux and Scandinavia is a lack of voice commands, why release the console without voice commands in 8 countries? AUS and BRZ et al are getting the hardware without voice support, so why not do the same with tier 2 countries? Unless it's literally a few days until the patch goes live for those non-supported tier one countries, so unavailable on the release date as per the factsheet, but still available at launch. That could be it.

Are they really getting hardware without voice support or can they use Portuguese or (US/UK) English in the meantime?

 

[egoless]

Delete

 

[BRiT]

Wouldn't something have to give when re-architecting everything for the DRM outcry. You can't just slot something like that with no schedule hit, or can you. .

Two entirely different items -- one is software and the other is hardware. The DRM rearchitecture is a software thing. The yield and manufacturing bit is a hardware thing.

 

[expletive]

Two entirely different items -- one is software and the other is hardware. The DRM rearchitecture is a software thing. The yield and manufacturing bit is a hardware thing.

I think MS added a "required" day one patch too which I believe accounts for the fact that the OS they'll be installing on the machines when built still won't be final code to accommodate the new (old) DRM model.

 

[AzBat]

I think MS added a "required" day one patch too which I believe accounts for the fact that the OS they'll be installing on the machines when built still won't be final code to accommodate the new (old) DRM model.

I had read I think from Penello that there was always going to be a day 1 download even before they changed the DRM scheme. The reason was that they have to start manufacturing early & the OS wouldn't be finalized in time so they only install just enough software that allows it to boot & then requests the full OS from the Internet. Changing the DRM didn't affect the day 1 download.

Tommy McClain

 

[egoless]

Delete

 

[DieH@rd]

GAF has:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/get-the-facts

Bottom of the page, footnote #6.
"Xbox voice commands will not be available in all markets on the product release date. Voice commands will be available at launch in US, UK, CA, FR, and DE."

Footnote #3 is also interesting:
... Online multiplayer, Game DVR and Upload Studio also require Xbox Live Gold membership (sold separately). Multiplayer between Xbox 360 and Xbox One not supported. Upload Studio available in supported games.

They managed to put almost everything behind Gold paywal. Browser, skype, twich streaming, netflix, game dvr, game video uploads, tv program scheduler...

 

[AzBat]

Nothing new. Everything will be behind Gold.

Tommy McClain

 

[MrFox]

The browser behind a pay wall?

 

[BRiT]

I included the quote in regards to supply issues, but isn't DRM also hardware since the initial setup meant no DRM at all on the disc/drive/chain, it was all handled by client/server. Now every disc has to have DRM on it, and every X1 has to work with that. If the security chain originally expected that on server/client, you have to change that to work the old way now. And you can't leave debug symbols in the firmware update this time to break the chain. You have to obfuscate what you're doing to change the security model. Otherwise the steam+1 model fails in the future because people will figure out how to trick your security model just like they do now. Doesn't that complexity push schedules out rather than the unprepared dialog?

And all of that is still purely software driven, not hardware driven. Even if it is in the device firmware, it is all purely software. It has absolutely nothing to do with yield or production issues.

Your quote said: "from seven million units to 6.2 million, saying that some units were having issues with silicon yields. "

They already have the mechanism in place from the Xbox-360. They could simply use that old model. Also, they already had digital signing and other aspects built into the Xbox one model so the consoles wouldn't be able to run any arbitrary code.

As others pointed out, they were already planning on forcing a day one update, so the finer-grain changes and last-minute changes will be picked up by that. However, they will absolutely have the base premise of the old DRM mechanism in place before that day one update.

 

[BRiT]

Yup, nothing new at all with the Gold paywall.

 

[XpiderMX]

The browser behind a pay wall?

Old news.

 

[egoless]

Delete

 

[XpiderMX]

Theory 1:
Localization is the big issue. Even after cutting down the amount of launch countries they still have some countries with sub-par localization. So it's not yield issue.

Theory 2:
Localization is a scapegoat. The real issue is yield issue. If they really are cutting down the number of launch countries due to localization why didn't they cut from Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Austria too?



My gut feeling is theory 2. If they are going to launch in 8 countries without proper localization they can very well do it in every single country.


Either way it's signaling to me that Microsoft is relatively unprepared for this launch.

Maybe it is a dumb theory but... is it possible that they cut down the launch countries because not enough XBL servers (the new servers)?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Why not say that then? It's hardly something to be ashamed of; certainly no moreso than forgetting to localise your console in time for launch!

 

[BRiT]

Xbox360 can't be used as is on Xbox One because it was defeated day one thanks to the debug symbols in the initial hardware run.

And yet it was good-enough to remain in place for over 8 years. Sure they had cat-and-mouse games of enabling advanced security protocols and the like, but it did not enable the running of arbitrary code and it was detectable enough online. It wouldn't require as much of a tweak to enable a new protocol for the next-gen physical DRM measures when compared to creating an entirely new mechanism. They might have even had it investigated and partially implemented before they opted to go purely digital and online only (before the revision to the policy). *shrug*

I really wish there was some solid information available for both console's security systems. So far there has been absolutely none. This is the aspect that is most interesting to me, but alas nothing solid at all.

Oh, and now I get what you were saying about it possibly causing potential slowdowns in the system build phase as perhaps they would have to wait a bit longer before they have a solid base for the system software to program into the firmware or require a second pass of applying updates before the units can go out the door. Of course that's not what the other websites are running with, they're running with physical yield issues and not with logistical supply line with software images.

 

[bkilian]

Footnote #3 is also interesting:
... Online multiplayer, Game DVR and Upload Studio also require Xbox Live Gold membership (sold separately). Multiplayer between Xbox 360 and Xbox One not supported. Upload Studio available in supported games.

They managed to put almost everything behind Gold paywal. Browser, skype, twich streaming, netflix, game dvr, game video uploads, tv program scheduler...

party chat.

 

[Bagel seed]

Penolo updated on gaf with a clarification

First, people should understand – I don’t always know every detail happening with the program. Even though I run Product Planning (I'm not in PR!), that means we set the stage early for the features and HW, but a lot happens going through the development process. I stay very close as we approach launch, but I don’t always know the specifics when things change, so sometimes (frequently) I have to ask someone on the team. I also don’t run PR or Marketing, so I don’t see every piece of material that makes it to the public. In this case, there was an inconsistency between some small print on Xbox.com, and what I understood was happening – so I went to get more details.

Turns out the answer to this question is… complicated. It’s been an education for me as I’ve been looking into it.

There is no way that I could do justice to it in a post, so the marketing team is working on a chart that gives clarity on what locales, languages, and voice features are available in each country. Trying to write it down would be confusing. Stay tuned for a more detailed explanation, but just to give clarity:

In November
- We will launch in 13 geos
- 10 of those geos will support some voice features
- We support 8 languages

The 8 Languages at Launch are:
1) English – US
2) English – GB (WW)
3) French
4) Spanish – MX
5) Spanish – ES
6) Italian
7) German
8) Portuguese

NOW – the nuance to this is that some voice *features* won’t be available in all countries right away. “Xbox On”, for instance, is only available in 5 (hence the confusion on Xbox.com in the small print).

BigDug13 – the FAQ is correct, for launch. When you choose a language for your console, you will be offered the list of countries it is supported in. Using your example, if you choose Italy as your language, you only get Italian. We will continue to add more supported combinations over time. For example in Canada we will support English and French. The opportunity to “mix-and-match” languages and countries is something we’re looking to do post-launch.

Again, sorry for all the confusion on this. Look for a more detailed explanation coming. Will most likely come through Xbox Wire, or Xbox.com.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=79001409&postcount=520

 

[zupallinere]

Sorry, that is nonsense. It says countries, not language. They are clearly turning off the feature based on your location, regardless if you speak a supported language.

If it hasn't been mentioned before, a later Panello post on GAF points to DRM changes and other policy changes that have gummed up the works a bit. More info laters supposedly. I don't know it's seems silly but MS is all over the place so weirdly connect problems might just arise just out of the complexity.

Because I'm exceedingly generous of spirit and humble in affect I will allow Panello to explain before leaping headlong into conclusions based on reason and logic

 

[DrJay24]

Bagel seed's post above by Panello is the awaited "more info soon".