News & Rumors: Xbox One (codename Durango)

[Cyan]

I keep on reading this here, sure its very valid, quality of pixels is very important.
But its like some people here have the idea that somehow even though the ps4 may has more pixels its pixels are going to be inferior to the xbone's
Where on earth does this logic come from?

say both machines render at the same resolution because of the faster hardware the ps4 has more ability to have 'better pixels' not the xbone, though having 2 different shading paths is normally more work than simply bumping the resolution I believe most will just bump the resolution

you cant put a metric on it. But things like soft shadows (more sampling), more dynamic lighting, better reflections etc theres lots of ways to improve the visuals without going to a higher resolution (or better AA/AF)
Im beginning to wonder if the DDR5 was worth even more than I thought

In using less resources they can free up some processes so they can improve pixel quality.

Mark Rubin, Infinity Ward's executive producer who revealed the native resolution of CoD: Ghosts on PS4 and Xbox One, says that the textures might look better on the Xbox One.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11...-is-720p-on-xbox-one-and-1080p-on-playstation

That being said, it is being upscaled to 1080p, so it is outputting 1080p on your TV, and for the most part the game does look really good.

Some people actually think the textures look a little bit nicer maybe on Xbox than they do on PS4.

It makes sense if you think about it.

At 720p the eSRAM is more than enough to hold the framebuffer and they can throw everything at the console without it even repining in the slightest.

In order to attain the same results at a superior resolution they would have to work harder in alternating the framebuffer between the DRAM and the eSRAM.

So at 720p they get all the benefits of the eSRAM without worrying too much about specific optimisation, and they found out they could ramp up some graphics features instead.

 

[Cyan]

Im an avid fighting game fan. Soul Calibur is my game. Is Kinect voice recognition good enough to recognize my command and actually play with controller in hand?

Things like that is where Kinect can give you that little extra to make it worthwhile. That, and being able to make hand gestures -or tilting your head, etc- while sitting down are nice to have.

But as I said before, other than that Kinect can't be an unified universal personal experience for everyone. Some people like me lack the space to use all of the Kinect functionalities. Then you have some developers which aren't keen on using it for every title, so I can quite understand that Microsoft are trying to find ways to save some GPU time by freeing up a 10% of the GPU and use those functionalities in one of the CPU reserved cores instead.

It is not like it is going to make the Xbox One's GPU better, when it is the second weaker GPU of this generation -only WiiU's GPU is a bit worse-, but when used well, the eSRAM's bandwidth is a wash with GDDR5 and then you have some extra bandwidth for the DDR3.

I am pretty sure that PS4 having the superior multiplatform games is going to be the general tone this next gen, but Xbox One could hold its ground well overall when developers find a way to use its architecture.

 

[kots]

But as I said before, other than that Kinect can't be an unified universal personal experience for everyone. Some people like me lack the space to use all of the Kinect functionalities. Then you have some developers which aren't keen on using it for every title, so I can quite understand that Microsoft are trying to find ways to save some GPU time by freeing up a 10% of the GPU and use those functionalities in one of the CPU reserved cores instead.

They sacrificed graphical power to save budget for Kinect , since they're so enamored with it , they haven't found anything interesting for it (yet) , but visual deficit is already there .
Sounds like a plan to me.

I am pretty sure that PS4 having the superior multiplatform games is going to be the general tone this next gen, but Xbox One could hold its ground well overall when developers find a way to use its architecture.

So is Microsoft ok with me buying all multiplatform games on competitor's platform , quite the opposite from this gen ?

 

[PixelatedLeaf]

Mark Rubin, Infinity Ward's executive producer who revealed the native resolution of CoD: Ghosts on PS4 and Xbox One, says that the textures might look better on the Xbox One.

Rubin simply remarked that some people think the textures look nicer; which is accurate.

If I say 'some people think Gloabal Warming is a hoax', it does not mean I concur with such opinion.

 

[expletive]

They sacrificed graphical power to save budget for Kinect , since they're so enamored with it , they haven't found anything interesting for it (yet) , but visual deficit is already there .
Sounds like a plan to me.



So is Microsoft ok with me buying all multiplatform games on competitor's platform , quite the opposite from this gen ?

Microsoft did invest in online infrastructure though. If XBO used dedicated servers and had no host advantage/better multiplayer but at a lower resolution, the choice is more difficult.

 

[wco81]

They seem to be counting on the network effects of XBL -- people wanting to go with XBox because of their XBL friends -- and Kinect 2.

 

[eastmen]

They sacrificed graphical power to save budget for Kinect , since they're so enamored with it , they haven't found anything interesting for it (yet) , but visual deficit is already there .
Sounds like a plan to me.



So is Microsoft ok with me buying all multiplatform games on competitor's platform , quite the opposite from this gen ?

Why would u do that ? Resolution diffrences ? If you wanted the best possible resolution you'd be on the pc and wouldn't care about consoles.

Kinect may open up more / better game experiances . Its why i'm more interested in an xbox one over the ps4. I already have a pc more powerful than the next gen consoles and when I upgrade it next year forget about it .

I'd also say this . Dispite costing $100-300 more this whole generation and having much worse multiplayer games resolution and framerate wise the ps3 still sold at almost parity when all is said and done.

 

[kots]

Why would u do that ? Resolution diffrences ? If you wanted the best possible resolution you'd be on the pc and wouldn't care about consoles.

Let's stop this "why not pc" ..i have a powerfull pc but after a day in my office in front of a pc , i want to relax with my console .

Kinect may open up more / better game experiances . Its why i'm more interested in an xbox one over the ps4. I already have a pc more powerful than the next gen consoles and when I upgrade it next year forget about it .

I don't know , maybe . But it looks like it is difficult to find interesting ways to use this thing ... devs don't seem to care about it - could change though , i hope ...

I'd also say this . Dispite costing $100-300 more this whole generation and having much worse multiplayer games resolution and framerate wise the ps3 still sold at almost parity when all is said and done.

Why are you surprised ... the last 3 years 360 is a wasteland while PS4 is pumping one exclusive after another . That's why the competition surpassed them in sales - and to be honest i believe the same will happen with XB1 after the first few years . It's typical of Microsoft to do this .. XBOX after 4 years , 360 after 5 years ... sorry i don't trust them anymore .

 

[liolio]

I don't think it comes down to exclusives (which don't sell that great by the way).
The issues are (in that order):
Sony caught on price
There is no paywall for MP
Sony system plays BRD and more services are accessible outside of the paywall (I think Europeans (- UK possibly) are adverse to MSFT approach).
Brand strength (in Europe and Japan)

 

[Arwin]

Paywall for MP in the end is mostly the same between Microsoft and Sony now. They were late in making that business decision, but they did make it. Their lateness pays out though in many more F2P titles being announced for Sony's platform though, and apart from that, Sony will now forever be the easier platform to port to, as the performance is easier to leverage.

 

[Michellstar]

Will this payoff?
Announcing Unity for ID@Xbox Developers



http://news.xbox.com/2013/11/xbox-one-unity-id

If one thing has become clear as we’ve been working on ID@Xbox, our independent developer self-publishing program for Xbox One, it’s that today’s independent game developers are using middleware to help realize their visions more than ever. Of course, middleware isn’t cheap.

One of the cool things about working at Microsoft is that we have access to pretty amazing resources. For independent developers though, tools like Unity on console can cost quite a bit.

We talked internally at ID@Xbox about ways we could help developers for Xbox One. Many developers we talk to are using Unity today to get up and running quickly, and to be able to harness the power of hardware and realize their creative visions without spending tons of time on technology development. We thought about paying for some developers’ Unity licenses but the more we talked about it, the more we felt paying for some developers’ licenses and not others just didn’t feel right.

To us, ID@Xbox is about providing a level playing field for all developers. So, we worked with Unity and we’re pleased to announce that, when released in 2014, the Xbox One add-on for Unity will be available at no cost to all developers in the ID@Xbox program, as will special Xbox One-only Unity Pro seat licenses for Xbox One developers in the ID@Xbox program.

Will we devote marketing and promotion to promising looking titles in development? Of course. But we want to make sure the dev who’s working away in Omaha, or Coventry, or Chiba will have the same shot to realize their vision on Xbox One as one of my developer friends we hang out with in Seattle or at a trade show like GDC or Gamescom. Because at the end of the day, we want gamers to pick the hits. That’s what Xbox One is all about: One games store, the best discovery tools on console, and a powerful, equal playing field for all games, from developers big and small.

This announcement is cool for a bunch of reasons. The Unity add-on for Xbox One supports every element of Xbox One, from Kinect to SmartGlass to the impulse triggers of the new controller. Using Unity, developers will be able to take advantage of all aspects of Xbox One, which is rad. More importantly, Unity is available for Windows and Windows Phone too (and yes, the add-on is available at no cost to developers for Windows Phone and Windows 8 store games). So from one base game, developers can ship their games across all Microsoft platforms. For more details on Microsoft’s partnership with Unity, check out this Xbox Wire post from BUILD 2013.

As always, our goal at ID@Xbox and Microsoft remains the same: We want to lower friction for developers on Microsoft platforms to make sure gamers get access to the broadest and deepest library of amazing games on the planet. We’re also excited to work with other middleware and service providers to drive value for independent developers, and we hope to have even more announcements that directly benefit developers.

We asked Unity and a couple of our developer friends their thoughts on Unity being free to developers on Xbox One. Here’s what they had to say:

• David Helgason, CEO, Unity Technologies: “Microsoft continues to show their commitment to creating opportunity for developers of all shapes and sizes, a commitment shared by Unity. The drive behind the ID@Xbox program is exciting for Unity and the games development community in general. We can’t wait to see the results."
• Dan Teasdale, No Goblin: “ID@Xbox has been great about lowering the bar to entry for smaller developers like No Goblin. Free Unity licenses are another big step towards making Xbox One a no-brainer for independent developers like us.”
• Dino Patti, Playdead: “It’s definitely great that Microsoft is lifting this cost off of developers. We love when things are hassle free.”
• Mike Mika, Other Ocean: “In the last generation, we spent a lot of time and resources trying to make games run across multiple platforms. It’s cool to see Microsoft take another step in making life easier for developers. We’re already developing using Unity on Windows 8 and so adding Xbox One to our Unity pipeline makes tons of sense.”
• Jamie Tucker, Asteroid Base: “As Unity developers, we are excited to hear about this. Anything that makes it easier for indies to get their games into the hands of players is an great thing."

 

[Scott_Arm]

Does that make Unity totally free to Xbox One indies? If so, pretty nice.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

I think it's pretty simple - If MS integration/Kinect strategy resonates - they win. If not, Sony wins.

MS believes that once gamers see what the X1 is capable of (TV integration, snap, Kinect stuff etc...) that PS4 will feel dated and old school. Sony believes that the X1 stuff is gimmicky and that traditional graphics will win the day. No one knows who is right yet...

 

[Michellstar]

Does that make Unity totally free to Xbox One indies? If so, pretty nice.

Yes i presume so, but probably the devil is in the details.

This paragraph is a bonus for future Win ecosystem

"Unity is available for Windows and Windows Phone too (and yes, the add-on is available at no cost to developers for Windows Phone and Windows 8 store games). So from one base game, developers can ship their games across all Microsoft platforms. For more details on Microsoft’s partnership with Unity, check out this Xbox Wire post from BUILD 2013."

Now what´s left, Win metro apps across the board??

 

[Cyan]

They sacrificed graphical power to save budget for Kinect , since they're so enamored with it , they haven't found anything interesting for it (yet) , but visual deficit is already there .
Sounds like a plan to me.



So is Microsoft ok with me buying all multiplatform games on competitor's platform , quite the opposite from this gen ?

That's highly likely. I don't see how the Xbox One can compete with the PS4, performance wise. I am sure that it has its architectural advantages and it will show, of course, but most multiplatform games should look more solid on the PS4. (BF4, CoD: Ghosts -although Giantbomb, IGN and Edge are reporting many framerate issues on the PS4 version-, etc etc)

As for Kinect, they are working to free up resources, which I am okay with, since not every developer needs/wants to use Kinect -perhaps except for the most basic things-, and it is a 10 years life cycle, :smile2: so if they increased the GPU speed, CPU speed, why not freeing up that 10%?

I like Kinect since the very first version, but I lack the space to fully utilise it, so for me having games using Kinect and other games taking full advantage of the hardware and not using it that much is the perfect compromise.

You can-t compromise your hardware on a single peripheral not everyone can use efficiently.

 

[Jwm]

One argument we can use is that a large group of the gaming population thinks that titles this year are amazing - both next gen consoles will still be leagues better than these. Both consoles are going to really do well here, they are both upgrades. I am hoping 900p to 1080p becomes the norm, I hate the shimmering effects we get now.

Give me Bioshock or Halo 4 type artwork at 1080p and honestly I would be happy playing that.

Off-topic comment

Spoiler

Meanwhile you get this one some gaming forums - Xbox One looks horrible! ZOMG Last of Us - most amazing graphical game of all time!! I agree that LoU looks great, but next-gen titles still look better already. IMO Why I like our nice safe B3D.

Looking forward to playing with Unity a bit more, this new deal saves me some money. I like that!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Does that make Unity totally free to Xbox One indies? If so, pretty nice.

I'd rate it fabulous only if it doesn't come with crazy caveats like you can't release the IP on any other platform. I can understand MS's position and purpose, but locking games to Windows devices (I'm counting XB1 in that from now on for simplicity) undermines a huge appeal in using Unity - one codebase for every device out there.

If devs are free to release on other platforms too, buying appropriate licenses as needed, then its a very good move.

Of course, many devs will tell you the real issue is the post-development service. Fees and rules and red tape are much more of a concern than development tools for any serious developer. Some indie website/community should do a comparison of the different platforms.

 

[zed]

Nice to see, though Unity Pro is only $1500, so its not a big deal. Unlike unreal etc.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Unity Pro for what platforms? Would that $1500 cover release on every platform (assuming you have suitable SDKs)?

 

[Cyan]

I'd rate it fabulous only if it doesn't come with crazy caveats like you can't release the IP on any other platform. I can understand MS's position and purpose, but locking games to Windows devices (I'm counting XB1 in that from now on for simplicity) undermines a huge appeal in using Unity - one codebase for every device out there.

If devs are free to release on other platforms too, buying appropriate licenses as needed, then its a very good move.

Of course, many devs will tell you the real issue is the post-development service. Fees and rules and red tape are much more of a concern than development tools for any serious developer. Some indie website/community should do a comparison of the different platforms.

Games created with Unity on the Xbox One might also appear on Linux, according to this news article.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Xbox-One-Games-Might-Also-Arrive-on-the-Linux-Platform-397340.shtml