We're getting real close to seeing the first specs and pics of the next gen of home consoles. So this is the place to come to for the low-down on this shit! :thumbsup:

Now those pics might look good but I think thats taken from FMV. :rolleyes: They look nice still.

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I'll post all the old stuff here too:

22nd Nov 2004
Everyone likes reading Team Ninja boss Itagaki-san’s comments and ponderings. This is because he appears quite insane, often launching bitter, unexpected attacks on rivals which are as refreshing as they are startling.

And it would appear that this temperament reaches the very upper echelons of Tecmo, with company president Jun Nakamura mauling Sony Computer Entertainment’s current stance towards its ever-illusive PlayStation 3 project.

“There's not much information from Sony [about PlayStation 3]", he said. "The situation with Microsoft is very different. The CPU was developed for a next-generation game machine, but the hardware is conceived by an appliance manufacturer… I feel that they're probably trying to use games as a way to increase their power in the home appliance industry,” concluded Nakamura-san, seemingly at odds with SCE’s convergence strategy; a strategy in no smaller part accelerated by Microsoft’s arrival in the sector.

Yet interestingly, Nakamura-san seems happier with the progress of his new best friend Microsoft. “[Microsoft should] be able to use their experience of the current machine's failure to succeed, even in Japan,” he said.

26 Aug 2004
Electronic Arts, one of the industry’s biggest players, has today voiced its concern about how the introduction of the next generation consoles could have a negative impact on the world of video-gaming. In an interview with BBC news, it was suggested that PS3 and Xbox 2 games could be nearly 200% more expensive to produce than current-generation software.

No doubt with a smug grin concealed behind a fascia of non-emotive corporate professionalism, Jeff Brown (Vice President of EA Corporate Communications) made the following analogy, “We look at the transition like a forest fire. It makes the healthy trees stronger, but burns away the weeds.” In this definition, ‘healthy’ clearly equates to ‘wealthy’. And with EA’s estimated market value floating at around the $15 billion mark, the publishing giants will be greatly looking forward to becoming an even ‘stronger tree’ in the years to come.

However, from a consumer perspective, this erosion of choice can’t be a good thing. Smaller developers may be forced into the position of either folding, or selling out to a ‘healthier part of the forest’. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with a smaller studio being rescued by larger corporations, that process will bring the output of those outfits under the control of more aggressive capitalist organisations.

By its own admission, EA is happy to keep pumping out sequels and franchises, with Brown saying, “The franchise strategy is good for the company, investors and consumers as this is a hit-driven industry.” As it expands on this strategy, it will be bringing other companies along for the ride, preying on their financial desperation: “The demand for content means that even big companies like EA have to go to smaller developers.” The eventual result would, of course, be fewer original IP’s and a market saturated by ‘gaming-by-numbers’ titles.

This slightly apocalyptic prediction of the future state of the industry could, however, be tainted by more than a hint of self-interest. Electronic Arts knows that it could ride through such a storm, whilst others would sink, and it would surely be keen to declare its strong position to potential investors and anyone else who will listen.

If these escalated production costs are to be believed, then the introduction of the next round of hardware could indeed spell trouble for some. Even companies as large as Eidos and Midway have already been rumoured as potential victims in this possible acquisition-rush. And as long as companies like EA keep pressing in the same direction, the problem could get worse. Even if small companies can bear the initial 200% development costs, they will still end up paying out to the likes of EA in order to make use of development platforms like Renderware.

It seems to be a simple case of the rich get richer, whilst the poor simply get crushed like ants and/or dressed up like monkeys and forced to dance for the entertainment of the rich. That is the way that capitalism works and when all’s said and done, this is proof that the games industry is entering a new phase of economic maturity.


For PS3 fanboys go here for utd info.
If anyone has an XBox Next or Revo site, plug it in here. :D

Good read, dude. Thanks.

If that's the quality of graphics that we can expect, then I think I'll be spending many hours on Ninty's next gen console. They're beautiful. Here's hoping that Nintendo drops the cartoon bull shit, and starts getting a bit more "real".

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/570/570554p1.html

IGN are running a story on a next-gen game for the Xbox 2 titled 'WarDevil'.

You can find a teaser trailer for the game in that article, here are a few screenies:









They're definitely shots from FMV, however it's possible that it could be rendered using the in-game engine.

Also, Tecmo's comments could be contributed to the fact that Tecmo don't exactly show the greatest amount of software support to Sony these days, aside from the occasional Monster Rancher title. As such Sony may have simply not bothered approaching them about their next system.

Sorry to sound noobish but what's an FMV?
Edit-whoops never mind. Looks great, but I'd have to say your probably right.

It'll be interesting to see if the consoles can pull those graphics off as they're quite good. Madden in particular looks amazing, as does NFS. Obviously we'll find out more at next year's E3.

Full Motion Video. :P

But like Natrak said, they could be rendered in-game graphics. I'd like to see EA/Critereon develop a new Renderware engine for the PS3, how awesome would Burnout 4 look!!? :D

Man, if those are rendered by in game engines, it's a great time to be a gamer!

It's excited... :dance3:

It's excited? :huh: I hope you're not talkin' about 'you know what'. :argh:
:lol:

Now I'm worried. Or is that excited? :argh:

HA HA!! Man, whadda shocking typo. :P

Seriously though, the graphics, namely on the football picture, look stunning. Real emotion on those faces, moody lighting, just wow. I cannot wait to see the next generation of consoles in action! :D

The Cell processor that will power the next version of the PlayStation game console will also be adaptable for advanced scientific research, but you won't have to be a rocket scientist to program it.

That is the pledge of one of the chief architects of the Cell, jointly developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba, who together on Friday sought to allay fears that the chip would create huge programming challenges for game developers just starting to learn their ways around the complex circuitry that powers the current PlayStation 2.

"We're very much aware of the need to balance between innovation in architecture and the ability to leverage that innovation," H. Peter Hofstee, a researcher in IBM's Systems and Technology division, said during a break at an IBM press event in San Francisco today. "The learning curve for this platform should be significantly better than previous ones."

The three companies announced their Cell plans three years ago, describing an advanced processor tailored for demanding multimedia tasks. The companies said earlier this week that they plan to begin test production of Cell chips early next year, with the first Cell-based products--workstation PCs for computer graphics production--set to arrive late in the year.

Sony and Toshiba both plan to start selling high-definition TV sets powered by the chip in 2006, which is also when Sony is expected to introduce the Cell-powered PlayStation 3.

Hofstee said the Cell will benefit game developers not only by giving them a stable and easily approachable foundation for games to run on, but also by powering the workstations they use to produce games. The upshot is that developers should be spending a lot less time waiting for their equipment to render the animations they create.

"We think it's going to be a much more seamless and speedy process for developers using these workstations," he said.

Besides workstations, game machines, and TV sets, the Cell is also likely to power certain types of scientific supercomputers, streaming media servers, and image analysis systems, all of which have continually expanding needs for processing power. Hofstee said the Cell taps into an emerging "convergence between what we think of as supercomputing and what we use in the entertainment space."

Beyond that, the sky's the limit, according to Hofstee, who said the Cell development team set out to create a flexible design that would dramatically increase processing power while skirting growing chipmaker concerns about power consumption.

"We've created something that is very flexible," he said. "Having a more generic architecture will allow people to do new things."

Taken here.

This is good news, dev teams will be able to juice out the PS3 earlier than what we've seen with the PS1 and 2. The launch titles look good but compared to games now (on the same platform) they look pretty dull. Try comparing Jumping Flash with Spyro 2 and you get the picture.

For some reason I'm not that excited about the new graphics... too me, they don't look good enough to justify another generation of consoles. Sure, they look amazing... but so does Halo 2 in parts, and so does Conker: Live and Reloaded.

Meh. I suppose I just need to see it in motion. I realise that the progression of graphics is going to become smaller and smaller with each console too... so, well, I better not worry myself. :P

The key is to remember that it's not just better graphics. Better processing power, memory, etc. means bigger environments and more creative and complex puzzles/situations to encounter. There's so much more that can be acheived in video games but neither PCs or consoles can handle it yet. Imagine GTA...but you can enter every building, every object is interactive, and pop up/texture loading gone. Real emotion conveyed in every characters face.

It's all about expanding what creators can put into games, not just graphics. Personally, I still want to see a game where you can styep out from a high location and look out upon a breath-takingly detailed city...and it's all completely interactive. It's a while off yet, but we're getting there.

Pah, graphics smaphics. I'll be bowing and taking my hat off when I find out what new inovative gameplay they have. But still if they are in-game... Then wow. It's mind bogling to think where gaming could go in the future. I just hope it's not the way the music industry went.

Actually, the Next gen PC's are already out, in fact, Manny and ElPres already have next gen PC's. :P

The tech behind their PC's is very similar to what you'll be seeing the Xenon and Revolution.(the PS3 got that weird CELL tech, which is different again)

The best example of the next gen that has been released would have to be the Unreal 3 engine demo which was running on a Nvidia 6800 video card, just look at some of these screenshots:
http://www.unrealtechnology.com/flash/technology/ue30.shtml





Don't think that it's running at 30fps? Just have look at the video to see for yourself:
Unreal 3 Video (165 MB)

Manny's PC is same as the one that was running that test demo, imagine what you'll be getting in a years time.


BTW, I can't see why you guys think those screens are FMV. They could easily be running on a next gen console.
Oh, and another thing, the next xbox's project name is Xenon. ;)


EDIT: Here's some rumoured Revolution specs from a few months ago:

Source.

I hope to god that it's specs are similar to the above, cause that would be one awesome system. :dance3:

Improved graphics = longer dev time.

That's the thing that's going to suck most as the graphic prowess moves ever-forward... waiting years for a single game simply because the developer has to implement the state of the art graphics... I think it's going to be a case of veeery pretty games, with pretty bloody long dev times. :(

That's why they'll be doubling the size(and budget) of next gen games. Currently teams are around made up of about 50 people, next gen they'll be in excess of around 100 to compensate.

If Need for Speed will supposedly look that good in the next generation, then imagine what Gran Turismo will be like! :woot: :biggrin:

*hopes developers don't forget gameplay*

or for that matter, story...

*looks over at halo2*

They'd better! Coz if they don't... *shakes fist*

Don't get me wrong, I like the simple design of the Gamecube but the N64 is one of the best designed consoles ever.

In fact, I'd like to see much better desings from all three companies

Well, the fotballer's hand in the NFL pic is blurry, so I'm guessing thats blur from the FMV, when you extract a frame from in game graphics it won't look blurry unless its some kind of effect. :unsure:

Well, Polyphony have confimed a damage engine. We'll be able to totally DESTROY those pretty cars! :dance3:

But isn't that a good thing? We don't wanna get swamped with great games every single month of the year, like what gamers have experienced this year! :P

I definitely agree. Lets hope they go back to that style, or at least something similar.

Advice: Never buy a console at launch. Generally, you pay alot more than you would have to if you wait a year or so; you're going to have to buy a game, and if there's nothing good at launch you'll just be forced to waste your money.

I was a fool to buy my Gamecube at launch!

Yeah but you miss out on a whole years worth of gaming fun. I just buy consoles as soon as they get a game I want.

You don't! You buy the best games at much cheaper prices. There's no reason to rush out and grab it as soon as it comes; just enjoy what you've already got!

Meh, ive gotten every Nintendo home console at launch why change now.


What do you guys think are the chances of all three consoles having the same chip in them?? i.e sony's Cell technology. I only ask cause I was looking around for specs and what not and one site suggested it.

Its not a question of 'budget'. Its a question of being the l33t35t! ;)

Yes, it's called "Motion Blurr". :P

Well, I bought my N64 a year after launch, and the same with my GCN
But I didn't have job at either time, where-as now, I do, and I'd be very tempted to buy it at launch...which would be bad, as I'm a bargin hunter, and buying something at full price isn't something I do very often...

I'd say I'll probably hold off for about 6 months till I pick mine up. :)

Good god! Numbers used in words!
RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

But then you miss out on having the latest and greatest, and that's the main drawcard for me when buying a next-gen console. Why should we wait a year just to save 1 or 2 hundred dollars? ;)

:D

Whoa, that was the last thing I expected. :S

By the looks of it, it'll be easier to cross develop for the Xenon and Revolution, rather than the PS3, Xenon and Revolution, as the Xenon and Revo look to both be having ATi GPUs and IBM CPUs.

Which also raises the question; if IBM are working with Sony on the CELL technology, but are also making the CPU's for the Xenon and Revo, does that mean that all systems will be using CELL CPUs? Or has IBM signed an exclusivity contract?

It may also be notworthy to mention that Nintendo and IBM have been working together for quite a while now, as the GCN used a IBM CPU.

I wonder if the ATi vs Nvidia stiuation will sway PC gamers who are loyal to their company.

So many questions, yet so little anwswers...

I'm guessing the only console with 'Cell' technology will be the PS3, since it's jointly developed by IBM, Toshiba and Sony.

Exactly. When you have the money, it matters not. You'd be stupid to put off quality gaming for so long just to save a bit of cash.

But surely Sony wouldn't be the only party benifiting from technology would they?

Well, it sounds like it'll be appearing in PCs as well.

With the amount that Sony have been talking about the PS3 and Cell technology I reckon it'd be safe to go with your second guess, that Sony has gotten IBM to sign an exclusivity contract amongst consoles.

I wouldn't be so sure about that sony, IBM and toshiba would want to get their money back on reserch and development of the chip and having it exclusive wouldn't achive that.

Aditionally, whos to say that IBM wont take that technology and modify it a little for the Xbox and REv.

Cause I have seen sites that are saying that all 3 will have the same CPU as I posted a few post before Estapol.

Sony+IBM+Toshiba+Nvidia=Most Powerful Console Ever! :dance:

More like:

Nintendo+IBM+Matsushita+ATi=Most Powerful Console Ever! :dance3:

[/fanboy_retort]

Seriously though, I'm not sure who's gonna come out on top this generation.
We could end up having the Rev and Xenon exactally the same, and the PS3's CELL technology proving to be not as great as Sony has been saying.
Or the CELL technology could turn out to be a signifcant advantage, and the Xenon and Rev could be complete different from each other.

In a perfect world, they'll all end up being on a level playing field, but I somehow doubt that...

Oh geez, let's not get a head start on who's going to win next gen.....

Right now, i'm not liking the prospects of next gen systems coming so soon. The current gen systems (save for maybe the PS), still have so much to offer, that it'd be stupid to throw it away just for a minor graphical update.

And on the note of buying systems at launch, it's not something I like, nor tend, to do. I like to wait a few months, see what's planned for release for all systems, and then decide (although chances are i'll buy them all anyway).