Xbox 720 to be ATI powered

[danrok]

See Gaming section...
http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/g...i-powered.html

Comments?

[Daniel ~]

I don't mind them keeping current hardware til 2012 one bit! I just hope the hardware stands the test of additional time... so far...not so very good IMHO

[Gizmo]

Ok, so we had the original XBox, then the XBox360, now they are talking about the XBox720.

When will they finally admit they are just going in circles?

[Áedán]

Originally Posted by Fudzilla

The consoles refresh was supposed to happen in 2010 but due to the recession both Microsoft and Sony have decided to push its plans for 2012 and keep the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 alive for more than it was originally planned.

That doesn't sound correct, especially given that Sony's Playstation 2 is still alive and kicking, and being actively produced (10 new games for the PS2 are scheduled for release in 2010). Why would Sony stop production of it's flagship machine, and continue producing the PS2? Besides, the PS3 is only three years old, and Sony was looking at a ten year lifespan for the console.

Based on that, I wouldn't have expected Sony to consider releasing a new console onto the market until 2012 at the earliest anyhow!

[Gizmo]

XBit labs have an article from back in 2006 indicating at that time that Sony were anticipating the PS4 in '2010 or beyond': http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multime...206093407.html

[dsio]

Maybe they could teach programmers how to actually use the PS3 before releasing the PS4?

[Gizmo]

That would be a good start, although from what I've gathered, the development tools leave a bit to be desired as well (i.e. they don't make it easy to exploit the PS3's massively parallel capabilities).

[dsio]

This is true. I've written some code for Cell under Linux and the documentation provided by IBM was actually the closest I could get to helpful.

[Daniel ~]

Hardware no good without the software, software can't be made to take advantage of the hardware until the hardware is obsolete... far be it from me to say... but maybe they need a better dev model to work from?

"No need ever out paced greed"

(I just made that up... but it looked better in quotes, maybe I should work for MS or Sony PR!! LOL

[Áedán]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

That would be a good start, although from what I've gathered, the development tools leave a bit to be desired as well (i.e. they don't make it easy to exploit the PS3's massively parallel capabilities).

That was the same issue that was made against the PS2 as well...

[Gizmo]

True, but the PS2 wasn't a year late to market and priced in the stratosphere compared to its competition, either.

To be fair to Sony, the PS3 (and PS2) are completely different beasts from what practically all games developers are used to, so they are always going to have the "It's too hard to develop for" rap coming from the whiners in the dev community. The way they overcome that is by having the platform that everyone wants because it does really cool stuff at a price point that most everyone interested in a game system can afford. Building a boutique system and THEN saddling it with a hard-to-develop-for architechture just doesn't seem like a good plan.

[Daniel ~]

I haven't seen what XBox games look or play like. In compairson....Did Sony really gain anything in quality or performance by leaping into the future with it's cell processor?

[Gizmo]

I believe the answer to that question would be "HECK YEAH!"

From a purely technical standpoint, the PS3 is WAY beyond what the XBox360 can achieve, and I don't believe anyone with a functional brain cell and an understanding of the hardware can successfully argue otherwise. That being said, though, advanced hardware is absolutely worthless without software to take advantage of it. In addition, the superiority of the PS3 is really difficult to demonstrate on a standard display; you really need 720p or better to see it.

[Daniel ~]

Good. and not so good!":O}

[danrok]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

you really need 720p or better to see it.

My biggest gripe with the PS3 is that so many games are 720p, rather than 1080p.

[Gizmo]

True, but how many people have a 1080p display?

[danrok]

1080p TVs are still overpriced, but a 24" LCD can now be had for $219, which I think most people can afford.

Newegg.com - ASUS VW246H Black 24" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 1000:1 (ASCR 20000:1) Built in Speakers - LCD Monitors

[Daniel ~]

I for one would like to see 1080P as well! Cadaveca's all set! ":O}

[dsio]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

I believe the answer to that question would be "HECK YEAH!"

From a purely technical standpoint, the PS3 is WAY beyond what the XBox360 can achieve, and I don't believe anyone with a functional brain cell and an understanding of the hardware can successfully argue otherwise. That being said, though, advanced hardware is absolutely worthless without software to take advantage of it. In addition, the superiority of the PS3 is really difficult to demonstrate on a standard display; you really need 720p or better to see it.

This was really my biggest motivation for the ps3. From the tech geek perspective, it's the starship enterprise, while the 360 struck
me as more of a parts bin machine.

[Gizmo]

So, are you saying the XBox 360 should be hauling garbage, or hauled away AS garbage?