GDC is this week. For more info on GDC, I guess you can check out the following: http://news.com.com/2100-1043_3-6051210.html?part=rss&tag=6051210&subj=news http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Developers_Conference http://www.gdconf.com/ (info about keynotes and highlights) By all indication, it seem like the keynote from Satoru Iwata (President of Nintendo) on Thursday will be a big one, assuming he mentions anything about the Revolution. The keynote by Phil Harrison (President of SCE WWS) might also be pretty interesting, especially if he clarifies on any announcements made last weeks (such as the HDD being included or not). We might get some extra info as well (RSX info...I wish), and there will supposedly be at least 1 live PS3 demo and possibly 2-3 at GDC. MS might also have something up their sleeves, although there doesn't seem to be any one speech/keynote to watch for there. Here are some of the first trickles of information from GDC: http://www.syncgaming.com/index.php?page=viewnews&id=3935 (MS unveils and delivers XNA framework, plus opens up XBL Server to devs) http://www.d-silence.com/story.php?headline_id=22495&comment=1 (Havok and Nvidia getting physics to run just on GPUs) Yeah, things may not get really interesting until later in the week. edit: Hehe..."server" not "silver." Yet no one corrected me there, even 7 hours later.
Just some minor updates and a reminder of sorts for tomorrow's action (found out later that the last 3 days of GDC are when the real news starts). http://www.computerandvideogames.com/front_index.php? http://www.techreport.com/onearticle.x/9619 Interview with Mark Rein of Epic: http://www.firingsquad.com/features/epic_games_rein_interview/ About the PS3 and the Xbox 360 About PC Gaming I underlined some parts of the Mark Rein interview for emphasis on the HDD issue. Despite several sources (including a named SCEE PR guy) confirming the HDD as something included with every PS3, I still don't know if is a given. Given Rein's comments, it sounds like developers may not be 100% sure either. Hopefully, Phil Harrison will clear this up tomorrow, although we'll probably be just as confused if not more so.
June launch, that would be nice, but I don't see how it'd be possible unless the games being devoloped are like already nearly complete.
And Sony would still lose $300+ a console. Yeah, I don't see that happening either (partly why I didn't bother highlighting that part of the article). IIRC, the devs that talked to IGN recently said final devkits wouldn't go out until June, so that kind of kills that rumor assuming that is true. A June launch is possible, but I think they will just try to launch at the same time as the PS3 (November will be quite the month, especially with Zelda:TP and FF XII).
You'd think Sony would want to reduce the bells and whistles to bring it down to the 450-500 range instead of adding them. I'd be very surprised if they included a harddrive at that price... Nintendo is known to give advanced dev kits to their favorite developers (Capcom, Konami...) while leaving the rest in the dark. If you base your news on Western devs, then Final devkits won't come out till 2010.... I don't see them launching the Revolution alongside the PS3. Unlike the period where the Gamecube launched along with the Xbox, Sony is the main competitor in Japan and the PS3 would have the most buzz and name recognition. Pitting them head to head would create a large image gap that would dispel whatever Nintendo would try to create. Plus, they've learned to keep a substantial software lead with the Nintendo DS over the PSP in both Japan and US, which is very similar (with some tweaking) to what they're trying to bring on the consoles. I seriously doubt the Revolution would be delayed by hardware concerns, wheras the PS3 has rumors of piracy protection, final cuts and additions, and cost issues. A system rumored to be 2 or 3 times more powerful than the Gamecube is not going to be delayed technologically. I think they're waiting for their first party devs to complete their titles with a standard that will set the bar on their systems, much like the DS and its limited launch titles. The launch titles itself are the dev kits for other companies. Their online multiplayer network is rumored to be free and the system's backwards compatable with a downloadable library of older titles. The system won't wow you to oblivion with cutting edge graphics, but the content will be there...even in June.
That would be the coolest thing about Revolution. Even if Nintendo doesn't have much in the way of signature titles on launch, if they have their online network up with the old school Nintendo games available to be downloaded, that would be enough to entice me to get one. That's hours and hours of nostalgic entertainment right there, even if I don't buy a Revolution game when I buy the Revolution.
Yeah, that would be a bit strange. Of course, in my "crazy" view, perhaps the PS3 w/o the HDD costs somewhere in the $500-$600 range to make. So adding on another ~$50 in costs might not hurt too much (at say a $400-$450 price tag), especially if it will help earn them some extra money (EX: PS1/PS2 downloads and other microtransactions). Plus, there are probably some other non-financial reasons to the decision (helps "slow" BR speeds, better for devs, way to make ports even more difficult to make, etc.). As you said, you wouldn't think they'd try to add more to a system that already costs a lot to make. I guess we'll find out eventually if Sony is OK with pricing the PS3 much higher (maybe even 3+ times as much compared to the Rev) than its competition. That is assuming the HDD is included of course (part of it anyway). True. I think I'm just being kind of pessimistic with the news, kind of like the PS3 HDD news. Given how little Nintendo has said about the Revolution, it could probably launch next week (maybe only in Japan?). I just like assuming November/Fall since that has been hinted at for quite a while IIRC; I have little reason NOT to at least strongly consider a June release, especially since, as you said, the technology probably won't be holding it back. Well, I didn't try to imply that Nintendo wants to launch alongside the PS3. I probably should have said "They'll probably launch around November, like the PS3." Of course, your point still stands. I'm sure they'd rather launch at another time, although I would imagine that they couldn't move up the release date that far if they weren't expecting a November release for the PS3. Plus, they could try to sell it with Zelda, something they probably couldn't do 5-6 months before the game is out. It would also be interesting if they could maybe stockpile a ton of systems and launch at some awesome price tag, like say $100-$150, just in time for the holidays. Oops...there goes my pessimistic point of view. Not that it matters much, but I don't think the DS has a software lead in the US, at least it didn't the last time I checked. They're both pretty close, but the PSP software sales are a little better than the DS software sales. Now in Japan... Would the Revolution actually be delayed though? Perhaps I missed something, but I don't think Nintendo has really set in stone any date (although I thought they hinted at a Fall/November release). I mean, from a technological stand point, Nintendo could probably launch in a month or so (and at a "decent" price tag) if they started mass production now (or launch sooner if they had already begun it). Maybe we'll find out more tomorrow.
Man, they're showing off a lot: http://psp.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=2655 (notes from the event so far) http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63535 A lot of games are being shown off, and it isn't even over yet. There better be footage of this somewhere soon.
From the Nintendo keynote that just ended: http://revolution.ign.com/articles/697/697882p1.html?reload=true Press release Zelda: Phantom Hourglass pics: I was hoping for more info on the Revolution... BTW, I'll probably post at least one more time to clear up some things about the Sony keynote (biggest one being that is was NOT stated that the HDD would be included; the question was avoided actually). I've been waiting for the videos to hit the net, but they still haven't shown up yet AFAIK. Another .
There seems to be mix impression of the PS3 games shown at GDC compared to last year's E3/TGS. Wierd how these two sources have opposite views concerning each of the game...something is fishy. WARHAWK IGN says... Quote: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697628p1.html In the demo, the game was shown with a full HUD of the new futuristic Warhawk ship. Across a massive battlefield, you could see ambient warfare everywhere, with background battles raging far away from you. Our editors report great lighting, volumetric cloud effects, and incredibly fast motion. One of the coolest events involved burning pieces of capital ships raining down and falling into the gorgeous ocean below. Gaming Age says... Quote: http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2006/3/22-53 Warhawk, while looking great, was essentially a barren section of ocean with a lot of fighter ships (they were aiming for a hundred for the final game) going around destroying larger vessels and some nice looking water (wave simulation with procedural animation) and clouds (volumetric raytracing). Overall it was a great demo but a far cry of what was shown last year and gave a nice sobering introduction to the rest of the demos which was shown towards the end. Fortunately it will be playable at E3. MOTORSTORM IGN says... Quote: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697633p1.html Compared to the E3 presentation, the game is close in presentation and functionality and look to its promise, with detail not reaching the level of the astounding E3 demo but still running with some very cool technology to provide a new way of playing in the mud. Developed by Evolution Studios, the game's presentation featured buggies and motorcycles running through a rugged desert. The game's advanced new mud physics were incredible, leaving ruts behind in the mud using real physics. For example, a motorcycle was seen cutting a deep groove in the mud while kicking up muck at a white truck following it, the trailing vehicle buckily wildly as it battled off the streaming mud while also trying to find a line to drive in the groove-etched bog. The particle effects, however, were not nearly at that level of quality, looking a little temporary at this stage of early development. Hopefully, the unfinished details will be sweetened up as the game goes on, and the gameplay already showed signs of achieving the frantic nature of the E3 2005 teaser video. Gaming Age says... Quote: http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2006/3/22-53 Next up was Motorstorm and just like Warhawk was no where near the E3 target render. The car models and physics were decent although the texturing and the environment was PS2 level of quality. The real star of the demonstration was the deformable terrain which worked quite well with the physics of the cars. The demo also had HDR, post processing effects, and occlusion. Resistance/I-8 IGN says... Quote: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697636p1.html In development at Insomniac Games (the makers of early Spyros and all the Ratchet and Clanks), the new real-time demo showed the game in much more complete form than the simple FPS that was shown at E3 in 2005. In the demonstration (which may still an alternate version of historic warfare, although the latest trailer showed more of a post-apocalyptic, alien-invader look), the gameplay was shown with new weapons very much like Ratchet and Clank, only now with a more realistic slant. How real did the game demo get? There were body parts tossed about that rolled around on the ground... with realistic physics, of course. The demo also showed off effects such as smoke trails on grenades, tactical troop movements, and enemies that came from the ceilings as the lead character ran down a devastated corridor. Gaming Age says.. Quote: http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2006/3/22-53 The next game was Resistance, the title formally known as I-8. Out of all the games this one was the farthest along but unfortunately the least interesting. It was your standard FPS affair with highly linear levels, decent A.I. and moderately interesting weapons. The lighting/texturing/modeling was all decent but nothing groundbreaking.
Yeah, that was one of the things I was talking about earlier (needing to clear up). That's why I've been waiting for the videos to hit the net (which was 100% supposed to happen...supposedly). The guy that did the GA impressions posted a bit on GAF, and he kind of cleared up his comments (more positive reactions...think he said Resistance was "Gears of War" like in graphics), although he was still saying Warhawk and some of the other demos weren't up to par to the E3 showings. Now, I haven't seen the new Warhawk demo, but I thought the gameplay they showed of it at TGS was pretty close to the E3 video (if not better), only it was over water instead of land. Some people are thinking that perhaps it would look more impressive had the demo at GDC been the same way (over land instead of water). I know it isn't just those two either. It seems like impressions from the staffs at 1UP, Eurogamer, Gamedaily, etc., and some people in the forums all seem to have differing opinions to some degree (some had very positive reactions while others weren’t so positive). I don't know whether to expect PS2 type graphics from Motorstorm, or to expect something that closely resembles the prerendered footage from last year. FWIW, here is all I have on the PS3 demos: They're WAY too small to get any sort of impressions on the graphics, although the later ones kind of show off the online aspects they're going after. Some more goodies: God of War 2 Trailer (this site also has some audio from the keynote, as well as a ton of FF XII videos FWIW) 1UP has a story on some of the PS3 tech demo booths: http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3148958 (check out the video, which has some tech demos, including UT2K7...which looks pretty bad IMO) 1UP footage of Crytek's (Far Cry devs) new engine: http://www.1up.com/do/download?cId=3147565 (now that is amazing!) Clip for Zelda DS: http://media.nintendo-europe.com/compel/video/cri9US3Ag5tBu3OkYw7e30hIK1Rv3Sa8.mov (this video kind of makes up for the lack of Revolution details) Also, about the HDD issue that I mentioned earlier, it definitely wasn't mentioned that it was for sure included with every PS3, at least according to the QA session after the keynote since Phil dodges the question: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697725p1.html In fact, I believe he actually said something more like all developers will "support" it rather than "require" it. If that is correct, then it sounds more like the developers would "support" it by offering downloadable content (or something like that), but not necessarily use it during gameplay (which would "require" the HDD). Ugh...just a big confusing mess. At least the issue about what was free with the basic service was cleared up (and online play is a part of that "basic" service). BTW, in case it wasn't clear, the one thing I left out during my post about the PS3 keynote was that Insomniac is working on a new Ratchet and Clank game for the PS3, which was the last demo shown for the PS3 at the keynote. It looked pretty good apparently, although I suppose some people thought it looked like a PS1 game while others thought it rivaled Toy Story 2.
I was bored, so I gathered together some of the posts from the guy who made the GA report: And here's some quotes from someone else who saw the demos (same guy who uploaded GOW2 and the keynote audio to playsyde):
I'm getting excited about the Revolution. Has there been any buzz on what the price tag of Nintendo's new system will be?
I just think Sony adding a HDD would give them the excuse to launch it at 500-600 bucks. If anything, they've built billion dollar fabrication plants for the cell alone. After the disappointing presentation with little new news at the GDC, I think a Fall release would be more likely too. The guesses I see on gaming sites is no more than 250. I also wonder how much their controllers will be after their presentation said how expensive it was to design and make them. (40-45?)
Yeah, that's my biggest concern. I hope Nintendo goes out of their way to make these things highly durable too, because controllers wear out faster than just about anything else on a gaming console...but having to spend close to $50 to replace one will not fly with many fans. Me included.
All this talk of SPORE from the GDC news made me search for more information. I'd heard about it, but didn't know much. HOLY CRAP. SPORE has the potential to be the greatest video game ever created.
I don't remember if I'd heard about SPORE before this thread, but I just looked up and found this vid of Will Wright showing it off, holy crap, this is awesome. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198&q=spore It's 35 minutes long though, i'm still not done watching and will probably have to come back to it.
