Links ARCHIVE: CNET NEWS.com - The Future Of Console Games

What will XBox2 and PS3 Look Like

Published on December 30, 2004 By joeKnowledge In Console Games

Do you really want a game consol... that you can record music on... and 'TiVo' shows with... and play DVD's on... and record DVD's on... and so forth? Maybe its just me, but that is not my idea of a game consol. What it sounds like is a entertainment system that you spend thousands of dollars on. Strangely enough the PSX being sold in Japan that odes some of this costs around that much.

But my vision of the next game system is far more a game system that can do other entertainment then a entertainemtn system that you can also play games on. FOCUS ON THE GAME SYSTEM PLEASE!

For one, the Playstation2 going into the PlayStation3 Cell chip sound great!!! I read about the learning curve effect that is still being master for the PS2, but they say the Cell will be better.

I do like the idea of networking processing power. That would mean bigger games, more rendering and more artificial intelegence players attacking you instead of the limit of 6 depending on the character depth.

Imagine playing Burnout3 with 12 (that's twelve) AI run cars instead of 6 (of which is really 3 when you see how some of those cars just don't do much). You kow that part of the game that slows down? Never that on the PS3.

The XBox seems to be the game consol that has more heart to get to the idea of convergence. It was pratically built on the idea of convergence. Not to mention that the creators of the XBox also has what is called Windows XP Media Center Edition. Even now you can connect the XBOX to your WinXP Media Center and do what Sony is trying to do with the PSX.

Since Microsoft already has the sort of convergence thing going on they can play around with how it will work. I still say make sure it is a game system first and all this other stuff last. I really don't want to record my babies first walk across the floor on my XBOX unless its part of some new really cool game.

What the new system should be!!!
Now of course you will need to add the USB lines, DVD playability, hard drive or flash drive, and other sane normal periferials of a PC like a power button or something. Adding a TV tuner???? But I have cable! hmmmm... Not to sure about that buddy. I already have problems with my 'picture in picture' TV that can do picture in picture because its only source of signal is the cable.

Not to sure about DVD recording either when you have a computer that does that (and the good old DVD player/recorder that you bought years ago). Storing pictures? Nope. How about sending email tofriends and family? What???? No.

Here is what I want the game to do:

Play DVD's
Play CD/MP3/MP4 along with your game (which mean the system will have to have a storage device or 2/3 more disk trays) Now, you can listen to the game music or CD music and you can set your music from the CD to interact with the game (IE if the music is suppossed to stop playing during specific interludes then it does).
3 Disk Trays (or 2 if 3 is asking too much)
With 3 disk trays you can play you game in the primary slot, , have your second game in the second slot (why? because we are lazy and tired of getting up and putting in a new game) and play your music in the third one.
The ability to set up 2 TV's to have one player on one and the second on another... all from on game consol.
You can also use the 2 TV set up to play the CD collection and have a sort of interactive interface for it while
On-line Peer to Peer radio stations of music on the hard/flash drive.
Mini-Internet Browser. Only goes to approved sites... Gamespot, CNET, game develpers site, consol community site
Grid Processing Power. Increase the computing power to an infanite degree. should help with graphics to some degree too.
Universal Wireless Remote
Skinnable
The Maybe's
TV Tuner???? Not sure about this one... but if my other family members want to still watch TV then they should... but if I have only one TV then it kills the idea. And 'TiVo-ing' shows doesn't really seem like a game to me. hmmm... although I can record a show while playing the game... could be useful...
Satelite Radio Connectivity... or maybe just FM radio... nahhh
Remember Neo-Geo??? Maybe the ability to go on your computer with a saved file and play a mini-game and actually advance further in the actuall game (you can also go to the portable game and continue play to a degree)
Network capability. In case you want to make screenshots, print something... just hook it up to the house network.

That is what I want.
Lets not talk about what I want Grand Turismo to do with the new 'system' I just describe above.

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