How's the hype vs. reality? (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

I thought it would be fun to compare the press release hype of recent consoles with what actually is. Unfortunately, I've only been to find a good press release for the PS2; I couldn't dig up any for the Dreamcast or N64, and haven't looked for X-Box or GC.
So, if you can find any, post a link and a snippet here, and we can laugh

at the claims of how our favorite console was to alter the very fabric of our game-laying universe.
PS2

http://www.arstechnica.com/cpu/1q99/...ation2-pr.html
The next generation PlayStation massively increases the quality and performance of graphics technology to the maximum level that can be enjoyed on a television set...
"Emotion Synthesis" which allows the system to simulate not just how the images look, but how the characters and objects in a game think, act and behave.
...has at its heart a CPU with data processing capabilities far exceeding those of today’s state of the art PCs and with a rendering processor that has greater performance than that of the highest level graphics workstations...
In addition, the new system employs MPEG2 image decompression technology...The resulting image quality ...of the highest quality available for in-home use...
In the vital area of sound processing ... allows for the encoding and processing of advanced 3D digital sound techniques such as AC-3 and DTS.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Actually, a lot of the stuff above was true. They found a way to do DTS, the emotion chips are in the console, and the press release was probably written when it was more powerful than most current PCs. Keep in mind that a PC as powerful as the PS2 for $300 is nonexistant.

 

[Sean Oneil]

I am glad that it lived up to the hype for you Morgan

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Keep in mind that a PC as powerful as the PS2 for $300 is nonexistant.

How do you build a PC that is limited to crappy 480i resolution due to the tiny amount of VRAM and has no hard drive?
I owned a PS2, sold it, and may still buy another one if I decide there are some games I can't live without. Ultimately it comes down to gameplay, but comparing the PS2 to a PC is apples and oranges. There are many ways that the PS2 is less powerful than an average PC.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

There are also reasons why the PS2 is better than a PC, so I think we can agree that both things are separate and it is like comparing apples to oranges.
From what I read, it lived up to the expectations of that article.

 

[Dave F]

The hype regarding the "emotion engine" is pure marketing drivel, though. Unless you want to argue that every subsequent processor that is more powerful is also more emotional.

-Dave
------------------
DVD List

 

[BrianB]

Unless you want to argue that every subsequent processor that is more powerful is also more emotional

Hey, it gets me VERY emotional when the bugger crashes in the middle of programming it.
------------------
Nothing In Particular

 

[Carl Johnson]

We can have a discussion about the reality of PS2 but Gamecube and X-Box are all hype for now. People seem to be getting all emotional in choosing one over the other and its all based on hype.

 

[Scott L]

I am one of those freaks who waited overnight in line for the PS2. Did it live up to the hype? Hell no! I don't care if it has the EE, great floating-point specs, yakkity yakkity yakkity... It's simply not that much fun to play.
The system was definitely not worth waiting 14 hours for in the late October cold. I only bought 4 games for it and currently only have 3 (TTT, XG3, & GT3). I played my N64 MUCH more when I got it.
But that's just me. I'm sure there are a few people out there that love their PS2. It plays DVDs remember!