Gaming rumors

..and rumors ONLY at this point.

Xbox 360:

*New "Halo 4" planned from "Gearbox Software"?
The Cut Scene - Blog on Variety.com
OXM rumor: Gearbox developing Halo 4 as launch title for next Xbox - Joystiq

Nintendo:

*New DS coming (with two touch screens)?
Nintendo dismisses rumours of new DS News - Page 1 // DS /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More
Nintendo quiet on new DS rumours // News

PS3:

*MGS4 to Xbox 360? Very unlikely (based on mr. Kojima)...
Konami's Hideo Kojima Interview - Page 1 // PS3 /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

Re: Gaming rumors

My thoughts (in reverse order):

MGS4 - not gonna happen, but if it does then it will be seriously watered down graphically and be riddled with loading times.

New DS - not likely until an announcement at the next E3. This year's event sucked and Nintendo's presentation disappointed. They don't want to alienate gamers who buy a DS over the holidays by announcing something in January or February, so it would be better to make the next E3 event really good by announcing this (along with new Mario, Zelda, etc. games).

Halo 4 - it's going to happen eventually, and why not have Gearbox do it.

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Halo 4 seems like a given, but putting Gearbox in charge could go both ways.
While Bungie obviously have great knowledge about Halo they've also made no secret of wanting to do other things, so with them in charge it might have been great, but it could also have been a lackluster game from a tired developer.

Gearbox would no doubt have every reason to work tirelessly in order to show themselves worthy of Halo (and other projects), so it could turn out great.
But it's always a thin line to walk when you're taking over any project, much more so considering the magnitude of Halo.
We'll just have to wait and see I guess.


I agree that it seems highly unlikely but I have to disagree on the other part.
Any particular reasoning as to why it would be "seriously watered down graphically"?

While I have no doubt that it would be a multiple disc game (if released) I don't se any reason why it would look much different.
Both consoles are pretty much equally powerful and the game isn't exactly a graphical masterpiece, so porting this wouldn't really be any different from porting any other game where the PS3 is lead dev. platform.
Since the existing ports of that kind looks more or less identical on both consoles I can't see why this wouldn't.´

I'm not trying to start a console fight or anything, but I just can't see a game out there right now that is possible on one console but not the other (Wii obviously excluded as it's more of a juiced up last gen console in terms of power).

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They had to remove content from MGS4 to fit it onto a 50GB BD disc. An X360 release that didn't drop even more would have to ship on six DVDs.

That said, I don't know what exactly is taking up all that space.

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Really? You must not have played into MGS4 very much. When you hit the button to skip a FMV cutscene and it launches into *ANOTHER* FMV cutscene, well....That's all I'm going to say. There were spots where there were many back to back. And then the ending...After you play all the way through the game, you finally get to watch the MGS4 movie. It has all the proper elements: High Resolution, Surround Sound, Drama, Plot. Heck, make some popcorn and kick back because you're going to be there a while.

And I'm not trashing the game, it was great. I'm just saying some of that story could have been dialogue between characters over the radio while you are progressing through the game.

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Yes, game indeed has that and I´m sure there are gamers that would´be preferred "less cinematics - more gaming".

Then again, many gamers and MGS-veterans (like myself) loved it, since it was so "epic" journey, beautiful and even "touching". Many variaties and styles of gameplay. You can fight, but then you can sneak. Sometimes you can just run, etc. Many times (not always, though) you can "choose" what kind of approach you want to take etc.

MGS4 was "larger than life"-game. For the good and perhaps for the bad also.


Perhaps yes, but then it would´ve been "just" a new MGS4, not the "best video game"-ever. (yes yes, matter of opinion, of course) Kojima wanted to push the envelope (which he eventually did).

I guess the point is, that IF (at moment, I doubt it) MGS4 ever arrives to Xbox 360, they have to strip down some of the "cinematics" and/or use those "radio dialogue"-parts instead like you hinted. Is it the same game then after that? IMO: No. Will it bring the same, "epic experience"? IMO: No. Will Kojima allow this type of "watered down" version to be released? Not sure, but at this point of doubt it. Then again in the world of games, pretty much everything is possible.

Original "Metal Gear Solid 1998"* and "Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" were never ported to other consoles, but "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" was later ported to original Xbox (expanded edition "Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance"). *"Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes" (remake of Metal Gear Solid) was also released in GameCube, though.

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This is a good point. Now I´m no "Halo"-expert (I have actually played through only "Halo 3", but I started "Halo 1" recently and I have also "Halo 2"..), but IMO "Halo 4" would need some new ideas. "Bungie" probably should be involved in some ways (consulting or something, at least?), but "Gearbox" should just create something new to the "Halo 4".. You know, a bit more than just "shooting", not sure.

Not sure why "Bungie" had to cancel E3 reveal, though?
Bungie upset it had to cancel E3 reveal News - Page 1 // Xbox 360 /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

Many say, that they had something "big" and that MS wanted to wait before announcing it (since e.g. "Alan Wake" is late and everything - they need those "big" games later on).

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E3 turned into a stinker event anyway, so not announcing Bungie's next project wasn't a terrible idea, IMO.

Regarding MGS4, if you play through the whole game in 1080p with surround sound, you can imagine how much went into the game in terms of the graphical assets. In comparison, I've never seen any game on a console that compares. As Jari pointed out, they had to remove content to make the game fit on a 50 GB BD-ROM. To make this work on the 360 would require at least 5 DVDs, and that's not even counting content for the Metal Gear Online mode (which is completely unique and separate from the main game).

Also, as each chapter of the game starts there is a 2-3 minute installing sequence. Since X-Box 360 games can't be developed with the idea of a HDD being part of the hardware, Konami would need to find a way around this which would mean either severely increasing load times or watering down the graphics. The reason games that are on the 360 or PS3 look the same is because the PS3 version is more or less held back to match the 360. Developers also don't quite have a grasp on the PS3 hardware (or at least not as much as the 360) so they don't optimize games for each console. The PS3 is definitely more powerful than the 360, but no multi-platform games will demonstrate this.

I think Bungie should make a game for the Wii. Imagine the control scheme of Metroid Prime 3 combined with the online multiplayer of Halo.

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Any sign this will change? That games will be made to take advantage fully of the PS3, regardless of the Xbox; or that developers are better able to utilize the PS3?

I'm struck that 3 years into the 360's life and 2 years for the PS3's and they seem to be evenly matched for all practical purposes. I guess I wonder if the the PS3 really is that much more advanced. I remember the PS2's hyped "emotion engine", but in actuality was about the same as the GameCube and the Xbox.

But I don't really know. I don't follow the systems closely. It's intriguing when choosing between the three.

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One of the developers working on Gears of War 2 was talking recently and said that he thinks they're about to peak out the 360's graphical power. (He does note that he's not the best person to give that specific of an answer and that it's just his personal thoughts.) Since the 360 and PS3 both do HD video and have online capabilities, I think multiplatform games won't try to establish themselves as being unique for each console. However, I think what GTA4 did (exclusive DLC for 360) is going to become the new thing for certain games.

As time goes on, I think the PS3 will start to look significantly better than the 360 when you compared exclusives.

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Yes, I guess none of us have the real answers at this point, but we should think about the "future" a little bit here. In the future games, PS3 has certain advantages, but I guess the use of those "advantages" hasn´t fully materialized yet (apart from the games like MGS4). So I guess we just have to wait and see. Time will eventually tell.

What comes to these games that are released in "both consoles", not sure what´ll happen to them (again, in the future). I assume, that now the game developers have to "limit" some of the aspects (at least those cut scenes etc), since Xbox 360 can "only" use DVD discs etc. Then again the actual "game graphics" seems to be more-or-less equal..

Upcoming "Alan Wake" (Xbox 360 exclusive - some trailers here: http://www.alanwake.com/movies.html ) will be the next "test" for Xbox 360. At least I´m super hyped of this game (and "Remedy" is from my home country.. ). I guess it should also have a "great story" and atmosphere.

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Can an Xbox 360 controller be used on a PS3?

I meant to buy a game system for the three-day weekend, but as it was only 1.5 days for me, I don't have time to buy and play yet. So I keep mulling. And to me, the 360 controller looks and feels like it was actually designed for good gaming; whereas the PS3 feels like it was designed by engineers with a mandate only to cram all the buttons into something easily manufactured, with users less a priority. A bazillion Playstation fans may disagree, but that's how I see it.

And that detail keeps me directed towards the 360 more than the PS3. (well, and a friend with the 360 from whom I could borrow games ). But if I could get a 360-ish controller for the PS3...

And if the PS3 used an IR remote, instead of making me buy a kludged system from some Canadian to make the BR player work with my universal remote, that would be a factor. (what fool of a Took made the remote Bluetooth? Typical Sony, engineering their own solution, incompatible with the rest of the world)

Ah well. Two good systems, priced pretty much the same now. Though I'll probably buy the 60GB 360 at $299, I think it needs to drop to $250 to be competitive. $50 / yr for online gaming, or a $99 wifi adapter, quickly defeats its price advantage over the PS3. And if priced the same as a Wii, it would be a no-cost switch for the frustrated parent in Best Buy finding no Wii's and needing a game system.

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I haven't actually played it at all yet, Sherlock. (BTW, I tend to agree with you about overly long cutscenes. Integrate that stuff into the gameplay!)

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I have the PC edition of Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (haven't tried it yet though). I have no idea if any of the others ever made it onto the PC.

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I think MGS1 may have been ported to PC, but that would be it besides 2.

No, 360 controller doesn't work on PS3. MS uses a proprietary wireless tech for the 360 controllers that they are keeping a company secret. I believe only Activision was given access to it for Guitar Hero III (or was it Harmonix for Rock Band? I forget).

Regarding the PS3 controller, I have been using this thing since PS1 so it's not a big deal to me. That said, the 360 controller is basically the same design...except slightly smaller. I don't like the placement of the white/black bumpers and I find the overall design just a little too cramped for the 360 controller. It's very functional, but not quite perfect. The original XBox controller was going for the Dreamcast design, but the 360 one is going for a more ergonomic shape and manageable size.

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I would say, that don´t make any decisions based on the controller alone.. Both work just fine, it´s mainly a matter of opinion which one is "better". I prefer the conroller from PS3, but that´s mainly since I´m a PS-veteran. I like the one in Xbox 360 too, though.

In the end, almost every game has their own "control system", button layout, rules, etc that you kinda have to learn first.. Even with my trusted PS3 controller, I sometimes end up cursing the awkward controls etc. Let´s face it, some games work better in that regard vs the others..

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The PS3 controller isn't awful to me, but I find the 360's just makes more sense. A small thing: pressing the start button. The 360's start button seems to be right there. With the PS3, it feels hidden, buried behind the analog sticks making me look and reach for it. Minor details.

But now: I've got a friend with a 360, and while I don't see us gaming a lot together, we might do a little bit, and we can share games. And he has no interest in a PS3. So I think I'll get the 360 since it's $100 cheaper, has a slightly better controller, and I can borrow games from a buddy. The 360's online system and downloadable games seems a tad better than the PS3's at the moment (this could change next month, of course).

Despite those things, if my friend didn't have a 360, I'd probably buy the PS3, banking on its potentially "longer legs". The BR player feature doesn't do anything for me, with its BT remote (or having to buy an unofficial remote hack).

I am wary of the 360's noise and historic hardware problems. So with two similar but different systems, it's a tough choice. Or an easy one, perhaps, since both have basically the same games at the same quality, at the same price.

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Buy 'em all, Dave, buy 'em all.

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Yes, "Xbox Live" seems to have a big selection of online-games. PS3 probably doesn´t have as much at the moment (of course more coming all the time). "Xbox live" started already in 2005 for Xbox 360, though.

Then again, "PS network" is free, while you have to pay for the "Xbox Live" (not really a deal breaker, though, at least if you want to play these various online-games). For the "casual gamers" it could matter, though.


I guess those hardware problems are now more-or-less history (at least if you buy a "new"console, like e.g. new 60gb-model - or so-called "Falcon"-model for "Elite"), but I guess there isn´t much to do for the "disc noise". I just started playing "Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise" (which is not a "loud" game) and the disc noise can be a bit annoying...

I also started playing "Halo 1" (for the original Xbox) recently and during that the noise level is not that loud for some reason.. Not sure about during DVDs and CDs, I guess I have to test those.. Perhaps it´s with the Xbox 360-games "only"?


Here here!

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...related to capacity-issues ("LittleBigPlanet" for PS3):
LittleBigAmbition - Part One // Interview

So "LittleBigPlanet" will be one of those games that takes "advantage" of 50gb Blu-ray disc (I guess plenty of "tutorials", though). This game might be huge, but we´ll see. At least it´s very innovating.

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New, slightly tweaked Xbox 360 controller coming in October:
New Xbox 360 Controller Hands On // Xbox 360 /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

Btw. Interesting article of Xbox 360 and its "defects":
http://venturebeat.com/2008/09/05/xb...-console-woes/

..and the Microsoft fires game test contractor who talked to VentureBeat:
http://venturebeat.com/2008/09/12/mi...?rfdid=5307757

It´s tough business out there..

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I read the Venture Beat article; very interesting. I haven't used the D-pad yet for games, so the article on that was lost on me

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Hideo Kojima MGS4 Afterthoughts (great - and honest interview):

Hideo Kojima Metal Gear Solid 4 Afterthoughts

"MGS5" is not that far away, I guess...

"I have three concepts for MGS5 already. What would be ideal for me with MGS5, though, is that we don't do those. If the team picks one of those concepts, I have to get involved again, which I don't want to do.

There are already so many good ideas from the staff, so if we select one of those, that would be really good. At that point I could really rely on them and take the step back to be the producer, which is the ideal situation, I think."

Other related interview:
Metal Gear Solid 4 Afterthoughts with Ryan Payton

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HUGE rumors...

*Nintendo "Wii HD" coming in 2011?
gamer.net/article.php?article_id=249220

"We're told this will be a true successor to the Wii in a similar way that Game Boy Advance was to the Game Boy, and Nintendo apparently has a 2011 release slated for the high-definition console.

Aside from HD visuals, the report suggests there will be a greater emphasis on backwards compatibility and digital distribution, plus a large storage solution.

We're also told Nintendo has beefed up internal hardware research by nearly 300 per cent since the Wii was released in 2006."

*Updated DS coming?:
Nintendo to reveal Wii HD tomorrow? News // Wii /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

"Nintendo is expected to unveil a new DS at the conference tomorrow, too. This is said to contain a music player and a camera."

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Is that a "huge" rumor? To speculate that Nintendo will have a new system five years after the launch of the current one seems to merely say "Nintendo to continue business plan from past 20 years".

Isn't also expected that MS will launch the Xbox 720 in a couple years and the surely the PS4 is due in 2011 or 2012? So will N maintain the same lag in absolute hardware performance -- trading graphics for control innovation?

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Well, I guess my point was, that even when the "current" Wii is selling extremely well (holiday season also coming and all that), they might (rumor at this point) already announce a new console. The risk with this is, that people start to wonder that; "hmm, I guess I won´t buy that current Wii after all, since it´s obsolete (or something) and a better one is coming..".

Call me surprised, if they really announce a new model now (when Wii is selling so well and the "buzz" is still on). With this, you´re pretty much telling that "we´re moving on - buy the current console at you own risk").

Sure, PS2 is still selling etc (even some new games coming), but PS3 is where the heart of the matter is for Sony.

"WiiHD" would mean, that also their games will be in HD, hard drive is included, etc, so this is not just another "DS upgrade" or similar "facelift".. It´s a whole new strategy (and a smart one in many ways, HD is already here). Smart move, yes, but still a bit risky (when it comes to current Wii).

Don´t get me wrong, I would love to get WiiHD. Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby, Metroid, etc in 720p/1080p? Bring it on!

Btw. New "Nintendo DSi" is now official at least in Japan:
Nintendo officially unveils Nintendo DSi and online store, coming Nov 1 in Japan for $180 - Joystiq

"According to our Japanese correspondent, the DSi will be 12 percent thinner, and will get rid of the GBA slot entirely. The DSi will also include two built-in cameras (one reportedly VGA resolution) and music playback. The DSi will also add an SD slot and internal storage (we don't yet know how much) to enhance its multimedia capabilities. The screens are now slightly larger at 3.25 inches.Photos can be synced to the Wii Photo Channel.

Nintendo is also launching the "DSi Shop" to sell content directly over WiFi. The DSi will include a free browser application."

**

EDIT: One "Nintendo Press Conference Report" here (Nintendo of Japan):
IGN: Nintendo Press Conference Report

**new "DSi":
"The DSi is notably smaller than its predecessor. Roughly 3.24 inches thick, the handheld is 12 percent thinner than DS Lite -- specifically, by 2.6 millimeters. The reduction in size has not come without a sacrifice -- specifically, the omission of GBA game slot.

On the other hand, the DSi features several advancements and upgrades. It includes, for example, a built-in .3-megapixel camera (capable of maximum picture-taking resolutions of 640x480)...
...both screens of DSi will be touch-compatible. Meanwhile, the handheld will feature an SD card slot and the ability to play AAC music and other sound files. Users will be able to use the stylus and touch-screens to change the pitch and playback speed of music.

The DS web browser will also be built into DSi."

**DS Shop (with "DSWare" software)

**SD memory card to Wii (to address the lack of Wii system memory):
"Mr. Iwata announced that future Wii software can be downloaded directly to the SD memory card. It will also be possible to easily move software from SD card to the Wii system memory. This long-anticipated option will not become available to Wii owners until spring 2009."

**"Let's Play On Wii" software:
"The series will bring back popular titles like Pikmin that were released on GameCube, but they will adapted for play on Wii."

**Upcoming games:
Nintendo's Wii showreel deciphered News // Wii /// Eurogamer - Games Reviews, News and More

"Nintendo US" Press Conference is next...

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The coolest thing about the DSi is the onboard storage and download stuff. Then again, it's basically catching up to the PSP, frankly.

The ability to use SD cards to store games on the Wii is a welcome change.

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I keep threatening to buy my wife a DS, since she loves little puzzle games on her Palm. But she's not interested.

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Too bad (well, or is it?), that the new DSi is dropping a GBA slot (so with DSi, you can´t play the old GBA games anymore). I don´t have DS yet, but I´m planning to get one and I was also planning to get some old (Mario at least) GBA games.. Not fully sure what to do now (since I kinda want the "latest" DSi when it arrives).

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The DSi is going to take a while to come out in America/Europe. If you can get a DS cheap (possibly used) then go for it.

Also, I have a GBA, GBA SP, and a DS Lite. Losing the GBA slot doesn't do much to me. The slot will affect games that had the Guitar Hero thing or a rumble pak, but that's about it. Frankly, I like backwards compatibility but after a certain point, it's not really an essential thing to me.