Found an Xbox kiosk today... (1 Viewer)

[Michael St. Clair]

I have old, ancient (we're talking almost 20 years) Commdore computer monitors that aren't even really tweakable that have better pictures than I've seen at demo Kiosks lately.
They should just use a small, modern VGA monitor and a transcoder, it should look GREAT.

 

[Pete_S]

I don't think there's really any question as to whether or not the X-Box "non-interactive demos" are being rendered by the system - On the Xbox display at the Kmart where I work, all of the demos freeze for about a second every four or five seconds. Audio, video, everything. Then everything kicks back in right where it left off. Kind of like someone keeps pausing the system, but (obviously) no one is. The unit has been exhibiting this behavior since the day we got it. Based on this experience, I think it's safe to say that the Xbox demos are just DVD video.

 

[Sean Oneil]

About the display quality...
What kind of picture quality can we really expect from a 'Microsoft' brand Television/Monitor anyway??
I had a small chuckle seeing that MS is now making TVs. Maybe they are going to take on Sony in the TV business as well

 

[Camp]

Just a low-end Panasonic television. Probably whatever they got cheapest.

I did notice that the menu and adjustment controls on the televisions have been disabled, so I presume that Microsoft has these sets tweaked to where they want them for Xbox purposes.

Yea, the front buttons are disabled but the included remote operates the adjustment controls just fine. There is no pre-tweaking by Microsoft.
I'm going to drop a game in my display unit today. The video quality is so poor I think it's turning people off. Perhaps an actual game will help.

 

[pitchman]

To Joe Six Pack, though, the television looks fine. Ignorance is bliss. I did notice that the menu and adjustment controls on the televisions have been disabled, so I presume that Microsoft has these sets tweaked to where they want them for Xbox purposes.

From a marketing standpoint, this may prove to be a blunder.
The Xbox "teaser" ads that aired during the World Series clearly focused on the "technical superiority" of the Xbox hardware with a "...just wait'll you see this thing action!" type message.
When you see the crappy video on these Xbox kiosks (especially alongside GameCube and PS2 kiosks), the technical superiority argument is not very compelling, IMHO.
Gary
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[Joshua Moran]

I think the X-Box graphics were pretty weak. Still has jaggies and the textures are muddy/blurry. It looks like a souped up N64. I got to play the Gamecube and found no jaggies and very vibrant textures. But Gameplay was lacking. Lugi's mansion is just boring. Wave Race is just the same game with a new graphic engine. Rogue Squadron was ok more promising but rushed. Lets not even start on the BS2. I really feel the X-Box will let down a bunch of people come lunch day. Also understand that the 1st gen games will be the best it can do since this system is a Pentium and windows based unit with a glorified GeForce 2. You may get a few graphic tweaks but not as much as a traditional console system. If you want my opinion I think the Gamecube will do better in the long run. But I really feel the next generation system be it 256 or whatever will have better gaming. Right now the gaming companies are scrambling to just keep up with a fast growing market and technology. Online games are the future and I will give them credit that they are starting to head in that direction. These are just my opinions and not meant to start a flame war. I really am not trying to sell any of the systems just giving my views.

 

[BrianB]

quote: Also understand that the 1st gen games will be the best it can do since this system is a Pentium and windows based unit with a glorified GeForce 2. [/quote]
Nonsense. There's tons of flexibility & power in the shader units still to be exploited.

Lets not even start on the BS2.

What the heck is a BS2?
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Nothing In Particular
[Edited last by BrianB on November 06, 2001 at 12:16 PM]

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Did somebody clone Morgan? I thought that was illegal.

 

[BrianB]

Did somebody clone Morgan? I thought that was illegal.

I was wondering the same thing...

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Nothing In Particular

 

[Joshua Moran]

BS2 = PS2
I call it the BS2 because most of the stats were nothing but Bullshit. No Anti Alaising, 75 million polys per second is a joke. It can't do it.
I have talked with Nvidia at the XP Roadshow and they told me flat out that the X-Box graphics card is nothing more than a GeForce 2 with a few added things. It is not a GeForce 3 like alot of sells reps want to believe.

 

[Dean Cooper]

Also understand that the 1st gen games will be the best it can do since this system is a Pentium and windows based unit with a glorified GeForce 2.

This lost all of your views credibility with me. This is a typical Nintendo fanboy description of the Xbox. If you actually looked into the Xbox you would know how false that statement really is.
Dean

 

[Gary King]

It is not a GeForce 3 like alot of sells reps want to believe.

Well, I guess all my NV20 pixel and vertex shaders weren't working on the Xbox, then. Sure did a good job of fooling me.

 

[Dean Cooper]

Here is a great read on all three of the systems. check it out here:
Link Removed
Dean

 

[Joshua Moran]

Dean, as I clearly stated I am not trying to sell either system. These are just opinions that I believe. The Dreamcast is running alot of PC architecture like the X-Box and it's 2nd gen games never looked any better than the first. We have been programming for windows based systems for years now we know how to take advantage of the hardware and OS. This is why I feel the graphics will not improve like a traditional console (PS2, Gamecube). I could be totally wrong and only time will tell. But this is how I feel. And yes the X-Box has some GeForce 3 capabilities as I stated it is a souped up GeForce 2 according to Nvidia. I didn't have the chance to ask them what exactly it steals from the GeForce 3. But they did remark that if you read the X-Box System specs it just says a Nvidia Graphics Chip. E-mail them if you don't want to believe me but this is what I am told from the manufacture and I assume they would know their product. I am not a fan of any of the 128-bit consoles they all seem lacking. I have a PS2 that I plan on keeping and will probly end getting an X-Box or Gamecube in the future. As of now I am going to stick with my PC it seems to have more games that are to my style.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The quality of the games should be based more on the developers than the console. Yes, if you tried to put a game like ICO on an Atari it would be horrible, but as long as the hardware is around the same as the competition, then the developers make the game, not the hardware.
For example, I can never see a game like ICO coming out on the X-Box because of its artistry. The X-Box pushes polys, but without talented people behind the graphics, sound, and everything else, the games will suck. I'm not saying there aren't good people working on games for the X-Box, but I don't see anyone doing anything to the calibre of ICO.
From what I have seen, the most original game on the two launching consoles is Super Monkey Ball. The second would be Luigi's Mansion. Why are they both on the GameCube? Because Microsoft is trying to reach everyone instead by making a lot of good games in each genre instead of being like Nintendo and making a few GREAT games in only a few genres. Its a classic Nintendo strategy. They also have developers like Factor 5 and Rare who will make a few games, but put their all into them. I'm not saying the XB games all suck, but to tell the truth, they don't look as inspired as Nintendo's. A racing game, a football game, a sequel of a fighting game, and a game that was on the PS2 (combined with one really good game, Halo) don't exactly make me excited for a console launch.
Sorry about the rant. I'm just pointing out why I think Nintendo has overall better games than MS for their launching consoles, at this moment. I know some of you disagree and I may have gone off on a tangent, but it all helps my point.

 

[pitchman]

Dean, great read. Thanks for the link!
Gary
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[Joshua Moran]

Yes I agree it was a good read. Competition forces developers to create original games. Which in my opinion the Video game arena is seriously lacking. Now if one of these companies can make a real MMORPG on one of their console then you have a winner. But right now all the systems seem to have the same exact games from their third party support. All the original titles are coming from first party and most of those seem to be sequels lately

 

[Gary King]

Actually, Joshua, the Xbox graphics chip is a souped-up GeForce 3.

 

[Kelly Scott Rickards]

So Morgan, what do you consider Namco, Konami, Capcom and Sega?
CHOPPED LIVER??
Those 4 companies are WORLD CLASS developers who have 3d modeling and art staff that can run RINGS around nearly every other developer in the world!
These guys are each making SEVERAL XBOX games, and I GUARANTEE YOU, they will *not* be lacking in artistic vision just because they are on XBOX...

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I never said they would lack artistic vision, but only that graphics don't just make a game. The thing that sets ICO apart from many games is its artistic vision. The calibre of it is so high that I doubt many people will ever be able to match or surpass it.