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[Rumor] Inside Gaming: Lower-priced, Kinect-less Xbox One coming summer 2014

farisr

Member
Kind of like how required online couldn't be "turned off with a switch".

I don't see how the things like navigating menus and the dashboard requires Kinect, they could just as easily allow controller input to do all that.

They already have it implemented. They said you could use the controller to go through menus, snap, etc. They said in an interview that you don't have to use your voice or gestures with Kinect at all to operate the menus/swapping stuff if you don't want to.

But yeah, sadly cboat debunks this rumor.

Oh well. Guess it will be the last console I buy this gen after all. Never thought it'd be possible that I would be getting a Nintendo console 2-3 years before I got an Xbox.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
That would be awesome. I'd certainly consider getting one if true.
 
kinect requirement is actually making people not want it. if they remove it then more will want it.
Personally, if they removed the Kinect, dropped the price, made nice with indies, proved their long term commitment to quality exclusives (instead of their usual M.O. of only worrying about exclusives at/near launch), and made the console at least as powerful as a PS4, I'd certainly consider getting one.
 
the very reason why you say it would "make no sense" -- they would have to gut out everything that is mandatory for kinect to be connected.

then it would make a lot of sense because then it would work.

The only thing making Kinect mandatory is some lines of code in the OS. You can use the console just fine with a controller as is.
 

Bsigg12

Member
So they're allowing them to publish across the PC/XBO/Surface RT by limiting the use to 3 gigs of RAM and using the Windows Store.
 
So publishing through the Windows 8 store will be optional? What is "allowed" meant to imply?

I can't imagine they'd have any interest in publishing on RT, so might as well do XBLA and Steam instead... assuming Indies can publish on Xbox One outside of the Windows 8 partition?
 

Barzul

Member
So does this mean indies can publish through XBLA & Windows 8 or just Windows 8. If it's the latter, how does it work out for games we've already seen like Below & LocoCylce (bleh!)?
 
So does this mean indies can publish through XBLA & Windows 8 or just Windows 8. If it's the latter, how does it work out for games we've already seen like Below & LocoCylce (bleh!)?

Aren't those published by MS?

This is presumably talking about self-publishing. If they're working with another publisher, I'm sure they'll be treated like any other game.
 

Afrodium

Banned
Not every game requires it, and the UI can be controlled exclusively with the controller. How is it "integral"?

I should have said that it's integral to Microsoft's vision for the Xbox One. Microsoft pumped truckloads of money into developing the Kinect 2, and it's going to be what they attempt to sell the console on. This is not to say that I agree with this plan, but that I can't see Microsoft making any plans at this point to abandon it. Microsoft does not see the Kinect 2 as an accessory, but rather the defining feature of their next-gen vision.
 

Barzul

Member
Indies allowed to self-publish if they use less than 3GB and only through the Windows 8 store ghetto.
Oh thanks for the explanation, hoping this changes as the generation progresses, can't indies maxing out 3gb at this stage of the next gen, if enough developers complain, maybe we'll see changes. Current indies are only working with 512MB on the 360 right?
 

Bsigg12

Member
So does this mean indies can publish through XBLA & Windows 8 or just Windows 8. If it's the latter, how does it work out for games we've already seen like Below & LocoCylce (bleh!)?

Windows Store which works across the Xbox One, Windows 8/RT and Windows Phone. There is no such thing as arcade anymore, all games are equal in the Xbox Live Marketplace. This will allow indies to self publish across the 3 platforms with the caveat that they can only use 3 gigs of RAM.
 
To expound on my comment from earlier:

"I can't imagine they'd have any interest in publishing on RT, so might as well do XBLA and Steam instead... assuming Indies can publish on Xbox One outside of the Windows 8 partition?"

What if they're forcing indies into the Windows 8 in the hopes of bringing some life to the Windows App Store and Windows RT?
 
yuh

.INDYianaJONESTHAPOOR wil graci8uos alloowd tpoo publishjthru the Wni8 store geto

butBUT

wait4it
limted to 3gigs mem,nt full. sory!

comnce to yeling atme, xbotz

No way...

The 3GB part, doesn't that mean that they will be limited to the OS partition of the memory, right?

I mean that wouldn't make sense, since the OS would still need memory to work either way so I assume the 3GB is still in the 'games' partition. But if that is the case, then why the limit?
 

Barzul

Member
Aren't those published by MS?

This is presumably talking about self-publishing. If they're working with another publisher, I'm sure they'll be treated like any other game.
If this is only in regards to self publishing, then I don't think it's as bad as it seemed, certainly doesn't sound as good as what the PS4 has, but much better than what we thought we'd be getting on the Xbox One.
 

farisr

Member
No way...

The 3GB part, doesn't that mean that they will be limited to the OS partition of the memory, right?

I mean that wouldn't make sense, since the OS would still need memory to work either way so I assume the 3GB is still in the 'games' partition. But if that is the case, then why the limit?

To make sure the indie games remain "indie" and don't end up outshining their first party exclusives.

seriously though. no idea. seems like a stupid arbitrary limit.
 
To expound on my comment from earlier:

"I can't imagine they'd have any interest in publishing on RT, so might as well do XBLA and Steam instead... assuming Indies can publish on Xbox One outside of the Windows 8 partition?"

What if they're forcing indies into the Windows 8 in the hopes of bringing some life to the Windows App Store and Windows RT?

Like I said in my reply to cboat, the 3 gigs of mem limit would pretty much rule it out as them living in the W8 partition of memory.

It seems more like an arbitrary limit to maybe try to get the more ambitious indies to publish through MS to qualify for more resources.
 
To make sure the indie games remain "indie" and don't end up outshining their first party exclusives.

seriously though. no idea. seems like a stupid arbitrary limit.

If that limit is indeed true, it smacks of MS handing scraps to try and earn some good will with indies without having to forgo the possibility of coaxing more ambitious indies to publish through them for more privileges.
 
Like I said in my reply to cboat, the 3 gigs of mem limit would pretty much rule it out as them living in the W8 partition of memory.

It seems more like an arbitrary limit to maybe try to get the more ambitious indies to publish through MS to qualify for more resources.

I thought the idea was that Windows 8 apps could be used while playing games as part of the console's multitasking functionality. Hence why devs can't use any of that 3gb for games, and why the OS even needs that much ram in the first place.

If these indie games are just apps, then they'd fit inside that 3GB with the OS and other features like Internet Explorer, etc.

Though that would lead to a "play games while playing games" sort of inception thingy.
 

Barzul

Member
Like I said in my reply to cboat, the 3 gigs of mem limit would pretty much rule it out as them living in the W8 partition of memory.

It seems more like an arbitrary limit to maybe try to get the more ambitious indies to publish through MS to qualify for more resources.
It does seem that way, the OS would still need RAM to operate anyway. I'm reading this as indies who self publish will have 3gb of memory to work with vs 5gb(?) for those who go through a publisher. Doesn't sound like a terrible deal tbh, but I don't really know much about game development.
 

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
Ok, so part of me is thinking, maybe that won't be so bad since games only get access to 5GB of memory at any time. So 3GB is workable.

Then I remember that the 3GB isn't dedicated like the 5GB, it's shared with other running apps on the XB1. Which means we're going to get much, much less than the 3GB.

...wow.

Like I said in my reply to cboat, the 3 gigs of mem limit would pretty much rule it out as them living in the W8 partition of memory.

It seems more like an arbitrary limit to maybe try to get the more ambitious indies to publish through MS to qualify for more resources.

Nah, even MS isn't crazy enough to arbitrarily set roadblocks from games looking their best on XB1.

The side benefit is that this could potentially allow indie games to be run alongside normal XB1 games. Uh, yay I guess.
 
I thought the idea was that Windows 8 apps could be used while playing games as part of the console's multitasking functionality. Hence why devs can't use any of that 3gb for games, and why the OS even needs that much ram in the first place.

If these indie games are just apps, then they'd fit inside that 3GB with the OS and other features like Internet Explorer, etc.

Though that would lead to a "play games while playing games" sort of inception thingy.

If the limit of 3Gigs for indies were indeed in the OS partition, then the OS would have to be reduced to a minimum while playing such indies since it wouldn't have memory for much of it. Doesn't make sense.

Not to mention that that would limit how much the indies can do regarding graphics and stuff because as I understand it (someone correct me if I'm wrong), the apps in the OS part have limited access to the GPU and CPU resources by design.
 
A game within, within a game. Inceptioned

Maaaaan.

I thought the idea was that Windows 8 apps could be used while playing games as part of the console's multitasking functionality. Hence why devs can't use any of that 3gb for games, and why the OS even needs that much ram in the first place.

If these indie games are just apps, then they'd fit inside that 3GB with the OS and other features like Internet Explorer, etc.

Though that would lead to a "play games while playing games" sort of inception thingy.
 

Bsigg12

Member
Ok, so part of me is thinking, maybe that won't be so bad since games only get access to 5GB of memory at any time. So 3GB is workable.

Then I remember that the 3GB isn't dedicated like the 5GB, it's shared with other running apps on the XB1. Which means we're going to get much, much less than the 3GB.

...wow.



Nah, even MS isn't crazy enough to arbitrarily set roadblocks from games looking their best on XB1.

The side benefit is that this could potentially allow indie games to be run alongside normal XB1 games. Uh, yay I guess.

We don't know where those 3 gigs are coming from though. We're assuming it's off the OS partition because of the size, but what if the Windows Store has a limit to what it can access on all Windows OSes and it's pulling from the gaming side rather than OS on the Xbox One?
 
Nah, even MS isn't crazy enough to arbitrarily set roadblocks from games looking their best on XB1.

I would think the possibility of getting some revenue from indies by becoming their publisher or perhaps even getting exclusivity out of it would be enough for MS to try something like that. Wasn't that the deal with some of the indies on 360?
 

Majanew

Banned
Makes me want to take the money off my XB1 pre-order and put that $500 towards PS4 games. I do not want Kinect. But I doubt MS will drop Kinect from a SKU unless the system bombs.
 

Hip Hop

Member
Early adopters are always willing to pay a premium. Squeeze as much money as possible at launch, and then lower prices a year later once sales have tapered off a bit.

While that may be true, it would be more detrimental for them in the long run to do something like this.

Nintendo was in the same path when they swiftly slashed the price of the 3DS. They of course offered the Ambassador program to ease the pain, but I'm sure that still left Nintendo with a bad image for doing something like that.

If it's mid year for a Microsoft price drop, the same thing will happen. It wouldn't be bad to do so at the end of the year though. They'll be smart and not offer a cheaper product before the first year is up.
 
I do not want kinect. I do not currently, or have ever, owned kinect. I do not want xbone to require it. I do not want to interface with my console with voice controls. If I did why is my several hundred dollar headsets not good enough? Why are they building DVR shit into this box? Why can I not opt in to that package via a kinect app and DVR app if I so choose?

Here is a crazy idea Microsoft... If you need to pack something in as required hardware to force it's use on the consumer maybe it shouldn't be there in the first place or... At all.

I am hoping for a xbone with no kinect and DVR software that can be unloaded from the system. All for 399.99.
 

synce

Member
No way this is happening, but I guess someone thinks if they spread the rumor there's a chance... no way though. That's like a Wii not coming bundled with nunchuck or some shit like that.
 

bishoptl

Banstick Emeritus
We don't know where those 3 gigs are coming from though. We're assuming it's off the OS partition because of the size, but what if the Windows Store has a limit to what it can access on all Windows OSes and it's pulling from the gaming side rather than OS on the Xbox One?
Yeah, that's the only way this makes sense to me.
 
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