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[ATJaguarX]

Like I said in one of my previous posts... this guy knew WAY too much for me to not believe him. Obviously none of you were there and you question the credability... as I would if I were in your shoes.

Apparently, myself and Wario, felt strongly enough about this to post it, otherwise we wouldn't have just added to the existing rumors. This was all from a 90 minute conversation and he spoke about other things that weren't mentioned in here to increase his credability. Obviously, I don't have the time to reproduce the whole 90 minute conversation.

He did mention something about the XBL servers handling alot of the geometry that will allow increadible xbl performance. He talked over my head on alot of things... so I won't make an opinion on this.

 

[DarienA]

Ah, but "essential" is a very relative thing. To someone who'd rather not keep their old XBox around, they'll need to repurchase XB1 games that are ported to XB2 (assuming both that they want them and they're ported.)

BC isn't essential but it's a nice feather that you can toss around at system launch because let's face it.. no launch is going to have all the genre's covered with quality products on Day 1, and for some folks space is an issue.... but in the end... no.. it's definitely not essential. However not having it just gives Sony something they can "lord over" other hardware manufacturers.

 

[FiRez]

Online COOP for Halo2 made it though Alpha and Beta testing. It ran flawlessly and "as smooth as silk". At the last minute it was taken out. My source has went as far as saying "all the code is in there... it's just turned off". That would explain all the menus that make it appear that you can play COOP on Live. It was removed and NO explaination has been given to why.

They explained in a weekly update that it was scrapped because the music was not syncronized when you played co-op over Live.

Halo 2 was dismantled in the middle of development. As everyone knows, Bungie wanted Halo2 to be the last in the series and move onto other games for Xbox 360. MS went to Bungie 2/3 of the way through the development and told Bungie that they did NOT want them to end it because the want Halo to be a franchise. Since Bungie had the story already written to end with Halo2, they had to remove alot and fill it with fluff to save something for Halo 3. This is the rumor why online Coop was removed... they need to save something "innovative" for Halo 3. It is true... the Ark board was supposed to be in this game. Look at the Limited Edition Halo DVD. You will a story board showing the Ark on Earth.

It seems that this explain why the SP mode is not at the same level of the first Halo.

 

[FiRez]

I call bullshit on all of this. Bungie admitted to basically scrapping the game halfway through the project because it wasn't running well and wasn't fun.

You're confusing Halo2 with Project Phoenix

 

[ATJaguarX]

They explained in a weekly update that it was scrapped because the music was not syncronized when you played co-op over Live.

A likely excuse. You believe everything you read? Would it make you feel better if they actually came out and said "Yeah... we took it out and will be adding it to Halo 3 so we can get some more money from you".

And no... I do not feel that this was from a Halo 2 hater. We actually brought up Halo2, not him. I am not a Halo2 hater either. I have devoted more time to Halo 2 then any other game in my library.

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

He did mention something about the XBL servers handling alot of the geometry that will allow increadible xbl performance.

This thing alone is screaming bullshit for what he said to you. Simply technically unfeasible at all, for a number of reasons. About the rest, yes he said you many things but nothing new. I call bullshit!

 

[Brimstone]

I just don't really care if it has BC or not. Perfect Dark Zero will have online gameplay. The enviroments should be much more intresting because of the powerful 360 hardware. Better graphics, audio, animation, and physics. I want to most intense experience possible, so I crave the games designed from the ground up to take advantage of the bleeding edge hardware.

 

[FiRez]

A likely excuse. You believe everything you read? Would it make you feel better if they actually came out and said "Yeah... we took it out and will be adding it to Halo 3 so we can get some more money from you".

I believe more in your explanation (sorry for not mention it), I was just saying that I read it in a weekly update of the Bungie.Net. and yes it seems weird that Bungie put coop in the optimatch list if you're not supposed to play it over Live.

 

[ATJaguarX]

Xbox 360 will not contain a single G5 processor so thats a bit off for a starters.

Pug... you may be correct. The Xbox 360 may not have a single G5 processor... it may have dual G5 processors.

 

[nfreakct]

I just don't really care if it has BC or not. Perfect Dark Zero will have online gameplay. The enviroments should be much more intresting because of the powerful 360 hardware. Better graphics, audio, animation, and physics. I want to most intense experience possible, so I crave the games designed from the ground up to take advantage of the bleeding edge hardware.

You should write press releases.

 

[Saurus]

This thing alone is screaming bullshit for what he said to you. Simply technically unfeasible at all, for a number of reasons. About the rest, yes he said you many things but nothing new. I call bullshit!

From what I remember, he said the way the PS3 and XBox 360 handle online games is totally different. He said to expect scaled down graphics on the PS3 for online play.

 

[Pug]

Pug... you may be correct. The Xbox 360 may not have a single G5 processor... it may have dual G5 processors.

Atjauguar,Xbox 360 will not be dual core G5's. The development stations are dual core G5 but the finisihed machine will be using tri core PPC probably based on the core in CELL.

 

[Nerevar]

From what I remember, he said the way the PS3 and XBox 360 handle online games is totally different. He said to expect scaled down graphics on the PS3 for online play.

why would you need scaled down graphics, though? I mean, apart from MMOs (where hundreds of characters can be onscreen at once), all the graphics rendering is done on the client side. There's a reason it's done this way - it reduces the bandwidth needed to communicate with other players. It would simply be stupid to do it any other way.

 

[DopeyFish]

You're confusing Halo2 with Project Phoenix

No he's not actually.

They scrapped it a couple days after the initial 10 minute gameplay showing (that made everyone crap themselves)

 

[GFord]

So MS actually liked the Sony's idea of PS2 having an HD as a add on (despite the negative reaction from gamer's and Sony's about face with PSTwo)) and are copying it? Damn does MS ever do anything original?

 

[DarienA]

So MS actually liked the Sony's idea of PS2 having an HD as a add on (despite the negative reaction from gamer's and Sony's about face with PSTwo)) and are copying it? Damn does MS ever do anything original?

<Thinks about the features MS has ripped off from various other software products over the years and then incorporated in to Windows, Office, Server and/or Exchange>

....No

 

[FiRez]

No he's not actually. They scrapped it a couple days after the initial 10 minute gameplay showing (that made everyone crap themselves)

I know that the demo was scrapped because it was the only thing that they have at the time to show in E32K3 (is in the extra disc of the LE version), But the 2nd group of Bungie halted the development of other game called Project Phoenix because it wasn't fun.

 

[JJConrad]

Everything Wario posted is from a credible source from a VERY popular development company. I was involved in the conversation...

While your version of the story is more convincing than Wario's, it still sounds like a collection of rumors and fanboy dreams of one-upping the competition.

- "Xbox 360: The real revolution" Its unlikely that Nintendo will use the codename for the final title... its a silly to base the title of your console off of the early nickname of your competitors. It is better than "Xbox 360: Going in circles"

- VGA support, like Nintendo officially announced last year?

- Server-side geometry calculations, isn't really practicle and sounds like they're just trying to copy the myth behind CELL and the PS3.

- Unless your source works at Bungie, how does he know so much about Halo 2 and 3? They're pretty tight and with lips as loose as his, this information would have been known months ago.

- We also have conflicting rumors from other "reliable sources."

- Half of the people on this board can BS their way through a vidoe game conversation, especially when our audience thinks we actually know something. Isn't that right, Blimblim?*

I'm willing to believe you, but hold that you may not have understood everything that the source was saying and so some things are a liitle off. You did give a timeframe, so we'll see in 2-4 weeks.





*I kid.

 

[Saurus]

why would you need scaled down graphics, though? I mean, apart from MMOs (where hundreds of characters can be onscreen at once), all the graphics rendering is done on the client side. There's a reason it's done this way - it reduces the bandwidth needed to communicate with other players. It would simply be stupid to do it any other way.

That's what he was talking about. Massive worlds that could support hundreds of characters.

 

[Duckhuntdog]

PPC probably based on the core in CELL.

Hahahahaha. No.

And still at 256 megs or memory at this point.

 

[Pug]

Hahahahaha. No.

Well if its not it may well be a PPC970 core either way it isn't G5's thats for sure. All I know that there been a lot of speculation over at B3D that the cores in XB360 are simialr to the main core in CELL of course minus the SPU'S.

 

[Saurus]

While your version of the story is more convincing than Wario's

Wario's post is just a collection of my ramblings in a PM I sent him. Didn't want to post the info but told him he could if he wanted to.

Oh, and "The Real Revolution" was one of a few taglines that was being discussed.

 

[kaching]

A likely excuse. You believe everything you read?

You believe everything you hear?

 

[Shaheed79]

If the Xbox wasn't such a faulty poorly designed console I wouldn't care AS much if Xenon didn't have BC. But it is. I haven't had my Xbox for a full month and I already have had 4 IDE errors and a couple of random shutoff's and I don't even have a Thomson version. I don't trust this thing to last more than 2 years let alone long enough to see 360 through its lifespan. One would think that MS would make their first well made console compatible with their poorly made one to make sure their fans will be able to enjoy their first Xbox library experiences well into the future. And all this jazz about it costing MS money to make it BC so the fuk what? They should incur those losses not the consumers nobody told them to make the Xbox the way they did. You make mistakes like that then you pay for em to show good faith towards your fanbase. All of a sudden its ok to their hardcore fanbase for MS to be "economical" when a few years back every one of them bragged about how they could bleed money just to keep us gamers happy. Not anymore huh? Now we're all concerned about their overhead and are willing to sacrifice luxuries that will become industry standards next generation some thanks to Xbox.

 

[ATJaguarX]

You believe everything you hear?

No, I don't believe everything I hear, but I'm not posting some "fluff" that was probably told to the public to cover up the real reason why something was left out of a game.

Who honestly believes that Bungie left out coop because they could not sync up, of all things, music?

Come on people... open your eyes.

 

[Azih]

My Xbox has been pretty good to me so far *knocks on wood*.

 

[Shaheed79]

My Xbox has been pretty good to me so far *knocks on wood*.

Yeah u better. Remind me to sacrifice a goat to the Xbox gods to ensure mine keeps working for a while longer.

 

[3rdman]

If the Xbox wasn't such a faulty poorly designed console I wouldn't care AS much if Xenon didn't have BC. But it is. I haven't had my Xbox for a full month and I already have had 4 IDE errors and a couple of random shutoff's and I don't even have a Thomson version. I don't trust this thing to last more than 2 years let alone long enough to see 360 through its lifespan. One would think that MS would make their first well made console compatible with their poorly made one to make sure their fans will be able to enjoy their first Xbox library experiences well into the future. And all this jazz about it costing MS money to make it BC so the fuk what? They should incur those losses not the consumers nobody told them to make the Xbox the way they did. You make mistakes like that then you pay for em to show good faith towards your fanbase. All of a sudden its ok to their hardcore fanbase for MS to be "economical" when a few years back every one of them bragged about how they could bleed money just to keep us gamers happy. Not anymore huh? Now we're all concerned about their overhead and are willing to sacrifice luxuries that will become industry standards next generation some thanks to Xbox.

You've owned it for a month and you hanven't returned it???? Sounds like you're either too lazy to get another one or you bought a used one in which case you get what you paid for. I bought mine at launch and its plays flawlessly with a Thompson drive. It's a VERY well built console considering its off-the-shelf nature. If you did buy it new, why haven't you tried returning it?

As for BC, in the end, it'll depend greatly on cost. Do they include it and raise the price of the machine. Somehow I'd doubt they'd do that but whether or not it is a necessary option will vary from person to person. I hope its there, but if not, I'll have to pull out the old box every now and again...big deal.

 

[ATJaguarX]

If the Xbox wasn't such a faulty poorly designed console

Faulty? I've had mine since launch and haven't had a single problem.

I haven't had my Xbox for a full month and I already have had 4 IDE errors and a couple of random shutoff's and I don't even have a Thomson version.

Maybe you should stop spilling your Ecto Cooler on it.

One would think that MS would make their first well made console compatible with their poorly made one to make sure their fans will be able to enjoy their first Xbox library experiences well into the future.

If my Xbox fails a year into the lifespan of Xbox 360, and I really want to play the "old" games, I'll drop $75 on an original Xbox.

And all this jazz about it costing MS money to make it BC so the fuk what?

But you can't expect MS to redesign the 360 so it's less effecient, more costly, and going with Nvidia just for the sake of BC.

I'd rather them think ahead and go with what they see what hardware components will make them the best console.

You make mistakes like that then you pay for em to show good faith towards your fanbase.

If this is the case, then Sony should have given everyone a network adapter for free because they left it out of the PS2.

All of a sudden its ok to their hardcore fanbase for MS to be "economical" when a few years back every one of them bragged about how they could bleed money just to keep us gamers happy.

Is any company happy losing money?

Now we're all concerned about their overhead and are willing to sacrifice luxuries that will become industry standards next generation some thanks to Xbox.

Just because it's a standard, doesn't mean you don't question it. Who actually plays there PS1 games on their PS2... and of those 5 people, how many of them still would have purchased a PS2 if it wasn't BC?

 

[ATJaguarX]

As for BC, in the end, it'll depend greatly on cost. Do they include it and raise the price of the machine. Somehow I'd doubt they'd do that but whether or not it is a necessary option will vary from person to person. I hope its there, but if not, I'll have to pull out the old box every now and again...big deal.

I agree...

I'd rather them focus on making a "state of the art" console before making it backwards compatible. Knowing that it is backwards compatible just tells me that they could have used their time better to make a superior product, rather then spend precious time making it BC. Give me something revolutionary... if I want to play the old games, I know where my old console is.

 

[Shaheed79]

Hmm

Faulty? I've had mine since launch and haven't had a single problem.

So? Are you trying to imply that lots of people don't have IDE errors and other problems with their Xbox? I salute you for having a perfectly working Xbox sir now gone somewhere and count your blessings.


Maybe you should stop spilling your Ecto Cooler on it.

Heh. I'm renowned among my friends for being particular about taking care of my stuff ESPECIALLY game consoles. Don't assume you know me.

If my Xbox fails a year into the lifespan of Xbox 360, and I really want to play the "old" games, I'll drop $75 on an original Xbox.

And what if the rumors of MS halting Xbox production are true? Will you buy a used one so enthusiastically?

But you can't expect MS to redesign the 360 so it's less effecient, more costly, and going with Nvidia just for the sake of BC.

Just like I couldn't expect for them to make reliable hardware with Xbox that doesn't cost 100 bucks to fix? Your logic is flawed. They splooged money on the wrong things like a Hardrive while shortchanging us on ensuring quality manufacturing. Why do you think they STILL put Thomoson drives in new Xbox's?

I'd rather them think ahead and go with what they see what hardware components will make them the best console.

They should of thought ahead with their first console. They didn't. They're just now tryna cover their tracks and how well they do that is still yet to be seen.


If this is the case, then Sony should have given everyone a network adapter for free because they left it out of the PS2.

What? Thats not EVEN the same thing and I don't particularly feel the need to defend Sony or Nintendo either on a legitimate matter of rectifying mistakes that inherently affect its customers.

Is any company happy losing money?

Is it our fault they designed Xbox the way they did? They made choices and proclaimed a certain attitude towards console gaming and now they should stick behind the philosophy that got them the fanbase they currently enjoy.

Just because it's a standard, doesn't mean you don't question it. Who actually plays there PS1 games on their PS2... and of those 5 people.........

Blah blah blah blah....

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

I'm still waiting to hear the reason I should believe ANYTHING here, aside from "it's a reliable source" and "He talked so much and it was so detailed, he couldn't have lied".

These things could be right, but I want to hear a valid reason as to why I should believe they are.

 

[ATJaguarX]

I'm still waiting to hear the reason I should believe ANYTHING here, aside from "it's a reliable source" and "He talked so much and it was so detailed, he couldn't have lied".

I'm just posting what I heard. I have never said that he wasn't lying. My personal opinion is that he sounded legit.

These things could be right, but I want to hear a valid reason as to why I should believe they are.

Take them as they are... rumors. You can either believe them or not... personally, I do. I posted them on here so that you can come to your own conclusions. It doesn't matter if the guy told me he was Bill Gates himself, he could of been lying. I did not talk face to face with the person and I did not ask him for proof of who he is. He wasn't someone that started blabbing rumors. I found out who he was and who he worked for and began asking questions. Based on our conversation (how knowledgeable he was, how he answered all questions thoroughly (without delay), a great understanding of the technical aspects of game design, intimate knowledge of E3 as well as other companies and the ability to comment on current rumors), I felt like he wasn't trying to pull a fast one on me. Like I said, none of us knew that this was going to go into a 90 minute conversation. And I said before... this is from an uncredited, undocumented source. Believe what you will... I posted it for that very reason.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Anyone else think the ability to copy games to the hard drive will make Xbox360 ridiculously easy to pirate?

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Anyone else think the ability to copy games to the hard drive will make Xbox360 ridiculously easy to pirate?

If you could do it from the disc, it would virtually turn retailers like Gamestop and EB into "old school" gaming stores.

 

[GaimeGuy]

If you could do it from the disc, it would virtually turn retailers like Gamestop and EB into "old school" gaming stores.

And that too.

If the ability to copy the game to the hard drive is built in, you could just rent games, burn them, and return, and own the game!

 

[Joe]

not if each game has specific serial numbers and must be registered on xbox live to be able to store the game on your drive. something like steam.

but you could buy the game, rip it, then return it. but then i guess that opens up the problem of people buying the game second-hand not being able to rip games. maybe you need to buy the game brand new and must be an xbox live member to rip the game?

 

[DopeyFish]

not if each game has specific serial numbers and must be registered on xbox live to be able to store the game on your drive. something like steam.

but you could buy the game, rip it, then return it. but then i guess that opens up the problem of people buying the game second-hand not being able to rip games. maybe you need to buy the game brand new and must be an xbox live member to rip the game?

Or maybe the disc->hdd copies expire and are deleted after say 30 days combined with serialization through Live

 

[rastex]

And still at 256 megs or memory at this point.

Not according to.....




Blimblim

HA

 

[Lakitu]

I wonder if we'll see anything on Halo this E3, not including Halo 2 DLC, but I know that's not possible.

Edit: Mistake

 

[GaimeGuy]

Or maybe the disc->hdd copies expire and are deleted after say 30 days combined with serialization through Live

Not if someone doesn't connect their Xbox (unless MS makes it mandatory that a broadband connection be in place and the Xbox connected to it for it to function.) Wouldn't that be screwing over the people who don't have the ability to use live?

Even if they have serialization, a key generator would be out within a month or so of Xbox360's release.

 

[Blimblim]

Not according to.....




Blimblim

HA

No he's right, so far the 512 MB have not been officially validated by MS. The developers have been told that the 512 MB upgrade was likely, but that they should still aim for 256 MB until further notice. It could have changed in the last few weeks, but that was the case mid march.

 

[Ghost]

Not if someone doesn't connect their Xbox (unless MS makes it mandatory that a broadband connection be in place and the Xbox connected to it for it to function.) Wouldn't that be screwing over the people who don't have the ability to use live?

Even if they have serialization, a key generator would be out within a month or so of Xbox360's release.

If MS control the way games are copied to the hard drive they can make it so you still have to insert the disk to play.

Or they could implement the kind of thing you see on shareware where you can copy the game to your hard drive then play it 5 (or some number) of times, then it'll ask you to insert the disk again before letting you play.

Theres lots of things they could do to stop rental thieves.

 

[aaaaa0]

nevermind.

 

[Hiro_Kunimi_80]

It could have changed in the last few weeks, but that was the case mid march.

2 slides ready for 16 may 2005 one with 256mb and other 512mb

 

[Blimblim]

2 slides ready for 16 may 2005 one with 256mb and other 512mb

That would be fun

 

[Funky Papa]

I don't really get it. I guess they are working their asses to get a 512 machine, but also have a "final" doc with 256 megs just in case.

The 256 MB should be more than enough for the extended system and I doubt they want to pull a PC on us.

 

[ATJaguarX]

If MS control the way games are copied to the hard drive they can make it so you still have to insert the disk to play.

Based on the reason I was told for ripping games to the hdd, this would defeat the purpose. My source told me that they were tossing this around, but was very vague on it. I HIGHLY doubt that it will happen.

Also, look for Bungie to reset the Halo2 stats with the upcoming DLC. They are thinking of doing this since it is possible that people have padded their stats via glitches that are being patched.

My source claimed that the Xbox 360 looked like an Apple G5. I'm starting to think that he meant that the development boxes look (internally) like an Apple G5.

There were a few things that he was VERY definate on.

1. Xbox 360 WILL be out November. He stressed it over and over again.
2. Xbox will have up to 4 different output ports
3. Halo2 will be re-done in High-Def and playable on XBL and included with the optional HDD
4. MS is planning on releasing Halo3 to coincide with the PS3 launch
5. MS marketing is using the name Xbox 360 as of now
6. XBL Gamers will have gamercards that show various statistics
7. Xbox 360 will be running on an Apple G5 platform with possibly dual processors (development only?) on Windows Longhorn
8. Xbox 360 will be about 2 things. High Def and Community
9. Halo 2 Coop LIVE was 100% complete and made it through both Alpha and Beta testing

If I "see" him again, I will ask more questions based on the feedback on this post.

... more to come...

 

[Hiro_Kunimi_80]

I don't really get it. I guess they are working their asses to get a 512 machine, but also have a "final" doc with 256 megs just in case.

The 256 MB should be more than enough for the extended system and I doubt they want to pull a PC on us.

i think that there isn't any problem with an upgrade to 512mb in xbox2 board/system/project
it's only a $$$$ question.. if they want .. they'll do with a simple mail to developers " xbox2 will have 512mb of ram " .

 

[Nostromo]

XBox 360 will have more memory than 256 mb as PS3 is going to have more memory than 256 mb, it's simple as that.