Seung / Nobody: what do you think of Xbox Next ?

[Sprite Scaler]

Seung Ho Chung / Nobody's Perfect: I was wondering what you might be
thinking about the Xbox 2 now. with IBM probably providing a PowerPC
CPU and ATi's Marlborough team, which has former Lockheed Martin
Real3D engineers, doing the graphics.

You no doubt recall this part of an article on Sega's Saturn2 from
EDGE magazine and Sony Generation (NG) magazine, from 1995, that you
also posted in 1996-97:

"Now Sega has conceded internally that Saturn will face tough
competition from the Playstation and will not be able to match the
onslaught from the Ultra 64 in 1996. Lockheed Martin has therefore
been given the go-ahead to start work on Saturn 2, although it's not
yet known exactly what form it will take. The current understanding is
that the system will be a standalone console, but it's possible that
Sega could save money by using the existing Saturn as an I/O device,
CD drive and power supply. As with Sega's coin-op IG boards, Lockheed
Martin will be concentrating on the graphics side of Saturn 2,
providing a R3D/100 graphics chip which includes both a geometry
processor and a graphics processor. It's quite possible that Hitachi
will supply the front end (possibly PowerPC -based) - it was rumoured
that Yu Suzuki and other Sega coin-op honchos had wanted Lockheed
Martin to handle the whole project, but this was vetoed internally
because of delays with LMC's development of the Model 3 IG board."


Saturn 2 *was* going to be PowerPC + Real3D or Hitachi SH-4 + Real3D

Xbox2 *is* going to be PowerPC + ATI.

ATI *has* Real3D. If we can establish that, then:

Xbox2 *should* have Real3D technology in it, much like the Nintendo
GameCube has ArtX/SGI (owned by ATI) technology in it.

If I'm right, this is a good thing. Sega console games on an
ATI-powered Microsoft console with some Real3D heritige in it. With
Microsoft's funding, they will have a legit chance at smashing Sony
and the Playstation brand. Both in marketshare and in graphics.

I know the Sony fanboys will laugh but we Sega fanboys have to have
hope

Nintendo fans can be happy too, because N5 will also have ATI's
graphical goodness in it. thanks to the ArtX and Real3D acquisitions.
All ATI teams probably share the collective technology the company has
acquired. Together, the new MS and Nintendo consoles, powered by
ATi/ArtX/Real3D technology, will have a shot at ending Sony's
dominance.

 

[ammonton]

Xbox2 *is* going to be PowerPC + ATI.

It's not certain yet that it'll use a PPC CPU. The press release(1) only
talks about MS licensing "leading-edge semiconductor processor
technology" which could mean almost anything. Possibly/probably yes, but
not certain.

(1) <URL:http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/nov03/11-03XboxIBMPR.asp>

-a

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati Sprite Scaler


It's not certain yet that it'll use a PPC CPU. The press release(1) only
talks about MS licensing "leading-edge semiconductor processor
technology" which could mean almost anything. Possibly/probably yes, but
not certain.

(1)
<URL:http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/nov03/11-03XboxIBMPR.asp>

So, Bungie _did_ manage to take over Microsoft from the inside! Score
one for the freaky guys from Chicago!

yes, I'll explain if you ask,

 

[Mojo JoJo]

Please do.

Mojo

So, Bungie _did_ manage to take over Microsoft from the inside! Score
one for the freaky guys from Chicago!

yes, I'll explain if you ask,

 

[Joe Ottoson]

(e-mail address removed) (Sprite Scaler) wrote in

Seung Ho Chung / Nobody's Perfect: I was wondering what you might be
thinking about the Xbox 2 now. with IBM probably providing a PowerPC
CPU and ATi's Marlborough team, which has former Lockheed Martin
Real3D engineers, doing the graphics.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

[JumpKick]

I'm a bit underwhelmed by Gamecube's graphics, I hope artX does a more
impressive job next time...

 

[Codswallop]

I'm a bit underwhelmed by Gamecube's graphics, I hope artX does a more
impressive job next time...

Compared to what? I mean, the X-Box is marginally better in /some/
games, the PS2 is generally much worse and mid-level PCs are around the
same.

I mean, geez, what do you want?

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

Please do.

Mojo

You didn't say please, monkeyface. But since I'm a nice guy:

Bungie made its reputation as a Mac developer with hits like Marathon.
Only their last few games as independents (Myth, Myth II, Oni) were
cross-platform. When they got bought by MS, a lot of people (for obvious
reasons) accused them of selling out to the Evil Empire. Their response
was to claim that they were "taking over the company from within."

If the NeXtBox (ooh, I like that one) should go PPC (ie, Mac
technology), it would be...suggestive.

That said, I would be surprised if the XBox Next ended up being
PPC-based. PPC is a pretty developer-friendly chip, maybe they've
decided they can move beyond the ports-of-PC game model to a greater
extent.

 

[Sprite Scaler]

I'm a bit underwhelmed by Gamecube's graphics, I hope artX does a more
impressive job next time...

I read that ass: ArtX did a kickass job on Gamecube graphics, I hope
they do an even more outstanding job next time.


I agree!

 

[Sprite Scaler]

(e-mail address removed) (Sprite Scaler) wrote in


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

And this is funny how ?

 

[Joe Ottoson]

(e-mail address removed) (Sprite Scaler) wrote in

And this is funny how ?

The pointless obsession with Real 3D? How is it NOT funny?

 

[JumpKick feels gravitybound]

"JumpKick" <*antispam*[email protected]> wrote in message


I read that ass: ArtX did a kickass job on Gamecube graphics, I hope
they do an even more outstanding job next time.


I agree!

No, I really meant what I said

My brother has a Gamecube with smah bros, luigi's mansion, mystic heroes, a
top gun game and Pikmin.
---not quite the best looking games on the Cube, but I haven't been
impressed by them at all which I don't think is good for a next-gen console.
Neither have I been impressed with that Starfox game, Metroid Prime etc.
F-zero looks good though. Zelda is nice and colorfull too.

 

[Codswallop]

No, I really meant what I said

My brother has a Gamecube with smah bros, luigi's mansion, mystic
heroes, a top gun game and Pikmin.
---not quite the best looking games on the Cube, but I haven't been
impressed by them at all which I don't think is good for a next-gen
console. Neither have I been impressed with that Starfox game, Metroid
Prime etc. F-zero looks good though. Zelda is nice and colorfull too.

I suppose you'll tell us the PS2 has better graphics now? Who cares
anyway, isn't it the /games/ that matter?

 

[TvSurf]

can't wait for N5 or for XB2!