@Hammer

Quote:

They talk about motion capture and techniques to obtain them. There's nothing about "raytracing". Transcript

Transcript this:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/34201.html?type=wmv

@MikeB

Quote:

Transcript this: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/34201.html?type=wmv

@Hammer,
I watched this the word 'raytracing' happens around 40 seconds into the video. Warning at least when I went this video took forever to load and whomever is narrator is annoying as snot.

Looking at this game it's hard to tell what the ray tracing was there seemingly is very little ray tracing going on. Related to PS3 raytracing is this video Three PS3s raytracing very pretty! However, the Killzone2 game wasn't like this. Clearly they aren't using raytracing for the whole game. They've cut it way back. It'll be interesting to see how much turns out to be raytraced. On the video it seems very little and similar, perhaps even better, effect could be done through High Dynamic Range imaging.

IMO -- raytracing will be a big game for the PS4 and next Xbox. So learning how to do it now should give them a slight advantage next gen.

@Lou

Quote:

don't agree with the "cartoony" comment as with any "futuristic" setting, there is no real-world texturing that can be applied as the objects in question simply don't exist, so when a laser light is gloving through the player's futuristic armor suit, it will always look less than realistic...

That's probably a better way to say what I was observing. The game seems akin to something we'd have seen from the Xbox or perhaps really good PS2? I like the FPS genre so again I'll encourage my friend's w/ Wii to buy a copy or rent it when it comes out.

Bioshock, out later this year is confirmed to include Home support out of the box. This means Home is now quite mature.

@BrianK

Quote:

Clearly they aren't using raytracing for the whole game.

That probably wouldn't make a lot of sense at this point, that would could become complex and rasterisation is simply better next to being faster in cases.

I think we will see future hybrid PS3 games.

@thread

/me comes out of cryogenic sleep sometime in the future... and is gobsmacked to see this thread still continuing...

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(No, I didn't type that with a straight face.)

The 20 GB 360's price has been cut by 50 dollars, said to be due to the introduction of a 60 GB model which will take its place. Arcade units seem stay around the same pricing.

Former Xbox chief Ed Fries's take:

"They’ve also done a great job in keeping the PS2 business alive, so you’ve got a lot of happy PS2 customers who are just waiting for the price of PS3 to be right before they switch over. If Sony can keep those guys brand loyal, they will have a lot of people coming over to the PS3."

Fries adds that the success of Blu-ray piles pressure on Microsoft, and bolsters Sony's HiDef credentials at Redmond's expense.

Pricing-pressure is now Microsoft's best strategy, according to Fries, who masterminded big things for the Xbox - such as the purchase of UK developer Rare."

Pachter: “Our estimate reflects $561 million in sales contribution from new platforms (PS3, Wii, 360, PSP and DS) and current generation software sales of $84 million. We forecast that PS2 software sales will decline 34% year-over-year, and note that the rate of decline has averaged below 25% year-to-date."

“We estimate sell-through of 750,000 Wii, 235,000 Xbox 360 and 375,000 PS3 consoles. Our console sell-through forecasts reflect our belief that supplies for Wii hardware were steady this month, and our belief that PS3 hardware sales grew in the month due to the release of PS3 exclusive MGS 4 and a special Wal-Mart promotion.”

Anyway tomorrow I'll be gone for a month. Hope the nice people at AmigaWorld will have nice vacations as well!

Just before interesting NPD data and E3, can I count on you guys to post the most interesting (Sony as well!) news here for easy back reading?

@MikeB

Quote:

The 20 GB 360's price has been cut by 50 dollars, said to be due to the introduction of a 60 GB model which will take its place. Arcade units seem stay around the same pricing.

Confirmed.
Xbox 360 Pro w/ 20GB drive goes to $299, while supplies last. It's confirmed the 60GB drive model will be replacing it at $349. Arcade is still $279. Great chance now for someone considering getting an Arcade to get an outgoing 20GB model.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nintendo-to-release-motionplus-wii-accessory

wtf?
Why not just improve the WiiRemote itself...why another "addon"?

E3 -- Microsoft news. (my comments in brackets)

GAMES:
Fable 2 done out in Oct. GoW2 in Nov. Fallout3 (Oblivion in space) Exclusive downloads. Resident Evil 5, Geometry Wars 2, Galaga Legions, Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise , Banjo, Portal still Alive, LIPS -- karoke w/ motion-sensitive wireless microphones (think guitar hero star power on a mic)

MEDIA:
US -- NBC Universal signed up to provide online content. Europe - MGM and Constantin sign up to provide online content. NETFLIX! along with control a streaming movie with up to 7 other people online as part of a party

XBOX LIVE:
3D interface, Avatar (redone Mii), Community channel -- see your friends. Video chat -- upgraded to 8 users. Live Party -- share photos, movies, join games, Focus seems to be online friend gameplay -- New Uno, More triva games, Xbox Live Prime time -- massively multiplayer game show (~100) coming to Xbox Live this Fall. First wave of community generated games on Xbox Live (Seems most all of Sony's HOME interactivity is there. Missing the rooms and furniture.)

OVERALL:
over 1000 games will be available on the system by the end of 2008

"According to NPD, we're leading the market with the largest install base in the US, more than 5m ahead of PS3; in software, ahead as well, 2.7b in the last 12 months. In the last year 3rd party revenue outpaced the Wii and PS3 combined. I'm willing to declare here, today, that Xbox 360 will sell more consoles worldwide than PS3 and Wii. We'll offer an array of consoles with prices for everyone"


EDIT ---
Square has announced at the Microsoft press conference that Final Fantasy XIII is going to be released on Xbox 360 the same day as PS3 in North America and Europe

Last edited by BrianK on 14-Jul-2008 at 08:28 PM.

@BrianK

Quote:

BrianK wrote: "According to NPD, we're leading the market with the largest install base in the US, more than 5m ahead of PS3; in software, ahead as well, 2.7b in the last 12 months. In the last year 3rd party revenue outpaced the Wii and PS3 combined. I'm willing to declare here, today, that Xbox 360 will sell more consoles worldwide than PS3 and Wii. We'll offer an array of consoles with prices for everyone"

Wishful thinking there...

...but here is the megaton:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11340&Itemid=2
Final Fantasy 13 ALSO on the 360!

Last edited by Lou on 14-Jul-2008 at 08:26 PM.

@Lou

Quote:

Final Fantasy 13 ALSO on the 360!

I agree nice coup in Microsoft's favor.

One of MikeyB's concerns has been the developers having to worry about a harddrive or not. It appears Microsoft has solved this problem in a fashion. You'll be able to copy game discs to your Xbox 360 hard drive. Installing the games will prevent wear on the DVD drive, and will shorten load times.

Xbox LIVE Primetime. Not only will be real time broadcast games but will have real physical prize rewards. (I suppose that stuffed carnival bear.)

@BrianK

Good for FF XIII fans who only intend to own a 360. I don't think this will lead to sacrifices for the PS3 version, as the PS3 is the lead platform. It will be interesting to see if there will be major differences between the two versions.

I read FF XIII will not be released for the 360 in Japan... Well if you're going to do it anyhow, why not with Japanese localization... Sure the 360 install base is tiny in Japan, but shouldn't cost too much extra.

What I'm really interested in is Sony's presentation tomorrow, sadly (not really ) I'll be in the plane to follow the event.

Last edited by MikeB on 14-Jul-2008 at 09:36 PM.

@MikeB

Quote:

MikeB wrote: I don't think this will lead to sacrifices for the PS3 version, as the PS3 is the lead platform. It will be interesting to see if there will be major differences between the two versions.

I think the 2 versions will be compelling close enough the engine being used is PC based.

Quote:

I read FF XIII will not be released for the 360 in Japan... Well if you're going to do it anyhow, why not with Japanese localization... Sure the 360 install base is tiny in Japan, but shouldn't cost too much extra.

From the Square presentation today it appears a Japanese 360 version didn't get a yes but neither did it get a no. There may simply be lots of variables on that one. Development cycle was cited as the Japanese PS3 version will be done first. Then the localized versions for the US and Europe. PS3 and 360 localized versions were confirmed as Square's plan to ship them on the same date. There's some disagreement out there as to if USA and Europe versions will ship on the same date. It's my opinion but if US and Europe don't ship together we'll see the US get their first.

@MikeB
DiRT was said to be optimized for the PS3, but yet it turned out to look slightly better on the xbox 360. It had tiny bit more frame drop, but it looked better.
Would not surprise me if this was the case with final fantasy as well. I am pretty much convinced that the nvidia gfx is holding it back.

@Tomas

Many say DiRT looks better on the PS3, at least its confirmed by the devs the game has superior sound on the PS3. The game uses multi-platform middleware, FF XIII will use Square Enix custom technology.

Moving code over from the PPE to the SPEs takes time and effort. All I can say stay tuned, I promise you you will see great differences (there already are differences with regard to exclusives), remember the time when various Atari ST games were better than their Amiga ports or ports only used the 16 colors out of a 512 color palette because those were the Atari ST specs.

Last edited by MikeB on 15-Jul-2008 at 07:28 AM.

I don't know...why would an RPG require a bazillion effects and physics?
I think they will look identical. Yes, I believe in this case, the PS3 version will look as good as the 360 version...and not because it (PS3) was the lead platform...

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/square-enix-shares-jump-following-ffxiii-move-to-360

``I've played a Nintendo Wii,'' Sony Corp. chairman and CEO Stringer said last week at the Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. ``I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device. We're selling a lot of PlayStation 3s now and it's still the best way to buy a Blu-ray player
--
My summary --- Stringer says the Wii is a niche gaming device and the PS3 is a niche Blu-Ray player.

@BrianK

Yeah! I'm increasingly convinced Sony have dropped the ball and have failed to realise the other team(s) have scored a couple of goals while they have continued running in the opposite direction! Games are supposed to be fun and easy to pick up and play!

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