I have started a Features page at Score Central and my first feature is on the scoring project of the upcoming game Halo. Being developed for the XBOX and PC.

There is a whole bunch of info on the game there and the music. Also, a full two minute sound clip.
http://www.scorecentral.net

Thanks!

-Racerprose

Can't wait!!

But hey, Racer, thanks for the clip. I enjoyed it.

Jeron

Jeron: Music on X-Box games will not matter, because the X-Box is created by Microsoft and will crash before you can hear the best music cues.

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
Jeron: Music on X-Box games will not matter, because the X-Box is created by Microsoft and will crash before you can hear the best music cues.

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I had a chance to play XBOX and HALO. There were no crashing or anything. Except that HALO is still imcomplete, but that is normal.

I was actually discussing this with a friend of mine today. You might know of him... Scott Miller, President of Apogee and 3D Realms (Duke Nukem). He brought his son in for an appointment at my Dad's office (he's an Orthodontist), and incidentally, he'd just returned from the E3 Expo. (Scott used to be my neighbor, and is a good friend).

The XBox is basically a PC... and any games you see out on the XBox will probably be ported to the PC, as it would only take 2-3 more weeks of work to do it (or so Scott says). Soooo... who knows. He seems to think the Nintendo Gamecube will be the "next big console," with the PS2 close in second, and the XBox in third. Nintendo, as he put it, is the Disney of game consoles... they've got all the big games that people are familiar with (Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Starfox, the list goes on...) and PS2's got Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Parasite Eve, etc... which leaves the XBox with... not much...

Any games available on the XBox (as previously mentioned) will most likely be available on the PC as well (since there is a huge PC gaming market)... so what will draw people TO the XBox? There really isn't anything exclusive to the system. And when ya look at what the PS2 has lined up... and all the ammo Nintendo is building up to fire (now that it's switched to CD medium), well, I'm no longer sure how well it's gonna do. After listening to what all Scott had to say about the subject, it really makes sense...

This will be a long message from me, so prepare for some reading.

Ok. First lets start off by saying - I love PC and kinda like PS2. However, XBOX is the next big thing in console gaming. For myself personally, I will be getting the console and I was fortunate enough to actually get my hands on XBOX (for a while).

PS2 and Nintendo simply cannot be compared to the XBOX. While PS2 may have the lead currently in having lots of games released, etc.... XBOX is giving game developers the chance to look at making their games different. Also, there are many games that will be released excusive on XBOX. Also, it takes much longer to release a game on PC than a month or so. Example, Red Faction was just released on PS2 and now a PC version is planned - it won't be coming out till October/September.

For once, developers don't have to limit what they want to create on a console because of XBOX. Even with the PS2 - developers still have to limit what they do for the system and for PCs. They don't have to take the time and money to make their game compatiable with different types of PCs. Currently, there are over 200 developers saying they support XBOX and Microsoft (unlike) Sony & Nintendo is kien on making first party games. Microsoft also welcomes and supports third party games as well. For every game that is released, Microsoft overseas that the game is released 100% complete. The first thing they don't want is a buggy game. There are many Japan developers that also love XBOX. Such as Capcom, Komain, etc... While SquareSoft has not yet said where they stand with XBOX, it is a good chance they will be making games for it as well. The GameCube has some cool stuff going for it, but if you into the history of it - Nintendo fails 90% of the time when they release a console. For the N64 they started to actually release some great games, but then as the years went by - people who owned the N64 now feel cheated because all that is being released are kiddy games (I am one of those people). Simply, I can't trust Nintendo anymore.

PS2 is much better than Nintendo, but still XBOX has the lead in many ways. Ok, now lets go into the specs of it and money way of it.

For a detail list of the XBOX specs compared to the PS2 and GameCube click on this link: http://xbox.ign.com/news/18801.html#specs

Now, I am aware of the arguement of 'why buy XBOX when I already have a PC?' or 'why buy XBOX when there are much faster computers out there?'

Simply put, XBOX is cheaper and a better deal for gamers. Think about it. XBOX uses a P3 733mhz processor, a custom Nvidia GeForce3 (the most powerful graphics card), 64mb RAM, a 10gb hard drive, ethernet modem, and many other advanced features. If you were to go buy all of this for your PC you would be spending thousands, but if you buy the XBOX you get all of this for $299 US. Also, XBOX is not a PC. There is no Windows 98, no internet browser, etc.... It is just like every other console, but more powerful. XBOX will do great in North America and Europe. The only place where Microsoft has to worry is Japan. There is a lot of PS2 heroing in Japan, so that might hurt Microsoft. Although like I said, there are many developers in Japan that support XBOX. Time will tell, I guess.

For more info about XBOX and what people and developers think of it go to www.xbox.com

Ok. I am done.

-Racerprose

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Originally posted by Racerprose:
There is no Windows 98, no internet browser, etc.... It is just like every other console, but more powerful.

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You make some very good and valid points, Racer. In response the the quote above, well the XBox actually runs off a WinNT(2K) kernel. So true, no Windows 98 - but Windows is still there. Along with DirectX, etc.

As for the info I posted, well, I was only stating the opinion of one of the PC gaming industry's most successful businessmen. I would love nothing more than to see the XBox do great - and I hope it does. I plan on purchasing one. But the politics of an American-developed console taking the "lead" in the console industry will definitely put pressure on Microsoft's yet-to-be-determined success. Japanese developers don't want to see Microsoft do well... any developers that Microsoft has rounded up for the XBox are small-time companies. That doesn't mean it can't be successful, but at this point in time, it doesn't have the popular advantage that the PS2 and Gamecube do.

As far as HALO, well - according to my bud, the game is being rushed out of it's mind. Before Microsoft acquired Bungee, the game looked great - but "apparently" Microsoft has stripped most of what Bungee originally had planned for the game.

Also, it should be noted that the XBox's developers are mostly PC-game developers. If that doesn't say something, I'm not sure what does. I was told that development of console games and PC games is like comparing apples to oranges. The XBox's games look like and function like PC-games, where the PS2 and Gamecube games are accomplishing exactly what they are intended to do - perform like console games. That's because Sony and Nintendo know how to make good console games. This isn't an attempt to tear down any hope for Microsoft's game developing abilities, but as a programmer himself, Scott Miller (3D Realms) stated that these PC-game folks developing games for the XBox (and keep in mind, Scott is a PC-game developer himself), are attempting to develop console games without the first inkling of how to do it right.

Of course, this is the opinion of one man... but based on his success in the industry and the amount of time he spends researching new platforms, consoles, games, and related technology, I have a tendency to trust what he says.

Jeron

Jeron, how do you define the difference between PC games and console games?

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
It's certainly a good thing that the X-Box will be using an NT/2K kernel, because this means that M$ will finally establish 2K as the REAL Windows platform - like they said they're going to long ago, yet they still released WinME later.

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I wouldn't hold your breath, Marian. Microsoft is yet again releasing another operating system, entitled WindowsXP (codenamed 'Whistler'). I'm on the Microsoft Beta Core Group, so I participate in all the technical testing of operating systems and games. XP is quite different than ME or 2k. It runs off of an improved 2k kernel, finally bridging the gap between 9x and NT. WindowsXP comes in 2 flavors: Home and Professional. That's it. No more Windows 9x, ME, or 2k crap.

As for your other question, I'm not sure I could intelligently answer it. In all that I've said, I'm only speaking from the conversation I had earlier today. I'll e-mail your question to Scott (the guy who *would* know the difference between PC games and console games), and let you know what his answer is.

Stay tuned...
Jeron

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Originally posted by Jeron:
XP is quite different than ME or 2k. It runs off of an improved 2k kernel, finally bridging the gap between 9x and NT. WindowsXP comes in 2 flavors: Home and Professional. That's it. No more Windows 9x, ME, or 2k crap.

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That's more or less what I meant - provided that XP is as stable and relatively good as 2k (still the best M$ OS to date).

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As for your other question, well - I'm speaking from the conversation I had earlier today. I'll e-mail your question to Scott (the guy who *would* know the difference between PC games and console games), and let you know what his answer is.

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Thanks. The only differences I can think of mainly concern game design, and while there's certainly some re-thinking involved on this part when you "switch sides" as a developer, that can't be a major problem. Perhaps I'm missing something.

Yes, I knew XBOX used an OS. Although, every console does - you just don't see it.

The developers Microsoft has round up are all great companies and are not all small-time companies. Personally, I don't much care what the Japan market think of XBOX because to tell you the truth - they are biased. I hate to say that, but it is true. Unless it is made there they won't support it. However, like I said, a few Japan companies do support XBOX.

On to Halo. Well, I would not say it is being rushed. It has had a bad history. Its been in development for about 4 years now. From what I saw of Halo at E3 and what I saw from it years ago, I would say Halo looks 5x better. All the changes to Halo have been for the best: increased graphics, better storyline, etc. Although PC users would disagree with me because they are mad it is going to XBOX first. I have been following Halo ever since I heard about it in early 1998.

95% of all developers for PS2 are either PC developers or have experience in making PC games. SquareSoft is, Capcom is, THQ is, Violition is, etc.

-Racerprose