Divest

Gates' CES Keynote and CNet Interview about Xbox2>> "Where I will be totally coy is any specifics about the next generation of Xbox," Gates said during his CES 2005 keynote. But here's what he said about the current generation Xbox. From prnewswire.com:Quote:Xbox Leading the Way in Interactive EntertainmentStrong momentum for the Xbox system, with industry-leading sales for the 2004 holiday season, and expected sales of more than 20 million consoles by July 2005.Gates noted the continued momentum around Xbox and the Xbox Live service, announcing the industry-leading sales of the Xbox console for the critical 2004 holiday season in the United States, garnering a projected 40 percent market share for the months of November and December. The much-anticipated "Halo 2" title, launched Nov. 9, has sold more than 6.3 million copies to date, surpassing the sales to date of the first "Halo" title. "Halo 2"'s opening-day revenue of $125 million in the United States and Canada surpassed the biggest opening weekend in box-office history, for "Spiderman," which generated just under $115 million. The hot Xbox role- playing game title "Fable" also broke the 1 million sales mark in only two months.Xbox Live experienced the highest activity levels ever, with more than 1 million unique users playing on the service and "Halo 2" gamers spending a record-breaking 69 million hours on the service to date - more than any other Xbox Live game.Gates outlined three major trends driving the gaming phenomenon today: HDTV, ubiquitous broadband and wireless connectivity, and rich personalization. To demonstrate the latter point, he joined O'Brien to play "Forza Motorsport," an auto racing game from Microsoft Game Studios scheduled to launch in April 2005. Gates and O'Brien raced through Manhattan in customized cars, showing off the title's immersive, engaging gaming experiences -- and their lack of online driving skills.Read the whole article on prnewswire.com.On a side note, engadget.com, who posted a 'real-time overview' of the keynote/presentation, reports Bill & Conan got a 'Blue Screen of Death' while playing Forza Motorsport on XboxGates also talked with CNet news.com, where he was a little more chatty about the Xbox2 and also confirm there are no plans for a handheld console at this moment - here's an excerpt:Quote:* What are some of the primary goals with Xbox 2?Broadening the market, having media capabilities that when there's a PC, we connect up to that. This whole story of the Windows Media Connect and how all the formats and rights management and that simple Media Center menu that's just got TV, photos, music right there--those are common elements we're bringing to all the home devices.We didn't do Xbox just to do a video game; we did it to be part of our vision of the digital lifestyle, and with the next generation, we really get to go there. In the first generation, we had one simple goal, which was to establish credibility as a great video game platform. We've done that. Actually, the last few months in the United States, we outsold Sony with the PlayStation. So even though they have the biggest installed base, we are a very strong, credible No. 2 in that. As we go into this next generation, it's much broader.Yes, great video gaming but videogaming for a broader set of people, more communications, more media, more connectivity. And at the same time, we move up to things like high-definition graphics and wireless that the chip breakthroughs allow us to get to.So just for the games alone you'd go, wow, but the concept now of bringing in your music, your media, connecting to the PC, connecting Xbox Live to Messenger--that just makes it a very big deal.* It's a full entertainment center, basically.That's right. So Media Center PC and Xbox become totally complementary. You've seen a bit of that, where we let you take music from PCs and put it into game titles, and we have this extender concept where the Media Center can project through the Xbox, but that's just the start of what we can do there.* One thing that's kind of intriguing in Xbox 2 is you're participating a little more on the design of the silicon.Well, we have some key partners that we've announced. ATI and IBM are the key chip partners, and there are some others. But I'd say our sophistication is much higher in this second generation. So every level, what we're doing in tools, what we're doing in Live, the way we're working with the publishers, the way that we've gotten involved in the hardware design--we're being very coy about when and all that, but I'm certainly excited when it comes time to show at how much smarter we are getting to do it a second time with the team that's been built there.* Any interest in handhelds?We are not in the handheld space. We watch the intense competition of Sony, Nintendo, Nokia--whoever comes along with interest. Our portable gaming will be focused on things like getting onto the phones, getting onto portable PCs, but our Xbox team is focused on the TV-connected console. And the fact that Sony's a little distracted with that may let us do all the better in the next generation.Read the whole intreview on news.com.(January 5 23:55 EST)More Xbox2 Rumors>> Alex Abrecht (ex techTV/The Screen Savers) posted some info about the Xbox2 on his blog he claims to have from a Microsoft employee. Just take this news as what it is: a rumor.Quote:Here are the facts I found out:1) Hard Drive... Yes! There was some speculation that MS was going to take the HD out to make it more difficult to mod.2) Flash based HD... Yes! It was told to me that the HD was going to be flash based... small size fast access... BAM!3) No Stupid Dongle DVD playback... Yes! The reason that the first Xbox didn't have built in DVD playback is a simple one, Sony owns the intellectual property rights for DVD playback. Nuff said...4) Xbox2 at E3... Hell Yes! There will be an Xbox II maybe more at E3 this year...5) Xbox2 release date announced at E3... another Hell Yes!! MS will be announcing a release date for Xbox2...News-Source: alexalbrecht.typepad.com / engadget.com

Personally, my favorite fighting game of all time would be Super Punch-Out for the Super-Nintendo. I loved playing that game, and it's the only one that I actually played and beat without using outside help, and/or cheating.I don't know what was so appealing about it, but for some reason it never didn't keep my interest, or attention. Most video games I play nowadays I can only play a couple times, and even though I liked the game, I can't play it anymore because it's boring and/or repetitive. We need more video games like the ones they made for Super-Nintendo and Sega Genesis; those games were awesome.

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/onimusha-4-revealed/1100-6122612/ Onimusha 4 revealed Capcom's new PlayStation 2 samurai adventure will feature new hero, villain; playable build due for E3. Capcom's Onimusha Trilogy may have concluded with the death of the warlord Oda Nobunaga, but the series is set to return with a new protagonist and antagonist. The latest issue of the Japanese game magazine Famitsu reports that Capcom is currently working on Shin Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams for the PlayStation 2. The development process is again under the watchful eye of series producer Keiji Inafune. Dawn of Dreams takes place in 1598, 16 years after the last duel between Samanosuke and Nobunaga in Onimusha 3. Japan has entered a period of tranquility; the genma demons have faded away, and the country has united under the rule of Nobunaga's former vassal, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. But peace is fleeting, and the sudden appearance of a bright red star in the sky brings about widespread natural disasters and causes Hideyoshi to go insane. At the same time, the genma demons return to Earth. Capcom recently posted a teaser page featuring a timer counting down to this weekend. The page, which promotes the upcoming game, features a graphic of a cherry blossom tree. Producer Inafune has revealed that cherry blossoms will be a key to the game's theme and will also play a significant role behind Hideyoshi's insanity. Hideyoshi and Nobunaga are real historical Japanese figures, and Dawn of Dreams takes place in the same year that the real Hideyoshi died. One of the biggest changes with Dawn of Dreams is the inclusion of an original main character, rather than a hero based on an actor. Previous Onimusha games featured protagonists based on renowned actors such as Asian star Takeshi Kaneshiro and French star Jean Reno. Inafune admitted that the use of famous actors had its advantages, but he decided not to use them for Dawn of Dreams since contractual obligations included too many restrictions on the expansion of the franchise outside of games. According to the magazine, Inafune hopes to move Onimusha's newest iteration to new forms of media. The main character in Dawn of Dreams will be based on a historical figure from Hideyoshi's period, though his name and identity remain a mystery for now. The hero is a young warrior with two long swords--one red and one blue. His samurai armor is also blue, but his blond hair may reveal that he has foreign roots. He also has two short horns growing out of his forehead, which hints that he may not be as human as he looks. The official illustration for Dawn of Dreams shows the hero fighting alongside four other characters: a swordswoman, a Japanese monk who fights with a spear, a rifle-bearer (of indeterminable gender), and an extremely tall man with pale skin, large biceps, and a boxer's gait. Screenshots of Dawn of Dreams show that the game's camera angles have broken with the traditions of previous Onimusha installments. Instead of the semifixed screens of Onimusha 3, this new game features a third-person perspective with the view hovering closely behind the character's shoulder. The Famitsu article hints that players may be able to control the camera for the first time in an Onimusha game. In terms of gameplay, Inafune comments that the focus in Dawn of Dreams will be more on the action elements than the setting. But that doesn't mean the developers will be cutting down on the script--the game will have double the storyline content of Onimusha 3, says Inafune. He comments that Dawn of Dreams is designed to give more freedom to its players, so they can explore the game itself without always having to advance the plot. Dawn of Dreams should inherit the fighting systems that gamers have become familiar with, such as the Issen slash, soul absorption, and demon transformation. However, Inafune adds that Dawn of Dreams is being designed so that new players will be able to enjoy the game as much as experienced Onimusha fans. Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is currently 20 percent complete, according to Famitsu. The game is scheduled for release next spring. Reportedly, it will be appearing in playable form at E3 next month. By Staff -- GameSpot POSTED: 04/20/05 12:15 PM PST Teaser page: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ Well, no such thing as a trilogy anymore. Can't wait.

From Final Fantasy 8 onwards, Square has gotten in the habit of making their sidequests so obtuse, that you have no choice but to shell out for the Official Brady Games Strategy Guide. I'm thoroughly convinced it's all just a marketing ploy, which has gotten progressively worse with each game. In FF10, I don't think there's anybody in the entire game who even tells you that you get something for dodging 100 lightning bolts - you need the strategy guide.I suppose the trend started in FF7, with the convoluted sidequest of raising chocobos, but even then there was the Chocobo Sage who gave you hints as to how to figure it out. All the secret stuff in that game was concievably obtainable without any outside help. But I defy you to find the Excalibur 2 in FF9 without help.

I find that having slowed down the Scorpion Tank's speed also consisted of being able to fire the tank's cannon faster, probably twice as fast, which is a pretty good effect of balance. If the tank wouldn't have been slowed down, how else would increasing firing transition speed be able to actually build some balance? Maybe making it easier to destroy the tank?I think the shotgun was also balanced, yet maybe it went slightly under the line of balance in terms of power. In HALO, you were able to fire slightly faster, but you know, every Master Chief in the game had a shield and a health bar. In HALO 2, it reloads a bit more slowly, and transitions between shots are a little longer, but no player actually has that health bar.I guess what I'm saying from this is that HALO 2, despite what one may say concerning anything else, is one sequel that has actually been able to further balance the use of firearms, yet by increasing the possibilities of effectiveness. I honestly haven't seen too many games that have gone, either beyond the point of ruining the fire-arm system in it, or maintaining the overall balance, or even slightly improving it. That's one reason I complain less about HALO 2's multiplayer than HALO's.Another thing is, what you said, about the maps. Looking back at the HALO multi-player maps, things do look empty in some of them. Burial Grounds is the "remodeling" of Sidewinder, and eventhough I do prefer the arctic environment of Sidewinder and some of its simplicity, it just mostly revolved around taking control of those tanks, which covered most of the stage's ground. Sniping was mostly limited to the highest grounds of the level, which were six, the bases' second floors included. Burial Grounds improves more on the ground combat/hiding tactics. I personally wouldn't have removed the Scorpion Tanks, though. A tank in Headlong couldn't do any harm, since there are Wraiths in Waterworks.

I chose FFXI, but I haven't really been able to play other MMO's due to the fees. I have a major problem with most MMO's, is that almost none of them support Gamepads. I can't imaginge playing a non-FPS with either mouse or keyboard. FFXI has gamepad support, and it's easy to navigate and use menus.Of course, my experience with FFXI is not perfect. I have a serious problem with the fact that you can't get anywhere without relying on other people. I realize that this is a MMO and we're supposed to work together, but there are some crucial flaws in not allowing players to "Solo" once in a while.A lot of my FFXI time was spent doing nothing but Looking for a Party. It's extremely frustrating when you log in to try to get XP, only to spend the entire night unable to organize a competent party, or not even get an invite. I spent countless nights doing NOTHING productive because I have to WAIT for 5 other people my level and with different jobs who are also looking for a party to log in. Also, it takes hours just to organize missions and quests. You need to be able to devote a lot of time to this game, which is a major problem for me now that I work a lot and do other things. Regardless, I've made it pretty far.. I'm a level 64 WAR with lots of friends and stuff to do. But this is the main reason I cannot suggest this game to anyone new to MMOs.I want to try WoW, Guild Wars, and EQII but the prospect of having to play a game with mouse/keyboard combo doesn't appeal to me. I've never been any good at controlling with a keyboard (in fact, in PC FPS, I use half joypad, half mouse, aka my left hand controls movement by holding a PS2 controller with one hand, while the right hand aims with the mouse). WoW looks promising because I've read that I don't need to spend hours to do anything worthwhile.

I hope I enjoy it too. Seems like a pretty decent place on first looks, so bleh. Hope to see you around, buddy.

If you need help hosting, just let me know, I'd be more than happy to help you out with that.Same goes for anyone else. If you guys need any help hosting, then let me know, but I'm pretty sure everyone has themselves covered.

And yet, you missed the point of my post. An XBOX being able to play PC games doesn't mean sh!t to you, because you're willing to dump a ridiculous amount of money into your hunk of junk to keep it up to par. Not to mention, you don't mind compatability hassles, nor memory issues. AS FOR MYSELF, I don't want to put wads of money into my computer. And notice how I never said a damned thing about XBOX graphics being better than PS's? I don't play games for graphics. I prefer the XBOX, because I like the games they offer on there, moreso than I like the games on any PS system. Plus, their online support is much better than Sony's.

I was actually thinking about purchasing this game as well.I eventually decided not to, however, once I had a few conversations with unhappy customers. They claimed that the monthly fee wasn't worth the gameplay, and that it was more worth it to just stick to Diablo II. (They claimed) it was essentially the same thing, but with better graphics.Personally, I've been waiting for another Diablo game to come out, but this isn't exactly what I've been waiting for. What sealed the deal for me not to buy the game was the fact that it lacked any sort of necromancer class, and the games magic using characters were almost useless when compared to the melee characters.If you ask me, I'd stay away from it, but don't let me make the decision for you; you just might be into things I'm not. *shrug*

Personally, I believe the XBOX will beat out both the PS3, AND PC.Why, you ask?For one, the XBOX will be able to play PC games (I'm not sure what kinds of restrictions there's going to be on it, but I know that it is going to be able to). This eliminates any reason for having to upgrade my computer like I was originally going to have to. This saves me a lot of money. A computer cannot play XBOX games comfortably (and when I say comfortably, I mean without having to have the most expensive computer on the planet), so that eliminates it from the race.The reason I believe the XBOX (360) will beat out the PS3, is mostly a matter of preference on my part. I'd much rather an XBOX over a PS anyday, and now that the XBOX plays PC games, it just made that decision a thousand fold easier. Thank you Microsoft.

Hello everyone, my name is Divest and I am new to these forums, but not new to forums in particular. Just thought I'd drop in and say hi. So hi. How is everyone doing today?I live in Southern California, and I love music, video games, and umm... myspace. Yeah.If you want to know more just ask me in this thread or hit me up on AIM. My sn is Divest is Emo. I hope to have some nice discussions here with you fellows in the future. =D