Xbox360 or Ps3

[Friez]

My honest advice is this:

 

LOOK AT THE GAMES.

 

I've not bought a 360 OR a PS3 and I'm quite an avid gamer. The reason being is that none of the games on either platform impress me enough to actually want to purchase either console. If there's games on either console that warrant your purchase then go for it, otherwise there's no point in getting a console just for the sake of getting one.

 

What kind of games do you like?

[ZeroHour]

The PS3 is definitely a multimedia console, whereas I find the 360 isn't as much. Although I am a PC user as well, I can imagine it would appeal to lots of gamers to save their pictures, music and video all in one area.

This statement is wrong, plain and simple. The xbox has had multimedia features all throughout and it even links to media center as a dvr for free (if you have the PC). I can plug cameras/usb sticks into my xbox and view them as well as over the network from a PC. XVID works over the network also.

One feature I can on the xbox which the ps3 cant do which is multimedia related is the ability to play my mp3s on my pc WHILE playing a game, aka making a custom soundtrack. This is VERY useful and I enjoy listening to my own music while playing an array of games such as Tiger Woods etc. It does not have blue-ray but it pretty much matches the list for the ps3 abilities and more and you can use DVR and network the saved programs to other things unlike the ps3 upcoming DVR attempt.

 

especially with the probability MS will integrate a Blu-ray drive in another console revision. Of course this would mean playable HD movies and larger, more detailed graphics due to Blu-ray's huge disc capacity.

Unlikely since they have actually on (and unofficially) stated a EXTERNAL blue-ray drive may come.

 

Its cheaper, lots more games for less and there is really nothing "exclusive" of true worth (e.g. like the halo effect) for the ps3 yet so I would wait anyway if the ps3 was my choice.

Edited March 11, 2008 by ZeroHour

[LukeC]

well im in to shooting games, driving games, action, some games i like the sound of are GTA 4, need for speed series, pgr, tomb raider, cod4.

[torledo]

This statement is wrong, plain and simple. The xbox has had multimedia features all throughout and it even links to media center as a dvr for free (if you have the PC). I can plug cameras/usb sticks into my xbox and view them as well as over the network from a PC. XVID works over the network also.

One feature I can on the xbox which the ps3 cant do which is multimedia related is the ability to play my mp3s on my pc WHILE playing a game, aka making a custom soundtrack. This is VERY useful and I enjoy listening to my own music while playing an array of games such as Tiger Woods etc. It does not have blue-ray but it pretty much matches the list for the ps3 abilities and more and you can use DVR and network the saved programs to other things unlike the ps3 upcoming DVR attempt.

 

 

Unlikely since they have actually on (and unofficially) stated a EXTERNAL blue-ray drive may come.

 

Its cheaper, lots more games for less and there is really nothing "exclusive" of true worth (e.g. like the halo effect) for the ps3 yet so I would wait anyway if the ps3 was my choice.

 

slap me down on this if i'm wrong, but i bought a magazine article recently which basically stated that all of the xbox360's advanced multimedia capabilities were only possible with a WMC pc somewhere on you're home network. And that it's not complete as a multimedia device standalone i.e without WMC.

 

I'll have to try and dig out the article to make sure i'm not getting my wires crossed....but from what i recall that was the gist of the piece.

[DSapseid]

You only have to have a WMC PC if you want to stream video, you can play music accross the network qute happily without it as i do. You do need MP11 though.

[Michael]

@ZeroHour - You can plug USB sticks and cameras into the PS3 as well, but to be honest, I can't see why I'd want to view it over a network?

 

I agree that being able to play your own MP3s whilst playing a game is a nice feature, however its one Sony could easily include in an update. It's something the PS3 could do quite easily.

 

I think there's no doubt MS will release a Blu-ray drive. They've pretty much discontinued the external HD-DVD add-on. I suppose MS might compromise and do both an integrated, revised 360 and an external Blu-ray add-on. That would work.

 

The PS3 is a fast maturing console and I believe the best is still yet to come. Resistance Fall of Man was a big game, but as you say, both consoles don't really have that killer title that all gamers should own.

[MK-2]

isn't it media center or vista now? so really if anybody buys a new pc from about now, they will have the ability to stream video via it

[clarky2k3]

Streaming to an xbox 360 console is possible even without media center. This is what I use. Check it out! http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/stream_video_xbox_360_tversity.cfm

[ZeroHour]

As far as I know you only need WMP to play video since the last xbox update. It has the sharing ability for video/music built in.

 

Torledo: yeh before the last update you could only watch WMV without WMC but even then you could just run TVersity which would remove the WMP requirement (as it does the serving). TVersity also transcodes formats (and works with the ps3 too).

 

Micheal: I store pictures/videos on my pc so things are backed up and so I can edit the pictures. Leaving the only copy on the ps3 is bad and having a duplicate of a picture just seems a waste/hassle and not all cameras will work with that function (on both consoles) so if you dont have network picture support your stuffed. I go to the trouble of downloading pics on my pc to have to go and copy them to another console to view them there is a hassle or does the ps3 support network pics?

 

well im in to shooting games, driving games, action, some games i like the sound of are GTA 4, need for speed series, pgr, tomb raider, cod4.

Xbox then for you. All those are on the xbox and PGR is exclusive as well as the exclusive GTA content MS have.

[Lithium]

PS3 can do Custom Soundtracks.

 

According to Sony and an article about the "first" game to feature such a function (which was some bowling game if memory serves...) The function was always there and just needed people to actually use it.

 

With FW 2.4 (June/July apparently) parts of the XMB will be available in game, friends and messaging is what was shown in the leaked picture which was later confirmed, though I'm not totally sure what will be available.

 

Now the PS3 has been out for a while, a lot of the upcoming titles that I looked at for the 360, are available on the PS3 as well... I wasn't too happy when F:FoW was announced as cancelled like... 2 weeks ago.. but I can just buy it for PC and use my PS3 controller (hopefully that'll work...)

 

But the reason for me to buy a 360 is really low compared to it constantly niggling in the back of mind this time last year, when there were very few titles to choose.

 

PSN always has fun games like PixelJunk Monsters, WarHawk and Super StarDust HD

 

 

Uncharted is well worthy of "true worth", I never understood what the fascination with Halo is... all my pals loved it.. I got bored in under an hour... so I guess that leaves what's defined as "true worth" as a personal opinion.

 

*points at LittleBigPlanet*

Edited March 11, 2008 by Lithium
added last line

[Joanne]

well im in to shooting games, driving games, action, some games i like the sound of are GTA 4, need for speed series, pgr, tomb raider, cod4.

 

 

COD4 is excellent on the ps3... plus free internet stuff!! Found it easier to controll on the ps3 too....

 

GTA4 is on both as is need for speed and tomb raider.

 

I'd say the main thing would be gears of war. If you wanna play that get an xbox... if you wanna play ff13 get a ps3!

[Joanne]

halo is only on the xbox too.... just so ya know!

[ZeroHour]

Lithium: Why does a common game such as burnout let you do it on the xbox but not the ps3 (and yes you can disable the function as a game dev on the xbox). If its there why not turn it on. I think there is more to this then meets the eye.

 

Xbox has a much larger collection of "arcade" games as well as upcoming free ones that anyone can dev that they want.

 

uncharted is okay but not visually stunning tbo.

 

Joanne: GTA4 on ps3 is NOT the same as GTA4 on the xbox. The xbox version will have more including the extra episodes and something *multiplayer* related which are only on the xbox so if thats your sort of game its better to go xbox as you will have more to do. Also CoD works fine under xbox too. PGR is exclusive xbox.

Edited March 11, 2008 by ZeroHour

[Lithium]

I can't exactly give any reason why it would, I've just merely said that there is at least one game that actually supports custom soundtracks, I'm sure there's another one or two as well. (SSD:HD has it in an update).

 

I can't actually come up with a reason why I would want to have custom soundtracks in the game either... I bought it to play, not to listen to my own music through.

[Domino]

why anyone would want to play games online and listen to 13 year old "l33t hax0rs" shout obscenities at them is beyond me

[ZeroHour]

I can't actually come up with a reason why I would want to have custom soundtracks in the game either... I bought it to play, not to listen to my own music through.

You must only play games such as FPS etc where the soundtrack adds to the environment. Games the involve driving/golf/skating or really anything that has a repetitive soundtrack benefit hugely from this.

Try playing burnout to the default music, it drives you mad after you have heard it for a while. It just repeats over and over and over. Its like christmas music, okay for a bit but it wears thin quickly.

Halo for example I never used a custom soundtrack as it all added to the experience but I use it on all of my driving games and lots of other games. My mate has a ps3 and we played burnout at his and he was so annoyed he couldn't play music as he enjoys turning down the car sounds and just completing things listening to good music (in his opinion lol). He even owns a xbox but he thought he would buy it for the ps3 as he could find no other games he wanted to really play that were on it.

The more I think about it the more I think of how brilliant it is having the feature and I really love relaxing to some Tiger Woods with some nice music.

Its a feature you anyone would like if they have ever found a game where the soundtrack was bad.

 

Its probably not used as sony dont bother to put a standard interface in to control it. E.G. the game devs have to do all the work to make it work. MS put it in the dashboard and guide bar and they built the way it works and all the game devs need to is enable/disable the ability to use it (there is probably more to it).

I hoped they would add it with the next update but it only sounds like they are just catching up to the xbox's features for chat and im in a game. IMHO its a joke sony did not have such basic features as this built from the start.

Another gripe is the fact the PS3 does not support TrueHD output yet.

 

Dont get me wrong though I will probably own a PS3 at some point this year, just wish they would "finish it off" when it comes to features and not drag their heals. Well that and the damn price of it (roll on price drop)

Edited March 11, 2008 by ZeroHour

[Michael]

@ZeroHour - I understand where you're coming from. In theory, because you can install Linux on PS3, you should also be able to connect USB memory sticks and/or external hard drives to backup data this way.

 

Regarding GTA4, both games will be 100% the same, but Microsoft have an agreement so that more features/add-ons are made exclusive to the 360. These features will be downloadable and probably (more than likely) chargeable!

GTA4 will no doubt be a massive game and with the limits of DVD9 there's only so much that can be squeezed on. This is one good reason for an integrated/add-on Blu-ray drive for future 360 consoles. Blu-ray holds up to 50GB compared to 9GB.

[Lithium]

Didn't they tweak BD-DVD to hold much more than that, the same as they did with the short-lived HD-DVD?

 

I've played Burnout.. I didn't have any issues with the soundtrack, in fact for about 3 days, I had just 1 track playing over and over.

 

I like the MotorStorm soundtrack too... which is wierd since it's not my style of music...

 

I guess everything these are individual opinions...

 

I would have loved to read the messages I recieve when playing games etc, but I know it's coming so I'm just accepting that I can do it down the line.

 

 

As for Dolby TrueHD: Engadget & it's slightly bizarre collection of followers seem to disagree with you: http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/08/no-dolby-truehd-or-dts-hd-for-ps3-owners/

 

Not having any form of Surround Sound myself, can't say though.

[Michael]

Didn't they tweak BD-DVD to hold much more than that, the same as they did with the short-lived HD-DVD?

 

HD-DVD natively holds 30GB with a proposed specification of 51GB (which was meant to beat Blu-ray).

 

Blu-ray holds 25GB single and 50GB double sided. Sony said eventually they'll add more layers, so discs which can hold 200GB are only a matter of years away!

[Inbir316]

ps3 does the same as xbox live in terms of online gaming, download previews, trailers and demos and its free! ps3 is currently out selling xbox360 hence price drop. and they go faulty with their rubbish rings of death bu**ery

[HodgeHi]

HD-DVD natively holds 30GB with a proposed specification of 51GB (which was meant to beat Blu-ray).

 

Blu-ray holds 25GB single and 50GB double sided. Sony said eventually they'll add more layers, so discs which can hold 200GB are only a matter of years away!

 

Half if not more of the games you buy don't even fill a DVD. Some wouldn't even fill a CD (bust a move on XBOX 600MB if i remember right).

 

I wouldn't judge a console purchase on the capacity of the discs as they are very rarely fully utilised.

 

I prefer the Wii. I don't like the 360 since it has issues of overheating and i have reserved my judgement of the PS 3 for while whilst it catches up with the rest of the console market in games.

 

It usually took a little longer for the PS 2 games as the emotion engine was apparently a bugger to code for.

 

Does the same problem exist with the PS 3?

[Inbir316]

why anyone would want to play games online and listen to 13 year old "l33t hax0rs" shout obscenities at them is beyond me

 

obviously playing the wrong games then! ive not heard any foul mouthed "13 year olds" playing call of duty

[DarkLight]

You do get 13 year old kids moaning on COD4, but that's to be expected with any popular game. Just try and play with the right people.

 

It's just fun shooting them in the head.

 

Overall Xbox Live is fantastic.

[Joanne]

hahah... we were doing some ear bashing on COD4 t'other night... taking the mickey out of the foriegn peoples and then they got angry and shouting... most amusing!!

 

We're called tera_dragon on PS3 if I've harrassed you I am most apologetic!

[Michael]

I wouldn't judge a console purchase on the capacity of the discs as they are very rarely fully utilised.

 

I'm not judging the console purely on its optical disc capacity, however you have to bear in mind games like Resistance Fall of Man (for example) actually use 18GB of the available 25GB single sided Blu-ray disc.

In the world of high definition graphics/visuals the capacity is needed for movies and games otherwise they'd be no point inventing Blu-ray at all!?

 

As the PS3 matures, so do developer skills and the tools they use to make bigger, better and more detailed games. The PS3 has capacity to grow.

 

The Wii is a good console, but it's not for me. I feel the playability is a lot of fun with a group of friends, but the graphics haven't moved on since Nintendo 64. My personal opinion is that Nintendo went in too low with their Wii hardware specifications. You could debate a lot of games on the PS2 look better than they do on Wii. The end result is the bigger titles will never be released for Wii, such as GTA and CoD4.

 

I don't think PS3 is any more difficult to program for, but then again I'm not a programmer! I think it all depends what Development Kits software houses are given, but also, there's inevitably going to be a learning curve for the programmer too.