Next generation consoles. What to expect

[kevbaz]

Have you tried recovery mode to reflash firmware? The other way is swapping the HDs out and letting it reformat. You've only got a software failure and most of the time you can recover these (you may lose lots).

 

PS3 = 4 years this month.

 

Has anyone got their first/second year 360 and is it still working?

I dont know anyone that has had less than 4 replacements!

 

 

 

PS4/XBOX3 will still be a bit off yet. MS will blink first imho.

 

Have tried everything, new hard drive freshly formatted and the latest firmware on a usb, ps3 formats fine, installs fine but then always fails about 65% on any firmaware. i belive its to do with the wifi/bluetooth board so ive orderd a new one, the ps3 is alot easier to take apart than the xbox i can tell you! haha

[Theblacksheep]

Have tried everything, new hard drive freshly formatted and the latest firmware on a usb, ps3 formats fine, installs fine but then always fails about 65% on any firmaware. i belive its to do with the wifi/bluetooth board so ive orderd a new one, the ps3 is alot easier to take apart than the xbox i can tell you! haha

 

On modern firmware it'll fail to do an upgrade if any connections are lose, inc the wifi board and the BR drive, worth checking and reseating your connections especially if you have taken it apart.

 

Also, people are very, very close to releasing a opensource sony jig allowing the flashing of any retail firmware (the one they use to repair units), without the checks your one is carrying out and failing. The source code is available, someone needs to do a dump of the HV in linux so a key can be had.

[kevbaz]

When i took it apart i double checked everything and it was all snug, the thing hasnt moved from its spot in 2 years and i dont play on the it at all, only use it for blueray and i think ive had a problem with the controller so had been using a usb cable, i use Lovefilm and you can now stream to the ps3 with certain subscriptions with them and as i didnt have the latest firmware it wouldnt let me go online, only reason i did the update.

[ICT_GUY]

By 2015 the 360 will be a long way behind the times. Though I have to say the FPS games out on it at the moment are pretty damn good considering the limited hardware. 512MB ram has to seriously impact the scale of games. I hope the next gen will go for a minimum spec of say 4gigs of ram with 1 GB of dedicated video memory. Possibly with 6 cores. This today would be considered an average good PC spec, in 5 years it will be bargain basement crud. When the xbox 360 came out it was on par with a mid range PC, now it is bargain basement crud.

 

I have two xboxes at home though, the second upstairs just as a media extender for watching films and listening to music in bed.

[localzuk]

I don't think its a case of killing it off, the PS3 was always going to be big, simply with their brand exclusives that Sony own and doing a slightly better job on the hardware and large capacity optical drive. MS done very well to get where they are so fast and how far they stayed ahead.

 

The main trouble it has now is the DVD drive, big titles content is being cut back to fit on a disk (or few). The 'big' titles are only getting bigger in terms of scale of game (not always equal in length of single player mission). I think MS would rather create a new physical format than use bluray, not really wanted by the market moment. In the mean time Kinect will string it out while they improve the R&D to make it a major feature of the next system. This limit on content for 360 could play into Sonys hands a little, theres quite a few 'big' games next year and a GT game is only making its first showing on PS3. Shorten the cycle and MS can mark it as 'won'..... milk the live cashcow and risk not getting out before Sony, the very thing that got them where they are now.

 

I don't think the DVD drive is that much of an issue with the advent of downloadable content packs. Downloading a gig of data is not a massive issue for most people any more.

[Theblacksheep]

I don't think the DVD drive is that much of an issue with the advent of downloadable content packs. Downloading a gig of data is not a massive issue for most people any more.

 

1gb isnt. 25gb for one game is.

 

How many disks was Final Fantasy 13 with non 1080p video? No Final Fantasy 13 verses or 14, the agency. Rockstar had to limit GTA. A new limitation that'll have an impact.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Theblacksheep

[localzuk]

1gb isnt. 25 for one game is.

 

But considering the RAM available on the machine, and the graphics capabilities, 25GB of data for an Xbox 360 is highly unlikely.

 

Not to mention, the point of downloadable content is that you do it in bits. You download a pack of levels at a time etc...

[tmcd35]

1gb isnt. 25 for one game is.

 

But how many games truly need 25gb in one hit? I reckon most games are in the 100-500mb marker with graphics and sound for the current level/course/song/race track/whatever taking only a gig or two on top of that. If you download parts of a game at a time, as you need them a 25gig game might not be all that ownerous download. Espeacily if a lot of the downloading is happening in the background while you're playing the current level. Add in the use of Bit-Torrent style downloading (multiple seeds) and you have the basics of something that would would work well with todays technology. So in 5 years time once Virgin have rolled out 100mb every where and 21C broadband as got 40+Gb (nearly) everywhere else...

[Theblacksheep]

But considering the RAM available on the machine, and the graphics capabilities.

 

Same ram as PS3, simelar graphics capabilities.

 

 

MGS4 was 25gb.

GT5 is 20gb.

FF13 was 33gb, was it reduced to 3 disks or 4 with only 720 video?

 

25GB of data for an Xbox 360 is highly unlikely.

 

Thats kinda my point. Games companies are now limiting their games because of the xbox dvd drive.

 

 

But how many games truly need 25gb in one hit? I reckon most games are in the 100-500mb marker with graphics and sound for the current level/course/song/race track/whatever taking only a gig or two on top of that. If you download parts of a game at a time, as you need them a 25gig game might not be all that ownerous download....

 

Not a probem in 5+ years. 25 GB games are out now.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Theblacksheep

[Arthur]

really? 5 years is a long time in IT. I'd be shocked if SSD technology doesn't improve, become better, faster, cheaper and a lot more common place in 4 years. Economics of scale and all that.

I was thinking more like 3 years (at least for Microsoft's next console) since we are almost in 2011. The Xbox 360 will be nine years old by that time and games will look very dated in comparison to the latest PC games (they already do now). Releasing their next console alongside Kinect v2.0 would be a great way to make gamers part with even more money.

 

Regarding SSDs; assuming they reach £1 per GB by June 2011, I reckon we will see affordable 1TB SSDs mid to late 2014. If my maths are correct, a 1TB SSD should cost around £300 which is still too pricey to include as standard in a console. I could see them using a 300GB/320GB SSD perhaps, but not a 1TB SSD (Moore's Law does have limits). Microsoft in particular also loves to gouge customers on overpriced accessories (until quite recently they were charging over £100 for a 120GB HDD!) so I see no reason why they would be that generous. I really hope Microsoft and Nintendo follow Sony's lead and allow you to fit your own drives - you can use whatever HDD/SSD you want then.

 

I'm not so sure. Again 5 years being an eternity in IT and all that. If they do have optical drives then they'd be the last generation that do, certainly be cheap enough to implement by then.

I agree that the next generation of consoles will be the last generation to use optical discs. Broadband speeds and bandwidth caps need to increase first before we can completely eliminate discs however. Also, given the resistance from retailers like Game/GameStation over Steam, they are going to do everything they can to prevent console manufacturers from going the download-only route. If most people buy or rent their music, movies and games online there will be nothing left for them to sell (other than perhaps T-shirts).

 

If you look at the existing online PS3 and XBox stores and look at services like Steam then downloading games is already a very real reality.

While downloading games is definitely a reality today - I currently have almost 250GBs worth of games in my Steam folder, I don't see the average person wanting to download the majority of their games. Also, are parents going to let thier sons and daughters loose with thier credit cards to buy games online or waste money on points which can't be used for anything else?

 

Also we are already seeing the introduction of services such as OnLive streaming games so I think, even if they do still have blu-ray, this will be the major push of the next gen.

I really like the idea of OnLive, but there are currently too many issues with it (namely latency, bandwidth, graphics quality, inconsistent framerates, limited selection of games, no way to use mods etc.). There is no doubt this will improve over time, but it's not really a viable option at the moment with the average speed of broadband being around 3-4Mbps and FPSs requiring split-second accuracy. There's also the fact that you lose the games you "buy" if you stop using the service.

 

I'm surprised you didn't call me out on the iOS9 on PS4 - now I thought that was far fetched

Well, Apple does have enough money to buy Sony, so it's not too far fetched.

[kevbaz]

So itll be the iStation? (im patenting that name right now! haha) massive apple logo on it and a all in one entertainment system (nothing will be just a console anymore) and phone features such as texts and voip via a headset/controller

[tmcd35]

In some ways Sony could be a good purchase for Apple. In others it seems a bad fit. I think if they bought Sony it'd be for some IP's and they'd be splitting and reselling lots of the company.

 

The whole music industry and PS4 would be right up Apple street. Also movie distrubution, could give AppleTV a major boost. But movie making, general electronics - TV's, blu ray players, etc. Sony is one mighty big beast - Apple, although cash rich, is not such a big beast. Apple are three products - iTunes, iPhone, iMac - everything else revolves around that.

[Theblacksheep]

In some ways Sony could be a good purchase for Apple.

 

About as much chance as Apple buying MS.

[localzuk]

Same ram as PS3, simelar graphics capabilities.

 

MGS4 was 25gb.

GT5 is 20gb.

FF13 was 33gb, was it reduced to 3 disks or 4 with only 720 video?

 

Thats kinda my point. Games companies are now limiting their games because of the xbox dvd drive.

 

Not a probem in 5+ years. 25 GB games are out now.

 

All games are limited by the platform they run on...

 

But you missed the main points made - 25GB is a lot in one go, sure, but in 1GB chunks, as you play? Not much really.

[Theblacksheep]

25GB is a lot in one go, sure, but in 1GB chunks, as you play? Not much really.

 

If it was easy they'd be doing it now. Like dynamic loading content from disk. "Please wait while loading level 2... 3gb to go"...

 

You are also assuming everyone has an internet connection, most consoles dont actually go online.

[tmcd35]

You are also assuming everyone has an internet connection, most consoles dont actually go online.

 

We are also guessing at how the world may change over the next four or five years. Looking back at how much as changed in the past 4 or 5 years, does it really seem that far fetched?

 

Truth is no one will know until they big three start seriously announcing their plans (a couple of years away - at least). I for one would be surprised given recent advances in online gaming if there isn't a huge push in that direction - even if it is not the sole games media for the device.

[localzuk]

If it was easy they'd be doing it now. Like dynamic loading content from disk. "Please wait while loading level 2... 3gb to go"...

 

You are also assuming everyone has an internet connection, most consoles dont actually go online.

 

They *do* do it now. DLC is one of the biggest markets in gaming now, as it allows people to get new games without leaving their sofa. I've not bought a game dvd for a few years! Downloading can be done in the background, whilst playing - there's no need for 'loading'.

[Arthur]

You are also assuming everyone has an internet connection, most consoles dont actually go online.

Exactly. 23% of all US households don't even have Internet access so it's probably a bit too early to release an Internet only console.

 

They *do* do it now. DLC is one of the biggest markets in gaming now, as it allows people to get new games without leaving their sofa.

Unlike on the PC, you can't download games like Call of Duty: Black Ops on consoles can you?

[localzuk]

Exactly. 23% of all US households don't even have Internet access so it's probably a bit too early to release an Internet only console.

 

And what percentage don't own a console? You're forgetting that those who don't have the internet are usually the same group that are either a) aged b) poor and can't afford it or c) technophobes.

 

So, the likelihood is - if you have a console, you'll have the net.

 

Unlike on the PC, you can't download games like Call of Duty: Black Ops on consoles can you?

 

That is simply a decision by the studios. There's no technical reason not.

[edutech4schools]

I have both xbox and ps3 and use the xbox more. downloads are much faster and don't need installing at the end and games like gta have always needed to load the next section on ps3 sometimes with a longish wait, the xbox loads the other level/area while playing and you don't have to stop.

[edutech4schools]

nlike on the PC, you can't download games like Call of Duty: Black Ops on consoles can you?

 

There are lots of full games for download, but I like to have a disk that I can take to the game shop and get some money back on.

[edutech4schools]

So who can bring themselves to buy one of those lady toys for the ps3? why did they not try and make it look better then the wii controller?

[jamesb]

That is simply a decision by the studios. There's no technical reason not.

 

A couple of game downloads each month, which is much less than I'd buy normally, would probably bump me over my download limit and get my broadband throttled\suspended.

 

Of course, that's not a technical reason but is something to bear in mind for us poor people stuck with very little choice on broadband.

[tmcd35]

So who can bring themselves to buy one of those lady toys for the ps3?

 

you've given a whole new meaning to 'motion sensors' and re-opened an old gaming market...

 

A couple of game downloads each month, which is much less than I'd buy normally, would probably bump me over my download limit and get my broadband throttled\suspended.

 

Well that's partly a politcal question for the government and an economic question for ISP's. I think everyone in the telecoms industry know which direction the market is going in. DLC of various types is becoming more important now, let alone in some future console time frame. Customers are already saturating ISP's bandwidths and complaining about imposed caps. Given the time frame we are talking about I would expect to see some major changed over the next five years to broadband speeds, prices and caps.

 

If for no other reason than mobile operators will soon be beating at traditional ISP doors with their 4G offerings...

[Fatmas]

Internet rumour mills do indeed point to a 'Wii-HD' being the next move, it's a strong brand and I expect Nintendo will look to draw more of the 'hardcore' crowd with a machine that will play ports of games from the other formats, while remaining casual-friendly.

 

That's all the Playstation Move is, a 'Wii-HD'