Categories: Originals

GDC: Editorialist’s Roundtable

With the conclusion of Sony and Nintendoâ€™s Game Developer Conference presentations now behind us, the Editorialist of Advanced Media Network have gathered to assess the announcements that have been made and express their opinions on the important topics at hand, starting with Nintendoâ€™s GDC Unveilings, and then moving right into Sonyâ€™s. And now, the critics speak! Tonight at our roundtable, we have Marcos Reyes (XA, X360A editorialist), Jonathan Law (PSPA’s new Editorialist), Mike Kelly (RA, DSA, and GCA’s newest editorialist), Chris Buchanan (XA, X360A Editorialist) Ken Nelson (Microsoft/Sony AECD), Lucas DeWoody (Nintendo Channel AECD), Josh Valone (RA, GCA, DSA Editorialist), and Vinny Del Vecchio (Anime Advanced Director and Editorialist).

Moderator:Question #1: First of all, how do you feel about the announcement that Sega and NEC/Hudson are supporting the Virtual Console Download service with their respective classic console libraries?

Chris Buchanan: I think it’s great news. I remember mentioning to my friends the possibility of Sega offering Genesis games on the Revolution’s Virtual Console, and we were all very excited. This is a real ace in Nintendoâ€™s pocket. Although, Sony and Microsoft seem to be working just as hard at the same concept, what with Xbox Live Arcade and the recently announced downloadable original PlayStation games for the Sony PSP.

Mike Kelly: I think that the announcement that Sega and Hudson will be participating in the Revolution’s Virtual Console is a great move for Nintendo. Following their philosophy, it will bring in those people who have fond memories of gaming in their youth, even if they weren’t Nintendo gamers. It adds a HUGE amount of great classic games to the Revolution’s download service. Also, it is a good indication that Nintendo is successful in selling the Virtual Console concept to third parties. I think that if companies like Sega and Hudson can see the profit in it, other holders of classic game licenses will follow suit, which can only be a good thing. I do have 2 concerns. First, whether the Rev will be able to accurately emulate all the other console’s controller types (think Genesis’ 3 buttons) and whether all the games that made their consoles great will be included. Also, I’m eager to see if games on Sega consoles before and after the Genesis will be compatible. I do remember my time with the Saturn affectionately. Maybe that is an announcement to look forward to in the future.

Josh Valone: This just makes the virtual console, which already looked great, even better. Nintendo can now basically boast that every major title from 1985-1994 can theoretically be played on the Revolution. I was surprised about the NEC/Hudson announcement, but the more the merrier as the Turbo Graphx had some great games. I had heard rumblings of the Genesis in past months but I was skeptical, I’m glad to be proven wrong. Best of all, this seems to indicate Nintendo is pursuing 3rd-party titles for the virtual console which was a big question mark before this announcement.

Ken Nelson: Excellent, just excellent. As one who was more of a fan of the Genesis than the SNES, the announcement is satisfying on a personal level, and it just makes sense on a business level. Classics like Sonic, Vectorman, and countless others abounded on the Genesis. I can only hope that the Virtual Console will be able to emulate these to perfection, as well as the games coming from the PC Engine after the bad taste left in my mouth from the Xbox 360’s backwards compatibility. Oh Crimson Skies, how I yearn for ye!

Lucas DeWoody: Well, first of all, it was always a pretty good chance that we were going to see games from many companies on the service, but I had no idea there were going to be so many out of the gate. I mean, 1000 Genesis games, not counting the Turbograph stuff (most of which is quite rare) is going to bring in mountains of people from various camps. I suppose the old saying “Genesis Does! You Can’t do this on Nintendo” just died a cold hard death. This is outstanding news.

Jonathan Law Sega and NEC/Hudsonâ€™s support of the Revolutionâ€™s virtual console function shows just how far the industry has changed since the old 16-bit wars. Former rivals are finding common ground on a brand-new console, bringing the classics of that era to a new generation of gamers as well as catering to older gamers who remember these games. Considering Microsoftâ€™s Xbox Live Arcade has a similar feature and Sony evidently intends to incorporate similar functionality online and via PS3, it would appear that the old adage â€œhistory repeats itselfâ€ has never rung truer. Everything old is new again, and many people will appreciate these individual services as much as theyâ€™ll appreciate the new content the systems will undoubtedly deliver.

Marcos Reyes: I can only dream that Sega decides to bring some of its cult classics such as NiGHTS and the Saturn Panzer Dragoon titles into the fray.

Vinny Del Vecchio: The announcement regarding Sega and NEC/Hudson supporting the Virtual Console was a pleasant surprise. While many people already expected classic Sega titles, finally getting that announcement to verify it is welcome. In regards to NEC/Hudson, I think that this is excellent. There were many TG16 games that not many people got to experience that are classics in their own right. Dracula X anyone?

ModeratorQuestion#2: Going by what we’ve seen spanning from last E3 to this week’s GDC, do you think Nintendo is doing enough to satisfy the core gamer with Revolution?

Chris Buchanan The answer of this hardcore gamer is: probably. Nintendo demonstrated with Metroid Prime: Hunters that not only do they have the hardcore gamer in mind, but that they can deliver a hardcore game of impeccable quality. Coupled with the fact that the innovative Revolution controller was demoed with a version of Metroid Prime 2 that utilized more traditional FPS control, I think Nintendo will deliver games for the hardcore players that draw them into the innovation

Lucas DeWoody: When I first saw the machine in person I didn’t know what to think. At TGS, when they showed the controller, I still don’t know what to think. As they showed some ideas for the controller, it began to become clear, but as time rolled on, I wasn’t sure if Nintendo was going to cater enough to the hardcore gamer crowd. Well, after GDC, I’m not worried about that now. They’ve got their bases covered.

Mike Kelly: I assume “core gamer” refers to those who are already avid gamers. I certainly think that Nintendo is doing a remarkable job in providing an experience that core gamers, casual gamers, and even non-gamers can enjoy. Nintendo’s Blue Ocean philosophy lets them create whole new gamers with their disruptive technologies, such as the DS and Revolution, but it doesn’t disregard the core gamer. Games like the Metroid Prime series, the new promised Smash Brothers, and Zelda: Twilight Princess show that Nintendo is not leaving hardcore gamers behind in their attempt to build the market.

Josh Valone: Absolutely, all their announced games for Revolution are core gamer titles. Smash Bros., Final Fantasy, Ubisoft FPS, none of those appeal to the new gamer Nintendo is trying to attract. In fact at this point I’d say the biggest question mark is what kind of titles Nintendo plans to have as the Revolution’s equivalent of Electroplankton of Brain Age. The virtual console helps too, what hardcore gamer wouldn’t want to have the entire 16-bit generation in one box in addition to the other hardware?

Jonathan Law: It is difficult at this juncture to determine whether or not Nintendo has done enough to satisfy what we refer to as the â€œcore gamerâ€. I would argue that the core gamer is getting an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3 first, and will consider a Revolution. The fact of the matter is that despite announcements of backwards compatibility and virtual consoles, Nintendo has shown absolutely nothing in the way of actual Revolution games. To me, thatâ€™s somewhat discouraging. However, they are indeed showing us a â€œnewâ€ way to play video games. How well-executed the concept is, and whether or not thereâ€™s enough third party support for the concept will determine whether or not Nintendo has done enough.

Ken Nelson: I think Nintendo is doing enough to satisfy the core gamer. The features of the console are certainly non offensive and a low price point will only seal the deal. It also helps that they’ve done nothing that would potentially piss off a large group of people, but there’s a lot of time between now and November. I honestly don’t think they are going to step on the trigger and do something irreversibly stupid, but Nintendo has defied common sense and made me look like a fool in the past.

Vinny Del Vecchio:I believe that Nintendo is on a steady path to satisfy the core gamer. But again, what exactly is the definition of a â€œcore gamerâ€ anyway? I believe Nintendo is working towards satisfying the gamer in general. Nintendo wants the Revolution to appeal to every gamer, no matter who they are or what they enjoy. If Nintendo keeps on this path, they might very well achieve this goal.

Moderator: #3 How Much of a Surprise was The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass to you?

Chris Buchanan: I was completely surprised. There had been rumors of a DS Zelda since the system launched, and even mentions from Nintendo execs. With all the commotion surrounding WFC and games like Mario Kart and Metroid Prime: Hunters, I had forgotten about the possibility of Zelda on DS. I’m extremely pleased to see the Zelda series being reborn in a similar fashion as the New Super Mario Bros., with 3d graphics and 2d gameplay. It’s yet another reason to buy a DS.

Lucas DeWoody: Honestly, that sucker came out of nowhere. I knew they had a Zelda coming, but I wasn’t expecting that much. This sucker looks like it’s going to be a killer app by the end of the year. I’m placing my preorder tomorrow.

Jonathon Law: The Phantom Hourglass being a Zelda game on the Nintendo DS comes as no surprise. I actually expected the game to be in development. What I did not expect was the caliber of graphics that was presented. Despite the fact that the game is technically two-dimensional, the cel-shaded graphics look almost exactly like what the Gamecube was pulling off in â€œWind Wakerâ€. From the trailer shown, I can tell that Nintendo has found some incredible uses for the stylus that the DS offers. The Phantom Hourglass appears to be a title of epic proportions and shows just what can be accomplished on the DS hardware. This should easily be a home run for Nintendo whenever it is released.

Ken Nelson: While it wasn’t the ‘out of left field’ hit that Twilight Princess was, Phantom Hourglass did catch me with my pants down, though that can be chalked up to a good thing. The game looks simply exceptional, both in the graphics department and gameplay. Looks like I have some pre-ordering to do.

Marcos Reyes: It was a small surprise since Nintendo has been saying for the past couple of years that there was going to be a new handheld Zelda, but personally I would have preferred some a new Twilight Princess trailer. I was never a huge fan of the 2d Zelda’s, yes I know I’m weird, but with smart use of the two screens I believe that this one will have some of the best puzzles in the series.

Josh Valone: It was definitely a surprise, but not a huge one. Aonuma had talked about a DS Zelda around September, the big surprise was in the direction of it and how well into development it is. They said it’s going to release this fall, that’s a lot further along then I would have guessed. The cel-shaded graphics were a surprise too, none of the handheld Zeldaâ€™s have been 3D before so I was expecting something more akin to Four Swords or Minish Cap.

Mike Kelly: Nintendo originally announced a Zelda DS an E3 or two ago, so I assumed it was in development. There was no news about it, other than it was not a Four-Swords-esque game. Today’s first screenshots and video were a great treat, and showed how the DS’ touch screen could be used in a Zelda game. Add that to the fact that it is being developed in-house by Miyamoto’s protÃ©gÃ©, Eiji Aonuma, and it just adds to my frothing demand for the game.

Vinny Del Vecchio:The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass wasnâ€™t much of a surprise to me as it was another confirmation of something that Iâ€™ve expected but didnâ€™t know how or when it was coming. We all knew Zelda would make it to the DS. With the systemâ€™s popularity, not cashing in on a Zelda title for the DS would have been a gigantic mistake.

Moderator: #4 What do you think was the biggest surprise of the show for Nintendo?

Jonathan Law: For Nintendo, the biggest surprise of the show was probably the Genesis/Turbografx announcement. Former competitors uniting for a new common cause is always big news. Zelda was a surprise of sorts, but not something entirely unexpected. People were already curious about the Virtual Console service, but this is certainly going to change into a maddening waiting experience now.

Ken Nelson: The biggest surprise from Nintendo for me at GDC was the trailer for Phantom Hourglass. While it’s not everyday I get to watch somebody other than myself play DS games, it’s definitely something I can probably do without. Secondly, we’ve heard Nintendo speak of their philosophy to bring new gamers in practically every time one of their reps gets on the mic. But the announcement for Phantom Hourglass was pretty cool, and caught me off guard.

Mike Kelly: The biggest surprise was the announcement of Sega and Hudson’s participation in the Revolution’s Virtual Console. It had long been rumored, but confirmation is always nice to have. Also, it helped to answer a great deal of questions as to whether other companies would see the Virtual Console as profitable, whether third parties would support Nintendo’s new strategy, and the like. In one fell swoop, Nintendo eased a great deal of fears in my mind about the viability of the Virtual Console in the next generation.

Marcos Reyes: The Genesis announcement was huge but I think all the “Oh my god! Nintendo will win the console war!” material is still yet to be seen. I was expecting to see the first footage of any Revolution title at GDC but Nintendo continues to drive our thirst for any bit of information by making us wait until May.

Lucas DeWoody: I’d have to go with the sheer mass of titles they announced are going to be on the Virtual Console. It’s far more than I would have ever expected.

Josh Valone: Probably either non-Nintendo console support on the virtual console, or new content on the virtual console. I choose the latter, because initially it looked like Nintendo would move away from the Live Arcade model and instead have just retro content. Now that is has both, it makes the service much more complete.

Chris Buchanan: Although I’m torn between it and Phantom Hourglass, I’m going to have to give the nod to the announcement of games from different consoles on the Revolution’s Virtual Console. It’s a huge coup for Nintendo with the “core gamer” crowd. Being a veteran of the Super NES vs. Genesis days, and having watched both Sega’s fall from the console world and Sony’s domination of the market during the PS2 generation, it’s heartening to see two of my childhood icons working together. From a purely emotional standpoint, it definitely grabs my attention.

Vinny Del Vecchio: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass wasnâ€™t much of a surprise to me as it was another confirmation of something that Iâ€™ve expected but didnâ€™t know how or when it was coming. We all knew Zelda would make it to the DS. With the systemâ€™s popularity, not cashing in on a Zelda title for the DS would have been a gigantic mistake.

Moderator: Question# 01:What is your impression of the Blu-Ray disc format and Sony’s focus on it?

Mike Kelly: I’m mostly unfamiliar with the technical differences between Blu-ray and HD-DVD. However, it seems clear that Sony is attempting to make Blu-ray the new standard media format, and it’s causing them problems. The recent PS3 delay was blamed for the most part on technical difficulties with the Blu-ray drive, and that could indicate that Sony is finding Blu-ray a tad harder to get their head around. I don’t anticipate it being a major stumbling block for Sony, but it certainly is providing some challenges for them.

Chris Buchanan: I think the focus on Blu-Ray is a mistake, simply because it draws attention away from the most important aspect: the games. It seems like yet another attempt by Sony to “force” a new media format on the public, even though in this case it seems warranted by the shift from DVD’s to new technology. I believe that Sony should focus more on things such as easy game development, as both Microsoft and Nintendo have, rather than bleeding edge technology and unproven media formats.

Jonathan Law: Reserving judgment on Blu-Ray Disc as a viable movie medium, I think that Sony and their stable of developers left no doubt as to the importance of the format itself. The new efficiency at which the PS3 and Blu-Ray players in general can stream data off of the disc is currently being underappreciated. The vast amount of space available on the disc provides a massive amount of storage for developers to work with. 50 GB of space is nothing to sneeze at, considering the Xbox 360 provides about 9 GB per disc. Blu-Ray will go a long way towards adding high resolution textures to games (among other things).

Ken Nelson: While I think a new disc medium will eventually be needed to create larger, more immersive games, Sony is jumping the gun with Blu-Ray. One of the strongest selling points of the Playstation 2 was the inclusion of a DVD player. While the jump from VHS to DVD was certainly significant, I feel the progression from DVD to Blu-Ray will not be as life-changing as the previous change. This may end up being a big mistake, but like anything in business, it could end up being enormous.

Lucas DeWoody: Blu-Ray seems nice for games and all, but I see Sony’s obsession with it as a big problem. Look at the PSP. Sony’s focus thus far has obviously been on UMD movies as they are easier to profit on than games, and the PSP has suffered while Sony’s pocketbook has not. Also, I firmly believe that the “Format Wars” and the new security measures being taken (restricting which TV’s will and will not display the video) are going to drive consumers away from next-gen DVD altogether and Sony will wind up paying the costs down the line while consumers settle in comfortably in the security and freedoms that the current DVD standard provides. Then again, Microsoft is stuck with storage space limitations, but I feel that won’t hurt them as bad as Blu-Ray is going to financially hurt Sony down the line when it tanks just like Video CD’s and Laser Discs. That’s not to say though that the storage capacity is nothing short of astounding.

Marcos Reyes: I believe that the focus on the Blu-Ray disc format is both a risky and somewhat safe decision. Though that statement sounds antithetical there is some sense in it because we do not know how the industry will change in the upcoming years. Sony decided to play its cards with Blu-Ray technology and if all things go well and it becomes the standard, then the company will surely succeed. Now if people do not want to pay high prices for something that they could get for much less with a normal DVD or if the price of the console or the games are much too expensive we might very well see a different story.

Josh Valone: Typical Sony, they love their exclusive formats. Blu-Ray looks promising, if a bit unnecessary to me, and they expect PS3 will popularize it and give them exclusive rights to the successor to DVD. Sony has a lot invested in Blu-Ray, and they feel PS3 is a great Trojan horse to get it a big market. It just might, we’ll have to see. Region-free games would be excellent though, but somehow I doubt that will happen.

Vinny Del Vecchio: Blu-Ray is poised to become the next-generation software medium to put movies and games on. Blu-Ray is technologically superior to HD-DVD and I would be very surprised to see HD-DVD win out against Blu-Ray. Sonyâ€™s focus on it will most likely assure the success of the format. As far as Sonyâ€™s PS3 focus on it, it isnâ€™t necessary for the enjoyment of gaming as much as Sony is making it out to be. Regular DVD is adequate and can display HD quality with no problems. Okay, so instead of a game being on two DVD discs, it can fit on one Blu-Ray piece. Personally, Iâ€™m not so lazy that I canâ€™t change discs when I get halfway through a game. Still, nobody knows what will happen a few years from now. Games may need that space in 2008 but I seriously doubt itâ€™ll matter before then.

Moderator: Question# 02:Do you think Xbox Live is in any danger from Sony’s newly announced online gaming service, and how do you think Live Arcade is going to stand up in comparison to the Revolutions Virtual Console?

Chris Buchanan: Not alone, but I think the combination of both Sony’s newly announced GameSpy support and Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection may prove a challenge to Xbox Live. Microsoft is the leader in online console gaming at the moment, having taken the initiative to innovate in a fairly ignored market. They provide a robust, proven service that will continue to improve over time. Sony and Nintendo will have to spend time playing catch-up, but at the very least their customers will now be able to play more games online. This takes away Xbox Live’s claim to fame as the only online console gaming service, but for the foreseeable, it’ll still be undeniably the best.

Jonathan Law: Xbox Live is in no immediate danger from Sonyâ€™s announced service. However, Sonyâ€™s definitely taken a giant leap in the right direction with the basic community features and online multiplayer being free. However, it remains to be seen if the venture between Sony, SOE, and Gamespy offer a worthwhile experience with a free price point. Having a marketplace is a wonderful idea that all of three of the major players seem to have latched on to. The Xbox Live Arcade has proven to be a pretty decent source of classic material thus far, but the Revolution Virtual Console should offer much more of those kinds of titles. The difference between the two will be the original titles offered, or lack thereof. New games like â€œGeometry Warsâ€ may make the difference for the average gamer.

Mike Kelly: I think that Xbox Live was a great trailblazer for online console gaming, and really set the standard that Sony is attempting to emulate. The chief challenge to Live’s dominance is going to be the cost to the consumer. When given the choice between paying for online or going online for free, it is a no-brainer. Sony’s PlayStation Network Platform and Nintendo Wi-Fi will definitely affect Live. As for Live Arcade, I believe it’ll still be successful, but Nintendo’s Virtual Console will be a juggernaut that will be very difficult to overcome, relying on the strength on the games alone.

Lucas DeWoody: I think Microsoft should stay on their toes, but quite frankly I don’t see Sony’s service as being a major threat to Xbox Live. The “free’ element is probably similar to Xbox Live in regards to the Silver/Gold structure. Then again, if it isn’t, Microsoft may need to lower prices or make online free on weekends to compete more efficiently. Nonetheless, Microsoft will have had almost a five year start on Sony when it comes to centralized online gaming. I don’t see them being beaten. If Revolution can offer â€œindyâ€ software, Live Arcade is screwed, but nobody is going to touch the other services of Live. I have no doubt of thatâ€¦unless PS3 outsold 360, but I donâ€™t feel that is going to happen either. Not with the head start they have. Microsoft is going to have outsold what Dreamcast had in the form of a lead by the time E3 rolls around. After that, itâ€™s all padding. Sony may be waiting too long.

Ken Nelson: Xbox Live is in no danger at the given moment. What Sony has announced with the Playstation Network Platform certainly sounds enticing, but I don’t believe it will be as all encompassing or comprehensive as Xbox Live currently is. As far as purchasing various game content online goes, it’s still out there. Xbox Live Marketplace and Live Arcade are pretty cool. Arcade’s retro offerings won’t be as large as the Revolution’s, but will the Virtual Console have new, indy based titles for sale? We’ll find out soon enough.

Marcos Reyes: Definitely, Sony has two key industries behind its massive corporation that can help it win the online content war. Sony is one of the world’s biggest distributors of music and movies while Microsoft has to fight to attain what its competitor already has sitting it it’s lap. Xbox Live, as great as it is, is still not perfect. If Sony can deliver a more cohesive online gaming experiecne for free, I believe that there will be less people willing to sign up for a years worth of Xbox Live Gold.

Josh Valone: I think Sony’s new service will have a bigger base then Live, mainly because the PS3 will probably lap the 360 in sales easily. The Playstation brand is too strong. Now whether the Sony service is actually superior to Live, who knows? It looks similar, the PSP focus (now connectivity is cool, Sony has killer PR) is interesting if nothing else. In all honesty I can’t say until E3, I sound like a broken record right now.

Vinny Del Vecchio: Xbox Live will not be in ANY danger from Sonyâ€™s online service as long as the Xbox 360 software lineup stays strong and competitive and MS can keep some exclusive games for the 360. It is if the PlayStation 3â€™s software lineup totally trounces the 360â€™s that one would need to worry about the stability of the Xbox Live service. In regards to Xbox Live standing up to Nintendoâ€™s Virtual Console, we havenâ€™t heard much about Nintendoâ€™s Virtual Console other than weâ€™ll be able to play retro games from the NES to Cube and now SEGA and TG16. In regards to game content, expect the Virtual Console to have all the games you loved from yearâ€™s past. Xbox Live Arcade on the other hand, will have many original titles and many older titles as well. If you are a true retro loving gamer, then Nintendoâ€™s Virtual Console will be the total experience, period.

Moderator: Question #03:After it’s playability at GDC, do you think the PS3 is beginning to deliver on it’s promise of superior graphics next generation, or do you think that the PS3 and 360 really aren’t going to be all that different?

Jonathan Law: The technologies on display at the GDC show a lot of promise. As for being superior to the Xbox 360, I believe that the PS3 quite obviously has loads more potential than the Xbox 360, graphics-wise. Weâ€™re not likely to see that until we stretch down the road a little bit more. Not everything in the graphics department is noticed right away. The details account for a lot, as the â€œMotor Stormâ€ and Crytekâ€™s new CryEngine show. PS3 appears to be able to overwhelmingly produce more details than the Xbox 360, given its multi-core oriented architecture. In short, we wonâ€™t notice many of the differences at first, but weâ€™ll be able to see them in detail down the road.

Lucas DeWoody: PS3 is getting there. The launch games will likely not look any better then Xbox 360, if that good, but that will be due to inexperience with the hardware. In the end though, I don’t see the visual gap being anywhere near as big as people think, if it is even readily noticeable at all. Still, PS3 is going to eventually deliver at least 91%-95% of the graphics promise from last E3’s render videos. I just think 360 is going to pretty much match it in the end though. Still though, even if Iâ€™m wrong, who is to say that the generation will live long enough to let the machines even get a chance to show their true power. PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube hit their peak just as they were shown the door.

Chris Buchanan: Xbox 360 certainly has the tools needed to compete with PS3 in the graphics department. Although PS3 may provide more raw power, Microsoft’s development tools are far superior. This translates into an easier game making process, allowing devlepors to do much more with less physical power. Many developers are concerned about the complexity of developing for PS3’s core architecture, and Sony has a bad track record when it comes to providing developers with the tools necessary to take full advantage of their systems. Unless Sony provides a more streamlined and versatile way for developers to do their work, the benefits of the PS3’s power will be wasted in most cases, whereas developers will constantly be improving their techniques at a faster rate on the Xbox 360.

Mike Kelly: Well, it’s obvious that the next generation will have superior graphics to the current generation, that’s simply the nature of the beast. However, in all the footage I’ve seen, I’ve been mostly under whelmed by them. The jump in graphics from this generation to the next is a far smaller jump than, say, the PS1 to the PS2. The difference between the PS3 and the 360 slightly favors the PS3, but not enough to me to be a key point in deciding which console to get. In the later games of the next generation, that disparity may become more pronounced, but time will tell.

Ken Nelson: I believe the two consoles will undoubtedly have their differences, most notably in online content and of course game selection. As far as graphics go, I believe the Playstation 3 is undoubtedly going to have the performance edge over the 360. It’s going to be a GameCube to Xbox difference as opposed to say, a Playstation 2 to Xbox difference. As far as the game play experience, I imagine they will be quite similar, especially with the Revolution out with it’s new fangled control scheme. Will the Playstation 3’s delivery of retina melting visuals separate it from the pack? Yes, yes it will. Of course, developers are going to have to figure out how to work with the damn machine first.

Marcos Reyes: I think we have yet to see what the PS3 is truly capable of. The Xbox 360 is still an untapped machine that will not see its better days until later this year. Just look at the world of difference between Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and Oblivion compared to the majority of the launch games. So yes, it will be a close race between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 graphically. It just takes the efforts of developers such as Hideo Kojima to change our definition of what great graphics look like.

Josh Valone: I think it showed it is superior the 360, but we all knew that. I don’t believe the graphical difference will matter in all honesty, heck most people in the casual crowd thought the PS2 had the best graphics. In reality the graphical difference won’t be big enough to make games that run on PS3 impossible to pull off on 360, and that’s all that matters.

Vinny Del Vecchio: This question cannot be answered until the gamers and media get their hands on actual software. Playable tech demos mean squat. Iâ€™m sure the PS3 will deliver some phenomenal looking games. In fact, the PS3 better deliver a drastic upgrade in graphical power over the 360 otherwise what was the point of releasing one year after the 360? From what Iâ€™ve seen thus far, the PS3 isnâ€™t much more spectacular than the Xbox 360. When PS3 is launching, second generation 360 games will be launching. If the PS3 launch titles only look as good as first generation 360 games, Sonyâ€™s is going to take a lot of flak from gamers and media alike.

Moderator: Question# 03:What was your impression of Sony confirming a worldwide launch this November?

Mike Kelly: Immediate response: I’ll believe it when I see it, given the delays and problems they’ve been having. It’s certainly possible, but it puts Sony in a bad spot. The inevitable shortages are only going to be exacerbated by the holiday season. Also, at that point the 360 will have been out for a year, and entering the second wave of more refined titles as developers get more accustomed to the system. Sony will have their work cut out for them.

Lucas DeWoody: Yes, after the disaster that was Microsoft’s “attempt” at a global launch (I still can’t find a 360 anywhere, and I preordered in August), I would think nobody else would be suicidal enough to even think it. The parts in PS3 are even more difficult to acquire/manufacture than the 360 to an extreme. Add in the Blu-Ray drive, and I see them struggling to make 650,000 by the end of the year. A lot of people are going to be pretty pissed Christmas morning, and the rest are going to slaughter each other in the streets for the thing.

Jonathan Law: My first impression is one of panic, considering how badly I want one and the fact that there will initially be about a million available for at least four continents. The outlook appears worse than the Xbox 360 launch, which most will agree was horribly planned and executed even worse. Quite honestly, it would appear to me that Sony would really rather wait until they could have more than enough available at the launch. I believe their refusal to cede two holiday seasons to the Xbox 360 is the underlying cause for their â€œdesireâ€ to launch it in all three territories. Mind share is arguably as important as market share â€“ especially when you can manufacture enough of your product. It seems that Sony really just wants to make some kind of impact during the holiday season rather than appease everyone during the season. They essentially have a desire to leave you wanting a PS3 as badly as everyone else.

Chris Buchanan: Good Luck? If they manage to do it, and provide enough systems to fill shelves, it’ll be a marketing coup. If not, they’ll face the same backlash 360 did for failing to produce enough systems. Having the 360 fill in shelves at the same time during the holidays, as well as Revolution contending for shelf space in however many countries it releases at that time, could be bad in the short term if there are PS3 shortages. Either way, I don’t think it’ll have much lasting impact, but I could be wrong. PS2 certainly benefited from it’s early release, so perhaps Sony is attempting to mitigate 360’s early appearance with a worldwide holiday launch.

Marcos Reyes: One word came to mind: shortages. Microsoft tried it and it left them desperately trying to get the system in every place imaginable, stupidly throwing away a hundred thousand console into a region where demand for the Xbox 360 is as low as the N-Gage or Gizmondo in the United States, or anywhere for that matter. Sony has the advantage here, though. I expect them to sell every PS3, but it is doubtful that it will reach their target amount by March. Six million is just a number for hype. I expect to see only half that amount. Let’s not bring the PS2 launch debacle where US gamers were expected to receive one million units at launch and only received half of those expected.

Ken Nelson: After hearing the confirmation of a worldwide launch, I could only shake my head in disgust. Sony, had you not learned anything from Microsoft’s grave error? Did you not see the shortages in North America and Europe? Apparently they didn’t, and given the worldwide popularity of the Playstation brand (i.e. Japan will buy the machine.), shortages are going to be even worse. If through sheer dumb luck or by the grace of some deity this plan works, I promise to eat crow.

Josh Valone: Not really, Sony needs the PS3 to come out ASAP and they’ll do whatever it takes to try to make that happen. Key word here is try, who knows if they’ll do it any better then Microsoft. Shortages will probably be a big concern for them. The 360 only has to restock in America and Europe, the PS3 will sell big in all three territories. Keeping up with demand will be the key, because I think for the first six months or so the PS3 will sell as fast as they can produce them.

Vinny Del Vecchio: In a way, the announcement of a worldwide launch was a surprise. The real reason being is that I have doubts of Sonyâ€™s ability to launch worldwide and not run into an insane amount of system shortages. We all remember how much of a fiasco the PS2 launch was, and then more recently, Microsoftâ€™s poorly planned launch of the 360 in the USA by allocating unnecessary units to Japan. If Sony botches this worldwide launch, it could quickly come back and bite them in the ass.

Moderator: Last question!: Do you believe middleware, such as Unreal Engine 3 and XNA as we saw at GDC, is going to bring about significant change to next generation gaming?

Lucas DeWoody: I would certainly hope not, but I believe their usage is going to become more commonplace over the next few years. Development costs are skyrocketing, and developers are going to need to farm out more work to save money. I personally think that with many games running on similar engines, creativity is going to get a even more strangled, but it’s pretty much unavoidable, especially in the FPS market. Even Sonic (coming to 360 and PS3) is using a third party engine for it’s physics.

Mike Kelly: I think that’s up to developers. If the Unreal 3 engine provides them the tools they need to use the hardware effectively, then we’ll see very well-polished games. I do worry about games all becoming based on similar engines (which happened to a degree with the Quake 2 engine), but I’ll reserve judgment on this until I actually see the games

Jonathan Law: Middleware is a must for this new era of game development. Many developers tried to make a game engine their own way last generation. There are a lot of developers who didnâ€™t make the transition to this upcoming generation of hardware because they essentially ate the costs of making those game engines. While there is often no substitute for creating a specialized engine for a game, we all know that there is definitely room for a pre-existing engine to be utilized by a developer who is willing to pay for it. The new engines must be taken advantage of, but not to the extent where literally every game plays identically to another. The new middleware is an invaluable tool, especially on PS3, but it should be customized as much as possible, ensuring unique playing experiences.

Marcos Reyes: It is really all up to the developers to take advantage of the game engines at their disposal. All I really care about is that the games look nice and they play even better, regardless of what developers end up using. True, I am worried that there might be a lack of originality in some Xbox 360 and PS3 titles due to such programs but that’s what the Revolution is for.

Chris Buchanan: It’ll definitely bring about change in the graphics department, and XNA may lead to enhanced community features. XNA will certainly be a huge edge for Microsoft, especially considering it’s compatibility with PC, and what that means for online community building. The streaming of the development process results from giving developers a simple platform like Unreal Engine 3 or XNA for developing games, saving them the time and money of creating their own engine from scratch, will absolutely benefit many developers. Middleware will be significant because of the change it’ll bring to third-party games. We’re all used to first-party games with high production values, like Halo, Metal Gear, and Mario. Seeing the same in third-party games will create more of an effect, though, because they’ve made up the majority of games on so many consoles.

Ken Nelson: So far, all we’ve heard about next generation game development is excessive complaining over inflated costs. These tools will enable developers to create impressive video games at a lower cost, allowing them to focus more on the game itself, rather than things like physics or advanced lighting effects. Hopefully there will be diversity between games using the same engine, but I’m sure such differences between these games will exist. I’m absolutely positive middleware will become one of the main pillars of next gen game development, not as merely a good idea, but perhaps, a necessity.

Vinny Del Vecchio: I do believe that middleware, if used correctly will enhance gaming experiences to the point where significant changed can take place in the industry. If used correctly, these technologies could very well pioneer the way for even better ideas and more interactive games, not to mention a stunningly realistic gaming experience. The ride has just begun, so hold on tight and enjoy!

Well, that winds up our roundtable for this event. As you can see, some agree, some disagree, but more importantly, what do you think? Let everyone know in the forums.

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