Smoke, Mirrors and the Next Generation

[Evil Avatar]

It's easy to see last week's eye popping tech demos for the PS3 and (to a lesser extent) Xbox 360 and think we're on the verge of a new age of gaming, but CNN/Money's Game Over (http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/26/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm) remains skeptical. This week's column sounds a cautionary note, looking back at some of the many things that were promised with the introduction of PS2 and Xbox but never came to be. It also notes how neither system ever lived up graphically to the potential shown in early tech demos.

[GrinR]

Maybe I'm just ultra-jaded. I remember the "raven" demos for Xbox and the singing j-pop demo for PS2 and thinking "no fucking way it's going to look like that". Guess what? I was right. PS2 graphics were and are low-res, low-poly, and jaggied to hell. Xbox graphics were PC circa 2000 in TV resolution.

Brace yourselves, folks, I'll let you in on a little secret. Xbox360 and PS3? The games ain't gonna look like the demos.

[if76]

To be fair since the Gears of War demo was playable on X360, I think it will look closer to actual gameplay than the raven or ridge-racer girl demos.

[Visitor Q]

It all comes back to Nintendo. I'll take their promises of great gameplay over any visual promises that Microsoft or Sony make.

[crashedout]

I agree with what he said but with MS showing stuff on alpha kits it seems they are trying to be honest. Sony is still showing pre-rendered stuff and selling it as gameplay. By this time next year we will know for sure.

[mulligan]

"but with MS showing stuff on alpha kits it seems they are trying to be honest"

hehe honesty has nothing to do with it.. they did it so they can have something to brag about.. people... the words microsoft and honesty dont sound that good together.. (as so is sony and promises). they are after your money... and they will do anything... anything to get it. i will buy a ps3 regardless because all my fav games are sony exclusive (the REAL final fantasy series, God of War 2, Gran Turismo 5, etc.), and since i dont like multiplayer.. xbox live its worth shit to me (im not saying it sucks.. for people who like multiplayer games, its a God sent)

[Dirty Harry]

I honestly think that nintendo has the strongest online plan, they are using the pre-made technology of gamespy :D. As we all know gamespy major pwns when it comes down to it. (long live gamespy3d?)

[Kamalot]

It all comes back to Nintendo. I'll take their promises of great gameplay over any visual promises that Microsoft or Sony make.

I can't argue with this.

We were told that this upcoming generation of consoles would produce graphics that are indistinguishable from films. As gamers, WE know this isn't going to come ture, but the general population will hear comments like this and become ready to drop money on a new console, even if it does not live up to the hype

The CNN article is really good BTW, thanks!

[Klade]

Nintendo games have historically had pretty good gameplay but really I haven't heard anything 'revolutionary' about their next console since that video released before E3 was proven a fake. I don't think they even enter into this conversation yet.

As for Microsoft and Sony. Got to agree that honesty and promises don't go well with them. Microsoft is not just talking about graphics they are talking about a whole second game market to be online inside their console with some crazy supporting features. If it happens hey thats fine but like the CNN article says they promised the same thing LAST generation and it never happened. Same thing with sony and graphics.

[president_fred]

I guess 360 and PS3 graphics will be good sort of like PC games ca. late 2006-2007 then PC games will overtake them, of course they would do it sooner if everyone would just get onboard "the constant upgrade train" ;). I don't think anyone seriously thinks the consoles will be capable of photorealistic graphics but the resolution bump alone will make for very big improvements. All in all, I'm excited.

[dr_wily]

wow game over actually has an article I agree with.
comon ninty showemwhatyagot!

[Spigot]

I agree that CNN actually has a decent article. And here I thought they'd be on board with all the hype post-E3.

This time around I'm waiting until all of the systems have a decent library of games before I get any of them. By that time they'll hopefully have had a price drop or two so I won't have to sell my kid on Ebay to afford them.

I'm sure that all 3 of the next-gen systems are going to be great. Some might have better graphics than others, but it does seem as though we're starting to hit the plateau in graphics as you just can't get away with releasing a game with sub-par graphics anymore. Gameplay is going to have to start reasserting itself as the driving force behind games. That, or games going for distinctive art styles as opposed to photorealistic styles.

Granted, I'd be perfectly happy if they released a version of ChronoTrigger with graphics a-la Tales of Symphonia (horrible overland map aside). Games like that or the Nippon Ichi turnbased games show that you don't need to have 80000000 polys to have a great game.

[pacman]

Thanks for the article. Sometimes it's really hard to remember all the bullshit that companies roll out for E3 and then quietly let slip in the background...glad someone decided to bring it back up for public consumption.

[mister_slim]

I was hoping Morris would compare the Zelda Spaceworld video with Twilight Princess. Does anyone have a link to the Spaceworld video?

[funtownarcade]

I agree with what he said but with MS showing stuff on alpha kits it seems they are trying to be honest. Sony is still showing pre-rendered stuff and selling it as gameplay. By this time next year we will know for sure.

They are still bullshiting, they are not going to sell a billion units and they are not going to get non-gamer chicks to play it for the marketplace.

[Kamalot]

I'd like to see a running list of the 3 companies' promises along with a ratio of promises kept vs promises broken.

So far, Nintendo has made promises that sound reasonable and understandable.

"When you see the graphics, you will say WOW!"

"Wi-Fi enabled Online titles at launch."

Maybe I'm dumb, but these are promises I can understand. This whole "PS3 will age your content" thing sounds like gobledy-gook voodoo marketing speak to me.

Microsoft's Live promises are also fairly straightforward, but a lot of it is stuff I heard before the first Xbox was launched. Things like "Downloadable game demos" and "episodic games downloadable". I don't believe it any more.