Gamespy feature: Inside the Xbox 2

[Neo]

http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594331p1.html

Camera - Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video. Photos can be used in-game and for gamer profiles. The camera can also be used for video chat. It's unknown if the Xenon camera will allow for EyeToy-like gameplay. Developers are currently using a simulated camera driver.

[Crash]

good find, here are the specs

http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594331p1.html




For several GameSpy editors, Game Developers Conference (GDC) is one of the best and most enjoyable events held each year. One of the primary reasons for GameSpy's GDC love is that the editors get to interact with some of the best talents in the business. Recently, some of GameSpy's friends in the development community shared a ton of details on Microsoft's next console system. Keep in mind that all of this information is based off of alpha development kits and current projections for the final hardware. Everything is subject to change. In the first part of our Xbox expose, I'll cover the console's hardware components and software goals. Since the final name of the next Xbox hasn't been revealed yet, I'll refer to the system by its codename, Xenon.

# CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores. Each core is capable of two instructions per cycle and has an L1 cache with 32 KB for data and 32 KB for instructions. The three cores share 1 MB of L2 cache. Alpha 2 developer kits currently have two cores instead of three.

# GPU - Xenon's GPU is a generation beyond the ATI X800. Its clock speed is 500 MHz and it supports Shader 3.0. Developers are currently working with an alpha 2 GPU. Beta GPU units are expected by May and the final GPU is slated for a summer release. The final GPU will be more powerful than anything on the market today; in game terms, it would handle a game like Half-Life 2 with ease.

# System Memory - Xenon will have 256 MB of system RAM. Keep in mind that this number should not be equated to typical PC RAM. The Xbox has 64 MB of system RAM and is a very capable machine.

# Optical Drive - As many have speculated, Xenon will not use Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. Games will come on dual-layer DVD-9 discs. While the media is the same as that of the current Xbox, the usable space on each disc is up to 7 GB. The drive is slated to run at 12X.

# Memory Units - Xenon will use 64 MB to 1,024 MB memory cards. 8 MB is reserved for system use, leaving a 56 MB to 1,016 MB for user data.

# Hard Drive - As many have speculated, Xenon's hard drive is optional. 2 GB of the drive will be used as game cache. The final drive size is still being determined.

# Camera - Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video. Photos can be used in-game and for gamer profiles. The camera can also be used for video chat. It's unknown if the Xenon camera will allow for EyeToy-like gameplay. Developers are currently using a simulated camera driver.

# Sound Chip - Xenon does not have an audio chip in the traditional sense. Decompression is handled by hardware, while the rest of the chores are handled by software. DirectSound3D has been dropped in favor of X3DAudio. The former was deemed too inflexible.



Raymond's Reaction - The Xenon is an extremely impressive piece of hardware. It will allow gamers to see things like complex lighting in gameplay, amazing details through high-level shading (impeccable clouds, fur, grass, cloth, water, marble, ground, etc.), incredible textures, and new post effects (increased motion blur, heat distortion, depth of field, light blooms, etc.).

While people have already been correctly speculating about the removable hard drive and the standard DVD media, I was surprised at the inclusion of the camera. I haven't heard a single rumbling about a Xenon camera prior to GDC. The optional hard drive is a bit understandable; the only gamers that care about it will buy it anyway, while casual gamers won't care about the performance and convenience gains a drive offers. The standard DVD isn't too surprising considering that HD-DVD drives will be too expensive for inclusion in a console system in 2005.

[Null]

USB! they're learning! learning i tells ya!

im pretty sure now that Sony will continue to offer USB ports on PS3, after reading this, pretty sure Xbox2 will offer USB ports. only question now is, Is nintendo smart enough to enclude USB ports? i have my doubts on that one.

But this is exactly what i've been saying for a while. just adding USB ports onto the consoles opens up a world of possibilities for the machines. things like Keyboards / Mice / memory sticks / printers / Camera's / and much more are all possible becaue of one little port. :)




# Hard Drive - As many have speculated, Xenon's hard drive is optional. 2 GB of the drive will be used as game cache. The final drive size is still being determined.

Optional might be a potentionally HUGE mistake. hopfully they rethink that. i'd rather see the only option being a BIG hard drive or a small one. having an option to have none at all could really hurt them.

[Jonbo298]

There was a rumor or something awhile back where they were gonna put Halo 2.5 on the HD for the Xenon (X2, whatever) to try and crank up sales of the HD when it comes out

Microsoft is requiring developers to make all Xenon titles Live enabled. One of the key reasons for this will be revealed in the second part of this story.

Thats kind of a good/bad thing. Good because it means online is in full force next gen for MS but requiring something like this needs more info. Does it mean it has to have multiplayer online or even something as small as just a score tracker. But thats what the second part is for..when that comes

[Null]

well if they have the HD optional, then developers are going to be very uneasy doing things like that or games that need to realy take advantage of a HD, because the game wont be able to get to as many people because half the userbase might not even have a HD.

and to me, consoles need to really start taking advantage to what a HD has to offer them.

[Jonbo298]

Consoles should have a built in HD next gen because of the possibilites. As long as it doesnt jack up the cost too much for X console

[Vampyr]

well if they have the HD optional, then developers are going to be very uneasy doing things like that or games that need to realy take advantage of a HD, because the game wont be able to get to as many people because half the userbase might not even have a HD.

and to me, consoles need to really start taking advantage to what a HD has to offer them.

I COMPLETELY agree.

+rep

I very pleased to see how powerful the Xbox 2 will be, and I'm glad I will have an option of getting an HD, but I think it should be standard on every Xbox 2.

[Blackmane]

Those specs are very pleasing to me, and I can't wait to see how it actually performs. Hopefully the specs don't overhype the actual performance.

[Stonecutter]

Anyone still believe the PS3 is going to be "massively more powerful" or whatever the hyperbole was a few days ago?

[Solid Snake]

# CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores. Each core is capable of two instructions per cycle and has an L1 cache with 32 KB for data and 32 KB for instructions. The three cores share 1 MB of L2 cache. Alpha 2 developer kits currently have two cores instead of three.


So developers have development kits that don't show the true power of the Xenon. So maybe the PS3 isn't a lot more powerful like developers were saying.

With being able to select your profile everytime you log onto your Xenon, that reminds me of Microsoft Windows.....hmmmm.

[Acebot44]

Sounds fantastic :D I'm really looking forward to E3 this year. Maybe they'll be a little more lax on the security and age issue this year.

[Null]

Anyone still believe the PS3 is going to be "massively more powerful" or whatever the hyperbole was a few days ago?


more powerful, yes, thats what all signs are pointing to. by how much? who knows, but these are pretty much exactly the specs i expected from xbox2, so nothings changed there.

[DarrenMcLeod]

I liked the second feature that they posted talking about the Live features. Microsoft is being quite smart with making Live a big community like this. Pretty impressive.

[Stonecutter]

more powerful, yes, thats what all signs are pointing to. by how much? who knows, but these are pretty much exactly the specs i expected from xbox2, so nothings changed there.

Oh, no doubt, the system that comes out last is going to be the most powerful, any company worth its salt would make their machine the most powerful when it launched, but the articles posted last week were laughable. Even if PS3 launches in 2006 it's not going to blow Xbox 2 out of the water, MS can see the market, and they can see where the technology is going, they would not release a system that would be grossly outgunned within a year of its release. Graphics wise, I expect the PS3 to hold the same type of advantage over Xbox 2 as Xbox currently holds over PS2. Defiantly noticeable but not something that's going to turn people away from the system.

[Perfect Stu]

Anyone still believe the PS3 is going to be "massively more powerful" or whatever the hyperbole was a few days ago?


massively? I would expect not...

[Null]

Oh, no doubt, the system that comes out last is going to be the most powerful, any company worth its salt would make their machine the most powerful when it launched, but the articles posted last week were laughable. Even if PS3 launches in 2006 it's not going to blow Xbox 2 out of the water, MS can see the market, and they can see where the technology is going, they would not release a system that would be grossly outgunned within a year of its release. Graphics wise, I expect the PS3 to hold the same type of advantage over Xbox 2 as Xbox currently holds over PS2. Defiantly noticeable but not something that's going to turn people away from the system.


absolutly. and honestly for the first couple years while developers explore each console, i wouldnt expect to see hardly any difference in graphics in any of the new 3. its the last couple years of the console lives when they're pushing what they can get out of em that you notice the difference.

[Stonecutter]

absolutly. and honestly for the first couple years while developers explore each console, i wouldnt expect to see hardly any difference in graphics in any of the new 3. its the last couple years of the console lives when they're pushing what they can get out of em that you notice the difference.
Yeah, and you know what. Even though the curent crop of xbox games look a lot better than the current crop of ps2 games, the PS2 games look GREAT now, a year and a half/two years ago there were some downright fugly ps2 games.

[Perfect Stu]

PS2 was built with technology ahead of its time. And now, it's really starting to pay off. (in response to stonecutter)

[Vampyr]

http://img.penny-arcade.com/2005/20050314l.jpg

[Neo]

lmao, that's nice.....and a good point.

[Crash]

that is exactly what I was thinking when they announced that

/me said "if someone pisses me off, I'm making my profile pic a pic of my ass"

so.. yes, that is the worst idea ever!!

but +rep for realizing my ideas into a tangible cartoon.