Xbox 2

[BobMurdoch]

I hope they don't kill the hard drive..... I love having my own soundtracks added to games with lame music (Burnout 3 is the prime example..... playing I Can't Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar is WAY more fun than listening to that craap they put on the disc).

The only problem with having it not NEED the hard drive (a stripped down version) is that game programmers will have to make their games dumbed down to deal with those units lacking harddrives. Why bother allowing for soundtracks if only 20% of the units purchased have the ability to use the feature?

 

[Ann212]

some new info hit the air

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/news/events/gdc05/default.htm?level1=enushome&level2=live1sbg&level3=gdc05

Some think 3 diff models will be available.

 

[korsjs]

good article, thanks.

 

[BobMurdoch]

http://www.xbox.com/en-us/xboxtv/default.htm?t=5226&v=92561

Click on the GDC 2005 Demo Video. It gives you a preview of the new console menu and (drumroll).... announces that Soundtracks control is no longer programmer centric. That means EVERY game can have the music soundtrack disabled with your selections overriding the programmers intended music choices. This reminds me of the old days when Doom2 was loaded on my computer hard disk and you could change the music by putting any music cd in your CD Rom drive. When it tried to cue up track 7... it would cue up track 7 from YOUR CD. I don't think the programmers planned it that way but it was a happy accident.

This removes my last reservation about the next generation. As long as I can buy the version of the NextBox or Xenon or XBox 360 (yecch on that one) that has the hard drive built in, I'm good to go.....

I hope they make it backwards compatable so I can play older games and remove the old XBox from my Receiver stack. I also hope they keep it receiver sized. I like the look of the console. I say call it Xenon and have a color shifting Neon look logo like some of the controllers have.

Now I just have to hope they put the last levels of Halo 2 back in the game and rerelease it as the one of the launch titles. The original Halo 2 ending sux when it ends cold like that.....

 

[Horsnuts]

I agree about the ending, but you have to admit.......it leaves you wanting more, and that was probably the goal they had in mind with that! ( It does suck though.)

 

[BobMurdoch]

Three things..... The Halo 2 ending felt like they ran out of time and pushed it out the door with the last two or three levels taken out (the game actually runs shorter than the original Halo when playing all the way through which was my clue here)

Second, I'm hearing rumours that the hard drive will actually dock with the basic Xenon (or XBox 360... whatever they are gonna call the thing). This means that 2 years down the road you can always load a larger hard drive if they make one available. This could be pretty neat.

Third, drum roll........

Here are the hardcore technical specs for you programmers to chew on.........

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=231928

And something in English for the rest of us........ (click through the ad)

http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594331p1.html?fromint=1

 

[Wiggin78]

If you want to mod your xbox you only need to go to www.xbox-scene.com and read the tutorials or poke around the forum. Installs are very easy and if you know anything about computers you will do just fine. I have had my Xbox modded since 2002 when xbox hacking first started. If you think the Xbox is the superior console unmodded just wait until you have it modded. Playing MAMEOX on your Xbox is just the tip of the iceberg. Good luck!