PokeMaster Justin
Lets Do It.
Microsoft:
Highlights:
+ Online Play
+ Content - Demos, Trailers, etc.
+ Xbox Live Arcade: Great feature and needs to be exploited more.
+ Traditional pricing structure (system can be had for 300 dollars)
+ Software - They are paying out the *** for software. Spending hundreds of millions of dollars on software development groups like Mistwalker, Silicon Knights, Rare, Epic, et. al.
+ Focus on simplicity of hardware design. Focused mainly on making a console, and not an off the shelf PC.
+ Ease of development, lots of developer tools and support.
Negatives:
- HD isn't standard. This hasn't been a huge issue, but I that I think devs would exploit the HD more if it had been standard.
- There's nothing 'revolutionary' about the design choices of the Xbox 360. Standard fare here, although this isn't much of a negative. Unlike Nintendo, it doesn't provide any huge controller differences, and unlike Sony it doesn't have a new media format.
Nintendo:
Highlights:
+ Unique Controller. I have to atleast give Nintendo props for doing something different. I wish they would have integrated it with a conventional controller a bit better, so developers had a bit more choice as to how to design their games.
+ Unique Content - I'm not a huge fan of the quirky games that Nintendo has made recently for the DS and GC, but I suppose it satisfies some audiences.
Negatives:
- Outrageous Price for the quality of hardware. 250 dollars is pretty steep for a system that seemingly has very little different in graphics than one released 5 years ago. Big negative for this. I wouldn't mind a system with inferior graphics so long as the price goes down accordingly. Nintendo can get away with it -- their fans are some of the most devout of the bunch.
- Vastly inferior hardware. There's a generational difference between the Wii and the PS3/360. That's pretty much a fact. I can't say I like this direction Nintendo is taking. Graphics are very important, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. They can greatly enhance the atmosphere and mood of a game. Imagine a zelda game with advanced shader techniques, and huge Oblivion-esque environments?
- Software so far is terrible. The only game I'm looking forward to is a GC port with Zelda. That's a huge plus, but let's be honest: what is on the horizon outside of Mario, Metroid, and Smash Bros? Not much.
- First party games appear to have progressively gotten worse since the N64 days. This is my opinion, of course, but none of the mario titles have felt genuine. The next mario title seems to follow the same direction that Mario Sunshine went, and perhaps even worse if the levels are relegated to planet hopping. They just don't have the charm that they once did.
Sony:
Highlights:
+ I like the standard HD across all systems.
+ I like the fact that you can apparently upgrade the HD with off the shelf PC components.
+ I like the fact that the firmware will, no doubt, have plenty of security holes allowing for this machine to get hacked beyond belief, and probably allow for a true media center PC eventually. This system may be a hackers dream, like the original Xbox was previously.
+ I like that they took a chance with Blu Ray, but I do not like the fact that it has elevated the price to 200 dollars more than an xbox 360, and has effectively doubled the conventional price of a launching system.
Negatives:
- Hardware design is sloppy. Overly complex. Very inefficient design. The system could have been much more powerful than it is with a 200 dollar premium over the X360.
- Graphics are good, but just as good as the 360. For a year later than the 360, it has no advantage. A 360 game being released this year is going to have the best graphics. This wasn't seen in earlier generations, as the PS2 easily had better looking games than the DC at launch, and similarly the Xbox had a game that looked leagues better than the best PS2 game at launch (Halo).
- Lack of consumer choice with Blu-Ray.
So when it's all said and done, most have their faluts, and most have their highs. In the end the consumer wins. Although I agree with the Playstation 3 vision of the future.
Highlights:
+ Online Play
+ Content - Demos, Trailers, etc.
+ Xbox Live Arcade: Great feature and needs to be exploited more.
+ Traditional pricing structure (system can be had for 300 dollars)
+ Software - They are paying out the *** for software. Spending hundreds of millions of dollars on software development groups like Mistwalker, Silicon Knights, Rare, Epic, et. al.
+ Focus on simplicity of hardware design. Focused mainly on making a console, and not an off the shelf PC.
+ Ease of development, lots of developer tools and support.
Negatives:
- HD isn't standard. This hasn't been a huge issue, but I that I think devs would exploit the HD more if it had been standard.
- There's nothing 'revolutionary' about the design choices of the Xbox 360. Standard fare here, although this isn't much of a negative. Unlike Nintendo, it doesn't provide any huge controller differences, and unlike Sony it doesn't have a new media format.
Nintendo:
Highlights:
+ Unique Controller. I have to atleast give Nintendo props for doing something different. I wish they would have integrated it with a conventional controller a bit better, so developers had a bit more choice as to how to design their games.
+ Unique Content - I'm not a huge fan of the quirky games that Nintendo has made recently for the DS and GC, but I suppose it satisfies some audiences.
Negatives:
- Outrageous Price for the quality of hardware. 250 dollars is pretty steep for a system that seemingly has very little different in graphics than one released 5 years ago. Big negative for this. I wouldn't mind a system with inferior graphics so long as the price goes down accordingly. Nintendo can get away with it -- their fans are some of the most devout of the bunch.
- Vastly inferior hardware. There's a generational difference between the Wii and the PS3/360. That's pretty much a fact. I can't say I like this direction Nintendo is taking. Graphics are very important, and anyone who says otherwise is lying. They can greatly enhance the atmosphere and mood of a game. Imagine a zelda game with advanced shader techniques, and huge Oblivion-esque environments?
- Software so far is terrible. The only game I'm looking forward to is a GC port with Zelda. That's a huge plus, but let's be honest: what is on the horizon outside of Mario, Metroid, and Smash Bros? Not much.
- First party games appear to have progressively gotten worse since the N64 days. This is my opinion, of course, but none of the mario titles have felt genuine. The next mario title seems to follow the same direction that Mario Sunshine went, and perhaps even worse if the levels are relegated to planet hopping. They just don't have the charm that they once did.
Sony:
Highlights:
+ I like the standard HD across all systems.
+ I like the fact that you can apparently upgrade the HD with off the shelf PC components.
+ I like the fact that the firmware will, no doubt, have plenty of security holes allowing for this machine to get hacked beyond belief, and probably allow for a true media center PC eventually. This system may be a hackers dream, like the original Xbox was previously.
+ I like that they took a chance with Blu Ray, but I do not like the fact that it has elevated the price to 200 dollars more than an xbox 360, and has effectively doubled the conventional price of a launching system.
Negatives:
- Hardware design is sloppy. Overly complex. Very inefficient design. The system could have been much more powerful than it is with a 200 dollar premium over the X360.
- Graphics are good, but just as good as the 360. For a year later than the 360, it has no advantage. A 360 game being released this year is going to have the best graphics. This wasn't seen in earlier generations, as the PS2 easily had better looking games than the DC at launch, and similarly the Xbox had a game that looked leagues better than the best PS2 game at launch (Halo).
- Lack of consumer choice with Blu-Ray.
So when it's all said and done, most have their faluts, and most have their highs. In the end the consumer wins. Although I agree with the Playstation 3 vision of the future.
