I'm thinking about getting an xbox for the coming winter months. I would hate to get one only to find out that a new better system is coming out right around the corner. Has anyone heard of any game systems that will be better or if Microsoft is going to come out with a new better system?

I havent heard.

But then again i could be wrong

www.google.com/search?q=xbox+2&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

google my friend.

I know an xbox 2 is in the works, but it will mostlikely be reverse-compatable.  Meaning you can play the old xbox games in the new system.

I wouldn't worry about it... focus on the new HALO2 comming out!!!!  

Quoted: I know an xbox 2 is in the works, but it will mostlikely be reverse-compatable.  Meaning you can play the old xbox games in the new system. I wouldn't worry about it... focus on the new HALO2 comming out!!!!

From what I have seen the Xbox 2 will not be backward compatible. It is rumored to add more features including operating as a digital video recorder/media center and maybe a internet box.

“I’ve got one word for you: Airsoft.”

Don't worry about XBox 2, buy it now. Conflict Vietnam and Shell Shocked Nam are some great games.

My sons and I play ALL the time.

thanks,
Ron

I would hold out fot the PS3.  Xbox2 is reported to not be backwards compatable.  Xbox2 is reported to not have a hard drive, which will make it suck just like a PS2.  I love my Xbox, but Microsoft is setting themselves up to lose a huge fan base when they put out th Xbox2.  

All that said, I can't wait for Halo 2.  I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.  

Xbox 2 will be revealed at E3 2005 and will, according to some, be available before Christmas 2005. The backwards compatibility issue has not been resolved either way (publicly).

New systems are ALWAYS in the works. Old systems become a bargain, with lots of good software, near the end of their lifecycle. Developers understand the older systems better and get great results out of them. Remember the last wave of Genesis games? There was some terriffic stuff in there.

The question isn't about the system, it's about you: are you an early-adopter or a latecomer?

Get the Xbox now, it'll be over a year at best before the new one comes out...and that is about 6 months before Sony comes out with the PS3 IF all of these fictional release dates are hit.  At $149 now, with some great $20 titles availabe, you'll will have at least a year to enjoy it, trust me.  If you're willing to go mail order, you can get some pretty good games for $10 at EBGames.  

I've got all 3 systems, and the Xbox gets 10 times the use that the others do.  Visually, the other 2 can't compare...the Gamecube actually comes close in *some* games to the Xbox, with the PS2 being a very distant 3rd.  The built in HD for the Xbox, which allows you to record tons of CDs on to it and play them in games (not all games support it, though) is a big bonus.  

Get the Xbox now...these are all $20 games:

NHL 2K5
NFL 2K5
Mech Assault
Outlaw Golf 2
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
Colin McRea 4
Soul Calibur
Tony Hawk 4
Medal Of Honor: Frontline
James Bond: Nightfire
SSX Tricky
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Midnight Club II

EB Games has 240 used Xbox titles for under $20, at good 15 of them actually worth getting lol.  

I did see an little piece online the other day saying some company has a contract with MS to produce an emulator chip for them that will play Xbox games...so there *may* be some movement on the backward s compatibility front.  (The Xbox uses a non Intel chip, which is the major hurdle to backwards compatibility).  

Xbox2 is reported to not have a hard drive, which will make it suck just like a PS2.

Might want to word that a bit better!  MS was dissapointed by the high costs of the HD and the relatively low usage it got from a gaming standpoint.  Rumors of solid state memory and/or online storage are getting kicked about...it would take ALOT more than lack of a hard drive to make Xbox2 "suck just like a PS2"!!!

Xbox 2 will be revealed at E3 2005 and will, according to some, be available before Christmas 2005. The backwards compatibility issue has not been resolved either way (publicly). New systems are ALWAYS in the works. Old systems become a bargain, with lots of good software, near the end of their lifecycle. Developers understand the older systems better and get great results out of them. Remember the last wave of Genesis games? There was some terriffic stuff in there. The question isn't about the system, it's about you: are you an early-adopter or a latecomer?

The dates jive with the latest I have heard.  I personally don't need MS to confirm backward compatibility...it WILL NOT be there.  I'll eat my words if this proves false, but the only people backwards compatibility is important to...are loyal Sony customers.  All of us who grew up buying Nintendo hardware/software KNOW we are getting kicked in the groin with each new system release.  We have always accepted it as long as the hardware is up to snuff.  From a programming and marketing standpoint, it's hard to break new ground if you also have to keep everything running happily with the old stuff.  Who really cares about backwards compatibility, keep your Xbox or run an Xbox emulator on your Xbox2 or PC...trust me they will be around and reliable enough.

JCKnife's advice is right on base...you just need to answer whether you are an early adopter or latecomer.  I think the fact you don't own an Xbox yet answers that nicely.  So just move on to Fenian's advice if you have the cash...sound logic and you will have a lot of fun playing great games. ...until Xbox 2 does release and the inevitable kick-to-the-ass and uncontrollable drooling commence.

MS always was playing for keeps, and if you think they did a decent job gaining market share with Xbox, wait until you see them roll out the Xbox2 media machine.  

P.S. - Every self respecting gun AND Xbox owner will be lining up to get Halo2 release day.  OH WHAT JOY!!!

ETA - Backwards compatibility has always puzzled me...unheard of before PS2 and since we will still be waiting to find out Sony's plans on PS3...are we expecting it to run original Playstation games?!  How much slower would the PC have evolved if consumers insisted on backwards compatibility...HA!  I would be tickled pink to find out that a reasonable number of people actually use their PS2 to play original Playstation games.  If you are that dedicated a gamer (or Sony CE fanboy IMHO) than you are still playing those games on your original PS1 deck.  But hey maybe I'm way wrong here...I never have plunked down cash on any Sony Computer Entertainment hardware and probably never will.  Too many friends, too many bad units.  I returned the first Xbox I bought, the second has performed flawlessly since about a month or so after launch.

Quoted: Xbox2 is reported to not have a hard drive, which will make it suck just like a PS2. Might want to word that a bit better!  MS was dissapointed by the high costs of the HD and the relatively low usage it got from a gaming standpoint.  Rumors of solid state memory and/or online storage are getting kicked about...it would take ALOT more than lack of a hard drive to make Xbox2 "suck just like a PS2"!!!

Well, when you have to buy memory cards, and worry about losing them, it will suck just like the POS2.  Xbox has the edge on graphics and online play, but they're lacking in game selection.  An online hard drive is a horrible idea, and I would be hard pressed to buy an Xbox 2 if that's what they did.

When you start taking away the aspects of the gaming system that set it apart from the others, you're gonna lose your fan base.  Microsoft needs to stop being cheap bastards, and be willing to dump the resources in maintaining their fan base like Sony.  They're so worried about people hacking their system, that they're actually considering taking away the benefits that people have come to know an love.  

Stop being cheap bastards...I won't even dignify that...take a look at the Xbox business model and how many MILLIONS they sunk into gaining footage into the video game market.  Like any sensible corporation they are re-evaluating the marketplace before adopting a plan.  One thing you can bet your ass on with MS...they sink WAY more money into real-world consumer feedback before that hardware goes to market.  Am I a little worried about the storage plan?  Yes.  Would I love to see a hard disk in Xbox2?  No.  I have over 400GB's scattered in the PC's around my house, and if I want to listen to music or rip it to disk, you can bet I'm doing it on an Athlon 3200+ with 512MB of RAM before I use my beloved Xbox.  If your stuck with a PC slower than your box, YMMV (and I pity you).  I personally would like to see a solid state drive in the system, doesn't even need to be that large.  Keep in mind solid state memory is MUCH MUCH faster than a hard disk that relies on moving parts, will never break, and is nearly impossible to destroy data on.  Take that hard disk...I myself am not that attached to the slowest and most failure prone piece of my computing world. My box is unmodded and the 8GB drive is still less than 1/4 full after 3+ years...c'mon it was cool to rip the first CD just cuz I could...but this is something I had been doing on PC for years.  Want to hear your music in game?  Fine mute the TV and turn on your stereo...the drive (in whatever form it takes) is just for random memory usage, texture storage, custom maps and characters, etcetera.  As for memory cards, BAH! I still don't own one for my Xbox and if I was so inclined would just buy a brand new Xbox for $140, get mod-crazy on it, and rig up a 512MB or 1GB USB key.  How's that for game storage on the go?  Hell you could use a mini 20GB pocket drive if you wanted to get super crazy!

The Xbox has had some software growing pains...but anyone who can still say they are lacking game selection simply isn't keeping up with the times and is letting PS2's MASSIVE library prejudice them.  Gamecube is actually in MUCH worse need of some non first-party games and a little more variety.  And yes, I own Gamecube as well.  Following the game industry is fascinating stuff, it's a ruthless business model.

As to alienating the fan base...MS hasn't crashed down or outlashed on the Xbox mod market.  They simply turn a blind eye and let it flourish...they know damn well it is one of the things helping move units and shave Sony's edge.  You want to see an outlash on the mod scene look at what Nintendo has done, with legal action, to shut modders down.  It WILL be VERY interesting to see if Xbox2 does incorporate some hardware protection features, or is AT LEAST a bit trickier to solder.  I could train a chimp to mod Xboxes in a week, probably take a month+ before he wasn't churning out dead PS2's

ETA - an "edge" in online play would definitely be the biggest understatement I've heard all week...
ETA - maybe MS has all the HD lovers in mind and will just sell a bulky, overpriced external unit and support it in all of two games until they declare it dead in the water like another company chose to...that's definitely the most biased statement I have bothered to make but is pretty much the sum of it.

Quoted: Stop being cheap bastards...I won't even dignify that...take a look at the Xbox business model and how many MILLIONS they sunk into gaining footage into the video game market.  Like any sensible corporation they are re-evaluating the marketplace before adopting a plan.  One thing you can bet your ass on with MS...they sink WAY more money into real-world consumer feedback before that hardware goes to market.  Am I a little worried about the storage plan?  Yes.  Would I love to see a hard disk in Xbox2?  No.  I have over 400GB's scattered in the PC's around my house, and if I want to listen to music or rip it to disk, you can bet I'm doing it on an Athlon 3200+ with 512MB of RAM before I use my beloved Xbox.  If your stuck with a PC slower than your box, YMMV (and I pity you).  I personally would like to see a solid state drive in the system, doesn't even need to be that large.  My box is unmodded and the 8GB drive is still less than 1/4 full after 3+ years...c'mon it was cool to rip the first CD just cuz I could...but this is something I had been doing on PC for years.  Want to hear your music in game?  Fine mute the TV and turn on your stereo...  As for memory cards, BAH! I still don't own one for my Xbox and if I was so inclined would just buy a brand new Xbox for $140, get mod-crazy on it, and rig up a 512MB or 1GB USB key.  How's that for game storage on the go?  Hell you could use a mini 20GB pocket drive if you wanted to get super crazy! The Xbox has had some software growing pains...but anyone who can still say they are lacking game selection simply isn't keeping up with the times and is letting PS2's MASSIVE library prejudice them.  Gamecube is actually in MUCH worse need of some non first-party games and a little more variety.  And yes, I own Gamecube as well.  Following the game industry is fascinating stuff, it's a ruthless business model. As to alienating the fan base...MS hasn't crashed down or outlashed on the Xbox mod market.  They simply turn a blind eye and let it flourish...they know damn well it is one of the things helping move units and shave Sony's edge.  You want to see an outlash on the mod scene look at what Nintendo has done, with legal action, to shut modders down.  It WILL be VERY interesting to see if Xbox2 does incorporate some hardware protection features, or is AT LEAST a bit trickier to solder.  I could train a chimp to mod Xboxes in a week, probably take a month+ before he wasn't churning out dead PS2's ETA - an "edge" in online play would definitely be the biggest understatement I've heard all week...

Actually, the new mods that came out recently for the PS2 allow you to install the hard drive, and save whole games to it.  All you need is the disk to format the drive and you're good to go.  The reason Microsoft hasn't lashed out at th Mod market is because they can't.  There's no law the prevents me from modifying the electronic unit that I own.  The only thing that it does is violate my warranty.  However, Microsoft will block your IP address if you try to play online with a Mod'd Xbox.  

As far as not knowing their fan base, I don't think you get it.  The fact that they're even considering not making it backwards compatable and taking out the hard drive shows that their out of touch with their market.  I don't care how much they've spent on market research, they just don't seem to get it.  They did a 180 when it leaked that it wouldn't be backwards compatable and have a hard drive.  They realized that they would lose a large fan base, and now, they've been forced to reconsider they're design.  Hopefully, they don't prove to be cheap bastards and ignore they uproar they've caused.  

Hold off for a month. The xbox is supposed to drop in price in time for christmas. Plus you'll get a lot of extra stuff with it, such as a 3 month xbox live subscription and some good games.

Quoted: Quoted: Stop being cheap bastards...I won't even dignify that...take a look at the Xbox business model and how many MILLIONS they sunk into gaining footage into the video game market.  Like any sensible corporation they are re-evaluating the marketplace before adopting a plan.  One thing you can bet your ass on with MS...they sink WAY more money into real-world consumer feedback before that hardware goes to market.  Am I a little worried about the storage plan?  Yes.  Would I love to see a hard disk in Xbox2?  No.  I have over 400GB's scattered in the PC's around my house, and if I want to listen to music or rip it to disk, you can bet I'm doing it on an Athlon 3200+ with 512MB of RAM before I use my beloved Xbox.  If your stuck with a PC slower than your box, YMMV (and I pity you).  I personally would like to see a solid state drive in the system, doesn't even need to be that large.  My box is unmodded and the 8GB drive is still less than 1/4 full after 3+ years...c'mon it was cool to rip the first CD just cuz I could...but this is something I had been doing on PC for years.  Want to hear your music in game?  Fine mute the TV and turn on your stereo...  As for memory cards, BAH! I still don't own one for my Xbox and if I was so inclined would just buy a brand new Xbox for $140, get mod-crazy on it, and rig up a 512MB or 1GB USB key.  How's that for game storage on the go?  Hell you could use a mini 20GB pocket drive if you wanted to get super crazy! The Xbox has had some software growing pains...but anyone who can still say they are lacking game selection simply isn't keeping up with the times and is letting PS2's MASSIVE library prejudice them.  Gamecube is actually in MUCH worse need of some non first-party games and a little more variety.  And yes, I own Gamecube as well.  Following the game industry is fascinating stuff, it's a ruthless business model. As to alienating the fan base...MS hasn't crashed down or outlashed on the Xbox mod market.  They simply turn a blind eye and let it flourish...they know damn well it is one of the things helping move units and shave Sony's edge.  You want to see an outlash on the mod scene look at what Nintendo has done, with legal action, to shut modders down.  It WILL be VERY interesting to see if Xbox2 does incorporate some hardware protection features, or is AT LEAST a bit trickier to solder.  I could train a chimp to mod Xboxes in a week, probably take a month+ before he wasn't churning out dead PS2's ETA - an "edge" in online play would definitely be the biggest understatement I've heard all week... Actually, the new mods that came out recently for the PS2 allow you to install the hard drive, and save whole games to it.  All you need is the disk to format the drive and you're good to go.  The reason Microsoft hasn't lashed out at th Mod market is because they can't.  There's no law the prevents me from modifying the electronic unit that I own.  The only thing that it does is violate my warranty.  However, Microsoft will block your IP address if you try to play online with a Mod'd Xbox.   As far as not knowing their fan base, I don't think you get it.  The fact that they're even considering not making it backwards compatable and taking out the hard drive shows that their out of touch with their market.  I don't care how much they've spent on market research, they just don't seem to get it.  They did a 180 when it leaked that it wouldn't be backwards compatable and have a hard drive.  They realized that they would lose a large fan base, and now, they've been forced to reconsider they're design.  Hopefully, they don't prove to be cheap bastards and ignore they uproar they've caused.

we got some real experts here. let me guess, ya'll don't have tans.

we got some real experts here. let me guess, ya'll don't have tans.

[sigh]****************************************[/sigh]

xbox future...???...not into discussing please move on...nothing to see here..furthering blatant stereotypes just displays ignorance...and yes, I live in the basement and am white as a ghost.  I thought the only people with tans in these days of cancer paranoia were yuppies who tan in beds.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Stop being cheap bastards...I won't even dignify that...take a look at the Xbox business model and how many MILLIONS they sunk into gaining footage into the video game market.  Like any sensible corporation they are re-evaluating the marketplace before adopting a plan.  One thing you can bet your ass on with MS...they sink WAY more money into real-world consumer feedback before that hardware goes to market.  Am I a little worried about the storage plan?  Yes.  Would I love to see a hard disk in Xbox2?  No.  I have over 400GB's scattered in the PC's around my house, and if I want to listen to music or rip it to disk, you can bet I'm doing it on an Athlon 3200+ with 512MB of RAM before I use my beloved Xbox.  If your stuck with a PC slower than your box, YMMV (and I pity you).  I personally would like to see a solid state drive in the system, doesn't even need to be that large.  My box is unmodded and the 8GB drive is still less than 1/4 full after 3+ years...c'mon it was cool to rip the first CD just cuz I could...but this is something I had been doing on PC for years.  Want to hear your music in game?  Fine mute the TV and turn on your stereo...  As for memory cards, BAH! I still don't own one for my Xbox and if I was so inclined would just buy a brand new Xbox for $140, get mod-crazy on it, and rig up a 512MB or 1GB USB key.  How's that for game storage on the go?  Hell you could use a mini 20GB pocket drive if you wanted to get super crazy! The Xbox has had some software growing pains...but anyone who can still say they are lacking game selection simply isn't keeping up with the times and is letting PS2's MASSIVE library prejudice them.  Gamecube is actually in MUCH worse need of some non first-party games and a little more variety.  And yes, I own Gamecube as well.  Following the game industry is fascinating stuff, it's a ruthless business model. As to alienating the fan base...MS hasn't crashed down or outlashed on the Xbox mod market.  They simply turn a blind eye and let it flourish...they know damn well it is one of the things helping move units and shave Sony's edge.  You want to see an outlash on the mod scene look at what Nintendo has done, with legal action, to shut modders down.  It WILL be VERY interesting to see if Xbox2 does incorporate some hardware protection features, or is AT LEAST a bit trickier to solder.  I could train a chimp to mod Xboxes in a week, probably take a month+ before he wasn't churning out dead PS2's ETA - an "edge" in online play would definitely be the biggest understatement I've heard all week... Actually, the new mods that came out recently for the PS2 allow you to install the hard drive, and save whole games to it.  All you need is the disk to format the drive and you're good to go.  The reason Microsoft hasn't lashed out at th Mod market is because they can't.  There's no law the prevents me from modifying the electronic unit that I own.  The only thing that it does is violate my warranty.  However, Microsoft will block your IP address if you try to play online with a Mod'd Xbox.   As far as not knowing their fan base, I don't think you get it.  The fact that they're even considering not making it backwards compatable and taking out the hard drive shows that their out of touch with their market.  I don't care how much they've spent on market research, they just don't seem to get it.  They did a 180 when it leaked that it wouldn't be backwards compatable and have a hard drive.  They realized that they would lose a large fan base, and now, they've been forced to reconsider they're design.  Hopefully, they don't prove to be cheap bastards and ignore they uproar they've caused.   we got some real experts here. let me guess, ya'll don't have tans.

Actually, I had quite a nice tan this summer.  Between jogging, mountain biking, and golfing, I didn't do too badly.  

Let's just say I've got some free time at work, and really pale friends.  

Quoted: Well, when you have to buy memory cards, and worry about losing them, it will suck just like the POS2.  Xbox has the edge on graphics and online play, but they're lacking in game selection.  An online hard drive is a horrible idea, and I would be hard pressed to buy an Xbox 2 if that's what they did. When you start taking away the aspects of the gaming system that set it apart from the others, you're gonna lose your fan base.  Microsoft needs to stop being cheap bastards, and be willing to dump the resources in maintaining their fan base like Sony.  They're so worried about people hacking their system, that they're actually considering taking away the benefits that people have come to know an love.

Game selection??? Ok, what's the difference...50 good games out of 5000, or 50 good games out of 1000?  As for memory, what most of the scuttlebutt about the Xbox2 is that it will have some sort of internal memory storage, it just won't be on a hard drive.  

PS2 doesn't have an internal hard drive...you can buy one for $99...it doesn't have a built in broadband adapter...but you can buy one for $35.  It doesn't have built in 4 player support...but you can buy a multitap for $35.  Talk about cheap bastards, by the time you configure your PS2 to do what an Xbox does out of the box, you've spent over $300.  

I'd hardly call MS "cheap bastards" so far, and I don't think they'll scrimp on what's important to make a kick ass system the next go round.  The decision to do away with the hard drive is not a deal breaker for me, nor is backwards compatibility...I already have a system to play Xbox games on

Actually, the new mods that came out recently for the PS2 allow you to install the hard drive, and save whole games to it. All you need is the disk to format the drive and you're good to go. The reason Microsoft hasn't lashed out at th Mod market is because they can't. There's no law the prevents me from modifying the electronic unit that I own. The only thing that it does is violate my warranty. However, Microsoft will block your IP address if you try to play online with a Mod'd Xbox.

Sorry BigJ491 I added to my post on the fly after you quoted it...re-read it if you would to cover the hard drive.  There is really NO sense in hoping for it or arguing the merits, hope instead all the big 3 get you away from a slow and failure prone drive.  Solid state memory will do the same thing faster, it just wasn't up to viable size ranges when Xbox was released.  Now it is.  

MS blocks the IP because an unmodded Xbox would make cheating in games INCREDIBLY easier and would ruin the best part of the Xbox Live service...an almost cheat-free playing field.  I don't know a single Xbox enthusiast who did not spring for 2 after the multiple price drops when they met the conditions of a.) badly wanting a modded box AND b.) badly wanting Live play.  I know several who only fit one of those categories and chose to stick to one, myself included.  I'm not saying everyone should buy two, but I am saying you can't have it both ways.  You want to void the warranty on one fine, but then it is MS's right to not allow it on their servers.  Last I checked there were quite a few tricks around this...but you seem determined to ignore the reality of the situation and stick to your personal biases...which is your right.  Just state it as opinion that you are resolute that MS is looking to shaft you the happy consumer and fail to make money with Xbox2.  You claim they are out of touch with their market, but obviously that depends on your viewpoint considering I just said I don't want or expect backwards compatibility or a hard disk.  I bought my Xbox about a week after launch, and have wasted countless lungfuls of air helping get the word out to the uneducated masses.  They haven't alienated this customer...yet.  Lastly, they haven't done a 180 or been forced to reconsider anything...nothing is set in stone until a manufacturing line starts pumping out units by the thousands.  Who do you think "leaked" those specs and why?  C'mon now, MS may be alot of things bad and good, but there really isn't a single company in all of hardware/software anywhere that places so much importance on listening to their focus groups.

ETA -

The reason Microsoft hasn't lashed out at th Mod market is because they can't. There's no law the prevents me from modifying the electronic unit that I own.

 
While that may be true IN ESSENCE only, I'm laughing REALLY hard if you believe that.  If I was MS and I wanted to, I could be suing every mod-chip manufacturer, marketer, owner, and squirrels in trees for property infringement.

Quoted: but you seem determined to ignore the reality of the situation and stick to your personal biases...which is your right.  Just state it as opinion that you are resolute that MS is looking to shaft you the happy consumer and fail to make money with Xbox2.

Just because someone challenges your point of view doesn't mean their "determined to ignore the reality of the situation."  You're going to have a hard time on this board with that mentality.  



-edited because I spell like Ashlee Simpson sings...Badly.

Don't let some strong wording lead you to believe I'm writing you off, I welcome challenging of my ideas.  Just meant you are walking out on a thin limb with such generic statements that are so clearly grounded in preconditioned opinions and not on research.  I understand your not so into the minute details and are viewing the bigger picture, that's cool.  But let's review...

-It's not going to suck without a hard drive.  Solid state memory will be better in every way.

-You've mentioned alienating the fan base, yet even the handful of people voicing their opinion here have majority...we don't need backwards compatibility or the HD.

-Memory cards...where you are most off base...how many Xbox users even have one.  The EXTREME minority.  You don't need it with internal storage unless you are taking game files to a buddies house.  Xbox owners don't bother...ask anyone of driving age not still on a bicycle...they throw the whole box in and take it to the friend's to hook up to an extra TV.  Xbox2 WILL have internal storage, and Sony and Nintendo will probably follow along where MS pioneered...but the HD is OBSOLETE technology!

-Game selection...off base...Gamecube owners are the steamed majority.  Xbox owners stopped yelling LOUDLY after the batch of top quality pre and post holiday releases.  Xbox arguably currently has some of the best exclusive titles on the market, and inarguably has some of the best in develoment before Xbox2 hits.

-modding market...off base...they could have shut the whole thing down in the early days if Mr. Gates wanted to toss a few million at the problem.  Ever wonder WHY they chose such an open architecture?!  HHmmmmm...

-IP banning...several ways to mask/trick it...several mod chips that defeat it altogether...and there is always XBconnect or Gamespy Tunnel that can force most Xbox Live titles through some packet filtering tricks and have you playing online cheaper than PS2 and even Xbox Live.  YMMV  
ETA - if you were hosting games on your bandwidth it would be different, but with the design of Xbox Live and the HUGE amount of dollars pumped into running those premium servers...they have the right to protect their investment anyway they see fit.  Don't like it, don't buy a subscription if your a modder.  If your not though, how does it affect you?

Bottom line...I'm open to all discussion, the fact your an Xbox owner waiting on Halo2 places you in our brotherhood as far as I'm concerned and I look forward to sneaking up behind you and using the communicator to whisper "owned by GG" as I strike down on the back of your cranium with my shotgun butt

Hold out for the PS3, you'll be glad you did.

Or if you can't wait, but a cheap Xbox off ebay or something.  

Quoted: Don't let some strong wording lead you to believe I'm writing you off, I welcome challenging of my ideas.  Just meant you are walking out on a thin limb with such generic statements that are so clearly grounded in preconditioned opinions and not on research.  I understand your not so into the minute details and are viewing the bigger picture, that's cool.  But let's review... -It's not going to suck without a hard drive.  Solid state memory will be better in every way. -You've mentioned alienating the fan base, yet even the handful of people voicing their opinion here have majority...we don't need backwards compatibility or the HD. -Memory cards...where you are most off base...how many Xbox users even have one.  The EXTREME minority.  You don't need it with internal storage unless you are taking game files to a buddies house.  Xbox owners don't bother...ask anyone of driving age not still on a bicycle...they throw the whole box in and take it to the friend's to hook up to an extra TV.  Xbox2 WILL have internal storage, and Sony and Nintendo will probably follow along where MS pioneered...but the HD is OBSOLETE technology! -Game selection...off base...Gamecube owners are the steamed majority.  Xbox owners stopped yelling LOUDLY after the batch of top quality pre and post holiday releases.  Xbox arguably currently has some of the best exclusive titles on the market, and inarguably has some of the best in develoment before Xbox2 hits. -modding market...off base...they could have shut the whole thing down in the early days if Mr. Gates wanted to toss a few million at the problem.  Ever wonder WHY they chose such an open architecture?!  HHmmmmm... -IP banning...several ways to mask/trick it...several mod chips that defeat it altogether...and there is always XBconnect or Gamespy Tunnel that can force most Xbox Live titles through some packet filtering tricks and have you playing online cheaper than PS2 and even Xbox Live.  YMMV   ETA - if you were hosting games on your bandwidth it would be different, but with the design of Xbox Live and the HUGE amount of dollars pumped into running those premium servers...they have the right to protect their investment anyway they see fit.  Don't like it, don't buy a subscription if your a modder.  If your not though, how does it affect you? Bottom line...I'm open to all discussion, the fact your an Xbox owner waiting on Halo2 places you in our brotherhood as far as I'm concerned and I look forward to sneaking up behind you and using the communicator to whisper "owned by GG" as I strike down on the back of your cranium with my shotgun butt

Suffice to say, if they Xbox 2 is not backwards compatible, and lacks a hard drive, I'll be bying a PS3 first.  My opinion is only based on what I've read, and it would appear we've obtained our knowledge from conficting sources.  

As for Halo 2... bring it on.  

Quoted: Suffice to say, if they Xbox 2 is not backwards compatible, and lacks a hard drive, I'll be bying a PS3 first.  My opinion is only based on what I've read, and it would appear we've obtained our knowledge from conficting sources.   As for Halo 2... bring it on.

Other than Atari consoles, PS2 is the only videogame system that has been backwards-compatible. Where does that put it? At the back of  the technology pack in today's 3-way market. What could they have achieved without that constraint?

Granted, they are at the FRONT in installed units, and that's where the $$ is.

Again this is a question that is more "what kind of user are you" that determines which console is for you. If you want the most game variety, you go with the machine with the most installed units that most games are developed for. A serious gamer will get any console that has A-list exclusives on it (such as Halo, or Resident Evil 4, or GTA San Andreas).

I for one hope that the next Xbox uses software emulation rather than hardware retardation to achieve backwards-compatability. But I guess that puts MS in a legal battle with their xbox chip-maker (I forget who).

All the new systems will be coming out either the end of 2005 or in 2006.

eta - I for one think Sony is going to lay the smack down on X-box in the next round that it may force MS out of the Business.

Quoted: All the new systems will be coming out either the end of 2005 or in 2006. eta - I for one think Sony is going to lay the smack down on X-box in the next round that it may force MS out of the Business.

Gee, deja vu all over again.  You have no factual basis upon which to form this opinion....so I'm assuming you used some sort of video game divining rod?  

While we're at it, please explain to me how Sony plans on implementing everything they've hinted at that's gonna be in the PS3, and keep the cost down to someting people might be willing to pay...or do you belive in the two system approach that some folks have mentioned?  

AND, while we're on the subject, they had better address the programming difficulties in their non direct X world...which hampered PS2 development, especially in the early stages.  Hardware specs don't mean squat if the developers can't figure out how to program to take advantage of it.  

The PS3 may or may not be a great system, but anyone who writes MS off in the video game biz might look like a chump down the road.  

Quoted: Quoted: All the new systems will be coming out either the end of 2005 or in 2006. eta - I for one think Sony is going to lay the smack down on X-box in the next round that it may force MS out of the Business. Gee, deja vu all over again.  You have no factual basis upon which to form this opinion....so I'm assuming you used some sort of video game divining rod?

There was a thread a while back where I argued this point into the ground.  This is only my opnion, but I believe it to be sound.

How old are you people?  You are arguing over VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS for crying out loud.

Right now the Xbox is the hands down best console system available.  Period.

Quoted: How old are you people?  You are arguing over VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS for crying out loud. Right now the Xbox is the hands down best console system available.  Period.

How old are you?  You sure are jumping in with your own argument.

Quoted: How old are you people?  You are arguing over VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS for crying out loud. Right now the Xbox is the hands down best console system available.  Period.

By what standard?

Graphics? Xbox is best.

Library of games? PS2 wins easily.

Installed units? I'm not sure if PS2 or Gameboy has the lead here.

Exclusive "A-List" content? Gamecube might have the most. (Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Resident Evil)

Your criteria for "best" might not be someone elses.

What gun is best? You would HAVE to answer that question with a question--best at what?

I am not getting sucked into this.  You guys will just have to continue your dork fest without me.

Quoted: I am not getting sucked into this.  You guys will just have to continue your dork fest without me.

well, you could have avoiding posting here at all then...your second post in this thread clearly indicates you are already sucked in.  

Quoted: Quoted: I am not getting sucked into this.  You guys will just have to continue your dork fest without me. well, you could have avoiding posting here at all then...your second post in this thread clearly indicates you are already sucked in.

Welcome dork!

Quoted: By what standard?

Halo and Halo 2

How's that for a standard.  

Quoted: Quoted: By what standard? Halo and Halo 2 How's that for a standard.

I can live with that

Fenian raises EXCELLENT points that I wasn't going to bother illustrating when some here just want to ignore common industry knowledge and limit the discussion to "MS sucks/is evil and PS3 will naturally rule like PS2 has."  Developers are already freaking out at the early glimpses they have gotten of the PS3's development tools.  The hype Sony is trying to generate around it's "revolutionary" cell processors is really quite lame.  Meanwhile MS was smart enough to adopt an open and easy to develop for DirectX API, and have already released the Xbox2 development kit that further works to seamlessly bridge MS's PC and console development tools together.

Talk about alienating customers.  Remember when the Playstation did not exist and was just an idea for a CD-ROM add on for the Super NES?  I bet Nintendo has kicked themselves in the ass many a time over that business move.  But it happened because they MASSIVELY dominated the market and did not have to listen to any outside voices of innovation.  They accidently created their biggest competitor and the current market share majority holder.  Sony is set to make the EXACT same blunder in the next generation of console wars.

Is it really that hard for some people?  To see the topic is not of interest to them and move on?  There are plenty of hardcore gamers of all ages, of all differing backgrounds.  Do you really want to hold the "look at my ignorance" sign over your head?  We get along great when it comes to AR talk (for the most part)...so why piss on a person's hobby?  Do unto others...

Quoted: I am not getting sucked into this.  You guys will just have to continue your dork fest without me.

I love it when people try to act all superior.  It's kind of funny.  

ESPECIALLY when they casually post about video games!  That's like a casual shooter calling a hardcore knowledgeable shooter a person with too much time on their hands...IMHO.  Granted one could argue shooting gets you out doors and has real-world applications...but so does technical knowledge of any kind.  A hobby is a hobby...get your own.

Ah, they're all just jealous....GEEKS RULE...especially really heavily armed geeks

screw it

go w/ a PC

Quoted: screw it go w/ a PC

I got six PCs, all more powerful than my XBox...but my Xbox has never BSODed on me...YET!  

I got six PCs, all more powerful than my XBox...but my Xbox has never BSODed on me...YET!

Another Fenian quote...melikes.

Lightning_P38, well said and I agree with everything including a SMALL portion of recent Nintendo disdain...although as you elude to, I can't picture not eagerly awaiting each major new first-party franchise release (Mario, Zelda, etc.) for the rest of my life.  I just waited until I was working retail and could get a Gamecube/Zelda Collector's bundle with employee discount for around $60

I haven't dusted off the 'Cube in a while...last thing I played was Resident Evil 0...I started on the remake, but the friggin' zombies won't die...it takes ALL your ammo just to kill one.  After getting killed repeatedly, I gave up on it.  I traded in all my games, at this point, I only have 3 or 4 for it.  Not a fan of the kiddie oriented Nintendo stuff, like Mario and Luigi, and I just seem to buy everything else on Xbox.  

One of these days I'm gonna have to get around to finishing Metroid Prime...I'm about half way through it.  Problem is, I have a short attention span lol...I'll play the shite out of something for a week, then move on.  Then it seems I'll go back and rediscover stuff and finish it.  Or, I get to the dreaded "wall"...that point in every video game that gets frustratingly difficult, and makes me give up for a while.  

There were several of those in each of the Splinter Cell games...but I finally finished them both.  Same for Ravenshield...that mission where you have 5 minutes to get upstairs and hit the computer was a bitch for me.  

I played RE4 at E3 last year--it will make you dust off the 'cube again.

Also try Wario World. You can't go wrong with anything developed by Treasure.