Console Debate #18 Xbox

[fox | 1,667]

Largely a prototype for what the 360 would become. In it’s short run Microsoft was trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t as they made baby steps into the console market.   
 

Halo and Xbox Live were a movement and there was no denying them.  At the same time the most of the library feels very flavor of the week.  Edgy platform mascots and try hard fighters and shooters that failed to take off.  Not quite shovelware, but a lot of rather forgettable software.

[TDIRunner | 2,742]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:19 PM, fox said:

Some ps1 games would save to the ram and allow you to take out the game disc and pop in a music cd to play while you game.  PS4 and PS5 don’t have a cd drive, but you can pull in your Spotify playlist to play while you game.

I only recall the original Ridge Racer allowing you to do that.  Were there other games?  

[peg | 372]

Another system that sucks and sits around never getting played.  I mean it's still better than several of the trash heap Nintendo offerings (64, Wii), but is it better than the similarly dismal Gamecube?  I'm not so sure, so I'm going to throw it into that same dumpster.

 

3/10.

[Tabonga | 2,320]

1 hour ago, peg said:

Another system that sucks and sits around never getting played.  I mean it's still better than several of the trash heap Nintendo offerings (64, Wii), but is it better than the similarly dismal Gamecube?  I'm not so sure, so I'm going to throw it into that same dumpster.

 

3/10.

The Gamecube is more than redeemed with that wunderbar Gameboy Player.  Add a wavebird controller and you are good to go with 3 more libraries of games to indulge in.

[peg | 372]

2 minutes ago, Tabonga said:

The Gamecube is more than redeemed with that wunderbar Gameboy Player.  Add a wavebird controller and you are good to go with 3 more libraries of games to indulge in.

Nope, I don't give it any credit for that.  The game boy gets credit for game boy games, not the cube. 

[Tabonga | 2,320]

Just now, peg said:

Nope, I don't give it any credit for that.  The game boy gets credit for game boy games, not the cube. 

Heh - you would have to pry my wavebird from my cold dead hands - playing  GB/GBC/GBA games on a Gamecube is much preferable to playing them on tinkertoy level handhelds..........

[OptOut | 8,889]

On 3/9/2021 at 4:52 AM, peg said:

Nope, I don't give it any credit for that.  The game boy gets credit for game boy games, not the cube. 

Man, Peg, seriously... Man... I mean! Just... Man. Okay?

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,013]

What the Dreamcast should've been. A great console that gets tragically overlooked by the most outspoken of the gamers. 

On 3/8/2021 at 3:56 PM, Tabonga said:

Heh - you would have to pry my wavebird from my cold dead hands - playing  GB/GBC/GBA games on a Gamecube is much preferable to playing them on tinkertoy level handhelds..........

Gotta disagree. I think the main draw of handheld gaming is playing them while being held in the hands. 

The constraints make the games. Smaller hardware, less screen real estate, smaller games. All that being made into a playable game at least half the appeal of the games.

[drxandy | 3,235]

On 3/8/2021 at 1:14 PM, TDIRunner said:

I only recall the original Ridge Racer allowing you to do that.  Were there other games?  

Off the top of my head I remember doing it with gta 1

[fox | 1,667]

20 minutes ago, drxandy said:

Off the top of my head I remember doing it with gta 1

Jet Motos and Twisted Metals did

Vib Ribbon’s entire gimmick was generating levels based on your songs

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,013]

7 hours ago, fox said:

Jet Motos and Twisted Metals did

Vib Ribbon’s entire gimmick was generating levels based on your songs

Project Gotham 1&2 you can upload songs to customize the radio. 

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

On 3/8/2021 at 1:14 PM, TDIRunner said:

I only recall the original Ridge Racer allowing you to do that.  Were there other games?  

The Destruction Derbys.

edit:  i think Wipeout as well.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Hammerfestus

[Tabonga | 2,320]

8 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

What the Dreamcast should've been. A great console that gets tragically overlooked by the most outspoken of the gamers. 

Gotta disagree. I think the main draw of handheld gaming is playing them while being held in the hands. 

The constraints make the games. Smaller hardware, less screen real estate, smaller games. All that being made into a playable game at least half the appeal of the games.

By that logic(?) then older games/consoles should never be played on HDMI devices since the games/consoles were created with older technology in mind.  (Nor on sizes of televisions not in common use in that era.)  Sorry, not buying it - I have yet to play a gameboy on my gameboy player where the gaming experience was downgraded whatsoever.

 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,013]

32 minutes ago, Tabonga said:

By that logic(?) then older games/consoles should never be played on HDMI devices since the games/consoles were created with older technology in mind.  (Nor on sizes of televisions not in common use in that era.)  Sorry, not buying it - I have yet to play a gameboy on my gameboy player where the gaming experience was downgraded whatsoever.

 

The lack of video output doesn't restraint the hardware...?

You realize a Gameboy Advance and an Xbox were for sale at the same time? One of them could fit in your pocket and the other was used to build houses. The video output has nothing to do with which had more constraints in terms of both hardware and software. 

[Tabonga | 2,320]

39 minutes ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

The lack of video output doesn't restraint the hardware...?

You realize a Gameboy Advance and an Xbox were for sale at the same time? One of them could fit in your pocket and the other was used to build houses. by The video output has nothing to do with which had more constraints in terms of both hardware and software. 

And 8 tracks coexisted with standard cassettes at one time.......  One of the players could fit in your pocket and one could not........   

What you can do in designing a game* is always going to be constrained by what both the platform and what you do with the signal.  You are the one arguing that the strength of the gameboy platforms was their inherent limitations.  But all consoles have limitations given their specs.  The specs may improve but they still have limits.

If you like handhelds go for it (I have a switch which I use as a handheld) - but that in no way mandates that the software can't be enjoyed just as much (if not more) on other platforms.

 

*Same is true for movies - for example color movies appeared at virtually the same time as moving pictures did - for various reasons they were not widely used,

 

 

[Sumer | 221]

On 3/7/2021 at 1:55 AM, Tanooki said:

I do remember that, a game I worked on at the time at Midway

Wait...you worked at Midway!?!?!  That is awesome!

Still learning all of the personalities here since I was mostly a lurker at NA.

[Sumer | 221]

Double Bubble Post.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Sumer

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,013]

10 minutes ago, Tabonga said:

What you can do in designing a game* is always going to be constrained by what both the platform and what you do with the signal.  You are the one arguing that the strength of the gameboy platforms was their inherent limitations. 

Look at Mario Land 2. You think that game would've been received well on the SNES? 

You're fooling yourself bc you like playing on consoles and not handhelds. But to suggest that a large part of the allure for handheld gaming ISN'T hand-held gaming is just silly.

Handheld to console games is an apples to oranges comparison given the restraints of, uhh, umm, one having to fit in your hand?

[Tabonga | 2,320]

I see yet again that the art of the hyperbole is wasted on the young...

-------------

I will repeat this since it seems to have eluded you:

If you like handhelds go for it (I have a switch which I use as a handheld) - but that in no way mandates that the software can't be enjoyed just as much (if not more) on other platforms.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Tabonga

[JamesRobot | 5,804]

I'd call it superior.  I had the PS2 at the time and prefer its library but objectively Xbox was the better machine and introduced the new standard in controller layout (even Nintendo adopted it!)

@Richardhead Airflow controller and Backyard Wrestling FTW.

[broncofantd793 | 138]

The Microsoft Halo Machine. Had one as a kid. Loved it, but only for Halo. And ESPN football 2K5... Other than that, the XBOX (if I still had one) would be hanging out with my backwards compatible PS3 as very very very heavy paperweights.

[The Count | 527]

I really wanted to rate it higher than a 6, but the majority of exclusives aren't too spectacular. Stubbs the Zombie and Halo are outliers. The original controller is a bastard, but then I do appreciate the save capabilities of the system itself.

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

My only experience with the XBox was playing a couple rounds of some vehicle shooter with the drummer of my band in high school.  That dude was a psycho though.  Showed up one day and decided we would change the band name to Sianide Suicide.  Nobody wanted to chance asking him if he spelled cyanide wrong on purpose or not though.  Some years later he sold his drum kit for drugs.  Last I heard, he moved to West Virginia and got run over by a truck walking through a construction zone on the highway and died.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,089]

8 hours ago, Hammerfestus said:

My only experience with the XBox was playing a couple rounds of some vehicle shooter with the drummer of my band in high school.  That dude was a psycho though.  Showed up one day and decided we would change the band name to Sianide Suicide.  Nobody wanted to chance asking him if he spelled cyanide wrong on purpose or not though.  Some years later he sold his drum kit for drugs.  Last I heard, he moved to West Virginia and got run over by a truck walking through a construction zone on the highway and died.

Are you a stream of conciousness writer or something?  You start with "My only experience with the XBox," and like 30 seconds later you've got a dude lying dead at the side of the highway!  Good times!!!

[Tanooki | 4,934]

On 3/10/2021 at 8:29 AM, Sumer said:

Wait...you worked at Midway!?!?!  That is awesome!

Still learning all of the personalities here since I was mostly a lurker at NA.

Yeah I did for a couple years. After that four with the online gaming media of the day. I recently remembered I kept a generic office business card from Midway. Enjoy.