Xbox 360 E3

[X2]

Xbox 360 E3


Entering the Microsoft E3 stand is a wonderful experience – green and full of Xbox 360 activity. Activity we will be covering with some kind of ninja passion over the next few days – and you won’t want to miss any of it, regardless of what PlayStation3 fanboys are telling you on web forums.

However, all is not as it seems.

Despite the reassuring presence of an actual Xbox 360 unit locked away in a visible compartment in the demo stations and despite the games being playable using an Xbox 360 pad, it’s not an Xbox 360 people are playing.

Poking our noses round the side of the demo station and peering through the vaguely camouflaging air grills revealed the shocking truth: Behind the Xbox 360 unit sat two Apple G5 computers.

So are alpha-stage Xbox 360 games really so powerful they need a combined effort from two G5 machines to properly run Xbox 360 software? Quite possibly.

And, we were told by a man demoing Kameo that the game was only running at 30% of the Xbox 360’s capacity! Kameo featured pleasantly detailed next-gen graphics and more impressively hundreds of on-screen characters all displaying individual AI routines – all at 30%.

So, it takes two Apple G5s to power a 30% capacity Xbox 360 demo? This may very well be the case and if it’s true then this console’s only just started – this is just the beginning. Its games – once developers have sat down and spent a decent amount of time with full development kits – will just get better and better.

So, it seems there’s a few more rounds to fight in the PS3 vs Xbox 360 match-up before the winner can lift up its gloves with any true confidence after all.

www.thenextbox.com

[Fedos]

Now this is what I'm talking about. And if Kameo is only running at 30% of the 360s capacity then games like Gears of War should also get better, seeing as how the game isn't being developed in house from a Microsoft developer and Rare is a said developer and their game is only running at thirty percent!

[siren]

Just a note, my understanding is that they have each station running off of one of the G5's and a backup G5 present in case something goes wrong (crash with data corruption for example).

To get the games to run off of 2 machines that are working together would require a ton of work. Most of which would be useless and would not benefit developers (example, it would give them 4 cores to work with rather than 3 which is in the actual system)

[Rikimaru]

Would it be alright if I began to write up articles again?

[luxurys]

Good to have you back!

[KlawHammer]

No, since you've been away for so long we are revoking your article privileges. All you can do is sit there ad twiddle your thumbs while the rest of us make mad amounts of money

Maybe that will teach you!

[Rebon]

Heh, I think you caught Greg at the wrong time. Of course you can get back involved Paul!

[Rikimaru]

K thank you. Unfortunately, i will have to start next week. I will be in San Antonio until Sunday playing with the Texas All-State Band.