| a link to the past 2005-05-02, 12:30 am |
| [Keep in mind that IGN has been making MANY MISTAKES lately - No doubt there
are quite a few mistakes in this FAQ, but still probably a lot of true info
on Xbox 360]
Xbox 360 FAQ
Everything we know about Microsoft's next-gen system. Honest.
by David Clayman and Chris Roper
April 28, 2005 - To celebrate the launch of our new next-generation Xbox
channel we've decided to put together an Xbox 360 FAQ containing all
available information on the console. As we approach the unveiling of the
system on MTV and at E3, more details are very likely to become available
and this article will be updated accordingly.
Note that this FAQ is entirely speculative. As next-to-nothing about the
system has been officially announced, it's impossible to say that most any
of the information herein is 100% fact. Everything is very likely to be
true, but imagine that each answer begins with, "To the best of our
knowledge."
General
Is Xbox 360 the official name?
While Microsoft refuses to comment on the official name of the console,
everyone from developers to magazines to news sources like CNN Money have
been referring to the system as Xbox 360. Given all the information that's
out there now, Xbox 360 is our best guess as to the "official" name of
Microsoft's next-gen system, but as we said, it is still as-of-yet
unconfirmed by the big MS itself.
Maybe this is part of an elaborate ploy to make us all look silly when the
"real" name is announced in May, but this is unlikely.
Where do the pictures in this FAQ come from?
Much of the speculation in this FAQ is based on images circulated by
ourcolony.net. This site is part of a viral marketing campaign sponsored by
Microsoft. It was developed by the advertising company 4orty2wo
Entertainment. These viral campaigns are a form of an alternate reality game
(ARG) that create in-depth "narratives" that ultimately draw the players of
the game towards a reward wrapped in an advertisement. The game ends on May
12th when the Xbox 360 is officially unveiled on MTV. A similar game that
started at ilovebees.com was used to promote the Halo 2 release.
When will the system be fully unveiled?
A special will air May 12th on MTV that will officially unveil its name, the
look of the system, the controller and a few quick snippets of gameplay
footage. The full unveiling, including things like full system specs, the
launch lineup and more, will be unveiled during Microsoft's E3 press
conference on May 16th.
When is the system launching?
All signs point towards a November 2005 launch window. This is a prime month
for Microsoft to position Xbox 360 as the must-have holiday item.
How much will Xbox 360 cost?
The sweet spot for the cost of a new console at launch is $299. This is a
good estimate of what a core package will cost for Xbox 360. There is a
possibility of a second bundle that includes a hard drive and some
pre-loaded game content. It is likely that this would bump the price up to
$399 smackers for the HDD system. The bundle has become an incredibly
popular sales technique, so don't be surprised to see more comprehensive
bundles that include controllers and peripherals for around $500.
What's all this talk about the HD Era?
At this year's GDC Microsoft's Corporate Vice President and "Chief XNA
architect" J Allard rammed the idea of the HD Era into the crowd's head. He
stated that the last generation of systems were part of the 3D era, and the
new wave of technology would provide a more cinematic high definition
experience. At a base level, he is referring to the fact that Xbox 360 games
will all run in at least 720p with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 5.1 Dolby Digital
audio.
Outside the Box
What does Xbox 360 look like?
A leaked photo shows it to look like so:
Obviously, Microsoft hasn't confirmed that this is the real deal, but as
everyone and their mother's mother has either heard or claimed that this is
the real thing, you can bet that this is what'll be on your gaming rack come
the end of the year. Note that this photo is apparently a render so it's
possible that there will be very slight differences between it and the
physical system, like possibly "Microsoft" engraved into it somewhere like
on the original Xbox. Basically though, this is it.
Note that the system seems to be designed so that it can stand on its side
(the right side) like the PS2 can. As the system will stand on the opposite
side than that of the PS2, discs would actually load from the right-hand
side while standing, rather than the left like the PS2. It seems like
loading Xbox 360 would be more natural for right-handed gamers, but that
reasoning could be entirely unrelated to the design.
What are all the ports and whatnot on Xbox 360?
The silver tray that says "Xbox 360" is obviously the optical drive, with
the eject button directly to its left. To the right, you'll notice the large
green power button. Like the system's predecessor, Microsoft seems to have
forgone a reset button.
Looking along the bottom of the system, on the far left you'll see what
appears to be an IR port, very likely for the DVD remote. It's almost
certainly not an original Xbox controller port as the length/width ratio is
way off. To the right of the IR port you will find two memory card slots. To
the right of those is a small circle with three curved dashes next to it. It
appears to be a connection reset button for a wireless device(s), most
likely the controllers.
As of yet, it's unknown what the round port on the right side of the system
is, though it's possible that it's actually a sliding door to unveil some
sort of connectors. Wired controller ports, perhaps?
How big will it be?
By using our trusty friend Photoshop we can line up the optical drives from
both the 360 and original Xbox in order to approximate the system's size.
This is assuming that the drives are the same size, but as every drive in
existence is extremely similar in size, this should make for a very accurate
guesstimate.
According to our estimations, the system measures 10.25 inches wide and
anywhere between 2.5 to 3.25 inches high, being as it's concave. We can't
tell how deep the system is, but like the rest of the measurements it's very
likely to be shorter than the original Xbox.
__
I don't see any controller ports in that image. What's up with that?
It's been rumored for some time that Xbox 360 will come standard with
wireless controller support; the system photo practically proves that. It
appears that the small button to the right of the memory card slots is the
connection reset button for the wireless controllers. Whether the system
will employ RF, Bluetooth or even WiFi for its wireless controller
connection has yet to be determined.
There's another old rumor floating around that the system will have a single
wired controller port on its back. It seems likely that there will be some
sort of wired controller option, even if it was as little as a single port
tucked away on the back of the system. The right side of the system houses
some sort of port/sliding door that hasn't been figured out yet, so it's
possible that there are wired controller ports within that.
What are the controllers going to be like?
According to some leaked photos as well as some released via the
ourcolony.net website, the Xbox 360 controllers will be very similar to the
current Controller S. The "Controller X", for lack of a better name, will
feature roughly the same D-Pad, analog sticks and X, Y, A and B button
layout as the Controller S. The main difference is that the Controller X
will have its Black and White buttons moved to just above the two analog
triggers, resulting in a design that falls somewhere between the current
Controller S and the PlayStation 2's Dual Shock 2 controller.
Additionally, it seems that the Controller X will be wireless, employing a
battery housing like that of Nintendo's WaveBird wireless controller. Does
this mean it uses two AA batteries instead of an internal, rechargeable
Lithium-Ion battery? It appears so and makes sense since Li-Ion batteries
are rather expensive and would raise the cost of additional controllers
somewhat significantly.
Unlike the WaveBird, there doesn't appear to be a channel selector. The
Controller X will likely use smart connection technology like that found in
Logitech's Cordless Precision Controller for the original Xbox. This is in
line with the supposed wireless connection reset button found on the front
of the system. As mentioned earlier, it's unknown whether the system and
controllers will use RF, WiFi or Bluetooth as their connection method.
Will the current Controller S be compatible with Xbox 360?
At launch, we don't know. If Xbox 360 does in fact include a wired
controller port somewhere, then it's possible.
What is very likely though is that there will at least be some sort of
Controller S adapter released either at or near launch, be it via Microsoft
or a third party manufacturer. If Xbox 360 is solely wireless, then we'd bet
that someone will create a wireless port that accepts the Controller S and
then wirelessly sends its signal to Xbox 360. Don't throw away your
Controller S collection just yet...
How many simultaneous players will a single Xbox 360 support?
Since Xbox 360 seems to make use of wireless controllers, then the maximum
player limit is theoretically the number of channels that the
system/controllers support. For instance, if the hardware spec says that up
to 16 controllers can be used within a certain area, then it seems fair to
say that it would be possible for 16 player support in a game.
Obviously, Microsoft could cap the limit in the system's input/output
design, but you can bet that any limit would be at least four players, up to
possibly eight or 16. Eight simultaneous players pushes the limit for
playability and especially visibility on a single screen, so we'd guess that
eight would be the cap, if any. As well, it's exactly what the PSOne and
PlayStation 2 care capable of, so we're going assume there will be at least
eight player support.
Will Xbox 360 have a hard drive? How big will it be?
Yes, there will be a hard drive, though it will be optional. The drive
appears to attach to the left side of the system (while lying down) rather
than fitting into an internal opening like the PlayStation 2 HDD did.
As mentioned towards the beginning of this FAQ, there will be two Xbox 360
"packages" at launch, one with the hard drive and one without. It seems very
likely that the version with the hard drive simply includes the exact same
thing that you'd buy separately, except that it'll already be attached.
Via one of the leaked photos (see image above), it appears that the hard
drive will be 40GB. By our guesstimations, we assume that the drive will
spin at 7,200 RPM.
__
What kind of disc drive will the system use? Will it employ or support
Blu-ray or HD-DVD?
Xbox 360 will use a standard DVD drive like the original Xbox, though it's
said that most games will be dual-layer DVDs, holding over 9GB of data. As
such, it will support neither Blu-ray nor HD-DVD.
The reasoning is that even if Blu-ray or HD-DVD drives launch before Xbox
360, they'll be very expensive and would drive the system cost through the
roof.
How fast will the DVD drive be?
16X DVD drives are extremely cheap these days, so it's likely it'll either
be at or near that speed (maybe 12X). With all of the extra data that games
will be loading, Xbox 360 is going to need the fastest DVD drive it can get.
Will we still need an add-on to play DVDs?
Very unlikely. As the system seems to already have an IR port built into the
system, it's safe to assume Xbox 360 will play DVDs out of the box. Our
assumption is that a remote will be available as an add-on to save system
costs, though like the PlayStation 2, it very likely won't be necessary for
playback.
What other sorts of storage options will be available?
Memory cards are a given and via an ourcolony.net image, they're all but
official. The ourcolony.net image shows the card to be 64MB. This will
probably be the default size, and possibly only size released by Microsoft,
but third-party folk will obviously release larger cards.
What sort of network connection will Xbox 360 have?
It would be a pretty safe bet to say that Xbox 360 will have a built-in WiFi
connection. Microsoft is all about wireless these days, and with the
controllers being wireless it wouldn't make sense for them not to do Xbox
360's network connection the same way.
A wired Ethernet port is guaranteed, running at speeds of at least
100Mbit/second. Gigabit would be cool, but it's unlikely anything would make
use of it and it's also more expensive, so bet on a 100Mbit port.
Besides the HDD and memory cards, will there be any other sort of official
accessories/attachments at launch?
A USB camera is very likely. Sony's EyeToy for PlayStation 2 has proven to
be very successful, and with all of the varying ways that Microsoft wants
gamers to connect and communicate online, a camera is very safe bet.
Inside the Box
What are the quick and dirty system specs?
a.. 3 PowerPC processors @ 3GHz each
a.. ATI graphics chip
a.. 256MB+ RAM
a.. DVD drive
a.. Optional HDD
3 processors?
Yes, Xbox 360 will have three processors, each running at a claimed 3GHz.
Yes, we're talking 9GHz of total system juice. On top of that, each
processor is capable of running two threads a piece, meaning that the
console will be able to handle six instructions simultaneously. How
difficult it will be to code for the system is unknown, though it seems
quite obvious now that Microsoft's XNA project was made for a very specific
purpose.
Who's supplying the hardware?
IBM is supplying the main processors while ATI will supply the graphics
chip.
Tell me about the graphics chip...
Xbox 360's GPU is based on ATI's next-generation graphics chip, putting it
at least one generation beyond its current X800 card for PCs. That's about
all that's known it at this point. Oh, and it will be very fast. Yep.
How much RAM will Xbox 360 have?
The system will have at least 256MB of RAM, possibly 512MB. One theory
currently floating around the ourcolony.net hubbub surrounds an image of a
clock. The clock has its hands set to 5:00, or in other words, the little
hand on 5 and the big hand on 12. Could this be pointing to 512MB of RAM
rather than 5 o'clock? Time, as they say, will tell.
What about video RAM?
As is the case with the current Xbox, it's rumored that Xbox 360 will make
use of a shared memory architecture. That means that the system's 256 or
512MB of RAM will be used for graphics and texture memory as well as things
like sound, animation source and of course, the actual game code itself.
While the majority of the graphics data will be housed in the shared system
RAM, like textures and the like, the video framebuffer will use NEC's
dedicated embedded DRAM technology. Long story short, by embedding the
framebuffer RAM directly onto the graphics chip, Xbox 360 will be able to
perform post-processing features much more quickly, like anti-aliasing and
motion blur.
Will Xbox 360 have a dedicated physics processor?
It's not exactly known for sure, though it's been vaguely hinted at by Tim
Sweeney while talking about AGEIA's PhysX processor that next-generation
consoles in general will have something that will offer similar physics
performance to the PhysX processor. Be that a PPU (physics processing unit)
of their own or just plenty of horsepower, there will be plenty of barrels
for you to push around in the next generation.
Will Xbox 360 be backwards compatible?
The problem with backwards compatibility is that the original Xbox ran on a
nVIDIA graphics processor. When software makes calls to a chipset to produce
visuals it uses code specific to that hardware. Xbox 360 runs on an ATI
graphics chip meaning that code from last generation games will need to be
recompiled in order to work on the system. Does this mean that consumers
will have to chuck their beloved Xbox libraries? Not necessarily. There is a
chance that Xbox 360 will have the ability to emulate the old system. A more
slick move would be to give the hard drive the capability to play games from
the old system as an incentive to buy this component.
__
Graphics
Will Xbox 360 output HD and/or 16:9 video?
Yes. In fact, at E3 this year, Microsoft is requiring anyone showing an Xbox
360 game to run said game on a display with a native resolution of at least
720p. HD Era indeed. 720p is said to be the minimum required output
resolution, though 480p and 480i will obviously be supported.
It's also said that every game is to be designed with widescreen in mind.
What about standard analog 4:3 TV owners?
Analog TV owners needn't fret. 480i will continue to be a supported output
resolution; it would be suicide not to have it. But even when playing on a
4:3 display, games will run in widescreen by default, though gamers will
have the option to switch to 4:3 should they so choose. Designers are very
much encouraged to design their games so that they're playable in a 4:3
ratio, with dialog text, HUDs and those sorts of things appearing properly
at 4:3.
What sorts of video connections will be available?
Composite video, S-Video and component are all obvious. We'd bet on seeing a
DVI option as well. DVI provides an even better signal than component, and
being that Microsoft is being very, very aggressive with image quality at
the moment, we expect some sort of DVI connection to be available.
Will we still have to buy a separate box for S-Video, component or better
connections?
Very likely as finding room inside the box for the various signal converters
would be a very tight fit. There probably just isn't enough room. It's
possible that Xbox 360 will use the same output connector as the original
Xbox, meaning you could just move over your HD connector box. PlayStation 2
and GameCube did this, so there's a very reasonable chance.
Will there still be "jaggies"?
No. Partly due to the high resolution output and partly due to the quick
full-scene antialiasing the system is capable of, video should be
razor-sharp.
Sound
What sort of surround sound support will Xbox 360 have?
Unknown, but you can bet $573 that it will support in-game Dolby Digital 5.1
and Dolby Pro Logic II. DD, DPLII and DTS output during DVD playback is also
a given.
So far as other in-game audio goes, we might see things like DTS ES, Dolby
Digital EX or things of the like, but no announcements have been made yet.
What kind of audio connections will be available?
Both RCA stereo and optical like the OG Xbox.
Games/Software
What companies are signed on for Xbox 360 titles?
Among the publishers are all the biggest players, as well as a number of
smaller houses which have already committed to the next generation, and are
showing plenty of promise. They are:
a.. 2K Games
a.. Activision
a.. Atari
a.. Bandai
a.. Bethesda Softworks
a.. Buena Vista Games
a.. Capcom
a.. Codemasters
a.. Eidos
a.. Electronic Arts
a.. FromSoftware
a.. InterServ International
a.. KOEI
a.. Konami
a.. LucasArts
a.. Majesco
a.. Midway Games
a.. Namco
a.. Phantagram
a.. Rockstar Games
a.. SCi Games
a.. SEGA
a.. Tecmo
a.. THQ
a.. TWP
a.. Ubisoft
a.. Vivendi Universal Games
a.. Webzen
Microsoft also has a strong lineup of developers set to create exclusive
titles for the new Xbox system:
a.. BioWare
b.. Bizarre Creations
c.. Bungie Studios
d.. Epic Games
e.. FASA Studio
f.. Lionhead Studios
g.. Rare
h.. Yoshiki Okamoto's Game Republic
i.. Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker
j.. Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment
__
What titles are expected at launch?
Nothing has officially been announced, so even if we did have a definite
lineup it couldn't be posted. However, there are a few standbys that appear
at almost every console launch. The genres that should be covered are
football, racing, an FPS, and a killer app. Judging by commercials shown
during the draft, it looks like EA has Madden Next-Gen ready to come down
the barrel. From images released on Ourcolony.net we are almost positive
that Project Gotham Racing 3 will also be available.
It is hard to imagine the launch of Xbox 360 without Halo making an
appearance in some form. Whether this is the third installment of the series
or an upgraded Halo 2 project is anyone's guess. There are also a number of
developers under Microsoft's belt that have been mysteriously quiet
recently. One can only hope this means some surprise titles like a Perfect
Dark sequel.
What is Microsoft doing about Japanese support this time around?
The above list includes a trio of Japanese star talent. Support from
Mistwalker, Game Republic and Q Entertainment suggested good things for the
next generation Xbox in Japan, but there's apparently much more. In an
interview posted at the official Japanese Xbox site, Game Republic chief
Yoshiki Okamoto suggests that Microsoft is working with companies besides
these three on next generation development.
In comments from a recent interview, Okamoto states: "Sakaguchi (Hironobu
Sakaguchi, Mistwalker), Mizuguchi (Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Q Entertainment) and
of course myself are being put in the light like this, but I'm hearing that
other developers will be joining [in development of next generation Xbox
games]." This suggests that there are a number of surprises in store as far
as developers are concerned. He goes on to state, "If the next generation
Xbox lineup that's currently in development were seen, game users, and the
entire game industry would be surprised. There won't be anyone who'd brush
off buying the next generation Xbox once they've seen [the lineup]."
Xbox Live
Will Xbox 360 use the same Live network as Xbox?
This will be the same network, but it will be greatly advanced from the
original Live structure. Gamer profiles will allow users to access
information from a new interface that will remain consistent across all Xbox
360 games. These profiles track stats, friends' online presence, favorite
songs, rankings and more. The new interface will also include an online
store that will allow gamers to purchase in-game items through micro
transactions that use their Live accounts. J Allard also announced at GDC
2005 that every game released for the Xbox 360 will be Live aware. When the
system is connected to the internet it becomes part of a better developed
online community than anything we've seen on a console.
Will we be able to message players on an original Xbox via Xbox 360?
Because this will be the same network, it should be possible for the old
console to communicate with the new one. Microsoft isn't looking to cut
people off from their services; they are looking to carry over a growing
user base.
Will our Friends list transfer over?
The friends list should transfer over because Microsoft will want to use the
same accounts that are currently active on Live. This fluid transition will
keep gamers happy and money flowing from their wallets. Everyone wins.
What about the headset?
From our knowledge of the new controller, it looks as if they are missing a
headset port. Because the controllers are most likely wireless, the headset
can't be far behind.
How many players will the new Live support?
Most likely games will support 16-32 players, but expect this number to
consistently grow. Recently we participated in a 50 player deathmatch in
Black Hawk Down on the current hardware and Live setup. Also, Joint
Operations on the PC supports 128 players, so if these numbers are possible
now, expect similar results on Xbox 360.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/608/608394p5.html
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