http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/ Engadget Comments for Switched On: Next-gen consoles have 500 million triangles per second and nothing Pong http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
It also has an arcade mode that's pretty easy to jump into, and while the career mode lets you customize hundreds of things about the car, you can also ignore those options and race in the default setup.

For games that appeal to whole families, though, puzzle games are underestimated. They can be graphically stunning if you like, but things like Bejeweled and Tetris work because you can jump right in and play.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
I also have a GameBoy SP, and guess what game gets the most play? Yup, Wario Ware.

Sure, "hardcore" gamers would scoff at our playing habits. But how "hardcore" is a grown adult who spends 30 hours a week playing video games?
]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
But please, just make us some games worth playing!]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
I think that simplified games is only a small part of the answer. Simplifying games would only attract those who were interested in the first place but feel daunted by what's out there. That group is already in the same demographic to the current core players, just with less video game ability.

To get target different markets, make games that they want to play. How do you do that? Take risks and hire them into your developement cycle. Animal Crossing had a large share of female gamers playing and I heard there were many women on the design team making all of the objects you can buy and trade.

So instead of trying to make your game appeal to others through simplification, make a game that appeals to them in the first place.

Of course this is all very finacialy risky, which is why I think most companies go for the tried and true methods.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
Nintendo, don't pay attention to what Sony and Microsoft are doing, do you're own thing...it will work. Shit I bet my sister would buy one too...Mmm Contra.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
Games need to become more intuitive, more natural, exploiting the way we naturally interact with our daily lives, and eventually eliminating the concept of the direct "A to B" goal-fetching that sometimes borders on brain-numbing. In addition, gameplay and its various themes thereof need to expand to meet the interests of more people, not just males ages 8-28.

Don't pay this guy any mind. Improving games takes creative talent, not marketing spin.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
You said it yourself but drew the wrong conclusion; it doesn't mean "make every book a light read", but "make some light reads". Right now, it's all about the hardcore gamer.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
My girlfriend, for example, isn't against video games by any means but she doesn't play them. Unless, that is, we play Puzzle Fighter or Katamari Damacy. Games that take a few minutes per round and quick to pick up. Any social setting I've ever played games with non-gamers is always with something that didn't take persistence to get anywhere and just knowing the basics could get you moving. That's usually a puzzle game, but I remember playing things like Goldeneye and Soul Caliber because a round was short and even if you didn't know anything you could do some damage (and laugh at yourself for being so terrible). So maybe shorten up the games, focus on replay-ability, and don't worry about making an epic every time.

Also, think about taking different tones with the games. How many games have you played lately that didn't seem it was directly targeting that 18-24 year-old male demographic (with dark or xtreme type things) or fantasy geeks? Granted, I'm both of those demos so I appreciate the games but I understand why my girlfriend isn't too into games when every hyped piece of software stars a sexy woman, a hard-boiled cop/spy/thug/vigilante, or a knight of some sort all trying to save the world from some great peril in gritty, dirty, dangerous places with low lighting. Perhaps something more light-hearted is in order.

And I've said it before and I'll say it again... while you're making that light-hearted, easy-to-pick-up-and-play, replayable, and fun social game, why not make it 20 bucks too? So while I'm at the store picking up the latest Metal Gear, I'll pick up one or two of these fun, shorter games to play with my friends and family.

It's kinda like movies... Sure, I have 2001: A Space Odyssey in my collection, but I think at my next party I'll put Dodgeball in the DVD player. I wish I had a few more games like that.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
http://www.Free360XBOX.com/?r=18413364

Can't wait till it's in my hands...! Looks amazing. Now I just have to wait for ps3.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
Superb post.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
Superb post.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
as is it, you have to be an established game company, $10k or so per developer to license the SDK, and preferably a publisher already interested in your game.

while my co-workers and myself have several interesting ideas (some of which have already been worked out in Flash or as HL/HL2 maps and mods), there's no way we can meet the requirements to develop for a console. we can't even _get started_.

i think the XBOX could be the easiest, in that if MS would have a way to run Flash or Shockwave games on the 360 - and provide a code review to avoid security issues - there would be a ton of fun, quick, play-and-forget games (think miniclip.com in your console). if my wife and i could play Electrotank's Fruit Smash head-to-head on the console instead of alone in our seperate rooms, that would be awesome. granted, there would also be some pretty crap games available, but the market will weed out what is good and what is bad. but at least the choice will be there.

i also think this high cost of entry into development of console games is one of the reasons we see such similar boring games over and over again. they have to make crap that sells enough just to cover their licensing costs.

i remember how in high school i had a friend who was writing games for the C64 and a publisher saw them and paid him to write more games and pressed them as cartridges. he sold quite a few and i've even seen the roms on C64 emu sites.

these days you can't even write a "Hello World" app on a console...

i will be very interested to see how the 360's Live service allows these smaller games to be developed and implimented. my fingers are crossed for more open access.

sorry for the rant - this has been on my mind for some time (actually well over a year when we first looked at writing a game for the XBOX).]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/
4 player Mario Kart Double Dash, however, can keep everyone entertained for any length of time. To me, this is the perfect example of a game everyone can get into. Rounds last 3 or 4 minutes, you don't have to learn a lot of buttons to be successful, and after a few rounds almost anyone can be a contender. Smash Brothers (at least the 64 version, haven't played the new one) is another good example.

I've tried other "Kart" styled games on the other systems and none of them came close. I'm not really a Nintendo fanboy, but I do have to admit that for this type of game, they really know what they are doing.]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://gr.bolt.com/articles/e3/e3_2005/main.htm

and I saw the upcoming KILLZONE, F1 and a couple others. The graphics for the PS3 look great but I'm still waiting for systems that have so much color-depth, and processing power that the graphics look photorealistic - even the people and characters.

I perfer FPS games that have true to life realism. Halo 2 is lame in my taste when compared with Counterstrike but, I wish CS had the same violence level as Soldier of Fortune.
I also want flight simulators with graphics that top FALCON 4.0

I am really stumped on which system to buy. I think I'll wait a couple months to buy either system until I have a chance to compare both systems side by side. I'm leaning towards a 360 though.
]]>Dec 19th 2005 12:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/18/switched-on-next-gen-consoles-have-500-million-triangles-per/Dec 19th 2005 12:15AM