2005. The magic number for the dawn of the new era of next-generation consoles. With online gaming no longer limited to the PC domain, what possibilities remain (aside from yet another rush of gratuitious sequels)?
Cloudy, the future is, and while we await the forthcoming arrival of systems to be unleashed from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo - discussions are already underway as to what we can expect. And this time, everyone seems eager to make their hit sooner as Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach puts it: "We won't be late this time."
Microsoft's second generation platform, currently codenamed as Xenon is said to be based upon PC technology composed of either a single multi-processor or multiple Intel chips designed to work togteher for multiprocessing functions.
Microsoft has reportedly recognized that using an "off-the-shelf" Intel chip may not be enought to compete with Sony's cell-processor. Add to the fact if the Xenon were to facilitate a multiple chip design, programming will be a major headache for developers (see: PS2).
ATI Technologies and Nvidia are currently making their bids to produce the Xenon graphics chip. There's also the possibility that Microsoft may develop their own chip, using the WebTV design team. Although it's uncertain if the group can develiver, the new console may utilize WebTV's digital-video recording capabilities to store TV programs on its hard-drive. Speaking of which, are you ready for a console that can hold 40GBs of data? Microsoft is already taking bids - imagine the possibilities from that...
Somebody at Microsoft hasn't been reading Slashdot in the past few months.
Also, multiple chips, like 2 CPUs, is NOT A PROBLEM FOR PROGRAMMERS IF IT IS DESIGNED RIGHT. The big problem is shitty design, like the PS2's VU0 and VU1 or the Saturn's multiple rendering chips (I forget what they are called). Using 2 Intel CPUs at 2.5ghz or whatever would not be the same as one 5ghz chip, but it would be a hell of a lot better than one 2.5ghz chip. Modern OSes are advanced enough to handle more than 1 CPU.
I mean, if Xbox2 has multiple CPUs, are we gonna have to hear the "well look at Saturn and PS2 their design was shit so Xbox 2 is too! M$ SuX0RZ!!111oneone". Give me a break.
Considering the July issue just went to press not to long ago, I highly doubt Sony has thrown out the decision to use cell-computing technology for their chipset, even if it does still remain a theory.
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