Opening the XBOX book impressions.

[Master]

I am loving the book, even though I sometimes question the author or the validity of certain facts.

It doesn't read as a normal business profile, it reads more like you are a fly on the wall when things really went down. You get to be there and see what really happens behind closed doors. Certain parts have given me goosebumps because I start daydreaming about how exciting it would have been to be in the situations people like Seamus Blackley were in. Seamus is the books hero (I told you it wasn't like a normal business profile) and you get to like him through the course of what I have read so far.

I'll unload more when I get farther into the book.

PS: Use spoiler warnings whenever applicable.

[seen]

Yeah, I am reading the book too. Can't say that I'm enjoying it as much as you are. Being an engineer myself, I understand all of the struggles that eccentric innovators like St. John the creator of DirectX had with the business types. I like the tactics used by MS teams in stonewalling other teams' projects in favor of their own. However, I find it difficult to focus only on the business aspect of video games. I would have liked more interaction with engineers, and their personal struggles with trying to beat their competitor's hardware instead of letting me know that a hard drive feature was scrutinized because it cost $55.

When I was at SIGGRAPH 2000 in New Orleans, I saw a Microsoft engineer at an Nvidia booth who was showing a very secret demo(at that time) of a huge robot controlled by a girl. This demo had real time reflections, bump maps, and other interesting features. I and another engineer started to ask the guy questions that are on the edge if not over of being intrusive on their box. Eventually the guy broke down and enthusiastically described many technical features and even showed us and a group of ten a prototype running under the table. That thing looked horrible with wires going every which way. The story that the guy told would have been interesting(from my point of view) if it was edited for a normal person or at least one with some computer and video game knowledge. I think that the author of this book should have at least talked with some of the people in the engine room, instead of their superiors, who can't even get their facts straight in meetings.

Closing thoughts: I am reading the book because I don't understand how the video game business is run today. I thought I understood it back in the day, so I am catching up. All the shit that these guys went through and are still going through at the hands of the Japanese is showing me different ways of how to do business on their turf. This is because all of MS decisions are backed by money and even if they lose, they still win overall. Let others learn from their mistakes and accomplishments, this is what this book does best.


seen

[kabuki]

Great impressions guys. Keep it up !!

Simple question for ya - how long is the book, and how much did it cost ??

Too damn lazy to check Amazon.com,
- Kabuki

[seen]

350 pages, $25 at Barnes and Noble, if you can find it. It was sold out of many that I checked.


seen

[Tones]

What was the title again? Maybe I can pick it up this weekend, I'd like something interesting to read.

Edit: Apparently it's "Opening the XBOX". Maybe I should've read the title...?

[George's TIA]

I picked up the book last night intending to only read a few chapters, but ended up reading the entire thing. Lots of interesting stuff packed in there along with some truly hilarious quotes. One of the things I liked was the background info on many of the people involved with the Xbox like Otto Berkes' family fleeing Communist Hungary or Jen-Hsun Huang of nVidia's story of coming to America from Taiwan as a child and ending up in a school for troubled children. The internal politics at Microsoft and the struggles the Xbox team went through to get the project going also make for entertaining reading.

I thought the book could have used some editing and better organization though. It feels like the book was really rushed, especially towards the end where the narrative gets a little choppy. I was amused by the promotional copy on the back that compared the book to The Soul of a New Machine. Opening the Xbox is a good read, but nowhere near the same league as that classic.

[Master]

A) You can find the book at Barnes & Nobles and Borders in the Business Profiles section which is often separate from the straight Business section

B) I am enjoying the business and marketing aspect because I have always been more involved in the technical and design aspects of games. I worked in QA for THQ and I am about to work for MS in the XBOX division. I would have to say that part of the entertainment is some people in the book's accounts of what actually happened.

C) I'm impressed by the style of narrative, but the organization and certain sections could use more than a little work. You can tell Takahashi was pushing to get this book out there, but those are the breaks. You can imagine how poor the sales would have been if all of the info contained within was common knowledge that leaked from Seamus Blackley and other sources. The timing of the release of the book has become one of its strongest points.

By the way, buy the book. Its not perfect, but it was worth my $25.