Some "final" Xbox2/Xenon specs

[Drewbacca]

I don't understand.

[Yoshi]

I don't understand.

IBTN

[mollipen]

I'll say it again - I will be surprised and impressed if this thing has a multi-core 3.0GHz PowerPC chip in it. IBM, last I knew, still hasn't gotten single-core PPC chips of that speed produced in any sort of quantity.

If it happens, though, then great, because that will mean faster, multi-core Macs in the near future.

[bbobb]

LOL

Gamespy's "Got Next"

http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microso.../594331p1.html

[Drewbacca]

IBTN

They see and understand:

Recently, some of GameSpy's friends in the development community shared a ton of details on Microsoft's next console system. Keep in mind that all of this information is based off of alpha development kits and current projections for the final hardware. Everything is subject to change. In the first part of our Xbox expose, I'll cover the console's hardware components and software goals. Since the final name of the next Xbox hasn't been revealed yet, I'll refer to the system by its codename, Xenon.

* CPU - Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores. Each core is capable of two instructions per cycle and has an L1 cache with 32 KB for data and 32 KB for instructions. The three cores share 1 MB of L2 cache. Alpha 2 developer kits currently have two cores instead of three.
* GPU - Xenon's GPU is a generation beyond the ATI X800. Its clock speed is 500 MHz and it supports Shader 3.0. Developers are currently working with an alpha 2 GPU. Beta GPU units are expected by May and the final GPU is slated for a summer release. The final GPU will be more powerful than anything on the market today; in game terms, it would handle a game like Half-Life 2 with ease.
* System Memory - Xenon will have 256 MB of system RAM. Keep in mind that this number should not be equated to typical PC RAM. The Xbox has 64 MB of system RAM and is a very capable machine.
* Optical Drive - As many have speculated, Xenon will not use Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. Games will come on dual-layer DVD-9 discs. While the media is the same as that of the current Xbox, the usable space on each disc is up to 7 GB. The drive is slated to run at 12X.
* Memory Units - Xenon will use 64 MB to 1,024 MB memory cards. 8 MB is reserved for system use, leaving a 56 MB to 1,016 MB for user data.
* Hard Drive - As many have speculated, Xenon's hard drive is optional. 2 GB of the drive will be used as game cache. The final drive size is still being determined.
* Camera - Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video. Photos can be used in-game and for gamer profiles. The camera can also be used for video chat. It's unknown if the Xenon camera will allow for EyeToy-like gameplay. Developers are currently using a simulated camera driver.
* Sound Chip - Xenon does not have an audio chip in the traditional sense. Decompression is handled by hardware, while the rest of the chores are handled by software. DirectSound3D has been dropped in favor of X3DAudio. The former was deemed too inflexible.

I see and don't understand:

Dogs eat muffins

[SamuraiMoogle]

A camera? Sweet!! There will be a penis in every game I play

[Wolffen]

Any developer designing games for 640x480 has zero shot at getting my money during the next generation of consoles.

Reading the article bbobb posted the link to, I found this:

Developers are being instructed to plan their games for high-definition. The baseline is 720p at 1280x720 for gameplay and video clips, 16:9 aspect ratio, 5.1 Surround Sound, and anti-aliasing. These features are the current minimum requirement.

So hopefully you'll be happy.

edit: Oh, and part two of the Gamespy feature bbobb linked to is up:
http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microso.../594355p1.html

edit zwei: The second of their feature is talking about upgrades to Xbox Live and "Game Profiles." One of the things mentioned is "Gamer Cred":

The profile also records achievements and something dubbed "Gamer Cred." Achievements are game-specific tasks, such as beating a certain boss or completing a level in a certain amount of time. Achievements can be awarded online and offline; the baseline is for every game to award at least five achievements. Gamer Cred is how much you're awarded for each achievement. The more games you play and the better you do, the more Gamer Cred you'll earn. Microsoft's is suggesting that developers award at least 1000 Gamer Cred points per title.
......
Last, but not least, is the" Gamer Card." Think of it as an at-a-glance gamer profile. The Gamer Card allows other online players to quickly see another's Gamertag, title, Gamer Creds, reputation rating, gamer zone, country, and title. It's a virtual membership card that helps gamers find people to play with. If you think you've found a match then you can select the Gamer Card to view that player's full profile to make sure.

So apparently, the 'Gamer Cred' works like an e-penis, apparently, but for the Xbox, rather than the Internet.

[Yoshi]

This is all terribly exciting. I can't wait to see how well MS does when they lack the most powerful hardware AND the best exclusive titles.

[mollipen]

#1 thing that Xbox Live needs added to it, above and beyond this "Game Cred" stuff? Let me list what Live games I have. That way, when I go to challenge somebody, I can know if they actually have the game or not.

Well, that, and create an Xbox Live interface that must be the minimum interface put into every game, so that companies can't keep making half-assed Live interfaces for their games. (Capcom, I'm looking at you.)

[Wildkat]

This is all terribly exciting. I can't wait to see how well MS does when they lack the most powerful hardware AND the best exclusive titles.

Well, considering we haven't seen jack shit for numbers or any real hardware specs for the PS3, outside of the typical Sony overblown pre-hype, its a little early to make that statement.