Xbox One or Playstation 4? What are you getting?

[spydy13]

Hate to differ with you but...

The Gamecube was the first Nintendo console that did not have graphical superiority to it's rivals since the Sega Master System; which Nintendo beat anyway due to using hardware modifications (custom chips) inside their cartridges.

This wasn't by design though. The Gamecube was intended to be graphically superior to other consoles, but it was a poor architectural design and difficult to maximize.

By the time the initial designs were finalized and pre-launch code started coming back, it was apparent that it would be difficult to use the architecture to compete directly against the Xbox, so it settled into second-place.

The Wii was different. It was a complete and total departure for Nintendo from this mindset since they wanted to now maximize revenue by profiting from console sales and releasing a very user-friendly development kit.

I thought they chose carts over discs with the N64 in part because of faster load times despite the fact that it meant that the graphics would be limited?

You're right though that my statement was too much of a generalization.

The Xbox One isn't marketing itself this way; but instead is really focusing on the "value add" of having an HTPC. They are hoping to get people hooked on the idea of having all of this enhanced integration with their cable provider, a feature that PS4 simply does not offer for whatever reason.

I would expect Microsoft to strongly move down this path in their next console.

They started marketing themselves that way, but they seem, at least to me, to have pivoted towards focusing on being a gaming machine first and foremost. PS4 focused on gaming from the start and cleaned their clocks doing so.

 

[KB]

Yeah, that first E-3 where MS announced the XBO was terrible and having the kinect force bundled with it at first was just as bad. Iirc the XBO was 100$ more than the PS4 for about 4-5 months before they split them and dropped the price.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Yeah, that first E-3 where MS announced the XBO was terrible and having the kinect force bundled with it at first was just as bad. Iirc the XBO was 100$ more than the PS4 for about 4-5 months before they split them and dropped the price.

I don't think having the Kinect bundled was bad. Announcing a system that cost $100 more than their only direct competitor was what was bad. They should have been smart, matched Sony's price, and ate that hundred bucks, or maybe even sold at fifty bucks cheaper than Sony. The console business has almost always involved losing money on hardware with the intent to make it back on software. This was the first generation where that really didn't happen, and it's probably why both new systems were so underwhelming.

Either way, you certainly can't point to the quality of the software being the tipping point for either system. Neither really has a major exclusive to tip its cap on. You might say Bloodborne for the PS4, but let's be real here...however good it is, that game has a niche audience just like the Dark Souls games. They're not system movers.

 

[Thelorn]

Was weird of Microsoft to go $500 from the jump with the knowledge ps3 shipped at $500-600 and everyone complained/didn't buy instead went the cheaper 360 route.

I still remember Sony telling people if they didn't like the price of the ps3 to get a second job.

Console world is a whacky world.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Was weird of Microsoft to go $500 from the jump with the knowledge ps3 shipped at $500-600 and everyone complained/didn't buy instead went the cheaper 360 route.

I still remember Sony telling people if they didn't like the price of the ps3 to get a second job.

Console world is a whacky world.

What I really miss is when consoles launched with a killer exclusive that made people actually want to buy the system. I think the last time that happened was the original Xbox with Halo. I guess you could argue Twilight Princess with the Wii, but I don't count that because you could play the same game on the GameCube minus the shitty motion controls.

Nowadays they're feeding us garbage like Killzone: Less Brown Edition and Dead Rising: Slightly More Zombies On Screen.

 

[theSTEREO.]

If they could allow me to use my Xbox controller on the PS4, I'd get one. Playstation controllers are azz. A seemingly minor point, but it's enough for me now to be happy enough with Xbox to move forward with it. Can't argue with the fact that Playstation just seems to look and feel better on screen though.

Gotta say too @Jack Brickman, playing PC games isn't half bad. I'm coming around to it. But on a Mac platform so I don't get everything. Not a huge deal though since most of what I want that doesn't exist for Mac is on a console and that works fine for my tastes.

 

[Walter White]

I want to get my brother the Star Wars limited edition Ps4 bundle for Xmas. For 400 bucks, it's not a bad deal. The problem is that he would still need a PS Plus membership. Also, didn't really want Battlefront until it's discounted and comes with the season pass. Also probably needs a headset.

So that is an extra 150 right there. And I need the game to play online with him so tack on an extra 60. Just not sure it is feasible.

A tempting bundle right now is the Uncharted collection Ps4 for 350. I could use that extra 50 to get him a Ps Plus card. I just figured might as well get the Star Wars limited edition if it's just an extra 50, but then all those expenses. There is also a Star Wars bundle exact same minus limited edition console and controller for 350, but once again, what's an extra 50 for the upgrade and best part of the bundle?

If need be, we could probably live without the season pass. It also comes with a crappy headset that will do the job. And maybe someone would get me Battlefront for Xmas. But the PS Plus card is still an extra 50 no matter what.

Thoughts? Will better deals come along?

 

[gourimoko]

Gotta say too @Jack Brickman, playing PC games isn't half bad. I'm coming around to it. But on a Mac platform so I don't get everything. Not a huge deal though since most of what I want that doesn't exist for Mac is on a console and that works fine for my tastes.

How recent is your Mac?

If you have a Thunderbolt port you can run an external GPU and load Windows 10 in boot camp.

 

[theSTEREO.]

How recent is your Mac?

If you have a Thunderbolt port you can run an external GPU and load Windows 10 in boot camp.

I do motion design / video / animation for a living, so I've got the latest Mac Pro, maxed on everything but the memory (soon to be rectified), so I'm pretty set on specs. Every game I've played runs like a dream.

I've had such awful experience with boot camp in the past that I've been hesitant to try again. But I might give it a shot again at some point.

 

[gourimoko]

I do motion design / video / animation for a living, so I've got the latest Mac Pro, maxed on everything but the memory (soon to be rectified), so I'm pretty set on specs. Every game I've played runs like a dream.

I've had such awful experience with boot camp in the past that I've been hesitant to try again. But I might give it a shot again at some point.

If you're running a Mac Pro, then you have no worries.

Boot camp isn't really a "thing," per se.. It's just dual boot that's been re-marketed as a product.

So, you can't really have "issues" as in, it just works, or at least, it works as well as dual boot, which so long as you understand how this works, you're good to go.

If you have a Windows 7 license, it's a free upgrade to Windows 10. And you can just boot to Windows to play games as needed.

 

[theSTEREO.]

If you're running a Mac Pro, then you have no worries.

Boot camp isn't really a "thing," per se.. It's just dual boot that's been re-marketed as a product.

So, you can't really have "issues" as in, it just works, or at least, it works as well as dual boot, which so long as you understand how this works, you're good to go.

If you have a Windows 7 license, it's a free upgrade to Windows 10. And you can just boot to Windows to play games as needed.

It must've had something to do with the machine I was running it on, or maybe boot camp partition was incorrectly created or something, but I had endless plugin errors and it ran excruciatingly slow. Now, this was like 5 years ago, but that's why I haven't messed with it on any of my newer machines since then.

So maybe a fresh install on an actual modern machine would be issue free. I don't have a Windows license, so I'd have to get that. But I might give it a shot.

 

[gourimoko]

It must've had something to do with the machine I was running it on, or maybe boot camp partition was incorrectly created or something, but I had endless plugin errors and it ran excruciatingly slow. Now, this was like 5 years ago, but that's why I haven't messed with it on any of my newer machines since then.

So maybe a fresh install on an actual modern machine would be issue free. I don't have a Windows license, so I'd have to get that. But I might give it a shot.

I'm assuming you mean it was slow while in Windows?

You shouldn't have too many issues. If you're experiencing slow speeds, it could be due to running the wrong SATA drivers.

Pretty sure Mac Pro's run with Intel SATA RAID ESB2 turned on by default; so install Intel Raid Management and that should fix your HDD performance problems.

 

[theSTEREO.]

I'm assuming you mean it was slow while in Windows?

You shouldn't have too many issues. If you're experiencing slow speeds, it could be due to running the wrong SATA drivers.

Pretty sure Mac Pro's run with Intel SATA RAID ESB2 turned on by default; so install Intel Raid Management and that should fix your HDD performance problems.

Yeah, slow speeds in Windows. That was on a very old Mac Pro though. My new one has an internal SSD system drive, an external Thunderbolt RAID, and dual AMD graphics cards so I'm guessing the speed issues shouldn't be a big deal anymore.

 

[Stitches]

I want to get my brother the Star Wars limited edition Ps4 bundle for Xmas. For 400 bucks, it's not a bad deal. The problem is that he would still need a PS Plus membership. Also, didn't really want Battlefront until it's discounted and comes with the season pass. Also probably needs a headset.

So that is an extra 150 right there. And I need the game to play online with him so tack on an extra 60. Just not sure it is feasible.

A tempting bundle right now is the Uncharted collection Ps4 for 350. I could use that extra 50 to get him a Ps Plus card. I just figured might as well get the Star Wars limited edition if it's just an extra 50, but then all those expenses. There is also a Star Wars bundle exact same minus limited edition console and controller for 350, but once again, what's an extra 50 for the upgrade and best part of the bundle?

If need be, we could probably live without the season pass. It also comes with a crappy headset that will do the job. And maybe someone would get me Battlefront for Xmas. But the PS Plus card is still an extra 50 no matter what.

Thoughts? Will better deals come along?

There's regularly better deals on Playstation Plus than paying $50. I don't think I have ever paid over $35.

Battlefront I could see going on sale some before Christmas, but there's no guarantee. Maybe $50.

If you buy 2 games (or more) a year, you might want to consider Best Buy's gamer's club as it gets you 20% off on new game purchases, and it's $30 for two years I believe.

 

[Walter White]

There's regularly better deals on Playstation Plus than paying $50. I don't think I have ever paid over $35.

Really? I look for deals on it all the time and never find anything. It's always 50. You got to hook me up and tell me where to find good deals on it. I'm assuming you are talking bout a 1 year membership?