The PS4 (Orbis) and XBOX720 (Nextbox) Mega thread!

[Recrewt]

Ha Ha - it does look like a vcr, doesn't it?

I love these launches where boring execs talk a lot of nonsense about stuff that doesn't really matter.  I don't care if it is less powerful than a PS4. The games matter, but I have not seen much to impress me so far.

Connecting to the internet everyday and no backwards compatability are both dumb ideas that no-one other than Microsoft/Sony wants.  It really bugs me that I have to keep my PS2 around for the handful of games (including Dredd v Death) that I want to keep but can't play on my PS3. 

[Satanist]

E3 will decide it for me cause I play games and ignore all the other bobbins they keep forcing into consoles. Might even see an actual PS4 then. Though it has to be said that the PS4 is looking like the main contender for my cash at the mo.

[Steve Green]

Yeah, I suppose they're saving the games announcements for E3.

From a purely selfish point of view, I'm more interested in how useful Kinect 2 might be for mocap.

[radiator]

Got to say, all the emphasis on 'multimedia', 'sharing', 'social media', the complete lack of backwards compatibility, the usual pretentious bullshit-spouting developers, the always-on, always-listening Kinect (bleurgh!), sports and Call of Duty did nothing but turn me off. I kind of realised watching the video introduction that I'm not really the demographic for this thing.

In fact I think the only thing that excites me about it is the suggestion of Rare reviving a classic series *crosses fingers for Blast Corps* - but it'll probably turn out to be some Kinect garbage.

Not really fussed about the look of the machine itself - it is what it is, and neither am I fussed about the second-hand games thing. The gaming marketplace is fucking ludicrous (the average game being bought and sold probably a dozen times with hardly any money going to the creatives or publisher) and it's only fair they're finally doing something about it.

This 'highlights' reel made me laugh, but also cry a little inside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWgUO-Rqcw&feature=youtu.be

[JamesC]

I think the PS4 is using existing components now, rather than specialist chips like the PS3 had. I believe this is in a bid to make it an easier machine to develop for.

[radiator]

Though it has to be said that the PS4 is looking like the main contender for my cash at the mo.

Personally I have no desire for either, and am currently more intrigued by the 3DS, the mythical 'Steam Box', and smart TVs - specifically Apple's rumoured 'iTV', which could basically all but kill traditional consoles overnight.

[JamesC]

I quite like the look of the OUYA for indie titles and emulation.

[radiator]

I've banged on about this before - and I know it'd be a logistically and legally impossible, but I would dearly love a dedicated boutique retro console. No bullshit, just a stylish, customisable machine capable of playing every game from every console up to and including the PS1/Xbox/Gamecube era, with added updates like achievements, profiles, optional up-rezzing and save states.

[Satanist]

Though it has to be said that the PS4 is looking like the main contender for my cash at the mo.

Personally I have no desire for either, and am currently more intrigued by the 3DS, the mythical 'Steam Box', and smart TVs - specifically Apple's rumoured 'iTV', which could basically all but kill traditional consoles overnight.

Already have a 3ds (its a great wee machine) and also like the look of steam box.

I had to laugh at a lot of the Microsoft guff about all these different windows on telly. Movies/internet/games all on yer telly AT THE SAME TIME ZOMG!!! My PC has done that for years and is hooked upto my tv as I type this 

[WhizzBang]

I've banged on about this before - and I know it'd be a logistically and legally impossible, but I would dearly love a dedicated boutique retro console. No bullshit, just a stylish, customisable machine capable of playing every game from every console up to and including the PS1/Xbox/Gamecube era, with added updates like achievements, profiles, optional up-rezzing and save states.

The Wii is very nearly this already. It can play all 8bit and 16bit consoles (including handhelds like GBA) and home computers as well as selected PSOne (e.g. Gran Turismo works perfectly) and N64 games (e.g. Zelda 64 and Mario 64 both work very well). It can also play Gamecube and Wii from a hard drive. A lot of XBox and PS2 games are also on Gamecube so it covers quite a lot.

It also has a very slick Media Player.

[JamesC]

But you have to buy all those games off virtual console for rip off prices.

[radiator]

Well, no, I think what he is talking about would require some hacking and whatnot of an existing console, which isn't really what I'm talking about at all.

[Modern Panther]

Been watching the xbox one release show.  It's really inspired me to buy a playstation.

I'd quite like to play some games, maybe with some friends.  Then I'll maybe watch a film...

But instead, the One will be watching me from the corner of the room, listening to everything I say.  It'll be waiting, just waiting for the moment when I might give it a command, so it can jump from what I'm doing to something that I should be doing instead.  Every image could be interrupted, resized and shifted at any point to squeeze more information into my eyes.

the little black box will be tracking my behaviour, storing my hopes and dreams in an underground server on the other side of the globe.  My life reduced to an algorithm.  It knows what i watch, who I speak to and what about.  My tastes in film and music.  My browsing history.  My favorite sports team.  It knows what games I play and how.  It wants to be my friend, it reassures with its mild american tones.  It just wants to be my friend.

I'll try to escape, try to get back to real life, but it knows.  It's silently watching the individual photons bounce against me.  It's tracking my pulse from across the room.  With its cloud based intelligence, its brain is bigger that the whole world was in 1999!  It knows what I'm thinking!

Maybe I'll get out, run from the building, screaming into the street..."it knows all about me!", I'll cry "it tracks my behaviour and adapts accordingly!".  But even after I think I've left it behind, it still knows what I'm doing.  It's linked to my phone.

[torque]

You do get it that the PS4 has a camera too? Sony fan boys are a strange breed.

[Modern Panther]

Wii U it is then.  My first paypacket went on a playstation back in ye oldie 1998 (and a mag with a demo disc of resident evil 2).  Since then I've been with Xbox, but not through any particular loyalty, they just sold what i wanted to buy.  The gradual shift to "home entertainment" rather than games disappoints me.