E3 2006

[colt 0]

Hmmm... Well having read various reports and reactions I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Microsoft seems to be obsessed with online and so you can expect developers holding back content to sell later on. This means much more micro payments: "Congrats! you've reached the level of Colonel. You have access to new weapons. In order to use your new weapons please pay..."

Sony seemed to crowbar their "tilt" tech into the controller in order try and steal Nintendo's thunder. They also need some new IP. GT Again? MGS Again? Ridge Racer Again? They've also gone down the route of releasing two consoles at different price ranges. What's the point?

I've never really been interested in Nintendo purely because their games have never particularly interested me, but I'd say they gave the most impressive conference. The Wii controller and the games certainly looks interesting. But the lack of power in the Wii may kick them iin the Shiins.

I've never been an early adopter when it comes to consoles and there's nothing here that has changed my mind. I'll see how it pans put over the next two years and see if any games make me sit up and say 'WOW!'

In some respects, I might just sit out this new generation and just stick with my PC and wait for the Next Gen after this.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I recently heard that the PS3 will cost 599 $ in the US, for Europe it'll probably be the usual 10-20% higher amount.

So who here has that kind of money for a gaming console? Seriously, if people buy that console then i think Sony can get away with anything...

Well, how much was the xbox when it was first released? 1100dutch guilders(=+-500€), and there were still people who bought that thing! (I bought it when it was cheaper)  

Ehem, The Xbox 360 Premium package cost me 3500 Swedish kronor the third of December (€370).

i said xbox, not xbox360

[CsonkaPityu 0]

On the argument about gaming PCs, well i use the PC for more, need it for homework, the internets, etc., you can't really compare the versatility of the PC to the ability of a console to play music and DVDs. You can actually do something else then entertain yourself with a PC, it's useful tool.

Besides games for PCs are much more flexible, OFP:E is the prime example, the editor is good and all but no match for the PC editor, people are trying to port missions from the PC quite a lot, as far as i know. Mods and all those things, there would never have been CS (bad example maybe, but it was a great mod back then), Red Orchestra and countless other mods if the PC versions wouldn't be, you can't get mods for your console games. (someone should count the GigaBytes of mods released for OFP, good luck hehe)

Then there is the point that the PC itself is also far more flexible, you can use the same motherboard for a long time and get good FPS for the newest games with a graphics card and RAM upgrade now and then.

Okay, that dead horse has been beaten pretty thoroughly .

I might get the Nintendo (Wii... ) cause it's always fun to play those wacky games with friends and family and the console is cheaper then the rest by a longshot.

[shadow 6]

You can’t deny that PS3 has a lot of loyal fans, and surely many grate games coming up, not to mention the included blue ray technique.

Just some nitpicking from me.

Games dont really need the capacity blue ray can provide. That leaves us with movies. Now I doubt someone with a low budget is into blue ray simply because you need a hi-budget homecinema to get anything out of it compared to a normal dvd-player with double/triple or quad-scanning.

That leaves us with a person with a hi-budget and a serious homecinema. He or she won't use a garbage-player like a console for movies.

The Xbox360 has beein praised by "the teens" for its dvd-playback feature. Well let me tell you straight out that it sucks in sound and video-quality on dvd-playback. I own one, my 4 year old Marantz DV6200 is hi-end in comparrison.

All I'm saying is that all the extra features outside gaming is just something that makes for a nice list for the salesrep to shove into the customer's face. Its easier to sell the product that way.

Waste of R&D money if you ask me.

Cool, E3tv

[Antichrist 0]

MSG4 video is pretty impressive, but once again it is not gameplay. It is a cutscene on the engine, which shows graphics quite nicely, but does not do justice to actual gameplay.

[Acecombat 0]

The only console which got my attention this time was the Wii. Sony lacked lustre and Microsoft's game usually end up on the PC as well so they werent all that alluring.

Nintendos new remote and gameplay however are really interesting me right now , i was pretty indifferent to it before but now that i think about it , no other console is in my price range so not worth looking in to (600$ wtf and thats only console , new games and tv will add to the cost ... might as well get a kick ass PC). The Wii looks fun , a nice alternative from the usual PC gaming , with its swinging action based remote control.

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

Quote[/b] ]. Now I doubt someone with a low budget is into blue ray simply because you need a hi-budget homecinema to get anything out of it compared to a normal dvd-player

Quote[/b] ]The extra features outside gaming is just something that makes for a nice list for the salesrep to shove into the customer's face. Its easier to sell the product that way.

Waste of R&D money if you ask me.

What I was talking about was how successful Sony would, or would not be with PS3. As one of the reasons I mentioned the blu ray feature, not necessarily that blu-ray would change every ps3 players life but rather a tactic used to sell more, and to fulfil Sony’s intention in sneaking their blu-ray technique into our living rooms

"Low budget" can be a relative term. Someone investing, say 2000 Euros for a TV that would theoretically work 10-15 years might be willing to pay that, but would faint when seeing an 800 Euros price tag for a console. That doesn’t mean that they are poor, but rather that they don’t see a console being worth all that money. If they however could use it to watch movies in high definition and thereby not having to purchase a separate blu-ray player then all that money could be seen as well spent.

[GoOB 0]

MSG4 video is pretty impressive, but once again it is not gameplay. It is a cutscene on the engine, which shows graphics quite nicely, but does not do justice to actual gameplay.

How much do you reckon gameplay can change in the MG series?

After hearing about, and seeing Wii in action it's looking more and more like the console I'm going to go for... The PS3 is going to be rather absurdly high-priced IMO. And what's with the 100 dollar price difference between the 60 gig HD version and the 20 gig one?

[Extremeus Decimus 0]

There's been some live action Crysis gameplay

Video in Quicktime Format

Video in WMV Format

looks pretty good although i found the motion blur a little excessive for the amount of movement, but it's early days so .

Seems to be alot of news about Console games?, haven't heard much from the PC side of things yet.

[Acecombat 0]

MSG4 video is pretty impressive, but once again it is not gameplay. It is a cutscene on the engine, which shows graphics quite nicely, but does not do justice to actual gameplay.

How much do you reckon gameplay can change in the MG series?

After hearing about, and seeing Wii in action it's looking more and more like the console I'm going to go for... The PS3 is going to be rather absurdly high-priced IMO. And what's with the 100 dollar price difference between the 60 gig HD version and the 20 gig one?

From the a gamespot blog:

Oh but there's a "bargain" version for $500 right? Unfortunately Sony has sneakily removed big functionality from that version, like HDMI connection, Wi-Fi, and memory stick support, etc.

[Marco.A.Aguilar1 0]

I barely saw the BF 2142 trailer and I have to say it looks nice.

[Antichrist 0]

I barely saw the BF 2142 trailer and I have to say it looks nice.

Looks like a cheap cash-in and Quake Wars look way better anyway.

[shadow 6]

Any news on Quake Wars at E3?

Never thought I'd say this but I'm actually interested in it.

[Thunnder Bunny 0]

The good:

The PS3 has potential ,only because it's an unknown at this point in time.

Spore does look interesting. They showed the creature creation , it looks nice.

The bad:

I don't like where controllers are going, it seems they all use that motion detection crap

Anyone ever give a controller to their grandma or some other person that never gamed befor? They flail about thinking it will translate into movement in game, looking like a total moron........Now everyone will be doing that I say no thanks.

The ugly:

I'm watching G4 for my E3 news ...that means I've only seen big budget stuff sofar......No arma yet.. don't expect to see it on g4 though

[Guest Ti0n3r]

I found the two Metal Gear Solid trailers to be just amazing. Dunno if it's really ingame, but it did look nice.

[Jezz 0]

There's been some live action Crysis gameplay

Video in Quicktime Format

Video in WMV Format

looks pretty good although i found the motion blur a little excessive for the amount of movement, but it's early days so .

Seems to be alot of news about Console games?, haven't heard much from the PC side of things yet.

someones been watching to much war of the worlds by the looks of things

[martinovic 0]

I like the new stuff from nintendo, finally the pasty fat nerd of gaming is gone, you might even see people workout for Super Smash Bros Brawl tournies, so they don't tire out so fast.

[jakerod 254]

Call of Duty 3: We've run out of battles.

Trailers I have watched so far:

World in Conflict (Kind of disappointing)

Quake Wars (Looks pretty good)

Crysis (Didn't really like it)

Halo 3 (Looked okay there wasn't much there)

Battlefield 2142 (Looked pretty good [i have never played a BF game before])

and a few others that were't so good.

I was happy to see new screenshots for Supreme Commander though.

[GoOB 0]

I just fell in love with the game Assassin's creed, looks to be real promising. And besides that.. The producer is smoking hot!

[HotShot 0]

I havn't played much attention to non-Armed Assault games, but i saw some stuff on a game called 'Guild 2', and that looks interesting - a Medeival RPG/Sims game.

[EiZei 0]

I just fell in love with the game Assassin's creed, looks to be real promising. And besides that.. The producer is smoking hot!

Yeah, catched my eye too along with bioshock.

[Colossus 2]

Spore looks very promising though. Shame that Maxis is a part of EA,

I would have liked to see them under there own rule on this project.

I did see a in-game movie of BF2142 too and it looked to be

BF2 with plastic surgery. NOTHING was new with it!

Oh, I'm so surprised

[Myst9999 0]

Seems to have quietened down, but here I go anyway.

Consoles are different to PC's. Which is partly why many people buy them. For a start, you dont have to upgrade them just to play a new game thats come out. Secondly, you have more guarantees with a console. The screenshots they show are what you get, rather than it being a case of settings your comp cant handle. And when it comes down to it, why cant you have both anyway?

Recently, Ken Kutagari has said the PS3 is too cheap. And I agree with him. We should be paying far more than that for this kind of technology. But I would certainly hold off till next year to buy one, because most of the worthwhile releases are touted for a 2007 release.

I would like to get a 360 too, but I cant justify that in the same way that others can, buying one because of the large number of PC games on the list. Many people have listed F.E.A.R and such as a reason to buy one. Why spend that money on a console when I could get the PC version and a few upgrades for the same price?

As much as I'd like to play Halo 3, I wont go out and buy a 360 for 1 games sake.

As for the Wii, meh.

I love both PC games and console games. Both are different in their own ways. I will buy a PS3, but that doesnt mean that I'm wasting my money. You dont buy consoles to word process. You buy them to play on. And thats what I intend to do.

Anyway, I'll no doubt have more luck on that than my PC. None of my games ever work properly atm.

PS: 2 years, no-one will care about all this, and we'll all be wanting the next-next-gen consoles.

[shadow 6]

Some interesting things pointed out by John Carmack on the PS3 here.

Generally the PS3 has a higher peak performance than the Xbox360 but other than that it seems like the Xbox360 out-performs it and that taking advantage of this peak-performance is a very difficult task for the developers.

@Jakerod; the only video I saw of Crysis was some in-game footage where the player destroyed this huge robotic spider-looking creature. Is that the only footage they showed on E3?

It looked mighty disppointing to me. It could have been made over 5 years ago on the UT-engine for all I know. Nothing impressive at all. I think it looked downright boring.

The FEAR Extraction Point trailer looked just like the original FEAR but with new maps and a new weapon (minigun look-alike). No new effects, enemies or features were showed. Bummer.

[Acecombat 0]

Splinter Cell looked the same way aswell , just new lightning HDR and daytime scenarios in the mission. Gameplay wise it looked the same , nothing new apart from a few new ways to kill a tango .