The console wars

[EnjoiZao]

Color scheme: who really cares, thats not important
Boot Up Sequence(?): ditto
Size: ditto
Controller: Ps2/xbox (tie), depends on the game
Graphics: Xbox (95% of the time)
Loading: Xbox/GC (tie)
Gameplay: 3-way tie, each system has some EXCELLENT games that are only for that system, which really sucks, cause then you need all three to experince them all  Ex: Xbox-Halo, Project Gotham: PS2-Gran Turismo, GTA: GC-Eternal Darkness, Metriod Prime

So, in conclusion, the best system is the one that you think has the best games for you, however, i must admit that it looks like XBOX has the most going for it right now.  This was only comparing the newest 3, i still think the origional NES kicked some serious arse

[Darksun]

Atari Jaguar, a console ahead of it's time

I didn't have one, hell, I only ever used one for about half an hour, but it was a great little machine. Personally, I think consoles are over-rated, I much prefer the PC. And the X-Box, there's no point in, since it's a PC in a little box... you can get BSOD's ffs!

[Totallyout2lunch]

Gameboy Advance SP...

Its all you will ever need in your pocket, untill the next Gameboy...

Its got a light, plays all your favorites, and buy a 500meg chip and burner, you can carry around all your games on one chip...

[bgreene2001]

The only current console I have is PS2, and I think that's a fairly solid console.  I haven't played XBox, but it looks alright too, but I'd have to say a modded XBox running linux would just rock
(I'm planning on buying an XBox soonish)

[Flamekebab]

I would have laughed - if the cartoon had been funny.
Totallyout2lunch - how do you mean? Is that a bit like those flashable gameboy carts?
What did Phaze say?
I might buy an Xbox. I'll buy a PS2 if you pay me more than the cost of one and then don't mind me flogging it to someone on ebay.
Now just sit back and wait for my text scanner and graphics tablet..

[AnthonyS]

Yeah, I have a GBA and flash cart. Kinda cool, but the best console by FAR is the GP32.
For those of you who don't know about it, let me explain....


Here is a pic of it:
I know. Doesn't look that impressive or dissimiler from the GBA does it. Well, It is what is under the hood that counts.
It is tragic that it is compared with the gba, when infact it is light years beyond the gba (it can emulate the damn thing  :) (Along with the Snes, Nes, Etc)).
The display is a 3.5", with alomost double the resolution of the GBA. It runs of it's built in hard disk, witch is tiny (in both size and capacity), and just big enough to store it's OS (Which can be changed, and OS's for it are freely available from the net).

The Alt-OS "Wind-up":



The storage space comes from Smart Media cards that you use in cameras and camcorders (compare a 128mb SMCard with the GBA's 12mg max carts).
So how does it all work? Well the GP32 connects to your PC's (or Apple Mac's) USB port and from there you can write to its SMC. For example if I want to play Heretic (better than doom damn it!) I copy over heretic.fxe and the heretic wad file, then on the gp32 I can see the heretic icon appear, and that's it, its now on the GP32 and can be played. The console is open source and fully supports people making their own programs for it, there is a GCC based devkit complete with graphics and sound libs.
The built in OS can play MP3 as standard, it can also play DIVX/avi/mpg files too if you install the player, making the GP32 a fantastic portable media player, I admit it my SMC has Simpson's, futurama and south park episodes on it!
But what a lot of people want the GP32 for is EMULATORS because its ARM CPU can be set upto around 133 - 160MHZ (compare that with the GBA's 14MHZ) its capable of running pretty much all the old classic consoles and computers, even controversially the Gameboy, Gameboy color & Advance! Current emulators include SNES, Sega, Atari ST, NES, 2600, PC Engine, ZX Spectrum, MAME (only some drivers), Commodore 64, MSX, GBA etc etc. the older systems run perfectly with sound (yes, even the Atari ST) and they run at the CORRECT full resolution - the GP32 screen is easily big enough to do that.
Another amazing emulator is that of the Lucas Arts SCUMMV engine which allows the GP32 to run all the classic adventure games such as the monkey island series, Indiana Jones series, Day of the tentacle, the dig, etc. etc. and yes, it includes the speech sound support (how could you play day of the tentacle without it !
And all this for just £99! (that's about $149) and you can use all those spare SMC cards you have from digital cameras and the like with it after using the GP32 you will find it hard to go back to the GBA, sure Nintendo have sold millions of GBAs but you can't play SNES games on it can you? Nor do they support the open source idea. In finishing, I hope you aggre that the GP32 is by FAR the best console in the world.


P.S For an extra £30 you can get a version with a backlight. Perfect for looking at .....movies....and.....pictures.... late at night under the quilt
EDIT: I forgot to tell you that:
1. It is completely open source.
2. It comes with a CD packed with games, PDA-stule progs, emulators, addons, etc.

EDIT (Yet again ): Also, the only official distributer in the UK and US offers free next-day dilivery. Yay!


EDIT: More pics for you to enjoy:




(Edited by AnthonyS at 12:18 pm on July 17, 2003)


(Edited by AnthonyS at 12:22 pm on July 17, 2003)


(Edited by AnthonyS at 12:25 pm on July 17, 2003)

[bgreene2001]

Unfortunatly before I invest in another console I've got to buy a fridge, the DevCD, and replace my computer, component by component, until I have enough bits to rebuild my current computer as a music/gaming/whatever I want server and my chat clients
Then I'll get the xbox and mod it to run linux

[Flamekebab]

I *really* want one of those- time to start saving!
Surely the backlight drains the battery far more quickly - hence why the gamegear could only be played for about 1/2 an hour.
Where can I buy one from?
What's the normal battery life on one?
What's it's actual cpu speed?
Does it use a mouse cursor? Operated by the d-pad?
Cool.
/me steals AnthonyS's GP32..

[Dezmond]

Damn, I've gotta get one of them!

[Phydaux]

I sometimes wonder why the PS2 has so many fans. Then I remember, SONY have spent millions on advertising...
If you compare the 3 machines PS2, GC, Xbox. After playing on either an X-box, or GC you see how dated the PS2 graphics are.
As for games the PS series has always had lots of games, but (like the speccy back in its day) most are shit. The X-box and GC have better quality games.

The X-box has better controlles than the PS2 (I don't have a GC so I can't compare) but the PS2 has a small controller, for childs hands the X-box has a normal sized controller for adults hands. The PS2 controller also feels cheap, and tacky.
Games take much longer to load on a PS2 than a GC or X-box.
The X-box has a hard-disk. You can store your own wierd taste in music and have it play with most games. You also don't have to faff about with tiny memory cards.

The PS2 DVD player is SHIT. The X-box DVD player is below average, but much better than the PS2.

In concluding, the PS2 is an old machine, and shows it's age. It only has 2 controller ports as Sony like to squeese ever penny out of you to buy a multi-tap.
The X-box has a solid feel and quality finish (never thought I'd ever say that about a MS product)
The GC has Nintendo's unwavering quality and polish.

I'd like to see a return to the cartridge tho... even the Atari 2600 had no-loading times. As everthing is stored in ROM. Some one had better develop a system with 2 TV outs, so no more split screen, just two tellys

[Flamekebab]

Hear here!
He speaks the truth!
- like a splinter in your mind - driving you mad - you know the question - "Why is the PS2 so popular?"
The PS2 is dated and sucked when it was new.
Will console graphics ever catch up with PC?
Now with cinematic quality - for a price.
Why do they include DVD players in them anyway? Cheap gimmick - or an excuse to raise the price?
Oh and the GC has such cool discs - but Xbox kicks anal tissue too.
/me starts a campaign against the playstation series

[Stewsburntmonkey]

I personally like the DVD player, it saves space and all (had one in a dorm room, very nice).  Also as the PS2 came out well before either of the other systems the performance is going to be signifigantly poorer, but that is also the key to its popularity, it was the first of the PC style consoles and so everyone ran out and bought one.  It also is able to run PS1 games which signifigantly increases its library.  It also had several premere games Madden, Tony Hawk, etc. that people got the PS2 specifically for.  It is time for Sony to upgrade, but the PS2 has held its own pretty well against the newcomers.  I like the GameCube but it is geared more for younger children although Metroid Prime is a great game.  I have never really liked the XBox, nice system, but none of the games are all that appealing to me, and the controler is a bit large for my liking (but if I played it a while I am sure I would get used to it).  With the improvements in static RAM technology there is a potential for an incredable return to the roots of consoles.  The major advantage of the console was its speed and reliablity, both of which are now gone for the most part.  It would be nice to see a cartrige based system come out again.  I like the idea of multiple displays that would be easy and solve alot of problems.  Someone could make a fortune off a really solid console now.  :)

[tommy060289]

So far on XBOX, all I've seen are pretty, action games, with no plot.

I am not being mean or anything but this, this is poor excuse of a human being who wrote this, Let's see for starters there is return to castle wolfenstein, I am aware it is multi-format and I suppose it it is brilliant on playstation and is crap on xbox even though they are exactly the same game. Another, Phantasy star online, again multi-format but still a brilliant.

Everyone around this board who knows me knew this was going to come up but one word for proving your point completly wrong. HALO, in true, this can not be classed as a mere game but a legend. selling millions of copies and not overrated a single bit, the game title speaks for itself, let's have a look at what is said about, one of the greatest games of all time, astounding, surly a revolution in gameplay as we know it are just a few of the things press said. and HALO 2 is the most awaited game of this year and next year.

If you want to get into terms of bad/no story line and highly overrated I suggest you have a look at GTA 3 and Vice city and so over rated it is amazing. I do not have anything against any of the consoles and all have good points and bad points. one last thing, we hear all this talk about how many games the PS2 has but in all honesty a lot of these games are poor quality and bringing games out for the sake of bringing game.

[bgreene2001]

Like I said, I've never even touched an XBox, but it seems like a nice console if it has good games.  However, the XBox is a winner IMO for one simple thing:  The ease of modding one.  Don't even need to crack the box anymore (Well, maybe you can't do it just yet, but all the nessecary exploits have been worked out, and it's only a matter of time till they crack the right parts of the dashboard).  Plus the fact that it can run as a cheap linux box makes it definatley the next console I'm getting.  

Really, XBox Vs PS2 (which does have some good games) is up to personal tastes.  GameCube has some good points too.  Well, that's the end of my session sitting on the fence

[AnthonyS]

Flamekebab:
1.The backlight can be turned off, dimmed, etc, and as a guesstemate I'd say it only decreases battery life by 15-20%.

2.The only official UK distributer of it is http://www.GBAx.com/#gp32. However, you might be able to get it cheaper elsewhere, but then you wouldn't get the bundled manual and CD. And the CD ruls (It contains GP32 ported games like doom, etc).
3. I dont know, the battery life, 'caus I userechargeables.

4. Between 140 and 166mhz.

5. Yes, on some OSs

(Edited by AnthonyS at 6:57 pm on July 17, 2003)