https://twitter.com/XboxP3/statuses/459509201073496064

It bodes well for Destiny. I'd be shocked if Bungie isn't able to support transfers between 360s and Xbones as well. Now let's keep hoping for cross-platform saves.

https://twitter.com/XboxP3/statuses/459509201073496064

It bodes well for Destiny. I'd be shocked if Bungie isn't able to support transfers between 360s and Xbones as well. Now let's keep hoping for cross-platform saves.

I am hopeful. I personally think that our "save" data is going to be stored on Bungie's servers. With what little we have seen of their plans for Bungie.net it seems everything will be store there. I actually at this point will be surprised if we CAN'T transfer stuff at a minimum.

https://twitter.com/XboxP3/statuses/459509201073496064

It bodes well for Destiny. I'd be shocked if Bungie isn't able to support transfers between 360s and Xbones as well. Now let's keep hoping for cross-platform saves.

This is a good thing. Reminds me of how much I enjoyed watching "Last of Us" and "Tomb Raider" at the LAN and how mad arbitrary console restrictions make me. Yes I'm sure I could PC at least one of these, but I don't really remember right now and that's not my entire point right now.

Sure, I get that hardware stuff means more impressive and exciting games (I drastically prefer Titanfall on my PC than 360 in this regard) but JFC I wish this Microsoft/Sony bullcrap would go the way of Betamax/VHS and Blueray/Whatever the hell lost to them.

Can you imagine showing me a movie you really loved, but I had to spend $400 on the right machine to play it on? Or a book you really liked, but the $400 (are we going here?) tablet I have to read it on? And sure, this is an old argument, but seeing you and Stabbim show me those games really drove it home in a personal way.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX? There are not satisfactory answers for this. And if anyone talks about that free market competition capitalist bullshit I'll get out a REAL soap box. :P

Can you imagine showing me a movie you really loved, but I had to spend $400 on the right machine to play it on? Or a book you really liked, but the $400 (are we going here?) tablet I have to read it on? And sure, this is an old argument, but seeing you and Stabbim show me those games really drove it home in a personal way.

I'll just have to send you my PS3 at some point. Not really joking.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX? There are not satisfactory answers for this. And if anyone talks about that free market competition capitalist bullshit I'll get out a REAL soap box. :P

I'm scared. :) I think there might be something to the argument that competition between Microsoft and Sony has made both better and by certain metrics created better value for gamers.

I'm weird. As a Mac gamer, I was used to being in the cold, but not being able to play everything kind of refined my choices. I don't know if I ever would have become a Bungie fan if I were not a Mac user first. Although I was interested, I didn't live and breathe gaming (unlike many around here), and part of that was that I didn't have a console (save for PONG) growing up, and I didn't get into it enough to invest in a PC rig. When I finally made the leap with the original Xbox, it began to open things up for me (despite the fact that I was primarily a Halo gamer for years), a console was generally cheaper than a good gaming PC and provided state of the art gaming for a longer period of time.

This community owes a lot to the limited and consistent nature of consoles along with its relatively low price of entry.

It's going to be interesting to see how it all develops given that we all won't be able to play together for Destiny.*

*At least I think that's a very safe prediction.

Kermit

I'll just have to send you my PS3 at some point. Not really joking.

Outstanding. I will treasure it as if my own child.

I'm scared. :) I think there might be something to the argument that competition between Microsoft and Sony has made both better and by certain metrics created better value for gamers.

Don't be. ;) "Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind." Well, at least, that's the goal.

I'm weird. As a Mac gamer, I was used to being in the cold, but not being able to play everything kind of refined my choices. I don't know if I ever would have become a Bungie fan if I were not a Mac user first. Although I was interested, I didn't live and breathe gaming (unlike many around here), and part of that was that I didn't have a console (save for PONG) growing up, and I didn't get into it enough to invest in a PC rig. When I finally made the leap with the original Xbox, it began to open things up for me (despite the fact that I was primarily a Halo gamer for years), a console was generally cheaper than a good gaming PC and provided state of the art gaming for a longer period of time.

I'll return to this later. The bus waits for no man.

This community owes a lot to the limited and consistent nature of consoles along with its relatively low price of entry.

This is a good point.

It's going to be interesting to see how it all develops given that we all won't be able to play together for Destiny.*

*At least I think that's a very safe prediction.

Kermit

Perhaps an excellent goal for the next gen (or this one, if possible) would be eliminating this possibility. While the Bleeding Edge of Technology is nice, it's not really needed to experience great things. Consoles do open that gate, which I'm all for. They should take the brave step and open that gate even further, if only because it's the right thing to do.

BTW there is apparently a PC version of Tomb Raider.

Victory!

I'm weird. As a Mac gamer, I was used to being in the cold, but not being able to play everything kind of refined my choices. I don't know if I ever would have become a Bungie fan if I were not a Mac user first. Although I was interested, I didn't live and breathe gaming (unlike many around here), and part of that was that I didn't have a console (save for PONG) growing up, and I didn't get into it enough to invest in a PC rig. When I finally made the leap with the original Xbox, it began to open things up for me (despite the fact that I was primarily a Halo gamer for years), a console was generally cheaper than a good gaming PC and provided state of the art gaming for a longer period of time.

I was thinking about my own history on the way home, and it's basically going with whatever was available, which is what my parents will willing to buy me or let me have. Atari 2600, Apple IIe, Nintendo, PC, and then when I hit college it was XBOX then a long dry spell before the 360 and back to PC gaming.

Our discussion makes me realize I'm not anti-console by any means, just, perhaps anti-exclusivity? Anti-luxury? I hate the idea that only folks with means and privilege get to experience this stuff, cause it's so awesome. I also wonder if with the the new gen, and folks making games for the previous and current gen, there might be more openness to say cross brand play in the future.

I bet it's probably there amongst the studios/devs/whatever, it's just maybe the dudes at the top keeping the flood gates closed.

Of course, gamers buying habits will influence a lot of this, which are influenced heavily by games media propaganda, so that sucks. Eh, we'll see where it goes.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX?

You know that MGS V is on both Sony and MS consoles right? MGS2 even got a release on the original Xbox, albeit without the pressure sensitive button functions.

Exclusives are getting rarer the more costs go up.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX?

You know that MGS V is on both Sony and MS consoles right? MGS2 even got a release on the original Xbox, albeit without the pressure sensitive button functions.

Haha, really? All I knew was that it apparently performed worse.

Why would an oXbox version of a multiplat lack pressure sensitive button functions? O.o

Let me go on record as saying I would be absolutely thrilled to have cross platform play.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX?

You know that MGS V is on both Sony and MS consoles right? MGS2 even got a release on the original Xbox, albeit without the pressure sensitive button functions.

Haha, really? All I knew was that it apparently performed worse.

Why would an oXbox version of a multiplat lack pressure sensitive button functions? O.o

The xbox controller's buttons were not pressure sensitive. The PS2's were.

The xbox controller's buttons were not pressure sensitive.

Yes, they are.

You're confusing it with the 360 and XB1 controllers, whose face buttons are binary switches.

The xbox controller's buttons were not pressure sensitive.

Yes, they are.

You're confusing it with the 360 and XB1 controllers, whose face buttons are binary switches.

Only the face buttons were pressure sensitive. You didn't lean with the face buttons. PS2 face AND shoulder buttons were pressure sensitive.

The xbox controller's buttons were not pressure sensitive.

Yes, they are.

You're confusing it with the 360 and XB1 controllers, whose face buttons are binary switches.

Only the face buttons were pressure sensitive. You didn't lean with the face buttons. PS2 face AND shoulder buttons were pressure sensitive.

I just looked up what you seem to be referring to, and I don't think that's an issue with the number of analog inputs*, but rather the placement. Everything on the original Xbox controller returns an 8-bit analog value except for start, back, the stick clicks, and the dpad directions. The analog sticks, triggers, face buttons, and black and white buttons are all analog.

Whereas the PS2 has two sets of triggers, the original Xbox has one set of triggers and the two "extra" black and white face buttons. Since those buttons are horribly placed for a lean feature, you're kind of screwed (though according to this ancient post on IGN, the lean functionality was still technically included, it just sucks).

*The PS2 controller does have more analog inputs than the oXbox controller, because the dpad is analog. Does this lock the Xbox out of some functions, outside of being able to use analog movement on dpad versus left stick?

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX? There are not satisfactory answers for this. And if anyone talks about that free market competition capitalist bullshit I'll get out a REAL soap box. :P

Competition's good for you.

Ideally, all three big console makers would find their own niche like Nintendo did with the Wii. Cross-platform play wouldn't be desirable because... well, honestly, are you going to play Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii?

As the market is now, though, exclusives are the best way to compete for the same demographics. I'd like to see Microsoft and Sony competing with features like reverse compatibility, but alas.

Why not play Halo on Playstaion? Why not Metal Gear on XBOX?

You know that MGS V is on both Sony and MS consoles right? MGS2 even got a release on the original Xbox, albeit without the pressure sensitive button functions.

I did not! Thank you.

Exclusives are getting rarer the more costs go up.

Something to lash my hope to, I suppose.

Ideally, all three big console makers would find their own niche like Nintendo did with the Wii. Cross-platform play wouldn't be desirable because... well, honestly, are you going to play Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii?

Interesting - any notion what those niches might look like for Sony and Microsoft? Maybe toss Valve in there too just for funsies, because Steambox.

As the market is now, though, exclusives are the best way to compete for the same demographics. I'd like to see Microsoft and Sony competing with features like reverse compatibility, but alas.

Competition can be good for you, but it can also lead to decisions that eliminate possibilities like reverse compatibility. It's probably not an efficient return on investment for the owners, since the main reasons I've seen for it are historical preservation, recreational enjoyment/nostalgia, and so on. Those things are important, but not profitable. Sad face.

But, of course, I'm not competiting for any demographics in order to satisfy my bosses and continue my employment. Haha.

I have been massively happy as a Mac gamer. I missed out on a lot but I enjoyed the games I had. And there's something to be said for the kind of competition the console wars bring us. Imagine Sony had the Xbox and 360 not come along. Imagine Microsoft had Sony not finally gotten their head out of their ass and hustled. Imagine Apple had they "won" the PC wars as well as Microsoft did...

The point about enjoying media is always well-made, though, and it's sort of the eternal tension for digital media, which is very transient and highly dependent on platforms... I'm fortunate there exist hacks to still play my old Mac OS 9 games on a OS 10.9 computer, but aside from owning the original hardware and spotty emulation a lot of our favorite games might slip through the cracks.

It's probably not an efficient return on investment for the owners, since the main reasons I've seen for it are historical preservation, recreational enjoyment/nostalgia, and so on. Those things are important, but not profitable. Sad face.

Right. The problem with it is that no matter how cost-effectively you engineer your backwards-compat solution, you're still just enabling people to play games that you're not selling anymore. Unless you continue to sell old-gen games for eternity, but there's only so much room on store shelves, you know?

Of course, digital distribution can solve a lot of these problems, but only on platforms where system architecture isn't an impediment.

I'm not saying I don't want backwards compatibility. But I don't see how it's profitable.