Xbox 2 backwards compatibility sees graphics card information freeze
Row over release as conflicting reports emerge
Not the Xbox 2
An interesting report cropping up on The Inquirer which claims two sources offering two different versions as to the future of backwards compatibility as to be (or not be) included in Xbox 2.
“We are hearing conflicting reports about backwards compatibility of the Xbox 2 hardware with Xbox 1, which appears to be one of the reasons for the delay,” writes The Inquirer. “One camp is telling us that ATI is having a hard time making Xbox software work because of all the Nvidia-specific routines that were programmed in games. Another source is telling us that Nvidia is being more than a little awkward about releasing details of how its chips work to its rivals, and that Microsoft is sitting awkwardly in the middle. The lacerations of pens on paper were rumoured to be coming from the offices of m'learned fiends.”
The same report also claims that the Xbox 2 is about to be “…launch[ed] on January 5 at the Consumer Electronics Show, though this is yet to be confirmed by Microsoft and has basis in only rumour at this time.
“We are hearing conflicting reports about backwards compatibility of the Xbox 2 hardware with Xbox 1, which appears to be one of the reasons for the delay,” writes The Inquirer. “One camp is telling us that ATI is having a hard time making Xbox software work because of all the Nvidia-specific routines that were programmed in games. Another source is telling us that Nvidia is being more than a little awkward about releasing details of how its chips work to its rivals, and that Microsoft is sitting awkwardly in the middle. The lacerations of pens on paper were rumoured to be coming from the offices of m'learned fiends.”
The same report also claims that the Xbox 2 is about to be “…launch[ed] on January 5 at the Consumer Electronics Show, though this is yet to be confirmed by Microsoft and has basis in only rumour at this time.
Companies:
Microsoft
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Comments
Joji 9 Nov 2004 16:15
1/3
This is one of the most annoying things about owning a PC, bloody graphics card.
It would be a real bitch if Xbox2 wasn't backwards compatible because of this kind of crap. MS should have just stuck with Nvidia the same way Nintendo are with ATI (i think).
What people want is to be able to keep their old games but this would be a nasty nail in the coffin of that idea if they don't co-operate.
Suppose MS would have to be play the go-between.
It would be a real bitch if Xbox2 wasn't backwards compatible because of this kind of crap. MS should have just stuck with Nvidia the same way Nintendo are with ATI (i think).
What people want is to be able to keep their old games but this would be a nasty nail in the coffin of that idea if they don't co-operate.
Suppose MS would have to be play the go-between.
MaJ-ReD 9 Nov 2004 19:47
2/3
Joji wrote:
This is one of the most annoying things about owning a PC, bloody graphics card.
It would be a real bitch if Xbox2 wasn't backwards compatible because of this kind of crap. MS should have just stuck with Nvidia the same way Nintendo are with ATI (i think).
What people want is to be able to keep their old games but this would be a nasty nail in the coffin of that idea if they don't co-operate.
Suppose MS would have to be play the go-between.
It would be a real bitch if Xbox2 wasn't backwards compatible because of this kind of crap. MS should have just stuck with Nvidia the same way Nintendo are with ATI (i think).
What people want is to be able to keep their old games but this would be a nasty nail in the coffin of that idea if they don't co-operate.
Suppose MS would have to be play the go-between.
I was wondering when news of this was going to come up. I was talking with my friends about the differences in nVidia and ATi hardware recently, and this topic was brought up. I don't blame nVidia for not wanting to give out their secrets to ATi, that could mean their defeat in the graphics market for the rest of their existance.
Microsoft was being greedy when they swapped over to ATi, and wasn't thinking of how it would effect the market in the future, only their revenue. Sure they are making more money per ATi card then they are per nVidia card, the problem is that now they probably won't be able to have backwards compatability.
A perfect example of this is Doom3 on the PC. With a few code line changes in one of the light Shaders, the game becomes an ATi specific game. Simply because nVidia makes their cards with a huge amount of possible calculations, while ATi limits them for better use of each. All XBOX games are currently programed with that veriable calculation limit, which is bogging down the ATi card wich can only handle so many.
The only way I can see this working is either ATi builds there card like nVidia did, or MS pays nVidia to through a second video card in the system?? Thus ruining the point of moving over to ATi in the first place.
This should get interesting.
ozfunghi 9 Nov 2004 22:23
3/3
Oh, man this cracks me up.
The biggest, wealthiest company in the entire world has the most incompetent people working for them. Seriously, they didn't see this coming???? They lost a LOT of money in round one (current gen), and mark my words, they will lose a LOT in round two also. They are really making asses out of their selves and looking the fool. The mighty MS that was gonna make Nintendo an unimportant player and dethrone Sony. *tears of laughter*.
Oh well, at least they can say they are number two, while Nintendo hauls in the cash. I truly wonder how they'll manage next time when they intend to make a profit.
The biggest, wealthiest company in the entire world has the most incompetent people working for them. Seriously, they didn't see this coming???? They lost a LOT of money in round one (current gen), and mark my words, they will lose a LOT in round two also. They are really making asses out of their selves and looking the fool. The mighty MS that was gonna make Nintendo an unimportant player and dethrone Sony. *tears of laughter*.
Oh well, at least they can say they are number two, while Nintendo hauls in the cash. I truly wonder how they'll manage next time when they intend to make a profit.