View Full Version : Microsoft reveals plans for a portable game machine
Raedon
03-20-2006, 05:53 PM
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/20/xbox-vets-behind-msfts-portable-game-device/
njiska
03-20-2006, 06:02 PM
This is gonna be interesting.
Juganawt
03-20-2006, 06:06 PM
hmmmmmm portable Dead or Alive and Halo..... hmmmmmm yummy
Will be keeping my eyes open for more details of this.
Let's hope this one has twin analog sticks or a touchscreen.
Lothars
03-20-2006, 06:15 PM
meh, i dunno it's not surprising but I don't think it's a good move by microsoft though we should see
it will be interesting.
njiska
03-20-2006, 06:30 PM
meh, i dunno it's not surprising but I don't think it's a good move by microsoft though we should see
it will be interesting.
It may actually be a good move all things considered. As was pointed out in a couple of articles today between MS's new music store, Windows Vista's streaming functionality and HD DVD's mandatory managed copy system there are a lot of little things that would give a boost to the system.
Unfortunately i have a feeling for it to do aeverything we want it's gonna fall more in the Zen or iPod price range then the good ol' handheld range.
Joker T
03-20-2006, 06:41 PM
I hope it doesn't look like the mock up :|
Sega_Seller
03-20-2006, 06:56 PM
I bet it will be insane and have some sick online xbox live type thing.
Just think about it Portable Online Halo!!!
I will definetly buy a portable Xbox if Microsoft makes one.
:D :D :D
Slate
03-20-2006, 09:42 PM
Portable xbox.. I'd buy it.
I'll have to see a more finished product before i believe it is happeing, though.
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
tholly
03-20-2006, 09:51 PM
I'm very excited already....only time will tell how this one turns out.....
PDorr3
03-20-2006, 10:57 PM
Give me 2 analog sticks and I will be happy.
Anthony1
03-20-2006, 11:17 PM
Give me 2 analog sticks and I will be happy.
Yeah, exactly. And they better not be freaking nubs. God, I really hope that Microsoft doesn't worry so much about style, like sony did, go for more functionality. I want a screen the same ratio as the PSP (16:9), and I want it to be the same size or larger, and just as clear and colorful, with two analog sticks, AND a decent D-Pad (PSP anyone?). I also want a build in hard drive, and be able to watch over the air HDTV on it. (yeah right). I want to be able to transfer DVD movies to the hard drive, and all the music I want, and also have perfectly formated music videos as well. oh, yeah, and somehow play the equivalent of Xbox 1 games, and also be able to play on Xbox Live wirelessly.
They do all that, and they got my scratch. :)
Satac
03-21-2006, 12:18 AM
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
The picture is a photoshop someone made and not an official picture or a prototype.
Here is another one based on the Tapwave Zodiac:
http://www.portabledev.info/images/X7ve.jpg
boatofcar
03-21-2006, 12:22 AM
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
The picture is a photoshop someone made and not an official picture or a prototype.
Here is another one based on the Tapwave Zodiac:
http://www.portabledev.info/images/X7ve.jpg
The trick is to somehow make decent analogue sticks while still maintaining the portability of the unit. Honestly, I don't know how it can be done.
Anthony1
03-21-2006, 01:26 AM
Is there any way in hell this thing could actually play REAL xbox games?
I'm not talking about it playing actual Xbox dvd's, but somehow on the hard drive or whatever, you could play actual Xbox 1 games? How could they shrink the Xbox 1 circuit board so small or have some super powerfully techonology that could actually emulate the Xbox 1 games?
I mean, there is no way the original N-Vidia GPU could be made that small, and they aren't partnered with N-Vidia any more. So how could they actually pull this off?
Don't get it twisted, if there was some way that I could actually play Outrun 2 for the Xbox on a pimp ass handheld, you know damn well that I would be doing it!!!!
I care just as much about this handheld as I do about the Xbox360.
-_-
GarrettCRW
03-21-2006, 08:42 AM
Seeing as how it sounds like this thing will follow the road of the PSP, it would appear that the only people who will really enjoy Microsoft's new toy is the modding community.
Juganawt
03-21-2006, 11:55 AM
The trick is to somehow make decent analogue sticks while still maintaining the portability of the unit. Honestly, I don't know how it can be done.
2 motion reading touchpads in place of analog sticks? similar to NDS's touchscreen, but designed for thumb use? it could be do-able.
Either that or house the analogs inside the actual unit on something similar to a spring or lift mechanism. When you're ready to play, hit the analog button and the sticks pop up, hit the button again to drop em back into the unit.
Slate
03-21-2006, 12:17 PM
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
The picture is a photoshop someone made and not an official picture or a prototype.
Here is another one based on the Tapwave Zodiac:
http://www.portabledev.info/images/X7ve.jpg
Another photoshop job? Darn i want to see a prototype unit. This one is really 2001 style.
Either that or house the analogs inside the actual unit on something similar to a spring or lift mechanism. When you're ready to play, hit the analog button and the sticks pop up, hit the button again to drop em back into the unit.
Well, pushing them in counts as a button aswell, like in GTA, the car horn..
So maybe push them down for five seconds and they'll go back into the unit..
Rockman Neo
03-21-2006, 06:45 PM
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
The picture is a photoshop someone made and not an official picture or a prototype.
Here is another one based on the Tapwave Zodiac:
http://www.portabledev.info/images/X7ve.jpg
Another photoshop job? Darn i want to see a prototype unit. This one is really 2001 style.
Either that or house the analogs inside the actual unit on something similar to a spring or lift mechanism. When you're ready to play, hit the analog button and the sticks pop up, hit the button again to drop em back into the unit.
Well, pushing them in counts as a button aswell, like in GTA, the car horn..
So maybe push them down for five seconds and they'll go back into the unit..
To stop further confusion, perhaps you would only be able to push the analog sticks into the unit after it's off?
unwinddesign
03-21-2006, 07:11 PM
Halo, Geometry Wars Evolved, Ninja Gaiden, Banjo Kazooie sequel/re-release.
If this handheld sees any of those, consider my money to be Microsoft's.
Poofta!
03-21-2006, 07:39 PM
i so hope its good. it be cool playing xbox quality games handheld. good luck to them.
Ed Oscuro
03-21-2006, 07:45 PM
"Should XBOX make a handheald?" Ahh, the memories.
Slate
03-21-2006, 08:41 PM
After all, it looks like someone just made a vaccum formed xbox 360 controller and put a PSP screen into it, And is using the thing as a controller and TV, but not handheld.
The picture is a photoshop someone made and not an official picture or a prototype.
Here is another one based on the Tapwave Zodiac:
http://www.portabledev.info/images/X7ve.jpg
Another photoshop job? Darn i want to see a prototype unit. This one is really 2001 style.
Either that or house the analogs inside the actual unit on something similar to a spring or lift mechanism. When you're ready to play, hit the analog button and the sticks pop up, hit the button again to drop em back into the unit.
Well, pushing them in counts as a button aswell, like in GTA, the car horn..
So maybe push them down for five seconds and they'll go back into the unit..
To stop further confusion, perhaps you would only be able to push the analog sticks into the unit after it's off?
Much better.
Magnum
03-21-2006, 09:23 PM
Not to sound like a Nintenwhore but I'm very skeptical.
I don't see Microsoft doing any better of a job than Sony, and at the moment Sony isn't doing near enough. The average gamer only has about one or two favorites per system that they would really want as a portable game. Endless streams of ports just will not work.
What is their hook gonna be? "Like the PSP with all the same features but with better graphics and internet options! Plus Halo!" Hasn't Liberty City Stories had ho-hum sales so far?
They will have to come up with some really innovative ideas to win the portable game. People need to be reminded why they're playing on a portable system.
GaijinPunch
03-21-2006, 09:42 PM
Anyone else think handhelds are a huge step back? W/ all the shitty games coming out lately, I'd rather developers devising ways to make their console games better.
Iron Draggon
03-21-2006, 11:43 PM
Not to sound like a Nintenwhore but I'm very skeptical.
I don't see Microsoft doing any better of a job than Sony, and at the moment Sony isn't doing near enough. The average gamer only has about one or two favorites per system that they would really want as a portable game. Endless streams of ports just will not work.
What is their hook gonna be? "Like the PSP with all the same features but with better graphics and internet options! Plus Halo!" Hasn't Liberty City Stories had ho-hum sales so far?
They will have to come up with some really innovative ideas to win the portable game. People need to be reminded why they're playing on a portable system.
No, their hook will be "Just like the PSP but without all the dead pixels". And they'll sell a zillion of them because of it.
neuropolitique
03-22-2006, 12:10 AM
Anyone else think handhelds are a huge step back? W/ all the shitty games coming out lately, I'd rather developers devising ways to make their console games better.
I'd prefer the opposite.
As far as MS making a handheld, meh. It will be expensive and have poor battery life, as MS is a More Power=Better company. And I really not sure there is enough room in the market for 4 handhelds. Maybe it would force the DS line out, but I doubt it.
GaijinPunch
03-22-2006, 12:43 AM
Anyone else think handhelds are a huge step back? W/ all the shitty games coming out lately, I'd rather developers devising ways to make their console games better.
I'd prefer the opposite.
I'm not exactly sure what the opposite is. You'd rather have developers be devising ways to make their console games worse?
neuropolitique
03-22-2006, 01:42 AM
I'd rather developers put more time and effort into Portable games, instead of console games.
Anthony1
03-22-2006, 03:59 PM
I think the hook is that it's going to be a media powerhouse, even more so than the PSP. You will be able to download music videos, movies, even TV shows, etc, etc. Of course, if you could actually connect to Xbox Live via the thing, then that would really be the hook. It will definitely be interesting.