If you’re not familiar with these projects, they are research software that runs on your console (or home PC) using the processor cycles that are not being used by your normal programs. These cycles calculate the folding of proteins to help scientists better understand how this building block of life works. Folding@Home is focusing on Alzheimer’s Disease while Rosetta@Home is looking at HIV. They are noble goals.
The PS3 Folding client apparently runs exceedingly well when it uses data packets designed with its architecture in mind. While having Microsoft’s console running a similar project is well and good, I think the fans would love to see the consoles go head to head in the same project. Even if the Cell processor can outperform the 360, the install base of the Microsoft console should surely be able to surpass the PS3.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft has already explored running Folding@Home, and found that they would look poorly in this head-to-head matchup and thus are moving to a similar but separate project.
This leads to another point. Rosetta@Home uses the BOINC infrastructure, the framework that many projects of this type use.. including the infamous SETI@Home. With the BOINC infrastructure in place, it is not out of the question that SETI@Home or ClimatePrediction.net cores could be written for the 360. Time will tell.
If you haven’t seen it yet, the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer has arrived on the tubes. See it here in SD or here in HD.
After a couple watch-throughs, it’s clear that Rockstar has seriously ramped up the graphics in IV. The increased horsepower of the next-gen consoles is really going to allow this genre to expand to bigger environments (as was seen in Crackdown) and from the looks of it, GTA IV will capture the feel of NYC with the busy, bustling activity.
The character you control is no longer a thug on a bike like in San Andreas. Instead it looks like you are a Russian immigrant.
Maybe GTA V will be in Boston and we can have some Irish influences.
After weeks of working at it off and on, I’ve finally got the 1500 gamerscore points to earn the first level of awards on the Xbox Rewards site. I feel that it was a fun goal to reach for, and I hope Microsoft will do them again. The rewards site could sure use some work though. It was not entirely clear at first if you had actually enrolled in the Old Spice Challenge, or if you had merely signed up for the rewards site. Also, the definition of “levels” is vague. I have gotten to level 2 now, since I completed the challenge. But the reward site still says I need roughly 600 points (putting me at 5000 gamerscore) to reach the next level. I’m curious if reaching 5000 will put me in level 3, or if this points countdown is moot since I leveled up through the challenge.
It is also not obvious how to find the number of points you need to actually finish the challenges. You must go into that particular challenge, and click the “I’m Finished” button, where it will give you an error saying you’re not finished, and you have X number of gamerscore to go until you have actually finished. A current breakdown of how close you are to reaching the goal would be MUCH more sane.
It is a fun goal, and I’ve now got a free copy of Contra to get frustrated with. Seriously, we need a controller with a D-pad capable of inputing the Konami code.
Microsoft has made the rumors true with their announcement of the Xbox 360 Elite available in the US & Canada on April 29th! 120 GB hard drive, HDMI outputs and cable, black case and black wireless controller with a black headset.. everything we expected, at $479 (LAME!). So if you buy this, and an HD-DVD drive, you’re up to $678… and the PS3 is just not seeming quite as expensive.
Microsoft, you had a golden opportunity to rocky Sony on the price front and you, in my opinion, blew it.
Also announced was the availability of black wireless controllers, with black battery packs and the play-and-charge kit, the separate 120GB drive in white to match your Premium/Core (at a whopping $179.95!! INSANE!). And according to the Major Nelson mid-week podcast, it will have a transfer cable that will clear out your old 20GB drive, copy everything over to the new drive, and have you up and running.. and you can give your 20GB drive to your Core-owning grandma.
They’re trying to justify the jacked up price as being the difference in price from the core (at $299) plus the $179 hard drive. Seriously, the price of 120GB hard drives in the real world are NOT that expensive, regardless of the proprietary case you place it in. And you’re manufacturing loads of them! I listened to your justification for it, and it’s CRAZY! They say that it’s got “security” it’s “pre-formatted” and at a certain performance quality… seriously do you think we’re technically inept? It’s a terrible price, there is no way around it.
In the end, the Xbox 360 Elite is a pretty case, with an overpriced drive and if you have a plethora of HDMI inputs in your TV, you’ll be able to use that cable. That is where the differences end. I sure like the looks of it, and I’m sure it will be one of those hard-to-find items when it’s out, but until they drop the price to the Premium levels, I can’t give it the raving reviews I want to give.
I suppose it’s good news that Neil Thompson, the head at Microsoft’s UK Xbox division, said that whichever HD format wins the “war”, Microsoft will likely provide a solution.
The pipes of the Internets are being clogged with news of the upcoming Xbox 360 Elite, with Xbox360Fanboy showing some cell phone cam shots of black 360’s in production, complete with a “120″ marked HDD.
Also, a video of Joe, reportedly a producer at EA, completely annihilating the upcoming XBLA title Boom Boom Rocket… while blindfolded!
With the PS3 launching in Europe, Microsoft has kicked up their assault in a few creative ways, and I for one, think it’s awesome.
First we have CVG, a UK site who Microsoft sent a stack of beer and a note saying “What would you purchase for £146?” which just so happens to be the price difference between a PS3 and a Xbox 360.
First off let me say… back when this game was released on the Playstation it blew me away, so much so that I’ve played the game to death, to the point of getting 213.3% completion. I know my way around old castle drac. So this newest addition to the Xbox Live Arcade is probably the best thing to happen since sliced bread. The game is intact, all the stuff from the original were translated and intact. But… whats missing? I’ll tell you whats missing.. the Sega Saturn version’s extra content. The reason it didn’t make it into the original was because they ran out of time, here was a perfectly good time for Konami to allow non-Japanese gamers (or those with a lot of cash..) to get to play that content. Three additional sections and Maria playable; why would we not want this?? It’s beyond me really, hopefully they will release that content as a download. Shame on you Konami.
Graphics: 99/100
It’s the same great 2D graphics of the original, the “enhanced” graphic option does little then smooth the graphics out a little, not much so it loses a few points, but you do have the option to turn that off for the original if you’re a purist
Sound: 99/100
It’s all there but they missed multi-sampling in the translation with it’s initial release though a later patch fixed this issue. One gripe with the patch was they replaced the original credits music with another song, why they needed to do this is a mystery to me.
Gameplay: 98/100
As for the controls? Well, I didn’t like having to press Back to get to the Inventory, I would hit Start or the Live button too many time for my liking, other then that the controls are great, the Analog stick though can make casting the more difficult spells a hassle and don’t get me started on the D-Pad, it’s bad with any old game that uses it.
Replay: 100/100
It’s the best Castlevania game ever made and set new standards for 2D action games of it’s time. It will be a timeless classic as I know I’ll be playing the XBLA version to death (since scott topic still has my original…). The absence of the Saturn version’s extra content soured the deal slightly but it’s still a must have.
Team Xbox has a press release from Orb Networks announcing version 2 of their free MyCasting software, which is said to allow free streaming of internet video content directly to your next-gen consoles, including the Xbox 360.
I’ll be checking this out myself later today. If you have experiences with Orb, positive or negative, let us know in the comments!
Well Ben Kuchera at Ars Technica voiced similar concerns. However, Ben received a tip saying this:
I work for a large game distributor. MS disclosed this SKU to us a few weeks ago—definitely not a fake story. Price, features, color are all correct. MS has told us that the data will be transferred via some sort of cable that will be included with the unit. The cable will also be included w/ the 120GB drive that will be sold separately (price TBD).
Please don’t cite me, but this is all accurate info.
Now whether or not this is accurate is still up in the air. Also of concern to me is whether or not games moved from one 360 to another in this way will be playable as if they were bought there to begin with, or if the gamertag they were bought on has to be signed in.
