SL on the XBox

I've been asked about the XBox release of Second Life. Has anyone heard of this?

not a word about it Khamon sorry.

I wonder ... would that be fun at all? If SL was on Xbox, could you still build alongside with someone else in real time. Never owned an Xbox, so I dunno what its features are. But I've played PS2 version of the Sims, found it boring since I couldn't add my own textures, just build houses -- and even that was limited.

I'd think it'd be a little off-putting to have an Xbox or even PS2 version of SL. I would sorta feel that doing that would just make SL look kinda "cheap" in the played out, mainstream way.

I like that SL is something you have to seek out on the Web. I'd be turned off to see some T-rated cartridge of it in Wal-Mart. Just an opinion. Anyhoo, haven't heard anything about SL on a game console til now.

Last time a had cause to call tech support I got chatting to whoever answered while we sorted the problem. One of the subjects we discussed was cross platform support and Xbox came up. The simple answer from 'the horses mouth' is "Not a chance..."

The main problem is that xboxes, while pc based, are way below the minimum spec for running SecondLife. The processor is slow, the memory tiny and the graphics way out of date.

Ya I have. It's called Xbox 360. You can play Xbox 360 games, some but not all Xbox games, AND PC GAMES. So there you are. Wait till the end of the year and get Xbox 360.

Um, no. If you could just pop in CD-ROM games into your Xbox 360, there would be no point to developing exclusively for the Xbox.

More than likely, Microsoft will push on developers to make Xbox ports of games released on the PC (although this is happening more anyway).

Furthermore, could you imagine talking on an xbox? Keyboard? What keyboard? (Yes, I realize they make one, but imagine a keyboard and mouse hooked up exclusively just for SL).
How about building? Scripting? Are you gonna script at 640x480 resolution? Mmmm, blurry code.

Oh, and then imagine trying to hook SL up to Xbox Live (a requirement for Xbox 360 release).

Don't expect SL on any console at any point in the neat, oh, 6 years.

LF

My $0.02 on this topic:

1) Xbox can run Linux.
2) Second Life still needs its Linux client.
3) Make that, problem solved.

Not been following Xbox360 have you?? That is what you will be able to do. MTV did the Xbox360 announcement (I didn’t see it but played it on window Media Player later) and they stated that WindowsXP games would be able to play as is on it. Cool thing is online games you will be able to use the Xbox Live voice chat with any game. They are removing the controls for the chat from the games and putting them in the box. Man you are be hind the time. Go to a game shop and ask them.



No really this has not happened. Most of there games (games only for Xbox) are not on PC. Only 2 of them are at this time that I know of. Halo 1 (it came out for Xbox first and I have not seen any news about it going to the PC) and Elder Scrool III Marrowind. Ender Scroll IV looks to be a Xbox360 only game.




They are pushing there Live and with live you can do voice chat. Then if you have friends not on there you will be able to still chat because the Voice chat will work with MSN massager. So you can still chat with none Xbox live people. Man before talking go read up on it. It’s the biggest news on gaming right now.


Xbox360 is HD man. HD only! So sorry your computer can’t do better then that.



No not a requirement because the Xbox 360 will run the live behind and not interfere with the game. Game informer, go get it.

To be honest, I don't see merit to this debate other than to target a demographic that could care less.

If people are so inclined, they can run their Xbox as a computer already. I'm guessing (if Wine or equivalent runs on there), run Second Life as well.

If any headway is made in that direction, it should be incidental - like my comments on a Linux client. The console demographic is a very different audience, and I doubt Second Life would do well in it.

So why are we still having this discussion? Sure, "nifty," but where's the point?

My computer has produced HD images for two years now, with an ATI 9600pro card at that. This means that I can sit in my la-z-boy with my feet propped up, a keyboard on my lap and my mouse on the armrest... 7-feet away from my 53" widescreen. It's been great! Why would I ever want an X-box to do what I can already do?

The problems with using SL on your x-box 360... what happens when LL decides to upgrade physics again with improved performance for those with the new Physics Processing Unit (PPU's) in 2006? What happens when the xbox-360's GPU falls to the bottom of SL's minimum requirements list. What happens when you want to create a quick texture in Photoshop and then import it into SL. And I wonder if you'll be able to multi-task when playing SL on the xbox-360.

Admittedly, I don't know much about the xbox-360, nor the answers to my concerns above. But, I'm curious to know the benefits to using SL on an xbox. I guess I don't see the point in having a $500 computer, and also buying a $450 non-upgradeable gaming platform computer that does the same things your computer does.

Thanks for the replies. Y'all have answered all the questions I've being asked.

The Xbox 360 is not just HD only, it also works on standard definition video.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/factsheet.htm

That, and the HD specification isnt superior to a modern monitor, not by a long shot (unless you have an LCD.).

I want one

Uh-huh. I'll believe it when I see it. So the Xbox 360 is going to emulate x86 architecture flawlessly on its own propiatary chip at a fast enough speed to play any game?

The PS2 was sold on the marketing hype that it would be able to deliver "toy-story-quality" graphics, in reference to the Pixar movie. Obviously that didn't happen, not even close.

This is going to be one of those features that falls by the wayside.... PC publishers can barely get their games to run flawlessly on native PC systems after years of testing... adding in propriatary hardware (that's not x86 spec), plus a non-keyboard/mouse interface (hello? Microsoft Flight Sim won't run with your Xbox controller, sweetie... and you'll get stomped playing Quake3 with that standard Xbox controller against even a newbie with a mouse/keyboard).



So, Skype-in-the-xbox? Good for them. I can't wait to get Xbox voicemails from 13-year olds with Mommy's credit card demanding I perform oral services on him. This, sadly, has nothing to do with SL.




The Sims. Madden. Grand Theft Auto. Still Life. Flatout. Unreal Championship/tournament. Doom3. Half-life 2 (upcoming). Psychonauts. Myst IV. Shall I go on?



This isn't big news. This is a gadget that most folks won't use, just like the shitty webcam they're providing with the unit. In the age of cell phones, blackberries, and instant messaging systems, why the hell would I talk to my friends on a gaming console?



My monitor runs at resolutions higher than HDTV every day of the week. And it didn't cost 2000 dollars. HDTV is either 720p or 1080i. Most games are going to be 720p, due to their fast moving action. My resolution is currently 1024x768. Most folks run their desktops at higher resolutions.




Outside, go play xbox 360 will not even mildly be able to run Second Life, and if it tries, will choke and die on its own digital vomit.

LF

Microsoft. Hype? Inconceivable!

Need the image, Mal.

I am kinda a gaming guy so... no SL for Xbox. But I wouldn't be suprised if in the NEXT round of the console wars (meaning post Xbox 360), if a system similar to SL was developed for home consoles. One thing comes to mind is blending the popular Xbox Live service with Second Life like system. Instead of just hearing a voice yelling in your ear as they snap your neck, there could be a roaming area where you can like in SL talk to people, design your avie, create groups and other items.

But this would all be owned by Microsoft. This would also mean advertisements. It would be an interesting concept if done right. I think Xbox Live is the number one reason if not the only reason to have an Xbox period. Throughout all the games and everything, the Xbox Live service is better than what the other two do.

This could also be a way to bring more female gamers into the console market, a market that is left untapped and being dummed down to. They already have a small concept called Xbox Live Arcade. Now imagine instead of just simple 2D sprites, your avie was actually playing these games. Just an idea. But not this round, next one where things can be more finely developed.

I dont really care too much for the X-Box anyway... All my consoles are Nintendo, except for the original Playstation I bought a few years back.

I always wondered how you controlled a game like The Sims on a console. I always bough it for PC, because of supior graphics and control. Plus, The Sims on the console was mission based, I believe, which subtracts from the point of The Sims (there isn't one, like SL).

I also dont think Id be very fond of having to chat with a damned microphone. They crackle, and there is no volume control on it, and it has to be converted, and sent over the internet to the other guy, and by then, it sounds like your getting a transmission from Mars.

Sony is not MS. But on the other hand Sony not MS or Nintendo for the most part killed the PC game market. Sony is the big dog out of the three. Right now Xbox has no linage. GameCube has a linage but it’s not backward compatible (new system will be on the online will have all the N and SN [no word about N64] games for free [well not counting the online fee]). PS2 has a linage and it is backward compatible. MS has come out and said that older Xbox games will not run on Xbox360 because of the new upgrades, this kills it for most games. With the new add of PC games they now have a new way of staying in the market.



Who said Xbox 360 will not have a keyboard and mouse? Xbox 360 will be 100% wireless controllers and MS does make wireless keybord and mouse now for the PC why not for the Xbox360? MS has been saying for years they would be moving to a Web based PC that would be for the “conman person” and that high end people will still need a PC, guess what it’s here Xbox360.



And this is a problem why? Really I have never had a problem on Xbox live. You have a buddy list. You only add your friends to it and leave others off or ban/ignore them. You say this has nothing to do with SL? Guess what a 3rd party has already made a voice chat for SL, people want Voice chat over the keyboard chat. I play Guild Wars with my buddy we both have Xbox live and long in there so we have our voice chat and still playing on the PC guild wars.



GTA was a PS game before a PC game. What I was referring to was Xbox only games, MS is not pushing for the games you listed. The game makers are. Doom3 on Xbox out sold PS2 3 to 1, PS2 out sold PC 2 to 1 (based on pre orders). Sorry the game makers are pushing to be on the system. Elder Scroll was a PC only game, Xbox was the first to be able to handle it. Elder Scroll 4 will not be on PC right away because the PC can not handle the power of the game, Xbox360 can.


Xbox never put out a web cam, that was GameCube and PS. Why talk on a game console? IF your in a game do you want to hold a phone? How about charged for chatting on your cell phone? The point I was making is you can voice chat with your friends as you play SL or any other game. People want to add voice, people are no longer wanting to type. This will help prevent the “she” who is really a he, or the “Man”/”Woman” who is really a “boy”/”girl” problem.



720p = 1280 X 720
1080i = 1920 X 1080
So your better then 720p but your not at 1080i is what your saying. So how can you say, “My monitor runs at resolutions higher than HDTV every day of the week” Your not. You just said your only at 1024x768.




You running three 3.2 GHz Processors? I am only running one 1.24 GHz, looks like a nice upgrade for me. Go out and play? No I go in side to play, but then my idea of play has to do with the bed room . Xbox is not a kids toy, it’s demographics 30 to 40 year olds. Sounds like the same for SL.




Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU
Three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each
Two hardware threads per core; six hardware threads total
VMX-128 vector unit per core; three total
128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread
1 MB L2 cache


CPU Game Math Performance
9 billion dot product operations per second

Custom ATI Graphics Processor
10 MB of embedded DRAM
48-way parallel floating-point dynamically scheduled shader pipelines
Unified shader architecture

Polygon Performance
500 million triangles per second

Pixel Fill Rate
16 gigasamples per second fill rate using 4x MSAA

Shader Performance
48 billion shader operations per second

Memory
512 MB of 700 MHz GDDR3 RAM
Unified memory architecture

Memory Bandwidth
22.4 GB/s memory interface bus bandwidth
256 GB/s memory bandwidth to EDRAM
21.6 GB/s front-side bus

Overall System Floating-Point Performance
1 teraflop

Storage
Detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive
12x dual-layer DVD-ROM
Memory Unit support starting at 64 MB

I/O
Support for up to four wireless game controllers
Three USB 2.0 ports
Two memory unit slots

Optimized for Online
Instant, out-of-the-box access to Xbox Live features with broadband service, including Xbox Live Marketplace for downloadable content, gamer profile for digital identity, and voice chat to talk to friends while playing games, watching movies, or listening to music
Built-in Ethernet port
Wi-Fi ready: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g
Video camera ready

Digital Media Support
Support for DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD
Ability to stream media from portable music devices, digital cameras and Windows XP-based PCs
Ability to rip music to the Xbox 360 hard drive
Custom playlists in every game
Built-in Media Center Extender for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Interactive, full-screen 3-D visualizers

High-Definition Game Support
All games supported at 16:9, 720p, and 1080i, anti-aliasing
Standard-definition and high-definition video output supported

Audio
Multi-channel surround sound output
Supports 48KHz 16-bit audio
320 independent decompression channels
32-bit audio processing
Over 256 audio channels

Physical Specs
Height: 83 mm
Width: 309 mm
Depth: 258 mm
Weight: 7.7 lbs.

System Orientation
Stands vertically or horizontally

Customizable Face Plates
Interchangeable to personalize the console

1) there is a volume, you plug the Xbox controller in to the xbox. The “voce” box gets plugged in to the controller. The head set gets plug “voice” box (I just have no name for it). The voice box has the mute and the volume controls on it.
2) It sounds just as good as Vonage. Vonage sounds about 1/2 between land line phone and a good cell. So really it’s not bad and it will get better over time. I have BBC7 on now and I remember just 5 years ago it was really bad but now it is like having the radio on.

Your first statement is false, Xbox games will be backwards compatible. Boy, for a Xbox fanboy, you're running awfully behind on the news.

Xbox won't be running PC games. Sorry.




Where will you put the mouse and mousepad? Coffee table? Awesome, so now you're hunched over, sitting on your couch, with your xbox controller on a cushion, a mouse in your right hand, and your keyboard balancing on your lap and being used by your left hand.

There's two reasons WebTV didn't take off... 1) webpages look like shit at 640x480 resolution, and 2) no one has any comfortable space to put a mouse and a keyboard. They almost require a chest-high table, which most folks don't have in front of their televisions.

The "conman" person (Freudian slip?) isn't going to use their Xbox to check their mail, they're going to use "the computer in the den", which is what they've been using for the last decade.





I'd be banning 90% of Xbox Live from my headphones, because I really don't like hormone-encrusted adolescents talking about my relatives in a derotatory manner.



Really? Who? If you mean Teamspeak, Roger Wilco, or Skype, they've been around since before SL was around. Try again.



I doubt that... take a poll. Most people that play SL absolutely hate voice chat. If you're in a room with 6 people, following a conversation is a nightmare. Text is where it's at.




That sounds like the kludgiest setup for voice chat that I've ever heard. Have you not heard of Skype or Teamspeak?




What?



Now you're just making shit up. Doom3 never came out for the PS2, was never on development for the PS2, and will never come out for the PS2. So, the PC port of the game outsold the PS2 port by a ratio of INFINITY TO ONE. Woo!



Again, stop making shit up. Release date for PC: 10/03/2005. Release date for Xbox 360: 1/10/2005.

Guaranteed that my current rig can handle Oblivion just fine. It'll look better too.



Xbox 360 will have a webcam, that's what I was referring to. Gamecube has no such device. The PS2 is an "eyetoy", which isn't a webcam whatsoever.


Why not just type something?



Emphasis on the last sentence...

you've also never heard of voice changers, I take it.



720p = 1280 X 720
1080i = 1920 X 1080


For all intents and purposes, 1080i will be used for movies. Period. 99.9% of games will be released in 720p at the most.





Three gaming-specific processors. Not good for multimedia. Not good for HDTV processing. Not good for multitasking. Yes, it's faster than what I have. Why? Because it's a mythical beast right now, coming out SIX MONTHS IN THE FUTURE. I reckon in 6 months time, when the Xbox is released, Intel/AMD will have something comparable. It's called progress, it's fun sometimes.



Playing with yourself doesn't count kid, sorry



Another completely random "fact". The demographics for the Xbox are 17-35 year olds, predominantly male with a high disposable income. SL's demographics are much more evened out.



Your point? I can copy and paste a press release too.

LF

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be out for both PC and XBOX 360. I know this because behind the window I'm typing this message into is a window running Oblivion. And there is an XBOX 360 beta kit right here on my desk. You can use almost the same code on the PC and XBOX/XBOX 360, but it does have to be recompiled. You can't push an EXE onto the console and expect it to run. It won't.

The XBOX won't have a keyboard. It COULD, sure. But it won't. (The first XBOX could have had one too, easily, but it never did. That's a clue.) The consoles are designed to apeal to as wide a target audience as possible. You, me, and everyone else in this forum may find it hard to believe, but most people sill use the words "I don't know anything about all this computer stuff" or something similar.

But they WILL buy a console system for their kids... Because it looks simple. There are just 14 buttons on an XBOX 360 controler (just counted mine) and 8 of them are hidden on the back, and they and the others are the same color as the body plastic. So really all you see at a glance are the four colored buttons (A,B,X,Y), the two sticks, and the d-pad. Nothing intimidating in that, unlike a typical keyboard with well over a hundred buttons. Keep it simple, keep it looking like a toy, and people will treat it like a toy and be as comfortable with it as they would with a toy. (They fact that it really IS a quite decent computer inside doesn't need to be rubbed in their faces.)

Second Life uses Open GL for it's 3D graphics. The XBOX is a Microsoft baby with custom video hardware, custom OS, etc. It's DirectX all the way. You can get Open GL to run on it I'm sure, but I wouldn't want to do it.

Trying to build things in SL with a spring-loaded joystick would be a nightmare.

Trying to communicate with other players in SL using an on-screen keyboard would be hell.

Trying to get the entire existing userbase of SL to switch to voice communication would be impossible.

There won't be SL for XBOX 360. There could very well be something very much like it! But such an entity would, at best, be a separate universe like the Teen Grid. (And it probably wouldn't be made by Linden Labs.)



Oh, and Oblivion will run equally well on PC and XBOX 360. The XBOX is greater challenge, however, because there isn't as much memory, and the hard drive is an optional configuration. All games must be capable of running without it.

First about Doom 3, I may have the wrong game, I am at work and don’t have every thing. I got the info from G4TecTV and they were talking about how “xxxx” (I swear it was Door 3, but could be wrong) was going to be on all three but xbox had the biggest numbers and I am again shear it was xbox then PS2 then PC.

Now I will stick with GameStop and EB Games telling every one it will run PC games. I will also stick with the fact that they also talked about it in game informer. I am stopping by GameStop today to get some stuff and I will ask them about it. I never talked to any one in the store I am going to today about xbox 360. I am going to the one by my wife’s work and not one I normally go to. I do know that the ones I normally go to (5 of them [I only play used games normally] and I can list them if you want and even get you there Numbers so you can call and ask) have all said that Xbox360 is going to be playing PC games. They even pulled out paper work on it. But we will see about this one.

About playing with my self, I have a wife and 2 kids. We are also swingers. But you know I do play with my self. If you can’t make love to yourself who will?

Oh and Gameboy had the Cam not gamecube sorry. But gameboy does plug in to gamecube but don't know if the game works with it or not.