Comparing The Playstation 3, Xbox 360, And Nintendo WII

Finally, they’re all here. The Xbox 360 has had the next generation gaming market to itself for a year. Now its two competitors, the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, are here. No more speculating about speed. No more guessing about memory. Now we can take a look and see exactly how they stack up compared to each other.

Let the console wars begin again.

Price

The PS3 has two configurations much like the Xbox 360. The PS3 comes in a $499 version that comes with a 20 GB hard drive and a $599 version that comes with a 60 GB hard drive; Wi-Fi; and memory stick, SD, and Compact Flash slots.

The Xbox 360 has two configurations. It comes in a $299 core version and a $399 version that comes with a 20GB hard drive.

The Nintendo Wii is the cheapest of the bunch with just one configuration that costs $250.

Processing Power

The Playstation 3 comes with its Cell processor. It’s a PowerPC based core that runs at 3.2 GHz that also have seven DSPs that run at 3.2 GHz. This configuration can do about 2 Teraflops.

The Xbox 360 has a Custom IBM PowerPC processor. This processor also runs at 3.2 GHz. However, Xbox went with a true 3 core processor compared to the one general processor of the Cell and seven additional DSPs. This configuration can do about 1 Teraflop.

The Nintendo Wii includes its Broadway processor, a PowerPC based processor running at 729 MHz.

Disc Media

Part of the reason the PS3 is so much more expensive than the Xbox 360 is because the Sony decided to include a Blu-ray drive on the system. The drive can play both Blu-ray movies and regular DVDs. The Xbox 360 comes with a DVD player and an HD-DVD add-on is planned. The Nintendo Wii uses a DVD drive; however, the system will not work for playback of movies, just Nintendo games.

Backwards Compatibility

The Playstation 3 is just like the PS2 was. You’ll be able to play both PS2 and PSone games on the PS3. Nintendo is taking things a bit further. Their system will be compatible with the Gamecube games and also the Gamecube controllers since the two systems use very different controllers. Not only that, but the Wii will also have the ability to download games from the original Nintendo (NES), Super Nintendo (SNES), and the Nintendo 64.

Sweet Features

If you want high definition gaming, then the PS3 is the way to go. It comes with a Blu-ray drive built in and can output in 1080p. Although the PS3 controller may look familiar, it’s had some updates. The controller is now motion sensing so in some games you’ll be able to move your character or fly a plane just by moving the controller.

The Xbox 360 was built to work with Windows XP media center. If you have a computer that already has media center on it, you’ll be able to view pictures, videos, and even recorded TV by using your Xbox. You won’t need to put your PC in your living room to take advantage of having a Media Center PC.

The Nintendo Wii decided to completely change the way gaming controllers are built. In the past, one controller was always held with both hands. The Wii’s controller looks more like a TV remote control than a game controller. It has a built in motion sensor so, for example, to swing a sword, you simply move you hand just like you were really swinging a sword.

Hopefully this review has helped you compare the three next generation gaming systems. Each has its pluses and minuses, and feature that are unique to it. Ultimately, your decision will likely come down to which system has the games that most appeal to you. And that is a decision that only you can make when deciding on a system to buy.

About The Author
Gary Ruplinger is the editor of http://www.ps3asap.com, a resource for getting the in demand PS3 system. He also is a writer for http://www.gamesystemreviews.com where you can learn about all of the next generation systems.
Tags: games, gaming, console, playstation, xbox, nintendo, wii

RPG: Table and Computer

It’s not a secret that table RPG games are not so popular as they used to be. However a certain number of amateurs are still fond of them. What is so particular about a pasteboard box or a book with rules? It seems that all the advantages have their ” younger computer brothers”: no manual calculations, no bricks ( the number of which is from one to almost 20). In general, no additional efforts are needed- just relax, play and don’t worry. But nothing of the kind- groups of maniacs with burning eyes run to the special shop( if there is any), buy another book, and having met in some dark place in the evening, start to crunch with pens and tinkle the dice.
Why are these poor things so attracted by this desperately ancient way of entertainment?

Let’s try to answer this question by displaying the most similar and different features of table and computer RPG.

Firstly, any RPG is a Role Paying Game, which is supposed to have a character, and a system of his development. This feature is typical for both the “brothers”. The character as the player’s realization in the created RPG world is very important. Your playing capabilities depend on his features.
Secondly, any decent RPG is based on some world (sometimes, realistic but more often-fantastic one). The depth of the world ( The card details, atmosphere entirety, detailed development of the world components) and , so to say, the mood (optimistic and colorful or destructive and gloomy, funny or extremely rigid, strict),- all this taken together defines the audience of the game.

These two points have a great meaning, they allow the player to associate himself with a certain character and being in his shoes to go through the situations which are impossible in ordinary life.

All this is very good but let’s return to our muttons: to the difference between computer and table RPG.

Probably, trite comparison of books and films will be to the place here. The former make us use our brains and imagination, the latter give us everything ready-made. The peculiarity of table RPG, its strong and at the same time weak point is hope for player’s imagination.. In the classical table RPG you’ll find a text, some illustrations and… all the rest you should imagine yourself. It’s true, that during the gaming process everything depends on the leader (Dungeon Master, Game Master, etc.) and on the players. The leader explains the situation, describes the characters and the events orally (yes, he does it with the help of words!!!) and the players perceive this information judging from their abilities. What are the advantages of such a game play? They are quite evident: everyone perceives the game in his own way (with the help of his imagination), but at the same time, if the game is rather good, a special “field” of common perception and mood is formed. It’s not an allegation as the author has great experience of playing table RPG and so he knows all ins and outs. When the game has a success, the players seem to be in the same “information field” and sometimes they don’t even perceive the events in real life. It’s just like reading a thrilling book. But sometimes such beauty turns into a terrible thing. What is so horrible about it? The trouble is, the game may be a complete failure if it’s leaded by a talentless and not very experienced master, or if the players turn out to be so-so (that is less critical). In such a case the game fails no matter how beautiful the original RPG world is. Everything gets wrong when after each word the master utters: ”well, eh, oh…” and it takes the players 10 minutes to think over each further act. The game reaches a deadlock, a perfect illusion is breaking into the small pieces of separate sentences.

I must admit, sometimes it’s all RPG developers ‘fault that such failures take place, especially when the rules of the game aren’t logical or overcharged with unnecessary details. May the fans forgive me, but the last time the author had to play AD&D, there was such a situation:
-Player:” I want to kill that Gobline!”
-Master: ”throw the dice for marksmanship. Uph, you shoot in the darkness-that means, the fine should be taken into account. Well.. have you got the bonus? Aha…I’ll find it, wait a bit… Oh…
throw these three bricks on D-20,…Hmmm…where is that table? OK, we are going to count all the damages and take into account his armor and the spell and that’s all!”
I don’t say everything was exactly so, but on the whole-just the way I described. What absorption into fantastic world can we talk about if you have to remember 20 figures and throw the dice dozen times for each act! But not all the table games have such a disadvantage. Besides, we may ignore too “hard” rules.
Now let’s analyze what we have in computer RPG.
From the first look everyt5hing is just the same-the game system, characters, the game world. But all these things are already made, you can see the picture with your eyes. Is it good or bad?
It depends. By all means, it’s pleasant to see “visual” character, a charming landscape, fire from shots, etc. But your own brains don’t work any longer since there’s no necessity in it. Besides, we won’t see “our own world”. We perceive things as they should be from the game developers’ point of view.

Their way of perception becomes ours as well. You will never be able to see the world with your own eyes and make the character really yours, no matter how hard the developers tried to improve the game. Such a situation has two consequences:
1) Tragic one: your imagination is completely blocked and you don’t like the others’ vision.( such a situation is typical for the most of projects).
2) Pleasant one: some painters and designers create real masterpieces and we can’t but admire their world vision ( here you perfectly understand the difference between your plain brains and a talented professional’s work).

But are there many games like that in the second point? Frankly speaking, I know only one-Fallout. And I appreciate not the graphics but amazing style, exact place of every button, picture, character.

Let’s also mention incontestable advantage of computer RPG. It deals with those calculations which make so many table RPG boring. Computer will calculate all the fines, bonuses and character’s features in a flash. Strange as it may seem but computer games are based just on the table systems and the developers of the former ones don’t aim to overcharge machines with numerous correlations and parameters.

At last we’ve come to a very sensitive problem of the computer RPG- opportunities provided in the game. Sometimes playing RPG on the computer you may suddenly want to act the way not offered by the plot of the game. ( to look into the hatch which is pictured on the background or to take the car you are not allowed to). I am sure that such things are familiar to every gamer. It’s great if the plot and the locations are well considered. And what if they are not ( as it happens more often)? We must admit that the developers of computer games are constantly improving the gamer’s opportunities in the installed worlds. But if the direction is not perfect, the game turns into hard work and it makes the player take advantage of all the improvements (even if he is not willing to).

Table RPG is another matter: the action there is equal to one word, no talks linearity ( you can communicate with the leader the way you like), no plot linearity ( you can do what you like until you are killed). Full freedom of the decisions and actions provided by table RPG will never be substituted by any perfect program. Here you can act as you like.

Besides, the standard of the game can be easily changed. For example, I can tell you from my own experience that once I started the game as a guard (pure RPG adventure) and finished as an emperor (RPG+tactics+strategy). That’s it.

It’s for you to judge what is better. What and how to play is also for you. But I’d like to say (from my own experience again) that table RPG develop our brains while computer ones don’t.

A friend of mine being an active table player suddenly began reading books( he didn’t use to do it since his childhood). He started to read not classical masterpieces or since fiction. That was fantasy. But anyway he began READING, and that’s the point.

Another my friend got used to computer and became a real fan and gamer. Now I constantly see blue areas under his eyes and our communication is bothered by a turned on PC.

Of course, these are separate examples and the author must admit, he is addicted to computer RPG . But nevertheless it’s table RPG which gives us the opportunity to communicate and improve. That ‘s what all the author’s life experience tells about.

P.S. I’m ready to an open discussion of the topic. You are free to write your thoughts to me.

By the way, an interesting question: does anybody see the opportunity to combine the two kinds of RPG described above? What if there is the golden mean? What if there is?

About the Author-Efimof Peter is a game designer of White Elephant, a great collection of shareware games. Please, visit his site www.elephant-games.com for only best games for you and your children!
Tags: games, gaming, gamers, rpg

Computer Monitor Buying Guide

Although a monitor makes some of the least difference in terms of your computer's speed, it can make some of the biggest differences in terms of comfort and productivity. This guide aims to give you the details you need to know to choose the best monitor for what you need it for.

LCD flap panel monitors have become all the rage, in a matter of just a few years, the old CRT monitors have nearly become obsolete, expecially on new computers. The old monitors are not bad. There is much to be liked, especially in terms of value for money, and in terms of performance. But you can't fight the change. We will focus on the LCD flat panel monitors as there is often more to be considered.

Firstly there is the connection to the computer. Older monitors utilized a VGA cable that carried the signal from the computer to the monitor. The signal that goes along there is an analogue signal and it can become slightly degraded, and is just an old technology. Many flat panel monitors support this old style, but that is usually just for backwards compatibility. The newer cable type is a digital kind which is designed to be used for LCD monitors. The performance from this newer kind is better, but if you are upgrading an old computer, make sure your computer can run that monitor.

Secondly is the screen resolution. This is how many pixels can be displayed on the monitor. The higher the resolution, the more can be fit on the screen. This means clearer images with much smoother textures, but it also means that things appear smaller as an increase in resolution does not increase the physical dimensions of the monitor. Usual nowadays is 1024 x 768 or even 1280 x 960. Computers used to have 800 x 600, but that has all but disappeared, except on very old computers or those that are not maintained properly. I run 1280 x 960 as it gives room for a lot of working space on the monitor, but with less than a 19 inch monitor, 1024 x 768 would be more suitable.

Screen refresh rate is another factor that comes into play. CRT monitors used a process of changing the pixels on the screen to show the new images, updating from top to bottom in lines, at a certain rate per second. With that old style 60MHz (60 refreshes per second) would be the minimum before the screen started to flicker. LCD monitors do not have this problem and will look fine at 60MHz.When running games a refresh rate higher than that is required, often up to 85MHz or more. Make sure the monitor you plan to use supports at least 60MHz at your desired resolution for normal use and 85MHz if you want to play games.

A specification that is new for flat panel monitors that didn't effect CRT monitors is latency. Although the refresh rate may be high, the table of little dots that make up the LCD panel take a small time to change, that change is the latency. Obviously if this latency is too high it is possible that you get shot in games before you even know it, which is no good. Latencies have improved, but only monitors claimed with 8ms latency have been really good for games. Latencies tend to be exaggerated and a latency of 8ms actually averages out to 12ms. With most ratings multiply by 1.5 to get an average rating.

The actual brightness of the screen can vary from spot to spot on the screen. Certain monitors have obvious bright parts and dull parts while others are more consistent. Most have some variation, but the less, the better. Name branded monitors tend to give better results than cheaper no name brand versions.

Extras like little speakers are not worth talking about much. They have limited use and I would rather have separate speakers and keep the monitor simple.

After considering these, you should have enough to make a good purchase decision. Remember that a little extra money spent on a monitor is a good investment, and unlike many other computer parts, upgrades are not needed that often.

About the author:
Peter Stewart is a computer enthusiast, his interest in computers and focus on practical down to earth advice inspired his two web sites.
http://computer-buying-guide.com - Practical buying tips
http://computer-reviews.net - Fair and honest reviews and opinions
Tags: games, gamers, gaming, computer monitor

Should You Upgrade to an XBox 360

The XBox 360 is going to be one of the most sought after gifts of this upcoming holiday season. However many people want to know is it worth upgrading now, or should you wait, here are some factors you may want to consider.

The base price for and XBox 360 is $300, the most common accessories are the 20GB hard drive ($100), wireless controllers ($50) and headsets ($20). Many vendors are offering packages with a variety of options with prices of $500 or more. While some of these options depend on your gaming style and preferences the hard drive is the one option we recommend you get right away. The hard drive allows you to save games to play back later and install updates that make many older games compatible on the new platform.

One of the advantages the XBox 360 will have over other game systems is graphics. The graphics of other gaming systems are top notch but on newer games like Project Gotham Racing 3, NFL 06 and Call of Duty 2 which were written for this platform, there simply is no comparison. When you compare the specifications the XBox 360 to any of its competitors, it?s anywhere from 2 to 10 times more powerful. If you are lucky enough to own and HDTV you will really notice the difference, although it will work on standard TV?s as well.

With this console Microsoft is also making a concerted effort to make the Xbox part of your media center. It can connect to any other windows networked computer in your house. It can be used to play movies, slideshows of pictures, and MP3 files. If you own and IPod or digital camera you can also connect them directly to the USB port located on the front game console.

Lastly you?ll want to think about Xbox Live. This is a paid online membership that allows you to get free trials of new games and play in head to head action against other players over your high speed internet connection. You also have access to updates and patches as they become available.

For hard core gamers there is no choice, they will do practically anything to get their hands on the newest and latest systems available. For others it may be worth waiting until 2006 when Playstation 3 is released to see how platforms compare.

This article was written by Colette Ianieri who runs http://www.Gamer411.net which features news and reviews of video games, game systems, and portable video games.

Tags: games, gamers, xbox, xbox 360, game console

Halo 2 Multiplayer Tips for Beginners and Advanced players

Here are some general tips from an advanced player for all of you who are looking for an edge in this game. You may know some or all the things in this article depending on your skill level. Even if you are an expert player this article should help you remember the fundamental that make you a good player. This article focuses on individual fighting tips, perhaps a future article will address team strategy.

Weapon Combos:
From close range you can hit for a lot more damage when holding two weapons. From a distance, the battle rifle is the weapon of choice if you cannot get your hands on a sniper rifle. My favorite combo for quick kills is the plasma rifle/smg combo and the pistol/smg combo. If you aim at the opponents head and they don’t aim at your head, like most people, they will be wondering how they died so fast. The plasma rifle combo is better against multiple opponents and the pistol is more effective against single opponents. This is because the pistol runs out of ammo quickly. If you can find a plasma pistol, the plasma pistol/smg combo is not bad, but it leaves you vulnerable if you miss the charged shot or if there are multiple opponents.

Plasma Pistol/Battle Rifle:
This in my opinion is the ultimate combo. If you are at close to medium range, hit them with the plasma pistol and shoot them in the head with the battle rifle. At long range, pick them off with the battle rifle. This is a frustrating combo to fight against when the opponent is good. This is one of the reasons you see a lot of Human Slayer games now.

Grenades:
This is one of the things that separate good players from weaker ones. It takes a lot of practice to become an expert with grenades, but it is one of the easiest ways to kill someone. Use common sense, throw the grenade where the player will be not where they are right now. If you see someone running towards you, backup behind a wall and throw a grenade in their path. If you are surrounded, try to get off two grenades and you will sometimes get several kills. If you hit someone with a frag grenade, and you hit them in the head with a battle rifle, they die in one shot.

Melee:
If you are shooting someone and you can walk up to them, melee them if you can. Sometimes it is better to back up rather than melee. For example if you are dual wielding and did not get the first shot off against a single wielder, back off so you kill him rather than get meleed. Don’t forget that you lunge slightly when you melee, so use that to your advantage.

Where to walk:
Try to flank people as much as possible. For example if you are on top of big base sniping and you see someone on the radar coming up, look through or jump through the hole behind you and take them out. On ivory tower, if you are at the top and see someone coming from dark side, jump down a level and flank them. Do not run into rooms with more than one enemy, let them come to you or weaken them with grenades first, it is much easier to kill them that way.
Summary: The #1 tip I can give you is to aim for the head no matter what weapon you are using, except the shotgun. You will kill them a lot faster. Other than that, learn the maps and the weapon combos that work best in different situations.

About the author:
Tony James is a supporter of freeware games and runs (Freewaregames.net-free full version games) a well known freeware games resource
Tags: games, gaming, gamers, halo 2

Wii wins big among casual gamers (From USA Today)

SEATTLE - In a slight crouch, Reggie Fils-Aime snapped off a left jab followed by a right hook.

Demonstrating how the hand controls of Nintendo's hot-selling Wii video game console work in a boxing game, Fils-Aime, the Nintendo of America president, let out a laugh.

He could well afford it. For now, Fils-Aime has put real-life business rivals at Microsoft and Sony at the receiving end of a pummeling.

Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 boast superior computing power, theater-quality graphics and loyal followings among hard-core gamers. But since its launch six months ago, the Wii has snared the most coveted prize of all: a sizable and growing following among casual gamers.

"The Wii has become a viral and cultural phenomenon all to itself," Fils-Aime told reporters and game reviewers who met in Seattle this week to preview Wii's summer lineup of 14 new games.

Casual gamers are a potentially huge, untapped mass market for video games played on TV sets. For most of the past 25 years, video game consoles attached to TVs were aimed primarily at children and hard-core gamers, 18-to-34-year-old males who failed to outgrow the gaming habit.

Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony continue to cater to hard-core gamers; they drive a multibillion-dollar industry that closely parallels the movie-making business. But in recent years, the console makers have also begun to reach out to the mass market of average consumers who might spend hundreds of dollars for a gaming console even to play occasionally.

Since consoles now also connect to the Internet, whoever sells the most consoles also gains broad access to consumers' living rooms, and a foothold to sell other digital entertainment. "The idea is to get more people to buy consoles and games, then get them to do other things," says Matt Rosoff, gaming industry analyst for Directions on Microsoft.

Microsoft is furthest along. It recently began selling high-definition movies and TV shows through its Xbox Live online gaming service. But selling consoles to play $60 games remains the heart of the business. And for now, the race is on to get the latest consoles into the most living rooms. That's where the $250 Wii is besting the $400 Xbox 360 and the $600 PS3.

A Conan O'Brien boost

Video game console sales usually fall sharply after the holidays. Yet, last month, Nintendo sold 360,000 Wiis, 39% more than in March, says market research firm NPD. Microsoft sold 174,000 Xbox 360s, a 13% drop, while Sony sold 82,000 PS3s, a 37% decline. April marked the fourth-consecutive month the Wii outsold the competition.

The Wii offsets its comparatively modest computing power by introducing an innovative motion-sensing controller. Wii Sports, the game included with the Wii console, features tennis, bowling, golf and boxing. The games work by swinging the remote control like a racquet or club, or swinging it in a bowling motion. Boxing requires gripping the main control and a similar-size attachment, then pumping both fists.

Wii Sports, which comes with the console, became a word-of-mouth hit among families during the holidays. Suddenly, Aunt Sally, with no previous gaming skills, could hold her own against little Billy, the family's gaming guru. All she had to do was swing the Wii controller; no furious button pressing or amazing hand-eye coordination needed. Wii edged into the pop culture limelight when TV talk show host Conan O'Brien donned white shorts and beat tennis star Serena Williams in a Wii Sports tennis match.

Still, skepticism persists that the Wii is a novelty item whose popularity will ultimately wear thin. "I think the Wii bubble will burst any day," says Steven Kent, a Seattle-based freelance journalist and author of The Ultimate History of Video Games. "It's overpriced, underpowered, and we haven't seen anything but Wii Sports."

There are now 52 Wii games for sale. But Wii Sportshas been the big draw for casual gamers, says Billy Berghammer, managing editor of GameInformerOnline.com.

'Boogie' game up next

Among the new Wii games to hit store shelves in the months ahead are a couple of titles developed by major independent game studios. Electronic Arts is working on a game called Boogie; instead of using the hand controllers to fight, the player uses them to sing and dance.

Cat Daddy, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, is finishing Carnival Games. Players will thwack at a strength-test pole, roll skee balls, knock down milk bottles and play other games to earn prizes.

"We wanted to design the entire game around the ability of the new control system to toss or flip things, and the carnival theme fit the bill very nicely," says Harley Howe, Cat Daddy CEO.

Fils-Aime gave no clues when Super Mario Galaxy will be ready. It's the blockbuster title that could cement the Wii's mass-market appeal.

"Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii is the crucial, crucial game," says Kent. Why? The plucky Italian plumber created by Nintendo has been a pop culture icon since the 1980s. Parents who bought the original game for their tykes are now grandparents, and those tykes are now parents.

But, like the movie business, timing is everything. "If it comes out late this year, that's very good for the Wii," says Kent. "If it doesn't, Xbox 360 could have a very good Christmas."
Tags: games, gaming, gamers, game console, wii

Odin Sphere looks sharp, but gameplay a little dull (From USA Today)

Odin Sphere is proof looks can be deceiving. Atlus' action-RPG for the Play Station 2 boasts visuals that are majestic and breathtaking. Yet the game's core falls just short of providing an ideal match.

You control Gwendolyn, a valkyrie who must unravel a prophecy forecasting the destruction of Erion. Key to this prediction is the discovery of the Cauldron, a powerful relic pushing nations to battle for its ownership.

Right away, Odin Sphere's graphics captivate with deep color and lush landscapes. The cel-shaded animations are reminiscent of a children's storybook come to life.

The graphics convey the magnitude of the task at hand, particularly in terms of characters' stature. When you line up Gwendolyn with some of the larger villains in the game, you feel a strong sense of the daunting battles.

The plot reads much like a storybook, with acts and chapters for each level. Most of the heavy exploration found in RPGs is slashed, focusing mostly on battles and item collection. Maps are represented by smaller, circular landscapes with multiple exit points. Depending on how these landscapes are joined determine how you can move throughout.

Most of your time is spent either vanquishing foes or learning the game's skills. When you complete each, you'll be rewarded with items and cash.

Item creation is Odin Sphere's strongest suit. Food and other ingredients combine for a robust array of helpful potions and weapons, from napalm to poison antidotes. As you progress, you'll acquire recipes for each concoction. Unfortunately, organizing these items in your inventory is not as smooth. Storage options are also limited.

You'll control five characters throughout, each equipped with powerful weapons called Psyphers. Gwendolyn's, for example, is fashioned into the tip of a spear. Conquered foes emit phozons which you absorb with your Psypher. The energy is used to boost your character's experience and magic abilities.

Battles are usually entertaining, although sometimes grow tiresome during simpler levels. There's only one button for melee attack, which you'll press frantically to unleash combos. Magic effects and a draining attack meter keep battles from growing monotonous.

Boss battles are exhilarating. The attack meter is not as prevalent in low-level melees, but crucial here. Bosses also pack a huge wallop, so taking advantage of the circular levels and spells is key.

Most exploration is removed, replaced by far too many loading screens. Instead of traveling a rich environment, you're hopping from one circular landscape to the next. You can backtrack after completing a chapter, but the traditional exploration in RPG is missed.

Odin Sphere is a visually mesmerizing fantasy adventure, but the game's combat and exploration systems can't match the enchanting look.
Tags: playstation, odin sphere, games, gamers, gaming