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It seems that the architecture of the discs for Xbox One are simply only to transport the data to the harddrive as a faster way to get many GB of data onto the system. Apparently it’s not even possible to run the games from the physical media, it’s just a transport.

The 24h connection is to verify the licensing for this data which could technically be shared at will if it wasn’t for the online connectivity to verify the data in connection with the licence stored with the account verified in the cloud. The 24 h checkin is merely a few kb worth of data transfer so high speed connection isn’t necessary. Considering most gamers can finish games in a single sitting, 24 hours is the natural connection cycle.

This is of course relevant to single player games only, as the point and usefulness of multiplayer games is to be connected online anyway. So if a person who buys any of these consoles for a moment wants to buy a single multiplayer game, they are an online always customer anyway, which is probably 95%+ of customers willing to drop 400+ on these devices.

All other features of both systems are integrated with the gamer’s account, stored and accessed online for both systems. Player trophies, achievements, stats, updates, DLC, and other status quo features are 100% online ALREADY. I personally don’t know anybody who has one of these devices and is not also online. I know people who have devices and aren’t subscribed to Xbox Live of PS+, but I don’t think that for the majority of current console owners, being online is a big challenge. There are certainly 10’s of thousand of people that aren’t, no doubt. But that’s not where either product really shines.

1 day ago on Microsoft's Don Mattrick defends Xbox pricing: 'We're delivering thousands of dollars of value' 1 reply 1 recommend

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Best leave the draconian DRM up to EA, Activision, Ubisoft etc.., no sense in making it easy for the consumer.

2 days ago on Microsoft's Don Mattrick defends Xbox pricing: 'We're delivering thousands of dollars of value' 10 recommends

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I agree, I am quite surprised.. it seems instant..

2 days ago on Windows Phone voice recognition improved, Microsoft claims it's 'twice as fast' with increased accuracy

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Android OEM and ODM have to pay royalties to use Android. It’s not free, but Google distributes it for no charge.

4 days ago on Microsoft reportedly paying developers $100,000 or more to build apps

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In order to break the cycle of apps bring people, people bring apps, it’s going to take money. It’s just the way it is.

4 days ago on Microsoft reportedly paying developers $100,000 or more to build apps 4 recommends

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Well Google gives their stuff away for free, so they are taking a loss for the sake of spreading their services. Google didn’t charge in order to avoid being sued for damages.

Apple simply made the best complete ecosystem that everyone else has to pay to get into.

4 days ago on Microsoft reportedly paying developers $100,000 or more to build apps 1 reply

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The question was what is a next gen game, not what you like or don’t like about it. But sure, lets talk about it.

Kinect 1 offered very basic controls and concepts and developers were only able to take it so far due to lag, resolution and there was little incentive because it had to be adopted specifically, not part of a system. Where they took that basic tech was amazing. Kinect 2.0 is truly impressive, you can’t deny that. Speaking to the console adds a next gen feature as will the advanced gestures.

Doing whatever you want with a game is still available through different channels. It’s the next generation of distribution and sharing.

I’m sure once people on PS4 realize the benefits of the MS “Steam” approach, everybody will be begging for Sony to make a competing system, completing the wheel of choice for you. MS is taking the next gen steps now, and it seems that many vocal people aren’t ready for it yet.

Any DRM argument is invalid if a person likes and uses Steam on the PC. I can’t think of a better model. The days of torrent/newsgroup downloads of games and other content is being turned off by the Steam model. Offline mode is something that hurts markets without suitable internet access that are still able to afford such devices. This however, is the next gen approach.. which is an answer to the question. Ideal, preferred, welcomed, necessary… that’s a matter of opinion of course.

For graphical elements that do not require a sub 100ms latency is what the cloud processing components were explained to help with. Lighting effects, perhaps foliage processing, A.I. processing, or various other aesthetic elements that enhance the experience are the things offloaded, not the low latency components critical to game play. This is next gen. Ideal, preferred, welcomed, necessary… well.. you know.

It seems you are mostly against these next gen approaches, and that’s totally cool. PS4 is making a much more familiar legacy experience with small doses of next gen features that didn’t really get much exposure or attention. Better specs are next gen I guess too.. I’m just trying to think what specifically about Sony’s approach is next gen in ways similar, better, or completely different that MS’s approach.

My comment is an attempt to answer the question of what next gen things just came out of E3 between these to consoles. Perhaps you have a list of things unique to Sony’s approach that are next gen other than specs or other than things MS isn’t doing or hasn’t already done better.

Your comment seems to show that you’re concerned about how you control digital content. There are legitimate concerns about people who want to play a single player game, and don’t have access to the internet. I’m starting to love single player games again myself so for those who can’t get online once a day, that’s a bit of a challenge in the MS model.

I’m simply looking to the future and trying to appreciate what MS is doing. We’re in the foundation days. In 5 years, every single thing we’re used to will be gone. I think MS will take it’s lumps in the short term because people are going to be slow to adopt, but it’s going to happen. Sony doesn’t have the size, money, infrastructure or clout MS does… oh yeah, and the reason I’m personally buying the Xbox One is for it’s media control and capabilities. I’ll probably buy a game or two just because.

4 days ago on What is a next-gen game? 2 replies 3 recommends