WAR!

Here's the unabridged version of my Console War piece which runs in The Davis Enterprise next Thursday:

Every 5 years or so, the Big 3 of gaming clash a battlefield so treacherous that even the most elite armed forces avoid-

Holiday Retail Space.

Console War Historians, like myself, have seen gaming empires rise and fall during these battles. Which new platform will reign for the next five years? Which will be left in pieces and sentenced to the clearance bin?

In this cycle's war: Nintendo is the war-torn veteran with a new battle strategy, Sony has the empire to lose, and Microsoft is no longer the young GI fresh from boot camp. No, this cycle's console war involves three very shrewed companies with three very different philosophies. So how do their system's shake out; and more importantly: who's war bonds should you buy?

Let's take a look...

Sony’s PlayStation 3

Philosophy: If We Build it, They Will Come.

Sony’s rather arrogant approach to the PS3 is somewhat warranted. After all, PlayStation has been synonymous with the top spot in gaming for over ten years. A newcomer against Nintendo and Sega in 1995, the original PlayStation blew everyone away with 3-D graphics. Its domination only continued with the PS2, released a full year ahead of Nintendo’s newest console at the time and ahead of Microsoft’s entry into gaming with the original Xbox.

Pros:
The newest version of the PlayStation continues along the Sony tradition of technology looking as if it came from the future. The PS3 is sleek, shiny, black, and looks like it belongs under Darth Vadar’s TV. Though it does come off looking like a futuristic fax machine, the PS3 has disc tray and no buttons. Placing a disc in the optical slot tells the PS3 to gobble up the game/movie/music and start playing. The system is powered with touch-sensitive panels on the front, further adding to the tech-sexiness of the machine.

Sony’s stand-out feature of the PS3- and the reason why the thing is so darn expensive- is the Blu-Ray DVD player that comes standard. Blu-Ray is one of two competing High-Definition DVD formats. As opposed to standard DVDs which currently have a capacity of 8.5GB of space, Blu-Ray discs can hold 50GB of space. More space means more capacity for developers to design larger, more intricate worlds for gamers to explore- further displacing themselves from the one they currently live in. Granted, the level of detail is limited by the type of hardware that runs it, but in Sony’s case, the PS3 will have no problem putting quality use to all that storage capacity.

Blu-Ray movies, which the PS3 is capable of displaying, are considered “true” high-definition movies, and considering that stand-alone Blu-Ray DVD players sell for over $1000, the PS3 is suddenly the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market. Coincidence? Considering that Sony pioneered the High-Definition format, it’s more shrewdly synergistic than anything else. Blu-Ray movies look beautiful, and achieve a level of detail and color that standard DVDs can’t touch. This may only make a difference for a very small population at this point, since the rest of the world is still getting used to transitioning from VHS to DVD, but the PS3 is not marketed to be an everyman’s machine- it’s for techno-philes who’ll appreciate the cutting-edge format, even if the format is still in its infancy.

The PS3 comes in two configurations, but both have internal hard drives, which allow developers to take advantage of either 20GB or 60GB of space. Developers can, therefore, rely on the fact that every PS3 gamer has a hard drive and can code games to load start-up files onto the hard drive so that, in theory, games run quicker than they would if they needed a fresh boot every time. This is an advantage over the Xbox 360 where only one of its two configurations has an included hard drive, and over Nintendo’s Wii which only includes a paltry 512MB of flash memory.

Amidst the rumors that the PS3 can’t play all of the PSOne and PS2 titles, the fact remains that Sony’s new bad boy can play about 98% of the thousands of titles that have been released for both systems. That’s pretty significant. So although not every game will load, or load properly, the fact that almost all of the past 10 years of gaming can be played on a single system is pretty cool. No, I don’t know how many people are really going to want to dust off that copy of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch: a Twitch in Time,” but you can-

And kudos to whoever does.

The question that is immediately asked as soon as you bring up the PS3: is it really worth it? $600 is an enormous amount of money for a gaming system and the PS3 stands as one of the most expensive systems in history. Perhaps more amazing is that Sony is reportedly taking a loss on the console’s hardware at over $250 per unit.

For a system that’s $200 more expensive than the high-end Xbox 360 and $350 more expensive than the Wii, that system better make me appalled at all other attempts at gaming. Does it?

No. And here’s why:

Cons:
Any self-respecting person who spends $600 on a gaming system touted to be the cutting-edge of high-definition gaming better come with high-definition cables to make good on that tout. The PS3 does not. Instead, the system comes with standard composite (read: red, yellow, white) cables left over from the PS2. In order to achieve the high-definition output the system is capable of, gamers will have to purchase either Component or HDMI cables, either of which will run you about $50.

That’s another trip to the store. That’s one less game. That’s unacceptable.

Another major item missing from the PS3 package is the rumble feature of the PS3 controller. Instead, it has been replaced with six-way motion sensitivity which may or may not see broad acceptance in games. In games like “Tony Hawk Project 8,” the controller can be tilted left and right to balance characters on rails, in “Warhawk” it directs the pitch and yaw of your jet fighter. Though the SIXAXIS controller, as it’s being called, is a fun feature, it feels like an afterthought. In fact, it feels like a weak attempt to steal the thunder from Nintendo’s solid motion-sensing Wii controller.

Additionally, the SIXAXIS is entirely too light and cheap feeling. The plastic casing and its feather-weight make the controller feel like a toy, rather than a solid interface to a $600 machine. I’ve never been a fan of the PlayStation’s controller design to begin with, and I didn’t think I’d be able to like a PS controller less than the DualShock, but the SIXAXIS managed to do it. Hold onto it tight during frustrating gaming sessions, if it flies from your hand, it’s likely to keep going until it smashes into something expensive.

Finally, the PS3 launch titles aren’t particularly strong. Insomniac’s “Resistance: Fall of Man” is easily it’s must-have game, but it feels like a cross between “Call of Duty” and “Halo” and doesn’t really match up to the quality of either. Granted, the launch line-up of the PS2 was horrible, so a launch catalog does not a console make. Still, knowing that half of the games available for the PS3 are also available for the 360, and knowing that the 360 is much cheaper means that there’s just not a lot of incentive to purchase Sony’s console.

Verdict: Wait it out (you’ll have to anyways) until more substantial, exclusive games are available and the price drops.


Microsoft’s Xbox 360

Philosophy: One World, Under Live.

The original Xbox may have made a solid mark on the gaming world, and nudged Nintendo out of the #2 spot, but it couldn’t come close to touching the stranglehold Sony had on the gaming world. The Xbox was arguably a learning period for Mircosoft in how to launch and sustain a console. One of the first lessons it learned was to be the first one on the block- especially when you’re trying to topple Sony.

Launching a full year before the competition brought criticisms of rampant hardware failures for early systems, and meant that the 360 would have to rely on the standard DVD format, rather than upgrade to HD-DVD. Microsoft has insisted that it will win this console cycle- which is a pretty easy statement to make when you have no competition. With the releases of PS3 and Wii, it’s a whole new ballgame.

Pros:
Having a year under its belt means that Microsoft has pretty much worked out all the kinks in the system while its competitors are just beginning to see theirs. Additionally, developers have been working on the library for the 360 for over a year, and the quality of 2nd generation of games shows that developers are comfortable with the system and are just starting to push the limits of what the 360 has to offer. One look at Microsoft’s darling “Gears of War,” and you’ll know what “next-gen gaming” looks like. The game blows away anything that’s out there and is a critical and commercial success. With “Gears” as the benchmark, titles are only set to look better in the coming year- likely staying graphically ahead of the PS3 for the near future. Not to mention that a little title called “Halo 3” will be on the 360 within the year.

Also, while people are scouring stores for a new Wii and an even more elusive PS3, the 360 is readily available. Dealing with product shortages and eBay gouging is so 2005 when it comes to the 360. Microsoft stands to benefit in a big way from the scarcity of the other two systems. If it’s not a system selling, it’ll be a couple of games that make their way under the Christmas tree in lieu of where a PS3 or Wii might have been.

But games aren’t just under trees and in stores, with an incredibly solid online community, gamers can download quick and satisfying games with the wonderfully addictive Xbox Live Arcade. As part of Xbox Live, the Live Arcade gives gamers access to download old arcade favorites like “Pac Man,” alongside new challenges like “Small Arms” and “Lumines Live.” Additionally, all regular titles released on the 360 are required to support Xbox Live which effortlessly connects gamers all over the world to each other for multiplayer mayhem. The online system that started on the original Xbox has only grown larger and more solid on the 360, and while Sony and Nintendo are trying to get their online presence up and running, Microsoft is light years ahead of either company- recently announcing the ability to download HD shows and movies directly to the 360 hard drive. If you want to game online, Xbox Live is the best place to be.

Cons:
Being first also has its downsides. Though the 360 looks sleek and sexy, it’s internal fans create more noise than you’d like to put up with from a home theatre component. When the three fans kick on to run a game, you’d think the thing was trying to take flight. This is especially conspicuous compared to the PS3 and the Wii which both run whisper quiet.

The 360 also runs hot. Hot enough to fry an egg. Make sure to have plenty of cool air circulating around the system so it doesn’t overheat and shut down. Closed media cabinets are not recommended. If MS decides to re-vamp the 360 within the next two years, they’d be well served to figure out a way to make the 360 quieter and cooler, not to mention getting rid of the behemoth of a power supply that could double as a murder weapon.

The 360 also runs a different GPU processor than the original Xbox had. This poses a major problem when running original Xbox games on the 360. Each game has to be emulated, which means that only about 100 original Xbox titles can be played on the 360, and not all of them play particularly well. Plus, there’s no way to transfer old saved data from the Xbox to the 360, which means that games will have to be started all over again if players want to experience them on the 360. Now, of course, huge hits like “Halo 2” and “Fable” are backwards compatible, but what about great games like “Psychonauts” which deserve to be remembered on a new console? No such luck, and given the forward progress Microsoft is working on with the 360, it’s unlikely we’ll see much backwards progress towards getting more original Xbox games onto the new system.

Verdict: “Affordable” High-Definition gaming with titles that look better than anything else out there, and a fantastic online infrastructure to boot.

Nintendo’s Wii

Philosophy: Everyone is a Gamer.

Nintendo clawed for recognition during the last cycle. Though its first-party offerings were warmly received by fans, it lost substantial third-party support due to the fact that most gamers were playing titles on either PS2 or Xbox. The Gamecube became a quick “second” console for gamers and only registered blips on the gaming radar when an exclusive game was released for it.

The success or failure of Wii will determine whether Nintendo has the ability to stay in the console wars, or whether it will go the way of Sega and stop making hardware.

Pros:
The Wii takes a radical new approach which far distances itself from either PS3 or 360. In fact, Nintendo doesn’t necessarily look at itself as being in the console war- they’d rather let Sony and Microsoft fight amongst themselves while they provide the world with an entirely different way to game. And Nintendo’s price point is much easier to swallow than the other two companies’. At $249, Wii seems like a downright bargain for the next-generation.

The Wii remote looks like a television remote, and functions as an extension of the gamer’s arms. The movements of the player are translated to the movements of the player’s character. Swing a sword as you would in real life, and Link will swing his sword in the game. “Throw” the controller as you would a baseball, and your pitcher will toss a slider across home. This is the closest to “virtual reality” as any console has come. It’s also the reason why non, casual, and hardcore gamers will purchase the Wii in droves- it is instantly accessible, intuitive, and a heck of a lot of fun.

Whereas the 360 and PS3 weigh in at 9lbs. and 12lbs., respectively, Wii is under 3lbs. and is no larger than three DVD cases stacked together. Its incredibly small footprint means that it can fit just about anywhere, and can be thrown into a backpack for easy travel. The sensor bar that reads the Wii remotes movements is small and disappears almost entirely into a home entertainment system when placed on top or under a television. The system is so portable and encourages same-room multiplayer so well that gamers may forego hauling their larger gaming rigs to friends’ homes in favor if the easy Wii.

Finally, Nintendo has the most beloved history of franchises dating back to 1985. Only on Wii will gamers be able to play with Mario, Donkey Kong, “Zelda’s” Link, or “Metroid’s” Samus. Plus with the addition of the Virtual Console, gamers can download old NES, SNES, and N64 titles directly to their Wii (for a fee); so long-gone favorites like “Kid Icarus” will finally have his triumphant return to the next-generation. The ability to use the Wii remote like a gun also means that classics like “Duck Hunt” can return, drawing in past-gamers who may have strayed from the fold. Welcome home old friends.

Cons:
Nintendo focused more on the method of input with the Wii than they did about graphical upgrades. Nintendo was very vocal when Wii was first announced that it would not try to compete with the graphics of the 360 or PS3, and boy were they right. The Wii’s graphics are not any better than the Gamecube’s of five years ago. And with only non-HD progressive scan resolution, the Wii looks like a child’s system compared to the graphical powerhouses of Sony and MS.

Though fanboys may descend on me for saying so, the fact of the matter is that graphics do matter when launching a new system. To not pay attention to upgrading the graphics, polygons, or shading possibilities is to dismiss a major part of gaming evolution. It’s like making movies on 18mm film when digital is possible- unless it is being done for an artistic reason, doesn’t it make sense to go with the best quality possible? For this reason, Wii feels like Gamecube 1.5- a system that’s no stronger than what was out 5 years ago, but now has a nifty new controller.

And speaking of the new controller: gamers hate drastic change. That’s why “Madden,” for all intents and purposes, still plays fundamentally as it has for ten years. Changing directions so drastically on Nintendo’s part stands to alienate a lot of long-time gamers. More importantly, the Wii remote affects how developers will design a game for the system, and whether its worth the time, effort, and money to design a game for a system where the unique control scheme can not be translated to another system like the PS3 or 360 in order to maximize profits. Nintendo has a history of thinking outside of the box and gambling the company on it. Sometimes it’s a hit (Nintendo DS). Other times it’s a laughing stock (“Virtual Boy,” “Power Glove”). The Wii remote is only a few bad games away from becoming a short-lived fad- Nintendo needs to tread carefully to make it work.

Verdict: Unproven gameplay makes this a risky purchase, but price and accessibility makes it a no-brainer as a second console purchase, or a 1st console for non-gaming families

Regardless of which system finds its way onto your gift list this winter, one thing is for sure: this holiday season is a great time to be a gamer.