Kind of funny how time flies. Now that about 2-3 years has gone by for each console, we’re now over the hump in terms of this generation, and descending on the back end towards the demise of each machine’s lifespan. Crazy, no?
Naturally, speculation has already begun about when the next generation is going to begin, and who will make the first move. However, what a lot of people aren’t talking about is what exactly is the next generation going to look like. Digital Battle has put together a Features of the Next Gen list, running through what they think belongs on all the new systems.
While I’m not sure that all of the features they list (free web browsers, motion controls, free online play) are things that I consider to be “must-have” qualities from the new machines, it does raise an interesting question- what exactly do the next gen systems need? Tell us your thoughts! What would you like to see happen?
Source- Digital Battle
Custom sound tracks seem like they would cause more problems than they’d solve, especially in games that rely on atmosphere. 2-5 I agree with, but PC’s already have it. As for motion controls, they could quite possibly ruin the FPS genre. So no. Maybe the graphics could improve next-gen, but really it’s not higher-res textures that we need. Go for better facial and character animations, and larger, more immersive worlds instead.
WHAT!? New Gen already!? Dang… It felt it jus began.
I jus hope it’s not too complicated like the PS4 up there.(lol’d)
I hope the next Xbox does not have motion controls.
Sony will just do the usual better graphics thing and probably drop the Sixaxis.
Microsoft might have something up their sleeve…you never know. But it’s far more likely for them to just do the better graphics thing and have a different number.
You never know with Nintendo…It could be the Wii Plus or it could be something completely different with toe tracking features.
I’m not looking forward to the new gen really, It is making me start to feel old “In my day we had 3 buttons!!!”
A lot of features that were mentioned there are already implemented by the all mighty PS3.
It has a functional web browse, free online play and a functional media player.
The music is dealt by the dev, not by the console. Check valve’s games, they rarely even play them, but they play them at the right moment, and they fit in so well, in fact, that the first time I got through half-life 2, I didn’t even notice them, but they always set the mood. Only after then I realized the music…
The backwards compatibility will never be full implemented. Why ?
Because every new console has a different pcu,gpu architecture, a different bios and all these factors really make a difference, mostly the processor unit. Like the ps2 engine was a combined unit, made by sony with its own kind of architecture. The PS3, however, comes with cell broadband engine, that is made by IBM and is based on ppc architecture, and even if it is far more powerful than the chip made by sony, it has to emulate the bios and translate all the given commands by the game for the cell to understand them, which is slow. That’s why ps2 games lag on high-spec PC’s.
Manufacturers could put the old chips in to the new consoles, but then the console would cost as much as a good pc, which really makes no point to buy a console.
The PS3 had just recently gotten good so I doubt that they will create anything new for a while, but they probably take some form of motion controller and better graphics.
Microsoft and Nintendo are rouge elements. Microsoft might not take the motion controller at the risk of seeming like thieves. I’d be willing to bet money that they would put in some form of internet.
Nintendo… well they’re going to be making money up to their private jets no matter what they do.
Personally, I’d like to see each console adopt the “less is more” mindset. Clearly, the Wii has shown that people don’t care about the best hardware (or in the 360’s case, functioning hardware), or the best graphics, or the hdmi, or the usb inputs, or the blu ray player.
They like deals and fun. So I’d say the next gen consoles should be stripped down as much as possible. I have a DVD player. My PS3/360 doesn’t need to do that for me, etc.
Also, I think another big feature is customization/personalized dashboards. I know we kind of get that now, but I think we should be able to customize our dashboards the way we can with our PCs.
And lastly, more online controls. I need to be able to vote to boot people that are ruining the game for everyone. I should be able to forward messages to XBL, or send data to PSN about disruptive players. It’s 2009, and there should be a little bit more control over those kinds of things.
tru, The best console can be decided with the most awesome gaming experience. Don’t care about graphics that much.
I like the Free Online, but Motion Control might get old. I just hope I don’t have to trade in my controller for a virtual reality room…then again that’s down the road. Other than that, I think it’ll be a necessity for next-gen consoles to incorporate, for example, dynamic music. Dynamic music is awesome.
Now I’d like to share some of my predictions for the next-gen consoles and games:
1. Ability to have safe, fast, and easy community upload and downloading abilities.
2. Better graphics. That’s a given.
3. Better performance, less glitch and bug issues.
4. Improved animation. I really hate how video game characters are so…stiff.
5. Epic open world games, and large-scale multiplayer.
6. Easy-to-use controllers, and probably motion sensor technology.
7. Honestly, more multi-platform games. Exclusiveness is a pain in the ass.
I dont think i have ever felt that motion sensing would be a good idea and that began from eye toys man those things got old quick. but the things i do want to see are:
1. Open world gmaes because open world games become more re-playable
2. Better quality parts such as how ps3 kicks the shit out of 360 for reliability (my 360 broke 3 times)
3. A game in which you actually care when someone dies because they were cool or useful instead of wishing you had killed them yourself.
4. Better control layout (honestly the d-pad is useless and too hard to quickly use)
[quote comment=”3712″]Personally, I’d like to see each console adopt the “less is more” mindset. Clearly, the Wii has shown that people don’t care about the best hardware (or in the 360’s case, functioning hardware), or the best graphics, or the hdmi, or the usb inputs, or the blu ray player.
They like deals and fun. So I’d say the next gen consoles should be stripped down as much as possible. I have a DVD player. My PS3/360 doesn’t need to do that for me, etc.
Also, I think another big feature is customization/personalized dashboards. I know we kind of get that now, but I think we should be able to customize our dashboards the way we can with our PCs.
And lastly, more online controls. I need to be able to vote to boot people that are ruining the game for everyone. I should be able to forward messages to XBL, or send data to PSN about disruptive players. It’s 2009, and there should be a little bit more control over those kinds of things.[/quote]
Good points Eddy. I really agree with the customization part. That really comes from a PC perspective I think. Most people dont want to be stuck with the boring themes windows has, thats where there are tons of programs that let peopel customize their interfaces. I think what would make that the best is open source program to design a ‘dashboard’ for the next gen system. One that allows you to get rid of adds and decide what to be shown. Only hard part would be the adds, because thats how people make money now. I want a dashboard thats not full of crap like the one now.
On the simplicity part, thats debatable. I want to have an HDMI port because I want the graphics that can meet some high standards. The DVD function, well shoot most everything that uses a CD now a days should be able to play them. What I think would be better is a function that lets my system store games I buy like the 360’s HDD does now. That way I dont haev to keep all those CDs around, jsut take a HDD around. Thats a must for the next gen-system, some form of portability for you profile and games so you dont drag the entire system around.
Then on the LIVE experience and online play. The feedback system works pretty darn well. Shoot, peopel USE the feedback thing on xbox live. Go check your rating, if you did what we did in halo 2 and play music and stuff that others find annoying, they DO report it. As for booting, most games are good about that kind of thing. I cant really think of a way to make it better other than perhaps having some kind of a vote system, where people can vote to boot a player if one person makes a suggestion.
From the list, backwards compatibility and free online play are all I can think of. But free online is hard to get done. The servers take money to run. A modest fee like xbl offers is good. But then again PS3 doenst charge but I have no clue about their online reliability.
WTF? Eddy, the blu-ray isn’t just for the films!!!
Do you even know a [censored] about games, from the technical perspective ?
DUDE! Blu-ray is needed, so we can have games like GTA IV, which is 20gb or something, the orange box etc. Imagine stuffing 1 dvd/cd after another, while playing gta, like you get from one block to another. Get real, if you don’t know a [censored] about what is needed to play the games, don’t fill your posts with BS. And a hdmi is a necessity these days, as is a blu-ray reader, it is the future and in like 10 years, you won’t see a console without it, you won’t see a TV without hdmi. USB inputs make it easier for other controllers to work or to be ported, like a steering wheel for racing gamers, and the, dunno=forgot, gyroxis (?) gaming chair.
Think of the devs that make the games, not just the gamers.
The next-gen consoles should not be stripped down, I think they should replace our PCs. Imagine the raw horsepower in your xbox’s pcu. Kicks the ass of every i7 around. The same goes for the ps3.
The wii is a [censored]. Just because of its games and minimalism.
[quote comment=”3729″]WTF? Eddy, the blu-ray isn’t just for the films!!!
Do you even know a [censored] about games, from the technical perspective ?
[/quote]
I was mainly talking about this gen. The Blu Ray player was unnecessary. GTA IV fit on the DVD for the 360 the same as it did on Blu Ray. For next gen, yeah, it wouldn’t bug me, because the tech would also be cheaper. But let’s get real. Sony shot itself in the foot by having a Blu Ray player that added at least $100 onto the cost of its console. So yeah, next gen that wouldn’t bother me to have one, but only a very few people care about having the best hardware, and the less money these game companies make, the less risks they are going to take on new and exciting properties.
Yeah, most PS3 games run fine on the 360, so I don’t see it as being such a huge deal.
Plus, then why do so many PS3 games have such large install sizes?
[quote comment=”3732″]
Plus, then why do so many PS3 games have such large install sizes?[/quote]
Well, the PS3 uses blu-ray, so developers can cut some corners on size because of the disc’s massive storage capacity, or the larger sizes could be due to the frustration that comes from attempting to develop PS3 games.
I think it would be cool to see more virtual things. Motion sencing gloves… put your hands in a certain position to bring up a gun and virtualy pull the trigger to make it fire. put your hands straight down against your side and change your hands to a different position to change to that certain weapon.
Would also be cool for the gloves to have a make a force back on the fingers that you use for the trigger of the gun. Very high tech gloves…
could be cool to use the gloves to play some marcial arts game, athletic game (shot put, running).
who knows… they might bring out that gamer vest and helmet so you can feel getting hit by bullets.
and then 2 ankle straps that control your virtual legs so you can kick an enemy in the face.
all in all, it would be fun, but you would look like a dork with the vest and helmet.
And there always needs to be a console with the sandard controller, because most people just want to relax sometimes.
@Sean: Actually, you still have to take out the CD and put it in the console. It’s a measure to prevent someone from, say, renting a game, downloading it to their HDD, and then returning it, basically getting a game for extremely cheap. As much as i’d like to do that with my almost-broken Halo 3 disc (yes, I know it would load slower), it’s just not the case.