Peter Moore has brought us some information on the external HD-DVD drive for Xbox 360 – The external HD-DVD drive for Xbox 360 will only serve as a HD-DVD movie player add-on.
"Right now it's focused purely on movie playback. Think of the drive as something that lets you play high-definition movies on the Xbox 360." The external drive will function as an alternative to purchasing a separate HD-DVD playback device: "If you want to watch HD-DVD movies and if you own an Xbox 360, there will be no reason for you to go out and buy another player."
Very disappointing. We hope Microsoft change its mind later and enables other features via the external drive. That would be a real boost to the game volume and enable the game developers to do more amazing jobs (pre-rendered graphic excluded XD).
[via GameSpot]
Comments
Uhh no its not disappointing, they do not want to split the market with this thing and have games that only people with the HD DVD version can play, that would be stupid. If halo 3 came out on HD DVD, think of how many people would be pissed that only the people with the 360 & the (likely $100) HD-DVD add-on.
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More like $300-400 for the hd-dvd addon
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The likely hood of any games even taking up more then 9Gigs is slim. You might benefit from 1-2 games during the life of the system so you don't have to get up and change a disc half way through the game...now that's just plain lazy.
The only real data for a game that would end up taking up so much more space would be voice, full .WAV musical scores, and CG. CG is obviously less necessary this generation since a real time renedered scene can look near as good, and the only games that would take voice to that extent is RPG's, and big ones at that.
Now rationalize how that extra space really makes some sort of difference again.
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i agree dvd is fine for games. and u wud split the market with games on 2 formats. But il be buying it to play movies. Since im supporting hd-dvd all the way lol.
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Well Microsoft is trying to make it so that the xbox360 is like the central hometheatre center where you can play pretty much everything. So why not be able to play high quality movies as well. I just hope that the price for the addon isn't to much and that it doesn't scratch the hell out of the discs.
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The add-on is fine... infact a good idea.
However, it is far from "disappointing" that it wont be used for games. If they used it for games the xbox360 would instantly turn into a dud system because A LOT of people will not buy the add-on. Thus causing game developers to sell no games, get pissed, and no longer develope for the 360.
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"The likely hood of any games even taking up more then 9Gigs is slim."
I thought they had already got complaints from developers that games were taking up to 4 dvds to fit on...?
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Jesus MS you really are crap aren't you? So if I want to watch HD movies then I have to
A: Buy your 'no doubt not all that great' HD DVD drive externally. ( seeing as the DVD playback on the 360 is ****e )
B: then have to switch on that AND the frankly very noisy 360.
Er... I think not.
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I dont understand why you guys think a normal dvd is gonna be enough storage for this generation. Do you guys realize that games get bigger over time when more graphics and gameplay are added? Think about when dvds first came out and people were amazed by them holding around 4 gigs. Now 4 gigs isnt nearly as much as it used to be. This generation of platforms has to last around 2010-2012 and beyond that for people who don't get next generation systems. Those 4-9 gigs of space isn't gonna hold up.
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To the two anons who think the dvd is not enough...there have been no reports of developers requiring 4 or more dvds(if i am wrong, please supply a source)
Rpg, however, will likely need two discs...but mainly will probably be just for the linear cgi filled japanese rpgs.
If dvds do become too little in a couple of years...i highly doubt they will need 4 dvds...
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Screw HD-DVD and Blu-ray, go HVD!!!
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omg, what was wrong with changing discs with Finaly Fantasy? I really didn't mind, why is it such a big deal now?
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It's no big deal to have games on DVD. The gamecube had games on a small form disc and it never ran out of space even on multiplatform games. In the rare case that a game needs more space then two DVD's is fine.
Besides, HD DVD games would cost even more due to the higher cost media they would be put on. It would probably cost more for a game to be put on one HD DVD than to be put on two DVD's.
And besides with games averaging about 20-30 hours of gameplay who cares if fifteen hours in you have to switch the disc. Jeesh.
Fritzilla
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Buahahaha, Bluray shall be the DEATH OF 360!
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http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=214742&st=0
Oblivion will be one disc.
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TO the anon who said HD DVD will cost more. Well technically that's not true. It'll cost only a fraction more than DVD. But seeing as it's a new technology will see some very funny set/artificial prices just to screw us.
But sod HD DVD, Blu Ray will kick it's ass....and I got a 360 so sod off all the MS fanboys thinking I'm a Sony fanboy.
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I really don't care who wins...
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