The CPU in the PS2 has some multimedia instructions kind of like SSE or MMX that operate on 128 bit data. It's probably the excuse they give for calling it a 128 bit CPU. However, just like SSE didn't make the 32 bit x86 a 128 bit CPU, neither does Sony's multimedia instructions make the 64 bit MIPS into a 128 bit CPU.
I'm glad someone else agrees about the sony pads... (than again, I like X-boxs duke but not the s-controller)Quote:
Originally Posted by TmEE
DC could have also done with 6 face buttons.
Now, I didn't mention it initially, but my order of prefrence:
1.GameCube, the one we owned, great, fun games (ingluding SA1+2), still gets a good bit of play. (more than wii -or rather GC games via wii)
2/3. is kind of a tie for Xbox and DC, I prefer the Xbox duke over the DC controller. DC got it's life cut short, so the game content was more limited, I never had a GS, and durring its life my biggest exposure was in store displays (crazy taxy and Sonic Adventure mostly) and one freind had oen I played a little.
Xbox I play a lot with another freind, lots of games, co-op Halo, and a bunch of others I'm not going to list right now.
PS2 is my least favorrite, good games, but the uncomfortable controllers and only 2-ports standard take a big hit for me. (I initially though the USB ports meant USB controllers as well...)
Some of the better games I had more experience with as ports, like Silent Hill II and III on PC. (which also has a more convienitent save mechanism and higher resolution)
I won't deny the PS2 as to being the "best" in terms of a marketable product and number of good games, how can I, it's the most successful home console ever (so far), at least by sales figures and number of hit titles.
Didn't the DC's SH-4 feature a 128-bit vector engine?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chilly Willy
It has a 128 bit vector unit geared towards matrix calculations (that 128 bits is four single precision floating point numbers). It has four of those registers for 4x4 matrix operations.Quote:
Originally Posted by kool kitty89
1. Dreamcast: Duh :D all the best fighting games, sonic adventure, what more could you ask for.
2. PS2: Also a solid fighting library. Lots of great games + DVD function, PS1 Compatibility. (But the slim, the old PS2s suck)
3. XBox: Had alot of the same great games that the PS2 does. I dont have many though.
4. Gamecube: I don't have one. Have only played it at friends houses, and it seems ok.
dreamcast is my favorite but ps2 prob has the best library
PS2 - Never had more fun with more games with any other console.
Dreamcast - Got one late, not a great library, really struggle to find games that both appeal to me and are good at the same time.
I've never had a GameCube or Xbox, never really saw the appeal of either one. I now have a Wii (wish I'd gone for the PS3 instead) so I can play GameCube games, but, again, I don't see a lot out there that appeals to me.
I see more appeal to old GC games than most Wii titles, and I don't even have some of the best titles, like the RE games and such. (pretty much any of the good rated M games except Serious Sam -which might be T)Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooter
The DC will always be closest to my heart. Many ours of Grandia II, Arcadia, 355, Tokyo Extreme Racer II, Gunbird II, Mars Matrix, and more but my brain is't working
PS2 has such a ridiculous library I can't ignore it. O top of that games are cheap fir it now. I was angry at it at first but Sega fan or not I love it.
The Xbox has a tiny library but my friends ad I used to have 10-16 player HALO nights so I am a bit attached to it as well. The new version of Conker's is neat too minus the Censorship. :( Playing in Dolby Digital is awesome also
I still have yet to own a GameCube so I really can't say anything good or bad.
Either way all of these systems are so cheap these days it is not to hard to get all four.
I like all four. I honestly wasn't sure how to rank them, so I looked at my collections. But then I realized that the sizes of my collections are partly a reflection of games being cheaper and/or easier to obtain, so I also looked at my want lists. Here's a chart:
http://i48.tinypic.com/17wsvl.jpg
According to this my preference should be Dreamcast, Xbox, PS2, Gamecube. These numbers are not perfect, as I may find additional games that interest me, or I may become disinterested in others. Anyway, some thoughts follow.
Dreamcast - Sega pulled the plug way too soon, but an amazing number of great games came out in that short period of time. In the vast majority of cases, the Dreamcast version of a multiplatform game is the one to own; that works out pretty significantly in the system's favor. I'm not a big fan of the controller's design, but it works okay. It has the best selection of more "arcadey" games, which I love. Graphically, it's very impressive, considering its early release. I can't help but think this could've been the best system ever, if they'd only let it live longer. Too many unreleased games.
Xbox - Although it did better than both Dreamcast and Gamecube in this regard, I still feel that Microsoft killed it too soon (not to mention abruptly). It's especially frustrating because it was doing very well (in terms of releases) later in its life, and then they offed it for the 360, which kind of sucked early on. Graphically, Xbox is the best of the bunch. Like Dreamcast, the vast majority of its multiplatform games were best on Xbox. It almost felt like there was some magic in the Xbox hardware that made everything look better automatically. Sometimes it was actually a source of frustration when there wasn't an Xbox version of a particular game and I "had" to play it on a different system. Xbox also has my favorite controller of the four (S version), but that doesn't weigh heavily. I mainly like the Xbox for its selection of action-adventure/adventure games.
Playstation 2 - Graphically, it's the worst of the four. In general, I feel like PS2 games just look a little "off" and not pleasing to the eye. It's also the only system of the four on which I've found load times to be a significant annoyance. It has my least favorite controller of the four, although it's still usable (and again, that doesn't weigh heavily). Extremely few multiplatform games are best on PS2. However, it makes up for its deficiencies with the sheer number of exclusives. It has the best selection of RPGs and music games. This is also the only system of the four that doesn't feel like it was cut short.
Gamecube - There was a time when this was my favorite, other than Dreamcast. (And I'm not even a big fan of Nintendo, so it wasn't for the first-party games.) But later in its lifespan it was positively barren. This system peaked in 2003 and then in 2005 it crashed hard. Despite the facts that 360 came a year before Wii, Gamecube was in stores longer than Xbox, and it was (resultantly) officially supported longer, it still feels like Gamecube actually did worse than Xbox in terms of dying out. Graphically, it's capable of being pretty close to Xbox, but a disappointing number of games took advantage of its capabilities. Its controller has its pluses and minuses, but overall I'd rank it #2. A (significant) minority of multiplatform games were best on Gamecube. As far as selection, it seems to be the best at more "quirky" games. Although I wasn't factoring in accessories or anything, Gamecube also deserves props for the Game Boy Player.
I'd look for a good deal on one (shouldn't be too hard), but make sure it's the earlier model with the digial out port (for component video -also the only way to get 480p out of it), and of course make sure it's got the necessary hook-ups, and preferably a few games you're interested in. (it seems to be the lowest interest console short of dreamcast from that generation, in terms of sale prices) Possibly the most reliable too. S-video is good for SD sets if you don't have YUV right away, but make sure it's real s-video and not that split composite crap of many 3rd party cables. (which looks worse than straight composite)Quote:
Originally Posted by Iron Lizard
Any N64 or SNES cable will work of course. (including RGB, which the N64 is missing)
Still soem good exclusive games, and not any good emulation as of yet.
So, assuming you don't have a wii, a GC is probably something to look into, and the wii has some added hasle with start-up (boot wii, select GC in wii menue with wiimote, then GC mode boots, etc), plus a GC will probably be less than 1/10 the price, and again, reliable.
Of course, wii will support component via a single av cable (GC requires AV for sound plus digital port for YUV), that and GC doesn't support VGA, while wii does.
And need I mention the compact size? (plus toploading mechanism compared to the wii) And some of the wii's titles are on GC with similar/equal quality -or the wii releases are just compilations/ports, and many other wii titles also come out for PS2, like ghostbusters -distinct from PS3/360/PC version, or the new silent hill game) Also, they can get a bit hot if not properly ventalated, but with a couple inches of clearance for the vents and it should be fine. (most problems come by near/complete obstruction, which is also problematic for wii, probably PS3 and obviously a huge issue on 360 -especially early hot-head models)
I'm finding that many of the GameCube games that would appeal to me I already have on another platform.Quote:
Originally Posted by kool kitty89
Off the top of my head, there's the 1st pary games, soem compilations that didn't go to other consoles, some exclusive RE titles, plus some lucas Arts games, like RS II and III. (I really like RS III, others aparently don't though)
I like star fox adventures and Assault personally, especially the multiplayer in the latter once fully expanded. (more control options and 1st person perspective would have helped a lot though, that and a widescreen mode)
For me..
1. Dreamcast
Not to sound like a Sega fanboy, but it had what could be seen as a for the age "perfect" console. It was powerful, had good support, and it was one of the cheapest consoles at release. One of the best libraries with one of the best "good, to shitty games" ratio. Strong import library, following the Saturn in terms of JP support.
2. X-Box
Many see it as the console that had "nothing but Halo". To be honest, I feel that it was one of the best consoles of that general era. It shared many games with the PC and had quite a few awesome original games. Sudeki alone makes the console worth buying. The controllers... I don't see why people complain about the controllers. I can see small handed people and their issue with the 1st version, but the revised one is good. As for its online service. It was X-box live... all that is needed to be said.
3. PS2
Almost 80% of the library is garbage, shovelware. Very few games are actually really worth it. However there are good games for it and that is worth something. The controllers suck, they are the same uncomfortable messes that is the PS1 controller.
4. Gamecube
10, thats the number of games truly worth buying for the GC.
The first and second party stuff was great, but the list was very short.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooter