News Flash!
Game Developers ConferenceSaturday, March 11th
3dfx, Microsoft Voice Comms, Direct-X 8
On the 3dfx front, we have little news regarding simulation performance figures. The 3dfx staff running the Falcon 4.0 demonstration again wouldn't let anyone see the frames per second data, nor would they divulge the game's detail level settings. The Voodoo 5 is essentially two Voodoo 4 chips on one board, so we should see some performance increase over the current Voodoo 3 boards: The question is, how much of an increase? 3dfx is remaining tight-lipped, but their new anti-aliasing technology has demonstrated a definite improvement in certain games that previously had graphical anomalies. The release of these new cards is imminent, and we should have some more information shortly.
Microsoft demonstrated their new online voice communication technology, and the new USB device will probably be compatible with most games, as well as being integral to the coding of new games. This new device comes with a small control pad with transmit and channel controls. Microsoft also demonstrated their new strategic gaming controller. It is a multi-button, programmable controller pad with 3-axis movement that is targeted at the strategic and real time strategy gamers. No pictures available at this time.
Friday, March 10thThe big news of the day was DirectX 8. One new 1-Ghz Athlon on display was running DX8 using a G400 Max Matrox video card. While the Matrox board isn't the fastest card currently available, it demonstrated that the optimization in Dx8 is finally taking advantage of everything video technology has to offer. This combined with much faster CPU's in the 1 GHz range should offer gamers much better performance out of their current hardware, such as TNT2's and GeForce cards, and ensure that the new video cards on the way will be pushed to their limit.
X-Box Announcement
Our roving reporter at the Game Developers Conference 2000 (yes, we really have one there) just checked in for a quick update from his first day on the scene.
The big news today: Bill Gates officially announced the launch of the "X-Box". This is a new gaming system that will blur the line between PC and console gaming. While the X-Box has many PC-like components it will only support licensed X-Box games, much like a console system such as Playstation or Dreamcast. Below are some of the X-Box's specifications.
X-Box Specifications
- P3 600 MHZ range chip
- Nividia custom video
- DVD
- 8 Gig H.D.
- 64 Voice Audio controller
- Custom USB and game ports
- 10/100 net port
The X-Box will be using the Windows 2000 kernal and a version of DX 8. The performance figures we have on the X-Box are---in a word---staggering! The unit is capable of over one trillion operations per second; it will draw 300 million triangles/sec, and boasts 19 gigasamples/sec. These figures are about three to five times faster than the best PC you can buy, and the X-Box will likely dump the console gaming establishment on its head. Yet another Microsoft conquest! The video output will connect to either a TV set or a monitor, and greater than HD TV resolutions will be available. Whoa! The X-Box should debut in fall 2001. Now all we need is somebody to write a flight sim for this monster.
There is also some news from the folks at Thrustmaster. There have been rumors circulating for a while regarding TM's new line of high-end flight controllers, and we have an update regarding this. Our reporter spoke with them, and they informed him that they are shooting for a Christmas release for these new sticks.
On the 3dfx front, after an embarrassing CEBIT, the Voodoo guys have their V5 5500 on demonstration. It is a 64 meg card, and it was running Falcon 4.0 at the show. We'll hopefully have some performance figures tomorrow, as the sneaky 3dfx guys had a sign covering the top left corner of the monitor. Booooo!
Microsoft also had some news regarding Direct X 8, and it will support 3d modeling from your netcam. You will be able to have your camera scan your head while you turn it left and right, and then DX 8 will automatically model your mug in 3d. This will be great for games like Comanche/Hokum or Team Fortress 2. Bill Gates put on a demonstration with his face, and it was by far the best 3d modeling of real life faces to date.
One last tidbit, AMD had the show flooded with 1-GHz chips, and they are up and running smoothly, not to mention very quickly. We'll try and get some more data on their performance.
Stay tuned!
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