Print

[XanTium]

Xbox 360 vs Xbox: Graphics Comparison-- Posted by XanTium on December 1 18:13 EST
GameSpot.com and GamesFirst.com both posted an article today comparing the graphics of the same games on Xbox and Xbox 360.

The GameSpot.com article shortly compares 9 Xbox 360 titles that were also released on the original Xbox with mouse-over-images (by default you'll see the Xbox screenshot, if you go with your mouse over the image the Xbox 360 screenshot will load):

After taking a look at nine Xbox 360 launch games and comparing them side by side against their Xbox counterparts, it's clear that we can't automatically assume that the Xbox 360 version of a game will be significantly better than the Xbox version, especially if you don't have an HDTV.

If you only can play at standard resolution, games like Gun, NHL 2K6, and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland are only marginal ports that offer very little over the Xbox versions of the same game. At the very least, you can expect to see higher resolution textures, and some will give you a new widescreen look, complete with a stretched-out UI overlay. Not all games were disappointing--many provided jaw-dropping graphics available only on the 360. Need for Speed Most Wanted, King Kong, and all of EA's sports games feature graphics upgrades that scream next-gen, just oozing with high-resolution textures and new lighting systems. The Xbox 360 is best enjoyed at HD resolutions, but there are plenty of launch games that still look great on normal televisions.

Read More: GameSpot.com

The GamesFirst.com article goes in detail comparing lots of scenes in "King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie":

Looking at the screenshots, you have to decide for yourself if you think the improvement is significant enough to drop the $400 you'll throw at an Xbox 360, assuming you manage to find one to buy. At least at launch, the 360 and Xbox seem to be capable of providing similar experiences, at least in terms of King Kong.

For games that come out 6 months from now, this probably won't be the case. Games that come out one year from now will almost certainly be beyond even an Xbox adaptation; instead of just graphical changes and high resolution textures, the fundamental building blocks upon which the game is based will be the biggest change. Instead of walls built out of 3 blocks that tip over when smashed, they'll be built out of 100 elements that crumble differently each time they're hit. Or 1000. As better game engines are developed to take advantage of the new hardware, the separation between the Xbox 360 and the Xbox will become glaringly evident.

Comparing late generation Xbox titles to early generation Xbox 360 titles is hardly fair.

Read More: GamesFirst.com

[Deftech]

King Kong should be the least important comparison(although it definitely has more detail on the 360 version) considering its lead platform was ps2 for the last year  

I played the demo on xbox and was very impressed. Other than the better lighting/shadowing and crisper textures and use of AA on 360, the xbox version alone is impressive. But that just proves that the 360 wasnt the lead platform.

We've all seen the 2 Kong pics side by side and the 360 version looks noticably better. Why am I talking about this?

Good grief I just read that they are comparing them on non HDTV sets. I wonder what they'd look like side by side, both versions running in 480i or 480p.

4 letter word...no make it 5...

Fugly

EDIT: HOLY POOPS..

I just saw the pics..I think I prefer NFS on xbox over 360.

Damn, theres my unabashed EA hatred again  

Madden looked noticably better. Goes to show...People better not expect much from Cross platform titles and I for one can't wait till the ps3 and Rev are out so games no longer cater to the lowest common poopinator (pspoo)

Ok now Im just being silly. I apologize for being so immature  

[kidkinetix]

I suppose it's an important article, but my feeling is if a user cares about graphics that much, and is able to read gamespot.com then they have a computer monitor so get a VGA cable.  I don't really care what my 360 looks like at a crippled resolution, gimme the resolution i paid for.

Also, i didnt find that the article paid enough attention to frame rate and slow down.

Anyways, shame on the developers for not doing anything special with their ports (like tony hawk which looks like crap, or EA for stripping down features), maybe it wasnt worth forcing out these 9 games at launch.

QUOTE

Damn, theres my unabashed EA hatred again  

Is it just me, or does is it everytime EA does something you like, they do 2 or 3 things that piss you right off.

[bucko]

I think that is why I'm going to wait about 4-8 months before I buy an X360. It is like when the PS2 first came out the games looked the same as on the Dreamcast.

Developers need to get used to the hardware, even the three cores I bet aren't in full use on current X360 games now.

Give it a few months and some great games will come out, like Xbox now how Half Life 2, Doom 3, GTA San Andreas and lots of other cool games are making the Xbox 1 great now.

Plus if you wait you will get an X360 without any heat problems

[blaziantiger]

Aren't the launch games for a system always dramatically lower in quality then the games come out like a year later?

[Deftech]

QUOTE(blaziantiger @ Dec 1 2005, 07:01 PM)

Aren't the launch games for a system always dramatically lower in quality then the games come out like a year later?

Yes, but don't tell others that, they will deny it.

[ShadowElitePro]

Of cource 360 graphics will be better.

[110100100]

QUOTE(kidkinetix @ Dec 1 2005, 04:48 PM)

I suppose it's an important article, but my feeling is if a user cares about graphics that much, and is able to read gamespot.com then they have a computer monitor so get a VGA cable.  I don't really care what my 360 looks like at a crippled resolution, gimme the resolution i paid for.

thank you,....

I wish kong could scream this at all of the idiots across the land that sit there and bitch on a website using a monitor in 1600x1200... people are blinded by stupidity.

[Dawg605]

QUOTE(110100100 @ Dec 1 2005, 07:36 PM)

thank you,....

I wish kong could scream this at all of the idiots across the land that sit there and bitch on a website using a monitor in 1600x1200... people are blinded by stupidity.

My monitor only supports 1024 X 768, but I suppose that is because I am cheap and don't feel like spending money on a new monitor. I would rather just save my money and buy a HDTV eventually. I don't care about the graphics that much. I'd rather be comfortable sitting on my couch than sitting on my computer chair looking at a small screen, no matter how good the graphics are.

[kidkinetix]

QUOTE(Dawg605 @ Dec 2 2005, 02:01 AM)

My monitor only supports 1024 X 768, but I suppose that is because I am cheap and don't feel like spending money on a new monitor. I would rather just save my money and buy a HDTV eventually. I don't care about the graphics that much. I'd rather be comfortable sitting on my couch than sitting on my computer chair looking at a small screen, no matter how good the graphics are.

I totally respect that, I enjoy console gaming in my living room with the TV.  For you it sounds like you're into new and different experiances, which again supports that these (ported game) comparisons are only so useful, I don't see you being interested in ports if you already have a ps2 or xbox.  Average to badly ported games suck , screw the release count if the games don't look a lot better, or add new WORTHWHILE features, and for the sake of jebus don't remove features....  I am looking forward to burnout though (but they seem to be adding stuff at least!)

[zikronix]

well i for one am sorry. I think the graphics are noticibly better on the 360 vs the Xbox.

And I hate to tell you this. Dont knock the dream cast. The DC was awesome and I still think most of the games on the dc look better than the ps2. and a few of them look better than comparable games on the xbox. I think when i compared midnight clubII(I think) to pgr the dc game was better.

This post has been edited by zikronix: Dec 2 2005, 03:41 AM

[ibemonty2000]

Damn. I'm suprised that nobody has commented on how poorly of a job Gamespot did with the comparison. Using different ways to record the visuals, comparing games in 480P (that's dumb as hell) as opposed to 720P.

Plus its like its always been. Games developed for the current gen are ported to the next-gen with a few updates, like RE:CV. Its not suprising to see little variation when the game wasn't specifically designed for next-gen, plus the fact that the 1st wave of games is just learning how to utilize the system.

Even games that look incredible (Halo) at launch are surpassed in the longrun (FarCry, Doom 3, etc.)

-Monty

[ssj4android]

What's wrong with comparing at 480p? That's the resolution I'd play at, so I'd want to know if it would actually offer an improvement or not. And I use a laptop, so a VGA adapter would be no use to me.

[kidkinetix]

QUOTE(ibemonty2000 @ Dec 2 2005, 03:20 AM)

Damn. I'm suprised that nobody has commented on how poorly of a job Gamespot did with the comparison. Using different ways to record the visuals, comparing games in 480P (that's dumb as hell) as opposed to 720P.

Plus its like its always been. Games developed for the current gen are ported to the next-gen with a few updates, like RE:CV. Its not suprising to see little variation when the game wasn't specifically designed for next-gen, plus the fact that the 1st wave of games is just learning how to utilize the system.

Even games that look incredible (Halo) at launch are surpassed in the longrun (FarCry, Doom 3, etc.)

-Monty

They did this comparison for Standard Definition TVs, to see if you would notice a difference between games.  Thats why I was ranting and asking why compare it at a cripled definition .

It was just an article half interesting to read. with the launch out there isnt much news to look forward to everyday.

[T Ghost]

Those 2 articles are a complete Sony/Nintendo fanboy BUUULLLLSHHHIIIIITTT!!!

I got 5 games on 360 and over 200 on Xbox anda I can guarantee you that thos 5 games are light years ahead in graphics if compared to Xbox graphics:

PGR3
COD2
Kameo
PDZ
NFSMW

No the worst of all is the NFSMW. DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! I got a Sony KVFS3600 TV, a 4:3 480i 36" with option for 16:8 enhanced 480i and in no way, the xbox version looks like the gamespot pictures on that article. When i got the xbox version, before i got the 360 i almost threw up in front of the tv for the ugly ass graphics in comparisons to PGR2, RSC2, Forza and other AAA racing.

But when I got it for the 360 ( in insistence of a friend who got it and kept saying it was amazing over and over)i couldn't believe what my eyes where seeing!

Xbox:


360:


I seriously do not understand a media icon like gamespot making a clear fanboy campaign against a console...

Otherwise, show-me wich Xbox games has those in game graphics: