Topic: Developer's Can't Count On Hard Drive (Read 720 times)

mksoftware · « **Reply #60 on:** August 18, 2005, 11:46:00 AM »

MS just did something really stupid i.m.o ...... users of Xbox are not used using a Memory Card, this is purely marketing strategy.... 100 Dollar/Euro more for a HDD with small size of 20 GIG..... and some more features.

These folks are screwing us this time.. let's wait which console will be modable

PS3 or XBOX 360?

Regards,

MkSoftware

twistedsymphony · « **Reply #61 on:** August 18, 2005, 03:23:00 PM »

KAGE360 · « **Reply #62 on:** August 18, 2005, 05:04:00 PM »

twisted you make some great points. all that plus the fact that MS already announced that 85% of the consoles will be the complete package and the other 15% will be the core package. with those kinds of numbers there is no developer who wouldnt take advantage of a HD

m_hael · « **Reply #63 on:** August 18, 2005, 06:58:00 PM »

ok some additions to that code you complained at early.

if (HDDPresent)
{
if(cached)
{
// read from cache
}else{
// read from disk
// send read data to cache on separate thread (takes ZERO time)
}
}else{
// read from disk.
}

requires ZERO intervention, ZERO planning, ALL files will CACHE ALL files will be faster and guess what... if the game wants to it could cache ALL its files before launching.... woohoo for me.

The main thing you miss is this... Loading from Disk can be done ASYNCHRONOUSLY.. meaning the cpu does NOT wait for it.. it reacts to its completion...

KAGE360 · « **Reply #64 on:** August 18, 2005, 07:07:00 PM »

hey M_hael your one of the few stating facts and more being a developer but i dont think ive seen you give your opinion on the matter. your NDA doesnt stop you from giving your opinion on MS's decision does it? if not then what is your opinion as a developer and a consumer? i know your asked questions almost daily and you struggle to help some misunderstood fools know how real game development is but it seems like your one of the few that hasnt spoken up on the subject (if so then i missed it in all the bitching and debating)

Carlo210 · « **Reply #65 on:** August 19, 2005, 07:07:00 AM »

Developers CAN count on the harddrive and ARE.

http://www.igniq.com...e-xbox-360.html

QUOTE

Oblivion takes full advantage of the hard drive and uses it extensively, so we'd certainly recommend that everyone gets one.

We are still getting Cache-o-matic games. Now can we all sleep a little easier?

And please don't complain about "Oh, now we HAVE to buy a harddrive to play some games! *whine whine whine*"
Just think of it like this, the Xbox360 comes with a harddrive - that's the truth. If you don't want a harddrive, get the stripped down core version (not standard version). Those who wan't to play games that happen to require a harddrive to either run better or run at all, then you will fork out the cash or not get those games.
If there was an Xbox1 without a harddrive for 199.99 on Xbox's release, would you have said "Oh no we have to pay 100 more dollars to get the premium Xbox version, with a harddrive, at 299.99!

For those of us who are getting a harddrive, pretend the core version doesn't exist, because sooner or later, 90% of xbox360 gamers will get a Harddrive due to media storage, larger space than a memory card for the price, or takign advantage of supported/required HDD capabilites in almost every future Xbox360 game.

Ps3 won't be using it's hdd for anything useful to the games themselves. So all of you pro-xboxers (xbox fans), ok, Xbox Fanboys, think about that if you must.

Touche'

Shinamano · « **Reply #66 on:** August 19, 2005, 09:41:00 AM »

I concur...

m_hael · « **Reply #67 on:** August 19, 2005, 12:48:00 PM »

QUOTE(KAGE360 @ Aug 18 2005, 07:18 PM)

hey M_hael your one of the few stating facts and more being a developer but i dont think ive seen you give your opinion on the matter. your NDA doesnt stop you from giving your opinion on MS's decision does it? if not then what is your opinion as a developer and a consumer? i know your asked questions almost daily and you struggle to help some misunderstood fools know how real game development is but it seems like your one of the few that hasnt spoken up on the subject (if so then i missed it in all the bitching and debating)

Carlo210 · « **Reply #68 on:** August 19, 2005, 01:00:00 PM »

QUOTE(m_hael @ Aug 19 2005, 08:59 PM)

Supporting HD or not supporting HD will simply mean the difference between a load screen and a smooth transition.

KAGE360 · « **Reply #69 on:** August 19, 2005, 04:25:00 PM »

QUOTE(m_hael @ Aug 19 2005, 02:59 PM)

the reason I haven't commented is because I don't care. My job is not altered by having or NOT having the hard drive. At home I WILL have the hard drive. As a consumer I fully understand m$ decision to not force into ALL versions simply from an economic POV.

Carlo210 · « **Reply #70 on:** August 19, 2005, 05:11:00 PM »

QUOTE(mikeandbandit @ Aug 20 2005, 01:13 AM)

it will only be used to cache data from the disk before that data is placed into ram

Carlo210 · « **Reply #71 on:** August 19, 2005, 05:41:00 PM »

The dvd isn't faster than the HDD.

I don't want to go through all of this again.

aepuppetmaster · « **Reply #72 on:** August 19, 2005, 05:58:00 PM »

seriously, the point of caching stuff would be, for instance, if the memory was used up for 1 level, and the game, knowing what the next map/level is, would transfer it to the hdd while the dvd drive is idel, making it possible for a seemless transsion of big maps and othere things. it saddens me that u even compare the speed of a hdd to a dvd drive, and that i even have to say this.

aepuppetmaster · « **Reply #73 on:** August 19, 2005, 06:00:00 PM »

EDIT: ****acidental double post****

m_hael · « **Reply #74 on:** August 20, 2005, 10:46:00 AM »

mike - it doesn't work that way... you load to RAM then cache to HD such that the NEXT time you need it you don't have to hit the DVD. Some systems use precaching where the game knows ahead of time what files it needs (linear games) but most don't do this.

andy

Author Topic: Developer's Can't Count On Hard Drive (Read 720 times)