The Orange Box on PS3 an Unplayable Port?
By Chris on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 5:06 PM PST In Electronic Arts, Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Gamer Life, Games, Half-Life, Sony, Valve
A recent 1UP preview of the PlayStation 3 version of Valve’s The Orange Box wasn’t the overwhelmingly positive piece you would expect it to be. In the preview, David Ellis refers to the game – which is being ported by an EA team, as opposed to Valve itself – as suffering from “a number of technical flaws, which at best merely hinder gameplay and at worst make the experience downright unplayable. Framerate is a consistent issue throughout the Half-Life series of games included in The Orange Box.”
While Valve founder Gabe Newell has referred to the PS3 as a “waste of everybody’s time,” I can’t fathom his apparent disdain for the system having anything to do with this situation.
Portal is a fine port according to the preview, while Team Fortress 2 wasn’t playable due to server connection errors – not an uncommon occurrence in the Xbox 360 version of the game.
This is truly unfortunate, as The Orange Box is one of the greatest buys of the year, and it looks like PS3 owners will be getting the shaft with another poorly done port.
Read the 1UP preview here.
@weclock
Sorry. Not even Close. Try HALF!
Best-Selling Consoles to Date:
Company Platform Released Sales
1.Sony PlayStation 2 2000 120000000 120 million
2.Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Color 1989 118.69 million
3.Sony PlayStation 1994 102490000 102.49 million
4.Nintendo Game Boy Advance 2001 080480000 80.48 million
5.Nintendo Nintendo Entertainment System 1983 061900000 61.9 million
6.Nintendo Nintendo DS 2004 053640000 53.64 million
7.Nintendo Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1990 049100000 49.1 million
9.Nintendo Nintendo 64 1996 032930000 32.93 million
10.Atari Atari 2600 1977 030000000 30 million
11.Sega Mega Drive/Genesis 1988 029000000 29 million
12.Sony PlayStation Portable 2004 025390000 25.39 million
13.Microsoft Xbox 2001 024000000 24 million
14.Nintendo GameCube 2001 021660000 21.66 million
15.Microsoft Xbox 360 2005 013400000 13.4 million
16.Nintendo Wii 2006 013170000 13.17 million
17.Sega Master System 1986 013000000 13 million
18.Sega Game Gear 1990 011000000 11 million
19.Sega Dreamcast 1998 010600000 10.6 million
20.NEC TurboGrafx-16 1987 010000000 10 million
21.Sega Saturn 1994 009500000 9.5 million
22.Sega Mega CD 1991 006000000 6 million
23.Sony PlayStation 3 2006 005590000 5.59 million
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles#Video_game_and_handheld_consoles
@ I Love Dirt
You’re a funny kid! Here, read this:
Tyan, Intel, Mellanox and Microsoft have developed the next-generation personal supercomputer, Typhoon 600*, based on the Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5300 series. Typhoon 600 is a turnkey system that delivers 256 gigaflops of performance and only requires a 110V/15 amp standard wall outlet. The system is designed for engineers and scientists who need the computational horsepower of a supercomputer, yet in the size of a PC. The system starts at $15,000 (USD) and will generally be available early next year from Tyan.
Ok. Now I’m sure that Sony would be flattered that you are comparing the PS3 to a $15,000 supercomputer but I think your comparison is a bit of base. Actually, it’s so Off Base that you’re playing Baseball on Mars!
Quad-core processor = 256 Gigaflops @ $15,000.00
http://www.intel.com/ca/pressroom/2006/1108a.htm
CELL Processor = 230 Gigaflops @ $399.99 http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0130/076.html
And to further prove that “I Love Dirt” is completely clueless, See Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOPS#Cost_of_computing
You’re right! The Quad-core is faster then the CELL. It’s not available yet. Maybe by Q3 or Q4 of 2008. Call me when you buy it. LOL.
@I Love Dirt
HD-DVD is slowly fading away as “I Love Dirt” builds his $15,000 supercomputer.
LOL
Bro, You are classic. You gave the whole IT department a huge laugh for the day.
FYI:
XBox360 = 70 GIGFLPS
Pentium4 Extreme Edition = 26 GIGFLPS
PS3 = 230 GIGFLOPS
Your NEW $15K Supercomputer = 256 GIGFLPS
Hey, Maybe if you invent a time machine, you can take it into the future to the day when the Quad Core is available.
LOL
@Superdynamite,
I’m not talking about a 15K Supercomputer… I’m talking Quad core available from most online stores.
Seriously, put the crack pipe down
Well it is too early to see who will win between sony, microsoft, and nintendo so far, my moneys on nintendo who has sold out in all my local stores whereas the others have large stockpiles, technically the cell processor is a 6 core processor as 1 core is used for the crossbar os and the other core is pernamentally turned off for stability reasons, the gpu in the ps3 is similar to the geforce 7900gs which came out 3 years ago, btw quad core processors have been around for a year they cost from about £200 – £700, that quad core processor you are on about is a workstation class (used for buisness and game developers and graphic designers) mainstream quad core processors are cheaper overclockable wheras the workstation one arent.
@I Love Dirt
Ok, so you’re not talking about the 256 GIGFLP supercomputer for $15K. We’ll let’s see…
The Intel Quad-Core QX6700 will run you a cool $1,200.00 for the chip ONLY. Running less than half the Gigaflops of the CELL processor. On top of being slower than the CELL, the Quad-Core chip will NOT be dedicated to gaming as the CELL is.
Now let me ask you… Do you have any idea in God’s name what you’re talking about, or do you just type stuff?
http://www.sharbor.com/products/INTN5600055.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_2
@I Love Dirt
I’m sorry, I was wrong. The QX6700 doesn’t run at less than half the speed of the CELL processor. It runs at less than a QUARTER of the speed of the CELL.
See, I can admit when I am wrong.
LOL.
How about Giga floping back to the topic. I no longer care for this debate. any man with money can buy what ever they want. PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and a Super computer then they have it all.
a few years from now the same debate. Xbox 720 vs PS4 vs Super Wii. it never ends. MADNESS i say Gigaflopping MADNESS.
@xboxlenny
True.
FYI, My PC Specs:
Water Cooled Pentium D945 @ 4.1GHz
Zalman Reserator 2
Asus P5WD2e-Premium
2GB OCZ “SOE” DDR2 800
2 x x1900xt Crossfire
BFG PhysX 128MB
74GB Raptor
320GB WD Caviar
SB X-Fi Fata1ity
21″ Samsung @ 1680 x 1050 (just 30 vertical pixels short of 1080p)
Feel free to criticise my PC, it was built pre-PS3 release…. but hey, my Orange Box runs @ 100FPS Easily with AA & AF Maxed.
Why cant Sony make a better software to make PS3 games with, because that would save PS3 console.
Nintendo Wii for the win!
[Wii proves that you dont need hyper GPU inside to make gaming funny for all.]
@I Love Dirt
That’s a nice PC. No Criticism here. You should play what ever system makes you happy. You’re happy with PC, I’m happy with PS3, DEagleson is happy with Wii, etc.
But, we should ALL boycott Gabe Newell for disrespecting ALL gamers alike.
@ Superdynamite
Thanks! Everyone has their preference…. I had a PS3 for about 2 months but got bored and found myself playing my PC more often.
I think EA tend to screw most things up. Just look how they nerfed BF2 just to keep the whiners happy. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love for multiplayer games to be cross-platform so we could all play on the same servers.
I loved the Orange box, portal is mind bending and TF2 is a total romp! As a PC user, I wouldn’t boycott his products…. if they don’t improve the OB for consoles then you have every right to.
@superdynamite
“I wonder what other form of spontaneous combustion would occur to your bodily organs if you read my paper on Philosophical Derivatives.”
Well, if its as unfounded and nonsensical as your comment below, I’m sure your paper would be an “interesting” read at the least.
“The XBoxHD is launching Q4 2008 (Christmas 2008)…..The XBoxHD will be equipped with a spin off of the CELL, Internal HD-DVD (or Blu-ray depending on if HD-DVD is able to tread water for the next few months), Dual TV tuner & internal WiFi. Probably for a grand total of somewhere in the range of $600.”
@used cisco
Wow! You finally got it. Here is some more info. Read on:
The XBoxHD is launching Q4 2008 (Christmas 2008). You also have to remember that Microsoft attributes the success of the 360 to XBoxLIVE and NOT to the actual console. That is why it is easy for M$ to move on to the next system and so easily dump the 360.
Microsoft even hired the guy who designed HOME for the Playstation network so he could design a spin-off of HOME for the XBoxHD. On top of that, Toshiba purchased the right to manufacture the CELL processor from Sony last month. The XBoxHD will be equipped with a spin off of the CELL, Internal HD-DVD (or Blu-ray depending on if HD-DVD is able to tread water for the next few months), Dual TV tuner & internal WiFi. Probably for a grand total of somewhere in the range of $600 depending on how much M$ wants to lose on each system sold. So in actuality it could range from $579 to $699. You have to remember, the dual Tuner alone costs $200 wholesale. HDDVD Drive (1080p) around $200. WiFi, $75-$100. That’s $500 right there without anything else – case, LED’s, HDMI, ports, packaging, cables, controler, headset, Blutooth system, etc. – I was being ultra-conservative by saying $600. But hey, Microsoft is made of money with money to burn so who knows. They might decide to take a $200 loss on each system. It’s no inconceivable.
“Wow! You finally got it. Here is some more info”
I get it. I’m not sure you do.
Lets both wait and see if this comes to pass in 2008. If we haven’t heard about it by June, I’ll figure it won’t happen. I’ll even date and bookmark this page so I remember to come back and have a good laugh at whomever ends up being wrong.
I’ll state categorically for the record:
Microsoft WILL NOT dump the xbox360 for a new system with a new CPU architecture that is a derivative of the Cell processor released in Q4 2008.
Ok, lets get comfy and see what happens.
@ used cisco
Not June. There will be a formal announcement about 4 months prior to launch. Sometime in mid-August.
@ used cisco
Um…
Toshiba just bought the rights to manufacture the CELL microprocessor for 1 Billion dollars. Then they announced that they were currently developing the XBoxHD. Did they do that for their health?
I know you have to try and justify you purchase, but come on usedcisco, wake the F up!
I don’t have to justify anything. I just have to come back here in, mid august you say? Very well. See you then. In the mean time, reread my statement.
Microsoft WILL NOT dump the xbox360 for a new system with a new CPU architecture that is a derivative of the Cell processor released in Q4 2008.
Don’t be so naive.
Why not? You clearly are. Lets have one big naive party in August shall we?
I’ll be here. Hope to you see you around and we can discuss your reasons why its not happening after all. You should start creating them now. Can’t wait to hear them! It sucks that I’ll have to wait 9 months, but I have a feeling it’ll be worth it.
@used cisco
Think about it for just one minute; Microsoft pays Paramount to support HD-DVD for 18 months, which is just enough time for them to release the XBoxHD. The XBoxHD needs a processor, so Toshiba (co-developer) buys the rights to produce the CELL (or a chip with the same design) for 1 Billion dollars from Sony. Days arter the purchase a Toshiba exec tells the press that M$ & Toshiba are currently developing a new XBox, going into great detail about the components, features and even launch date of the new system. A few days after that interview, Toshiba recants the interview. Then, a few days after that, Toshiba recants their original recant, stating that they would just rather make no comment and they won’t deny or confirm a new XBox.
Then you have my track record. Reporting to a beat writer from 1up that the XBox Elite was in development. When did I break that you ask? Late January 2007. Almost 6 months before it’s release. Now I’m not saying I have inside information just because my company has accounts with Toshiba, Microsoft & Activision. All I’m saying is, wait until August 2008.
@used cisco
Think about it for just one minute; Microsoft pays Paramount to support HD-DVD for 18 months, which is just enough time for them to release the XBoxHD. The XBoxHD needs a processor, so Toshiba (co-developer) buys the rights to produce the CELL (or a chip with the same design) for 1 Billion dollars from Sony. Days after the purchase a Toshiba exec tells the press that M$ & Toshiba are currently developing a new XBox, going into great detail about the components, features and even launch date of the new system. A few days after that interview, Toshiba recants the interview. Then, a few days after that, Toshiba recants their original recant, stating that they would just rather make no comment and they won’t deny or confirm a new XBox.
Then you have my track record. Reporting to a beat writer from 1up that the XBox Elite was in development. When did I break that you ask? Late January 2007. Almost 6 months before it’s release. Now I’m not saying I have inside information just because my company has accounts with Toshiba, Microsoft & Activision. All I’m saying is, wait until August 2008.
oops! sorry for the double post.
Mistake
“Think about it for just one minute”
I did, and for longer than the one minute it looks like you did.
“Microsoft pays Paramount to support HD-DVD for 18 months”
We don’t know WHO paid paramount or even how much. Its two separate figures for Paramount and Dreamworks animation. This is still pretty much rumor, even though its a very LIKELY rumor. People assume MS was behind a lot of it, but Toshiba likely paid as well. Its not as simple as you try to make it sound.
“The XBoxHD needs a processor, so Toshiba (co-developer) buys the rights to produce the CELL”
Toshiba was already part of the Cell operation in conjunction with Sony and IBM. Sony is/was hurting financially and Cell development and production is partially to blame because its so expensive. They needed to offload some business losses and Cell was one of the businesses that got chopped. Toshiba simply bought out Sonys interest in the project. The chip they are developing based off Cell is called the Spurs Engine and isn’t even half as powerful as the Cell, utilizing only 4 SPEs to the Cells 8 and clocking in at only 1.5Ghz (in beta) compared to the Cells 3.2Ghz. Its unlikely this would be a chip that MS would utilize especially considering that the performance would be so much less than whats in the xbox already and due to different coding for it, would likely make existing 360 games unplayable. MS spent BILLIONS to beat sony to market with the 360. It doesn’t make much sense that they would throw that market share lead away by releasing a new system that may or may not be able to play existing games.
“Days after the purchase a Toshiba exec tells the press that M$ & Toshiba are currently developing a new XBox, going into great detail about the components, features and even launch date of the new system.”
I don’t recall the “great detail” in this “announcement”. As I recall, what was rumored was that MS and Toshiba were working on a set top box version of the 360 with a built in HD-DVD drive HD tuners and wireless, which they very well might be, even in the time frame you mention, but this had NOTHING to do with dumping the current 360 and replacing it but rather Revving the SKU to add additional features such that it could be sold in a new niche, much like the niche Sony is in with the PS3. In this scenario the existing 360 SKU would likely still be sold in addition to the Toshiba designed set top box.
“Then you have my track record. Reporting to a beat writer from 1up that the XBox Elite was in development. When did I break that you ask? Late January 2007.”
Do you have a source for this? Engadget and Gameinformer are routinely credited with breaking that story, not 1up.
“All I’m saying is, wait until August 2008.”
Oh, I will. I will.
It’s crazy how clueless one person can be from your very first sentence to you last.
M$ paid Paramount. $150 million. 50 of which went to Dreamworks.
1.Sony was hurting financially? Their year-end stock report was in the Black! Did they falsify their stock report?? LOL
2.”The CELL was one of the businesses that got chopped.” LOL! Since you are completely clueless about ANYTHING, let me let you in on some info; Every single piece of electronics that is developed… EVERYTHING! That means chips developed by NASA, Chips developed by Intel, Chips developed by Sony, IBM, TECHTRONIX, China, Japan, EVERY SINGLE Chip, microprocessor, processor, is sold a year after it’s release. EVERYTHING!
3.Toshiba DID NOT own the rights to produce, manufacture or change the design of the CELL microprocessor. Toshiba ONLY took part in the development of the CELL which Sony paid for. They now own the rights to do anything except sell the rights to another entity.
Cisco, you’re so clueless about everything that I can’t even fathom how someone like you actually made it through life as far as you did. You’d figure someone that dumb would have at the very least crossed the street at the wrong time and was hit by a car. Everything you write is beyond moronic. On second though you are insulting to morons.
Do you get your propaganda from some butt buddy M$ fanboy site or do you just think of it on the fly?
Mark this down on your calendar:
Jan 7th 2008 – Warner Bros chooses Blu-ray
August 2008 – M$ announces the XBoxHD
Late Nov – Mid-Dec 2008 – XBoxHD Launches
Feb 2009 – Paramount releases BD
“M$ paid Paramount. $150 million. 50 of which went to Dreamworks.”
Sorry, I stopped reading after that sentence. If you are so stupid that you don’t even know who got how much (100 million went to dreamworks NOT Paramount you jerk), I can’t be bothered to read the rest of your blather. See you in August.
@ used cisco (more like used rubber)
Sorry boy, but how the $150 million was never confirmed by any party. It is all speculation. Some say $50 million went to Michael Bay. Some say it was a $100 million, %50 million split with the majority going to Paramount. Some say it was 100/50 spit with the majority going to DWorks. No one on the outside actually knows how the money was divided.
But that’s not the point anyway. The point is, M$ paid-off Paramount to keep HDDVD alive until Christmas 2008.
Sorry, it didn’t work. Maybe they should go to plan “B”.
Hey Superdynamite,
Boy were you ever wrong. No XBOX HD? What? Sorry.
Hey Superdynamite,
Where is my XboxHD that was supposed to launch holiday 08? You know, the one with blu ray? I hope your paper on Philosophical Derivatives wasn’t as horribly wrong as your supposed insider info on the “new” xbox.
HAhahahahahahahaha…..cough….haha.
Still waiting on the XBOX HD. Also, it looks like you were wrong about the PS3 too. 2 years later and its STILL not the lead platform for most games. Look at Platinum Games distancing themselves from the shoddy port of Bayonetta.
http://www.ps3center.net/news/3860/platinum-games-distances-themselves-from-ps3-bayonetta/