News HDTV displays may be required for next-gen consoles

Earlier this evening, I came across some rather breathtaking early screenshots from an upcoming game engine that is very likely to feature on the next-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft in some shape or form. Both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 2 should be available by Christmas time this year, but we don't expect the graphics chips inside these next-generation consoles to be fully utilised until the end of 2006 - unfortunately the more complex games get, the longer they take to code.

The screenshots, which are test renders, have come from an early alpha of a future EA Games graphics-rendering engine. The quality of the images isn't fantastic, but if you take a look at the quality of the models that are being rendered, you will see that the athlete's faces are cinematic in their realism. They are not photographs of athletes, they're being rendered by the next generation engine, which is codenamed Fight Night Next Gen. Our sources suggest that EA uses their game engines for any number of different titles, so we could expect this engine to be used in the likes of Madden 2007, FIFA 2007 and NHL 2007 to name a select few that are sports-based titles.

click to enlarge​

We also learnt that EA are currently making a huge push towards developing their next-generation graphics engines using High-Definition TV quality imagery. We believe that all of their future games are targeted towards the HDTV format, while we expect them to port games back to lower-density imagery for normal television sets. Unfortunately, HDTV isn't likely to be widespread here in the UK until 2007, but we do expect Sky to launch HDTV during the course of 2006. This should fall in well with EA's expected HDTV-enabled games that we expect to arrive at the end of 2006 and in to the early part of 2007.

This could also be a teaser for the next-generation desktop graphics products that are on the way from both NVIDIA and ATI, who are supporting Sony and Microsoft respectively in the console battle, as their next-generation desktop parts are said to have a similar architectural structure to the respective console graphics chips.

 

One word sumarizes this for me: Woah.

 

Not enough people have hdtv's yet, so until the prices go down a hdtv only console would be a failure.

 

until you can get a 15" HDTV, even if unreasonably expensive, the idea is idiotic. I hate it when technology firms force so-called next gen technology down your throat.

 

You can.... just good luck wiring it right. We call them 15" LCD's. Although technically you need a widescreen one for it to be official, but the 1280x720 or something resolution is the lower of the two hi-def ones.
Honestly I don't care as I gave up on consoles but those graphics do look impressive. But we just bought a new TV like two days ago... 30" widescreen Flat tube type. Not hi-def but good price and I can finally watch DVDs on component video quality Tangent returning to we're not buying an HDTV just for a console unless they become dirt cheap in the next year.

 

That looks way too real for me, i wouldnt be able to tell the difference, maybe if i saw more higher res pictures, but it still looks as though theyve just chopped his body off...man, cant wait...

 

they did at the neck

 

Ditto .

Death

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4194619.stm

Ok, so the article shows just how far us europeans are behind everyone with HDTV availability, but it seems to me that the consoles will have an HDTV option. Much Like the 60Hz/RGB options you get with todays consoles.

 

I've had my HDTV set since mid August and I'm not looking back. It's awesome. This past weekend's playoff games were amazing in HD. I find it hard to watch anything on regular TV anymore.

 

I just saw an HDTV compatible set in Comet a few days ago, and I was really blown away by the quality. To see something that's such a jump up in quality amongst all the run of the mill TVs is really quite impressive. It's the next step that's needed in console gaming... I can't wait [even though I can't really afford it right now ]

 

In my opinion the xbox is the best console right now for people with HDTV's, it blows away my PS2 in the visuals department. Neither is really all that great on an HDTV though. I've got a 56" Samsung DLP set. Really I use it more for watching HD content, DVD's and my HTPC (running MCE 2005). I've got both an xbox and PS2 hooked up to it but don't use them much these days.

 

I was taking a look at some HDTV stuffs in the states, damn I can't wait for that to arrive here

 

HSTV is pretty awesome but it's not a huge leap from standard PAL screens. I'd love for there to be a kick ass super-high res European standard that makes an even bigger difference.

 

Requiring HDTV would be corporate suicide. HDTV programming isn't even widely available here in the US even though the technology has been out for a while now. Prices need to come down and there needs to be other uses for the HDTV before they could make this switch.

 

Simple Fix:

VGA output.

Seriously folks, if you put it on your console as part of the basic package, or even give it a breakout box for it that you supply for cheap... There's no telling how many would gulp it up.

I spent a good $100 to be able to not have to add a TV to my room, because I had no space. Now my PSX [ the original playstation! ] and my computer can share a monitor while I can still sleep and do work in the same room.

Oh, and when the time comes... I will get that HD All In Wonder. When I can afford it, I mean.

 

I have an official RF adaptor for my Dreamcast. Doubtless there are RF adapters for other current-gen consoles too. Ain't no-one going to commit marketing suicide by requiring HDTV. Thankfully the console market still behaves more like the consumer electronics market than the PC market. Considering the ease of converting standard AV to RF, you'll probably even be able to use your X-GamePlayCubeBoxStation 2.3 with an old RF telly.

And yeah, it does look like a real picture of a guy's head chopped off at the neck.

Nezuji