X-box...

[ArkiStan]

I'm not an avid game player as most of you here. I enjoy them a lot, but not enough to actually go out and buy a $300 system. I usually just borrow consoles and games from friends for a couple nights now and then. I don't own any gaming consoles and don't play computer games either.

However, with all the hype of the new consoles that have come out recently, I was curious to see how they performed. While reading through a review of the X-Box, I just found out that it plays it's games in Dolby Digital 5.1. Wow!! Movies are my life and I have spent years and money putting together a humble little home theater for myself and I know EXACTLY what good surround sound can do. It puts you right smack IN THE MIDDLE of the movie. If I can play games in surround sound too, that would be quite KICK ASS. Adventure games (the games I play/enjoy the most) such as Silent Hill 2, Resident Evil, or even Metal Gear Solid2 (if it is ever released for the X-Box) would be such an amazing experience if you sit right in the middle of the game, being surrounded by the noise of rain or explosion, or hearing things creeping up from behind you.

I've always wanted a console, but was too lazy, poor and just didn't care enough. Now I'm finally seriously considering buying one of these crazy machines.

[Booyamos]

A lot of the games I have been getting for PS2 are DTS now, which is nice, and some games have DD5.1 too. You need to use the Optical out for it, but it does sound a lot better. Playing hockey in DTS sure is nice :D

[ArkiStan]

Originally posted by Kacarp
A lot of the games I have been getting for PS2 are DTS now, which is nice, and some games have DD5.1 too. You need to use the Optical out for it, but it does sound a lot better. Playing hockey in DTS sure is nice :D

But I believe the surround sound modes for PS2 are only for the animated sequences. I've read that for the X-Box, it uses "Real-Time Dolby Encoding" which let's experience the 5.1 Channel surround sound during actual gameplay. I'm not sure though. I'll have to do some more research.

[edit] yup looks like you're right. PS2 has incorporated a similar "real-time" DTS surround encoding, and your hockey game is one of the first to use it. And SSX Tricky, the snowboarding game also has it. Does anybody know of other titles that have it? Will this interactive DTS encoding become more available soon?

[Chinpoko_Mon]

Yeah, but lest you forget that the X-Box is made by Micro$oft....

The thing is the size of a VCR.....

I work QA for a gaming company, and I've been working on a project for the X-Box. Let me tell you...the console has got problems.

Green screen of death. At least it's a nice break from the blue screen of death.....

Though I do agree that it's got some decent titles coming out for it, but I still say think it over carefully.....no really, REALLY carefully. =) Just my two cents.

[M_A_C]

Also, the Nintendo Gamecube does Dolby 5 channel surround. While not quite up to par with DD or DTS, it's still pretty cool. I have Rogue Leader, and it sounds awesome.