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All posts tagged "gaming"


Friday, April 27, 2007

PC, Windows Mobile, Xbox 360, and Zune in Connected Gaming?

Posted by Darius Wey in "Zune Talk" @ 06:00 AM

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=

"A gaming system including handheld devices and console devices has variable functionality and processing performance as determined by the number of components in the system. Gaming components can be combined wirelessly, by wired connections (e.g., via a docking station), or a combination thereof. The processing capabilities and functionality of each gaming component in a combination are augmented by the processing capabilities and functionality of other gaming components in the combination. To take advantage of another gaming components processing capabilities and memory capacity, each gaming component is capable of utilizing another gaming component to process gaming applications. Further, each gaming component is capable of rendering audio and/or video information provided by another gaming component. Also, a gaming component is capable of utilizing another gaming component as an adjunct processor."



This patent filed by Microsoft isn't a reference to Live Anywhere, but something much more. It suggests that one hardware component of a gaming ecosystem can utilize the processing capabilities of another connected component to fulfill a task. Imagine using your Pocket PC as a display or your Zune as a controller for your Xbox 360. Of course, all this is highly theoretical, and patents should always be taken with a grain of salt - at least, until they materialize. Your thoughts on the whole thing?


Tuesday, March 13, 2007

More Proof of Zune Gaming

Posted by Damion Chaplin in "Zune Hardware" @ 01:30 PM

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20070311/zune-games-jobs/

"Earlier this year, Peter Moore confirmed to Bloomberg Microsoft’s plans to add video gaming capabilities to the Zune by July 2008. Today, I found several Microsoft Careers job postings which provides more proof of Microsoft’s intentions to make the Zune a casual-gaming platform as well. As the posting for “Software Development Engineer in Test” posted on the January 4th 2007 states, "Zune needs you! Do you love music, movies, gaming? Are you passionate about delivering cool consumer experiences that span the entertainment space? Do you like the idea of being on a start-up team? Come join the Zune effort and help build the next generation of portable digital entertainment. Be a part of this start up team which will reshape the way people engage with their games, music, and videos. Have fun every day on this fast paced, ultra creative team and help Microsoft go big in this space!""

OK, so our current Zunes sure won't do much more gaming than solitaire, but obviously Microsoft is serious about making the Zune a full-flavored entertainment device. If you're a portable game developer, you could sure do worse than working for Microsoft. So, are you excited about gaming on your Zune, or annoyed that your current Zune won't do much more than minesweeper?

Yes, it's a slow news day. ;-)

Tags: microsoft, gaming, job

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Zune to Become Gaming Device? Perhaps Sooner Than We Think

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Zune Hardware" @ 04:28 PM

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/02/xblas_greg_cane.html

"So what exactly will you be doing for PopCap? GC: I will help proliferate their titles on other consoles. It’s a broad in scope role. It encompasses everything from vision and strategy to execution and marketing. It will all be part of my group and charter. Business development will be part of that as well. It will be about taking the stable of franchises and games out of PopCap's studio and adapting, customizing it for different platforms -- adding multiplayer, new play modes, HD, customizing the user interface and display for Zune, ipod, Apple TV, Nintendo DS, PSP. And I'll get into interesting things like custom game development for other consoles, and publishing with partners beyond the studio. The next couple years will be spent just mining the PopCap catalog -- adapting it for a stylus or a Wiimote."

We've all heard the rumours about the Zune eventually becoming a gaming device of some sort - there's really not much choice given that's what the iPod has become - but what we have above is the first real piece of evidence that this is more than just hopeful speculation. The Zune has all the raw tools to become a great gaming device - a big, bright screen at 320 x 240 resolution, a d-pad (the iPod scroll wheel is second rate for games), and buttons that would work well for gaming (they're perfectly placed). So the question is, when will we see the first Zune game, and how will it work in the ecosystem of the games? Let's explore that topic a bit...

When I was at CES, I was shown a nice presentation about Xbox Live on Windows. They've developed an Xbox Live client that allows you to play Xbox Live games on the PC (Uno, Bejeweled, etc.) The experience is completely killer - you can join in games on your PC that your friends are playing on their Xbox, and with a wireless adaptor on the PC you can even use the Xbox headset and controller. I asked about how the licensing was going to work on this - would you have to re-purchase a game you already own? As in, if I buy Assault Heroes on the Xbox and I want to play it on my PC, would I have to pay for the game again? To me, that would make the service a much harder sell - I'm not going to pay for content twice. The Microsoft person I spoke to about this said they were still trying to figure that part out, but he hinted that the odds were good it wouldn't require re-purchasing. You pay for a game once and you can play it on your PC or Xbox, as long as you're logged into your Xbox Live account.

Now transfer that line of thinking to the Zune: you pay for Uno on your Xbox, or maybe your PC, and the Zune Marketplace would allow you to transfer the game onto your Zune. Combine the WiFi on the Zune with the ability to play against others online, and you have a portable gaming machine pretty much unmatched on the market today in terms of functionality and an ecosystem. You have to think that purchasing games, and content, right on the Zune wirelessly are also part of where the Zune team is going. Suddenly the Xbox Live points system doesn't seem so crazy does it? The Zune will plug into a larger ecosystem, and that's what will make it unique against other competing devices in the market. This is exciting news!

Tags: xbox live, gaming

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Games Coming for Zune... In 18 Months?

Posted by Aaron Roma in "Zune Talk" @ 01:31 PM

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a5G_U4Wv8fZU

"Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, will introduce video games for its Zune music player within 18 months to match features available on Apple Computer Inc.'s dominant iPod. Peter Moore, a vice president in the company's Xbox video- game business, confirmed the plan yesterday, saying the Zune's large screen will offer a better way to play handheld games. He didn't specify what games would be offered."

Microsoft's Peter Moore has confirmed plans to add gaming to Zune. Good news. Unfortunately, the plan calls to add this support by July 2008. No, not 2007. 2008. As in about 18 months from now. I have been hooked on some of the fun little games that can be downloaded from Xbox live, and have been excited about the possibility of adding some of these types of games to my Zune. While I figured this functionality was on the way, I'm quite dismayed to find out it could be a year and a half before we see it. I sure hope some of the other functionality improvements I'm looking for don't take as long.

Tags: gaming

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