|
Week of October 23, 2005
Quake 3 Xbox W.I.P. update: Tremors are starting...
>> From carcharius.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
...must be a quake (or 3) on the way!
It goes something like this, I sent a preview beta to a few people at the weekend and so far have had 0 (yep none) major issues reported. This could just mean that no one's tested it yet ;) but I know that's not the case.
So, things are looking on target for the release date I have in mind. In fact there are only a very few things left to be done.
I'd like it if everyone kept in mind that the first release will be very much a beta, the main emphasis has been on getting the main game of Quake 3: Arena to work. Meaning that I can't say for sure what mods etc will work or how well they might work.
I also hope that the results of the project are not a disappointment to some people, it's been (and is) a solo effort with me devoting as much times as I can spare to it.
Let the countdowns begin...
UPDATE: The question has been asked - is this going to be released as a whole game package or just an xbox executable?
The answer to that is - it's not going to be a whole game package (it's not just an xbe either mind)
You will need the data files from the pc version of Quake 3, you will also need to have the v1.32 point release updates. Also if you have any intentions of trying to play online you will also need a valid Quake 3 cd key.
So if you want to play it and don't have the necessary data files etc, you might want to nip out and see if you can find a copy of Quake 3 for the pc to buy!
[/QUOTE]
Microsoft hauled into court in piracy case
>> From seattlepi.nwsource.com:
[QUOTE]
The former drummer for the defunct rock band Ink & Dagger has filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit against Microsoft Corp., alleging that the company improperly included three of the band's songs in the "Amped" snowboarding video game for the Xbox console. In a court filing in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, the drummer, Ryan McLaughlin, says he is "outraged that my artistic integrity has been so brazenly violated."
Microsoft spokesman Jack Evans said the company is reviewing the situation. "Microsoft respects intellectual-property rights and enters into licensing agreements for music and media in our games and other products," Evans said.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: seattlepi.nwsource.com, theinquirer.net
XBConnect update and x64
>> From xbconnect.com:
[QUOTE]
We have released minor updates to both the skinned and non skinnned XBConnect(info). These updates fix a couple interface bugs reported by our users. Auto update will take care of installing this update for you. Our full installer of the skinned version includes two new Windows Vista skins as well.
XBConnect and 64 bit windows. We have some good news finally. We have our 64 bit driver for XP x64, and 2003 x64 (even works with SP1 in 2003 x64). I'm in the very early stages of testing its performance and writing an interface into XBC. Release date: when its done.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.xbconnect.com
Download: here
SpiderGX OS v1.12 and SpiderGX Customizer v1.0b
>> As announced yesterday Team SpiderGX released their new SpiderGX OS(info) for the SpiderGX modchip today, together with a fixed version of the SpiderGX Customizer(info) a PC tool that will allow to have customized text (language) in the OS:
[QUOTE]
* SpiderGX OS v1.12
This new bios update mostly includes graphical corrections. More explanations will be available later (if necessary). This new bios also comes with new functions such as Multilanguage support that allows you to change the SpiderGX OS menu in several languages other then English. The new WebOS version interface has been selected for it's great simplicity and efficiency for you to easily use these new functions.
* SpiderGX Customizer v1.0b
This new version has a few functions added to solve some incompatibility problems.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.spidergx.com
Download SpiderGX OS v1.12: here
Download SpiderGX Customizer v1.0b: here
My Xbox and the all new Xbox.com forums are online
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
A few moments ago, we brought another piece of the Xbox.com and Xbox Live up upgrade online. "My Xbox" and the Xbox forums are now available for everyone to check out and enjoy. Do you have an Xbox Live Gamertag already? You can now go in and start setting up your profile in preparation for your Xbox 360. We also have an enhanced ‘My Friends' section, along with ‘My Achievements' (which won't be very exciting until people start playing Xbox 360 games!) Also, when you go to post in the Xbox forums...your gamercard will be right there next to your Gamertag (which is also your forum name.)
Click here to set up your profile (if you are already gamertag linked.)
P.S. If you don't have a gamertag, you can sign up for one and reserve it for your Xbox 360 experience.
[/QUOTE]
Microsoft Makes A Forecast For Xbox 360 Sales
>> From mercurynews.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft forecast that it will sell about 4.5 million to 5.5 million Xbox 360 video game consoles in the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2006. That's the first indication of how many units the company expects to sell as sales kick off in North America on Nov. 22.
That may seem like a lot, but it's a conservative number. After all, Microsoft is launching in all three markets simultaneously. It has lined up three contract manufacturers to build the boxes, and IBM lined up Charetered Semiconductor as the second source for its Xbox 360 microprocessors. You would think that with all that firepower, Microsoft would be able to sell three million at the launch this year and even more in the subsequent six months.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: mercurynews.com
Gamestop Xbox360 Final Release Date List and USK hints
>> From gamersreports.com:
[QUOTE]
We here at GR have gotten a hold of the computer printout of the Xbox360 release dates from the Gamestop computers. We are told these dates are final as of today, and the source is reputable. Will it happen? Things are always subject to change, so who knows, but with only 3 weeks or so left, we are betting you can bank on most of these dates. Click on the news title to view the image and decide for yourself. *Note: OLC Means Online Content, you will see it next to some games. This means downloadable content, or so we've been told.
[/QUOTE]
Check out the Gamestop list on gamersreports.com
Thanks to Gotti^ for the news/link.
From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
GamesIndustry.biz has learned that the website for USK, Germany's videogame ratings board, is displaying a list of all the Xbox 360 titles it's been testing since the end of August.
While developers can submit betas for testing, they must have exactly the same content as the final version - which means all games on the list are completed or near to completion, and are likely to launch alongside the 360 when it hits Europe on December 2.
There's one title that's conspicuous by its absence: Rare's much-hyped shooter, Perfect Dark Zero.
[/QUOTE]
Check out the list on gamesindustry.biz
Microsoft Reports Increased Earnings, Gradual Xbox 360 Launch
>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
Tech giant and Xbox parent company Microsoft Corp. has announced its financial results, revealing revenue of $9.74 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2005, a 6% increase over revenue of $9.19 billion for the same period in the previous year. The company's profit grew to $3.14 billion this quarter, compared to $2.53 billion in the previous year, up an impressive 24%.
The company's full financial results revealed broken-out statistics for Microsoft's Home and Entertainment division, which includes the Xbox division, and which saw a slightly increased loss of $141 million on revenues of $525 million, compared to a $138 million loss on revenues of $634 million in the same fiscal quarter last year. Particularly interesting was the note that: "In the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, Xbox revenues declined $132 million or 34% due to lower console volumes and lower games revenue driven by fewer software title releases."
Chris Liddell, CFO at Microsoft, spoke to news agency Reuters on the rate of the Xbox 360's roll-out. While not giving precise details, he commented: "The analysts were expecting more of a launch spike than we were," saying that he expected a "more gradual ramp toward" meeting revenue targets, presumably due to a lower volume of available Xbox 360 consoles than some analysts were previously estimating, and perhaps indicating there may be more severe Xbox 360 shortages than some have predicted this holiday season.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: official pressrelease, gamasutra.com, bloomberg.com, gamespot.com.
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Thursday 27 October 2005 23:39 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SpiderGX Customizer Software
>> Team SpiderGX released a new PC tool that will allow to have customized text (language) in the upcoming release of SpiderGX OS(info):
[QUOTE]
This new software comes along with a new version of our SpiderOS that has Multilanguage support.
The SpiderGX Customizer allows you to modify text in the SpiderOS menus. It will create a file that is recognized by the SpiderGX chip and it will be loaded thanks to the SpiderGX WebOS.
The file "french.gx" is already available and allows you to change your SpiderGX OS menus in French. Other languages will be supported shortly. If you create your own files, you can send them to Team SpiderGX so we will add them on our website http://www.spidergx.com.
[/QUOTE]
Note: The new SpiderGX OS v1.12a that will load these .gx files is currently in final testing and will probably be released tomorrow (friday).
Official Site: http://www.spidergx.com
Download: here
neXgen v2 Progress report
>> Here's a new update from Team XOS about their neXgen(info) v2 project:
[QUOTE]
Here is a quick progress report on neXgen v2. There is no release date at this time but hopefully it won't be too long before you can all try it out.
Features:
* Full xbe launching
* FTP Server
* FTP Client
* Xecuter(info) 3 support including X3Lcd
* Xbox remote support
* Autoupdate
* Screenshots
* Xbox hardware control (LED, Fan, etc)
* Multi-mode screensaver (Including matrix effect)
* HDD formatting and locking/unlocking support
Whats left to do:
* Finish replacing music playback functions
* A massive load of work on the skin engine (too much to go in to here really . .)
* Finish HTTP server
* Some sort of forced confirmation popups on specific functions, for example, when formatting harddrives or changing eeprom settings
* config file loading and saving needs cleaning up
* An awesome amount of testing and no doubt debugging
* lots of other things I can't remember . .
KeelBug has been doing some work on a nice skin or two so hopefully we can include some better skins with this version. There is also talk of including a custom version of Team Xored's excellent trainer engine.
Anyway, back to coding . .
[/QUOTE]
Unlock Xbox Hard Drive Without HDDKey
>> From teamxecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
Ever had an Xbox hard drive which didn't work as it wouldn't unlock and you didn't have the original eeprom / xbox to unlock it ?
Well it seems one of our forum members has found a utility which removes ata passwords from a huge list of compatible hard drives and we have had many members test this with 100% success.
The downside at the moment is that you have to buy a "recovery licence" for a small fee but when you have a 160GB drive with all of your data thought to be lost it seems almost irrelevant.
For more information check out this link on the Team Xecuter(info) forums:
http://www.teamxecuter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36274
[/QUOTE]
Xbox.com 'My Xbox' and forums preview
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
While we have a brand new version of Xbox.com... the upgrade is not complete. We still have the ‘My Xbox' area and the Xbox forums waiting in the wings. I grabbed a couple screenshots of what some of the new stuff will look like when we open up that part of the site. We're still a few days away from turning them on, but as soon as I know when we are turning those features on, I'll let you know.
[/QUOTE]
More Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/majornelson/
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Thursday 27 October 2005 13:17 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Some Xbox 360 Security Details Emerge
>> Here's some info about the Xbox 360 security (and more) from Microsoft's Accessible Technology Group (ATG)/XDS site. It was posted on IRC/EFnet.
[QUOTE]
* Yes, MUs [Memory Units] have security. Secure hashing is done automatically on any region mounted with XContentCreate, including memory units.
* Yes, there are additional safeguards in place that will help prevent Xbox 360 from being modified. Stack memory, for instance, is non-executable, which makes buffer overrun issues more difficult to exploit.
* Much effort has gone into Xbox 360 security. However, there is no such thing as a perfectly secure game console, and you should continue to employ secure coding techniques. Don't assume that data coming from the network, from the hard drive or from the MU is safe. It's not. Use the new safe CRT functions (e.g. strcpy_s). Use the /GS compiler flag. Use _SECURE_SCL. The only time you should avoid these types of security features is in the rare inner-loops where the performance impact outweighs the security benefit.
* I'd love to go into detail on all the Xbox 360 security and anti-piracy measures, but there's no need to give crackers a head start. Let's just say that you could write a fascinating book on the technical details at every level from the silicon on up.
* I am not sure how much information we are releasing about the filesystem itself. however, XContent is secure against file tampering, as it uses signed hashes. XContent packages are independent of the filesystem on which they are stored.
* Final dvd specs:
Dual-layer, 3.5 GB layer
15 MB/s outer edge, 6 MB/s inner edge
110-115ms average seek, 240ms full stroke, 140ms 1/3rd stroke
75 ms laser refocus for layer change
* As you know, we have begun replacing/refreshing the Xbox 360 Final Dev Kits and Final Test Kits we sent to your studio that had CPUs incorrectly clocked at 2.8 GHz. Until we have additional 3.2 GHz Final Dev and Test Kits, we will be shipping you what we call "Wired Demo Kits".
The functionality of these units is noted below. Ultimately, ALL 2.8 GHz kits will be replaced with Final Dev Kits and Final Test Kits, but until they are available, these demo kits should be used. These kits are to be considered XDKs and are absolutely covered under the XeDK License Agreement. After the launch of Xbox 360, we will be providing you with shipping labels to use to return the Dev and Test kits clocked at 2.8 GHz, as well as the Wired Demo Kits. Note that these kits have a label on the back identifying them as a "Demo Kit". If you would like to add your own label to more clearly identify these kits a such, please feel free to do so.
The 'Wired Demo Kits' specifically, as oposed to the Final HW, do not have the extra sidecar on the side, (which includes the USB PIX debugger connection) so no kernel debugging, no DVD emulation and no USB PIX functionality.
* Reference link for Common C++ Performance Mistakes in Games:
http://www.gdconf.com/archives/2004/isensee_pete.ppt
* Xbox 360 Media Setup page:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/pcsetup
[/QUOTE]
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Thursday 27 October 2005 00:38 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
New SpiderGX Bios Coming Tomorrow
>> We received news from the SpiderGX Team:
[QUOTE]
The release of new Multilanguage bios with skins functionality will be available for download tomorrow. With all tests being successfully done, we will finish the development of an exciting software that will allow anyone to customize their SpiderGX chip at will.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.spidergx.com
Buy SpiderGX Modchip: Divineo USA/CAN, Divineo FR/Europe, Divineo Asia
Xbox 360 Controller Light Mod
>> The Microsoft Windows division released the Xbox 360 wired controller last week ... and here comes the first mod for it!
Llamma posted a 'blue light mod' for the Xbox 360 wired controller on his website:
[QUOTE]
Llamma's first Xbox 360 mod is completed and we are very pleased. Take a look at the first blue lighted Xbox 360 button controller around; with blue status LED's as well. I was surprised that the actual xbox jewel/360 button was not lit up in any fashion right from the box. Instead four led's surround the jewel to indicate which player/port you are; but they don't really light up the 360 button very well. Also the four led's are only on when you first plug it in, then only one will stay illuminated to show what player you are. This really eliminates any of the light the button may have been picking up when all four were on :(
We'll we can change that ;) Out with the old green... in with the new blue and always ON!
[/QUOTE]
Tutorials:
* Disassemble Xbox360 Wired Controller
* Xbox360 Controller LED wiring tutorial
More Info/Pictures: llamma.com.
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Tuesday 25 October 2005 20:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XBXCreator v1.0b
>> Tayior7 released the first public version of XBXCreator. From readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
XBXCreator is a new GUI application created for skinning the xbox dashboard. It simply converts an image file into a xbx file compatible with the dashboard. Unlike any other similar tool, this one supports transparency in tga, png, and similar file types listed below. Also supports batch conversion.
NOTE: all files must first have valid dimensions! A valid dimension for an xbx file is any exponet of 2. (1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512,etc...)
Supported file types (note: not all fully tested!):
tga*, crw, png*, vda*, cr2, ppm, icb*, jng, pbm, vst*, jpg, pgm, bmp, jpeg, pnm, rle, mng, pfm, dib, mrw, pam
* alpha channels supported
Todo:
* add: support for tiff files
* add: support for gif files
* add: automatic image resize
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by tayior7
Download: here (needs java and bundler.exe (not included - MS copyrighted)
News-Source/Full Readme: xbins.org / e-mail
dvd2xbox 0.7.1
>> WiSo released a new version of dvd2xbox(info).
What's new/fixed:
* fixed skinning function in game manager: relX,relY now working for menu 2222 (Bug Report FT440)
* skin engine: fixed ${fileprogress} and ${allprogress} no filled with the percentage for the actually file copied and the whole disc (Bug Report FT496)
* updated to XBMCs libdvdcss version 1.2.9
* fixed ACL function RM. Now supports placeholders ? and *. Example: ${DEST}\fo?.x* (SF#1184873)
* file manager: action menu also available via START
* skin engine: added startup.xml for the startup screen
* added screenshot functionality (press left thumbstick)
* skin engine: added widthpx for the text item to specify width in pixel
* added support for the remote control (Feature Request FT443)
* fixed a bug in the ftp client which causes copy failures when copying dvd2xbox-]dvd2xbox (Bug Report FT488)
* added ACL files: The Incredible Hulk:Ultimate Destruction and NBA Inside Drive 2004 (NTSC)
* added new Project Mayhem 3 skin by Jezz_X as default skin now - Original graphics by Chokemaniac
Official Site: http://dvd2xbox.xbox-scene.com
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download Sourcecode: here
News-Source/Full Readme: xbins.org
More About Xbox 360 CPU From Fall Processor Forum
>> We already reported earlier that IBM would talk about the Xbox 360 CPU at the Fall Processor Forum, an annual gathering of chip engineers taking place Oct. 25-26 in San Jose, Calif.
You can now find more info in the official press release from IBM here and from an interesting article on mercurynews.com:
[QUOTE]
IBM is announcing today that it has brought aboard Chartered Semiconductor as a second source to make the PowerPC microprocessors for the Xbox 360. Microsoft asked IBM to find a second source as part of its agreement to use IBM's designs in its new console instead of Intel's. Those who are old enough to understand the importance of second sourcing should recall the original IBM PC. Back in 1981, IBM asked Intel and Microsoft to provide the heart of its new computer. Microsoft was the sole developer of the operating system. We all know the consequence of that decision. But on the chip side, IBM asked Intel to find a second source for its microprocessor. Intel turned to Advanced Micro Devices, and the artifacts of those big decisions are still around today. It's why Intel has a competitor in the x86 microprocessor business.
With the Chartered deal, IBM will still make the Xbox 360 chips in its own factory in East Fishkill, N.Y. But James Comfort, an IBM vice president in charge of the business relationship with Microsoft, said that Chartered's first 300-millimeter factory, fab 7 in Singapore, is now manufacturing Xbox 360 microprocessors.
Now Microsoft is getting chips from both of the factories in support of its worldwide launch.
Comfort said that IBM was willing to go to greater lengths than Intel in customization because the Xbox 360 plans were a good match for IBM's chip design services strategy.
Ilan Spillinger, an IBM distinguished engineer who ran a lot of the design implementation effort, said that IBM was willing to create custom instructions for Microsoft's microprocessor.
IBM also worked with Microsoft to create a custom bus for the chip, allowing for a highway of data to flow directly between the CPU and the graphics chip. The proprietary bus can move data at a rate of 21.6 gigabytes per second, compared to 4 gigabytes a second in a PC.
"It's not just a new variant of the PowerPC," Spillinger said. "It's a change in the instruction set. Our willingness to play around with the core of the chip shows what we would do for the customer. It's truly a custom microprocessor."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: mercurynews.com and pressrelease.
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Tuesday 25 October 2005 16:01 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
First 360 on Xbox Live - Xbox.com and Live Back Online
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
* Moments ago, we brought the very first Xbox 360 onto Xbox Live. Here is a screenshot to prove it. Click on the image above to see a larger version.
* After a long 26 hours, Xbox Live is now back online after the scheduled upgrade. In addition, the all new Xbox.com is also now open for business. Swing over and have a look around. Kick the tires and see what the teams have been working on.
Great job to the entire Xbox Live team who did an extraordinary job that we'll all really appreciate on November 22nd.
Remember, the official Xbox forums and the ‘My Xbox' sections are not online yet... they'll be coming online sometime in the next couple of days. Of course when I get a better sense of the time, I'll give you a heads up.
Until then... enjoy.
Check out the all new Xbox.com
[/QUOTE]
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Tuesday 25 October 2005 12:32 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Revolution to Launch Worldwide in June 2006?
>> From spong.com:
[QUOTE]
Nintendo will ship the Revolution console in June of 2006, it was revealed to SPOnG overnight, with technology and manufacturing partners letting slip Nintendo's plans for a shock global launch.
"As of early October this year, we had agreed with all key partners that a global ship date of June 2006 was achievable," said one of SPOnG 's several sources associated with the Revolution manufacturing process. "Nintendo will get the launch in Japan and America and Europe as close as possible. It will be like the Xbox 360 launch, only tighter."
"Everyone at Nintendo in all territories is now focusing on a global launch in June of next year," another highly-placed source told us yesterday afternoon, under terms of anonymity. "The European launch might slip into July, but that's it. Everyone at Nintendo has been briefed for this date and the official release schedule everyone is working to shows Revolution down for June 2006; this is simply a matter of fact."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: spong.com
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Tuesday 25 October 2005 11:59 EST) - (Category: OffTopic) - (Posted by::
)
Inside IBM's Xbox Chip
>> From businessweek.com:
[QUOTE]
IBM is keen to improve its reputation for manufacturing semiconductors after Apple earlier this year said it would begin using chips from Intel starting in 2006.
To prove its chipmaking mettle, IBM is showing what its new Xbox chip is made of -- literally -- on Oct. 25. (tomorrow) the outfit will make the disclosure at the Fall Processor Forum, an annual gathering of chip engineers taking place Oct. 25-26 in San Jose, Calif.
The [Xbox] chip was developed specifically for Microsoft, and as such IBM won't sell it to any other customers. That's in contrast to the arrangement for IBM's Cell Processor, which is going into Sony's PlayStation 3 console but is also being used in other specialty computer systems.
Analyst Kevin Krewell of Instat/MDR, which is hosting the Fall Processor Forum, says the new IBM chip shares much of its lineage with the Cell Processor and other chips in the PowerPC family that have come before. "The basic core at the heart of this chip is very similar to that in the Cell Processor," Krewell says. "There's definitely some design re-use going on here."
Microsoft loses money on every first-generation Xbox it sells. New versions of the product will be managed with a much closer attention to cost. "IBM was given a size and a cost to shoot for, and IBM put as many cores in and as much performance as it could in within those boundaries," says Krewell.
IBM's Vice-President James Comfort said the company sped up its development cycle to meet Microsoft's demanding timetable. IBM's Engineering Technology Services unit kicked development into high gear, cutting a process that would have normally taken 30 to 36 months down to 24 months. That meant making sure there were no mistakes made along the way. "We paid extremely close attention to detail in our design practices," Comfort says.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: businessweek.com
Spread News: PermaLink
| Add us on: Twitter - Facebook - RSS
(Tuesday 25 October 2005 00:22 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft Reveals True Nature of Hex168
>> The purpose and prizes of 'Hex 168' were already kinda revealed last week because of the small 'Rules and Regulations' link added at the bottom of the page. But today Microsoft came with official info.
From IGN.com:
[QUOTE]
Xbox confirmed today the true nature of the mysterious online competition that has grabbed the imagination of web surfers and game enthusiasts across the Internet and spawned a flurry of message board activity. "The Sign of the Hex" was created by Microsoft and 42 Entertainment to be a fun, tongue-in-cheek contest to engage the gaming community in the weeks leading up to the launch of Xbox 360.
Visitors to the site www.hex168.com are introduced to the fictional character "Dr. Jason Q. Lutz" (a specialist who has dedicated his career to analyzing the phenomenon known as "Hex 168") and are enlisted as "fellow truth-seekers" in the quest to research and catalog this anomalous global occurrence. In the spirit of the outlandish stories and farcical photos appearing in supermarket tabloid the "Weekly World News," entrants are asked to submit photos or short videos capturing "manifestations of the power of hex" which are posted on the site for public voting. Entrants have until November 4th to submit entrees and voters have until November 7 to rate each individual evidence submissions as "Hexed or Not" and determine the semi-finalists. A panel of pre-qualified judges will then determine the grand prize winners in each category.
A total of 360 grand prize winners will be chosen from the competition. The prizes are a veritable gamer's dream come true:
Hex 168 Grand Prize:
* A three day/two night VIP trip to the not-yet-unveiled Xbox 360 Launch Event in November
* Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming console-- received six full days before launch!
* Copies of three top Xbox 360 games - "Perfect Dark Zero," "Project Gotham Racing 3," and "Kameo: Elements of Power"
* (1) year Gold membership to Xbox LIVE
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.hex168.com
Read More: IGN.com
Microsoft Confirms Issue With 360 Wirless at Kiosks
>> From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
I just received an email from Microsoft confirming that they have indeed been having issues with their Xbox 360 kiosks because of wireless interference. Apparently the 360's wireless system can interfere with a store's network-based inventory managment system.
They say that a solution was developed within 24 hours of the problem cropping up and that they are in the process of rolling out the fix.
Here's the company's official line and a Q&A:
* Q: I heard Xbox 360 is interfering with retailer's inventory system; what's going on?
* A: Our Xbox 360 retail kiosk program rolled out this week and we encountered some minor wireless interference issues that are specific to some retail environments. Since the advent of 2.4 ghz signals, such as those found in next generation consumer electronics like cordless phones, wireless routers and now, Xbox 360, some retailers have discovered that their network-based inventory management systems can be impacted by products using modern wireless signals. While retailers are constantly updating their internal management systems, sometimes new products being introduced into the market can cause this kind of temporary interference. We are working closely with our partners to provide a software solution that mitigates this problem within their retail environments. Adjustments and tweaks to kiosks of any kind are quite common once they're deployed in a live retail environment and we consider making such adjustments a standard part of the launch process.
* Q: How can I be assured that Xbox 360 isn't going to interfere with other wireless devices in my home?
* A: This issue is specific to the equipment used in a few retail environments. Xbox 360, like portable phones, wireless network routers, and Bluetooth devices emit radio frequency operate in the 2.4GHz band. Microsoft has one of the most robust testing programs in the industry and has ensured that Xbox 360 meets all FCC/ETSI requirements and rules for operation in the 2.4GHz band. It is possible that devices that do not comply with FCC/ETSI rules of operation in this band may not properly handle interference from other 2.4GHz sources. Such devices would be extremely rare in a home environment.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: kotaku.com
Halo Enhanced For 360?
>> From 1up.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft has been at a severe disadvantage with backwards compatibility between Xbox 360 and Xbox because of the vast differences in terms of hardware creation, but no one's really considered the possible advantages of that situation. Bungie Studios, however, seems to be the first breaking word on this.
"We're going to have more to tell you about how Halo one and two look on 360, and it's all good news," says the company.
Rumors have been flying backwards compatibility would add 720P support for HDTVs, in addition to cleaning up frame rates and texture issues, but no one at Microsoft or Bungie's made anything official.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: 1up.com
Xbox 360 clashes with wireless devices at Wal-Mart ... More
>> JoyStiq posted a new article today with more reports from Wal-Mart employees and visitors that the Xbox 360 (custom wireless 2.4Ghz interface?) might be interfering with wireless devices in use at Wal-Mart. Some of our Xbox-Scene visitors also reported similar problems in a previous news item.
From JoyStiq.com:
[QUOTE]
There's no reason to get worried about the Xbox 360 launch date (there, we recognized the elephant in the room), but the breadth and frequency of these reports point to a compatibility issue between the Xbox 360 and Wal-Mart, at least. Anyway, click "continue reading" for all 8 reader reports:
* 2.4 RF will screw with the Symbol handhelds which are pretty much the backbone of Wal-Mart day to day business. That's probably why they shut the consoles off. Even wireless speaker system demos that run on 2.4 will screw things up. -- bb
* I work at walmart.... the truth is that the 2.4ghz interferes with our "Smart"system. nation-wide all walmarts had to stop using the pa system, because costumers complain, so 360's 2.4 is a scapegoat. at my store we use wireless home theater systems as our excuse -- BugX
* I work at a Wal Mart here. We had a problem like this too. But with us it crashed our SMART system, which made all handheld terminals not function. Those handheld devices use a wireless network to function and somehow it interfered with that. -- Charlie
[/QUOTE]
Read More Reports on JoyStiq.com.
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2005-10-23 CVS build
>> T3CH released a new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info).
This T3CH-compile is a BAREBONE package (with just a few thirdparty scripts and with just the default skin) compiled with XDK v5849.
Here's the full changelog since the 2005-10-17 CVS release:
* added: alac (apple lossless audio codec) support to paplayer. shares dll with the aac codec.
* added: experimental support for multiple paths in my music bookmarks.
Only hard drive, samba, and xbms paths are allowed, any other are removed when the config is read. DO NOT USE COMMA SEPERATED PATHS. the config MUST be as follows since comma is a valid smb and xbms character:
<bookmark>
<name>Music</name>
<path>E:\Music</path>
<path>smb://workgroup;user:pass@someserver/music</path>
<path>xbms://anotherserver:1400/music</path>
</bookmark>
* added: Support for D3D Visibility testing from plugins.
* fixed: memory leaks and startup lag in the aac codec - thanks to arnie pie!
* fixed: playlists button found in my music files window
* fixed: aac codec failed for he-aac.
* fixed: fatx limiter is now applied to directory names as well - thanks to soepy.
* removed: sidplayer. obsolete due to the paplayer sid codec.
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not a official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
You can add more scripts and skins yourself if desired. You can download them from allxboxskins.com, xbox-skins.net and xbmcscripts.com.
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Full Changelog/Xbox-Scene Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download SourceCode: here
Abomination W.I.P. News
>> Abomination is a new program in development by farklem. From what we can see from the screenshot it looks like a windows application that will allow you to connect to your Xbox and perform several actions (browse HD, reboot xbox, shutdown xbox, launch executable, delete/rename/hexedit file, ...)
From farklem.com:
[QUOTE]
I have been working on a new xbox modding app called Abomination. I will post more info about it soon but for now here is a screen shot:
[/QUOTE]
Halo 2 Map Resigner X Beta 1
>> TfAv1228 released the first beta version of 'Halo 2 Map Resigner X', an Xbox application to resign Halo2 maps.
Bugs:
* Only 90% of what should be showing onscreeen is showing
Future Function:
* Resign All Maps With A Key Combo
* Resign A Map To Its Origional Encryption
* Any Other Realistic Suggestions
Official Site: http://www.farklem.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org and E-mail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
