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Week of October 3, 2004
Dash2GAM v2.0
>> Version 2.0 of Dash2GAM(info) - a modified MS dashboard - has been released.
From 2Gam on gueux.net (translated from french to english):
[QUOTE]
Finally version 2.0 is out. I hope this version will suit you.
Changelog (since v1):
Bugs fixed:
* tHc clock panel visible during DVD playback in 16/9 mode.
* HDD disc made 2Gam run slower.
* Unable to password prtoect a file of the HDD menu if it was not given in [Applications] section.-Wrong controller mapping after screensaver has been activated while music copy.
Added:
* Textures and materials changing ability under some skins.
* Skin manager.
* Memory X availablefrom any menu.
* Direction and rotation speed of the 3d structures on main screen.
* Direction and rotation speed of main screen.
* Importance and rotation speed of the cellwall.
* Background imagecan beused for all screens or not. The background image will change under each screen if turned on.
Known Bugs:
* Various problems under dvdplayback.
* Loss of image skins.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by 2Gam (official forums)
Download: n/a (contains MS code)
News-Source: gueux.net (thx to fff)
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(Saturday 09 October 2004 20:01 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XBConnect 4.1 build 413
>> A new version of XBConnect(info) - XBox Tunnel Software - has been released.
From xbconnect.com:
[QUOTE]
XBC 4.1.413 has been released. This new build takes the next evolutionary step in tunnel development by eliminating the need for an external packet driver. Everything is now contained in one executable. No winpcap, No DLLs. Fine, what does that mean? Well, after a few weeks of testing we found that, overall, lag was reduced and CPU utilization was reduced.
1. Removed winpcap packet driver.
2. Fixed IRC names refreshing too much. Could cause lockups in Main chat.
3. Fixed buddylist status with IRC.
4. Added a 'Live content' filter for the games
5. Added idle server shutdown
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.xbconnect.com
Download: here
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(Saturday 09 October 2004 18:51 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Gentoox Resctoox v1.1 *updated*
>> From gentoox.shallax.com:
[QUOTE]
Because I have had so many emails about people flashing their TSOP/ Modchip to Cromwell(info) without knowing what they're doing - only to find out they cant get back to their beloved illegal BIOSes... I have created Resctoox. Its a 12MB download (so not even dialup users can complain) which loads an absolutely minimal version of Linux which has not only the power to debug your Gentoox installation, but also it can reflash your BIOS uses a simple script called "reflash".
This boots from Gentoox Loader(info) or from Gentoox Media Center(info). I will not provide support for this tool - I have verified that it works - there is no chance of it failing to boot as it does NOT use DHCP (you are always assigned 192.168.1.13 as your IP) - sometimes DHCP can fail when your clock is not set correctly. If you can't get it to work, I'm afraid the problem is on your end.
Enough of my blabbering, if you need it.. go grab it from here. As always, read the manual!
*UPDATE* Yes, already v1.1... no, v1.0 WASNT broken, I just wasnt happy with some of the text formatting ;)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://gentoox.shallax.com
Download: here
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(Saturday 09 October 2004 13:06 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Scene Tool BETA - More info to help out
>> From ThE-LyNX on kernelbase.com:
[QUOTE]
An explanation of the points in Scene Tool(info).
A better explanation of what we hope to achieve with Scene Tool has been posted in the forums. Have a read and hopefully you will be able to help out.
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 08 October 2004 22:48 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
The New Xlink Kai coming 16/10/04 at 00:00gmt
>> From TheDaddy on teamxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
Well, it's been a while - I'm sure you'll agree. We promised an awful lot at the start of this project - now thanks to the dedicated work from our staff, and the undying support from our users, I'm happy to annouce that in 8 days time you're gonna get your hands on the finished product.
When the Kai autoupdate occurs for this release, you will be using not only a completely redesigned packet handling system - including, thanks to members of the XR8D community, an extremely fast WinPCap replacement, but the new Advanced Orbital servers - developed over the past few weeks. The new software will make playing *any* console over Kai a much better experience - XBox users will enjoy bigger, less laggy games - and Gamecube owners will finally be able to *play* the games they've spent the BBA money on - as opposed to using stopwatches to figure out if the framerate is 10 or 20fps. Playstation 2 owners will find Kai a more than suitable place to get online with GT4 :)
Now, we decided that once we were happy with the stability of the orbital mesh, we would commit to bringing Kai to different platforms. This begins next Saturday, with the initial release of the Kai for Linux engine - courtesy of ^S^. Being completely portable, other platforms will follow - I'm currently working on a UI for OSX - a UI which is up to the visual standard our Windows users are accustomed to.
Also, a quick message for Xbox dashboard / homebrew developers. We've kept you waiting *far* too long, promising a comprehensive SDK / API specification for implementing kaiUI - you will get this SDK on Saturday. On behalf of all Avalaunch(info) / XboxMediaCenter(info) using Kai people - thanks for what you've provided us with - I hope this package will enable you to extend your kaiUI support even further.
Also set for next Saturday, the release of Kai's new WAP interface. Remember that useless rubbish on your mobile phone - where you can browse sports results, and other useless crap like that? Well, we've actually found a use for it - you're gonna be able to browse Kai's news, ladders and calendar.. organise matches with other members, search for gamers in your area, manage your contact list, see who's online - and much more. All from your mobile phone :)
So, for all the users who've been with Kai for any length of time, we owed you this. While alternative providers dodge the issues, shy away from comparison, or just plain old invent a whole cart-load of bullshit - just to distract people from the fact that this community rocks *so much* harder, we keep it simple. We're a piece of tunnel software - no more, no less. We just happen to want to make a good job of it.
Every single user who uses this system should be proud of what they have created in the last few months - these new tools are the next step for Kai - enjoy it.
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 08 October 2004 19:06 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
DOSXBox v4 HCl-BETA
>> From readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
Updated DOSXBox(info) to use the latest cvs dosbox sources (8 oct 2004, 0.62+)
Compatibility increased, it might've gotten a lot faster too, haven't tested its speed.
BETA cause some keys are still broken, and i haven't tested it extensively.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by HCl (hydrochloric -AT- flashmail.com)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Friday 08 October 2004 17:13 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Team Xecuter Announces Xapt3r + X3 Control Panel and Tutorials news
>> From teamxecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
As a continuation of our development we are pleased to reveal our next product the no solder adapter for X3 - the XAPT3R.
As you can see its a completely new design unlike any other no solder adapter on the market.
Using state of the art clear compound and mould injection process we have been able to create the most advanced no solder adapter to date.
The XAPT3R will be backwards compatible with the X2.6 and will work perfectly on all v1.0 - v1.5 models of Xbox.
Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse of our progress.
More Pictures: pict3 - pict4
Other News.
The First "real" production model of the X3 Control Panel was delivered this week - you may have seen exclusive pictures on Xbox-Scene.com. Some tweaks are being made (adding USB ports and cleaning up any color/material matching issues) - Of course there will also be the clear crystal and green crystal versions too.
We're working hard on some fresh tutorials on X2.6 and X3 - still making some tweaks - here is a rough draft of the X3 v1.0 - v1.5 Pin Header Tutorial
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 08 October 2004 15:58 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Renesas Announces Dreamcast On A Chip
>> Not really Xbox news, but still interesting as many Xbox owners have or had a Sega Dreamcast. From ExtremeTech.com:
[QUOTE]
Officials from Japan's Renesas, which assumed control over the development of the SH processor from ST Microelectronics on Sept. 28, announced the SH3707 embedded processor at the Fall Processor Forum here today. The SH3707 combines both an advanced SuperH core and a PowerVR graphics core, the components found in the original Dreamcast.
Specifically, the Dreamcast console contained a 200-MHz Hitachi SH4 with the capability to perform 360 million instructions per second (MIPS) and 1.4 million megaflops, or floating-point operations per second. The Dreamcast also contained an NEC PowerVR2 graphics chip.
The new SH3707 uses a faster 540 MIPS/2.1 gigaflops engine, with a 64-bit interface to memory. The core also contains a PowerVR MBX chip, a core that Imagination Technologies has licensed to Intel and Texas Instruments, among others.
Renesas officials said they actually designed the chip with game consoles or other entertainment devices in mind, although they didn't announce any customers for the chip.
"Our goal was to accomplish second-generation (console) performance and first-generation cost," said Mitsuhiro Miyazaki, the project deputy manager for Renesas, based in Tokyo.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on extremetech.com.
Who knows, maybe one day we'll get a portable 2nd-generation backwards-compatible Dreamcast like suggested on slashdot ;)
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(Friday 08 October 2004 15:20 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
EA: Xbox2 late 2005, PS3 mid-2006
>> Another 'confirmation' that the Xbox 2 will probably be in the stores late 2005 in USA and that the Playstation3 won't be there before mid-2006 (in Japan?).
From GamesIndustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Electronic Arts' CFO Warren Jenson has told an investment conference in the USA that the company currently expects the Xbox 2 and PS3 to launch within six months of each other, in a window beginning in late 2005.
While Jenson did qualify his statements by saying that EA doesn't have all the information about the launches as yet, and that the information they do have isn't perfect, his comments will be seen as further confirmation of the widely rumoured Xbox 2 launch timescale.
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 08 October 2004 09:43 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
(USA) Contest offers advance copies of Halo 2 as prizes
>> From GameSpot.com:
[QUOTE]
Xbox has teamed up with Mountain Dew and 7-Eleven to offer contestants a chance to win copies of Halo 2 more than a week before it hits stores on November 9. Hopefuls can enter the contest via a mailed entry form or an online entry form at 7-Eleven’s Web site (USA only). Winners will be declared on or around October 28.
One grand prize winner will receive a five-day trip to the 2004 Spike TV Video Game Awards, an advance copy of the limited edition Halo 2, an Xbox, an Xbox Live Starter Kit, and a one-year subscription to Xbox Magazine.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on GameSpot.com.
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(Friday 08 October 2004 00:14 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
BlackstormX Version 2.0 Preview Info and Screens
>> From BlackstormX.com:
[QUOTE]
I think its about time you guys got a sneak peak at what 's been going on over the last few months ...
BlackStormX(info) v2.0 is more of a complete rebuild than a mere advancement of upon its predecessors. 100% of the code in 2.0 was written by BSX. There is no thc code anywhere in the dash. In order to bring you the most powerful M$ based dash, everything has been redone...everything. Forget everything you've seen in BSX 1.0 and 1.1...2.0 is gonna kick some ass when we release this beast.
Our new team member Yoshihiro (also of Gueux.net), has been working around the clock to bring you most functionally enhanced xbe to date.
* First is a screenshot of the fully featured FTP configuration panel ...
Our FTP supports DHCP , full configuration from the in dash ftp menu , reliable and fast transfers plus shortcuts to essential folders.
* Next up , we have individual item locking, i.e to keep the kiddies away from GTA3 (without the annoyance of having to lock the entire menu).
Click here to view screenshot.
These are just two of well over 30 new features of BSX 2.0.
We appreciate the support of our users who have waited patiently for 2.0 and promise to not disappoint anyone. We would also like to thank Gueux.net, the best french source for xbox news, and our sponser Mr. Modchips for helping keep us coding. Stay tuned for more updates.
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 22:13 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox Live Arcade Hands-On
>> From xbox.ign.com:
[QUOTE]
Xbox Live Arcade, available November 3, is one of Microsoft's more intriguing ideas for expanding Xbox Live's reach. Here's how it works. You order a free launcher disc from Xbox.com (expect a $5 shipping and handling charge). Once you have the disc, you can go onto Xbox Live and check out all of the currently available games, which are separated into different categories.
Games aren't free and will cost between $9.99-$19.99. Some of these are for single games, which you can play as often as you like after paying the one-time download fee, or can be a package of games. There's a Namco Arcade Classics package, for example, which includes Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, and Galaga, so you pay one flat fee (the pricing has not yet been confirmed, but will be at least $9.99) and can play the games from this package as often as you like.
While Live Arcade is a good idea, there are a few concerns. First, if you are going to play someone online, both of you need to have purchased the games package. That leads to the second concern -- cost. A $10 minimum for something like the Namco Arcade package seems a little steep. The thought that the package could end up as much as $20 makes me wonder who came up with this price point? Will gamers lay down that kind of cash for old school arcade games, board games, and newly-created mini-games? That remains to be seen. I do know that most expected the price to be $5 a package, but that's not happening.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on xbox.ign.com.
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 21:04 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
ccXgui v1.41
>> [XC]D-Ice released a new version of ccXgui(info) - a Graphic User Interface for the famous XboxMediaCenter(info)/XboxMediaPlayer(info) Media Stream server ccXstream.
What's new/fixed:
* Changed the About tab. Updated information and added pictures and links
* Small updates to the dll file
!!REMEMBER!! do NOT select both FULL and SMALL install!
Official Site: http://ccxgui.xboxmediacenter.de
Download: here
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 19:25 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Scene Tool Beta 0.01
>> From ThE-LyNX on kernelbase.com:
[QUOTE]
Here you go folks another tool for you to play with...
Although still very much in BETA Scene Tool allows you to move the existing models within the XBOX startup animation (only X2 4981 supported at min but will sort others very soon)
We are releasing this now so that YOU can help US discover what all 320 of the points do.
Scene Tool works is a very similar way to Xbox Text Changer(info) (XBTC) (yes unfortunatly you will need to do some hex editing, dont worry tho its only cut & paste).
Anyone that used XBTC will already be familiar with this.
Please post all Bugs, Sugestions, Discoveries, etc ... to the Scene Tool forum.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.kernelbase.com
Download: here
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 17:02 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
(USA) Xfire and Xbox Live Team Up for Extreme Gaming Giveaway
>> From Yahoo!Biz:
[QUOTE]
Xfire, Inc. today announced that Xfire, the leading online PC game platform, and Xbox® Live(TM), the world's only console games service, are teaming up to give Xfire gamers and Xbox Live gamers a chance to win some high-end gaming prizes. Members of both Xfire and Xbox Live will be given the chance to win an extreme Xbox Live prize package that includes an Xbox, two years of free Xbox Live service, assorted Live-enabled games, a Spherex speaker system, an Xbox networking wireless-G adapter, and a Halo® 2 Plantronics headset. Those same members can also register for a chance to win a high performance Compaq X GX5000 series Gaming PC complete with 17" flat screen monitor.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on Yahoo!Biz.
To register for the Xbox package go to xbox.com (USA only).
To register for the Compaq X Gaming PC go to xfire.com (USA only).
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 13:52 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Crystal Boxes Flood UK (Europe): 99GBP incl. 3 games
>> From TeamXecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
Reports that M$ have now stopped production of Black Xbox and are now manufacturing all cases in the popular Crystal format in preperation for the Christmas bonanza.
UK stores have so far been flooded with a new Crystal Pack at only Ł99 (or 149EUR ... about 175USD) including 3 free games - Dark Angel, Splinter Cell & XIII
All boxes are the v1.6 version - get em while they are hot!
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 07 October 2004 10:25 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
neXgen News Update: Skin Screenshots and 3DSMax Help
>> From bucko on xboxopensource.com:
[QUOTE]
Hi all, I uploaded some more skin screenshots from our xbox-scene thread, take a look in the 'new nexgen skins' in the gallery.
If you think you're good at skinning have a check through my thread and contact HoRnEyDvL via the contact page on the site.
Some of the skins are looking fantastic btw, though I’m pretty sure these are for beta2 I haven’t had a chance to test them all out yet so you won’t be able to download them for a while. BTW no ETA on beta2.
Also taken from another thread at our lovely xbox-scene forum:
"Hey guys. We at Team Xos are looking for people that will be able 2 aid us with some model work for nexgen.
So if you any good in 3dsmax & think you can help us out then leave a reply bellow & also a demo of something u have made in 3dsmax & we will contact you asap."
If you think you can help please reply to the thread!
Also check out our CVS site for screenshots of beta2
[/QUOTE]
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 22:31 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2004-10-06 CVS build
>> A new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info) has been released today.
What's new/fixed (since 09-25 build):
* added: Initial Symbols support to the virtual keyboard.
* added: new tag to XBoxMediaCenter.xml to allow the controller deadzone to be adjusted
* added: Extra checking for errors + debug info to thumbnail creation
* added: Listcontrols can have <align>center</align> tags. This should be the default unless a specific text alignment is necessary.
* fixed: scrolling text in fadecontrols ignored the width parameter when TTF fonts are used.
* fixed: Virtual keyboard didn't center properly
* fixed: [ 1040425 ] XBE titles don't show correct
* fixed: [ 1039240 ] "Out of Memory Error" switching between pictures/slideshow
* fixed: PAL60 startup for emergency recovery console
* fixed: List/Thumbs page indicator didn't show total # of pages.
* fixed: XBMC wouldn't run if AVAlaunch or X3 bios etc. set the EEPROM mode to PAL60 - XBMC detects this and launchs in NTSC mode, as without full PAL support that's all you get. Change the eeprom setting back to PAL_I if you want PAL.
* fixed: List control - up/down arrow didn't work as expected.
* fixed: fanspeed was being restored on exit when no fanoptions enabled.
* fixed: FileTimetoSystemTime debug assertion fail
* fixed: truncation of chinese charactor long file name in joilet format
* fixed: display performance when TTF font was selected
* fixed: my music, sorting in artist window was wrong
* fixed: musicdatabase, artists/genres with a ' in the name where not saved correct
* fixed: [ 987004 ] Cancel doesn't work from remote when streaming
* fixed: Remote control not functioning properly when XBMC is loaded
* fixed: [ 1013492 ] vobsubs display incorrectly, but work in mplayer 1.0pre5
* fixed: [ 1026946 ] Back did not work in My Programs when Flattening was off
* fixed: [ 1034835 ] CDrip to mp3 not include year and genre field
* fixed: Buttons on subpanel caused issues
* fixed: IMDb lookup could fail if the plot had no html tags in it.
* fixed: <align>right</align> didn't work for buttons
* fixed: [ 1031023 ] Problem with little .wav (like 5 seconds lenght) Caused by tracks being truncated a few secs with HQ resampling on.
* fixed: green videowindow & calibrationscreen after stopping a video
* fixed: flickering subtitles in videowindow & calibrationscreen
* fixed: [ 973403, 1011171 ] flickering 'video playwindow', Windowed video still shaking
* fixed: [ 1034556 ] Picture playback holds when playing music
* fixed: Albums Icon view had text alignment problems.
* fixed: Volume bar was offscreen in PAL60 modes
* updated: German language file
* changed: my music, albums whose first artist is the same is and album of this artist now
* changed: my music, scanning now deletes the old scanned data first before rescanning
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Download binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 18:44 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Freakdave News: Surreal FDB v3, XPEDIA
>> From freakdave on freakdave.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Hey folks. I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I've been very busy with university stuff till lately.
Nevertheless, I found some free time and used it to change some stuff and add some filter modes to Surreal64(info) FDB. There are still some bugs floating around in v3, but I'm very confident that I'll have them fixed by the end of next week.
Besides, I've started a new project called XPEDIA. Currently it uses Lantus' SDLx libraries, but I'll also try to get this running on the OpenXDK(info). I'll reveal more information on this project soon...
[/QUOTE]
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 15:11 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Connect PSP with Xbox?
>> From sengamer.nl (translated from dutch to english):
[QUOTE]
It was already known previously that the Playstation Portable (PSP) could be connected to PC and Playstation2. On PC you can exchange media files and on PS2 the connection can even be used to exchange gamedata. There are now internal documents, written for game developers, that say it will also be possible to connect Sony's PSP to the Xbox.
Experts labelled this feature as 'strange, but smart'. That the PSP could be connected to a concurrent game system sounds unbelievable. 'Independant game developers like Electronic Arts, Atari and Ubisoft could now give their Xbox games the same PSP-link possibilities as their PS2 version'.
[/QUOTE]
Note: This info is NOT confirmed by Sony or Microsoft.
News-Source: sengamer.nl and gameconnect.info
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 12:19 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Gates confirms plans for Xbox Live spectator modes
>> From GamesIndustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Comments made by Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates during a lecture at the University of California, Berkeley, have confirmed that the company is planning to add spectator modes to Xbox Live in the future.
It's expected that the system will not only allow users to spectate on games but will also provide additional graphics and displays, similar to a sports TV channel.
However, it's still not clear whether Xbox Live TV will be implemented in titles for the current Xbox platform, or if it's planned as a feature for the next-generation Xbox console.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on GamesIndustry.biz.
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 11:31 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Halo 2 Pre-Orders Reach 1 Million *updated*
>> From TeamXbox.com:
[QUOTE]
About one million copies of Halo 2 have been pre-ordered, the Seattle Times has reported. This pre-sale figure makes the Halo sequel the highest presale in the history of videogames.
So far, Microsoft has sold 5 million copies of 'Halo: combat evolved' and with a month to go before launch of the sequel (and already having one million copies pre-ordered), the sky is the limit for Halo 2 sales.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on TeamXbox.com.
*Update* From GameSpot.com:
[QUOTE]
To wit, the story's report that more than 1 million presales have been recorded for Halo 2 is "premature and speculative," said the Microsoft rep. Official numbers have preorders for the highly anticipated sequel at 750,000 units.
Whether or not this constitutes "the highest presale in the history of video games" is also disputed. Some reports put preorders for 2002's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City at more than 4 million, but Microsoft asserts that to its knowledge, the title "did not presell more than 1 [million] units." The discrepancy probably arises from the two different definitions of "preorder." One definition involves retailers' orders, while the other involves customers whose money has been put down in advance of a game's release.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on GameSpot.com
Pre-Order Halo2: Amazon (USA) - Amazon (Europe)
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 10:34 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
TeamXecuter.com's Case Front Prototype 1
>> TeamXecuter.com provided Xbox-Scene with these exclusive new photos of the prototype for their new Case Front for the Xbox Shell.
More Pictures:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Official Site: TeamXecuter.com
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(Wednesday 06 October 2004 03:41 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Mac OS X running on Xbox
>> Some guys on http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~ranma1/ managed to install and run Mac OS X on their Xbox console.
It's not running natively of course, they first softmodded their xbox to get Xebian(info) Linux on the Xbox. Once Xebian is installed they compiled PearPC which is an architecture-independent PowerPC platform emulator capable of running most PowerPC operating systems (see http://pearpc.sourceforge.net for more info). They then installed Mac OS X from a darwin image file and using some specific drivers and configuration files. Detailed instructions on how to do all this is available on their site
Full details and information is available on here.
Thanks to Haloader, childsremix and the others who mailed me this story!
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(Tuesday 05 October 2004 22:42 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
X-B.I.T v1.5 news
>> From dms3.com:
[QUOTE]
We would just like to remind customers that the new X-B.I.T V1.5 requires the V1.5 software applications, it will not work with 1.0 apps. Furthermore, the user will no longer have to snap the seal or write protect tab, since each piece is pretested with Linux BIOS before shipment, therefore we snap the tabs during testing and before the X-B.I.T's are packaged ready to be shipped. This is a change in procedure since the 1.0 days, to ensure that each X-B.I.T functions 100% correctly.
[/QUOTE]
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(Tuesday 05 October 2004 19:24 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft Gets Pushed To Use HD-DVD In Xbox2
>> From xbox.ign.com:
[QUOTE]
Xbox 2 may make use of the HD-DVD format, if some Japanese electronics giants have their way. Today, at the CEATEC Japan technology exhibition, now ongoing at the Makuhari Messe convention center, just outside of Tokyo, a manager at NEC revealed that his company is working to get Microsoft to use the format in the successor console to Xbox. A separate interview with Toshiba president Tadashi Okamura revealed a similar course for the electronics giant, with Okamura stating, in reference to HD-DVD, "We'd of course like them (Microsoft) to use it."
Both Toshiba and NEC are strong proponents for HD-DVD (High Definition Digital Versatile Disk) becoming the successor to DVD. The format is in competition with Blue Ray, which is backed by Sony and a number of other companies. This move would seem to be a direct counter to recent news that Sony Computer Entertainment plans to incorporate Blue Ray into its PlayStation 3 console. Interestingly enough, Toshiba is actually working with Sony on the Cell processor, a key component of the PS3.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on xbox.ign.com.
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(Tuesday 05 October 2004 11:29 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Peter Moore About Xbox2
>> From xbox.ign.com:
[QUOTE]
Commenting on the next generation, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Peter Moore says, "We'll not repeat these mistakes next time." Microsoft plans to learn from the mistakes, and will be starting Xbox 2's design from scratch, making it smaller and simpler. Moore plans for strong software from the start, along with titles targeting the Japanese market. Also, Moore reveals once again, "We will not be later than our rivals."
Moore also reveals one hint at progress on game development for the next generation system. Apparently, the company has already finished distributing support tools for game development to software companies. It's unclear if these are specific Xbox 2 development tools, or just tools to get started with work on machines that reflect the Xbox 2's planned specifications.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on xbox.ign.com.
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(Tuesday 05 October 2004 11:21 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
OpenXDK v0.04 Released and Compiles Doom Demo!
>> After almost 2years of silence ... we now get a new version of OpenXDK(info) - the Open Source, Free and Legal Xbox Development Kit. OpenXDK is being developed to facilitate legal hobbyist and "homebrew" coding for the Microsoft XBox.
From edwardaux on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
After a long hibernation, OpenXDK has finally released some more code containing a number of fairly major changes. Highlights include:
* Migration to a GCC-based toolchain. It now compiles using the Cygwin GCC compiler. Unfortunately, as much as it would have been desirable to support both MS and GNU toolchains, the practicalities are such that the MS compilers are no longer supported. Sorry! (Although, theoretically, you should be able to compile your application using the MS compilers and link in the GCC-compiled OpenXDK libraries.)
* It now contains a complete libc replacement (thanks to newlib.) This means that 99% of the normal stdio, memory, sprintf, et al routines are available.
* Multimedia support is provided using the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) and supports video, joysticks and event handling. Video is currently limited to 640x480 or smaller. Only one joystick/pad is supported (but that is expected to be fixed soon.)
* To demonstrate the capabilities of the current OpenXDK framework, the SDL port of Doom (without sound or networking) is able to be compiled and executed. You will need to find a DOOM1.WAD (shareware) and put it in the root of your XBOX's C drive.
* Sound and networking are currently not supported. If you have experience in interfacing with the NVidia nForce MCP-D chip at the hardware/driver level, please get involved!
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://openxdk.sourceforge.net and http://www.openxdk.org
Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download: here (sourcecode (CVS))
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(Monday 04 October 2004 22:59 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XboxDashNext Bug Bash Beta v1.1
>> A new 'Bug Bash Beta' version of Xbox Dash Next(info) (tHc Final) has been released.
What's new/fixed:
* Changed configuration to all run from one directory now
* Added cache of xips in cache partition so you can edit zips via XDN ftp while dash is running( thx for the idea Crackin! ;)
* Added "System" dir in app dir - this will house the main ini's and system files the only one you ever need to change anymore is xdn.ini - this contains your current skin and network settings
* Changed "DashData.xbx" to "default.xbx" - this is the file already set for you to access in scripts with GetValue and SetValue and is where the current set of xips/xaps gets and saves data to/from.
* Fixed that annoying "flipped wrong way" icons in HD menu - made a new mesh for it - simplest fix ;P
* Added icons on cube or on screen for hd menu - push Left and Right on the thumb - you'll figure it out ;P
* Changed xbe search to only find "default.xbe" and "trained.xbe" for those of us that like our trainers ;)
Official Site: http://www.xboxdash.net (IRC: #xboxdash EFnet)
Official Forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
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(Monday 04 October 2004 20:51 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
New XLink Kai Preview
>> From prestige on xr8d.net:
[QUOTE]
Today, I’ve had the privilege of beta testing the next client update for XLink Kai(info) with a number of my fellow XR8D crew and members of the SS Clan. Simply put, the advancements in overall performance were staggering. I was blown away.
One of my home systems has a Celeron 2.4G with 256M of RAM. In the past, this little beauty ran pathetically when I tried hosting more than five or six people in RainbowSix 3 on Kai. My CPU usage hovered aound the 80% mark during games and the lag was unbearable. Running the new update, I hosted 8 people on this same system with CPU usage between 16-20%. Now that’s an improvement. So I decided to push it a little further. I started Icecast on this same system with 2 streams running and continued hosting. Again, no lag; fast start times. Was my Celeron box just having a good day? We put the new Kai client to the test on a number of different servers. X5 (who we suspect is using dialup – sorry bro) hosted an eight player game with no real lag. It was incredible.
For those who are wondering, what makes this ‘update’ a significant milestone in Xlink development is their movement away from WinCap aside from from some enhancements to the client interface. My brief tests this evening suggest the improvement is somewhere in the 80-100% performance range; meaning, it’s approximately twice as fast. Who would have thought that by listening to user’s requests and working for the benefit of everyone (not just those who pay you) you could create the best console gaming tunnel available? Team Xlink. Nice job boys. I can't wait for the public release.
[/QUOTE]
Go read the full article including an interview with TheDaddy of Team XLink on xr8d.net.
Official XLink Kai Site: http://www.teamxlink.co.uk
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(Monday 04 October 2004 18:26 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
(Japan) New Super Bundle and Xbox Arcade News
>> From spong.com:
[QUOTE]
The Xbox Live system has proved rather efficient so far, and marrying this smooth online gaming with full-on, classical arcade experiences could do MS plenty of favours in this region. The site confirms Live features for some fairly hardcore titles, specifically: Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, SNK vs Capcom Chaos, Psyvariar 2 Extended Edition, Metal Slug 3, Guilty Gear XX Reload and Castle II. These are all serious arcade-born titles, and they are all much loved by gamers worldwide.
If this news is enough to get Japanese gamers interested in the Xbox, then the new console bundle intended for their territory on 18th November should be a deal-maker. For 19,000 Yen (about 180USD, 140EUR or 95GBP) Microsoft is offering an Xbox, a DVD playback kit, 2 months subscription to Live and 4 games: Top Spin, Halo, Project Gotham Racing 2 and Blinx 2. This could potentially be an enormous, if belated, boost to the Xbox’s popularity in Japan.
[/QUOTE]
Go read the whole article on spong.com.
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(Monday 04 October 2004 10:39 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Bungie finishes work on Halo 2, may develop new IP next
>> From GamesIndustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft-owned developer Bungie has finished work on the hugely anticipated Xbox exclusive first-person shooter Halo 2, according to the latest weekly update from the team, with the game on track for a November 9th launch in USA (11th in Europe).
"It's finished and shipped to a nebulous region known as RTC (Release to Certification)," according to the update, "where it will be dumped from eight digital tapes onto a DVD and go through some final testing."
"After Halo 2 we are planning to do something different," Bungie studio manager Pete Parsons told the BBC recently. "We will do something else and we have a few ideas."
This will, of course, raise speculation that Bungie may not be planning to do a Halo title as an Xbox 2 launch title, as had been widely expected, since for a new Halo game to be ready for the launch of Microsoft's next console - expected in late 2005 - work would have to begin right away.
[/QUOTE]
Go read the whole article on GamesIndustry.biz.
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(Monday 04 October 2004 08:21 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
UnleashX-DISK v2.0
>> A new installer disc by the guys at x-disk.com:
[QUOTE]
This is the second installer based on UnleashX(info) - (2.0 Ported by GTjays!)
Don't want to leave the UNLEASH fans out in the cold for too long!
Check out a screenshot of the mainmenu here.
Options:
* Set up new hd
* Format
* Install M$dash/Unleashx & Apps
* Flash bios
* etc. everything a good installer does today
* 3 Install Modes:
-BIG/stealth F/F
-BIG/normal C/F
-RETAIL/normal C/E
Software on UnleashX-DISK (UNXDISK) v2.0:
* Latest M$Dashboard (5659.03)
* Latest UnleashX (36_0620A)
* XBMC
* DVD2XBoX (Rip Movies/AudioCDs/Games to HD: Decrypts DVDMovies and compresses
* AudioCD to ogg or mp3)
* Complextools (Backup Games to HD)
* Xtoolbox (FtpClient/Backup DVDs)
* Linksboks 0.92 (Webbrowser)
* Some Homebrew Games & Emulators
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.x-disk.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
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(Sunday 03 October 2004 22:34 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xecuter3 Retail Sample and X2 Programmer v3
>> We received a sample of the retail version of the Xecuter3 modchip and also a sample of the new X2 Programmer. Here are some pictures already - review will follow later.
 Click Picture To Enlarge. The full X3 package. Click Picture To Enlarge. X3 modchip next to the external adapter.
More X3 pictures:
* X3 in its package
* Backside of the X3 modchip
* Close-up of the X3
Buy Xecuter3: System-Mods.com, Divineo.com, MrModchips.com, BMMods.com
  Click Picture To Enlarge.
The X2 Programmer v3 with USB cable (for power), a cable for X2.6 and a 2nd for older version of the X2.x modchip
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(Sunday 03 October 2004 15:41 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
(Europe) Three new Xbox Live starter kits
>> It looks like Microsoft will launch 3 (or atleast 1) new Xbox LIVE starter kit(s) in Europe. This news has not been confirmed by Microsoft, but all 3 products are on pre-order at amazon.co.uk.
The standard Xbox LIVE Kit will get new demos. Instead of Moto GP and Whacked you will get a demo of FIFA 2005, Outrun 2 and Rainbow Six 3. This package together with a 12month subscription will still have the same RRP of 39.99GBP (~58EUR) and will be released on October 29, 2004.
There are also two new packages with retail games although these could just be Amazon promotions and not general Microsoft offers.
Both have an official RRP of 69.99GBP (~101EUR). One will be released on October 8, 2004 with FIFA 2005, the 2nd will be released on November 11, 2004 with guess what ... Halo2 of course :-)
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(Sunday 03 October 2004 11:01 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
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