XboxThe Microsoft Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console first released on November 15, 2001 in North America and Puerto Rico, then released on February 22, 2002 in Japan, and later on March 14, 2002 in Europe. The Xbox was Microsoft's first independent venture into the video game console arena, after having developed the operating system and development tools for the MSX, and having collaborated with Sega in porting Windows CE to the Sega Dreamcast console. Notable launch titles for the console include Amped, Dead or Alive 3, Halo: Combat Evolved, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, and Project Gotham Racing. HistoryDevelopmentThe Xbox was initially developed within Microsoft by a small team which included Seamus Blackley, a game developer and high energy physicist. The rumors of a video game console being developed by Microsoft first emerged at the end of 1999 following interviews of Bill Gates. Gates said that a gaming/multimedia device was essential for multimedia convergence in the new times of digital entertainment. In May 2000 the "Xbox Project" was officially confirmed by Microsoft. Some see the Xbox as a way to capitalize on the growing video game market, noting that the PC market growth was stagnating after the dot-com bust. According to the book Smartbomb, by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby, the remarkable success of the upstart Sony PlayStation worried Microsoft in late 1990s. The growing video game market seemed to threaten the PC market which Microsoft had dominated and relied upon for most of its revenues. As well, a venture into the gaming console market would also diversify Microsoft's product line, which up to that time had been heavily concentrated into software. The authors concluded that the Xbox project as a direct response to the upcoming PlayStation 2. Being based upon Windows and standard PC hardware, the Xbox was more familiar to developers and as a result was significantly easier to develop for in contrast to PlayStation 2's proprietary processor and operating system. The Xbox also presented a standardized alternative to the near-endless variety of end-user configurations on the PC. The Xbox even brought high-end gaming technology to the mainstream, sporting a top of the line GeForce 3 equivalent graphics processor, a built-in Ethernet adapter, and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.
SoftwareThe Xbox was featured on the cover of the November 2001 issue of Wired magazine.The Xbox launched in North America on November 15, 2001. The greatest success of the Xbox's launch games was Halo: Combat Evolved, which was critically well-received [1] and one of the best-selling games of the year. Halo still remains the console's standout title. Other successful launch titles included NFL Fever 2002, Project Gotham Racing[2] and Dead or Alive 3 [3]). However, the failure of several first-party games (including Fuzion Frenzy [4] and Azurik: Rise of Perathia [5]) damaged the initial public reputation of the Xbox. Although it enjoyed strong third-party support from its inception, many early Xbox games did not take full advantage of its powerful hardware, with few additional features or graphical improvements to distinguish themselves from the PS2 version, and this negated one of the Xbox's main selling points. Lastly, Sony countered the Xbox by making exclusivity deals for highly anticipated games such as the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. In 2002 and 2003, several releases helped the Xbox to gain momentum and distinguish itself from the PS2. The Xbox Live online service was launched with a strong lineup including MotoGP, MechAssault and Ghost Recon. Several best-selling and critically-acclaimed titles for the Xbox were published, such as Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Ninja Gaiden, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Take-Two Interactive's exclusivity deal with Sony was amended to allow Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and its sequels to be published on the Xbox. In addition, many other publishers got into the trend of releasing the the Xbox version alongside the PS2 version, instead of delaying it for months. In 2004, Halo 2 set records as highest grossing release in entertainment history [6] as well as being a successful killer app for the online service. That year, Microsoft and Electronic Arts reached a deal which would see the latter's popular titles enabled on Xbox Live. In 2005, the long-awaited Xbox-exclusive Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and Far Cry Instincts were released. Xbox LiveIn November 2002 Microsoft released the Xbox Live online gaming service, allowing subscribers to play online Xbox games with (or against) other subscribers all around the world and download new content for their games to the hard drive. This online service works exclusively with broadband. 250,000 subscribers had signed on in 2 months since Live was launched [7]. In July 2004, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live reached 1 million subscribers, and announced in July 2005 that Live had reached 2 million. Market shareSome critics were initially concerned that the Xbox would allow Microsoft to extend its dominance of the PC software market to consoles. However, as of February 2005, estimates show the Xbox's share of the worldwide console market is only moderately ahead of the Nintendo GameCube and far behind the PlayStation 2. According to company documents, Microsoft has shipped 25 million consoles to retailers worldwide at the end of 2005[8]. Although ahead of the GameCube's 18.5 million, this was far behind the PlayStation 2's 90 million (after the Xbox was discontinued in favour of the Xbox 360, the GameCube and PlayStation 2 have reached 19.8 million[9] and 100 million[10], respectively). The Xbox has enjoyed its greatest success in North America, where an estimated 13.5 million units have been sold and where it managed for a time to outsell the PS2[11]. In Europe, the Xbox's market share is currently ahead of the GameCube, but is still behind the PlayStation 2. The Xbox has sold poorly in Japan mainly because Microsoft was unable to enlist enough local developers to cater to Japanese interests. The large size of the hardware itself did not endear itself to the size-sensitive Japanese consumers. Internal documents show that the Xbox division had invested $4 billion from 2000 to 2005. [12] In particular, the Xbox hardware itself is a loss leader, since the console was sold at a loss even at its debut price. The losses deepened when sales of the Xbox increased and when the price was reduced successive times to compete with PlayStation 2 [13]. Microsoft predicted that it would not make a profit on the Xbox for at least three years. This prediction turned out to be correct; Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft's game division in charge of Xbox development, had its first profitable quarter reported in January 2005, thanks largely to the success of Halo 2[14]. HardwareThe Xbox was designed to take advantage of a slowdown in the saturated PC gaming market and incorporates a built-in Ethernet adapter. At the time of its introduction, the Xbox was the only game console to do so. Also, the console cost as much as the high-end GeForce 3 video card alone in 2001, while having comparable graphics processing power (the Xbox's NV2A graphics chipset is a derivative of the GeForce 3). Nonetheless, most of these features were not fully exploited in its first year of launch, notably the lack of Xbox Live online multiplayer. The Xbox was the first console to incorporate a hard disk drive, used primarily for storing game saves (eliminating the need for separate memory cards) and content downloaded from Xbox Live. Most of the games also use it as a disk cache, for faster game loading times. Some games support "Custom soundtracks," another particularly unusual feature allowed by the hard drive. An Xbox owner can rip music from standard Audio CDs to the hard drive so players can use their custom soundtrack in addition to the original soundtrack of Xbox games that support such feature. Although the Xbox is based on commodity PC hardware and runs a stripped-down version of the Windows 2000 kernel using APIs based largely on DirectX 8.1, it incorporates changes optimized for gaming uses as well as restrictions designed to prevent uses not approved by Microsoft. That is why Xbox is running on Real Mode and not Protected Mode as seen on Windows 2000. Therefore if the Xbox crashes, the only way to recover is to reboot the console as there is no multitasking support on Real Mode. The Xbox does not use Windows CE due to Microsoft internal politics at the time, as well as limited support in Windows CE for DirectX. The Xbox itself is much larger and heavier than its contemporaries. This is largely due to a bulky tray-loading DVD-ROM drive and the standard-size 3.5" hard drive. Because of this, the Xbox has found itself a target of mild derision, as gamers poke fun at it for things like a warning in the Xbox manual that a falling Xbox "could cause serious injury" to a small child or pet. However, the Xbox has also pioneered safety features, such as breakaway cables for the controllers to prevent the console from being yanked from the shelf. The original game controller design, which was particularly large, was similarly often criticized since it was ill-suited to those with small hands. In response to these criticisms, a smaller controller was introduced for the Japanese Xbox launch. This Japanese controller (which was briefly imported by even mainstream video game store chains, such as GameStop) was subsequently released in other markets as the "Xbox Controller S", and currently all Xbox consoles come with a "Controller S", while the original controller (known as Controller "0" or "The Duke") was quietly discontinued. Several internal hardware revisions have been made in an ongoing battle to discourage modding (hackers continually updated modchip designs in attempt to defeat them), cut manufacturing costs, and to provide a more reliable DVD-ROM drive (some of the early units' drives gave Disc Reading Errors). Microsoft extended the warranty on those first generation Xboxes that came with faulty drives and fixed them for free, unlike Sony and their first generation PS2s. Detailed specifications
Manufacturing photos can be found here. Special Limited EditionsClear Black Limited EditionIn 2001, a Clear Black Limited Edition Xbox was released in Japan to commemorate the Xbox's Japanese release. The system had a limited manufacturing run of 50,000 units, and originally retailed for ¥35'800 yen. Included with the Clear Black console was a matching Clear Black Controller S, an Xbox Component AV pack, and a key chain that had Bill Gates' signature and the console's serial number engraved in it. Panzer Dragoon Orta Special EditionOn December 19, 2002, a Panzer Dragoon Orta Special Edition Xbox was released in Japan to commemorate the release of Panzer Dragoon Orta on the Xbox. This quickly became the most sought-after Xbox to date. This Special Edition had a limited production of 999 units; however, it is rumored that there are actually 1,049 units in total. The console's special features included a white case with the Panzer Dragoon Orta logo in top's the lower left hand corner, as well as some artwork from Orta surrounding the Xbox jewel. The Panzer Dragoon Orta Special Edition was priced at ¥35'800 ($358) and could only be pre-ordered on November 1, 2002 through Sega Direct. Included with the Special Edition console was a matching white Controller S, an Xbox Component A/V cable, an Xbox Component AV pack, a copy of Panzer Dragoon Orta with its soundtrack CD, and a dragon head necklace. The Halo Special Edition Xbox released in March 2004.Green Limited EditionOn May 2, 2003 a Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox was released in Europe to celebrate Xbox's one-year European birthday. The console came with two matching Controller S and retailed for €229/£149. The styling of the Translucent Green Xbox is identical to Debug Units used in game development; of course, the retail versions lacked the words "Debug Unit" on the front of the case. The green Controller S was also sold separately. The Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox was also released in Candada and came with one matching Controller S and two games, Crimson Skies and Project Gotham Racing 2. Pure White Limited EditionThe Pure White Limited Xbox was released in Japan in February 2004.On February 22, 2004, a Pure White Limited Xbox Console was released in Japan, to commemorate the console's two-year anniversary in that country. The system had a limited manufacturing run of 1,000 units and allowed purchasers to personalize their console with up to twenty letters (Japanese characters not allowed) engraved on the case. The words "Limited Edition 2004" were also carved into the jewel of the console, and into the exclusive Controller S (right below the Xbox name). The original retail price for the Pure White Limited Xbox was ¥19'800 yen ($186) and was only available for purchase online at the Official Xbox Japan website between the dates of January 30 and February 6, 2004. Included with the Pure White console was a matching Controller S, a DVD Playback Kit, and an Xbox Live Starter Kit with a free one-year membership and voice communicator. The Crystal Limited Edition Xbox was released in Europe in March 2004.Crystal Limited EditionOn March 14, 2004, the Crystal Limited Edition Xbox was released in Europe to celebrate the Xbox's European birthday. With a price tag of €199/£139, the Crystal Limited Edition came with a transparent console and two matching Crystal Controller S. It is unknown how many Crystal Limited Editions were produced, however; later bundles were released pairing a re-released Crystal Xbox with different Xbox games and Xbox Live subscriptions. The Crystal console was re-released on October 8, 2004 in a new bundle (but with only one controller) at the normal Xbox price of €149/£99. A Crystal Controller S was also availible separately. Halo Special EditionOn March 14, 2004, Microsoft released a special version of the Xbox in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This version was translucent green and came with a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved and a matching translucent green Controller S. The console case featured the Halo logo and the words "Special Edition"; the controller had a jewel that had the Halo logo in place of the normal Xbox logo. The version of Halo that came with this bundle was identical to other versions of Halo, with the exception of a "NOT FOR RESALE" notice placed on the front of the game case. 200,000 of these Xboxes were produced. Kasumi-chan Blue EditionOn March 25, 2004, a Kasumi-chan Blue Xbox console was released in Japan. The system had a limited manufacturing run of 5,000 units, and was released simultaneously with Tecmo's fighting game, Dead or Alive Online. The translucent blue case was based on the costume of Dead or Alive's main character, Kasumi, and had "Dead or Alive Online" written in white lettering in the lower left corner of the top of the case. The original retail price was ¥22'800 yen ($215), and included the translucent blue console with a matching Controller S, a DVD Playback Kit, an Xbox Live Starter Kit with a free one-year membership, a copy of Dead or Alive Online, and a five-foot-long Kasumi body pillow. Halo 2 Limited Edition (Blue)On March 18, 2005, an Ice Blue Halo 2 Limited Edition Xbox was released in Canada and Asia. The console was translucent blue and retailed for approximately $249. Included with the Ice Blue console was a matching Controller S, and a copy of Halo 2. Mountain Dew Limited EditionThe Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox was only available through a Mountain Dew sweepstakes requiring loyal Dew-drinking Xbox fans to amass 550 points in order to "buy" the Limited Edition Xbox. The sweepstakes spanned 5 months – from April to August – in 2004. Production numbers are unknown. The Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox was neon-green colored and had a special jewel atop the Xbox that had the words "Limited Edition" and the Mt. Dew logo under the Xbox name. Included with the neon green console was one of two games: Project Gotham Racing 2 or Amped 2. Hello Kitty Crystal EditionThe Hello Kitty Crystal Xbox was released with Sanrio in Singapore, to commemorate the release of Hello Kitty Mission Rescue on the Xbox. The special edition console was translucent with a pink and orange Hello Kitty picture covering the X on top of the case. A limited production run of 550 units was sold at a retail price of S$99 (US$61), if you purchase selected Samsung LCD TVs during a promotion. Included with the Hello Kitty Crystal console was a matching Crystal Controller S and a copy of Hello Kitty Mission Rescue. Official Xbox accessoriesAudio/video connectors
Numerous unofficial third-party cables and breakout boxes exist that provide combinations of outputs not found in these official video packages; however, with the exception of a few component-to-VGA transcoders and custom-built VGA boxes, the four official video packages represent all of the Xbox's possible outputs. This output selectivity is made possible by the Xbox's SCART-like AVIP port. Networking
Multimedia
Controllers and removable storage
ScreenshotsXbox and DirectXMicrosoft's set of low-level APIs for game development and multimedia purposes, DirectX, was used as a basis for the Xbox's hardware programming. The Xbox API is similar to DirectX version 8.1, but is non-updateable just like other console technologies. Modding the XboxThe recent popularity of the Xbox has inspired efforts to circumvent the built-in hardware and software security mechanisms (sometimes in order to use the Xbox as a low cost web server), as well as to add customized design touches to the console's case (similar to PC case modding). Hardware modding can involve anything from simply replacing the console's green decorative "jewel" with a custom-designed one to opening up the case and installing a modchip. In July 2005, a 22 year old Cambridge University graduate was convicted under the EU Copyright Directive for modifying Xboxes and selling them with an upgraded 200 GB hard drive, which was pre-loaded with 80 games. This was the first conviction of its kind in the UK. (The Directive makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection systems on hardware including video game consoles). It is the first conviction since the Directive was enacted in October 2003 in the UK. He was sentenced to 140 hours community service, ordered to pay £750 costs at a court in Caerphilly, Wales, and his computer equipment was confiscated. [15][16] Software modding is much less intrusive, and only involves running software exploits to trick the Xbox into running unsigned program code. This allows running an alternate dashboard such as UIX, Avalaunch, Evolution-X or UnleashX and in turn makes playing original (free) homebrew games or various older games through arcade and console game emulators possible. This is especially attractive as the Xbox is designed to output to TVs, and high-quality controllers and arcade sticks are available for it. The original hard drive can be replaced with a larger one. Then Xbox games can be copied from the DVD to the hard disk with programs such as DVD2Xbox and PxHDDLoader, and then played directly from the hard drive. This allows the user to spare game disks from scratching and allows for faster load times. This process does require a modded Xbox using one of the alternative dashboards, and is used by scrupulous users to eliminate load times or leave their games in storage, and by unscrupulous users to play illegally copied games. Beyond gaming, a modded Xbox can be used as a media center with the Xbox Media Center software (XBMC) allowing the playing of DVDs without the DVD dongle/remote and streaming of music and video files from the hard drive or from another computer over a network. A modded Xbox can even be configured into a computer running Linux, FreeBSD, or Microsoft Windows CE operating systems. Modding an Xbox may require opening the Xbox case, and would certainly void the Xbox's warranty. Also, most internal hardware modifications will render an Xbox unable to participate in Xbox Live, which has forced many modders to use a switch that turns on and off their modifications. As of November 2004, Microsoft has been taking new actions for banning Xboxes with hard drive modifications from the Xbox Live service. One such successful use of Live to discourage modding was when the hit game Halo 2 was released, and many owners of modded consoles found out that they were permanently banned from the Xbox Live service, but was retaliated with On-Off switchable Modchips (or add-ons) and XBOX Live friendly softmods from XBOX hackers community. Probably the most legal way of modding the Xbox is replacing the whole motherboard so that you can install Linux or any other operating system designed for PC without having to hack anything. There are now sites that offer to modify the software on your Xbox for free. Modding your Xbox in this manner will definitely void your warranty, since it requires you to disassemble the console. Recently, the firmware to the newer optical drives was edited to allow signed code to play. Price historyNorth America
Europe
Oceania
Of note is the high European launch price. As with many games consoles (for example, the PlayStation series), the Xbox was launched with a price in GBP equal to its US price in USD (in this case, $/£299), and this price then converted for the rest of Europe. Obviously, ignoring the GBP-USD exchange rate in the way gives the impression of a 100% mark-up for Europe. With a price-dropped PlayStation 2 and a comparatively inexpensive GameCube as competition, many users were naturally reluctant to invest in the console. Microsoft countered with a £100 price drop (and its equivalent in the rest of Europe) some scant months after launch. To avoid frustrating early adopters, they offered a bundle containing two games and one controller for free to any purchaser who could provide a sales receipt showing the original higher price. Xbox 360Microsoft's next generation Xbox, the Xbox 360, was released on November 22, 2005. NVIDIA ceased production of the Xbox's GPU in August of that year, which almost certainly marks the end of Xbox production and the quick release of the Xbox 360 featuring a new GPU from NVIDIA's rival ATI. [17] When equipped with a removable hard drive add-on, the Xbox 360 supports a limited subset of the Xbox's library (more than 200 games at US launch) through emulation. (Games in emulation add support for the Xbox 360's higher screen resolution and anti-aliasing abilities.) These emulators are periodically updated to add compatibility for older games; these updates are available for free on Xbox Live for those with the hard drive. As the architectures are entirely different between Xbox and Xbox 360, unlike other backward compatible consoles such as the PlayStation 2, software emulation is the only viable option for compatibility. References
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[17]. Dante is forced into a missing persons case promising a 4 million reward by his business partner Enzo and sets off to find a young girl called Alice, but the "boring" case takes a disturbing twist when Dante discovers that Alice isn't all that she seems and he ends up a guest in a warped parody of the mad hatters tea party hosted by a pair of demons. NVIDIA ceased production of the Xbox's GPU in August of that year, which almost certainly marks the end of Xbox production and the quick release of the Xbox 360 featuring a new GPU from NVIDIA's rival ATI. When Code 1 starts Dante has recently purchased his demon hunting "shop" but has yet to name it, and Vergil is meeting with Arkham for the first time, all setting up the characters for Devil May Cry 3. Microsoft's next generation Xbox, the Xbox 360, was released on November 22, 2005. Code 1 has recently been released in Japan and America so we now know some of the basic story behind the manga. To avoid frustrating early adopters, they offered a bundle containing two games and one controller for free to any purchaser who could provide a sales receipt showing the original higher price. Most speculate that the mangas events are set 1 year before the events of Devil May Cry 3 based on a comment made by Dante in the game that the last time he and Vergil met was one year ago, but the manga is definitely set before DMC3 itself. Microsoft countered with a £100 price drop (and its equivalent in the rest of Europe) some scant months after launch. The manga is known to be a true part of the DMC story and serves to flesh out the background of the Devil May Cry series and fill a few of its plot holes and is not a remake of DMC3 but an all new prequel story. With a price-dropped PlayStation 2 and a comparatively inexpensive GameCube as competition, many users were naturally reluctant to invest in the console. The DMC3 manga is to be released in 3 parts, Code 1: Dante, Code 2: Vergil and Code 3: Lady, each supposedly putting the focus on the title character and their story. Obviously, ignoring the GBP-USD exchange rate in the way gives the impression of a 100% mark-up for Europe. This also works on all bosses. As with many games consoles (for example, the PlayStation series), the Xbox was launched with a price in GBP equal to its US price in USD (in this case, $/£299), and this price then converted for the rest of Europe. While Heaven and Hell mode is unlocked after beating the game on Dante Must Die!, it is made far easier due to the fact that while Dante dies in one hit, the enemies do too, allowing you to kill them effortlessly by rapid Ebony&Ivory gunfire. Of note is the high European launch price. Bosses gain defense, attack, and speed, though they lack the Devil Trigger. Oceania. Consequently, this is the mode where Devil Trigger Flux shines for its ability to kill many enemies at once. Europe. When one enemy is killed, every other enemy in the room Devil Triggers, for health regeneration, more attack, and more defense. North America. In it, the demons gain an attack boost, many number, a defense boost, in places an AI boost, and get to Devil Trigger. Recently, the firmware to the newer optical drives was edited to allow signed code to play. "Dante Must Die" is the hardest difficulty mode in Devil May Cry 3. Modding your Xbox in this manner will definitely void your warranty, since it requires you to disassemble the console. exclusive "Very Hard" Mode (later added to all versions of Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition). There are now sites that offer to modify the software on your Xbox for free. "Normal" Mode was replaced with the "Hard" Mode, and "Hard" Mode was replaced with the U.S. Probably the most legal way of modding the Xbox is replacing the whole motherboard so that you can install Linux or any other operating system designed for PC without having to hack anything. "Easy" Mode was scrapped and replaced with "Normal" Mode. One such successful use of Live to discourage modding was when the hit game Halo 2 was released, and many owners of modded consoles found out that they were permanently banned from the Xbox Live service, but was retaliated with On-Off switchable Modchips (or add-ons) and XBOX Live friendly softmods from XBOX hackers community. version of DMC3 differs in terms of Difficuly with the original Japanese game, making the it quite a bit tougher to complete. As of November 2004, Microsoft has been taking new actions for banning Xboxes with hard drive modifications from the Xbox Live service. The U.S. Also, most internal hardware modifications will render an Xbox unable to participate in Xbox Live, which has forced many modders to use a switch that turns on and off their modifications. Allows Dante to utilize a shadow to double attacks. Modding an Xbox may require opening the Xbox case, and would certainly void the Xbox's warranty. Allows Dante to slow down time while attacking at normal speed. A modded Xbox can even be configured into a computer running Linux, FreeBSD, or Microsoft Windows CE operating systems. Quicksilver and Doppleganger styles must be unlocked in order to play with them.. Beyond gaming, a modded Xbox can be used as a media center with the Xbox Media Center software (XBMC) allowing the playing of DVDs without the DVD dongle/remote and streaming of music and video files from the hard drive or from another computer over a network. Focuses on absorbing enemy strikes and projecting the energy back. This process does require a modded Xbox using one of the alternative dashboards, and is used by scrupulous users to eliminate load times or leave their games in storage, and by unscrupulous users to play illegally copied games. Focuses on techniques for firearms. This allows the user to spare game disks from scratching and allows for faster load times. Focuses on techniques for the Devil Arms. Then Xbox games can be copied from the DVD to the hard disk with programs such as DVD2Xbox and PxHDDLoader, and then played directly from the hard drive. Focuses on dodging and agility. The original hard drive can be replaced with a larger one. The four default styles, with moves, are:. This is especially attractive as the Xbox is designed to output to TVs, and high-quality controllers and arcade sticks are available for it. The biggest change is the new combat system, which allows Dante to choose one of six different styles of combat in each mission, which enable him to use special techniques related to the style's focus. This allows running an alternate dashboard such as UIX, Avalaunch, Evolution-X or UnleashX and in turn makes playing original (free) homebrew games or various older games through arcade and console game emulators possible. Many felt that Kaneko's unique design style is a little too quirky for DMC's gothic style, especially since it heavily resembled the Mantra Demon forms from Digital Devil Saga 1&2, and that his art style would rather be more fitting for enemies, as well as maybe minor characters, such as perhaps Arkham. Software modding is much less intrusive, and only involves running software exploits to trick the Xbox into running unsigned program code. The designs received mixed feelings with fans of DMC. [15][16]. The Devil Trigger forms of both Dante and Vergil were designed by Atlus art director Kazuma Kaneko. He was sentenced to 140 hours community service, ordered to pay £750 costs at a court in Caerphilly, Wales, and his computer equipment was confiscated. Devil May Cry 3 features a large arsenal, comprised of both guns and melee weapons. It is the first conviction since the Directive was enacted in October 2003 in the UK. A few examples are:. (The Directive makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection systems on hardware including video game consoles). Ironically, when the prequel to SotN, Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (LoI) was released, it was generally compared to Devil May Cry. This was the first conviction of its kind in the UK. That was the very game Devil May Cry was compared to when released. In July 2005, a 22 year old Cambridge University graduate was convicted under the EU Copyright Directive for modifying Xboxes and selling them with an upgraded 200 GB hard drive, which was pre-loaded with 80 games. The most notable Castlevania game from which the Devil May Cry series take inspiration from is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (SotN). Hardware modding can involve anything from simply replacing the console's green decorative "jewel" with a custom-designed one to opening up the case and installing a modchip. Both games have been accused to be spin-offs of each other in terms of gameplay, locations and stories. The recent popularity of the Xbox has inspired efforts to circumvent the built-in hardware and software security mechanisms (sometimes in order to use the Xbox as a low cost web server), as well as to add customized design touches to the console's case (similar to PC case modding). There are many similar traits between the Devil May Cry series and the Castlevania series. The Xbox API is similar to DirectX version 8.1, but is non-updateable just like other console technologies. In the game, Trish is basically short for Beatrice, because in italian, the trice part is almost pronounced Trish (Bay-ah-treech-ey). Microsoft's set of low-level APIs for game development and multimedia purposes, DirectX, was used as a basis for the Xbox's hardware programming. She guides Dante to a castle in Mallet Island, and later on, in the Underworld. This output selectivity is made possible by the Xbox's SCART-like AVIP port. In Devil May Cry, a female character named Trish is present in the game. Numerous unofficial third-party cables and breakout boxes exist that provide combinations of outputs not found in these official video packages; however, with the exception of a few component-to-VGA transcoders and custom-built VGA boxes, the four official video packages represent all of the Xbox's possible outputs. Beatrice is also included in the DMC series. Included with the Hello Kitty Crystal console was a matching Crystal Controller S and a copy of Hello Kitty Mission Rescue. The complete absence of God and Jesus (as well as crucifixes) is an example of that, and it is more likely that the Devil May Cry series will be further based on The Divine Comedy and religious jargon. A limited production run of 550 units was sold at a retail price of S$99 (US$61), if you purchase selected Samsung LCD TVs during a promotion. Arguably, the Devil May Cry series has many connections to Christianity, but they are not in a strict and canonical way. The special edition console was translucent with a pink and orange Hello Kitty picture covering the X on top of the case. Other examples are Agni and Rudra, Beowulf Ambrosia, Devils, Ifrit, Alastor et cetera. The Hello Kitty Crystal Xbox was released with Sanrio in Singapore, to commemorate the release of Hello Kitty Mission Rescue on the Xbox. There are allusions to many other sources, but The Divine Comedy stands as the most prominent one. Included with the neon green console was one of two games: Project Gotham Racing 2 or Amped 2. The seven deadly sins are mentioned in the game as well. Dew logo under the Xbox name. All these characters are not based in an accurate way on their historical counterparts. The Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox was neon-green colored and had a special jewel atop the Xbox that had the words "Limited Edition" and the Mt. The three women in Devil May Cry: Trish, Lucia and Lady (Mary), are all based on the three women who watched over Dante in The Divine Comedy. Production numbers are unknown. Lucia who told Beatrice about Dante, and subsequently Beatrice asked Virgil to aid him. The sweepstakes spanned 5 months – from April to August – in 2004. In The Divine Comedy, it was St. The Mountain Dew Limited Edition Xbox was only available through a Mountain Dew sweepstakes requiring loyal Dew-drinking Xbox fans to amass 550 points in order to "buy" the Limited Edition Xbox. Not to mention the character Lucia who, in Devil May Cry 2, aids Dante. Included with the Ice Blue console was a matching Controller S, and a copy of Halo 2. Although briefly mentioned in the book, Mary is a character called by Dante Lady. The console was translucent blue and retailed for approximately $249. Cerberus being the gatekeeper of the Temen-ni-gru (in the game) in the third mission, is also an example wherein comparison, Dante meets Cerberus in the third circle in Canto VI of Inferno. On March 18, 2005, an Ice Blue Halo 2 Limited Edition Xbox was released in Canada and Asia. In the book, Virgil was not evil, but his soul guided Dante through Hell, which can be seen as an aesthetic metaphor with the game, where Vergil chooses to live in Hell, and later confronts Dante in battle there. The original retail price was ¥22'800 yen ($215), and included the translucent blue console with a matching Controller S, a DVD Playback Kit, an Xbox Live Starter Kit with a free one-year membership, a copy of Dead or Alive Online, and a five-foot-long Kasumi body pillow. Vergil Sparda is a good example of how Dante in the book is close to the Roman poet Virgil; whereas in the game, he is his evil twin brother. The translucent blue case was based on the costume of Dead or Alive's main character, Kasumi, and had "Dead or Alive Online" written in white lettering in the lower left corner of the top of the case. Dante Sparda is the main protagonist of the game, whilst the author Dante is the lead character in his own book. The system had a limited manufacturing run of 5,000 units, and was released simultaneously with Tecmo's fighting game, Dead or Alive Online. Exactly like the first game in the series, this part has allusions to The Divine Comedy, written by Dante Alighieri. On March 25, 2004, a Kasumi-chan Blue Xbox console was released in Japan. [1]. 200,000 of these Xboxes were produced. The console case featured the Halo logo and the words "Special Edition"; the controller had a jewel that had the Halo logo in place of the normal Xbox logo. Official PS2 magazine (UK) announced that this special edition will not be released in Europe. This version was translucent green and came with a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved and a matching translucent green Controller S. Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition was released on January 24th, 2006 for USD $19.99 as part of the Playstation 2 Greatest Hits Collection. On March 14, 2004, Microsoft released a special version of the Xbox in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. He has only one ranged attack, "Summoned Swords," which are slower but do more damage. A Crystal Controller S was also availible separately. He has three weapons: the Yamato, Dante's Beowulf gauntlets, and the Force Edge longsword from the first game. The Crystal console was re-released on October 8, 2004 in a new bundle (but with only one controller) at the normal Xbox price of €149/£99. Vergil has only one Style, Dark Slayer, but this Style levels up more than do Dante's styles. It is unknown how many Crystal Limited Editions were produced, however; later bundles were released pairing a re-released Crystal Xbox with different Xbox games and Xbox Live subscriptions. New cinematics have been added in support. With a price tag of €199/£139, the Crystal Limited Edition came with a transparent console and two matching Crystal Controller S. Finally, the new version allows players to take the role of Vergil, Dante's brother and one of the game's main antagonists. On March 14, 2004, the Crystal Limited Edition Xbox was released in Europe to celebrate the Xbox's European birthday. The new Gold Orbs, which must be enabled at the start of the game, remove Yellow Orbs and allow infinite Continues; the Gold Orbs themselves, which must be found or purchased, revive the player instantly without resetting bosses or enemies. Included with the Pure White console was a matching Controller S, a DVD Playback Kit, and an Xbox Live Starter Kit with a free one-year membership and voice communicator. The previous Continue system was based on Yellow Orbs: if the player had one, they could begin the room over again, resetting Dante's inventory and HP but, just as significantly, resetting any enemies (IE bosses) in the area. The original retail price for the Pure White Limited Xbox was ¥19'800 yen ($186) and was only available for purchase online at the Official Xbox Japan website between the dates of January 30 and February 6, 2004. It added a new survival mode, the "Bloody Palace," which contains a total of 10,000 levels; a new boss fight early in the game; a "Turbo Mode" for 20% faster gameplay; and a new Continue system. The words "Limited Edition 2004" were also carved into the jewel of the console, and into the exclusive Controller S (right below the Xbox name). It added a new difficulty level and—perhaps more importantly—rebalanced the existing difficulties. The system had a limited manufacturing run of 1,000 units and allowed purchasers to personalize their console with up to twenty letters (Japanese characters not allowed) engraved on the case. At the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, it was confirmed that Capcom would be releasing a Special Edition of DMC3. On February 22, 2004, a Pure White Limited Xbox Console was released in Japan, to commemorate the console's two-year anniversary in that country. Finally, Dante is only allowed to carry two of his melee and firearms at once; new ones must be traded in and out at Statues of Time (shops), but during battle, Dante can switch within his inventory at the push of a button, allowing the player to add even more complexity to their combos. The Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox was also released in Candada and came with one matching Controller S and two games, Crimson Skies and Project Gotham Racing 2. Each Style may level up twice with passive experience gain, opening up new abilities. The green Controller S was also sold separately. Two more styles are unlocked by defeating bosses: "Quicksilver" turns the Devil Trigger into a sort of "bullet time," allowing Dante to freeze enemies around him and attack at leisure, and "Doppelganger" lets him to spawn a clone of himself (which can be controlled by a second player) while in Devil mode. The styling of the Translucent Green Xbox is identical to Debug Units used in game development; of course, the retail versions lacked the words "Debug Unit" on the front of the case. Finally, "Royal Guard" allows Dante to block enemy attacks, as well as "Just Guard" (which allows the player to tap Block just before an enemy attack lands to stun the enemy). The console came with two matching Controller S and retailed for €229/£149. "Swordmaster" adds one or more new moves to each of Dante's melee weapons; "Gunslinger" does the same to his firearms. On May 2, 2003 a Translucent Green Limited Edition Xbox was released in Europe to celebrate Xbox's one-year European birthday. The "Trickster" style allows Dante to leap away from enemy attacks, run up walls, and generally increases his mobility. Included with the Special Edition console was a matching white Controller S, an Xbox Component A/V cable, an Xbox Component AV pack, a copy of Panzer Dragoon Orta with its soundtrack CD, and a dragon head necklace. Dante starts the game with four fighting styles, each with its own signature moves and abilities, which are accessed via the fourth face button. The Panzer Dragoon Orta Special Edition was priced at ¥35'800 ($358) and could only be pre-ordered on November 1, 2002 through Sega Direct. With a fourth face button to take advantage of, Capcom designed a "Style" system. The console's special features included a white case with the Panzer Dragoon Orta logo in top's the lower left hand corner, as well as some artwork from Orta surrounding the Xbox jewel. DMC3 adds several new features, however. This Special Edition had a limited production of 999 units; however, it is rumored that there are actually 1,049 units in total. The game propagates older conventions such as Red Orbs for currency, Blue and Purple Orbs to extend one's Life and Devil Trigger gauges, respectively, expendable Yellow Orbs to allow the player to "Continue" (IE keep playing after all lives are lost), and comprehensive files on the game's enemies. This quickly became the most sought-after Xbox to date. When in Devil state, Dante's appearance changes (depending on which weapon he is wielding at the time), he regenerates health, and his strength, resilience and speed are increased. On December 19, 2002, a Panzer Dragoon Orta Special Edition Xbox was released in Japan to commemorate the release of Panzer Dragoon Orta on the Xbox. Dante may also unleash his devil powers by use of the Devil Trigger, which is charged by attacking foes. Included with the Clear Black console was a matching Clear Black Controller S, an Xbox Component AV pack, and a key chain that had Bill Gates' signature and the console's serial number engraved in it. The game emphasizes long strings of continuous hits (combos) and rewards the player with extra currency (Red Orbs). The system had a limited manufacturing run of 50,000 units, and originally retailed for ¥35'800 yen. Controls are simple: one button causes Dante to jump, another makes him swing his sword, and the third lets him fire his guns (which have infinite ammunition). In 2001, a Clear Black Limited Edition Xbox was released in Japan to commemorate the Xbox's Japanese release. Devil May Cry 3 continues the series' tradition of accessible, stylish gameplay. Manufacturing photos can be found here.. . Microsoft extended the warranty on those first generation Xboxes that came with faulty drives and fixed them for free, unlike Sony and their first generation PS2s. The game focuses heavily on the dysfunctional relationship between Dante and his twin brother Vergil. Several internal hardware revisions have been made in an ongoing battle to discourage modding (hackers continually updated modchip designs in attempt to defeat them), cut manufacturing costs, and to provide a more reliable DVD-ROM drive (some of the early units' drives gave Disc Reading Errors). Devil May Cry 3 takes place before the establishment of the Devil May Cry agency and before Dante is aware of his devil lineage. This Japanese controller (which was briefly imported by even mainstream video game store chains, such as GameStop) was subsequently released in other markets as the "Xbox Controller S", and currently all Xbox consoles come with a "Controller S", while the original controller (known as Controller "0" or "The Duke") was quietly discontinued. Most fans and critics agree that it is equal, if not superior, to the first game. In response to these criticisms, a smaller controller was introduced for the Japanese Xbox launch. Upon release, it was widely lamented for its high level of difficulty, which rendered the game almost unplayable, but was praised for its return to Devil May Cry 1's engaging gameplay and various improvements. The original game controller design, which was particularly large, was similarly often criticized since it was ill-suited to those with small hands. Yuji Shimomura is the action director, who also served the same position in Ryuhei Kitamura's cult action movie Versus. However, the Xbox has also pioneered safety features, such as breakaway cables for the controllers to prevent the console from being yanked from the shelf. The development team consisted of staff from both of the previous two games. Because of this, the Xbox has found itself a target of mild derision, as gamers poke fun at it for things like a warning in the Xbox manual that a falling Xbox "could cause serious injury" to a small child or pet. Its first trailer, promising a return to the hallmarks of the original, such as spooky, Gothic stylings and Dante's flippant personality, was well received by fans. This is largely due to a bulky tray-loading DVD-ROM drive and the standard-size 3.5" hard drive. Capcom, stating that they had learned much from the flop of the first sequel, announced Devil May Cry 3 at E³ 2004. The Xbox itself is much larger and heavier than its contemporaries. It is a prequel to the first game. The Xbox does not use Windows CE due to Microsoft internal politics at the time, as well as limited support in Windows CE for DirectX. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (デビルメイクライ3) is the second sequel to Devil May Cry, starring the cocky hero Dante. Therefore if the Xbox crashes, the only way to recover is to reboot the console as there is no multitasking support on Real Mode. Later recieved a game of the month award when the special edition was released. That is why Xbox is running on Real Mode and not Protected Mode as seen on Windows 2000. Included on Game Informer's "Top 50 Games of 2005" list. Although the Xbox is based on commodity PC hardware and runs a stripped-down version of the Windows 2000 kernel using APIs based largely on DirectX 8.1, it incorporates changes optimized for gaming uses as well as restrictions designed to prevent uses not approved by Microsoft. If inserting a second controller, and pressing start, 2 player mode will be available. An Xbox owner can rip music from standard Audio CDs to the hard drive so players can use their custom soundtrack in addition to the original soundtrack of Xbox games that support such feature. When active, this also allows a second player to control the shadow version of Dante for as long as the effect lasts. Some games support "Custom soundtracks," another particularly unusual feature allowed by the hard drive. Also Devil Trigger consumptive. Most of the games also use it as a disk cache, for faster game loading times. After image - Spawns a second shadow version of Dante. The Xbox was the first console to incorporate a hard disk drive, used primarily for storing game saves (eliminating the need for separate memory cards) and content downloaded from Xbox Live. Ideal for taking down harder enemies, when surrounded or for earning extra Style Points. Nonetheless, most of these features were not fully exploited in its first year of launch, notably the lack of Xbox Live online multiplayer. Devil Trigger consumptive. Also, the console cost as much as the high-end GeForce 3 video card alone in 2001, while having comparable graphics processing power (the Xbox's NV2A graphics chipset is a derivative of the GeForce 3). Time Lag - Slows down time for enemies while you will still be able to move in real time. At the time of its introduction, the Xbox was the only game console to do so. Ultimate - Block enemy attacks and convert the energy into health for yourself. The Xbox was designed to take advantage of a slowdown in the saturated PC gaming market and incorporates a built-in Ethernet adapter. Air Release - Release in mid-air. This prediction turned out to be correct; Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft's game division in charge of Xbox development, had its first profitable quarter reported in January 2005, thanks largely to the success of Halo 2[14]. Air Block - Block in mid-air. Microsoft predicted that it would not make a profit on the Xbox for at least three years. Just Release - By releasing at the precise instant just before an enemy's attack hits, Dante executes a counter attack that deals approximately three times more damage than a normal release. The losses deepened when sales of the Xbox increased and when the price was reduced successive times to compete with PlayStation 2 [13]. Release - Release pent-up anger charged from blocked enemy attacks, dealing great damage. [12] In particular, the Xbox hardware itself is a loss leader, since the console was sold at a loss even at its debut price. Just Guard - By blocking at the precise instant just before an enemy's attack hits, Dante suffers no damage and gains more rage for release. Internal documents show that the Xbox division had invested $4 billion from 2000 to 2005. Block & Charge - Block enemy attacks, building up anger and adrenaline. The large size of the hardware itself did not endear itself to the size-sensitive Japanese consumers. Grapple - Fires the bayonet at an enemy, impaling them, then pulls them towards you. The Xbox has sold poorly in Japan mainly because Microsoft was unable to enlist enough local developers to cater to Japanese interests. Hysteric - Fires a barrage of mini-missiles at the enemy. In Europe, the Xbox's market share is currently ahead of the GameCube, but is still behind the PlayStation 2. Kalina Ann Abilities
However, as of February 2005, estimates show the Xbox's share of the worldwide console market is only moderately ahead of the Nintendo GameCube and far behind the PlayStation 2. Spiral Abilities
This online service works exclusively with broadband. Artemis Abilities
In 2004, Halo 2 set records as highest grossing release in entertainment history [6] as well as being a successful killer app for the online service. Charge Shot - Charges weapon, then fires off a magically imbued burst. In addition, many other publishers got into the trend of releasing the the Xbox version alongside the PS2 version, instead of delaying it for months. Fireworks - Swings the shotgun around like nunchaku, firing in different directions. Take-Two Interactive's exclusivity deal with Sony was amended to allow Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and its sequels to be published on the Xbox. Shotgun Abilities
The Xbox Live online service was launched with a strong lineup including MotoGP, MechAssault and Ghost Recon. Charge Shot - Charges weapon, then fires off a magically imbued burst. In 2002 and 2003, several releases helped the Xbox to gain momentum and distinguish itself from the PS2. Rain Storm - Jumps into the air, blasting pistols down in circular motion, knocking down all enemies. Lastly, Sony countered the Xbox by making exclusivity deals for highly anticipated games such as the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Wild Stomp - Fires pistols at a downed enemy, then kicks it away. Although it enjoyed strong third-party support from its inception, many early Xbox games did not take full advantage of its powerful hardware, with few additional features or graphical improvements to distinguish themselves from the PS2 version, and this negated one of the Xbox's main selling points. Twosome Time - Fires pistols in two different directions. However, the failure of several first-party games (including Fuzion Frenzy [4] and Azurik: Rise of Perathia [5]) damaged the initial public reputation of the Xbox. Ebony & Ivory Abilities
The Xbox launched in North America on November 15, 2001. The Hammer - While in mid-air, smash your enemies to the ground. The Xbox even brought high-end gaming technology to the mainstream, sporting a top of the line GeForce 3 equivalent graphics processor, a built-in Ethernet adapter, and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Zodiac - Emit a charged ball of energy from your fingertips. The Xbox also presented a standardized alternative to the near-endless variety of end-user configurations on the PC. Beowulf Abilities
The authors concluded that the Xbox project as a direct response to the upcoming PlayStation 2. Crazy Roll - Generate electricity while slashing enemies with your guitar. As well, a venture into the gaming console market would also diversify Microsoft's product line, which up to that time had been heavily concentrated into software. Feedback - Whirl your guitar around your body, hitting nearby enemies. The growing video game market seemed to threaten the PC market which Microsoft had dominated and relied upon for most of its revenues. Air Slash - Attack enemies with your guitar's blade while in mid-air. According to the book Smartbomb, by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby, the remarkable success of the upstart Sony PlayStation worried Microsoft in late 1990s. Slash - Attack enemies with the bladed section of your guitar. Some see the Xbox as a way to capitalize on the growing video game market, noting that the PC market growth was stagnating after the dot-com bust. Nevan Abilities
The Xbox was initially developed within Microsoft by a small team which included Seamus Blackley, a game developer and high energy physicist. Sky Dance - Swing both swords in mid air, then descend to the ground, spinning like a saw blade. . Crossed Swords - Destroy enemies with an X-style sword slash. Notable launch titles for the console include Amped, Dead or Alive 3, Halo: Combat Evolved, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, and Project Gotham Racing. Agni & Rudra Abilities
The Microsoft Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console first released on November 15, 2001 in North America and Puerto Rico, then released on February 22, 2002 in Japan, and later on March 14, 2002 in Europe. Million Carats - Thrust the flail into the ground to creat a huge ice glacier surrounding Dante. Xbox: Part Deux (Xbox XGPU Basics)" by Dave Salvator, ExtremeTech.Com, November 30, 2001, retrieved January 30, 2006. Crystal - Thrust the flail into the ground to create huge ice pillars. "GameCube vs. Can be used in mid-air. NZ$249 (2004 Q4, 2005). Flicker - Whirl the flail around, hitting enemies in the immediate vicinity. NZ$299 (2004 Q2). Cerberus Abilities
NZ$399 (2003). Aerial Rave - Slashes an enemy in mid-air, during a jump. AU$349 (2003). Prop Shredder - Spins the sword, repeatedly striking whatever's in front of Dante. NZ$499 NZD (3 October, 2002, Launch Price). Rebellion Abilities
AU$399 AUD (2004). Sky Star - A mid-air dash. AU$699 AUD (26 April, 2002, Launch Price) (Quickly dropped to $399 to compete with launch of Nintendo GameCube). Wall Hike - Run up the wall, then kick off. €99 (Spain, January 2006 promotional price). At higher Trickster levels, this can be done several times in a row. €99 (Ireland; Christmas 2005 promotional price). Dash - A quick dash in any direction. £99 (August 27, 2004). Beowulf - A powerful set of gauntlets and greaves blessed with sacred power. €149 (August 27, 2004). It is the weapon formed from the demon Nevan's acceptance of Dante's cause. £130 (2003). Nevan - A demonic electric guitar that summons bats when Dante plays it. €199 (2003). Dante earns these weapons after defeating the Firestorm Room guardians of the same names. €249 (August 30, 2002). Agni is fire elemental and Rudra is wind elemental. €299 (Launch Price (Rest of Europe) and Ireland April 26, 2002). They are two scimitars with serrated edges. £299 GBP (Launch Price March 14, 2002),. Agni & Rudra - Two swords Dante wields at once. €479 (Launch Price (Ireland) 14 March, 2002),. The essence of an ice guardian, which Dante must defeat. US$179 (February 6, 2006, Bundled with Forza). Cerberus - Ice powered, three-pieced flail weapon, like a nunchaku but with three sides. CAD$199 (March 29, 2004). Dante begins the game with this weapon. US$149 (March 29, 2004). It was a memento from his father; its power remains dormant until awakened by Dante's blood. US$179 (May 14, (2003). Rebellion - Dante's massive sword (a longsword or perhaps a zweihander). US$199 (May 15, (2002). Kalina Ann - A huge rocket launcher. US$299 (November 15, 2001, Launch Price). Spiral - Very powerful sniper rifle with a slow rate of fire. Approved by Microsoft for wireless gameplay with Xbox. Artemis - Demonic laser weapon that can target several enemies at once. Logitech 2.4 GHz wireless controller. Good at knocking enemies back but has a fairly slow rate of fire. This system has been defeated by the Xbox hacking community, who have developed tools to modify gamesaves to work in a different console, though some unique technical information concerning the recipient Xbox must be known. Shotgun - Powerful sawn-off shotgun with a large spread. Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball) do not support this accessory as a cheat prevention measure. Their rate of fire is dependant on how quickly the player can press the fire button. Note that some recent games (e.g. Ebony & Ivory - Dante's two handmade semi-automatic pistols. Memory Unit: An 8 MB removable solid-state memory card onto which game saves can either be copied from the hard drive when in the Xbox Dashboard's memory manager or saved during a game. In this case, common intellectual ancestry is probably the cause of the similarity. The precise layout of the controls differs between the two variations of controller. Xbox Music Mixer: A utility software bundled with a microphone that connects to an adapter that plugs into the top expansion slot of a controller. These are Vergil and Richter Belmont, both of whom share some history with the protagonists. Later, as the price of the Xbox dropped, the DVD remote was bundled. Bosses that have once been good but for some reason converted to being evil. Although there is nothing to prevent the Xbox from acting as a progressive-scan DVD player, Microsoft chose not to enable this feature in the Xbox DVD kit in order to avoid royalty payments to the patent-holder of progressive scan DVD playback. Although some might consider DMC3 to be imitating SotN with the presence of Cerberus, Capcom's intention was most likely to remain faithful to the Comedy roots and underworld mythology more than Castlevania in this case. By selling a DVD remote separately, Microsoft was able to bundle the cost of the DVD licensing fee with it. Cerberus and Doppelganger serve as bosses in both series and games. DVD playback was not included as a standard feature of the Xbox due to licensing issues with the DVD format that would have added extra cost to the console's base price. Both Maria and Lady seek to destroy the evil castle/tower, and they are both looking for a relative that has embraced evil. DVD Playback Kit: Required in order to play DVD movies, the kit includes an infrared remote control and receiver. They are both non-playable characters, and serve as bosses in the game (Maria Renard appears as an opponent only in the Saturn version of SotN, but she is also playable in that version) as well as potential love interests for the male protagonist. It can also be used for DVD playback. Lady's real name is Mary (which is another form of Maria), and Alucard/Dante run upon them every now and then throughout the course of the game. Xbox Media Center Extender: A kit that allows Xbox to act as a Media Center Extender to stream content from a Windows XP Media Center Edition PC. Maria Renard and Lady. This functionality is similar to Sega's DirectLink for Sega Saturn. Both have white hair, and are more or less immortal. System Link Cable: A Cat 5 crossover cable for connecting together two consoles or a Cat 5 straight through cable used in conjunction with an ethernet hub for connecting up to four consoles, for up to 16 total players. Alucard and Dante are both of human heritage, and vampiric/demonic heritage, they both wield swords, and hunt their respective non-human heritage. The headset can in fact be replaced with most standard earpiece-and-microphone headsets; headset specialist Plantronics produce various officially-licensed headsets, including a special-edition headset for Halo 2. For Nevan of Irish Mythology see Nevan (mythology). Xbox Live Starter Kit: A subscription and installation pack for the Xbox Live service, as well as a headset (with monaural earpiece and microphone) that connects to a control box that plugs into the top expansion slot of a controller. While the official Wireless Adapter guarantees compatibility with the Xbox, almost any wireless bridge can be used. Xbox Wireless Adapter: a wireless bridge which converts data running through an ethernet cable to a wireless (802.11b or 802.11g) signal to connect to a wireless LAN. Note that while there is an "official" Xbox 'System Link' cable (a crossover cat5e cable), any PC ethernet cable can be used in the normal way treating the xbox as an NIC, eg an Xbox-Xbox connection requires a crossover cable, whereas an xbox-switch connection requires a straight-through cable. Ethernet (Xbox Live) Cable: A Cat 5 cable for connecting the Xbox to a broadband modem or router. As Europe has no HDTV standard, no High Definition cable is currently provided in those markets. Advanced SCART Cable: The European equivalent to the Advanced AV Pack, providing a full RGB video SCART connection in place of S-Video, RCA composite and stereo audio connections (composite video and stereo are still provided by the cable, through the SCART connector, in addition to the RGB signal), while retaining the TOSLINK audio connector. Also provides analog RCA and digital TOSLINK audio outputs. High Definition AV Pack: A breakout box, intended for HDTVs, that provides a YPrPb component video signal over three RCA connectors. Advanced AV Pack: A breakout box that provides S-Video and TOSLINK audio in addition to the RCA composite video and stereo audio of the Standard AV Cable. RF Adapter: Provides a combined audio and video signal on an RF connector. European systems come with a RCA jack to SCART converter block in addition to the cable. Comes with the system. Standard AV Cable: Provides composite video and monaural or stereo audio to TVs equipped with RCA inputs. Dimensions: 320 × 100 × 260 mm (12.5 × 4 × 10.5 inches). Weight: 3.86 kg. Controller Ports: 4 proprietary USB ports. EDTV and HDTV Support: 480p/720p/1080i (see game boxes for supported resolutions). PAL TV's have less than 600 horizontal lines. Note: NTSC (Non-HD) TV's have less than 500 horizontal lines. Maximum Resolution (2x32bpp frame buffers +Z): 1920(vert.)x1080(horiz)
DVD Movie Playback: Yes (separate DVD Playback Kit/Remote required or by modding the Xbox and running DVD-playing homebrew software). Broadband Enabled: Yes (10/100base-T ethernet). AC3 (Dolby Digital) Encoded Game Audio: Yes (via TOSLINK). MIDI DLS2 Support: Yes. 3D Audio Support: HRTF Sensaura 3D enhancement. Audio Channels: 64 3D channels (up to 256 stereo voices). Soundstorm NVAPU)
Storage Medium: 2-5x DVD (XFAT), 8 gigabyte hard disk (new consoles contain a 10GB physical hard drive, though it is formatted to only use 8GB, uses XFAT), optional 8MB memory card for savegame transfer. Full Scene Anti-Aliasing: Yes. Compressed Textures: Yes (6:1 through DDS). Simultaneous Textures: 4. Theoretical Texture Fill Rate: 1,864 Megatexels/second (932 MP x 2 texture units). Theoretical Pixel Fill Rate: 932 Megapixels/second (233 MHz x 4 pipelines). Pipeline Configuration: 4 pixel pipelines with 2 texture units each. Theoretical Particle Performance: 125 M/s. Theoretical Geometry Rate: 115+ million vertices/second. Enhanced vertex processing with 2 vertex shaders, and more flexible pixel shading than DirectX 8.
Unified Memory Subsystem: Total (shared) Memory: 64 MB DDR SDRAM running at 200 MHz, supplied by Hynix or Samsung depending on manufacture date and location
Same as fastest Pentium III EB CPUs. 133 MHz FSB. Often used for audio and video. Switching between FPU and MMX is slow, so not of great use for 3D rendering tasks. Integer functions. SIMD: MMX. Pentium III had architectural drawbacks that lessened real-world SSE throughput. Theoretical maximum 4 FLOPS/cycle (2.9 gigaFLOPS for Xbox). Four single-precision floating-point numbers in one instruction.
CPU: Micro PGA2 733 MHz Intel Coppermine Core. ISBN 1565123468. Article: How Xbox Happened. |