Xbox 2 unveiled

[Dharkbayne]

XBOX NEXT-GEN: FIRST DEMOS REVEALED!

Full, unmissable impressions of the titillating XNA triumvirate as Microsoft reveals the future of Xbox gaming

17:51 Microsoft today sent shockwaves across the games industry, showing the first ever real-time demos of the next-gen software tools which will power Xbox 2.
The demos, which formed the epicentre of Microsoft's earth shaking XNA-announcing conference call, were presented by Mr Xbox himself J Allard, ably assisted by Lara Fry of the Xbox ATG and Chris Donohue from the Windows division.

While running on a souped-up Windows PC, the demonstrations were specifically geared towards highlighting what gamers can expect from the next generation of console hardware - i.e. Xbox 2.

Demo one was created by High Voltage Software and, entitled "Rex" showed a creature moving through an empty landscape, mutating at intervals into entirely different entities.

The creature is controlled in real-time via Controller S (part of Microsoft's new initiative to standardise controllers across Xbox and Windows platforms) switching from furry yeti, to six-legged insect, to four-legged abomination, to an equally random, undeniably cute, armadillo.

While the detail is superb, it's tough to ascertain how impressive the demo is in real terms, since it takes place in an empty environment with no collision.

The second demo, called "Film Noir", offers a strikingly different showcase of technology. A young, seductively attired female sits at a table in a cafe, tantalisingly tracing her finger across the table as a cigarrette burns idly in a nearby ashtray.

The scene is entirely in black and white except for the bright scarlet of the girl's fingernails and lips. Donahue zooms around with the camera to show of the amazingly realistic facial animations.

The camera then swoops saucily down her bare legs, resting its salacious gaze on her high-heel clad feet, described by Fryer as: "The best real-time feet ever". Although with the fearsome power of XNA software tools, we'd prefer to see amazing bump-mapped athlete's foot, with skin rotting between manky toes - that's the future of home entertainment.

All nice enough, we admit, but Microsoft saved the best till last with the astonishing "Crash".

Created by David Woo of Pseudo Interactive, attendees were first treateed to officially the shiniest car we've ever seen, a Saleen, sat in a virtual garage. The camera twists and turns, headlights flash, and actual, proper real-time reflections cause a minor stir amongst the crowd. Down boys.

Fiddling with on-screen settings, the car is launched full-tilt down a narrow corridor. Yeah, yeah, very fast, still shiny, whatever...

But just when our trusty cynic-o-matic is about to fire into action, the money shot: the car slams into a wall, smashing in the most astonishingly realistic manner we've ever witnessed aside from the real thing. Honest to goodness: "Wow!"

And to underline the point, the clip is rewound and played back in slow motion, with the camera zooming around in real-time offering myriad vantage points. Hundreds of shards of metal and glass spray out from the area of impact; bodywork crumples, concertina-like, as the car deforms, contorts and pirouettes out of control.

For the first time in the whole presentation, the entire audience bursts into whooping and cheering - this is a magical moment, this is why we've travelled thousands of miles - this is, make no mistake, the future of gaming. And as an exclusive chat with J Allard later on revealed (check back for that soon), it's highly likely this will release on Xbox 2 as a game.

But most surprising of all, "Crash" has also turned out to be the gameplay experience of the show. Yes, we've played it - we have, to all intents and purposes, played the world's first Xbox 2 game. With J Allard. And we'll bring you our full impressions plus amazing exclusive details on the next iteration of the demo later. Just as soon as we have a quiet word with intense sleep deprivation...

Meanwhile, why don't you check out the first ever demonstration of XNA - the future of Xbox gaming - available at www.microsoft.com/xna.
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And to all ye of little faith, I present to you, this :
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...demo_crash.zip