Upgradeable Consoles.

[Hateren47]

Would you buy upgrades for you console(s) if you could? Say if the Xbox 360 had a lid on the bottom for more RAM like a laptop or the PS3 had a cartridge-like graphics card expansion slot in the back.

If it wasn't any harder than loading up SMB3 on a NES, would you fork over the money for having more AA and higher FPS or faster load times?

Hardware prices would be the same as the PC counterpart + the usual 10% console tax for putting their sticker on it.

 

[Irridium]

Well if you could do that then why not just by a PC?

 

[Blackadder51]

No as thats not the point of having a console.

I cant afford to buy more shit for it, like a PC and to now that my console couldnt run games as well as others would be rather annoying.

 

[Hateren47]

Well if you could do that then why not just by a PC?

It would still be a lot simpler than Windows.

No as thats not the point of having a console.

I cant afford to buy more shit for it, like a PC and to now that my console couldnt run games as well as others would be rather annoying.

I didn't know consoles were for socialists only.

I do see your point in not wanting to spend more money though.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

Nope.

I'm perefectly happy with my console so that's why I'm over looking Kinetic or any other extra money rip offs.

 

[GuideBot]

Well if you could do that then why not just by a PC?

Incredibly, upgradeability is but one of many features distinguishing PC gaming from console gaming.

Personally, I really value that all consoles of a given type are more or less identical, at least in terms of performance. For example, when playing online, I feel much better knowing that everyone has almost the same hardware, at least as far as the actual processing power and video output goes (though, of course, they may have better/worse screens, audio equipment and so on - still, close as it can get). I think it makes for a far more level playing field.

I also like how games will just run on consoles. You seldom need to worry about crashes, performance issues or hardware worries. I wouldn't like to change that.

 

[rokkolpo]

no. it hate meddling with my hardware.

hardware scares me.

 

[TheComedown]

Well if you could do that then why not just by a PC?

It would still be a lot simpler than Windows.

And just as pointless as installing OSX 10 or whatever apple are up to onto a new AMD based machine or something. It is pointless because as soon as one company starts bring out new parts, another will then you will have too different companies making to different upgrades which will require 2 different drivers, and have fun trouble shooting in XBL. If you want something you can upgrade buy a PC, upgradeable consoles are redundant, its defeats the purpose of a console, turn it on and go.

 

[Alex Cowan]

The point of consoles is that they can play any game developed for them - most of the trouble with PC gaming is lack of compatibility. If consoles were upgradable then it would just fall back to the same problems as a PC.

 

[similar.squirrel]

What, buy licensed upgrades? Like the Xbox 360 Wireless adapter that costs around 60 euro [or did the last time I checked]?

No thank you. I'd rather spend extra on a PC that can do something besides run the ol' pew-pew.

 

[Outright Villainy]

I'd feel pretty cheated if a new game came out and I had to upgrade my console to play it. It's pretty much the only advantage I can think consoles have over pcs, the conformity means you buy a game, you know it's been optimised to play on what you have so you'll get the best performance out of it and not have to spend more and more all the time. If this became a feature I'd stick to pc exclusively and never but a console again.

 

[number2301]

10% console tax? Have you seen the scandalous prices of Xbox wireless adapters and hard drives? 100% would be closer to the mark!

On topic, I suppose it could work, the Amiga 500 et al did something very similar, but developers would have to develop for the lowest common denominator so it'd only be superficial improvements. Which kind of becomes a bit pointless.

 

[Xojins]

If they did that they couldn't charge us exorbitant amounts of money for upgrades. It would undermine their entire business strategy.

 

[CK76]

Didn't N64 do this and keep me from Majora's Mask and Perfect Dark?

I like buying a console, getting good 4-7 years out of it and then buy a new console. Simple.

 

[GundamSentinel]

The whole point of a console for me is that I don't have to upgrade. I say no thank you to upgrades.

 

[Hateren47]

10% console tax? Have you seen the scandalous prices of Xbox wireless adapters and hard drives? 100% would be closer to the mark!

On topic, I suppose it could work, the Amiga 500 et al did something very similar, but developers would have to develop for the lowest common denominator so it'd only be superficial improvements. Which kind of becomes a bit pointless.

Of course! New games would be made to run on the first version of the hardware released, it would only rid you of the horrible slowdowns and stuttering consoles get some times and make everything look a bit smoother and fix flickering shadows. And drivers would be included in the "GFX-cartridges".

 

[Tharwen]

I think this could be a really good way of generating income for console developers. Imagine if every console was sold as a single case with most of the internal hardware removed. You could then buy the graphics card/memory/processor/hard drive separately, each as a single module which you could simply slot into the case you've already bought. It would also make RRODs and the like much easier to deal with.

The problems with this would then be that game devs would find it hard to program the graphics efficiently, and there wouldn't be much incentive to buy the next generation of consoles.

 

[venatus]

Didn't N64 do this and keep me from Majora's Mask and Perfect Dark?

I like buying a console, getting good 4-7 years out of it and then buy a new console. Simple.

indeed it did, as well as donkey kong 64 and I'll admit I bought it.

in some ways you could say the sega CD and the 32X were in the same vein, so yest people will buy them, but ti's a bad idea and people don't like it overall.

 

[Hateren47]

I think this could be a really good way of generating income for console developers. Imagine if every console was sold as a single case with most of the internal hardware removed. You could then buy the graphics card/memory/processor/hard drive separately, as part of a hugely simplified module which you could simply slot into the case you've already bought. It would also make RRODs and the like much easier to deal with.

I think you would have to leave in the CPU because the Average Joe would not want to fiddle around with thermal paste and the like, and harddrives are already changeable AFAIK. I don't own a console though so I might be wrong.

 

[Not-here-anymore]

I like knowing a game will run on my system without having to look at specs - if you introduce upgradeable features to consoles, games will start to appear that will require the upgrades to run. It's how the market works, taking advantage of every new feature.
My primary reason for gaming on a console is that I can't afford frequent upgrades to my PC - take that away, and you'd remove me (and many gamers like me) from the market.