2nd February 2010, 10:55 PM
The thing is, what you are suggesting sounds like a PC with all it's inherit issues, but less useful.
Also, the sad reality is the "advantage" of cheap upgrades has vanished over the years. At this point, as it ever was, every few years in order to actually get an upgrade you need to replace practically the entire computer to eliminate bottlenecks defeating upgrading just one part. I have no reason at all to expect this not to be the case with a game specific PC model. In fact, such a model would more or less just overfill an already flooded market.
As for controlling the rate of expansion, which is it? Will it be unregulated ability for 3rd party companies to make whatever addons possible, or only possible for pre-approved upgrades handled through whatever company would be in charge of that? The latter pretty much defeats the point of upgrades. We already have that with current consoles. Remember they all have expansion ports to allow for upgrades, but as they've ever been, they always pace those VERY slowly because of slow adoption and the added problems with segmenting the market between different addons.
You really need to commit wholely one way or the other or it just doesn't work. Countless "in between" systems running the whole range have already shown this pretty well.
I still think the only way to make this work is just do the DVD/TV model with a standard that people stick with for 5-10 years before a new one is adopted and agreed upon. Interfaces will vary to be sure, and there's plenty of room for innovative use OF the standardized features, as well as additional special controllers, but people wouldn't need to split the market so much like this. PCs can remain as they ever were.
This would solve your problem of costly upgrades pretty well yes?
Also, the sad reality is the "advantage" of cheap upgrades has vanished over the years. At this point, as it ever was, every few years in order to actually get an upgrade you need to replace practically the entire computer to eliminate bottlenecks defeating upgrading just one part. I have no reason at all to expect this not to be the case with a game specific PC model. In fact, such a model would more or less just overfill an already flooded market.
As for controlling the rate of expansion, which is it? Will it be unregulated ability for 3rd party companies to make whatever addons possible, or only possible for pre-approved upgrades handled through whatever company would be in charge of that? The latter pretty much defeats the point of upgrades. We already have that with current consoles. Remember they all have expansion ports to allow for upgrades, but as they've ever been, they always pace those VERY slowly because of slow adoption and the added problems with segmenting the market between different addons.
You really need to commit wholely one way or the other or it just doesn't work. Countless "in between" systems running the whole range have already shown this pretty well.
I still think the only way to make this work is just do the DVD/TV model with a standard that people stick with for 5-10 years before a new one is adopted and agreed upon. Interfaces will vary to be sure, and there's plenty of room for innovative use OF the standardized features, as well as additional special controllers, but people wouldn't need to split the market so much like this. PCs can remain as they ever were.
This would solve your problem of costly upgrades pretty well yes?
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)