Quote Originally Posted by JeffHCross View Post
How do you figure? The RSX was based on Nvidia 7800 series architecture. And I've seen a range of comparisons suggested for idea of equivalent PC video card. Certainly have to imagine it's better than a mid-range video card that was released months before the PS3 hit market.

Well, anyway, what the RSX compares to isn't really important. But your post suggests that if they just plug a couple new video cards into the PS3, voila we'll have a better machine. And you'd be right -- for the short term. The PS3 is nearly five years old, and when it was release it's graphics capabilities were better than what "most" consumers computers could do. Maybe not the enthusiast buying Maximum PC, but certainly your average video game. And even then, the biggest problem is taking advantage of the hardware they're given. There's a reason that PS3 and 360 games continue to improve graphically, even though the hardware hasn't changed since release in 2005-06. The engines and graphical code keep getting better. Console developers don't have DirectX, OpenGL or graphics middleware software to take advantage of.

And, in the long term, whatever graphical choice they choose is what we'll be stuck with for five, ten, whatever years. Computers will always be on the cutting edge, graphically, compared to PCs.
Oh, it's most definitely gonna always be behind the curve. But, still, they need to look toward the future to make the thing actually last (and be worthwhile) for more than 3-4 years.

The problem with the PS3 is the inability to use Microsoft's exclusive video rendering platform (DirectX). It's what 95% of the 360 and PC games are written in with the occasional game developer maximizing their game's potential with OpenGL (mainly Id Software as they were the pioneers for really pushing OpenGL to the limits with Quake and such).

The PS3 does in fact use OpenGL, but, the major issue is, it's a VERY old version of OpenGL (basically version 1.0 with some modified libraries that's very close to being 2.0 but significantly further away from 3.0 or 4.1 - granted, those were released after the PS3 was created and so forth). Where as, the 360 is using an advanced version of Direct X 9 which makes programming for it ridiculously easy compared to programming/porting to a platform that is sadly rarely used anymore outside of the PS3.

So, in the end, Sony is fighting a losing battle when it comes to trying to compete with basically a stripped down PC in a box. The ease of programming for the 360 is so ridiculous compared to the PS3, it's a wonder if more and more companies aren't just saying screw it and sticking with programming just for the PC and 360 and forgetting about the PS3 altogether.