Microsoft talks Longhorn, XNA, and Xbox 2

Windows Gaming general manager Dean Lester updates GameSpot about next-generation consoles, XNA, and what Microsoft' s new OS will mean for PC games.
Recently, GameSpot sat down Windows Graphics and Gaming general manager Dean Lester and discussed the current status of Longhorn, Microsoft' s next PC operating system, due in 2006. Lester reaffirmed Microsoft' s dedication to making Longhorn' s game functionality be as accessible as that of a modern console. However, he said the company wants to retain the strengths of the PC platform, including high-end graphics and sound hardware, online communities, post-release community support, and content updates like modifications and maps.

Microsoft is already working with major hardware manufacturers such as Nvidia, ATI, and Intel (along with OEM manufacturers) to create pre-packaged PCs with varying levels of mid-range to high-end hardware, with appropriately varying price points. Under such a plan, pre-packaged PCs with certain processor speeds, amounts of RAM, and certain types of video card would be given a simple classification or " level."

According to Lester, the plan is to simplify the process of selecting a good PC for games without having to be an expert on hardware. He provided a hypothetical example that a PC with a " level 5" designation might have a medium processor speed, amount of RAM, and mid-range video card, while a " level 7" PC might have a faster processor, more RAM, and a higher-end video card. As you might expect, the " level 5" PC would also be less expensive than the " level 7." Either way, the " level" designations are not final, and may not even be used at all. However, Microsoft is considering using them to help newer users figure out what PCs they need to play the games they want.

Microsoft is also considering applying this simplified designation system to a game' s system requirements. That is, while game publishers will still be able to print detailed technical requirements on the back of a game box (speed of 3.0GHz and at least 512MB of RAM, for instance), these requirements might also be given a simpler designation. In essence, this system would let newer PC game players be able to quickly and easily determine that they need a computer of at least " level 5 or higher" to play a game with certain specific requirements, rather than trying to figure out exactly how much RAM they have.

Lester went on to explain other features that Microsoft' s Games for Windows group wishes to improve or simply streamline out of existence. One example was the conventional game installation system that requires users to sit through several lengthy loading screens. Lester stated flatly, " we need to make that go away." Ideally, Microsoft would like to make PC game installation as easy as the plug-and-play experience of console games, which can be played the instant a disc is dropped in the drive. Lester also outlined a more-streamlined display driver model that would alleviate confusion with different graphic driver versions. This would be especially helpful in situations where certain versions of some drivers work better with some games than others, depending on the hardware.

When asked about Microsoft' s first-party PC game publishing strategy, Lester replied that although he can' t speak directly for Microsoft Game Studios (currently headed up by MGS executive Shane Kim), Microsoft' s plan is to publish " platform-defining titles" for the PC. Lester clarified this statement by saying that in previous years, Microsoft' s PC game division attempted to develop games that competed directly with high-end games like Half-Life 2 or Doom 3. This had the effect of taking away market share from that game' s publisher and gave hardcore PC game enthusiasts a tougher choice about where to spend their gaming dollars Meanwhile, more casual players were put off by said games' complexity and technical requirements. Citing a much-higher quality crop of PC games this year (including The Sims 2, Doom 3, Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, and [hopefully] Half-Life 2), Lester explained that Microsoft' s game publishing strategy wasn' t necessarily to compete with these high-end games, but to help fill out the PC game roster as a whole, possibly in game genres that aren' t as strong as they once were, such as sports games.

To that end, Longhorn will natively support the XNA development system, and Longhorn-based PCs will directly benefit from this. " Xbox 2 peripherals will all work on PC," said Lester, clarifying that Xbox controllers, steering wheels, and other console-related peripheral functionality will all be brought into Longhorn' s portfolio, as will Xbox Live functionality. For game players, this will make for, if nothing else, an added convenience, since playing a game on their PC or their Xbox will [ideally] come down to little more than unplugging the controller from one, and plugging it into the other. For game developers, Microsoft hopes that the introduction of XNA will help standardize development on both platforms, ideally to an extent that " you won' t have to choose between Xbox or PC" to develop games...and ideally, so that players won' t have to choose between the two platforms to play them.

When asked about Longhorn' s schedule and the current state of Microsoft' s DirectX API, Lester affirmed that the next full upgrade to DirectX will be bundled with Longhorn, as previously announced. As such, Windows games should continue to have DirectX 9 as a stable platform on which to develop games, similar to the way in which console game manufacturers can stick with and specialize in developing for specific console hardware. The most recent point release, DirectX 9.0c, was to enable support for Shader Model 3.0, which is now being incorporated into newer games.

Then we asked Lester one final question: Considering how the next version of DirectX released with Longhorn will essentially be a new development platform similar to a new console release, would Xbox 2 be based on Longhorn? Unfortunately--but unsurprisingly--Lester declined to comment.

GameSpot will have additional details on Longhorn, XNA, and Microsoft' s next-generation console as they become available.

By Staff -- GameSpot