As some of you may have noticed (but none have probably cared), every once in awhile there will be a game that sports a THX logo in the beginning, informing you that it is THX Certified.

In the movie world, THX used to stand for quality. When the theater was built, THX would make sure that the soundmet certain specifications for quality. They also checked to make sure that there were no noisy rattles from the HVAC that could be heard on the auditorium, no stray light wandering onto the screen, that the sound was properly EQ' d and the equipment was all from an approved manufacturer. Films like Return of the Jedi really got a boost out of THX because for the first time it allowed people to see the movie exactly as the director wanted it to look and sound.

But now THX has fizzled out of the cinema world, and they are no longer a strong presence there. Now they certify home theater equipment, cars, toilets, and now videogames. What good is THX for games? Some EA games like to use THX. What s special about these games vs. other games? Nothing at all. The quality control is all over the map. There are no standard features for quality to be found in each game.

In my opinion, if THX is going to certify videogames, then the game should meet this criteria:

-16:9 widescreen support (all graphics must comply, no stretched menus or title screens, etc)
-480p progressive scan or better
-Discrete 4.0 sound (DTS) or better (5.1 dolby Digital) IN GAME, not just cut scenes.
-Dolby Pro Logic II support for analog stereo.
-All bugs removed.
-Optimized performance, meaning the game loads its data in a timely matter, ie: it doesn' t have to reload the ENTIRE TRACK if you choose to restart that track in the middle of the race, etc.

That would do it for me. But for now it' s just another logo that pops up in the endless sea of FMV before a title screen.

I think that THX is unnecessary if you do not have the equipment to accommodate it, and most people do not have the equipment.

Standard Dolby 5.1 should be sufficient for most games and gamers.

Dolby 5.1 is only standard in Xbox games. The PS2 can do DTS 4.0 in game and Dolby Digital 5.1 in cut scenes.

Right now the THX game program basically makes sure that all of the monitors are calibrated properly at the developer' s lab and also makes sure that the overhead lighting there is the proper color temperature. This will not make a damn bit of difference to gamers as most do not have their TVs properly calibrated anyway. Those that do will more than likely have the ability to appreciate the standards I suggested above in my first post.