SCEA questions MS' Folding claim

By Games Industry.biz Published 18 May, 2007

If it's for PR, it's "shallow".

SCEA boss Jack Tretton has questioned whether Xbox 360 has enough power to take part in a Folding@Home-style initiative - saying he'd be "very disappointed" if the company is just seeking out good PR, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

Folding@Home enables multiple, connected PlayStation 3s to calculate data which is used in medical research at Stanford University. As reported earlier this month, Xbox boss Peter Moore suggested Microsoft may be interested in launching a similar initiative, stating, "If we truly believe that we can in some way marshal the resources of a much larger installed base of Xbox 360 owners, with a processor that's of equal power to the PS3, then you have my commitment that we'll look at that."

Speaking to GamePro, Tretton questioned Microsoft's intentions: "Let's face it, if your motivation is for PR, to me, that's a little shallow. We go out of our way, correctly so, to make sure that we don't try to sell PS3s on Folding@Home.

"I think to look at it as a marketing platform is something that a company certainly wouldn't want to do. I'm certainly not insinuating that's Microsoft's motivation, but I'm not even sure how relevant it is to what we're doing. Would they be even having this conversation if we weren't doing it? I don't know."

Tretton went on to query whether Xbox 360 is even powerful enough to take part in such a project, stating, "I would guess that the medical community would take help from anywhere they could get it, but the commentary that I heard is that Stanford isn't sure that [the Xbox 360's processing abilities] would help them very much. Which is odd to me because if it helped at all, it seems like they would welcome it with open arms.

"It's really ugly territory to get into, but let's take fighting a disease and see if we can get some credit for that," he continued.

"It's not a cool game to play one way or the other so I don't want to even give the impression that that's our motivation, and I'd be very disappointed if they're looking for PR value or to try to suck off some of the goodwill that we're doing."

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Comments (89) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bivith #1 5 years ago

    Isn't he using it for PR now in this very interview?

  • Huxley #2 5 years ago

    An army of Pots and an Army of Kettles all posting colour based innuendo.

    Won't someone think of the carbon footprint of all this posturing?

  • Inquisitor #3 5 years ago

    Idiot, maybe they didn't get the idea until the saw what you were doing. Its not the most obvious thing you can think of a console doing is it?

    If microsoft think they can help by copying what sony are doing theres nothing wrong with it at all, sony are treating the whole thing like guarding an 'exlusive', if anyones treating it as marketing its them. Especially using it as an excuse to have a pop at the 360.

  • zuljin #4 5 years ago

    - I can do this better than you...

    - Naha, I can...

    I think I'm gonna try patent this as a perpetual motion machine.

  • joeking #5 5 years ago

    "Idiot, maybe they didn't get the idea until the saw what you were doing. Its not the most obvious thing you can think of a console doing is it?

    If microsoft think they can help by copying what sony are doing theres nothing wrong with it at all, sony are treating the whole thing like guarding an 'exlusive', if anyones treating it as marketing its them. Especially using it as an excuse to have a pop at the 360."

    +1

  • dirigiblebill #6 5 years ago

    Sounds an awful lot like- "I hope they're not looking for publicity because we're certainly not- ours is an act of unmitigated philanthropy, though incidentally it's an act of philanthropy ONLY possible through our l33t gaming machine, now available at all electronics stores." Hmmm.

  • Darknight #7 5 years ago

    "Especially using it as an excuse to have a pop at the 360."

    Don't you think that Microsoft saying that they could easily do it too was their way of having a pop at the PS3? Especially as they probably won't take it any further than just saying "We could do that too"... It's 6 of one and half dozen of the other if you ask me (which no-one has, but I don't really care ;) ).

  • Huxley #8 5 years ago

    "ONLY possible through our l33t gaming machine, now available at all electronics stores." Hmmm. "

    And some garage forecourts soon?

  • Dizzy #9 5 years ago

    Who cares!

    360 has GAMES... you know.. stuff that you play.

  • dirigiblebill #10 5 years ago

    They should let me do the interviews. "This is no place for commercial posturing. We would sincerely welcome any contributions Microsoft make in this area, though said contributions might be a little more significant if their console didn't suck ass harder than Fusion Frenzy."
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:07

  • Nova5lag #11 5 years ago

    Microsoft Games division will just ask Bill to use a fraction of his money to build a real home that folds... they got the wrong end of the stick.

  • spongebob #12 5 years ago

    Just what the hell is going on with these industry types?
    Why do Eurogamer give this constant shit coverage?

    Exactly. Most filanthropic act in a long time would be EG just covering games and leaving the stupid PR battles inside the industry.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #13 5 years ago

    Sony seems to be pissed off that MS are following them down this road, and that they're using it for PR purposes... but if Sony was really concerned about the diseases and not the PR, then they'd be welcoming MS with open arms and saying the more processing power we can get behind this, the better...

    It feels like everyone is using it to take pot shots at each other. Sony, you did a good thing; if MS can help, then that's a good thing too.

  • SeesThroughAll #14 5 years ago

    If microsoft think they can help by copying what sony are doing theres nothing wrong with it at all, sony are treating the whole thing like guarding an 'exlusive', if anyones treating it as marketing its them. Especially using it as an excuse to have a pop at the 360.

    Yes, but not only did Moore use it as an excuse to have a pop at the PS3, he also questioned the value of the contribution from PS3s to the project. Just because it isn't from MS.

    Both comments are dirty PR, especially Moore's.

    As for using philantropy for PR, well, ask Gates, he's been doing that for a while.
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:13

  • robg #15 5 years ago

    This guy seems a bit ridiculous - "I'm not insinuating this but..." and goes on to suggest the worst possible motivations. Rubbish. If you're STATING you're not insinuating something then that very statement is just a cynical bit of manipulation. I'm a Wii owner so I don't care about MS or Sony, but this is some obvious manipulative rubbish that you learn about in English at school.

    And yes, no doubt if he's accusing MS of using this for PR then the same charge can be levelled at Sony, it's a moronic fanboy who says that accusation can only be levelled at one party. And as for the 360 being powerful enough - f@h runs on low-spec PCs, it'll easily run on a 360 with the right software.

  • biru #16 5 years ago

    Jesus, doesn't this kind of behaviour belong in the playground? It's all happening scarily as Nintendo predicted: MS and Sony scrap childishly over an ever-shrinking, increasingly segmented, hardcore market... and Nintendo laughs all the way to the bank.

    They just don't get it.

  • #17 5 years ago

    Just what the hell is going on with these industry types?
    Why do Eurogamer give this constant shit coverage? "

    Couldn't agree more.
    EG gives a shit bout coverin SONY Gamers' Day, but all other shit they cover.

  • Geowolf #18 5 years ago

    So is Sony giving folding@home space to companies free of charge? Or are capitalising on it themselves?

  • reality_cheque #19 5 years ago

    I would be very interested to hear why EG bothered with this story, as it's obviously just flamebait. It's like they WANT moronic comments. Is the news today really that bad?

    Odd that Tretton waited until after the H3 beta has launched, obviously Sony want to make sure they get some column inches. I also wouldn't have wasted space on Peter Moore's little PR comment either, without something more solid that "we like that idea, and may get in on it too. If we think it's worth it."
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:21

  • #20 5 years ago

    @robg
    "And as for the 360 being powerful enough - f@h runs on low-spec PCs, it'll easily run on a 360 with the right software.
    "

    SCEA:"I would guess that the medical community would take help from anywhere they could get it, but the commentary that I heard is that Stanford isn't sure that [the Xbox 360's processing abilities] would help them very much. Which is odd to me because if it helped at all, it seems like they would welcome it with open arms.

    Did you understand this? "Which is odd to me because if it helped at all, it seems like they would welcome it with open arms."

  • Mr-Brett #21 5 years ago

    We all know Folding@Home is Sky Net anyway.

  • warthog2k #22 5 years ago

    Do Sony execs get training in this sort of idiocy? They've certainly been doing a great job of coming across like a bunch of pricks for the last two years or so.

    Don't have any of the next gen consoles yet, but the Wii looks more and more tempting. (Unless Shigs decides to 'pull a Kaz' of course)

  • JimJam #23 5 years ago

    I'd be more worried about leaving my 360 on for hours unattended than anything else.
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:24

  • Rirekon #24 5 years ago

    One day someone will pass a law forbidding Execs from talking, then the world will be a much happier place.

  • MightyMouse #25 5 years ago

    How useful is f@h in the overall scheme of things anyway? The PR value's always been greater than the contribution made to science. Not bashing it, there is a use, but let's get some perspective when criticising MS and Sony on this one.

    Edit: So is the complaint that it's PR, or just that it's crass PR?
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:32

  • Tomster #26 5 years ago

    @ Inquisitor: +1

    He should've just taken credit for coming up with the idea first and welcomed Microsoft's participation. See, Mr. Tretton, now that would've been good PR, not the hypocritical BS that you just produced.

    I'm available as a PR consultant anytime by the way.

  • RedPanda #27 5 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • glaeken #28 5 years ago

    Paradox!!! Paradox!!!! does not compute.

    /Explodes.

  • neil_likes_bums #29 5 years ago

    So hang on a minute. Let's just say they do want to do it purely for marketing, exactly how is that EVER a bad thing? Who cares who's having a pop at who if it helps a good cause.

    Cock.

    I imagine this has been said already 50 times ^^ up there ^^, but I'm too lazy to read :-D

  • SBfistfun #30 5 years ago

    Shut the fuck up you overpaid nonce.

  • Xerx3s #31 5 years ago

    saying he'd be "very disappointed" if the company is just seeking out good PR

    Yeh because folding@home on the ps3 has nothing to do with marketing by hitting media headlines...

  • LOLLERS #32 5 years ago

    This guy comes across like he doesn't really understand distributed computing, "I heard [that] Stanford isn't sure that [the Xbox 360's processing abilities] would help them very much."

    Well I reckon that there are far more 360's shipped and in peoples homes than PS3's, and given it's similar performance I would bet they would return MORE data than all the PS3's put together... Also I seem to remember f@h started a long time ago when PC's were much less powerful than modern consoles, and I didn't hear Stanford saying it's all pointless back then. (Well obviouosly some people did, but then there are always SOME people)
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:50

  • Foundry #33 5 years ago

    How long has folding@home been running on a Windows platform? I expect Sony has a long way to go before they can match the years of CPU cycles already provided to the project by many thousands of Windows PCs. Also, in term of individual philanthropic endeavour I think Bill is way ahead of Jack.
    Edited by 2 at 18/05/07 @ 13:54

  • SeesThroughAll #34 5 years ago

    How long has folding@home been running on a Windows platform? I expect Sony has a long way to go before they can match the years of CPU cycles already provided to the project by many thousands of Windows PCs.

    lol

  • MasterGrief #35 5 years ago

    Where Sony go Microsoft follow. It's just like every other market they enter

    Ipod>Zune
    Linux/MacOSX> Windows
    Wii&PS3> 360

    Take the upright design for the 360 for example- completely ripped off the PS2
    Or the xbox controller- completely ripped from the Dremacast


    http://me dia.teamxbox.com/dailyposts/gat...

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #36 5 years ago

    Nobody should be using Folding@Home, whether or not it's for PR purposes (which it certainly is, in both cases). It's just a cynical way to make drug companies money by them stealing from your electricity bill.

    If you want to help, donate some cash to CRUK or something.
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 13:54

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #37 5 years ago

    Linux/MacOSX> Windows

    Um... Windows is 6 years older than linux, man. And the UI design of Macos was practially bought wholesale from Xerox Parc.

  • Luvbeers #38 5 years ago

    The Bill Gates Foundation already contributes to the stem cell research campaign... I have done my part, no need to violate my fair use policy.

  • zuljin #39 5 years ago

    @Mentalist(air)
    "It's just a cynical way to make drug companies money by them stealing from your electricity bill."

    Stanford University.

    Not Pfizer. Not Astra Zeneca. Stanford University's Chemistry department.

    EDIT: Don't even get me started on UK "charities".
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 14:07

  • Metalfish #40 5 years ago

    @MG, if I had the chance to build my own console I'd pikey all the decent looking ideas out there too.

    @Mentalist, Evidence for your cynicism? A cure for alzheimers would indeed make the company responsible a shit load of money for about 5 years. Then, cheap ass generics all round. I'm of the opinion that this folding business is a good start.

  • Kenshin001 #41 5 years ago

    When will MS adopt Folding@Home? I think never.

    F@H on 360 = RRoD

    Do the maths.

  • kangarootoo #42 5 years ago

    @MasterGrief

    "Take the upright design for the 360 for example- completely ripped off the PS2"

    I hope that is sarcasm. You surely aren't suggesting that Sony invented turning something onto its side? I'm pretty sure a dead Mammoth probably got there sooner on that one.

  • spongebob #43 5 years ago

    EG gives a shit bout coverin SONY Gamers' Day, but all other shit they cover.

    I absolutely love EG, it's the only games site I read regularly to be honest, but seriously, you're right. Where's the Gamer's Day coverage? Where's the Nordic Games coverage?

  • FrostyPhoenixxx #44 5 years ago

    PS3 under 100k in America, under 9,000 in Japan.

    Game over, I expect Konami to announce MGS4 for 360 within a few weeks, same goes for every other PS3 exclusive.
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 14:25

  • SwedBear #45 5 years ago

    Of curse the 360 would be able to do a good contribution. It has an ATI GPU in it that is half-way beween the HD1000 and the HD2000 series nd already today it is possible to fold exclusevly on the GPU AND tht is even faster than folding on the Cell.

    As I've mentioned in an earlier thead about this, I listened to a talk by a guy from Stanford on the launch even o the HD2000 and that is what he said. they had not been contacted by MS at that pint (about a month ago) but tey were happy to o something smilar. Why rn folding on the Xbox CPU ifyou can run it on the GPU? Heck, if you are worried about overheating, run it 50% on the CPu and 50% on the GPu,not maxing either out.

    The prolem with both the Cell and the PGU approach is that itis very inflexible. Rightnow they can only do water-simlulations.

    I'm not sure if MS really should do this but I guess why not. If it helps. n the other hand I' still not sure that adding even more power-hungry machines that run 24/7 is a good idea regardklss if they are doing something like this...

  • robg #46 5 years ago

    @Hansi320

    Yes, that's my RESPONSE to that - if you're going to respond to what I'm sayign then you need to say some that argues against my logic, not something that my logic argues against.

    Honestly, asking if I understood...if I hadn't then I wouldn't have made the comment in the first place. He's saying something he can easily back down from later that still serves as useful smear talk.

    P.S. I thought I'd leave this as-is, as I don't like the sly way posts are edited afterwards to remove things that the poster didn't want to say, but I will apologise for my hot-headed response - sorry!
    Edited by 2 at 18/05/07 @ 16:28

  • Feanor #47 5 years ago

    "Game over, I expect Konami to announce MGS4 for 360 within a few weeks, same goes for every other PS3 exclusive."

    Yes, I'm sure we'll all be playing Ratchet and Little Big Planet and Lair and Uncharted and Final Fantasy XIII on our 360s in 2008. Or more likely, not.

  • Dizzy #48 5 years ago

    >Or more likely, not.

    Indeed... I will not be playing those.

  • matsimpsk #49 5 years ago

    And the UI design of Macos was practially bought wholesale from Xerox Parc.

    Err, no.

  • zuljin #50 5 years ago

    @SwedBear
    "The prolem with both the Cell and the PGU approach is that itis very inflexible. Rightnow they can only do water-simlulations."

    /Bangs head against wall

  • -TKF- #51 5 years ago

    Microsoft did hint at being able to do the same, but "didn´t really bother".

    We all know why... Hot Smoking XBOX 360´s dying in bigger numbers than lemmings on the move..

    Bring it on Microsoft...

  • zuljin #52 5 years ago

    @-TKF-
    "We all know why... Hot Smoking XBOX 360´s dying in bigger numbers than lemmings on the move.."

    Sorry I found that comment quite funny... Especially since Lemmings is made by Sony! Industrial sabotage I say!

    EDIT: Whoops, the publisher of Lemmings is now Sony... My bad...
    Edited by 1 at 18/05/07 @ 15:09

  • dirigiblebill #53 5 years ago

    @ FrostyPheonixx

    You may have noticed there's an article at the top of this comments thread. Why not read and respond to it, rather than vomiting off-topic fanboy shite?

  • The-Bodybuilder #54 5 years ago

    >"We go out of our way, correctly so, to make sure that we don't try to sell PS3s on Folding@Home"

    Like saddam buying ps2s to make a supercompter to power his missiles?

    Other than that. He's pretty on point. WOULD MS be even talking about folding@home if sony didn't do it?

    Either way, we don't care.

  • Repsode #55 5 years ago

    Of course Sony would know all about copying other companies' ideas for "shallow" PR.

  • Darren #56 5 years ago

    I think Microsoft reaction to folding@home has come about because of claims that the Cell processor is superior at running it than the 360's CPU and for no other reason. Microsoft absolutely hate the idea of anyone, nevermind Sony, implying that their Xbox 360 is inferior in any way to the competition. LOL

  • All_the_girly_men #57 5 years ago

    If MS incorporated Folding@home into 360's it'd probably cause about another two million RoD's.

  • JediMasterMalik #58 5 years ago

    I don't undertand why this has spawned 62 comments. I don't specifically see anything he said which is particularly idiotic or insulting. All he said was that they need to use actions rather than words, if they say that the 360 can fold as well as a PS3 prove it, otherwise it is just PR nonsense and a lame excuse for a dig at the competition.

    Sony have the right to capitalise on Folding for PR, because they ARE doing it, even if Tretton claims that's not the purpose.

    MS do not, as they ARE NOT doing it. If they did do it, more power to them, good job in following in some admirable footsteps.

    Am I missing something here?

  • Jokerr #59 5 years ago

    Fanboyism

  • dirigiblebill #60 5 years ago

    'Sony have the right to capitalise on Folding for PR, because they ARE doing it, even if Tretton claims that's not the purpose.'

    Might be a good time to pop over to the philanthropy debate which raged on that Bill Gates comments thread last year.

  • JediMasterMalik #61 5 years ago

    How is that bullshit, have you ever seen Sony say "Buy a PS3, it cures diseases"? An advertisement saying PS3's cure cancer? No

    Of course they are capitalising on the positive PR, but they're not using it as a selling point.

  • Carrybagma #62 5 years ago

    I surprised that these guys manage to take a leak without releasing a statement to the press about it.

    Pricks in suits.

  • Foundry #63 5 years ago

    Given that folding at home was launched in 2000 we can assume that the organizers considered the PCs/Macs of the time adequately powerful enough that any CPU cycles donated would be beneficial to the project.

    I'm not sure how Jack could possible believe a console launched a whole six years later would also not be able to contribute in some meaningful way.

    It's not hard to believe that the Cell is better suited for this particular application, but its stupid of him to imply that X360 architecture could not be of any help at all.

    This ranks as the one of the most bizarre arguments I've ever gotten involved with.

  • SexyBodyBuilderDude #64 5 years ago

    Playstation 3 really BLOWS the biggest DONKEY PENIS when it comes to games!

    Maybe the Sony PS3 (also known as the Fony BS3) would have some decent games if Sony would have put more effort into building a machine dedicated to games.

    Xbox 360 games have a lot better performance than Playstation 3 games.

    Just compare the newly released F.E.A.R. on the Playstation 3. When F.E.A.R. was released on PC and Xbox 360 it received lots of awards because of its high quality graphics and gameplay, along with all of the awesome online features.

    But look at F.E.A.R. on the Playstation 3. It was released over six months later, and ended up with graphics that look like garbage. The PS3 version of F.E.A.R. is just like so many other PS3 games the way it has framerate problems and doesn't let you talk to people online. On the Playstation 3 the framerate often drops below 20 frames per second, and it makes the game go into slow motion so much that it has a really bad effect on gameplay.

    Look at this website review from 1up for proof of this: [link url=http://w ww.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3158930
    ]http://ww w.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=315...[/link]

    Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 and Rainbow Six: Vegas have been on the Xbox 360 for a long time, but the PS3 versions still are not available. The PS3 versions aren't worth the wait; they will not be as good. Rainbow Six: Vegas is on sale this week for $39.99 at Target because it has sold so well.

    Playstation 3 SUX so BAD!!! Who would want to pay $59.99 for a worthless version of F.E.A.R. when you can buy awesome Xbox 360 versions of F.E.A.R. for $39 and Rainbow Six: Vegas for $39.99.

    If you read EGM then you know Sony's Jack Tretton talks out of his butt a LOT! He said to EGM, "I bet you $1,200 that the PS3 is sold out everywhere in the country." Then, EGM picked up the phone and found the PS3 in nine of the first stores they called because nobody wanted to buy the Playstation 3.

    Jack Tretton made a fool of himself that time, and he made a fool of himself this time, too.

    It's like the saying goes, Candy is Dandy but Sony is Fony!
    Edited by 2 at 18/05/07 @ 20:57

  • JediMasterMalik #65 5 years ago

    roflmao

  • JediMasterMalik #66 5 years ago

    Show me where they have tried to sell a PS3 on the fact that it does folding and you have an argument. You're right, businesses do only care about profit, that's the nature of business, you can't get away from that. But the statement you quoted was not wrong unless you can prove it wrong.

    Simply having a feature, does not mean they are actively trying to sell the product on that feature. Blu-ray, Games, Music playing, Web features are all things they are selling the PS3 on, Folding is not.

  • davisorle #67 5 years ago

    @JediMasterMalik They may not have said it but they know it works that way. How may websites had the headtittle way before it even starts happening saying "PS3 CURES @#*&^@#* " or whatever? I'm not acusing anone but Im sure he also used with the same logic the fact they started it against MS.

    @-TKF- You all keep talking about 360s burning but Ive had many times my xbox on for weeks and weeks without turning it off so even if my waranty is already out of date Id be more than willing to help out with this thing. Instead of everyone talkign shit about this whole thing clear your fucking minds and think it might even once in a million help out your own kids in the feauture. That's all that matters. So sony instead of coming out to questiong MS if they really didnt care about PR in this sector they would even ask from MS to keep trying till they make it and give a hand in this matter.

    Ppl can be assholes without even realising it. That's what's sad about this whole thing.

  • BartonFink #68 5 years ago

    JMM hit it right on the noggin.

    TBH the only ones putting negative spin on this are Sony. And I do seem to remember Sony making a big thing of this a while back for PR. Tretton is being an ass.

  • Baz_Dude #69 5 years ago

    Folding at home is pointless as most people don't leave there consoles on all day. If you ain't using them you turn them off, common sense prevales here people. Also, Sony coming out and sayin 'Microsoft are being shallow' is just their PR team hitting back, shallow in itself. They may be questioning them but all they are trying to do is make their product look better, like they give a stuff about F@H.

    PR is publicity stunt, either way. they are both as bad as each other.

  • sonsonate #70 5 years ago



    It's to fucking cure a disease, not to see who can fucking "fold" it faster. Jeezus H Christ. Who the hell cares about the rest with however many people contributing to the same goal?


    Oh and, hey, cure the disease, kill the planet, with your polluting ways. Maybe we can "fold" and figure out a way to save the planet we live on before it blows our stupid asses off.

  • captainrentboy #71 5 years ago

    NORTH AMERICAN HARDWARE SALES FOR APRIL 2007,
    DS: 471k
    Wii: 360k
    PS2: 194k
    PSP: 183k
    360: 174k
    GBA: 84k
    PS3: 82k
    Judging by those beautiful sales figures above I can't see either the PS3 or 360 curing that darned cancer any time soon.
    I think we need Nintendo to get in on this quick sharpish.

  • Steroyd #72 5 years ago

    But the wii hasn't got enough power to cure cancer fast enough.

  • Overlush #73 5 years ago

    Can I get Achievements for Folding At Home on my 360 or do I need a Gold account first?

  • drumbaby #74 5 years ago

    If Msoft could do FAM easily with the far more abundant 360, then why aren't they already doing it?

    Because they care far more about publically questioning Sony's proactive contribution than getting off their collective 'arris and helping a good cause.

  • drumbaby #75 5 years ago

    "I think we need Nintendo to get in on this quick sharpish. "

    Yep, 'Pika Tumor Wavee Bye-bye.'

    I'd buy that for a dollar. :)

  • Yaz #76 5 years ago

    "If Msoft could do FAM easily with the far more abundant 360, then why aren't they already doing it?"

    Gee, maybe, just maybe, the decision is actually down to the team at Stanford University and not MS themselves. You know, the guys actually responsible for Folding.

    Just a thought. ;)

  • smoothn00dle #77 5 years ago

    This is getting interesting *v* after blu ray, another M$ dilemma. If M$ show poor $folding performance, this would make Xbox360 look bad. In 3d business world, look bad can have deadly consequence.

  • Overlush #78 5 years ago

    @SexyBodyBuilderDude

    I think we already established that FEAR PS3 is a poor port of an OK port of a poorly optimised, power-hungry, 2 year old PC game. We weren't expecting miracles.

    R6Vegas and GRAW2? Let's wait and see, but given Ubisoft's history with lazy porting, again, I'm not holding my breath.

    I'm curious though: how do Resistance, Motorstorm or Oblivion factor into your 'argument' against the PS3's capabilities?
    Edited by 2 at 20/05/07 @ 11:14

  • Kenshin001 #79 5 years ago

    @Yaz

    "Gee, maybe, just maybe, the decision is actually down to the team at Stanford University and not MS themselves. You know, the guys actually responsible for Folding."

    I doubt it. Why would Stanford object? MS will not do F@H on the 360 because the console is too unreliable ie. RRoD. You would be talking hundreds of thousands more 360 failures, a financial and PR disaster for MS.

  • Jas315 #80 5 years ago

    True

  • Yaz #81 5 years ago

    @Kenshin001

    "I doubt it. Why would Stanford object?"

    Firstly, what is there to doubt? Folding is the work of a team at Stanford University, so it's up to them FIRST, and so far, there is no evidence that they have contacted MS regarding bringing Folding to the 360, and certainly no evidence that MS are against it.

    Secondly, who said anything about objecting? Developement isn't simply about someone saying "Hey guys, I have a great idea, let's put our program on the 360 tomorrow!". To get Folding on 360, the team would have to WANT to bring it on the 360 to begin with (they chose the PS3 mostly because of interest in the Cell processor). They would then need to contact MS. If they get the go ahead, they would have to PAY for at least one 360 devkit and work on porting their code to the new console. Then they would need to work with MS on getting it to work on XBL (which is closed compared to PSN). The list goes on. It's a lot of work and therefore would only happen if the team decided they wanted to do it in the first place and if it's worth the effort.

    So the idea that it's not on the 360 because of console unreliability is just fanboy nonsense, it really is.
    Edited by 4 at 20/05/07 @ 19:47

  • Kenshin001 #82 5 years ago

    @Yaz

    I doubt Stanford would not want that extra power though Vijay Pande, the creator of F@H did say, "the cell processor in the PS3 is much more powerful for our calculations than the CPU in the Xbox 360." It appears Tretton was on the right track.

    I guess all MS has to do is ask. I doubt they will because 360's will start dying like flies. Perhaps you can start a petition and send it to Peter Moore.

  • Vandrius #83 5 years ago

    Hahaha.

    And in other news, shares in fire blankets and fire retardent jackets skyrocketed today...
    Edited by 1 at 21/05/07 @ 06:05

  • Yaz #84 5 years ago

    @Kenshin001

    "I doubt Stanford would not want that extra power"

    Of course they will, but as I stated, these things don't just happen over night, it takes time, and there are MANY factors behind it besides power or reliability.

    "the cell processor in the PS3 is much more powerful for our calculations than the CPU in the Xbox 360."

    And which part of that statement did you not know already? Was that really news to you?

    We all know (most of us) that the Cell processor in the PS3 is about twice as powerful as the CPU (Xenon) in the 360 for floating-point operations, so of course of the two consoles, that would make the PS3 the ideal choice for Folding. However, we also know from the website that ATI GPUs offer about twice the performance of Cell for Folding (albeit it's less flexible than Cell, but both are less flexible than PC CPUs). NVidia GPUs in contrast offer very poor performance (as stated on the website), hence we have the ATI GPU client for Folding. Therefore IF Folding is to come to the 360, it's likely to make use of the ATI GPU and not the CPU (unless they find a way to use both).

    But again I state, it's not as simple as that. Expecting Folding on the 360 is like expecting a successful console game to appear on a rival console using the logic "But surely the developers would want more sales". Yes they would want more sales, but it's not as easy as that, and it may not be worth the effort.

    "I guess all MS has to do is ask. I doubt they will because 360's will start dying like flies."

    360s dying is obviously the ONLY point you want to make here, since you've stated it in every post so far. So if you want to keep bashing, go ahead, but at least try something original. :|
    Edited by 2 at 21/05/07 @ 06:57

  • Yaz #85 5 years ago

    @Vandrius

    "And in other news, shares in fire blankets and fire retardent jackets skyrocketed today..."

    Sure, you mean like they did during the "Sony Exploding Batteries" incident! ;)

  • drumbaby #86 5 years ago

    I see your trooooo colours, shining through ;)

  • Yaz #87 5 years ago

    ^^^ Well assuming that was directed at me drumbaby, I'm not sure which colours I have since I've yet to purchase any next-gen console (although I would admit, the Wii just doesn't appeal to me at all). :)

    And I think my response to Vandrius is quite appropriate ("Those in glass houses...";).

    However, I think both the PS3 and 360 are superb consoles, so if people are going to make ridiculous comments simply because of their own bias towards one console (360s dying, Cell not good for gaming, don't need Blu-ray, DVD not enough for next-gen etc) then I'm going to respond, like it or not. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 21/05/07 @ 08:10

  • Kenshin001 #88 5 years ago

    Yaz, actually it was news to me. If you care about helping research that will help fight disease and save the little babies when you aren't playing games you know which console to buy.

    Let's all demand Peter Moore ask Stanford for the 360 to do F@H. RRoD be damned!

  • mkreku #89 5 years ago

    One is great at folding proteins at a blinding speed and the other is great at playing games. Which one do you prefer?