The following article contains information given by Digital Interactive Systems Corporation during a phone interview on May 5, 2003.
Just last week, GamingWorld X reported the news of a new console to be shown at this year’s E3. Along with the Phantom, the N-Gage, and the recently announced Helix, the DISCover is a console made by newcomers to the industry looking to grab a piece of the $6 billion dollar pie. However, there is one major factor which sets the DISCover apart from the others: rather than having proprietary software like the standard gaming console, DISCover technology will allow you to play already existing and newly released PC gaming software in the comfort of your living room. Skeptical? So were we. So we decided to sit down with the president of Digital Interactive Systems Corporation (a.k.a. DISC) Avraham DorEl and picked his brain on his company’s technology.
Before you get pictures of another Xbox, GameCube, or PS2 in your head, you should know that DISCover is less of a standardized console and more of a technology that will be implemented units manufactured by various companies. However, when we brought up the dreaded “3DO” word, Mr. DorEl was quick to suggest that we compare it to VHS or TiVo, rather than that dreaded disaster from the mid-90s. DISC holds the patent on the technology to play PC games on your television set through a set-top box, eliminating the hassle and difficulty of software installation. Outside manufacturers such as Gateway will manufacture their own consoles with the DISCover technology inside, and gamers will be able to select from thousands of PC games for their entertainment.
So what differentiates a DISCover unit from a PC? Simplicity. Windows XP is imbedded in the unit and it will come preloaded with the installation files for an enormous list of already existing PC games, allowing you to “drop and play” the games rather than manually installing them. The list of compatible games will be available in the manual and online and will be updated regularly as new games are released. Once these new games hit shelves, just turn on your unit, head over to the website, install the execute information, and pop in your new disc.
Now the most obvious questions are the “when?”, the “where?”, and “how much?” The technology is set to release to manufacturers in September, allowing them to get their units to mass-market retail chains such as Best Buy and Circuit City by the holidays. The trickier question is “how much?” The DISCover units are similar to PCs in that they will run from a low-end unit (approximately $299.99), which is not upgradeable, to a high-end unit, capable of keeping up with new software (ranging up to $1700). The units will not only play games, but will also have DVD, CD, CD-R compatibility, along with a TiVO-like function on the higher end units. This is truly a set-top box.
We asked Avi to walk us through the installation of a new game. He stated that it would work just like any other game console, except that the first time you play, the unit would automatically detect the game and match it to its setup information already installed on the disk. After the game is set up and installed automatically, the gamer will be able to play just like any other console. We also brought up the issue of space, as lower end units will most likely not be upgradeable. Avi told us that to save space the DISCover will remove games that haven’t been played for a set amount of time.
DISCover units will be equipped with an impressive list of specs, including a Pentium 4 processor, 1GB memory, and a hard drive, which ranges from 40 to 120GB. DISCover gamers will be able to play with PC gamers either online or via LAN and not even notice the difference.
Expect more information regarding the DISCover during our extensive E3 coverage, which will begin Tuesday, May 13th.
Closing Comments:Personally, I find the DISCover to be an extremely intriguing concept. However, what concerns me most is the variety of different units that will be available and the potential to confuse customers. The questions of “What’s the difference between the $300 unit and the $1,000 unit and how is this better than a PC?” are sure to come up. Because of this, I would assume that the consoles will be aimed at the older, more tech-savvy market, rather than the confused parent buying a console for his/her teenaged son or daughter. But aren’t the older, more tech-savvy market already comfortable with their high-end PCs?
The other concern I have is the issue of new releases. The idea of being able to pop in a PC game and just play it from the get-go is surely an intriguing one, but just not one that I can foresee being done with 100% results. PC gaming and the system requirements for new releases change on a daily basis. If a consumer is going to have to spend upwards of $800 just to get an upgradeable console to avoid having an obsolete console in a couple of months, why not just use their PC? The company is going to have to convince this market that this device is more convenient and in some way more practical than a PC.
That being said, the concept of a PC console has been toyed with in the past and dreamt about by gamers everywhere, and DISCover seems to have the most sound and solid plan that’s come along ever. Making a PC game console is not an easy task, and while there do seem to be some potential pitfalls for DISC and their technology, I couldn’t help but come away impressed with how they plan to deal with the difficulties.
What do you think of DISCover? GWX will be meeting personally with Avi DorEl at E3 to go hands-on with his technology. If you have any questions or comments you would like us to bring up, write in to our mailbag feature X-Communication and we’ll be sure to bring them up during our meeting.
