Is it necessary to call it Next Gen anymore?

Neo_God

Because isn't it now more or less current gen? Or will it remain next gen until the other 2 consoles are out?

Because I see people call normal mapped models Next Gen. Sorry, but Normal maps are now almost the norm(no pun intended) and they've been used for close to 2 years now in games, and I hardly consider that "next Gen".

Though I guess Next gen might just be a buzz word, and not a descriptive word.

KDR_11k

Of course it's a buzzword first and foremost but I don't think we should call the XC, PS3 and Rev current gen yet because two out of three aren't available yet.

Daz

'Next gen' usually refers to the next generation of consoles. Seeing as nobody yet has a PS3 in their lounge, and only very few have a 360, I wouldn't quite say that 'next gen' has arrived yet.

With the exception of a few xbox titles, normal mapped models actually aren't the norm yet in games in your living room. ( Im not talking pc here ).

I do think its a stupid buzzword, and that it needs to go away, but yeah, what KDR said. Technically speaking 'next gen' isn't actually quite here yet.

Neo_God

Yeah, I guess normal maps arn't too common just yet, since I play games on PC the most, I see it more often than one who predominently plays on consoles.

acc

People also still call it next-gen because we have no other next-gen to refer to. Until companies start announcing the next round of consoles or some new graphics breakthrough it is hard to define what the next generation will be.

Spoon_of_death

It'll probably fade out automatically, i remember people calling 2000 poly models next-gen back in the Q3 days

gauss

boy it sure sounds like somebody isn't ready to take things to the next level. i don't even know if you're going to be invited to the HD Era with that kind of talk, Neo God.

rawkstar

its going to stick forever and people will start applying it to everything.

hmm i need to get me some of those new next gen shoes...

Daz

You dont have any? pffft. I had me some next gen sex last night.

Mishra

i would have had some next gen sex but all i could find was some last gen. pre-owned too.

KeyserSoze

"next gen" sex sounds pretty illegal

Neo_God

[ QUOTE ]
boy it sure sounds like somebody isn't ready to take things to the next level. i don't even know if you're going to be invited to the HD Era with that kind of talk, Neo God.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah! I was one of the first people on these message boards to even tackle normal mapping! With this ugly little guy here!

Yes it is bad looking which is why I revamped it sometime ago, but it was the 2nd normal mapped model to grace these message boards (and I mean old message boards) (first being a normal mapped cave troll for the mythical creatures contest)

So if anything Guass, my friend, I'll be at the forefront of this HD era, haha

Kevin Albers

I use the phrase less and less. I've been making normal maps for the last three years, so to me pixel-shader tech is not super new, and certainly not something that will happen in the future.