Also, since the system uses Microsoft's DirectX technology, already used to develop the vast majority of PC-based games, many existing tools will be reusable. Because we're based on DirectX, tools that developers are already using are also applicable. This will speed up development considerably, and alleviate many headaches in the long run. Developers will receive constant updates on their hardware as the silicon becomes more finalized, with near-final dev kits shipping by this fall, he hopes. We all know the depths that PC games have sunk, with buggy software being considered salable, only to be patched later thanks to the recent proliferation of bandwidth.
Some games have patches before they've even been on shelves for a week.
Allard answered that question in two words. The hard-drive is there to store game data, he clarified, as well as to serve as virtual memory while a game runs. Things like sports commentary or extra level data could be read from the game DVD and stored on the hard-drive for quick access later when they're needed, freeing RAM but not taking nearly as much time to load. Before talking to Allard, I was amazed by the power of Microsoft's new toy and thought that it had huge potential. I'm now pleased to say that I'm even more amazed by the system and have no doubt that developers will have just the right tools to shape that potential into some truly spectacular games.