Biggest console generation leap?

Zefan said:
Definitely the leap from Mega Drive/Snes to PlayStation/N64/Saturn.
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I can't believe anyone could think otherwise.

The current leap from what is now last gen will probably go down as being one of the smallest, mainly beacause of the change to HD imo.

I think the next leap could potentially be huge given that HD will be pretty much standard by then.

Nothing will ever beat the jump from 16 bit/2D sprites to 32 bit/polygons/3D.
 
I gotta say, When playstation was first released, I never noticed the jaggies, it was only later when things came out that looked better, that the jaggies seemed more evident.

I always remember the Trex demo on the PSX. I think that was the defining moment.
 
Definately the leap from Megadrive to Saturn. Look at that huge megadrive Virtua racing game and how tough that was to fit on a cartridge. Then the Saturn versions of Sega Rally and Daytona, launch titles. Oh and Virtua fighter after playing Mortal Kombat was huge.

Yet still people say the Leap from xbox forza to 360 forza aint that great ;)
 
While I think a great leap happened between 8bit home computers to beasts like the Amiga, from the options above I'd go with:

Megadrive / SNES -> Playstation / Nintendo 64

I think the Playstation was spot on. During its lifespan a really set of games went onto the market, I mean a lot of original 3D games that just weren't possible before. Now you see a lot of sequels, remakes with fancier graphics. But the PS1 defined a lot of things.
 
The day I plugged in my 4MB Voodoo card and saw Tomb Raider for the first time was the biggest leap in my mind.
 
smcshaw said:
The day I plugged in my 4MB Voodoo card and saw Tomb Raider for the first time was the biggest leap in my mind.
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Even though we are talking about console, I hadn't actually considered PC's.

The first thing I tested with my shiny new Maxi Gamer Voodoo 1 card was a Jedi Knight Demo IIRC, that was impressive!
 
EezerGoode said:
I believe that the defining moment was Mario 64. I think nearly every game today owes itself to that game.

So I am of the opinion that I think will be shared by most that the leap from 16 bit gaming into the N64 and playstation era was the biggest leap.
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Nail on head.
 
EezerGoode said:
I believe that the defining moment was Mario 64. I think nearly every game today owes itself to that game.

So I am of the opinion that I think will be shared by most that the leap from 16 bit gaming into the N64 and playstation era was the biggest leap.
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Agreed.
 
Teletraan-82 said:
Even though we are talking about console, I hadn't actually considered PC's.
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Aye, I was having trouble contributing as up until the XBox I was a bit of a PC snob and wouldn't give consoles the time of day.

My mrs had a PS1 when I met her but the PS2/XBox had been out a year when we met so I was never that impressed.

Getting an Amiga 500 after being a 48k speccie gamer was also a big 'graphic leap' that stands out but the Voodoo 1 one is still the most monumental in my mind.
 
SNES -> PS

3D Graphics were revolutionary. Not a console but the biggest jump was when Doom came out on PC.
 
The leap from 2d to 3d is the biggest step seen in console gaming so far. So SNES to PSX.

Overall though, the biggest leap in gaming in general would be the release of Doom. That was 3d (albeit with 2d sprites) and multiplayer in general long before the PS/N64 consoles came out.
 
Yeah, as mentioned above, I remember the first time I saw an Amiga, when I still had my C64. I was truely gobsmacked.

Some lucky guy at our school had one, right back in '85 I think it was (or could've been '86) There wasn't a lot out for it then, as it was brand new, but I remember seeing Defender of the Crown, and being amazed.

Later when I was doing my computer training in '88, some guy brought his Amiga in, and he had... oh damn, I've forgotten the name, but it was a "defender" clone, with excellent graphics and the music was mind blowing.... (google check, it was "Starray") I bought one myself shortly after, and was pleased as punch.

The next amazing next jump for me was definitley the PS1. Used to stay up 'till the early hours down a mates place, playing on Porsche Challenge and Tekken 2.

Since then, the consoles have got better and better, but never had that "WOW!" that I got from the Amiga and PS1 at the time.

May also have something to do with the fact I've kept fairly up to date with my PC setup since 1997, so I haven't had the long wait between console releases to see what could be done.

V1N.
 
NokkonWud recently said the leap to the current generation was the biggest, but I would say it is the smallest, based on current evidence.

I agree with those who say that the leap to the Playstation 1 generation was the biggest leap.
 
N64 easily.

Although the week before the 360 came out, I walked into game and had a go on the demo pod and I was amazed by the CoD2 graphics.
 
Yep, definitely from SNES/Megadrive to PS/Saturn/N64

Next I would probably say the move to the current generation. I wouldn't say this is any great jump but it has had a big effect on how I play games. For instance, after playing everything in HD, I loath playing games using composite etc. So I now play all my PS2/Xbox games through their respective younger brothers to get a little better picture quality, and I now have a VGA adapter for the Dreamcast.

Also, online integration has really taken off this generation, and not only for the purposes of playing online but also for how we obtain content - I used to buy magazines for their cover demos but not anymore because I can just download them.
 
I think every gen has had its defining moment for one reason or another.

Dark Ages -> 8 bit
Cartridge loading, game saves (albeit rare), some arcade conversions,

8 bit -> 16 bit
Defined graphics, clear sounds, some audio, some rudimentary 3d, introduction of CD's as media, proliferation of game saves as a standard.

16 bit -> 32/64 bit
True 3d, true CD quality audio and voiceovers, FMV and pre rendered goodness. Realistic Backdrops, interactive environments and sprawling levels and stories. The biggest leap imo, this brought gaming to the masses it was something adults could do aswell as kids (resident evil was born).

32/64 bit -> PS2 Xbox
Probably something of a golden age of gaming at least for my generation. The PS2 was a phenominal beast, and was astounding from day 1, many new games expanded the genres that were now staple. For better or worse these consoles formed the definition that most now accept for 'videogaming'. Xbox brought much needed competition and founded the modding movement that, illegalities aside, has pushed great home coders to open up consoles way beyond their potential, Media center was born with the xbox scene whether MS admit it or not. Gamecube performs admirably securing nintendos niche as the 'other' choice.

PS2 Xbox -> Now
Something of a mixed bag this gen. Innovation from nintendo yet again goes down well. The 360 implements firm goals for its online domination and both 360 and ps3 sport some formidable hardware. Graphics are starting to move toward the spectacular in a lot of genres, however innovation is somewhat stunted outside of nintendo HQ. Huge open ended worlds usher in a new era of RPG type gaming that can be applied to almost any gaming model. Games like spiderman 3, saints row, oblivion and test drive unlimited are testament to this advance.

Now -> Future
This may be the most interesting leap yet, or perhaps you might say it always is the most interesting one. Where will we go? What will become of gaming? It can only be expected to expand and eventually become something quite astonishing, 5 years? 10? 100? Who knows. But video gaming is well set to take over as the worlds most popular recreational activity. As compared to the proliferation of film, we have only just gotten colour, the sound is still mono and no one can act believably. By that rationale GoW was simply 'Gone with the wind', In as little as ten years we could be playing 'Gladiator'.
 
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