technically the games would run... but it would require a complete rewrite of the kernel installed on the system and although the technology used is released there will be some subtle differences to prevent the console being used as an actual PC.
The essence of what it'll be able to do will be to effectively surf the internet particularly TimeWarner-AOL because they provide a service which allows only thier own users to access special sites on the AOL Internet (the game area is sponsored and run by Eletronic Arts incase you are wondering)
In this section there will be links to DarkBasic, but also a special area for downloading software only compatible with this console - suchas update DLLs for DBP, Game, Operating System Patchs which are searched for and run at runtime and other interesting things.
Although in the spirit of being able to use the PC itself to connect through the Ethernet Socket or USB Sockets will be available, the actual access to the machine itself will be limited to just really the Drive (for reading/writing games) and the second of the HDD which contains your DBP projects and downloaded games.
however for obvious reasons i'm not going to explain current plans on how the media is planned to be protected from piracy nor how the OS is going to also be protected from unathourised access. However i'm sure the ideas which have been thrown around so far will be fully developed over the comming few months to give you security that noone can steal your games or simply use the hardware however they choose. Atleast not easily.
a point should be made that as soon as the prototype is complete to a fairly bugfree level (enough to test software) then it will be asked of DBS that the dongle version of DBP could be edited for another kinda of hardware check, again i will not say what but would be fair to say that it would be impossible for a home hacker to accomplish it.
the Box itself should be running on an edited version of NT 5.x whether that is NT 5.0 or 5.1 is still being debated to be honest, but either way it will be running DirectX 9.0 and so will be setup for DBPs patch5 and 6 updates
although no i will not reveal who the proffesional developers are at this time, i'm sure within the next few month it will become common knowlage who they are and why this machine is so interesting to them.
all i can say is i think you will all be pleasently surprised at not only who they are.
and no doubt as nVidia themselves are more and more into the swing of this and confident about what is actually being developed they too will be making announcements.
however as development has been going on for only 1 week so far, we are just really looking for teams who have the time to put into making this console what it is.
as although it could be the best technology in the world, without the support and creation of titles from the DB community this project will fall into the same problem that the N64 did 7years ago.
as soon as the details are finalised i'll also be releasing the press release of nVidia's "Developers Consortium Agreement" which for those teams who can't work without financial backing the terms and agreement that you consign to and what FMTau will be authorised to pay to teams for development or full titles.
The agreement will not stop as soon as the console hits the shops either, those teams which help to produce the gamebase will go onto being Senior Developers and get to vote on and decide what games nVidia will publish as full titles once the console is released.
Which means that unlike the Playstation community which was stifled we will be actually rewarding those who don't just want to play games and actually make worth while software, a bit like the return of Public Domain Software ... only difference will be is that you will see your game actually on the shelf in your local shops all proffesionaly packaged.
As i've mentioned the emphasis on this project is to not just get gamers playing the console, but also make the community feel like if they develop something they won't have to plug it like crazy just to make a few bucks... but that thier games will be actively developed and will make the console what it is.
a small final note, the software produced hopefully will be another edit by the DBS team to create 2 different executables -
nFinity Bootup Executeable and Standard Win32 Executeable, meaning that games will be able to be played cross platform if the developers choose to release ... but the nFinity's hardware will also be specicially written for, meaning that it'll be far more compatible, stable and quicker (well thats the theory anyways)
i'll now be leaving all the rest of the information that you could possibly ask over to Jerico to answer to the best of his knowlage, also feel free to email him about developers information
thank you
Within the Epic battle of the fates the Shadow and the Angel will meet. With it will harbinger the very fight of good vs evil!