Just Played X-Box 360....
Posted by: Cris
Just Played X-Box 360.... - 19/11/2005 14:46
The shopping centre I was working at today had an X-Box 360 display setup, quite impressive, they had taken over an empty shop unit and filled it with 360's.
One of the guys running the show noticed I was working on the centre's broadband lines and was asking me some questions, they were running the whole show off a 3G card in a laptop! Quite impressive in itself.
Anyway, they let me jump the queue and have a quick go. From a distance the footbal game (excuse my ignorance I'm not a gamer) look like it was a real match! But other than that it was pretty much what you would expect, just with higher res graphics, same old boring games. Nothing that will make me run out and buy one...
...apart from it's media centre features, if you have XP MCE, the 360 connects to it and you have access to all the features on your X-Box too, and this comes straight out of the box (so the guy says). This may be enough to sway me, as I was thinking about using MCE to run my MAME machine.
One other thing, the PSU, IT'S HUGE!!!
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: bootsy
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 19/11/2005 22:26
Quote:
if you have XP MCE, the 360 connects to it and you have access to all the features on your X-Box too
I might be reading this wrong, but you are saying the 360 works as an extender to the MCE box, not that the MCE box gains features of the 360, correct?
Posted by: msaeger
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 20/11/2005 01:16
Someone I work with just got a 360 from the mountain dew contest. He couldn't give much of an opinion though he couldn't even remember what game he got with it.
Reviews I have read say if you don't have an HD tv don't expect it to look much better than the xbox.
I probably won't get one at launch since the only game I want for it is Kameo and one game isn't worth 450.00
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 20/11/2005 09:39
Quote:
Quote:
if you have XP MCE, the 360 connects to it and you have access to all the features on your X-Box too
I might be reading this wrong, but you are saying the 360 works as an extender to the MCE box, not that the MCE box gains features of the 360, correct?
Yep. Extender.
Posted by: bootsy
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 22/11/2005 00:11
Quote:
Yep. Extender.
Darn... I had hoped I misunderstood. I had not heard of any "upstream" capabilities like that.
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 06:24
Ok, I played at Frys today. Graphics were impressive. Could only try a few games. One game seem to be all show and not very fun to play (King Kong), but games like Call Of Duty 2 and a few others look amazing. Didn't get to see or try Project Gotham, but I've heard it's amazing.
I want to get one but didn't pre-order. Frys was sold out, and aren't getting another order in until mid-December!
Anyone know where I can buy one at MSRP in the SF Bay Area?
- Jon
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 14:49
Posted by: Cris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:15
If you think about it shipping machines that crash all the time is a pretty good anti-piracy feature.
What I mean is, to get a game to run (even a legal one) you have to run an update, now to get the update you have to have a legal machine as the update checks what you have on your HD and BIOS and will only update a fully legal machine, or what M$ sees as a legal machine. Pretty Simple.
It's this exact same thing that has forced me to shell out for a full copy of XP MCE to run my Mame Box, I can't get the new remote/keyboard to work without running a live update, and that won't run unless I have legal copy. Very smart Microsoft, it simply isn't worth the hasstle for me to run anything but a legal copy anymore.
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:32
Quote:
What I mean is, to get a game to run (even a legal one) you have to run an update, now to get the update you have to have a legal machine as the update checks what you have on your HD and BIOS and will only update a fully legal machine, or what M$ sees as a legal machine. Pretty Simple.
Hmm. What a cunning plan. It is as cunning as a fox that is professor of cunning at Oxford...
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:36
Quote:
Quote:
What I mean is, to get a game to run (even a legal one) you have to run an update, now to get the update you have to have a legal machine as the update checks what you have on your HD and BIOS and will only update a fully legal machine, or what M$ sees as a legal machine. Pretty Simple.
Hmm. What a cunning plan. It is as cunning as a fox that is professor of cunning at Oxford...
Ok, that's a good theory, but the negative publicity that is going to happen when the mainstream press get a hold of this will be far worse than some piracy...
The press are gonna eat it up, I think. They love to hurt M$.
- Jon
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:39
Quote:
The press are gonna eat it up, I think. They love to hurt M$.
In this case I believe they've got the right to do so. Microsoft have been rushing everything and everybody to get it released before Christmas. It isn't ready by a long shot as evident by the huge shortages and massive showstopper bugs. I'm curious as to how they're going to patch stuff since not everybody has the HD...
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:40
Quote:
Quote:
The press are gonna eat it up, I think. They love to hurt M$.
In this case I believe they've got the right to do so. Microsoft have been rushing everything and everybody to get it released before Christmas. It isn't ready by a long shot as evident by the huge shortages and massive showstopper bugs. I'm curious as to how they're going to patch stuff since not everybody has the HD...
Yeah, I guess I agree with that. They use the planet as their extended Beta test (Alpha test?).
- Jon
Posted by: genixia
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 15:42
Quote:
Quote:
What I mean is, to get a game to run (even a legal one) you have to run an update, now to get the update you have to have a legal machine as the update checks what you have on your HD and BIOS and will only update a fully legal machine, or what M$ sees as a legal machine. Pretty Simple.
Hmm. What a cunning plan. It is as cunning as a fox that is professor of cunning at Oxford...
..but has moved on and is now working for the U.N. at the High Commission of International Cunning Planning.
Posted by: Cris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 17:03
Quote:
The press are gonna eat it up, I think. They love to hurt M$.
I don't think M$ will be worried, as long as the words X-Box and Microsoft are in the headlines it can only be a good thing for them.
Gamers won't be bothered about it either, they only ever want the latest thing on the market. They will all buy a PS 3 when that comes out too, even though the games are similar on each platform.
Now if it were their latest OS crashing, that would be a different thing altogether, as they would loose the corperate sales straight away, for that they just restrict features at release, and add them via live update, for example the new MCE keyboard drivers, only released as part of rollup 2, via live update 
At the demo I was at, they had about 30-40 360's none of which showed any sign of crashing, my guess would be they didn't have the "factory" firmware on them 
For me this is the only reason I can see why X-Box Live Silver would be a free feature all of a sudden, to keep an eye on the users. Or maybe I'm over thinking this?
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 17:29
Quote:
For me this is the only reason I can see why X-Box Live Silver would be a free feature all of a sudden, to keep an eye on the users. Or maybe I'm over thinking this?
Xbox Live is one of the big features of the Xbox 360. Online play on the PS3 is going to be fragmented as Sony have decided to let each individual company organise their own servers.
Posted by: oliver
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 18:56
My buddy got 360 on launch day. Had to wait 12 hours in line, but managed to purchase two premium consoles.
Anyways, after setting it up for him, I was flipping through the owners manual. Found an interesting little picture, the xbox supports plugging in an MP3 player to the USB ports to access the music from that device. The MP3 player they had in the picture was the Rio Nitrus 1.5 gb player. I thought it was quite interesting they used a Rio player as the example.
Posted by: bootsy
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 21:30
Quote:
Anyways, after setting it up for him, I was flipping through the owners manual. Found an interesting little picture, the xbox supports plugging in an MP3 player to the USB ports to access the music from that device.
I tried this at work and it's pretty cool. I plugged my Archos in and was disappointed it didn't show up as a supported MP3 player. But then I noticed the "Portable Device" tab and there it was.
Really nifty... and you can access it from any game.
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 23/11/2005 21:43
Yeah. "Portable Device" means it has found a mass storage class USB device.
Posted by: drakino
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 24/11/2005 10:32
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At the demo I was at, they had about 30-40 360's none of which showed any sign of crashing, my guess would be they didn't have the "factory" firmware on them
To be fair, the one users photos and video seem to be pasted all over the internet making it seem like a much larger problem. Slashdot linked to 3 postings. Out of the launch units, this is still well below the norm for defective products. I think in this case it is just the tech media having fun poking at MS for no good reason. Really a slow news day I guess when they can't find a real issue to latch onto.
As far as the XBox 360 goes for me, I can confidently say it has the best online experience of any gaming platform, PC included. My friend had his unit up and running, and I grabbed the second controller to play with. In a few moments of setup, I had my XBox Live account online on his console bound to the second controller while his remained bound to the first controller. I started chatting with a friend online using the headset, and nothing done on controller one was interrupting it. This included playing Project Gothem, then exiting it and putting in Need for Speed. I was rather impressed with that alone, something that seems won't happen with the Playstation 3, and likely not the Revolution.
Microsoft nailed online gaming nearly perfectly. Combine Steam, XFire, and Skype, and make it work well and you have the new Live.
Oh, a cool feature on the new XBox. The XBox Marketplace offers downloads of quite a few things from skins and icons to video trailers or even game demos. Not only demos of the Arcade games like Gauntlet, but also the full store released games. Very cool use of the hard drive, and a great way to try out a future game without having to find a demo on some game magazine CD.
I'll post more of my impressions later. I decided to keep mine after one attempt on eBay. The prices plummeted from where I had my reserve set, so it didn't sell. That was pretty much my deciding factor on keeping it was if the market was going to fall that quickly on reselling them.
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 24/11/2005 18:00
I've got one question. Can you get Halo 2 on the xbox 360? I never played it on the xbox, not sure if they're gonna port it to the PC, wondering if I should just get an old xbox to play it on, or if I should get a 360.
Only problem is that I'm already out of inputs on the TV set, I'd have to do a switch box. Gr.
Posted by: msaeger
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 24/11/2005 18:05
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 24/11/2005 18:52
Okay, cool.
I guess I have more than one question now:
- Do they play well through that emulator, or are they choppy and slow like most emulators?
- Do they take advantage of the 360's widescreen high def video output?
- Can they play online just like they would have on the original Xbox?
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 24/11/2005 19:06
Some of those questions are answered in the Q and A link at that page... Hm. Interesting.
Posted by: drakino
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 25/11/2005 05:57
Quote:
- Do they play well through that emulator, or are they choppy and slow like most emulators?
- Do they take advantage of the 360's widescreen high def video output?
- Can they play online just like they would have on the original Xbox?
- The one game I have tried, Crimson Skies played very smoothly. In fact, it looks better to me, I think because the system is doing more anti aliasing to it then the XBox could do.
- It's not a widescreen game, but the XBox 360 is keeping my TV at the 720p resolution I set, and pillar boxing the game.
- Live support in the game worked fine, even to the point of showing the old XBox dashboard downloading screen when it grabbed a game update. Supplemental content also was downloaded and worked fine. Sadly when running an old game, the cool Live blade that pops up when pressing the X Logo key does nothing beyond allow you to shut down. With the 360 games, it allows you to see what friends are on, play custom music and a few other things.
Posted by: FireFox31
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 26/11/2005 22:10
Maybe I'm missing something, but shouldn't a gaming console be an appliance which doesn't need updating?
If it needs updating, then it's a computer, and should let me type papers, edit pictures, and manage my empeg. Its lack of this functionality makes it seem like an overpriced PC.
/me plugs in Super Nintento to continue working on Zelda 3.
Posted by: drakino
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 26/11/2005 22:17
Most tech devices these days have upgradable firmware and usually this is a good thing. My cell phone, router, portable gaming unit, Rio Karma, empeg, XBox, and Vonage call box all are upgradable, but none of them are a general purpose PC. Instead of having to get a new portable console, I can online update mine to add in support for better movie codecs, or have a web browser added.
With my XBox 360, online updates mean more then just low level bug fixes or whatever. It also means I can go on and download a game demo before I go to the store. Or grab a classic game like Gauntlet or SmashTV. Even Nintendo is going this route with the Revolution, allowing online users to browse the entire catalogue and play a game. If I wanted to, I could play Zelda 1 - Twilight Princess on the Revolution. All because it is online and upgradable.
Most updates for the 360 will be backwards compatibility updates to allow more and more XBox 1 games to run on it.
Posted by: andy
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 07:48
The firmware updates for the Sony PSP add complete new features, like a web browser for example (and also fix security holes that allowed people to run pirated games from the memory card).
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 11:59
Quote:
Maybe I'm missing something, but shouldn't a gaming console be an appliance which doesn't need updating?
Have you ever written a significant program that is 100% bugfree the first time around?
Posted by: hybrid8
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 13:32
I don't understand this. The XBOX 360 seems like an "overpriced" PC? !? What part of the $299 price tag ($399 for premium) is "overpriced?" My PowerBook cost $2600. A Mac Mini costs $499.
The $399 price in fact is a steal for the package you're getting. Most people don't equate the capacity to update/upgrade with "personal computer" - because all consoles, back to the dawn of time, have been "computers".
And you may very well be able to connect the empeg to it. It already handles the iPod and any mass-storage MP3 player without a problem. Seems like HTTP access to the empeg might just work out of the box.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 14:13
I've got a dumb question that I think I know the answer to, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong...
What about us guys that play PC games mainly because we can play FPS games with a keyboard and mouse with no problems but can't play on one of those controllers to save our lives?
Even if I got that problem sorted out (assuming the answer will be "practice, practice" I still have the problem of having to battle for time w. the TV if I ever want to play a game. Will my wife dig the fact that I'm not letting her watch her soaps so I can play a game?
I guess the PC is still the best "for me". I also like that I can seamlessly go between email, internet, gaming, photoshop, etc. All at the same seat.
I'm not knocking consoles, I just don't think they are for me.
Posted by: wfaulk
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 15:48
Yeah, I hate that console gaming controller, too. It works fine for some things (mostly slow moving things, IMO), but it just seems like a swiss army knife: good enough for most things, but never the right thing.
Of course, alternative controllers have always sold disappointingly. It seems like since it's USB-based, though, it ought to be able to support things that aren't intended solely for the one console.
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 16:20
Quote:
Maybe I'm missing something, but shouldn't a gaming console be an appliance which doesn't need updating?
I'm with you, FireFox.
In addition, shouldn't a gaming console be a relatively inexpensive piece of hardware?
To me, the Xbox 360 is a computer without a keyboard.
Still doesn't stop me from thinking about buying one. Although, I'm starting to think that I'll wait and get a regular Xbox with Halo2 when their prices come down further because of the 360's popularity.
Quote:
Maybe I'm missing something, but shouldn't a gaming console be an appliance which doesn't need updating?
I'm with you, FireFox.
Hmmm not really. The option for upgrades etc is there even if its never used. How can more options be a bad thing? Its still a console - just a console with more features. The crashes have also now been solved by several people by keeping the PSU off the ground so that overheating appears to have been the issue as opposed to buggy software.
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 17:38
Quote:
... keeping the PSU off the ground so that overheating ...
Again: Computer. Not gaming console. Sigh.
Posted by: frog51
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 17:57
More reasons not to ever buy a console -
- I really dislike having to play them on a TV - I don't like the refresh rate or the resolution
- Upgradeability is just sucky - you are tied in to vendor specifics, even assuming hardware is upgradeable, or else you have to go with unofficial 'mods'
- I agree with the whole controller issue...maybe my hands are just the wrong size, but they are all too small!
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 18:41
Quote:
Upgradeability is just sucky - you are tied in to vendor specifics, even assuming hardware is upgradeable, or else you have to go with unofficial 'mods'
That is the point however. Everybody will have identical hardware and therefore it will just work without you needing to fiddle.
Quote:
I agree with the whole controller issue...maybe my hands are just the wrong size, but they are all too small!
You ever used the original Xbox controllers?
Posted by: Roger
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 19:17
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I really dislike having to play them on a TV - I don't like the refresh rate or the resolution
My original Xbox looks great on my 32" LCD. No problem with refresh rate. My friend Adrian reckons that his US Xbox (with progressive scan) looks even better.
Posted by: Roger
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 19:20
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You ever used the original Xbox controllers?
Yeah.
Posted by: robricc
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 20:25
Quote:
Quote:
... keeping the PSU off the ground so that overheating ...
Again: Computer. Not gaming console. Sigh.
Nearly every modern piece of electronics is a "computer." If someone thought putting a spreadsheet program in an NES cartridge would have sold well, I'm sure it would have worked.
Place your Tivo on the carpet blocking all the vents on the bottom. I'm sure it wouldn't appreciate it.
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 21:13
Heh, I was hoping someone would link that P.A.
Posted by: Cris
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 27/11/2005 21:58
Quote:
More reasons not to ever buy a console -
- I really dislike having to play them on a TV - I don't like the refresh rate or the resolution
- Upgradeability is just sucky - you are tied in to vendor specifics, even assuming hardware is upgradeable, or else you have to go with unofficial 'mods'
- I agree with the whole controller issue...maybe my hands are just the wrong size, but they are all too small!
1 - Doesn't the 360 do HDTV ???
2 - Upgrading in the first place is sucky, you have a peice of hardware that just works out of the box, no need to upgrade your GFX card just to play the latest game!
3 - X-Arcade controllers have an interface for just about every compter/console system on the market today, and I don't think you can call them small I find the keyboard tires my hands quickly, for game playing you can't beat a hand held controller that lets you move your arms and wrists.
I don't play games really, but when I do it has to be on a console. I keep my X-Box tucked away, and only bring it out when I'm in the mood. A PC is not for playing games on, plain and simple, sure people do, but a console does it better and with less setup stress.
I also find most modern games too involving, you have to play them for hours and hours, I like the older simper games, like pac-man. The ones you can have a quick go on, or play for hours and hours when the time is right. I think modern games get lost in snazzy graphics that add little to the gameplay or sell on pointless violence and gore.
This is why I have 75% of the components for my MAME box on my bedroom floor at the moment, Retro is the way to go for me. Until such a time I need a MCE extender
Cheers
Cris.
Posted by: AndrewT
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 28/11/2005 00:08
Here's a buying tip for UK folks... a former co-worker who now works in marketing at M$ said that
Argos will be the place to get this early over here. Allegedly they are getting priority over the other major [r]etailers supplying the UK.
Edit: what's with the [ url ] [/ url ] tags now?
Edit : Fixed link
--l0ser
Posted by: RobotCaleb
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 28/11/2005 00:22
How much will it be going for in the UK?
Posted by: sein
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 28/11/2005 08:53
Probably, "one miiilllliiiiion dollars".
(edit) I can be such a troll sometimes...
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 29/11/2005 20:11
Posted by: bootsy
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 30/11/2005 04:14
I am 99.9% sure the wired controllers for the retail XBox 360 are standard USB. There is a small panel on the front of the 360 with standard USB ports. Chances are you can plug in a mouse and keyboard and have it work. I would be surprised if they didn't.... well not completely. The developers might have to make their game "keyboard aware."
Hmmm... I might have to try this tomorrow.
Posted by: drakino
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 30/11/2005 05:06
Quote:
I am 99.9% sure the wired controllers for the retail XBox 360 are standard USB. There is a small panel on the front of the 360 with standard USB ports. Chances are you can plug in a mouse and keyboard and have it work.
They are USB controllers. The only difference between the PC XBox controller and the wired 360 controller is a CD-Rom with drivers.
As far as keyboard compatibility, I have my Playstation 2 USB keyboard plugged into the 360 right now. It can be used for text entry on the system. Not sure if any games can use it though. Right now I'd say no for Kameo and Need for Speed, but both are games I'm interested in playing on the controller anyhow.
Posted by: tman
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 30/11/2005 05:13
Quote:
I am 99.9% sure the wired controllers for the retail XBox 360 are standard USB. There is a small panel on the front of the 360 with standard USB ports. Chances are you can plug in a mouse and keyboard and have it work. I would be surprised if they didn't.... well not completely. The developers might have to make their game "keyboard aware."
The Xbox had standard USB controllers apart from an extra power line for the vibration motors and a proprietory plug. Didn't mean that it supported keyboard & mouse tho...
Posted by: jbauer
Re: Just Played X-Box 360.... - 05/12/2005 17:50