XBox 360: Who's getting one?
I have to say that Microsoft seems to have a winner with this product. Its integration with XBox Live AND Windows Media Center PCs is impressive. It's almost like Microsoft took cues from Apple (surprise!) in integrating online services, software, and hardware into a really solid package.
It's really tempting to get one off the bat, but since Halo 3 isn't going to be available until next year, I have a hard time justifying getting one now -- though I'd probably get a better "deal" now by getting the remote included for a limited time.
So the jury's still out here, but I still think I'm going to wait. I'm not a real serious or frequent gamer (IOW, I don't play but once or twice a week) so I don't feel overwhelming pressure to buy now or be left behind.
It's really tempting to get one off the bat, but since Halo 3 isn't going to be available until next year, I have a hard time justifying getting one now -- though I'd probably get a better "deal" now by getting the remote included for a limited time.
So the jury's still out here, but I still think I'm going to wait. I'm not a real serious or frequent gamer (IOW, I don't play but once or twice a week) so I don't feel overwhelming pressure to buy now or be left behind.
Comments
The 360 is an amazing machine. Get one.
This is the remote included with the 360:
This is the remote available for separate purchase:
The system hardware is very impressive, but the system OS and Xbox Live integrated is fantastic. Looking forward to it very much.
When i finish Kameo i'll be part-exing it for Perfect Dark Zero, which also looks very good.
The backwards compatibility list is pretty impressive:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/back...ygameslist.htm
Played Kameo and Call of Duty- nice that they had it setup w/ a HDTV, but I wasn't impressed with the gameplay. It was kinda boring.
Kameo was cool and had nice graphics, but there wasn't enough anti-aliasing to make it look completely CG- still some jaggies and the frame-rate was low.
I was a little more impressed w/ Call of Duty- very atmospheric, but mediocre graphics and first person on a controller still just doesn't mesh well...
The menu's on the 360 weren't smooth w/ their animations...the whole thing (including the games & control) seemed too....complex. So many different buttons, fly out menus, options, etc. Not easy enough to just pick up and play.
I guess I need to sit down and play with it at someone's house before I'm impressed and can make a final judgment. I walked away with the same impressions with it as I did at E3- not enough innovation between the current XBox and the 360- more of the same with some added polygons and complexity.
Originally posted by tacojohn
not enough innovation between the current XBox and the 360- more of the same with some added polygons and complexity.
I'm curious. What kind of innovation you were hoping for?
Originally posted by audiopollution
I'm curious. What kind of innovation you were hoping for?
Well- for one, each generation thus far has included a new control mechanism- well maybe except for the SNES.
1. NES- D Pad
2. N64, PS1- Analogue
3. GCN, PS2, XBox- dual analogue w/ rumble and analogue shoulder buttons
Other things have been upgraded between generations other than control too-
graphics
optical media
on-line play
wireless controllers
hard drives
And really- 360 offers more of the same as the previous generation- really what's new about it besides graphics (including HD) and the ability to view your windows media center stuff if you have a PC w/ WMCE?
I don't really see anything that's a major innovation that's going to change the way people play games.
Originally posted by tacojohn
Well- for one, each generation thus far has included a new control mechanism- well maybe except for the SNES.
The SNES control pad added left and right shoulder buttons. It also introduced four control buttons. I'm not that familiar with other systems though, so perhaps these feature debuted elsewhere first.
Originally posted by tacojohn
Well- for one, each generation thus far has included a new control mechanism- well maybe except for the SNES.
1. NES- D Pad
2. N64, PS1- Analogue
3. GCN, PS2, XBox- dual analogue w/ rumble and analogue shoulder buttons
Right.
So this time you were hoping for a controller with *more* buttons and knobs and joysticks?
I only have 10 fingers. Perhaps you've upgraded your hands.
Originally posted by audiopollution
Right.
So this time you were hoping for a controller with *more* buttons and knobs and joysticks?
I only have 10 fingers. Perhaps you've upgraded your hands.
Not more buttons, but maybe less buttons with a more advanced control mechanism ala Revolution controller. I don't know- something new that we haven't been playing for the last 4 years.
Something that makes games more fun to play- graphics and HD don't do this.
I guess if that's not enough for you, fine. I think it's a lot of good stuff, and arguably even Apple has to be impressed by how well MS is integrating Windows Media Center with the XBox 360 to create a nearly seamless entertainment experience. If Apple has created the digital creativity hub, MS seems to be well on its way to creating the digital entertainment hub. If Steve and company are going to catch up, Front Row and Mac computers are going to have to jump into overdrive and quick.
Originally posted by tacojohn
Something that makes games more fun to play...
I hardly think a new controller is going to make games more fun to play. I've always thought it was the strategy, story, and/or characters of games that make them more or less fun. XBox Live -- improved with the 360 -- at least does a better job of linking you up with others to have this fun.
the demand for the system has it the fan and well i might wait until everything slows down before getting one.
i've heard of demand issues but that might all be a ploy by microsoft (which would be genius) cuz every little kid is running to get this next tuesday.
the 360 is simply the greatest gaming machine built today. i've heard talk of the ps3 this and ps3 that but honestly the ps3 will lose this generation.
Uh. No. We do not declare winners before the game has begun. Feel free to speculate all you want. You dared to not even mention Nintendo?
Greatest gaming machine built today? How so? Except for Elder Scrolls (which you'll be able to get on PC), everything looks like Xbox 1.5!
PS3 this and PS3 that. Sony really hasn't said much. The machine is still being developed. The developer kits haven't been finalized yet.
Don't forget Nintendo, they may not win, but their machine may be the most fun!
What does winning this generation mean? Who sells the most units, who makes the most money, or whose customers have the most fun?
i cant see into the future.
what i can do is say what i believe and that is the 360 from what i've seen and read is going to be the best system and not because of graphics or machine capabilities.
you mention nintendo, you mention fun, and yet downplay the 360 because the games dont look that much better than xbox1?
doesn't make sense?
first, the games def do look a lot better than the xbox.
also, when has launch titles dictated what the machine could actually do? realize launch titles are rushed and produced with very minimal knowledge of the new system.
you're right i haven't heard much from sony besides the blah blah blah cell blah blah blah power blah blah blah our system is a monster and will cost 500 or more dollars blah blah blah look at these numbers
nintendo? who knows. the gamecube sucked and this time they are taking a HUGE risk on the revolution.
Originally posted by CosmoNut
I think enough is changing to make the 360 worthwhile. Where the first XBox gave us pretty good online gaming, the 360 looks like it's going to bring REALLY good online gaming.
With what difference from the old XBox?
Integration with Windows Media PCs will be a big positive -- which, BTW, you don't have to have a Media PC to access your pictures and music from your Win machine using a 360
But it doesn't have a hard drive, and doesn't have the bandwidth for uncompressed video, so first you'll need a good enough wireless signal to stream in the first place, and then you need Microsoft to support everything you want to stream.
There's just too many unknowns to count on the media side working properly, not to mention the Windows PC you'd have to have around.
And when you have a decent Windows PC, what do you need the XBox for? If current generation is any judge, the hit titles on XBox360 are ones that the PC soon does better, while PS3 and Revolution will have games not available on the PC.
hegor, good post.
Originally posted by Elixir
what i can do is say what i believe and that is the 360 from what i've seen and read is going to be the best system and not because of graphics or machine capabilities.
You're basically saying "360 rocks and other consoles suck because of X, Y and Z".
Could you elaborate a bit and tell why 360 is supposed to be great instead of inventing faults in other products far from release?
Originally posted by Elixir
nintendo? who knows. the gamecube sucked and this time they are taking a HUGE risk on the revolution.
Gamecube sucked- says who? I can name a ton of (exclusive) games for it that kicked ass. Yes- it sucked because it didn't have online, but that was about it.
Resident Evil 4 (not kiddy)
Zelda Wind Waker
Super Smash Brothers
Mario Kart
Rogue Squadron (not kiddy)
Metroid Prime (1 & 2) (not kiddy)
F-Zero (not kiddy)
Wave Race
Paper Mario
the list goes on...
And don't even bring up it's a "kiddy system"- 'cause it's not. Walk into a college dorm and find someone who doesn't love Smash Brothers or Mario Kart.
I can name about 2 games on XBox that were actually good- halo 1 and 2.