EVERYTHING Xbox 360

[Arcmanov]

HAHAHA!!!  W1nTry, yuh not nice. 

Leave em alone.  All said 'light-bulb' needs is one killer-app,
and all the naysayers will jump right up on the bandwagon.

[W1nTry]

*smug look* "Why Arc, what on earth do you mean" XD

Let's put this in perspective, firstly I am not against the move, it's a good product, very accurate, looked like a really different experience in KZ3 (I think it was KZ3 demo). I am not in any way saying that good apps won't be developed for its respective platform. I am simply stating that imho I would rather use my whole body to control a gundam, not just 2 current day joysticks.... you can appreciate where I am coming from Arc XD

On a related note, the Kinect outsold the move 13:1 over the xmas and take into consideration it was volume constricted. I just think it has more appeal as it's more involving that an advanced Wiimote, thats all. Not saying I wouldn't use it.

[ViCe]

*smug look* "Why Arc, what on earth do you mean" XD

Let's put this in perspective, firstly I am not against the move, it's a good product, very accurate, looked like a really different experience in KZ3 (I think it was KZ3 demo). I am not in any way saying that good apps won't be developed for its respective platform. I am simply stating that imho I would rather use my whole body to control a gundam, not just 2 current day joysticks.... you can appreciate where I am coming from Arc XD

On a related note, the Kinect outsold the move 13:1 over the xmas and take into consideration it was volume constricted. I just think it has more appeal as it's more involving that an advanced Wiimote, thats all. Not saying I wouldn't use it.

yea it sold well.....but no good games for it and the type of games that can use it limited.
it is marketed at the casual audience to capture tanty, wifey, an yuh non gamer gf. definitely not for any hardcore games

besides we all know sales dont really mean a product is all that. take a look at cod XD
also for killer apps for the move , the mere fact that kz3, s4 (two very big franchises) are using it and not as a gimmick but actually has it functioning excellently shows that it has the appeal that can capture core gamers

also look out for sorcery, built from the ground up as a move game and it definitely looks promising and with rumors of inFamous 2 supporting it as well i think PS core gamers have a device they will actually use more than the xbox core will use kinect

that being said if the day does come where we can pilot gundam with kinect then i might consider pickin one up lol

[TriniXaeno]

well I just finished the Reach campaign today.

Shockingly surprised at how short it was. Talking under 6-7 hours short.

(also shockingly surprised that we don't have a proper Halo Reach thread on the forums....the two in existence are very sparse in terms of posts)

However, while short, it was still a very decent experience and definitely the best Halo to date.

Rate it 7 out of 10.

Why so low?

Minus one point from being not that different from Halo 1 (and that game is now 10 years old).

Minus two points for lack of immersion. This has nothing to do with Halo Reach itself though but more a fault of the xbox 360 being in the living room.

Its hard to really get into a game with family distracting you with conversation every few minutes. There is something to be said about the privacy the PC affords  a gamer. Locked up in a room or a corner of the house, all by your lonesome.

Just can't achieve that in my household with the big screen TV unless you wait to game in the wee hours when everyone's asleep.

Its a real shame because I've really come to appreciate the simplicity and consistency of gaming on the 360.

Got a plan though, hopefully some nice large headphones (like the sharkoon X-Tatic 5.1) should do the trick. People maybe less likely to conversate when they see those oversized foam cups blocking out all external sound to your ear. lol

[W1nTry]

LOL @ less convo with large headphones...

To be fair Wyatt, how can you minus points for your own environmental flaws? I use my xbox on my 32" HD in my BEDROOM, or my 22" LCD, both quite bother-free. Minusing points for your own setup deficiencies is like blaming your car for an accident when you texting on your cell and run into the back of someone :p

Also how was it similar to Halo 1? and just to point out Reach was a PREQUEL to HALO 1, so there are SUPPOSED to be similarities.

[woodyear99]

Hadda agree with environmental flaws, anyone with young kids can testify to that. It doh matter where you are in the house, yuh have other responsibilities more important than a game lol. Remember those Wow gamers a few years back with the dead baby :s

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/06/21/baby-dies-while-parents-play-wow/

[W1nTry]

I can appreciate the environmental factors, I just don't see how that reduces the rating of a game because it's not like the game can jump out and b1tch slap a family member for being a distraction XD

[woodyear99]

Yeah we rating the game not the environment outside the game lol.

[Czar]

I found it quite immersive, but then again, I have my Xbox hook up to a secondary 22" LCD montior next to my PC, so less "environmental issues".

[ViCe]

surround sound headphones solve all "environmental" problems

[TriniXaeno]

lol, didn't I make it clear that the minus points wasn't the game's fault?

glad to hear that the headphones do the trick after all.

good feedback immc

[Czar]

Microsoft updating Xbox 360 disc format

Company asks for US volunteers to test next system update, offers Halo: Reach as a reward for participating gamers.

Microsoft is gearing up for the next Xbox 360 system update, but it needs gamers' help testing a few things out. The company today announced a new System Update Preview Program for US-based Xbox 360 owners to help test a new disc format for the system.


Are there three more exciting words in the English language than "new disc format"?

By signing up at the Microsoft Connect website and filling out a survey, US gamers can volunteer to take part in the preview program. Multiple thousands of gamers will be chosen to participate, with Xbox Live Gold members receiving priority over their nonpaying Xbox Live Silver counterparts.

Participants will receive a copy of Halo: Reach (and possibly other rewards as well) for their trouble, but the program is not without risk. During the registration process, Microsoft warns that due to the nature of prerelease software updates, there's a chance participants could wind up with nonfunctioning systems. The agreement makes no mention of Microsoft repairing systems broken as a result of the update.

When asked what security or storage benefits the new disc format might bring, a Microsoft representative told GameSpot there were no additional details to share at this time.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6306298.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B6

Redlum, care to sign up so we could get the scoop?

Microsoft Connect website - http://connect.microsoft.com/xboxliveupdate



Edit:
And I just found more info on it, myself:

Microsoft develops new Xbox 360 disc - not Bluray
Adds 1GB storage capacity

Microsoft has been developing a new disc format for use with the Xbox 360 of late. However, before you say "yay, Blu-ray's finally coming to my favourite console a good three years after HD-DVD upped and died", it's not Blu-ray. Sorry.
 
Instead, it's essentially exactly the same disc format that's been improved by unlocking an extra 1GB of space that was previously reserved for DVD-Video and anti-piracy measures.
 
Currently, games have to fit into 6.8GB on a 7.95GB disc, with the rest being a locked-off partition. However, beta tests are presently underway in the US, with participants trying out copies of Halo: Reach that take up an additional 1GB of disc space. It's unknown whether there is additional content or if the game has just been decompacted to make up the shortfall.
 
Either way, if successful, a full roll-out is expected, with a dashboard upgrade to all Xbox 360s globally that will allow them to access the extra information.
 
The details of the 1GB extension were discovered by Xbox 360 scene hacker, commodore4ever, who tweeted: "MS will introduce xgd3 – this will add more ap checks, cvi (content integerity) checks, increase the disc size and adds a new layer for protection issues – all in the 20500 sdk! bring it on".
 
There's currently no word on when the change-over might occur.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/39365/microsoft-new-xbox-360-disc

Apparently they are able to eek some more space out of DVDs...and here I was thinknig cartridges were gonna come back in style...oh how I miss blowing out my NES cartridges

[Arcmanov]

A hot 1GB extra?  Really?

Look...jus hurry up and release a console using Blu-Ray discs eh. 

[Czar]

You are joking, right?

Just in case you're not, let me just spell it out - Xbox owner, Microsoft, paying royalties to console rival PlayStation's owner, Sony, for the use of Blu-ray technologies...yeah...not likely.

[TheApprentice]

You guys think that Blu-Ray will stick around til the next generation of consoles?
The discs are capable of 200GB.

In that case I'd think that Microsoft...and possibly Nintendo will embrace the format.
Hopefully the big three work out something nicely.
It's just pretty much the three of them using what is popular like "DVD" last generation and how DVD transitioned to this generation.

[W1nTry]

Imho, the next step is digital download of ALL games on the console. DIscs are nice but they should start offering ALL their new titles via the XBL marketplace like steam. I don't see MS using Blu-Ray.... just not on the cards.

[Arcmanov]

You are joking, right?

Just in case you're not, let me just spell it out - Xbox owner, Microsoft, paying royalties to console rival PlayStation's owner, Sony, for the use of Blu-ray technologies...yeah...not likely.

You think I really didn't know/consider that?

I'm actually not joking btw.

[Eroo]

Digital downloads is still a good while away, especially with many ISPs in the states starting to cap downloads. There's also the issue of changing the whole way without involving retailers, some might think offence, refuse to sell the hardware.

Maybe by the time PS5 comes out but the next xbox or PS3 will definitely use blurays or Microsoft might use some propietary format.

[Czar]

Agreed, digital distribution is the future. Just look at Netflix, or ask Amazon, or any number of other distributors - it's all about the cloud.

You think I really didn't know/consider that?

I'm actually not joking btw.

I figured you knew this, but to hear that you aren't joking - well, the logic defies me. Not sure what to tell yuh. D maths jes doh add up fuh me, sorry.

Digital downloads is still a good while away, especially with many ISPs in the states starting to cap downloads. There's also the issue of changing the whole way without involving retailers, some might think offence, refuse to sell the hardware.

I agree that capped connections are an issue, but I fundamentally believe that something will change all of that - telecoms will bow to the masses, whether by way of legislature, or consumer uprising. We've just experienced the very thing here in Canada - the big telecoms wanted to put caps in place and Canadians fought back, so they rescinded. Now Canadians are trying to push for it to become a talking point for the coming election so that politicians and lawmakers know that it is an important issue to consumers.

As for retailers refusing to sell the hardware, I find that hard to believe since they'd only be diggin out dey own eye - no media sales, AND no hardware sales? Sounds like a lose-lose for them.

[TriniXaeno]

I think digital is a decade away.

Sales are too strong in retail for the consoles for them to make that switch anytime soon.

The net is cast too far and wide (no pun intended) for a digital only or even primary approach to make sense.

Not so on the PC platform, where piss poor sales have been the norm at brick and mortar for the past five years. NPD already reports that by end of 2010, digital sales have matched if not barely surpassed that of retail. In five years time you'll probably struggle to find PC games on a shelf anywhere.

Like czar said, it could be a hard pill for MS to swallow, going Blu-Ray. That said, stranger things have happened in this industry. Like Microsoft investing heavily in Apple Computers. lol