The Xbox Thread

[Wretchedest]

I'm not that impressed... I'm sure it'll have games, eventually. PS4 seems like the best bet this gen. Microsoft just alienated not only their consumers but their middlemen. It's obvious they want to go digital, but had to have that disc drive to please the investors. Personally, the used games part really sucks, but it doesn't affect me much. I don't really buy used games. I either buy them on launch, or I buy it for cheap off amazon a few months later when the price drops. It really sucks for those who let friends borrow games. They pretty much shit all over that.

And it needs an internet connection about as much as current gen consoles do. You buy a game with an online pass, you need to be online for that. In this case, all of the games on the console have codes... Other than validating, you don't really need to be online. But, most people are going to be anyway.

It said it needs to connect every 24 hours. Like if you haven't used it in two days and turn it back on and for soem reason don't have a connection, no game for you. That's more than current gen consoles.

and I realize that much of the games between both consoles will be the same, but Microsofts presentation shows that it undervalues the medium of gaming. Whenever game companies come around with celebrities and film directors and stuff I've always seen it as trying to use the popularity of film or music to validate their game. When they bust out Steven Spielberg or the guy who wrote Traffic and say "Look, movie people" it says "Games are lower than movies, so we brought in some movie people to help with that."

Fwiw I think spielberg sucks at both.

Sony in the mean time brought in some game artists. People who are famous because of the games they made, people who have ideas about games and move them forward. Nobody was complaining after that one. There were some lukewarm responses, but I felt like it was a positive response overall. They understood who buys games and who takes the time out of there day to watch a two hour press conference. Microsoft simply did not.

[Piko]

I think the main issue with the console is the fact that they've taken freedom and choices away from the user. Buy our console, and our games, but you can't let anyone else use it. You don't always have to be online, but you do (how they worded it). What's next? The kinect will follow your movements and start making suggestions? A tv actually does that. How about instead of Xbox One, we call it Xbox 1984.

[ManBurning]

I will definatly be passing on this console, I have no reason to get it. The amount of retail games I actually buy a year is like 1, I think I have a grand total of 5 360 "retail" games, i'm more of an XBLA (Live Arcade) guy. I love Indie developers developing games like Super Meat Boy, Retro City Rampage, Castle Crashers, Battleblock theare, Scott Pilgrim VS the world etc. My XBLA collection consists of close to 40 titles. Coincidently, I bought my 360 for a XBLA game, lol.

So, as long as they don't disable the XBLA functionality on the 360, I see no reason to upgrade to an expensive, motion controlled, modern piece of equipment to play 8 and 16 bit games, haha.

I have no interest in motion controls, Kinect, watching TV or checking sports highlights while watching a movie. I tuned into the reveal and turned it off after 15 minutes. I wasn't the target audience for the reveal.

So, i'll see how things pan out between this and the PS4. I completley skipped over the PS3's lfiespan as the games never interested me, this might actually make me jump back to PS4 in the event that I *NEED* to upgrade to a new console to continue to play indie and arcade games.

[liquidcalm]

While I'm pretty much gonna get a PS4, and wait n see with the xbox, the amount of things Sony hasn't yet said (how the ps4 deals with used games, cost, content validation online) is still a bit un-nerving. What I think will happen is that they will leave all those things up to the developer/publisher. In fact I probably read that somewhere... but no matter what, if the Xbox is making people pay a fee to play a used game (fuck you game rental services!) to keep publishers onboard with the PS4, they pretty much have to offer that as a solution too.

[dogsipod]

looking at the most of the specs the cost of the units should be fairly similar. i think sony will want to avoid the large price gap they had last time. the thing that worried me the most was the implied requirement of the kinect unit. what happens if i unplug it? what if it is broken? read an article where a dude was asking these questions and the PR guy straight up said we aren't talking about that at this time. if nothing happens i don't see what MS gains by hiding it.

[Clownboat]

The Xbox One announcement was a lot like this

[thelastdisciple]

Here comes Alpha Omega Sin to save the day in saying just about everything else i have to say on the matter of the new Xbox.

[Iran_Ed]

After the PS4 announcement I said it felt like I'd gotten too old for games.
After this one I realize it's not me.
The gaming landscape has changed, and it seems those of us who only play games on our systems are being left behind. The actual gamers.
It's a no to this, fleeting interest in a PS4, and a maybe to Nintendo.

[Space Suicide]

I still think Angry Joe said it best in his. I love his reviews.

[Piko]

Friend of mine is trying to convince me to build a pc. Seriously starting to consider it. Might be cheaper, or about the same price.

[screwdriver]

Here comes Alpha Omega Sin to save the day in saying just about everything else i have to say on the matter of the new Xbox.

I like that his definition of a "stock plummet" is a .23% drop (as reflected in his screen shot).

[Piko]

To be fair, though. A loss is a loss. Far from plummeting though. Same goes for Gamestop as well.

[screwdriver]

To be fair, though. A loss is a loss. Far from plummeting though. Same goes for Gamestop as well.

a .23% loss is, to be honest, a rounding error

I think people (not you, but definitely the guy in the video) don't really understand what the stock price has to do with anything, or what anything has to do with the stock price

[sentient02970]

From what I'm seeing I'm feeling a bit relieved that I'm not foaming at the mouth to jump in and buy one at release. I'd be better off saving my $$. My 360 was given to me by Microsoft for working on its processor. That's what got me into console gaming and kind of kept me there. But this doesn't seem like enough of a real upgrade to feel like I need it right away.

[Piko]

I'll probably end up buying one, eventually. I'm in no rush though. Probably gonna wait for a price drop or two before I even really consider it. Granted, there's still E3 that could maybe change a mind or two (unlikely). And Microsoft could end up ditching the idea before release date if they catch enough bad press.

[Vertigo]

Friend of mine is trying to convince me to build a pc. Seriously starting to consider it. Might be cheaper, or about the same price.

If you're really into gaming, I seriously think you should.

As you mention, the cost factor isn't necessarily in play anymore, versus the new consoles at least. A computer can do anything a console can - you can even set it up in your lounge and play from your couch using the TV as a monitor, if you'd prefer.
You also have the ability to play without discs thanks to Steam, toggle between playing games and browsing the web with a quick Alt+Tab, access to any control method you'd like (personally I think mouse+keyboard is by far the best way to control a shooter, but to each their own), better-looking games, a virtually endless back catalogue, have the functionality to tweak your game's graphics and various settings, and most importantly, you can install (or even create) mods to expand and improve the game to your liking. If you buy Skyrim on a console then you're just getting a fraction of the experience, there are 15,700 mods for it on Steam Workshop alone.
And games tend to be cheaper on the PC.

[Kodiak33]

I built a new PC two years ago for about $1100 total. I have a 6950 Radeon that runs everything close to max at 1080P without AA. I've loved it, and I only really need to upgrade my video card probably next year. I hook it up to the TV to play Dolphin (Wii emulator) with my gf, and play NBA 2K13 and others with friends using wireless 360 controllers.

[Piko]

If you're really into gaming, I seriously think you should.

As you mention, the cost factor isn't necessarily in play anymore, versus the new consoles at least. A computer can do anything a console can - you can even set it up in your lounge and play from your couch using the TV as a monitor, if you'd prefer.
You also have the ability to play without discs thanks to Steam, toggle between playing games and browsing the web with a quick Alt+Tab, access to any control method you'd like (personally I think mouse+keyboard is by far the best way to control a shooter, but to each their own), better-looking games, a virtually endless back catalogue, have the functionality to tweak your game's graphics and various settings, and most importantly, you can install (or even create) mods to expand and improve the game to your liking. If you buy Skyrim on a console then you're just getting a fraction of the experience, there are 15,700 mods for it on Steam Workshop alone.
And games tend to be cheaper on the PC.

I'm considering (if I do it) to hook it up to the tv so I can play on it like a console. My skepticism comes in with a mouse and keyboard. Especially when I'm not setting up on a desk.

[Kodiak33]

Hey Piko,

Buy one of these (or something similar). http://www.amazon.com/FAVI-Entertain...+mini+keyboard

Plus with Steam's Big Picture Mode, it makes it a little easier to navigate on a TV. I just use one of the small Bluetooth Keyboard/Mice combos, and Windows 8 which has a Start Screen that's large and you can set it up with game links on the front.

[october_midnight]

I can't believe this article...I just....

Microsoft apparently filed a patent to, I shit you not, use the Kinect to monitor people for the MPAA.

Summary: "...a camera-based system that would monitor the number of viewers in a room and check to see if the number of occupants exceeded a certain threshold set by the content provider. If there are too many warm bodies present, the device owner would be prompted to purchase a license for a greater number of viewers..."

[Piko]

That will never happen. Not while our civil rights still exists.

[Vertigo]

Hah, I just read that after listening to Rage Against The Machine for the first time in years. Seems Microsoft's hoping to be Big Brother.

It does depend on the concept that downloaded media is licenced to you rather than owned by you, a subject that is currently extremely controversial, but the fact they'd even want to propose this is deeply unsettling.

[RJK]

My question is do the MPAA and Microsoft think that too many viewers in one room is a problem? One more reason to pirate movies.

[Conan The Barbarian]

I can't believe this article...I just....

Microsoft apparently filed a patent to, I shit you not, use the Kinect to monitor people for the MPAA.

Summary: "...a camera-based system that would monitor the number of viewers in a room and check to see if the number of occupants exceeded a certain threshold set by the content provider. If there are too many warm bodies present, the device owner would be prompted to purchase a license for a greater number of viewers..."

That's fucking bullshit.

[thelastdisciple]

"Its just a patent, giving more options to content providers. It doesn't mean anything yet... and its hardly like you couldn't block some of the kinect's view. Seriously people, less over-reacting."

I don't really give a shit, it's the fact that they WANT to do it, that's just not fucking right. Whether it ends up being a thing in reality or not.

[Frozen Beach]

Christ. All I want is to play Remedy's new game Quantum Break, and maybe even Alan Wake 2 if they actually make it. It's like microsoft are purposely doing things to keep people from purchasing their console.

[Piko]

Xbox One will probably be the most pirated console of the next gen consoles...

[Space Suicide]

I'm calling the Xbox One a launch failure. Predicted and anticipated sales on their end and people actually buying it will be an utter failure.

I love how their ambition is so goddamn high with Kinect, TV, Sports Apps and other random bullshit from a titled device that did nothing but play video games a little over 10 years ago. They want innovation to show how advanced they are over Sony and Nintendo. If this is their definition of innovation and the best console they can make, they can keep it. It really will just be a glorified PC wannabe with the case of discs, licensing and multitasking.

Won't see any of you in the 8th generation of gaming anytime soon, I'll stick with my PS3 and my 360 until they get absolutely no more support.

[poinoup]

TV! TV! TV! TV! TV! SPORTS! SPORTS! CALL OF DUTY!!! TV!

Ex-Vikings punter Cheis Kwule: "They should have called it Xbox Pi, "because it's the third one and saying you don't own the games you bought is quite irrational."

And this sums it up a lot better than I ever could have: http://gameological.com/2013/02/more...o-you-like-it/

[Space Suicide]

I think this new series of consoles are trying to be the meet-all-end-all type of devices they can be. I like a few of the extras on both systems but really, I just want a fucking box that spins a disc and relays information to my TV screen so the controller in my hand can command my on screen two arms and a gun what to do.