the new xbox dashboard

got the update today.

looks exactly the same!! nothing really new apart from a few subtle things (u can eject the disc whith out having to stand up, rate games with a 5 star bar thing) and a avatar marketplace whereits all bigbucks to make your avator look good, i bought a few things just because i had a odd number of gamerpoints left over from buying map pack 3.. which i guess what its good for.. though 360gp for alight saber.. fuck off.

now, games on demand. what the fuck are M$ playing at?.. all these games on GOD are £19.99 when i can goto any high street retailer and buy these games for no more then £7. tabletennis is £2.50 at the local games station.if there planning to release brand new games for £20 then im fine about that. but the selection on there at the moment is fucking theft if anyone buys one of them games..

im only looking forward to getting the 2010 sky on xbox and maybe twitter in the fall. what a useless update today.

What I don't get is how Microsoft is touting "games on demand" (aka installing an entire game to the HD or downloading a previously disc-based game) and is still selling 20GB HDDs (yeah, they have 120 or 160GB drives now, but still) - Surely until MS allows you to use non-proprietary HDDs (like make the standard XBOX HDD enclosure accept any size HDD), won't your space options be very limited, not to mention the movies on demand the Live Marketplace also offers? I know the GoD game sizes are reduced greatly, but at 400MB-2GB a pop, it's gonna fill up fast if you only have 20/80/120GB drives.

if you don't have netflix, you will completely miss the point of today's update.

no one i know in england has netflix?

i think it's NA only.

  On 8/11/2009 at 4:27 PM, Joyrex said:

What I don't get is how Microsoft is touting "games on demand" (aka installing an entire game to the HD or downloading a previously disc-based game) and is still selling 20GB HDDs (yeah, they have 120 or 160GB drives now, but still) - Surely until MS allows you to use non-proprietary HDDs (like make the standard XBOX HDD enclosure accept any size HDD), won't your space options be very limited, not to mention the movies on demand the Live Marketplace also offers? I know the GoD game sizes are reduced greatly, but at 400MB-2GB a pop, it's gonna fill up fast if you only have 20/80/120GB drives.

QFT - I think the whole games on demand would be cool - except I have just enough space on my hard drive right now to rip a single CD and maybe download an episode of South Park. Completely useless service if you don't have a 120 gb drive already, and absolutely useless to me who has a 20 gig drive (which really means I have a 17 gig drive due to the space they reserve for system updates etc.)

The Netflix update is cool, and the overall smoothness is a little better. Especially with random internet issues - instead of stopping an episode while playing Netflix it just slightly adjusts the picture if your "internet speed changes."

One wonders if Microsoft will pursue that whole "streaming games service" in the future - would be an interesting solution to the storage issue.

I'm selling my xbox and all my games tomorrow because I'm skint. FML.

So I bought a new white battery for my black xbox controller cuz black is sold out everywhere. It died within a month (can't charge anymore), and all I did was play 10 hours of Star Ocean.

I don't even know why the Xbox insists on being on while charging my controller anyway.

  On 8/11/2009 at 6:04 PM, T35513R said:

QFT - I think the whole games on demand would be cool - except I have just enough space on my hard drive right now to rip a single CD and maybe download an episode of South Park. Completely useless service if you don't have a 120 gb drive already, and absolutely useless to me who has a 20 gig drive (which really means I have a 17 gig drive due to the space they reserve for system updates etc.)

hmmm, maybe... just maybe they might want to sell some hard drives?

  On 8/11/2009 at 6:04 PM, T35513R said:

One wonders if Microsoft will pursue that whole "streaming games service" in the future - would be an interesting solution to the storage issue.

what "streaming games service"? i think you're confused.

also, there is no "storage issue". storage/memory is cheap as dirt, and gets cheaper every second. I have a 16GB USB drive in my pocket that cost me $27. bandwidth is a MUCH MUCH bigger issue than storage, and therefore streaming is not an attractive option.

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:44 PM, acid1 said:

I don't even know why the Xbox insists on being on while charging my controller anyway.

if you turn off your 360 while the controller is plugged in and charging, the 360 will stay on enough to charge the controller. you may have to go into console settings and enable background processes, or something. same goes for downloads.

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:44 PM, acid1 said:

So I bought a new white battery for my black xbox controller cuz black is sold out everywhere. It died within a month (can't charge anymore), and all I did was play 10 hours of Star Ocean.

 

I don't even know why the Xbox insists on being on while charging my controller anyway.

For a little bit more cash you can get the docking station which charges batterys full in 40 minutes i have 2 batterys and change simultaniously and they last up to a week + with about 8 hours of gaming a day.

its good. the usb plug you plug in to the xbox and charges while playing is crap. whats the point having a wireless controller.

  On 8/11/2009 at 6:05 PM, Iain C said:

I'm selling my xbox and all my games tomorrow because I'm skint. FML.

As if the punchline to some cosmic joke, I've just turned my Xbox on and I'm getting the dreaded E74 error. Fuck.

  On 8/11/2009 at 8:42 PM, chris moss acid said:

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:44 PM, acid1 said:

So I bought a new white battery for my black xbox controller cuz black is sold out everywhere. It died within a month (can't charge anymore), and all I did was play 10 hours of Star Ocean.

 

I don't even know why the Xbox insists on being on while charging my controller anyway.

 

 

For a little bit more cash you can get the docking station which charges batterys full in 40 minutes i have 2 batterys and change simultaniously and they last up to a week + with about 8 hours of gaming a day.

 

its good. the usb plug you plug in to the xbox and charges while playing is crap. whats the point having a wireless controller.

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:58 PM, blicero said:

  On 8/11/2009 at 6:04 PM, T35513R said:

QFT - I think the whole games on demand would be cool - except I have just enough space on my hard drive right now to rip a single CD and maybe download an episode of South Park. Completely useless service if you don't have a 120 gb drive already, and absolutely useless to me who has a 20 gig drive (which really means I have a 17 gig drive due to the space they reserve for system updates etc.)

 

hmmm, maybe... just maybe they might want to sell some hard drives?

Oh, I know that - just that there is no way in hell I'm going to pay out the ass for their over-priced, proprietary hard drives. If they allowed third party support, wouldn't really have an issue.

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:58 PM, blicero said:

  On 8/11/2009 at 6:04 PM, T35513R said:

One wonders if Microsoft will pursue that whole "streaming games service" in the future - would be an interesting solution to the storage issue.

 

what "streaming games service"? i think you're confused.

It's called "OnLive" and already has a lot of third party support - there was some discussion that Microsoft might buy the company around E3, just rumors, but is seems like a viable solution for removing memory requirements. Early buzz was that, in truth, the service works very well and is poised to potentially compete with the console market, as the requirements for the PC "host" are relatively mild. Whether or not it stays it's own thing or it gets incorporated remains to be seen.

  On 8/11/2009 at 7:58 PM, blicero said:

also, there is no "storage issue". storage/memory is cheap as dirt, and gets cheaper every second. I have a 16GB USB drive in my pocket that cost me $27. bandwidth is a MUCH MUCH bigger issue than storage, and therefore streaming is not an attractive option.

Exactly - the issue is more that, as games become larger and your console starts becoming more and more a media center, you'll start needing larger hard drives to accomdate it. Not an issue if M$ allowed 3rd party storage devices or priced theirs competitively, but they are asking a ridiculous amount for a 120 gig hard drive.

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:26 PM, T35513R said:

 

It's called "OnLive" and already has a lot of third party support - there was some discussion that Microsoft might buy the company around E3, just rumors, but is seems like a viable solution for removing memory requirements. Early buzz was that, in truth, the service works very well and is poised to potentially compete with the console market, as the requirements for the PC "host" are relatively mild. Whether or not it stays it's own thing or it gets incorporated remains to be seen.

 

ah yes, OnLive... forgot about that. my bad.

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:26 PM, T35513R said:

Exactly - the issue is more that, as games become larger and your console starts becoming more and more a media center, you'll start needing larger hard drives to accomdate it. Not an issue if M$ allowed 3rd party storage devices or priced theirs competitively, but they are asking a ridiculous amount for a 120 gig hard drive.

well, unfortunately, we're kind of screwed here, but I use a network drive for any content that isn't proprietary, but i see your point.

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:52 PM, blicero said:

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:26 PM, T35513R said:

It's called "OnLive" and already has a lot of third party support - there was some discussion that Microsoft might buy the company around E3, just rumors, but is seems like a viable solution for removing memory requirements. Early buzz was that, in truth, the service works very well and is poised to potentially compete with the console market, as the requirements for the PC "host" are relatively mild. Whether or not it stays it's own thing or it gets incorporated remains to be seen.

 

ah yes, OnLive... forgot about that. my bad.

Yeah no worries m8 - just vaporware IMHOP until I actually see it in action.

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:52 PM, blicero said:

  On 8/11/2009 at 9:26 PM, T35513R said:

Exactly - the issue is more that, as games become larger and your console starts becoming more and more a media center, you'll start needing larger hard drives to accomdate it. Not an issue if M$ allowed 3rd party storage devices or priced theirs competitively, but they are asking a ridiculous amount for a 120 gig hard drive.

 

well, unfortunately, we're kind of screwed here, but I use a network drive for any content that isn't proprietary, but i see your point.

Yeah - I use my comp as my backup so no HUGE issue. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm a pretty huge X-box fanboy - I signed up for the early dashboard beta, I've done equipment testing for them with their wireless mics, had issues with my console and gotten it fixed quick and at no charge - I have always thought that the Xbox folks provide pretty kickass service all-around. There are so many things that are RIGHT about what they are doing that my only real issue is with the proprietary storage.

well now they have serious incentive to make storage available/affordable so i predict that there will be major price reductions or something to that effect in coming months.

Can any one recommend a game on xbox that I can buy for under 1200 gamer points? I know Braid is 1200, but I have just under that amount and I really don't feel like buying more gamer points. Pain in the dick Microsoft, not letting me buy smaller increments of points.

Bionic Commando x10000000000000000000

Streaming is only an issue in backwards North America/UK/Australia. Fucking monopolies.

its nice you can do a little more with netflix

paying to dress up your little guy - increadibly stupid

but why does the 360 still not have a web browser? shit, even the wii has one. or the 360 should at least have something to watch youtube and hulu which is pretty much the only thing i'd use a 360 browser for anyway

why can't you run boxee on it? that would be the shit, or at least something similar to that

as far as a reccomendation - i dont know how much castle crashers or peggle is, but both of those are simple little addicting games

netflix is in the US only i am pretty sure.

get worms from XBLA is a classic, and i know the guy who invented the oriignal game b4 he sold it to team17

It loads alot faster now, great job.

  On 8/12/2009 at 1:38 AM, mikew5th said:

its nice you can do a little more with netflix

paying to dress up your little guy - increadibly stupid

the 360 should at least have something to watch youtube and hulu which is pretty much the only thing i'd use a 360 browser for anyway

why can't you run boxee on it? that would be the shit, or at least something similar to that

Check out "PlayOn" - it's not perfect, and it costs a little money, but allows you to play Hulu and Youtube on your x-box. I usually get by the with the Netflix offerings, but if that's what you want, it's out there.

  On 8/11/2009 at 10:41 PM, thanks robert moses said:

Can any one recommend a game on xbox that I can buy for under 1200 gamer points? I know Braid is 1200, but I have just under that amount and I really don't feel like buying more gamer points. Pain in the dick Microsoft, not letting me buy smaller increments of points.

Ikaruga or N+. Both 800 and both class. The level editor in N+ is really good fun.