X-Box ONE

[mynameisbob84]

Did anyone see the press conference? I'm left feeling decidedly meh. Here be the cliff notes in case you missed it...

The Good

Has Kinect built-in to the console
Plays Blu-Rays
Broadcasts live TV
Can handle more than one application at a time - so you could be watching TV and having a Skype chat, or watching a film and browsing the internet simultaneously

The Bad

The press conference was over an hour long and not a single, solitary second of in-game footage was shown
The non in-game footage that was shown (cut scenes and whatnot) didn't look much better than that found in recent 360 games
It's not backwards compatible
It requires a high speed internet connection just to be able to play games
If you want to play a pre-owned game - or even a game you're borrowing from a friend - you'll have to pay Microsoft for the pleasure
The TV functionality requires additional hardware
The console itself is bigger than the original X-Box

It was just really underwhelming. Even the "good" stuff wasn't particularly exciting. I can already watch television without an X-Box ONE, ya know? It feels like they want it to be less of a "gaming console" and more of one-stop media box capable of doing everything at once. :twocents-02cents:

 

[emptiedglass]

The all-in-one concept is no surprise.
The used game market is apparently quite profitable, so they obviously want a piece of the action (read: they're greedy). I haven't read up on the PS4, but I'd be very surprised if Sony doesn't follow suit.
I expect that, in time, there won't be any more game discs, and it'll all be cloud-based. No more middlemen, no more used games.

 

[lordmagellan]

From what I was reading (granted, it wasn't much) Sony is scaling back the bullshit and concentrating on game play. I don't think they'd come out and said one way or the other on pre-owned games at the time I read. Wouldn't be a surprise if they tried the same deal.

 

[PunkInDrublic]

Was disappointed. Will still be buying day 1 but I'm pretty salty about not even xbla games being backward compatible.

 

[BloodRed87]

After this console cycle finally comes to an end, I think I'll be getting a PS4 or upgrading my PC. I'm done with MicroSHIT's malarkey.

 

[AmberCutie]

The new Kinect features are awesome, but it makes me sad that is pretty much the only selling point for me in the new console. The Kinect sensor also looks even more giant than the last one. As TV's get thinner and thinner, how are people going to continue putting them on top? Or is this new sensor cool enough that you can have it lower?

 

[Albert_1]

I was big time disappointed with it. Looks like Sony's going to be number one again unless they majorly fuck up. :twocents-02cents:

 

[LindseyDoll]

This wasn't made for the consumer, it was made for Microsoft's bottom line.
Sad thing is that it means no buying used games, or borrowing games from friends. The future of gaming is all digital, and it's going to kill EB Games

 

[lordmagellan]

The Good

Has Kinect built-in to the console
Plays Blu-Rays
Broadcasts live TV
Can handle more than one application at a time - so you could be watching TV and having a Skype chat, or watching a film and browsing the internet simultaneously

You know, NONE of this makes me want to buy. I'm kinda, but not really interested in the Kinect, so I don't care about that.
I have a blu-ray player. I don't watch much tv, except Netflix. And I have my laptop right here, so when I do watch tv, I'm online, anyway.

It's a god damn gaming console. Make it play games.

 

[Mayaaaaa]

Mmm... I'll just stick with my PC and Steam account.


Steambox where are yoooouuuu?

 

[mynameisbob84]

The Good

Has Kinect built-in to the console
Plays Blu-Rays
Broadcasts live TV
Can handle more than one application at a time - so you could be watching TV and having a Skype chat, or watching a film and browsing the internet simultaneously

You know, NONE of this makes me want to buy. I'm kinda, but not really interested in the Kinect, so I don't care about that.
I have a blu-ray player. I don't watch much tv, except Netflix. And I have my laptop right here, so when I do watch tv, I'm online, anyway.

It's a god damn gaming console. Make it play games.

I agree. They're cool little extras but they're not things to be selling the console on (which is what MS seem to be doing).
I've been reading up on the Kinect thing also and I can't help but get a 1984 vibe from it. There's no way to switch it off (short of unplugging the console) which means that even when the console is in 'off/standby' mode, the Kinect mic is always "listening" for someone to say "X-Box on" or whatever. The fact that it's always hooked up to the net and there's a camera and a mic built in that can't be switched off kinda puts me off, ya know?

I'm interested to see what Sony do with the PS4. They're in a position to pretty much kill X-Box ONE dead before it's even released if they play their cards right. They've seen the way gamers have reacted to the X-Box reveal and I hope they react accordingly. Hopefully the PS4 will play pre-owned games, won't need daily internet communication just to function, won't have any silly camera that can't be turned off manually, and hopefully there'll be some game footage on show during the press conference. I think if they get all that right, they'll convince a whole lot of people to save their pennies until PS4 drops.

 

[lordmagellan]

I agree. They're cool little extras but they're not things to be selling the console on (which is what MS seem to be doing).
I've been reading up on the Kinect thing also and I can't help but get a 1984 vibe from it. There's no way to switch it off (short of unplugging the console) which means that even when the console is in 'off/standby' mode, the Kinect mic is always "listening" for someone to say "X-Box on" or whatever. The fact that it's always hooked up to the net and there's a camera and a mic built in that can't be switched off kinda puts me off, ya know?

Wh-aaaa?!

Oh well, now I can't wait to see the hacked X-box cam sites start popping up. Celebrities playing X-box naked will become the new sex tape.

 

[emptiedglass]

This wasn't made for the consumer, it was made for Microsoft's bottom line.
Sad thing is that it means no buying used games, or borrowing games from friends. The future of gaming is all digital, and it's going to kill EB Games

I spoke to a friend last night who happens to work for EB... and he says that he'd be very surprised if the company even sells the new Xbox. :lol:
The 'big brother' features frighten me, and I can't see myself ever buying an Xbox now.

 

[Brad]

It sounds like much of it is X-Box playing catch up to what the PS3 already does but I am a PS fan so I am biased. Love our PS3s!!
:-D

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Mmm... I'll just stick with my PC and Steam account.


Steambox where are yoooouuuu?

^^^ This (that's the first time i've ever done the '^^^ this' thing :lol: )
I'll stick to my PC too. I always build the absolute best PC I can afford so it will be good for as many years as possible. Right now I'm running on a more powerful system than any console out there and it can do everything including all the games i'm interested in. Never even been tempted to spend money on a console.

 

[KayleePond]

Pretty much shows what they're aiming for I think...

I've never been that into XBOX (I love my Playstation and PC, and of course Steam is magnificent) but I DO think that Kinect can be pretty awesome. My last roommates had an XBOX with a Kinect and the dancing games are really, really fun. That still doesn't make me want an XBOX though...Unless I get a 360 and Kinect to just be my dancing game machine haha.

 

[BellatrixNoir]

I'm generally a Playstation person, but I'm always willing to give other consoles a try without any bias. And I really have to say, I think Microsoft is making a huge mistake. The whole Xbox TV bit is gimmicky, if you ask me. And the fact that you have to pay a fee to play a used game on your own account (which will cost as much as the game itself) is insane to me.

 

[zippypinhead]

I haven't bought a console since the PS2, and that died on me years ago, long after I had stopped playing games on it, and it had become essentially a dvd player. I have to say, the direction that new consoles are headed gives me absolutely no incentive to want to go out and get a new PlayBox U.

 

[DuoShi]

Forza is on Xbox. Must play Forza...

 

[Mirra]

Forza is on Xbox. Must play Forza...

I'll opt for Gran Turismo 6 and Drive Club on PS4 personally.

I'll be honest... I haven't spent much time with a 360. It never impressed me. I much prefer my PS3 and my PC games. The PS4 presser wasn't the most exciting thing ever and yet it left me looking forward to so much more than the Xbox One event.

 

[waogo]

The thing is, both consoles have iffy things that won't be hashed out til closer to launch. I just hope the PS4 has a bigger controller. Only thing I don't like about my ps3. Gotten used to the interface, though, the in game xmb is still kinda shitty, compared to the 360's. But really, my hands are too big for the ps3 controller by just enough to be annoying, so that is the main thing to me.

 

[DuoShi]

Forza is on Xbox. Must play Forza...

I'll opt for Gran Turismo 6 and Drive Club on PS4 personally.

I'll be honest... I haven't spent much time with a 360. It never impressed me. I much prefer my PS3 and my PC games. The PS4 presser wasn't the most exciting thing ever and yet it left me looking forward to so much more than the Xbox One event.

I'm an Xbox guy, and most of the concerns people have with the console don't affect me much. With that said, this might be the first generation where I consider getting both consoles, but it's more likely that I'll just stick w/ Xbox. We'll see how it plays out.

 

[Mirra]

I just hope the PS4 has a bigger controller.

I've never understood this statement. I mean sure my hands aren't massive. I believe they're rather average for a guy. That said, my hand wraps quite comfortably and completely around the Dualshock controller shape. On top of that, it seems like it would be easily used by women and children whose hands may not be quite so large.


From what I saw of the latest Dual Shock controller, it appears to be very similar dimensions to the previous iterations. There may be just a little more to the grips and maybe that will be enough but most of the size increase is in an area that won't affect how it sits in your hand. There's some pretty decent comparison pictures of the Dualshock 3 and Dualshock 4 controllers I found here though his writing wasn't always easy to follow for me. I do like that it appears to have a bit of texture on the grip now rather than just smooth plastic.

 

[PunkInDrublic]

I've never really gotten use to how close the analog sticks were to each other on the PS3. Love how light it is in comparison to the 360's controller but that's the only thing I prefer about it.

 

[waogo]

really, the problem is there's nowhere to put my finger other than R2/L2. which is no good at all. In Force Unleashed, I'd end up doing things I did not want to do, because my fingers would pull the damn button on accident. I guess, it's more it needs a bit more grip. he 360 controller has some more grip on the "handles" so I can put my middle fingers on it when I don't need em on the triggers.

 

[waogo]

I lied. It's that if you have R1/2 & L1/2 with fingers on all, at once, there's not enough grip to hold it quite steady enough. I feel like I'm about to drop the thing. Anyway, I'm waiting on some definitive DRM/no DRM stuff from Sony & MS, to figure out which I'm leaning towards first.

 

[SerenaMoon]

I don't like xbox because the controllers always seem massive. I have little hands.

 

[Mirra]

I lied. It's that if you have R1/2 & L1/2 with fingers on all, at once, there's not enough grip to hold it quite steady enough. I feel like I'm about to drop the thing.

No... I'm kidding. I just couldn't help myself. My mind immediately went there when I read the quoted text.

I personally just use one finger for each for R1/R2 and L1/L2. My fingers are fat enough to easily press both in the event I needed to do such a thing. I think Force Unleashed was the only game that ever made me feel like my R and L fingers were doing acrobatics.

 

[waogo]

The DRM scheme thing is pretty terrible, really. Can't lend it out more than once? Pffft. I think it'll be a while til I buy one, now. Until Sony responds with possibly something worse, it's looking like a PS4 for me. Helps, as I'm weird, and tend to buy series on one platform (or in this case, a close relative), so Assassin's Creed 4 on PS4 it is, I guess. And probably Watch_Dogs, too. The TV shit is... Eh, no cable, and doubt it will work on antenna, because nothing like that does, so useless other than the video apps I already have on 360/PS3 & my WDTV Live box.

 

[DaddyDominant]

The DRM scheme thing is pretty terrible, really. Can't lend it out more than once? Pffft. I think it'll be a while til I buy one, now. Until Sony responds with possibly something worse, it's looking like a PS4 for me. Helps, as I'm weird, and tend to buy series on one platform (or in this case, a close relative), so Assassin's Creed 4 on PS4 it is, I guess. And probably Watch_Dogs, too. The TV shit is... Eh, no cable, and doubt it will work on antenna, because nothing like that does, so useless other than the video apps I already have on 360/PS3 & my WDTV Live box.

I'm an MS guy, I work with their server products, I have a 360 that I had an xbox gold membership just to watch netflix.

BUT...

I find their 'ownership' of games unacceptable. "publishers MAY allow me to resell my games?" "I MAY loan a game to someone that's been on my friend's list for 30 days..but I can't to any one else?" I think not, unless they go the steam route and offer GREAT deals and discounts on games on a regular basis..but I know how that's going to go.

So, I think this is the first gen I'm going to sit out. I'll sell the 360 and get another smart blu ray player to watch netflix on.

Thanks for the memories ballmer.