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Crafting The 360 Interface

Posted by Zonk on from the shiny-interactions dept.

MaxConsole writes "Over at Designinteract they have a very interesting feature running on how the Microsoft interface design manager (Russ Glaser) completed the Xbox 360 user interface. The feature goes into depths on the whole two year project for the Xbox 360, the problems they encountered, the testing phase, requirements for the interface as well as the animation and experience design. The feature concludes 'the Xbox 360 interface came in under 3MB. It is slick and fast and, its designers hope, successful.'"

36 comments

  1. Props to Neal Stephenson! by banglogic · · Score: 1

    Take a close look at the graphic of the interface. See the name? "Hiro Protagonist".
    Somebody is a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash">Snow Crash fan...

    --
    Bang Logic - Serious Small Business Services
    1. Re:Props to Neal Stephenson! by banglogic · · Score: 1

      Err.. Sorry about the link...
      That should be Snow Crash

      --
      Bang Logic - Serious Small Business Services
    2. Re:Props to Neal Stephenson! by bushidocoder · · Score: 2, Informative

      Hiro Protagonist is the XboxLive username for J Allard, the Corporate Vice President of the Xbox360 development.

    3. Re:Props to Neal Stephenson! by ElectricBrain · · Score: 1

      That is Microsoft's Allard's presumed XBox Live handle, I believe.

    4. Re:Props to Neal Stephenson! by Saige · · Score: 1

      Yep, it is... and he used to play Halo 2, though it appears he hasn't played on Live since the beginning of January.

      --
      "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
    5. Re:Props to Neal Stephenson! by radish · · Score: 1

      I guess he's been playing on that *other* Xbox live :)

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

  2. Bar for comparison by Demona · · Score: 1

    I bet it won't be anywhere near as good as Xbox Media Center. Every time XBMC is updated I'm floored at the attention to detail in terms of usability -- it almost makes Tivo look like rocket science. Too bad my grandma would have to be a rocket scientist and/or break the "law" to get it.

    --
    Fuck Slashdot
    1. Re:Bar for comparison by Chasuk · · Score: 0, Troll

      it almost makes Tivo look like rocket science.

      Erm, if I said "he makes [insert name of known stupid person here] look like a rocket scientist" -- which is the usual manner in which this comparison is constructed -- the implication would be that "he" was very stupid indeed.

      Are you implying that Xbox Media Center is stupid, or that it is suitable for someone who is?

      --
      Neopets - the best free game on the Int
    2. Re:Bar for comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Having a 'stupid' interface is considered good by UI people. That's why Apple wins so many accolades despite their interfaces being less powerful and informative in many areas.

    3. Re:Bar for comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, reading comprehension time. I'll make this really simple. Rocket science is hard. So hard, you have to be really smart to do it. Rocket scientists are smart. Smart enough to do rocket science. He's saying Tivos look hard next to xbmc. So hard that the Tivo might be like rocket science. Remember, that means really hard.

      Are you implying that Xbox Media Center is stupid, or that it is suitable for someone who is?

      Golly I wish the whole world could be as smart as you.

    4. Re:Bar for comparison by TuringTest · · Score: 1

      No, "stupid" is just stupid. UI people consider "simple, clever" interfaces as good. They don't need to be less powerful, but less complex.

      Making a complex & powerful interface is easy, but making it good is dificult.

      --
      Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
    5. Re:Bar for comparison by llevity · · Score: 1

      Rocket science is considered difficult. If XMC makes Tivo look like rocket science, then XMC is significantly less difficult than TiVo. Considering TiVo is usually praised on its user friendliness, that's saying a lot.

  3. What Microsoft can actually do by alvinrod · · Score: 3, Insightful
    It's nice to see a little dose of careful planning and good execution from the people at Microsoft. I'll take things with a grain of salt until I can actually see and use the interface for myself, but it sounds like they put some thought and effort into it.

    Microsoft is generally better known for (what most would call) the pile of crap OS known as Windows. Given how most of their products turn out, MS has gained a largely negative reputation. However it's nice to see the people working on the Xbox obviously don't suffer the same shortcomings as everyone else at the company does.

    Considering that more and more people will likely begin to switch to Linux or Apple in the coming years, it's interesting to think that Microsoft will rely on the Xbox more and more in the future. In any event it's nice to see that there are a few competent people working there still.

    1. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by superpulpsicle · · Score: 1, Insightful

      You must be new. M$ only "begin" to care when they are in jeopardy of losing #1 or stuck at #2.

      Examples of stuck at #2:
      - PS2 sales always higher than xbox.
      - Google more used than MSN.

      Examples of losing #1:
      - Firefox closing in on IE.
      - Linux closing in on windows.

      When M$ sit on top of the world by themselves, they really don't give 2 shits about quality or you as a customer.

    2. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Examples of losing #1:
      - Firefox closing in on IE.
      - Linux closing in on windows.

      What was the last time you have checked any numbers?

    3. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Xxanmorph · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      When M$ sit on top of the world by themselves, they really don't give 2 shits about quality or you as a customer.

      You mean just like every other company in existance?

    4. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by badasscat · · Score: 1, Insightful

      t's nice to see a little dose of careful planning and good execution from the people at Microsoft.

      Am I the only one that sees this as a collossal waste of time, money and effort? Am I the only one that just wants a game console to play games? Why do I need an interface with three years and millions of dollars put into it?

      I want to turn the machine on, have it be instantly accessible, put a game in and be playing within ten seconds. That's all I need, that's probably all 90% of the world needs out of a game console. In fact, anything more than that is just clutter.

      If I start the system with no game, I'd like to be able to manage saves. If I'm online, I'd like to do some basic account management. But these are tasks that would require maybe a week's worth of design by one guy (I work on web interfaces every day, so I'm not saying this without any knowledge of the subject).

      Hearing that so much went into the design of the Xbox 360's interface frankly scares me. It does not make me look forward to turning the thing on for the first time. I swear to God, if the first thing I see when I turn the machine on is a dialogue box, it's going back to the store.

      Also, whenever you see an interface described as "fast", that's code for "slow, but faster than we thought it'd be given all the crap we've loaded on." Ideally an interface for a game console is so fast that its speed doesn't need describing one way or another. You just don't even think about it. It should be assumed that a game console interface is fast enough to not even be noticed - why would it be otherwise? So this is really not encouraging - it's the opposite, in fact.

    5. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Saige · · Score: 1

      Also, whenever you see an interface described as "fast", that's code for "slow, but faster than we thought it'd be given all the crap we've loaded on." Ideally an interface for a game console is so fast that its speed doesn't need describing one way or another. You just don't even think about it. It should be assumed that a game console interface is fast enough to not even be noticed - why would it be otherwise? So this is really not encouraging - it's the opposite, in fact.

      You haven't yet seen it in action then. I have, and yes, 'fast' is an appropriate term. From watching live demos of it, I find it looks better, moves faster, and is more functional than ANY of the interfaces on the current gen of consoles.

      And they have put so much effort into it because it's not going to be just something you rarely use, like in today's consoles, but much more relevant to regular 360 use. You'll always be able to pull it up - whether during a game, a movie, or watching live TV through the media extender.

      If you're not hooked up to live, then you probably won't need the interface much at all, If you do connect to live, then it's a much different story.

      --
      "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
    6. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by OMGtehRed · · Score: 0

      You show just how stupid you are by typing MS as "M$". STFU and go home to mommy.

    7. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Morinaga · · Score: 1
      "Am I the only one that sees this as a collossal waste of time, money and effort? Am I the only one that just wants a game console to play games? Why do I need an interface with three years and millions of dollars put into it?"

      "I want to turn the machine on, have it be instantly accessible, put a game in and be playing within ten seconds. That's all I need, that's probably all 90% of the world needs out of a game console. In fact, anything more than that is just clutter."

      Am I the only one that sees this as a collossal waste of time, money and effort? Am I the only one that just wants a music player to play music? Why do I need an interface with three years and millions of dollars put into it?

      I want to turn the mp3 player on, have it be instantly accessible, load a song in and be playing within ten seconds. That's all I need, that's probably all 90% of the world needs out of a mp3 player. In fact, anything more than that is just clutter.

      Would the ipod have been half as successful without it's interface?

      I could also substitute mobile phone in there as well. Convergence of technologies isn't always a good thing, I agree. But it's worked with phones, PDAs etc... If you can reduce the number of devices in your living room then I think that has some appeal for customers. Besides, you may be able to do exactly as you described anyway and never touch the other items. Hell, from what I read you don't even have to get your ass off the couch and turn the thing on nor put in a game disk if you don't want to. Hit the power up on your remote, load the game from the included HD and go at it.

    8. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Babbster · · Score: 1
      Hell, from what I read you don't even have to get your ass off the couch and turn the thing on nor put in a game disk if you don't want to. Hit the power up on your remote, load the game from the included HD and go at it.

      If you have some reliable info on that, please share it. As far as I know X360 games are NOT going to be installed directly to the hard drive (apart, perhaps, from Final Fantasy XI but I don't even know the details on that one for sure). Being able to install to the hard drive with no subsequent game disc requirement seems, to me at least, to be a license for easy piracy - buy the biggest X360 hard drive available (the HD is a modular component instead of being internal in the 360), load a bunch of games on it, sell the drive now full of games; lather, rinse, repeat...

      While the Microsoft hype machine has been making the X360 sound like the best thing since the first Dragon Warrior (loved that game), I haven't heard anything about disc-less gameplay.

    9. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by C0rinthian · · Score: 1

      Considering EVERY Xbox 360 comes with a basic Live account, It wouldn't be hard to link the drive to the Xbox and tell if it's been moved.

      You could simply never hook the thing up to a network, but with the strong focus on online functionality, you'll be severely limited.

    10. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by wheany · · Score: 1

      Microsoft still makes the number one operating system and web browser.

    11. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Morinaga · · Score: 1
      MS has already said certain games will be included on the hard drive so there's already functionality to where games can play just off the HD. Does that mean that all games can be played without the disk, probably not but maybe. They've said you can rip music the HD. Why can't you copy the game data? Think they will run a cd check on game execution? I suppose.

      So just for the record you haven't heard anything about disc-required play either. But we do know some games will run without one. Evidence leans twoard the original assumption.

    12. Re:What Microsoft can actually do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hahahaha... number 1 in bug count maybe.

  4. Very pretty but... by It+doesn't+come+easy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's just a tabbed dialog box revisited, moving the tabs to the side of the window and stretching them out to the height of the page. Looks nice but they will still have a problem if there are too many tabs needed...

    --
    The NSA: The only part of the US government that actually listens.
    1. Re:Very pretty but... by Morinaga · · Score: 1
      TFA says there are four.

      You can read more about the interface by Paul Thurrott at http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/xbox360_insid e.asp

      There's also a much nicer pic of the UI there. He says that it can instantly overlay any existing screen on the 360 which is pretty cool since it will interface over any game you're playing, visualization you're running during music or stuff like that. That seems relatively mundane but to incorporate an overlay system over third party developed graphics is no small feat. Sounds interesting to me.

  5. Something that finally gets me interested in XBOX by notmartinfrobisher · · Score: 1

    I have a PS2 and therefore have an upgrade path to the PS2 but this is the first non-hype article I've read on XBOX and it does get me interested in it. If the interface *is* really well thought out it might make for a usable media centre to view pictures, playback music etc., and serve a real need to consolodate the functionality multiple existing devices in a potentially elegant interface.

  6. Interface? by Bellum+Aeternus · · Score: 3, Insightful
    For an article about an interface on a web site about interfaces, the interface sucked!

    Screenshots that cannot be enlarged, but are too small to see
    The screenshot on page 1 links to page 2
    The screenshots on other pages are not linkable.
    And the damn ad at the top kept trying to talk to me; I'm at work! O_o

    Otherwise, the 360's interface looks cool. Gotta play [no pun] with it a bit before I have any real comments.

    --
    - I voted for Nintendo and against Bush
    1. Re:Interface? by Suddenly_Dead · · Score: 1

      Why can't these articles be placed on fewer pages? Or hey, use CSS or something to flip pages rather than requiring that I load a new document each time.

      Probably just a ploy for more advertising dollars, or maybe out of touch design people think this is a good idea. The latter would also have another example: the page doesn't take the whole width of my browser window. I browse at a high resolution, this is a waste of a lot of screen space.

  7. Re:Something that finally gets me interested in XB by Anm · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Based on the hype at the Game Developer Conference, this is exactly the direction they are going: Built in interface into MSN Music (or whatever it will be called), sync to your iPod, play your playlist inside any game, and chat with other XBox Live friends regards of whether either of you are playing a game, let alone the same game. I'm surprised they aren't going the DVR direction (as a hard drive / video input adapter combo package).

    It is a cool concept, and a huge problem for Sony to compete with. With XBox's existing userbase, just meeting the feature set will not be enough to survive in the online world.

    Anm

  8. Inspiration by axonal · · Score: 1

    Bob, Microsoft Engineer: "Our design was influenced around our environment when creating the controllers." Behind the Scenes - Microsoft Engineers have their hands full with dozens of donuts, realized the circular shape... walla! New Xbox Controller Born.

    1. Re:Inspiration by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's spelled "voila", you cultureless slob!

  9. Re:Something that finally gets me interested in XB by wild_berry · · Score: 1

    With Sony's 10-year expected lifespan for the PS3 (and possible higher cost), I would expect it to have a larger feature set than the X360, allowing for things like HDTV PVR and hyper-definition music.

  10. Re:Something that finally gets me interested in XB by Anm · · Score: 1

    Well, according to similar Sony hype, the PS1 has just reached its ten year end-of-lifecycle, but I don't know anyone who has had one for four or five years. It makes me wonder how many of those PS ONEs they actually made and sold. And the PS1 games are all in the bargin bin. In three years, I'd expect to see the same thing with the PS2, especially since the PSP has nearly caught up with it. And that is a two year span for players to upgrade their PS2 to a PS3 and still keep their game library.

    Anm

  11. XBOX Fan by nickienickie · · Score: 1

    I can t wait till the xbox 360 comes out I know it will no doubt be the best gaming systme on the market and congrats to microsoft for bringing it out this year instead of next. I have always been fasinated with the the new hardware the xbox 360 utilizes and hope this console is everything it has been talked up to be.