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Impressions From A Second Shipment 360 Owner
The setup wizard asked for little more than the time zone and my Passport account. The Live account I had with the Xbox was still in good standing, putting me into the 'gold' version of the Live system. This apparently allows me the opportunity to get to some additional content, and make use of the Trueskill ranking system we reported on a while back. The only annoying part of the setup was the grueling process of entering my email address and password. Selecting letters from an on-screen keyboard seems like a good idea until you start entering your 32-character-long email address. As a final touch I was asked my preferences for controls in FPS and Driving titles. I don't know why, but I like inverted look on console games. It just works better for me. By entering the setting on my Live account, every FPS I play on the 360 will use that setting by default.
Setup completed, I had my first look at the 360 'blade' system. The interface for the console is a series of screens arranged in an interlocking pattern of tabs, or blades. Flipping between the different screens is as easy as moving the thumbstick. It's a remarkably intuitive and clean interface, and really hits home the 'next-gen' feel of the console. First thing, I hopped into the Live Marketplace and purchased some Microsoft Points. As much as I was looking forward to playing Call of Duty 2 and King Kong, I'd heard such good things about the downloadable game experience that I wanted to check them out right away. I also wanted to snag the Penny Arcade Skins and gamer portraits. These games and downloadables were purchased with the Points, which are Microsoft's way of putting an additional step between users and their credit cards. Parents who don't want their kids racking up bills via Live can purchase pre-paid Point cards in stores, ala the time cards for a MMOG. You can also buy them directly through Live if you have a credit card on file. They sound like more of a deal than they are, unfortunately. Game downloads range from about 400 to about 800 Points, and right now Live is offering 1000 Points for $12.50 (or $.05 for four points). You can buy about three games then, give or take, for $25.00. A steal compared to most console titles, but not as inexpensive as you might like. Theme packs that re-skin your blades run about 150 Points, and packs of icons for your GamerTag are about 50 Points. There are exceptions, of course. The Penny Arcade icon packs each have several icons to choose from, and cost 200 Points. Expensive, but Mr. Period was worth the $2.50. The downloadable games are wide-ranging in playstyle, and offer something for just about everyone. Classic titles like SmashTV, and Joust sit beside modern hits like Zuma and Bejeweled. There are also brand new and indie titles, like Geometry Wars Retro Evolved and Wik: Fable of Souls. The console also comes with a shiny puzzle game already unlocked for you, called Hexic. Hexic has you rotating groups of three colored blocks, seeking to make groups of same-colored shapes. It's not the most brilliant puzzler ever, but it is good looking and is something to kill time with if you're not interested in downloading anything. Which would be a shame, because all of the games in the Live Marketplace offer up free trials. The cost is the time to download, and the reward is the chance to recall just how badly you played the original Gauntlet. The Live title I've gotten the most enjoyment out of is Geometry Wars Retro Evolved. Originally a simplistic little extra on Project Gotham Racing 2, Geometry Wars has been reinvisioned for the Live Marketplace. It's a beautiful old-school shooter in the style of Asteroids, with a lot of attitude. There are over a dozen enemy types, several blaster styles, and loads of extremely challenging gameplay. I've accomplished the 'get 100,000 points' Achievement, but only just. Even then, as of this writing I'm number 16,618 on the Geometry Wars leaderboard. Judging by the leaders on the leaderboard, the game is not only challenging but addictive as well.
That Geometry Wars Achievement is one of the easier ones to obtain for that title, most of them centering on surviving for prolonged periods of time. They're somewhat simplistic, given the nature of the game, but every game has their own style of Achievement. Xbox Live Achievements are 'Kilroy was here' moments in games made for the Xbox 360. Every title is required to have some, and it varies from game to game how many there are and how hard it is to obtain them. Call of Duty 2, for example, hands you one for completing Basic Training but then denies you additional kudos until you've beaten large parts of the game. Kameo, on the other hand, gives you an Achievement every time you obtain another Elemental Warrior (which happens relatively frequently). They're viewable through your GamerTag, and are an interesting way to check in and see how far your friend has made it through a given title.
One of the benefits of waiting a month before purchasing my 360 was knowing what games to get and what titles I could safely avoid. With PDZ mostly snagging 8/10s, I decided to pick up Call of Duty 2 instead as my launch-title FPS. Jack Black and Peter Jackson was just too appealing to me to pass up (not to mention the big monkey), so I grabbed King Kong as well. Kameo's colorful visuals and morphing gameplay also seemed very appealing, and I chose that as my third launch title.
Call of Duty 2 (CoD 2) has earned its reputation as the cream of the 360 launch title crop. The game powerfully recaptures the thrill of the original title, placing you in the shoes of a grunt on the Russian, British, or American fronts of World War II. Gameplay is fast-paced and finely honed, with a control scheme that for the first time feels effortless to this PC gamer. The 360 controller, overall, has a wonderful feel to it. It's not even as large as the S-type Xbox controller, and the thumbsticks are incredibly responsive. I've always had some 'user-related issues' playing FPS titles on the console, but the 360 controller feels extremely natural in my hands. Call of Duty 2 makes use of every button on the controller, and the schema feels very intuitive once you've gone through basic training. The game not only plays well, but looks terrific too. I wasn't sure what exactly to expect when I first began playing a 360 title (as still images just don't do next-gen games justice), but I have been extremely impressed. CoD 2 lives, breathes, and clips along at 60 frames per second without blinking. The snowy enivrons of Russia, the ice crusted to the fringe of my commander's longcoat, and the billowing emissions of a smoke grenade all come together to form an immersive experience. If I had to choose a 'best of' element for Call of Duty 2, it would be the AI. German soldiers dive for cover, snipe from afar, and use suppression fire to support their troop movements. Your Russian squad-mates call out enemy positions in simple and understandable terms. They have your back if you run out of ammo, and keep the baddies under cover as you sprint towards your next objective. Call of Duty 2 is easily the finest launch title the 360 has to offer. The 360 version of King Kong has been in the news recently because of some darkness issues. While it is indeed very dark, on an HD screen the light is more than sufficient to make out the creepy-crawlies coming in your direction. King Kong plays mostly like an action-adventure FPS, with you in the role of writer Jack Driscoll. Driscoll and a motley crew of movie-makers make their way through the creepy enivrons of Skull Island. Originally on the island just for the scenery, the game quickly becomes a race after the giant ape Kong who has stolen leading lady Ann. The primitive environment plays a role in the game's story and gameplay. While ammo is plentiful in some FPS titles, Kong has you relying on periodic supply drops from a low flying plane. Once you're out of ammo, you're reduced to using spears as weapons against the giant centipedes, dinosaurs, and flying harpy-things that plague your every step. Kong has a lot of atmosphere, and even on normal mode is fairly challenging. My biggest complaint with the title is the occasional puzzle element. Doors must be opened via a pair of rotating gate mechanisms, and at various points in the game you're required to find the handle for one or both of these mechanisms. Looking for a small handle in a large outdoor space with variable lighting is, regrettably, not very fun and serves mostly as a way to add time to the game. The 'best of' element is definitely the infrequent sequences where you get to play as Kong. The sheer power he displays, compared to the squishiness of Jack Driscoll, makes for a refreshing change of pace as you progress through the game. Kong is only so-so as FPS titles go, but when at its best it offers some beautiful vistas , scary moments, and "omgdinosaurz" gameplay. Kameo has gotten a lot of mixed reviews since the 360 launched, and with good reason. On one hand, it has beautiful cartoony graphics. The world evokes a sense of wonder, and the characters that inhabit the various realms are all kind of goofy-looking. On the other hand, it's a violent game with a decent amount of gore. Splattering bugs and plant-monsters tosses a green goo at the screen, which slides down the inside of your television screen. One elemental warrior has a move that impales enemies on his back, and then uses them as thrown weapons. A forgettable plot doesn't help things, either. Kameo was living a fulfilling life as a princess when her sister went black hat and released the evil Troll King. They capture your family and strip you of your powers, and you're off on a crusade to get everything back. There are some amusing story elements that complicate things a bit, like a conniving seer with aspirations of power, but for the most part the game plays out exactly as you'd imagine. You move from place to place in the game world, collecting warriors and freeing your family members. Each Elemental Warrior offers up specific abilities that can be used to circumvent obstacles. The plant-boxer can dive into the ground to move under gates, the dragon-form can light torches with his breath weapon, and the rolling armadillo-guy Major Ruin can use his rush attack to leap chasms. Despite the predictable plot, there is fun to be had, here. Once you have a few warriors under your belt gameplay gets switched up relatively often, requiring you to recognize what form will work best fairly frequently. Combat itself is quick and mostly satisfying, and each warrior has a bevy of upgradable powers to play with. The problem really boils down to who exactly this game is for, though. The graphics say young player, the violence says teenager, and the spine-gratingly annoying 'helper' says functional imbecile. Even halfway through the game your hand is still being held with regard to power use and puzzle-solving, and it gets more than a little annoying sometimes. Kameo is interesting from a uniqueness point of view, but probably isn't worth it unless the art style and morphing premise really appeal to you. Regrettably, they are about all the game has to offer.
My experiences with the 360, even disappointing moments with Kameo, have been overwhelmingly positive. Even while falling to my death because of a wonky camera in Kameo or getting eaten for the fifth time by a giant centipede in King Kong, there's a level of polish to these launch titles that surprised me. I'm not sure I'd agree with J. Allard when he claimed the 360 has the 'best launch lineup ever', but at least the titles that I chose to purchase all have elements worth exploring. The console itself has also surprised me. A slick interface and effortless simple online components make this the first box I've really enjoyed just futzing with. The Marketplace is a powerful selling point, and the games up for offer are well worth looking into. They're constantly adding content as well, ensuring that stopping in at the Live component is almost always a worthwhile sidetrip from whatever game you're playing. Just since the console's launch they've added a Mission Impossible 3 trailer, a Billiards game, and a great PSA from Red vs. Blue. I have been pleasantly surprised by the entire 360 experience, and I might even go so far as to say that I got my money's worth when I purchased the system last week. In these frustrating times of hype and shady customer service, it's hard for me to offer up higher praise than that.
As a final note, you may be interested to know that my Xbox Live GamerTag is 'whoisdialogue'. If you're looking for someone to kick around in CoD multiplayer, I will probably be able to oblige any deep-seated fantasies you may have of shooting a Slashdot editor in the brainpan. See you online.Update: 12/21 19:55 GMT by Z : Fixed per-point price, because math is hard. Thanks AC.
The question we all REALLY want to know the answer to is this: How does the xbox 360 power supply brick compare to your electric space heater?
My UID is prime. Is yours?
Same thing happened to me. I put a deposit down back in may with EB when it was $20. I STILL missed the first cutoff by like 2 or 3. I finally got it last week and I am glad I did. My guess is the second shipment was better. My brother-in-law got his during first release and he had to send it back before I even got mine!!
Live is offering 1000 Points for $12.50 (or $.80 a point)
Shouldn't that be $0.0125 a point, or 4 points for a nickel?
Does it still crash often? That is my worst fear if I would get the 360.
My quality social news site.com.
XBMC > XPMCE Streaming
I couldn't agree more. Gotta love my 360, Xboxlive and the total service package.
:)
I'm used to large power supplies, my LCD tv has one thats the same size if not bigger, so welcome to the world of big bricks
Is it only me or are those T-Rex arms out of proportion (too small/thin)? Here are some images for comparison: Google Images
I know, Google Images shouldn't be a reference, but anyway...
My other account has mod points.
I still think sniping you through the office window would be easier than getting an Xbox 360 right now however.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Zonk said he hated entering in his email address and password with the Xbox 360 virtual keyboard. We understood this problem from Xbox and support USB keyboard input for the Xbox 360 virtual keyboard. Just plug in a USB keyboard at any time and use it while the virtual keyboard is displayed.
Disclaimer: Microsoft is my employer. This post is provided as-is with no warranty and confers no rights.
You should never take life too seriously - You'll never get out of it alive.
As a confirmed video game junkie I have mixed feelings toward the "next generation" consoles. I don't think that we've really maxed out the current generation yet, especially the xbox, but now we're moving on. The 360 is at a price point that makes it easier for me to Just Say No, at least for now.
I told my son that we're not getting a new console until at least one of us finishes all the games we own. That should keep us busy until the PS4 or xbox 720 hit.
Sounds like it's halfway decent compared to what i initially expected. It's still too expensive for me though. I'll buy it in a couple years when you can get them for 200 bucks... I'm not that into console gaming. I'd rather take a ride down to the range and shoot for REAL. (or boot up my PC and get better controls and better graphics that i don't have to sit on the couch to see) :) The most i've ever spent on a console was 50 bucks for a refurb gamecube at eb games... Other than that, i bought a refurb dreamcast for 30 bucks from eb and my parents bought me a gamegear a long time ago...
I'm sure the console will get better with age as more and more stuff becomes multithreaded. Supposedly not one of the games that's out for it now is multithreaded... I'd like to see what happens when games start coming out that ARE.
Is your real name Sisyphus perhaps?
Have the heat-related problems been resolved for the second shipment and if not, what is the timeframe for these problems to be fixed?
Click here or a puppy gets stomped!
I guess he'll find out how well the "Friends" blade area is designed after he gets a few thousand Friend Requests.
So the question is, how much of a value is the X360 if I really couldn't care less about the Live Marketplace? Is it intrinsic to the value of the box or is it a nice add-on? I'm waiting to see what the PS3 can do either way, but if Marketplace is Xbox's 'edge' then its kind of boring. (I have no doubt I will be able to voice-chat and do multiplayer/internet on the Revolution and PS3.)
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
I'm not a MS fanboy. I'm more of a linux/Mac fanboy, I should hate Microsoft. I don't like how they buy the best (rare, bungie) from the competition, and how they throw much money at getting their consoles popular (celebrities on the XB 360 revealing special on MTV). But from what I've read/heard, I like the XBox 360.... It seems to be much more then a console, and a big step in the direction of a true "set-top box" that I have always dreamed about. Games, PVR (Idk if you can schedule recordings on your WMC PC though), decent downloadable content, pretty good games.... In terms of what would make a new system good (I don't care if PS3 can do this that XBox 360 can't or vice-versa, they are the same generation, and fundamentally the same graphically), I think the XBox 360 did everything pretty good (other then the power brick overheating). In a similar way some of Nintendo's products or the Dreamcast brought on some pretty shocking default features, XBox seems to have a similar unique and good feature set. I don't have one yet, but I hope to get one soon enough.
In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
for a 360, try this site - GamerMill.com.
it plays playstation 2 games. my kid has too many of those to even consider a switch in technology.
and I need to get an MS passport?
pass....
This is entertainment, the people who were busted in LA for modding and copying XBOX stuff and are facing hard time, that is real life. IMHO, no amount of copying and moding over a game deserves hard time, there is a serious priority problem here, especially considering that it can be argued that they didn't do anything wrong at all. It's sorta hard to get in the spirit of new product launches with things like this going on.
I have greatly enjoyed playing with the Marketplace, but the for-pay elements are not the only things on offer.
As I said, all the demos offer a free trial version, so you can try before you buy. They're usually fixed time, so you can only play for about half an hour or so before it quits. The themes and gamer pictures are usually for-pay, but there are a number of freebies as well. For example, right now you can download a Kameo Christmas-themed skin for your blades. It's not as attractive as some of the other options, but if you want to futz with your console's look you aren't always going to have to pay for it.
The setup wizard asked for little more than the time zone and my Passport account
I stopped reading (and purchasing) at this point...
-- Free software on every PC on every desk
So where's the negative?
'paying someone everytime I want to change something'
Thats a bit of an exageration. I believe you just pay and you can get some new stuff but you dont have to pay to keep switching around things. Kind of like the important part of the look of the 360 is to be able to move it to anywhere in your lounge, thats obviously free, but if you really like you can also change its face plate for a price.
Its just an extra that wouldnt exist at all if it werent for the credit card and point stuff.
That said I am also waiting for the revolution to come out. 360 doesnt seem to bad though and it was a good review.
How is the music visualizer?
If it were really 300 hundred dollars, I'd have one now. If you consider the fact you would be a fool to buy the low end model, plus the cost of games, its quite expensive just for gaming. A 2000 dollar pc might not be as good as this unit now, but in 3 years it will be. I can use the 2000 dollar pc for other activities like software development, word processing, and it even allows me to use competing technologies and games. My pc can run iTunes, firefox, and run enemy territory.
You are correcct that the targeted smp support is very impressive. That is the key feature of the xbox 360 to me. However, with dual core cpus ending up in gamer's systems, we will see a change in this area. Blizzard, id, valve, and any other developer will need to support SMP in future engines to compete. This xbox might get us there sooner.
I don't think the video card is as good as you claim though. Microsoft bought it, so it must use current or soon to be current technologies.
MidnightBSD: The BSD for Everyone
Odd. My dual core is being used by at least half dozen games already. Say, City of Heroes for example.
And since all future big name title development will be based on capabilities of PS3 and/or Xbox360, its pretty easy to see the game engines being multithreaded. Multi core CPUs are 'free' extra performance as long as the engine is developed as multithreaded.
Consoles are fine for some game types, but as long as they don't have a keyboard (and good MMOs), there's always room for PCs. You also won't see complex strategy titles on consoles, and FPS without mouse aiming will just never work. Halo is just the exception that proves the point.
If I want to have a quick spin on arcade driving game, console is a great thing to have for that.
I'd never play a FPS or strategy game, or anything requiring typing on a console.
Different tool for a different job. Both have their place. However, if you can afford just one thing, PC is more of a multipurpose tool, and if you are going to buy a good PC for work/'production use', the required addon of a 300-400$ videocard on top of the otherwise pretty standard PC is no different than the price of a console system.
Disclaimer: I have one decked out game PC, one midrange game/utility PC, PS2 and half dozen older consoles. Never touched Xbox (not enough exclusive titles I couldn't play on PS2 or PC), undecided on XBox 360 and/or PS3 - I can wait until next autumn as Xbox360 currently has no must-have exclusive title. I can play CoD2 or King Kong also on my PC, and I like the 1600x1200 res better.
The dupes happen when you're looking over your shoulder before clicking! ;-)
The 360 is an excellent system, and there is a reason why there were people waiting in line for 20 hours last Sunday a month after the actual launch.
The system might be excellent but from what I've seen, the games that are *currently* out there just don't make it worthwhile to stand in line for hours on end (especially here in Minnesota where it's cold).
From what I have seen (based on the various displays in and around my home area), if it's not being displayed on a huge HD monitor, the graphics just aren't all that much different from what we've seen in the XBox 1 or the PS2. I personally don't know a single person with an HD monitor, nevermind one that's as large as those they display the 360 on in the stores. I know I will never have an HD monitor in my home so I'm not sure what benefit the 360 has for most people RIGHT now to stand in those long lines other than MS-funded and media-created hype.
Actually it should be safe since someone will probably steal it long before it gets rained on.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
There's only one game I'm interested in seeing for the 360, and that's TES IV. If that's not a world-beater of a game, I'm waiting for my PS3 (getting the Rev at launch is a matter of course)
I'll go through this point by point.
If it was an advert, the math wouldn't have been wrong. Also, he wouldn't have mentioned the negatives, such as the 32-character e-mail address, and the power brick. Or even the King Kong lighting issues.
Regarding the "large and risky investment": I think that was the part that the whole "meant-to-imply-an-in-drawn-breath dept" was referring to.
Where did it say he bought all games available? As far as I can remember, he said he only bought 3 games: King Kong, Call of Duty 2, and Kameo. As well as a few of the Marketplace games.
When someone reviews something, they will do it with the best possible equipment. It isn't that much of a stretch to say that as a geek who reviews a lot of console games, he would have an HDTV.
Concerning the 'detailed math': He got it wrong at the first go.
On who posted it: Yes, Zonk wrote and submitted it. You can usually tell what parts are submitted by outside parties and which parts are added by the editors. The submitted parts are in italics.
Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
Not to mention that PC CoD2 is over 20 euros cheaper than the overpriced XBox 360 version (I've seen PC version as low as 44.95 euros, while Xbox360 version suggested retail price is whopping 69.95 euros. Dunno if the 360 games are more sanely priced in the US. In europe they're 65-70 euros a pop - which in my humble opinion is beyond the pain threshold for most buyers)
I sincerely hope PS3 games won't be so horribly overpriced. 50 euros for normal title, 60 euros for exceptional uber hit is already pushing it, while every 360 title is over 60.
(Or where did you steal them from?)
With spending like this, exactly what are "conservatives" conserving?
"+1 - Funny Jerk."
I think the question we REALLY WANT TO KNOW is will his Gamertag be slashdotted!!!!!!
My 360 has been left on for 29 days straight, power brick laying on my hardwood floor and my apartment all hot as hell. And guess what, not 1 freeze ever not any issues - other than my wireless controller finally died.
Ok, so you're going to avoid:
Microsoft, both XBox and Windows PCs
Nintendo, they strong arm their suppliers and developers
Sony, they make everything proprietary and tie developers into exclusive releases to limit customer choice, and they are going to be putting the customer-unfriendly Blu-Ray into the PS3.
EA, the biggest publisher is notorious for overworking their employees, and just did the very anti-competitive exclusive contracts with the NFL, ESPN and NHL. They don't even want to use the ESPN brand, they just wanted to take it away from Sega.
So who is on the whitelist? I think Id Software makes a Linux version of their games. I think that is it for Tier-One games. I'm sure knowledgeable people could list "great" games made for Linux, but I think Quake and Doom titles would be the only ones that cracked the Top 10 in the last 5 years that qualify as "thug-free." I'd get pretty bored playing only those games.
Don't moderate flamebait as Troll. Know the difference or you will be Meta-moderated.
What I'm interested in is: if you don't want (or can't access) Live, then is it even worth getting a 360 at all? From TFA, the whole 360 experience seems to be focused on Live from the first time you power up, right down to needing a Passport account. Frankly, I have zero interest in playing against other people online, or buying skins, or getting Gamer Tags or custom icons, or any of that. But since the games appear to revolve around exactly that kind of thing on Live, would it basically mean throwing money away on a game that I'd never see half of?
You must think in Russian.
I totally agree. I don't like the idea of paying someone to download ringtones and wallpapers to my cellphone. Looks like my decision has been made. I'm not going to buy a cell phone until the wireless providers stop offering optional services that I don't find useful. And if that doesn't work, I'm going to throw a tantrum and hold my breath until my face turns blue.
The graphics card appears to be a slightly boosted Radeon X1800, and can be expected to be beaten by top of the range PC cards in another 3-4 months. As for games using all three processors, not the launch games according to:
http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000890065328/
And, even if they were, did you miss the last decade of people screaming "Megahertz myth!
Don't get me wrong, the XBox 360 is a damn impressive system, and incredible value for money, but I don't think it's going to be staying ahead of top of the range PCs for more than 6-12 months...
How much time this guy has on his hands. GEEZ, did he get paid for this review??
My karma is getting better everyday.
Sorry, you don't have it straight. You can use an Xbox 360 for as long as you like without typing your CC number in. You can even sign up for your one month of free Live gold service without putting a CC number into the system. The only time you need to provide a CC number is if you want to buy points directly through the system so you can d/l little games and frills. You don't have to "pay someone everytime you want to change something," as nothing in the system is locked behind a payment system besides Marketplace items themselves.
For more information, click here.
But you have forgotten the nicer parts to owning a computer. 1. You don't have to agree to anything to own a computer. 2. You can do whatever you please with it. 3. A computer can serve more purposes than just gaming (although that is a primary function for mine). etc.
Need I go on?
Sometimes I comment just to hear myself typing.
Wow, that is a rip off. The most expensive XBox 360 games in the US according to Bestbuy.com are $60. The Euro is worth more than the US Dollar. A 70 Euro game is $83.55. They are ripping you Europeans off. Of course, I guess everything in Europe is more expensive. I also, I admit, have just about no understanding of how currency exchances and such work. Since everything is more expensive in Europe, do Europeans make more money at their jobs? If so, a Brittish person should work his ass off for a few years living like a bum, and then move to America.
I wish Zonk's reviews were a little more technical. This is Slashdot after all, I think many of us are also interested in the graphics tech of the game. Lighting model, quality of textures, shader effects, etc. Some more depth really couldn't hurt here.
Mark Kretschmann - Amarok Developer, KDE Member
Only 3 more days and we'll have a dupe of this article! w00t!!
:)
I went to lakeside (A Big shopping center here in england) and had a chance --well not that there was a queue, the xbox 360 was quite happy making Dixons' electrical bill that much steeper-- to have a fiddle with the xbox 360. I was impressed with what I saw so far and the UI/menu syetem is really quite out of this world, yes, M$ has done it again. The best part is it comes up in-game, I think when you press the green xbox button in the middle. --How I wish I could do that on my PS2-- and it feels quite fluidic.
My only gripe was that I expected a bit more from the graphics but that gives more reason to hold off atleast till the "second generation" of games hit the shelves and games developers have got the hang of all the "3cores/6threads" technical aspect, which could be 18 months away at most.
I am still reserving my judgement till PS3 and "Revolution" hit, although so far so good
/. is good for you.
I bought a 360 and now have about 12 games. It probably has a few hundreds of hours play on it by now and I have yet to experience any lock-ups.
I am not a MS fanboy by any means, but they really did a great job on this console.
The games are works of art, the integration with my home network is great (I can stream movies and MP3's from any XP computer on my network), and the wireless controllers are a must have.
While I had to mod my first Xbox to get it to do everything I want, my 360 does it all right out of the box. Even if a mod was to be released, I would probably get a second 360 as I would like to keep one "as is".
Don't pay over retail for one, but if you find them in stock, they are well worth retail price.
And you might want to pick up Call of Duty 2. This is one of the finest console games I have ever played.
Repant. Thy end is sheer.
I'm just sayin, is all!
"You know why you do not see me styling wit my homies? Because I have no homies!!" -Mojo Jojo
That has to be the DUMBEST thing i have ever read! Your reasoning is flawed, Badly!
"Hello, Hello, What's going on? What's all this shouting? we'll have no trouble here!" Edward Tattsyrup, League of gentl
Those graphics sure looked better than anything my athlonXP 24++ with my geforce6600 can produce.
So I am doubtfull if it can be matched. Maybe the pc is just not a good gaming platform as it once was. Maybe Windows just sucks the performance out of gaming
http://saveie6.com/
I live on the East Side of Seattle, and know very few people that do _NOT_ have HD televisions or displays.
To these people, the 360 (and the PS3) present compelling enough visual improvements to make them worth while.
HD Sets are falling in price rapidly, and will be the norm for American homes sooner than later. That is why the console makers are embracing it.
if there are pay for downloadable games, then isn't it possible to plug a PC in via a hub and do packet sniffing on the ethernet connection, copy the game to your PC hard drive, ready to modify to remove any limitations, put it on P2P networks etc., and then load it onto the xbox by emulating the xbox live server's responses. I do hope that it's some HTTPS connection they use... BTW, what is the connection method used for xbox live, as some ISP's only allow HTTP(S) web access via a proxy on their basic ADSL services in the UK, and no other connection types are allowed. (and the user doesn't get a public IP) Also, how long does it take to download a game on slow ADSL - I mean a 4GB DVD could take 2 days!!
My son works for Best Buy and he told me they were only allowed to give out half of the units the initial day and to save half for the "Christmas release". This wasn't Best Buy's policy but was forced on Best Buy by Microsoft's marketing department. I guess this allows them to get more free advertising on the news as people wait in line overnight a second time.
First: Measure it with a micrometer, Then: Mark it with a chalk, Finally: Cut it with a (dull) ax.
I don't remember the last time I even fired up my PS2 to play GT4. My Doom 3 CD is still unopened and I bought it nearly a year ago.
Don't get married.
Enjoy not gaming past current gen ever again.
Or you could install it in a ford pinto, and start both of them running... THEN kick the rear bumper until one of them experiences catastrophic failure.
Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
My dual core AMD and my nvidia 7800 disagree with you.
Call of Duty 2 looks much better on my PC than it does when I play it at the gaming store on their HDTV.
I will not buy an xbox 360, as most anything I would play will also come out onto the PC.
This is entertainment, the people who were busted in LA for modding and copying XBOX stuff and are facing hard time, that is real life. IMHO, no amount of copying and moding over a game deserves hard time, there is a serious priority problem here, especially considering that it can be argued that they didn't do anything wrong at all. It's sorta hard to get in the spirit of new product launches with things like this going on. ;-)
-g.
Sorry, but you just lost all credibility. The graphics on the Xbox and PS2 are dramatically different. And if you are going to compare PS2 graphics to 360 graphics, please know what you are talking about beforehand.
You're an AC, what credibility do you have? None. I've seen the unit on display. I'm unimpressed.
You must be missing the point. Cellphones can easily be modded using software made by the whoever made the phone, or by someone else. Can you design your own styles for the Xbox?
Error #13: No coffee. Operator halted. Please place boot device at bottom.
Also, to the GP, your price likely includes taxes. Just to give you a reference, here's what US prices look like:
360 games = $60 USD plus "sales tax" in most states of about 7% = $64 USD
Xbox 1 titles (when new) were $50 plus sales tax = $53 USD
I think most european countries have a hidden VAT (value added tax) built into that price of $83. I've heard that VAT is around 17% in many parts of western europe and this would explain much of the price difference.
If you read the Call of Duty 2 part, you'll realize there's a high probability this guy is a marketing shill. "Call of Duty 2 (CoD 2) has earned its reputation as the cream of the 360 launch title crop. The game powerfully recaptures the thrill of the original title, placing you in the shoes of a grunt on the Russian, British, or American fronts of World War II. " How many casual gamers spout that kind of marketing drivel?
I have had my Xbox 360 for about a week now, received in the second shipment from ebgames. I still have not hooked it to the internet. I have had no reason to so far. With the wireless adapter running at $100 it may be quite sometime before I do. The only reason I would personally connect for is to download demos or patches. My daughters and I have been playing PGR and it is a great game. The graphics are spectacular as well as the number of options in cars. I should mention my oldest daughter is only 6 and she does quite well at it. The main reason I personally decided to pickup the xbox was cause consoles have finally surpassed afordable computers in power. I mean the graphics card for my computer alone was $300 so whats $400 for a fully functioning console? Not that I'll be give up my computer anytime soon. Also it seems many of the game developers I really enjoy, like Bioware, are starting to create console only games. The PC Game market as been slow at best.
I'm a Mac guy, but I have a PS2, PSP, and PC for gaming. (Actually the PC was for work but I got one that can play the latest games, but I digress.) I probably won't be buying an XBox 360 ... certinaly not until the PS3 comes out, but my decision boils down to games and my general disdain for Microsoft.
... and the list goes on.
After reading this review, it covers a lot of the XBox live, marketplace, and home entertainment integration issues that other reviews fly by. To me, this is a deciding factor in a next gen console purchase. It would actually make me look at a 360 more closely as a second console. But, I think the game coverage speaks for it's self: lame and derivative. The XBox 360 games are nothing more than PC games. I already have a PC. I already have a 23" LCD to play them on. The OTHER stuff is what's interesting-- and being able to do it on my couch, socially. And, unless Sony has a way to get those kinds of integrated features in the PS3 I will be in Envy of them. So, props to the 360 for what seems to be a solid UI and Online experience.
However, the bottom line is that Sony has VASTLY more good quality original titles you will not see on any other platform. An XBox 360, speaking strictly for the games, will never outperform my PC and will never have unique games for it. If they do have "unique" games such as Halo (um, the ONLY one?) I don't really care so much because there are a hundred alternatives that are just as good elsewhere. Sports games? Ugh. Could care less. Titles you will never see on XBox 360:
God of War
Ratchet and Clank
Jak and Daxter
Shadow of the Colossus
Devil May Cry
GTA (well, maybe very late)
So Sony easily beats XBox on good game titles IMO. They also have backward compatability which all people want and no one uses. And, if they can pull together some slick interface like the 360 with a good online purchasing system (like Steam), It'll be a knockout.
"Politicians find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the people."
Oh boy, you've seen it on display.
I'm not an AC, and my roommmate owns an Xbox360. He also has an Xbox and I have a PS2. We have them all hooked up next to each other. There's a difference between graphics on the Xbox and PS2, and graphics on the Xbox360.
And FWIW, I know quite a few people with HD-TVs. And most have it for no other reason that to watch sporting events (which would be my main reason for getting one). Having a gaming system that supports HD is just a bonus.
But to each his own, I guess...
Slackware
That Joystiq article has been confirmed wrong by multiple game developers.
Heck, even the little marketplace game Geometry Wars uses multiple cores.
"You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
Dude, that was funny.
I think, therefore I doh.
I saw a demo reel of the KK game.. A T-rex shouldered its way through a stone archway, sending chunks of masonry almost as big as small cars falling to the ground. The rocks reached the ground ... and sank into it. In moments, they were gone, without even bending the grass.
Then King Kong turned up, and, to show his strength, he pushed over a stone pillar as tall as he was, and at least a metre in diameter. It, too, tipped over, and then sunk quickly through the ground.
I mean, I don't object to broken crates or tree branches vanishing after a little while to keep things tidy, but huge massive rocks should have a bit more permanence if they want to preserve any kind of suspension of disbelief...
Repton.
They say that only an experienced wizard can do the tengu shuffle.
Sorry that your wife doesn't "let you" (pffft) play games.
Not that I'm trying to make you jealous or anything... But my wife bought me a Neo Geo arcade cabinet. Now it's difficult for me to get play time on the cab! She's a Magical Drop zombie.
I'd just play the games, man. I mean, your woman HAS to know what she married, right?
Video Game News, FAQs, etc
There were so many advantages to the PC version of Morrowind (console access for quest fixes and other "god" mode sorts of thing, ability to add mods), that I'd stick with the PC version unless they implement this stuff for the XBOX360 version.
I am kidding!
Depth in a slashdot article dupe or not. HA!
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
But when you're paying for stuff that's equivalent to wallpaper, skins and ringtones, and there is no other way of getting wallpaper onto the thing, then you do end up paying every time you change something. Obviously if you don't change anything, you don't pay for anything. Why couldn't they just allow you to make your own skins, wallpaper, and sounds, maybe even games, for your XBox 360, and download them to the thing over your network. It would make a much better online community if you didn't have to rely on MS to provide what you wanted.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
I also got a "second wave" 360 and I am very impressed by it. The dashboard UI is slick and easy to use, and there's a ton of good stuff in XBox Live Arcade. The wireless controllers are also great.
I remember being young. Sure this whole adult paying the bills and having to work (and no skipping shifts) thing sucks. For some reason my gf also seems to get more upset at me expecting her to do all the chores. Reminding her that your mom used to AND was better at it is not something I recommend.
But all of it is made up by the easily available sex. No more quickies in the back of your car on a friday night (unless you want to). Just waking up on a lazy sunday morning and find something warm, soft and willing next to you and nothing to do for the whole next 5 minutes.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
If it's not paid advertising, it's certainly sugar coated.
So why is it that people don't even bring up the fact that it costs $20/mo additional to any media costs, hardware costs, and even connection costs just to use Xbox Live?
Look, i'm a zealous XBox-hating Nintendo fanboy, but even I have to wonder what you're talking about here.
Ok, so let me get it straight. Microsoft took a credit card machine, masked it as a game console and shoved it out the door.
No, they made a machine that allows you to pay more for extra goodies if you want them. Can we assume you don't have a cellphone, cable/satelitte TV, or any other service where you're stuck with the vanilla package if you don't pay extra?
and after reading this I'm sure I will not be picking up a 360 since I really don't like the idea of paying someone everytime I want to change something
Nowhere in Zonk's article (or anywhere else on the net, for that matter) does it say this. You pay for, again, optional stuff like the Marketplace games, the Xbox Live subscription, and other add-ons.
Here's hoping that the Nintendo Revolution does not suck all that bad.
I imagine you'll be disappointed then, seeing as how Nintendo will most likely be offering purchasable downloads of one kind or another.
Regarding HD - you can get a VGA display adapter for the 360 so you can run it at 1280x1024 resolution on your monitor. So if you're like me and you have a crappy old TV but a real nice monitor you're in luck.
Partly because there's money to be made, partly because 50% of online gamers having a badly digitised picture of a penis as their gamer icon would become old very quickly.
++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.
Good idea, Zonk, now you can claim that your XBox 360 is a work-related purchase and deduct it on your taxes! :)
You don't have to provide a CC number. Ever. You can buy your live subscription and marketplace points from your local gaming store, and enter a code to activate them on your 360. Speaking personally there's no way my credit card details are going onto the thing in its current form.
++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.
You've clearly never owned a computer. Or if you have, you failed to read the license agreements. :P
++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.
no kidding - how is this news-worthy simply because it's a 'second shipment' 360? is it different in any way, shape or form from the original shipment? no, then why write this?
waste of text
Gekido's Lair
/just not gonna do it.
Yeah, but that's only if you really believe the EULA is binding in any way.
Sometimes I comment just to hear myself typing.
I've only got Macs, and there's no Mac version... I can't justify spending all the money on a computer just for a game, but the Xbox360 might have other worthwhile titles.
Good. I made the mistake of plugging my CC# into the Xbox 360 I borrowed from a friend because I wanted to buy a small amount of points. There is no way to remove a credit card from your profile once one's been added, unless you add another one. I ended up changing the name, expiration date, and address to entries that aren't correct, but my credit card number is stuck in there forever. That'll teach me.
For more information, click here.
Honestly, was the PS2 any different. I don't recall ANY system in recent memory that had a lineup that made the system worth purchasing right off the bat. Do what I do, just wait until they come down in price, and buy them when they're cheap. Then you get the system and a decent selection good games for a fraction of the price.
I'm the guy with the unpopular opinion
Paleontologists believed that bipedal dinosaurs had a more horizontal stance well before "Jurassic Park". I think the physical model changed around the 80's. But JP was the big dino movie in recent years that really redefined the image of _T. rex_ and other dinosaurs in the public mind.
Freedom: "I won't!"
Really? Please sell me this 100$ pc that will peform as well on call of duty 2 as an xbox 360. Please, i want an x1800 in the pc though, becuase thats what they have in there. Whats that, exagerated the price a little? i thought so. A comparably pc will cost a hell of a lot more then the xbox 360, my 1000$ notebook runs call of duty 2 like shit, and its a decent lappy (its got a geforce 6600 in there, so its not like im trying to run it on some old POS). I saw call of duty 2 in the store and it was running a hell of a lot nicer then my computer is running it. and i didnt even have aa on. I could probably get rid of the chopiness by adding ram, but thats another 50$, i dont have to buy new ram for an xbox 360 game do i?
Who can tell me? The Best Releases of Xbox - call it the best 50 - what are they?
Of the games I've played, here are some of my favorites. Note that your tastes may well not match mine, so you may like some I didn't, and dislike some I did.
Must haves: All three of the Grand Theft Auto series. These are probably my favorite.
Halo and Halo 2. Both are excellent, the latter is a very well-done networked FPS. Halo (the first one) was notable to me as a well done FPS, with cut scene-to-action transitions nearly seamless, a good save/checkpoint system that was non-intrusive yet useful, and good NPC AI. The second one likewise.
Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel, and Jade Empire. (JE was made by the same company as KOTOR, and feels similar in some ways.) These are RPGs, not so much action based (although some of JE is), so if that's not your thing, you won't like them. But they're extremely engrossing.
Splinter Cell. A third-person sneaker. I haven't played either of the two sequels, but will eventually. Excellent.
Morrowind. Some didn't like it; I really did.
Madden. I've played more 2004 than 2005. If you like football, this is great. If you don't care for football, give it a pass.
Burnout 3. Great racing game.
Star Wars Battlefront.
Ones to Miss: Return of the King. It got rated well and a lot of people like it, but I found it to be just a button-masher, and irritating as a result,
Enter the Matrix. It's not bad, but there are better games out there. It is kind of neat to see the extra movie footage with the characters from Matrix Reloaded, and to see the additional continuity that does fit into (and is referred to) in the movies, but the gameplay isn't quite good enough to live up to it all.
Fable. OK, I did kinda like this one. But it just doesn't live up nearly to the standard set by KOTOR, KOTOR II, and JE. Only play this one if you're really a computer RPG junkie and just want more.
Ones I'm Lukewarm about: D&D Dark Alliance. A third-person shooter, really. Sort of has a roleplaying element to it, that gets thinner as you go along. It entertained me, but I guess I should probably have ranked it below Fable. (Fable's hype downgraded it for me.)
Rainbox Six 3. Again, it's pretty fun, and a lot of people like it a lot, but I wouldn't rank it as a "must see". When it comes to Tom Clancy genre games, I enjoyed Splinter Cell more.
All just IMHO.
-Rob
"Ok, so let me get it straight. Microsoft took a credit card machine, masked it as a game console and shoved it out the door."
Did we read the same article?
I'm just wondering. Xbox Live, while having plenty of for-pay content, also has a lot of free content.
Paying more for services is *optional*.
"I'm sure I will not be picking up a 360 since I really don't like the idea of paying someone everytime I want to change something."
I totally agree about not wanting to "[pay] someone every time I want to change something," which is why I'm perfectly happy with the 360.
I really don't know where you're getting this. Not trying to be a jerk - I just don't.
- Rory [Microsoft Employee] | Free dirt: neopoleon.com
Gold is the name of the version of Live which allows you to play against other people online on 360. On Xbox, It was just called "Live". When J Allard said "Live" would be free on 360, he meant Live Silver, which just basically allows you to download updates to buggy games and buy stuff with micropayments.
Live Gold is not free, just making J Allard's comments technically correct but completely misleading. Anyone hearing the comments would assume that the thing that came free would do what Live allowed you to do, which is play against others online.
A $50 12 month (actually 13) Gold subscription card is the cheapest way to get Live Gold on 360. There are also 3 month Live Gold subscription cards too, I think they are $20, making it $80/year. You can also get Live Gold month to month, but I think it is $10/mo or some other nonsensical cost.
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
Correct. Over here, VAT (Value Added Tax, our version of Sales TAx) is enjoyable 22%
It still doesn't fully explain the difference if you take into account current exchange rate. It's more like '1:1 conversion USD->EUR, then add tax'.
A PS3 for "true" visual eye candy? I'm sure that's why most of the current "demos" for the system are simple movies, with nothing generated in-game. And the one that is supposed to be real-time (MGS4) looks suspiciously like the PS2 version. I'm not buying the MS hype either, but it looks like you bought the Sony hype hook, line and sinker.
MS baiting is fun, but at least try not to let your bias show that much. X360 on par with a PC from a few years back? Dude, you mistook your Toy Story DVD for a game.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
Well, that was a refreshingly decent review of the 360. I say that because it mostly echoes my own feelings toward the console. Exchange COD2 with PDZ and Zonk got the same games as I did when I bought mine earlier in december. I think I have spent more time playing the Live Arcade games than the Xbox 360 games, though. Robotron just became available, and it's a real hoot.
Can the 360 download Live content while playing a game?
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
The same holds true for the licenses you agree to on consoles.
++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.
That's the other 50%.
++ Say to Elrond "Hello.".
Elrond says "No.". Elrond gives you some lunch.
Yeah, sure, you can do all that or just do..
b) Get a wireless adapter for it
This sounds just like cell phones (needing to purchase ringtones + backgrounds etc)... you probably can't import your own backgrounds + icons + sounds from a storage device (even though you can view them from your USB storage device) because then they wouldn't be able to sell you the same things over Live. Is that the case?
Twinstiq, game news
"I'll skip the X360, since it's maybe on par wtih my last PC from a few years back"
Unless you own a time machine you are out of your mind. If you take the 2 of the newest ATI cards and put them in a Crossfire with a dual core AMD64 you will still not even come close to the rendering power of the 360.
I have the 360 currently hooked up to a 60" Sony SXRD HDTV and playing Call of Duty 2 in 1080i is a gaming experience you cannot replicate on any PC for a few years. The graphics are astounding, and until games are designed to be run on multiple processors you will not see this replicated any time soon.
By entering the setting on my Live account, every FPS I play on the 360 will use that setting by default.
Why can't someone do this for PC games? I expected Steam to do it, but there it won't even remember your keyboard settings if you play the same game on a new computer. Every FPS has a bunch of basic controls in common, why can't they all use a standardized config file? I've been deterred from playing demos of some games because I know there's a pretty good chance it will take me longer to config the controls than it will to play the whole demo.
We ... support USB keyboard input for the Xbox 360 virtual keyboard. Just plug in a USB keyboard at any time and use it while the virtual keyboard is displayed.
I thought that the Xbox 360 console was going to have some sort of lockout against input devices not approved by Microsoft. Does it work with USB keyboards other than these?
I have three main criticisms of the Marketplace:
:(
1) No real filtering / search mechanisms - I have a list of 200+ items in some categories that I have to scroll through to find what I want.
2) No previews of pictures / theme packs. Since they don't offer refunds in most (all?) cases, I don't want to spend points (even a lousy 20) on something that I can't preview in advance. Why can't I see a thumbnail preview of an icon or theme pack before purchase? I have the bandwidth!
3) Foreground downloads - there is no excuse to not let me at least continue using the XBox Guide or blades to listen to music or even play an XBox Live Arcade game while downloading. I shudder to think about downloading a (non-arcade) game demo - what am I going to do while downloading a 500MB file? I guess I'll go use my PC!
Otherwise, I'm very happy with my XBox 360 and XBox Guide / Marketplace. Good job Microsoft!
AoD71
Yes, you can use keyboard with 360. Let me know when a first game comes out that actually makes use of it.
:)
1080i is, a: interlaced and b: requires a VERY VERY VERY expensive TV set. Ridiculously expensive here in Europe. I already got my 1600x1200 TFT display for PC use
But I do agree - Xbox 360 is a step to the right direction as far as high resolution support goes.
Heh, normal 720p widescreen LCD displays (30 inch or something like that) is over 1500 euros here (includes the 22% VAT).
Wow your brilliance has wowed me, excuse me while I vomit. I've never met anyone who's "read!"
,that's just simple observation. Post again once the X360 has content that can squeeze it for every ounce of power and this time uncheck "Post Anonymously."
Once again for someone who's well readified;
The X360 in its current state of mediocricy performs no better than my antiquated Athlon XP.
Now what does this mean? It's pretty clear, but obviously not for you.
Note the word "mediocricy" and "current." Oh, and note Athlon XP. Now who the fuck stated "T-Bird? Maybe you should use your ability to read, so that you'll know the difference between an Athlon XP and an Athlon T-Bird.
Once again, but reworded for someone who's brilliance clouded "its" ability to comprehend; An unopitmized X360, because its available games are only using one fucking-thread and the developers are still "new" and were "rushed" when developing these games, in it is current state of being, meaning now, meaning the version I've "played" more than once, performs "no" better than my dated Athlon XP Barton, for similar games like COD2. Now is that a bit clearer? Probably not, since I added more words. But your readified edjumication should be able to handle it.
If you think that because on paper the X360 can do what MS states, when "currently" (Here's this word again) it can not, then you're truly in denial. Why else would you post as an "Anonymous Coward?" Afraid you'll offend someone? Obviously you're not even sure about what you spew, since you don't have the nads to post under your username.
And no shit, they do tweak the shit out of games for consoles, ONCE THEY KNOW THE INS-AND-OUTS (Hey, didn't I already mention this... Yes I did.) once they have enough experience under their belt to properly do so. Look at the PS2, it only took about 5 yars, but they really figured that one out. So until the X360 is in its prime, which it won't be for several years, it's all hype and even then I doubt it will live up to what looked good on paper. The Xbox never did, so why do you thing the X360 will be any different?
Guess what, the X360 doesn't perform as promissed, that's not being ignorant
These are new units, coming out in new weekly shipments. This is just more Anti-MS FUD. http://next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&t ask=view&id=1864&Itemid=2
Actually, in three years, that $2000 pc you bought today will barely be capable of running the newest games available on the market.
Can a $2000 PC you purchased three years ago run F.E.A.R.? Or CivIV? Not if you haven't upgraded it in that time period, which makes it then a greater than $2000 PC.
On the other hand, three years later, that big ugly $300 Xbox can run Doom3, Far Cry Instincts, and all the latest games just fine. The same will hold true for the 360. Not to mention that because it's a closed box, the games released for the 360 will be far more optimized, actually multi-threaded, and will be far superior to the games available on the system now.
Bottom line, in three years you'll have to throw away or substantially upgrade that $2000 PC in order to play the latest and greatest games. In three years time, you'll have to do nothing other than purchase the DVD to play the latest and greatest 360 games.
A technician and a self proclaimed psychologist... Who knew... ---wow--- simply amazing... Like that candy bar... You should probably keep your day job as a techie, but then again, with asinine statements like X360 games "do" look better than current PC games, and an uncanny ability to take most of what I've stated completely out of "context," while ignoring other parts, which you then post as your own rhetoric, maybe you should consider being a twit full time.
When reading most of what you've stated, this comes to mind; NO SHIT!!! Especially since parts are redundant to what I've stated to you and in other posts, which you claim to have read. FYI. Trying to rip on my posting history is merely a sign of "desperation" and this is the act of someone posting as an AC.
Your very last sentence is something I can whole heartily agree with; Amen.
except console games near the end of the their life cycle fall short on graphics compared to pc releases. A three year old pc only needs a graphics card upgrade to play most newer games. Beyond three years and you're right. My original point was that a pc is more valuable because you can use it for more things than just gaming.
Your xbox 360 will not get improved graphics or sound during that 3 year period. Games however will starting pushing the limits of the hardware sooner than the 3 year period. Does the original xbox blow out a 3 year old 2000 dollar pc? I don't think so. You will also need to buy hardware for that xbox 360 during the 3 years like memory cards, etc. Its not like the spending stops. You also have the investment in xbox live time which could go into upgrading a pc.
MidnightBSD: The BSD for Everyone
I agree the PC can be used for things other than just gaming, so that gives them an extra inherent benefit.
However, I disagree that the $300 Xbox doesn't blow away a three year old $2000 PC. It most certainly does. Without upgrades, a PC that cost you $2000 three years ago can't come close to matching the quality of DoomIII or Far Cry Instincts, both of which the Xbox can render.
Can the Xbox render those games as well as a $2000 PC today? Of course not, but that's not really a fair comparison.
Also, I have never purchased a single hardware upgrade for my Xbox since I purchased it, and don't plan on ever upgrading hardware on the 360 (if I ever buy one). I've got a HDD. Why would I need memory cards?
The real sticking point is that you will have to upgrade that $2000 PC in three years (probably before) if you want to play the latest and greatest games. You won't have to do that for the 360, all you need to do is buy the new DVD which will still have improved performance because of optimizations, multi-threading, etc.
Hell, if you spent $2000 on a PC three years ago, you can't even upgrade it at this point. You need to throw it away and buy an entirely new one due to extreme advances in PCI-E, multi-core processors, DDRII, Sata, etc.