New Xbox Experience Comments by Tom Bramwell

Is there going to be a Mii parade thingy, that's full of Adolf Hitlers?

XBOX Wii in all but name.

Can you plug in a USB hard drive to the 360 (aka a massive one for £20) or must it be one of Microsoft's own 120gb hard drives for £599.99?

Update looks good to be fair.

People need to get of this fanboy crap. Both consoles have merits despite what some morons think. I prefer the PS3 and thats my choice but i enjoy the 360. I really dont think the avatars were needed but the rest is a welcome addition.

MS are really desperate for the PS2 owners who are undecided.

All looks great except the fucking ridiculous new friends list thing. Yes, that would be great if you only had 3 friends. Most people have about 98. It's impractical and won't work.

You can access the old style friends list from the guide.

lol @ the new casual microsoft

The one thing I always hated about the 360 dash was the adverts and also the fact I payed 30quid a year and STILL got a screen full of adverts. from watching videos of the new dash Im pretty sure Im still going to prefer the playstations XMB, simple, quick, no adverts and all the shopping etc doesn't spill out onto other screens.

but absolutely useless for multiplayer because all users in your lobby would have to have the same game installed.

FAIL

Sounds brilliant! Can't wait for the 19th. I will probably carry on using the old friends list though - we'll see what happens!

Hmm, I dont like anything that'll take me longer to see what my friends are doing/playing on Live. I hate all this avatar rubbish, I like text and numbers not stupid chracters; instant view versus bling. It feels so bandwagon and marketing driven arghhh! Why cant I turn that shit off. Hopefully I will eventually forget its even there. Will I be able to stick pins in mine?

The noise from the DVD drive is just as bad as the bloody fan, unless you're playing something like Hitman where the drive goes crazy for the duration of the game.

Installs? I can see some value there, but I have to have the disc in the tray to validate anyhow so its not the same as no-cd patched PC games (which I own). I dont have any problem with the Xbox loading times, I think its pretty quick... sure, it could be a little faster but its quick enough to live with. I wouldnt bother with a larger drive just to install unless the next batch of games have serious loading issues (any bets loading times will increase as devs realise we can install?).

I love the group invite/lobby and hop game-to-game functionality. Should be good with the co-op games soon launching.

Overall it looks to present information a little slower... but we shall see come the 19th... at least there is the ability to use the old Friends list. I think.

Facking Avatars...

"XBOX Wii in all but name."

Xbox Mii-Pod, surely

"So all those people with the idiots pack can forget about the update unless they fork out the extortionate price for the custom hard-disk."

Or opt for a free 512 memory card. That is if £13 is too much of a financial burden to bear.

"I see there's no bleating about the hard-disk install (which Microsoft are finally including) from Eurogamer, something they do in every article about PS3 installs. So much for honest and independent reporting."

It's rather simple: 360 installs are optional, PS3 installs are not (in many cases). It's hard to see why Eurogamer would complain about being given the option to improve load times and decrease the console's noise level.

"Users need to keep paying more for the Xbox 'experience'. The ability to have every thing working out of the box is great on PS3."

Somehow being given a massive improvement in functionality for free, represents "paying more"? And this small (in size), yearly update is more of an inconvenience than the myriad of PS3 patches that come with a lengthy download/install process?

"Edit: PS: What's making all that noise in my 360 is not the DVD Drive but that bloody fan. It's like having a jet engine underneath the telly!"

No, it really isn't. It's the DVD. When you play an xbox 1 game or something like the cod5 beta, you hardly hear it.

"unreliable maybe but shit no.. it's very powerful and produced great results.. far from shit. It is unreliable though yes."

I think that that sentiment is becoming outdated rather rapidly but you might want to check with psychotext as he has been one of the few people on the net that is actively keeping independent records.

"So all those people with the idiots pack can forget about the update unless they fork out the extortionate price for the custom hard-disk. "

Those people can either get a free memory card or a 20gb HDD for a very small price. But you already knew that as you where ranting in that thread as well.

"I see there's no bleating about the hard-disk install (which Microsoft are finally including) from Eurogamer, something they do in every article about PS3 installs. So much for honest and independent reporting."

The difference is that HDD installs are not mandatory on the 360. But you knew that as well.

"Users need to keep paying more for the Xbox 'experience'. The ability to have every thing working out of the box is great on PS3."

Except the ps3 had barely anything out of the box. Enjoying trophies i.e.? This update is free for everyone. But you knew that as well.

cant wait

looks good and peeps need to stop crying :p

This looks like a big improvement, and one that was sorely needed IMO. The blades interface was absolutely horrible in terms of design and functionality, and I honestly think MS should have spent more time getting this right in the first place. It's not as if they don't have much experience in that area!

However HD installs I couldn't care for considering I only have a 20GB HD and I'm not paying for an upgrade at MS prices. Same with those dumb avatar things which I'll probably care about as much as I do Miis.

Also lol @ the Xbox 720 in all but name hyperbole. Sigh.

"What are the odds that this will RRoD vast swathes of consoles? "

I hope it kills my old one so I can get a replacement. The new one is much quieter and seems to run cooler anyway.

i'm wondering what the CPU over head is on this new GUI when playing a game. Sounds like they figured this out in any case.

"Doubt it. I think the problem there is, some installs are compulsory on the ps3.
Despite this awesome looking new dashboard thing, I am still happy that i traded my 360 for a PS3, this update won't stop me from having to send back my 360 for repair once a month. Which is a shame, because i have no fanboy attitude towards either consoles, and really liked some of the games on my 360... its just the hardware is shit. Plus that whole gold account thing annoys me.

Anyway looks like the new look is pretty good, a much needed update?"


Always one in a million!

"Can't believe people are excited for a fucking dashboard update. Yay, we can install games. Great for single player but absolutely useless for multiplayer because all users in your lobby would have to have the same game installed. "Here, install a game and it's quieter because the hardware is a piece of shit and breaks, like , A LOT!"

And I see Eurogamer couldn't resist a dig at Sony for 'endless patches'...

MS = Innovative? Fuck that."


Another frustrated fanboy LOL

Any idea if mkv's are supported?

copying a game to hard drive is less about load times for me & more about the 360 not being sobBLoody niosy , I have read elsewhere the console is a lot quieter with HD installed games

@DarkBytes - agree there, the one plus for me is the lesser noise so for me it feels like a bit of a mixed blessing, on one hand the machine shouldn't be as loud as it is, but i'm pleased the installs are just an option.

I have read elsewhere the console is a lot quieter with HD installed games

It is. A lot quieter. Virtually silent in fact.

Fan-bloody-tastic.

New interface for XBLA will have me browsing and playing the games more.

Install to HDD - hopefully they'll patch it within 12 months to allow the game to be played just once without the disc in.

That'd be great for 120Gb HDD users, as it'd make the 360 Elite into a fantastic games jukebox, where we can switch around on the fly.

I like when I make good decisions. Roll on the 19th.

Xbox Mii-Pod, surely

How do you work that one out? It looks a lot more like WMC than anything Apple have done. And while we're on the subject, why has iTunes 8 replaced the view I used, which I loved very much, with an uglified WMC ripoff?

@Confounder

You're a 1st class fucking retard idiot.

@migasUK

You need one of the hardware revision 360s that have been out for a year now.

Got an xbox yesterday but no built in wireless is a pain in the ass! Gotta rig up about 90 metres of ethernet cable from my router! Amazing machine though looks cool next to my PS3 ;) New dash looks cool, installs never bothered me on PS3 so this could be an awesome feature.

@Confounder

Dear God what are you on about????? The installs are optional you idiot! if you don't want to install a game guess what you don't have to do? thats right you don't have to install it. Give the fanboy bollox a rest ffs!

"Install to HDD - hopefully they'll patch it within 12 months to allow the game to be played just once without the disc in. "

Never going to happen. The reason that you need a disc at boot is because they want to make sure that you don't install the game and then pass on the disc.

blockbuster would make about 7 bajillion quid if you could install games and then not need the disk! Ah, the days of the PS1.

I wonder:
Do you need to keep the disk in while playing a game or can you take it out once verified?
I would like to pop the disc in for verification, then take it out and boot up next game after I've played the current one??
Sounds weird but hey..

@Confounder
You're a 1st class fucking retard idiot.

Here, Here ;)

But really he's just a diehard PS3 fanboy in denial...it's sad.
The fact is that all 3 consoles have their pluses and minuses.

"Why are people complaining that you have to put the disc in to play off the HDD?

You are either a cheap cunt or a lazy fuck"

This just in :

Not everyone can afford to buy every game they want...

(Ps the internet is no place for offensive language, it might well sound good to your mates in the playground but not to grown-ups :) )

I'm really exited about this

Hmmm. Microsoft may always beat Sony in software for now but I'll never forgive Microsoft for their crappy hardware work. I've had to have my console repaired so many times for so many different reasons it's unreal.

Nice... I look forward to the refresh!

Looks good, hopefully not a massive install.

Apparently the Xbox's won'tbe able to handle it, so may me a massive sign of breaking?

Sorry to hear that FalloutZombie, unlucky for you, as it's probably the same for many others, is that I thought that this was the norm:

Couple of first posts that are relevant; someone makes a remark; rest of comments are flaming.

While I'm looking forward to the NXE the same as many others are I was surprised to read that the cache is only 90 MB in size. So because most people have HDDs of 20 GB and 120 GB sizes, the cache has to be small for those minority of people using memory units? Gee, thanks! :?

*sigh* - look about the install to hard drive option, the reason this is a vast improvement over the PS3 and its required installs for some games is very simple:

I, like many gamers, have a fairly wide range of games sitting on my shelf. The older ones in particular are really not worth trading in or selling now so I hang onto 'em. Say I find myself with an hour to kill and fancy sticking in an older game that I've completed but just fancy blasting through a couple of levels again. In fact I did just that this week by revisiting Crackdown but let's assume for a moment it's a multi-platform game with a mandatory PS3 install. Let's further assume that to save space on the hard drive I delete old install files (but not save games naturally) every so often so this title isn't already installed on the consoles.

If I stick it in the PS3 I have to wait for the game to install itself which, if I've only got or want a short time with the game is a major pain. On the 360 I stick the disc in the drive and start playing. Ergo the 360 is the more user-friendly and flexible console with regards game installs and is, in this regard, better than the PS3. Simple. And before anyone starts banging on I have both a 360 and a PS3.

@Xerx3s

One play without the DVD would be a positive thing for everyone.

Encourages rentals and future purchases.

I like the new NXE. HDD install is very nice. Gives you faster loading times and less noise than before. I also found out that you now can have 29 items in you download-list, the old 6 was a bit limited I think.

I've posted some pictures and videoes on my blog.

Great irony moaning about the new ads in NXE, when Eurogamer's sporting a swanky, paid-for Fallout 3 re-skin ;-)

technofranki - "I like the new NXE. HDD install is very nice. Gives you faster loading times and less noise than before. I also found out that you now can have 29 items in you download-list, the old 6 was a bit limited I think."

The old limit was ludicrous anyway since items are only queued not downloaded simultaneously as they would on a PC. Thus there should be *no* limit on the number of items you want to download IMO. Still 29 is more than sufficient for me as I've rarely wanted to download more than 10 things in one go (so the old 6 limit was annoying).

It's a bit ridiculous that we still have ads, but who really takes that much notice of them anyway? I've never found them particularly intrusive as they only advertise for games. If they start putting up ads for other products and crap, I would be pretty annoyed. But the fact they only have ones to tell us that there's a demo for Lego Batman up, or free Max Payne gamerpics, I could care less, I just don't take any notice of them.

I have it, and after initial skepticism, I like it. And yes as someone else said, the avatars can fuck right off.

^^^
lolol!!!11!1
/sarcasm

a) I have a job...in Gamestation if you didn't notice...
b) I was referring to people in general not myself
c) Just having a job doesn't mean you can afford everything...
d) I wasn't promoting piracy was I??

Try growing up before spouting flaming comments eh?

@Technofranki

Great blog.

Looks nicer than the blades. Maybe i can give my PS3 a rest and finally start playing on my X360. and try and get my Gamerscore of
that pathetic 55 that it's been on for the past 2 months. infact i think i've only used it for about 3 days out of the 2 months i've owned
it. Lol.