The New New New Xbox Experience Halo4 Dash

[dataDave]

To me, you're a casual if you don't rinse the likes of S&P2, Bayonetta and Dark Souls whilst holding the Gladiator title on WoW. It would take me 1hour to get good at FIFA.

Anyway, I think having the right to soft-mod console front ends would be nice... But at the cost of the warranty? My phones kick ass at being free from all the bull-ware and that but only because the hardware will probably last.

If you really hate advertising just do what I do and boycott the product, service or company in question. I feel all-powerful doing that.

[charlesr]

To me, you're a casual if you don't rinse the likes of S&P2, Bayonetta and Dark Souls whilst holding the Gladiator title on WoW. It would take me 1hour to get good at FIFA.

WoW isn't even a real game. And what's FIFA?
Angry Birds is where it's at.

[Matt]

WoW isn't even a real game. And what's FIFA?
Angry Birds is where it's at.

No no. It's all about Snake. And it came free with my 12 year old Nokia phone. That's Mass Market.

[Matt]

If Sony or Microsoft could get even 5% of those other categories then they would be rolling in literally millions of pounds in extra revenue.
One of the ways they will do that is add additional functionality that appeals to those people.
It's not intended for people that don't see the point. That would be stupid.

Well there's no revenue in Facebook, Twitter, or BBC iPlayer

Sky, Love Film, etc, yes there's money I'm sure. But most people who have Sky have a Sky box already. For free.

I find it strange you aren't concerned about their complete lack of focus on games. They've taken their eye off gaming, it's like they don't even care. Recent lack of exclusives, their buthering of the Live Market Place on the dash. But then as I said, some drink the MS Coolaide and some question where this is all going. I watched that MS advert vid and felt a little bit of my gaming soul die; maybe you high fived yourself. I don't know.

I'm in it for the games.

[Bort]

You're on top form again Family Fry.
Instead of complaining about people complaining again, why don't you tell us why we should be happy with the new dash.

Helpful note. Hubby has taken the normal tactic of taking the opposite position so you can't do that (again).

[EvilBoris]

Well there's no revenue in Facebook, Twitter, or BBC iPlayer

Of course there is, it attracts users who might not of bought the console otherwise. I think that might be the third time Ive said that now.

Do you honestly think that they added those things in for fun? They added them in to indirectly make more cash.plain and simple.

We are on two different wavelengths, you and I.
I can see you are discussing it from the point of view you want nothing but games and you want constant improvement. I think the new dash is a bit balls too, I think I've already said that. I don't care for facebook or twitter or last fm. I do use the Sky player, as my Sky box doesn't do on demand.

I'm just discussing the merits of these fatures bring included from a more business perspective.
You know what, I do think that that the advert video was like a glimpse into a horrible corperate dystopian future (like the ads in minority report that talk straight to tom cruise) , but again I don't think that video is intened for us, it's just another marketing tool that Microsoft will use when they are selling advertising space. I see things like that quite often in working life, my company and other companies will pay another company to produce surveys that evoke a particular carefully guided set of responses, we can then use those 'real' statistics to sell our products or our company.

[nakamura]

It would take me 1hour to get good at FIFA.

Are you serious?

[JU!]

Surely games should be the main focus. Not sure if I like the way the next gen consoles are trying to be Sony PSX's, like all round entertainment systems. Isn't that what a PC or Internet TV is for?



I don't own a 360 some features look interesting though.

[EvilBoris]

At the end of the day the likes of GTA and FIFA are full proper games that appeal to the gamer, more than the casual gamer and their party game fix every 6 months.

I think the common misconception is that casual gamers all own Wii's and pull them out at Christmas, I know there are plenty of people who purchase just as infrequently on 360 and Ps3.

As anecdotal evidence I have quite a few friends who own consoles , but don't really play them much, they've bought one because it is the normal thing to of bought with their disposable income and their families.
When I talk to them the only kind game's that they happen to of played/bought are Forza/GT5 , Call of Duty , GTA or whatever happens to be the other massively marketed game at the time. Those games make up maybe 1/2 of the games they will buy that year.
And you know what, they buy brand new games too.

I'm not saying those games are bad by any means and that the people who make them don't give them their all, but they certainly are lowest common donominator products.
Like the gaming equivelant of a Michael Bay film.

The gamer that voraciously eats through a couple of games a month (and maybe a few preowned/sale items also) is outnumbered 100 to 1.
Have people forgotten the days of PES vs Fifa? The real football game fanatics all knew that PES was the better game, yet Fifa massively outsold it almost every year.

We see it now, plenty of real gamers games come out every week, but they all end up in the bargain bin after 2 weeks because 99% of the gaming population are still playing their copy of fifa or COD that they bought last year.

[Matt]

Do you honestly think that they added those things in for fun? They added them in to indirectly make more cash.plain and simple.

It's the MS long term goal of controlling the set-top box in every home. The move of the PC from the office to the living room. I just think the future isn't panning out how Bill once thought. We're not just streaming video online, there's the whole social side of things. And technologically, these things are going to be built into TVs instead of needing a box for them. Which, imo, renders all this nonsense MS are trying to pimp redundant. That's before we get into the whole smartphone thing. The truth is a console doesn't lend itself to Facebook and whatever. No keyboard is a real hindrance.

I'd like to see MS get back to the gaming business.

Then there is my other huge objection to what MS have done this generation, which is to monetise every single ****ing thing they can. When the games console is more interested in showing you adverts than playing games - which this dash update is - we have hit a real problem. The odd thing is I never had a problem with in-game adverts, a billboard in Wipeout or whatever. This is very different.

We are on two different wavelengths, you and I.

Of course And yes, I just want a games machine to give me the best possible games

[EvilBoris]

It's very quickly changing and evolving industry and nobody quite knows exactly what will work and what doesn't. These things could well backfire on Microsoft and spoil their success.
I don't believe Microsoft aren't the only one with ulterior Corperate Money making motives, I genuinely don't think that the inclusion of the Blu Ray was primarily an attempt to driving games technology further, regardless of what Sony's PR department say. The success of Blu ray as a storage/film format will of been far more lucrative in the long run than the ability to build bigger games.

It'll be interesting to see how things get off to a start next generation. Sony and Microsoft have almost got the worldwide gaming market 50/50 skewed towards one format in their own home territories.

Will next gen we see a far more homogonised experience as both companies strive to put right their wrongs this generation or will we see them chasing different parts of the market?

Reminds me actually, a Crytek dev let slip he was working on Ryse for the next gen Xbox and Kinect. Which unless is using vastly improved Kinect hardware, is bad news.

[Matt]

The thing is, the BluRay on the PS3 was something I wanted. It did not hinder my enjoyment of the PS3; quite the opposite.

[EvilBoris]

I'm sure some people might say that it didn't bother them, it just added to the expense of the console and they couldn't see the difference (I bet they exist). I'm sure there are teenagers who don't have a PC/Phone in their bedroom who actually quite having Facebook or Twitter on their console. Even if it would take 15 minutes to write 140 characters.

[importaku]

Anyone heard the rumours that the youtube app on 360 will be subscription based, not only do you have to pay for gold membership you will also have to pay a sbscription fee too. I can't find any solid info though, considering you can get youtube on ps3 & wii for nothing it will be a bit shocking if it's true & you have to pay for it on 360.

[EvilBoris]

It wouldn't surprise me. Both Netflix and Hulu plus (which both need subs anyway) are both for Gold only members.
But then it is also available on Ps3/Wii without the need for a sub and unusually MS go like for like with Sony on those things.