The New New New Xbox Experience Halo4 Dash

[Goldenballs]

This may have already been asked/answered before, but is any of this avatar tat linked to achievements?

E.g Complete Gears on Insane and unlock a Lancer for your Avatar?

[Malc]

Good news regarding installed games requiring less space. Will definately reinstall everything as despite having a 120gig HDD am always short on space.

Anyone using HDMI noticed since the update their picture quality is notably softer and darker? I initially suspected it was because MS added some new display options which I needed to fiddle with but, no, I can't get back to the same level of clarity pre-update. I dunno, you spend money on a new HDMI-equipped 360 and decent HDMI cable and then an update comes out rendering the quality the same as component. It's annoying.

I haven't noticed the problems you mentioned. Although the new 'optimal display' setting put my TV on 720p, despite the fact that my TV can accept 1080p and outputs 1080i.

[Jebus]

If you hit the guide button, go left to the part where "Achievements" is, there is now an "Awards" section, which is just that, awards (avatar ****e) from achieving things in-game.

[Goldenballs]

If you hit the guide button, go left to the part where "Achievements" is, there is now an "Awards" section, which is just that, awards (avatar ****e) from achieving things in-game.

I think the Avatar ****e might be quite fun then, if you don't have to spend points on buying them, which would just be ridiculous imo.

Although I might never get to see them, as my console has frozen while downloading the update. What should I do?

[BearBoy]

I've reinstalled a few games now and, just in case anyone's interested, this is how much less memory they use up with the new dashboard:

Dead or Alive 4 - 6.8Gb > 6.8Gb
Forza 2 - 5.3Gb > 4.7Gb
PGR3 - 6.2Gb > 6.0Gb
Ridge Racer 6 - 6.5Gb > 6.1Gb
Virtua Fighter 5 - 4.7Gb > 3.4Gb

Here's a few more:

Virtua Tennis 3 - 4.1Gb > 4.1 Gb
Soul Calibur 4 - 5.9Gb > 4.3Gb
PGR4 - 6.0Gb > 5.8Gb
Sega Mega Drive Collection - 3.4Gb > 698Mb
Sega Rally - 4.2Gb > 3.6Gb
Top Spin 3 - 4.6Gb > 4.0Gb
Sega Superstars Tennis - 3.4Gb > 3.3Gb

My hard drive had 1.3Gb spare before I started this and I now have over 9Gb free

Not sure why some games are much smaller and some exactly the same

[EvilBoris]

My understanding is that when a game is on a disc certain pieces of data load quicker because of physically where they are on the surface of the cd, so what they do is 'master' the disc by deliberately placing fake data in the parts of the disc that are slowest to load so that the juicy stuff can get read quicker. I presume that because this doesn't apply as much to games loading from the HDD the new dash doesn't bother copying across all the uneeded rubbish

[Psyduck]

I haven't noticed the problems you mentioned. Although the new 'optimal display' setting put my TV on 720p, despite the fact that my TV can accept 1080p and outputs 1080i.

The vast majority of 360 content (99% of games, dashboard, videos...) are 720p, so that would be the optimal display format. Assuming your TV is 1080p (rather than just "accepting" 1080p) then it'll do a better job of upscaling it than the 360. If it is a 720p screen, you're better off sending it that than upscaling to 1080p in the 360 and having it downscaled again by your screen.
Hopefully, if the 360 has some 1080p content to play (eg ssf2HDR) then it'll switch to 1080p then, and then back once it's back to the dashboard.

[Brad]

Awards for getting achievements?
Worse PQ?

Some friends of mine tell me how awesome the 360 is at upscaling 720p content to 1080p. Should I be setting my 360 to 720p then? My TV is full HD.

Ta. I'm a bit of a n00b on 360 stuff.

[Malc]

My understanding is that when a game is on a disc certain pieces of data load quicker because of physically where they are on the surface of the cd, so what they do is 'master' the disc by deliberately placing fake data in the parts of the disc that are slowest to load so that the juicy stuff can get read quicker. I presume that because this doesn't apply as much to games loading from the HDD the new dash doesn't bother copying across all the uneeded rubbish

Oblivion used that technique, so it should be a smaller install size for that as well.

The vast majority of 360 content (99% of games, dashboard, videos...) are 720p, so that would be the optimal display format. Assuming your TV is 1080p (rather than just "accepting" 1080p) then it'll do a better job of upscaling it than the 360. If it is a 720p screen, you're better off sending it that than upscaling to 1080p in the 360 and having it downscaled again by your screen.
Hopefully, if the 360 has some 1080p content to play (eg ssf2HDR) then it'll switch to 1080p then, and then back once it's back to the dashboard.

I know for definate that my TV can output and accept 1080i. So I think i'll just leave it on that. I'm not sure if the 'optimal display' setting will change per game?

[Jakeway]

Shame, i missed Perfect Dark the first time round and never got chance to play it, i think Game were even selling that tin for about ?5 a year ago. Would have spent ?10 on a download and that's pushing it.

Why not buy if off Ebay for like ?5-?7-?10 and then if you dont like it or get bored sell it for the same price?

[Brad]

@ Malc, that was the PS3 version of Oblivion I think.

[Malc]

Awards for getting achievements?
Worse PQ?

Some friends of mine tell me how awesome the 360 is at upscaling 720p content to 1080p. Should I be setting my 360 to 720p then? My TV is full HD.

Ta. I'm a bit of a n00b on 360 stuff.

If your TV is 'full' HD. Then I would just leave it on 1080p. Unless you play some games with excessive screen tearing like Resi' 5; then you put it down to 720p. But that's Capcom's fault and not the 360's.

[merf]

I can only assume the on demand games are there at that price to nab the post pub friday night impulse buyer who gets home, kebab in hand, and decides that £20 for 4y old game is a bit of a bargain.

the next morning they'd awake to a half congealed 'bab in their lap and a lovely new bargain game in their library

[Neon Ignition]

All in all the new update is a waste of space then. My dash runs the same speed as before as well. Seems poorly implemented too, the front screen ads are the US ones so its promoting Bioshock which isn't available and the FAQ says payment by credit card or ms points with points also not being an option. Sloppy

[Psyduck]

Some friends of mine tell me how awesome the 360 is at upscaling 720p content to 1080p. Should I be setting my 360 to 720p then? My TV is full HD.

Ta. I'm a bit of a n00b on 360 stuff.

In theory setting the 360 to 720p should look better than 1080p/i for the vast majority of stuff (i.e. unless the game/video is 1080p/i). The only exception would be a 1080p/i TV set with a rubbish scaler, but that's probably unlikely. Just test it yourself to be sure though and go with whatever you're happy with.

Where is this "optimal output" option? I can't see it, but I'm on vga so maybe I don't get it?