Xbox One Console Discussion

[Agent Gibbs]

if that was their intention then why didn't they go completely digital? have a 1tb HDD and have all games at PC prices? then people would realise the situation more. as it stands they have this bastardised version of a steam, and a completely terrible PR team telling you if you don't like it get 360 or a rivals console

 

whatever they are smoking i don't want any

[Fierce_LiNk]

Thinking of all this Kinect stuff, wouldn't a better name for the system be Xbox ON?

[Cube]

if that was their intention then why didn't they go completely digital? have a 1tb HDD and have all games at PC prices?

 

It is all digital. You have to install the discs.

[MindFreak]

Thinking of all this Kinect stuff, wouldn't a better name for the system be Xbox ON?

 

I thought about the name when it was unveiled and I think they just wanted a pun on "ON" so they went with "ONE". I don't get it but it sounds like "ON". Just like Kinect sounds like "connect" and has a reference to "Kinetic". This is just a bit more clever.

[Agent Gibbs]

It is all digital. You have to install the discs.

I mean No disks at all by that, just digital download only

 

if they want disks to be nothing more than an install, and optional thing if they don't want digitial, why not make their vision be more true to those supposed intentions and just do away with disks, make a PSPgo situation, not even have a disk drive at all and reduce that massive cost

 

it just seems like a concocted answer to fit the terrible situation they've got themselves in

Edited June 15, 2013 by Agent Gibbs

[Fierce_LiNk]

I thought about the name when it was unveiled and I think they just wanted a pun on "ON" so they went with "ONE". I don't get it but it sounds like "ON". Just like Kinect sounds like "connect" and has a reference to "Kinetic". This is just a bit more clever.

 

It doesn't really work as a pun, though. In my opinion, anyway. One and ON don't sound similar enough. Connect and Kinect, do. It looks similar (I guess) written down, but verbally I wouldn't put it down as a pun.

 

I took it as them meaning they wanted to be the number one. As in, the number one gadget in the house, in control of everything, including the TV. Either that, or they're restarting their brand and the next console will be the XBOX Two. Maybe.

[James]

If you want to play a game you own at your mates house you have to login and wait for the fucking thing to download and install?

You'll have left his house and gone home to bed by the time it's downloaded.

[MindFreak]

Presumeably just a part of the game has to be downloades bedre you Can start gaming.

[Cube]

If you want to play a game you own at your mates house you have to login and wait for the fucking thing to download and install?

You'll have left his house and gone home to bed by the time it's downloaded.

 

You can install it from the disc and "authenticate" by logging into your account.

 

Although one flaw is having to type your password using the on-screen keyboard.

[jayseven]

If games end up cheaper they yay.

 

If not? I guess I give up on 'next gen' gaming and just read more books instead. Even if that just seems like spoiling the vote card and thus having no say at all... But ultimately we are dealing with companies, and companies want to make money. So long as there are paying customers they will continue. The article a few pages back that discussed art in relation to gaming struck a chord with me. For decades -- for generations games have strived to be treated akin to novels and movies, to be treated as if they are an art form, able to manipulate our emotions and provide new and stirring experiences... but this coming generation is firmly stanced in the business arena. What is interesting is, comparing to previous generations, there is absolutely no bother about graphics or loading times or processing power. We are talking about consumer rights, social issues and privacy conditions. For a pastime/hobbie/interest, these are remarkably serious topics to have to deal with. The power is shifting far too much, in a time where we are looking at a triple-dip recession, where corporations are making profits while the price of bread is rising and minimum wage stagnating... I just have to take a step back and think. Is experiencing a 'new generation' of gaming really worth it? Just because the novelty of it all is repeatedly blasted at us... just because we are told that things will change soon... do we need to accept it? Can't we just... enjoy something else instead?

 

... Sorry, but man, life is too short. Fuck games, I'm gonna go do something productive instead. Seriously. Save your money. Buy cigarettes instead.

[Nolan]

Well....that's a shit fucking argument.

 

It is similar to steam, I can get behind that it doesn't bother me. The 24 hours requirement does, but that's neither here nor there at the moment. Steam's end-line goal was never "Hey, DRM means cheaper games hur hur hur" The majority of games release at full fucking price unless they're late ports or indie titles. Steam is able to do sales, but the games aren't actually cheaper...unless this PR is merely comparing to XBL Digital titles where they have inconsequential sales and the price rarely changes.

 

and Kinect 2 makes Kinect 1 look like a childs toy.

 

Kinect 1 was a childs toy. Kinect 2 is the NSAs toy.

 

ensure you haven't sold your license to gamestop or something...

 

I fucking hate the idea that we are merely acquiring licenses giving us permission to play....They can suck a fat one at that.

 

The cloud capabilities is the shit they like the most. We basically made a huge cloud compute shit and made it free. What people are doing with it is kind of cool. THe original intention was to get all the Multiplayer servers not requiring 3rd party costs (Like EA shutting down game servers to cut costs), as well as taking all the games that servers hosted by the clients (Halo, etc), and have all that compute done in the cloud allowing more CPU cycles for gameplay. That will really expand what developers can do. Anything that doesn't need per frame calculation and can handle 100ms delays can be shifted to the cloud. That's huge.

 

Why not Dedicated Servers? Hell, user owned and run Dedicated Servers, works great for PC....

 

SmartGlass + IE is going to be pretty freaking sweet. 1 finger cursor, 2 finger direct manip. Basically if you think of a laptop trackpad where your phone/ slate is the trackpad and the monitor is your TV... it's that.

 

Or...I'll browse the internet on a browser that isn't shit?

 

 

 

I know I'm truly responding to anyone, and no one of import will read this, but fuck sometimes it feels good to argue nothing.

 

https://twitter.com/XboxSupport1/status/345338828606812160

Q: If my XBOX LIVE account was banned, would I continue to have access to my XBOX ONE games?

A: If your account is banned, you also forfeit the licenses to any games that have licenses tied to it as listed in the ToU

 

Sickening....

[Mokong]

I know I'm truly responding to anyone, and no one of import will read this, but fuck sometimes it feels good to argue nothing.

 

https://twitter.com/XboxSupport1/status/345338828606812160

Q: If my XBOX LIVE account was banned, would I continue to have access to my XBOX ONE games?

A: If your account is banned, you also forfeit the licenses to any games that have licenses tied to it as listed in the ToU

 

Sickening....

 

 

Well I guess that would be one way to try spot people from breaking rules or whatever.

 

"Play nice or we will pretty much brick your console"

 

One thing to just ban people from online play...banning them from using their games offline.... I'm sure that has to be breaking some sort of consumer right laws?

[Shorty]

Can we nip that one in the bud ^ it has been clarified as a mistake and not relating to the Xbox One.

 

 

We have no info on the Xbox One ban situation. The Tweet that is being referenced was a mistake, it was about Xbox 360. ^CW

[James]

Can we nip that one in the bud ^ it has been clarified as a mistake and not relating to the Xbox One.

 

 

Is this not the problem with Microsoft at the mo. They seem to be shooting them self in the foot everytime someone asks them a question.

[Shorty]

Yeah, it seems like their own support staff aren't being given all the facts, too many cooks and they would probably be better just to keep quiet

[madeinbeats]

Even the bloody army and navy are out!

 

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20130614/OFFDUTY02/306140030/New-Xbox-sin-against-all-service-members-

New Xbox 'a sin against all service members'

Microsoft says troops should use old gear instead

 

Navy Lt. Scott Metcalf was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Xbox One. Now he’s not even sure if he’ll buy one.

 

Indeed, for many in the military, the next-gen Xbox console may offer more endemic frustration than grand epic gaming, particularly for those deployed downrange, aboard ships and stationed overseas.

 

Xbox One, Microsoft’s much-anticipated new console, got its big reveal at the Electronic Entertainment Expo gamers’ convention in Los Angeles. Company honchos are confident it will come to dominate living rooms over the next decade not only as the gaming delivery vehicle of choice, but also with a barrage of other content, including a suite of apps, streaming video and music.

 

There’s one big but, however: To get all this entertainment awesomeness, the console will have to check in online with the Microsoft mothership at least once a day.

 

“With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection,” an Xbox spokesperson tell Military Times.

 

Showstoppers

Metcalf called that a “showstopper” for any service members who rely on their Xbox for off-duty diversions downrage, in the field, or at sea.

 

Which is to say, just about everyone.

 

And it gets worse for on-the-go troops. The Xbox One:

 

■ Can play only in Xbox One-friendly countries. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a regular, reliable Internet connection while overseas, you’ll have to be in one of 21 countries included in Microsoft’s server network. So, if you’re stationed in, say, Germany, Italy or Great Briatin, you’re good to go. But if you’re based in Japan, Kuwait or Afghanistan, you’re out of luck.

 

■ Will have region-locked games. Games bought in the U.S. can be activated only in the U.S. That means no more ripping open the latest title that just arrived in a care package from home while you’re deployed. And forget about buying games locally when overseas — if your Xbox Live account isn’t tied to the region when you activate a game, it won’t play.

 

■ Serious security concerns. Even when the Xbox One is in sleep mode, its built-in microphone can always listen in. It’s a feature developers say will provide quick voice-command access to games and apps — but that could spook commanders who might worry the always-connected device could also capture more than just idle chit-chat among troops.

 

“Microsoft has single handedly alienated the entire military. And not just the U.S. military — the militaries of the entire world,” says naval aviator Jay Johnson.

 

The Internet connection requirement is “the single greatest sin Microsoft has committed against all service members,” he writes in a post on the game developers’ site Gamasutra.

 

With tours aboard three Nimitz aircraft carriers, Johnson says he’s spent more than half of the past three years deployed or training at sea. He describes gaming in general and his Xbox in particular as “my sanctuary. It is where I went to calm down after a long day of flying.”

 

But that won’t true with the Xbox One, he says.

 

“No longer will the sounds of Master Chief saving the human race echo through the hallowed halls of the USS Abraham Lincoln, or any other USS ship, when we have a few hours respite. No longer will you see Marcus and Dom sawing through the Locust Horde at the bases in Afghanistan after the Marines have returned from patrol and want to escape their reality for a bit. Those days are now firmly behind us.”

 

Microsoft: Sucks to be you

Not to fear, says Xbox exec Don Mattrick, president of the Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment division. The company has a solution for those in the military: Just use the old Xbox 360 instead.

 

“Fortunately we have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity, it’s called Xbox 360. If you have zero access to the Internet, that is an offline device,” Mattrick told Game Trailer at E3 in an interview posted online.

 

He says he feels your pain, though.

 

“When I read the blogs and thought about who’s really the most impacted, there was a person who said, “Hey, I’m on a nuclear sub.’ I don’t even know what it means to be on a nuclear sub, but I’ve got to imagine that it’s not easy to get an Internet connection. Hey, I can empathize. If I was on a sub, I’d be disappointed.”

 

OFFduty asked Microsoft officials if that empathy might translate into practical workarounds for the military.

 

“I don’t have additional details to share and can’t speculate on workarounds at this time,” wrote Xbox rep Danica Stickel in an emailed response to questions, repeating the suggestion that troops could just use the 360 instead.

 

“Although we’re very excited about Xbox One, we remain dedicated to Xbox 360 now and for years to come. In fact, we are expecting some of the greatest blockbusters of 2013 and 2014 to come out on Xbox 360.”

 

She did offer some encouragement for Xbox One hopefuls, however, saying the regional lock restrictions aren’t much different from other content protections.

 

“Similar to the movie and music industry, games and other content must meet country-specific regulatory guidelines before they are cleared for sale — which means that games will work in the broad geographic regions for which they have been cleared, much as today with Xbox 360,” Stickel wrote.

 

“While the console itself is not geographically restricted, a user’s Xbox Live account, content, apps and experiences are all tied to the country of billing and residence,” she wrote.

 

“Military personnel will be able to take their Xbox One and play their games with them without an issue as long as the game has been ‘activated’ once in the U.S. Your games go with you and play, no issues,” she says.

 

Stickel also downplayed security concerns over the console’s always-on microphone or built-in Kinect video camera.

 

“When Xbox One is on and you’re simply having a conversation in your living room, your conversation is not being recorded or uploaded,” she says. “You will determine how responsive and personalized your Xbox One is to you and your family during setup. The system will navigate you through key privacy options.”

 

But even those outside the military have been surprised by Micosoft’s shrug to the military community, with some speculating it will fuel a wider surge toward Sony’s Playstation console.

 

“This is shameful, says Joel Hruska, a writer for Extreme Tech website. “Telling troops that you ‘empathize’ with them is both embarrassing and hands Sony perfect ammunition.”

 

“Do I think Microsoft is going to change?” writes Hruska in a recent post. “Honestly, no. The remarks that’ve come out to date paint a picture of a company that’s so drunk on its own Kool-Aid, they aren’t listening to outside criticism or commentary any longer.”

 

Doing or saying anything against the military in America is a mortal sin, and pretty awful publicity (as if they didn't need anymore.)

 

Making a special DRM free US military Xbone would be a small PR victory in their homeland.

Edited June 15, 2013 by madeinbeats

[MATtheHAT]

I served in the Royal Navy for 12 years on Nuclear Submarines, I had some great times coming off watch and playing Tiger Woods with mates on the original Xbox with a few beers. People need the recreational time, but they will find it elsewhere, be it PS4 or PC. A lot of Sailors brought laptops - mainly for porn and the odd LAN game of Command & Conquer.

[Shorty]

I've been giving this some thought and if it wasn't for the price difference, I would probably be undecided on which console to go for. I love the look of the TV stuff, and the DRM wouldn't actually affect the way I currently play at all. I love the way gaming works on Steam, and if this is a step in that direction then I actually don't mind the idea (although fully understand why it's a big negative to some people).

 

Also I would like to hang on to my XBLA library, my gamertag and that controller design.

 

But to be the console which is technically inferior and yet £80 more expensive... for me that's where they dropped the ball the most :/

[Daft]

It's not just the military. What about charities? Like children's charities that take consoles and games. Can't do that with Xbox One, charity shops too. Fuck charity, AMIRIGHTMICROSOFT?!.

[Happenstance]

I've been giving this some thought and if it wasn't for the price difference, I would probably be undecided on which console to go for. I love the look of the TV stuff, and the DRM wouldn't actually affect the way I currently play at all. I love the way gaming works on Steam, and if this is a step in that direction then I actually don't mind the idea (although fully understand why it's a big negative to some people).

 

Also I would like to hang on to my XBLA library, my gamertag and that controller design.

 

But to be the console which is technically inferior and yet £80 more expensive... for me that's where they dropped the ball the most :/

 

For me the thing that would stop me getting one if I was actually interested is the 24 hour check in, its just too short of a time. Otherwise I could live with the used game stuff.

 

The actual fact though is that I wouldnt have been buying one regardless. The 360 hasnt interested me in a couple of years and none of the exclusives shown have particularly convinced me otherwise

 

This whole thing has just been a PR mess. They chose to lose a certain percentage of their market that would have trouble with the check ins etc but it looks like they have lost a lot more simply through bad marketing. Obviously there are people that would not have gone for it because they actually understand all the DRM stuff but I think they've gone and lost a lot of the people that wouldnt have really understood either.

[Nolan]

I've been giving this some thought and if it wasn't for the price difference, I would probably be undecided on which console to go for. I love the look of the TV stuff, and the DRM wouldn't actually affect the way I currently play at all. I love the way gaming works on Steam, and if this is a step in that direction then I actually don't mind the idea (although fully understand why it's a big negative to some people).

 

Also I would like to hang on to my XBLA library, my gamertag and that controller design.

 

But to be the console which is technically inferior and yet £80 more expensive... for me that's where they dropped the ball the most :/

 

I was decided when they said Kinect is required.

 

Can we nip that one in the bud ^ it has been clarified as a mistake and not relating to the Xbox One.

 

 

Sure, nip it in the bud. Assuming it is Human error and the replier wasn't fully reading the text he answered which implicitly stated Xbox One.

 

It could be backtracking to cover a mistake, or perhaps a policy that isn't fully decided.

 

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it was 100% accurate though, and they wouldn't be the first company (cough EA cough) to implement such a feature and receive the appropriate backlash.

[Rowan]

@Shorty You got to remember if the TV stuff is going to even work in Europe. Still no news yet about Sky / Virgin media support, or whether the European version of X1 will be modified to accept a digital terrestrial signal directly. Also apparently the interface that we saw in the May reveal was faked...http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=576505 That being said, I've been sceptical whether the screenshots of the interface released by Sony in February were faked too. (Always felt they were just more proof of concept)

[canand]

Here is a Xbox One

 

 

Xbox One game

 

 

Call Of Duty Ghost

 

Edited June 16, 2013 by canand

[Ashley]

Will wait and see if it's true, but apparently MS are going to reverse all their policies: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/microsoft-to-pull-complete-reversal-on-xbox-one-dr/1100-4673/

 

No more always online requirement

The console no longer has to check in every 24 hours

All game discs will work on Xbox One as they do on Xbox 360

An Internet connection is only required when initially setting up the console

All downloaded games will function the same when online or offline

No additional restrictions on trading games or loaning discs

Region locks have been dropped

[Dcubed]

For the same of game preservation, I really hope it's true. That being said, there's still no way I'd ever buy the console now that MS have revealed their true colours as cartoon villains. They've lost my trust for good.