Xbox 360 - The Dark Side

[dipdude]

After the over-hype, shortages, and exuberant declarations have slowly faded into the crisp winter night, the Xbox 360 leaves one question that begs clarity – was it all worth it?

Dismissing the excessive rhetoric, there is a single clear answer – No.

No? No? I hear you declare, how can that be? A fair question, and one that I intend to answer. In this answer, there are three specific areas of importance to focus on: availability, hardware and software.

To read all the reasons stated by the author goto GamerGod

 

[Params7]

They're judging a console which has just been released and hardly has any games available for it? Yeah, that's gonna be real accurate then.

 

[Bluffmaster]

Remember When the PS2 came out ! All of these PC fanboies flamed the console. They said that there is no significant difference between the games of ps1 and ps2 . Everybody predicted its failure{ Till date has sold more than a 100 million consoles}. Well to certain extent they were right then ! The games on ps2 then were not remarkable improvements over PS1. But now , just look at the console now ! I mean just compare for example Smackdown : just bring it with Smackdown vs Raw 2006 and u will know wat iam tryin to say! Every Console starts slowly , But when it comes into its full form there is NOMATCH !

 

[Nikhil]

more than a million!!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

dude!!! they sold 22million in Japan alone!!!

What makes this situation worse is that a stunningly large percentage, somewhere between 50-70%, of consoles available for the Japanese launch are still on the shelves. In a disastrous repeat of what happened to the original Xbox, Japanese gamers have shunned Microsoft’s new console with a vengeance. When you consider that to date the Xbox has sold roughly 500,000 units in Japan compared with PS2’s staggering 22 million units, the disparity becomes obvious. Why did Microsoft assume it would be different this time around? Instead of making concessions toward their lack of success in Japan in order to answer the demand in North America and Europe, Microsoft vainly carried on regardless. To mind, it suggests an ill-conceived marketing strategy and rushed launch that relied heavily on the belief that because 360 was the first next-gen console, the Japanese would go equally as wild for it as their western brethren.

OMG!!! Shows that MS had some seriously bad marketing guys!!!

 

[dipdude]

They're judging a console which has just been released and hardly has any games available for it? Yeah, that's gonna be real accurate then.

Exactly, That's what the guys is trying to say, if the console and titles were not ready why beta test it on users who have paid in full.

Hope you have read the article as he also points some other parameter's like hardware and introduction as well.

 

[Params7]

Smackdown : just bring it with Smackdown vs Raw 2006

There's a generations gap between these 2 games. One was the first wwe game on the ps2, the other is the latest one.

I'll be reading the aritcle thoroughly soon. Though i'll agree, microsoft simply rushed 360 early, they wanted to shake ps3 off this time. Games aren't available for it now, next year this time is when the next-gen will settle and then we can have reviews on which one is the worthy, prices will go down too and it'll be on a roll.

 

[Bluffmaster]

Hey thats what i am saying , although there's a generation gap between the 2games but still the hardware remains the same. So if after 5 years PS2 could improve soo drastically in the graphics department just imagine what next gen consoles would do !

 

[deathdemon89]

Exactly, That's what the guys is trying to say, if the console and titles were not ready why beta test it on users who have paid in full.

Hope you have read the article as he also points some other parameter's like hardware and introduction as well.

Okay I wasn't gonna post here due to the sheer vanity of this article,but this has gone too far.You took Param's post completely out of context and you know that! The first wave of games for a console have never even once completely reflected its true power and capabilities! He simply meant that a console isn't to be judged by the first wave of games in its library. And about the article: Its pretty obvious that this guy is an amateur and is simply commenting on what his experiences with the console were.

Instead of making concessions toward their lack of success in Japan in order to answer the demand in North America and Europe, Microsoft vainly carried on regardless.

He's talking like Microsoft has no better work than throw money away.This time around,MS had an aim of dethrowning Sony as one with the most console market share,and to achieve this,the worldwide release was a necessity.How well they did cannot be determined at such an early stage,since the next-gen war hasn't "truly" even started yet.Besides,MS was well aware that they wouldn't do well in Jp even this gen,and they openly stated it multiple times.Before anyone thinks of taking my post out of context,MS said that not because they thought the X360 was inferior,but the Japs are traditionally very patriotic in matters like this.

Price is also a distinct factor. The two separate packages, the deluxe edition with hard drive and the basic package without, offer no saving incentive in picking one over the other.

Total B.S.The "core" pack is completely useless,and everyone who knows what an XBox 360 is knows that.So only those ppl with absolutely no economical means to buy a complete package would go for that.So where would they get the money to buy a separate Hard Drive?

From the uninspiring packaging to the drab color scheme, the Xbox 360 screams PC. In fact, if you turn it horizontally, it would be tough to describe it as anything other than PC-like. Admittedly the face-plates are a neat idea, but at that price, almost half the cost of a game, who would want to cough up more money for one?

Uninspiring package? Drab colour scheme? Those guys at most other gaming sites must have gone crazy huh? Pressure from MS to tell everyone it looks great,maybe? What exactly did this guy find uninspiring about it? Would he rather have it look like the old XBox or the Gamecube? And from which angle,does it look like a PC?! Again he shows his complete lack of proffesionalism in the review.

Turn the machine on and the first thing you notice is the noise. Having not seen or played an Xbox 360 other than my own, I cannot comment on all machines, but mine is very noisy.

Cant comment on this since I dont have a 360,but Im pretty sure he's overexaggerating,since his is the first such case Iv read about on the 'net.

All the extra features that Microsoft supposedly added make the console so good – being able to download pictures from your digital camera, storing and playing MP3’s, etc, I have yet to use and highly doubt they will ever be used. Not to belabor the point ad nauseam, but that’s what I have a PC for.

Has this guy even heard of convergence? Y'know,like,the thing MS keeps repeatedly ranting on about over and over again? Does he realise this is a crucial step for MS to realise that goal of theirs?

An important component for the next generation will be backwards compatibility. With such vast back catalogues of games on the present generation of consoles, any company that doesn’t deliver the goods by providing a smooth transition between old and new will be certain to lose a fair amount of potential customers and casual gamers. Microsoft has, it is accurate to say, made a complete hash of this key component. More than any other element, the inability to play even the most recent Xbox games (Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Spartan: Total Warrior and Matrix: Path of Neo didn’t work, and I received the same ‘Requires download patch’ message each time) has left me aghast. How can you not supply a significant portion of your fan base with the means to continue playing their old games on the new console, rather than having to continue to use the old console alongside the new one? It certainly defeats the purpose of a new console, and although you can download the patches, it requires you have internet connection and the savvy to do so – not to mention the patience to go hunting for a patch for every single game you own on Xbox.

Too bad he's too lazy to download one lousy patch over the net.No internet? I guess he didn't know MS offers a free CD with the software home delivered if you order it. :S

None of this frustration is offset by the graphics, which are an improvement without being staggeringly better, and there is a clear expectation of something ‘more’ -- of an experience that was new and varied, not just another games console with bells and whistles that will rarely be used. Even the controller, for all its plus points, is simply a wireless PS2 pad with slightly improved ergonomics.

This is what Params was bashing the article for and i dont wanna go into it again.
I could go on,but its a complete waste of my time so I'm gonna stop here for now.Rest assured that this article is useless,though.

 

[KingKrool]

None of this frustration is offset by the graphics, which are an improvement without being staggeringly better, and there is a clear expectation of something ‘more’ -- of an experience that was new and varied, not just another games console with bells and whistles that will rarely be used. Even the controller, for all its plus points, is simply a wireless PS2 pad with slightly improved ergonomics.

Well, I actually agree here somewhat. If you come out with a console, please give us good games to play on it. If you don't have the games ready, then don't introduce the console. This is where consoles currently suffer, there is just about no time between producing dev kits (real dev kits, running on actual consoles, not some G5) and shipping the thing to customers.

PC game development is easier, you can write the code according to Dx9 and know that even though some of it (high quality) will not run today, tomorrows GPUs will be able to run it because they can will conform to Dx9. So the games are future proof - the better gfx card you run it on, the better it looks.

 

[Blade_Runner]

lol i dunno who was harsh that author on the xbox 360 or params and the gang on the author :rofl:

In my experience console launches have never been smooth ! But MS should be commended on the fact they had the guts to launch the console worldwide at one go. They get brickbats for the fact that there is a shortage in their own home turf where the x360 is clearly the favourite.

Another thing M$ got wrong was the launch title. There isnt one clear killer app with cod 2 leading the sales which in turn is a port. But seeing the titles announced i am sure the games will be great in the coming time.

Another critical error might the non-inclusion of a HD-Dvd drive which could essentially make or break the console.

But then again atleast the x360 launched on time, the ps3 is still vapourware :rofl:

 

[dipdude]

Okay I wasn't gonna post here due to the sheer vanity of this article,but this has gone too far.You took Param's post completely out of context and you know that! The first wave of games for a console have never even once completely reflected its true power and capabilities! He simply meant that a console isn't to be judged by the first wave of games in its library. And about the article: Its pretty obvious that this guy is an amateur and is simply commenting on what his experiences with the console were.

What kind of excuse is that, are you suggesting people go for 360 now, but to enjoy its true potential they should wait for 1-2 years, now they can just be contended that they get to buy it. You pay today, you get to play today not after months, year.

He's talking like Microsoft has no better work than throw money away.This time around,MS had an aim of dethrowning Sony as one with the most console market share,and to achieve this,the worldwide release was a necessity.How well they did cannot be determined at such an early stage,since the next-gen war hasn't "truly" even started yet.Besides,MS was well aware that they wouldn't do well in Jp even this gen,and they openly stated it multiple times.Before anyone thinks of taking my post out of context,MS said that not because they thought the X360 was inferior,but the Japs are traditionally very patriotic in matters like this.

Forget japan, they were not able to meet their sales targets even in US. This has been quoted by microsoft and is a fact check these threads out http://www.techenclave.com/forums/microsoft-admits-xbox360-targets-impossible-65180.html http://www.techenclave.com/forums/us-clocks-600-000-xbox-360s-65495.html
if you have any covert m/s info plz feel free to share it with us.

Uninspiring package? Drab colour scheme? Those guys at most other gaming sites must have gone crazy huh? Pressure from MS to tell everyone it looks great,maybe? What exactly did this guy find uninspiring about it? Would he rather have it look like the old XBox or the Gamecube? And from which angle,does it look like a PC?! Again he shows his complete lack of proffesionalism in the review.

these are modded xbox's, even they remind of pc, buy then it is just a personal opinion, you have a right to your opinion that does not mean you are unprofessional.

Cant comment on this since I dont have a 360,but Im pretty sure he's overexaggerating,since his is the first such case Iv read about on the 'net.

You are right there, you dont own it so how do you know, in the same vein why cant the author be tellling the truth, what makes you think he is a liar, cant he just state what he feels about his xbox, does he need a certificate of approval form m/s to state his opinion.

Too bad he's too lazy to download one lousy patch over the net.No internet? I guess he didn't know MS offers a free CD with the software home delivered if you order it

Are you sure it is just a single universal patch which would allow you to play all your old games, if it was i am sure m/s would have included it.

If there are patches for every game to able to play it on xbox, then look how difficult it becomes for people, its like you have all the games now buy you cant play them as you have to go get the patch first, you must either mail to m/s or d/l them from net. Till your patches arrive you can look at your 360.

Remember for every single game you have to go get the patch. So instead of playing you will be busy hunting for patches, you would realise how boring this would be if you have a huge game collection.

We thought all games would be backward compatible with 360 out of the box, we were wrong, now what has this got to do with author being lazy he is just stating the fact. Cant he expect his older games to play on 360 out of the box.

This is what Params was bashing the article for and i dont wanna go into it again.
I could go on,but its a complete waste of my time so I'm gonna stop here for now.Rest assured that this article is useless,though.

I really admire you guys for your passion towards console's but saying every other opinion under the sun contrary to your beliefs is crap, is totally crossing the line of logic and helps only in showing you guys in a chauvinistic light.

Have your opinions but also learn to respect other's.

 

[deathdemon89]

What kind of excuse is that, are you suggesting people go for 360 now, but to enjoy its true potential they should wait for 1-2 years, now they can just be contended that they get to buy it. You pay today, you get to play today not after months, year.

Its not an excuse,that is what I'm suggesting.Surprised? Well,I guess you haven't been around during any console launch ever,because thats exactly whats always been happening throughout console history.Just because launch titles are mediocre doesn't mean they're "betas".Developers need to get oriented with the new technology before they can really show it in its true light.Still,there are always the hardcore fans who want the console on launch date,and ppl who want their first glimpse into next-gen,and those are the ppl who buy it at launch.Anyone expecting a complete XBox 360 killer app on launch is nothing more than a fool.In spite of that,the XBox 360 launch titles have been one of the most robust so far.PDZ and PGR got great reviews almost everywhere,and Gamespot even gave PDZ a 9/10.CoD is a port,albeit a very good one,and the translation is near-perfect.Condemned is supposed to have some of the best,most realistic melee combat sequences ever witnessed in a video game to date.

Forget japan, they were not able to meet their sales targets even in US. This has been quoted by microsoft and is a fact check these threads out http://www.techenclave.com/forums/microsoft-admits-xbox360-targets-impossible-65180.html http://www.techenclave.com/forums/us-clocks-600-000-xbox-360s-65495.html

if you have any covert m/s info plz feel free to share it with us.

I'm well aware that they didn't meet their sales target in America either,but its not for the same reason.They didn't get enough sales in Japan because the Japanese don't want X360s.They couldn't meet their launch target in the US because too many Americans wanted X360s.Get the difference? It doesn't require any covert m/s info to realize that much,does it?

these are modded xbox's, even they remind of pc, buy then it is just a personal opinion, you have a right to your opinion that does not mean you are unprofessional.

So those modded XBox 360s look like PCs.Big deal.But was that the XBox 360 of the reviewer? If so,then I take my word back.I was under the impression that he was reviewing this:

Also,if he was reviewing a modded 360,isn't it necessary on his part to mention that? Perhaps the mods were the reason he was experiencing the noise.But even that wasn't done.

Now I know everyone has his own opinion,but seriously.Tell me that this:

isn't an improvement.

You are right there, you dont own it so how do you know, in the same vein why cant the author be tellling the truth, what makes you think he is a liar, cant he just state what he feels about his xbox, does he need a certificate of approval form m/s to state his opinion.

If you read my post properly,I stated that I haven't read of such a thing anywhere else on the net.thats how I "know".I also never stated that he was a liar,I said that he's probably overexaggerating.Once again,let me clarify that this is an assumption on my part.I know you guys will rip this statement to pieces anyway,but what the hell.

Are you sure it is just a single universal patch which would allow you to play all your old games, if it was i am sure m/s would have included it.

Well,sorry to burst your bubble,but it is a single patch as of the time Im typing this.I guess you don't know MS as well as you think you do,huh?

If there are patches for every game to able to play it on xbox, then look how difficult it becomes for people, its like you have all the games now buy you cant play them as you have to go get the patch first, you must either mail to m/s or d/l them from net. Till your patches arrive you can look at your 360.

Remember for every single game you have to go get the patch. So instead of playing you will be busy hunting for patches, you would realise how boring this would be if you have a huge game collection.



We thought all games would be backward compatible with 360 out of the box, we were wrong, now what has this got to do with author being lazy he is just stating the fact. Cant he expect his older games to play on 360 out of the box.

Should have checked up on that before you wasted your time and effort typing.Too bad it was all for nothing.

I really admire you guys for your passion towards console's

Why,thank you.

but saying every other opinion under the sun contrary to your beliefs is crap, is totally crossing the line of logic and helps only in showing you guys in a chauvinistic light.

Same applies to you,my man.If you stopped for a moment and read the complete review other than the first paragraph,you would realise that its simply filled with half-truths and exaggerations.

Have your opinions but also learn to respect other's.

I try,but when the other guy's opinion is filled with so much BS,its really hard.

 

[dipdude]

Read this http://www.techenclave.com/forums/339681-post11.html, that is all i have to say and would stick by it nothing personal, hope you would understand and appreciate it

Disclaimer : I dont own a xbox 360 and have no plans of owning one, all views expressed are of the author, seconded by me

 

[Blade_Runner]

Cant comment on this since I dont have a 360,but Im pretty sure he's overexaggerating,since his is the first such case Iv read about on the 'net.

Umm dd89, noise i quite a big problem with the xbox 360. looks like you haven't kept up with news lately. http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/19/xbox-360-fan-noise-ranked/

Well,sorry to burst your bubble,but it is a single patch as of the time Im typing this.I guess you don't know MS as well as you think you do,huh?

Its not a single patch, every game has a different patch. Each time you insert a xbox disc the console connects to Live service and downloads the patch. As for getting the disc, well MS still charges shipping and handling for it. Imagine if you wanted patches everytime you played a old game and needed to order a cd.

Taken from the xbox FAQ since you might call BS one me hyeah:

Xbox.com: How will you deliver the emulators for backward compatibility?

Todd: There are several different ways that you can get them:

For Xbox Live members (either Gold or Silver members), just connect your Xbox 360 console to Xbox Live and insert an original Xbox game. The system will automatically check if you have the latest emulation software, download it to your Xbox 360 console as part of a system update if you don't, reboot, and start loading your original Xbox game.

Those who are not part of our Xbox Live network will be able to download the emulators from Xbox.com, and burn them onto a CD to insert into your Xbox 360 where it will auto-install the emulator. Or you can go to Xbox.com and simply sign up for a CD to be sent to your home for a nominal shipping and handling fee.

 

[Renegade]

What kind of excuse is that, are you suggesting people go for 360 now, but to enjoy its true potential they should wait for 1-2 years, now they can just be contended that they get to buy it. You pay today, you get to play today not after months, year.
.

But isnt that what happens with every hardware. Be it the latest gfx card or processor. How many months later does a game come out which uses all the features of a gfx card. And for that matter talk about 64bit processing. Its been around for quite some time now.

 

[dipdude]

^ ren true, but remember on a pc your work is not stopped, there are zillion other things that can be done on a pc, just cause not all sw/games are ported onto x64 your computing skill is not harmed in anyway. your life goes on. Many of us have athlon 64's running on windows xp 32 bit. and only when i find any great use for x64 would i even think about installing a x64 os, i have just built a system which is future proof

But on a console if you dont have any games to play with and even your older games require specific patches to be downloaded, it sure is one helluva frustration.

 

[Renegade]

^ ren true, but remember on a pc your work is not stopped, there are zillion other things that can be done on a pc, just cause not all sw/games are ported onto x64 your computing skill is not harmed in anyway. your life goes on.

But on a console if you dont have any games to play with and even your older games require specific patches to be downloaded, it sure is one helluva frustration.

Well maybe thats why they have gone in for convergence. So that you can do other things while waiting for games to launch. :bleh:
Well yes you are right there.
And as for convergence about which that reviewer was whining.. it is very much a desirable thing (at least for me) and BS's (Bill Gates ) vision. In fact convergence is the only thing that would make me buy that console. Why would anyone not want a PC which is as portable as a console and plays games as good as a console. Personally I really like the looks of 360.

 

[dipdude]

^ren, i am all for convergence, that's why while rebutting deathdemon in post 11, i dont talk about convergence, as i am for it and i believe it would only help console's appeal to a wider audience

 

[Params7]

^ ren true, but remember on a pc your work is not stopped, there are zillion other things that can be done on a pc, just cause not all sw/games are ported onto x64 your computing skill is not harmed in anyway. your life goes on. Many of us have athlon 64's running on windows xp 32 bit. and only when i find any great use for x64 would i even think about installing a x64 os, i have just built a system which is future proof

So? If you buy an X1900 now, what will you do with it? Play those old games in max that ran jollywell in a 6800Ultra? Its gonna take a lot of time for a game to come to use it potential. And while a PC could do zillion other things doesn't hold water as consoles are not even meant to do that. Why are you asking an refridgerator to cook food for you? Consoles were meant strictly for gaming, but some manage to play movies, surf internet, Emulate roms, play Divx files, run linux, play mp3's....Yet, you seem to be creating big fuss on the lack of launch titles everywhere. Only hardcore fans are buying the product now, the rest will game near this year end that's when Next-Gen will set into motion. You can't expect climax at the very start of a movie.

But on a console if you dont have any games to play with and even your older games require specific patches to be downloaded, it sure is one helluva frustration.

What are you talking about? Don't you know the Ps2 could play ps1 games and with enhanced effects? Don't you know the Ps3 will play ps2 and ps1 games as well? Don't you know X360 could play some Xbox games as well?? So what if you have to burn a CD with all the patches?? Its mostly one time and takes just as much as time as setting up a PSX emulator on PC.

 

[dipdude]

And while a PC could do zillion other things doesn't hold water as consoles are not even meant to do that.

Xbox 360 is meant to play games and the whole point of this article is it does not do that without hiccups, so spare me with your one liners, also do read the thread and all the posts in it to get jist of were the thread is heading, dont just quote and start bashing, that is not the right way and most of the times such posts only spoil the thread with O/T posts

What are you talking about? Don't you know the Ps2 could play ps1 games and with enhanced effects? Don't you know the Ps3 will play ps2 and ps1 games as well? Don't you know X360 could play some Xbox games as well?? So what if you have to burn a CD with all the patches?? Its mostly one time and takes just as much as time as setting up a PSX emulator on PC.

Dude, dont post if you cant get the context, we are talking about xbox 360 not ps2 here. do you even read the thread or you just type for the sake of it.

Finally, talk only about xbox 360 and the article posted in this thread if you want to post O/T then post it in pc vs console thread.