[Brien]

Yeah. That and the stupid welcome tutorial thing.

[sek929]

Heh, all I wanted to do was sit down and play Vegas and it tells me I need the update.

Click ok, waits a while..."Cannot connect to Xbox Live"

Exit Vegas to the dashboard, try again, starts downloading....progress bar at 1% for minutes, jumps to 75% all of a sudden, nothing happens for a while then it goes away.

Finally stops installing, at this point I really want to play my goddamn game, welcome tutorial comes up, I hit A a few times but it only brings me deeper. Finally realize Y exits this bullshit, back to Dashboard, now the welcome 'blade' is back.

God-dammit.

Although the new interface seems a bit snappier™ but that could be all in my head at this point.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Brien 

Yeah. That and the stupid welcome tutorial thing.

You can just hit Y and skip it.

[The Final Dakar]

Yeah, it seemed snappy until I out in my first game.

There's still lag between the dashboard menu popping up and it displaying info. I hope this is greatly improved next gen. (Also, Why the **** is Friends still not at the very top? Not counting dashboarding, I bet 90% of the time people go into the Dashboard to check their friends list)

[Leonard]

Ran into same thing you guys did... damn tutorial.

As for the new dashboard:
- too plain Jane for me.
- blades seem a bit small. Considering you have all that screen realestate, why not use it.

Not necessarily a comment specific to this update but why are there different options through the Guide button than the blades. Why don't they put some of the options from the Guide button into the blades as well.

[sek929]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Yeah, it seemed snappy until I out in my first game.

There's still lag between the dashboard menu popping up and it displaying info. I hope this is greatly improved next gen. (Also, Why the **** is Friends still not at the very top? Not counting dashboarding, I bet 90% of the time people go into the Dashboard to check their friends list)

it will never, NEVER, get any better than the way Halo 2 handled the friends list. Hit Y at any point in a lobby and the list would snap up in a half second with all the info already loaded. I remember using the friends blade on the 360 and thinking it was a huge step backwards than just allowing each individual game to implement its own friend system.

Just sending someone an invite while in a game can be so damn painful on the 360.

[The Final Dakar]

Gears 2 had the quick check which was handy. Reach's right status is nice, too.

[Brien]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

You can just hit Y and skip it.

Oh, I did, but it'd be nice if it remembered preferences from the "old" NXE. I do think the new interface is cleaner, but MS' new "metro" look is somewhat bland.

[sek929]

Thoughts on the 'new' Goldeneye, and the Wii in general.

I have Wii owning friends that are a couple. No detriment to them, but they find games like Conduit and Raving Rabbids loads of fun, anyways.

I was at their house playing the New Super Mario Brothers Wii, and their main claim to its awesomeness was that it's "just like Mario 3 and Super Mario World" I found it quite boring personally. Then they said, "oh man, there is a new Donkey Kong coming out!" I asked what it is called and they tell me "Donkey Kong Country Returns"

Just fu*king fantastic Nintendo, I watched the video and it's just like DKC with shinier graphics! Wow! You guys are mindless assholes pumping out games I got sick of decades ago, well done you cash hungry whores.

So the next logical step is to take a game beloved in its day and remake it as a soulless cash magnet to trick people to turning on their Wiis once a month.

How about if I want to play Bond I'll fire up the last decent system you guys made and play the original in all its hilarious awesome glory?

[Brien]

How is that any different than Sony or Microsoft (or any third party) whoring out franchises?

[sek929]

No other company is whoring out nostalgia with the furious pace that Nintendo is.

Plenty of companies make sequels to turn profits (BioShock 2) not every company goes back decades to dredge up relics.

[The Final Dakar]

Not gonna lie, if they released a new SMW on XBLA I'd be all over it like Nintendo on a remake opportunity.

[sek929]

Pfft, how about a remake of Joust?

[The Final Dakar]

Not much of an NES guy. I was denied the pleasure of most video games in the 80s.

[sek929]

Even father back, Atari 2600.

[The Final Dakar]

Wikipedia implies it was on both consoles around the same time.

[sek929]

Curse you and your web encyclopedia!

[exca1ibur]

Big surprise here.

NBA Elite 11 Is Officially Dead

[KCrosbie]

We all knew Elite wasn't coming out. EA just got bitch slapped by 2K and figured NBA Jam was a solid competitor.

[Hawkeye_a]

Originally Posted by sek929 

No other company is whoring out nostalgia with the furious pace that Nintendo is.

Plenty of companies make sequels to turn profits (BioShock 2) not every company goes back decades to dredge up relics.

Sega

Also, it could be because most of the other publishers haven't been around in the gaming industry for this long, or that they don't have any franchises worth reviving.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Took the plunge last night and added an XBox 360 to my console collection. I have a Wii and PS3 (mostly for Blu-ray) hooked up in the basement entertainment center and wanted something for streaming NetFlix in the living room and some gaming. Sprung for a 250 GB 360 at Target.

FYI: Target is having a 2 for 1 sale on games until 11/6. I beleive it's for 360, PS3, and Wii games.

Picked up NHL 11, Red Dead Redemption, Bad Company 2, and Halo Reach. Will likely get Black Ops as well when it comes out.

Was able to get the same gamertag I had when I had a 360 years ago: mrjinglesusa

[exca1ibur]

You did know you can stream Netflix on the PS3 without the disc now at 1080p and 5.1 for a few weeks now?

[The Final Dakar]

I think he's saying he wanted to stream from an additional location.

[Jawbone54]

PS3/Wii for basement, 360 for living room.

I've actually been dealing with a bug in the PS3's Netflix app. The last two times I've gone to my queue, all the titles disappeared and I was unable to select any to watch. Frustrating. I'm guessing there will be an update soon.

Also, I'm now convinced ESPN3 needs a re-work.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Yeah, it seemed snappy until I out in my first game.

There's still lag between the dashboard menu popping up and it displaying info. I hope this is greatly improved next gen. (Also, Why the **** is Friends still not at the very top? Not counting dashboarding, I bet 90% of the time people go into the Dashboard to check their friends list)

In the beta, I never had any bugs, but since the release, almost every time I hit menu and hit Y to go to dashboard, my 360 freezes and I have to hit the power. WTF?

[The Final Dakar]

My initial guess is this has something to do with you being in the beta.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Also, I'm now convinced ESPN3 needs a re-work.

Personal experience or that blog I posted?

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Personal experience or that blog I posted?

Mostly personal, mirroring a lot from that blog. I think I might've been expecting too much, as well.

Why not add shows like PTI a few hours after they air? Add in commercials -- I don't care.
Why not do a little more work on the UI? It's terrible. It's kind of cool when you first look at it, then you realize you can't find anything easily.

Basically, it's still mostly C-grade content with C-grade presentation. I did see a lot of live NBA games upcoming. That'll help ease the disappointment. Also, it's nice watching some (i.e. very few) EPL games on the big screen.

[exca1ibur]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I think he's saying he wanted to stream from an additional location.

gotcha.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by exca1ibur 

Big surprise here.

NBA Elite 11 Is Officially Dead

Probably the best call given they're abandoning the original developer. Which really says something.

Originally Posted by KCrosbie 

We all knew Elite wasn't coming out. EA just got bitch slapped by 2K and figured NBA Jam was a solid competitor.

Terrible, terrible read. EA didn't think NBA Jam was a solid competitor. They just needed to put anything with the word NBA in it in the market both for continued presence and to offset revenue losses.

[The Final Dakar]

Wednesday News

Yamauchi insists Gran Turismo 5 discs being made 'as we speak' | Joystiq
So, if you can issue a limited amount of discs before xmas, knowing there will shortages, do you do it?


Well, Somebody Has Seen The PSP2
But not someone from Sony.


EA: Medal Of Honor "Didn't Meet Our Quality Expectations"
It took a while for me to digest this. I'm a big proponent about companies being honest, yet I thought EA saying the game was subpar is a huge slap in the face of everyone who bought it just a month before.

Then I realized this might be a little pre-Black Ops damage control, for when it blows MoH sales out of the water.



The Fall of Realtime Worlds MMO Article - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

"One of the brilliant things about working at Realtime Worlds was getting the opportunity to see how radically different everything was," he says. "I was at SEGA before and, this sounds stupid, but they locked up the fruit. It was that kind of environment, where it was like, 'Oh, it's the QA - only one piece of fruit a day!'

"But at Realtime it was like, 'Wow, they've got a pool table!' And the building itself was impressive. And they were really good to us. Even the QA positions were six month contracts. I was talking to family who warned me that it was still a little bit unstable, but it beat the zero hour contracts by a mile."

Mildly interesting.

[Brien]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Probably the best call given they're abandoning the original developer. Which really says something.

I think the folks at EA Canada should start updating those resumes.

[The Final Dakar]

Absolutely. I think they worked on NFS in the PS2 days and that's in Criterion's hands now.

[Stogieman]

That reminds me, I to set aside some time to play the new NFS Hot Pursuit demo.

[The Final Dakar]

It's not bad. I don't think it $60 good, but it's not bad.

Edit: Hilariously, it's reminiscent of the aforementioned Black Boxes' HP2, though that was based on the original Hot Pursuit.

[The Final Dakar]

http://www.destructoid.com/microsoft...or-indie-games

"The intent of the Specialty Shops section was to provide access to marketplaces that focus on a specific type of content, with unique ways of sorting through that content," says a spokesman. "We wanted to give Xbox Live Indie Games that full marketplace experience and felt this was the best place to do it, alongside other popular channels like the Avatar Marketplace.

We also got you separate restrooms and water fountains from the XBLA developers labeled "colored".


Gamasutra - News - GameStop To Sell Xbox Live Download Codes Via Website

Once the feature launches, customers will be able to purchase download codes for Xbox Live content such as Xbox Live Arcade games and supplemental DLC for games. Customers will receive a confirmation code after purchasing content, along with instructions on how to download it.

Amazon.com earlier this year cancelled a similar initiative that had the online retailer selling downloadable Xbox Live codes, although the online retailer -- like GameStop -- still sells Microsoft Points that can be redeemed for Xbox Live content.

I automatically have to wonder if these two events aren't related.

[Jawbone54]

Whoa...a segregation joke!

[The Final Dakar]

My repertoire is deep.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

My initial guess is this has something to do with you being in the beta.

I have the final release that everyone else has.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

I have the final release that everyone else has.

I mean this has something to do with you upgrading from the beta.

[The Final Dakar]

Thursday News: Kinect Edition

Review embargo broke at midnight. It's Here, It's Queer, Deal with It.


I chose to go with ars review as they tend to be more thorough and professional.

Buy a house, clean your floor, move your butt: Ars reviews Kinect

The voice commands, matched with your hand movements, work well most of the time, but when they don't it's a pain in the butt. Sometimes, I'd be waving to get the system's attention, and it would take a few tries to turn on the cursor. Other times I would get to a menu where no voice commands seemed to want to work. This is all neat in a tech-demo sort of way, but it's not as good as using a controller and buttons. It's slower, less accurate, and you have to remember to speak in a loud, clear voice and move in a consistent way.

The first thing you'll realize is how physical these games are. Even the titles with simple movements require you to be standing, and the combination of concentration and physical movement can wear you out quicker than you think. This is a workout, even if the game doesn't sell itself as such. Don't feel bad if you want to sit down every now and again, and wearing clothes that allow you to move quickly and easily is a must.

A big part of the Kinect experience is intangible, and as I write about these games I'm realizing how bad they sound on paper. The thing is, I'm having fun ... There is a lot to do here, and it's all a good time, but when you play these games one after another you begin to see what the Kinect can't do. You can't move any of the characters directly—you can just control their arms and legs and maybe shift them back and forth. That's it.

The lack of buttons with the Kinect is a big, big problem. There are very basic things that none of these games do. Controlling a character in a third- or first-person game? There is no easy way to do that, so no one does. The racing game takes control of the gas and braking away from you, because there is no way for the player to control it. Bowling doesn't allow you to control when you let go of the ball. There were multiple times when I wished for a button or two so the software didn't have to hold my hand quite as much.

There is also the issue of space: you need a lot of it to play multiplayer games, or to be comfortable playing single-player games. Take a peek at that sample living room image again—if your room doesn't look like a wide open gymnasium with a ton of clearance, you're going to have problems. The Move doesn't have these limitations, and most games will work just as well if you're sitting on your couch or standing in front of your screen. The Move will work in nearly any environment, where the Kinect helpfully suggests you move your couch out of the way and may chide you for having a playing space that's too small. There are going to be many potential customers who simply don't have the space near their systems to play Kinect games. That seems terribly limiting for a product that Microsoft hopes will have wide appeal.

It's probably easier if you only have one or two games and play like a normal person, but this has been an excruciating review process. I was sore after the first day of multi-hour gaming sessions, and that was a week ago. After the second day I felt worse. The third day I began icing my joints. I didn't weigh myself before I began playing these games, which was silly; I'm moderately sure I lost a few pounds. These are active games, and they will beat you up before you know it. Remember the first time you got a case of Wii-elbow? Imagine that feeling over your entire body. I've been talking to a few other reviewers, and everyone has been collapsing in a heap of bones.

It's telling that when I play a game with the Move after spending a week with the Kinect everything seems more satisfying with the Move. The cursor has less lag on the screen. When I want to make a selection I just hit a button instead of hovering it over my selection for a few moments. Without buttons, there are many things the Kinect can't let you control, which makes the games feel dumbed down in places. A core game like a third- or even first-person shooter? Nearly impossible. Look at how many games here have your character standing still, or being on a moving platform, or the game does things for you because there is no way to control them with motion? It's a major problem, and it's unclear whether or not anyone has a solution. I'd love to be proven wrong.


This is the position you have to hold to bring up the menu. It's the same as hitting the jewel on a standard controller, except it takes longer and sometimes doesn't work.
We're going to come out and say it: Microsoft is going to release a Move-style controller for the Kinect within a year or so. Both gamers and developers are going to be frustrated by all the things the hardware can't do, and they'll demand a way to interact with games using at least one or two buttons. It's not a coincidence that so many games at launch are in the same few genres, you know. The hardware simply can't handle much else.

I don't have much to offer here. I more interested by what looks to be more positive sales projections for the Kinect compared to the Move. Is it a function of marketing, install base, or each console's demographic?


What We Loved, What We Hated About the Xbox 360 Kinect
I think the illustration was the best part of this article.

---

MS: Everybody knows Xbox 360 is best for Black Ops - Destructoid.com
I suppose if my XBOX Live fee is going towards this stuff, MS should talk it up as a feature.


Final Random thought: If I were MS or Sony, I'd give hiring Inafune a serious look (Particularly MS).

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

What We Loved, What We Hated About the Xbox 360 Kinect
I think the illustration was the best part of this article.

Lazy.



Personally, I think this "Kinect will sell 5,000,000 units" is garbage. It'll do better than the Move, but I don't think people are jumping through the roof with excitement over this thing.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

Sega

Not even close.

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

Also, it could be because most of the other publishers haven't been around in the gaming industry for this long, or that they don't have any franchises worth reviving.

More the former. Nintendo is like Disney. Cherished by all and subsisting on old characters for far longer than anyone could imagine.

[The Final Dakar]

Hulu Plus available to all PS3 owners next week - Destructoid.com

Hulu Plus, Hulu's premium subscription television/movie streaming service, has been available to PlayStation 3 owners since July... as long as they're PlayStation Plus subscribers.

But starting next week, Sony has revealed that Hulu Plus will be available as a download for all PlayStation 3 owners. The Hulu Plus service -- which is still in "preview" -- is subscription-based, and costs $9.99.

A little early for Sony to be devaluing their Plus service... unless of course, a miniscule portion of those members were using the Hulu service, which is quite probable.


---

So it's been over a month since Major Nelson posted the XBOX Live Top Ten (Once since the Halo: Reach controversy). I expect it'll return with the Black Ops release, but either way its absence is irritating and confusing as always.

[angelmb]

Nintendo is like Disney.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

A little early for Sony to be devaluing their Plus service... unless of course, a miniscule portion of those members were using the Hulu service, which is quite probable.

Hulu+ sucks. I have no idea why millions of PS3 owners with cable would pay $120 more per year for the service.

I'm guessing it won't be around in another 2-3 years.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Hulu+ sucks. I have no idea why millions of PS3 owners with cable would pay $120 more per year for the service.

I'm guessing it won't be around in another 2-3 years.

Say, why did I just get a call from Bossier City?

[Brien]

Originally Posted by angelmb 

I'd totally play that game.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Hulu+ sucks. I have no idea why millions of PS3 owners with cable would pay $120 more per year for the service.

I'm guessing it won't be around in another 2-3 years.

In case you missed it, it's not even out of preview and the price is rumored to be cut in half.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

In case you missed it, it's not even out of preview and the price is rumored to be cut in half.

Y-e-e-e-e-e-p, missed it...

As a PS Plus subscriber, I've had the Hulu+ beta installed since it was first offered, and was left pretty unimpressed. I'll save final judgment though.

Others might find some value in it, but Netflix gives me much more than I need. Current addiction: Gangland.