Xbox 360, Bundles, and Delayed Releases.

[MrHat]

Saw the demo at Best Buy.

The fucking box is waaaaay bigger than the pictures make it out to be.

Have a demo at EB. Still smaller than the current xbox and looks about 500x better.

Go measure your original xbox.



Edit:  1/2 an inch shorter.  From 12.6 to 12.1".  Awesome.

[Shockeye]

It's still ugly.

[Shockeye]

What happens to all the people who shelled out $1000 for some super-bundle then it turns out a bunch of those games aren't actually coming out at launch?

It also seems that Team NINJA's Dead or Alive 4 (X360) will not be hitting the launch date. EBGames.com notes that those who ordered that game will have it automatically replaced with a 360 copy of Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 2 (PC, X360). COD2 cannot be removed from the order without cancelling the entire bundle.

[Merusk]

Fighting game with plenty of digital tits.. first person WW2 shooter.. yeah I can see where I'd be satisfied with that replacement.

[HaemishM]

I saw the nice little Call of Duty 2 demo on the 360 they were running at Best Buy.

On the TV/monitor/HD thing they had, it looked quite nice. Nice booming sound. I couldn't help but notice just how jaggedy and aliased the whole thing was, though, especially when compared to a computer with a decent video card set on a good bit of anti-aliasing. From a distance of my couch it might not be so noticeable. I also don't know if the TV they were using was HD or not, though it certainly had crisp color and good sound.

But it was still jaggedy. Enough so that it didn't make me want the system immediately. And especially not at a $400 price point. Half that, with a library of at least 10 games I want and another 20 I don't care about. That's what it'll take to make me want a 360.

[Sky]

*bites tongue*

[HaemishM]

If I'm spending $400 on a new system that won't reliably play all my existing X-Box games, they goddam better make me wet my fucking pants with the smooth crispness of the graphics, TV resolution or not. Nothing I saw made me think I couldn't see the same thing on the X-Box.

[Shockeye]

Nothing I saw made me think I couldn't see the same thing on the X-Box.

That's where I am right now as well.

[ahoythematey]

Just like the xbox's flagship title Halo, it seems like the 360 is going to be nothing but a small evolutionary step in places others have been to before.  Who'd thought Microsoft would do such a thing?

[voodoolily]

The only good thing I can think of the release of the 360 is that now I can pick up a regular old XBox for way cheaper (and then I can play Siberia without having to boot Sauced off CoV). Seriously, as whorish as we both are for toys, we have tried two or three times to convince each other/ourselves that we should get an XBox and have just not quite been able to do it due to lack of games that interest us. I can still find a copy of Conkers Bad Fur Day for the N64 on eBay, so it's not really pressing.

[Murgos]

No DOA4 and no Oblivion?  I wasn't really considering buying a launch 360 (read: you will be buying ver 2 in 8 months) only toying with the idea but now it is absolutely out of the question.

As far was what I expect graphics wise from the system?  It's a ramped up Mac with a good video card; the only thing it's really got going for it is that developers are able to focus on that set of specific design features.  Any improvements you see are going to be merely generational, as opposed to the PS3 or Revolution who are at least attempting break new paths.

[Yegolev]

What happens to all the people who shelled out $1000 for some super-bundle then it turns out a bunch of those games aren't actually coming out at launch?

They will experience as much personal growth as when their lottery numbers didn't hit.  Life's lessons are harsh.

[schild]

.  Any improvements you see are going to be merely generational, as opposed to the PS3 or Revolution who are at least attempting break new paths.

I'm pretty much a playstation devotee. It's where my money goes. Unfortunately they are going to be much like the 360 in this battle. Which is ok with me.

As for Nintendo, another system I'll own 10-20 games for over the life of the console and be pissed that I bought one at launch instead of waiting.

[voodoolily]

You should institue a buy-ten-get-one-free punch card system. Hell, just make one yourself to take in to EB and look at them like they're crazy if they refuse to give you a free game for your ten stamps.

[Shockeye]

As for Nintendo, another system I'll own 10-20 games for over the life of the console and be pissed that I bought one at launch instead of waiting.

For someone who is such a fanboi of innovation, you sure do hate Nintendo and the Revolution.

[Yegolev]

I give an edge to the PS3 over 360 since I expect to see games like Ico, Colossus, Katamari, RotTK, and a host of tactics games exclusive to the platform.  Sony's edge is their library.  I am always irked that I keep finding PS2 exclusives even today.  Maybe some Japanese will learn to program for the 360, or programming for the Rev won't be like pulling teeth.

[Shockeye]

or programming for the Rev won't be like pulling teeth.

From everything I've read, Nintendo is doing their best of make the Revolution very developer friendly.

[schild]

As for Nintendo, another system I'll own 10-20 games for over the life of the console and be pissed that I bought one at launch instead of waiting.

For someone who is such a fanboi of innovation, you sure do hate Nintendo and the Revolution.

It's even funnier than that. I'm willing to buy a guitar, wireless arcade stick, a taiko drum - and hell, possibly even the chainsaw for RE4 because it's Better than the dual shock. But buying little dongles for a remote control seems insane to me. There's no logic here, just well...this:


"The power glove. It's so bad."

Yegolev, the list of Japanese developers for the 360 looks to be near as long as the PS3 one. There are a couple SCEJ groups - like Ueda's Ico/Colossus team that obviously won't jump ship. The endorsements by Team Ninja and Q/Mizoguchi will go a long way for the 360. They've also got a handful of VERY Japanese games on the horizon for 1st quarter 2006. I think localization is even more likely from their camp as Microsoft is probably going to use the localize and dump strategy that SCEA embraced about 80% of the time.

[schild]

Someone may have posted this but... Final Xbox360 Launch list - far as I can tell:

Amped 3
Activision Call of Duty 2
Sega Condemned
EA FIFA 2006: Road To The FIFA World
Activision Gun
Microsoft Kameo Elements of Power
Peter’s Jackson’s King Kong
Madden NFL 2006
NBA 2K6
NBA Live 2006
Need For Speed Most Wanted
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero (Limited Edition)
Project Gotham Racing 3
Quake 4
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006
Tony Hawk: American Wasteland

Seems in line from what we've read. I guess all I'll be getting is Perfect Dark and Condemned.  I'm not even buying one on launch day now. A King Kong purchase is a possibility. I want an RPG and Soul Calibur 3.

[Shockeye]

Looks like most of that list is ports. I'll wait until next year.

[schild]

Looks like most of that list is ports. I'll wait until next year.

Come now, it's not Microsoft's fault that sports games are easy to port and make assloads of money.

[OcellotJenkins]

The old thread title was much better.   

[Shockeye]

The old thread title was much better.   

Except I don't even want the $400 system anymore.

[Merusk]

The old thread title was much better.   

Except I don't even want the $400 system anymore.

Meh, the $400 system will be priced-down to match the PS3 at it's release AND you'll have the bonus of not being one of the test-monkey generation boxes.  Has there been a single CD-generation console that didn't have something wacky in the first gen?

[Jain Zar]

Yeah that launch list will so take me away from Dragon Quest 8 which comes out next week.

By take me away I mean money I can save for games and systems I would want to play, or use to
pay off bills faster.

What a shit release list for a system that isn't all that in the first place.

[AOFanboi]

Have a demo at EB. Still smaller than the current xbox and looks about 500x better.

As long as you hide the huge and ugly power supply - which I guess stores do.

[MrHat]

The King Kong demo is way better than the CoD demo Haem,check it out.

But still, I'm not excited about it at all.

Other than an irrational want-to-buy-it-cuz-its-new-and-shiney factor.

[Margalis]

Wow, that might be the worst launch list I've ever seen. Basically all ports and sequels - how exciting!

It also seems that Team NINJA's Dead or Alive 4 (X360) will not be hitting the launch date. EBGames.com notes that those who ordered that game will have it automatically replaced with a 360 copy of Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 2 (PC, X360). COD2 cannot be removed from the order without cancelling the entire bundle.

HA HA HA..God that is hilarious. That's what you get for ordering months in advance - fucked! I wonder if they even bother to notify people that the bundle they already paid for changed.

If they had any class at all they would just ship it without DOA4 and include a $50 coupon or something.

Also on a random note programming for the GC was very easy, it was based on essentially OpenGL. Programming for the PS2 was very hard. Yet look at the PS2. I've said it before and I will say it again - ease of programming does not matter one bit. It never has any effect on game quality. And in a lot of cases "into to program" turns into "easy to program badly." (CE based Dreamcast games anyone?)

It's something programmers grumble about but not how decisions get made. The people who green-light games don't give a shit what system the programmers think is the best to work with. As a programmer you're just hoping the company decides to work on an easier system to make your life a little better.

[brandozilla]

List of backwards compatible games here...
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm

[schild]

 Ya know, people can just trade in the Call of Duty. It's going to be a sealed retail copy and they'll have a receipt.

[Sky]

Saw a 360 playing Call of Duty at walmart, on a 20"ish widescreen set. Looked ok on the smaller screen. Some teen was playing and getting massacred. I mentioned I hated playing shooters with thumbsticks and he agreed, saying he prefered a mouse. Smart boy!

Anyway, this wasn't to bash consoles  , just to add to the news that demo units are out and about for people to check out if they're interested.

[Shockeye]

The King Kong demo is way better than the CoD demo Haem,check it out.

When I played the King Kong demo it seemed like the game stuttered a bit.

[Jain Zar]

List of backwards compatible games here...
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm

Great.  So half my collection won't work.  How nice!

And here is a 1up article about system launches clearly written by a retard:

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3145578&did=1 

I guess one would think the 360's launch lineup is good if they approved of the N64 and SNES launch lists..

[Margalis]

The N64 and SNES didn't launch with a lot of games, but they did launch with good games. Mario 64 was amazing, and the SNES had both F-Zero and Super Mario World. Not quantitiy but at least quality.

The XBox doesn't have a single launch game that sounds the least bit exciting. Perfect Dark has gotten very mediocre previews, and when a game get poor previews you *know* it's going to be bad.

I wish they would just explain the backwards compatibility stuff already. Fuck the system is supposed to be out in a few weeks or so. Why don't they just fucking tell people how it is going to work?

My guess is the answer is that you need the hard drive and they don't want to come out and say it because it makes them look like retards for selling the "core" system without one. They are still being so vague about how it will work. "You need an emulator software program..." How about you tell us how I get the emulator, where it is stored, etc? Assholes.

[ahoythematey]

What a load of bullshit.

The cube launched with Rogue Squadron and SSBM in just a short few weeks after the system.  I've yet to play a fighting game as entertaining as SSBM(yes, even Soul Calibur).

The PSX launch games were pretty good all things considered(Jumping Flash, yo!), but the goddamn thing was $400, an atrocious price at the time that conjured images of another Saturn.

The PSP launch was absolute garbage.  It had Lumines, Untold Legends, and then some movies, plus Metal Gear AC!D if you enjoy tactics games(which I do but could not stand the ridiculous amount of text involved).