Xbox 360 Media Impressions
10-13-2005, 05:49 PM
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Suzuka Master
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Xbox 360 Media Impressions
MS flew a bunch of journalists and some select gamers to either NY and San Francisco for a hands-on session of the Xbox 360. Here are some interesting tidbits from the event:
http://www.majornelson.com/
Media Day
Posted: October 11, 2005 @ 1:52 am (1 day, 9 hours ago) By: Major Nelson
Great media day Tuesday here in New York. A lot of members of the press were coming though and getting some serious Xbox 360 time. We had many sessions today, but here is the basic breakdown of how the day went: We started journalists out with an hour of introduction. It was a sort of “Xbox 360 Boot Camp.” Each journalist got set up with their own Xbox 360 work area for the first hour where Scott Henson (the Director of our Advanced Technology Group) walked the ‘class’ through Xbox 360 basics. They played Kameo, spent time learning their way around the Xbox 360 Dashboard (as well as how to customize it) and how to set up a custom game sound track. They played some PGR3 and then we let them loose on the games! They left the ‘classroom’ and wandered into the ‘play room’ (as I call it) where they got to play the following games for as long as they wanted to:
Call of Duty 2
Condemned: Criminal Origins
DOA4
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Kameo: Elements of Power
NBA 2K6
NBA LIVE 06
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Perfect Dark Zero
Peter Jackson’s King Kong
Project Gotham Racing 3
Xbox Live Arcade
Two of the journalists that I spent a significant amount of time with were Steve from Gamingsteve.com and Peter Rojas from Engadget.com. Steve and I didn’t get a chance to play any games together (although Steve pretty much played everything) but Peter and I went head to head in DOA4. Apparently my jet lag started to affect me…since Peter pwned me. Not once, but THREE times. He had the DOA combo moves down cold. In one scene (a temple) Peter kept kicking me down the stairs while the temple monkeys watched and applauded my inability to coherently defend myself. Uggh. Tomorrow both Peter and Steve are coming back to play more games…so I’ll be able to get some gaming time in with Steve….and property defend my honor with Mr. Rojos and his roving pack of virtual simians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gamingsteve.com
My Day With The Xbox 360
xboxevent.jpgSo here I was, just playing some new games when I was unexpectingly invited to a private Xbox 360 preview event right here in New York City. So I hopped on the subway, showed up to Xbox-themed loft, and played lots of Xbox 360 games for several hours (yeah, I know, I suck).
Before I get "into it" I have to say that I've been to a fair number of these things over the years but this one was by far one of the best. The space was small, quiet, comfortable, and I got tons of quality time playing Xbox 360 games.
The event started out with an hour demo of Kameo: Elements of Power (looked fantastic), Project Gotham Racing 3 (pretty good), and the Xbox Live Dashboard (beyond words cool) and then we were able to play games for a couple of hours. I have to say, I was a bit concerned about the Xbox 360 launch lineup, but after today I am starting to think that the PS3 might be in some serious trouble. I was extremely impressed with what I saw and a couple of the launch titles look downright legendary.
I will do a detailed podcast about my experiences at the event later in the week but here is a quick rundown of my thoughts:
"The Hardware": The Xbox 360 controller is "like butter" and handles better than the PS2 controller (yes, even I was surprised by that one). The system design itself is "iPod Nano slick", compact, and the little "trap doors" which protect the various plug-in elements (like the memory unit and controller slots) are a nice touch.
Xbox Live Dashboard: I have to admit I was quite skeptical about how well the Xbox Live features would integrate into the overall gameplaying experience. But after playing with the Dashboard firsthand I have to say that it is seamlessly integrated with the overall experience and Xbox Live will definitely enhance the overall gaming experience, even with games which have no multiplayer options (more on this in the podcast). Really impressive stuff.
Kameo: Elements of Power: Considering that this game was supposed to be a launch title for the GameCube, and then was supposed to come out for the Xbox, and then was "retooled" as a launch title for the Xbox 360, I had a lot concerns about this game. But after playing it I have to say that the graphics are most definitely "next gen", the gameplay was lots of fun, and the music fantastic. I think Kameo will herald in the triumphant return of great Rare games.
Perfect Dark Zero: I played two levels of this game and while it was definitely fun I am going to hold judgment. There were a lot of cool innovations in the game (the safecracking "locktopus" being the coolest), and the weapon variety quite nice, but the gameplay seemed pretty standard.
Call of Duty 2: Played a lot like the first Call of Duty but with refined controls and updated gameplay. If you liked the first one I'm sure you'll like this one.
Condemned: Criminal Origins: Of all the games I played today this one surprised me the most and I felt the "winner" of the show. Created by Monolith, the game is a bit hard to explain as it does of lot of things I have never seen before. It plays like Resident Evil crossed with an FPS crossed with an psychological thriller. The game looks amazing (when I was watching someone play the game I thought I was watching a movie) and pulls you into the story within the first five seconds. Expect this to be a huge surprise hit.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: For those of you who can't wait to get this game (you know who you are) make sure to pre-order your Xbox 360 now. Look forward to another 250+ hours of "Elder Scrolls gameplay" but with next gen graphics.
For pictures of the event make sure to check out Xbox Live's Major Nelson blog and photo album. On a side note I have to say meeting Major Nelson for the first time was great. Not only is he "the nicest guy ever" but he and I got a chance to talk "podcast shop". Very cool.
My Second Day with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360After spending one day with the Xbox 360 I went back to the New York press event and played the few games that I missed. Here are my thoughts on those and make sure to check out the site tomorrow when I do a final recap of the event, post some pictures, and talk about the Xbox 360 multiplayer experience:
Xbox Live Arcade: I spent quite a bit of time playing Live Arcade since I knew almost nothing about it before the event and ended up quite impressed. Think Shockwave.com but with more "mature" games and lower prices (each game is priced separately with most being under $10 each). All of the games from Live Arcade are downloaded onto your Xbox and they have wide variety of game categories. After you download a game you can try it our for free and if you like what you see you can purchase the game for a small fee. The games I saw were more twitch-based than puzzle-based (which I think is a "good thing"), they played great with the console controller, looked amazing in HD. You might not buy the Xbox 360 to play Xbox Live Arcade but I think people will be amazed at the selection and quality of these smaller titles.
Dead or Alive 4: If you played DOA1, or DOA2, or DOA3 know the drill. It looks amazing and it plays just fine. If you liked DOA3 (or 2 or 1) you'll like DOA4.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The demo only featured two levels, which I believe are the exact same levels you can play on the currently released PC demo. The gameplay was a bit rough, but the graphics looked great. Plus, it's being made by Michel Ancel and the same team behind Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil (a fantastic game that nobody played). Expect potentially great things.
Project Gotham Racing 3: I didn't get to spend a huge amount of time with this one, but the plethora of options should appease any hardcore racing fan. One nice touch was crowd reactions, smash your car into the guardrail and watch the people scatter. I heard there were "famous New Yorkers" in the crowds, but they're a bit hard to see when you're flying by at 140 MPH.
NBA 2K6 & NBA LIVE 06: Wow, I mean, wow. The graphics were jaw-droppingly realistic. Shame they didn't have NHL 2K6 there as that is one of the only sports genres I still actively play.
Finally, I got a sweet little "keepsake" from the event -- my very own Xbox 360 Memory Card (of which I'll show you all tomorrow) and they even preloaded a few games on it for me. Of course, now I need an Xbox 360 to play those games...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some dude that posted this on IGN boards
Game of Event:
Drumroll please. My personal favorite (and I fully expected this) was Kameo. All I have to say is Breathtakingly gorgeous. Undeniably next gen. If you saw the X05 video, I actually got to sit down and play with the guy who was behind the controller of the video. He’s a super cool guy, and showed me tons of gorgeous areas in the game. The controls are fast, fluid and responsive, and did I mention gorgeous? I walked right up to walls and the detail holds out. The brick work is amazing, cloth physics are sick, flying over grass and watching the grass react to the wind from my wings… WOW. Did you guys know that it has a co-op mode? Yep! Split screen coop! Water unlike water I’ve ever seen in any game to date. Definitely worthy a purchase in my opinion.
Surprise of Event:
Xbox Live Arcade. Guys, they redid arcade, and OMG. It is going to rock the world. I am serious. They’ve got tons of indy developers submitting games to be released on arcade, and these titles are actually good! We’re talking old school gaming, with new school graphics. I played some of these for HOURS. And NOW it will actually catch on. Anyone with an internet connection can download trial versions of the games, and then purchase with credit card, or with a gamercard that is purchased from a store. Games will be cheaper than they are currently, and apparently they’ve got a section dedicated to emulated coin-op arcade games. Several of the big arcade machine companies have started submitting titles to be released. I honestly, and I really mean this, don’t know how Nintendo’s online plan can compete. Nintendo will be re-releasing their old titles for play, but Xbox live arcade will have old emulated titles AND new titles being released all the time. You wanted innovation? It’s here guys. Here is where people will get to experiment with new ideas, with new gameplay, and submit their work to MS, and have it published through XBL Arcade. Microsoft did it right this time. In addition to anyone being able to purchase and play XBL arcade titles, you can bring the games with you anywhere on a memcard. Yes, you can copy a purchased game onto a memory card and bring it with you and play.
Ok, technically I was just one of many journalists at yesterday’s press preview event, but I did get a chance to spend a couple of hours with the Xbox 360. I wasn’t exactly blown away with every title I saw, but overall I walked away impressed. We’ll have a full review of the 360 once we get the review unit they’ve promised us, but for now a few quick initial impressions:
* The event started off with a lengthy tutorial to show off the ins and outs of the console, particularly Xbox Live and its media capabilities. The integration with Xbox Live is excellent and permeates the entire experience — unlike with the original Xbox, it’s hard to imagine using the console without a broadband connection.
* They also had iPod nanos on hand to demo the 360’s ability to play audio stored on a portable audio device (it can actually play MP3s or WMAs stored on any USB mass storage device), and how you could listen to whatever music you liked during gameplay.
* The controller itself felt good in the hand and that button in the middle brings you straight to Xbox Live. You can jump instantly in and out of Xbox Live from any game without messing things if you want to check your messages.
# The graphics and textures of Condemned were amazing, and Need For Speed Most Wanted was one of the most photorealistic games I’ve ever seen. Project Gotham Racing 3 was pretty sweet, too, the level of detail in each city was mind-blowing.
# Somehow managed to repeatedly kick Major Nelson’s ass at Dead or Alive 4 (the game’s graphics were a bit too glossy for my taste).
# Couldn’t get past practice mode in NBA Live 06 because of a bug in the build (we were playing on dev units), but it seems like they’ve manage[/img]d to eliminate much of the herky-jerkiness in previous generation basketball games.
# Kameo was a bit disappointing (supposedly it gets better once you’re in deep). Call For Duty 2 was engrossing, but like Dead or Alive 4, it also seemed like it could use a bit more texture.
# The Xbox 360 doubles as Windows Media Center Extender and the demo I saw ran flawlessly, it was as if a copy of Windows XP Media Center Edition was running natively. They showed the Xbox streaming high def video off of a PC and it was perfect.
# They also showed off Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Perfect Dark Zero, and King Kong, all of which I wouldn’t mind spending more time with.
http://www.majornelson.com/
Media Day
Posted: October 11, 2005 @ 1:52 am (1 day, 9 hours ago) By: Major Nelson
Great media day Tuesday here in New York. A lot of members of the press were coming though and getting some serious Xbox 360 time. We had many sessions today, but here is the basic breakdown of how the day went: We started journalists out with an hour of introduction. It was a sort of “Xbox 360 Boot Camp.” Each journalist got set up with their own Xbox 360 work area for the first hour where Scott Henson (the Director of our Advanced Technology Group) walked the ‘class’ through Xbox 360 basics. They played Kameo, spent time learning their way around the Xbox 360 Dashboard (as well as how to customize it) and how to set up a custom game sound track. They played some PGR3 and then we let them loose on the games! They left the ‘classroom’ and wandered into the ‘play room’ (as I call it) where they got to play the following games for as long as they wanted to:
Call of Duty 2
Condemned: Criminal Origins
DOA4
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Kameo: Elements of Power
NBA 2K6
NBA LIVE 06
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Perfect Dark Zero
Peter Jackson’s King Kong
Project Gotham Racing 3
Xbox Live Arcade
Two of the journalists that I spent a significant amount of time with were Steve from Gamingsteve.com and Peter Rojas from Engadget.com. Steve and I didn’t get a chance to play any games together (although Steve pretty much played everything) but Peter and I went head to head in DOA4. Apparently my jet lag started to affect me…since Peter pwned me. Not once, but THREE times. He had the DOA combo moves down cold. In one scene (a temple) Peter kept kicking me down the stairs while the temple monkeys watched and applauded my inability to coherently defend myself. Uggh. Tomorrow both Peter and Steve are coming back to play more games…so I’ll be able to get some gaming time in with Steve….and property defend my honor with Mr. Rojos and his roving pack of virtual simians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gamingsteve.com
My Day With The Xbox 360
xboxevent.jpgSo here I was, just playing some new games when I was unexpectingly invited to a private Xbox 360 preview event right here in New York City. So I hopped on the subway, showed up to Xbox-themed loft, and played lots of Xbox 360 games for several hours (yeah, I know, I suck).
Before I get "into it" I have to say that I've been to a fair number of these things over the years but this one was by far one of the best. The space was small, quiet, comfortable, and I got tons of quality time playing Xbox 360 games.
The event started out with an hour demo of Kameo: Elements of Power (looked fantastic), Project Gotham Racing 3 (pretty good), and the Xbox Live Dashboard (beyond words cool) and then we were able to play games for a couple of hours. I have to say, I was a bit concerned about the Xbox 360 launch lineup, but after today I am starting to think that the PS3 might be in some serious trouble. I was extremely impressed with what I saw and a couple of the launch titles look downright legendary.
I will do a detailed podcast about my experiences at the event later in the week but here is a quick rundown of my thoughts:
"The Hardware": The Xbox 360 controller is "like butter" and handles better than the PS2 controller (yes, even I was surprised by that one). The system design itself is "iPod Nano slick", compact, and the little "trap doors" which protect the various plug-in elements (like the memory unit and controller slots) are a nice touch.
Xbox Live Dashboard: I have to admit I was quite skeptical about how well the Xbox Live features would integrate into the overall gameplaying experience. But after playing with the Dashboard firsthand I have to say that it is seamlessly integrated with the overall experience and Xbox Live will definitely enhance the overall gaming experience, even with games which have no multiplayer options (more on this in the podcast). Really impressive stuff.
Kameo: Elements of Power: Considering that this game was supposed to be a launch title for the GameCube, and then was supposed to come out for the Xbox, and then was "retooled" as a launch title for the Xbox 360, I had a lot concerns about this game. But after playing it I have to say that the graphics are most definitely "next gen", the gameplay was lots of fun, and the music fantastic. I think Kameo will herald in the triumphant return of great Rare games.
Perfect Dark Zero: I played two levels of this game and while it was definitely fun I am going to hold judgment. There were a lot of cool innovations in the game (the safecracking "locktopus" being the coolest), and the weapon variety quite nice, but the gameplay seemed pretty standard.
Call of Duty 2: Played a lot like the first Call of Duty but with refined controls and updated gameplay. If you liked the first one I'm sure you'll like this one.
Condemned: Criminal Origins: Of all the games I played today this one surprised me the most and I felt the "winner" of the show. Created by Monolith, the game is a bit hard to explain as it does of lot of things I have never seen before. It plays like Resident Evil crossed with an FPS crossed with an psychological thriller. The game looks amazing (when I was watching someone play the game I thought I was watching a movie) and pulls you into the story within the first five seconds. Expect this to be a huge surprise hit.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: For those of you who can't wait to get this game (you know who you are) make sure to pre-order your Xbox 360 now. Look forward to another 250+ hours of "Elder Scrolls gameplay" but with next gen graphics.
For pictures of the event make sure to check out Xbox Live's Major Nelson blog and photo album. On a side note I have to say meeting Major Nelson for the first time was great. Not only is he "the nicest guy ever" but he and I got a chance to talk "podcast shop". Very cool.
My Second Day with the Xbox 360
Xbox 360After spending one day with the Xbox 360 I went back to the New York press event and played the few games that I missed. Here are my thoughts on those and make sure to check out the site tomorrow when I do a final recap of the event, post some pictures, and talk about the Xbox 360 multiplayer experience:
Xbox Live Arcade: I spent quite a bit of time playing Live Arcade since I knew almost nothing about it before the event and ended up quite impressed. Think Shockwave.com but with more "mature" games and lower prices (each game is priced separately with most being under $10 each). All of the games from Live Arcade are downloaded onto your Xbox and they have wide variety of game categories. After you download a game you can try it our for free and if you like what you see you can purchase the game for a small fee. The games I saw were more twitch-based than puzzle-based (which I think is a "good thing"), they played great with the console controller, looked amazing in HD. You might not buy the Xbox 360 to play Xbox Live Arcade but I think people will be amazed at the selection and quality of these smaller titles.
Dead or Alive 4: If you played DOA1, or DOA2, or DOA3 know the drill. It looks amazing and it plays just fine. If you liked DOA3 (or 2 or 1) you'll like DOA4.
Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The demo only featured two levels, which I believe are the exact same levels you can play on the currently released PC demo. The gameplay was a bit rough, but the graphics looked great. Plus, it's being made by Michel Ancel and the same team behind Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil (a fantastic game that nobody played). Expect potentially great things.
Project Gotham Racing 3: I didn't get to spend a huge amount of time with this one, but the plethora of options should appease any hardcore racing fan. One nice touch was crowd reactions, smash your car into the guardrail and watch the people scatter. I heard there were "famous New Yorkers" in the crowds, but they're a bit hard to see when you're flying by at 140 MPH.
NBA 2K6 & NBA LIVE 06: Wow, I mean, wow. The graphics were jaw-droppingly realistic. Shame they didn't have NHL 2K6 there as that is one of the only sports genres I still actively play.
Finally, I got a sweet little "keepsake" from the event -- my very own Xbox 360 Memory Card (of which I'll show you all tomorrow) and they even preloaded a few games on it for me. Of course, now I need an Xbox 360 to play those games...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some dude that posted this on IGN boards
Game of Event:
Drumroll please. My personal favorite (and I fully expected this) was Kameo. All I have to say is Breathtakingly gorgeous. Undeniably next gen. If you saw the X05 video, I actually got to sit down and play with the guy who was behind the controller of the video. He’s a super cool guy, and showed me tons of gorgeous areas in the game. The controls are fast, fluid and responsive, and did I mention gorgeous? I walked right up to walls and the detail holds out. The brick work is amazing, cloth physics are sick, flying over grass and watching the grass react to the wind from my wings… WOW. Did you guys know that it has a co-op mode? Yep! Split screen coop! Water unlike water I’ve ever seen in any game to date. Definitely worthy a purchase in my opinion.
Surprise of Event:
Xbox Live Arcade. Guys, they redid arcade, and OMG. It is going to rock the world. I am serious. They’ve got tons of indy developers submitting games to be released on arcade, and these titles are actually good! We’re talking old school gaming, with new school graphics. I played some of these for HOURS. And NOW it will actually catch on. Anyone with an internet connection can download trial versions of the games, and then purchase with credit card, or with a gamercard that is purchased from a store. Games will be cheaper than they are currently, and apparently they’ve got a section dedicated to emulated coin-op arcade games. Several of the big arcade machine companies have started submitting titles to be released. I honestly, and I really mean this, don’t know how Nintendo’s online plan can compete. Nintendo will be re-releasing their old titles for play, but Xbox live arcade will have old emulated titles AND new titles being released all the time. You wanted innovation? It’s here guys. Here is where people will get to experiment with new ideas, with new gameplay, and submit their work to MS, and have it published through XBL Arcade. Microsoft did it right this time. In addition to anyone being able to purchase and play XBL arcade titles, you can bring the games with you anywhere on a memcard. Yes, you can copy a purchased game onto a memory card and bring it with you and play.
Ok, technically I was just one of many journalists at yesterday’s press preview event, but I did get a chance to spend a couple of hours with the Xbox 360. I wasn’t exactly blown away with every title I saw, but overall I walked away impressed. We’ll have a full review of the 360 once we get the review unit they’ve promised us, but for now a few quick initial impressions:
* The event started off with a lengthy tutorial to show off the ins and outs of the console, particularly Xbox Live and its media capabilities. The integration with Xbox Live is excellent and permeates the entire experience — unlike with the original Xbox, it’s hard to imagine using the console without a broadband connection.
* They also had iPod nanos on hand to demo the 360’s ability to play audio stored on a portable audio device (it can actually play MP3s or WMAs stored on any USB mass storage device), and how you could listen to whatever music you liked during gameplay.
* The controller itself felt good in the hand and that button in the middle brings you straight to Xbox Live. You can jump instantly in and out of Xbox Live from any game without messing things if you want to check your messages.
# The graphics and textures of Condemned were amazing, and Need For Speed Most Wanted was one of the most photorealistic games I’ve ever seen. Project Gotham Racing 3 was pretty sweet, too, the level of detail in each city was mind-blowing.
# Somehow managed to repeatedly kick Major Nelson’s ass at Dead or Alive 4 (the game’s graphics were a bit too glossy for my taste).
# Couldn’t get past practice mode in NBA Live 06 because of a bug in the build (we were playing on dev units), but it seems like they’ve manage[/img]d to eliminate much of the herky-jerkiness in previous generation basketball games.
# Kameo was a bit disappointing (supposedly it gets better once you’re in deep). Call For Duty 2 was engrossing, but like Dead or Alive 4, it also seemed like it could use a bit more texture.
# The Xbox 360 doubles as Windows Media Center Extender and the demo I saw ran flawlessly, it was as if a copy of Windows XP Media Center Edition was running natively. They showed the Xbox streaming high def video off of a PC and it was perfect.
# They also showed off Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Perfect Dark Zero, and King Kong, all of which I wouldn’t mind spending more time with.
Last edited by cusdaddy; 10-13-2005 at 05:51 PM.
10-13-2005, 05:53 PM
#2
Suzuka Master
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Age: 45
Posts: 7,083
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More impressions:
http://engadget.com/entry/1234000153062828/
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-...son-130325.php
http://www.gamingsteve.com/archives/...1.php#comments
http://www.360hacker.net/articles/10...launch-titles/
http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000433062928/
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=112572
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6110
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1869701,00.asp
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine...88_xbox12.html
http://news.com.com/Xbox+360+in+a+le...tml?tag=st.num
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...1609.33789.htm
http://engadget.com/entry/1234000153062828/
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-...son-130325.php
http://www.gamingsteve.com/archives/...1.php#comments
http://www.360hacker.net/articles/10...launch-titles/
http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000433062928/
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=112572
http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6110
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1869701,00.asp
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine...88_xbox12.html
http://news.com.com/Xbox+360+in+a+le...tml?tag=st.num
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...1609.33789.htm
10-13-2005, 06:06 PM
#3
Suzuka Master
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Xbox Live Arcade sounds awesome this next go-around. IMO, this is one of the best features of the 360. They are supporting the indie-development community, emulated arcade games with online (imagine playing old arcade games with friends online like TMNT?), and it expands the system userbase by adding less complicated games for adults, little kids, etc..
I think this is one feature that while not talked much about yet will be a big system seller long-term:
More info on Arcade:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?op...=1308&Itemid=2
I think this is one feature that while not talked much about yet will be a big system seller long-term:
Surprise of Event:
Xbox Live Arcade. Guys, they redid arcade, and OMG. It is going to rock the world. I am serious. They’ve got tons of indy developers submitting games to be released on arcade, and these titles are actually good! We’re talking old school gaming, with new school graphics. I played some of these for HOURS. And NOW it will actually catch on. Anyone with an internet connection can download trial versions of the games, and then purchase with credit card, or with a gamercard that is purchased from a store. Games will be cheaper than they are currently, and apparently they’ve got a section dedicated to emulated coin-op arcade games. Several of the big arcade machine companies have started submitting titles to be released. I honestly, and I really mean this, don’t know how Nintendo’s online plan can compete. Nintendo will be re-releasing their old titles for play, but Xbox live arcade will have old emulated titles AND new titles being released all the time. You wanted innovation? It’s here guys. Here is where people will get to experiment with new ideas, with new gameplay, and submit their work to MS, and have it published through XBL Arcade. Microsoft did it right this time. In addition to anyone being able to purchase and play XBL arcade titles, you can bring the games with you anywhere on a memcard. Yes, you can copy a purchased game onto a memory card and bring it with you and play.
Xbox Live Arcade. Guys, they redid arcade, and OMG. It is going to rock the world. I am serious. They’ve got tons of indy developers submitting games to be released on arcade, and these titles are actually good! We’re talking old school gaming, with new school graphics. I played some of these for HOURS. And NOW it will actually catch on. Anyone with an internet connection can download trial versions of the games, and then purchase with credit card, or with a gamercard that is purchased from a store. Games will be cheaper than they are currently, and apparently they’ve got a section dedicated to emulated coin-op arcade games. Several of the big arcade machine companies have started submitting titles to be released. I honestly, and I really mean this, don’t know how Nintendo’s online plan can compete. Nintendo will be re-releasing their old titles for play, but Xbox live arcade will have old emulated titles AND new titles being released all the time. You wanted innovation? It’s here guys. Here is where people will get to experiment with new ideas, with new gameplay, and submit their work to MS, and have it published through XBL Arcade. Microsoft did it right this time. In addition to anyone being able to purchase and play XBL arcade titles, you can bring the games with you anywhere on a memcard. Yes, you can copy a purchased game onto a memory card and bring it with you and play.
Speaking of Xbox Live arcade, it’s nothing short of amazing. I really didn’t expect to see what I saw. Can you say Joust in 1080i? Microsoft took the original ROM and upscaled the graphics to 1080i resolution. It looks AMAZING. There’s an option to turn off the enhanced graphics on the fly if you don’t want them and enjoy joust with the original graphic set. Not only that, it will feature co-op play via Live.
All Live arcade titles are in 1080i. Some of the original titles are really sharp looking with bright color and smooth animations with fast and furious action. There’s a title from Bizarre Creations called Geometry Wars. Think Tempest meets Asteroids meets Smash TV. It’s a blast to play and looks amazing. I honestly couldn’t put the damn game down. There’s a puzzle game from the creator of Tetris called Hexic HD. This will be included free with the system.
Now here’s where things get taken to the next level. Of the 12 or so titles from Microsoft and various other big name publishers there were two other Live Arcade titles I got to play: “Wik the Lost Souls” (an indy PC title) and a Marble-Madness type title. Microsoft is working with small time publishers and indy development houses to start publishing their games via Live. Over the course of a year Microsoft will slowly be phasing in independent games, and eventually may put in a full fledged system to support independent publishing via Live. All Live arcade titles will support online leaderboards, as well as friend leaderboards (so you can see how only your friends are doing compared to you).
All Live arcade titles are in 1080i. Some of the original titles are really sharp looking with bright color and smooth animations with fast and furious action. There’s a title from Bizarre Creations called Geometry Wars. Think Tempest meets Asteroids meets Smash TV. It’s a blast to play and looks amazing. I honestly couldn’t put the damn game down. There’s a puzzle game from the creator of Tetris called Hexic HD. This will be included free with the system.
Now here’s where things get taken to the next level. Of the 12 or so titles from Microsoft and various other big name publishers there were two other Live Arcade titles I got to play: “Wik the Lost Souls” (an indy PC title) and a Marble-Madness type title. Microsoft is working with small time publishers and indy development houses to start publishing their games via Live. Over the course of a year Microsoft will slowly be phasing in independent games, and eventually may put in a full fledged system to support independent publishing via Live. All Live arcade titles will support online leaderboards, as well as friend leaderboards (so you can see how only your friends are doing compared to you).
All of the Live Arcade games will feature HD (1080i) resolution—but for purists, most retro-ports will be available to play in their original glory. In addition, 75% of the titles will feature Live multiplayer modes, with quick match, optimatch, and create match capabilities. Plus, your progress in these games will count towards your “gamerscore”; you’ll also have the opportunity to earn achievements.
(Note: Microsoft will announce the big name publishers that will support Live Arcade in the coming days. Although I didn’t get a definitive confirmation, I mentioned to the rep that it would be really cool if they brought some of those classic early-90’s arcade games to the service, like, say, TMNT. At that, he smirked, and simply stated that I would be pleasantly surprised with the list of devoted publishers that want to revisit their arcade classics on Live Arcade.)
(Note: Microsoft will announce the big name publishers that will support Live Arcade in the coming days. Although I didn’t get a definitive confirmation, I mentioned to the rep that it would be really cool if they brought some of those classic early-90’s arcade games to the service, like, say, TMNT. At that, he smirked, and simply stated that I would be pleasantly surprised with the list of devoted publishers that want to revisit their arcade classics on Live Arcade.)
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?op...=1308&Itemid=2
10-13-2005, 10:37 PM
#5
Suzuka Master
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On the same note, here is another piece on Xbox Live Arcade.. This is from an article from IGN:
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/658/658313p5.html
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/658/658313p5.html
Second, Xbox Live Arcade. I know, I know. You're thinking, "Who the F**K cares about a bunch of crappy 2D games that have been around for 20 years???!!!" I didn't before I saw Microsoft's plans for this one simple aspect of the system. But guess what? Xbox Live is a marketplace waiting to explode with old games, recent games, and new 2D games. The simple fact that you can download these games and have them forever on your system doesn't seem revolutionary. But when all of a sudden, they're not on discs, but on your hard drive, in their original form, or in HD, and playable on Live, for gamer points? Kind of interesting.
When you think of all the developers and gamers who want more 2D shooters, fighters, action games, puzzlers, and low-budget games, but that you can't play anymore because the arcade down the street closed three years ago, Xbox Live Arcade, you'll realize, becomes that new arcade. Dozens of developers can publish their own games on Xbox Live arcade, hundreds of them will in the next few years, and all of a sudden, you'll come home and be playing poker, Streets of Rage, Hexic, and Joust more than you ever have before -- against friends, recent players, who knows.
The system's capabilities, the most impressive of which is Xbox Live, and Xbox Live Arcade, are going to wow gamers perhaps more than the games themselves. Soon, you'll see.
When you think of all the developers and gamers who want more 2D shooters, fighters, action games, puzzlers, and low-budget games, but that you can't play anymore because the arcade down the street closed three years ago, Xbox Live Arcade, you'll realize, becomes that new arcade. Dozens of developers can publish their own games on Xbox Live arcade, hundreds of them will in the next few years, and all of a sudden, you'll come home and be playing poker, Streets of Rage, Hexic, and Joust more than you ever have before -- against friends, recent players, who knows.
The system's capabilities, the most impressive of which is Xbox Live, and Xbox Live Arcade, are going to wow gamers perhaps more than the games themselves. Soon, you'll see.
10-13-2005, 10:43 PM
#6
Senior Moderator
^^^ sounds revolution-ary 
10-13-2005, 11:47 PM
#7
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Acuraluvr
wow..... looks like great graphics
But, graphics are just half the battle.
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10-14-2005, 11:24 AM
#9
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Here's a press release on Xbox Live Arcade:
Old-school high resolution and online Capcom, Midway, Komami, Namco, Sega, SNK arcade games
Old-school high resolution and online Capcom, Midway, Komami, Namco, Sega, SNK arcade games
Microsoft Unveils New Market for Bite-Sized Game Titles as Industry Heavyweights Pledge Support for Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Peter Moore to Reveal Highly-Anticipated Christmas Holiday Titles and Supporting Publishers to Digital Life Consumer Technology Audience
New York, 14 October, 2005 At the Digital Life consumer technology showcase in New York, Microsoft will reveal the launch window portfolio for Xbox Live® Arcade for Xbox 360™.
Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing for Xbox at Microsoft, will announce in his Digital Life keynote speech the highly-anticipated Xbox Live Arcade launch titles, as well as Xbox Live Arcade support by the world’s leading publishers including Midway Home Entertainment, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Vivendi Universal Games, Konami, SEGA, Namco and Hudson Soft.
“The next generation of Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will enhance the gaming experience for casual and competitive gamers alike, across the globe, providing something for everyone with world-class games and captivating content,” said Moore.
Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will launch in the U.S. and Canada on November 22, 2005, simultaneously with the North American launch of the Xbox 360 console. Similarly, the European and Japanese versions of Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will launch alongside the European and Japanese console launches on 2 December and 10 December, respectively. The next-generation Xbox Live Arcade online service will be fully integrated into the Xbox 360 Dashboard providing a central destination for Xbox 360 gamers to download new games, access their game collections, check out new releases and experience around-the-game features.
The Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 launch portfolio will include the following titles through the Christmas holiday season 2005:
* Astropop – Popcap Games
* Bankshot Billiards 2™ – pixelStorm, Inc
* Bejeweled 2 – Popcap Games
* Crystal Quest – Stainless Games
* Feeding Frenzy – Popcap Games
* Gauntlet – Midway Home Entertainment
* Geometry Wars 2 – Bizarre Creations
* Hardwood Backgammon – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Hearts – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Spades – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hexic® HD – Microsoft Game Studios
* Hoopworld – Streamline Studios
* Jewel Quest – iWin.com
* Joust – Midway Home Entertainment
* Marble Blast Ultra – GarageGames
* Mutant Storm Reloaded – PomPom Games
* Outpost Kaloki – Wahoo Studios
* Robotron 2084 – Midway Home Entertainment
* SmashTV – Midway Home Entertainment
* Wik: Fable of Souls – Reflexive Entertainment
* Zuma – Popcap Games
As an added bonus, the full version of “Hexic HD,” the Xbox Live Arcade puzzle game, will be included free of charge with every Xbox 360 System at launch. Designed by world famous Tetris® creator Alexey Pajitnov, “Hexic HD” will be preloaded on the Xbox 360 hard drive.
Additionally, Peter Moore will announce that more than 40 publishers and developers have signed on to support Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 with game titles. These partners include:
· Atari
· Bizarre Creations
· Capcom
· Codemasters
· CTXM
· Digital Eclipse
· Electronic Arts
· Empire Interactive
· Gaia Studios
· GameHouse Studios
· Garage Games
· Gastronaut Studios
· Hamster
· Harmonix
· HipSoft
· Hudson Soft
· iWin
· Konami
· Llamasoft
· Load, Inc
· Mad Doc Software
· Majesco
· Microsoft Game Studios
· Midway Home Entertainment
· Mumbo Jumbo (United Developers)
· Naked Sky Entertainment
· Namco
· Oberon Media
· Pick Up And Play
· pixelStorm, Inc
· PlayFirst
· PomPom Games
· Popcap Games
· Q Entertainment
· RealNetworks, Inc
· Reflexive Entertainment
· Secret Lair Studios
· SEGA
· Silver Creek Entertainment
· SNK Playmore
· Stainless Games
· Streamline Studios
· Tik Games
· Ubisoft
· uWink
· Vivendi Universal Games
· Wahoo Studios
· Wanako Games
· Wild Tangent
Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will consistently release new games to the service for gamers to download, with 35 titles planned by summer 2006. Gamers can choose from a variety of genres including action arcade titles, coin-op and retro classics, puzzle games, casual sports games, light strategy titles and card & board games. Games will come from the world’s leading publishers as well as console developers, downloadable game shops and smaller developers alike, creating a great mix of classic favorites and truly innovative titles for the gamer to choose from.
“We’re proud to be part of Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360, the world’s first and only destination where gamers can find, download and buy smaller games directly to their console,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Retro, casual and hardcore gamers will be pleased to have access to the selection of quality SEGA titles we plan to offer via the new Xbox Live Arcade.”
Xbox Live Arcade is powered by Xbox Live Marketplace, enabling gamers to quickly and easily download and unlock Xbox Live Arcade games. Every game in the Xbox Live Arcade will have a free, fully playable trial version that any Xbox Live Gold or Silver member can download onto their hard drive or memory unit.
Note: Earlier this week (11 October 2005), Microsoft and RealNetworks, Inc. announced plans to collaborate in the casual games arena. In this games partnership, RealNetworks will develop a series of new casual games for Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360.
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Peter Moore to Reveal Highly-Anticipated Christmas Holiday Titles and Supporting Publishers to Digital Life Consumer Technology Audience
New York, 14 October, 2005 At the Digital Life consumer technology showcase in New York, Microsoft will reveal the launch window portfolio for Xbox Live® Arcade for Xbox 360™.
Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing for Xbox at Microsoft, will announce in his Digital Life keynote speech the highly-anticipated Xbox Live Arcade launch titles, as well as Xbox Live Arcade support by the world’s leading publishers including Midway Home Entertainment, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Vivendi Universal Games, Konami, SEGA, Namco and Hudson Soft.
“The next generation of Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will enhance the gaming experience for casual and competitive gamers alike, across the globe, providing something for everyone with world-class games and captivating content,” said Moore.
Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will launch in the U.S. and Canada on November 22, 2005, simultaneously with the North American launch of the Xbox 360 console. Similarly, the European and Japanese versions of Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will launch alongside the European and Japanese console launches on 2 December and 10 December, respectively. The next-generation Xbox Live Arcade online service will be fully integrated into the Xbox 360 Dashboard providing a central destination for Xbox 360 gamers to download new games, access their game collections, check out new releases and experience around-the-game features.
The Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 launch portfolio will include the following titles through the Christmas holiday season 2005:
* Astropop – Popcap Games
* Bankshot Billiards 2™ – pixelStorm, Inc
* Bejeweled 2 – Popcap Games
* Crystal Quest – Stainless Games
* Feeding Frenzy – Popcap Games
* Gauntlet – Midway Home Entertainment
* Geometry Wars 2 – Bizarre Creations
* Hardwood Backgammon – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Hearts – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hardwood Spades – Silver Creek Entertainment
* Hexic® HD – Microsoft Game Studios
* Hoopworld – Streamline Studios
* Jewel Quest – iWin.com
* Joust – Midway Home Entertainment
* Marble Blast Ultra – GarageGames
* Mutant Storm Reloaded – PomPom Games
* Outpost Kaloki – Wahoo Studios
* Robotron 2084 – Midway Home Entertainment
* SmashTV – Midway Home Entertainment
* Wik: Fable of Souls – Reflexive Entertainment
* Zuma – Popcap Games
As an added bonus, the full version of “Hexic HD,” the Xbox Live Arcade puzzle game, will be included free of charge with every Xbox 360 System at launch. Designed by world famous Tetris® creator Alexey Pajitnov, “Hexic HD” will be preloaded on the Xbox 360 hard drive.
Additionally, Peter Moore will announce that more than 40 publishers and developers have signed on to support Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 with game titles. These partners include:
· Atari
· Bizarre Creations
· Capcom
· Codemasters
· CTXM
· Digital Eclipse
· Electronic Arts
· Empire Interactive
· Gaia Studios
· GameHouse Studios
· Garage Games
· Gastronaut Studios
· Hamster
· Harmonix
· HipSoft
· Hudson Soft
· iWin
· Konami
· Llamasoft
· Load, Inc
· Mad Doc Software
· Majesco
· Microsoft Game Studios
· Midway Home Entertainment
· Mumbo Jumbo (United Developers)
· Naked Sky Entertainment
· Namco
· Oberon Media
· Pick Up And Play
· pixelStorm, Inc
· PlayFirst
· PomPom Games
· Popcap Games
· Q Entertainment
· RealNetworks, Inc
· Reflexive Entertainment
· Secret Lair Studios
· SEGA
· Silver Creek Entertainment
· SNK Playmore
· Stainless Games
· Streamline Studios
· Tik Games
· Ubisoft
· uWink
· Vivendi Universal Games
· Wahoo Studios
· Wanako Games
· Wild Tangent
Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 will consistently release new games to the service for gamers to download, with 35 titles planned by summer 2006. Gamers can choose from a variety of genres including action arcade titles, coin-op and retro classics, puzzle games, casual sports games, light strategy titles and card & board games. Games will come from the world’s leading publishers as well as console developers, downloadable game shops and smaller developers alike, creating a great mix of classic favorites and truly innovative titles for the gamer to choose from.
“We’re proud to be part of Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360, the world’s first and only destination where gamers can find, download and buy smaller games directly to their console,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Retro, casual and hardcore gamers will be pleased to have access to the selection of quality SEGA titles we plan to offer via the new Xbox Live Arcade.”
Xbox Live Arcade is powered by Xbox Live Marketplace, enabling gamers to quickly and easily download and unlock Xbox Live Arcade games. Every game in the Xbox Live Arcade will have a free, fully playable trial version that any Xbox Live Gold or Silver member can download onto their hard drive or memory unit.
Note: Earlier this week (11 October 2005), Microsoft and RealNetworks, Inc. announced plans to collaborate in the casual games arena. In this games partnership, RealNetworks will develop a series of new casual games for Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360.
10-14-2005, 11:26 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by srika
^^^ sounds revolution-ary
10-14-2005, 02:19 PM
#11
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A resource from MS validated that the majority of games will have online co-op over Live. Pretty cool. I can't wait to play some of the old arcade multiplayer games with friends
10-14-2005, 02:45 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by cusdaddy
Playing old Nintendo games is one of the biggest selling points of the Revolution. I think this is awesome as well and takes it a step further by adding online capability to old arcade classics.
10-14-2005, 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by srika
looking back, my post looks sarcastic and it looks like I'm trying to imply that Microsoft is trying to do what Nintendo is doing with the Revolution - didn't mean that at all, I truly do think this Xbox Live Arcade will be a new frontier in gaming, and revolutionary.
10-14-2005, 04:50 PM
#14
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Looking forward to Oblivion 
But I'm getting the PC version.
But I'm getting the PC version.
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