XBoxOne

[The Twilight Mexican]

I swear it's all been a ploy to clearance 360s.

 

[Carlie]

 

[Tetsujin]

Perfect.

 

[Gym Leader Devil]

gdi guys, now I miss my Dreamcast.

 

[Strangelove]

i saw a screencap of the support twitter say they don't 'have specifics on a physical power button [to turn on the console] right now' but you can power it up by saying 'Xbox on'? what if you disable the voice commands? who doesn't think of a power button as one of the first things you do?

is @xboxsupport2 actually official or is it trolling? i honestly can't tell anymore.

 

[Carlie]

I only had two glorious weeks with a Dreamcast, one of my uncles brought it to my grandma's house saying that a friend of his sold it to him and he thought it looked cool even though he had no idea what it was. I played two games on it, a racing game and what I think was a Japanese game with a character that looked a lot like kid Goku (I have searched the internet on several occasions for the name of that game but have sadly failed). As it turns out my uncle's friend had stolen it and when my grandma found out she beat the shit out of my uncle with it and made him return it to his friend. When I got to my grandma's house after school that afternoon excited to yet again play that wonderful console and then find it missing I was told what had happened by my grandma, I almost cried.

I never found out who the original owner was, I would've liked too because that dude was fucking awesome for basically being the only person on the Country to own a Dreamcast.

 

[Strangelove]

that post is the saddest one i have ever seen

now i wish i had the cables for my dreamcast

now i am emotional about old game consoles

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Man, my buddy was the only person I knew who had one, and he had a huge party at his house on his 18th birthday, and somebody from the party took it and his old Atari at some point during the long night of shenanigans and drinking. We never did find out who it was either.

Damn console nostalgia.



X

 

[Joe]

I too had a dreamcast for all of a week and played a game I loved more than life itself. It was a four player arena fighting game that was just so much fun with environment fighting, powering up and lots of cool moves. That story ^ rings a bell with me because in my game there was a character that reminded me of goku. He even transformed into a bulky warrior with gold hair.

I adored that game but I never properly remembered the name for it. Even ten years later I still didn't know what the name of the game was and searching for it kept me up at night now and then.

Last year I discovered that game was called Power Stone. Not only that, but it had gotten a port to PSP. I had never been happier than when I discovered after 12 years what the game was called and that it was also on a console I owned now.

I still haven't played it yet though.

 

[Hisako]

I've noticed you seem to be defending them/ playing devil's advocate quite a bit in all this, is there a reason for that? Are you getting an XBox One?

Or is all this a symptom for your love for Internet Explorer?

I tend to drift in the opposite direction from other people's opinions simply because I think there's more to the story and I don't need to be just another person spewing vitriol in a videogame industry that already has such a toxic atmosphere.

I think Peter Molyneux said it best:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...wing-very-unprofessionally-done-says-molyneux

Even notice how the article is worded. The site has emphasised the Xbox One's E3 showing (despite that not even being the only main point of Molyneux's tirade) because that's what people are gobbling up right now and that's what draws page views.

I mentioned on earlier in the thread that I won't be getting a next-generation console at all - not for at least a year or two, simply because I don't have that much money to spend. I don't believe either price in my region is justifiable, and while I'm genuinely excited for all the games they will likely cost an arm and a leg where I live, regardless of all the hype in the northern hemisphere. And in that couple year's timeframe, I have a feeling the gaming industry's landscape could very well be quite different to that which it is now. For better or worse.

Until some substantial price drops (and some policy and hardware improvements on Microsoft's end), I won't be "taking sides" on the "console war", because what has been friendly (and not even) consumer competition has turned into something almost tribal. I appear to be playing the "devil's advocate" because the majority of people on the internet have developed a singular, narrow mindset/perception on what Sony is, and what Microsoft is, and I don't think things are as simple as people are making it out to be. People continue to misrepresent things (the most obvious one coming to mind being the Kinect) and are ignoring the potential benefits a digital distribution system could bring to console gaming.

I'm not denying in any shape or form that Microsoft's Xbox One policies at the moment are shit. But I don't want the console to crash and burn like everyone wants it to. I want Microsoft to get their shit together, reduce their costs and ease off on the restrictive policies and focus on aspects of digital distribution that have made it such a popular option for publishers. I want it to improve, and offer a healthy alternative to the Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Wii U, because there are some genuinely interesting technological advancements in Microsoft's repertoire that are being ignored, and a two-party preference in hardware will only further restrict the diversity of the growth of videogames.

To be frank, I'm sick of seeing all the gaming feeds being clogged with memes of Xbox One and Microsoft. I haven't found them funny ever since before E3 even started. I laughed a lot for a month, and then when there wasn't anything new to it, I stopped. You guys can keep posting them - it's your choice and I have no intention of saying "SHTAP GAIZ YOU'RE HURTING MAH FEELINGS", but I just want to put that idea out there. Microsoft's screwball policies aren't funny. They're fucking tragic.

People are getting short-changed either way, but because we're all so fixated on Microsoft being fuck-ups we all seem to have forgotten that we're essentially celebrating the lesser of two (three?) evils as if all is well and good with the gaming industry now. Because it's not.

 

[Drax]

I am currently buying games for my dreamcast now

 

[Zee]

I want Microsoft to get their shit together, reduce their costs and ease off on the restrictive policies and focus on aspects of digital distribution that have made it such a popular option for publishers. I want it to improve, and offer a healthy alternative to the Playstation 4 and the Nintendo Wii U, because there are some genuinely interesting technological advancements in Microsoft's repertoire that are being ignored, and a two-party preference in hardware will only further restrict the diversity of the growth of videogames.

this, tbh

they've fucked up big time, but it's not like they're the only company that has. i haven't forgotten the $800 launch of the ps3 (and the shitty handling of their online network) nor have i forgotten the absolute tragedy that is the wii. companies do dumb shit all the time. ms is being particularly stupid, but i'd be sad to see them drop off the console market. competition is a good thing. that competition is exactly what got sony to think smarter this year, and it's benefited gamers.

also wow molyneux talking sense now go make fable 4 and make sure it doesn't suck

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

There's some sense to what you're saying, Satsu. A lot of it. Honestly, though, I find it hilarious to see Microsoft's hubris blowing up in their face like this. They're doing a better job selling PS4s and Wii Us than Sony or Nintendo could have ever done themselves.

 

[Tetsujin]

they've fucked up big time, but it's not like they're the only company that has. i haven't forgotten the $800 launch of the ps3 (and the shitty handling of their online network) nor have i forgotten the absolute tragedy that is the wii.

A lot of people seem to assume the Wii was a failure because it didn't cater to their demands but let's not forget it sold like fuckin hotcakes and left PS3 and Xbox360 in the dust. For Nintendo, it was the exact opposite of a tragedy.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

I think people's response to the XboxOne is all schadenfreude at the fact that Microsoft wanted to push their draconian corporate policies ahead of the wants of their consumer and the experience of the gamers, and Sony is doing the opposite. SO often, companies just get to walk over people because they have a user base that is either helpless or just so blinded by brand loyalty that they let them get away with it, which is why people are happy about Microsoft's move here coming back and kicking them straight in the nuts.

I worked for Microsoft in their IT Department for 4 years. They're an absolutely AWESOME company to work for, and being in a position where you're taking flak for something that a lot of work went into sucks, but really, it's not Microsoft itself that people want to fail. It's the idea behind how companies take their userbases for granted and treat them like comoddities and think that they can get away with it.

I'd LOVE to see them bounce back and bring us a more awesome Xbox and console experience (the same way people still want a better Sim City after the latest fiasco), but this completely devastating loss at E3 is something that I want EVERY company out there to remember: It doesn't matter how big you are, if you don't listen to the people, they WILL knock you down. HARD. And all the money and PR won't cover up the shit in the shit sandwich that you were trying to get away with selling.

The only difference here is that they made the mistake of selling this $5 shit sandwich next to someone else selling a $4 BLT.




X

 

[Geostigma]

You have to stop thinking that you're in charge and start thinking that you're having a dance. We used to think we're smart [...] but nobody is smarter than the internet. [...] One of the things we learned pretty early on is 'Don't ever, ever try to lie to the internet - because they will catch you. They will de-construct your spin. They will remember everything you ever say for eternity.'

You can see really old school companies really struggle with that. They think they can still be in control of the message. [...] So yeah, the internet (in aggregate) is scary smart. The sooner people accept that and start to trust that that's the case, the better they're gonna be in interacting with them.

~ Gabe Newell

Podcast where he talks about ^that and other things (really worth listening too imo).

http://www.nerdist.com/2013/01/nerdist-podcast-gabe-newell-valve-the-games/

The intro finishes around 9 minutes in and the quote itself is at about 11 minutes in.

 

[Russell]

I cannot thank that post enough.

 

[Tetsujin]

 

[laurence]

We should see more blog posts/opinions like this:

The Xbox One from a service member’s perspective: Microsoft has single handedly alienated the entire military

Spoiler

It has been quite some time since I have posted a blog, and for that I apologize. The reasons for that will become clear below.
For almost eight years I have served my country in the United States Navy. Initially, I enlisted as an Operations Specialist, but after two years I was picked up for a commissioning program and the Naval Aviation training pipeline to become a Naval Flight Officer (NFO – think Goose from TOPGUN, but a different aircraft). In that time I’ve served on three Nimitz class Aircraft Carriers, been on two combat deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan, and been on countless other detachments away from home for training and exercises. In the last two and a half years I have either been deployed or detached for a total of 18 months. From these experiences I would like to impart to you conversations that I have either been a part of or witnessed during my time away from home.

“Hey, Jay, do you want to come over tonight? We are going to have a Halo tournament.”

“Hey man, you got the new Gears of War game sent to you right? Can I borrow it when you’re done?”

“Bro, I picked up the new Forza when we were in Bahrain, let’s get started.”

The Xbox 360 launched when I was in Navy Boot Camp in 2005. I reserved it before I left, so that upon my return I would be able to experience the latest generation console that Microsoft was offering without delay. Since that time my Xbox 360 has accompanied around the world, its steady (okay loud) hum and green ring offering a temporary lull in my otherwise chaotic day-to-day. In fact, I have been a dedicated Microsoft fan before the 360 launch. I abandoned the PS2 and traded it in after I experienced Halo CE on the Xbox. The point I am trying to make is that I genuinely preferred almost everything Microsoft did with the Xbox and the Xbox 360, and fully anticipated doing the same with this latest generation of consoles. I was an Xbox 360 fan, not too the level of fanatic, but I long sang the praises of what I thought to be a superior system. Microsoft seemed to listen to gamer’s concerns and support them more than Sony did, and the products, in my opinion, were simply better and more conducive to my situation. For example, on my last deployment a squadron-mate was unable to enjoy Skyrim on the PS3 because of the well documented issues the system had running the game. Meanwhile, I clocked over 250 hours in Skyrim because, for an entire deployment, it was my sanctuary. It is where I went to calm down after a long day of flying. Although there were patches eventually made available to repair the unfortunate situation, he was never able to download the fixes because while deployed we simply do not have the ability to connect our systems to the internet.

Which brings me to the single greatest sin Microsoft has committed against all service members. Their surprising decision to require the Xbox One to receive a message from the “mother ship” every 24 hours has already been lighting up the internet for a myriad of reasons. But, the reason that I am so infuriated about it is that I, and my brothers and sisters in arms, will not ever be able to play Xbox One when deployed or on detachment. No longer will the sounds of Master Chief saving the human race echo through the hallowed halls of the USS Abraham Lincoln, or any other USS Ship, when we have a few hours respite. No longer will you see Marcus and Dom sawing through the Locust Horde at the bases in Afghanistan after the Marines have returned from patrol and want to escape their reality for a bit. Those days are now firmly behind us. Microsoft has single handedly alienated the entire military, and not just the U.S. military, the militaries of the entire world.

Despite my preference for the previous generations of Microsoft systems, and my dedication to their versions of multi-platform properties, I will not be buying an Xbox One at launch. In fact, the Xbox One might as well be called the Halo-Box, because I simply will not purchase it until the next Halo game drops. With developers focusing, more and more, on the multi-platform model, how much will I really be missing out on? None of the exclusives from either Sony or Microsoft excited me, except for the Halo tease. Simply put, outside of Halo and Forza, Sony has better exclusives. With developers like Quantic Dream, Naughty Dog, and titles like The Last Guardian looming on the horizon, all exclusive to PS4, I feel like I will be in much better hands with Sony. So, how much will I really be missing out on? While I think Forza is superior (so far) to Gran Turismo, the GT series is still very good, and I can play it when embarked on the ship. While I am a diehard Halo fan, the wait for the next iteration and my eventual purchase of my Halo-Box will give me ample opportunity to explore the Killzone series. Everything else, from Assassin’s Creed to Call of Duty, I can experience on the PS4, offline and tucked away in my little room on the ship, and without the concern of the programming complications that faced developers with the PS3 (which was my primary concern with PS3 multi-platform games).

I have searched the internet, hoping to find some data on the amount of video games sales that the U.S. military signifies. Although we represent less than one percent of the nation’s populace, I venture to say that we represent a drastically disproportionate amount of video game sales when compared to our numbers. Financially, I think the alienation of service members by Microsoft will have more of an impact than they realize.

This next point is for the developers. Although the PS4 will not have an online requirement to run, developers will still be able to make games that require persistent online authentication. Do not do this to us. The video game industry has made a fortune breaking not just video game records, but entertainment records as a whole, with properties that simulate what my brothers, sisters, and I do on a daily basis. Don’t alienate us with online requirements for games. It will cost you money and respect. This is a lesson that Microsoft is, tragically, about to learn.

Wonder if there's a chance for MS to acknowledge their mistake by listening to such stories. At the least they could modify policies on online requirement, which is the problem here.

 

[Geostigma]

 

[ForceStealer]

Nice.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

YUP.

MICROSOFT'S XBOX DEPARTMENT HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN TAKEN BY PEOPLE ATTEMPTING TO BOOST SALES OF THE PS4 AND THE 360. THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THINK THAT THIS WOULD ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BUY.


Sorry capslock, but I've run out of, "they can't possibly fuck this up in any new way that makes them less appealing" thoughts, because I honestly believe that they think that if they keep digging, they'll end up going up eventually, the same way someone thinks that digging will eventually bring you up in China, rather than incinerating absolutely everything that you take down there in a gigantic firey inferno of, "we fucking told you that you were going to screw yourself over." There's nothing left to give me any hope. NOTHING.


I just... I don't even.


ikuhjbedfhp8y4wetS(GUPIO 3l4wetgs



X

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

'Cause an XBox account has never been banned over a misunderstanding, mistake or on otherwise dubious grounds, right, folks?

 

[Russell]

This weeks Critical Miss, darker than usual, but appropriate.

 

[Carlie]

Gabe has solved the 11 year old Dreamcast mystery for me, the game in question was Grandia 2. I thank you Gabe.