XBONE

[Keth]

Man when they announced the 'ideal' internet speed for using a One... i immediately thought of you ASC. it's good to have you aboard sir

[Thrizzle]

I was certain I'd be sticking with Xbox this gen, I'm astounded at how not close a decision this is for me.

 

Well, some people think the xbone was the star of the show.

 

 

About 96% of people do not.

 

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

[Newtype]

[IceManML]

Xbone at this pt seems to be a real expensive pain in the ass. I won't even be able to play w my boy overseas...

Even tho I have "50mb internet" i still get outages that last a hella long time (err seems like it) w all sorts o lil probs...

 

And the forcing of the camera debacle... Writing this all out makes me feel pretty good about my ps4 preorder.

 

On asc's note if I woulda told myself there was no way I would practically be purchasing the next gen Xbox I probably woulda broke my own legs for "lying"

Edited June 13, 2013 by IceManML

[Jables]

Innovation and change is done by giving people something they want, whether they know they want it or not. Using his stupid cellphone analogy. One day suddenly cell phones had games, and you could play them on your phone. Did the phone companies alter the design of a phone so that it looked like an N64 controller that was giant, cumbersome, and nigh-impossible to use as a phone? No. They put games on a phone. And people played them, and then all phones had games. Same with text messaging and all the other shit. They added features that were extraneous and unobtrusive and people grew to love them on your own. They did not turn the phone into some unusable monstrosity and say "love it or leave it" because that is a fucking terrible business move.

 

Microsoft wants to sell game consoles to people who don't play video games, which is in itself a risky gamble, but then they ALSO want to alienate the consumer base that actually buys these things already. They're shitting where they eat and taking a massive gamble that they can lure in a larger consumer base to fill that void and then some. That is fucking stupid and deserves to be acknowledged as such.

 

Also: limiting ownership and forcing the consumer to have a tiny internet-connected camera in their homes that's always on is terrifying and horrible and morally wrong.

 

You're a stupid fucking analogy. And my response to that is the N-Gage, You smelly little cunt.

 

To the matter at hand though- I reckon their move here is 'growing with the consumer'. Think about it- the man-children with jerbs who buy most of this stuff are getting married and settling down. Man-caves and nerd shacks are being encroached on across the world to make way for nurseries and guest rooms(anecdotal) and so this device becomes a 'house item'. Hell, the pushing of Family gold subs shows that they're acknowledging the theoretical growth of it's existing fanbase and moving with the times.

 

And you're naive if you think your every move isn't tracked and analysed anyway, between continued efforts to digitise currency, CCTV and the goddamned internet. I think someone mentioned the Freedom of Information act or similar earlier? Yup, any privacy you have is completely illusory. Microsoft are simply giving you a fourth wall to break, here.

 

Again to disclaim: I'm not behind any of this bullshit, I just figure while you're mas'ing to your gifs and just talking some absolute shit a devil's advocate not on the MS payroll might be heard.

[The NZA]

uh-huh

 

a) $500

b) no resale/buyer's remorse

 

= good luck being "ahead of the curve" like a canary going into the mines dolo

 

the mancave element won't carry this, you'll be (again) persecuted for choosing the anti region-free choice, only with less sympathy without a way to recoup on losses, m'man. think it through.

[Jables]

K. I forgot that I'm among a community of single men or the lucky ones with some degree of nerd girlfriends. You my friends are still the minority. In the real world girlfriends and wives know absolutely nothing about region locking or trading games and yadda yadda. Again, middle to upper-class grown gamers rarely trade, at least in this country and when they do it's a bulk slough off. They have 9-5 jobs to simply purchase the things they want and don't scour forums and websites looking for the best deal or trade deals. This is entirely evident in Microsoft's pitch, here.

 

We'll see how the numbers play out, but the fringe gaming community is having a completely different conversation about these devices than the more core gamers are, and what sense otherwise do you make of what Microsoft's doing? I mean you can talk all the shit you want about how Sony beat their arses bloody at E3, but god forbid I break up the circle jerk to simply illuminate the logic behind their pitch.

[alive she cried]

but god forbid I break up the circle jerk to simply illuminate the logic behind their pitch.

 

God forbid you do...you have yet to, though

Edited June 13, 2013 by alive she cried

[Iambaytor]

The Ngage died due to lack of sales, that just supports my point.

 

In the real world girlfriends and wives know absolutely nothing about region locking or trading games and yadda yadda. Again, middle to upper-class grown gamers rarely trade, at least in this country and when they do it's a bulk slough off.

 

Okay, here's why that's bullshit. Recently a game called Metro: Last Light came out, it was a sequel to a game called Metro 2033. I had somehow missed out on Metro 2033 so I went "I would like to buy that." So I went on amazon and oh look, they don't make it anymore, but look at all these new and used copies they have from private sellers. I could A) buy a used copy for $200 or I can buy a used one for $40. Gee I wish that once I buy a copy of a game from several years ago for almost the price it was new that I would have to pay an additional charge to unlock it. That would just be great.

 

The only logic behind their pitch is to have their cake and eat it too, but their methods of doing so are criminally stupid.

[Jables]

I don't see how your thing matches to my thing. Are you middle to upper class suburban? Honestly, not to be a dick but I don't know how I can be clearer but it's like these words are just bouncing off your primate skulls because you somehow can't relate to the scenario that I'm presenting OR that MS are pitching to. Go on being ignorant though. In 6 months when you get the point I'll be waiting with a participation ribbon for you all.

 

And ASC- Snaps you Irish devil!

[Thrizzle]

I don't see how your thing matches to my thing.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking as I read it. I get what you're saying 'Baytor, and wholeheartedly share your attitude, but it doesn't really have anything to do with JZA's point. And, as much as it shakes my branches, he does have a point.I wouldn't call those people he described "gamers" so much as "consumers" though. The xbone is clearly not for gamers. We've established that, and they seem to have embraced that.

 

So yeah. I assume that's their target demo. And it'll probably sell reasonably well. The busy CPA isn't going to know any of this shit about DRM or fees, he's just going to see that there's a new Xbox, scan the features on the back and hook the shiny fucker up.

 

But among us, the folks who count, I predict disaster.

 

 

Also, as an aside, anyone who has anything they refer to as a "man-cave" needs to turn in their testicles. Oh, does she let you have your own little room to put your garish shit in, so it doesn't clash with the decorating? Lucky duck.

Fuck that. It's the man house. I pay for this shit, and my Skyrim map is going on the living room wall. At the very least it should be a compromise.

Now, if you have a room that you like to put your cool shit in and you've made all awesome, that's super and will give you a high five, but it irritates me when people use that emasculating term like it's something to be proud of.

[the division of joy]

I wonder how long it'll be before Microsoft try this line of defense.

 

[Iambaytor]

No, I get what you're saying. Microsoft is throwing their actual consumers under the bus in favor of pleasing people who don't buy video games or consoles to begin with, but they failed at that because casual gamers like to buy used games more than hardcore gamers because they are cheap. I have a Wii and it does everything they want the xbone to do but it doesn't cost me additional money to use the hulu/netflix accounts I'm already paying for, isn't geocoded, plays any game intended for it regardless of internet connection or whether the game is pre-owned, and doesn't have a stupid camera attachment I don't want to use but will be forced to whether I want to or not, and never ever turns off.

 

They want to create a system that's a complete entertainment bundle? Well they failed spectacularly. My blu-ray player does most of what xbone is supposed to do and it was a lot cheaper. Even the imaginary middle class family you pretend to know things about wouldn't buy this unless they just didn't realize what a ripoff it was.

[Iambaytor]

Logan - that cpa doesn't buy game consoles anyway, why would he buy this one? The only people willing to spend ridiculous sums of money on games and systems are the people who love and use them regularly. I think the only place that's going to come in is people buying them for their kids. Even blind ignorance isn't going to help much as I imagine Microsoft tech support will be getting a lot of angry calls and emails from people wondering why this game they not off the internet won't play without a code. You're selling gamers short and overestimating casuals a lot. The only reason the Wii got such a good crossover fanbase was because it did that thing particularly well, xbone isn't even fractionally as well designed.

 

And my point does have to do with jay's. When a game goes out of print, having to pay for the ability to play something you already paid too much for will piss off anybody. That concept is idiot proof.

[The NZA]

so much snark about

 

In the real world girlfriends and wives know absolutely nothing about region locking or trading games and yadda yadda. Again, middle to upper-class grown gamers rarely trade, at least in this country and when they do it's a bulk slough off. They have 9-5 jobs to simply purchase the things they want and don't scour forums and websites looking for the best deal or trade deals. This is entirely evident in Microsoft's pitch, here.

 

1) it's still $500, and if you honestly don't think people trade/buy used just because your gaming budget is atrocious, i point you to the billions of dollars gamestop alone made during an economic slump and very much question your grasp on the larger markets

2) please, do tell me more about this real world of yours

 

We'll see how the numbers play out, but the fringe gaming community is having a completely different conversation about these devices than the more core gamers are, and what sense otherwise do you make of what Microsoft's doing?

 

that fringe community is also the exact group that buys day 1 at high prices. you think the soccer-moms who buy when it's $200 at wal-mart are the early demographic?

 

you're not shedding light on a thing, because if you aren't seeing the mistakes being made to pave the way for Ballmer's living room domination vision, you're not looking at the bigger picture - and while doing so, recall how well that went for sony when they tried to trojan horse expensive blu-ray tech into homes hoping to recreate the PS2 DVD player sales.

 

ASC - meant to say, don't you play like Skyrim and 2 other games? aren't you largely unaffected here?

 

Loggins - +1 for the mancave rant, i think pretty much the exact same shit every time that phrase is sadly used

[Thrizzle]

Logan - that cpa doesn't buy game consoles anyway, why would he buy this one?

 

I used the example because of specific circumstance. My mom married a CPA a few years ago, and he bought a 360 to occasionally play Test Drive and Madden, and because it was a new piece of electronics.

And I would rent the occasional videogame to just those types as they stumbled in, rather cluelessly, looking for something cool to play on their new bluray player PS3.

That's the crowd that's gonna buy it, and all the extra entertainment shit is the selling point for them.

 

I assure you that crowd very much exists.

 

Now, I do think JZA is overestimating the power they wield in the market.

[alive she cried]

ASC - meant to say, don't you play like Skyrim and 2 other games? aren't you largely unaffected here?

 

Hey! I've played, like...ten different FIFA's this gen.

 

Yeah I'm most definitely a casual gamer. But I love the games I love, and I love buying classic games six years after they come out, second hand, for €20. (I bought Bioshock about a month ago, must get back to that soon.)

 

Second hand games aside though, do I really have to explain?

• No camera spying on me.
  
• My internet is unreliable.
  
• It's €100 cheaper.
  
• Microsoft is acting like a bitch, and when you act like a bitch, you get smacked like a bitch.
  

[Thrizzle]

I'm fine with the camera, just because I get a sense of satisfaction out of knowing they'll be looking primarily at my waving dong and toneless scallop of a body of they chose to spy on me.

[Keth]

if anything changes Microsoft's stance on this, it will be Logginseseses waving dong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2013 by axel_napalm

[IceManML]

The more I look at KI the more I try to convince myself to "deal w it" being the xbone locking me out once in a while when my Internet goes down. But The fact that MS is validating some sort of "legitimacy" on how I'm using my console, using the camera no less, reeeeeally irks da muthafookin shit outta me...

 

But that KI looks so purdy :'S n I like some of those exclusives... Fukin a these jerks..

+1 on cam trolling lol

Edited June 14, 2013 by IceManML

[Maldron]

You are aware that KI is a free to play title where they give you jago and you have to buy every other character individually, right?

[IceManML]

Theres gonna be a Season pass.. Same as buying the game if it ain over 60$. Plus they're gonna release KI1 w the pass.

[The NZA]

did you see how it kinda looked like butt tho

[Newtype]

http://gamasutra.com/blogs/JayJohnso...deployment.php

 

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.

 

...

 

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...Microsoft has single handedly alienated the entire military, and not just the U.S. military, the militaries of the entire world.

 

...

 

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.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/micro...box-one-2013-6

 

We decided to talk to a few Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers about what this will mean for gaming in the military. It's worth noting the military is comprised mostly of males, ages 18 - 35, the key demographic for video games.

 

"I predict a major shift to PlayStation Marine Corps-wide," said a former Marine who's done two tours aboard a carrier strike group at sea and who has beta-tested games for various companies. "Xbox is going to tank in the military."

 

...

 

"Xbox was the previous favorite," the Marine said. "'Halo' has always been an essential team LAN game aboard ship. It was almost a standard. Lots of people had it so easy to link Xboxes for 4 on 4," said the Marine. "Xbox was king of social gaming aboard ship."

 

...

 

A group of gaming Marines, Soldiers and Sailors broke down some numbers for us, and it turns out that somewhere around 25 to 30,000 troops do duty aboard ship at any given moment. Another Navy Sailor pointed out to us that there's at least 6 to 7,000 troops aboard those submarines Mattrick so flippantly referenced. Not to mention the majority of the stateside military living in barracks rooms, where random room changes occur regularly.

 

Counting the Coast Guard, the number of active duty military, most of which lives in barracks housing, rests at around 1.4 million. That's a lot of units sold or not sold — [take our POLL] — even more of a reason Mattrick might want to step tenderly around the subject of uniformed members.

 

We contacted Microsoft for a statement about Mattrick's punchline and its implications. In specific, we wanted to know if there was any consideration at all for troops serving in austere conditions.

 

This was the Microsoft response we recieved:

 

“With Xbox One you can game offline for up to 24 hours on your primary console, or one hour if you are logged on to a separate console accessing your library. Offline gaming is not possible after these prescribed times until you re-establish a connection. Although we’re very excited about Xbox One, we remain dedicated to Xbox 360 now and for years to come. In fact, we are expecting some of the greatest blockbusters of 2013 and 2014 to come out on Xbox 360 such as ‘Grand Theft Auto V,’ ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts,’ ‘Madden NFL 25’ and ‘FIFA 14.’”

 

http://www.armytimes.com/article/201...rvice-members-

 

Navy Lt. Scott Metcalf was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Xbox One. Now he’s not even sure if he’ll buy one. Metcalf called that a “showstopper” for any service members who rely on their Xbox for off-duty diversions downrage, in the field, or at sea. Which is to say, just about everyone. And it gets worse for on-the-go troops. The Xbox One:

• Can play only in Xbox One-friendly countries. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a regular, reliable Internet connection while overseas, you’ll have to be in one of 21 countries included in Microsoft’s server network. So, if you’re stationed in, say, Germany, Italy or Great Briatin, you’re good to go. But if you’re based in Japan, Kuwait or Afghanistan, you’re out of luck.
  
• Will have region-locked games. Games bought in the U.S. can be activated only in the U.S. That means no more ripping open the latest title that just arrived in a care package from home while you’re deployed. And forget about buying games locally when overseas — if your Xbox Live account isn’t tied to the region when you activate a game, it won’t play.
  
• Serious security concerns. Even when the Xbox One is in sleep mode, its built-in microphone can always listen in. It’s a feature developers say will provide quick voice-command access to games and apps — but that could spook commanders who might worry the always-connected device could also capture more than just idle chit-chat among troops.
  

OFFduty asked Microsoft officials if that empathy might translate into practical workarounds for the military.

 

“I don’t have additional details to share and can’t speculate on workarounds at this time,” wrote Xbox rep Danica Stickel in an emailed response to questions, repeating the suggestion that troops could just use the 360 instead. “Although we’re very excited about Xbox One, we remain dedicated to Xbox 360 now and for years to come. In fact, we are expecting some of the greatest blockbusters of 2013 and 2014 to come out on Xbox 360.”

 

She did offer some encouragement for Xbox One hopefuls, however, saying the regional lock restrictions aren’t much different from other content protections.

 

“Similar to the movie and music industry, games and other content must meet country-specific regulatory guidelines before they are cleared for sale — which means that games will work in the broad geographic regions for which they have been cleared, much as today with Xbox 360,” Stickel wrote.

 

“While the console itself is not geographically restricted, a user’s Xbox Live account, content, apps and experiences are all tied to the country of billing and residence,” she wrote.

 

“Military personnel will be able to take their Xbox One and play their games with them without an issue as long as the game has been ‘activated’ once in the U.S. Your games go with you and play, no issues,” she says.

 

...

 

“This is shameful, says Joel Hruska, a writer for Extreme Tech website. “Telling troops that you ‘empathize’ with them is both embarrassing and hands Sony perfect ammunition.”

 

“Do I think Microsoft is going to change?” writes Hruska in a recent post. “Honestly, no. The remarks that’ve come out to date paint a picture of a company that’s so drunk on its own Kool-Aid, they aren’t listening to outside criticism or commentary any longer.”

 

 

 

[The NZA]

the hits keep comin'

 

 

 

looks like even single-player/offline stuff counts, obviously we don't have anything concrete here yet...pretty troubling though. there were bannings (not sure if they were account or system?) this last gen over breaking street date, FIFA hack and several other things...bootlegging usually banned your box, not your account, as i recall.