Xbox 360 Dashboard Changes

[Apocolypse007]

This article contains most of the upcoming major changes for the 360 dashboard and functionality. A major update to say the least. Its slated for release before the holidays.

http://xboxfocus.com/news/535-micro...ashboard-new-avatars-new-xbox-live/index.html

I like it, avatars, streaming netflix, new GUI, etc.

 

[MilkyWay]

its posted in the xbox 360 clubhouse and on the main new page

i like the new look the other one look retro and borign compared to other consoles

the avatars are fine, most hardcore gamers wont even need them because they wont play like 100-1 the quiz gmae

 

[MadClown]

am I the only one that thinks the new dashboard completely fails

 

[JoshBrunelle]

Reminds me of the 3dflip deal in vista (alt-tabbing with windows key). With the popularity of the wii, and miis, im not surprised they have created something like them, but i doubt most people will use them.

 

[Master_of_Time]

am I the only one that thinks the new dashboard completely fails

I'm with you... Avatars a copy of Miis, Design - copy/paste Vista Aero...
You are not alone, you can see my post here:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=36708 page 32
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=65807 - only two pages

 

[joinmeindeath417]

M$ is trying to cater to all audiences they do not care if you or anyone else think it is stupid or "degrading" or "makes you feel like an idiot" just let them do what there going to do.. love it or hate it your still playing xbox 360 games (and soon from your hdd). so enjoy at least the good things and ignore the bad things

 

[MilkyWay]

its fine stop moaning!

the avatars are fine and i think there is the option of just using the gamerpic instead tho

nobody made fun of the mii characters but yet this is a better version and it gets laughed at bad

the deal with the vista thing switch between windows things is that a lot of os have that i think mac os does nad some linux either way its not the same you just move them to the side

it looks modern way cooler than the blades

the update has the new resolutions so im glad about that

 

[alexp999]

I like the new dashboard, like the changes. But I really don't like the avatars. They suit the Wii, they are that kind of style and market. But come on MS, I'm not 6.

 

[angie1313]

I dont know...I kinda like it. Just like anything else it will take some getting used to

 

[ShadowFold]

A console for gaming? Blasphemy!

Thank god I switched over to PC gaming last year. I would be raged if I was still a 360 gamer lol

 

[alexp999]

A console for gaming? Blasphemy!

Thank god I switched over to PC gaming last year. I would be raged if I was still a 360 gamer lol

I used to be a sole console gamer, and would get every game i could on the 360. Now I have been converted lol. Only time I will buy a game for the 360 is if its not coming out on pC. i.e GTA IV.

 

[joinmeindeath417]

i use to only be a pc gamer (still kinda am) and than igot sick of joining games taking forever because people have all these F$#king mods or textures or sound effects or maps instead of just having a server to play the regular games on..i hated that crap and thats why i became a console gamer. but either way the 360 is doing what it has to do to climb the ladder? wouldn't you be more pissed if you read about there e3 and all they had was OMFG OMFG GOW2? i would be at least they had news to share maybe not all good to some of you but a lot of it is and i can't wait til the fall.

 

[Apocolypse007]

I can see how the avatars cater to a younger audience and may be an insult to more mature users, but I dont see it being mandatory to create one, so you shouldnt judge harshly for them giving you the option. Also, with the more powerful GPU in the 360, they can make the avatars more mature looking and less cartoonish, bobblehead characters.

 

[ShadowFold]

I can see how the avatars cater to a younger audience and may be an insult to more mature users, but I dont see it being mandatory to create one, so you shouldnt judge harshly for them giving you the option. Also, with the more powerful GPU in the 360, they can make the avatars more mature looking and less cartoonish, bobblehead characters.

I'm 16 and I really dont care for them at all and when I was 15 the Wii-Mii thing, didn't care for that either. I consider myself young tho idk about you tho.

 

[Apocolypse007]

Im 20. I didnt say I was a big fan either, my point was you dont have to pay the avatar any heed at all. Its not like they are forcing it on you.

 

[ShadowFold]

From what I saw at the conference it looks like they are

 

[Master_of_Time]

Well, actually, they ARE forcing it on you... To use some of the update's new features you have to have an avatar - not for everything, but they decided to force it on us... Come on, man! With games with graphics like Gow2's this IS insulting. Why? Because, M$ is like this: "OK, copy the Miis, make them lokk lame like the original Miis. We know we can make 'em a lot better but we just don't give a sh**" So,after all, they are M$ not two guys in a garage! They have the biggest part of the market, that doesn't mean they should get lazy. And I'm sick of this Vista look everywhere! The new menu is just a vista copy - buttons are see-through like vista, they flip like windows in vista, but it's vertical now... Well, they're keeping the guide with the blades, so I say "f*** the new menu" and I'm not going to use it at all. What really annoys me is that we can't use the old gamerpics now (not sure, but haven't seen 'em in the new version). For some we paid MONEY. Why is M$ stealing our money??? So now we have to buy new clothes, hair-styles, etc.? Sounds a lot lamer that Master Chief. Well, I'm really happy with the new HDD-loading option, it's really great and I appreciate it. Well, after all I just hope they give us a choice like this - use avatars get and give us 1vs100, LIVE party, etc.; don't use avatars - just lock those. I won't mind at all.

 

[alexp999]

I can see why Ms is doing it, they are trying to open the 360 up into a bigger audience. ATM it is mostly for "gamers", the Wii isnt. The reason the Wii is doing so well in the market is that it is aiming more at kids and families, hell even retirement homes are getting them for the old folks to have a go on.
I am looking forward to these updates and new dash, I just feel that these avatars should either be optional and/or for you to be able to use game characters (i.e they make simplified 3d versions of the characters). Then have maybe customizations on them like you can customize your master chief/elite on halo multiplayer.
Even a basic version of the character to put the normal clothes and accessories on! Master chief with shades, hoody and jeans, lol!

 

[mike1900]

The Xbox360 is just mind blowing .The console gaming just became more challenging and nerve racking.

======================
mike
very powerful search engine
http://www.google.com

 

[Master_of_Time]

Even a basic version of the character to put the normal clothes and accessories on! Master chief with shades, hoody and jeans, lol!

That just made my day. Nice one!

 

[joinmeindeath417]

...or we can all just wait and see what the final product delivers before we bash it 3 months before release.

 

[Master_of_Time]

...or we can all just wait and see what the final product delivers before we bash it 3 months before release.

THEN can we bash it to hell if we don't like it?

 

[alexp999]

THEN can we bash it to hell if we don't like it?

But if we say stuff now, it gives MS 3 months to get as many users as possible happy with it, so we dont have to bash them on launch.

 

[Kei]

Well, actually, they ARE forcing it on you... To use some of the update's new features you have to have an avatar - not for everything, but they decided to force it on us... Come on, man! With games with graphics like Gow2's this IS insulting. Why? Because, M$ is like this: "OK, copy the Miis, make them lokk lame like the original Miis. We know we can make 'em a lot better but we just don't give a sh**" So,after all, they are M$ not two guys in a garage! They have the biggest part of the market, that doesn't mean they should get lazy. And I'm sick of this Vista look everywhere! The new menu is just a vista copy - buttons are see-through like vista, they flip like windows in vista, but it's vertical now... Well, they're keeping the guide with the blades, so I say "f*** the new menu" and I'm not going to use it at all. What really annoys me is that we can't use the old gamerpics now (not sure, but haven't seen 'em in the new version). For some we paid MONEY. Why is M$ stealing our money??? So now we have to buy new clothes, hair-styles, etc.? Sounds a lot lamer that Master Chief. Well, I'm really happy with the new HDD-loading option, it's really great and I appreciate it. Well, after all I just hope they give us a choice like this - use avatars get and give us 1vs100, LIVE party, etc.; don't use avatars - just lock those. I won't mind at all.

Damn, I wasn't that angry when I was your age! You sound like you need a hug

Now then, nobody has said that you can't use your pics that you had before, the blades aren't going away, and the rest of the 360 is like Vista so it's only natural that the look continues to go that way. I'm not sure which version of the dashboard I'll like more, I'm not too excited about the new avatars but I don't see it as a horrid thing like the younger crowd is screaming about (funny the older people don't mind yet they're going after the young crowd haha). I don't mind them at all and it can be cool if you were to give it a chance...it's not even out so why bash something you haven't even used yet?

I heard about the 1 vs 100 thing prior to E3 but I thought it was some sort of the Japanese 100 vs 1 thing so it didn't make sense (I don't watch much television...at all). Now that I know what it is I watched a few episodes last night and I think it's a wonderful addition to Xbox Live and it'd be pretty fun to me. I'm not really that kinda person but it's a pretty fresh idea and cool to have on a console considering it's all about community anyway.

I'm happiest about the group options now as I've been waiting for that as the upgrade I want the most (group chat). The avatar thing though is cooler looking than the Mii's which is nice and it'll surely branch further considering how things have been run with Xbox Live so far. With Nintendo and Sony both running an avatar like that is was only a natural thing for Microsoft to adopt the same sort of strategy and put their own flair to it.

This may also help them get an even better hold on the Wii market as I'm sure they'll market this like there is no tomorrow along with the low price of the 360 core systems these days. That will indeed get some sales away from the Wii because of the broader game lineup and system functions.

I think we'll enjoy the new functions when they come out and people that are bashing now will very quietly change their minds after not too long after release. Of course they won't change the first day because that'll be the 'coolest' thing to bash when it's released but they'll make some crazy looking avatar and then the universe will be well again. And us old people ('old' to them at least) will say "I told you so" in our heads...

K

 

[Kei]

Also the new HD option is an awesome thing I think especially for those of us with 120Gig harddrives...this should enable them to release certain games that would otherwise be significant multidisc games...

Not to start one of those stupid forum wars, but I imagine this could be the tech needed to get Metal Gear on the 360 as the game will/could still be multidisc (and a new bundle could be made with the larger HD) as it's got a huge amount of video in the game. What I'm getting at is that the game can be no larger than 25Gig worth of data as that's the limit for the BD discs anyway so...3 discs really isn't bad at all, not to mention with the HD install option that could help immensely as the PS3 uses the same option for their games to run as well.

It'd be nice it happened and so far all the games I predicted would make their way over to the 360 have come but there are still a few that haven't come just yet (Tekken, MGS4, and umm...yea that's it). I wouldn't be surprised in anyway shape or form if Tekken 6 is announced for 360 shortly after Soul Calibur makes it's way to shelves. Every game that they've stopped talking about completely has been announced shortly for 360 so far...haven't heard anything about Tekken 6 in a long time now...same thing happened with FFXIII, DMC4, etc.

K