Next XBox: XBOX One

[novicius]

[Continued from here (http://gtxfrefuge.freeforums.org/post78335.html#p78335).]

The Xbox One Will Be Updated Based on Fan Feedback, Microsoft Promises (http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Xbox-One-Will-Be-Updated-Based-on-Fan-Feedback-Microsoft-Promises-413481.shtml)


"When we look back and look at what we've done, we want to continue to adapt the system to what gamers want. The team that works on Xbox are gamers themselves. We want to build the system that we use and that we know gamers would enjoy using," Hryb added.

"We're going to continue to refine the system and make it what the Xbox fans are expecting and what they want. We're listening to the feedback every single day. I've already seen some changes in the operating system internally with what we're building."

Many new features are promised by Microsoft, including a major overhaul of the glitchy party chat system, but no exact time frame was given.

[21Kid]

I hope they include the option to not have to use physical discs... :cool:

[Tom Servo]

I would definitely like that, but it also does seem like you can buy most of the games online and just do it that way. That's what I've been doing with the PS4 at any rate, and will do with the Xbone when another game comes out that I give have a shit about.

[21Kid]

I was just being an :asshat: because that's how the Xbone was supposed to work from the beginning, until people complained about it. If we complain about physical discs, will they go back to the original model? :lol:

[Tom Servo]

Ahh yes. I was a pretty vocal complainer about it. However, I still maintain that my original idea - you can play while not signed in to XBL as long as you have the disc in, but you can have the option to play with the disc out if you are signed in - was a pretty damn good one. I don't see any problem with that setup: Do what they originally wanted to do, but have a fallback mode that you can use if you own the disc but don't have a working internet connection for whatever reason.

Speaking of, I was playing Forza 5 single player, racing along just fine, when suddenly the XBox says "Bye, Brian!", kicks me back to the Forza startup screen, and I'm logged out of XBL. WTF?

[Kchrpm]

Did one of the songs you were listening to have the words "Bye, XBox"?

[Tom Servo]

I actually have all the music turned off on the game (at least when racing), and also this was before my wife woke up, so I had the volume at 7 (normal playing volume is around 30ish). But it was just engine noises at the time, and coming from the XBox itself.

[Kchrpm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gcNYbR4KP_0

[novicius]

Weekend Reading: Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Sell Well, Their Games Do Not (http://news.softpedia.com/news/Weekend-Reading-Xbox-One-and-PlayStation-4-Sell-Well-Their-Games-Do-Not-415923.shtml)


The PS4 has managed to sell more than 4.2 million units and the Xbox One is over the 3 million mark worldwide. At the same time, Killzone: Shadow Fall is reported by unofficial sources to have barely reached 1 million and launch titles for the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have failed to gain the top spots in the monthly United States or the weekly United Kingdom charts.

Even more worrying, neither Sony nor Microsoft has big releases planned for the first three months of this year and delays are possible for the other blockbusters that have already been announced.
Heh, are the blockbuster games drawing to a close?

[Kchrpm]

Killzone has been a pretty crappy franchise forever, though, with huge competition from BF4 and CODG. Too early to call.

[Tom Servo]

I've had the XBox for a couple of months, but I was thinking about how I wanted to try Skype with it in the Kinect since I figured it'd be like Star Trek. It totally is. My wife and I talked to my parents first, then her parents, on a 60 inch plasma going over a surround sound system. It was just about as perfect as can be. The camera would pan and zoom to pick up all the faces it saw in the room and frame them just about perfectly, the microphone worked flawlessly with no feedback...it was living in the future with absolutely no tweaking needed on our end. We just sat in our living room and talked to our parents like they were right there.

That's the XBox's killer app, right there. They need to sell based on that. I consider my experience talking with them worth the $500 price of entry, it was that good.

[SkylineObsession]

I did like the Killzone games, but there weren't my favourite ones.

And haha, at Xbox Sign Out. :D

[Yw-slayer]

I played half an hour of it earlier in the week. It is pretty, but boring. Even BF4's SP campaign is more fun.

[21Kid]

I had a bit of a difficulty with Skype, Tom. I found the zoom was almost too aggressive as it wouldn't get all of the people in the room and stayed focused on one person too long. It seemed to pick up on movement more than anything and my 4 year old almost never stops moving, even when he's sitting still.

But, it was still pretty cool. I wish they would have worked a little more on the TV aspect of it. The passthrough is okay. But, if it were a DVR + Netflix + HBOGO + HULU + HTPC all in one, it would have been much better.

[Kchrpm]

The DVR part is the incredibly hard part, because then you're in cable card territory and the cable companies HATE all those.

[21Kid]

That's the part I'd want the most. :(

[Kchrpm]

That's the part everyone wants most, to stop paying extra every month for the cable box w/DVR and get awesome new features. Cable companies are also incredibly scared of having their content seen right next to internet content and therefore seen as equal. They have the clout to make sure that we won't get what we want anytime soon, as well.

[21Kid]

I didn't mean to stop paying the cable company. I just meant to have ONE ;) box to use for cable, movies, internet streaming content, etc...

[Kchrpm]

But if you aren't using their cable box, you aren't paying for their cable box rental, you aren't paying extra to get the cable box with DVR, and you aren't watching their premium or ad supported video-on-demand services.

[Tom Servo]

Yep...I've had to deal with cable card hell a few times to get my Tivos working as expected. The cable company clearly wants to do no more than the FCC legally requires them to do to support them. On the other hand, now that they work correctly, it was totally worth it.

[Drachen596]

cable cards suck in my experience from the cable company side. nearly every about them was easily resolved but was a repeating issue, they'd lose their update and/or depair themselves from the system somehow. its literally like 3 mouse clicks to fix but the accounts i saw had it happen seemingly once every month or so.

plus the cable company does hate them because they can't sell you ppv or ondemand stuff through them properly.

[Tom Servo]

Well, here was our experience with them. We got a Tivo with the cable card slots a while ago, and then it took nearly a year and about 5 visits to get the cablecard working. In the end, it's because somebody had listed our address as being in Santa Monica, CA, not Los Angeles, CA. Apparently there's a different head end for those two cities, so they were sending the authorization to one while the cable card was talking to another. It wasn't until we got one guy on the phone who actually had run into this issue before, he looked at the zip code (why wouldn't they do this by zip code?), said "Aren't you in Los Angeles, not Santa Monica?", then had it fixed. We haven't had a single problem with the cable cards since, and it's been a few years now. Also, a lot of the cable company DVRs that they rent out these days are cable-card driven, but they also have functionality to talk back, so they can sell you ppv and ondemand stuff.

What surprises me is how it seems like the cable industry are stalling all day long when it comes to finalizing cablecard 2.0, which from what I gather would allow for two-way communication so the cable company can go back to trying to sell me ppv and ondemand stuff. I'd love to have that and not have to deal with the external box to handle all the switched-digital video channels.

[Drachen596]

essentially cable companies are lazy and so seemingly are a large portion of their employees going by what i encountered working in the call center.




interestingly i don't actually know anyone here where i live who owns an Xbox One OR a PS4. we only have what? 3 or 4 people on the board here up upgraded?

[novicius]

Halo vet Joseph Staten returns to Microsoft after working on Bungie’s ‘Destiny’ (http://www.geekwire.com/2014/joseph-staten-returns-microsoft/)


Staten spent the past 15 years with Bungie, the Bellevue-based studio that Microsoft acquired in 2000 and then split from in 2007. He was the lead writer for the company’s highly-anticipated Destiny game before departing last September, saying that he was “leaving to tackle new creative challenges.”

Staten contributed to a number of successful games during his time at Bungie. He was the lead writer and cinematics director for Halo, Halo 2 and Halo 3: ODST.
While I don't doubt that Jason Jones still calls the shots (of the plots), this is still a significant hire for MGS. Nice work! :up: :up:

[Blerpa]

interestingly i don't actually know anyone here where i live who owns an Xbox One OR a PS4. we only have what? 3 or 4 people on the board here up upgraded?

I don't know anyone in real life in Italy, Finland, UK and so on that has bought either an Xbox One or a PS4, aside from the few people on this board.
The general adage is two faced: "I rather get a gaming PC for those prices and use my vast Steam library which sounds better than both next-gen gamelists combined" and/or "I'll wait *next* Christmas at least before getting one of them, maybe; unless... new PC/tablet"

[GreatScawt]

So yeah, as per the Titanfall thread, I ordered one of these. Along with Titanfall (bundled). I have a 40" Samsung 120hz Smart LED TV getting delivered tomorrow. Also, my new headphones are supposed to work with the Bone (with a couple of adaptors and the March update). So... fuck yes.

[21Kid]

Xbox One DVR control and OneGuide coming to SmartGlass (http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-dvr-control-and-oneguide-coming-to-smartglass/1100-6418695/)
Microsoft announces extensive updates to Xbox SmartGlass and Xbox Video services.

Microsoft is also allowing select Xbox Live users in the United States, Europe, and Canada try out new OneGuide features that are "designed to improve the TV experience" on Xbox One. Users chosen to participate in the beta will see:

An enhanced TV watching experience (that’s already available in the U.S.), which sees TV listings added to OneGuide, alongside Favorites and App Channels. This will work for people in Europe and Canada who have their TV connected to Xbox One via HDMI-in.
More control over Xbox One, their TV, and set-top box, including setting new recordings and watching recorded content from their DVR, all from a tablet or smart phone. Xbox SmartGlass also adds a cool new feature to show the most recently-watched channels.
New Kinect voice commands in Europe and Canada (already available in the U.S.) which let you control your set-top box and other AV equipment.
These features will be released publicly later in the year, Microsoft said.

Switching to Xbox Video, beginning this week users can rent or buy a movie from Xbox Video, start watching on one screen and then pick up exactly where they left off on another. This feature is coming later to Windows Phone 8 and XboxVideo.com users.SWEET!!! :D

[Kchrpm]

On the fence about an XBox One because you want Forza 5 or Titanfall but think $500 is just too much? Target has your back.

http://www.target.com/p/xbox-one-console-with-titanfall-bundle-xbox-one/-/A-15220458

http://www.target.com/p/xbox-one-standard-edition-console-with-forza-motorsport-5/-/A-14787660

$450 for system + Titanfall or Forza 5 + 12 months of XBox Live. Hat tip to Nathan for the heads-up.

[thesameguy]

They're also doing a 3-for-2 deal on games, if you've already got the system. I was thinking about finally going for Forza, but there aren't two other games I want. DOH!

[Kchrpm]

Three copies of Forza + send them out to others that have been waiting?

[Jason]

Is Forza a complete game yet?

[Fiat500]

I was surprised to learn that the xbone isn't out here yet, and won't be until October, I think.

That's how much attention I've paid to the next console generation.

[Tom Servo]

FWIW, I finished the single player campaign on Forza, played a while online and found it full of douchebags, and haven't touched my Xbox One in about two months.

I have no doubt it'll be an awesome console in a year or so, but I wouldn't rush to buy it.

[jimeez]

try http://www.2old2play.com for some online racing. I have been racing with those guys for about 2 yrs now. No one under 25. Average age is around 35-40. We run F4-F5, and GT6.

[thesameguy]

Mentioning that Newegg has xbone titles for cheap with a coupon code. eg, FM5 is $32.

[Kchrpm]

Microsoft will begin selling the XBox One without a Kinect for $400.

http://bgr.com/2014/05/13/microsoft-xbox-one-price-cut/

[Jason]

I thought the Kinect was basically required to even use the thing o.O

[speedpimp]

They are also overhauling Xbox Live in that now you will not need a Gold account to use Netflix and other apps.

[Blerpa]

And in their desperate backpedaling effort they will soon re-release Window XP, too. :hard:

[Yw-slayer]

More like Windows 7.

[novicius]

This makes it much more likely that I will buy an XBONE now.* :up: :up:

(When, if ever, I upgrade from the ol' 360. :finger:)

[Kchrpm]

I thought the Kinect was basically required to even use the thing o.O
They wanted it to be, but with all the backlash they got rid of the requirement that it be plugged in before launch.

[21Kid]

Be nice if they add backwards compatibility too. :(

[novicius]

Xbox One now 10% more powerful without Kinect (http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/05/xbox-one-now-10-more-powerful-without-kinect-4750844/).


'Yes, the additional resources allow access to up to 10 per cent additional GPU performance. We’re committed to giving developers new tools and flexibility to make their Xbox One games even better by giving them the option to use the GPU reserve in whatever way is best for them and their games,’ said an unnamed spokesperson.

‘In June we’re releasing a new SDK making it possible for developers to access additional GPU resources previously reserved for Kinect and system functions. The team is continually calibrating the system to determine how we can give developers more capabilities’, he added.

‘With this SDK, we will include new options for how developers can use the system reserve as well as more flexibility in our natural user interface reserve (voice and gesture). We’ll continue to work closely with developers to help them bring great games to Xbox One.’
Also, cheaper. :up:

[21Kid]

More flexibility. Allow people to get an Xbone w/o kinect if they want. Cheaper.
What's not to like?

[Kchrpm]

You'd think Microsoft would be better at not trolling their customers by now.

http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/15/5812044/aaron-paul-xbox-one-ad

You'd be wrong.

[novicius]

We neither have nor need a standalone Xbox 360 thread so I'm just putting this here:

Xbox 360 Will Get 500 GB Hard Drive Soon (http://news.softpedia.com/news/Xbox-360-Will-Get-500-GB-Hard-Drive-Soon-455593.shtml)


The team in charge with the development of the Xbox 360 home console announces that it plans to launch a new hard drive option for the device, which will include 500 GB of storage capacity, in order to make sure that all users have enough space to store their content.

At the moment, pre-orders are not active for the accessory, but the price seems to be set at 109.99 dollars or Euro, which is quite a lot given the size of the hard drive.

Microsoft has said that it still has long-term plans to continue support for the Xbox 360 and to keep it relevant even as more and more gamers upgrade to the newer and the more powerful Xbox One. The older device can still perform well on secondary markets, where price is very important and Microsoft might soon introduce another price drop in order to make it more attractive.
I'm still good with my aftermarket 320GB drive but it's good to know that this is available. :D :up:

[21Kid]

This would have been nice a few years ago. :rolleyes:

[Rare White Ape]

I still use a 40 gig drive.

[21Kid]

20 here. :(


I probably should have upgraded a few years ago. Kind of moot now.

[Kchrpm]

Is this $100 trade in for any working XBox 360 new? http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.XboxTradeinOffer?icid=XboxUber_ModC1_TradeI n

[thesameguy]

Not brand new, but within the last couple months. It's roughly the same deal Amazon and Gamestop offers, although MS gives a flat $100 and Amazon (for example) gives $60-$150 depending on the day of the week and the specific console. Right now a 4gb slim is worth less than a 4gb slim+Kinect.... heh!

[novicius]

Balls. :|

I am leaning more and more towards pulling the trigger on a Kinect-less XBONE this year. GTA 5, Destiny, Forza Horizon 2, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and eventually Halo 5: Guardians are my most desirable games currently, and they're either getting updates or are going to be XBONE exclusives. As much as I've wanted to milk the 360 until the bitter end, the Silly Season is amping me up, brah. I want my updated GTA 5! :twisted:

I think it's time I buy my last game console. #cuepercussion

[21Kid]

:rawk:

[Jason]

I'm in a similar boat Carlo...

I'm hoping there will be some sort of "complete" edition for Forza 5 by the time I pull the trigger. Want updated GTA Veeeee, because I'm dumb (and we all know heists is going to be exclusive for the next gen heh), and Horizon, obviously.

[KillerB]

I'd take that deal if the Xbone played X360 games.

[GreatScawt]

Yeah I've still got such a huge backlog of 360 crap to play. I don't know if I'd want to part with it yet.

[21Kid]

I wish it would. :( It can't be that much different from the 360...

[novicius]

Because I'm a stubborn old codger, I refuse to spend new money on this deal -- so I've been selling off old books and toys on Craigslist to fund my purchase; so far I'm up to $305.00. Huzzah for sequestered cash! :D

Note that not one thing have I sold with an eye towards future collectability -- I am not a toy or book collector whatsoever. Everything I've ever bought has been torn out of the wrapper, chewed on, pawed at and/or read on the toilet. :lol: #playwitheverything

[thesameguy]

As long as that stuff hasn't gone spelunking, or you let people know it has, it's probably fine.

#yepisaidthat

[21Kid]

What are... things you don't expect to read about a new video game console, Alex?


:lol:

[thesameguy]

Fry's (if you've got one) has xbones with Kinect for four bills. Not bad.

[novicius]

Don't have them near me -- also, I just don't want the Kinect.

Wal-Mart has the best deal right now: Kinect-less Xbox One console + 1 bonus game for $409 (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Xbox-One-Console-with-Choice-of-Bonus-Game-Up-to-50-Savings/39260871?findingMethod=Recommendation:wm:RecentlyV iewedItems). Since I boned myself by buying a hard copy of Destiny, I need to re-buy it. This mitigates that nicely. :up:

[21Kid]

They aren't doing the trade-in upgrade thing like they did with Madden and others last year?

[thesameguy]

You afraid of people spying on you?

Voice commands took a while to get used to, but they are the bomb biggity. I also came to like it on the 360 with Forza, looking out side windows - I'm anticipating that works even better in FH2 on the xbone.

[novicius]

If I had bought Destiny via digital download on my 360, I could have upgraded (re-downloaded it) for free on the XBONE.

Instead, I self-boned. :(

[thesameguy]

I would have done the same thing - the download GTAV issue scared me off of that technology on consoles for a while. Ultimately, it's a great solution but until there is some form of guarantee or recourse when downloaded versions have problems the physical copies don't I'm staying away.

I *think* MS is also giving away xbl$50 with a xbone purchase right now, FWIW.

[novicius]

The nearest Microsoft store is 80 miles away so I'd have to, what, mail it in? Then fight with making that deal remotely? Nah. :thppt:

Best Buy. Gamestop. Target. Wal-Mart. Those are my big box store options. Unless there's a deal waiting for me at Office Max or Petsmart, Wal-Mart is in the lead.

[thesameguy]

Pretty sure the points thing is automatic... buy an xbox, get points.

http://rewards.xbox.com/xboxone-offer/terms-and-conditions/

[novicius]

Oh very cool -- thanks TSG! :up: :up:

[Jason]

It's tempting to jump on these deals, but if they are doing these deals now, I have to wonder what the holiday deals are gonna be.

HOLD STRONG

[novicius]

How do you figure? Wal-mart is offering a Kinect-less XBONE + 1 game (Destiny) for $409. In addition, XBL Rewards is offering 50,000 credits if you buy between now & Oct. 6th, and another 20,000 points if you digitally buy and download a game (Forza Horizon 2, I'm thinking). 70K Rewards points should make quite a dent in re-buying GTA V on the XBONE. I doubt it's going to get better than that anytime soon.

Now, a GTA V-specific bundle with the game, 50K in points & R*-branded bong for $399 would be cool and all but I haven't heard of any rumor alluding to anything yet. The only GTA V-to-PS4/XBONE rumor I've heard is the GTA$500K offline/GTA$500K online deal (which is effectively like $10) but that doesn't start until Nov. 18th. Buying before Oct. 6th is a better deal so I'm taking it! :D :up:

[21Kid]

A few months wait for possibly $10 savings doesn't seem like a big loss. Like Carlo's doing, you could probably sell one piece of photog equipment that you aren't using to make up more than that difference. ;)

[Kchrpm]

Now you guys are trying to get Jason on your side, too?! WHAT THE HELL?! WHO WOULD TRY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO BUY THE CONSOLE THEY ALREADY BOUGHT...

...

......

I'll just go play Wii U.

[thesameguy]

I do wonder what they will do - if anything - for the holidays. Seems there are already a lot of promotions on a year old console - what is left? Well, I guess something is left since you can get Kinect'ed xbones for four bills too. Maybe the Kinect-less ones will drop another $50-$100 or so?

[novicius]

Throw up a link to the XBONE + Kinect deal for $399, TSG, let's take a look at it. All I find are XBONEs + Kinect for $499. (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/microsoft-xbox-one-console-with-kinect/9008182.p?id=1219013502542&skuId=9008182&st=categoryid$pcmcat303600050004&cp=1&lp=9)

[thesameguy]

It's Fry's in-store only, not advertised. It may be in the Friday newspaper, but since I don't get that I wouldn't know. ;) In any case, not an online thing. It's not the first time they've done something like this - they've previously had xbone+Kinect+game (Titanfall, Forza, and something else) for $450. They just axed the $50 game out this time around. The PLU is 8204227 if you care to take a roadtrip. ;)

[novicius]

Wait, it's in-store?? That's isn't the same as saying "XBONE+Kinect for $399 for everyone!" :lol:

For the rest of us, Walmart's deal is still the best deal, I think.

[thesameguy]

I know, that's why I didn't say "for everyone," I said, "If you have Fry's near you." ;)

[novicius]

Well, I guess something is left since you can get Kinect'ed xbones for four bills too.
Bah, you made this sound easy & achievable for everyone! Fie! :D

[thesameguy]

It's easy and achievable for people with a Fry's near them! :p

[novicius]

:lol:

[Jason]

A few months wait for possibly $10 savings doesn't seem like a big loss. Like Carlo's doing, you could probably sell one piece of photog equipment that you aren't using to make up more than that difference. ;)

Ironically, I am selling some stuff right now. But the extra monies are supposed to be going towards refurnishing the abode. :)

[thesameguy]

A shiny new xbox really classes up any old shack.

[novicius]

Yeah it sure does. ;)

This sucker is a lot shorter and sleeker than it looks in pics, I gotta say.

[Random]

TWSS?

[novicius]

Definitely! :lol:

[KillerB]

Oh shit, there's one two exits up the 405 from me.

Now don't get me wrong. On a weekday that would probably be a 45 minute drive. ;) But it's Saturday, my plans for the day got cancelled, and I've got some cash burning a hole in my pocket.

[Cam]

Don't expect any customer service at Fry's. Know what you need before going. :|

Carlo, I'm sad that we will no longer be teaming up in Destiny. :sadbanana:

Edit: You too Dennis? Is there anyone left? :sadbanana:

[KillerB]

Oh I've been to Fry's before. It's definitely for experts only. ;)

I'm still trying to decide which way to go for the next generation - I don't really know of any platform exclusives this time around aside from GT on PS and Forza on Xbone.

[thesameguy]

Try googling "next gen exclusive" or something to that effect. There is a list on one of the gaming sites that stays fairly up to date. The PS4 list is somewhat small as, for whatever reason, there seems to be a lot of cross-development between PS4/PC. So that said, the PS4 exclusive list is somewhat misleading - because if you don't also do PC gaming, the list is effectively longer.

[novicius]

Edit: You too Dennis? Is there anyone left? :sadbanana:
Phil & PrairieFire! :rawk: #badboys4lyfe

Pro-tip: when you first buy an XBONE, do NOT plug it into the Internet when first installing games. Install games offline first, then plug into the 'Net to download updates separately. #stuckinupdatehell #jesusfuck

[Cam]

xbonelulz

[thesameguy]

#2400baud

[novicius]

2nd Pro-Tip: go I to the XBONE's System Settings menu and turn off the automatic shutdown option. That way you can sleep on all the damn updates (even tho' it can update even when in Shutdown Mode, don't trust it). #updatessuck

[21Kid]

FYI, I didn't get stuck in update hell. Mine updates just fine. :shrug:

[novicius]

Yes, yes, we all know you have a FAT PIPE, Kid. :blahblah: :D

Internet at my apt comes in via a coffee straw. :sadbanana:

[21Kid]

IDK if it's that big...

Upgrade your internets. :finger:

[Kchrpm]

New update sounds spiffy.

http://kotaku.com/octobers-xbox-one-changes-make-microsofts-console-a-who-1640349566

[thesameguy]

That does sound neat. I feel like the xboxos is a little more difficult to use than it needs to be, but it does have some really cool features. This looks to be another one of them. I just really need to stop thinking of the xbox as a neato game console and more as a lame computer. I think the OS is just a glorified game loader, whereas it actually does a lot of computer things, and does them well. If the realtime achievements thing can not only track but also list & explain achievements, it will change my life. Well, change my life in the context of the xbox - with dual monitors I've been doing that in PC land for years. Heh.

[GreatScawt]

RE: October Update
Giddy up, I can dig it :up:

[21Kid]

I really dislike that you couldn't easily access the friends list. And you can't snap it to the side to see who is online. At least you will be able to snap it now. But, it still seems less intuitive than the 360's version to me. :shrug:

[21Kid]

I'm not happy that my 500gb HDD is already 1/2 full just of updates and like 3-4 arcade games. :erm:

[thesameguy]

Really? I'm not sure what all I have on there, but certainly all the Games with Gold games and FH2 and I'm nowhere near 1/2 full (17% comes to mind). There's gotta be something else going on there. Maybe demos or trailers or something?

[Jason]

Porn :up:

[21Kid]

Cleaned it out last night.

Battlefield 4 = 35 gb. :erm: (Deleted)
Titanfall = 29 gb :erm: (Deleted)
Killer Instinct = 19 gb Uninstalled
They must have been installing the full game to the HDD. :? Don't know how or why? I don't remember ever selecting that option.

[GreatScawt]

Yeah, dude, *everything* gets installed completely. Disc or not.

[21Kid]

I must have forgot that... Why? :? What's the point of having the disc then? 500 gb is going to run out real quick at ~20gb per game.

hmmm...
Both the Xbox One and PS4 require all games to be installed from the disc, due to the increasing size of games and the relatively low speed of optical drives. So both consoles have a feature that allows you to launch a game as soon as enough content is installed to begin running it, while the rest of the data continues to install in the background.

I guess I'll just have to remember to delete everything when I'm done playing it. That will get annoying if I ever want to go back and play something. :sadbanana:

[Tom Servo]

What's even better is that you still have the disc in the machine to play the game if you installed it from disc in the first place.

Supposedly both consoles are supposed to do some management for you, e.g., if you start running low on space it'll start removing games based on the last-played time, so the games you haven't played in a long time start getting removed first. It won't remove savegame data, just game content. Haven't gotten anywhere near the limit though.

I also know the PS4 makes it really easy to swap out the drive for something bigger/faster (I hear about a lot of people installing SSDs), not sure that the XBone lets you do that.

[GreatScawt]

The Xbone lets you plug in USB3.0, self-powered external drives. Pretty much any size you want, AFAIK. It's something I will definitely be considering.

[thesameguy]

Yeah - I have a 256gb SSD in a USB3 enclosure I've been thinking about using. Low power and faster reads sounds like win, but then... I can't quite care. I have mountains of free space.

[21Kid]

It didn't have any option for save games vs. installed game. It has separate files for each on the 360. So, I just selected delete all, the only option. I wonder if I deleted my saved games. :? I don't feel like re-installing BF4's 35 gb to test that out though. :||

[novicius]

U32 Shadow 1TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for Xbox One (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTGDMJ6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1ZEE7D0IGJTKD&coliid=I1OOBGPF4IO1NY&psc=1)

[thesameguy]

If you need something like that, I would personally lean towards one of the Western Digital drives - eg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236517

However, I really want to see benchmarks for someone using an SSHD and how it affects load times. I feel like a good-size SS cache could really benefit people like me who tend to play through a single game rather than go back and forth between multiple games. Cramming the entire FH2 install onto the SS portion of an SSHD would be awesome.

Still, with 480gb straight-up SSDs for two bills, it's almost not worth investing in mechanical storage anymore. When you fill up the 480gb, get a newer/cheaper/bigger drive... rinse, repeat.

[thesameguy]

Good info - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-xbox-one-external-hard-drive-upgrade-guide - but I think a flawed test. Because of the way SSHDs work - by caching commonly used data - there is no way the internal logic would be able to develop a usage pattern in a quick test like Eurogamer did. It would take several days or a week of normal activity for the SSHD to develop a pattern and cache appropriately. Switching back and forth between multiple games in a straight-through test would result in nothing useful being cached and the SSHD's secret sauce going to waste. Still not sure the $$$ would be justified vs. pure SSD and a mechanical drive, but this test doesn't appear to paint the picture accurately.

[Kchrpm]

$50 price drop for the holidays, $350 for console and controller.

[21Kid]

I've been wondering recently how long this generation is going to last. And apparently, I'm not the only one.

The PS4 And Xbox One Are Already Out Of Date (http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2014/09/12/the-ps4-and-xbox-one-are-already-out-of-date/)
What every single person who gets caught up in these hilariously petty arguments fails to recognise is that actually the PS4 and Xbox One are both past their sell by dates. In fact, they’ve been living on borrowed time from the very day they launched. Why? Because neither of them truly support 4K.

This argument might initially seem a stretch to ‘normal’ people not involved day to day in the inner workings of the AV industry. But I’m confident that within as little as 12 months most of you will agree that their inability to deliver games at a ‘4K’ or Ultra High Definition (UHD) resolution of 3840×2160 pixels – or something close to it, at least – will make both the supposedly ‘next generation’ consoles feel like yesterday’s news.

I don't think they're going to be able to squeeze 10 years out of this cycle. High end PC rigs are already playing games in 4k. It'll be a standard in a few years, IMO.

[Yw-slayer]

I don't know about that, man, I don't see the point in upgrading to proper 4K on my PC for another 2-3 years. This is because eventhe "new" graphics cards and processors that have just been launched are not really able to run 4K games at acceptable frame rates. The colour fidelity/price/response time matrix of 4K monitors also leaves something to be desired.

[21Kid]

Yeah, but it's still available now. It will easily be the norm in 4 years, which is only half way through the normal cycle of the gaming industry.
When the Xbox 360 and PS3 were coming out, they helped push sales of 1080p TVs, because they weren't mainstream yet.

With Xbox One not even able to do all games in 1080p, and a lot of TVs moving on to 4K already, makes me wonder how long it will last.

[Freude am Fahren]

I think they are out of date in the sense that you can use them as 4k media centers. Given that this gen does kinda try to go for the all-in-one box thing, that is a concern. So when 4k becomes more popular, you'll need that extra box for movies (neither supports 4k in any way, right?). They could release updated versions like they've done in the past gens that at least add 4k compatibility in non-gaming media.

As for gaming, I think we'll be at the tech point, right around the normal timeline for upgrading, in 6-8 years. 10 years would be a long time for one gaming generation anyway. XBox was around only like 4 years before the 360. PS1 and PS2 both lasted 6. Granted the 360/PS3 generation was pretty long, it still was only like 8 years.

4k might not take off too fast anyway, as regular old TV (both terrestrial and satellite) don't look like they'll be transitioning too soon.

(edit just saw your last post above) - I think this case is the opposite of that. In this case, the change seems to be driven by the TV's. 4K TV's seem to be way ahead of 4K media.

[Tom Servo]

FWIW, the PS3 and 360 did fine well regularly not being able to hit 1080p at 60fps (hell, the new generation is having a tough time with that supposedly).

[Kchrpm]

PS4 will (or already does) support 4K for photos and videos, it just won't for games.

[21Kid]

It seems to me that since the hardware is getting there, more content will become available sooner. Netflix has already produced a few shows in 4k and Amazon is releasing 4k streaming this month.

The Xbone and PS4 can pass through 4k video (streaming), I believe. But, there aren't any disc based 4k options yet. However, 4k BD discs will be available in 2015. And, that's where the hardware limitations of the Xbone and PS4 will start to show. In 3-4 years, there will be plenty of 4kBD options probably. But, the hardware will be lagging behind.

Same way the 360 lagged behind the PS3 in the end. The 360 thought they'd be fine with a DVD drive, but ended up falling short on content. They had to release 2-3 DVD games and have content uploaded to the HDD because they couldn't fit it on the disc.
And I think most games were 720p on that generation.

The problem will be worse this time IMO, because the XBone (and PS4) won't be able to play 4k content. 1080p is pushing the hardware limitations already.

And while most of us would rather play a fun game than one with the highest res... the high #s are what get headlines and sell systems. Look at how well the PS4 is doing compared to the Xbone and especially the WiiU. Even though the WiiU has a lot of fun, unique games and backward compatibility.

[Kchrpm]

The PS4 outsold the XBox One because it was $100 cheaper and didn't have a bunch of confusion on how it was going to work, not because it had more games running at 1080p. The average consumer doesn't know about that, and likely wouldn't notice.

The Wii U had several problems (IMO marketing being the biggest), but it actually does play many games at 1080p because they're games that were designed for the PS3 and 360, which it is more powerful than.

Many would argue that disc-based movie delivery is dying, no matter what the resolution, as people are using Netflix and the like to get their movies. Now that MS and Sony will sell/rent you movies directly via their online services, I'm sure that's where their focus will be: making sure they can support lag-free 4K streaming.

[thesameguy]

Fair to say. A significant portion of the US can't stream 2k yet, 4k is not even on the horizon. 4k is just a way for TV manufacturers to try and get people to buy new TVs again... 3D didn't work out, onto 4k. There are a lot of pieces necessary to make 4k work and I'm not sure it's gonna happen all that quickly. Even once the pieces all exist, folks are going to need to buy them - replacing receivers, cabling, movie libraries, bluray players, upgrade their internet connection. Seems like a lot of hassle relatively few people are going to invest in. Yeah, there will be folks gobbling this stuff up like there always is, but I seriously doubt 4k is going to be anything more than a feature footnote for several years.

[21Kid]

Good point Keith. It was mainly the websites and forums that were hyping the PS4s capabilities as superior. And the WiiU had $0 for marketing, as far as I saw.

People always want the biggest/best/newest [insert gadget here] though. Look at phones that come out with a new version every year. And if 4k TVs are available now, 4kBDs and players next year. It will all drive content towards 4k imo.

And there is definitely a lack of infrastructure for streaming to reach most people with current models. But, I've read (http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/h-265-vs-vp9-4k-video-codes-explained) that they are working on new codecs that take up half as much bandwith as current video streaming. So, it would make it much easier for people to receive streaming content.

[Kchrpm]

People want the biggest/newest/fastest gadget, but no one is going to come out with a new 4K console until the big boys do. Computers have been and will be more powerful, but also more expensive and complex to deal with, so they don't really have anything to worry about other than Apple deciding to go balls-deep on 4K gaming.

[21Kid]

That's my point. If everything else in balls deep into 4k, it would put pressure on Sony, MS, probably not Nintendo though, to bring out a newer console sooner rather than expected. Or maybe it's just me hoping that they do.

If there are a lot of PCs running 4k games that can be easily connected to 4k TVs through HDMI, consoles are going to lose quite a bit of market share, I would think.

[Kchrpm]

The people who haven't already bought a new console are not the people who are worried about having the latest and greatest tech at all times. The "PCs can do it" argument just doesn't work for me, the markets are so different despite being so similar.

Now the way MS and Sony got away with selling more and more "new and improved" models over the length of the last console cycle may not fly when everyone is craving 4K, but it may just mean we have another ~7 year console cycle instead of a 10 year cycle or whatever.

I'm holding out hope that every new console will be 4K/60fps capable, and also be its own tablet.

[21Kid]

It's also much easier now to connect a PC to a TV than previously though. My laptop has an HDMI out and is easy to connect to the TV with one connector. If I get a 4k computer in 3 years, I'd rather not wait 7 for the next Xbox or PS to catch up.

:shrug:

Maybe it's just my tastes changing. I dunno.

[Jason]

It's likely you won't notice a difference when gaming anyways, unless you have an 80 inch screen and sit a foot away from it :P

[21Kid]

That's the dream!!! :rawk:

[21Kid]

PSA: Best Buy offering up to $150 to trade old consoles up to Xbox One (http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/11/psa-best-buy-offering-up-to-150-to-trade-old-consoles-up-to-xbox-one/)



If you're finally ready to upgrade a console that comes from a generation that got its start way back in 2005, Best Buy might just have the holiday season's most appealing upgrade offer. Through November 15, customers can get up to $150 toward a brand new Xbox One when trading in their old Xbox 360 or PS3 at participating stores.

fine print:
working Xbox 360 250GB or Sony PS3 Slim console at a participating Best Buy store.

[Phil_SS]

The Microsoft store will give me $100 for my 60GB Duke. Plus every outlet is offering $50 off a Xbone. So I could get one for $250. It would be nice if they offered a Destiny or Forza Horizon 2 Bundle. All they offer is AC, Sunset Overdrive and COD.

[GreatScawt]

The Sunset Overdrive bundle looks awesome to me. Game looks like a blast plus you get an awesome looking pure white X1. :up:

[21Kid]

One day sale at Wal-Mart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Xbox-One-Solution-Bundle-with-Your-Choice-of-Console-Game-and-Controller/40622402#ProductDetail) today....

You can get the AC Unity bundle, an extra controller, and a game for $419

Xbox One Console Solution Bundle:
Choice of Xbox One Console
Choice of Game
Choice of Controller

Xbox One Assassins Creed Unity Bundle
Killer Instinct (Xbox One)
Project Spark (Xbox One)
Titanfall (Xbox One)
Battlefield 4 (Xbox One)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (Xbox One)
NBA Live 14 (Xbox One)
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare ( ...
Need for Speed: Rivals (Xbox One)
Fighter Within (Xbox One)
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition (Xbox One) Adds $20.00
Madden NFL 15 (Xbox One) Adds $20.00
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Xbox One) Adds $20.00
Destiny (Xbox One) Adds $20.00
Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One) - Day One Edition Adds $20.00
Xbox One Wireless Controller

I didn't see that there was a premium for the brand new games. :(

[GreatScawt]

Bought a 3TB Back Up Seagate. This thing (http://www.ebay.com/itm/301243187218?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT) was $80 the other day. So I bought one for myself and a co-worker. Working great so far. :up:

[21Kid]

They probably need to be formatted for the Xbone to be used, right?
So, you can't swap them back and forth with PC?

[GreatScawt]

Yup, once you plug it in the X1 asks to format it. It literally takes a couple seconds. But yeah, no swapping back and forth with a PC (which is initially why I bought 2: 1 for my X1, 1 for my PC... but my buddy missed the deal so....)

Kind of threw me off, though... I heard something along the lines that the external harddrives that will work on X1 were self-powered USB 3.0 drives. This is USB3.0, but I still have to plug in the power connector. Maybe because it's in the "back up" line? As opposed to an "expansion" drive? I don't know. I was happy I was able to confirm it works, though, through the X1 reddit.

[21Kid]

:? Sounds like that may be why. I got this USB 3.0 two years ago and it doesn't even have a separate power option.

Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STBX1000100) (http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00834SK5W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Instantly add 1 TB of storage space to your computer
Simple plug-and-play connectivity via USB cable

Must be the difference between "back-up" and "expansion"

But, at least it works. :)

[GreatScawt]

Yup! Not complaining particularly. Just confused. I think it essentially boils down to the size of the drive inside the external case. I think the "back up" is a 3.5" drive, which apparently cannot be powered entirely via USB3.0. Though I can't exactly find the specs of the HDD even on Seagate's site - it doesn't list drive size or speed :lol: I had to get some details by other means...

[thesameguy]

It's the form factor. 2.5" drives will run off the <1a provided by a USB port. 3.5" drives require more power than USB can provide, thus need an external adapter. The USB host can't tell the difference - USB is USB - so it doesn't matter to the xbox which you use. It's only a matter of convenience. Historically, typically, 2.5" drives were slower than 3.5" drives but to a large degree in recent times that rule doesn't apply.

[21Kid]

:) Yay! About time!
HBO launched its HBO Go app on Xbox One today, finally allowing owners to stream episodes from shows like True Detective and Game of Thrones. Another reason I don't have to hang onto the 360. Now, if I can just finish playing all those games.

[21Kid]

Xbox One owners are getting these free gifts to celebrate the one year anniversary (https://games.yahoo.com/news/xbox-one-owners-getting-free-gifts-celebrate-one-204551297.html)

This weekend, the Xbox One will celebrate its one year anniversary. In order to show its appreciation for nearly 10 million console sales since launch, Microsoft is offering a wide range of digital goodies to all of its early adopters.

If you bought an Xbox One at any point between November 22nd, 2013 and November 11th, 2014 in any of the 13 launch markets, are at least 17 years old and have 10 hours of usage on your console, these are the gifts you’ll receive this weekend:

A Year One Gamer Picture
New Xbox One backgrounds: A special Year One background as well as an exclusive Day One background for those who unlocked the Day One achievement
A Year One background image for use on Twitter, your desktop, etc.
A free rental of “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” (for a limited time)
A free rental of “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods” movie and a sampler pack of “Dragon Ball Z” TV episodes (for a limited time, available in the U.S. and Canada only)
A few lucky fans will also be selected to win bigger prizes, including Xbox One bundles, a subscription to EA Access, Xbox Live Gold 12-month memberships and several free games.

And if you happen to be signed up for Xbox Marketing emails, you should receive a personalized email detailing all of your accomplishments on Xbox One
over the past year.

[thesameguy]

Nice! I like it when companies say "thanks for being a customer" instead of just extending better and better promotions to non-customers to lure them in.

[21Kid]

Agreed! That's what I hate about cable companies. They'll give you 1/2 off to be a new customer, and then rake you over the coals after the first year. It's almost like they want people to leave. And there are a lot more options to do so now-a-days.

[Phil_SS]

One of the many reasons why I got rid of cable. One of the best moves I ever made.

[novicius]

Oh yeah, I haven't had cable since 2008. :up: :up:

[thesameguy]

Seriously. I was so tired of the "sorry, this doesn't apply to you - it's only for people that haven't been giving us money for years." Frequently they can be talked into extending promotions to existing customers - but that's a BS game and homie don't play that. Save money, save time, save frustration. Not having cable is 100% win.

[21Kid]

My whole condo has a bulk cable package. I don't really have a choice. :(

[speedpimp]

So far I've installed four games and 43% of my HD is used up. Two of them(Assassins Creed) were downloads but GTAV and Forza 5 are on discs and it installed them by default. Is this normal?

[thesameguy]

I don't think so - there can't be 215gb between those four games.

[GreatScawt]

Disc or not, games get installed.

[speedpimp]

Turns out there was 140 gb used to store those four games. External HD a good investment?

[GreatScawt]

I'd say. I've got a 3TB external HDD and I'm currently sitting at 2.8TB free, with Forza 5, Destiny, Horizon 2, Titanfall, Watch Dogs, Wolfenstein, Tomb Raider and a slew of other little freebie games on there.

[Jason]

Yeah, each next gen game installs, and takes like 20-50gb of space from what I can tell. Freaking brutal.

Hopefully there's some deals for the Forza games, though I'd really like to see a Forza 5 with all the DLC included since it's been out a while.

[GreatScawt]

Just be careful, there's a Forza 5 "Game of the Year Edition" that doesn't live up to the name. I'd avoid it if the "standard" game is cheaper. Apparently the little bit of extra content they DO give you is already free. WTF :lol:

[speedpimp]

I bought Forza used. I was goofing around with it last night and noticed that they offer six car pack DLCs for $49.99. That's more than I paid for the game.

[KillerB]

Finally broke down and got one. Came with some Assassin's Creed games I didn't really care about, but I picked up the new GTA V and Madden 15 for now. Not sure if I'll bother with Forza 5 as I found the first Horizon game a lot more fun, so when I do get a driving game I'll probably go with FH2.

[novicius]

:up: :up:

[21Kid]

Woot (http://electronics.woot.com/offers/microsoft-xbox-one-500gb-w-kinect-2?ref=cnt_wp_2_1) has refurbished XBones with Kinect for $350, currently.

[21Kid]

Finally...

Pandora launches its first native game console app — and it’s for Xbox One (https://games.yahoo.com/news/pandora-launches-first-native-game-170003227.html)


In addition to the Pandora app, Xbox One owners are also getting new apps for Bravo, Telemundo, and Popcornflix. And Pandora isn’t the only music service coming to the console today, either. Streaming music video service Vevo also announced a new native Xbox One app.

[Jason]

Nice!

[Phil_SS]

I have one but can't play it because some assholes have decided to ruin our fun.

[novicius]

Yeah I was reading up on that -- hopefully you'll be able to get online soon, Phil! :up:

[Jason]

What?

[Phil_SS]

Xbox live is down due to Lizard Squad being a bunch of lowlifes.

[Jason]

Hmm, I was on earlier no problem... Hopefully MS gets things going again :up:

[GreatScawt]

Yeah weird... same, as Jason. I was on FH2, Destiny, and GTA V no problem early today. But I found the X1 smartglass app to be having issues updating the past few hours.
Welcome to the club Phil! Now go get FH2 and help me with club XP (because everyone else stopped playing :P)

[Yobbo NZ]

Since that other hacker group pretty much released names and addresses of those little shits,I wonder how they'd feel if a few hundred angry console owners showed up at their parents houses.......Be interesting to see :lol:

[Yw-slayer]

I'd be up for that.

[21Kid]

Oh, that's why I couldn't get on after Xmas? I thought it was all the new consoles flooding Xbox live.

Congrats Phil! :D:up:

[21Kid]

Final Chance to Buy Xbox One Starting at $349 (http://majornelson.com/2014/12/29/final-chance-buy-xbox-one-starting-349/)


For one final week, fans can purchase Xbox One starting at $349 in the U.S. until this Saturday, Jan. 3 at most major national retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Microsoft Stores, Target, Toys ‘R Us and Walmart.

In addition to the limited-time $50 off Xbox One promotion, several participating retailers in the U.S. will offer exclusive online-only deals until Saturday, Jan. 3. Here’s a list of some of the last chance offers to get your hands on before it’s too late:

These deals are only valid for online purchases and are subject to change at the retailer’s discretion.

Amazon: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free $50 gift card
Best Buy: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free $50 gift card
GameStop: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free $50 gift card
Target: $70 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free $50 gift card
Toys ‘R Us: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free Xbox One controller.
Meijer: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free Xbox One game of your choice
Newegg: $50 off Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle or Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle with Kinect, plus a free 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription and a $20 Newegg gift card

[21Kid]

Kid21,

Now is the time to get Xbox One. Get $50 off, plus your choice of Titanfall, Madden NFL 15, Battlefield 4, or Call of Duty®: Ghosts – it’s up to you!

:erm: should I tell them that I already have one, and two of those games, and just ask them for $50?

[GreatScawt]

Also there is a crazy awesome sale week going on. :up:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/promotions/sales/ultimate-game-sale-xbox-one-deals

I'll likely be pulling the trigger on Sniper Elite 3 and Trials Fusion. Also - if the leak is true - Halo: MCC will be a weekend deal for $24. Hell yes.

[Kchrpm]

Nope. I'm not tempted. NOPE.

Nope.

.........nope.

[GreatScawt]

YOUR* WILL SHALL BREAK EVENTUALLY :devil:


DOO EET KEEF

[Jason]

Microsoft needs a grammar lesson. :P

---

I bought the Forza 5/Forza Horizon bundle. $110 normally, $74 for Gold members this week, and I had a $54 credit on my account.... so... $20 for the two Forza games, I'll take it!

[GreatScawt]

Haha holy shit, I finally got busted.

Sweet deal :up:
I looove love love FH2.

[Phil_SS]

I thought a bit about getting Forza 5 but then I looked at the car list and found that pretty much every car I enjoyed in Forza 4 is in a DLC pack in Forza 5. No thanks I'll wait.

[thesameguy]

In case anyone is shopping - at Best Buy:

Xbox One 500GB Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle - Black - $349.99 (you save $50.00)
Xbox Live 12+1 Month Gold Membership - Titanfall - Multicolor - $19.99 (you save $40)
Wireless Controller for Xbox One - Black - $39.99 (you save $20.00)
Nokia Lumia 635 4G No-Contract Cell Phone - Black - $0 FREE (you save $49.99)

Total = $409.97 (Tax Not Included)

Yes, it's a weird deal, but whatever. :D

Click on these links in order, add the product on each to your cart:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/null/free-lumina-635-phone-with-select-xbox-one/pcmcat372500050008.c?acampID=0&ref=8575135&loc=0&id=pcmcat372500050008
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/null/save-40-on-xbox-live-gold-with-console/pcmcat378200050011.c?acampID=0&ref=8575135&loc=0&id=pcmcat378200050011
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?acampID=0&ref=8575135&loc=0&id=pcmcat376900050006&type=category

1. When you're done, you'll have three xbones in your cart.
2. Delete two of them.
3. Profit

[Kchrpm]

Backwards compatibility coming, 100 titles by holidays, hundreds more in the next months. All the developer/publisher has to do is give MS the ok, they will get it working. Digital titles will be automatically added to XBox One library, retail discs will queue download of the game. You will be able to play against people using 360s online, but still have XBox One features like screenshot, DVR and livestream.

MS also announced a new Elite controller, with swappable thumbsticks and D-Pad, trigger locks (or that change the pressure for them), and new triggers lower on the back in addition to the normal ones.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/15/8783211/microsoft-xbox-one-elite-wireless-controller-announced-e3-2015

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Mh9WxFMg8I8W4jiLdoNgty8MpZU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3792232/Screen_Shot_2015-06-15_at_12.56.43_PM.0.png

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_fE8whoEEPcHltY01mdiTo1-U7M=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3792360/swap.0.gif

[thesameguy]

That is so cool... I keep looking at my x360 and wondering if I should dump it... I think the answer is probably yes!

I also really like that controller... or, maybe, I don't like the xbone controller... but I am sure it's going to $100 or more and that I won't like. Still....

[novicius]

:up: :up:

[Freude am Fahren]

:up: I'm hoping they will do some kind of special E3 announcement price drop/sales thing, and I ay finally trade in my 360.

[thesameguy]

With the release of the 1tb xbone it sure stands to reason they're going to move the 500gb version down a peg, maybe slot it in where the 360 was.

[Kchrpm]

No price/package announced during the presser, but lots of other stuff. If I find a playlist or summary page, I'll link it here.

[Kchrpm]

BGR put them together: http://bgr.com/2015/06/15/xbox-one-e3-2015-trailers/

[Kchrpm]

And holy shit the Minecraft VR demo

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Vf7ES1kq--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1298496144955346214.gif

[thesameguy]

http://media.giphy.com/media/b8kHKZq3YFfnq/giphy.gif

[GreatScawt]

They really did a superb job. Lots of great stuff there. That controller is an instant want. So nice.

[Jason]

http://media.giphy.com/media/b8kHKZq3YFfnq/giphy.gif

:lol:

[novicius]

Xbox 'Game Preview' lets you pay to play games while they are still being developed. (http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/15/8783473/xbox-game-preview-early-access)

When I get home tonight, Elite: Dangerous (https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/Games/Elite-Dangerous-Game-Preview/5d1a6afe-0a59-4121-b23d-aefa0915c90c)is gonna get my attention...

[M4FFU]

Half tempted to jump onboard the next-gen train with a XBone. I’d naturally lead to a PS4, but given the recent news about 360 games playable, I’m willing to give MS a shot. I see news of a 1TB option. Worth waiting for that to come out for a price drop, or in reality will it still stay the same price?

[Kchrpm]

I think the price drops have already been happening, but that's here, I don't know the European market.

[M4FFU]

Cool. £310 gets me a console, 2 games (I'd go Cars and the new Batman...), and xbl for a year. Not too bad given base console is £270.

[Cam]

Xbox 'Game Preview' lets you pay to play games while they are still being developed.
So they're asking people to pay to do QA. :rolleyes: :smh:

[21Kid]

Steam does that too. If people don't mind playing a game that they know is incomplete, I don't see what the problem is. Everyone else can wait for the finished product. :shrug: It might make for a better product, testing it in the real world. With the JPs of the world finding all sorts of bugs and glitches.

[M4FFU]

Ordered!!1!1 :D

[novicius]

So they're asking people to pay to do QA. :rolleyes: :smh:
No way -- you know that just about every internal QA team worth its paycheck will have found and detailed all bugs for each game, it's just up to the execs & PM's if they want to spend time to fix them.

This is more to build hype and a pre-order base.

[Freude am Fahren]

Got an email from Best Buy with new XBone offers. They're offering $10 gift certificates throuhg their 'reward' system on pre-orders of FM6, Halo5 and Tomb Raider. Also the 1TB+Master Chief collection is $399.99, which is $50 more than the same 500GB version. Amazon has the same prices up.

[Blerpa]

That Elite Controller would be cool, but it is not 149$ cool. Way too expensive, IMHO.

[Phil_SS]

So they're asking people to pay to do QA. :rolleyes: :smh:

I was able to download it for free. Haven't played it yet though, maybe they will make me pay after so much play time. Novi?

And I have no issue with this, it's not like they are forcing you to do this. And from what the info said I will get the full version for free when it is released. So I could potentially get a $60 game for half price while also being involved in the development. I would do this in a second for many games that hold my interest.

[novicius]

The trial version is timed. I was booted out of Elite: Dangerous once my time was up.

Also I didn't see anything about reporting bugs. You'd have to track down the proper email addresses separately.

[Freude am Fahren]

If you buy an XBox One right now, you can get an extra free game (in addition to the one you get in your bundle). Lots of good titles to choose from too, not just some BS promotion with a $20 party game. That Witcher game everyone talks about, the new Batman game, Forza 5 GOTY and Horizon 2 are on the list, ESO:Tamriel Unlimited, PCars, COD, MK, etc. etc. Oo, even Farming Simulator 15 :lol:

Here's the Best Buy version of the list: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/xbox-one-game-offer-141176

Should be the same from other retialers.

So what game should I get if I pull the plug (GTA:V and PCars are off the list because PC).

Also can't decide between the 1TB Halo bundle and the Assassins Creed bundle. I'm thinking the 1TB will be good since backwards compatibility requires downloading the game to the HD.

[speedpimp]

5tb external hd installed.

[21Kid]

Yeah, my 500 gb is almost maxed out. I knew this was going to happen. I'll probably pick up a 2 tb or something on sale.

[SkylineObsession]

Finally played an Xbone last Sunday, went round to my brothers place to play their one. Well to see him. But since i was there... ;)

Fired up Horizon 2's Fast & Furious pack/mini game/demo/trial/whateveritis and then did what i always do in Forza games. Hoon around like an idiot and try to drift, do huge burnouts, and cause mayhem. ;) Played it for quite a bit, and either it was his plasma TV or the game/console, but i found it to be quite a good looking game. I liked near the airport how there was a wide flat river running alongside the road, reminds me of a few rivers here in NZ.

[GreatScawt]

Horizon 2 I'd say is by far one of my favorite titles so far this generation - especially racing (Dirt Rally is really impressing me).

There's just so much content. I can fool around for hours in single player, cruise free roam with my friend, do some coop challenges, find collectables, jump into an online races /events, do quick street races at a car meet, etc etc. And its not an ugly game either, that's for sure. I really need to go back and finish up some of that content.

[21Kid]

I played it for a bit last night and forgot how much fun it was. :up:

[21Kid]

Has anyone played the FTP game Warframe?

It's kind of fun actually. I haven't played it that much, so I don't know how far you can get on the free aspect of it. But, it's been decent fun so far.

You get a long range weapon: rifle/bow&arrow/machine gun
short range: pistol/throwing knives/misc others
And a melee weapon: Katana/bo/knives
And there are special skills, aka magic... depending on what kind of body you have equipped.

And any class seams to be able to equip any weapon, so you can adjust it however you want. You can add mods to your weapons to make them heat, cold, poison based, etc... and other similar items. Some of the items I've noticed that you can get with platinum, which you probably have to buy with real $, but otherwise it seems that you can buy the blueprints to build them, it just takes a bit longer.



When you hear the words "free-to-play third-person shooter," you probably envision yet another PvP killfest with a frightening potential for pay-to-win microtransactions. Warframe, then, is a pleasant surprise: it's a four-player co-op shooter in the vein of Mass Effect 3 multiplayer, with fast-paced action and plenty of customizable options, except without the story context.

[Kchrpm]

My cousin had it on PS4, looked pretty cool. I can see where the microtransactions sneak in, with all the crazy levels of customization and optimization for your abilities, and how you have to bind/meld/whatever them using various materials that run out but can be bought.

[GreatScawt]

I played it briefly, and was going to eventually try it with friends. But apparently it's impossible to progress in the game without investing in their premium currency (which of course can only be purchased with real $). It was fun but I skipped it :\

[21Kid]

The Microsoft Store is selling a number of Xbox One systems with a free copy of Assassin's Creed Unity and your choice of select games, which come in addition to any bundled games the system itself might include. The free games selection includes The Witcher 3, The Elder Scrolls Online, Batman: Arkham Knight, and more.2 free games, one of which has to be ACUnity, thru labor day... in addition to whatever bundle you choose.


http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/list/Xbox-One-consoles/categoryID.64724200

[Freude am Fahren]

Hmm, I want to cancel my Amazon order and do that, but I don't actually see the offer anywhere. Even that link, it's just a banner, no links or anything. If I add the system to my cart, there's no option or mention of adding games.

Microsoft live chat seems to be clueless... I'll wait a few days, see if they update the store to be more clear.

[thesameguy]

Unless you want ACU you might check out the Walmart deal - $424 for the 1tb xbone + Halo + Batman + additional controller.

[thesameguy]

Looks like you can get Madden instead of Halo, if that's your pref.

[21Kid]

Hmm, I want to cancel my Amazon order and do that, but I don't actually see the offer anywhere. Even that link, it's just a banner, no links or anything. If I add the system to my cart, there's no option or mention of adding games.

Microsoft live chat seems to be clueless... I'll wait a few days, see if they update the store to be more clear.

Maybe it's one of those deals where you see the discount in your cart? :shrug:

[Freude am Fahren]

Added to my cart, then didn't see it, so I tried the chat. They seemed to be pulling stuff out of their ass about me getting codes after I order, but how can they do that if they don't know which game I want. Also, I never saw a full list of qualifying games. I may order their anyway, since price is the same. (Actually a few bucks less I think because of different tax charged)

[Freude am Fahren]

I went and added that non-limited 1TB Halo version, and it showed that it included AC:Unity, and gave me an option for another game. So, the Forza one must not qualify.

Looks like it's just the Madden, Halo:MC (both 1TB and 500GB) Standard w/Kinect, and refurbished options.

[Kchrpm]

I wish the Forza console was more to my tastes, it'd make it a lot easier to pull the trigger.

[Jason]

I wish the Forza console was more to my tastes, it'd make it a lot easier to pull the trigger.

Is this your next thing you're gonna debate on for like 9 years?

[Kchrpm]

One of many.

[21Kid]

This one seems to be more flexible. You can use the $100 towards whatever you want.

In the market for a new Xbox One? Dell has a new offer you may want to consider.

The retailer is now including a $100 Dell gift card with the purchase of the $400 Halo: Master Chief Collection 1 TB console. Just add the bundle to your cart and you're set--there is evening free shipping.

[thesameguy]

Nice! That sort of promotion is how I re-TV'd my house last year.

The only caution I would issue is that those gift cards:

1. Can only be used at Dell, and expire 90 days after they are issues so you better have a second purchase lined up. (You can buy two $50 Microsoft Gift Cards, then buy Forza :) )
2. Dell is SHITTY about sending them. The terms are "10-20 days after your order ships" but it's sometimes double or triple that. Sometimes you have to send nasty emails to get them to send them.

Still a good deal, still worth doing, just be prepared for a possible battle.

If you have a Discover card, you can get 5% cash back from Dell, so your $400 purchase ends up being $380. I think you may also be able to link that with a Dell Rewards account (free to sign up) which will get you a second $20 gift card.

[21Kid]

Now only if someone had $50,000 in Dell credit... :lol:

[thesameguy]

I could buy like a hundred xbones.

[21Kid]

:hard:

[21Kid]

Wow... Madden 16 is already on sale $40 on amazon today. Must not be selling very well. I'm guessing it's 99% the same as the last one. Except they probably broke something else and added back a feature from Madden 03 and are promoting it as "new"

[Kchrpm]

They have sales early on every year. Hell, one year there was a Toys R Us pre-order deal to have it at $40. They have always and will always have trouble convincing more than the die hards to buy at full price every year, but they keep the sales strong.

Also remember that they are making a shit ton of money from the Madden Ultimate Team thing, so they don't need as much money from game sales.

In other words, don't hold out hope that they're going to need to make changes any time soon.

[KillerB]

Actually I find Maaden 16 a big improvement over the last one. The touch passes and "high-low" passes fix my biggest issue with Madden since like Madden 99 - that LBs and CBs could make otherworldly leaps that made 10 yard slants and 15 yard outs impossible to complete. Now you can actually drop that pass in over their heads.

Also, you can actually complete a nine route without your receiver being 10 yards in front of the DB.

[Jason]

FYI, Castle Crashers is on Xbone now, and has a couple additions. It's free for verified owners of the 360 version, so get downloadin!

[21Kid]

I forgot to DL that. Thanks for the reminder.

BTW, who is playing Forza 6 tonight and who is playing Destiny 2.0?

[thesameguy]

Okay.

Monoprice's Ebay store has the GoW xbone for $310. That shit is cray,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microsoft-Xbox-One-500GB-Gears-of-War-Ultimate-Edition-Console-Bundle/231673395461?customid=c7bd475c883446b9a332ec0bd164 06ce&pub=5574652453&afepn=5337259887&campid=5337259887&hash=item35f0cf7905&rmvSB=true&afepn=5337259887&rmvSB=true

[SkylineObsession]

Hmm. Probably would have bought a bundle deal for an Xbone if it didn't have one problem.

Comes with Horizon 2, NFS Rivals, and Forza 6.

The latter being the problem, as it is a download only game (not that i'd want to onsell it and still own Forza 1-4, but still).

Still maybe a bit pricey too, but yeah:
http://shop.jbhifi.co.nz/game/games-coming-soon/xbox-one-limited-edition-1tb-forza-motorsport-6-console-2-games/90727

[Jason]

At this point, the used game market is such a mess (at least here), I don't care if things are digital only. Yay, I can sell a game for $5 3 months after I bought it for $60... meh.

[21Kid]

You could try trading used games. I get $50 or more for a new-ish game.

[Tom Servo]

Anyone else having as many problems with the sleep mode as I am? By default, the XBone just goes to sleep instead of fully off, but almost every time I wake it back up it can't connect to XBL anymore, or the game it was running is frozen, or lately Forza 6 will just not respond to any button presses. Everything else will, but if try to play Forza 6 it won't respond at all. Also, had it come up where it just no longer recognized my controller and wouldn't pair with it. In every case long-pressing the power button on the console to shut it down fully then restarting it fixes it, but that gets a little old.

[Darius]

I was having issues with Fifa 15 where it wouldn't connect back to the fifa servers after the xbox had gone to sleep. I would have to kill the application and relaunch it which led to me at some point starting to just kill the application anytime I was going to turn it off which is a bit silly to have to do that.

[Cam]

I did it. I cracked and traded in my old 360s, games, controllers, ALL THE THINGS to get an Xbox One. Now for updates.

[novicius]

Aww fantastic! :D

Updating takes a long time and installing games and patching them also takes a long time. If you still mainly buy games on disc, I recommend unplugging your XBONE from the Internet, install the game to the hard drive and then plug in to download updates.

[Cam]

Higly unlikely that I will buy physical media ever again.

[novicius]

Problem solved then. :)

[SkylineObsession]

May have been mentioned before, but something i've noticed between PS4 & XBone is that the PS4 is lighteningly quick in the menus and loading apps etc, whereas the Xbone seems to have a slight delay in controller to console response and numerous loading times opening apps etc.

Wee bit annoying, but not a huge issue.

[Cam]

Eff this interface. Not intuitive at all.

How do I sort the games list in the store?

How do I view my XBL download history?

[thesameguy]

Don't know about the former, never done it. I always find stuff by searching explicitly.

The latter you can do from the web (how I typically do it) or in the Games & Apps screen, far right side IIRC.

[Drachen596]

Seen the holiday bundles yet? 1 Tb hdds and one has a 3 game set with it.

[21Kid]

The new guide (http://www.gamespot.com/articles/check-out-xbox-ones-new-totally-revamped-interface/1100-6430710/) looks great! That's how it should have been from the beginning. I think they were just trying to hard.


The guide has dramatically changed, with Xbox engineering team member Richard Irving describing it as the "big focus for this preview release." While on the Home screen, it's now accessed by scrolling over to the left side of the screen. While in-game (or any other activity), double-tapping the Xbox button immediately brings it up without any loading time.

Either way, it's now a column along the left side of the screen--the new location for anything you choose to Snap. It offers access to things like your friends list, party, messages, notifications, and headset settings (such as volume, muting, and more). Notifications, in particular, have been overhauled, as they are now grouped together based on their type or the game/app they originated from. In other words, recording a bunch of game clips won't force you to scroll through a long list to reach, say, an achievement notification, as is currently the case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex1WjrkLjAA

[SkylineObsession]

Hopefully its as quick as the PS4 menus now, such an odd delay doing things on the One.

[thesameguy]

Looks like $300 is the target for xbones on Black Friday. Various Kinect-less bundles with games & extra controllers at about that price.