The Xbox One

[Shitty Rambo]

I'd bet $399, you guys might enjoy this live chat - www.giantbomb.com

[Shelby]

That was probably the worst console reveal I've seen. But hey, I just like games so I'm not the target audience.

[elgato48]

That was probably the worst console reveal I've seen. But hey, I just like games so I'm not the target audience.

Then you didn't see the ps4 reveal. Where the console itself wasn't even revealed

[dantheriver]

That was probably the worst console reveal I've seen. But hey, I just like games so I'm not the target audience.

 

More games would have been cool, but I don't really doubt Microsoft's ability to put out games that I want to play.  As long as they don't get too carried away with the new Kinect features, the games should be similar to what we've been enjoying but with more power behind them.

[BuzzersonKillwell]

I get why it could be really underwhelming if you were looking for exclusive gaming content and reveals, there was not a lot of that for sure. I suspect E3 will be a lot more impressive in that regard. 

 

I think the HDMI In and Out was the coolest thing and they haven't really touched the potential of that. Betting on the Xbox as the device that powers the TV experience is to me, a smart move. Curious to see what the PS4 has to offer a whether they've adopted a similar strategy or if they stay more game focused. 

 

I really hope they aren't forcing gesture navigation.

[dantheriver]

Looks like the "always on" internet connection needed to be elaborated on a lot:

And what of the persistent rumors that Xbox One games will be “always online” – that is, that single-player games would require a constant online connection to function? As it turns out, those rumors were not unfounded, but the reality is not so draconian. Xbox One will give game developers the ability to create games that use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service, which means that they might be able to offload certain computing tasks to the cloud rather than process them on the Xbox One hardware itself. This would necessitate the game requiring a connection.

Are developers forced to create games that have these online features, and are thus not playable offline? They are not, Xbox exec Whitten said to Wired — but “I hope they do.” So the always-online future may come in incremental steps.

 

They just confirmed it is not "always on" during the spike after show.

[One Hundred Fifty-Two]

"Xbox, on!"

 

 

Do you have to speak Xbox on to turn it on, how is a kid supposed to play quietly when he is supposed to be doing homework.

[One Hundred Fifty-Two]

Looks like the "always on" internet connection needed to be elaborated on a lot:

And what of the persistent rumors that Xbox One games will be “always online” – that is, that single-player games would require a constant online connection to function? As it turns out, those rumors were not unfounded, but the reality is not so draconian. Xbox One will give game developers the ability to create games that use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service, which means that they might be able to offload certain computing tasks to the cloud rather than process them on the Xbox One hardware itself. This would necessitate the game requiring a connection.

Are developers forced to create games that have these online features, and are thus not playable offline? They are not, Xbox exec Whitten said to Wired — but “I hope they do.” So the always-online future may come in incremental steps.

 

 

I hope the server doesn't use an "always down" approach.

[dantheriver]

Regarding used games:

 

Wired got

a look at Xbox One

before today's big reveal, and they say that games will require installation to use. “On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play,” Microsoft told them.

But games will be tied to an Xbox Live account, Wired reveals—or else you'd just be able to pass games around to everyone you know. And if you want to link a game to a second account, you'll have to pay a fee:

What follows naturally from this is that each disc would have to be tied to a unique Xbox Live account, else you could take a single disc and pass it between everyone you know and copy the game over and over. Since this is clearly not going to happen, each disc must then only install for a single owner.

Microsoft did say that if a disc was used with a second account, that owner would be given the option to pay a fee and install the game from the disc, which would then mean that the new account would also own the game and could play it without the disc.

But what if a second person simply wanted to put the disc in and play the game without installing – and without paying extra? In other words, what happens to our traditional concept of a “used game”? This is a question for which Microsoft did not yet have an answer, and is surely something that game buyers (as well as renters and lenders) will want to know.

 

Edit: tl;dr version:  All games must be installed to HDD, if you give the disc to your buddy he must also install and can only play after he pays an unknown fee.  Given that it seems the discs can be installed as many times as needed, I can't imagine this fee being similar to the current $10 online pass they use to try and get money back on used game sales.

[Guest]

Then you didn't see the ps4 reveal. Where the console itself wasn't even revealed

 

The console is a lie.

[thebiglebowski]

I'll give them one "intermediate system" like this where they just add on a ton of features that are kinda cool but don't really contribute to game play. But I want to see them continue to mold their business model into long generations of systems. It made sense to keep releasing new ones when the graphics improved significantly between iterations and the new features directly contributed to gameplay (like wireless controllers and internet connections).

 

But for the most part, I just want a gaming system, not an entire computer. If their approach is just to continue adding more and more features that are unnecessary and don't contribute to gaming (some apps, internet browsing, multimedia storage, etc) I'm going to just stop buying them.

[hipsterasfolk]

So the XboxOne is a computer with more worthess features?

[Guest]

I personally am sick of this big push in the electronics industry to push the "user experience". I just want my phone to make calls, text, and do some basic web browsing, my computer to compute, and my gaming console to play games. I don't really need one thing to "do it all".

[taylo234]

Regarding used games:

 

Wired got

a look at Xbox One

before today's big reveal, and they say that games will require installation to use. “On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play,” Microsoft told them.

But games will be tied to an Xbox Live account, Wired reveals—or else you'd just be able to pass games around to everyone you know. And if you want to link a game to a second account, you'll have to pay a fee:

What follows naturally from this is that each disc would have to be tied to a unique Xbox Live account, else you could take a single disc and pass it between everyone you know and copy the game over and over. Since this is clearly not going to happen, each disc must then only install for a single owner.

Microsoft did say that if a disc was used with a second account, that owner would be given the option to pay a fee and install the game from the disc, which would then mean that the new account would also own the game and could play it without the disc.

But what if a second person simply wanted to put the disc in and play the game without installing – and without paying extra? In other words, what happens to our traditional concept of a “used game”? This is a question for which Microsoft did not yet have an answer, and is surely something that game buyers (as well as renters and lenders) will want to know.

 

Edit: tl;dr version:  All games must be installed to HDD, if you give the disc to your buddy he must also install and can only play after he pays an unknown fee.  Given that it seems the discs can be installed as many times as needed, I can't imagine this fee being similar to the current $10 online pass they use to try and get money back on used game sales.

 

Fuck this. So much.

[BuzzersonKillwell]

But for the most part, I just want a gaming system, not an entire computer. If their approach is just to continue adding more and more features that are unnecessary and don't contribute to gaming (some apps, internet browsing, multimedia storage, etc) I'm going to just stop buying them.

 

I don't exactly get that mentality.

 

If it does the ancillary stuff better than existing devices, wouldn't you just prefer to buy one device? Or do you not want to be tied to one infastructure? I'm not saying they can live up to that promise, but if it can offer and build on basic living room functionality (DVR / TiVo / Cable Box, etc.) that seems like a positive and potentially broadens the audience.

[thebiglebowski]

I personally am sick of this big push in the electronics industry to push the "user experience". I just want my phone to make calls, text, and do some basic web browsing, my computer to compute, and my gaming console to play games. I don't really need one thing to "do it all".

 

They just don't have any way to make games with better graphics so they just try and sell what they can. It's on us not to buy them (although it's not a fair fight, given that they control the flow of new games and the online servers).

[Guest]

^ True that.

[steviex2shoes]

I hope the server doesn't use an "always down" approach.

 

They said that when Xbox live was first released they had 500 servers, currently they have 15,000 servers and when Xbox One is released they will have 300,000 servers.

[BuzzersonKillwell]

There is a bit of irony in wanting a phone that makes voice calls, sends texts and has the ability to browse the web while maligning companies creating devices designed to "do it all".

[thebiglebowski]

 

I don't exactly get that mentality.

 

If it does the ancillary stuff better than existing devices, wouldn't you just prefer to buy one device? Or do you not want to be tied to one infastructure? I'm not saying they can live up to that promise, but if it can offer and build on basic living room functionality (DVR / TiVo / Cable Box, etc.) that seems like a positive and potentially broadens the audience.

 

It's been mentioned earlier but so much of the features on new technology are redundant. Everything wants to be as close to a full computer as they can make it. All I want in a video game system is already built into a ps3 (I'm a sony guy). The only reason I would buy a ps4 is just to be able to play the newest games.

 

So essentially I feel like they are forcing me to buy a new system to be able to play the newest games and trying to convince me that the new system is superior, when it really brings nothing new to the table as far as gameplay and is just a way to suck $400 or however many dollars out of me. Bullshit. I already have 50 ways to get on the internet and I don't need to switch between a game and tv in .01 seconds. I can already do it in about 3 seconds. What can you do, though? Only other option is to not buy and stick with old games.

[Guest]

There is a bit of irony in wanting a phone that makes voice calls, sends texts and has the ability to browse the web while maligning companies creating devices designed to "do it all".

You're right. I don't really need web capability on my phone, but it is nice to have. That still doesn't mean I need my gaming console to replace my computer...unless it has the specs to back it up, which I am sure this console will not.

[000000]

You're right. I don't really need web capability on my phone, but it is nice to have. That still doesn't mean I need my gaming console to replace my computer.

 

Amen.

[BuzzersonKillwell]

Ah. Gotcha. You are saying you don't want to pay a premium for lets say a $500, when they could have potentially just updated hardware relevant to core gaming for say, $250.

 

As someone adjacent to the industry I prefer to see them trying to innovate in other areas. I mean, we are only two or three years past "I just need my phone to make calls" and I think a lot of people are happier that they're phone can do much more. 

 

Doesn't invalidate what you want, I just have a different view. 

[Guest]

Ah. Gotcha. You are saying you don't want to pay a premium for lets say a $500, when they could have potentially just updated hardware relevant to core gaming for say, $250.

 

Exactly. I have never used my consoles as a music player or internet browser or whatever. The only non-gaming function I have used is Netflix, and I barely even use that, but that is another story...

[thebiglebowski]

There is a bit of irony in wanting a phone that makes voice calls, sends texts and has the ability to browse the web while maligning companies creating devices designed to "do it all".

 

The smartphone fills a niche perfectly -- constantly connected everywhere you go but at a price (small screen and relatively slow internet). No other device is really a good substitute. It's really not the same thing as complaining about everything in your house trying to be a computer.