The new XBox eXperience

All the brand touting aside... I REALLY like the new XBox system.

Other than the interface now being much more Wii like (and based around it being a family entertainment system, not just a gaming console) the best change so far is that small videos are now properly full-screen... which stops my wife messing up the aspect zoom on the TV

The new avatars are fun and you can save multiple outfits (and for the ladies there is a top and pants or dress option with diamond rings and jewlery... only cork heels and flats though... no real formalwear options) and alter your avatar at any time, and take a picture as your gamer pic.

... I just can't get over how much it looks like the vista application switcher (with the flippy pages) with Wii avatars (they seem to have that Duplo plastic look).

I've yet to really look at the new Marketplace, Live and gaming stuff (I got booted out of the living room so that the media centre can be "tested" with Gosip Girl...)

As it took me less time to find stuff than it initially did on the old interface, and the videos resize to full screen (a basic but crucial fix) I say its an improvement.

hmm intresting although i have a ps3 i did hear sony kinda stuck it to ms by pulling out all of sony's film production companys out of netflix wich is columbia Sony MG and i think there was another company in there.

I'm lovin' it

More info:

Con: A lot of game detail data is still missing from the new marketplace (a few screens such as "game deatails" are throwing up "temporarily not available" messages. WAS DUE TO SERVER OVERLOAD FROM ALL THE INITIAL DOWNLOADS

Pro: You can now install games to HDD for much better load times! AND MUCH QUIETER TOO!!

nubious81 wrote:

hmm intresting although i have a ps3 i did hear sony kinda stuck it to ms by pulling out all of sony's film production companys out of netflix wich is columbia Sony MG and i think there was another company in there.

Tristar?

Anyways I have the home networking feature set up (I have for a while now) so I just play audio, movies, pictures and DVDs directly from one of several PC's in the house (everybody has access to their media files).

If you want to add me my gamer tag is:

"phi AU" (with the space)

Really freaky a mate just mentioned to me that its changed and i was looking on the forums and clicked the link just as he said so :s lol dont have one myself but i'd love one :/ the avatars are alot like the wii we've yet to fully check out all the features yet ....having too much fun with the avatars >.> xD

Croesis has been on all morning, not impressed by all the errors it's throwing up, but thats probably down to millions of people all clamouring to get on. Also it was having trouble signing on to Messenger a while back, think it's ok now though.Also he had to start a game to make the download start, we thought there would/should've been a message pop up as soon as you log into Live informing you of an update

The avatars seem more of a gimmick to make up for a more plain, sparten dashboard and yeah seems to be a small choice in clothing at the moment, hopefully the wardrobe will grow. Thankfully the install to HD option will make the Xbox quieter when he's playing through the night!

We're still awaiting downloadable in game content for Fable 2 and Fallout 3.

We'd like to have our media play through the Xbox from the PC but for some reason it's never recognised the PC through the router despite using Zune/WMP11 on the PC etc...

Oh if interested his account is the only Gold one we have...

tag: Kroesis

Hehe

Anyway, loving the new system for, if nothing else, the increased speed and smoothness of use.  I am finding it a little hard to find things now, but that's more likely due to it being different from the old system than any particular design flaw.. time well tell though.

Loving the avatars even if they'll likely end up more of a gimmick than anything else.  More clothing options would be nice, but we did get a surprisingly large amount to start off with.  Chances are we'll be charged for almost everything else so at least we have a decent if not amazing base to start out with.  One change I'd love to see right off the top is being able to change the colours of the clothing as some of the pieces are nice in design but could use a different coat of paint.

If you're not sure how to get your avatar picture here, use the URL:

http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/G...avatar-body.png

... just replace the GAMERTAG part with, you know, your gamertag.  Thanks to Kotaku for that one hehe

Thanks for the link, didn't realise you could do that!

Our avatars!

Archived image unavailable: avatar-body.html

           Sonata                          Kroesis

I wish you could select a mood for the avatars, much in the same way you can describe your mood on facebook etc... Perhaps in the future eh?

Online marketplace is throwing up errors, methinks the servers are congested!

I'm looking forward to checking this out, looks pretty awesome. I'll wait 'til it's a little less busy though.

Yeah, it looks really good. I wasn't really into it when I saw it on E3, but now having it, I think its pretty kewl.

       AFGM Alpha

Add me if you want.

Hmm.. the avatar picture server is coming up as too busy to show the pictures right now.  Oh well, hopefully it will get upgraded or moved so that things work again.

All of Microsofts download servers are congested at the moment, it will take a little while for things to come good, while every xbox owner that is online gets a compulsory 100mb doanload then uploads a bunch of new user data.

ProTip: if you don't like or can't navigate the new interface just press the orb button on the controller and a mini version of the old dashboard pops up with the same side to side page navigation

phi wrote:

ProTip: if you don't like or can't navigate the new interface just press the orb button on the controller and a mini version of the old dashboard pops up with the same side to side page navigation

I miss the swoosh sound effect from the blades...

Vinia wrote:

phi wrote:

ProTip: if you don't like or can't navigate the new interface just press the orb button on the controller and a mini version of the old dashboard pops up with the same side to side page navigation

I miss the swoosh sound effect from the blades...

True. Nothing beat boredom like sliding back and forth between those blades. Whoosh whoosh whoosh... Whoosh whoosh whoosh. lol.

cloudwolf wrote:

Vinia wrote:

phi wrote:

ProTip: if you don't like or can't navigate the new interface just press the orb button on the controller and a mini version of the old dashboard pops up with the same side to side page navigation

I miss the swoosh sound effect from the blades...

True. Nothing beat boredom like sliding back and forth between those blades. Whoosh whoosh whoosh... Whoosh whoosh whoosh. lol.

Lol, ok I know, but it was something to do while waiting for a friend to sign in and having looked through the MP and other stuff! Well the swooshes are there I've just found out, but a lot quieter. It's not the same...

Anyway... moods for the avatars MS... and hurry up about it. I want my friends to know when I'm grumpy or not...

It's pretty good. Just gotta mess around with it all now.

gamer tag - HutchieJNR

ProTip #2: Use the left analogue stick to position the head and the L&R triggers to turn the body... great for posing for your gamer pic.

Protip #3: Click the right analogue stick when setting up your avatar. If it's male it will burp (not sure what the ladies do). if you look up with the left stick it will burp a higher note and down is a lower note.

Last night I managd to burp "Mary had a Little Lamb", to my wife's disgust and me ROFL at the surprising new feature. I'm so mature

also im Reading to there has been issues with installing GOW  and Halo 3 so just a heads up if you guys dont know it apears it slows down gamepaly and occaisly freezes

I installed Halo3 last night... I'll check performance tonight... but a lot of the servers seem quite overloaded at the moment so I'm not surprised

phi wrote:

ProTip #2: Use the left analogue stick to position the head and the L&R triggers to turn the body... great for posing for your gamer pic.

Protip #3: Click the right analogue stick when setting up your avatar. If it's male it will burp (not sure what the ladies do). if you look up with the left stick it will burp a higher note and down is a lower note.

ProTip Additional: Rolling the right analogue stick in circles makes your avatar dizzy, shaking his/her head side to side causes angry face, up and down a kind of interested face!

Also if you move the right stick to the right then flick it left your avatar spins on the spot.

It would seem that as America starts to go to bed the servers are coming good:

                                           
                         
"phi AU" (Movember mode)                               "Alicia Phipps"

According to Bungie installing Halo 3 to HDD will actually increase loading times and worsen online performance for others. Just say No.

Just went to play Halo and got the same message pop-up.

No biggie. Uninstalled and playing now.

nubious81 wrote:

also im Reading to there has been issues with installing GOW  and Halo 3 so just a heads up if you guys dont know it apears it slows down gamepaly and occaisly freezes

Mine frooze quite a few times last night :/

Wow i didn't even know about this...going to check it out now!

>_>

<_<

Post edited, Reason: These forums hate me.

The only thing that I don't like so far is my old theme is now useless otherwise I find the new change rather enjoyable!

Meh, with Halo 3 its a design issue. Not a flaw, bungie just didn't know or take into account any plans that MS may have had with the install feature. Still nothing is lost by not installing Halo 3 to the HD.

Fickey wrote:

The only thing that I don't like so far is my old theme is now useless otherwise I find the new change rather enjoyable!

Nah... you can still use the old themes... they just apply differently.

PAying for gamer icons seem pointless now though

I am loving this new dashboard for the Xbox.  Ever person I know who's created their avatar look VERY close to their real life alter ego.  I can only imagine what new items the Xbox team are going to release. 

Buyable game-themed outfits for your avatar would be cool... Spartan or COG armour, race-driver jumpsuit, snowboard gear... the list goes on.

Clearly this will be expanded because I keep seeing outfits in promo pics that I have not seen as selectable options.

Plus I really like the Quick Launch option that you can choose when you press the orb button to bring up the mini-dashboard.

When it asked for me to update my Xbox i wasnt quite expecting this.

   "Quickshot Brute"

Wewt. Definately liking the download. Dispite it's similarities with the Wii. The new interface easily tops both the PS3 and the Wii.

phi wrote:

Buyable game-themed outfits for your avatar would be cool... Spartan or COG armour, race-driver jumpsuit, snowboard gear... the list goes on.

Clearly this will be expanded because I keep seeing outfits in promo pics that I have not seen as selectable options.

Plus I really like the Quick Launch option that you can choose when you press the orb button to bring up the mini-dashboard.

I actually like this, I am also "fond" of Sony's Home project which is already one year late, maybe in the future we can see something for the 360? (I have both, but I find the 360 better for gaming online).

Be nice to spend our game points on avatar rewards, such as clothing, trophies, and if they did do a "home" system, items within the house etc.

I actually like the new interface, simplistic but does the job, only thing I hate is the Friends List, if you have alot of people, scrolling sideways through them all can be a pain.

UniToxic

phi wrote:

Fickey wrote:

The only thing that I don't like so far is my old theme is now useless otherwise I find the new change rather enjoyable!

Nah... you can still use the old themes... they just apply differently.

PAying for gamer icons seem pointless now though

heh very different for the one I use...

And I agree about the gamer icons, overall I still like it.

Got that Fable 2 Premium theme... I thought it would skin the whole dash, but only seems to skin the friends channel and the background of the My Xbox Channel...

GamerTag's "x SkyJackal x" in case anyone wants it ^_^

Vinia wrote:

Got that Fable 2 Premium theme... I thought it would skin the whole dash, but only seems to skin the friends channel and the background of the My Xbox Channel...

Yeah, that's probably the one major fail of the NXE I've come across so far, though it's not really a new one.. still no way to preview theme packs or gamer pics before you buy them.

Mr Triple OG

Here is me. You can all add me if ya want.

shann1

Am I the only one who finds these new "avatars" / "mii's" looking eerily similar enough to the little lego-man figurines?

o hai guis

The avatars are neat and all, but I just like the party chat.  Now I can hang out with my friends regardless of what game they are playing.

I'm mostly playing left 4 dead and gears of war 2 atm.

You crazy kids, with your XBoxes and your eXperiences...

Christmas is gonna be late, but you will get your GTA 4 downloadable content (I thought I'd heard it was already available, but maybe that's only in the US?).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sciencea...n-February.html

The funny part is Sony UK's head responding that 'nothing is ever exclusive'....which I guess is another way of saying, "Exclusive means 'exclusive to everybody'..."

http://www.videogamer.com/news/29-1...-2008-9789.html

Anyhow, much as I love Halo on the PC, I cast my lot with Sony.  Which is okay, because I completely suck at thumbstick FPS, and you'd all trample me into little bits.

I wonder how much the extra content will cost...

I suppose you could consider this another tip

If you browse the Live marketplace via your PC and not the Xbox console, there is some different content available that is listed early or maybe shouldn't even be listed at all (like the GoW2 map pack that only new copy purchasers were supposed to get.. of course, it supposedly costs 99,999 MS points so that doesn't really help hehe)

Kotaku story here:

http://kotaku.com/5096635/%5Bupdate...n-xbl-lootathon

Oh, and a spokesman for MS Europe has supposedly confirmed that weekly clothing updates for the Avatars will be free at least for the first few weeks following the NXE's launch.  Of course, the game specific stuff and really special stuff (and maybe even the clothing updates coming down the line) will cost MS points.. in fact, there is already a Ninja Blade theme pack available in Japan that includes Ninja gear for your avatar along with wallpapers, etc. for 250 MS points.  Not bad when you consider all you get, assuming you really like ninjas.

Another Tip, this one squarely aimed at Vinia

Pink (and other less realisticly coloured) hair:

It was discovered — as far as we know, by reader Samuel who told us that if you rotate the right analog stick for about a minute or so, you'll unlock a suite of new garish hair colors.

Actually, Samuel, I think you don't need to do anything but let the My Features screen idle for a bit. After the Hairstyles menu item rotates, you'll have the new colors.

http://kotaku.com/5096538/want-craz...your-nxe-avatar

Interesting...