Should I get an Xbox 360?

[Lazybones]

I am close to having the funds to finally get a 360, however I still feel on the fence on the subject. I would like some feed back from those that have them so that maybe I can make up my mind.

Reasons why I would like to get one:
- Gears of war
- Mass Effect
- Assassins Creed
- Burnout Paradise
- Video streaming
- HDMI / DVD upscaling


Reasons why I might not want to get one:
- Cost of games
- PS3 is starting to suck less on the gaming front and has two of the above games as well
- Not sure I would get enough use to justify the cost... Haven't been playing many PC games, however I did play through Mario Galaxy so maybe it is more of a platform casual gaming issue.
- Already have a Wii and Smash Bros on preorder
- Extras that might be bonuses are too costly.. Gold subscription (needed for game matching and gamer points?), HD Movie rentals, Home brew games?

I am eying up the Elite because it comes with the 120GB HD, headset and the HDMI cable so cost wise it isn't that bad over the Pro.

[Tom]

I'm thinking of getting one, for the new XNA community game support. I wouldn't mind whipping up some stuff for kicks. And trying out some games that might actually be interesting.

[Lazybones]

I thought you needed a $99 kit and special subscription to publish the XNA games?

[Tom]

To publish yes, to use your own, I don't think so. Not sure though.

[Melbosa]

I am close to having the funds to finally get a 360, however I still feel on the fence on the subject. I would like some feed back from those that have them so that maybe I can make up my mind.

Reasons why I would like to get one:
- Gears of war
- Mass Effect
- Assassins Creed
- Burnout Paradise
- Video streaming
- HDMI / DVD upscaling

Great reasons, although you might find the Video Streaming isn't as plug and play as they advertise.  The 360 really is more than just a gaming console though, especially when you compare it to the competition - PS3 and Wii.  The 360 is just more polished in the additional functionality and media provider section.

Reasons why I might not want to get one:
- Cost of games

PS3 games are the same price.  PC games are the same price.  Wii games on initial release... same price or slightly cheaper but not much.

- PS3 is starting to suck less on the gaming front and has two of the above games as well

Take it from a PS3 owner, who also has a 360.  I own 3 PS3 games, all PS3 exclusive.  I've played games that are cross platform (360 rentals would be out, PS3s would be in), and have to say I way prefer the 360 version for controls and the achievement system - just for the added gaming incentive.  PS3 still is lacking in its own exclusive content, and would recommend a Wii/360 over it any day.  The PS network still sucks ass for speed, DLC, and the media experience is still lacking.  In the blue-ray playback front, the PS3 still has issues with sound, even with the latest kernel update.  I am seriously considering the M$ Blue-Ray attachment for my 360 should they ever release it, as I think M$ will be more dillegent on making it work properly.

- Not sure I would get enough use to justify the cost... Haven't been playing many PC games, however I did play through Mario Galaxy so maybe it is more of a platform casual gaming issue.

That one is all up to you my friend.  I find I play my 360 games more through than PC ones now.  But then again both are in my living room, so it is evening up a bit.

- Already have a Wii and Smash Bros on preorder

Damnit, and you are staying in Vancouver right?

- Extras that might be bonuses are too costly.. Gold subscription (needed for game matching and gamer points?), HD Movie rentals, Home brew games?

Gold subscription is only if you want to play MP over Inet.  You can purchase DLC from any subscription (HD Movies, Home Brew Games, XBox Arcade, etc).  But I strongly urge you to consider the full year Gold ($59 USD), as MP is a blast over Inet.  My PS3 still sucks ass playing other people online; terrible VOIP with it, and lag!  Achievement points are achieved no matter what subscription level you have.

I am eying up the Elite because it comes with the 120GB HD, headset and the HDMI cable so cost wise it isn't that bad over the Pro.

Headset comes with the pro, but the rest is correct.  I haven't even hooked up my HDMI off my elite yet, but I'm sure I will once someone here puts in an order from Mono Price so I can get a DVI to VGA cable for a decent price and change how my living room is setup.

Added Bonuses to 360 over PS3/Wii
* Wireless RF vs BlueTooth - You can argue that BlueTooth is better, but from a functionality standpoint, I think the 360 wins... why?  Well I can program my Harmony remote to control all the 360 functions (including DVD/HD-DVD/Blue-Ray - When available) so when I want to watch a movie or DLC, I don't neet to find my controllers, remember what buttone does what, etc.
* Online Library - Is just so much larger and getting large by the day.  360 DLC is light years ahead of PS Network and Wii.  With the new Community builds coming this year, going to blossem out of control.  I mean I have over 30+ songs downloaded for GH2&3, plus another 5 for Rock Band - easily purchased, easily downloaded - when comparing it to the PS3 version of the same thing (I think you can't even get all the same content on the PS3 versions either), and don't forget the DLC isn't always pay-for, as I have a wack of free DLC for my games as well (GoW, Lost Planet, etc).  I've bought 3 XBox Arcade games for $4 US and still play them.  Just can't beet M$ at this yet.
* Modular Expansion - I can see M$ making sure the 360 (and probably the next console) always are a Modular system.  Yes means more money for the functionality you get, but look at the HD wars as an example.  M$ backed the wrong media in the end (for who won, lets not get into the which is better debate here), and yet can still make your 360 fully available to the winning media with a simple module.  Software modular as well, adding in new functionality to the system (granted so does the PS3 and Wii do this).
* Integration measures with PC networks - In your house (easier than setting up streaming from a PS3 - which for some stupid reason still downloads the streaming content to the PS3 HD before playback Someone explain to me that logic?) most of us have a PC storing digital content.  Although can be a bit of a pain when trying to get the 360 to stream all content, it is still better at doing the codecs it does support than the other consoles.

Again it is a decision for you.  And you have the Wii, which I would suggest to anyone wanting to know which console to buy right now.  But I would leave the PS3 out of your decisions... waste of money IMO if you compare to the 360!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The PS3s only saving grace may be MGS coming this summer, but for the most part it just doesn't have the backing of the 360 package.

Hope that helps

[Lazybones]

Can I still play muliplayer with friends on a silver account?

What games do you play online the most?

As for streaming I have found xbmc too unstable on my old xbox and my wii can't even handle 480p via opera and taversity.

Could I steam 720p or 1080i content to a 360? If so how well does it work?

[Melbosa]

Can I still play muliplayer with friends on a silver account?

No only Gold can play online with Friends.  Locally of course you can, or on a LAN, but over Live! only Gold.

What games do you play online the most?

Lately GH3 and Rock Band.  But Crackdown, Gears of War,  Halo 3 have been on my high list.

As for streaming I have found xbmc too unstable on my old xbox and my wii can't even handle 480p via opera and taversity.

Could I steam 720p or 1080i content to a 360? If so how well does it work?

[/quote]

You can even get 1080p streamed, but that depends on the system doing the conversion more than your 360.  My dual core AMD had quite the time trying to transcode 1080p in real time.  But when it could (worked fine at 720p) do 1080p, I was getting it through the 360 no problems.  Best way though is to preconvert the media, let something like Tversity broadcast it, and let your 360 just stream it.

[Cova]

To publish yes, to use your own, I don't think so. Not sure though.

The dev tools for XNA studio are free, and as of a couple days ago the 360 XNA runtime is now also free.  You can develop XNA-based games for free, and play them on a PC if you just want to start playing with the tools.  The moment you want to move a binary to a 360 to run it though, you must have a $ developer subscription.  And right now, I don't think anyone really knows how uploading games to Live is going to work - currently it's just a few demo's that MS picked as the top user-built stuff so far.

So basically - everything is free except getting user-developed stuff onto the 360 to run it.  There's 2 ways to get stuff onto the 360 - download from Live (currently just a few demo's), or use the $ dev kit tools.


And also - yes the 360 will stream up to 1080p just fine.  Whether your PC is able to real-time transcode 1080p with eg. TVersity is out of the scope of discussion and would equally effect any device you are streaming to.

[Mr. Analog]

If you've got the extra $$$ lying around I say yes, why not.

Maybe rent one for a week?

I don't know, if you do buy one you gotta try Bioshock!

[Darren Dirt]

Just make sure you never put the damn thing into its vertical position -- within 30 seconds of doing so my son's copy of Guitar Hero III got severely circle-scratched (I had to do the toothpaste method for a temporary fix)... and IIRC Microsoft still denies this "undocumented feature"?

[Cova]

Just make sure you never put the damn thing into its vertical position -- within 30 seconds of doing so my son's copy of Guitar Hero III got severely circle-scratched (I had to do the toothpaste method for a temporary fix)... and IIRC Microsoft still denies this "undocumented feature"?

Just due to the speed in which you claim this happened - it makes me think you may have rotated the 360 while it was powered on.  The documentation quite specifically says to never move the 360 while it's on.  I think it may even be on one of those yellow READ ME NOW papers they like to put in the top of the packaging or I probably would have missed it myself - though it's been a long time since I opened a new-in-box 360.

[Darren Dirt]

Just make sure you never put the damn thing into its vertical position -- within 30 seconds of doing so my son's copy of Guitar Hero III got severely circle-scratched (I had to do the toothpaste method for a temporary fix)... and IIRC Microsoft still denies this "undocumented feature"?

Just due to the speed in which you claim this happened - it makes me think you may have rotated the 360 while it was powered on.  The documentation quite specifically says to never move the 360 while it's on.  I think it may even be on one of those yellow READ ME NOW papers they like to put in the top of the packaging or I probably would have missed it myself - though it's been a long time since I opened a new-in-box 360.

It was a few weeks ago, but I'm pretty sure at the time of me moving the Xbox, and changing its position, it was off... then again I can't always trust my own powers of perception so who knows what actually happened now that a chunk of time has passed (PS: GAH! My brain hurts!)

[Thorin]

Sometimes, it's weird how you talk in YouTube video links...

[Melbosa]

Sometimes, it's weird how you talk in YouTube video links...

Only sometimes for you Thorin I always find it weird.

[Cova]

Sometimes, it's weird how you talk in YouTube video links...

Only sometimes for you Thorin I always find it weird.

Ya - mass-linking every couple words is always weird - no something about it.  I don't even bother to click links like that.

[Darren Dirt]

Sometimes, it's weird how you talk in YouTube video links...

Only sometimes for you Thorin I always find it weird.

Ya - mass-linking every couple words is always weird - no something about it.  I don't even bother to click links like that.

then again I can't always trust my own powers of perception so who knows what actually happened now that a chunk of time has passed (PS: GAH! My brain hurts!)

Links are demonstrations of how easily our brains are tricked into ignoring/distorting objectively reality around us.

1. "Change Blindness; you cannot be aware of everything"

2. "Derren Brown - Person Swap" (more light-hearted but even more disturbing demonstration)

3. "BBC Brain Story 3 -The Minds Eye:Optical Illusion" (a.k.a. Alice in Wonderland in the real world)

And sorry to be so off-topic, but seriously I am doubting the accuracy of my memory of how the disc-scratching situation came about. I linked to videos that will pass along the self-doubting to the rest of youz guyz

[Lazybones]

Back on topic I picked up my 360 today.. Didn't get much time to play with it.

Due to a lack of available names I would prefer my gamer tag is FlammableSlinky. The EB I went to today didn't have any used Gears of War but I plan on picking it up in the next few days.

[Melbosa]

Kewl.  Look me up man.  Only one Melbosa out there in XBox Live Land