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Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 2:52 pm Post subject: Console Gaming

After 2 weeks with playing with the XBOX 360, which is a first for me because the only console gaming i had was RPG and racing games on the PS2 and GameCube, here are my impressions on the 'Box:

The Good:

1- It's hard getting used to playing FPS with a controller because all my experience for FPS are from WASD+Mouse control, but last Sunday, the whole control system finally clicked in my head and it's so much more enjoyable playing the games i've bought. I kick so much more ass in GoW, Ghost Recon and Perfect Dark.

2- Loading time are not really longer than on a PC and quite frankly, i think it's faster on the X360 than on my PC.

3- Can't really talk about online gaming because i didn't play online at all(i'm not a multiplayer guy), but the streaming of video, music and picture from my PC to my X360 is REALLY cool.

4- Graphics + Surround sound + Fun game = one happy customer. Dead Rising is so fucking funny, GoW is tons of fun and action-packed, Ghost Recon is possibly the best SWAT-Elite-Special Commando-army type of game i've played and Perfect Dark is just plain fun action. Those next-gen graphics are really showing in GoW and Ghost Recon.

5- The controller is really comfy, even after a couple of hours of play.

6- Downloading exclusive demo is certainly a plus.

The Bad:

1- Kinda negate point #6 above, but half of those game demos are only multiplayer demos. I don't multiplay, i just want a single player demo.

2- You can't download something and play at the same time. Really stupid.

3- All the goddamn themes must be bought. By chance, there's a kick-ass theme on the bonus CD of Perfect Dark, but otherwise, you must pay. Basically, if you want to customize the interface of your console, it's gonna cost ya at least 2$... yeah, i'm a cheap bastard.

4- The DVD drive noise. After a while, you don't hear it anymore, but God it is annoying when you notice it.

5- The lack of a Quicksave/Quickload feature for FPS. The console is basically a multithreading PC, it can process 5 informations at the same time with all that multi-core system... i mean, is it too hard to just add a Quicksave feature ?!

6- Price of games... i know, i know, it's been like this since the PS2 era, but still.. it's big money. Paying 70$CAN for a game can cut your budget a bit. Fortunately, some games are sold at a lower price right now so i'm gonna grab Tomb Raider Legend(hey, i like that type of game) and PGR for 30$ each at BestBuy. I guess i could check EBGames used game library too.

Other than that, i really like my X360 so far. I don't regret my purchase. And when i'll buy an HDTV soon, i will be able to enjoy it even more !

And i finally decided to wait before buying a PS3. So far, there are no real differences in gameplay betweeen the 2 consoles and 2 big game company decided to switch team by being X360 exclusive instead of being on the Sony side. Now, if only Square-Enix could make that next Final Fantasy game for the X360, i wouldn't even have to buy a PS3 in the first place. Plus, the new Gran Turismo is nothing more than a better looking Gran Turismo 3, so it's not worth the money right now. And to top it all, Nintendo is supposed to make the Wii HDTV compatible in 2007 by adding 720p support to the console(because right now, the Wii can only spit out 480p), so that's another purchase put on hold for now... even if i'm REALLY itching for the new Zelda.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject:

I am able to play my XBox 360 while downloading.

For example, I was playing Lego Wars II while downloading the Superman game demo. I did this 3 days ago.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: Console Gaming

dstg_ll wrote:
5- The lack of a Quicksave/Quickload feature for FPS. The console is basically a multithreading PC, it can process 5 informations at the same time with all that multi-core system... i mean, is it too hard to just add a Quicksave feature ?!

That's likely to be a conscious design decision on the part of the game developer, isn't it? (By which I mean, it's unfair to blame the console...)

There are different schools of thought, but I think the consensus these days is that checkpoints are the "best" way of handling save games in FPSs (a la Halo). Depends on the implementation, of course, but I tend to agree. Unlike quicksaving, checkpoints are less intrusive and you can't forget to save. I even see checkpoint-style saving emerging in RTS games too, which is an idea I absolutely love (see Dawn of War).

Long story short, quicksaving is archaic. Get over it. Wink

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject:

The original 360 didn't have background downloading. An update earlier this year fixed that. I don't know what old junk they are pawning off on you Canadians though. Wink

The DVD drive can be quite loud. I just turn up the 5.1. Very Happy

The game save points are from the developer. Some of the games will warn you on the box or in the intro that they use an autosave feature.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:21 pm Post subject:

blahpony wrote:
The original 360 didn't have background downloading. An update earlier this year fixed that. I don't know what old junk they are pawning off on you Canadians though.

Well, that's just lovely. Everytime i start a download and start a game, i get a "XBox Live stopped downloading _insert game demo here_". I'll have to check this one out... or maybe he showed the message but continued to download ? I didn't really download much, but i'll give it a whirl later tonight.

And Cheezy, i don't think the quicksave thingy is archaic. Most PC FPS games on the PC have Auto-Save feature + the quicksave option so i don't buy the "forgetting to save" thing. I think it's a neat feature to use when you're done with a particular tough section of a map like at the end of Act 4 in GoW. I have a hard time getting to the APC and when you die, you have to go back a good 5-6 minutes of gameplay until i can try the hard part again. Quicksaving right before it would be less frustrating.

All in all, i have very few complains about the checkpoints systems in the games i've played, but sometimes, they throw you back way in the level way too far if you die and i hate that.

EDIT:
Well, i checked the download problem and it's only doing this when i play Gears of War. When i play something else, the download runs in the background. Now, i wonder why.

BTW, i finished GoW tonight. Not a bad ending. Predictable. Now i have to start playing Hardcore and then Insane.

A neat little feature i discovered... whether you put your console standing up or laying down, on the XBOX, it's always the top left quarter that's illuminated. Try it... just remember to turn off your console first Wink Smile

Another thing, Ghost Recon was not meant for 4:3 480p television. I played last week end at my friend's place on a HDTV and everything in the HUD was perfectly placed, but on a 4:3 TV, things are a little cluttered. It's hard to see enemies sometimes because of this.

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

dstg_ll wrote:

And Cheezy, i don't think the quicksave thingy is archaic. Most PC FPS games on the PC have Auto-Save feature + the quicksave option so i don't buy the "forgetting to save" thing. I think it's a neat feature to use when you're done with a particular tough section of a map like at the end of Act 4 in GoW. I have a hard time getting to the APC and when you die, you have to go back a good 5-6 minutes of gameplay until i can try the hard part again. Quicksaving right before it would be less frustrating.

All in all, i have very few complains about the checkpoints systems in the games i've played, but sometimes, they throw you back way in the level way too far if you die and i hate that.

Like I said, it depends on the implementation. Correct placing of checkpoints should eliminate the need for quicksaving altogether, there should always be one before and one after every boss encounter, for example. But like I also said, it's a design issue, not a console issue. Wink

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:

Quote:
so i'm gonna grab Tomb Raider Legend(hey, i like that type of game)

You just want to see if you can get Lara nekked.

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 5:07 pm Post subject:

agrogod wrote:
Quote:
so i'm gonna grab Tomb Raider Legend(hey, i like that type of game)

You just want to see if you can get Lara nekked.

I told you to keep that to yourself. Is it that hard to keep a secret ?!

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:45 am Post subject:

I couldn´t help myself and bought and Xbox 360 on Friday. Changed it Saturday because the Gears of War Xbox pack kept freezing. Anyway I´m playing Co-Op with my g/f and we are loving it. If only I had a 52 inch plasma TV Razz