So, who's getting a Xbox 360 on launch day?

[John Crichton]

Because you don't need anything that comes with the more expensive package.

That's not true - especially for me. I wouldn't want an Xbox w/o the HD and the $400 system comes with component cables, wireless controller and other stuff that puts the price individually about $150 for the parts. So buying the lesser system is waste of cash.

And you got screwed twice, since they came out for other systems!

Ah well, such is the lesson of jumping the gun.

Actually, it's ok. I liked KotOR 1/2 on the Xbox and wouldn't gotten it for the PC (unless it's a Civ-type game I usually stay away from PC games these days). And I used my Xbox all the time now. It's the Cube that annoyed me. I'm okay with getting it overall because RE:0 is still exclusive and I hate waiting for releases. It was annoying to start with, tho...

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Yeah, I haven't had a console since my Genesis,

I was going thorugh some crap I left in my parents garage and I found my genesis and super nes, the geneis had one of my favorite games plugged in, shadowrun. AH memories.


Unless I win it form mountian dew not at launch, these farkin bundles suck. I'll get one and a PS3 and likely a revolution though I don't think I'll like the controller. But none of them at launch, the way they require bundles nowadays no more launch purchases for me.

 

[TwistedBishop]

I'm definitely getting one at launch. I've been waiting and plotting for the day since E3.

About the bundles, god do they suck. I wouldn't want anyone to buy them honestly. Don't pre-order at all, it's more or less a waste in my experience. Go to one of the midnight sales or be there at opening time on the 22nd if you want a 360; there are several stores not doing pre-orders for them, like Best Buy and Wal-Mart.

This past generation I finally got back into consoles. I had been away for a tad following the PS1 launch. I eventually invested in all three systems, and how I ended up using and/or regretting the systems has decided my spending plan for the future. I played the Xbox constantly, PS2 for two games, and the Gamecube for one game (but RE4 almost made it worth it...almost). The Playstation and Gamecube are consoles I have affection for, but they just didn't have much of anything I wanted to play this gen. The Xbox did an amazing thing winning me over; I had considered the whole idea of a Microsoft console a joke, and unless a friend had bought it I would have never given it a chance.

As far as waiting for a price drop goes, well everyone is entitled to their choices. I used to be of the same mindset, but I started thinking about what it really gains me. I came to the conclusion that waiting a year to save $100 wasn't really worth it, if you're missing out on playing games for a full year of your life, and shaving off 20% of the console's life, for a savings of $8.30 a month.

Of course, that's for something you really want. If you're lukewarm on the whole idea, the way I am with the PS3 and Revolution, I guess it doesn't hurt anything to wait. If I had paid $300 to play my two PS2 games, I'd have been pretty annoyed.

 

[TwistedBishop]

I was going thorugh some crap I left in my parents garage and I found my genesis and super nes, the geneis had one of my favorite games plugged in, shadowrun. AH memories.


Unless I win it form mountian dew not at launch, these farkin bundles suck. I'll get one and a PS3 and likely a revolution though I don't think I'll like the controller. But none of them at launch, the way they require bundles nowadays no more launch purchases for me.

Most of these bundle packages are just for online pre-orders. I haven't heard of any brick and mortar stores forcing them on you.

Oh, and I was always more of a SNES Shadowrun fan myself. I hear that a new SR game is in development for the 360. But that might just be a rumor. (Microsoft owns the FASA Interactive studio, so I think they have the rights.)

 

[Arnwyn]

That's not true - especially for me. I wouldn't want an Xbox w/o the HD and the $400 system comes with component cables, wireless controller and other stuff that puts the price individually about $150 for the parts. So buying the lesser system is waste of cash.

Oh, I have no doubt that it's not true for you. I was just responding to your: "I don't see why anyone would buy the cheaper one" comment. There are a great many reasons to not buy the more expensive one (notably, that the rest of the stuff is completely unneeded).

(Though I do agree that the component cables are pretty much a no-brainer if one is going to bother getting an Xbox 360 in the first place.)

 

[mrtauntaun]

Im going to delay. Im really only interested in the new Madden for it and Fight Night Round 3, which doesn't release until next year, so i'll wait for they hype and price to go down, as availablility goes up.

 

[Desdichado]

I'm not an early adopter, it seems. I'll be using the imminent release of the 360 to get an older Xbox after we've seen one more price drop.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Most of these bundle packages are just for online pre-orders. I haven't heard of any brick and mortar stores forcing them on you.

Oh, and I was always more of a SNES Shadowrun fan myself. I hear that a new SR game is in development for the 360. But that might just be a rumor. (Microsoft owns the FASA Interactive studio, so I think they have the rights.)

the snes version rocked as well, and yeah they are working on a SR game for 360, but so far all they said has related it to a 1st person shooter. There is like 1 line of info out so far. Still its a reason to buy a console since I'm an obsessed shadowrun fan.

Also the brick and mortar sotre near me (an EB games)I checked up on and there only doing packages as of now. Maybe once its out and your not a preorder they'll let you buy it by itself even on release day. I'll have to start saving but 500 ish with a game I can do 700+ with 3 games I don't want I can't.

 

[John Crichton]

As far as waiting for a price drop goes, well everyone is entitled to their choices. I used to be of the same mindset, but I started thinking about what it really gains me. I came to the conclusion that waiting a year to save $100 wasn't really worth it, if you're missing out on playing games for a full year of your life, and shaving off 20% of the console's life, for a savings of $8.30 a month.

For me, it's not about the money. It's about the games. None of the launch titles scream, "YOU MUST HAVE ME!!!!!" If there was one in there exclusive to the Xbox360, I'd be in line to get one on launch day. But the only one that interests me will be on the PC and while I'm not hot on RPGs on the PC in general, I could still get it without dropping the $400.

I'm actually trying to find reasons to buy it sooner rather than later. I think I have a problem. Heheh Once a killer game hits the scene I'll be picking a X360.

 

[TwistedBishop]

Regarding the Xbox games on PC, that's one area Microsoft is really hurting itself. For Nintendo and Playstation you're usually able to point to A-list titles and say "that's why you need the system". For Xbox the standard answer is "but they're also on PC". I used to think that it was just an oversight, and they didn't realize how a severe lack of exclusive titles made it hard to sell people on the system.

Then I started reading interviews where they say it's intentional, games appearing on the PC as well as Xbox, in order to give the player more choices. It does, sure, but it also makes the console's sales a lot weaker. I personally can't stand playing anything but a MMORPG on the PC, however most people don't have that particular hang-up. The choice of $150 for an Xbox to play Fable, or $0 and just use your PC, isn't very likely to result in console sales. And that's not even talking about the $400 Xbox360.

 

[Zappo]

No way. I'm going to get one console, and it's going to be PS3. First of all, very few of the xbox360's titles really appeal to me. There's Oblivion, Fable, then there's a bunch of games that promise to be good but not exceptional... and that's about it.

Secondly, I've seen the PS3 demos and several of them easily kick the crap out of any three xbox demos combined.

I used to give 360 the benefit of the doubt, but last Sunday I went to SMAU (big electronics/computers fair in Italy) and they had a bunch of 360 for people to play with. They had the next Dead or Alive and a racing game which name I missed. I've watched people playing them with my own two eyes.

DoA had textures and models which easily beat any other current-gen fighting game. But that's about it. Lighting was current-gen (single shadow). Backgrounds were current-gen (good textures, a bit of reflection). Interaction with backgrounds was current-gen (smash a few predetermined items).

Worst of all, no dynamic textures or poses; the characters look exactly the same whether they are at 100% or 1% health. Just as bad, it still has the age-old problem of people's arms and legs passing through each other unless the "sweet spots" collide. Frankly, that sucks. It's almost anachronistic.

Ok, so you don't want blood on the character's faces and bits of bone jutting out - but at least make their clothes a bit ripped and their hair uncombed. Make flashlights point at them and produce realistic shadows. Make things so that the characters react differently depending on how and where they are hit, rather than just playing one of five predetermined animations. The next DoA looks like any current-gen fighting game, only that the characters are slightly prettier.

What about the racing game? Racing games should be nigh-photorealistic by now. Very few models on screen, and relatively simple too.

I went to the racing game xbox, and was again disappointed; the cars were indeed close to photorealistic (but honestly, they have been for a while now), but the backgrounds had obvious aliasing. Considering that xbox360's antialiasing hardware has been touted as one of its strong points over PS3, I found that really stupid. Again, the game didn't seem to have much in the way of gameplay innovation either - but I didn't get as good a look at it as DoA, so I've probably missed something.

In conclusion, Joshua Dial is right in getting an "old" xbox, 'cause the "new" one doesn't seem worth the money to me. I'm eagerly waiting for someone to actually play a PS3 game, and tell me whether the quite literally incredible goodness of the demos is for real.

edit: Fable, too. Still not worth the money. And I'm not quite sure that that game will be as good as it sounds.

 

[talinthas]

think the launch is bad in the US? one of the launch titles here in japan is Tetris.... -_-;;;

another one is a boardgame called everyparty, which could have been done on the super nes. yeah, microsoft is pulling out all the next gen stops here...