Next Xbox to require a constant Internet connection? | Forums

[DJ_2wItchY]

microsoft haven't literally said anything yet just speculations guys. yes somethings are more true than others........not yet true until microsoft says so.....its there product.

[rlmergeuser]

Home doesn't have to mean origins.

Good point.

Home is where the heart is, which in my opinion, console gaming's heart is in Japan.

[RetiredRonin]

Another thing that makes me sad is that the pitiful Xbox is the brain child of Seamus Blackley, an ex Looking Glass Studios dev. He went from taking part in the creation of some of the most innovative games ever to making a machine that in my eyes completely destroyed the market for consumers such as myself.

By allowing for your music to be played during games, to allowing friends, allowing those friends to join parties, allowing those parties to engage in voice chat, indie/arcade title downloading, streaming movies... The Xbox (and Microsoft) have actually innovated quite a bit in the console department and they continue to do so.

Sure, as gamers we may not like every feature that they come out with, but to say that they "destroyed the market" is, in my opinion, totally false.

Microsoft won me over back in the day with how easy it was to join a bunch of friends and talk smack (to each other) in Halo 2 clan matches. Before that, on consoles, it was usually impossible, or completely unintuitive, to actually join up with friends and play a game. Now it's an overlooked feature, though some consoles STILL do not allow this.

Only reason I have one is because of Trials. 360 exclusives are **** compared to PS3 exclusives.

This is one that I am not touching at all. Different gamers like different games.

PS3 online is free. Most of the services you have to pay for on 360 are free on PS3. So why have an Xbox other than for Trials.

My biggest issue with PSN is the total lack of accountability and user anonymity in regards to hackers/cheaters. Playing online is free. Making an account is free. Griefing other players is seemingly encouraged... The services on PS3 are, in my opinion, not as full featured as the Xbox counterpart. I am 100% positive that the PS4 will seriously remove most of my issues with the PS3 version of PSN.

The only reason I'm buying the next Xbox is if trials is going to be on it. That's why I'm praying that Ubisoft will be Ubisoft and push Redlynx to make Trials on the PS3. Then its bye bye ****box

So you are such a diehard Microsoft hater (why exactly?) that, even without any solid information about the console, you have decided you will never buy it, and that it is/will be a "****box"? You're free to base your opinion off of whatever information you want, but this seems more like a fan-boy reaction to the mention of an unannounced system than an opinion based off of fact.

Please don't view this is an Xbox Fan-boy blindly defending a console, because I'm not. I just want you guys to maybe put aside the "Us vs Them", "MS vs Sony" mentality that has plagued the console world since the days of Nintendo vs SEGA.

Check out the hardware, look at the features, check out the games! But buy the one that best suits your wants and needs and quite worrying about what name is on the plastic. But to do that, you'll need to wait until the info is there.

[rlmergeuser]

By allowing for your music to be played during games, to allowing friends, allowing those friends to join parties, allowing those parties to engage in voice chat, indie/arcade title downloading, streaming movies... The Xbox (and Microsoft) have actually innovated quite a bit in the console department and they continue to do so.

That's all great, all of it, but none of it relates to why I game. I could do all of those things on my PC already, if I actually wanted to. The only points I care for is the downloading of indie and arcade titles.

Sure, as gamers we may not like every feature that they come out with, but to say that they "destroyed the market" is, in my opinion, totally false.

No, the market is doing fine, but for gamers such as myself it's not.

Microsoft won me over back in the day with how easy it was to join a bunch of friends and talk smack (to each other) in Halo 2 clan matches. Before that, on consoles, it was usually impossible, or completely unintuitive, to actually join up with friends and play a game. Now it's an overlooked feature, though some consoles STILL do not allow this.

Again, don't care for any of that. Could do it on PC already.

"MS vs Sony" mentality that has plagued the console world since the days of Nintendo vs SEGA.

I agree. People used to argue over that nonsense when I was a kid. When you see it on the net these days it probably is still just kids going at it. At least I hope it is.

I dislike the Xbox/Microsoft because:

Facts:

Consistent faulty hardware.
Gold Membership.
A contract with Activision where xbox players receive COD dlc first.
Lack of backwards compatibility.
No new buttons on the pads for two generations now, unless you count the guide button (which has no effect on actual gaming)
The recent event on Twitter RE: "Always-on".

Now opinions:

There is not one single worthwhile exclusive (now that Trials evo is on PC).
Only improved console gaming in a family oriented, accessible and social sense, which I do not care for.
I have no solid opinions on PS3 as I do not own one.

Now, it's not all bad. The pad is comfy, all the positives you mentioned above Shifty, plus there have been a few great games on the Xbox (not exclusives), however I cannot help but wonder how different things would be if the console market was left primarily to the Japanese. Would loads of PC-centric devs have invaded the console market with waves of insultingly simplistic shooters? Would the business models of publishers have turned out so...low?
Would THQ and many other smaller companies gone bust?

It's too late now.

[RetiredRonin]

Microsoft won me over back in the day with how easy it was to join a bunch of friends and talk smack (to each other) in Halo 2 clan matches. Before that, on consoles, it was usually impossible, or completely unintuitive, to actually join up with friends and play a game. Now it's an overlooked feature, though some consoles STILL do not allow this.

Again, don't care for any of that. Could do it on PC already.

But we aren't talking about a PC, we are talking about a console. I find the XBL party features to be more intuitive, and thus more easy to use, than on PC. For many games you still need a third party application to be able to talk to your friends (Minecraft). I also don't really understand the hate towards consoles for being able to do more with them. PC gamers that I know will say "I don't need it to do that", but when a console is able to do something that is actually cool they say "My PC already does that". That's all fine and well, but when was the last time you could build a PC that will play Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for $150?

I dislike the Xbox/Microsoft because:

Facts:

Consistent faulty hardware.
Gold Membership.
A contract with Activision where xbox players receive COD dlc first.
Lack of backwards compatibility.
No new buttons on the pads for two generations now, unless you count the guide button (which has no effect on actual gaming)
The recent event on Twitter RE: "Always-on".

Microsoft did indeed have issues with hardware. I was lucky in that regard, as the only console I had "break" was because of a HDD that I dropped (don't drop those things!)

Timed exclusivity shouldn't be a reason to dislike a console manufacturer. They most likely paid for that exclusivity which would have helped in either the production of the game, or of the DLC. I'm not a big Call of Duty fan, but those titles have been some of the largest releases in gaming, it's good business practice to get deals like that.

I'm not really for or against backwards-compatibility. I mean, sure, it's great to have those other titles, but I will probably move onto NEWER games on my NEWER system. It's not like I am going to throw out my current console. Heck, I have 2 of the gen 1 Xbox consoles sitting in my closet (with about 40 games that I will likely never play again).

As for buttons: How many do you really need? Both PS3 and Xbox 360 have the same amount of buttons, the WiiU does not, but it's really a totally different beast when it comes to gaming.

I'm not interested in "our typically reliable source" stories. If all of them were true the next Xbox will only play new games while you are connected to the internet and Kinect is on. Maybe that's going to happen, but I'll wait for an official word on the hardware before I judge the console.

Now opinions:

There is not one single worthwhile exclusive (now that Trials evo is on PC).
Only improved console gaming in a family oriented, accessible and social sense, which I do not care for.
I have no solid opinions on PS3 as I do not own one.

Accessibility in gaming is super important, gaming isn't the same niche market that it was when some of us older guys were growing up. There's not really any stigma attached to playing video games anymore. As the industry changes, it's going to cause frustration by players who do not want change, but, as with any other industry based on technology, change is inevitable.

I think we've come a long way since the days of Pong, Wolfenstein 3D, RotT, Quake III... there's been some amazing innovations made, but for many consumers, buying a console that can cost $400 and whose sole purpose is to play a few games is out of the question. To keep the industry going console manufacturers have had to make the value and versatility of their product match the cost of entry.

I think that Microsoft and Sony have been fairly successful in this regard.

[rlmergeuser]

This should cheer a few people up ...

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/15...s-on-drm-snafu


Remember .... only rumors tho

Regarding the PC is better discussion, its only better with the fact that backwards compatabilty/emulation is possible - years on, i do, just as i suspect many other gamers like that bit of nostalgia of sticking a game that we havent played for ages (i can get lost in Pilot Wings, Moonstone & Chaos Engine for hours). Console = ease, no hassle play, plug it in n go. I would reckon that most peeps that say the PC is better are a bit more technically minded than the average "turn it on n look at facebook user"

[rlmergeuser]

I also don't really understand the hate towards consoles for being able to do more with them.
PC gamers that I know will say "I don't need it to do that", but when a console is able to do something that is actually cool they say "My PC already does tha t".

I do believe all those additional features are good. But sometimes they seem to be more a priority for Microsoft than actual games.

That's all fine and well, but when was the last time you could build a PC that will play Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for $150?

But playing new games for cheaper has always been a benefit of console gaming. Also console gaming coming so mainstream has also hurt the PC market big time.

Microsoft did indeed have issues with hardware. I was lucky in that regard, as the only console I had "break" was because of a HDD that I dropped (don't drop those things!)

I never throw pads, always take care of my stuff. Just degrades with use.
I've still got a SNES & Mega Drive in working order, yet I've had all sorts of Xbox hardware break...

Timed exclusivity shouldn't be a reason to dislike a console manufacturer. They most likely paid for that exclusivity which would have helped in either the production of the game, or of the DLC. I'm not a big Call of Duty fan, but those titles have been some of the largest releases in gaming, it's good business practice to get deals like that.

It's low and disrespectful, but yes, good business.

I'm not really for or against backwards-compatibility. I mean, sure, it's great to have those other titles, but I will probably move onto NEWER games on my NEWER system. It's not like I am going to throw out my current console. Heck, I have 2 of the gen 1 Xbox consoles sitting in my closet (with about 40 games that I will likely never play again).

I have games I want to play. Arx Fatalis & Deus Ex: Invisible War. Luckily Half-Life 2 & Call of Cthulhu are backwards compatible, and I just got those first two games on PC now.

As for buttons: How many do you really need?

At the very least four more before the evolution stops.

I'm not interested in "our typically reliable source" stories. If all of them were true the next Xbox will only play new games while you are connected to the internet and Kinect is on. Maybe that's going to happen, but I'll wait for an official word on the hardware before I judge the console.

True, there is no confirmation yet, but that guy was representing his company when he spoke in public in such a way.

Accessibility in gaming is super important, gaming isn't the same niche market that it was when some of us older guys were growing up. There's not really any stigma attached to playing video games anymore. As the industry changes, it's going to cause frustration by players who do not want change, but, as with any other industry based on technology, change is inevitable.

Yes, change is inevitable. But the grass is not always greener on the other side.

I think we've come a long way since the days of Pong, Wolfenstein 3D, RotT, Quake III...

Your opinion on "good games" depends entirely on your history with games. I think in some ways games have come a long way (Graphics) others a complete step back (Gameplay, Level Design).
Storytelling & story quality has arguably become worse too (we can discuss that later if you care for it).
It depends on the game of course, and most are a step back, imo.
Here is what I and others see with most modern games, pointed out by that respected Youtube dude TotalBiscuit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOHyD49DaeA

Going from the likes of Deus Ex (2000) to "MMS" such as Medal Of Honor: Warfighter (2012)...it's a joke.

[Barrybarfly]

I say we build apdenton a time machine so he can go back to 1985 and be happy forever.

[rlmergeuser]

I say we build apdenton a time machine so he can go back to 1985 and be happy forever.

Not particularly a fan of 80's gaming because the tech wasn't advanced enough to support something truly magnificent, 1990-2006 is the real good stuff. And some gems this generation too.

Also, no need for a time machine. The classics aren't going anywhere. I'm happy see the big grin?
I'm honoured you'd go to such lengths to make me happy though, thanks!

And hey, this thread was destined to attract *****ing.

[Barrybarfly]

Just screwing around.

I think there is a lot more mass market appeal for games now, but the hardcore tend to feel that that appeal has come at the expense of dumbing down the games. Unless the masses demand smarter games, I expect the trend will continue. Much as with TV shows, films and a lot more. I mean seriously, have you seen how "thrillers" have to replay previous scenes just to remind the viewer of what they saw 10 mins ago? Hardly thrilling or thoughtful imo.

But we have to make do with whatever we get offered I guess. Its not going to change anytime soon I dont think. So make lemonade I say! lol