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XBox (Games) Entertainment Games

Xbox 2 - Scaling Down Size, Evolving Live, Xenon-ize 45

Posted by simoniker from the megablast dept.
Thanks to IGN Xbox for its coverage of an interview with Japanese Xbox boss Yoshihiro Maruyama, in which he discusses the release timing of the next-gen consoles, suggesting: "If asked if the [Xbox sequel's] release will happen next year, I'd say that no, it won't be next year", and predicting: "We foresee the next generation PS2 hardware arriving some time after 2006." He also mentions that a smaller-sized console is "something that we'd like to do" for the Xbox's sequel, which GameGossip are claiming may be called the 'Xenon', according to a job posting on Microsoft's website. Elsewhere, Microsoft's Robbie Bach has been discussing the evolution of Xbox Live at CES, mentioning, via GameSpot, that "...he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com." Finally, GameInformer provides clarification that the previously mentioned Xbox Media Center Extender Kit "will not recognize media on PC's not running Windows XP Media Center Edition" - it appears upgrading your PC to this edition may be tricky/impossible for some.
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Xbox 2 - Scaling Down Size, Evolving Live, Xenon-ize More

Xbox 2 - Scaling Down Size, Evolving Live, Xenon-ize

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  • "...he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com."

    Obviously, he's never played Chess on Zone. They trash-talk like nobody's business on there!

    Seriously, I'm not so sure this is a great idea. One of the main appeals of the XBox to me is that it really, really, really tries to cater to the 18-44 year old male gamer who otherwise would do all his gaming on a PC.

    To that population (which, of course, I'm a part of), videogames are an escapist pursuit - you tend to dissociate from the real-world a bit. Some of the nicest people I know have totally different, hyper-competitive personalities when playing videogames. The person who works out his agression on Xbox Live doesn't want it turned into My Little Pony Meets Rainbow Brite in The Land Of Cotton Candy.

    People trash talk on Xbox live because the games and the environment are conducive to it - it's semi-anonymous, and you're playing games like Madden and Wolfenstein. You pop someone from all the way across the map, you want to brag about it. That's what the Xbox Communicator is for...

    • My Little Pony Meets Rainbow Brite in The Land Of Cotton Candy.

      Definitely!

      I'm more of a Care Bear fan, myself.

    • Re:A kinder, gentler Xbox Live? Nay, nay, I say! (Score:4, Insightful)

      by unclethursday ( 664807 ) on Saturday January 10, 2004 @05:44PM (#7940486)
      One of the main appeals of the XBox to me is that it really, really, really tries to cater to the 18-44 year old male gamer who otherwise would do all his gaming on a PC.

      Which, you know, completely explains all the 12-16 year olds on Live games. Really. Listen to some of the people on there, doing most of the trash talking, and the most cursing just because they can. They're kids, and annoying brats at that.

      Then comes along Counter-Strike on Xbox Live, where the goddamn mute function simply doesn't work, so you have to hear all the pre-teen and teend retards the entire time. I'm so glad I only rented that game; it's better on the PC anyway.

      The Xbox, and Xbox Live doesn't cater to "the 18-44 year old male gamer crowd" any more than the GameCube caters to kids. If these were true, I'd never hear these annoying 12-16 year olds on XBL, and I wouldn't own a GameCube because I'm 29 with no kids of my own.

      • I think we can trace this sort of behavior to the availabilty and lack of stigma attached to owning formerly 'geek' tools like consoles and computers. The more we tap into the general populace, the more we can see that morons outnumber us. :)

        Just go to a local Wal-Mart and you can see who populates XBox Live. :)

        That's why I play games on a PC, PS2, or Gamecube. The online "experience" that Xbox Live gives you is something I can do without.

        I think it will eventually saturate itself to the point of the r
        • I think we can trace this sort of behavior to the availabilty and lack of stigma attached to owning formerly 'geek' tools like consoles and computers. The more we tap into the general populace, the more we can see that morons outnumber us.

          I disagree completely. When I started hitting bulletin board systems in the 80s with my Commodore 64 and snazzy 300-baud modem, I quickly discovered a large number of "geeks" who loved cussing, insulting and intimidating other people online. I can recall a number of o

      • Then comes along Counter-Strike on Xbox Live, where the goddamn mute function simply doesn't work

        At least it has a mute function. Mechassault has absolutely no way of muting anyone except for unplugging you headset, and that doesn't let you hear anyone at all.

        Note to developers: do not create an Xbox Live enabled title without the ability to mute individuals. There is nothing more annoying than trying to play a game while someone pipes in what they consider music over your headset, or while they s

    • It's a per game community. (Score:4, Interesting)

      by *weasel ( 174362 ) on Monday January 12, 2004 @08:56AM (#7951659)
      xbox-live is surprisingly similar to the rest of internet gaming. the communities form on a per-game basis.

      all MS has to do is release a game that is little more than a collection of live-enabled popular card games, and they'll have the community they want.

      it will be no more reflective of the 'community' you find in xbl cstrike, than yahoo games is of the PC fps 'community'.

      the primary difference between xbl and regular internet gaming, is that MS is the controlling authority in a pseudonymous (not even remotely annonymous) online environment. in the rest of internet gaming, banning one asshat simply means he'll crop up somewhere else with very little hassle to him and he'll continue annoying people.

      with xbox-live, at the very least an asshat has to shell out another $50 for another live account, and there's some discussion that MS blocks the credit card used to register a banned account, and possibly all cards issued to that individual.

      xbox live is much more suited to actually delivering a community of reasonable people than anywhere else. If you'd ever tried playing a game that doesn't appeal to as many kiddies (ghost recon has many fewer kiddies than cstrike) you'd realize how easy it will be for them.

      the only trick to for MS is figuring out how to get enough people online and playing, say, their card games. perhaps allowing people to play between xbox live and the MSN Zone.

      and despite your assertion, the xbox communicator exists simply because you need to communicate to enjoy multiplayer games. and if you hadn't noticed, there's no keyboard.

  • Xenon? What About Megablast? (Score:4, Informative)

    by Yorrike ( 322502 ) on Saturday January 10, 2004 @08:09AM (#7937066) Journal
    "GameGossip are claiming may be called the 'Xenon', according to a job posting on Microsoft's website."

    I hope Microsoft have checked with the Bitmap Brothers [bitmap-brothers.co.uk] regarding that name [bitmap-brothers.co.uk], otherwise they're likely to get shuned by anyone with any respect for vertically scrolling shooters.

  • Kinder? Gentler? WTF? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Blackknight ( 25168 ) on Saturday January 10, 2004 @08:18AM (#7937083) Homepage
    he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com.

    Please don't. The best thing about Xbox Live is that you can get on there and talk trash while fragging people. In fact, that's part of the reason I got Live in the first place.

    I don't think the Xbox demographics would like these kind of changes.
    • The best thing about Xbox Live is that you can get on there and talk trash while fragging people. In fact, that's part of the reason I got Live in the first place.

      That is why I don't play Xbox Live.

  • How idiotic (Score:3, Insightful)

    by EnglishTim ( 9662 ) on Saturday January 10, 2004 @09:33AM (#7937253)
    Restricting the extender media playback to just PCs running Windows Media Center seems asinine, and I can't see any good technical reason for it.
    • What do technical reasons have to do with it?
    • See synergy [reference.com]

      Honestly, is this such a surprise to you?

      • I don't really see how 'synergy' applies here.

        I had thought that might only let you access stuff on MS operating system, but to limit it to once uncommon variant seems odd.
        • Do you mean "one" uncommon variant? And perhaps it seems odd to you but let's think about it for a moment.

          My best guess is that within the XP line, Pro and Home are the top sellers. The idea that MS wants to push is custom tailored operating systems [and thus can charge more for each one since you're getting more customization for your buck] is, at best, a floundering idea for the mass market. Most people say they use Windows - not a version of Windows tailored to their individual needs. Now, from this, if

          • In order to take advantage, they have to buy a whole new OS.

            Actually, they need a whole new PC. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 isn't compatible with other PCs that run Windows XP Professional.

            A detailed piece [gamesarefun.com] with the quote from Microsoft's FAQ on WinXP Media Center 2004 about compatibility, as well as price ranges on the PCs/laptops compatible.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • There's no more DRM in Windows XP Media Center Edition than there is in Windows XP. The reason you need a Windows XP Media Center PC is because the Xbox Media Center Extender does what it sounds like - it's extends Media Center to the Xbox.
  • ... "may be tricky/impossible for some."

    "some" guys have all the luck.

  • Why drop the trashtalking? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Inoshiro ( 71693 ) on Saturday January 10, 2004 @12:23PM (#7938051) Homepage
    Microsoft has been very serious about building up this image about how bad-asses use the XBox. Their XSN Sports lineup shows this to a T: "dominate anyone, anywhere, at any time" (with online stats updates, challence notifications, etc).

    The big, black box with a whole word of competition where you destroy opponents and feast on their still-beating hearts is what Xbox Live! and the Xbox has been advertised as for over 2 years now. To neuter that seems silly.

    Or, perhaps, MS has realized that Nintendo's made a lot of headway being accesible to all age groups, not just white males age 18-35.
  • If they make it more like Zone.com, that means that the new Live will launch with hyper-powerful versions of Bejeweled! O_O
  • "Microsoft's Robbie Bach has been discussing the evolution of Xbox Live at CES, mentioning, via GameSpot, that "...he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com."

    LOL! I laugh at thee. Obviousely this guy never spent the last 4-7 years in the Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 and Mysteries of the Sith Zone.com lobbies where you could find a LOT of

    A) Idiots
    B) Morons
    C) Spammers
  • Windows MCE is no different at all from XP except for that ONE program it adds, namely the media center. There's no way you can make me beleive that there's some technicaly impossible reason they can't make any media play on the xbox.

    And what if I decide I would like to upgrade to MCE to use the extended features of the xbox kit? Well, let's see what my options are: I could buy a new computer with MCE bundled with it, but since I've already got 2 computers that seems a little silly. I could install MCE
  • If they port Xenon or Xenon 2: Megablast and bundled one or both with the Xbox, that'd just be the classiest...

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