Xbox One!

[Tiff]

I spoke with my hubby about all the complaints, and he really had some interesting points. As it stands right now, our 360 is hooked up to the internet 24/7. Its really no different than what the Xbox One was proposing with the constant internet feed.

Our computer is hooked up 24/7 as well. He's in IT, has explained before how easy it would be for someone to hack into our computer even with the stuff that he's put in place to prevent that. So in his opinion, he doesn't understand the hoopla about the internet thing.

As for them backtracking, its irritating (personally) to me that people are scoffing at it. What on earth is wrong with the company understanding that they made choices that ticked off their userbase and try to correct it? To me, no one is perfect and they were going to try out different ways to do them. Fair enough (and I didn't like them tbh). The fact that not only did they listen, but change how they decided to do things is AWESOME to me. Shows that they care about their users IMHO.

Hubby on the other hand thinks that them backtracking is setting a really bad precendent.

 

[Feronia]

DH and I have been talking a lot about this as well (We're both long-term gamers and discuss these things on a daily basis). True, the internet requirement isn't an issue for some people, but it is for a lot of people. Internet connections go out far more frequently than electricity. When we moved into our current apartment, we didn't have internet for almost 2 weeks -- 2 weeks we spent playing offline Steam games. We wouldn't have been able to play anything with an Xbox one. Our internet also goes out frequently since we live on a huge university campus and only have one crappy option for internet. Not everyone has solid connections!

It's the same issue people had with Diablo 3; why force people to play single player games online? It's nice having the option is all, like with Diablo 2.

Also, Microsoft is not doing this backtracking out of the kindness of their hearts. It's about money, as always. They tried to screw people over by controlling used game markets (which is soo dumb), insisting on internet check ups, and having extremely invasive DRM. They looked at the number of pre-orders and the number of complaints and realized their system wouldn't sell well, so they did what any company would do to save their asses. It's business, not kindness, and they're only listening half-assed because they have to. They went too far to try to maximize their profits at the expense of consumers and it backfired, that's all. Backtracking some of their policies isn't going to change the minds of many gamers who will buy a PS4 instead. Eurogamer has some great articles about this!

 

[Tiff]

I never said they did it out of the kindness of their hearts!

1000% that was a buisness decision to save their sales, anyone can see that. BUT I'm happy that they actually did do it, rather than sticking to their guns. If that makes sense?

Personally I do think part of it makes sense. Why revamp a console if its going to be the exact same as 360? Each console that has come out has new features that the predecessor doesn't. We own (in console form) right back to the original Nintendo. I did have an Atari back in the day but its been long sold.

As for Steam, I don't understand the comparason between it and console gaming. Steam is strictly PC based and solely digital copies, right? So at one point or another, you had to have internet connection to download the games. I've never seen games at EB or Gamestop sold for Steam, but I have seen Steam points cards.

But you are right, I do believe that people SHOULD have the option to play offline if they need to. Where in Canada are you? That SUCKS that you had to play offline for 2 weeks. We only had to do it for about 4 days or so when we moved, even that was hard enough.

We're lucky that our internet (hubby sells it through a side buisness) is AWESOME and we rarely have connectivity problems. Not many of our friends do either, but then again we live in a city that isn't very rural. Not sure if that makes a difference.

 

[Feronia]

Oh yeah, I'm happy they backtracked as well! I just don't expect it to affect their sales too much, but perhaps it will enough for them to do okay. If they didn't backtrack on these issues, their console probably wouldn't have sold very well; if it did, that would be even worse because other companies would follow suit and it could very well eliminate the used market for games entirely. That would be sad since there exists a used market for just about everything else.

I don't really see how the new features proposed by the Xbox one team would have set it well apart from the 360. Internet check-ins don't enhance gaming in any way, and having strict guidelines for sharing games only hinders people as well. They could just do what most consoles do when they advance -- better graphics, CPU, engines, memory, and slightly redesigned controllers. That's all the PS4 is going to do and I bet it will do well. I personally prefer more traditional consoles anyway -- controller and console -- as opposed to motion control features like the Wii U. That being said, I love the 3DS, though I do play with 3D off. Hah, I had an Atari, too! Loooong since gone who knows where.

Oh, the Steam comparison was confusing perhaps. We had the games installed from before we moved, but thankfully Steam lets you play games offline (aside from the obvious exceptions of MMOs). Yeah, it's mostly digital downloads, but also physical copies. We have Skyrim installed to Steam from a physical copy, for instance. A better example would be the 360, PS3, or really any other console that just lets you play offline for however long you want.

I'm in Vancouver, but since I live on campus we only have one crappy option for internet. It sucks, we get like 2 mbps max and frequent outages. They also took FOREVER to come and set it up.

 

[Tiff]

Ahh, I love when other people not only know what an Atari is but had one as well. My fave game for it was Pitfall. I sucked royally at it, always got freaked out by the scorpion-thingy that was underneath where you were playing.

Yep, makes sense for sure. We'll be getting the Xbox One, cuz hubby is beyond stoked for it and has already pre-ordered launch day game titles. Will let you know how it goes!

I was a fan of the Wii at first, I loved playing the sports games and the Zelda title for it. It did get cumbersome after awhile, and I'd play for hours (this was obviously pre-kiddo when I had actual time to do it!) and I'd get so freaking sore. But was totally immersed in the game and didn't want to stop playing due to my arm hurting.

I rather like the Kinect. Granted, the only game I play that uses it are the Dance Central games. I get bored with straight up working out, so will pop in one of those when I feel the need to get my butt in gear.

 

[bumpy_j]

It's too funny that Microsoft went and backtracked on their DRM policies, used game sales, and mandatory 24-hour internet check in. That stuff was all crap to begin with, but they're still not talking about the huge price difference between the PS4 and the Xbone, nor are they backtracking on the mandatory always-on Kinect. I also think it's too little too late; yes they listened to feedback, but it's because they knew the Xbone wouldn't sell very well, and I don't trust them not to implement their crappy always-on internet features and lack of used game sales once the system is already out. I doubt many people will be buying the Xbone, especially since the PS4 has seemed a lot better from the beginning and Sony never tried to screw people over.

I 100% agree. I don't think it was just the internet raging that made Xbox change their mind. They simply hadn't done their research. So many countries would not have been able to use it at launch, and allegedly so would millions of Americans. Not to mention the US military and navy. They would have made a monumental loss if they kept the DRM. We are still I'd say, around 2 generations away from this sort of technology to be workable worldwide.

My boyfriend who used to be an Xbox game and hardware tester absolutely HATES Kinect with a passion so it's still a no-go for us with it being mandatory. We keep out Xbox in our tiny bedroom so have no need for it, it's just an expensive irritant. With Microsoft being in hot water after this NSA thing anyway, it was extremely bad timing to reveal an always-online console with a compulsory camera. Definitely a wise move on their part to write-off the DRM, but I don't think they should be totally forgiven when if it wasn't for Sony shunning the second hand fees, we would most probably still have those in place.

It also seems rather convenient that they ditched the Family Plan when apparently, an Xbox employee revealed it was only going to be hour-long trials of games you'd be able to play.

This is pretty funny - Major Nelson stating that a DRM reversal would have been impossible and four days later, it happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RtSGFryKwo

 

[Tiff]

Sony's done some seriously sketchy stuff in the past as well though.

Rootkit scandal


All companies make mistakes I guess.

 

[bumpy_j]

Yep, they have (although BMG is to do with the American subsidary so am not sure how much it's related to the Japanese Playstation franchise circle of execs). However, as stupid as that was, music piracy is a massive thing which is why I find it slightly easier to understand. It was still supremely stupid though, as are nearly all attempts to stop pirating it seems. My problem is that Microsoft really, really, really don't have much of a piracy problem. For one thing, if you hack an Xbox you are almost instantly kicked off Xbox Live. You NEED Xbox Live to do so many things like video streaming, multiplayer etc that there already seemed to be not much point to hack one.

I probably sound really biased, but we were a solely 360 household before. We were honestly thinking that we were going to get the next xbox - we thought it would be cheaper (which it's not) and have better games (the exclusives didn't wow me).

This is what game devs should be aspiring towards ! Rather than tarring everyone as a potential pirate and making them undertake special requirements/pay extra fees to play games.

https://www.cracked.com/article_19162_6-hilarious-ways-game-designers-are-screwing-with-pirates.html

 

[Tiff]

It had nothing to do with piracy. It was them spying on people without their consent/knowledge for marketing purposes. The discs they gave out had this rootkit in it and would download spyware into people's computers. That's BS to me! I mean really?

Xbox has done some dick moves to be sure too though.

I do feel that Xbox is more secure than Sony. Live has never had its user's information hacked and leaked out. I barely used my PS3 (annoyed me how long updates took) yet I was given a compensation package because my personal information was compromised. It ended up being like 3 games or something you could download from the Play store, the titles weren't even that good to what I perfer to play.

 

[amytrisha]

Too many mahoosive comments!

I do think Xbox were being a tad greedy, me and OH constantly have the xbox vs ps debate. He loves Xbox for their dedicated servers and the chunky pads whereas I've grown up with PS and prefer them as an overall thing (bluray, first browser, pshome).
At home I caved in to oh because most out friends have Xbox so we have one. I'm not sure whether well opt for PS4 or xboxone though because I do think its gonna be pretty close, I'm glad Microsoft listened to their fans but after reading a lot of comments on their fb page a lot of their fans are pretty peeved at how greedy they were being money wise in the first place.
Think ill just wait til people we know have either console & listen to personal opinions..

By the way does anybody know whether on the Xbox one you use your 360 account or have to make a new account? X

 

[vhal_x]

I just skim-read the comments above, so sorry if any of this has been written.

The reason that Microsoft has backtracked and changed their policies on DRM is partly to do with their consumer-base (since obviously so many people made a fuss) and partly because Sony aren't using DRM, therefore people flocked there when Microsoft announced it.

The "Always-On" DRM policy did not mean that your console had to be connected to the internet for 24 hours a day, it just meant that once every 24 hours, it would connect for like a second to verify your account and your games (eg: to check you hadn't traded them in, but were still playing the game from your HDD).

Now that they have backtracked, you will only have to connect once at the point you get the console (no doubt for a Day-One patch to reverse the DRM). And then you never have to connect again (unless you want to, of course).

I was getting the Xbox One regardless, as the DRM thing didn't affect me. Sure my internet cuts out every now and then (and I have a pretty good internet package!), but with it only connecting once per day, that's fine.

My only gripe with it was that you couldn't have more than one account play the game, but of course, that was just early-E3 panic, which they then confirmed it would be able to be used by anyone on the same console, as well as 10 XBL Gold members whom you assign it to.

Obviously, with everything being changed, it's back to being basically the way the 360 is now in terms of disc usage, which is fine by me. I'll still be getting an Xbox One on release.

And to amytrisha - yes you keep the same account It just transfers over xx

 

[Ceejay123]

I'm a gamer geek, I need both!