Blog community responds to the Xbox 360

by Blake Snow { Nov 23rd 2005 at 8:30AM }

Online opinions on the newly released Xbox 360 are hitting cyberspace faster than you can read this post, and many are positive. Here's the best of the best:

"The Xbox 360 delivers a true next-gen gaming experience that promises to deliver for a long time to come…The two games we did play…were a blast…The future of gaming on the Xbox 360 is looking very, very bright." - [H]ard|OCP
"I personally think this could be a beautiful gaming platform, and will get the kind of traction Gates & Company have been lusting for. Having seen the device up, close and personal, well, it is so un-Microsoft like that it might be a success." - Om Malik's Blog
"Until Sony gets its console to market, we've got the 360 to keep us busy and that might just mean Microsoft's $4 billion gamble on the Xbox will have paid off in full—and then some." - Ars Technica
"The console gets really hot. It has two large fans on the back of the case; however, after playing half of a game of Madden, the game disc was hot to the touch." - sMoRTy71.com

For those who picked up a system yesterday, what are your first impressions?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Osiris @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

OMG the disc gets hot -_-
How is that different to any pc after installing a game?

It's great, the discs do get hot after a while, but I had the system on for like 13 hours straight, and had no problems with overheating...

I have not been able to play PDZ online, though. The server keeps dropping me, or at least it seems like it. :(

Paul @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

After waiting 16 hours online in Manhattan for an Xbox 360 I absolutely feel it was 100% worth it. The system has a level of seemlessness in it's functionality, the guide button and xbox live are integrated into almost every function of gaming, and the games, i have nba2k6, madden, perfect dark zero and need for speed, look absolutely amazing and this is only the tip of the iceberg, see the difference between halo, which looked breathtaking when you first saw it, and halo 2, which makes halo look like bad kindergarten drawings, if you don't believe me.

Lectoid @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

�The console gets really hot. It has two large fans on the back of the case; however, after playing half of a game of Madden, the game disc was hot to the touch.�

So what happens when 360 games start using all 3 of the CPU's to their full potential? (based upon the articles that games are really only utilizing one CPU).

Wes Hodgson @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

That thing is LOUD! :)

Otherwise it's great. PGR3 and CoD2 are phenomenal games (this coming from someone who is typically a PC gamer), and the Live Arcade games are pretty well just as exciting to me.

The only real annoyance (other than the fan volume) for me is the fact that you can't do anything else when you're downloading anything from the marketplace/etc.

Captain America @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Well my 360 refused to play PGZ, it keeps displaying the error message. My first impression is that this console is a failure. Im going to return mine and wont bother getting a new one. PS3 and Revo for me next year.

Brian @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

My disks never got hot, even after 8 hours of playing, so that obviously is a problem with their particular Xbox.

spick @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

My buddy managed to grab one yesterday. You guys were right, Geometry Wars is HOT! I had Perfect Dark there to try as well, but for pick up and play action, holy fsck.

65,500 on my first game of the trial version. Sweet.

jason w @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Well after returning a psp in the past year for major read errors as well as a ps2 several years ago for the same issue, I think you may just need to chuck it up to Tech crap. There is a fail rate of anything. As for the 360, I love mine more than I thought I would. Im wowed more than I though. Its like putting ridge racer in the psp for the first time, damn it looks good, but in this case the games I bought, PDZ, PGR, Madden and Call of Duty, all play better than ridge racer for the PSP. Im just happy to be living in a time when these systems can push so much power.
Oh and my system has yet to get hotter than any other console i own.

Justin Celani @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

My disk got hot as well but its no big deal. Thats what happens with a console that powerful and playing a game for a extended amount of time.

Rich Cutter @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I got mine last Saturday having won the Mountain Dew contest, and I have nothing but great things to say about this console. There is such a polish to the interface, and the XBOX Live integration is amazing. The gamerscore and achievements thing is brilliant...very addicting and motivates you to hit that next level in a game, etc. Every game I've played so far has looked incredible. I don't know how people can say that this isn't really next gen graphics. The complacent Sony folks must really be scrambling right now trying to figure out how they're going to keep up. (I think they've lost already based purely on their console design...that unit and controller look awful!)

starburst @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

well the sucky thing about this is that i heard it's coming out in australia in march! =(

J Money @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I got mine yesterday from Costco. It was a premium bundle with an extra wireless controller a play and charge kit and Kameo. The system is far better than I expected. The fan noise is there but it isn't any more noisy than my laptop (toshiba). My 360 didn't get hot to the touch at all nor did the power supply. I have mine in a component cabinet but it is well ventilated. The graphics are amazing. The dashboard is very user friendly. I really like everything that was bundled in the premium bundle. Everything is there to get your game on even the batteries! The quality of the system is excellent. It is very polished and looks very sexy! This is very far removed from the 1st gen Xbox. This badboy looks and plays like a high end electronic component. The controller fits like a glove it's the perfect size. I picked up Kameo and Call of Duty 2. These games are both very next gen in my opinion. Call of duty was so immersive I had to pause the game after an hour just to catch my breath. I have a HDTV and there is no comparing these 2 games to any other 1st gen Xbox games in my opinion. I'll be picking up a digital audio cable after work today so that I can hook this up to my surround sound. I am very excited about this 4 day weekend.

AK @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I've only played PGR 3 and COD 2,but so far I am very impressed with the power and functionality of the system. It's got so many features to try out it makes older systems look like bare bones in comparison. The games are awesome!!!! I know the in-car camera has been done before, but the execution in PGR3 is just short of real life, the motion blur is amazing. You have to see it to believe it. Then in COD2 you really get a sense of chaos. There are so many things going on at the same time, sometimes you don't notice the stick grenade next to your feet until it's too late (even with the helpful grebade icon). The sound briliant. I'll have to finish both games and take them on Live to be able to make a full review, but wow what a first impression.
The discs do get a little hot and the fan is louder than most, but I did not experience any performance issues in the 14+ hours that it was on.
The DVD player feature is awesome. For some reason when I played DVD's on my old xbox I would get very faint lines of concentrated color running vertically across the screen. Barely noticeable unless you know they are there. And if you are a videophile, a definite eye sore. I haven't watched a DVD on my tv for 6 months because of that. But that has all changed with the 360. With the progressive scan playback the lines are completely gone and the picture is much sharper, almost HD...almost (I have an HDTV with HD cabel service so I can make an objective comparison).
I'm still trying to troubleshoot the PC to 360 media sharing, but hopefully I will be able to resolve that today.
The Live Marketplace has huge potential. I downloaded a couple of trailers and demos without fanfare. The demo for NBA Live looks amazing but plays like crap. I'm going to give Kameo a spin today.
Oh, and Geometry Wars rocks!!!

Any suggestions on the future third game in my library???

notrealdan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I got mine (after waiting in line) and what I like the most is the integration with Live and all of the content that is and will be available. Especially demos of AAA games. What I found in the marketplace and the live arcade kept me so busy, I didn't even open the games I had bought until a day later!! Kudos to MS and good luck to Sony!

Jimmy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

2 words. Kameo rocks!

This system feels nextgen in every respect. I was surprised how much I like the wireless controllers. This was worth the 4 hour wait in the Walmart line ;-)

I am a gaming enthusiast. I do not understand all of the xbox vs playstation vs nintento anamosity. True gamers would like all platforms. The more competition in the market, the greater the benefit for the gamer!

Pete @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I found that the DVD player has some glitches. I tried playing "Appleseed" and it completely froze the system twice. I tried "Star Wars" Episode III. It looked like a Sattelite Dish during a hurricane. It was very pixelated and almost unwatchable. I don't know what the problem is. Any answers? Other than that it works and looks great. Tony Hawk:AW for the XBOX worked and looked great, PDZ also looked and played awesome.

Tomahawk @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

omg im so jelous!! i have to wait till next friday for mine

HeistGoneWrong @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I ordered my 360 on November 2nd, from Futureshop.ca. They were selling 10 a day until November 4th. It shipped out on Monday the 21st at 6PM and was at my house by Noon on Tuesday the 22nd. I got the Premium w/ extra Wireless controller, P&C Kit, PDZ and PGR3. The only problem I'm having is that on my 30" Samsung HDTV, the games run off the screen. Not so much in PGR3 but I can't even fck'n see my health or ammo display in PDZ. Anyone know how this can be fixed?

SpartanVIII @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I have only had a chance to play my 360 for abot an hour and a half as of yet.

So far, i have spent half of that time with no disc even in the drive.....that is saying something.

Bodah @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

HeistGoneWrong,
Make sure your TV's aspect ratio is set at
16:9 or 4:3

The Samsung has a zoom mode on the same menu screen as these aspect ratios. I think this is the setting you are currently using.

AK @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

To Pete,

I would suggest calling customer service. I tried SW III and it works like a charm, very crisp picture. Have it checked out.

JGE @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

It seems to me the so-called fan noise isn't so much from the fans as it is from the DVD drive. I noticed that when leaving a game and navigation through the dashboard, the noise became significantly lower. Also, I am curious how the phase change cpu cooler is supposed to be effective with the box standing on end as opposed to lying flat? I am willing to bet the temps drop significantly if placed horizontally. Other than that I love the system. Having a little trouble migrating my Live account over, but I am sure that is due to some server glitches caused by the high volume.

Al @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Pete,
You might know this but is the AV cable switch set to HiDef or Standard? If you have it on the wrong setting it might be affecting your DVD playback. Haven't tried watching a movie on mine yet (too busy with arcade, dashboard, downloads, visualizer, etc..).

Btw, streamed music from my PC in 10 minutes - just did a google search on 'xbox360 media connect', downloaded/installed the software and was good to go.

Pete @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Heist

Check the HD screen settings in the dashboard it helps when the resolutions are the same as you are displaying on your TV .

dangerdan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I picked mine up from a buddy who is employed at BestBuy. Their store sold 30 consols to employees. The games I have played dont really seem next-gen; in fact I think most of the 360 launch titles are also available on the original XBox. I will say that the HD rocks. Tiger Woods on a plasma screen is amazing. Hopefully developers can come up with some real next-gen games in the future. Overall, I'm pleased with the new box.

Pete @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Heist

Check the HD screen settings in the dashboard it helps when the resolutions are the same as you are displaying on your TV .

Pixelantes Anonymous @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Wouldn't the temperature issues with some of the units cause game discs to go bad sooner than expected? Temperature changes are generally speaking bad for CDs and DVDs.

Jeremy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

This new box is AMAZING!! I bought Quake 4, and put it this way.. the gameplay of Quake 4 looks like the cut scenes of Doom 3 for the Xbox.... And not to mention COD2, Kameo, and Condemned all ROCK!! I also love the dashboard, and all of the things that are, and will be available for download from the marketplace. The only complaint that i have about the games is that some of the games are also being made for the PS2 and the original Xbox, which i believe is holding back the developers from being able to truely create a next-gen game.. but with games like Quake, PDZ and Kameo, you can tell what a true next gen game is now, and you can imagine how amazing they will become later! Way to go MS.. Sony has a lot of catching up to do, and they better have one hell of a rabbit in their hat for the PS3..

Max Boyer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

first of all, it doesn't get any hotter than any other dvd player, but the fan that kicks in when games start is pretty damn loud (not a problem with a good 5.1 system).
overall, couldn't be much happier with the system. this is the if you have an HDTV and you've been starved for some gorgeous HD CONTENT to put on said TV like I've been, this will certainly answer all your prayers. the graphics are jaw-dropping (waiting for PS3 on the basis of power is a dead argument, as far as I'm concerned) and the system itself is amazingly designed; I'm talking about not just the physical sleekness, but also the dashboard and menus and how easy it is to access everything without moving your fat ass from your couch. Yay Microsoft!
Some small glitches up front: it keeps giving me an error screen telling me that "this is an XBOX 360 disc. please insert into an XBOX 360 to play". weird. my guess is a bug is making the XBOX 1 emulation kick in when it's not supposed to and the 360 thinks it's and old school BOX. very weird.
also, backwards compatibility has some kinks they're going to have to work out down the road. Halo 2 looks frickin gorgeous in high definition as does Halo 1, but the first one will not play in widescreen. I'm also having weird widescreen problems with Half-Life 2. anybody else having similar problems?

Modano @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

The discs get hot after play? Well, forget it. Carrying the discs around in my hand is my favorite part of gaming so I'm not going to get a 360.

oBLIQUE @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I got mine from costco yesterday, w/ the bundle that included Kameo extra controller and charge kit, I also bought PGR3, PDZ, NBA2K6, and Need for Speed MW. Im really liking NFSMW and NBA2k6 the HD gaming is amazing especially in NFSMW, PGR3 looks good but i prefer NFSMW because the graphics look better to me. besides that im really liking the controller its hot, I hated the original xbox but this one is making up, I am more of a playstation fan but this highly makes up for it until the PS3 comes out.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

"The discs get hot after play? Well, forget it. Carrying the discs around in my hand is my favorite part of gaming so I'm not going to get a 360."

that's a really dumbass thing to get sarcastic and dismissive about, Modano.

the point of someone mentioning that the discs get hot so quickly is that the system apparently has a cooling problem, which means it probably overheats easily. that can translate to a housefire, ass.

Mrs.EB @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

initial impressions... played nba 06, condemmed, tiger 06, CoD2 and kameo

* way too loud. Believe the sounds to be coming from the cd drive, but it's twice as loud as any other system
* no HDTV for me so graphics really aren't all that
* headset cuts in and out, echoes are horrible

The one good thing about this that I've found are the networking functions. I was able to get songs from my pc in just a few quick minutes, and found it pretty cool that the 360 organized my songs by artist and album, even though they weren't divided up on my own hard drive.

Jay @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I'm wondering if people have actually played the 360 here. I've played various demo units and got invited to a sort of PR stunt event where we all sat down on big comfy cushions and had a play. I dont get it. this isn't next gen. This is the original Xbox with added extras that does justify �400 of my hard earned cash.

If you like it. then brilliant. but this is not next gen. next gen would be the bastard child of the Revolution (control, free online) and PS3 (power, blu-ray).

strictnein @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Al:
I tried to get that whole media center connect thing working, but didn't. I first tried the software from the main MS site, but that didn't work. Then I tried the software from the Xbox site and that didn't work either.

Wonder if its a firewall issue with my PC... hmm

zenprism @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

The thing rose the temperature in my room by 5-10 degrees during a two-hour play session last night, so I don't have to worry about a heater this winter as long as I'm playing my 360.
I'm really digging the system. Live is better than ever and the games are good enough to tide me over to the second wave of titles early next year.

Chris Mitchell @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

"The thing rose the temperature in my room by 5-10 degrees during a two-hour play session last night, so I don't have to worry about a heater this winter as long as I'm playing my 360.
I'm really digging the system. Live is better than ever and the games are good enough to tide me over to the second wave of titles early next year."

And at what point did human bodies all hot and bothered for next-gen gaming stop generating heat?

miguel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I camped for 12hrs in my son's mini tent. Showed up, set the tent down, climbed in, crashed out.. woke up, got a ticket.. easy as pie.

Account transfer was super easy as was learning the new interface. Ripping songs and playing them in game is one of my favorite new features for sure.. I love being able to download demos and try before I buy.. the 360 has so many great things going for it and nothing seems cobbled together.

PDZ looks great and is entertaining although missions feel a bit short for my taste. I downed the kameo demo and was bored to tears. Geometry wars is a blast.

helo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I got mine yesterday morning after 5 hours in line at Best Buy in the rain and cold. My initial impressions:

- I spent about 2 hours just playing with the dashboard, downloading game trailers and demos and playing geometry wars. The added functionality is terrific! Can't wait for more demos, trailers etc.

- On my 60" HDTV, the games are AMAZING. I played with the kiosks at the stores and I was originally lackluster about the whole thing. But at home on my TV its flawless, razor sharp and with digital surround, a completely immersive experience.

- Connecting to my Media Center PC was a 5 minute affair. Beyond simple. Music, videos and pictures all came through fine except of course the ones that aren't in a format that MCE understands.

- Things still to do today: Plug in my PSP, my iPod and my digital camera to see how that all works out. And finally crack open the other games I haven't played yet.

-My conclusion is that this is definitely worth 400 clams if you have the tv and surround sound to support it. If not, use an LCD monitor and a VGA adapter. There's a lot of tech in that box for 400 bucks and the added Live functionality and connectivity to a PC for streaming videos,pics and music is icing on the cake.

PJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Strictnein,
I had the same problem last night with steaming audio/pictures from my PC after downloading Windows Media Connect. I finally figured out that it WAS my firewall causing the problems (in my case Norton Internet Security). I tweaked the firewall, and I was streaming music/pics in no time. VERY cool feature MS!

Jay,
I spent about 4 hours with my 360 last night and here are my thoughts: Bad #1) I had a problem streaming audio/pics from my PC (see above). Bad #2) I experienced some problems with both of my wireless controler battery packs; they were not consistent and sometimes would not work; I had to use standard AA's which worked fine; this is a frustrating issue for me. Good #1) The interface is incredible. MS hit a homerun with the "blades". Good #2) Xbox Live is SO tied into the system that without a Live membership, you are missing out. Live got a HUGE boost in usability/funfactor with the 360. Good #3) I literally could not believe how incredible Project Gotham Racing 3 looked. It was stunning. Good #4) I played a little PDZ online and it was a lot of fun. The graphics (although not "realistic") were awesome. They have a very next-gen, cartoony look to them. I found myself just running around looking at the textures in the maps. Very impressive.

PJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Jay,
One more thing I forgot.

Good #5) The ability to download games/demos/movie trailers in High Def was very cool. I spent a good amount of time checking that out.

mike @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

�I personally think this could be a beautiful gaming platform, and will get the kind of traction Gates & Company have been lusting for. Having seen the device up, close and personal, well, it is so un-Microsoft like that it might be a success.�

Hmm.. closed architecture better for Home Users? Sounds familiar..

Apple 1 MS 0

OTAM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

After playing the first level of PDZ the first thing I honestly thought was "How the fuck can anyone say this ISNT next gen?!". I was seriously expecting to put the disc in and have it be a bit above the original Xbox but in actuality the graphics are freaking insane. I have had ZERO problems with my 360 so far wether it be with the controller or something else.

The PS3 is going to be just about the same in graphics so then what makes THAT next gen if the 360 isnt? Blu-Ray? Fuck blu-ray in it's asshole,that's what I say. I'm 100% glad the 360 didnt come with some fucking HD-DVD drive to jack up the price more for something I don't want.The PS3's big selling point is the blu-ray drive and the 360's is XboxLive and the entire "community integration" aspect,so what makes one better over the other? Both system will have amazing graphics,wireless controllers,and can support media devices,so if 360 isnt next gen then what is?

I'm sorry but if you expect the PS3 to be playing games that look like television then you're going to be disappointed tenfolds so I wouldnt set my standards that high to be let down on launch day.

Modano @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Dear Rare Hare- I was joking. I will suspend further light-hearted remarks until the sense of humor fairy visits your house.

Dakara @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

People on the official Xbox site are saying it is MELTING or burning the games. THAT is hot to the touch. MUCH hotter than a pc after loading.

helo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Gee I had the thing yesterday for about 8 hours and 5 were playing NFS:Most Wanted. Thing didn't even fell hot to the touch much less my game disk. Perhaps idiots are putting it in their unventilated a/v cabinets. I'm not saying that these problems are made up because I'm sure some of these complaints are valid but please take into account that there are also people that will gladly post/start negative rumors because they hate a particular company, are fanboys or are bitter for not being able to afford or get a system at launch.

Cyberclaws @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

Amazing. I don't know about all these troubles other people are having. It's not 'noisy' to me and everything works smoothly. The graphics are very next gen. The UI is very friendly and good eye-candy too. Mine has never over heated, or even got hot. It's quiet, runs flawlessly. I think I'm in love...
Anyways, I was swept away by the neat design, flawless execution and a google of features that keeps me very entertained. I only have Kameo and Madden 06 right now, but even them two games along with Live Gold is plenty of fun to be had for a while. I am going to get COD2, PDZ, PGR next!
Thanks for not letting me down M$! I guess it really helped to read all them negative posts from all those fanboyz. I was so skeptical about X360 that when I finally opened it and scrutinized it and braced myself for all the bad things that were going to happen that when it didn't, I was very very pleased!
Now to get Revo and if I have enough after that, PS3 =)

levik1832 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

I would pose this question to anyone who isn't impressed by the leap in graphics: are you playing on a high-def tv? It makes all the difference in the world.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:02PM

"Dear Rare Hare- I was joking. I will suspend further light-hearted remarks until the sense of humor fairy visits your house."

yes, i understood your intents entirely. you were being sarcastic about the fact that anyone had the nerve to comment on overheating issues with the 360. i was simply informing you that it's not something to take lightly.

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