Xbox One

[brunoafh]

Same here as elmagicochrisg and BoneSnapDeez here.

I'm surprised how much hysteria this is causing honestly, it was coming a mile away.

[Menegrothx]

I already started giving up when they started selling incomplete games with 'extra' download content...

DLC.jpg (114.72 KiB) Viewed 538 times

Remember when PC games got expansion packs? And those expansion packs had more content than a stand alone AAA game has these days?
Yes, I'm aware of StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

[Cronozilla]

I don't recall Steam ever saying you could play games while they installed ... what they did do is say you can pre-download games before they're released if you pre-purchase them, and they will unlock the instant the game is released. They call it pre-loading, and they've been doing that for years.

[Ack]

Late to the party. I had meetings at work.

So, from what I've seen, there were a lot of features that simply didn't interest me. And the games which were announced either don't interest me, or I'd rather play them on a PC if at all. (Yes, I'm one of those keyboard and mouse PC-only FPS curmudgeons.) So as far as hardware is concerned, I'm not interested. Now if some games are announced during E3 that interest me, I may pay more attention to it. But Microsoft will face an uphill battle for my money, after my poor personal experience with the 360 and a focus that simply doesn't seem geared towards me as a customer.

Part of the issue I have here is what I want out of a console. I enjoy both console and PC gaming, and I appreciate both for having distinct trade offs. PC games allowed me to use a more complex setup in games via my mouse and keyboard or joystick and greater direct control over the game through access to its core files, as well as the possibility of mods, the ability to make dedicated servers, large control over input, visual, and audio configurations, etc. The trade off was that I had to endure long installs and potential conflicts with hardware or other software. For a console game, I generally had less access to the game's core, fewer configuration options, less ability to modify and manipulate games, etc., but I had (generally) universal controls, no installation times, the ability to pick up and play without worry over conflicting hardware.

Now over the years we've seen both markets change a fair bit and in some ways come closer together, though not without issue. Seeing a PC release not include configuration features normally associated with the format because it was simply easier to favor a quick and dirty port of a console game, watching console games gain installation times, etc. Some of this hasn't been bad, per say. But some of it has frustrated me.

It seems we have now reached the point where the two are crossing over into a realm where there is no difference, which makes me question why I want a console. I've lost many of the pick up and play features which interested me in the machines in favor of a mutlimedia experience that I can actually already get on my PC. Let's break the two down a bit:

Xbox One (I still want to call it Microsoft Pippin) pros:

Easy access to Internet and search engines, interfaces which can work with my telephone, digital distribution network to purchase games without leaving the house, access to live television as well as media services such as Netflix and Hulu, web-cam based interfaces, access to communication tools such as Skype, ability to consume a physical hardware format, hooked into my television for a large screen, lack of hardware conflicts

PC pros:

Easy access to Internet and search engines, interfaces which can work with my telephone, digital distribution networks to purchase games without leaving the house, access to live television as well as media services such as Netflix and Hulu, web-cam based interfaces, access to communication tools such as Skype, ability to consume physical hardware formats, can hook into my television for a large screen, massive configuration options available for games and programs, ability to modify games, access to indy markets not necessarily linked to digital distribution networks, ability to easily physically customize machine to adapt for new hardware, media formats, improved software performance, etc.

Xbox One cons:

Installation times, limited access to indy markets, limited configuration options, limited ability to switch out hardware, potentially invasive web-cams, poor customer service (based on my past experiences with Microsoft), potentially non-existant used game market, potentially requires steady internet connection

PC cons:

Installation times, potentially invasive web-cams, hardware/software conflicts, potentially poor piecemeal customer service, relatively non-existant used game market, some distribution networks or DRM systems require steady internet connection

Yes, certain positives and negatives are still endemic to a particular format, but these lists are quite similar. And also consider how many Xbox 360 games ended up on PC or on PS3, meaning if the trend continues then a large portion of the Xbox One's library will become available through other means. And to top this off, I already own a PC, so I don't see a reason as of right now to be interested in an Xbox One. This may change, as it is still quite some time until the console's release. But for now, I'm just not interested. Nor am I necessarily the target audience.

No offense, but you don't seem very well versed on this subject, at least with the most up-to-date information. For example, both the Playstation 4 and Xbox One allow for instant playback during installation. You begin to install a game, and you can play off the disc while it installs. Install times aren't a con for consoles.

Similarly, there is no operating system or applications that require you to have a webcam on a PC. "Invasive" webcams are optional, and their nature will make them always optional. There is also no gaming DD system on windows that requires a steady internet connection. There are certain games, but not any DD systems.

No offense, but the use of the phrase "no offense" makes you sound like a complete and total asshole. See? I just managed to call you an asshole and even drew your attention to it with a phrase that provides a half-assed attempt at covering myself from any potential flak. That's the real beauty of the phrase "no offense." It draws attention to and attempts to provide cover for a following insult that you wish to highlight.

That said, a few things to note:

First off, if you had read my post, then you should have noted that much of my experience is based on usage of past hardware and perceptions of how they continue to develop into the future. My PS3 hasn't let me play games while it was installing them, so I don't expect the next generation to do so either. That said, I also have seen nothing mentioning instant playback, though I'll look for it. But if installation uses any kind of processing power that might detract from the game that is being played at the same time, then it is still an issue for me because it distracts from the simple pick-up-and-play asthetic I was seeking.

Second off, I see you have never encountered a piece of computer hardware with an integrated webcam and/or microphone. I have. Now no current OS may require them (though there is software that does. And if Microsoft is successful with this technology on a console, they will likely move quickly to port it to PCs, tablets, cellular telephones, or other handheld devices), but if you have a piece of compatible hardware equipped on your box, someone with the knowledge can use it for nefarious purposes such as data collection. For example, microphones can be activated remotely with the proper know how, even if the device is powered off, including computer mics and cellular telephones. The only option is to remove it entirely from its power source, including batteries.

Third, I have used Steam in offline mode, but have had repeated issues with it not working properly to the point that I don't bother to play if I do not have a steady internet connection. Games for Windows Live I have yet to find an offline mode(I have only recently tried it). Games that require more than one active DD(such as a Steam-based version of Iron Brigade), I shudder to think about.

[Menegrothx]

No offense but all yall ought to use the spoiler tags when quoting long ass posts for the sake of not having to scroll through walls of text where only 30% or less of the text is actually relevant (this goes for all posters and not just this thread)

[MrPopo]

No offense but all yall ought to use the spoiler tags when quoting long ass posts for the sake of not having to scroll through walls of text where only 30% or less of the text is actually relevant (this goes for all posters and not just this thread)

"No offense" alert!

[o.pwuaioc]

So, has the horrible new gen turned any more of you onto the Ouya?

[ZenErik]

So, has the horrible new gen turned any more of you onto the Ouya?

Nope. Mine just sold for $130 on eBay. Good riddance.

[BogusMeatFactory]

All I see is this...

(A little blood so its in spoiler tags)

and laugh.

[o.pwuaioc]

So, has the horrible new gen turned any more of you onto the Ouya?

Nope. Mine just sold for $130 on eBay. Good riddance.

Sorry, I seriously can't take anyone's opinion on the Ouya serious when they got it and didn't even open it. Good riddance to what? You didn't even try it out!

Edit: spelling.