I'm planning on getting a 360 as well. So far the best deal I've come across is this one. Anyone have a better recommendation? Right now I'm leaning towards Burnout Revenge, Gears of War, and then either Saint's Row/Lost Planet/Dead Rising.
Yeah, my brother just spent $500 on some 26-30ish inch widescreen HDTV (he got it at cost from ABC Warehouse, family member works there) and I honestly don't see much of a difference between it and my 27 inch 4:3 EDTV.
It's actually got me seriously rethinking HDTV this year.
I play without HD a lot of the time, but when I can be bothered to plug it into my monitor it is so much prettier. It's still better looking than Wii, but there's a lot of very powerful kit in the 360 going to waste. You might as well just buy a PS2 if you're not doing any of the above.
- you can afford Live! gold;
- you can afford to buy the "latest and greatest" game every month;
- you have an HDTV or monitor you can hook it up to. - You are a XNA developer and are looking for ways to test out your stuff
I have only the third and my 360 gathers a lot of dust. I still play it now and again but nowhere near as much as I used to my PS2.
Seriously, a MS rep showed up at the school promoting it, and I was suprised by the ease of use via XNA to 360 (via Live). I'm thinking about getting one just for that.
Yeah, my brother just spent $500 on some 26-30ish inch widescreen HDTV (he got it at cost from ABC Warehouse, family member works there) and I honestly don't see much of a difference between it and my 27 inch 4:3 EDTV.
It's actually got me seriously rethinking HDTV this year.
I play without HD a lot of the time, but when I can be bothered to plug it into my monitor it is so much prettier. It's still better looking than Wii, but there's a lot of very powerful kit in the 360 going to waste. You might as well just buy a PS2 if you're not doing any of the above.
What are you talking about?
HDTVless/LiveGoldless 360 lover right here.
In that situation, you might as well have bought a PS2. I probably would have bought a PS2 if I'd known about the 360 communities once-a-month game buying habit.
- you can afford Live! gold;
- you can afford to buy the "latest and greatest" game every month;
- you have an HDTV or monitor you can hook it up to.
I have only the third and my 360 gathers a lot of dust. I still play it now and again but nowhere near as much as I used to my PS2.
I disagree with all 3 of the above.
- A Silver membership is free and gets you everything except for online multiplayer. It gets you arcade access, access to movie & TV show downloads, and free demos (although sometimes they let Gold members access demos first).
- Since when has buying a game each month been a requirement for any system? Just buy stuff that you think looks fun and that you have money for. Plus, inbetween the big releases, you can pick up quality XBLA games for $5-$10 a piece.
- Although games look glorious on a big HDTV, I played both Dead Rising & Gears of War on an average SDTV and thought they looked great. Hardly a requirement.
though I only paid $179.99 at the time. I'm not sure if this is a slightly-improved model or if the price merely went up due to its popularity, but it's great, and Xbox 360 games play perfectly in high definition widescreen. The only drawback to this and any VGA-cable-to-LCD-16:10-monitor solution is that they are 16:10 monitors and the Xbox 360 does not do aspect scaling whatsoever. Even if your monitor has aspect scaling in its own options, the Xbox 360 will automatically stretch to fill the monitor. It's only really noticeable when you are playing games with circular textures, reticles, or icons. The sniper reticle in Lost Planet, the Ubisoft Logo, and the GPS in Saint's Row are all absurdly stretched. In truth, it's only half an inch on the top and bottom, and it's really not noticeable 95% of the time, but it's one of those annoying little things that continues to bug me, because I'm obsessive compulsive and a perfectionist in such things.
Anyway, that is a very cheap method of playing your Xbox 360 in high definition widescreen, as it was really meant to be played. You can still enjoy it without, but it really looks god-damned amazing in high definition and games are designed around a widescreen/panoramic cinema format.
While I was looking for that link, though, I found this, which is also a pretty good deal, though it is still 16:10, so I'm not sure if the stretching issue is, well, an issue. If so, and you intend to dedicate the monitor for the 360, just go with the cheaper option above:
HDTV I found is only required to see the really sharp detail. By this I mean fonts. Capcom games are the main culprits (Dead Rising more so than Lost Planet) and I found R6: Vegas has tiny fonts as well, but not as bad as Capcom.
Gears looks fantastic on a SDTV, except in Widescreeen mode (using the dashboard controls) where the text looks tiny (I don't understand how this happens. I use normal TV mode and set my TV to display 16:9 instead). Every other game I played doesn't look bad either on SDTV.
Well, my luck failed again, in a quite dispiriting way I might add. My store DID get a Wii and it WAS held for me...on friday. Of course, I didn't bother to check and the next day it gets put out for sale and is sold. Guess I'll see ya'll on Live in about a week or so.
I'm really enjoying my 360, but I'd be wary of buying any used ones off of Ebay. You definitely want that new one year warranty on a fresh 360. Nearly everyone I know who has a 360 has had theirs break down on them. I only have two games, GOW and R6 Vegas. I play Vegas a lot, GOW's multiplayer kinda sucks so that game's mostly gathering dust. Still an awesome co-op game though. I probably need to get a racing game and play that on Live..
Also, while Xbox Live is pretty cool, I still see online console games as years behind the online gaming I'm used to on the PC. If you're a HUGE fan of online gaming, stick with the PC. But if you mostly like singleplayer stuff, the 360 is the way to go.
I only play Rainbow Six multiplayer right now. First, don't be fooled: the 14 player limit is very much the ideal, and not a realistic number. Play 8 or 10 player games. Most people cant host 14 players on their DSLs. It's frustrating to think about how I'm paying around $10/month just to play R6 Vegas online, especially when it's such a frustrating, lag-filled affair with a measley 8-10 players!
Also, because all games are hosted by the DSL host, there's a big advantage for the host player. I do twice as well when I'm the host in Rainbow Six. It's a huge advantage. In GOW, people often complain about the host having a huge advantage, too. So that sucks, too.
Call of Duty 3 manages to fill up 30+ player servers with little problems, though, and you can have multiple players go online from the same Xbox. That's awesome and something you can't get from the PC outside of Serious Sam. (I sold COD3 though. The multiplayer is too arcadey IMO.)
Yeah, my brother just spent $500 on some 26-30ish inch widescreen HDTV (he got it at cost from ABC Warehouse, family member works there) and I honestly don't see much of a difference between it and my 27 inch 4:3 EDTV.
It's actually got me seriously rethinking HDTV this year.
I play without HD a lot of the time, but when I can be bothered to plug it into my monitor it is so much prettier. It's still better looking than Wii, but there's a lot of very powerful kit in the 360 going to waste. You might as well just buy a PS2 if you're not doing any of the above.
What are you talking about?
HDTVless/LiveGoldless 360 lover right here.
In that situation, you might as well have bought a PS2. I probably would have bought a PS2 if I'd known about the 360 communities once-a-month game buying habit.
There are still some of us out there that eschew online multiplayer. I buy my games for the SP campaign. Split-screen co-op might influence the decision too though.
I'm really enjoying my 360, but I'd be wary of buying any used ones off of Ebay. You definitely want that new one year warranty on a fresh 360. Nearly everyone I know who has a 360 has had theirs break down on them. I only have two games, GOW and R6 Vegas. I play Vegas a lot, GOW's multiplayer kinda sucks so that game's mostly gathering dust. Still an awesome co-op game though. I probably need to get a racing game and play that on Live..
Also, while Xbox Live is pretty cool, I still see online console games as years behind the online gaming I'm used to on the PC. If you're a HUGE fan of online gaming, stick with the PC. But if you mostly like singleplayer stuff, the 360 is the way to go.
I only play Rainbow Six multiplayer right now. First, don't be fooled: the 14 player limit is very much the ideal, and not a realistic number. Play 8 or 10 player games. Most people cant host 14 players on their DSLs. It's frustrating to think about how I'm paying around $10/month just to play R6 Vegas online, especially when it's such a frustrating, lag-filled affair with a measley 8-10 players!
Also, because all games are hosted by the DSL host, there's a big advantage for the host player. I do twice as well when I'm the host in Rainbow Six. It's a huge advantage. In GOW, people often complain about the host having a huge advantage, too. So that sucks, too.
Call of Duty 3 manages to fill up 30+ player servers with little problems, though, and you can have multiple players go online from the same Xbox. That's awesome and something you can't get from the PC outside of Serious Sam. (I sold COD3 though. The multiplayer is too arcadey IMO.)
I agree with ya on the multiplayer for the most part, being more of a PC gamer myself. But xbox 360 offers some of the best co-op online multiplayer games for any system, if your into that.
Neva on
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"Everyone who is capable of logical thought should be able to see why you shouldn't sell lifetime subscriptions to an MMO. Cell phone companies and drug dealers don't offer lifetime subscriptions either, guess why?" - Mugaaz
HDTV I found is only required to see the really sharp detail. By this I mean fonts. Capcom games are the main culprits (Dead Rising more so than Lost Planet) and I found R6: Vegas has tiny fonts as well, but not as bad as Capcom.
Gears looks fantastic on a SDTV, except in Widescreeen mode (using the dashboard controls) where the text looks tiny (I don't understand how this happens. I use normal TV mode and set my TV to display 16:9 instead). Every other game I played doesn't look bad either on SDTV.
Y'know you're just squashing your picture that way and not gaining any more image, right?
In the true widescreen mode that you describe before, the text gets smaller but also everything else gets smaller, too. What would be nice is if games allowed you to increase the size of the text to your liking.
HDTV I found is only required to see the really sharp detail. By this I mean fonts. Capcom games are the main culprits (Dead Rising more so than Lost Planet) and I found R6: Vegas has tiny fonts as well, but not as bad as Capcom.
Gears looks fantastic on a SDTV, except in Widescreeen mode (using the dashboard controls) where the text looks tiny (I don't understand how this happens. I use normal TV mode and set my TV to display 16:9 instead). Every other game I played doesn't look bad either on SDTV.
Y'know you're just squashing your picture that way and not gaining any more image, right?
In the true widescreen mode that you describe before, the text gets smaller but also everything else gets smaller, too. What would be nice is if games allowed you to increase the size of the text to your liking.
I'm aware. But I'd rather be able to see text rather than squint down hard in the middle of a firefight. And yes games should allow text resizing :x
The 1 game per month thing is a little bit frustrating, but it usually only happens with less popular games. Speaking as a person that can't find a lot of friends to come over and play, I feel like Live is amazing.
With the 360 and Live:
I was able to play my first co-op game ever.
I can talk to my friends over live while playing oblivion or any other game. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes just talking to someone about the game you're playing is satisfying.
Talking shit during a game of Uno or Lumines Live is a lot of fun too.
Sometimes I just like to compare achievements.
And even if those games aren't for you, you have to admit that there are a lot of quality games coming out in 2007 for the 360. I also remember every "should I buy a PS2 thread", everyone would say "PS2 has the most games". well the 360 has the most games of any next-gen console and it's just hitting its stride.
The 1 game per month thing is a little bit frustrating, but it usually only happens with less popular games. Speaking as a person that can't find a lot of friends to come over and play, I feel like Live is amazing.
With the 360 and Live:
I was able to play my first co-op game ever.
I can talk to my friends over live while playing oblivion or any other game. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes just talking to someone about the game you're playing is satisfying.
Talking shit during a game of Uno or Lumines Live is a lot of fun too.
Sometimes I just like to compare achievements.
And even if those games aren't for you, you have to admit that there are a lot of quality games coming out in 2007 for the 360. I also remember every "should I buy a PS2 thread", everyone would say "PS2 has the most games". well the 360 has the most games of any next-gen console and it's just hitting its stride.
I am an achievement whore. That PA comic about it was 100% accurate.
Yet, I can't bring myself to rent all those easy to gain achievement games.
I find achievements to me the most addicting part of my 360 :P
In that situation, you might as well have bought a PS2. I probably would have bought a PS2 if I'd known about the 360 communities once-a-month game buying habit.
You just sound bitter because some aspects of the 360 haven't lived up to your expectations. My favorite games for the system aren't even Live multiplayer capable (Oblivion, Dead Rising, Viva Pinata, Tomb Raider Legend) and the ones that are (Gears of War, Saint's Row, FEAR, Test Drive Unlimited, R6V) have enough singleplayer meat to them to make the $30-50 that I paid for each more than worthwhile.
I can't play any of those games on a PS2, so yeah...
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Yeah, my brother just spent $500 on some 26-30ish inch widescreen HDTV (he got it at cost from ABC Warehouse, family member works there) and I honestly don't see much of a difference between it and my 27 inch 4:3 EDTV.
It's actually got me seriously rethinking HDTV this year.
What are you talking about?
HDTVless/LiveGoldless 360 lover right here.
I disagree with all 3 of the above.
- A Silver membership is free and gets you everything except for online multiplayer. It gets you arcade access, access to movie & TV show downloads, and free demos (although sometimes they let Gold members access demos first).
- Since when has buying a game each month been a requirement for any system? Just buy stuff that you think looks fun and that you have money for. Plus, inbetween the big releases, you can pick up quality XBLA games for $5-$10 a piece.
- Although games look glorious on a big HDTV, I played both Dead Rising & Gears of War on an average SDTV and thought they looked great. Hardly a requirement.
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Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
Second, I recommend playing in widescreen high-def if at all possible.
I use this (with a VGA cable):
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7636034&st=westinghouse+19%22&type=product&id=1134698030120
though I only paid $179.99 at the time. I'm not sure if this is a slightly-improved model or if the price merely went up due to its popularity, but it's great, and Xbox 360 games play perfectly in high definition widescreen. The only drawback to this and any VGA-cable-to-LCD-16:10-monitor solution is that they are 16:10 monitors and the Xbox 360 does not do aspect scaling whatsoever. Even if your monitor has aspect scaling in its own options, the Xbox 360 will automatically stretch to fill the monitor. It's only really noticeable when you are playing games with circular textures, reticles, or icons. The sniper reticle in Lost Planet, the Ubisoft Logo, and the GPS in Saint's Row are all absurdly stretched. In truth, it's only half an inch on the top and bottom, and it's really not noticeable 95% of the time, but it's one of those annoying little things that continues to bug me, because I'm obsessive compulsive and a perfectionist in such things.
Anyway, that is a very cheap method of playing your Xbox 360 in high definition widescreen, as it was really meant to be played. You can still enjoy it without, but it really looks god-damned amazing in high definition and games are designed around a widescreen/panoramic cinema format.
While I was looking for that link, though, I found this, which is also a pretty good deal, though it is still 16:10, so I'm not sure if the stretching issue is, well, an issue. If so, and you intend to dedicate the monitor for the 360, just go with the cheaper option above:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7768711&st=westinghouse+19%22&type=product&id=1142288915135
Gears looks fantastic on a SDTV, except in Widescreeen mode (using the dashboard controls) where the text looks tiny (I don't understand how this happens. I use normal TV mode and set my TV to display 16:9 instead). Every other game I played doesn't look bad either on SDTV.
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Also, while Xbox Live is pretty cool, I still see online console games as years behind the online gaming I'm used to on the PC. If you're a HUGE fan of online gaming, stick with the PC. But if you mostly like singleplayer stuff, the 360 is the way to go.
I only play Rainbow Six multiplayer right now. First, don't be fooled: the 14 player limit is very much the ideal, and not a realistic number. Play 8 or 10 player games. Most people cant host 14 players on their DSLs. It's frustrating to think about how I'm paying around $10/month just to play R6 Vegas online, especially when it's such a frustrating, lag-filled affair with a measley 8-10 players!
Also, because all games are hosted by the DSL host, there's a big advantage for the host player. I do twice as well when I'm the host in Rainbow Six. It's a huge advantage. In GOW, people often complain about the host having a huge advantage, too. So that sucks, too.
Call of Duty 3 manages to fill up 30+ player servers with little problems, though, and you can have multiple players go online from the same Xbox. That's awesome and something you can't get from the PC outside of Serious Sam. (I sold COD3 though. The multiplayer is too arcadey IMO.)
I agree with ya on the multiplayer for the most part, being more of a PC gamer myself. But xbox 360 offers some of the best co-op online multiplayer games for any system, if your into that.
"Everyone who is capable of logical thought should be able to see why you shouldn't sell lifetime subscriptions to an MMO. Cell phone companies and drug dealers don't offer lifetime subscriptions either, guess why?" - Mugaaz
My recent disenchantment with the Wii has only gone solidify that opinion.
In the true widescreen mode that you describe before, the text gets smaller but also everything else gets smaller, too. What would be nice is if games allowed you to increase the size of the text to your liking.
I'm aware. But I'd rather be able to see text rather than squint down hard in the middle of a firefight. And yes games should allow text resizing :x
The 1 game per month thing is a little bit frustrating, but it usually only happens with less popular games. Speaking as a person that can't find a lot of friends to come over and play, I feel like Live is amazing.
With the 360 and Live:
I was able to play my first co-op game ever.
I can talk to my friends over live while playing oblivion or any other game. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes just talking to someone about the game you're playing is satisfying.
Talking shit during a game of Uno or Lumines Live is a lot of fun too.
Sometimes I just like to compare achievements.
And even if those games aren't for you, you have to admit that there are a lot of quality games coming out in 2007 for the 360. I also remember every "should I buy a PS2 thread", everyone would say "PS2 has the most games". well the 360 has the most games of any next-gen console and it's just hitting its stride.
Yet, I can't bring myself to rent all those easy to gain achievement games.
I find achievements to me the most addicting part of my 360 :P
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Two days, thirty days, what's the difference?
[spoiler:24825d9e33]Twenty-eight days.[/spoiler:24825d9e33]
You just sound bitter because some aspects of the 360 haven't lived up to your expectations. My favorite games for the system aren't even Live multiplayer capable (Oblivion, Dead Rising, Viva Pinata, Tomb Raider Legend) and the ones that are (Gears of War, Saint's Row, FEAR, Test Drive Unlimited, R6V) have enough singleplayer meat to them to make the $30-50 that I paid for each more than worthwhile.
I can't play any of those games on a PS2, so yeah...
The Wii isn't dissapointing, just very, very underutilized at this point.
I didn't buy a 360 until Oblivion hit last March, which is the same timeframe that I expect the Wii to really hit the ground running.