New Xbox Experience... Here we go!

[Joel Crane]

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p200/joelacrane/Img001.jpg

Here we go! First, when I connected to Xbox LIVE it downloaded a small update like it always has. It then rebooted and seemed to hang on the Xbox 360 logo screen for a moment before showing this.

Please excuse the horrible picture, my digital camera battery was dead of course, so I ended up taking this with my Nokia 6300.

[Joel Crane]

I have mixed feelings about the new update. The first thing the Xbox had me do was create an avatar. Between the fact that I was using my Media Center remote, the music being played, and what I was doing, it felt like I was creating a Mii all over again. When using a Media Center remote, it felt just like I was using a Wii controller. The music being played sounded strait out of a nursery. Fun, but not satisfying, knowing that Microsoft ripped it off of Nintendo.

My next problem is this thing.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p200/joelacrane/Img012.jpg

See any improvements? Me either. It's exactly the same. This is one area of the Xbox Mii60 that I would have changed. Its clunky, it doesn't show album art off the server, and the volume buttons on my remote still don't do anything. Movie playback is exactly the same, except I had to re-download an update.

The volume buttons are a big deal to me, because my speakers can't be adjusted with a remote, and getting to the volume control takes way more effort than it should.

How about the ability to install games on to the hard drive? I went ahead and tried it with the game I play the most: Halo 3. Upon installing it and starting the game, I did notice that the disc didn't spin and things were quieter, but as soon as I got to the main menu, Halo 3 displayed a notification saying that it was designed to be run off the disc, and should be left that way. The message said that load times would be longer, the game wouldn't perform as well, and my friends would make fun of me. I couldn't have anyone making fun of me, so I uninstalled the game. A side note, you can not install the game and run it without the disc, it still needs to be in the drive.

On a positive note, the idea of the blades are still there. I was messing around, trying to figure out how to do something when I remembered the guide button. Its cool that Microsoft left the blades there, so you really don't have to learn much if you don't want to. They still aren't as cool, I really liked how everything was smooth, bold, colorful, and full screen before.

The avatars are a Nintendo ripoff, the media capabilities have not been improved, and the new dashboard just isn't as quick and useful as the blades were. Besides Netflix, I am really having a hard time seeing why this is better. Maybe I'll come to like it with time, but I am going to miss the Original Xbox Experience. :(

[Darius Wey]

How about the ability to install games on to the hard drive? I went ahead and tried it with the game I play the most: Halo 3. Upon installing it and starting the game, I did notice that the disc didn't spin and things were quieter, but as soon as I got to the main menu, Halo 3 displayed a notification saying that it was designed to be run off the disc, and should be left that way. The message said that load times would be longer, the game wouldn't perform as well, and my friends would make fun of me. I couldn't have anyone making fun of me, so I uninstalled the game.

There's reasoning (http://www.bungie.net/News/Blog.aspx?mode=news#cid16252) behind this. Though, you'll find that 99% of titles don't have this problem. I've installed about six titles so far, and all sport faster load times and reduced pop-in, which is a real plus in my opinion.

A side note, you can not install the game and run it without the disc, it still needs to be in the drive.

That's to be expected. Otherwise, there would probably be a noticeable drop in the sale of games.

Besides Netflix, I am really having a hard time seeing why this is better. Maybe I'll come to like it with time, but I am going to miss the Original Xbox Experience. :(

There's a lot more to the update than just what's on the surface. The new party system and adaptive interface are an absolute boon, in my opinion.

While I'll admit that I never had any distaste for NXE after installing it, it took me a week before I was able to appreciate it in its entirety. Give it time and I'm certain it'll grow on you. :)

[Joel Crane]

Yes, I understand the reason why Halo 3 shouldn't be run from the hard drive, as it already caches maps to it, which would mean that the hard drive would be trying to access two places at once as opposed to one. Its a great idea, I was just a little disappointed that the only game i really play can't take advantage of the feature. Not really Microsoft's fault. I haven't had a chance to try out Oblivion yet. I sure can't argue that reduced pop-in is a good thing.

I'm just very disappointed that they didn't rework the media stuff. Everything works fairly well, but after such a huge overhaul, you'd think they would have ironed out the annoyances. I was at least expecting my volume buttons to work, but maybe its a limitation of the controller.

Here at our school, we have to log into a redirect to access the internet (Or more specifically, port 80), much like hotel WiFi usually works. It's a little tricky to get the Xbox 360 to successfuly update, so most people haven't updated their Xboxes today. I showed it to a few people, and a couple guys were just shocked. They had no idea changes were coming, despite playing on Xbox LIVE daily. Most of them just shook their heads when I showed them the avatars. How do you guys feel about the avatars?

[David Tucker]

I had fun making my avatar but its nothing I really care much about honestly. As for the rest...I never realized the volume buttons did anything (or didn't do as the case may be...) but that's really something they should have fixed.

Its a huge change...I still have to get used to it.

[Phillip Dyson]

I'm not too impressed with the avatars. Its not something that I'm interested in. If it was I'd play the Wii.

What would impress me about them is if I could create a non-humanoid one. Maybe something of a four-legged pursuasion.