03-08-2002, 04:58 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Guess who got an X-Box?
And now for something completely off topic! You've been warned. :-)
My birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I thought I'd go get myself a present early: I bought an X-Box (ok, ok, it's for my wife too!). Now for those of you that think I'm a Microsoft fanboy, the X-Box wasn't an automatic choice. I looked at the PS2 and Nintendo Gamecube. I dismissed the Gamecube fairly quickly because I personally didn't find the graphics all that impressive when compared to the PS2 or X-Box. The size and price were great, but I wanted something that was at least on par with the graphics engine in my computer, not something that looked "old school".
So now it was down to the PS2 and X-Box. I haven't owned a console for quite some time (the last one I purchased was a Super Nintendo - yikes!) so I didn't have any huge preferences for games that were out for one platform or another. I looked at the games, and there are some impressive titles for both. The PS2 has many more games, and a wider variety, so I was leaning a little in that direction. The physical size is smaller, and it was also $449 CND (same price as the X-Box). My brother has a PS2, and a few games for it, so there's the old "loaner" factor there. Decisions, decisions.
Ultimately, I chose the X-Box for two reasons since price wasn't a factor:
1) I happened to have a $60 in store credit at the Microsoft company store from the MVP Summit in November 2001. Guess how much games are? $10! So I was able to get six games for $60 US. That's roughly $95 CND. Games are around $75 CND each, so I was able to get $450 CND in games for $95 CND. Not bad at all! I bought some games that look great: HALO, Amped, Project Gotham Racing, and three others.
2) The X-Box is really a PC at heart, and that's something that appeals to me. It's HDTV ready, has built-in Ethernet, and has a real hard drive, RAM, powerful NVidia GPU, etc. I know Microsoft is gunning for the home electronics market, so I think they'll be coming up with some very cool X-Box "stuff" in the coming year. They're the underdog in this market, and when Microsoft is the underdog, they innovate HARD.
It was a tough decision, and while I wish the X-Box was a little smaller, so far I'm really impressed with it. I like the OS shell you can access - you can copy music from CDs to the hard drive for custom game sound tracks (I think - I haven't quite figured it out yet). Of course, part of me wanted to wait for the HomeStation, but I had to have SOMETHING cool for the house warming party next month. ;-)
Any of you X-Box owners have any tips to share with me?
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03-08-2002, 05:01 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 16
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You are such a fanboy! PS2 rox da howse!
(thats your welcoming into the gaming world. darn those kids....) 
You made the right choice. PS2 has better games now but give it a year and Xbox will impress. Plus with cheap games then its a natural choice.
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03-08-2002, 05:01 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 103
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Not all games support the custom soundtracks, Gotham and Amped do I think, but can't remember about the rest, it's not a feature I've used.
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03-08-2002, 05:23 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 46
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Hmpf...
Well, as you can tell from my avatar and user name, I disagree with your choice... :wink: I have seen and played the XBOX though, and it's pretty cool. My only complaint about it is the lack of games (so far anyway). Of course, PS2 had more than a year head start. Given some time though, there will be some quality XBOX games. Enjoy your XBOX Jason. 
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03-08-2002, 05:29 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 468
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Homestation sounds pretty cool!
I've currently got a TiVo/DirecTV combo box and a PS2. We've also got a broadband connection to our PCs in our office. I've got a WebTV on my desk at work (for testing purposes), but the dialup speed is horribly slow (worse than most modems) and the picture looks terrible.
But... if you could combine the Xbox with the TV recording (preferably integrated with the DirecTV box for better quality, like my TiVo or the Ultimate TV), and add to it DVD playing, MP3 storage, and broadband speedy internet access... then you'd have a pretty powerful box. One that I'd probably buy.
Of course, I'd also want the new Freestyle interface running on it. And I wish there were some way to help make the internet pages look better on a regular TV. Maybe making the whole thing HDTV would solve that. (Then the DVD would need to be a Blue-Ray DVD...)
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03-08-2002, 05:48 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 68
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I love the XBox "Life is short...Play more" commercial they've been bombarding us with lately here in Spain. Makes me want one even though I'm not a gamer.
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03-08-2002, 06:19 PM
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03-08-2002, 06:40 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8
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Welcome to the DarkSide  , Just joking I love my Xbox, but my brothers kids love the Cube I bought them.
You have got to get DOA 3 - That Rocks I just got Obi-Wan and love it.
I have Halo but the controls P**S me off so much I only play it for about 10 minutes at a time, before I chuck the controller away.
Might want to get another controller, I have one of the Mad Catz and its response and button placement are so much better.
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03-08-2002, 06:46 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by akur
You should play halo online, if you can connect your xbox to a pc!
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Hmm...very interesting! Thanks for pointing that out to me.
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03-08-2002, 07:11 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 62
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XBox rocks!
I bought myself one for my birthday back in December and let me tell you I was also debating whether to get a PS2 or XBox. I do not regret for a minute going with the XBox...
I do not consider myself much of a gamer (you know, your ocasional PC game here and there and stuff) and my last console was 8O an Atari 2600 when I was about 11 or 12...
I was ADDICTED to Halo... I just finished it last week. It is by far THE best game I've ever played on a PC or game console ever.
Also Dead or Alive 3 is pretty awesome (she kicks high! - if you've seen the commercial)
Well, I hope you enjoy your new Box as much (or more) than I do.
BTW... what's your secret? (I haven't been able to get my wife to play the damn thing... she's not really into electronics at all).
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Linear Mode
