[Ulala]

But you gotta admit.. it sure looks like it's headed that direction..

[Ransom]

Most games do not recieve patches. But if a small issue is discovered after launch, it can be fixed quickly and effectively. The fact that most poeple do not have XBL is motivation enough to make it a solid game at launch.

I thought Xbox Live was free on the 360 and you just had to pay for the Gold version or something?

[aldo_14]

Most games do not recieve patches. But if a small issue is discovered after launch, it can be fixed quickly and effectively. The fact that most poeple do not have XBL is motivation enough to make it a solid game at launch.

I thought Xbox Live was free on the 360 and you just had to pay for the Gold version or something?

Patches & messenger are free, IIRc.  Except you still need to shell out for an HD for the former....

The thought of a console game needing a patch is against the whole purpose of consoles.  It's a single, standardized environment (or should be), and the only way bugs can be missed is sloppy or rushed testing.

[Mefustae]

I shudder to think what'll happen when EA begins launching their titles on the '360, knowing that they can now utilise the buyer as an unofficial beta-tester and simply patch any problems later, a la PC Gamers, which they've used & abused for years... Indeed, this is the beginning of a dark age of consoles...

[karajorma]

Most games do not recieve patches. But if a small issue is discovered after launch, it can be fixed quickly and effectively. The fact that most poeple do not have XBL is motivation enough to make it a solid game at launch.

That's how it started on the PC too. Look back to the days of the 8-bit and 16-bit computers and you'll see no patches there either. There weren't many until the internet became big. Once you could rely on people being able to get patches via the net and magazine cover disks it became simpler to release crappy bug-filled code and fix it along the way than let a deadline slip. The same thing will happen to the console market for exactly the same reason.

But feel free to help pull the chain on your favourite console, trumpeting all the way down the toilet that patching is the best thing ever.

[kode]

I shudder to think what'll happen when EA begins launching their titles on the '360, knowing that they can now utilise the buyer as an unofficial beta-tester and simply patch any problems later, a la PC Gamers, which they've used & abused for years... Indeed, this is the beginning of a dark age of consoles...

so, to sum this thread up until now:
matchbox 360 is beta games on a beta console.

[Martinus]

Regarding PSU's... Most of the external ones you see are of a different design to the ttype you're all used to seeing inside your PC case. More of the components in a computer power supply create heat (there are more components in a computer PSU anyhow) and thus more active cooling is required.

As for this thread; I find your insistent heralding of all things xbox despite it's myriad issues and your inability to argue logically quite tiring Deepblue. I have to admit that I was quite a zealous proponent of the Snes' superiority over the Megadrive so I can understand your behaviour somewhat, I must also point out that I was 13 at the time.

As for some of the rest of you there's a very wise, and it would seem under-used phrase that I think needs a mention here. "Don't feed the troll".

[StratComm]

Regarding PSU's... Most of the external ones you see are of a different design to the ttype you're all used to seeing inside your PC case. More of the components in a computer power supply create heat (there are more components in a computer PSU anyhow) and thus more active cooling is required.

Ah, but that's only half true.  I've seen a couple of models of external PC PSUs before, complete with seperate pins for the different voltages and such.  Did not require a fan on the power supply, though it did get a touch warm at times.  With proper design of a) the power supply and b) the system that's supposed to be contained in the smaller box, there's absolutely no reason to need actual fans on the PSU or to allow the thing to overheat.  There are much simpler tricks to getting better heat dissipation on those things anyway, like putting them on feet so that air can circulate around them.

[Polpolion]

xbox 360 sux. $400. what a waste of money. ITS JUST A GAME. I think that spending just 50 dollars on a game is too much. A good price for a single game is around 30 or at least it was. now its more like 40. you could buy a go-kart or something for 400 bucks. I don't know about you guys, but i'd rather have a go-kart.

[Grey Wolf]

xbox 360 sux. $400. what a waste of money. ITS JUST A GAME. I think that spending just 50 dollars on a game is too much. A good price for a single game is around 30 or at least it was. now its more like 40. you could buy a go-kart or something for 400 bucks. I don't know about you guys, but i'd rather have a go-kart.

And this is why Maeg warned about flamebait.

[vyper]

I think this falls under the "lacking coherence" category rather than flamebait.

[kode]

a go-cart costs a tad more than $400 last I checked. but they're hella fun to drive.

[Singh]

My brother built a go-kart once, along with a few friends. It actually worked, albiet, moved rather slowly. Still, was fun watching them.

In regards to the 360 itself; its something im looking forward to. but as with any product release these days, it's going to be buggy like hell in the beggining. Granted, the 360 really sucks right now. but by the time the PS3 comes out, it'll have improved to the point where it's worth considering buying it in favour of the latter. But then, of course, one could simply delay some more and just wait for the PS3 to become less buggy as well.

Otherwise, go spend the money on a l337 computer and simply use an emulator to play them

[vyper]

Xbox 360 copy protection cracks: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4530702.stm

Ding.

[aldo_14]

xbox 360 sux. $400. what a waste of money. ITS JUST A GAME. I think that spending just 50 dollars on a game is too much. A good price for a single game is around 30 or at least it was. now its more like 40. you could buy a go-kart or something for 400 bucks. I don't know about you guys, but i'd rather have a go-kart.

I have a car, so I'm not sure why I'd want a go-kart.  I think I'd just take the money.

EDIT; according to Dow Jones, apparently 1/10 of 360s bought have been placed on E-bay to sell for higher money.  So maybe taking a 360 wouldn't be such a bad idea.....  on another note, the 360 launch in Japan actually did worse than the original consoles launch.

[Deepblue]

Xbox 360 copy protection cracks: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4530702.stm

Ding.

Dumps were done pretty much the first day of release. Now can they get it to run?

[aldo_14]

Xbox 360 copy protection cracks: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4530702.stm

Ding.

Dumps were done pretty much the first day of release. Now can they get it to run?

No, I think it means they've decrypted the authentication measures, but not devised any way to override/fool/bypass them.