Topic: The everything Xbox thread

@ThanosReXXX I didn't read @NEStalgia last wall about the "generations" and Scarlett vs. PS5 because I didn't want to go crazy in the loop... So I don't know if I agree with his last comment or not. Now I feel bad and will have to read it... and explain again why he is wrong? Oh no...

@BlueOcean No, it's safe to read, except I still don't agree completely, but that's fine with me.
Most important for me, is compromise, meet in the middle and all that. If both parties in a discussion just dig their heels in the sand, then the discussion is going nowhere but down the drain.

He has a good point, we had some good points, and combined, we had several good points, and we're probably on to something in relation to digest all these rumors, and at times not all too clear official statements. I say: job done.

@BlueOcean XC1 Yeah I agree with the frustrations. But the side quests are totally skippable. I did very very few of them. They were horrible. Difficulty spikes usually involved "grind more" and "send Sharla packing. Also "know when to use Melia" was a big deal. But yea, I have a love hate relationship with XC. IT's very flawed. And yet so amazing.

@ThanosReXXX I think Ralek still beats my text walls regularly.

Rather than add too much more text walling, I'll just comment on a few specific points:

-X2 being a whole new box still doesn't preclude anything software wise on prior hardware unless it's an architecture change, and that's not happening.

-The hardware customness in the current gen doesn't really mean much for a game. There's just not much that has to be put into it versus PC for it to run on the new consoles, and especially XBoxen. I think you're overvaluing the old methodologies and ignoring the great standardization of the modern era games.

-Business wise, I do disagree that "MS wants to move people to the new box." If they are firmly doing the generation thing, then yes, they do. But what do they gain by pushing the new hardware? In the past it was the ability to sell new games. But if games were inherently multi-generational like with PCs? They don't need to sell a specific box. Hardware nets them little profits. They just need to sell any XBoxen to get people to lock into their subscriptions and game store. Including smartphone apps that stream XBox games. There's no money in the hardware, the money's in the MS Store, GP, and Gold. If X can't run the games, then yeah, they want you to buy new hardware so you will buy new games. If X can run the new games, people not moving on isn't a problem: They're still buying games! And it gives game makers a much larger install base in the early years of a console, alleviating one of the biggest problems early gen for publishers. There's a lot of benefit to that strategy for MS, for 3rd parties, and for customers. (Again, if that were to be their plan.) (again, though the CPU is the question mark as to how possible that will or won't be) but business-wise, if it is possible, everybody benefits, and nobody loses from that. Imagine how much better that looks for EA or Ubisoft moving into a new gen with already millions of installs and growing rather than starting new every gen? They all want their PC model on consoles and widest possible access to customers, and that really accomplishes that better than generational shifts. Yeah last gen they wanted to cut the prior gen loose but that's because they wanted to get away from PPC and get far away from CELL. Now that it's x86 they don't have the incentive to escape this gen's hardware so completely. And that would give them exactly that.

Again, for clarity, not saying if it's going to happen or not, given the CPU, but there's incentive, business wise, across the board for that kind of ecosystem of forward-compatibility. MS wins (more software sales through their stores, increased vendor lock to consumers), publishers win (big install base, PC-like sales model), consumers win (play new games just less pretty/performant as they could be on faster hardware....like PCs....) Hardware operates so close to margin now nobody really loses if you don't buy the new hardware as long as you buy the software and subs. (if it's possible.)

But yeah, at absolute minimum, I'd be stunned of the X (and maybe S, and probably Windows boxen) can't participate in the streaming service. That would bridge that gap for the 5 people in the US that have internet that can handle it It would be a cheap way out, but less cheap than if none of the new boxes were streamers. Though I might like it....I have a Surface Pro (not One, not X, not 4, not Scarlett, just "Surface Pro" ) Streaming onto it like a giant Switch would be kind of awesome. I do that sometimes already but then my local XBox needs to be on. If streaming actually worked well (it won't, but if it did ) it could be cool to just buy Surfaces instead of XBoxes going forward It's the more expensive route, but a lot more versatile! (seriously, best laptop ever....current form factor is incredible. I spent all day transferring three 128GB SD cards from Switches to 256GB ones the other day, outdoors, and still had 30% battery left, and my lap didn't get second degree burns )

There is one key issue with backward compatibility, plus forward compatibility: Will Scarlett even have a disc drive? Debatable these days, and if it's so much more powerful than X, the game sizes will not fit on discs in any case. How they address that will be interesting and it may end up as a fully digital console, even if it does have a disc drive. Unless it sticks with "disc size textures + enhanced textures downloaded" like X. In which case below-X quality games will actually be the Scarlett default! "All games have a required 40GB download to simply function" doesn't sound like a good way to sell a console even in 2020. Streaming is starting to sound ideal The hype train is forgetting that there may either be no physical media, that BC may or may not mean "digital purchases only", or that new game physical media may just be a "download booster" if it's not moving to "Cartridges", thumbdrives, etc.) Worrisome times!

Scream Ride LOL yeah, I never heard of it. It's the exclusive that slipped through the cracks. It's very simplistic in a lot of ways but it's really crazy fun!

@NEStalgia And he replies with yet another wall of text... crap-ff-ing-tastic...

The business part of getting people interested in X2 is what I firmly disagree upon. To me, as a sales professional, it makes less than zero sense. Sure, the possible "X2 streaming" capabilities of the One X could be a sort of a transitional thing, to kind of ease people into the new generation of devices, but even though it's true that the most profit doesn't come from the hardware, I simply cannot (and will not, because I'm stubborn like that, lol) rhyme that with Scarlett setting a new standard in console hardware/gaming, nor do I see that being a beneficial business strategy moving forward into the Scarlett-only generation, which is bound to happen at some point.

Early adopters are key with any service or product, so like I said in the previous comment, holding that back from happening, by allowing the previous gen systems to tag along, compatible to some point or not, is not beneficial at all, in the long run. That is only true for the introductory period, or at most for the first leg of the generation to come. At some point, it has to differentiate itself, and offer that much of an added value, that people will actually WANT to buy that X2, without having to feel any remorse for having to leave their Xbox One (X) behind, because Scarlett will (must) be able to do all what that console can do, but also so much more.

And I don't believe that all of that can be incorporated in a streaming-only service either. But that was never the issue anyway, because Phil Spencer has already said that there will be dedicated hardware, so that part is more than likely already covered.

It could be argued that a streaming-only box is also a way of setting new standards in console gaming, but even if I would like to do so, I can't see a company famous for delivering power-house consoles, going into such a downgrade mode that they would revert their entire Xbox department into a streaming set-top box service. And making up such a service, with the excellent online infrastructure that they already have, could already be implemented directly. It doesn't take another two years to make hardware for that, and they've been at it for more than a year already...

As for the "not being able to put Scarlett games on a disc" part: you are apparently unfamiliar with 4- or 5-layer Blurays...

Top grade multi-layer Blurays can already hold as much as up to 125GB of uncompressed data, so using compression techniques for the install files, could probably up that to a total amount of anywhere between 150 - 200GB per disc, so I see no issues there. And there will still be the option to have additional files for download, but an entire game, whether 4K or 8K, can most definitely be put on a single disc.

Important question that arises from that, though: who is going to pay for that? The customer or Microsoft? If they do, then they will probably have to take a moderate (albeit calculated) hit on their profit margin, seeing as the manufacturing/pressing of these more expensive Blurays will need to be factored in, or they might simply add 5 to 10 bucks to the price of a retail game, which might just be acceptable for the target audience, if these new generation games do indeed go above and beyond in offering more bang for your buck...

Dang, another text wall. Perhaps you could try and be more compact in your next reply. Otherwise, I probably can't help but replying to a text wall with yet another text wall...

@ThanosReXXX lol I'll get to another text wall reply (i try to scale it back, i really do! ) another time but before that, for the remainder of the conversation, let's agree to agree that forward compatibility as i described as possible. The debate will be much smoother for the remaining points if we start it with the common assumption that technologically it's entirely feasible to have years of forward compatibility (we've already hashed the fact that it may it may not be possible cpu depending but let's agree for the remainder of the debate to assume it's entirely possible)

@NEStalgia Oh, no worries. We don't have to agree to agree, because I already agreed with you on the current gen Xboxen being possible streaming solutions for next gen, albeit that I don't see it as a long-running solution, as I already detailed more than elaborate enough in the previous comment. The S and X aren't going to ride the coattails of the (two?) Xbox Scarlett console(s) for the entire length of its generation.

That is just not feasible, isn't business sensible in the long run, and therefor isn't long-term profitable either. And as an X owner, would you want to downgrade to an S? More than likely not, so why would anyone want to play Scarlett games on an X, if they can get the full-blown experience by actually playing these games on a Scarlett? Seems like a relative no-brainer to me...

The overlay-period could be good for Xbox One S/X owners not really feeling the need to upgrade (yet), or for people on the fence, OR for people not interested in Scarlett games at all, for whatever reason. Could even be the same reason as to why some people currently aren't interested in an X, so if 4K isn't going to sway them now, then it might possibly still not sway them in two years either...

So, in closing: if you want me to completely agree with you, then all I would be willing and able to admit to, is that it's "entirely" possible on paper, but not in real life, and not in the long run.

@ThanosReXXX will my point was to argue the business case for it (medium to full term) we'd have to first agree to assume it's possible at all (streaming, it definitely is, and that would indeed be full term oif not infinite.... The streaming sum is all that matters there. They wouldn't care if you're using a 6 year old laptop so long as it runs win10.. The local forward compatibility we don't know yet if that'sa thing it not but for the business case debate we would need to start with the assumption it is, let it get derailed in confusion.)

@Banjos_Backpack absolutely. I think the big problem, to me with online is, aside from the general toxicity of Internet dwellers (seriously would you want an audio version of the nl comments? That's online games ) is that it's mostly just an analog of sports. Team red wants to play with team blues ball! Yay! I'm not really fond of conventional team sports.... It bores me. If i liked it if probably not be a gamer . Yet online competitive games are in one way or another, more or less that.SoT isn't for me either but it's at least coop at heart and more interesting. Still less so for only2 players though. I wishi could loce SoT but it just doesn't click at all for me. I'm not a social gamer (even thoughi can't shut up here )

Blue isnt wrong about xc1 but hes a bit too harsh. The gameplay, if anything suffers by being to easy to just auto pilot through. It's not strong and tactical like ff or octo. It's a bit more finding out what works for you and doing it over and over. The open world is big but somewhat pointless to over explore. Keeping in mind its a, what, 2010 game goes a long way. Xeno everything back to xenosaga is a very rough diamonds, coarsely flawed and brilliant all at once. It's not as refined as more mainstream rpgs, but there's also nothing quite like it.

Otoh while xc2 gets combat way more interesting, it messes up by having rng pokeparty members and a Pokemon style hms. It's hard to describe xeno unless you've played xeno. Some hate it. Some love it. Some think1 was the best. Some think 1 was the worst. Only one person, evillucario thinks x was the best my own take is if you like rpgs, if you like games that don't always explain things to you, if you don't mind ignoring side quests with some really questionable design choices, there's a lot of fun to be had. And the story is the most interesting barrage of plot twist youll ever see in a game. But it's polarizing as a series. Either you'll love it it you'll hate it. There's no in between. Also if you try it, don't pass judgement until after the mines. Worst chapter of the game, in part because you're suck with sharla, the useless healer that makes battles drag on forever

@Banjos_Backpack Online chat can be annoying sometimes, I agree, I told one of my "friends" to shut up and he got mad but kept bothering and then I kicked him and blocked him from the party and then he removed me as friend... Stories like this are real with strangers or "friends" but what can you do, not everybody is as nice as us. Real life sucks sometimes, too. Based on what I know about you, you'd probably like Sea of Thieves, even using the text wheel instead of the voice chat like some people do. Sometimes I also like to just hear the game and not people talking. And yes, online on Xbox One is light years ahead of anything Nintendo.

You are a master of Mario Kart 8, to be honest I haven't tried 200cc much, so perhaps I should. I prefer older Mario Kart games though. I miss more content for single player and, as you said, online mode is bare-bones. And driving is boring compared to Double Dash!! and Super Mario Kart, my favourite entries.

Don't believe @NEStalgia, Xenoblade Chronicles is frustrating as hell. I forgot to mention the huge dynamic numbers for damage done and received for each party member and each enemy that overlap command prompts and enemies. It's a total mess. And, no, gameplay is not easy. Simple perhaps, but not easy, you die and it's not even your fault 90% of the times. The only way to compensate this is over-grinding in a game that already pesters you with grinding. He admitted that some combat styles are not properly explained. He mentioned "autopilot", which can be translated to "how stupid AI can ruin your battles" because you have to play with three characters and control one. I could go on and go on but I'd fall asleep. I haven't played X or 2 so I don't know if they are technically better, story aside.

This is the best thing you've ever written. I like Nintendo Life but I think I have over 20 ignored users. Some people here are nut.

Please stop. You are making sense now.

I disagree. Part of the magic is playing with people that have more or less experience than you. Experience doesn't really matter in this game. I prefer a good player who is new than an experience player who is not nice. The filter I have seen is I see that you are not legendary and I quit, but some legendary players have helped me a lot not asking for anything in return, that is nice.

When I played Monster Hunter Tri I was one of the best players because I played that game so much and I didn't mind helping other people that were a lower level, in that game level matters but also there was matchmaking by range of levels.

@Banjos_Backpack

Yes, it is hard, but I also got the 3 stars on all Mario Kart games on every cup (and mission), except 200cc in Mario Kart 8. I am proud of that and I haven't played 200cc much anyway. However playing online I realise I don't use all the shortcuts that people use.

I have to admit that Fortnite is full of children and teenagers, I ALWAYS feel like a big brother and have to say things like "behave", "watch your mouth", etc. I don't think I've ever played with someone over 16 on there, although I know they play, they probably pretend to not have a headset. The funny thing is that I only started playing because I became a friend of a Sea of Thieves player that invited me to play Fortnite and that was recently when the season 5 had already started.

So, Xbox... LOL

By the way, when are you going to get an Xbox One or Xbox Two for Rare Replay and company?

@Banjos_Backpack So you have an HDR TV and a Rare Replay digital copy courtesy of Microsoft for watching E3 on Mixer... Oh, those things -and Sea of Thieves- are crying out for an X!

I also suspect that sports people and young actors are paid for mentioning Fortnite, because I can't believe they genuinely post on Twitter "I am going to play Fortnite at 20pm, join me!". Not that I use Twitter much but I have read that and it's a bit weird. However I like when they do the Fortnite dances because they are joyful and funny.

I will let you know how I deal with 200cc...

@Banjos_Backpack

I went EGX gameshow this week and was given two emblem codes for Destiny 2.

No use to me, does anyone want them?

Damn, Forza Horizon 4 is sitting at 92 on metacritic. Even higher than the last one.

That series are the best exclusives Xbox has at the moment.

@NEStalgia Change your statement from "my point was to argue the business case for it (medium to long term)" to "my point was to argue the business case for it (short to medium term)", and we have a deal.
No full term coattail riding of S and X, where Scarlett is concerned. I just can't see that happening, in any scenario, unless Microsoft wants another dent in its armor...

Now THERE's something we can fully agree on, Captain Text Wall...

@dew12333 Any idea what they're good for? I might just be interested.

@Dezzy Nice numbers, and most definitely deserved, from what we've seen and heard so far, and yes, definitely one of the better (if not must-have) series on the Xbox.

@DarthNocturnal I see what you mean.

@ThanosReXXX
They appear to be in game emblems, it says that once you have entered the code on bungie.net/redeem then "your reward will be available from the emblem collection of the vault"

Hope that helps, and I have two of them.

@dew12333 So, they're kinda like a loot box? No way of knowing beforehand what's in there?
(or in this case, what the emblems do or give)
Think I'll pass then, since I'm not playing that much anymore, so probably better to give them to someone who will make better use of them.

Nice of you to offer things to other people on here, though.