X-Box impressions (2 Viewers)

I started this thread for people to give their first or second hand impression of the XB. Some stores have started to display kiosks of the console, so I figured people could start playing them and posting.
A friend of mine played Munch's Oddysee on an X-Box at, I think, FuncoLand. He said the controller was weird and big, and that the graphics didn't look that much better than the PS2. Of course, the game may not be finished yet, and there are other games that might look better, but for now, he said it sucks and isn't worth it in his opinion.

Since I have not played the X-Box I can't say it sucks. It looks like a nice piece of hardware. However until I see some quality games (besides Halo) count me out.
-Andre F
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-= Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape! =-

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He said the controller was weird and big
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The controller design was just completed, so the controller that we all know is not the final controller. Read about it here: http://www.fgnonline.com/xbox/news/19413.html
http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=198 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=70 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=74 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=120 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=111 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=165 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=94 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=52 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=99 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=161 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...Product_ID=139 http://www.xboxaddict.com/products/p...?Product_ID=67
My impression of the Xbox is its a powerhouse. It gives you the most hardware for your money. Has the most potential because of the extra hardware included with the unit. It can do High Def not just 480P and 5.1 via hardware which is really big advantage. It is setup to do online games right out of the box, has a boot up thats 3 times faster than PS2 or the GCN and has the best video processor in the world at the moment period. On top of all this its easy to develop for and has the lowest royalty rights fee for 3rd party titles.
The "game in development" list is already at 190 games including 80 exclusives and its still 3 and a half months away from launch! If it weren't for Mario/Zelda/Metroid/Pokemon Nintendo wouldn't stand a fricken chance.
Dean

Actually, you are very wrong. If the X-Box came with the same things as the GCN (just the console, no HDD or ethernet, and only one extra I/O port) and only had the abilities of the GCN, it would be less than $200. I don't think that is enough hardware for your money. As for online, no games will be online until next year, and none will be released at launch. Most of the exclusive games are premiering on the X-Box, which means they could be on PS2 or GCN later next year. The GCN also boots up in less than half a second and boots to the game, no interface like the DC, PS2, or X-Box has is implemented into the console. The reason the GCN has no HDD is because it runs so fast that all it would use a HDD for is for saving games, but you could buy a GCN, memory card, and a game for less than just an X-Box. Have you seen any screenshots of Rogue Leader for GCN? If so, then you might not say the X-Box is the most powerful console. The GCN is smaller, cheaper, and just a little less powerful than the X-Box. High def and 5.1 are good selling points, but not essential when buying a console. SOME X-Box games look good, but from what I have read or heard, none of them play good. Also, Nintendo hasn't released a lot of information, especially about its games, because it is holding that info for Spaceworld, which is later this month. They might change the console design a little, and already finished tweaking the controller, so you never know what could happen.
The GCN has those great games like Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Those are exclusive to the GCN. What exclusives does the X-Box have? I know it doesn't have the Matrix games, Dead or Alive 3, or anything from Sega as exclusive titles (they are PREMIERING on the X-Box, not exclusive). The PS2 has Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy X, and a few others that nobody knows about yet.

Count me in for the Xbox.
I dispise Microshaft but, I can't deny that they've put together a pretty kickass piece of hardware. Besides, I'm running out of rack space and, I really think the PS2's a mediocre dvd player, at best. The Xbox (seemingly) is going to be far superior in dvd playback.
Yes, I know that if I want a dedicated player, go buy a dedicated player. BUT...if I can get a really competant player AND a kickass videogame system in one, the choice should be obvious.
Personally, I'm pretty damn excited about Halo.
Those screenshots of the Gamecubes Star Wars game are pretty damn impressive as well.
But, I can't stomach cutesy kids games, which, the big N has the majority of. They're Walt Disney of the videogame world. Which, is absolutely fine...just not for me. So, I just can't justify buying their system.

Hang on, wasn't this thread started for people to write details of 1st hand impressions of the XBox? it's deteriorated into another 'which console is better' thread...again...which is damn pointless since two of them aren't even avaliable yet.

I'm surprised that MS would set up in-store kioks so early. From news reports, they plan to unleash 10,000+ kioks across the country - they couldn't have rolled them out so soon with so little fanfare. I know there has been a "roving" Xbox tour (Sobe or Vans), and I've read of only one gameplay impression, from a setup at Comicon. It would be nice to read more current impressions, though.
[Edited last by Ron Gilbert on August 01, 2001 at 08:02 PM]

Morgan: Stop already!!
You've certainly proven your love for Gamecube (which I admire) However, you've also proven your utter ignorance of all things factual. I realize you're probably younger than many here but please (I beg of you) try to draw a line between what you want to believe and what is real.
There are a lot of half-truths and speculation in most video game reports (despite the source). It takes a certain amount of experience to acquire the judgement skills necessary to pull relevant data from such reports. I suggest you use this forum to learn that skill rather than attempting to teach what you feel.
Maybe it's just me though,
-Camp
[Edited last by Camp on August 01, 2001 at 10:16 PM]

I've tried to stay out of the spec department, but I've been guilty of trying to predict which console will emerge as "victor" of the new generation.

Hmmm...I'm becoming a bloody MS avocet! Damn me! arrrggg

Dean

I know that I have been saying a lot of things that are speculation and things that haven't been proven, but I try to separate what people are not sure of as compared to what is real. For instance: the playable demos of the GCN games thus far have proven to be better than those of the X-Box games. Is it because of bad demos for the X-Box? Or maybe because Star Wars is so cool? I don't know. All I know is that the GCN has had a better showing so far. I originally started this thread to be about first or second hand impressions of the X-Box, as in having actually played it. I know two people who played it, and they said it looked good, but not as good as the PS2. They also didn't like the controller, and said it was annoyingly big. That is what they told me.

The first few posts mentioned that the hand controller was too big. That for me would be a plus. My biggest gripe with DC was there controolers were too SMALL.
Mark

I'm with you there Mark.
Tim

Xbox is a very nicely designed piece of gaming hardware. As for the controller being too big, well many adults have big hands and MS took that into consideration when designing the controller, I for one am glad they did that. I think that them also designing the smaller Japanesse controller was a brillant move on their part. The only thing that I worry about is will the buttons feel "soft" like the buttons on their Sidewinder series of pads. It is a little issue to me, but right now I am starting to more and more look at getting the Xbox over the GameCube, man I keep on bouncing back and forth between the two Man it feels good to be a gamer!

How many people have used the controller here? The reason I ask is that some friends of mine who are my age (15) have used the controller and said it was too heavy, uncomfortable, hard to use, and had too many face buttons. The GameCube controller is tiny, not as heavy, and from what I have read it is easy to use, whether adult or child. The PS2 controller has been used by probably everyone here (could have been the PS1 Dual Shock, same thing in design), so we all know what it is like.
I think Microsoft shouldn't have used the memory card system in the controllers. One big problem with me was that the DC controllers were always so heavy. I don't mind their size, but add in a memory card/GameShark/rumble thing and it just gets annoying to use. My brother (19) would remove the memory card while he played games because it was so heavy, and pulling it out every time you want to play can get annoying.
I also heard that the controller had some downsides because it was like the SideWinder series. I think it was developed by the same group of people. I personally think it looks ugly, and they don't need that big green thing.
Also, if you read up on the GameCube, it was made more for playing games than anything else. No DVD playback, no internet browsing, and I don't even think there is an interface when you boot up without a disc in the tray. The hardware might not be the most powerful, but everything has been integrated to play smoothly. No loading times is a big thing, considering the PS2 had some annoyingly huge ones, and the X-Box will probably have them, too. I think the GC is more worth it than X-Box for many reasons, and I am definitely getting one this winter.

OK, Morgan, please do buy and enjoy your Gamecube this Fall. Certainly the screenshots of Rogue Leader that have been posted demonstrate that the GC will have some incredible looking games on it, and I'm sure you and everyone else who buys one will not be disappointed.
By the same token, however, I have also seen plenty of amazing screenshots and read dozens of glowing previews that have gotten me very excited about the Xbox. Instead of spending a great deal of effort trying to belittle and disparage Microsoft's console, how about just talking about the benefits of Nintendo's offering? I think you will find that you will get a more positive response from the members here if you stop blindly trashing the Xbox with "I've heard that (such-and-such)", and "A friend who played it at a kiosk told me that...", and (as another poster pointed out) baldly stating your opinion as fact. (As an aside, I SERIOUSLY doubt that any Funcoland has an Xbox kiosk set up yet. From what I read, those are still a month or so away. But anyway...)
You feel that the Gamecube will offer the best gameplay experience for you this Fall. Fine, I respect that, and I wish you well. I, however, am more excited about the Xbox. Why not do me the same courtesy and wish me (and all the other Xbox supporters) well, instead of making outrageous and indefensible statements to try to convince us that we are all making a horrible mistake?
I'll make you a deal--I won't post over and over again trying to convince you that you are wrong if you won't. Fair enough?
Peace, brother, and enjoy your games. And if you're ever up in the Nutmeg state after November 8th, you are welcome to pop in and try the Xbox, just to see if all your friends were right. I promise I won't tell anyone.
Regards,
Dave

I know many people might not believe it, but I am also excited about the X-Box. High Def, 5.1, and ethernet out of the box are amazing things, especially since I will have DSL by the end of the year and already have a great theater at my house. I will not get an X-Box at launch, and am hoping to have a GC by Thanksgiving. Why? Because I believe that the GC is a better deal. When I post things, I am discussing why I think the GC is better, whether its because I like Nintendo games more, because I hate MS (which I don't), because I haven't read anything that great about the X-Box, or because I for some reason am more attracted to the GC. I'm sorry if you think I am belitteling (sp?) you or anyone else, but I am just giving the reasons behind my opinion on the information I have. I get my information from magazines, websites, friends, or any other viable source. I also make my own judgements based on that information, as I hope you do also. I agree that having 3 consoles is better than just one since each console will be different and offer its own great games, I just think the GameCube and PS2 are better than the X-Box.