I'm interested to see what becomes of this but who knows. Whatever the console/brand meant, the games, the culture and more. Whatever they can take from it, the original vision and more.
Who knows. This could be interesting. It could lead to nothing but it's still interesting regardless just you want to hope it isn't just marketing/PR to look good.
Part 2:
Casual setting, sure. Also less troubleshooting, more time complaining to devs/pubs about their garbage optimization then sitting and working it out, understandable.
More options for physical games, with how low that is, it is sad, but what physical games, Xbox stopped caring so clearly they are going to reverse that aren't they? Clearly? XD I'd be happy if they did but we know they won't.
That never happens so to me I"m not a valid customer for any of the 3 platforms. These companies, studios, publishers have no idea what I"m thinking, as I'm not the average player.
I research their hardware and software, or laugh at them. Think up gameplay ideas all day every day because their games are so boring.
I'm an anomaly robot from the future sent to look at human engineering and how garbage modern gaming is. XD
Socializing, setting/artstyle and story telling or garbage cut down multiplayer with lacking mode3s, more cosmetics then you can see depth in the games and more is the last of my focus.
Oh and developers/publishers having a thing called creativity, that they seemed to have lost from 2 console generations ago and I'd rather play those then give them my money on modern gaming hardware/software/boring and annoying to navigate UI/dashboard design.
Indies need better ideas then nostalgia or insert their attempt at a metroidvania/roguelike for money, and make mechanics exciting for them, not insert their attempt and artstyle/story, their gameplay sucks.
I walked into EB Games and went wow there is a lot of garbage in here. More Zing merch stuff and the games were just bland, I wouldn't want to sell games either if the amount of unappealing games on the shelf is so disappointing, let alone the limited amount of physical games showing off how much worse they are for lacking variety of games or solid ideas.
Digital may show more but from articles , to events showcasing them, to eshops I just see so much uninteresting games not the ones I'd be interested in. They just aren't there. So might as well browse eshops all day instead.
Well to me it's gameplay mechanics/level design/progression/modes/movesets and controller gimmicks/software and hardware console features. I use the 360 more then ever, the Xbox One/Series ecosystem is just not appealing at all.
To me Switch 1 is my go to, hardware doesn't impress me and exclusives haven't either. PS4/Xbox One I keep around when I find copies or eshop stuff worth my time, rarely. But I can see why others have either console for different use cases. I sometimes do but sometimes don't. Even Nintendo systems I see what genres I don't see on there and see what I can find for them just for the fun of it.
Fix those first and make games not bland and forgettable. Accessibility is fine but bland gameplay is not acceptable.
Also what a lacking survey, is that the limited options? Why are Impulse Triggers even part of the Xbox One/Series controller or ROG Ally X then you hardware engineers?
These are 'options' but to me many are lacking more broad options.
What about apps for your storefront? The thing Nintendo/PlayStation have the bare minimum of.
I use a few apps on Xbox that aren't on the others, I could use even more because there is so much that isn't and is suitable on a Xbox then on a PC or phone even. But no they don't address that? Why even bother Xbox survey staff.
The mentality of people.
Maybe some percentage of players/customers use them for apps/media use, even if mostly games. Address the ecosystem use cases of the device. Like come on.
I haven't used my Xbox One X in a year or more now, why, the back compat is ok, account system for anything Microsoft is trash and I have no reason to upgrade. Series consoles are so skippable for me. Quick resume is cool but I don't do digital on Xbox.
PS5/Switch 2 are bland too but at least I can consider them and no not for the bland 1st party IPs of PS, I dropped those a decade ago.
They offered a survey which is good, but a lacking set of options survey.
Do they want safe options or more broad responses? Apparently not?
Where is the common 'other' responses. Those are more interesting to know about.
Sure exclusives, when they aren't trash, 1st or 3rd party exclusives with lacking creativity in gameplay.
I have Indie exclusives ore then I do AAA ones. Even then most Indies are just as lacking in ideas too. Most people don't have any creative ideas anymore, wow their artstyle/story/cultural crap. I don't care.
I want gameplay or I won't buy your game. Have good ideas there.
Games don't stand out at all anymore.
Twiddling thumbs is fun and all but putting a skin on it isn't. Adding more rules to twiddling thumbs is fun. Imagine that.
It's like many people made so many card games/board games with that logic, how to use cards 100s of way. Why can't game devs be that creative?
Socializing skip.
Socializing again, skip.
People to me whether with food or games I don't care. People don't make me enjoy them, just make me question them and want to eat my food and play my games in peace.
Games are more boring then they have ever been. Socializing, yeah because discussions so happen, the gameplay is bland so the play sessions aren't enjoyable either. Most people aren't fun to be around at all. Human/animal presence or comebacks don't make a game worth it, or food worth it. The game/food has to be good first.
Multiplayer games just got worse, Singleplayer has the most bland gameplay basics for story/artstyles. What is there to get excited about in modern gaming?
But I haven't seen any interesting gameplay ideas yet. Tracks will vary sure that's fine it's Star Wars I have to be fair there of locations, but track layouts that's a different story.
I never played the original so there is that but at the same time, Redout/Fast Racing and more have had fair ideas.
I saw another one to VR for PS5 recently (checked it's PC version) and thought it was fair then looked it up and went eh, pass.
I haven't been impressed with the anti grav racing sub genre, it's revival is nice to see but it's not offering much compelling ideas at all. Just 'look they exist and have the setting/artstyles' that's it. The physics are fair but the lack of modes or fun angles to present them with fun mechanics/events/modes or other features or fair balanced difficulty is what makes me disappointed. I have gotten through many tough events in these games anti-grav, sim, simcade, rally, dirt bikes, whatever I play anything in the genre, so I know how to go about them but some of them are really tough and very unbalanced of difficulty.
VR would be nice but if they can't that's fine. Otherwise lacking interesting modes or progression for visuals is not appealing. It's a Star Wars game sure but they can still be creative with it in a gameplay sense not just locations and making it function or the physics. That's the bare minimum. I don't do the bare minimum.
Or else I'll just play the original or other old games and have fun with those as why should I give my money to games with the bare minimum. They don't have the creativity, why bother.
IP restricted or not, no excuse. Plenty of non licensed games are just as bland.
Why should I even bother at all if the core isn't very exciting.
It's an interesting game but I need to see more first.
Part 2:
It really says a lot where we don't have a Project Spark anymore for Xbox which is sad (then again Sony wanted more from Dreams and it's just not practical with numbers with unrealistic expectations to think it will be the next Roblox for PlayStation when it comes from Media Molecule and other LBP fan creation types minds and care). But I guess Minecraft and others with console mods fill those voids nowadays don't they?
I mean also as in not just social platforms or social features all the time either.
If Helix works by all means, better APIs and hardware/dev kits for devs to work with which is great.
Will we see Series S style again I doubt it if they want things to be smoother and less for devs to work around which makes sense.
The thing I question is the bullet points though.
1.How are they earning players? Microsoft rewards? General interest for players as Xbox being the place to play? The default console? The place for games, apps, and whatever else the user wants the device and services for? Subscriptions?
2.Protect art? How? Licenses are particular so the ones they can maintain then those they can't? While it makes sense it does make that bullet point very * worth but also makes sense even if people expect more I can understand why.
3.Rebellious? As in marketing? Confident to compete? Whatever the case? Management getting their act together to make the games more suitable for schedules/deadlines and smarter design, not the garbage they have been putting out and why the games are all over the place.
Again I can take Nintendo variety and not a Nintendo fan, but Xbox has has too much variety and not in the it appeals to me of PS1 to PS3/PSP/Vita kind of way either. Or OG Xbox/360 variety either.
4.Progression over perfection I can accept if achievable or reworked to fit that.
5.Signal over ceremony., sure I guess.
6.Core before more. Sure, if they achieve it and don't change things all the time of the core, or make a bland core.
7.Outwork the problem fair.
8.Speed is learning, uh, sure. Ok on that logic.
9.Makers over managers. Well if the creative staff get things worked out.
10.Clarity over kindness, well transparency they achieve as best they can.
I'm interested, but not all are clear yet what those mean or applies too but it's a start. It's a fair mix of goals to go by, however they apply to developers, players, and the hardware/software/advertising and other teams.
We will see what approval, what flexibility and more of actions over time. But it's looking fair so far, just hard to say over time.
I mean COD and Gamepass changes sure but Fortnite/others who knows. Among other factors.
Presence on PC not strong enough? Compared to what mobile? Console? Mac/Linux? Well who's fault is that and also what audience to compare to?
Also focusing on daily users (agreeing with Balaam_ and AccessibleDaydream here), what for the live service/multiplayer types, the competing with scrolling, the daily logins, yeah good luck to singelplayer or types that want to sometiems not use their Xbox for YT, Netflix/other stremaing services, and want to read a physical book, not are scrolling. XD Some of us want to go outside too, we aren't going you know what I should cloud game/remote play my Xbox. XD It's just not going to happen. Xd But they want numbers clearly and to show it to shareholders.
They want people socialising and sharing content. Yeah no that isn't many of us on this website at all. Some of us sure but not all of us. I can play Minecraft and make modpacks in Java, but I'm not going and making marketplace content or sharing my worlds/builds online. I don't care about that. I don't share photo captures. I use them to gauge bugs or things for wikis. XD
I'm not play every game like or as if it's a game like VR Chat or social hubs.
Not everything or every user is a teenagers that wants to play on Xbox as it's the cool place to play.
Many of us are in our 20s to maybe lets say 60s, 80s, whatever enjoying general gaming for our main uses and other hobbies the next. Not filling out their number quotas for how services and devices work. XD
Competing for numbers like that is why companies are silly and it's unrealistic other then for shareholders. People don't work that way, you want random number generators or donations go for it, but humans aren't code. Simple as that. XD As particular as osme people are, they can be unpredictable as well.
The audience with phones, average PCs versus high end PCs? What a load of garbage. XD
Well who's fault with pricing is that? At least they acknowledge it but by how much are they going to change it not just acknowledge it. I don't even care about 9th gen or PC gaming and we all know this stuff. Wanting their cake and eating it too or 'we know, we just can't do anything about it' well that helps. XD
We will see how they approach it as best they can depending on the leadership giving the go ahead, them acknowledging it is a good thing at least but it only says so much then just PR speak to say they are transparent but actions say a lot too.
They get different audiences but can they actually approach them and use the data or the people's reactions suitably? We will see.
Not just target the 'largest number and misunderstand the others'. XD Oh we need to support live services, oh but why are the singleplayer or other multiplayer types not moving over, hmm I wonder why they have different expectations. XD
IF they can address them smartly enough over time that's fine. The more they say and act on I'll be happy.
I won't buy the games or consoles as the game design won't be my thing, but I'll respect them at least from a business perspective and that's good enough for me then nothing.
Part 2 to alternate:
The same excuses they said for 8th gen and people not moving over to 9th gen and going "have money and desperation like I do now buy the new hardware because I did so I can have my new gen games, fit in with the crowd financially" is basically what they are saying.
I am no casual. I don't play live service games at all.
I play all genres and play on all consoles old and new, I use peripherals no one else uses, so I use consoles to the fullest, not just hardcore only titles, it's just the 9th gen consoles, peripherals, software features and games were boring. I know everything about them without touching the console. Did the same before I bought an N64 even. have with every console I've ever researched, failed niche ones, peripherals, popular consoles, whatever. Series of games, one offs, left behind games, etc.
I have access to 9th gen consoles, I still don't care. Current gen is boring.
Well I skipped 3 discounts at stores because I don't care for 9th gen and look at 9th gen it's doing perfectly fine without me being not interested in them. XD
The games are there, the other studios that moved on have. Just because I and many collectors know what games reached of 12 years or varied per platforms or disk products/console production or eshop/services in the past and most others "don't pay attention" and it happened to happen more now then it did prior gens and they moved on earlier then most did. XD
People that pay attention seriously it says a lot when others don't and complain and aren't self aware enough.
Part 2/Other
They skipped Sega Saturn, they didn't PS3 and wanted that platform money as the audience was there. They were more complex then Series S but the point still stands. They want the money, put the effort in. Not complain and go we want it easy. Well you went with custom hardware in the past, so what's the excuse, work it out and make a game for a platform, whether the APIs or the hardware designs. Work it out.
Could Microsoft have made it a certain way sure, but unfortunately it's not skippable like Xbox One is.
PS Portal is skippable on PlayStation but it's not designed to be supported other then Cloud, prior to that it was a no need to develop for device. No dual screen, no fancy features. Indies laughed at it for a reason.
Are we still getting the Xbox One/Series store and apps? Many of them around or are they changing it?
Keeping it consistent I think helps as many of us still use those apps for different things as the Sony/Nintendo platforms don't have them.
I like having the CD app, different media players or Soundcloud available, things not on the other platforms but are on a PC or a mobile but on a console sometimes i like to use them.
Well CD app with and Xbox One that has a disk drive (all but Xbox One S All Digital Edition) or an Series X model with them (what 2 models of Series X)
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Other:
Did they have to more yes, but the 720p and more said a lot how much they made garbage worlds and games with lacking resolution (the RAM/CPU/GPU, amount of smarter programming in the past on custom hardware said a lot compared to nowadays bland bloated worlds/asset use, etc. on screen nowadays for design goals) when the console could do 1080p smartly. 1400p sure but not for TVs, but come on they had PS4 Pro/One X and they treat Series S this way. It shows a lot of excuses made.
Sigh level designers/artists, programmers and animators. Expectations too high/filling their worlds with garbage, real world logic so bad staff design goals, too much grass, too much objects, characters, buildings, was it worth it? No.
Budget or more accessible gaming, yet they clearly don't care about them and it shows. Power power power and garbage use of it too. They want customers to have high end for their excuses of products design goals or 'certain' not all customer expectations, and get frustrated when they have the money, they have the dev kits/retail consoles and high end PCs to work with. Not all customers do. But they complain for 'oh you don't fit in financially so we have to develop for a console we don't want to'. Suck it up developers. They want to move on from Series S so bad as much as PS3 and honestly it's disgusting.
1080i games in past consoles sure, but 480p/720p norm was fine. Nowadays it's kind of just excuses. But their worlds and dialogue/art assets are 'so important' I couldn't care less. I can play at low resolution sure, but what they do with them for utter garbage worlds is why I hate modern developers. Their games have boring movesets/progression/level design and modes and they wonder why I don't want to even buy their games.
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Alternate:
They cutting a Series S model idea? No low end PC specs idea?
Well people can complain when it's too expensive and not accessible. XD They can't have their high end and '"just buy the expensive one I could" excuses by other players.
Console features? So quick resume or impulse triggers?
Store filters please. Been wanting them for years now.
Smarter IPs per audiences? Doubt it but would be nice. Have some teams experiment gameplay ideas, fit cinematic storytelling, multiplayer, experimental artstyle/gameplay. Per genre, a racing one that isn't car licenses/music/locations, offer better modes I'm bored of current racing games being empty excuses.
Tactics RPG or a few others.
Offer worthy variety that's worth it. I can buy all Nintendo IPs per genre because they handle the personality and genre gameplay ideas well There is a reason I'm buying Rhythm Heaven Groove and not other rhythm games.
Fire Emblem for tactics games, Pikmin for strategy that isn't the building/recruitment approach. Put effort into fair ideas for what game4s can have and don't take 5 years on ideas, visuals, worlds and boring ideas. Scale the games back to smarter ideas, not scale that's bloated and boring.
Xbox I barely if ever care about any of the Series era IPs, at all because of how bland they are.
Or we talking hardware or software? The dashboard is just annoying and i hate using it, but I haven't liked 2010s/2020s OS UI design at all, so nothing will change my opinion sigh. Visuals or navigation will be just sad.
What 'features' does that mean.
They cutting a Series S model idea? No low end PC specs idea? If so sure, fair strategy change if they feel the need to.
Also Series S was a fair idea for some users. Just because it didn't suit 'ALL', but it wasn't supposed to. Genesis, to Sega CD to 32X was a lot but it made sense back then. Xbox One to Xbox One S to Xbox One X, cough cough.
I was fine with Wii/PS2/PSP games getting their own versions in many cases they were better, not excuses of bloom and not garbage games for graphics and bland gameplay, the graphics were 'worse' or different artstyles but gameplay first to make them count and I preferred them.
I think Series S getting the same game as Series X was a fair reasoning to not others be left out and to remove the separate version for developers dynamic of the past, but I think it showed how lazy devs are with their lacking optimization, didn't want to outsource more then they already do for some things, ray tracing garbage and more.
This isn't VR or mobile with unique versions for them. This is Switch/Switch 2 or Series S type 'skip it or support Series S'.
Series S was for those who want a cheaper but still a step up.
That's what it was for. I think it was a fair idea.
it's like a 2DS compared to the 3DS, only it those didn't change the specs as much just form factor.
But I think a lower end piece of hardware for a few games was a solid idea. It's just devs showed their laziness and complained when they go 'we want people to play our game' well do you really because it seems not if you are too lazy to scale your game to high end all the time. XD Hypocrites.
Make games better, not force visuals or read speeds. Only gameplay and playable enough to reach other goals of the game. But nope.
Series is clearly isn't a Switch 1/Switch 2 case or in the case of Wii/PS2/PSP/DS of skipping platforms. So they complain more with how they have to treat Series S. They want a game on there, put the effort in.
Well seeing as I buy my retro collections on Switch (not PS5/Series).
Seeing as I like old games that are 'good' and have mechanics/level design/modes (on the old console or modern ones digital or physical if an option) I want to play and modern games don't at all as the game design is bland, the movesets, level design, mechanics, worlds and more are just boring and lacking in creativity to be more accessible (colourblind, motor skills and more is fine, but game design for casuals level of bland and boring is not my ideal of fun) or dumbed down game design, for 'immersion' and story telling when the movests/level design is super boring.
There is a reason I'll praise an Echoes of the End and not most modern era games.
Or an Inertial Drift and not most racing games unless tolerating the decent design of Gear Club series.
Very few modern era IPs appeal to me. There is a reason only the niche IPs on PS4 appealed to me and Sunset Overdrive (not Spiderman PS4, it was trash and only 2 side missions or the lab puzzles were worth my time, Sunset Overdrive, Gravity Rush and Infamous Second Son were my only go to open worlds), ReCore, Rare Replay, Forza Motorsport 5 to 7 (hit and miss but still enjoyable enough), or Quantum Break if i wanted to put that in there. Were my Xbox One IPs of course. Any 3rd parties varied if I had them on Xbox One like Valkyria Chronicles 4 which was good. There is more OG Xbox/360 era (or other platforms) game design I'd rather play then modern era gaming.
If it's an IP I respect or researched sure.
But if it's a mainstream IP being revived for easy big money then no. I already didn't care for the IP to begin with (plenty left behind I've bought up and had a blast with one offs to trilogies), or I did and I want ti to have a chance.
That means no I don't care for AC Black Flag but I did Prince of Persia returning. I did support Mario Rabbids. I did care about Red Steel 2.
I did Battle Engine Aquila (not on Xbox back compat but was PS2 back compat). Among others.
Part 2: Gamepass messaging, tiers, whatever is what, sure. It needs work for sure.
Durable growth sure.
Cloud makes sense why it's still here but better communicate it or what devices it's used with. I understand but many casuals don't. Many gamers may or may not have, it depends who used it.
Organic paths ok then.
Exclusives or more money, management or other tweaks.
Who knows. I don't care for the games or console on any of the 3 platforms anyway so they need work.
Performance sure, high quality base/healthy, sure.
Console/PC games, that could just be Xbox/Windows store for all we know instead of Steam, EPic, GOG or 3rd party launchers, but if it does offer others by all means. I'm intrigued.
Also tell me when we aren't seeing more Gamepass bait games like Forza Motorsport 2023 and Kiln. Sigh. I would have gone for FM23, but they ruined it so much, what was the point. I hate GT7 and I still purchased it because it had content I was after still. Still going to play older 90/2000s/2010s racing games for their modes/mechanics/progression to uncover but even still. Gear Club 3 it is even.
High performance accesosxires? What the controller that got a share button (was it a solution yes then just the software method, but we need something after Impulse Triggers please).
Strong ecosystem, sure, but I already don't care about the 1st or 3rd party games on PS5/Xbox Series or Switch 2. XD Make that happen and I'll care.
Having Gamepass is fine, but there is a reason I'd play singleplayer games or Minecraft with modded on Java (literally even old releases or beta versions modded are more fun then the modern era versions 1.17+), not Bedrock which has it's moments but is an absolute joke. I'd rather play Legacy Console edition with host privileges then commands even when I use commands for few things in Java because the UI is so bad when creating a world. XD
I have no interest in socail features. I don't even want to play Hytale if it's survival aspects get little action and it's just a social hub TOO much. I don't play games to socialise or play minigames. I play them for fun mechanics and curated for singleplayer in other genres with fun mechanics, level design, modes, or flexible in a survival sandbox.
Well IPs have been hit and miss for all platforms other then the decent AA 3rd parties, tolerable Indies and niche Nintendo IPs for me these days while collecting old consoles/video games since 2017.
Expanding to China is understandable, but what about other regions Xbox has no coverage in? What other emerging markets?
Mobile for those sure whether King games or cloud, sure, if possible for them not just because of devices they have.
Live games, yeah easy pass on that. Most multiplayer has been bland and too much multiplayer and just easy to avoid yet singleplayer hasn't been that exciting either.
Elevate creator/user generated content games.
Yeah pass. I play Minecraft and mod it but I have no care about any of that. But this will be for other creators/minigame types or whatever anyway. Still a pass.
Fix fundamentals i need to know more about. Management. XD Other key aspects of products/services, games, consoles, OS, apps, background systems, not just foreground systems?
Make it the best place just like the OG Xbox, well if the APIs, the dev kits and more are better then by all means. Just up to the presentation, meetings, relationships and more then.
Discovery, customization (what of the dashboard, we talking filters in the eshop as well, less advertising, not so much social features or networking achievements and other garbage on the dashboard to crowd it, give me customization so I don't see any of it).
@Stocksy Agreed it's just started, I'm still waiting for the actual bigger plans. Minor changes help but it's been 1 thing so far. XD Hardly praise worthy.
If they want to have a positive moral sure, but saying that and we haven't seen the actions yet, only a few small things that are just reversals are nice but hardly changing much.
What Gampeass plans, what console plans, what better leadership for the games, or otherwise. What are we actually going to see happen to the brand.
Well they want to be ahead of Sony like they have the past few consoles.
They can wait for sure. I'm in no rush. I don't even care about Xbox Series or PS5 or Switch 2 yet. I have plenty of old games or PS4/Switch/Xbox One games to get through anyway.
Current era games or the enhancements don't interest me anyway.
I myself haven't played a back compat OG Xbox/360 game (on my 360 yes, on my Xbox One/Series I haven't but mostly because they are non compatible games licensed or not supported either) in a while and don't remember issues when I did but each person's experience is different.
Part 2:
Will play more of the old NFS games I haven't attempted yet and focus on those, maybe make my way through the other 2000s/2010s NFS games as well. Got enough of them collected so far.
Or other 90/2000s circuit racers to get through or research for the first time with exciting ideas in them.
Or any other games in my backlog/from other genres or exciting mechanics waiting for me.
That or I could finish off the rest of the content in older Forza Motorsport games I haven't finished yet. They have fun events/modes in them.
While Touge is nice to see and it fits. We getting any gymkhana layouts at all? The potential there is very high to make something out of them.
What's the others? The articles doesn't say a lot.
Even when having a create your own races features is nice and sharing them.
Even in wipEout Pulse for PSP (or when wipEout HD Fury DLC had more combat modes or other things it was great) I still preferred when they approached it in the main career mode or made their own.
Onrush had fair modes and was online focused of a MotorStorm successor but it's singleplayer I still found fun with it's modes as much as I did the fair ideas in FM5 and FM6/FM7 events.
Is there objectives like Drive Club or Dirt 5 as bonuses to events (I haven't seen footage for FH games in a while)?
If players can't make much of things in the create events way, whether the map layouts to create (PGR3 or otherwise style) or can't make their own custom events/modes/rulesets to actually create something (like when Halo people made their own modes) then there isn't much for players to do unless there is enough objects or scoring system/other potential to work with.
That my probably with events, the rules, objects or scoring systems lack.
Juiced 2 had 4 drift modes, one of them being multiplayer. IF they can work around 1 driver, multiple or others with different scoring systems or rulesets for different things. It says a lot why modern games are just '1 drift mode' or very basic modes of racing, time trial, drift, elimination, time trial, drag race, they work but they are also lacking.
Where is a fuel limiting mode? That's why I'm going to buy Gear Club 3, it's an average series but at least it's trying.
Forza Motorsport 2023 was even lacking. Where was car bowling? Sprint I mean 1 lap magic or any others? The FM6 showcase events were a lot of fun. So were FM5's or FM7. But just gone. The only thing 2023 did was car positions having credit payouts, even MX vs ATV games can do that without credit payouts but for a circuit racer and not a MX or ATV based game it was a nice feature to see.
WRC3 is my favourite old annual racing game for what it did with the stages and interesting modes/events. It's not difficult. No action/weapons, no Stuntman set pieces or anything. Just good stages, good scoring systems/objects used in fun ways for modes. That simple.
I didn't find much appeal in even the 'older better entries' (maybe i haven't found the right Forza Horizon game yet and that's very likely) or other modern open world games yet, so to me I don't even know what to expect here.
Are they going to be creative with obstacles on roads or particular layouts when drifting or whatever else on these city or rural roads at all?
I can just as easily play Tokyo Extreme Racer Drift 2 (the new one may be fair but I don't like the main series format I prefer the Drift sub series more, not even tried Battle Gear yet).
Or whatever when using the regions they have captured for the game? As to me many of the events/modes are lacking and really need more for them.
Otherwise I'll keep waiting out for Gear Club 3 instead. I'll go for that stamina I mean fuel limiting event like GT6 did. Its not much but it's something.
Creative events/modes are important to me. I haven't seen them in many open world racing games. There is a reason I cared for PGR, other circuit racers (arcade, simcade, sim, whether road, rally or whatever) or some annual racing games, and not modern open world games.
@BIG3 Surprised they didn't. 360 era/Windows 8/Xbox One they did it a fair bit but never have with King and I always found that weird.
I think they just bought them and let them keep going to keep money going and have another option (even then what IPs they use if they wanted to or just keep going with what 'works' than adding anything new, which is odd.
This isn't the same as Micro consoles kind of thing of the 2010s perception I'd assume, it could be like playing any mobile or Indie games on the console.
But my experience is maybe different. I didn't mind PS Minis or mobile games when I played on my Vita or Wii U, to even to other consoles, even Switch sure it blends in.
But maybe for others it's not or the companies don't see much point there or want to develop for them and just keep things mobile only focused (or Windows I guess as the Candy Crush or others on there in the Windows store but not console). No clue.
There is plenty of mobile games on console after all.
It's green, it's modern era logo design. XD It doesn't stand out, it has barely any blend of the two or trying something different at all. It lacks character.
Even if there was a neon sign of it, it would look better then this does.
There is a reason 2010s onward logos and UI design is so forgettable or unappealing to me. They do nothing with it. Just make it flat, soft, corporate and boring.
How did we go from all sorts of crazy angles and presentation of any past era products/logos and aesthetics and the 2010s is just flat and simple and forgettable.
I can remember more PS1 logo prototypes or different prototype controllers for different companies with different button layouts or controller shell shapes or anything else then I would the blandness of an Xbox One/Series X era logo being an X that yes does have striking length and shape to it but not compared to prior ones,
With their colours, their inside green beam look, the orb/sphere/balls helped too in advertising orbiting with it, it's very memorable, it looks exciting and I want to know more with that effect.
They look like an entrance to a world, these are just simple but in doing so forgettable. They aren't inviting or mystical, that 'what is that I want to know more and seek it out', or maybe be careful of it depending how dangerous it is but I want to know still.
These modern ones are just bland and lacking personality to me. They don't intrigue at all. I don't feel comfortable with it. I just barely think about it after seeing it out of the corner of my eye. I go oh I saw it, moving on. Then go hmm what is that.
A circle and as flat and bland as possible.
There is making something so simple to be memorable or 'I can draw it myself' to 'I'd want to draw the more complex engaging one instead and learn how to draw it', level of enthusiasm. XD
What else is there to say.
Callback or not it's a pretty pathetic callback.
A more stylized one that's in-between the two sure, whether one half is closer to the old but not completely and the new one, or a better middle ground, but a modern era logo that's green, wow how original and low effort this is.
Part 2:
Many European games are too focused on the story/world or the graphics and trying to fit in with others having such budgets (AAs trying to compete enough with the Ubisofts or others of the European AAA gaming marketing not just USA ones and how their presentation is) and the gameplay just doesn't do it for me at all.
Steelrising tried to stand out in it's own way, it wasn't my thing but I thought it was a fair attempt at something different from them. But their RPGs sort of kept lacking in way.
I don't think much of E33, but I can see why it stood out in presentation, the gameplay to me was ok ideas that turn based JRPGs refused to do, and games from Piranha Bytes/Spiders just didn't and lacked something.
Or audiences ate up the JRPG style by a French studio of E33. Which I think is fair. They understood what audiences were after, they understand the trends/design but added enough of their own to it to appeal to audiences.
It's like seeing Telltale make the same game over and over. They didn't evolve. They thought they had a formula, but they really kept not doing enough to stay afloat (even if their own fault with licenses).
But the point is their design was lacking and needed changes.
Did Spiders stand out enough, I'd say more so then Piranha Bytes but in some cases it was clear they missed the mark at times.
The marketing was really bad for Greedfall 2 years ago, so I can say the market team needed a different angle as they just weren't convincing at all.
Let alone the devs making a game that just didn't really do a whole lot interesting either.
Pirhana Bytes now Spiders, well that's unfortunate.
But I already knew Greeefall 2 was lacking just from the marketing and then the game isn't doing it for them. Well who could have seen that coming. It had fair ideas but it just didn't look good.
They tried with many games and even Steelrising had ok ideas.
But otherwise I already knew they weren't' going to make it.
Had Bound by Flame and Greedfall 1 from them and yeah. They were good in some ways but didn't quite do it for me. You could see them trying though.
I don't like to use the term Eurojank but even I could tell some studios have great ideas, good presentation but the programming needs work, the animators/artists do a fair job but the games are just lacking.
Their personality isn't bad but the games lack in polish and otherwise they don't do it for me at times.
I enjoy things like Darksiders or yes some tactics games from time to time (at least in the last few years but mostly Japanese ones not USA/EU ones as I find the XCOM and others approach not appealing, other then Mario Rabbids at least and that's as someone who can give or take Mario and hates the Rabbids but the gameplay just blended well).
But I find European RPGs to struggle in areas. I respect them but only can to a point.
In some games many other countries do European settings and RPGs 'better' which is sad to see.
But it varies per studio, many great European developers out there but I also see a lot of issues in them.
I enjoy Milestone for their racing games but they have issues sometimes and I can only put up with it for so long, but they are a great Italian dev I can respect.
The Styx games seem fair.
I need to look up what others I enjoy and studios still around then just playing older games as many of those studios may be gone now. Without thinking oh wait they are Canadian or UK, when many may be French, Italian, German Swedish and others.
I just never got into EU RPGs very much as I just never cared for them and they seemed to keep repeating themselves.
Even trying the Arcania Gothic I was like this is fair. But even playing that or some Bioware stuff or Soldier of Fortune (a shooter yes) you can tell some were very 90s/2000s and still good and others were rough.
Many nowadays have lost that but some still had that about them in a different modern way.
But even I was getting to the point of ignoring AAs and still am. I enjoyed a bunch from the past but the more they went on I just saw them being either more so wannabe studios with not exciting ideas anymore or struggling to keep up and repeating what worked for some audiences but didn't others. They were holding on but people weren't buying them or interesting or people pulled away as it was easy to see why.
I enjoyed so many B grade/AA platformers and still am exploring them. But in the modern era eh I don't know with some AA studios approaching other worlds, mechanics, genres, storytelling, etc.
Even AA Japanese studios may be repetitive or not but I've still enjoyed their visual novel or fair conversation cutscenes to fair gameplay ideas still having interesting ideas.
I got into dungeon crawlers, I did tactics RPGs, I did rail shooters and others.
Original or 360 era, the OG Xbox one is really intriguing/engaging. It looks inviting, it looks robot, alien or whatever striking sort of look to it. It looks like a cool doorway to something. I could compare to the PS2 The Third place but in it's own Xbox way.
It's like a crack in a wall to an amazing new place. IN a good way.
it looks interesting, even when they have it animate in the ads it looks compelling. It's not a bat signal but in a way could be compared that way.
Flat is boring, lacks personality or emphasis. Other than Windows 8 doing it fairly well I find all others in the modern era or most other logos/designs (I mean the UI, not the Windows logo with that to be clear) to be bland, forgettable, lifeless.
The ball/sphere look is fair, when it works in animations with the ads, it kind of compliments it but I think the older logos for OG Xbox era look better, more green lines/beams of light just appearing is more interesting to me.
Xbox One/Series it's just not as well done in ads or in general placement it's just 'there' it doesn't communicate much power to me. It just looks plain. It looks like a prototype, or 'corporate' and doesn't appeal to me at all.
Older eras, the 3D or otherwise gradients, layouts, the less 'soft' look, the striking look it has just pops more. The 1999 logo is also kind of cool, it's not 'plain' it has character with how it wants to present the letters, it may look crude (as in when a an artist enjoys just seeing what they can move letters with different details to look cool for a title they want to make) but it still looks engaging.
As I'll keep saying, the artsyle and idea is excellent, the gameplay is the most boring I've ever seen.
Actually, online only? Well that's bad, it should be a local party game not online only, that's a missed opportunity.
So much can be done with clay characters, maps, characters, modes, multiplayer games to me these days (and singleplayer) have the most lacking amount of content, lackluster modes and want 'multiplayer online/local fun' but there isn't anything to do in them).
This is Foamstars all over again, well time to come up with clay based modes, the devs won't. Unless they do over time make the most of it as for launch this is just disappointingly bland. I'm not the target audience but even I want to see it do something interesting not be the most artistically pathetic game lacking in content or non-compelling basic features.
The game is fine but it wasn't what most were expecting, he and the team probably have some good ideas but even I was like hmm I don't know about this game.
Regardless of city builders, strategy or other things and not an RPG, the Albion name or other things.
I'm fine with city builders but this one has ok ideas but I don't know what to think of it.
Genre doesn't effect everything but I don't know the presentation in the trailers, to even just the words here, it really doesn't convey much to me.
Very cool, it's no Games for Windows Live, but it's fair for Windows 8/10 and others era games for sure, or any added to the Windows store.
For 360/Xbox One era games that used it but of the PC releases, for sure for Windows 8/10 era. That or compared to Steam as I assume this is just the Windows store versions/connection of services?
Still it's PC so a GitHub project to apply is understandable, won't apply to all games or fix them all but it's still something.
If the company notices for sure too and applies it or their own efforts to fix it.
Not surprised that changes between 2.0 and 3.0 breaking things with differences between them.
Ah fans noticing things, others moving to new approaches, old things don't work when easy to solve, but don't.
I hope this works, it'd give people even if not the servers for multiplayer, the achievements and other things some uses or just profile and other things to sync.
Part 2:
Do we need an explorer movie type thing besides Indiana Jones, maybe Pitfall hmm a dead Activision IP to rework into something. Tad exists as a Spanish explorer movie IP. Why not?
Work out what business models sure but smarter.
If I can guess how a game is it's because I've played so many or research what games are like of genres, trailer formats, titles, action, drama, whatever details.
I don't need a spreadsheet but if they want one they can do so.
Well what ideas of people outside the company and inside the company is she after?
There is taking suggestions or a lets work together attitude and there is using their actual brains.
I think up anything and still go I can bend it into a business idea later, because i think of the categories, the structure, of games, music and UI design or whatever else.
I love hardware gimmicks, yet they get focused on the least for 'does it work and do generic thing I want it to' mentality.
There is a reason I just say random things, I'd rather do that then what we end up with.
Offer publisher packages, genre packages, 1st party packages, cozy games, artstyles (cell shaded, grounded, varied palette, abstract, painterly, etc.), historical, alternate history, fantasy, scifi, racing (rally, road, arcade, water, etc.), sports, arcade games, ones set in a cafe, on a farm, being a mayor, theme park manager, on a space station, animal that are humanlike/anthropomorphic or is about human drama or whatever.
Mix some things or clear defined categories. In the eshop, in gamepass, whatever. If people like shooters or western settings, why not.
If people like Indies sure, it's a bit particular nowadays especially even compared to 360 marking them as such but still.
I have not cared for games of 2 console gens now. So yeah I'll take his Vib Ribbon comment for sure seriously. Not everything he says is the case but still. I need to look back on his other business angles and responses in past articles, it's been a while. What he said or I thought in past articles.
Think outside the box of what things people may try and look for of searches/filters/playlists/similar to other games or whatever.
But don't make it that trend following/literal, make it have a spin on it.
If I can put so many Xbox or Switch groups for combinations to analyse Impulse triggers or back compat or year they released or whatever. Then sure. I have maxed out the what 30 or so groups on Switch already by so many things I can categorised them by. I didn't on Xbox but I could if I wanted to per game or application and what details they have about them.
Offer more tiers. Think outside the box. I can say this in 2 seconds to a few minutes while typing it but still having so many ideas to anaylse details, filter them and more and so few words, yet they want suggestions. XD
I can know enough of audience types or personalities, it's really not hard. It's just most people don't think that way and I do over analytical ways.
Well if they want better smarter sales numbers instead of NUMBERS they need to look at PEOPLE to know what they want.
Why did that scene of human drama work better then others, dialogue, acting/body language, that action scene, explosion, fight moves, aliens/humans, that technology design looks cool, etc. why? Well find out.
There is human experience and there is just finding out.
I can watch many shows and see a lot going on not just entertainment with it. Some emotional moments make me cringe or yawn, or never watch as can't tolerate, and others I think are so well executed.
I don't relate to them XD, I just think their visuals/writing is just that well presented.
But businesses don't get people they get numbers which have limits and tell so little.
They have numbers of what games people play, I can break it down by genre, setting, what is in them, drama, animals, human characters, do they use weapons, do they use items, do they solve puzzles, do they do all sorts of things. I can go that far, worth out what is going on in the gamer game spaces and not just the casual game spaces.
Casuals will want to play things that fit in with other peers, regardless of if it's a shooter, horror game or a cozy game, to a point but you get somewhat what I mean right?
Work out other factors, not just 'big numbers via casual gamers playing Fortnite'
It should be casual gamers play cozy games visual novels, city builders, whatever vibe, setting, dialogue, whatever.
"experimentation, attribution, and learning, making it harder to know what’s working and improve quickly"
"experiences built at different times, where discovery, relevance, and social are not first-class, and players have to work to find what to do next or who to play with"
They can go for the Xbox/PC combined all they want, it won't change my opinion of how garbage the games are. Solving a ecosystem strategy is fine but the words are so particular of nonsense I can come up with enough off the topic of them because they are so vague. XD
I already look to wikis, old libraries, game design, eshops via filters and more. What do they need to shove in people's faces, games with whatever themes, gameplay, setting and more. Not generic garbage, or boring passion or whatever trends in games/tv shows/movies, just solid ideas for a demographic or people into western settings or a spin on it with other cultures, or other stuff I don't know.
I have ideas out of all sorts via level design and character abilities or enemy hive mind system ideas, I have had them for years now and repeat them all the time. Most people want story/graphics I ignore that for more exciting ideas.
But you have to be 'in a company' to get validation for a visionary or other nonsense for that. I don't care for validation, I want ideas and them to happen and be exciting in such products/art. But nope we get garbage themes/graphics instead.
Well clearly some trends/systems work better then others, some business models, whatever gamepass packages, whatever not bland game design I'm sick and tired of.
What Mac/Linux support sales who knows?
Sorting out not just what Phil/Sarah refused to approve, but also what leadership are incompetent, versus butter people up and say convincing things, don't meet deadlines and what leadership are annoying to work with because their attitude, stance, and words are just bad.
So when the top people kept removing smart game ideas to dumb the spy game that was cancelled before Gears 4, to any modern game examples to whatever else, why do we get generic lifeless games? There is strategies in the business model and there is games so bland I refuse to support a single one of them on PS5/Series at all? XD
Really, well then why is it Sarah/Phil went to studios, said the games were good and cancelled them? Too particular of production cost, not enough telling studios to structure better of deadlines and ideas cut offs or inclusions?
Sigh. There is a reason I'd never be hired, I have too many ideas, not enough practical skills and people want boring bland stories and graphics then actual ideas to make.
The games would be still easy but for games, not casuals so they'd never happen and that old school design is dead.
Part 4: Making maps also more interesting to navigate based on the themes, not make them static but moveable, you have moving containers in a dock, or you can push them if magic or something.
Heck even singleplayer games with not elements with particles but elemetals with snow, and earth with impact.
I mean there is a reason I thought Fracture was a fair 360 shooter, but nope.
There was a game with the ex Bioware and other devs and it was an ok game with it's elements in the world for level design/combat ideas. Eternal Strands not Eternal Threads I confuse it with.
Echoes of the End's puzzles, platforms, water area with it's levels of water (like Ratchet Hydrodisplacer) or gravity paths (Ratchet gravity boots) was just so much fun. While Ratchet series just wastes it's own time.
Games with interactivity for level design/character abilities not corridors, open worlds and human drama.
I could come up with singleplayer game ideas for days.
Multiplayer sure I could but not as much due to how particular people are about multiplayer and why some modes don't work or it's too much dev time and blah blah blah.
But singleplayer I could have tons.
The problem is devs, pubs, shareholders and players.
There is a reason I'll play a retro AAA or AA/B grade game with cool mechanics to a shooter or platformer or racing game or hack n slash or puzzle game or city builder or whatever.
Even the city builder I saw days ago about moving things to the side of the cliffs and mechanical stuff in a pirate game looked awesome.
it's that simple yet many devs fail to do this and it just boggles the mind way.
Do they just think too grounded or have to because pubs/shareholders are that unimaginative? If so sure but how do some kids games get a pass but many teen/adult games don't and have to focus on RPG stats or grounded characters and the games are so boring to play.
Or we get action but level puzzle solving for different player levels. Or systems or level design types. All could happen yet they stick to one thing and it's boring.
Part 3: God of War used to do it before Norse series made it more bland interconnected regions and RPG systems with 'puzzles' but it wasn't anywhere near as fun and I dropped it after playing the story, otherwise I'd have never played it at all.
Perfect Dark or the spy game cancelled before we got Gears 4 as example of this. Possibilities are right there not just being a spy and grounded boredom for typical spy plot, make the gameplay stand out.
Heck I've said a number of times what my object/animal or other types of platformers or action adventure games would be. I've had ideas for years now. Gameplay is so boring and movesets/level design is clear of that.
You can play as anything. Mercury the PS2/PSP/Wii puzzle game is a great example, it has splitting (not in the way I would my bar of soap player idea), colour mixing and using for doors, gravity/ceiling platforms, mercury eating enemies and more.
Even Voodoo Dice was a fair one for differences to Devil Dice using dice sides and numbers.
Gravity Trickster expands on what Kula World/Roll Away does whether it knows it or not.
Practical Intelligence Quotient was good for doors, laser grids, stair/solid blocks.
If I can play many puzzle games, or platformers or come up with just 'what object/animal as a basis' and then form whatever I want around it that's what's actually exciting, not humans that aren't cartoony in a Mario/Pitfall way as they are so rare these days, not animals beacuse why do that.
We get boring humans with drama and we get boring animals as just animals or humanlike to put whatever themes for story/species through them.
It's fair that way but even Biomutant just offered that but peeing/sprinting like an animal but also vehicles I was like sigh, if only it had actual exciting abilities. There is a reason I'll play 90s/2000s platformers, not Indies, and not AA decent games like it.
At least it's gas immunity idea was cool. More so then it's light/dark system.
Where is my hive mind system (different enemy types or they fake you out with the skills of the ranged type but they fire magic or other types instead, a melee one that looks the standard weak one but is actually the middle to top tier tank one, get creative with it, work out past the illusions) for a hack n slash/shooter? No where because devs can't be bothered to have enemies learn, forget, change and have an animation to respawn them or something. Make it interesting.
It's not a nemesis system. But they could if they wanted to offer something like it in a different way.
The trend following ones can be cinematic, they can have RPG systems and whatever roguelike, metroivania or otherwise but make it fit, not just shove it in there, make it have purpose.
Multiplayer I'd say make characters movesets and maps interesting again.
I am sick and tired of boring human movesets, and especially characters with different classes with nothing interesting in the maps or movesets.
Even Ratchet mobile multiplayer game I was like oh they have the wall running stuff, and that's it. The rest is pretty generic, when the series has so many gadgets they could use but NOPE. That's when I get mad. Is potential left all over the floor and not in someone's head at all of gameplay ideas, just insert characters, demographic, artstyle and bland gameplay.
Part 2:
What about cleaning driving of Enthusia or stylish of Project Gotham Racing? Nah, gone too.
Imagination is gone for human drama and graphics. Why would I want to play those?
It's that simple, yet audiences and devs can't think that varied outside the box for any other games let alone of how roads, painted lines, car designs/traits, and more are for game modes. Juiced 2 4 drift modes, just saying. Good modes, not all but ideas more then most modern games that don't yes.
Also Stuntman series, just saying.
Or just worlds/characters can be better used.
I can gameify it without making it monetized excuses, the rest of the world (or most of it) can't it seems. Has to be grounded. How is that immersive?
Yet movies and TV shows have had such abilities and more for years, yet games dropped them? Why?
There is a reason I want creativity of gameplay and I never see it, and refuse to buy games, is casuals ruin it for me and gamers want their stories, so for me, I just go to retro games instead.
Indies are too focused on competing with trends too or nostalgia/heavy inspiration (except when they aren't, but that's rare exception), and i don't care for any of it.
(whether mundane items or magical or scifi technology, can be as mundane as Pitfall Lost Expedition with ice picks to climb/spin attack, in a modern game you could tie a rope to it and make it a grapple hook, or do whatever you wanted to combine with it, even Tomb Raider 2013 did this with gun components and opening barriers. That's why even if the structure was pretty modern and plain, the guns were so much fun to use for navigation purposes. I could care less about the skill tree but I've played games with active abilities and it doesn't always work other then for secrets. Not major areas. No wonder games offer it for passive stuff, but a menu taking over a game is not fun to me at all.
I mean Pitfall Lost Expedition being Pitfall in a metroidvania way after Metroid Prime 1 was out.
You could make it instead of cartoony/grounded a more magical to a kid's mind or some grounded/not grounded.
Make canteens for water to heal, but also for containing all sorts of liquids or items for different things.
A modification system of repurposing items or whatever. A magical item that allows for it then just player modifications at tables or inventory or whatever.
Control had a more morphing gun with weapon types, say it's grounded or it's not, have resources, or not but make level design balanced).
Like to me Zelda games are fun for the items and the puzzles.
Ratchet games use gadgets and weapons for fun situations.
I'd be the one to say this. Have a mix of singleplayer/multiplayer. Whatever the case of exclusivity time periods. I couldn't care less. To me it's about the game design, if it sucks I still won't get it on PS5/Xbox Series, simple as that.
They want money, not games. Just volume of games, or do they want quality and the studios all vary in offering that or just weak ideas at times. Sigh.
What happened to the Halo and other mobile games? Do they have no ideas for them? The cost for making them? Not dumbing them down enough for audiences to be suitable to them? Or is just CDO mobile/King enough nowadays?
Even if the Spartan duology was fair. Other IPs can fit too.
Have some singleplayer that fit in with trends and others not.
The ones not being like Quantum Break/ReCore/South of Midnight had fair ideas. Allow those games to do more, or be key singleplayer design, but work with other factors for story/gameplay/setting.
Echoes of the End blends 360 to Series era annoying modern character movement with the old school fun OG Xbox/360 interactivity I like in old games.
Even something like Never Dead by Konami (RIP Coded Arms/Love Plus/Enthusia/Thrilldrive) was cool, 3rd person but split parts for whatever. Brilliant, never done again, no patent I know of. Even Plok can, Rayman not so much despite the body type.
Zombie control and limps in State of Decay 3? Nah would never happen.
I myself would buy the not trending ones (aka what both Sony/Xbox both lack and I why I don't buy them, heck Astrobot would be that if it was wasn't so eh at it's execution at times, sigh same with Indie platformers that are too heavily inspired and I refuse to buy, they don't meet their potential at all and i refuse to buy them), and have gameplay mechanics, movesets, level design at the forefront.
Experimenting ones for the niche audiences to know what other games can try if they want to, see what is proven to work/try new things.
Alice Madness Returns cough EA cancelling the new one potential.
This could be a racing game with more mode/events, not garbage progression.
A platformer/action adventure game fair worlds, fair conflict (I don't care for story but games have to have it, sigh), creativity but have items/or spells or whatever.
I know how some audiences are, have to remind them because they 'forget' and don't think even when the mechanics are super easy or the core mechanics, even when games are as dumbed down (accessible I put for things like colour blindness, subtitle sizes, narrators and other features that are useful for those audiences) as they can be it's annoying.
You could use a football and make it magical for all I care, make it have powers and other references.
I mean cars can go anywhere, on any streets, dirt, snow, water if a spy car or something/hovercraft, other planets if we wanted an set it on planet types in the future, but nope we have to keep them on Earth, holiday destinations/circuits because audiences can't think bigger. Sigh. That's not me going oh action, that's me going, set it ANYWHERE, offer anything to the vehicles.
Offer grounded games but the modes are as varied as card games have plenty of rulesets despite how simple the symbols and number values are.
The bowling, fuel limiting, 1 lap magic/sprint and more, all in Gran Turismo or Gear Club Unlimited 3 or old Forza Motorsport, but modern games nah bland progression/events and the 'basics' of atmosphere/setting.
Part 2: They need a good mix of singleplayer/multiplayer. Sea of Thieves is fine but to me is also lacking, it's too much ok content but mostly play with friends mindset. I find it lacking.
I look at each game/genre/developer and go nope very quickly.
Not just for my game;play preferences per genre/game, character movesets, level design, missions, modes, whatever but because there is SO FEW games I respect that I don't even play, vs ones I don't look at because they look boring.
They need to work out the exclusive banner on the eshop/physical copies if they still care.
Xbox One/Series boxes are just terrible, they need a new design.
That aside, I mean exclusives sure, but the games have to be good enough. Singleplayer or multiplayer. OG/360 had limits getting people interested but nowadays they are my go to 1st/3rd party games to research.
If they offered a PGR I'd be on that immediately, events, progression, city layouts, fun approaches, Forza Horizon is nothing like it.
They need solid enough things in genres or solid enough movesets/level designs to be compelling. Not just story/graphics and mundane game modes. They can have the artstyles but I'm still not buying them because the gameplay isn't engaging.
I haven't been interested in a single Series S/X game at all.
While Xbox One at least had a FEW: Sunset Overdrive having tower defence, fair moveset side missions and regular generic ones with a great world flexibility to it, ReCore had it's moments of combat and environments, not great but still enjoyable to me, Quantum Break I didn't play as much but even if I prefer other 3rd person shooters of the 360 era it's still a good game, Rare Replay and of course Forza Motorsport 5 to7 when they actually had fair modes, side content and main races, but 2023/8/reboot is garbage.
GT7 has the worst progression ever (worse then FM6 even) but still has event variety in it that made me go yes, thanks for still having this. FM2023 has a position selection credit scaling & that's it. Rest is a bland game.
PS4 same thing, a FEW, now PS5 nothing.
3rd parties I can 'see a reason to pick up' sure, some I have waiting for me with Immortals of Aveum, Atlas Fallen, Forspoken.
Others like Balan Wonderworld (yes I enjoyed it, I know it's issues), Diofield Chronicles, Valkyrie Elysium and other Square titles I got on PS4 or Switch.
Waiting on ones are Ride 5 and 6 or WRC 23 sure, Gear Club Unlimited 3, I'm in no rush to get them for PS5 & Switch 2 (Gear Club 3 for Switch 2 I'd prefer like I got the 1st 2 Gear Club games and having racing games on Nintendo platforms that aren't just anti-grav or kart racers is just nice to have).
But the games are just not appealing, multiplayer ones are either live service/bottom of the barrel effort for family party games. Family party games aren't bad, it's just many of them are so basic & bland.
South of Midnight/Quantum Break to me are stand outs of Xbox One/Series era.
Hi Fi Rush as well, but the rest I mean, State of Decay 3 is taking too long.
Halo is trying it's better to return, Gear E Day will hopefully be exciting.
Forza Motorsport I would have easily gotten the physical, but they ruined the game so much I went nah, forget it Xbox/Microsoft.
Horizon series does not interest me at all, nor do many open world racing games.
Indy/Starfield are fine but not my type of games and Indy felt awful to play for me.
Fable needs to land, is it my kind of game no, but I respect it a lot and it's a series that's so good it needs to land.
@Coletrain I'd say that'd be the case. Even the PS4 features certain AA Japanese games used it better then Sony 1st party did at the start, then not mid gen, other than Gravity Rush 2, and then last few with Last of Us Part 2/Ghost of Tsushima/Dreams.
Some games like even Starfield use the speaker which is cool but Killzone Shadowfall tried the speaker and touchpad fairly well. Infamous Second Son using the Sixaxis/gyro for spray can side missions was a lot of fun.
For 1st party games you'd have games like Wonderful 101Remastered (touchpad and dual screen use wasn't as good as Wii U, doubt it would on Switch with touch screen or otherwise stick and more use that PS4 can do sort of) for the gyro, Nier Automata used the 2 halves well for inventory quick access (besides Select/Start in old games), Gal Gun series used the Sixaxis/motion controls fair for a rail shooter but also touchpad for some boss fights, Clannad (a visual novel on many platforms) and Azure Gunvolt a Mega Man 2D type platformer used the vibration levels well to about 2 to 3 levels.
Probably forgetting others but I usually remember a fair few.
Tearaway 1st party/Vita to PS4 port maybe used the camera/touchpad well I assume but I don't have the PS4 version to know. Playroom and Playroom VR used some stuff fair. Playlink party games on PS4 (delisted but usable if know where with Android app archives and the disks for the games not the eshop) did Everybody 1 2 Switch years before the smartphone connectivity/app support of that.
I wonder if Xbox will bring SmartGlass back (360/One) but modern, maybe 3rd parties might in a way like that PS5 D&D style tactics RPG. Or not just Just Dance or whatever for things.
But yeah it really varies. Yes I research all this stuff, I don't buy them all.
I think tension in the triggers is a cool idea but yeah will be a lot tougher in some situations, many trigger/button use can be a lot of strain for sure.
I can see why most games don't use it is lack of interest/no use for it themselves, but even still. If they focused on more mid range, not the full pull as much it'd be better and less annoying on the fingers.
But then again, some things to pull or shotguns sure, but even then.
Or the repetitive shots or whatever else. Depends per game, what weapons, what puzzles, what doors or gripping segments in a scene or whatever.
The vibration/rumble I think still works well, its not as much to it as the other is.
I don't know. Price point within reason. I don't really know. I'd say $500 sure but i got a PS4 Base and Xbox One X (and Xbox One VCR I guess) to maintain and I was fine with that. But otherwise I got a Switch preowned for $300, when it costs like $400 or $500 and whatever it was up to after.
I'm not one to buy consoles that are relevant or special editions or whatever. I just skip this gen for how uninteresting it is.
I make a cut of of $300 and with my region.
So yeah $699+ Switch 2 (Mario Kart/Pokemon $769), Switch 1 Neon $469, OLED $539, Lite $329 when I remember them being a bit cheaper but still high up and I wasn't interested in the Lite, and glad I got the Original model Switch 1 for $300 preowned, the 5 inch screen is too small and the text is unreadable, but I've used the touch screen for a few things.
But if I was to go Xbox/PS5 IF I didn't have access to them already, I don't know. I don't do digital on Xbox, only physical or CD to Blu-ray via the apps on the eshop so to me I'd have to go for a Xbox Series, and even then it's way too high. I can still use a Xbox One X/Xbox One VCR if I want to for my use cases.
Series S now for me is $549, $599 per 512GB and 1TB, Series X $849 disk drive 1TB black, $749 1TB digital robot white. PS5 Slim Digital $919, PS5 Slim Disk version $999, Disk drive is $124 and PS5 Pro $1399.
I ignored the PS5 discounts 3 times I don't care. I wasn't that interested in the discount prices, or the consoles or the games as not desperate enough.
I don't even care for the 3 PS5s and 1 Series X we have. I never use them, I stay on 8th gen/Switch and older as they interest me more.
What games are suitable to each. Specs.
The Expansion Storage if they want to mention it as well.
Different controller/console special editions or colour variations.
Advertising, I mean, what games, what tiers of Gamepass/benefits.
Cloud if they care to.
They aren't doing the other platforms Everything is an Xbox as audiences are too unable to understand an internet connection and apps but can how to use a QR code or projector or other things, sigh. Let alone those who don't have a TV that's compatible.
Back compat if they want a 'past memories' or whatever advertising there.
Series S I think is fine, it's just devs want power and to have badly optimized, ray traced titles and make resolution/garbage versions for it.
Is it good for low storage/power with fewer games, or Indies or whatever works there compared to high storage or only AAA games.
I've seen better Wii, handheld and other old gen versions (not all but still many stand outs), 8th gen and 9th gen devs and pubs just don't care anymore and it shows.
All I can say is about time but most of it looks like colours or so minor.
The dashboard ads and more links will stay I can tell that will be the case. But groups and others sure. So to me it doesn't actually solve what I'd be looking for.
Do they offer more filters in the groups or eshop? No I doubt it.
Haven't used my Xbox One X in a while so haven't been effected. If it was a controller firmware update sure, and no I don't use anything but whatever I can get local, so if it was direct from them online then yeah nah. Regardless of a region thing.
My PS4 controllers are stuffed to around 30 minutes maybe, while my PS3 ones work just the PS3 wireless chip for controllers and networking don't work.
My PS4 is a bit eh though with controller connections too sadly.
Will say the 360 controllers were eh but wired works fine but the Xbox One controllers have been great for batteries. Not sure battery packs, 360 ones were eh because the controllers played up but the Xbox One I haven't used one really but Series I know we have them and they work fine enough it seems.
Fair changes, if they gave more functionality sure but that can be hard to work out, but visually they are fair, it's still the same Xbox One/Series style but with a bit more flare so it's good flare but also not the most exciting prior design with it either.
Good thing, having ads in the dashboard to just other services, to games, they need to balance things out of how they go about certain games and services, money hungry first puts people off.
I mean it put me off after the customization was lost, and i already hated the dashboard for years regardless of that, let alone customization then a back track from it.
Being multiplayer and offering features or monetization, to other games that aren't about that and getting audiences interested with the singleplayer crowd.
Also make clear if it's a live service. If a singleplayer game with live service element it doesn't make people interested as much unless it has a strong core.
Many will pay for the full price and no monetization extras if the game is good enough.
They will buy DLC if it's good enough.
Merch, etc.
A foundation that's strong not just other layers getting in the way. Enough of a comfort or a plan/strategy that works. I don't agree to always over monetizing after a successful strategy but I get why they do it. Even if they hit ceilings so why bother forcing more. Sigh.
I am not interested in current Xbox or PlayStation 1st party at all, Xbox has the variety but not to the Nintendo extent of gameplay mechanics or level design to even just genre variety and how they present it.
There is a reason I buy up the PS1 to PS3/PSP/Vita games I don't have of 1st party or 3rd party, same as with OG Xbox/360, or Nintendo series, let alone the controller/console features for them.
Current consoles have no appealed to me on a general level at the moment, the monetization only works if you have something actually working, they don't really have that I find, just a bunch of ideas that try to see how they work and nothing that concrete or nothing that strong to get us interested.
Let alone just financial situations for customers as well.
Some studios have the talent suitable to pull these off so I think that's fine. Blizzard trailers/cinematics do look good and without having to outsource to another animation studio or if they don't have enough for in-house at Playground that's fine.
Collaborating studios isn't uncommon but it is always nice to hear it happen and which ones and go yep that works, or that's interesting.
Whether in engine or pre-rendered too, how the story will go, etc. I agree with another commenter, having a resolved story not an open one that too open and a sequel never happens and your like, welp thanks for that.
Better be worth it. I haven't gone back to the Gears series as much as others and had more fun buying up older left behind shooters instead. So I hope this one lands. Gears 4 and 5 were fine, but even then I haven't bothered to replay much of Gears 1, I just couldn't be bothered, the games aren't bad I just have no motivation to replay them.
Other Xbox IPs try but none of the Series era IPs interest me, even the few Xbox One IPs I still keep my Xbox One around for let alone the apps that make it a capable box to use for other features. Besides back compat also being nice to have.
Other then Rhythm Heaven Groove a niche Nintendo IP I'm waiting for in July, only FMV games or certain Indies I've been interested in, everything else hasn't really appealed to me of 3rd or 1st party games/studios efforts.
I was happy with Impulse Triggers, I mean you pointing out HD Rumble and Haptics, did you experience Impulse Triggers in Xbox One games? Do they appear in many Series games at all? I enjoyed the Impulse Triggers in Forza Motorsport, Project Cars 3 braking and accelerating guides (I forget if it works with opponents going past or not) and Gears reload minigame.
But I'd be ok with the more tension focused of the Dualsense.
To me the situational of HD Rumble in the games it's used it is something, but otherwise I found it really boring and weak.
Even the non situational but just vibration scaling of Dualshock 4 in a visual novel or 2D platformer were more exciting, even Impulse Triggers were better then HD Rumble.
I hope they keep the battery packs/battery tray, so we can swap them and not closed off shell.
Who uses PS5 cards via PS+ tiers that offer it and articles are hard to find about it or the original video with the Sackboy A Big Adventure and the picture in picture or cards or game help whatever stuff too.
I have digital games that showcase vibration scaling, touchpad and motion controls on PlayStation 4 that are niche because I enjoy the games but were a surprise they had those features. So I in turn learnt about those features most people never have experienced.
Let alone classic games touchpad halves. Not just Vita quadrants/front ans back touchpads.
I have said this multiple time about dual screens/casting.
His decisions made sense but some should have been Keystone and others needed more work or priced incorrectly.
Better talking to the marketers and software/hardware teams for sure.
I missed out on SmartGlass and haven't used Xbox remote play but I still get how it works.
EA's inclusion was fair, but COD/Fornite/Roblox and whatever just upped the price too much. I barely even remember what was being included. Also Ubisoft's games, whether back compat or not, I mean. Even EA's are hit and miss but still the price point wasn't as bad for it. Ubisoft's are fair but I don't think much was offered really of all the games there but I don't know.
Gamepass prices yes are too high. Different packages of genre or 1st party or publisher deals or whatever could be tries.
Multiplayer package, iconic games package, whatever they want to name it/add to it.
Or gamers can pick and choose but that gets awkward, complex and too few using it or customizing all the time let alone price values to work out.
Still a bunch of solutions.
Indies would be tricky but possible to make deals for packages but not a Indie straight up one as rhat qill be 360 lwvel of Indie tagging and isn't ideal.
Not many of us cared for COD, Roblox, Fortnite and more so them to Gamepass price increases was not suitable in the current model.
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Samsung TV users sure but he cancelled Keystone. TVs have weak hardware.even if more recognisable.
I'll get to Gamepass later.
If Keystone was cheaper then Series S I say he should have gone with that.
But no they probably cancelled it going oh no people buying a niche box compared to the consoles or its too niche and doesn't work to Satya's pr shareholders expectations or users would be confused but to me Keystone makes a lot of sense as a clear device of cloud.
If users (non gamers more so as gamers pick up on this stuff better over time but marketers struggle to sell the idea, they need tech staff to explain and show it off to marketers and get them to put their flare to it as this is an Xbox makes sense to me as a tech fan but not most people. I cast my phone sure with 3rd party apps to TVs but most people don't) are stupid and they very much are with remote play and cloud and the 'This is an Xbox' campaign didn't say all you need is an app/internet connection as the marketing team missed the mark.
Same as PS Portal kind of worked better aka Keystone would have too.
I did my research on cloud/remote play.
Wii U didn't show users how to setup the console and put disks in but they show the Switch in the dock.
They let the Gamepad talk for it or have both side by side and people didn't get it
Users use a smartphone with QR codes tp setup TVs or other things like authentication apps between tablet/Laptop/PC/phone for services (work, college or University or whatever) but don't understand dual screens or casting with an app.
I bought a Wii U, Vita, tried the Playroom PS4 camera app and its Vita/Tablet DLCs, and bought tried with low firmware Android phones for Playlink PS4 games (smartphone apps and delisted games so Android archives and the games on disks in bargain bins) to learn it.
Most people aren't going to do that.
I made the effort because I care that much about those things and the software/hardware ideas they presented.
Sadly Xbox One 2013 to 2017 TV TV TV era app/game use is gone but Windows 8 was cool of it still.
Fair to see. I use AAs they get me way longer then any PlayStation controller wireless. Not Wii U Pro or Switch Joycon/Pro levels but even still, Xbox battery efficiency is very good for what it is.
That and battery packs were picky for me of not working too great.
Comments 849
Re: Xbox Founder Invited To Microsoft HQ By Asha Sharma, Says It Was 'Amazing' And 'Bizarre'
I'm interested to see what becomes of this but who knows. Whatever the console/brand meant, the games, the culture and more. Whatever they can take from it, the original vision and more.
Who knows. This could be interesting. It could lead to nothing but it's still interesting regardless just you want to hope it isn't just marketing/PR to look good.
Re: Talking Point: New Survey Highlights The 'Top Reasons To Play Games On A Console'
Part 2:
Casual setting, sure. Also less troubleshooting, more time complaining to devs/pubs about their garbage optimization then sitting and working it out, understandable.
More options for physical games, with how low that is, it is sad, but what physical games, Xbox stopped caring so clearly they are going to reverse that aren't they? Clearly? XD I'd be happy if they did but we know they won't.
That never happens so to me I"m not a valid customer for any of the 3 platforms. These companies, studios, publishers have no idea what I"m thinking, as I'm not the average player.
I research their hardware and software, or laugh at them. Think up gameplay ideas all day every day because their games are so boring.
I'm an anomaly robot from the future sent to look at human engineering and how garbage modern gaming is. XD
Socializing, setting/artstyle and story telling or garbage cut down multiplayer with lacking mode3s, more cosmetics then you can see depth in the games and more is the last of my focus.
Oh and developers/publishers having a thing called creativity, that they seemed to have lost from 2 console generations ago and I'd rather play those then give them my money on modern gaming hardware/software/boring and annoying to navigate UI/dashboard design.
Indies need better ideas then nostalgia or insert their attempt at a metroidvania/roguelike for money, and make mechanics exciting for them, not insert their attempt and artstyle/story, their gameplay sucks.
I walked into EB Games and went wow there is a lot of garbage in here. More Zing merch stuff and the games were just bland, I wouldn't want to sell games either if the amount of unappealing games on the shelf is so disappointing, let alone the limited amount of physical games showing off how much worse they are for lacking variety of games or solid ideas.
Digital may show more but from articles , to events showcasing them, to eshops I just see so much uninteresting games not the ones I'd be interested in. They just aren't there. So might as well browse eshops all day instead.
Re: Talking Point: New Survey Highlights The 'Top Reasons To Play Games On A Console'
Well to me it's gameplay mechanics/level design/progression/modes/movesets and controller gimmicks/software and hardware console features. I use the 360 more then ever, the Xbox One/Series ecosystem is just not appealing at all.
To me Switch 1 is my go to, hardware doesn't impress me and exclusives haven't either. PS4/Xbox One I keep around when I find copies or eshop stuff worth my time, rarely. But I can see why others have either console for different use cases. I sometimes do but sometimes don't. Even Nintendo systems I see what genres I don't see on there and see what I can find for them just for the fun of it.
Fix those first and make games not bland and forgettable. Accessibility is fine but bland gameplay is not acceptable.
Also what a lacking survey, is that the limited options? Why are Impulse Triggers even part of the Xbox One/Series controller or ROG Ally X then you hardware engineers?
These are 'options' but to me many are lacking more broad options.
What about apps for your storefront? The thing Nintendo/PlayStation have the bare minimum of.
I use a few apps on Xbox that aren't on the others, I could use even more because there is so much that isn't and is suitable on a Xbox then on a PC or phone even. But no they don't address that? Why even bother Xbox survey staff.
The mentality of people.
Maybe some percentage of players/customers use them for apps/media use, even if mostly games. Address the ecosystem use cases of the device. Like come on.
I haven't used my Xbox One X in a year or more now, why, the back compat is ok, account system for anything Microsoft is trash and I have no reason to upgrade. Series consoles are so skippable for me. Quick resume is cool but I don't do digital on Xbox.
PS5/Switch 2 are bland too but at least I can consider them and no not for the bland 1st party IPs of PS, I dropped those a decade ago.
They offered a survey which is good, but a lacking set of options survey.
Do they want safe options or more broad responses? Apparently not?
Where is the common 'other' responses. Those are more interesting to know about.
Sure exclusives, when they aren't trash, 1st or 3rd party exclusives with lacking creativity in gameplay.
I have Indie exclusives ore then I do AAA ones. Even then most Indies are just as lacking in ideas too. Most people don't have any creative ideas anymore, wow their artstyle/story/cultural crap. I don't care.
I want gameplay or I won't buy your game. Have good ideas there.
Games don't stand out at all anymore.
Twiddling thumbs is fun and all but putting a skin on it isn't. Adding more rules to twiddling thumbs is fun. Imagine that.
It's like many people made so many card games/board games with that logic, how to use cards 100s of way. Why can't game devs be that creative?
Socializing skip.
Socializing again, skip.
People to me whether with food or games I don't care. People don't make me enjoy them, just make me question them and want to eat my food and play my games in peace.
Games are more boring then they have ever been. Socializing, yeah because discussions so happen, the gameplay is bland so the play sessions aren't enjoyable either. Most people aren't fun to be around at all. Human/animal presence or comebacks don't make a game worth it, or food worth it. The game/food has to be good first.
Multiplayer games just got worse, Singleplayer has the most bland gameplay basics for story/artstyles. What is there to get excited about in modern gaming?
Re: Star Wars Galactic Racer Brings Its 'High-Stakes Reinvention Of Racing' To Xbox In October 2026
It looks good.
But I haven't seen any interesting gameplay ideas yet. Tracks will vary sure that's fine it's Star Wars I have to be fair there of locations, but track layouts that's a different story.
I never played the original so there is that but at the same time, Redout/Fast Racing and more have had fair ideas.
I saw another one to VR for PS5 recently (checked it's PC version) and thought it was fair then looked it up and went eh, pass.
I haven't been impressed with the anti grav racing sub genre, it's revival is nice to see but it's not offering much compelling ideas at all. Just 'look they exist and have the setting/artstyles' that's it. The physics are fair but the lack of modes or fun angles to present them with fun mechanics/events/modes or other features or fair balanced difficulty is what makes me disappointed. I have gotten through many tough events in these games anti-grav, sim, simcade, rally, dirt bikes, whatever I play anything in the genre, so I know how to go about them but some of them are really tough and very unbalanced of difficulty.
VR would be nice but if they can't that's fine. Otherwise lacking interesting modes or progression for visuals is not appealing. It's a Star Wars game sure but they can still be creative with it in a gameplay sense not just locations and making it function or the physics. That's the bare minimum. I don't do the bare minimum.
Or else I'll just play the original or other old games and have fun with those as why should I give my money to games with the bare minimum. They don't have the creativity, why bother.
IP restricted or not, no excuse. Plenty of non licensed games are just as bland.
Why should I even bother at all if the core isn't very exciting.
It's an interesting game but I need to see more first.
Re: Xbox Leadership Issues Massive Statement On The Future Of The Brand
Part 2:
It really says a lot where we don't have a Project Spark anymore for Xbox which is sad (then again Sony wanted more from Dreams and it's just not practical with numbers with unrealistic expectations to think it will be the next Roblox for PlayStation when it comes from Media Molecule and other LBP fan creation types minds and care). But I guess Minecraft and others with console mods fill those voids nowadays don't they?
I mean also as in not just social platforms or social features all the time either.
If Helix works by all means, better APIs and hardware/dev kits for devs to work with which is great.
Will we see Series S style again I doubt it if they want things to be smoother and less for devs to work around which makes sense.
The thing I question is the bullet points though.
1.How are they earning players? Microsoft rewards? General interest for players as Xbox being the place to play? The default console? The place for games, apps, and whatever else the user wants the device and services for? Subscriptions?
2.Protect art? How? Licenses are particular so the ones they can maintain then those they can't? While it makes sense it does make that bullet point very * worth but also makes sense even if people expect more I can understand why.
3.Rebellious? As in marketing? Confident to compete? Whatever the case? Management getting their act together to make the games more suitable for schedules/deadlines and smarter design, not the garbage they have been putting out and why the games are all over the place.
Again I can take Nintendo variety and not a Nintendo fan, but Xbox has has too much variety and not in the it appeals to me of PS1 to PS3/PSP/Vita kind of way either. Or OG Xbox/360 variety either.
4.Progression over perfection I can accept if achievable or reworked to fit that.
5.Signal over ceremony., sure I guess.
6.Core before more. Sure, if they achieve it and don't change things all the time of the core, or make a bland core.
7.Outwork the problem fair.
8.Speed is learning, uh, sure. Ok on that logic.
9.Makers over managers. Well if the creative staff get things worked out.
10.Clarity over kindness, well transparency they achieve as best they can.
I'm interested, but not all are clear yet what those mean or applies too but it's a start. It's a fair mix of goals to go by, however they apply to developers, players, and the hardware/software/advertising and other teams.
Re: Xbox Leadership Issues Massive Statement On The Future Of The Brand
We will see what approval, what flexibility and more of actions over time. But it's looking fair so far, just hard to say over time.
I mean COD and Gamepass changes sure but Fortnite/others who knows. Among other factors.
Presence on PC not strong enough? Compared to what mobile? Console? Mac/Linux? Well who's fault is that and also what audience to compare to?
Also focusing on daily users (agreeing with Balaam_ and AccessibleDaydream here), what for the live service/multiplayer types, the competing with scrolling, the daily logins, yeah good luck to singelplayer or types that want to sometiems not use their Xbox for YT, Netflix/other stremaing services, and want to read a physical book, not are scrolling. XD Some of us want to go outside too, we aren't going you know what I should cloud game/remote play my Xbox. XD It's just not going to happen. Xd But they want numbers clearly and to show it to shareholders.
They want people socialising and sharing content. Yeah no that isn't many of us on this website at all. Some of us sure but not all of us. I can play Minecraft and make modpacks in Java, but I'm not going and making marketplace content or sharing my worlds/builds online. I don't care about that. I don't share photo captures. I use them to gauge bugs or things for wikis. XD
I'm not play every game like or as if it's a game like VR Chat or social hubs.
Not everything or every user is a teenagers that wants to play on Xbox as it's the cool place to play.
Many of us are in our 20s to maybe lets say 60s, 80s, whatever enjoying general gaming for our main uses and other hobbies the next. Not filling out their number quotas for how services and devices work. XD
Competing for numbers like that is why companies are silly and it's unrealistic other then for shareholders. People don't work that way, you want random number generators or donations go for it, but humans aren't code. Simple as that. XD As particular as osme people are, they can be unpredictable as well.
The audience with phones, average PCs versus high end PCs? What a load of garbage. XD
Well who's fault with pricing is that? At least they acknowledge it but by how much are they going to change it not just acknowledge it. I don't even care about 9th gen or PC gaming and we all know this stuff. Wanting their cake and eating it too or 'we know, we just can't do anything about it' well that helps. XD
We will see how they approach it as best they can depending on the leadership giving the go ahead, them acknowledging it is a good thing at least but it only says so much then just PR speak to say they are transparent but actions say a lot too.
They get different audiences but can they actually approach them and use the data or the people's reactions suitably? We will see.
Not just target the 'largest number and misunderstand the others'. XD Oh we need to support live services, oh but why are the singleplayer or other multiplayer types not moving over, hmm I wonder why they have different expectations. XD
IF they can address them smartly enough over time that's fine. The more they say and act on I'll be happy.
I won't buy the games or consoles as the game design won't be my thing, but I'll respect them at least from a business perspective and that's good enough for me then nothing.
Re: Asha Sharma Says Xbox Is Investing To Make Series X|S Consoles A 'First-Class Experience Again'
Part 2 to alternate:
The same excuses they said for 8th gen and people not moving over to 9th gen and going "have money and desperation like I do now buy the new hardware because I did so I can have my new gen games, fit in with the crowd financially" is basically what they are saying.
I am no casual. I don't play live service games at all.
I play all genres and play on all consoles old and new, I use peripherals no one else uses, so I use consoles to the fullest, not just hardcore only titles, it's just the 9th gen consoles, peripherals, software features and games were boring. I know everything about them without touching the console. Did the same before I bought an N64 even. have with every console I've ever researched, failed niche ones, peripherals, popular consoles, whatever. Series of games, one offs, left behind games, etc.
I have access to 9th gen consoles, I still don't care. Current gen is boring.
Well I skipped 3 discounts at stores because I don't care for 9th gen and look at 9th gen it's doing perfectly fine without me being not interested in them. XD
The games are there, the other studios that moved on have. Just because I and many collectors know what games reached of 12 years or varied per platforms or disk products/console production or eshop/services in the past and most others "don't pay attention" and it happened to happen more now then it did prior gens and they moved on earlier then most did. XD
People that pay attention seriously it says a lot when others don't and complain and aren't self aware enough.
Re: Asha Sharma Says Xbox Is Investing To Make Series X|S Consoles A 'First-Class Experience Again'
Part 2/Other
They skipped Sega Saturn, they didn't PS3 and wanted that platform money as the audience was there. They were more complex then Series S but the point still stands. They want the money, put the effort in. Not complain and go we want it easy. Well you went with custom hardware in the past, so what's the excuse, work it out and make a game for a platform, whether the APIs or the hardware designs. Work it out.
Could Microsoft have made it a certain way sure, but unfortunately it's not skippable like Xbox One is.
PS Portal is skippable on PlayStation but it's not designed to be supported other then Cloud, prior to that it was a no need to develop for device. No dual screen, no fancy features. Indies laughed at it for a reason.
Are we still getting the Xbox One/Series store and apps? Many of them around or are they changing it?
Keeping it consistent I think helps as many of us still use those apps for different things as the Sony/Nintendo platforms don't have them.
I like having the CD app, different media players or Soundcloud available, things not on the other platforms but are on a PC or a mobile but on a console sometimes i like to use them.
Well CD app with and Xbox One that has a disk drive (all but Xbox One S All Digital Edition) or an Series X model with them (what 2 models of Series X)
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Other:
Did they have to more yes, but the 720p and more said a lot how much they made garbage worlds and games with lacking resolution (the RAM/CPU/GPU, amount of smarter programming in the past on custom hardware said a lot compared to nowadays bland bloated worlds/asset use, etc. on screen nowadays for design goals) when the console could do 1080p smartly. 1400p sure but not for TVs, but come on they had PS4 Pro/One X and they treat Series S this way. It shows a lot of excuses made.
Sigh level designers/artists, programmers and animators. Expectations too high/filling their worlds with garbage, real world logic so bad staff design goals, too much grass, too much objects, characters, buildings, was it worth it? No.
Budget or more accessible gaming, yet they clearly don't care about them and it shows. Power power power and garbage use of it too. They want customers to have high end for their excuses of products design goals or 'certain' not all customer expectations, and get frustrated when they have the money, they have the dev kits/retail consoles and high end PCs to work with. Not all customers do. But they complain for 'oh you don't fit in financially so we have to develop for a console we don't want to'. Suck it up developers. They want to move on from Series S so bad as much as PS3 and honestly it's disgusting.
1080i games in past consoles sure, but 480p/720p norm was fine. Nowadays it's kind of just excuses. But their worlds and dialogue/art assets are 'so important' I couldn't care less. I can play at low resolution sure, but what they do with them for utter garbage worlds is why I hate modern developers. Their games have boring movesets/progression/level design and modes and they wonder why I don't want to even buy their games.
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Alternate:
They cutting a Series S model idea? No low end PC specs idea?
Well people can complain when it's too expensive and not accessible. XD They can't have their high end and '"just buy the expensive one I could" excuses by other players.
Re: Asha Sharma Says Xbox Is Investing To Make Series X|S Consoles A 'First-Class Experience Again'
Console features? So quick resume or impulse triggers?
Store filters please. Been wanting them for years now.
Smarter IPs per audiences? Doubt it but would be nice. Have some teams experiment gameplay ideas, fit cinematic storytelling, multiplayer, experimental artstyle/gameplay. Per genre, a racing one that isn't car licenses/music/locations, offer better modes I'm bored of current racing games being empty excuses.
Tactics RPG or a few others.
Offer worthy variety that's worth it. I can buy all Nintendo IPs per genre because they handle the personality and genre gameplay ideas well There is a reason I'm buying Rhythm Heaven Groove and not other rhythm games.
Fire Emblem for tactics games, Pikmin for strategy that isn't the building/recruitment approach. Put effort into fair ideas for what game4s can have and don't take 5 years on ideas, visuals, worlds and boring ideas. Scale the games back to smarter ideas, not scale that's bloated and boring.
Xbox I barely if ever care about any of the Series era IPs, at all because of how bland they are.
Or we talking hardware or software? The dashboard is just annoying and i hate using it, but I haven't liked 2010s/2020s OS UI design at all, so nothing will change my opinion sigh. Visuals or navigation will be just sad.
What 'features' does that mean.
They cutting a Series S model idea? No low end PC specs idea? If so sure, fair strategy change if they feel the need to.
Also Series S was a fair idea for some users. Just because it didn't suit 'ALL', but it wasn't supposed to. Genesis, to Sega CD to 32X was a lot but it made sense back then. Xbox One to Xbox One S to Xbox One X, cough cough.
I was fine with Wii/PS2/PSP games getting their own versions in many cases they were better, not excuses of bloom and not garbage games for graphics and bland gameplay, the graphics were 'worse' or different artstyles but gameplay first to make them count and I preferred them.
I think Series S getting the same game as Series X was a fair reasoning to not others be left out and to remove the separate version for developers dynamic of the past, but I think it showed how lazy devs are with their lacking optimization, didn't want to outsource more then they already do for some things, ray tracing garbage and more.
This isn't VR or mobile with unique versions for them. This is Switch/Switch 2 or Series S type 'skip it or support Series S'.
Series S was for those who want a cheaper but still a step up.
That's what it was for. I think it was a fair idea.
it's like a 2DS compared to the 3DS, only it those didn't change the specs as much just form factor.
But I think a lower end piece of hardware for a few games was a solid idea. It's just devs showed their laziness and complained when they go 'we want people to play our game' well do you really because it seems not if you are too lazy to scale your game to high end all the time. XD Hypocrites.
Make games better, not force visuals or read speeds. Only gameplay and playable enough to reach other goals of the game. But nope.
Series is clearly isn't a Switch 1/Switch 2 case or in the case of Wii/PS2/PSP/DS of skipping platforms. So they complain more with how they have to treat Series S. They want a game on there, put the effort in.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Still Get Excited About Remakes On Xbox In 2026?
Well seeing as I buy my retro collections on Switch (not PS5/Series).
Seeing as I like old games that are 'good' and have mechanics/level design/modes (on the old console or modern ones digital or physical if an option) I want to play and modern games don't at all as the game design is bland, the movesets, level design, mechanics, worlds and more are just boring and lacking in creativity to be more accessible (colourblind, motor skills and more is fine, but game design for casuals level of bland and boring is not my ideal of fun) or dumbed down game design, for 'immersion' and story telling when the movests/level design is super boring.
There is a reason I'll praise an Echoes of the End and not most modern era games.
Or an Inertial Drift and not most racing games unless tolerating the decent design of Gear Club series.
Very few modern era IPs appeal to me. There is a reason only the niche IPs on PS4 appealed to me and Sunset Overdrive (not Spiderman PS4, it was trash and only 2 side missions or the lab puzzles were worth my time, Sunset Overdrive, Gravity Rush and Infamous Second Son were my only go to open worlds), ReCore, Rare Replay, Forza Motorsport 5 to 7 (hit and miss but still enjoyable enough), or Quantum Break if i wanted to put that in there. Were my Xbox One IPs of course. Any 3rd parties varied if I had them on Xbox One like Valkyria Chronicles 4 which was good. There is more OG Xbox/360 era (or other platforms) game design I'd rather play then modern era gaming.
If it's an IP I respect or researched sure.
But if it's a mainstream IP being revived for easy big money then no. I already didn't care for the IP to begin with (plenty left behind I've bought up and had a blast with one offs to trilogies), or I did and I want ti to have a chance.
That means no I don't care for AC Black Flag but I did Prince of Persia returning. I did support Mario Rabbids. I did care about Red Steel 2.
I did Battle Engine Aquila (not on Xbox back compat but was PS2 back compat). Among others.
Re: Kiln Players Share Their First Reviews Of The New Xbox Game Studios Title
Not my type of game but even if it were I'd think it's lacking in content and has only style.
There is a reason i had more ideas for modes then Foamstars had originality or substance.
It has a great artstyle, but the most bland gameplay I've ever seen from a party game.
Well back to Under the Skin for PS2 that Capcom refuses to revive yet fits in the modern era with it's design/artstyle.
Re: Random: Three New Xbox Slogans Have Been Added To The Office Windows At Microsoft HQ
Building moral is fine but the actions have to count for something too.
If games are still boring, OS is still atrocious to use/look at, then modern gaming is just not for me and that's ok.
Re: Xbox Engineer Hints At More 'Fun Surprises' And Features Based On Fan Feedback
Part 2:
Gamepass messaging, tiers, whatever is what, sure. It needs work for sure.
Durable growth sure.
Cloud makes sense why it's still here but better communicate it or what devices it's used with. I understand but many casuals don't. Many gamers may or may not have, it depends who used it.
Organic paths ok then.
Exclusives or more money, management or other tweaks.
Who knows. I don't care for the games or console on any of the 3 platforms anyway so they need work.
Re: Xbox Engineer Hints At More 'Fun Surprises' And Features Based On Fan Feedback
Performance sure, high quality base/healthy, sure.
Console/PC games, that could just be Xbox/Windows store for all we know instead of Steam, EPic, GOG or 3rd party launchers, but if it does offer others by all means. I'm intrigued.
Also tell me when we aren't seeing more Gamepass bait games like Forza Motorsport 2023 and Kiln. Sigh. I would have gone for FM23, but they ruined it so much, what was the point. I hate GT7 and I still purchased it because it had content I was after still. Still going to play older 90/2000s/2010s racing games for their modes/mechanics/progression to uncover but even still. Gear Club 3 it is even.
High performance accesosxires? What the controller that got a share button (was it a solution yes then just the software method, but we need something after Impulse Triggers please).
Strong ecosystem, sure, but I already don't care about the 1st or 3rd party games on PS5/Xbox Series or Switch 2. XD Make that happen and I'll care.
Having Gamepass is fine, but there is a reason I'd play singleplayer games or Minecraft with modded on Java (literally even old releases or beta versions modded are more fun then the modern era versions 1.17+), not Bedrock which has it's moments but is an absolute joke. I'd rather play Legacy Console edition with host privileges then commands even when I use commands for few things in Java because the UI is so bad when creating a world. XD
I have no interest in socail features. I don't even want to play Hytale if it's survival aspects get little action and it's just a social hub TOO much. I don't play games to socialise or play minigames. I play them for fun mechanics and curated for singleplayer in other genres with fun mechanics, level design, modes, or flexible in a survival sandbox.
Well IPs have been hit and miss for all platforms other then the decent AA 3rd parties, tolerable Indies and niche Nintendo IPs for me these days while collecting old consoles/video games since 2017.
Expanding to China is understandable, but what about other regions Xbox has no coverage in? What other emerging markets?
Mobile for those sure whether King games or cloud, sure, if possible for them not just because of devices they have.
Live games, yeah easy pass on that. Most multiplayer has been bland and too much multiplayer and just easy to avoid yet singleplayer hasn't been that exciting either.
Elevate creator/user generated content games.
Yeah pass. I play Minecraft and mod it but I have no care about any of that. But this will be for other creators/minigame types or whatever anyway. Still a pass.
Fix fundamentals i need to know more about. Management. XD Other key aspects of products/services, games, consoles, OS, apps, background systems, not just foreground systems?
Make it the best place just like the OG Xbox, well if the APIs, the dev kits and more are better then by all means. Just up to the presentation, meetings, relationships and more then.
Discovery, customization (what of the dashboard, we talking filters in the eshop as well, less advertising, not so much social features or networking achievements and other garbage on the dashboard to crowd it, give me customization so I don't see any of it).
Re: 'I've Ordered A Series X, I'm Back In' - Lapsed Xbox Fan Attracts The Attention Of Asha Sharma
@Stocksy Agreed it's just started, I'm still waiting for the actual bigger plans. Minor changes help but it's been 1 thing so far. XD Hardly praise worthy.
If they want to have a positive moral sure, but saying that and we haven't seen the actions yet, only a few small things that are just reversals are nice but hardly changing much.
What Gampeass plans, what console plans, what better leadership for the games, or otherwise. What are we actually going to see happen to the brand.
Just hearing things and speculating isn't much.
Re: 'I've Ordered A Series X, I'm Back In' - Lapsed Xbox Fan Attracts The Attention Of Asha Sharma
I mean, whatever works of Gamepass, digital/disk or back compat for them. Otherwise no idea who they are.
They didn't go 'yeah I got a Samsung or other compatible with he Xbox app TV to play via the cloud
So them getting an Xbox sure. Why not if the price is suitable and the features are there for them.
Re: Asha Sharma Explains Why Xbox Isn't 'Ready' To Share A Release Timeline For Project Helix
Well they want to be ahead of Sony like they have the past few consoles.
They can wait for sure. I'm in no rush. I don't even care about Xbox Series or PS5 or Switch 2 yet. I have plenty of old games or PS4/Switch/Xbox One games to get through anyway.
Current era games or the enhancements don't interest me anyway.
Re: Xbox Continues To 'Actively Investigate' Issue With Backwards Compatible 360 Titles
Good to see.
I myself haven't played a back compat OG Xbox/360 game (on my 360 yes, on my Xbox One/Series I haven't but mostly because they are non compatible games licensed or not supported either) in a while and don't remember issues when I did but each person's experience is different.
Re: Forza Horizon 6 Dev Reveals New Details On Events, Progression & Post-Launch Plans
Part 2:
Will play more of the old NFS games I haven't attempted yet and focus on those, maybe make my way through the other 2000s/2010s NFS games as well. Got enough of them collected so far.
Or other 90/2000s circuit racers to get through or research for the first time with exciting ideas in them.
Or any other games in my backlog/from other genres or exciting mechanics waiting for me.
That or I could finish off the rest of the content in older Forza Motorsport games I haven't finished yet. They have fun events/modes in them.
Re: Forza Horizon 6 Dev Reveals New Details On Events, Progression & Post-Launch Plans
While Touge is nice to see and it fits. We getting any gymkhana layouts at all? The potential there is very high to make something out of them.
What's the others? The articles doesn't say a lot.
Even when having a create your own races features is nice and sharing them.
Even in wipEout Pulse for PSP (or when wipEout HD Fury DLC had more combat modes or other things it was great) I still preferred when they approached it in the main career mode or made their own.
Onrush had fair modes and was online focused of a MotorStorm successor but it's singleplayer I still found fun with it's modes as much as I did the fair ideas in FM5 and FM6/FM7 events.
Is there objectives like Drive Club or Dirt 5 as bonuses to events (I haven't seen footage for FH games in a while)?
If players can't make much of things in the create events way, whether the map layouts to create (PGR3 or otherwise style) or can't make their own custom events/modes/rulesets to actually create something (like when Halo people made their own modes) then there isn't much for players to do unless there is enough objects or scoring system/other potential to work with.
That my probably with events, the rules, objects or scoring systems lack.
Juiced 2 had 4 drift modes, one of them being multiplayer. IF they can work around 1 driver, multiple or others with different scoring systems or rulesets for different things. It says a lot why modern games are just '1 drift mode' or very basic modes of racing, time trial, drift, elimination, time trial, drag race, they work but they are also lacking.
Where is a fuel limiting mode? That's why I'm going to buy Gear Club 3, it's an average series but at least it's trying.
Forza Motorsport 2023 was even lacking. Where was car bowling? Sprint I mean 1 lap magic or any others? The FM6 showcase events were a lot of fun. So were FM5's or FM7. But just gone. The only thing 2023 did was car positions having credit payouts, even MX vs ATV games can do that without credit payouts but for a circuit racer and not a MX or ATV based game it was a nice feature to see.
WRC3 is my favourite old annual racing game for what it did with the stages and interesting modes/events. It's not difficult. No action/weapons, no Stuntman set pieces or anything. Just good stages, good scoring systems/objects used in fun ways for modes. That simple.
I didn't find much appeal in even the 'older better entries' (maybe i haven't found the right Forza Horizon game yet and that's very likely) or other modern open world games yet, so to me I don't even know what to expect here.
Are they going to be creative with obstacles on roads or particular layouts when drifting or whatever else on these city or rural roads at all?
I can just as easily play Tokyo Extreme Racer Drift 2 (the new one may be fair but I don't like the main series format I prefer the Drift sub series more, not even tried Battle Gear yet).
Or whatever when using the regions they have captured for the game? As to me many of the events/modes are lacking and really need more for them.
Otherwise I'll keep waiting out for Gear Club 3 instead. I'll go for that stamina I mean fuel limiting event like GT6 did. Its not much but it's something.
Creative events/modes are important to me. I haven't seen them in many open world racing games. There is a reason I cared for PGR, other circuit racers (arcade, simcade, sim, whether road, rally or whatever) or some annual racing games, and not modern open world games.
Re: 'Working On It' - Asha Sharma Confirms Dynamic Background For New Xbox Logo Is In The Works
@BIG3 Surprised they didn't. 360 era/Windows 8/Xbox One they did it a fair bit but never have with King and I always found that weird.
I think they just bought them and let them keep going to keep money going and have another option (even then what IPs they use if they wanted to or just keep going with what 'works' than adding anything new, which is odd.
This isn't the same as Micro consoles kind of thing of the 2010s perception I'd assume, it could be like playing any mobile or Indie games on the console.
But my experience is maybe different. I didn't mind PS Minis or mobile games when I played on my Vita or Wii U, to even to other consoles, even Switch sure it blends in.
But maybe for others it's not or the companies don't see much point there or want to develop for them and just keep things mobile only focused (or Windows I guess as the Candy Crush or others on there in the Windows store but not console). No clue.
There is plenty of mobile games on console after all.
Re: 'Working On It' - Asha Sharma Confirms Dynamic Background For New Xbox Logo Is In The Works
It's green, it's modern era logo design. XD It doesn't stand out, it has barely any blend of the two or trying something different at all. It lacks character.
Even if there was a neon sign of it, it would look better then this does.
There is a reason 2010s onward logos and UI design is so forgettable or unappealing to me. They do nothing with it. Just make it flat, soft, corporate and boring.
How did we go from all sorts of crazy angles and presentation of any past era products/logos and aesthetics and the 2010s is just flat and simple and forgettable.
I can remember more PS1 logo prototypes or different prototype controllers for different companies with different button layouts or controller shell shapes or anything else then I would the blandness of an Xbox One/Series X era logo being an X that yes does have striking length and shape to it but not compared to prior ones,
With their colours, their inside green beam look, the orb/sphere/balls helped too in advertising orbiting with it, it's very memorable, it looks exciting and I want to know more with that effect.
They look like an entrance to a world, these are just simple but in doing so forgettable. They aren't inviting or mystical, that 'what is that I want to know more and seek it out', or maybe be careful of it depending how dangerous it is but I want to know still.
These modern ones are just bland and lacking personality to me. They don't intrigue at all. I don't feel comfortable with it. I just barely think about it after seeing it out of the corner of my eye. I go oh I saw it, moving on. Then go hmm what is that.
A circle and as flat and bland as possible.
There is making something so simple to be memorable or 'I can draw it myself' to 'I'd want to draw the more complex engaging one instead and learn how to draw it', level of enthusiasm. XD
What else is there to say.
Callback or not it's a pretty pathetic callback.
A more stylized one that's in-between the two sure, whether one half is closer to the old but not completely and the new one, or a better middle ground, but a modern era logo that's green, wow how original and low effort this is.
Re: Nacon's RPG Studio Seemingly Shutting Down Following Financial Troubles
Part 2:
Many European games are too focused on the story/world or the graphics and trying to fit in with others having such budgets (AAs trying to compete enough with the Ubisofts or others of the European AAA gaming marketing not just USA ones and how their presentation is) and the gameplay just doesn't do it for me at all.
Steelrising tried to stand out in it's own way, it wasn't my thing but I thought it was a fair attempt at something different from them. But their RPGs sort of kept lacking in way.
I don't think much of E33, but I can see why it stood out in presentation, the gameplay to me was ok ideas that turn based JRPGs refused to do, and games from Piranha Bytes/Spiders just didn't and lacked something.
Or audiences ate up the JRPG style by a French studio of E33. Which I think is fair. They understood what audiences were after, they understand the trends/design but added enough of their own to it to appeal to audiences.
It's like seeing Telltale make the same game over and over. They didn't evolve. They thought they had a formula, but they really kept not doing enough to stay afloat (even if their own fault with licenses).
But the point is their design was lacking and needed changes.
Did Spiders stand out enough, I'd say more so then Piranha Bytes but in some cases it was clear they missed the mark at times.
The marketing was really bad for Greedfall 2 years ago, so I can say the market team needed a different angle as they just weren't convincing at all.
Let alone the devs making a game that just didn't really do a whole lot interesting either.
Re: Nacon's RPG Studio Seemingly Shutting Down Following Financial Troubles
Pirhana Bytes now Spiders, well that's unfortunate.
But I already knew Greeefall 2 was lacking just from the marketing and then the game isn't doing it for them. Well who could have seen that coming. It had fair ideas but it just didn't look good.
They tried with many games and even Steelrising had ok ideas.
But otherwise I already knew they weren't' going to make it.
Had Bound by Flame and Greedfall 1 from them and yeah. They were good in some ways but didn't quite do it for me. You could see them trying though.
I don't like to use the term Eurojank but even I could tell some studios have great ideas, good presentation but the programming needs work, the animators/artists do a fair job but the games are just lacking.
Their personality isn't bad but the games lack in polish and otherwise they don't do it for me at times.
I enjoy things like Darksiders or yes some tactics games from time to time (at least in the last few years but mostly Japanese ones not USA/EU ones as I find the XCOM and others approach not appealing, other then Mario Rabbids at least and that's as someone who can give or take Mario and hates the Rabbids but the gameplay just blended well).
But I find European RPGs to struggle in areas. I respect them but only can to a point.
In some games many other countries do European settings and RPGs 'better' which is sad to see.
But it varies per studio, many great European developers out there but I also see a lot of issues in them.
I enjoy Milestone for their racing games but they have issues sometimes and I can only put up with it for so long, but they are a great Italian dev I can respect.
The Styx games seem fair.
I need to look up what others I enjoy and studios still around then just playing older games as many of those studios may be gone now. Without thinking oh wait they are Canadian or UK, when many may be French, Italian, German Swedish and others.
I just never got into EU RPGs very much as I just never cared for them and they seemed to keep repeating themselves.
Even trying the Arcania Gothic I was like this is fair. But even playing that or some Bioware stuff or Soldier of Fortune (a shooter yes) you can tell some were very 90s/2000s and still good and others were rough.
Many nowadays have lost that but some still had that about them in a different modern way.
But even I was getting to the point of ignoring AAs and still am. I enjoyed a bunch from the past but the more they went on I just saw them being either more so wannabe studios with not exciting ideas anymore or struggling to keep up and repeating what worked for some audiences but didn't others. They were holding on but people weren't buying them or interesting or people pulled away as it was easy to see why.
I enjoyed so many B grade/AA platformers and still am exploring them. But in the modern era eh I don't know with some AA studios approaching other worlds, mechanics, genres, storytelling, etc.
Even AA Japanese studios may be repetitive or not but I've still enjoyed their visual novel or fair conversation cutscenes to fair gameplay ideas still having interesting ideas.
I got into dungeon crawlers, I did tactics RPGs, I did rail shooters and others.
Re: Poll: Which Generation Of Xbox Logo Is Your Favourite?
Original or 360 era, the OG Xbox one is really intriguing/engaging. It looks inviting, it looks robot, alien or whatever striking sort of look to it. It looks like a cool doorway to something. I could compare to the PS2 The Third place but in it's own Xbox way.
It's like a crack in a wall to an amazing new place. IN a good way.
it looks interesting, even when they have it animate in the ads it looks compelling. It's not a bat signal but in a way could be compared that way.
Flat is boring, lacks personality or emphasis. Other than Windows 8 doing it fairly well I find all others in the modern era or most other logos/designs (I mean the UI, not the Windows logo with that to be clear) to be bland, forgettable, lifeless.
The ball/sphere look is fair, when it works in animations with the ads, it kind of compliments it but I think the older logos for OG Xbox era look better, more green lines/beams of light just appearing is more interesting to me.
Xbox One/Series it's just not as well done in ads or in general placement it's just 'there' it doesn't communicate much power to me. It just looks plain. It looks like a prototype, or 'corporate' and doesn't appeal to me at all.
Older eras, the 3D or otherwise gradients, layouts, the less 'soft' look, the striking look it has just pops more. The 1999 logo is also kind of cool, it's not 'plain' it has character with how it wants to present the letters, it may look crude (as in when a an artist enjoys just seeing what they can move letters with different details to look cool for a title they want to make) but it still looks engaging.
The later ones are too clean and boring.
The older ones have way more personality to them.
Re: Review: Kiln (Xbox) - A Fun Addition To Xbox Game Pass, But Can Its Flame Stay Lit?
As I'll keep saying, the artsyle and idea is excellent, the gameplay is the most boring I've ever seen.
Actually, online only? Well that's bad, it should be a local party game not online only, that's a missed opportunity.
So much can be done with clay characters, maps, characters, modes, multiplayer games to me these days (and singleplayer) have the most lacking amount of content, lackluster modes and want 'multiplayer online/local fun' but there isn't anything to do in them).
This is Foamstars all over again, well time to come up with clay based modes, the devs won't. Unless they do over time make the most of it as for launch this is just disappointingly bland. I'm not the target audience but even I want to see it do something interesting not be the most artistically pathetic game lacking in content or non-compelling basic features.
Double Fine can do better.
This is just Bleeding Edge all over again.
Re: Fable Creator Says His New Game Is 'Most Significant Event' In His Entire 40-Year Career
The game is fine but it wasn't what most were expecting, he and the team probably have some good ideas but even I was like hmm I don't know about this game.
Regardless of city builders, strategy or other things and not an RPG, the Albion name or other things.
I'm fine with city builders but this one has ok ideas but I don't know what to think of it.
Genre doesn't effect everything but I don't know the presentation in the trailers, to even just the words here, it really doesn't convey much to me.
Re: Xbox PC Project Might Have Solved How To Fix Hundreds Of 'Broken' Windows Games
Very cool, it's no Games for Windows Live, but it's fair for Windows 8/10 and others era games for sure, or any added to the Windows store.
For 360/Xbox One era games that used it but of the PC releases, for sure for Windows 8/10 era. That or compared to Steam as I assume this is just the Windows store versions/connection of services?
Still it's PC so a GitHub project to apply is understandable, won't apply to all games or fix them all but it's still something.
If the company notices for sure too and applies it or their own efforts to fix it.
Not surprised that changes between 2.0 and 3.0 breaking things with differences between them.
Ah fans noticing things, others moving to new approaches, old things don't work when easy to solve, but don't.
I hope this works, it'd give people even if not the servers for multiplayer, the achievements and other things some uses or just profile and other things to sync.
Re: Xbox Boss Wants A 'Chat' With Ex-PlayStation Exec Over Criticisms Of Game Pass
Part 2:
Do we need an explorer movie type thing besides Indiana Jones, maybe Pitfall hmm a dead Activision IP to rework into something. Tad exists as a Spanish explorer movie IP. Why not?
Work out what business models sure but smarter.
If I can guess how a game is it's because I've played so many or research what games are like of genres, trailer formats, titles, action, drama, whatever details.
I don't need a spreadsheet but if they want one they can do so.
Well what ideas of people outside the company and inside the company is she after?
There is taking suggestions or a lets work together attitude and there is using their actual brains.
I think up anything and still go I can bend it into a business idea later, because i think of the categories, the structure, of games, music and UI design or whatever else.
I love hardware gimmicks, yet they get focused on the least for 'does it work and do generic thing I want it to' mentality.
There is a reason I just say random things, I'd rather do that then what we end up with.
Re: Xbox Boss Wants A 'Chat' With Ex-PlayStation Exec Over Criticisms Of Game Pass
Offer publisher packages, genre packages, 1st party packages, cozy games, artstyles (cell shaded, grounded, varied palette, abstract, painterly, etc.), historical, alternate history, fantasy, scifi, racing (rally, road, arcade, water, etc.), sports, arcade games, ones set in a cafe, on a farm, being a mayor, theme park manager, on a space station, animal that are humanlike/anthropomorphic or is about human drama or whatever.
Mix some things or clear defined categories. In the eshop, in gamepass, whatever. If people like shooters or western settings, why not.
If people like Indies sure, it's a bit particular nowadays especially even compared to 360 marking them as such but still.
I have not cared for games of 2 console gens now. So yeah I'll take his Vib Ribbon comment for sure seriously. Not everything he says is the case but still. I need to look back on his other business angles and responses in past articles, it's been a while. What he said or I thought in past articles.
Think outside the box of what things people may try and look for of searches/filters/playlists/similar to other games or whatever.
But don't make it that trend following/literal, make it have a spin on it.
If I can put so many Xbox or Switch groups for combinations to analyse Impulse triggers or back compat or year they released or whatever. Then sure. I have maxed out the what 30 or so groups on Switch already by so many things I can categorised them by. I didn't on Xbox but I could if I wanted to per game or application and what details they have about them.
Offer more tiers. Think outside the box. I can say this in 2 seconds to a few minutes while typing it but still having so many ideas to anaylse details, filter them and more and so few words, yet they want suggestions. XD
I can know enough of audience types or personalities, it's really not hard. It's just most people don't think that way and I do over analytical ways.
Well if they want better smarter sales numbers instead of NUMBERS they need to look at PEOPLE to know what they want.
Why did that scene of human drama work better then others, dialogue, acting/body language, that action scene, explosion, fight moves, aliens/humans, that technology design looks cool, etc. why? Well find out.
There is human experience and there is just finding out.
I can watch many shows and see a lot going on not just entertainment with it. Some emotional moments make me cringe or yawn, or never watch as can't tolerate, and others I think are so well executed.
I don't relate to them XD, I just think their visuals/writing is just that well presented.
But businesses don't get people they get numbers which have limits and tell so little.
They have numbers of what games people play, I can break it down by genre, setting, what is in them, drama, animals, human characters, do they use weapons, do they use items, do they solve puzzles, do they do all sorts of things. I can go that far, worth out what is going on in the gamer game spaces and not just the casual game spaces.
Casuals will want to play things that fit in with other peers, regardless of if it's a shooter, horror game or a cozy game, to a point but you get somewhat what I mean right?
Work out other factors, not just 'big numbers via casual gamers playing Fortnite'
It should be casual gamers play cozy games visual novels, city builders, whatever vibe, setting, dialogue, whatever.
Re: Asha Sharma Lays Out Plans For 'Deeper Investment' In Xbox's Platform Foundations
"experimentation, attribution, and learning, making it harder to know what’s working and improve quickly"
"experiences built at different times, where discovery, relevance, and social are not first-class, and players have to work to find what to do next or who to play with"
They can go for the Xbox/PC combined all they want, it won't change my opinion of how garbage the games are. Solving a ecosystem strategy is fine but the words are so particular of nonsense I can come up with enough off the topic of them because they are so vague. XD
I already look to wikis, old libraries, game design, eshops via filters and more. What do they need to shove in people's faces, games with whatever themes, gameplay, setting and more. Not generic garbage, or boring passion or whatever trends in games/tv shows/movies, just solid ideas for a demographic or people into western settings or a spin on it with other cultures, or other stuff I don't know.
I have ideas out of all sorts via level design and character abilities or enemy hive mind system ideas, I have had them for years now and repeat them all the time. Most people want story/graphics I ignore that for more exciting ideas.
But you have to be 'in a company' to get validation for a visionary or other nonsense for that. I don't care for validation, I want ideas and them to happen and be exciting in such products/art. But nope we get garbage themes/graphics instead.
Well clearly some trends/systems work better then others, some business models, whatever gamepass packages, whatever not bland game design I'm sick and tired of.
What Mac/Linux support sales who knows?
Sorting out not just what Phil/Sarah refused to approve, but also what leadership are incompetent, versus butter people up and say convincing things, don't meet deadlines and what leadership are annoying to work with because their attitude, stance, and words are just bad.
So when the top people kept removing smart game ideas to dumb the spy game that was cancelled before Gears 4, to any modern game examples to whatever else, why do we get generic lifeless games? There is strategies in the business model and there is games so bland I refuse to support a single one of them on PS5/Series at all? XD
Really, well then why is it Sarah/Phil went to studios, said the games were good and cancelled them? Too particular of production cost, not enough telling studios to structure better of deadlines and ideas cut offs or inclusions?
Sigh. There is a reason I'd never be hired, I have too many ideas, not enough practical skills and people want boring bland stories and graphics then actual ideas to make.
The games would be still easy but for games, not casuals so they'd never happen and that old school design is dead.
Re: You're The Xbox Boss And Need To Figure Out Exclusivity, What Decision Are You Making?
Part 4:
Making maps also more interesting to navigate based on the themes, not make them static but moveable, you have moving containers in a dock, or you can push them if magic or something.
Heck even singleplayer games with not elements with particles but elemetals with snow, and earth with impact.
I mean there is a reason I thought Fracture was a fair 360 shooter, but nope.
There was a game with the ex Bioware and other devs and it was an ok game with it's elements in the world for level design/combat ideas. Eternal Strands not Eternal Threads I confuse it with.
Echoes of the End's puzzles, platforms, water area with it's levels of water (like Ratchet Hydrodisplacer) or gravity paths (Ratchet gravity boots) was just so much fun. While Ratchet series just wastes it's own time.
Games with interactivity for level design/character abilities not corridors, open worlds and human drama.
I could come up with singleplayer game ideas for days.
Multiplayer sure I could but not as much due to how particular people are about multiplayer and why some modes don't work or it's too much dev time and blah blah blah.
But singleplayer I could have tons.
The problem is devs, pubs, shareholders and players.
There is a reason I'll play a retro AAA or AA/B grade game with cool mechanics to a shooter or platformer or racing game or hack n slash or puzzle game or city builder or whatever.
Even the city builder I saw days ago about moving things to the side of the cliffs and mechanical stuff in a pirate game looked awesome.
it's that simple yet many devs fail to do this and it just boggles the mind way.
Do they just think too grounded or have to because pubs/shareholders are that unimaginative? If so sure but how do some kids games get a pass but many teen/adult games don't and have to focus on RPG stats or grounded characters and the games are so boring to play.
Or we get action but level puzzle solving for different player levels. Or systems or level design types. All could happen yet they stick to one thing and it's boring.
Re: You're The Xbox Boss And Need To Figure Out Exclusivity, What Decision Are You Making?
Part 3:
God of War used to do it before Norse series made it more bland interconnected regions and RPG systems with 'puzzles' but it wasn't anywhere near as fun and I dropped it after playing the story, otherwise I'd have never played it at all.
Perfect Dark or the spy game cancelled before we got Gears 4 as example of this. Possibilities are right there not just being a spy and grounded boredom for typical spy plot, make the gameplay stand out.
Heck I've said a number of times what my object/animal or other types of platformers or action adventure games would be. I've had ideas for years now. Gameplay is so boring and movesets/level design is clear of that.
You can play as anything. Mercury the PS2/PSP/Wii puzzle game is a great example, it has splitting (not in the way I would my bar of soap player idea), colour mixing and using for doors, gravity/ceiling platforms, mercury eating enemies and more.
Even Voodoo Dice was a fair one for differences to Devil Dice using dice sides and numbers.
Gravity Trickster expands on what Kula World/Roll Away does whether it knows it or not.
Practical Intelligence Quotient was good for doors, laser grids, stair/solid blocks.
If I can play many puzzle games, or platformers or come up with just 'what object/animal as a basis' and then form whatever I want around it that's what's actually exciting, not humans that aren't cartoony in a Mario/Pitfall way as they are so rare these days, not animals beacuse why do that.
We get boring humans with drama and we get boring animals as just animals or humanlike to put whatever themes for story/species through them.
It's fair that way but even Biomutant just offered that but peeing/sprinting like an animal but also vehicles I was like sigh, if only it had actual exciting abilities. There is a reason I'll play 90s/2000s platformers, not Indies, and not AA decent games like it.
At least it's gas immunity idea was cool. More so then it's light/dark system.
Where is my hive mind system (different enemy types or they fake you out with the skills of the ranged type but they fire magic or other types instead, a melee one that looks the standard weak one but is actually the middle to top tier tank one, get creative with it, work out past the illusions) for a hack n slash/shooter? No where because devs can't be bothered to have enemies learn, forget, change and have an animation to respawn them or something. Make it interesting.
It's not a nemesis system. But they could if they wanted to offer something like it in a different way.
The trend following ones can be cinematic, they can have RPG systems and whatever roguelike, metroivania or otherwise but make it fit, not just shove it in there, make it have purpose.
Multiplayer I'd say make characters movesets and maps interesting again.
I am sick and tired of boring human movesets, and especially characters with different classes with nothing interesting in the maps or movesets.
Even Ratchet mobile multiplayer game I was like oh they have the wall running stuff, and that's it. The rest is pretty generic, when the series has so many gadgets they could use but NOPE. That's when I get mad. Is potential left all over the floor and not in someone's head at all of gameplay ideas, just insert characters, demographic, artstyle and bland gameplay.
Re: You're The Xbox Boss And Need To Figure Out Exclusivity, What Decision Are You Making?
Part 2:
What about cleaning driving of Enthusia or stylish of Project Gotham Racing? Nah, gone too.
Imagination is gone for human drama and graphics. Why would I want to play those?
It's that simple, yet audiences and devs can't think that varied outside the box for any other games let alone of how roads, painted lines, car designs/traits, and more are for game modes. Juiced 2 4 drift modes, just saying. Good modes, not all but ideas more then most modern games that don't yes.
Also Stuntman series, just saying.
Or just worlds/characters can be better used.
I can gameify it without making it monetized excuses, the rest of the world (or most of it) can't it seems. Has to be grounded. How is that immersive?
Yet movies and TV shows have had such abilities and more for years, yet games dropped them? Why?
There is a reason I want creativity of gameplay and I never see it, and refuse to buy games, is casuals ruin it for me and gamers want their stories, so for me, I just go to retro games instead.
Indies are too focused on competing with trends too or nostalgia/heavy inspiration (except when they aren't, but that's rare exception), and i don't care for any of it.
(whether mundane items or magical or scifi technology, can be as mundane as Pitfall Lost Expedition with ice picks to climb/spin attack, in a modern game you could tie a rope to it and make it a grapple hook, or do whatever you wanted to combine with it, even Tomb Raider 2013 did this with gun components and opening barriers. That's why even if the structure was pretty modern and plain, the guns were so much fun to use for navigation purposes. I could care less about the skill tree but I've played games with active abilities and it doesn't always work other then for secrets. Not major areas. No wonder games offer it for passive stuff, but a menu taking over a game is not fun to me at all.
I mean Pitfall Lost Expedition being Pitfall in a metroidvania way after Metroid Prime 1 was out.
You could make it instead of cartoony/grounded a more magical to a kid's mind or some grounded/not grounded.
Make canteens for water to heal, but also for containing all sorts of liquids or items for different things.
A modification system of repurposing items or whatever. A magical item that allows for it then just player modifications at tables or inventory or whatever.
Control had a more morphing gun with weapon types, say it's grounded or it's not, have resources, or not but make level design balanced).
Like to me Zelda games are fun for the items and the puzzles.
Ratchet games use gadgets and weapons for fun situations.
Re: You're The Xbox Boss And Need To Figure Out Exclusivity, What Decision Are You Making?
I'd be the one to say this. Have a mix of singleplayer/multiplayer. Whatever the case of exclusivity time periods. I couldn't care less. To me it's about the game design, if it sucks I still won't get it on PS5/Xbox Series, simple as that.
They want money, not games. Just volume of games, or do they want quality and the studios all vary in offering that or just weak ideas at times. Sigh.
What happened to the Halo and other mobile games? Do they have no ideas for them? The cost for making them? Not dumbing them down enough for audiences to be suitable to them? Or is just CDO mobile/King enough nowadays?
Even if the Spartan duology was fair. Other IPs can fit too.
Have some singleplayer that fit in with trends and others not.
The ones not being like Quantum Break/ReCore/South of Midnight had fair ideas. Allow those games to do more, or be key singleplayer design, but work with other factors for story/gameplay/setting.
Echoes of the End blends 360 to Series era annoying modern character movement with the old school fun OG Xbox/360 interactivity I like in old games.
Even something like Never Dead by Konami (RIP Coded Arms/Love Plus/Enthusia/Thrilldrive) was cool, 3rd person but split parts for whatever. Brilliant, never done again, no patent I know of. Even Plok can, Rayman not so much despite the body type.
Zombie control and limps in State of Decay 3? Nah would never happen.
I myself would buy the not trending ones (aka what both Sony/Xbox both lack and I why I don't buy them, heck Astrobot would be that if it was wasn't so eh at it's execution at times, sigh same with Indie platformers that are too heavily inspired and I refuse to buy, they don't meet their potential at all and i refuse to buy them), and have gameplay mechanics, movesets, level design at the forefront.
Experimenting ones for the niche audiences to know what other games can try if they want to, see what is proven to work/try new things.
Alice Madness Returns cough EA cancelling the new one potential.
This could be a racing game with more mode/events, not garbage progression.
A platformer/action adventure game fair worlds, fair conflict (I don't care for story but games have to have it, sigh), creativity but have items/or spells or whatever.
I know how some audiences are, have to remind them because they 'forget' and don't think even when the mechanics are super easy or the core mechanics, even when games are as dumbed down (accessible I put for things like colour blindness, subtitle sizes, narrators and other features that are useful for those audiences) as they can be it's annoying.
You could use a football and make it magical for all I care, make it have powers and other references.
I mean cars can go anywhere, on any streets, dirt, snow, water if a spy car or something/hovercraft, other planets if we wanted an set it on planet types in the future, but nope we have to keep them on Earth, holiday destinations/circuits because audiences can't think bigger. Sigh. That's not me going oh action, that's me going, set it ANYWHERE, offer anything to the vehicles.
Offer grounded games but the modes are as varied as card games have plenty of rulesets despite how simple the symbols and number values are.
The bowling, fuel limiting, 1 lap magic/sprint and more, all in Gran Turismo or Gear Club Unlimited 3 or old Forza Motorsport, but modern games nah bland progression/events and the 'basics' of atmosphere/setting.
Re: Xbox Raises Eyebrows By Mentioning 'Exclusives' On The Series X|S Dashboard
Part 2:
They need a good mix of singleplayer/multiplayer. Sea of Thieves is fine but to me is also lacking, it's too much ok content but mostly play with friends mindset. I find it lacking.
I look at each game/genre/developer and go nope very quickly.
Not just for my game;play preferences per genre/game, character movesets, level design, missions, modes, whatever but because there is SO FEW games I respect that I don't even play, vs ones I don't look at because they look boring.
Re: Xbox Raises Eyebrows By Mentioning 'Exclusives' On The Series X|S Dashboard
They need to work out the exclusive banner on the eshop/physical copies if they still care.
Xbox One/Series boxes are just terrible, they need a new design.
That aside, I mean exclusives sure, but the games have to be good enough. Singleplayer or multiplayer. OG/360 had limits getting people interested but nowadays they are my go to 1st/3rd party games to research.
If they offered a PGR I'd be on that immediately, events, progression, city layouts, fun approaches, Forza Horizon is nothing like it.
They need solid enough things in genres or solid enough movesets/level designs to be compelling. Not just story/graphics and mundane game modes. They can have the artstyles but I'm still not buying them because the gameplay isn't engaging.
I haven't been interested in a single Series S/X game at all.
While Xbox One at least had a FEW: Sunset Overdrive having tower defence, fair moveset side missions and regular generic ones with a great world flexibility to it, ReCore had it's moments of combat and environments, not great but still enjoyable to me, Quantum Break I didn't play as much but even if I prefer other 3rd person shooters of the 360 era it's still a good game, Rare Replay and of course Forza Motorsport 5 to7 when they actually had fair modes, side content and main races, but 2023/8/reboot is garbage.
GT7 has the worst progression ever (worse then FM6 even) but still has event variety in it that made me go yes, thanks for still having this. FM2023 has a position selection credit scaling & that's it. Rest is a bland game.
PS4 same thing, a FEW, now PS5 nothing.
3rd parties I can 'see a reason to pick up' sure, some I have waiting for me with Immortals of Aveum, Atlas Fallen, Forspoken.
Others like Balan Wonderworld (yes I enjoyed it, I know it's issues), Diofield Chronicles, Valkyrie Elysium and other Square titles I got on PS4 or Switch.
Waiting on ones are Ride 5 and 6 or WRC 23 sure, Gear Club Unlimited 3, I'm in no rush to get them for PS5 & Switch 2 (Gear Club 3 for Switch 2 I'd prefer like I got the 1st 2 Gear Club games and having racing games on Nintendo platforms that aren't just anti-grav or kart racers is just nice to have).
But the games are just not appealing, multiplayer ones are either live service/bottom of the barrel effort for family party games. Family party games aren't bad, it's just many of them are so basic & bland.
South of Midnight/Quantum Break to me are stand outs of Xbox One/Series era.
Hi Fi Rush as well, but the rest I mean, State of Decay 3 is taking too long.
Halo is trying it's better to return, Gear E Day will hopefully be exciting.
Forza Motorsport I would have easily gotten the physical, but they ruined the game so much I went nah, forget it Xbox/Microsoft.
Horizon series does not interest me at all, nor do many open world racing games.
Indy/Starfield are fine but not my type of games and Indy felt awful to play for me.
Fable needs to land, is it my kind of game no, but I respect it a lot and it's a series that's so good it needs to land.
Perfect Dark could have gone either way.
Re: Xbox's Studios Are Working 'Side-By-Side' With Microsoft On Project Helix
@Coletrain I'd say that'd be the case. Even the PS4 features certain AA Japanese games used it better then Sony 1st party did at the start, then not mid gen, other than Gravity Rush 2, and then last few with Last of Us Part 2/Ghost of Tsushima/Dreams.
Some games like even Starfield use the speaker which is cool but Killzone Shadowfall tried the speaker and touchpad fairly well. Infamous Second Son using the Sixaxis/gyro for spray can side missions was a lot of fun.
For 1st party games you'd have games like Wonderful 101Remastered (touchpad and dual screen use wasn't as good as Wii U, doubt it would on Switch with touch screen or otherwise stick and more use that PS4 can do sort of) for the gyro, Nier Automata used the 2 halves well for inventory quick access (besides Select/Start in old games), Gal Gun series used the Sixaxis/motion controls fair for a rail shooter but also touchpad for some boss fights, Clannad (a visual novel on many platforms) and Azure Gunvolt a Mega Man 2D type platformer used the vibration levels well to about 2 to 3 levels.
Probably forgetting others but I usually remember a fair few.
Tearaway 1st party/Vita to PS4 port maybe used the camera/touchpad well I assume but I don't have the PS4 version to know. Playroom and Playroom VR used some stuff fair. Playlink party games on PS4 (delisted but usable if know where with Android app archives and the disks for the games not the eshop) did Everybody 1 2 Switch years before the smartphone connectivity/app support of that.
I wonder if Xbox will bring SmartGlass back (360/One) but modern, maybe 3rd parties might in a way like that PS5 D&D style tactics RPG. Or not just Just Dance or whatever for things.
But yeah it really varies. Yes I research all this stuff, I don't buy them all.
I think tension in the triggers is a cool idea but yeah will be a lot tougher in some situations, many trigger/button use can be a lot of strain for sure.
I can see why most games don't use it is lack of interest/no use for it themselves, but even still. If they focused on more mid range, not the full pull as much it'd be better and less annoying on the fingers.
But then again, some things to pull or shotguns sure, but even then.
Or the repetitive shots or whatever else. Depends per game, what weapons, what puzzles, what doors or gripping segments in a scene or whatever.
The vibration/rumble I think still works well, its not as much to it as the other is.
Re: Talking Point: What's A 'Good Deal' For An Xbox Series X or S In 2026?
I don't know. Price point within reason. I don't really know. I'd say $500 sure but i got a PS4 Base and Xbox One X (and Xbox One VCR I guess) to maintain and I was fine with that. But otherwise I got a Switch preowned for $300, when it costs like $400 or $500 and whatever it was up to after.
I'm not one to buy consoles that are relevant or special editions or whatever. I just skip this gen for how uninteresting it is.
I make a cut of of $300 and with my region.
So yeah $699+ Switch 2 (Mario Kart/Pokemon $769), Switch 1 Neon $469, OLED $539, Lite $329 when I remember them being a bit cheaper but still high up and I wasn't interested in the Lite, and glad I got the Original model Switch 1 for $300 preowned, the 5 inch screen is too small and the text is unreadable, but I've used the touch screen for a few things.
But if I was to go Xbox/PS5 IF I didn't have access to them already, I don't know. I don't do digital on Xbox, only physical or CD to Blu-ray via the apps on the eshop so to me I'd have to go for a Xbox Series, and even then it's way too high. I can still use a Xbox One X/Xbox One VCR if I want to for my use cases.
Series S now for me is $549, $599 per 512GB and 1TB, Series X $849 disk drive 1TB black, $749 1TB digital robot white. PS5 Slim Digital $919, PS5 Slim Disk version $999, Disk drive is $124 and PS5 Pro $1399.
I ignored the PS5 discounts 3 times I don't care. I wasn't that interested in the discount prices, or the consoles or the games as not desperate enough.
I don't even care for the 3 PS5s and 1 Series X we have. I never use them, I stay on 8th gen/Switch and older as they interest me more.
What games are suitable to each. Specs.
The Expansion Storage if they want to mention it as well.
Different controller/console special editions or colour variations.
Advertising, I mean, what games, what tiers of Gamepass/benefits.
Cloud if they care to.
They aren't doing the other platforms Everything is an Xbox as audiences are too unable to understand an internet connection and apps but can how to use a QR code or projector or other things, sigh. Let alone those who don't have a TV that's compatible.
Back compat if they want a 'past memories' or whatever advertising there.
Series S I think is fine, it's just devs want power and to have badly optimized, ray traced titles and make resolution/garbage versions for it.
Is it good for low storage/power with fewer games, or Indies or whatever works there compared to high storage or only AAA games.
I've seen better Wii, handheld and other old gen versions (not all but still many stand outs), 8th gen and 9th gen devs and pubs just don't care anymore and it shows.
Re: Xbox's New Dashboard Update Is Now Available For All Users
All I can say is about time but most of it looks like colours or so minor.
The dashboard ads and more links will stay I can tell that will be the case. But groups and others sure. So to me it doesn't actually solve what I'd be looking for.
Do they offer more filters in the groups or eshop? No I doubt it.
Re: Xbox's Recent Battery Issue Was A Reminder To 'Earn Every Hour' With Players, Says Boss
Haven't used my Xbox One X in a while so haven't been effected. If it was a controller firmware update sure, and no I don't use anything but whatever I can get local, so if it was direct from them online then yeah nah. Regardless of a region thing.
My PS4 controllers are stuffed to around 30 minutes maybe, while my PS3 ones work just the PS3 wireless chip for controllers and networking don't work.
My PS4 is a bit eh though with controller connections too sadly.
Will say the 360 controllers were eh but wired works fine but the Xbox One controllers have been great for batteries. Not sure battery packs, 360 ones were eh because the controllers played up but the Xbox One I haven't used one really but Series I know we have them and they work fine enough it seems.
Re: Xbox Achievements Are Getting A 'Refresh' With Multiple New Improvements
Fair changes, if they gave more functionality sure but that can be hard to work out, but visually they are fair, it's still the same Xbox One/Series style but with a bit more flare so it's good flare but also not the most exciting prior design with it either.
Re: Xbox Reporter Suggests Microsoft Is Being More Lenient With Its Gaming Profit Goals
Good thing, having ads in the dashboard to just other services, to games, they need to balance things out of how they go about certain games and services, money hungry first puts people off.
I mean it put me off after the customization was lost, and i already hated the dashboard for years regardless of that, let alone customization then a back track from it.
Being multiplayer and offering features or monetization, to other games that aren't about that and getting audiences interested with the singleplayer crowd.
Also make clear if it's a live service. If a singleplayer game with live service element it doesn't make people interested as much unless it has a strong core.
Many will pay for the full price and no monetization extras if the game is good enough.
They will buy DLC if it's good enough.
Merch, etc.
A foundation that's strong not just other layers getting in the way. Enough of a comfort or a plan/strategy that works. I don't agree to always over monetizing after a successful strategy but I get why they do it. Even if they hit ceilings so why bother forcing more. Sigh.
I am not interested in current Xbox or PlayStation 1st party at all, Xbox has the variety but not to the Nintendo extent of gameplay mechanics or level design to even just genre variety and how they present it.
There is a reason I buy up the PS1 to PS3/PSP/Vita games I don't have of 1st party or 3rd party, same as with OG Xbox/360, or Nintendo series, let alone the controller/console features for them.
Current consoles have no appealed to me on a general level at the moment, the monetization only works if you have something actually working, they don't really have that I find, just a bunch of ideas that try to see how they work and nothing that concrete or nothing that strong to get us interested.
Let alone just financial situations for customers as well.
Re: Xbox Exec Reveals That Blizzard Is Helping Out With Development On Fable
Some studios have the talent suitable to pull these off so I think that's fine. Blizzard trailers/cinematics do look good and without having to outsource to another animation studio or if they don't have enough for in-house at Playground that's fine.
Collaborating studios isn't uncommon but it is always nice to hear it happen and which ones and go yep that works, or that's interesting.
Whether in engine or pre-rendered too, how the story will go, etc. I agree with another commenter, having a resolved story not an open one that too open and a sequel never happens and your like, welp thanks for that.
Re: Gears Of War E-Day Direct Length Detailed As Xbox Games Showcase Reveals Get Locked In
Better be worth it. I haven't gone back to the Gears series as much as others and had more fun buying up older left behind shooters instead. So I hope this one lands. Gears 4 and 5 were fine, but even then I haven't bothered to replay much of Gears 1, I just couldn't be bothered, the games aren't bad I just have no motivation to replay them.
Other Xbox IPs try but none of the Series era IPs interest me, even the few Xbox One IPs I still keep my Xbox One around for let alone the apps that make it a capable box to use for other features. Besides back compat also being nice to have.
Other then Rhythm Heaven Groove a niche Nintendo IP I'm waiting for in July, only FMV games or certain Indies I've been interested in, everything else hasn't really appealed to me of 3rd or 1st party games/studios efforts.
Re: Xbox's Studios Are Working 'Side-By-Side' With Microsoft On Project Helix
@Coletrain Agreed, more then just a share button.
I was happy with Impulse Triggers, I mean you pointing out HD Rumble and Haptics, did you experience Impulse Triggers in Xbox One games? Do they appear in many Series games at all? I enjoyed the Impulse Triggers in Forza Motorsport, Project Cars 3 braking and accelerating guides (I forget if it works with opponents going past or not) and Gears reload minigame.
But I'd be ok with the more tension focused of the Dualsense.
To me the situational of HD Rumble in the games it's used it is something, but otherwise I found it really boring and weak.
Even the non situational but just vibration scaling of Dualshock 4 in a visual novel or 2D platformer were more exciting, even Impulse Triggers were better then HD Rumble.
I hope they keep the battery packs/battery tray, so we can swap them and not closed off shell.
Re: Xbox Boss Declares Game Pass Is 'Too Expensive' And Needs A 'Better Value Equation'
Part 2:
Who uses PS5 cards via PS+ tiers that offer it and articles are hard to find about it or the original video with the Sackboy A Big Adventure and the picture in picture or cards or game help whatever stuff too.
I have digital games that showcase vibration scaling, touchpad and motion controls on PlayStation 4 that are niche because I enjoy the games but were a surprise they had those features. So I in turn learnt about those features most people never have experienced.
Let alone classic games touchpad halves. Not just Vita quadrants/front ans back touchpads.
I have said this multiple time about dual screens/casting.
His decisions made sense but some should have been Keystone and others needed more work or priced incorrectly.
Better talking to the marketers and software/hardware teams for sure.
I missed out on SmartGlass and haven't used Xbox remote play but I still get how it works.
Re: Xbox Boss Declares Game Pass Is 'Too Expensive' And Needs A 'Better Value Equation'
EA's inclusion was fair, but COD/Fornite/Roblox and whatever just upped the price too much. I barely even remember what was being included. Also Ubisoft's games, whether back compat or not, I mean. Even EA's are hit and miss but still the price point wasn't as bad for it. Ubisoft's are fair but I don't think much was offered really of all the games there but I don't know.
Gamepass prices yes are too high. Different packages of genre or 1st party or publisher deals or whatever could be tries.
Multiplayer package, iconic games package, whatever they want to name it/add to it.
Or gamers can pick and choose but that gets awkward, complex and too few using it or customizing all the time let alone price values to work out.
Still a bunch of solutions.
Indies would be tricky but possible to make deals for packages but not a Indie straight up one as rhat qill be 360 lwvel of Indie tagging and isn't ideal.
Not many of us cared for COD, Roblox, Fortnite and more so them to Gamepass price increases was not suitable in the current model.
=========
Samsung TV users sure but he cancelled Keystone. TVs have weak hardware.even if more recognisable.
I'll get to Gamepass later.
If Keystone was cheaper then Series S I say he should have gone with that.
But no they probably cancelled it going oh no people buying a niche box compared to the consoles or its too niche and doesn't work to Satya's pr shareholders expectations or users would be confused but to me Keystone makes a lot of sense as a clear device of cloud.
If users (non gamers more so as gamers pick up on this stuff better over time but marketers struggle to sell the idea, they need tech staff to explain and show it off to marketers and get them to put their flare to it as this is an Xbox makes sense to me as a tech fan but not most people. I cast my phone sure with 3rd party apps to TVs but most people don't) are stupid and they very much are with remote play and cloud and the 'This is an Xbox' campaign didn't say all you need is an app/internet connection as the marketing team missed the mark.
Same as PS Portal kind of worked better aka Keystone would have too.
I did my research on cloud/remote play.
Wii U didn't show users how to setup the console and put disks in but they show the Switch in the dock.
They let the Gamepad talk for it or have both side by side and people didn't get it
Users use a smartphone with QR codes tp setup TVs or other things like authentication apps between tablet/Laptop/PC/phone for services (work, college or University or whatever) but don't understand dual screens or casting with an app.
I bought a Wii U, Vita, tried the Playroom PS4 camera app and its Vita/Tablet DLCs, and bought tried with low firmware Android phones for Playlink PS4 games (smartphone apps and delisted games so Android archives and the games on disks in bargain bins) to learn it.
Most people aren't going to do that.
I made the effort because I care that much about those things and the software/hardware ideas they presented.
Sadly Xbox One 2013 to 2017 TV TV TV era app/game use is gone but Windows 8 was cool of it still.
Or other picture in picture stuff.
Re: Xbox Offers Free Rechargeable Batteries To Fans Affected By Recent Controller Shipping Issue
Fair to see. I use AAs they get me way longer then any PlayStation controller wireless. Not Wii U Pro or Switch Joycon/Pro levels but even still, Xbox battery efficiency is very good for what it is.
That and battery packs were picky for me of not working too great.
Re: Preview: We've Played Forza Horizon 6, And It's Potentially The Best Entry To Date
Well looks like I'll skip this entry too then. Gear Club Unlimited 3 it is for me then. Even then that will be average but tolerable average.
Well back to playing OG Xbox era racing games with more good ideas in them.