360 Dashboard update

[tw1164]

There's normally two a year (spring/fall) right? Has there been any info about the next dashboard update?

Does anyone remember when the last free live weekend was?

 

[Modeps]

Considering the Fall update only came out in December, I predict it'll be a while till we see the Spring one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_System_Software

 

[Queasy]

Yeah, it will probably be late spring before we see the next update. There's been no word about what features/fixes may appear. Plenty of wishlists though.

 

[Modeps]

I wrote a post a little less than a year ago about some features I'd like to see, some have been addressed, some have not.

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http://modeps.org/weblog/?p=506

Just a few features that I think would help improve Xbox Live and Xbox.com. It?s a great service so far, but everything can use tweaking. If I think of some other things, I?ll update the list.

1. Friend List Updates, Party system
- Don?t put the onus on the developers, give them something to use ahead of time in terms of parties (clans), possibly with some sort of scheduling tool for matches as well as clan xbox.com homepages. I?d like to be able to group friends together in my friends list similar to how I can currently in Live Messenger (Windows) by customizable tags, party, and by game

2.. Xbox.com complete design overhaul, more functionality, API (partially addressed)
- I really cant stand the top navigation, it?s not user friendly to hover over a main button then have to click a button that appears horizontally below it (without rolling over another main button). The look is fairly dated in general, the forums are not great (and have cross-browser issues), and my xbox page isn?t that fun or stylish (how about something like a spaces page?). Allow for other developers to tie into your data via XML. Allow voice messages to be played through the web. Include feedback scores and percentages on the website. Finally? give me game specific leader boards on the web so I don?t have to just load up a game to see standings.

3. Screenshots
- Take screenshots with a specific keypress. Send them via email to the registered gamertag or save them to the web for viewing later

4. Scrolling News Ticker / RSS integration on Dashboard (partially addressed)
- Instead of a browser like people are screaming for and I feel is pretty worthless, do some sort of RSS integration in the dashboard. XBMC has it and its just great. Customizable RSS feeds for headlines and the ability to read full articles. Possibly include a nice weather forecast feature as well. Basically, just copy some features from XBMC and improve.

5. Multiple person private voice chat
- Perhaps they did it because they didn?t want to encourage cheating in games, but its not quite user friendly to keep switching if you just want to talk to a bunch of people at once. 4 is probably ideal.

Honorable Mention:

1. Played Game List updates (partially addressed)
- Even if I have not purchased an Xbox Live Arcade title, it still appears in my ?played games? list. Retail downloaded demos do not appear in the list. It?s a sleight annoyance.

2. Theme Preview, Better Gamerpic Previews
- People had to create websites devoted to previewing themes because xbox.com is not updated regularly enough. You need to allow people the ability to view the themes purchased through Marketplace.

3. STATS STATS STATS
- I want to know how long I?ve played specific games, how long I?ve played all games together, when I play the most, (time of day, day of week). I want to see how I compare to people on my friends list, what their most played games are? just give me more stats!

4. More Dashboard Aesthetic Customization options
- The blade-tabs designs are all pretty thick, how about some minimalist designs?

5. Faster profile loading
It takes forever to ?sign in?to a profile, probably because I?m connecting to xbox live at the same time. Perhaps load the profile before signing into live? We know they can be mutually exclusive.

6. Improved Feedback and Reputation System
I really don?t think anyone uses player feedback because they just don?t think about it unless they get angry. Allow for more ?reasons? in relation to good and bad feedback, as well as an easier way to access it. Players really should get some sort of demerits for dropping in a ranked match.

7. Spectator
- Yeah I?m sure this is on the game developers shoulders? but lets get the ability for more Gotham TV style integration so we can watch our friends play games. This would be great for all sports games as well as pretty much any other competitive title.

8. Gamertag Cloning
- Sure, right now I can buy an expensive memory card and load my profile on there, then bring it to a friends house, but from that point on? I?ve gotta keep it on that memory card. I?d like the ability to be able to log into Xbox Live with my gamertag, from multiple 360s (possibly with a password for protection on any clone of the gamertag profile), without having to jump through hoops.

Other, Developer based suggestions

1. Chess and Solitaire (completely addressed)
2. More casual and community style games, like the word/puzzle games on Yahoo Games
3. Multiplayer-by-Email/Messaging
- You know, so we can play turn based games when people aren?t online at the same time.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: Modeps
2. More casual and community style games, like the word/puzzle games on Yahoo Games

Considering Hexic HD was a Flash app (you could literally run it on a PC, no conversion needed), I'm still blown away that Microsoft hasn't teamed up with Newgrounds or some other site to bring some of those games to the 360. XNA is awesome, but having Flash in addition would bring over a huge new set of developers. Suck up that pride, Microsoft.

3. Multiplayer-by-Email/Messaging
- You know, so we can play turn based games when people aren?t online at the same time.

I'm meh on this. The whole point of Live is supposed to be the interactivity between people. PBEM really removes that.

FWIW, I'd just like to see multi-channel AAC support, support for MKVs, and an update to the Windows Media Center Extender software to support the video types on the dashboard. Everything else, I leave at their discretion.