Official Xbox 360? Thread...Part Deux

Page 5 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

bucwylde23

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
4,180
0
71
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Ok quick question for you guys - for those running their 360's on TV's in high def - at least in Rainbow Six - do you ever get occasional scenes of "grainyness"? Last night I was playing - forgot if it was 720p/1080i - every so often for a few seconds the screen would get kind of grainy - the textures, graphics for most of the screen seemed to get grainy, then it would be fine again. I haven't noticed that happening in any other game (I've only played PGR3 and a lil bit of the Crackdown demo on it - 46" Samsung 720p) - only seems to happen in R6.

In addition - is it just me, or is there "less" viewing screen available in R6? As in, the top/bottom/sides are all chopped off. Or rather, it appears as if maybe it's trying to display a 4:3 signal on a 16:9 screen, so it's "zoomed in" as opposed to actually being displayed as 16:9. (My roomie's 360/TV is setup right next to mine - it's so apparently obvious when we're loading or even just playing the game) Am I doing something wrong/set something up wrong?

I don't think I've ever noticed a grainy picture while playing R6. I have my display set on 1080i. Granted I only have a 37" LCD and may not be able to see it as well as you can on a 46" TV. The only thing I experience is sometimes when a level first loads, all of the textures haven't loaded and it takes a few seconds for them to show up. Same thing happens in GoW. That's probably not what you are talking about, though.

I also don't think that R6 looks chopped off, but I can check when I get home today. It always looks beautiful to me :D

I get the same thing about the texture loading though - think that's just the image parser trying to catch up with the console. The grainyness - it just kinda irks me - every now and then it just gets kinda grainy. It might have happened during regular TV too - I'll take a look at it - maybe that part is the TV itself, not the 360.

In terms of the screen, here's a pic from IGN:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/rainbowsixnorm.jpg

This is literally what I see:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/rainbowsixMYHD.JPG

The picture quality got jacked when I edited it in Paint, but if you look at the "norm" pic - if you look kinda around the edges you see the faint orange box outline. On my new tv I literally only see what's in that orange box - everything seems "zoomed in". In the 360 settings itself under console it's set to 720p, Widescreen (it's grayed out and can't change it from Widescreen). I'm 99.9% sure I changed the setting on the cable (using component cables) to HD.

Now I am going to have to fire it up when I get home to check.
On your second image, I am pretty sure that my grenades/ammo are the same. As in, they are at the VERY bottom of the screen along the edge. I could be wrong, but that is my first thoughts about it. I don't' know if the rest of the screen looks quite so cramped, though.

 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: chrisg22

Now I am going to have to fire it up when I get home to check.
On your second image, I am pretty sure that my grenades/ammo are the same. As in, they are at the VERY bottom of the screen along the edge. I could be wrong, but that is my first thoughts about it. I don't' know if the rest of the screen looks quite so cramped, though.

Let me know what happens when you check. And for anyone else who also happens to have R6. But yea, I know the grenades/ammo isn't supposed to be at the bottom, at least when compared to a 360 not in high def. I'll try to take a picture of the loading screens tonight too - from that, you can literally tell it looks as if it's 4:3 zoomed in so it appears as if it's 16:9. (The font/graphics are all huge)
 

jlmadyson

Platinum Member
Aug 13, 2004
2,201
0
0
Ten New Titles Coming to Xbox Live Arcade

Vampire hunters, artillery-toting worms, rambunctious aliens and trailblazing settlers are among the ?likeable? characters that will soon make their debut in living rooms everywhere via Xbox Live® Arcade for Xbox 360? as part of the award-winning service?s upcoming round of new game releases. Starting with the first release in February, 10 highly anticipated titles will begin making their way to Xbox Live Arcade, including these (titles are not listed in chronological release order):

?3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures,? from developer Wanako Games and publisher Sierra Online, allows gamers to putt their way through 36 fun-filled holes of manic minigolf action on wild courses that range from the Old West to outer space and feature a bevy of crazy hazards and obstacles.

?Alien Hominid HD? from The Behemoth features side-scrolling, hysterical cartoon action with a quirky twist and exclusive Xbox Live Arcade features.

?Band of Bugs? from NinjaBee is a fast-paced tactical strategy game that offers gameplay deep enough to satisfy tactical genre fans and friendly enough to appeal to casual gamers. Creative gamers can even design their own levels with the built-in level editor, then play them solo or over Xbox Live with friends.*

?Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? from Konami is a faithful version of this legendary classic updated for Xbox Live Arcade and featuring the game?s full soundtrack and memorable side-scrolling vampire-hunting action.

?Catan,? from developer Big Huge Games Inc. and publisher Microsoft® Game Studios, is a faithful remake of the immensely popular strategy board game.

?Eets: Chowdown? from Klei Entertainment Inc. is a completely revamped version of the popular PC title of the same name. It offers new items, 120 new levels and the exclusive debut of Marsho Madness, a high-adrenaline action game in which players must keep the impending evil marshmallows at bay.

?LUXOR 2,? from developer MumboJumbo LLC, sets a new standard for action puzzlers as players match and shoot their way through the land of ancient Egypt.

?Paperboy,? from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Midway, is a classic coin-op hit, specially enhanced for Xbox Live Arcade.

?Root Beer Tapper,? also from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Midway, features fast-paced reflex action as players scramble to keep thirsty patrons happy without dropping root beer mugs in the scramble to earn the biggest tips.

?Worms? from developer Team 17 Software Ltd. features armies of adorable weapon-toting worms locked in tactical combat.


The popularity of Xbox Live Arcade continues to grow as downloads have surpassed 20 million games. These 10 titles are just a sample of the diverse and entertaining games that will be coming to the service in 2007.

Several of these games also mark significant firsts for Xbox Live Arcade, including the first turn-based strategy game to be released on the service (?Worms?), the first Xbox Live Arcade board game release (?Catan?), and the first Xbox Live Arcade outdoor sports game release (?3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures?).

All these games are scheduled to become available during Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays in the coming weeks, and specific game information will be announced closer to each game?s launch date. Although a game may not be launched every week, every Wednesday is an opportunity to share in the Xbox Live Arcade experience with friends and family.

All about some Paperboy.
 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
Can't wait for Worms...and paperboy was an unexpected bonus. I've never played the Castlevania game that they are touting...but I'm interested.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
I've no idea why more devs/publishers haven't been going the board game/card game route with Live Arcade. I think the success of Uno, especially with the voice and video chat, shows that there is a market for those kinds of game on Live.

I'm looking forward to Catan. I had never heard of it until it was announced for Live but I've been a fan of strategy board games like it.
 

bucwylde23

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
4,180
0
71
Originally posted by: Queasy
I've no idea why more devs/publishers haven't been going the board game/card game route with Live Arcade. I think the success of Uno, especially with the voice and video chat, shows that there is a market for those kinds of game on Live.

I'm looking forward to Catan. I had never heard of it until it was announced for Live but I've been a fan of strategy board games like it.

I'm actually waiting for another good board or card game. I loved Uno. I think a problem is that sometimes board games tend to take a while, and I don't know if people will take very well to that. Uno games can be extremely quick and fast paced.
 

JC86

Senior member
Jan 18, 2007
694
0
0
quick question, I just got my xbox 360 and hooked it up to my LG plasma via the component input and not he HDMI, am I missing out on full hd picture by doing this? The picture is already amazing and I can't imagine it being much better. Can it?
 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
Originally posted by: JC86
quick question, I just got my xbox 360 and hooked it up to my LG plasma via the component input and not he HDMI, am I missing out on full hd picture by doing this? The picture is already amazing and I can't imagine it being much better. Can it?

There is no HDMI connection for the Xbox 360 at the moment. The only connection that is possibly better than component is the VGA connection (of course this greatly depends on your VGA input quality and whether you have one).

Either way, you're getting about as good a picture as anyone...you're unlikely to see much of any improvement even if HDMI were to come out.
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: PricklyPete
Originally posted by: JC86
quick question, I just got my xbox 360 and hooked it up to my LG plasma via the component input and not he HDMI, am I missing out on full hd picture by doing this? The picture is already amazing and I can't imagine it being much better. Can it?

There is no HDMI connection for the Xbox 360 at the moment. The only connection that is possibly better than component is the VGA connection (of course this greatly depends on your VGA input quality and whether you have one).

Either way, you're getting about as good a picture as anyone...you're unlikely to see much of any improvement even if HDMI were to come out.

At least with VGA he'd be able to do 1080P. (Unless his tv supports 1080P over component) But that's about as good as it gets at the moment.
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Now I am going to have to fire it up when I get home to check.
On your second image, I am pretty sure that my grenades/ammo are the same. As in, they are at the VERY bottom of the screen along the edge. I could be wrong, but that is my first thoughts about it. I don't' know if the rest of the screen looks quite so cramped, though.

Alright from looking at a bunch of forums and talking to the high def wizards - they said it's either me (not knowing what I'm doing) or it's more than likely overscan chopping off the screen. If I cant get it figured out (by turning off overscan in the service menu) or otherwise, I'll go pickup a VGA cable tomorrow and give that a shot. :(
 

bucwylde23

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2005
4,180
0
71
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Now I am going to have to fire it up when I get home to check.
On your second image, I am pretty sure that my grenades/ammo are the same. As in, they are at the VERY bottom of the screen along the edge. I could be wrong, but that is my first thoughts about it. I don't' know if the rest of the screen looks quite so cramped, though.

Alright from looking at a bunch of forums and talking to the high def wizards - they said it's either me (not knowing what I'm doing) or it's more than likely overscan chopping off the screen. If I cant get it figured out (by turning off overscan in the service menu) or otherwise, I'll go pickup a VGA cable tomorrow and give that a shot. :(

Yeah i was just getting ready to post. I loaded it up and it's definitely you. It looks exactly like that IGN picture that you posted. Is there a setting on your TV that you have to change, possibly?
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Now I am going to have to fire it up when I get home to check.
On your second image, I am pretty sure that my grenades/ammo are the same. As in, they are at the VERY bottom of the screen along the edge. I could be wrong, but that is my first thoughts about it. I don't' know if the rest of the screen looks quite so cramped, though.

Alright from looking at a bunch of forums and talking to the high def wizards - they said it's either me (not knowing what I'm doing) or it's more than likely overscan chopping off the screen. If I cant get it figured out (by turning off overscan in the service menu) or otherwise, I'll go pickup a VGA cable tomorrow and give that a shot. :(

Yeah i was just getting ready to post. I loaded it up and it's definitely you. It looks exactly like that IGN picture that you posted. Is there a setting on your TV that you have to change, possibly?

Not that I know of...I'll have to take a closer look later on tonight and check to make sure. :(

Man my first game back in 2 weeks last night - ended up 25-5. Not too shabby, considering I beat out Jerry and an elite.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Somone has been having fun with the Crackdown demo. Dude has a bunch of different videos of crazy explosions.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
512MB memory cards are listed at Gamestop.com now. $50 and coming out on 3/1.

Ridiculous. You can find 1 to 2GB PC memory cards for half the price or less.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,634
6,509
126
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Alright, here's what it looks like:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2882.JPG

Super noticeable here:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2883.JPG

I'm guessing it's overscan...there's no way to really turn it off without messing the geometry settings and I'm not gonna do that on a new tv. I might go pickup a VGA cable and use it that way...just won't be able to uses both my 360 and laptop without a switch.

pretty PLEASE take those stickers off your tv.

kthxbye

:p
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Alright, here's what it looks like:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2882.JPG

Super noticeable here:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2883.JPG

I'm guessing it's overscan...there's no way to really turn it off without messing the geometry settings and I'm not gonna do that on a new tv. I might go pickup a VGA cable and use it that way...just won't be able to uses both my 360 and laptop without a switch.

pretty PLEASE take those stickers off your tv.

kthxbye

:p

I like the stickers! :) If you look closely (I know those are really dark shots, flash kept screwing up the picture) you'll still see the styrafoam insets b/t the tv and speakers. ;)

pur while you're responding - you don't have a problem/issue with overscan, like what's pictured above do you? (via component) I was going to pickup a VGA cable today to try to "fix" the issue.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,634
6,509
126
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Alright, here's what it looks like:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2882.JPG

Super noticeable here:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2883.JPG

I'm guessing it's overscan...there's no way to really turn it off without messing the geometry settings and I'm not gonna do that on a new tv. I might go pickup a VGA cable and use it that way...just won't be able to uses both my 360 and laptop without a switch.

pretty PLEASE take those stickers off your tv.

kthxbye

:p

I like the stickers! :) If you look closely (I know those are really dark shots, flash kept screwing up the picture) you'll still see the styrafoam insets b/t the tv and speakers. ;)

pur while you're responding - you don't have a problem/issue with overscan, like what's pictured above do you? (via component) I was going to pickup a VGA cable today to try to "fix" the issue.

Nope I don't have any issues, I also have a samsung. Although I haven't played R6 final on my TV so I can't tell you specifically for that game.

Do you get this issue with Gears of War as well? As hard as it may be for you, if you can put it in and snap a pic, I could probably tell you if it's zoomed in on there or not.

But now that you mention it, and seeing this GRAW talk, I do remember on my TV when playing GRAW it seemed like that same little orange boxxy type thing that's in R6 DID seem to look different than the screen shots I was seeing of the game ... hrmmmm.
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Alright, here's what it looks like:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2882.JPG

Super noticeable here:

http://www.melvinchu.com/pictures/r6/IMG_2883.JPG

I'm guessing it's overscan...there's no way to really turn it off without messing the geometry settings and I'm not gonna do that on a new tv. I might go pickup a VGA cable and use it that way...just won't be able to uses both my 360 and laptop without a switch.

pretty PLEASE take those stickers off your tv.

kthxbye

:p

I like the stickers! :) If you look closely (I know those are really dark shots, flash kept screwing up the picture) you'll still see the styrafoam insets b/t the tv and speakers. ;)

pur while you're responding - you don't have a problem/issue with overscan, like what's pictured above do you? (via component) I was going to pickup a VGA cable today to try to "fix" the issue.

Nope I don't have any issues, I also have a samsung. Although I haven't played R6 final on my TV so I can't tell you specifically for that game.

Do you get this issue with Gears of War as well? As hard as it may be for you, if you can put it in and snap a pic, I could probably tell you if it's zoomed in on there or not.

But now that you mention it, and seeing this GRAW talk, I do remember on my TV when playing GRAW it seemed like that same little orange boxxy type thing that's in R6 DID seem to look different than the screen shots I was seeing of the game ... hrmmmm.

I've never played GoW on this TV...I'm getting off of work early to "take care of issues", so I'll snap a pic later on and let ya know. ;) I do remember the orange thing in GRAW too...might need to pop that in and see how it looks. Yours is hooked up via component right?
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,634
6,509
126
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
I've never played GoW on this TV...I'm getting off of work early to "take care of issues", so I'll snap a pic later on and let ya know. ;) I do remember the orange thing in GRAW too...might need to pop that in and see how it looks. Yours is hooked up via component right?

Yah mine is hooked up via component. But I do remember, after playing GRAW on my TV ... "Hey, I don't see as much outside of the orange box as those pictures and videos I saw of this game" ... so I don't know, maybe it's something I've always had on the TV and just never reall noticed as something was wrong heh.
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: purbeast0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
I've never played GoW on this TV...I'm getting off of work early to "take care of issues", so I'll snap a pic later on and let ya know. ;) I do remember the orange thing in GRAW too...might need to pop that in and see how it looks. Yours is hooked up via component right?

Yah mine is hooked up via component. But I do remember, after playing GRAW on my TV ... "Hey, I don't see as much outside of the orange box as those pictures and videos I saw of this game" ... so I don't know, maybe it's something I've always had on the TV and just never reall noticed as something was wrong heh.

Gotcha. I guess if it's all you know, it's all you're used to really. :) If you're on later tonight I'll pwn you in some GoW. (Or rather, get pwned, whatever)
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
YES!!!! A NEW 2K football game!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/759/759999p1.html

I can't believe how excited I am. Back in the last days of the football war where 2K was really taking charge, I didn't care much for it. I was always a Madden fanboy, and even though I didn't care for the gameplay of the 2K series, I liked that everyone else did, as that made Madden better and better every year. But Madden has completely sucked recently, and this was the first year I ever went to trade it in. It was horrible for the 360. But now, the 2K series is back, although not in direct competition, but it's still there.