The Official Xbox One Thread

[cmdrdredd]

I didn't mean it can't happen, just that it doesn't happen enough to be meaningful. I generally dislike most indie games, but some have come out and been just that good. They all almost completely ignore graphics though, to the point that some annoy me with just how low the production level was in them, despite me liking everything else (Path of Exile, for example). Look at CD Projekt Red, they should be considered indie, and the Witcher series has been phenomenal.

Oh I know...I just see lots of posts not just here and also blogs about how graphics can't be part of a good game. It can make a good game much better to me. Allowing you to show emotion in different ways between characters where a few sprites could never do.

I just wish more people would demand Graphics, gameplay, and story together for a total package. I think some developers do it very well and some don't really try much on story for example.

 

[purbeast0]

5% off Titanfall XB1 combo preorder:

http://slickdeals.net/f/6747192-xbox-one-titanfall-edition-preorders-475?src=pdw

EDIT:

Some of the comments say it is dead already. I'm not interested so didn't check myself by sending the text.

the replies in that thread remind me a lot of these forums.

 

[zerocool84]

The Xbox division does not need a new head, it's not like they were tanking or anything.

 

[smackababy]

The Xbox division does not need a new head, it's not like they were tanking or anything.

Don Mattrick stepped down shortly after the Xbox One reveal, so they did need a new head. They got Elop in the deal to buy Nokia's devices and services division, so they gotta put him somewhere.

 

[digiram]

Don Mattrick stepped down shortly after the Xbox One reveal, so they did need a new head. They got Elop in the deal to buy Nokia's devices and services division, so they gotta put him somewhere.

Why do corporations keep on rewarding failures even further? Not just MS, but you see crap like this all the time.

 

[smackababy]

Why do corporations keep on rewarding failures even further? Not just MS, but you see crap like this all the time.

In Nokia's case, it wasn't entirely the CEO's fault. They didn't have a product that could compete in the smartphone world until they started using Windows Phone 7, and by then it was far too late. When you make all your money selling dumb phones and people stop buying dumb phones, you are going to stop making all your money. This CEO, apparently, saw that and tried to scrap Symbian (his burning platform memo). I am not entirely against him as the head of the Devices division, because he was the one that wanted Xbox to be spun off and operate outside of MS total control. That would have allowed them to have much greater focus, in theory, at least. He might actually try and do that as head of this division, and just "report" to MS.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Oh I know...I just see lots of posts not just here and also blogs about how graphics can't be part of a good game. It can make a good game much better to me. Allowing you to show emotion in different ways between characters where a few sprites could never do.

I just wish more people would demand Graphics, gameplay, and story together for a total package. I think some developers do it very well and some don't really try much on story for example.

I hear you, but sometimes graphics get in the way of gameplay. Why do you think we have so many QTE's in games these days. Because everything has to be pre-rendered and very scripted.

A good game can be good regardless of graphics.
Great graphics can't save a bad game.

Everyone has their tolerance levels, but when games are made low budget by design, that's not a flaw it's a choice (or a necessity).

 

[smackababy]

I hear you, but sometimes graphics get in the way of gameplay. Why do you think we have so many QTE's in games these days. Because everything has to be pre-rendered and very scripted.

A good game can be good regardless of graphics.
Great graphics can't save a bad game.

Everyone has their tolerance levels, but when games are made low budget by design, that's not a flaw it's a choice (or a necessity).

Regardless of how you feel about QTEs, they exist to serve a purpose. There is no way to cinematically have the player enact much of what the QTE does. In Shenmue (the first 'popularization' of the QTE), it was used in the arcade games pretty well (each button corresponded to a paddle you had to hit) and in the sprinting scenes needed some kind of way to interact with the surroundings, while retaining that cinematic feeling.

Our current controls don't allow for an infinite amount of movements, so we need some kind of system to perform some that aren't the standard. Having preanimated "special" or different moves that can be performed during certain times isn't a bad thing. People just dislike it for some strange reason.

 

[sweenish]

Oh I know...I just see lots of posts not just here and also blogs about how graphics can't be part of a good game. It can make a good game much better to me. Allowing you to show emotion in different ways between characters where a few sprites could never do.

I just wish more people would demand Graphics, gameplay, and story together for a total package. I think some developers do it very well and some don't really try much on story for example.

You're not wrong, but you're selling sprites and other aspects of storytelling short.

FF6 opera scene, or ME Virmire decision. Both, to me, were emotion-bombs that I didn't see coming. FF6 delivers through music and graphics (yes the sprites did just fine), and ME delivered through writing and squad mechanics (the squad works so well together that you do get attached to characters).

Note that the graphically superior game did not deliver it's emotional payload purely on the merits of being pretty. And FF6 delivered in spite of sprites.

Other games like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us do use graphics to great affect (think I used the one I wanted) as far as conveying emotions and immersion, but they are far from the only way to do it.

If graphics truly hold you back from enjoying stellar gameplay/story-telling, it might be time to admit to being a graphics junkie. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily. I am to an extent. I have stories that go both ways.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You're not wrong, but you're selling sprites and other aspects of storytelling short.

FF6 opera scene, or ME Virmire decision. Both, to me, were emotion-bombs that I didn't see coming. FF6 delivers through music and graphics (yes the sprites did just fine), and ME delivered through writing and squad mechanics (the squad works so well together that you do get attached to characters).

Note that the graphically superior game did not deliver it's emotional payload purely on the merits of being pretty. And FF6 delivered in spite of sprites.

Other games like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us do use graphics to great affect (think I used the one I wanted) as far as conveying emotions and immersion, but they are far from the only way to do it.

If graphics truly hold you back from enjoying stellar gameplay/story-telling, it might be time to admit to being a graphics junkie. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily. I am to an extent. I have stories that go both ways.

You forget that at the time of its release, FF6 used the peak graphical capabilities available to a home console. Outside of games like Starfox that used SuperFX, it was one of the better overall titles in terms of graphics and animations. It also had music that was probably the best of the 16bit era. So it used the hardware pretty heavily in 1994.

 

[Bman123]

Did anyone pick up plants vs zombies? Me and a buddy got it and its pretty fun. I'm really enjoying the game so far. Its a pretty brainless game but that's the whole point and its nice to just run around having fun.

 

[American Gunner]

I got into the update preview this morning and noticed that you can go ahead and update your controller. Now I just wish I had a headset adapter.

 

[smackababy]

Picked up Strider last night and it is not bad. Can't comment on length, as I only had about 30 minutes to play it, but it isn't terrible. It is no Volgarr the Viking though.

 

[EightySix Four]

I got into the update preview this morning and noticed that you can go ahead and update your controller. Now I just wish I had a headset adapter.

Updating my controller was a weird experience, not something I am used to.

 

[American Gunner]

Updating my controller was a weird experience, not something I am used to.

Yeah me too. But at least they are listening to the devs on one of their biggest games and making tweaks to it.

 

[purbeast0]

I got into the update preview this morning and noticed that you can go ahead and update your controller. Now I just wish I had a headset adapter.

what does updating the controller mean? like, what does it do/update? ill probably get around to updating this weekend.

 

[sweenish]

You forget that at the time of its release, FF6 used the peak graphical capabilities available to a home console. Outside of games like Starfox that used SuperFX, it was one of the better overall titles in terms of graphics and animations. It also had music that was probably the best of the 16bit era. So it used the hardware pretty heavily in 1994.

It's still a valid point, as you're discounting sprites and "inferior" graphics wholesale.

Or do I also have to mention that The Walking Dead isn't a graphical powerhouse by any stretch of the definition, yet it still delivered more emotial payload than just about any other game in recent memory?

Or does Crysis get you right in the feels every time? Maybe that BF4 "Press F to cut off leg" or whatever scene really spoke to you. All because of the pretty.

 

[American Gunner]

what does updating the controller mean? like, what does it do/update? ill probably get around to updating this weekend.

I know that you have to update it to use the headset adapter, and it was supposed to tweak the responsivness of the sticks or something like that.

 

[cmdrdredd]

It's still a valid point, as you're discounting sprites and "inferior" graphics wholesale.

Or do I also have to mention that The Walking Dead isn't a graphical powerhouse by any stretch of the definition, yet it still delivered more emotial payload than just about any other game in recent memory?

Or does Crysis get you right in the feels every time? Maybe that BF4 "Press F to cut off leg" or whatever scene really spoke to you. All because of the pretty.

Walking dead is a movie where you can press buttons. Not much of a game there. So it actually fails for me in more than one way. Same reason I did not get Beyond Two Souls on ps3.

Also stop trying to talk down to people. It isn't doing you any favors.

 

[Wingznut]

Walking dead is a movie where you can press buttons. Not much of a game there. So it actually fails for me in more than one way.

It can fail for you... But it was hugely successful, and garnered many Game of the Year honors. Rightfully so, imho, as it was a very engaging game. And still a good example where pixel count or texture res had absolutely no bearing on how fun a game can be.

 

[cmdrdredd]

It can fail for you... But it was hugely successful, and garnered many Game of the Year honors. Rightfully so, imho, as it was a very engaging game. And still a good example where pixel count or texture res had absolutely no bearing on how fun a game can be.

So? They could have done all that and not had it be an interactive movie. That is the entire point I am making that is being ignored. It isnt all praise for the game either. A search brings up many threads and opinion pieces that are very harsh on the telltale game series. Not everyone likes it. Which is fine and does not change my point one bit. You can have a game that looks good plays well and has a good story.

 

[Wingznut]

So? They could have done all that and not had it be an interactive movie. That is the entire point I am making that is being ignored.

I get it... You don't like that it's an "interactive movie". But you have to realize that so very many others do like it that way.

 

[Arkaign]

I really like the Walking Dead game, but I don't really feel like it was a game. It was more like a 'choose your own adventure' book. Turn to page 36 to do this, turn to page 47 to do that. I almost feel like it would have been better just to do it that way, as a series of cinematics, then a prompt to select your option when it comes to a decision. The 'action' and walking around were the weakest elements, and fundamentally unnecessary to the outstanding writing/voice acting/direction.

It's the best non-game game ever, if that makes any sense. I don't want it to seem like I'm complaining about it, I wouldn't mind seeing more stuff like that, but feel that the feeble attempts to make it interactive were pretty much wasted. It should either be streamlined like I suggested, or given more freedom to where there was a point to having control of the character in terms of walking around, mashing a button repeatedly, whatever.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I get it... You don't like that it's an "interactive movie". But you have to realize that so very many others do like it that way.

Opinions are fine. Just not every game has to lack any cutting edge graphics to have a good story and good gameplay mechanics. They can all exist side by side in a video game. It just takes the right ideas implemented in the right ways.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Walking dead is a movie where you can press buttons. Not much of a game there. So it actually fails for me in more than one way. Same reason I did not get Beyond Two Souls on ps3.

Also stop trying to talk down to people. It isn't doing you any favors.

Too bad. I wonder what the chances are L4D3 will come to the new consoles with the steambox out... probably zero. :'(