I have worked at this project for a little while and have now nearly finished the paper work.

I am now looking into the current layout of the Dashboard and how that can be changed.

EPIC fail.

This info is taken directly from Xbox.com’s Major Nelson. Do you guys notice one little game that got completely shut out regardless of the gimmicks of triple-XP & shenanigans that they tried to pull? It’s time to park those Lambos & get back to work. The party’s over.

LIVE Activity for week of Nov. 23rd

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles (based on UU’s)

1    Modern Warfare 2
2    Halo 3
3    Call of Duty 4
4    Call of Duty: WaW
5    Assassin’s Creed II
6    Left 4 Dead 2 (Download the Demo)
7    1 vs 100
8    GTA IV (Purchase the full game)
9    Madden NFL 10 (Download the demo)
10   FIFA 10

Following on from my celebrations of the PS3’s third birthday, I must raise a glass to the Xbox 360 who turned four yesterday. However, the achievements of the 360 are somewhat different to that of Sony’s now-gen beast. Microsoft was able to build on the success of Xbox Live from the original Xbox and launched with a credible online service that, after four years of tinkering, still bests Sony’s efforts. We may have to pay £40 for the privilege but it’s money well spent if stability, decent download speeds and other such niceties are what we’re after. Read on!

Other than a favourable online service, most of the 360’s success has come from the PS3’s failings. Such as the initial difficulty to program for the PS3 and being out a year early. Developers chose the 360 as the lead SKU meaning many cross platform games suffered when porting up to the PS3. What it meant for gamers was simple – Xbox 360 versions looked and ran better. With a year of sales under it’s belt, Microsoft’s little white wonder was already settled when Sony decided to finally launch it’s dip into HD and the difference in price made the 360 look all the more enticing – despite the inferior hardware.

Launch titles were plentiful (18 in the US, 16 elsewhere), but not necessarily a huge leap in video game advances. Take Perfect Dark Zero. This was the most successful first-party title yet played like an early Xbox title. Thankfully, Infinity Ward were able to lend their talents and gave early adopters Call of Duty 2 – my first Xbox 360 game. Graphics were sharp but apart from amazing particle effects (some of the best smoke in a video game) it was still very much a ‘quick we need to get this finished’ kind of launch title. What it did do well if not brilliantly was online play. Such a strong online presence helped solidify Xbox Live’s dominance. That and Halo 2. Yes, while Microsoft had all but killed the Xbox when releasing the 360, fans of Halo 2 still battled hard on their newer consoles. It’s the reason why we only able to have 100 friends on our 360’s. The older architecture of Halo 2 has forced the hand of Microsoft, making us be more selective as to who we accept as friends.

As of September 2009, 31 million 360’s have been sold but unfortunately, a startling percentage would have red-ringed. I’m lucky enough to only be on my second 360 but know people who’ve been through considerably more. So much so that Microsoft couldn’t ignore the problem any longer and increased the warranty from one year to three years. A good move on their part but something that should never need to happen in the first place. Another cock-up/masterpiece was the Core system. Unlike the Premium console, Core – which has been replaced by Arcade – came without a hard drive meaning the firmware powered backwards compatibility was simply unable to happen. Not to mention limiting the size of Xbox Live Arcade titles to only 50MB since they had to fit on a memory card for those Core owners. Thank heavens for the Arcade model with it’s 512MB hard drive and Microsoft’s initiative of selling refurbished 20GB hard drives to Arcade owners. This was mainly because the massive overhaul to the 360’s operating system going from the bladed dashboard to the New Xbox Experience late 2008. With the NXE came Avatars – a feature still yet to find its place for many 360 gamers.

With the demise of the HDDVD, Microsoft now fills it’s Xbox Live Marketplace with HD movies, ready to be rented and streamed onto our systems. It didn’t take long for Netfilx – streaming media company – to partner up with Microsoft and offer their services via the console.

After four years of red-ringing, foul-mouthed online players and leading in the HD gaming genre, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been able to offer some fantastic ‘must-have’ titles. Halo 3 concluded the trilogy (for now) and satisfied most of the Halo fans who moved onto its online shenanigans. Cliff Bleszinski’s Gears of War looked beautiful and played even better with its stop-and-pop mechanics. Nothing new to video games but somehow perfected. Gears of War 2 in 2008 bettered the original and became a system seller in its own right. My personal favourite of first party (now third party) titles has to be Mass Effect. Glitchy as hell and arguably unfinished, it still won the hearts of like minded gamers who found the escapades of protagonist Shepard hard to ignore.

Despite being almost the same age the the console it replaced, the Xbox 360 looks to have a lot of life left in it. Next year will see the release Project Natal with its advanced motion capture abilities to either help or hinder upcoming titles and the long awaited Alan Wake is rumoured to have a launch date of around May. It has had a fair share of troubles and some lonely months at the start when games were thin on the ground but join me won’t you as I raise my carton of orange-juice aloft in celebration of the Xbox 360’s fourth year. Well done you.

Cruising the Twitters, as we are wont to do, we stumbled upon a revelation, courtesy of one Major Nelson. That revelation: Today is the fourth anniversary of the launch of the Xbox 360. Yes, just four years ago, on November 22, 2005, the Joystiq universe was just buzzing with excitement. There were freezing cold lines to wait in, boxes to open and new games to play — in fantastic HD resmolutions! And then, of course, it began.
Check out a sampling of our Xbox 360 launch coverage after the break.

Continue reading Happy 4th birthday, Xbox 360

Happy 4th birthday, Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy 4th birthday, Xbox 360
Richard Mitchell
Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Hier ein paar aktuelle Podcasts:

Major Nelson’s Show #339

CAGcast #178: Clunts

2 Chimps #19: Hair of the Dog & 2 Chimps #20: Modern Fluware

-Fenrol

We’ve just released the latest new features for your Xbox 360.  In case you’ve been off the grid for the past few months and don’t know what is in this update, allow me to give you the some of the highlights: Facebook, Zune Video, Twitter and Last.FM.  Here is how to find ‘em: Facebook and Twitter will appear automatically on your dashboard in the new My Community channel, Zune Video is in the Video Channel and Last.FM will be found under the Music Channel.

Assuming you have the latest Xbox 360 system update from Xbox LIVE, these new features will automatically appear sometime over the next few hours. Availability of these features will vary by region.

Remember, if you are under 18, you’ll have to wait a little longer for some of these features.

New Xbox 360 features now available (Twitter, Facebook, Zune Video and Last.FM) – Xbox Live’s Major Nelson

Major Nelson just announced that the Xbox update with Last.FM,Twitter,Facebook and Zune Marketplace will be coming to everybody on November 17th

The Dashboard Update preview that was released last month had the under 18 population of Xbox Live enraged over the age restriction of Facebook, Twitter and Last. FM.  If you’re a minor then you got locked out of these apps.  WTF?  Facebook has kids running rampant all over it’s community along side your grandma and uncle Bob.

Xbox has responded to the backlash and mouthpiece Major Nelson has posted the following on his blog:

As some of you might be aware, those under the age of 18 are not able to access Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm in our public preview. I want to you let you know that this will remain the case when it launches to the world soon. We made this decision because as it stands now, parents aren’t able to use Family Settings to customize which of these applications their children can access. In order to offer an age-appropriate environment for everyone, we decided to turn off these applications for those Gold members under the age of 18. As expected, this has been a hot topic with the preview users. We want to make sure everyone was aware, however, that the development team is working on an update that gives parents the choice of which social applications their children can access. This means that Xbox LIVE members between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to use Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm as long as their parents approve. The team hope to roll this out several weeks after launch and I will update you on the exact date as it gets closer.

So great news all you Tweens!  You’ll now be able to waste even more daylight hours playing games and hitting up your friends on Facebook & Twitter.

As some of you might be aware, those under the age of 18 are not able to access Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm in our public preview. I want to you let you know that this will remain the case when it launches to the world soon. We made this decision because as it stands now, parents aren’t able to use Family Settings to customize which of these applications their children can access. In order to offer an age-appropriate environment for everyone, we decided to turn off these applications for those Gold members under the age of 18. As expected, this has been a hot topic with the preview users. We want to make sure everyone was aware, however, that the development team is working on an update that gives parents the choice of which social applications their children can access. This means that Xbox LIVE members between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to use Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm as long as their parents approve. The team hope to roll this out several weeks after launch and I will update you on the exact date as it gets closer. 

Twitter, Facebook, Last.FM and Xbox 360 Family Settings
Major Nelson
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 GMT

A recent announcement from Major Nelson on Twitter:  / Un anuncio reciente de Mayor Nelson en Twitter:

majornelson The Crackdown team just told me that have a title update now on LIVE that will enable you to install Crackdown to your HDD [message posted at 12:08 PM EST].

majornelson El equipo de Crackdown acaba de decirme que tienen una actualización para el título ahora en LIVE que permitirá instalar Crackdown en su disco duro [mensaje publiado a las 12:08 PM EST].

Major Nelson decided to address the system wide ban of users playing pirated games and using modded 360 consoles to log into Xbox LIVE.

As you may have read online, we’ve been actively banning consoles from Xbox LIVE that have been modified to play pirated games. Our commitment to combat piracy and support safer and more secure gameplay for the more than 20 million members of our Xbox LIVE community remains a top priority. All consumers should know that piracy is illegal, and that modifying their Xbox 360 console to play pirated discs, violates the Xbox LIVE terms of use, will void their warranty and result in a ban from Xbox LIVE. The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them. This would also be a good time to remind you that the warranty on an Xbox 360 console is not transferrable and if you purchase a used console that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE.

Looks like Microsoft isn’t going to take all this piracy lightly and the ban hammer is out.  If you’re playing on a modded console be warned.  You’re days are numbered…

Green Light Gamer applauds Microsoft for their efforts to stop this illegal activity.  It’s bad for the industry.

Así es, gracias a major nelson nos enteramos que ya podemos descargar a nuestra consola el demo de Left 4 Dead 2 y les pongo el link para que lo hagan programen desde sus computadoras.

PINCHE AQUÍ Y DESCARGUE EN SU CONSOLA

Another week goes by and it’s another week that we see Halo 3 still sitting at the top of the live usage charts. Doesn’t anyone want to play anything new? Well here is the full top ten most played games on live charts thanks to major nelson.

Retail Games
1    Halo 3
2    Call of Duty 4
3    Call of Duty: WaW
4    Halo 3: ODST
5    Gears of War 2
6    FIFA 10
7    Madden NFL 10
8    GTA IV
9    Borderlands
10   Left 4 Dead

Arcade Titles
1   Trials HD   
2   South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Game
3   Tower Bloxx Deluxe
4   Zombie Apocalypse
5   Panzer General Allied Assault
6   Battlefield 1943
7   Hasbro Family Game Night
8   Magic: The Gathering
9   Castle Crashers 
10 Shadow Complex

Mal ein Off-topic Thema (für dass es übrigens keine direkte “Off-topic” Kategorie gibt). Für die unter euch, die zwischendurch mal nichts mit sich anzufangen wissen, oder die, die gerne generell oder mehr Podcasts hören möchten, die mit dem Thema “Games” zu tun haben. Hier einpaar Empfehlungen von mir:

XBOX Live Major Nelson: Larry Hryb arbeite bei XBOX und hält jede Woche mit Co-Host “E” und des öfteren auch “Lauralollipop und Stephen Tolouse, dem “Director of Policy and Enforcement for Xbox LIVE”. Hauptthemen sind XBOX und Games dafür. Releasetag: Sonntags

CAGCast:: Der CheapAssGamer Podcast (kurz CAGCast) geführt von CheapyD, Wombat und ab und zu Shipwreck, wird in diesem Podcast allgemein über Games und Gadgets diskutiert. Releasetag: Mittwochs

2 Chimps on a davenport: John Tarr (Beer_Baron) und Dan Broadbent (ExplicitD erzählen ebenfalls über die Welt des Gamings aus der Sicht der “Walkthrough”-maker. Releasetag: Dienstags

Der Spieleveteranencast: Bekanntheiten wie Heinrich Lenhardt (buffed.de/COMPUTEC Media AG), Boris S. Johne (XBOX-Mitarbeiter/Kugelblitz Kanal), Anathol Locker (Bravo Screenfun), Winnie Forster und Jörg Langer. Releasetag: ?

Der Buffed-Cast: Wöchentlich setzt sich die Mehrköpfige Buffed-Crew in der kleinen Tonkabine zusammen um über die Welt der MMO’s zu reden. Unterteilt in 2 Teilen: 1. Teil: World of Warcraft, 2. Teil: Andere MMO’s. Releasetag: Freitags

-Fenrol

Hace un rato hubo mucha polemica sobre un posible accesorio Bluray para el Xbox 360, pero por lo visto todo era una vil falsa alarma.

El Major Nelson papas fritas dentro del equipo de lanzamiento de la consola menciono en su blog lo siguiente:

¨Durante una entrevista ayer, a Steve Ballmer se le pregunto acerca de la tecnología Blu Ray y el xbox 360. Yo quiero dejar algo en claro. Steve se referia a accesorios Blu-Ray para PC. Como ya lo hemos mencionado en el pasado, nosotros no tenemo planes de introducir un lector de Blu-Ray para el Xbox 360. El futuro del entretenimiento en casa empezará muy pronto cuando el Xbox 360 se convierta en la primera y unica consola en ofrecer peliculas en HD 1080p vía streaming. Con una librería de cientos de programas de televisión para escoger, los poseedores de un Xbox podran ver instantaneamente las peliculas en alta definición sin necesidad de un lector Blu-Ray.¨

Bueno la respuesta de este sujeto me parece muy lógica, con el streaming de peliculas el Blu-Ray es completamente inecesario. Lo malo es que a los que habitamos en territorios fuera de USA dudo mucho que nos sirva de algo ese servicio.

Vía Major Nelson Blog

Steve Ballmer (Microsoft CEO) w wywiadzie dla Gizmondo zapytany o ewentualne wzbogacenie konsoli Xbox 360 o napęd Blu-ray odpowedział:
“Well I don’t know if we need to put Blu-ray in there—you’ll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories”
Hmm, sam nie wiem. Blu-ray player jako oddzielne akcesorium do Xbox’a 360? Z jednej strony Steve Ballmer obiecał już kiedyś Polsce Xbox Live, którego do dziś dnia nie ma i wegług mnie nie ma na niego szans w tej generacji konsol, z drugiej strony Steve Ballmer to Dyrektor Generalny Microsoft’u (Chief Executive Officer) i choć jego wypowiedzi są bardzo dynamiczne i kontrowersyjne, prawdopodobnie wie on znacznie więcej niż nam się wydaje.

Update:
Major Nelson na swoim blogu oficjalnie zaprzeczył, jakoby Microsoft zamierzał wypuścić na rynek przystawkę pozwalającą na odtwarzanie filmów w formacie Blu-ray.

Microsoft ha anunciado, a través del blog oficial de Major Nelson, que la próxima actualización de Xbox 360, disponible a partir de la semana que viene para todos los usuarios de la consola, desactivará las Unidades de Memoria no oficiales que el usuario tenga instalada en la consola. De esta manera, al instalarse la actualización las tarjetas de memoria que no hayan sido licenciadas oficialmente en Xbox 360 cesarán en su funcionamiento.

Major Nelson aconseja copiar las partidas grabadas en tarjetas de memoria no oficiales a una Memory Unit oficial o al disco duro de la consola antes de instalar el nuevo firmware de Xbox 360.

De forma muy particular veo esto como una mala política ante el uso de material no oficial. Ahora bien, sabemos que la mercancía no oficial es no licenciada y por eso cuesta menos, pero de ahí a que deje de funcionar en las consolas es algo aterrador. Empezaron con los controles modificados, ahora las memorias, luego serán los discos duros, los cables ethernet, los headsets… quien sabe.

¿A que no te imaginabas un llavero tan caro? XD

Según el Major Nelson [eminencia en el 360...] ha confirmado que en la siguiente actualización, aparte de incluir twitter y facebook también hará que todas las memorias que NO sean oficiales del 360 hechas por Microsoft valgan merga, que el XBox no las lea y te la peles.

Van a decir… estos cabrones de Overdrive son fanboys de PS3, pero… NEL, si el 360 se ensarta solo y si no hay otras notas el día de hoy, pues ni pedo XD.

Si tu amigo usuario de XBox 360 tienes tus partidas respaldadas en algún otro dispositivo de almacenamiento que no sea oficial de XBox… más te vale pasarlo al HD de tu consola o ir a comprar una memoria oficial [carísima...] ya que en el momento que actualices toda tu info va a bailar con bertha [valer verg...].

Source | ºecetia.com| majornelson.comº