XBox 360 tested by kid

[Asmodeusz]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/18/news_6129378.html

What do you guys think?

[Vivi]

I think this is in the wrong forum.

[hell-angel]

Vivi said:
I think this is in the wrong forum.



Yeah, should be in the FNORD forums, but on the other hand, it seems legit enough for the fuss he made about removing the photo's later on. Or so I read. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Synti]

It's either clever marketing from Microsoft or that kid's stepfather is in big trouble http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Asmodeusz]

Synti said:
It's either clever marketing from Microsoft or that kid's stepfather is in big trouble http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif



I saw the photos, It seems like marketing for me. First of all the kid didn't take the photos himself, so someone assisted him. Plus it seems like MS is trying to scare Sony - "Look, our console can run games already". Aside from the fact that a MS employee would take the risk and walk off with the console without authorization - yeah right. Everything for the kid (which is not even his).

[Lengis]

Vivi said:
I think this is in the wrong forum.



Why? It's an article about games, how is this the wrong forum?

[FireFly]

Who says it started out in this forum?

[Fraeon Waser Duhni]

FireFly said:
Who says it started out in this forum?



It was on general discussions at first.

As for the pictures, well...
For the looks of it, it's probably one of Microsoft's stunts. Look at the damn house -- it's probably so empty just so nobody could trace where it is.

[Lengis]

Well hell angel said it belongs in the Fnord board so I assumed it started on this forum, and was suggested to move to the Fnord board which I don't agree with http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif



Anyway, the article sounds interesting. But really, it's just kinda neat more than anything else. Ok so some kid got to play an X360, and it's backwards compatible. We knew that already right? Maybe the sucker can try punt it off on ebay to some fanboys.

[Gatinater]

Nah. I don't see any games I'd like for it. The only console games I liked were Splinter Cell, Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Metal Gear, but all of those games have been milked and played out.

[Logic Bomb]

Gatinater said:
Nah. I don't see any games I'd like for it. The only console games I liked were Splinter Cell, Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Metal Gear, but all of those games have been milked and played out.



Who asked the question "whos buying this?". Seems like you answered the question without being asked :P Either way your clearly not the target market.

In any case, i think it's real. Looks like some dumb kid who just wanted to show off without understanding the concept of an NDA and the ramifications of what he did.

As far as marketing is concerned the ONLY purpose i see for this is keeping xbox in the news which at this point is already going on without any help. The picture has wires coming out of it which adds to authenticity and if it were a marketing thing i'de see no reason to show a picture of a wirey system.

I believe it's true, and i would also expect that the father is more than laid off by now with that xbox yanked out of the house within hours of MS finding that pic online.

- LB

[Dr. Kill]

read this last night. You're too late, man.

[ADM]

Dr. Kill said:
read this last night. You're too late, man.



Shh. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Anyway I really hope Microsoft does release the 360 in Australia before christmas. It would make me very happy http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/love.gif

[Little Conqueror]

We'll see if Microsoft takes any legal action. If they don't, chances are it's just a marketing ploy.

[Dr. Kill]

it might just be a marketing ploy, cause Microsoft could've just told Gamespot to take the screens off...

Bill Gates sees all! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Mountain Man]

What's with the barren apartment? If these pictures are legit then it's possible the kid and his friend had access to an empty apartment where they could commit their deed in "secret". It's also probable his stepfather is no longer a Microsoft employee.

[Gryph]

I, too, think it's a marketing tool. If it is, I think it's failed because the only thing I thought when I first saw the pictures was "Oh god that kid's a moron."

[Travis]

ADM said:

Dr. Kill said:
read this last night. You're too late, man.



Shh. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Anyway I really hope Microsoft does release the 360 in Australia before christmas. It would make me very happy http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/love.gif



You're from Perth, eh. I'm from Adelaide. I haven't really seen many games that interest me on the Xbox 360 yet, though.

About the pics, it does seem a bit suspicious that the pics are still up, even though they say they were deleted from the forums...

[Scream]

Little Conqueror said:
We'll see if Microsoft takes any legal action. If they don't, chances are it's just a marketing ploy.



Other than firing the father, what kind of legal action would you expect them to take against a 16 year old? Make him give them his allowance every week?

Contrary to popular belief, it is not always feasible to fix things with a lawsuit.

[PlayfulPuppy]

Scream said:

Little Conqueror said:
We'll see if Microsoft takes any legal action. If they don't, chances are it's just a marketing ploy.



Other than firing the father, what kind of legal action would you expect them to take against a 16 year old? Make him give them his allowance every week?

Contrary to popular belief, it is not always feasible to fix things with a lawsuit.



It'd be legal action against the father, not the kid.

The father broke his NDA by not only telling his kid all that info, but then letting him play it personally. It might have been authorised, however.

[IwantMORE]

"The poster says his father is in charge of making sure the power supply doesn't "explode."

Nice http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Scream]

PlayfulPuppy said:

Scream said:

Little Conqueror said:
We'll see if Microsoft takes any legal action. If they don't, chances are it's just a marketing ploy.



Other than firing the father, what kind of legal action would you expect them to take against a 16 year old? Make him give them his allowance every week?

Contrary to popular belief, it is not always feasible to fix things with a lawsuit.



It'd be legal action against the father, not the kid.

The father broke his NDA by not only telling his kid all that info, but then letting him play it personally. It might have been authorised, however.



I still don't see legal action happening as suing a private citizen is bad press for the little compensation you could get as a multi-billion dollar corporation. "MS sues former employee leaving family penniless and living in dumpster". Not a great headline for Microsoft.

The only reason at all for doing it would be to make an example for other employees, but that's overly heavy-handed and wouldn't do anyone any good. If he took the Xbox home against policy, firing him would be more than enough to set an example. Company recourse for violations of NDAs is generally simply dismissal of the employee.

[Logic Bomb]

UNLESS damages are incurred. Which isn't true in this case since no damage was done. The NDA was broken but it's not like the system made it into sony's hands or not like he opened up the case and took pictures of the innards or pictures of the debug gui or anything. Dismissal is really all that needs to be done and all that should be done.

I still can't see why you guys think it's a marketing ploy. For one it's stupid as hell and two - with millions for marketing with ARG's and tv spots you REALLY think that putting an ugly kid in front of a wirey xbox is their idea of generating large scale hype? If ANYTHING it shows they can't keep their shit together and have to fire the father, not good PR at all.

- LB

[Asmodeusz]

UNLESS it was marketing guys. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[BioHazard]

Logic Bomb said:
I still can't see why you guys think it's a marketing ploy. For one it's stupid as hell and two - with millions for marketing with ARG's and tv spots you REALLY think that putting an ugly kid in front of a wirey xbox is their idea of generating large scale hype? If ANYTHING it shows they can't keep their shit together and have to fire the father, not good PR at all.

- LB



I think it is another viral marketing campaign designed to keep xbox 360 in the news, and also to show that it's in an almost complete form, and on track for a 2005 release. That my opinion anyway.

[pjohnsonjr]

I think they could of came up with a better scheme than let some john doe's son sit in an empty apartment living room with a XBox 360.

[Scream]

pjohnsonjr said:
I think they could of came up with a better scheme than let some john doe's son sit in an empty apartment living room with a XBox 360.



Why should they? Everyone is talking about it and the whole plan cost them $5. If it's a marketing ploy it's pretty f'n brilliant IMO.

[Logic Bomb]

Ack, i could of devised a better marketing sceme than this. At very least one that doesn't have negative undertones such as lack of control over their product and resulting consequences for the child and father.

With how poorly MS has been about keeping their secrets secret recently I still ferverantly believe it's real until someone proves it otherwise. Unless of course all of the leaked 360 specs before e3 was all one big "we can't keep our shit together" marketing plan.

- LB

[NetNessie]

Staged IMO.

Why would a microsoft employee, have a 40cm TV in a house with nothing but two pillows?

[DarkTemplar]

Does anyone else think the XBox 360 looks UGLY? I much prefer the look of the current XBox.

[Asmodeusz]

^Agreed.

[Lengis]

Naa, I like the look. I like the PS3 look too. They look more modern, and sleek than the previous generations. The PS3 is going to be as big as an Xbox tho http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[Dr. Kill]

I like the look of the 360 and the PS3, but I HATE the PS3 controller. I don't think I could play a game with something shaped like that. It doesn't look comfortable. The shoulder buttons are all smashed together in the center, the handles go out for 5 miles, the directional pad is crooked (look at it)... The XBox 360 controller looks great. It has the set up of the XBox controller, but the shoulder buttons of the PS2 controller. Triggers and shoulder buttons is going to work well I think. Now if only the analog sticks were in the same place as the DualShock2.

[NetNessie]

DarkTemplar said:
Does anyone else think the XBox 360 looks UGLY? I much prefer the look of the current XBox.



I think its one of the many Microsoft attempts to match the fashion appeal of Mac products.

The Revolution looks like a waffle.

[Joe Siegler]

What do I think? Intentional Microsoft leak to make it seem cooler.