Console advice

[crunchy superman]

So I've been considering getting a 360 recently and would like some advice. Several games as of late, and some that are upcoming, look pretty good and will likely not be ported to PC. That, coupled with the fact that I've got the great big HD plasma to enjoy them on, and I like the idea of gaming wireless from the couch is tempting me.

I'm looking primarily, but not exclusively, for words from those who have recently converted from being long-time PC only. Worth my while? Keep in mind, there is no high-speed available in my area, so anything via Live is out - it's gonna have to be what's on the disc and that's it.

One more thing: I'm already using my DVI & component jacks and certainly don't want to take a step back and go the old composite route. I have a VGA port on my set, so can anyone out there who is also using it give me an idea of the quality (say, vs DVI)?

[Scream]

I own a 360 and am glad to have it. I have a few good games at the moment, and there are quite a few very promising ones on the horizon. I was pretty much exclusively a PC gamer from the mid-90s up until the release of the first Xbox, and now rarely play anything other than UT2K4 on my PC.

I'm not sure I'd want it without Live! however. Aside from downloadable demos and the other freebies it offers, it's also just about the only way they are distributing patches for games. See this thread:

http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22116

Now, personally, I don't own any games yet that are unplayable without a patch, but several of them do have patches, and I can see that becoming the norm. A lot of the patches have to do with online play, so if you don't have Live and therefore aren't concerned with online play, it may not be a problem that you can't download them.

The other possible issue is the backward compatibility for Xbox titles. As our "friends" at Circuit City so rightfully tell us it's done through software emulation:

http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22148

The list of backward compatible games is constantly being updated, but even if you were to install the emulation software once, I'm not sure that keeps you up to date to enjoy all the newly added titles. I've seen more than one of the old titles need to download something to be playable on the 360. So, once again, not having Live could be a big pain in the ass if you want to play old Xbox titles.

All that having been said, you can hookup to Live with dialup as detailed here:

http://www.pcvsconsole.com/hank/answer.php?file=540

Slow as hell, but would do the job, and patches aren't usually that big so the slowness likely wouldn't be a big issue. If you don't already have the gear required (which seems likely), that's a significant additional expense on top of the already expensive console. It's all a matter of how badly you want to play the games they offer.

The quality of the video on my HDTV with the component HD cables supplied with the premium 360 package is excellent. The games are beautiful. All other console benefits of course apply (e.g. leverage existing home theatre system for big screen big sound, sit back in easy chair and play, great for having friends over to play in front of, etc etc.).

As always, whether it's worth it or not for you depends mainly on the games you like to play. If you're really big on FPS, you may find the controllers frustrating as they simply aren't as precise (but you can get used to them, and they're very functional).

Anyway, if you do decide to get one, enjoy!

[0marTheZealot]

A general rule of thumb for me is that a console should have 3-5 must-have games that are exclusive. For example, PS2 had FF10, GTA3, DMC which were must haves to me. That was worth the entry price of $249 or whatever it was when I bought it.

Find some games you want to play on the X360 and then go for it.

[Hudson]

I wait for a console to have at least 6+ months under it's belt before I consider buying it.

Also, once all three consoles are out on the market, the competition between the three will really drive the companies to produce more, better games.

When that happens, I choose the console that has the best games and support that appeals to me, and I make a purchase.

[Llama Gibbz]

Id say wait for wii or get a 360 now.
IMO the PS3 price and supply is a joke.

I have a pc and xbox 360 and no broadband.
Most pc games are geared to broadband connections and bleeding edge hardware.

You will probably get a better "single player" experience from a console than you will from a pc nowadays.(depending on genre)
However keep in mind when you finish the game,thats it.
No multiplay or mods with no broadband.

[Llama Gibbz]

All that having been said, you can hookup to Live with dialup as detailed here:

http://www.pcvsconsole.com/hank/answer.php?file=540

Slow as hell, but would do the job, and patches aren't usually that big so the slowness likely wouldn't be a big issue. If you don't already have the gear required (which seems likely), that's a significant additional expense on top of the already expensive console. It's all a matter of how badly you want to play the games they offer.

The quality of the video on my HDTV with the component HD cables supplied with the premium 360 package is excellent. The games are beautiful. All other console benefits of course apply (e.g. leverage existing home theatre system for big screen big sound, sit back in easy chair and play, great for having friends over to play in front of, etc etc.).

As always, whether it's worth it or not for you depends mainly on the games you like to play. If you're really big on FPS, you may find the controllers frustrating as they simply aren't as precise (but you can get used to them, and they're very functional).

Anyway, if you do decide to get one, enjoy!

Even if patches arent as big.
I would imagine games will be unplayable or have extreme latency just like 56k on a pc?

[Damien_Azreal]

Games, that's what they were originally intended for... that's why i buy em. I don't care how great the graphics, capabilities or online support is. If it's got shit games it isn't worth it.

Check out the game selection said console has, and which ones are coming down the line. Find games that interest you, then decide were to go from there.

[Kit]

You might aswell just wait it out and pick up a Wii in November, that's where all the decent games are gonna be - plus at 480p it should look pretty sweet on your plasma. :)

[avatar_58]

Games, that's what they were originally intended for... that's why i buy em. I don't care how great the graphics, capabilities or online support is. If it's got shit games it isn't worth it.

Check out the game selection said console has, and which ones are coming down the line. Find games that interest you, then decide were to go from there.

Thats why I laugh at people who have consoles or handhelds and say "Damn...theres no games for me to buy" when clearly they didn't even bother to look before they purchased. What is the point of buying a console when you don't have games to buy? If theres not at least a dozen or so games you 'must have' then I say the console isn't worth it.

[8IronBob]

Yep, got an X360 hooked into my 32" LCD HDTV, and a notebook for PC gaming as well as a desktop with a DVI connection to that same HDTV. However, I'd go with a combination of an X360 and a Wii (as Peter Moore suggests). Seems like there are better selections for the X360 than there have been. However, I kept hearing that the X360 will actually crash on some of the newer games (the Dead Rising bug). I have never had any crashes on any of the newer games. However, back during the original PSX days, there were games that crashed on that console, so I wouldn't recommend any other consoles from Sony, because of that, that's probably why I never had a PS2. I was just turned off by Sony's hardware failures over the past 10 years or so. I'd go Microsoft and/or Nintendo all the way.