Xbox Live Fall Update: 5 Things I Like, and 4 Things I'd Like Changed
- July 24, 2009 18:29 PM PST
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The newest Xbox Live update has landed at GamePro. Find out the coolest features and the potential problems before the update hits the public!
With the Xbox Live preview finally landing in my grubby little meat hooks, I've spent almost the entirety my Friday exploring its new features. There's quite a few awesome new additions, but I must say that a few things need work. Check out my impressions, and go fill out this Microsoft survey to earn a chance at getting the preview yourself this Monday! Otherwise, look forward to the following features (as well as the potential slight downsides).
What's already awesome:
1- The New Queue
As a Netflix fiend, I can't get enough streaming--in fact, I'd say roughly half of my time online with the 360 is watching the various "Watch it Now" movies and TV shows available via Netflix. Unfortunately, adding new movies was a bit of a tribulation, especially when I had to deal with a single internet connection for a few weeks earlier this year. Now the Netflix page features not only features your streaming queue, but you can also browse suggestions from your favorite genres. My new Netflix page features TV sitcoms, anime, and comedies. PC World's Darren Gladstone stopped by to check it out and astutely described it as "The front page of Netflix.com."
Additionally, there's a list of recently viewed movies, which is a godsend for the times I've watched something at the ass-end of 150-item queue. And while it doesn't have to do with your queue, you have the option to display the movie/show you're watching on Netflix on your Xbox Live status. It's not mandatory, so I might want to turn off the feature if I ever want to see how Poison Ivy 3 ends.
The new queue basically looks like the old one, but with a few more rows of movies.
2- Ratin' Games
One of the reasons I've taken to Netflix is the ease of rating movies. When I first signed up, I spent a few hours finding just about every movie I'd ever seen in my life and assigning a score to each and every one. There was nothing complicated to it--you give a movie a score between one and five stars and the rating is used to determine similar movies you'd enjoy, as well as inform your friends of your film-watching tastes.
Microsoft must have realized how addictive it's become, since it's incorporated a nearly identical rating system to its own games. Almost every game, whether it be retail, Xbox Live Arcade, or community/indie can be rated. The scores are already being used to determine "Most Popular" sections on the various sections in the game marketplace.
3- Medal of Honor
It's a very slight addition, but I'm digging the badges given to Gold Member veterans. I've got a golden trim to my Gamercard now with the number 4 on the upper right corner--presumably, it's because I've been a Live member for four years, though it could be wrong--Microsoft wasn't exactly clear on what the number means. I'm also not quite sure what I've got in store when Microsoft promises "There might be other perks for you, too!" in the update notes. I hope the company doesn't come back at me for four years of back sales tax.
4- Netflix Party Time
Since the updates are available only to the media for the weekend, I haven't been able to watch anything with my Xbox Live Friends. I attempted to invite my features section tag team partner Patrick Shaw into a viewing of The King of Kong this morning, but his non-updated console couldn't join me. I was able to enter the Netflix party room by myself though, and while it's largely superfluous, it provided a pretty cool new way to watch movies, as my avatar sat in movie theater screens directly below a screen showing the movie or show I had chosen. While watching, I could have my avatar express one of eight different emotions. Chooing 'Playful' made my avatar dance in his seat and toss popcorn in the air, while choosing 'Love' would cause my avatar to blow kisses at the screen while hearts fluttered around its head. Hmm... maybe I should keep Poison Ivy 3 on my queue after all...
There's no pics for the Netflix parties, but it's basically MST3K with you and your friends' Avatars.
5- Neatening Up Achievements
While I wouldn't say I'm an achievement whore (especially with my meager 9000 Gamerpoints), I do seek them out as bonuses when I enjoy a particular game. Even though Achievements have been around since the inception of the Xbox 360, a few little additions have made the hunting and earning process a little more intuitive (and enjoyable). Upon clicking on your Gamercard on the My Xbox menu, you can see a progress report of your Gamerscore--how many points and achievements you've earned out of the games you've played, along with a list of games you've completed every achievement for. My slim lineup of four fully-finished games prompted me to scan for games I had one or two achievements left for. When I found one, I was able to launch Dig Dug on Xbox Live Arcade right from its achievement list instead of heading into my game library. I then proceeded to futilely attempt to procure the missing achievement for the next half hour. I'm not quite sure that's a good thing.
Honorable Mention:
One feature that wasn't available in the Xbox Live update preview, but will be ready for the rollout in August is 'Games on Demand'. Basically, if you've got the hard drive space for it, you'll be able to download formerly retail-only releases like Mass Effect and Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise directly to your hard drive. Those 120GB drives are looking awfully tempting all of a sudden.
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- Jul 24 2009 at 06:44:55:PM PST
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I hope i am choeseing for thie perview. And I can't wait for it. And that the fact.
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This update doesn't really look like anything special. I'm not really digging the Avatar Marketplace, and I can do without facebook and twitter. uggh
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I still wish there was a way to separate the multiplayer/online achievements from the single-player ones for those of us who don't do a lot of multiplayer. Not to mention the old games no one plays online anymore.
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Sounds good! I would rather have the option to create my own clothes! I think that would be better. But we know it won't happen cause they want MONEY!!! I won't be buying any clothes, when games give me clothes I'll check them out. I'm pretty sure they talked about how you will unlock clothes when you play games.
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