Xbox news

[Crazysix]

some of the things that are coming to xbl and xbox
-MSG franchise
-Last FM
-Twitter
-Face book
-Sky TV(uk only) but gives hope for the rest of the world
-zune market place videos and music in full 1080p no download required
-for pimp HALO ODST and new secret game called Halo3 reach
-motion sensitive controller-actual camera driven game play(scrapped for natal as it seems) this is direct competition with wii but a hell of alot better

I will post the E3 presentation for MS and sony when the videos hit

[Crazysix]

voice control capability for different xbox functions
video share(think group or party video sharing finally)
project natal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2009286427_microsoft_xbox_throws_down_gau.html

OS ANGELES -- Microsoft revealed a motion-sensing gadget for the Xbox 360 that it said will change the future of entertainment -- and not just play catch-up with Nintendo's Wii.

If it works as promised, the device could dramatically raise the ante in the competition between the Xbox, Wii and PlayStation and usher in a new era of immersive entertainment.

Code-named Project Natal, the device is a horizontal bar about nine inches wide and stuffed with cameras, depth sensors and array microphones.

It can detect the voices and motions of people nearby, so they can interact with an Xbox and games just by talking and moving their bodies.

Prices and timing weren't available, but it won't be available until 2010 at the earliest and will probably cost around $200. Microsoft has already given game developers tools to start building games that uses the device.

At first it sounds like a challenger to Nintendo's Wii, which uses motion-sensitive controllers. but Natal recognizes gestures and motions made by the entire body without any sort of controller in the hand, Microsoft Vice President Shane Kim said.

"This goes way beyond the Wii," he said.

Natal will also add voice control, so users could walk up to an Xbox and use their voice to start a movie or check messages.

Kim said the device is intended to remove "barriers," making the Xbox more accessible to people who are intimidated by all the buttons and controls on a traditional game controller.

During a rock concertlike production at UCLA's Galen Center this morning, the company is also unveiling 10 new games and new services for the Xbox 360.

Microsoft's adding Twitter and Facebook to the 360, so users of those social networking services can check and post messages from the console. Adding these services is part of Microsoft's effort to make the Xbox Live network "the next generation social and entertainment network," Kim said.

New details are also coming out about the Zune video store that's replacing the Xbox Live video marketplace. The Zune software will play full 1080p movie rentals instantly, on demand, if users have a fast enough Internet connection. Kim said early testing suggests users need a 6 to 10 megabits per second connection to get the instant play.

Also being added to the 360 is the Last.fm music service.

[Crazysix]

-left 4 dead 2
-crack down 2
-alan wake
-Modern warefare2
forza 3(now I dont like racing games but this looks off the chain)

[Crazysix]

http://majornelson.com/ also follow from major nelson

[Crazysix]

watching the NATAL demo...this is freaky

[P_chan]

Well, I'm excited for Forza 3 and modern warfare 2.

It's been too long since I've played a good racing game and I refuse to buy GT5 prologue.

[jthizz]

some more news from E3 - http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/06/microsoft-morphing-xbox-360-into-social-entertainment-hub.ars

Microsoft is hoping to set the stage for E3 by hosting the first press conference of the show, and while the company kept the majority of its presentation dedicated to games, it's clear that Microsoft wants to turn your 360 into a full-fledged entertainment hub. Last.fm is coming to your console, free with your Gold Xbox Live Subscription. The console's video service is being relaunched as Zune Video, and it will feature 1080p content that you don't have to load—you just choose your video and watch. Facebook is coming to the service, with integration for your Xbox Live avatar and even some games, such as the upcoming Tiger Woods. Twitter is also heading to Xbox Live. The motion-sensing camera, called Natal, is real, and Microsoft showed off how it is used to control the UI for the system, explaining that now anyone can play a game. Welcome to the social.

The motion-camera, which in fact does look functionally identical to the 3DV demo we previously wrote about, allows you to control games, try on virtual clothes using your own image, and even use hand-motions to buzz in while playing game shows. Voice commands? They'll be in there. Microsoft brought Steven Spielberg onto the stage to demo the technology, and his avatar moved in real time as he controled the UI. While many called this technology a gimmick before E3, everyone seems completely impressed by what's being shown here today. This isn't waving your hands around like the Wii, this is a very immersive technology tied to a very powerful console. The game demos look promising, including the ability to simply paint on a virtual canvas with your hands and voice commands. The sense of play is very Nintendo, and that's a high compliment for Microsoft.

In a slightly creepy twist, you'll no longer have to sign into your Live account; the system will know who is playing it by your face. Peter Molyneux showed off a game called Milo, where an animated character talks to you and you can talk back. Water shows your own reflection. You can draw a picture and show it to the television, "giving it" to a character who then interacts with the image. The level of interaction looks amazing.

The show also hyped a number of games, including The Beatles: Rock Band, which confirmed three-part harmonies and the ability to download entire albums as DLC. The songs "I Saw Her Standing There," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "I Feel Fine," "Day Tripper," "Tax Man," "I am the Walrus," "Back in the USSR," "Octopus's Garden," "Here Comes the Sun," and "Get Back" are all confirmed. In a heart-warming twist, "All You Need is Love" will only be available via Xbox Live, and the proceeds from the song's sales will go to Doctors without Borders. All the hate from Sony fans will go directly to the comments.

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr of course made a quick appearance, collected their paychecks, waved, and away they went. The star factor at this event is amazingly high.

Next up? Tony Hawk... well, hawked the new Tony Hawk: Ride, saying that it's going to feel just like riding a real skateboard; something that is sure to enrage the "why don't you just play a real guitar" set that's so vocal online. Until we have a chance to play for ourselves—and that's coming—it's easy to be skeptical about the board hardware that will come with the game. Modern Warfare 2 of course looks great and intense, as does Final Fantasy XIII, but that has as much to do with the sound system and theater as it does the games. We do know two maps for Modern Warfare 2 will hit Xbox Live first, as it seems like Microsoft getting the checkbook out was a theme of today's briefing.

Shadow Complex, an action/exploration title from Epic that's reminiscent of Metroid and Castlevania, was also shown, as was a cartoony racer called JoyRide. After that, the crowd finally got what it had been waiting for: the first details of Crackdown 2. Dead Rising 2 is exclusive to Xbox 360 and PC. Left 4 Dead 2 is likewise coming to Xbox 360 and PC. Splinter Cell Conviction? Yeah, that's exclusive to the 360, and it looks like it will feature some terrifically brutal context-sensitive kills. Forza 3 is coming in October, and if nothing else it looks like a car title that you'll want to play from the cockpit view; it's a stunning-looking game. Turn 10 makes some bold claims, as they talk about wanting to "win" the racing genre. They're clearly gunning for Gran Turismo 5 with this presentation, and the team unveiled an impressive high-definition video editor to show off your exploits on Xbox Live.

This was also the first time that footage from Halo: ODST had been shown, and it looks like the story will be told through the eyes of multiple soldiers, which seems like a smart bet. You'll be able to play the standalone expansion on September 22. That's not the end of Halo, as Halo Reach is coming in fall 2010. Of course, if you buy ODST you'll get an invite to the Halo Reach beta.

Alan Wake was shown in detail, and it looks absolutely amazing, with a heavy emphasis on using light to stay safe in the game. While sequels and more Halo may be exciting, this is what people came here for: to be turned-on by something that feels new. The game is coming in spring 2010, and is also exclusive to the Xbox 360.

While not an exclusive, Hideo Kojima revealed that Metal Gear Solid Rising is coming to the Xbox 360. This is Microsoft chipping away at the empire that was Sony, bringing yet another title that used to be known only on PlayStation platforms to the Xbox.

The conclusion? Microsoft has set the bar amazingly high for everyone else. Natal looks incredible, although it will take some real-world experience before we can completely believe the claims made by the presentation. The number of exclusives and well-loved properties is likewise impressive, although gamers are already voicing their anger at a sequel to Left 4 Dead being released so soon after the first game. In one swoop, however, Microsoft has revealed exciting exclusives, hyped games with exclusive or timed content on its system, given Xbox Live new life, and has perhaps even put the Wii on the technological defensive. That's from a stage show, however, and the question remains: how much of this will feel this real—and this good—once we get our hands on it?

[Crazysix]

PImp LAst fm twitte and face book will be available here, the only thing maybe the zune market place, but Iget full access now so I dont know how it will change

[Crazysix]

NAtal Vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_txF7iETX0

[Crazysix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8538sJlyq8s

[Crazysix]

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/e3/default.htm

check this page until the video post to the internet

[Crazysix]

ok here is MS E3 press conference enjoy

http://e3.gamespot.com/press-conference/microsoft-e3/

[retributionnk]

I'm not super impressed with the Natal stuff. I've seen one too many camera-based motion controls in my day, and none of them work well enough to not be annoying. I suspect Natal will be the same.

[Crazysix]

I'm not super impressed with the Natal stuff. I've seen one too many camera-based motion controls in my day, and none of them work well enough to not be annoying. I suspect Natal will be the same.

maybe...I was impressed because they actually seemed to have the bugs worked out. This a definite purchase for me. along with the zune hd and many of the new game line up..expect final fantasy

[retributionnk]

Not much of MS's conference was a surprise, most everything that was rumored ended up showing up.

[Crazysix]

I talked to Peter Molyneux's virtual boy on the Xbox 360. He liked the color of my shirt.

On Monday night, I got the briefest of demos of what may be the most ambitious piece of software known to be in development for Microsoft's new motion-control Project Natal: the virtual-person game known as Milo.

And, yes, Molyneux told me, this will be a game.

Three months ago at the Game Developers Conference, Molyneux was being cagey when I asked him what the evolution of the Fable II dog would be. He said he wanted to tell me. And today he admitted that he was alluding to Milo. It's the evolution of his interest in creating game characters that seem real. Milo, by the way, will have his own dog. (The dog's presence was alluded to in a demo-concluding still image of a boy, a dog, both in silhouette, and the line: "It's never too late to have a happy childhood.")

Molyneux is wary of over-promising these days. He holds back more than he used to when he hyped features early for games like Fable and The Movies. Today's brief Milo demo introduced a new element: he repeatedly cautioned that some of what I would experience with the game were "tricks."

The demo took place in a brightly-lit white room in the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles. A test version of Project Natal was set-up, including a camera over a TV and some other sensors. (None of Microsoft's Natal demos tonight used anything that looked like final hardware).

On the TV, a boy, Milo, sat on a swing hanging from a tree. Molyneux asked me to stand up in front of the TV and to begin looking around. The game was using head-tracking technology, I discovered. Leaning my head to the left or right — or backing away or walking closer to the TV — smoothly adjusted the game's camera angle. The tracking was responsive and intuitive.

I sat down while my MTV Multiplayer blog successor Russ Frushtick tried the next part of the Milo demo. He stood in front of the TV as Milo approached him and then, using his hands to make goggles over his face, he initiated an EyeToy-style novelty. He waved his hands to make the water ripple. (Molyneux told us that you can also help Milo build a treehouse.)

I looked away from the TV to ask Molyneux what I should make of this Milo project. Is it really right to think of it as a game? He said it had to be. It had to have a goal and even an ending, he said. At its most basic he said that we could think of Milo as a Tamagotchi but that it would be much more advanced and magical than those old virtual pets ever were.

Molyneux had me wrap up the demo by approaching Milo again. He asked me to call Milo over by saying my own name and acting happy. Milo walked up to me and complimented me on my blue shirt (my shirt was indeed blue). Then he stood there, waiting for me to say things. There was a little awkwardness here. The Milo demo was partially being manipulated by a developer who was sitting nearby, and I couldn't tell if he was merely calibrating the game or how much he was pulling its strings. I said nice things to Milo and the virtual boy smiled. I said I was standing next to Peter Molyneux and he sort of sighed. The most charming moment was that blue-shirt moment. It felt like this virtual person made a connection with me.

After I stepped away, Molyneux asked me what I thought. I told him the set-up was promising but that I'd want to use it more to see how well it works. Given how new the Natal project seems — and given how long I know Molyneux has been wanting to make a game about influencing the life of a virtual child — I questioned how long he and his team had intended to even integrate a camera. Molyneux said that he'd wanted to do something like Milo for a long time but that the idea hadn't really clicked with Microsoft until the Natal project came about. It was coming together.

I left impressed with the ambition on display but also certain that what we were shown was loosely stitched. Much tightening and tuning will be needed to make Milo feel like more than a collection of tech experiments — to feel alive. It's exciting that that's Molyneux's goal.http://kotaku.com/5275204/testing-molyneuxs-milo-a-virtual-boy-with-yes-a-dog

[Crazysix]

Not much of MS's conference was a surprise, most everything that was rumored ended up showing up.

well looking at the Sony forums the fan boys seemed a bit upset!!!!LMAO IMHO if sony doesnt do a price cut they are just shooting themselves in the foot......They banked to much on Blu-ray(PS3 being the cheapest) and now that there are players for around $200 , that pipe dream is busted.
Honestly I, would love to see sony tank as a company,they are too expensive and over rated. Hopefully apple will put an entry in the game console wars as well as live play(i believe that is what it is called) .

I dont like many PS games and the ones that peak my interest are mutli-console...... So I think over all MS did and outstanding Job and its in SOny's court tonight(JST)..... S

Some of SOny's big hits will be God of War , MAG and SOCOM....... MS's big hits is the HAlo series, GOW, Allen Wake, Splinter Cell and gambit of cross platform games that receive add ons that either MS exclusive or before PS3.

I will reserve my comments for sony after I watch and post. And retributionnk.. I know you are PS fan boy from your previous post in the forums, but MS did kick ass today.:thumbup::thumbup:

[retributionnk]

I've always preferred Sony's first party titles, yes, but I am by no means a sony fanyboy. I own an xbox 360, and play it all the time. With each console seeing less and less exclusives, they've got to fight the war with frill. I think that Microsoft has figured that out, Sony hasn't. As for what MS actually showed, I was quite upset. Most of what they showed were cross-platform titles. I don't play Halo, although I was impressed with Forza 3.

All I was saying was that MS's press conference didn't show anything that wasn't already rumored. There was no big surprise, as I've come to expect from an E3 press conference. Well, I was surprised that Kojima was actually there, but it was already well advertised that the MGS series was coming to XBOX.

Other than that, I think Microsoft's camera peripheral will flop, and so will Tony Hawk's ride, for all consoles. As much as I'd love to have an awesome skateboard-type peripheral, and a camera one for that matter, I just don't think they'll be able to nail physics consistently without making it horribly painstaking

[retributionnk]

Another note: that FF13 trailer looked like shit for being an HD title. I'll still buy it though, just because it's Final Fantasy.

[Crazysix]

good points and I wasnt insulting you by calling you a fan boy..... But most GOOD games IMHO are cross platformers, E3 has gone to the way of developers showing off what they have and the consoles trying to come up with new ways to sell, and that being console updates and hardware.

I see your point about the NATAL camera, but we will have to wait and see. FORZA did look awesome as did splintercell, MW2 and several others.

I do wish that there was a service that would allow us to see all the other companies and what they are bringing out, beside just googling. I want to see what apple has up their sleeve, and some of the PC game developers..beyond console games..

I also would have like to have seen crysis2, and warhammer(out of curiosity).

MW2 looks as good as if not better than the first and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Ghost recon 4 wasnt shown either, but I dint watch Ubi's presentation.

[retributionnk]

I agree with splinter cell and MW2, I can't wait to play them. And truthfully, if Natal and Ride both review well, I'll buy those too.

Yea, I didn't watch Ubi's or EA's. Although, I did hear about Madden's online franchise mode, which sounds pretty cool. Don't know if you're a madden fan, but for me, the online franchise is the thing I've been looking for. Most of my buddies that play are elsewhere in the world, so now we can create a franchise together... should be fun.

[Crazysix]

I agree with splinter cell and MW2, I can't wait to play them. And truthfully, if Natal and Ride both review well, I'll buy those too.

Yea, I didn't watch Ubi's or EA's. Although, I did hear about Madden's online franchise mode, which sounds pretty cool. Don't know if you're a madden fan, but for me, the online franchise is the thing I've been looking for. Most of my buddies that play are elsewhere in the world, so now we can create a franchise together... should be fun.

I dont play madden...but me and my buddy were talking yesterday bout if they could create a view mode for non players..sorta like an in game party just to view the action even if you dont own the game.

I am glad to last fm...which I use know , but could care less about twitter and facebook.

I can get hulu on xbox before they started Ip filitering but I still have the program....... I would love to see a venture with Justin TV. Hulu was great befoer the Networks starting buying them out

[Crazysix]

I did hear earlier in the year the XBOX live video marketplace will open/begin sometime this year in japan...but I have been able to find anything else about it.

he US video marketplace launched in November, 2006. In case you just joined us, it's now December 2008, and poor old Japan still doesn't have access to a store of their own.

Courtesy of the console's increased popularity in the country, however, that's about to change. Microsoft have announced that the service will be launching in Japan sometime during 2009.

But when in 2009? Sadly, that's as precise as they got, which means it's more likely to be the end of 2009 than the beginning. Or even middle.

Still, if you can get around the region restrictions, a ton of animated content is promised for the service, so hardcore (Japanese-speaking) anime fans will at least be catered for.

http://kotaku.com/5102214/japan-finally-gets-its-xbox-live-video-marketplace-on

[Crazysix]

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Full game downloads, Avatar Marketplace coming to Xbox Live

* News by Luke Anderson, GameSpot UK
* Jun 2, 2009 12:51 am GMT
* 92 comments

Console-maker announces plans for downloadable versions of Xbox 360 titles, user ratings also in the works.

A range of new Xbox Live services were announced during the Microsoft press conference this morning, including deals with Last.fm, Facebook, Twitter, and UK TV broadcaster Sky. At an invite-only "bloggers luncheon" immediately following the press conference, Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten expanded on new developments for Xbox Live, and followed this up in an open letter to Xbox Live members on Microsoft's developer network today.

The most important new feature not revealed during the press conference is the new Games on Demand feature, which will allow Xbox 360 owners to purchase and download full Xbox 360 games directly to their hard drive. Purchasers will be given the option to purchase games using a credit or debit card, rather than by purchasing Microsoft points.

According to Whitten, "the Games on Demand channel will launch with a library more than 30 great games, from classic hits like Mass Effect, BioShock and Assassin's Creed, to family favourites like LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Sonic the Hedgehog." Furthermore, "you'll have access to a wide variety of great games, downloadable in only a few hours and at the touch of a button. We've also added the option to purchase Games on Demand directly with your credit or debit card."

Whitten also announced a range of new features for New Xbox Experience's avatars, including "avatar items as awards when playing games." Microsoft and third-party publishers will be releasing a range of premium clothing and interactive props for avatars, and revealed a costume based on Halo 3: ODST's Shock Troopers as an example.

Lastly, user ratings will be coming to Xbox Live Marketplace. A five-star rating system will allow users to rate games and game add-ons, and sort games by user rating. For more about Microsoft's E3 announcements read our full blog from the press conference and stay tuned to GameSpot for more Microsoft news over the week.


http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6210669/full-game-downloads-avatar-marketplace-coming-to-xbox-live

[P_chan]

FINALLY something good out of E3

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-metroid-other/50237

I haven't been this excited about a video game in a long time:thumbup: