Tried Xbox yesterday...

I finally had a chance to try out an Xbox. It was purely by \'accident\' though - I went into a store to buy a CD, but then I noticed an Xbox on display... it was running Halo. So of course I picked up the controller and played away.

First impression: It was nice. The gameplay and graphics wasn\'t mindblowing IMO, but it certainly was nice. Console FPS games have a problem though... the controller. Those kind of games should be played with a keyboard and a mouse - not a controller. It just seems akward to me.

The graphics didn\'t look amazing compared to PS2 but it was nice enough. Unfortunatly I didn\'t get to play for more than half an hour or so, so of course it\'s not a full review.

All in all I think Xbox is a nice addition to the console market, but in no way \'mindblowing\'. If I had loads of money I\'d certainly get one, but right now I won\'t. But, as said, if money isn\'t an object you should certainly get one. Halo seemed pretty good except for the fact that I\'d rather use a keyboard.

So whether you prefer PS2 or Xbox, you\'re bound to get a great gaming experience. And that\'s what counts, isn\'t it?

PS. If there are any spelling errors it\'s because I\'m slightly drunk at the moment... hope you don\'t mind.

Originally posted by Samwise
So whether you prefer PS2 or Xbox, you\'re bound to get a great gaming experience. And that\'s what counts, isn\'t it?
 

I tell ya what counts: METAL GEAR SOLID 2. Nuff said

Originally posted by Samwise
I finally had a chance to try out an Xbox. It was purely by \'accident\' though - I went into a store to buy a CD, but then I noticed an Xbox on display... it was running Halo. So of course I picked up the controller and played away.

First impression: It was nice. The gameplay and graphics wasn\'t mindblowing IMO, but it certainly was nice. Console FPS games have a problem though... the controller. Those kind of games should be played with a keyboard and a mouse - not a controller. It just seems akward to me.

The graphics didn\'t look amazing compared to PS2 but it was nice enough. Unfortunatly I didn\'t get to play for more than half an hour or so, so of course it\'s not a full review.

All in all I think Xbox is a nice addition to the console market, but in no way \'mindblowing\'. If I had loads of money I\'d certainly get one, but right now I won\'t. But, as said, if money isn\'t an object you should certainly get one. Halo seemed pretty good except for the fact that I\'d rather use a keyboard.

So whether you prefer PS2 or Xbox, you\'re bound to get a great gaming experience. And that\'s what counts, isn\'t it?

PS. If there are any spelling errors it\'s because I\'m slightly drunk at the moment... hope you don\'t mind.

I think people complain a little to often about the consoles discluding a keyboard and mouse for fps.

no biggie, but its all been said.  The only games that have badly needed a k+m combo IMO are

Max Payne
Unreal tournament
Quake 3

the others have done a pretty good job on the controls (espescially timesplitters 1+2)
and Halo was pretty darmned good too.

okay enough complaining...

later

Samwise, what level in Halo you were on?  Did you pass the ship?   IMO, Halo experiences will start after the ship.  

I like this level

Samwise,

I had the same opinion you did about the mouse and the keyboard (too much time playing TFC), but after about half an hour or so I got used to it.  FPS on consoles just don\'t seem right, that is until I played Halo.  I think that is why it is so "revolutionary".  Visually it really isn\'t anything more than what most of us have seen on the PC for the past 2 years.  The Halo story is great though...  

Pstwo, my favorite besides the one you show there is "the flood", man that sound is creepy and it really makes you want to know what is causing it.  Then you see what it is and wish you hadn\'t

Originally posted by pstwo
Samwise, what level in Halo you were on?  Did you pass the ship?   IMO, Halo experiences will start after the ship.  

I like this level

Played that level !

and that was the one where i was going to be sick due to the CRAPY Frame Drop when ever something intresting happened !

I thought Halo was pretty mind blowing. Driving around in that one vehicle with the mounted gun is a lot of fun. Plus you can jump out whenever you want and jump on the back and take control of the gun. Also shooting down the alien jets with the tank is awesome. Plus on that same level you can get on the alien speeder bikes. The music and story line are great also. At times the music can be really creepy. Also, Halo isn\'t strictly a first person shooter because whenever you mount a vehicle it goes into third person. And the controller is great once you get used to it. I can see if you\'re a kid or someone with small hands how it might pose a problem, but even then you could always just get the adapter that allows you to plug a PS2 controller into the XBox. The drop in framerate isnt any big deal either, the game still runs very smooth.

Originally posted by Damien8086
I can see if you\'re a kid or someone with small hands how it might pose a problem, but even then you could always just get the adapter that allows you to plug a PS2 controller into the XBox. The drop in framerate isnt any big deal either, the game still runs very smooth.

but why spend all that time and money just to waste a perfectly good Dual Shock 2 ?

I\'ve played the Xbox and the controller really dims my overall impressions. If I\'d ever own a Xbox (hey if I\'d win one, I\'d take it), then I would definately take the dual shock 2 adapter into consideration. What about the button layout, though. Since games are designed with the Xbox controller in mind, I can\'t really think of the dual shock 2 adapter as a good option...?

Originally posted by seven
I\'ve played the Xbox and the controller really dims my overall impressions. If I\'d ever own a Xbox (hey if I\'d win one, I\'d take it), then I would definately take the dual shock 2 adapter into consideration. What about the button layout, though. Since games are designed with the Xbox controller in mind, I can\'t really think of the dual shock 2 adapter as a good option...?

the worrying thing for me was that Hawke sayed that the rumble feature on the X box controller fealt like some kind of Cheap Sexual Vibrator

:eek:

the worring thing is HOW Did he know that !

and

i couldn\'t get that out of my mind when i played HALO on the Booth

When I first got my XBox I was very upset with the size of the controller, but after you use it for a while you quickly get used to it and for me at least, I like it even more then the smaller Dual Shock controllers for PS2. I like in Halo, how the white button turns the flashlight on and off.

Supposedly, during online gaming with the XBox communicator, gamers will be able to use the black and white buttons. "Push one and you\'ll be able to talk directly to you team. Push the other and you can broadcast to everyone in the game"

Also, the breakaway feature of the controller cord was well implemented. My clumsy ass already tripped over it once and the cord broke off just as designed without yanking the XBox console at all. Plus, I love how long the cord is - those who have large screen tv\'s and have their sofa\'s far away from the tv will be able to appreciate the 9.5 foot long cord.

Halo is about the only Xbox launch game I haven\'t had a chance to play yet. The rest are uninspiring, even DOA3 because (while the graphics are top notch) the game is still a shallow button masher. I like some meat to my fighters, not a round of paper, rock, sissors. How\'s that old saying go... "You can\'t polish a turd"?

Been wanting to play Halo for a long time, and it\'s pretty much the only game available for the Xbox that I want right now. The only concerns I have is like what Sammy was saying. No KB & Mouse. I don\'t care what kind of FPS it is... the KB & M are always going to beat out controllers. Well, maybe except for Doom64 and such.. but the lack of vertical aiming kinda negates that point. Everything I\'ve played from Medal of Honor for PSX, to Perfect Dark on N64, Red Faction for PS2 could have desperately used a KB & M. Quake III on the DC without that combo is a joke. You\'ll get your ass fragged everytime. Right now, I don\'t have a mouse.. so I\'m using a combo of the KB & DC pad analog stick. I STILL end up being rocket bait unless I\'m playing with guys who are strictly using the Pad.

The controller is a bit too big for me, but it\'s something I could learn to live with. Not to say I\'ll ever like the damned thing... I still hate my DC\'s pads.. but eh, they don\'t sell Bleempods in my area so I guess I\'m SOL. The 10 foot cord is a nice idea though, very simple and useful. Someone should tell these game companies that we\'re not 5 years old sittin on the livingroom floor 3 inches away from the TV screen anymore.

Anyhow, as my last and now expired Seaman (RIP) used to say... That\'s all I have to say on the subject.

Sonyfan you play DOA3, mash the buttons and I will beat you senselessly.  My friends come down and there is no competition, and there shouldn\'t be I know, but to call it a button masher is just your inexperience with the game.

Halo drops framerates VERY infrequently.

If you used the xbox controller for 5+ years and suddenly got introduced to the dualshock EVERYONE would say it felt too small and the buttons were placed illogically.  You are used to one thing, of course anything vastly different will seem alien.  Case in point: the keys on your keyboard were placed in that order so to SLOW people down because old typerwriters couldn\'t keep up with the speed of typists.  Some one years ago rearranged the keys in an order that is more logical (ie. letters that commonly go together are bunched together on the keyboard), but because everyone is used to the way it is, it never caught on even though it is a "better" keyboard and will increase your WPM if you were used to it.  I\'m not saying the xbox controller is better, but once you get used to it, it is a very good controller.

I can play FPS on my computer with a keyboard.  I DO NOT want to play with a keyboard and mouse in my livingroom.  Also, when I have friends over can you imagine 4 sets of keyboards and mice?  Can you imagine playing online and some people using k/m and some using controllers?  It makes sense not to have k/m even though it is a superior setup.  I hope they never release on because once online I\'d be forced to use a k/m setup in my livingroom and I do not want that.

If everyone is using a pad, the playingfield will be level.  Get used to it, it\'s not the end of the world especially since the game was designed to play with a pad.

very few slowdowns?

come on man, thats laughable at best

yer making excuses again

about the controller issue. I quite like the bulky feel to it actually, it\'s just the joystick seems to be at a wrong place and the buttons are the ones that really trigger it off. I mean, can\'t even just play the damn thing when you always have to look back down just to know which buttons which. I guess most people (like me) are spoiled because of the Dual Shock - but hey, it\'s just my opinion and I am glad that Microsoft is at least doing something about it.