Tue, Jul 15, 2008 | 07:17 BST

Microsoft details Xbox Experience, confirms full hard drive installs

Nelson just posted up a bunch of information on Xbox Experience, the new 360 dashboard just announced in the Microsoft E3 press conference for release this autumn.

In there’s confirmation that you’re soon going to be able to copy games to your HD completely.

Check this out:

  • Play from hard drive. Copy your games from the game disc and play directly from the hard drive. Not only will the drive not spin, but load times are quicker, as well. Of course, you will still need the disc in the tray to prove you own the game.
  • Access Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web. Browse and purchase Marketplace content whenever you want from Xbox.com and it downloads automatically to your console. Purchase that new map, television episode, the latest Xbox LIVE Arcade game or set up a movie to watch when you get home from work.
  • Dashboard built into the new Xbox Guide. For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away; they are now built directly in to the new Xbox guide. Every feature and option is available right from the guide. You can even access your full games library at all times. No matter where you are (in dash or in game), immediately call up your games played list and directly launch a game.
  • LIVE Party system. Create a party of up to eight friends, and stay with them from one game to another, or watch a Netflix movie together, or share a slideshow of your personal photos. It works with all Xbox 360 titles, not just upcoming games. LIVE Party allows up to eight people to chat in the dashboard, so you can meet up before playing.
  • Xbox LIVE Primetime. This whole new category of games is going to give you more reasons to get online with your friends. Games will support everything you’d expect, like Achievements and leader boards, but many of these games will include real prizes. You can invite your friends, and even set a reminder for an upcoming show. Each game is broadcast simultaneously, so everyone is answering the same questions. Many events will have a live host, calling the shots as they happen.
  • Avatars. Your online identity started as a Gamertag – it then grew into a personalized Gamercard. Now, it has evolved even further into avatars. You can express your style, check out new outfits and share this with the community. Avatars will also be integrated into Xbox LIVE Arcade games, LIVE Party, as well as retail games.
  • New display support. Because you asked for it, we are adding 16X10 over VGA or HDMI, and support for 1440×900 or 1680×1050.

More through the link.

15 comment-trail-alt Posted in: E3 2008, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox Live
Tags: ,

15 comments

#1

G1GAHURTZ
14/07/08, 9:22 pm

You’ve just got to laugh…

As soon as PSN manages to get the bog standard stuff that XBL had from day one, XBL takes it up another level.

Nice.

#2

sam_spade
14/07/08, 9:24 pm

“Play from hard drive.”

Ding!

#3

Psychotext
14/07/08, 9:25 pm

Play from hard drive thing is awesome.

#4

DrDamn
14/07/08, 9:48 pm

@Gigahurtz
A lot of that stuff sounds like them catching up with what Home will bring. Nice to see the dashboard getting a big update and fresh look though.

#5

Blerk
14/07/08, 9:57 pm

Shit – play from hard drive was completely unexpected. I’m amazed they’ll actually let you do that. Plus fucking one!

#6

Blerk
14/07/08, 9:58 pm

In fact that whole list sounds pretty good. Well, colour me… in.

#7

bugmenot
14/07/08, 10:38 pm

interestingly this is getting a largely positive reaction, when partial ps3 installs (designed to achieve largely the same end ie. faster loading times) earned a negative response. Both require the disk to be in the drive so no advantage is earned from a full install since partial install using background downloading from disc to drive so a full install is unnecessary and only takes up more space on the hdd

#8

Rhythm
14/07/08, 10:38 pm

Agreed. My biggest bugbear with 360 hardware has just been totally and utterly resolved

#9

Rhythm
14/07/08, 10:42 pm

@bugmenot – partial PS3 installs only seem to bring the console *up to* 360 load speeds. If the PS3 installs eliminated loads times then it’d be great, but they don’t.

The 360 installs have a major plus – the machine runs *much* quieter when playing from the HDD, the reason why my 360 barely got used for disk-based software.

Didn’t spot the 16×10 support – that’s a big plus, as cheap 1440×900 screens are plentiful

#10

Blerk
14/07/08, 10:42 pm

The difference is that the PS3 installs are mandatory, bugmenot. That’s the bit that pisses people off, not the fact that you can do the install in the first place.

#11

morriss
14/07/08, 10:45 pm

It’ll be dead silent won’t it?

Fucking excellent news!

#12

Psychotext
14/07/08, 10:49 pm

/pedant on

It wont be dead silent… none of the consoles are dead silent even when they’re running on their respective dashboards.

/pedant off

#13

bugmenot
14/07/08, 10:59 pm

@blerk ah yes i knew i forgot something:-p you’re right. i do think sticking a disc in the drive though after an install is a joy killer and loses itself its biggest advantage(imho)

@Rhthym well you cant really eliminate loading times you just have to be skillful in hiding them. I think the only reason dev teams relied on mandatory installs was to simplify the porting process, the CLV on blu-ray isn’t a disadvantage since all ps3 games can cache to the swap partition on the hdd.(no extra space required-since all hdds require a swap to be setup when you install one)

#14

Trip SkyWay
15/07/08, 12:39 am

Expected next to nothing from Microsoft this E3, very impressed with the stuff they’ve come up with.

Full hard drive install and the party system are fantastic.

#15

scuz
15/07/08, 4:09 am

botch?

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