New NXE shots – Friends Channel and themes

Looks pretty “kiddie” to me. Seems like Microsoft are just copying Nintendo, Apple and Sony to try and get some of their marketshare…

Anyone else notice the lack of adverts? I mean the current blade is full of them, so what happens? Do Microsoft increase the cost of Xbox Live to compensate for the lost revenue, or will adverts suddenly appear when this launches? It surely has to be one or the other…

I think it looks atrocious.

How exactly do existing themes look better? Horrificly cropped to shreds and losing the main focal points by the look of things! Why must that blank space take up so much of the screen? At leat give us a transparency setting so it’s not so dull!

Microsoft are dropping the ball with each and every bit of info they release on this. Was psyched to begin with, but it’s getting worse. Waaaaaay too much reliance on their fucking avatars!

IGN has confirmed the NXE for November yet, take a look:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/913/913832p1.html

I like it. Very clean.

“Looks pretty “kiddie” to me. Seems like Microsoft are just copying Nintendo, Apple and Sony to try and get some of their marketshare…”

All company’s copy each other or other ideas. Sony’s home is just second life its been done before. Also if you actually read up on the new blades you don’t need to have a avatar. Its just something they put in because they know people like it. Not to really pull out another example MSN Microsoft had weemee’s long before Mii’s on Nintendo’s console. Yahoo had there own version of a customisable avatar as well. So your idea they are merely copying the others isn’t really true since Microsoft have done simaler things before.

“Anyone else notice the lack of adverts? I mean the current blade is full of them, so what happens? Do Microsoft increase the cost of Xbox Live to compensate for the lost revenue, or will adverts suddenly appear when this launches? It surely has to be one or the other…”

The adverts you talk about were for products for there console. Movies you can get on xbox live demo’s, and games that are out now for it so really no they wont increase the cost of xbox live.

Anyway if people actually read up on the new update they would know. (A) you don’t need to have an avatar and (B) you don’t even need to use the new dashboard. Its just a software update so people should stop picking at it. If you don’t like it don’t use it end of

It just looks tacky.

Your options with the 360 is stay with the cluttered blades system or have some Rare developed Mii’s, and by mentioning Rare I intend to mention their aesthetically unique style.

@David, aren’t there car adverts and shaving adverts on Xbox Live?

“(A) you don’t need to have an avatar”

So Microsoft keep saying. But previews like this certainly seem to suggest that even something as simple as a friends list is going to be overly complicated as a friends list is going to be a mess!

(B) you don’t even need to use the new dashboard.

Why should i have to resort to pressing the guide button everytime i fire up the machine?

“Its just a software update so people should stop picking at it.”

So i’ve paid £250 for my console, and now i’m not allowed to share my views? If you think there aren’t people who won’t like the new dash that won’t share there thoughts then you’re in the wrong hobby.

Looks clean and well laid out.

I don’t care who they copied, if it improves my interaction with the machine, then I’m happy about it.

It’s weird, people moan about the copying thing like MS were the first people to do it.

Why do people feel the need to point out the other companies copy eachother? Everyone knows this, everyone knows someone has copied someone before, but that doesn’t make it anymore acceptable either way!

Agreed, there’s copying everywhere.

The thing is you need to try to better what you copied, considerably.

@No_Puding

Never seen any car adverts my xbox live.

@Big Stu
I don’t see how you can think its a mess its far more streamlined than the blades. Its not been released and the reason there showcasing the Avatars is because people seem to like that crap (I personally don’t and wont be using it) so that’s why there showcasing it. Also I’m in the right hobby but in the internetz people complain far too often.

I’ve not said the dash itself is going to be a mess, i said the friends list is going to be mess, judging by the look of this preview.

I think it wont be any more messy than what it is already. This update to me is just a new skin all the functionality remains the same just looks different.

I like firing up my friends list and being able to see the names up front…i don’t want to have to scroll through tons of little people (that’ll no doubt take a few seconds each time to load) to find friends.

“Why do people feel the need to point out the other companies copy eachother? Everyone knows this, everyone knows someone has copied someone before, but that doesn’t make it anymore acceptable either way!”

Why does it make it unacceptable? Why do you care?

Why do i care? What a stupid question. As i’ve said, i’ve paid £250 machine, i have every right to care. How is that not obvious?

The functionality that’s in the current dashboard is built into the new miniblade so it’s not like you’re going to be losing anything. (You can navigate your friends list there)

It does seem to be more of a kiddies thing than anything else.

Still you cant blame them for going after the young audience. Question is will it work. Only time will tell I suppose.
When I showed it to my daughter she just said it was the mii.

Mind you I will probably mess about with it myself just because I can.

Sorry Stu, I still don’t get it. Why do you care if MS copies another company? I’ve paid for it, too and I don’t.

“The functionality that’s in the current dashboard is built into the new miniblade so it’s not like you’re going to be losing anything. (You can navigate your friends list there)”

But i’d like to do it from the main dash, not have to click the guide button everytime i log in.

“Sorry Stu, I still don’t get it. Why do you care if MS copies another company? I’ve paid for it, too and I don’t.”

Because (as has been pointed out), they’re not doing it that well right now.

I think you’re trying too hard Stu. What’s the difference between hitting the guide button and hitting the friends button on the dashboard? Next to nothing.

You know, maybe if you give the thing a chance it’s just possible that you might like it. Change doesn’t have to be bad.

Stu: we don’t know that yet now do we?

Anyway, it seemed like it annoyed you in principle, not in practice.

Trying to hard? At what?

A simplified friends list should be common sense, it doesn’t need over-complicating with all these silly little people running around the shop. It’s just unneccesary.

For what it’s worth, i’m still looking forward to the new dash. Stuff like the web marketplace and ripping games to the hard drive are a great idea, but the over-reliance on avatars is annoying me right now.

To find flaws before you’ve even used the thing. You still have the simplified friends list, you’ll just get to it in a slightly different way.

In fairness, it didn’t take any trying to find this flaw. To me it was right there.

I think it looks heaps better than the current mess. Plus, the new slimmed own “quick blades” looks really slick and clean. So in a way you get two improved ways to interact with all the functionality the 360 has.

Aaaaaannnnd, if that isn’t enough. I’m sure that most of the people going “I’ll never use the kiddy avatars” will end up making a cool litter rocker/surfer/scoientist/fatbaldguy for themselves in the end.

I’m looking forward to seeing some celbrity look alikes.

“Aaaaaannnnd, if that isn’t enough. I’m sure that most of the people going “I’ll never use the kiddy avatars” will end up making a cool litter rocker/surfer/scoientist/fatbaldguy for themselves in the end.”

I’ll be forever rocking old school gamerpics haha

We’ll see…

I’m going to petition MS for a Chief avatar until they cave.

I think a Master Chef helmet is on top of their “pay-to-wear” list.

Imagine what they could do if they went down the LBP path and let you make avatars of new and upcoming games.

I want a Silent Hill monsters, a Pieena and a L4D/RE5 style zombie.

GIEF!

They probably will… but expect to pay for it.

Though I’m sure some will be unlockable.

They can just name their price sadly.

/is a mug

That is an oportunity Nintendo have missed so far. Unlockable / dowloadable / buyable extras for the Miis.

I’m sure MS will make the most of it. And rightly so

Personally I reckon it looks great ans is a vast improvement on the current blades and I am really looking forward to using it.

As someone else said earlier everyone copies and as long as it brings improvements who gives a flying fuck. The way some people go on about Miis you would swear Nintendo invented avatars.

looks kinda shit to me then again so do the blades