Fri, Oct 31, 2008 | 08:10 GMT
NXE user preview now available for download
VG247 reader revolting brings word that the New Xbox Experience preview has now gone live. He’s been using it, and everything.
Microsoft sent out mails earlier this week promising those lucky enough to be selected to pre-test the UI before general release on November 19 would have the update on their machines before November 1.
Microsoft: good for its word.
The company held a UK preview even yesterday for NXE, the results of which are embargoed until Monday. We couldn’t go due to baby-related stuff, but we’ll be sure to bring you all the news as it pops up on other sites next week.
Thanks, revolting!
16 comments
#1
Blerk
31/10/08, 8:50 am
Come on, revolting. Spill it.
#2
patlike
31/10/08, 8:59 am
He’s gone to work. He said he’s going to give it a proper go later on.
#3
Blerk
31/10/08, 9:08 am
While we’re talking NXE, I’m a bit disappointed that most of the media appear to have completely ignored the Community Games bit of the interface. Yesterday Microsoft announced the winners of the Dream-Build-Play competition, finally launched XNA Game Studio 3.0 out of beta and had an invite-only shindig to launch the initiative properly, but only a few sites seem to have even been aware it was happening.
I’ve no idea why they’re keeping it so quiet – to me it’s one of the most interesting bits of the revised dash.
Edit: videos of the winners are here.
#4
Blerk
31/10/08, 9:09 am
See – they’re even censoring me now!
Moderation please, Pat!
#5
patlike
31/10/08, 9:26 am
There you go
#6
Tonka
31/10/08, 9:34 am
It will be interesting to see the Xbots do a double take and start heralding SNES games as the saviors of gaming.
#7
Blerk
31/10/08, 9:34 am
Cheers!
#8
Blerk
31/10/08, 10:08 am
Plenty of people posting thoughts and impressions on EG now. Very positive so far, and the ‘install game’ feature appears to be going down rather well.
#9
patlike
31/10/08, 10:19 am
Yeah. I’ve seen a bunch of figures on HD vs disc install times that are going out on Monday, and there’s a positive difference.
#10
Blerk
31/10/08, 10:22 am
Most people are concentrating more on the reduced pop-in and quicker texture loading. Noticeable improvements to stuff like Mass Effect, GTAIV, Fable 2, apparently. This is all good.
#11
patlike
31/10/08, 10:26 am
Ja. I haven’t heard a bad word about any of it so far, to be honest.
#12
Blerk
31/10/08, 10:28 am
That ‘make a link to your avatar to use on the web’ thing from a few days earlier is working properly now, too.
/looks at everyone’s avatars
#13
deftangel
31/10/08, 10:49 am
My Fable II disc doesn’t half make a racket, I’m half tempted to put off finishing it until this is out and I can play it in peace!
#14
Blerk
31/10/08, 10:51 am
There was a report somewhere earlier this week that claimed that installing a game reduced the sound output of the 360 by 7db.
#15
Tonka
31/10/08, 10:52 am
25%
#16
revolting
31/10/08, 6:19 pm
I’m impressed. I expected to be completely indifferent to it, but I actually really like it. It’s slick, it’s smooth, and it’s fast. And the avatars aren’t annoying the heck out of me. Installation was quick and easy (it was done in less than two minutes from booting up the old dash) and everything just works really well, although I did have to redownload the video codec update we got months ago, but that took a whole second. The Marketplace is excellent now, much easier to browse around and find stuff. The additional details on various products are nice to have on screen too, although they are rather limited to newer stuff only. The pop-up blades that replace the guide, which was easily my least favorite part of the old dash, works really well. It’s compact, concise, and it has everything you could possibly need on it. All in all, a great update… HD installing and avatars notwithstanding, it doesn’t really do anything new, but it does it all in a much more accessible way. It hasn’t changed my life, but it’s made it that little bit easier on the eye.