First impressions

steviec

Well it was a miserable morning, and I may never be able to look myself in the mirror again after doing what I swore I'd never do and handing my cash over to game for one of their overpriced core bundles(at least I haggled down to two games from the minimum of 4 they wanted to make me purchase), but I finally got home and managed a full 15 minutes of playing before I had to come into work *sigh*

So what do people think?

Things I've noticed:

Only 2 USB ports? I was in a hurry to get set up so maybe I've missed some hidden away somewhere.

It's noisy. Far more so than current gen(should that be last gen?) consoles, but it's not at all bad when you consider the hardware it contains and you compare it with a PC. When playing you don't notice.

I really really really like the joypad. It may be my favourite ever. The wired one gives you a good generous length of cable too. Which is always good.

I like the dashboard, they've thought of lots of nice little touches that really make a difference.

I only played 1 game, PGR 3. It looks fantastic and plays great. One thing that really stood out to me were the engine sounds, I'm not sure why, I've never payed attention to them that much in other games but they just sound fantastic in this. I'm enjoying the gameplay handling, I only ever played PGR1 and that was a long time ago when I only had it for a week so it's all pretty fresh to me.

As I said I only got 20 minutes or so with the console so I'll no doubt have more to say later.

xanthor

steviec wrote:

Well it was a miserable morning,

It's noisy. Far more so than current gen(should that be last gen?) consoles, but it's not at all bad when you consider the hardware it contains and you compare it with a PC. When playing you don't notice.

I really really really like the joypad. It may be my favourite ever. The wired one gives you a good generous length of cable too. Which is always good.

I like the dashboard, they've thought of lots of nice little touches that really make a difference.

I only played 1 game, PGR 3. It looks fantastic and plays great. One thing that really stood out to me were the engine sounds, I'm not sure why, I've never payed attention to them that much in other games but they just sound fantastic in this. I'm enjoying the gameplay handling, I only ever played PGR1 and that was a long time ago when I only had it for a week so it's all pretty fresh to me.

As I said I only got 20 minutes or so with the console so I'll no doubt have more to say later.

I got the Premium. Infact i prebooked a second one at Smyths just incase.
(i let it go - got my deposit back)

The Premium package weighs about 10LBS I kid you not.


Yep, it's noisy allright. Heard plenty of overheating rumours, the heat behind it IS considerable. I didn't have any games prebooked, i told them 'N'ah i'm good for games' they talked me up to one.


The controller....... I don't like. At least, not yet. The position of the start button above the analog bugs me. The game..... I'm unsure on,the sound is great but i need more time to get used to it.

So far, overall, I'm not blown over by the whole thing.
Might grow on me.........

HornPilot

Ah I’m glad you got one mate, I had the chance to get a core myself, I was very tempted but I decided against it, I can wait a few weeks and save some dosh in the long run!! Anyway man happy gaming!!

steviec

Yea heat was something I paid attention to, had a good feel around after playing and both console and power supply were nice and cool, like I said though it wasn't running long! I doubt there's anything to worry about though it was more a small bunch of defective units than a pandemic I think.

I wanted a premium, but I figure a year from now I'll have all the stuff I want from the premium pack anyway, and I won't miss the 30 quid or whatever it is extra to get them separately(considering I have no desire whatsover to ever get the dvd remote). Yes, I know I'm impatient!

KTRIC

I got my Premium 360 this morning and I got a Dell W2600 HD tv yesterday. All I can say is WOW . I played PGR3 for about 30 minutes this morning thinking it was the dog's bo][ox , then whilst flicking throught the manual for the system I realised that I hadn't even gotten the HD switched on.

All I can say is that it was worth the 3 month wait and all €410 .

Well done MS and I hope to see the games coming down in price soon, even to €60 would be nice.

steviec

K-TRIC wrote:

Well done MS and I hope to see the games coming down in price soon, even to €60 would be nice.

If you buy from play.com they are that price

Looking forward to playing in high def, I was on a 20" standard tv today but my HDTV is coming soon.

peterk19

I got mine hooked up to my High Def Projector on my wall and it looks fantastic im not sure how big it is on the wall somewhere in the region of a metre high and 1.5 -2 metres across it looks and the new controllers are great too

Macker1

peterk19 wrote:

I got mine hooked up to my High Def Projector on my wall and it looks fantastic im not sure how big it is on the wall somewhere in the region of a metre high and 1.5 -2 metres across it looks and the new controllers are great too

Just wondering what projector are you using. I got hold of the premium pack earlier today and have yet to open it up. Planning to do so later and I have a Panasonic PTAE 300E. My DVDS look great on it so I have high hopes for the 360.

peterk19

Macker1 wrote:

Just wondering what projector are you using. I got hold of the premium pack earlier today and have yet to open it up. Planning to do so later and I have a Panasonic PTAE 300E. My DVDS look great on it so I have high hopes for the 360.

Its an Hitachi CP-X327 im really happy with the quality just need to get a good speaker setup
Pete

kaisersose77

i thought they at least have a few demos on the HD but no they have none and to top it off they only have 3 demos to download. How many europeans really want to play madden and nba when they get their new xbox360. I thought fifa, call of duty etc were gonna be available. And then in music, they have **** music and videos they only have 2 clips. Could they not give us ppl with no game bought yet something to do with it!

Macker1

peterk19 wrote:

Its an Hitachi CP-X327 im really happy with the quality just need to get a good speaker setup
Pete

Very impressed with the picture quality thru my projector. PGR3 on a 8 ft screen is the dogs bollox. The Dolby Digital sound is feckin amazing. The wife is constantly telling me to turn it down. Have to say early impressions are very good. Having broadband and access to all the Xbox Live features are a must. I even have the pc linked to 360 and have full access to music & pictures.:)

rainbow kirby

xanthor wrote:

The Premium package weighs about 10LBS I kid you not.

Yep... my shoulders are in bits from hauling the damn things around all day!
*kicks Microsoft*

ZygOte

this console it sooooo sweet , got the premium one, extra wireless controller, wireless network card, charge kits, vga HD cable for my 42' HD plasma screen and connected it into my amp via the optical output on the back. sweet mother of god PGR is amazing in 5.1 and HD. i reload my computer with XP media centre last week in preperation and set up the extender link from the xbox , streems video and audio great straight to the tv and amp. PDZ and Condemned are great too.

Laguna

Mine was great for the short time I got to play it for before the wireless joypad stopped working. Now I have a console that I can't play with because the wireless pad is unable to bind to the 360 for reasons best known to itself (the green lights on the pad continually flash after I try to bind it to the console). I must have only got about twenty minutes with the console myself, my brother played it then for an hour or so, we turned it off, came back to it later SHAZZAM, the joypad doesn't work.:mad:

rainbow kirby

You really don't have the best luck with release day consoles, do you?

Laguna

It doesn't stop there rainbow kirby, this sort of luck happens in my general life too. I'm a born loser.

ianmc38

I got an unordered core bundle in the 3G store in Dundrum Town Centre last night. Last 1 there. Then had to pay €50 for a new controller. €80 ffor perfect dark zero. Graphics are amazing. Gameplay i only put down as average however. I just bought quake 4 off ebay as well, so looking forward to getting that. Looks fantastic on the HD Projector too!

Feidhlim

thats the spirit!

well, at least you have a console... i couldnt get to the shops till 12 and by then they were all gone except for like 2 core systems.

so i went out and gots me a big 26" hdtv. 1100 euro.

Atomic Pineapple

i wish i had money and wasnt at college

projectmayhem

got the premium package. i keep it in the box and do some lifting. i look like the rock now.

it's a nice console but still doesn't feel very "next gen". it's a step up, but not the leap forward ps1 - ps2 was... but obviously the games aren't quite "next gen" just yet.

still holding out for "big" ken and his playstation

00sully

is anyone disapointed with the noise of the 360?

I mean its not too bad when its booted up and the dash is runnin - bout the same as the original xbox but man, when you load up a game the noise of the machine triples its quite bad, then only downside i've found so far

Bob the Builder

I was guaranteed that the 360 would be in the Xtra-vision, Westport and after pointing out what microsoft called a "shortage" they said that they would have it.
..So I a 13 year old, counted down the days to the 2nd of December and straight after school(3:30), I danced up the street to find that Microsoft had left that shop short by about 1 Xbox.360.(3 were ordered by other people and i was the last to order so no Xbox)
I hav been told next Thursday, but i was told not to countdown on it, so therefore i cant use my stopwatch
My Question
Why does Xbox hav to have a console out without having proper stock put in place?

My conclusion:
I hav none because I hav no Xbox 360 but I can say that Microsoft should be a little more heartened for the children who hav asked for a 360 and will wake up on Xmas Day just like I did on Dec 2nd

Ri_Nollaig

they did do a worldwide (almost anyway) release which as far as i know is a first for a console and considering the spec of it the manufactoring probably isnt easy... so while it is annoying its still better then lets say releasing it in japan first US 6 months later and then europe almost a year after orginal lunch date which for the previous jap console was the case

WellyJ

nevf wrote:

I was guaranteed that the 360 would be in the Xtra-vision, Westport and after pointing out what microsoft called a "shortage" they said that they would have it.
..So I a 13 year old, counted down the days to the 2nd of December and straight after school(3:30), I danced up the street to find that Microsoft had left that shop short by about 1 Xbox.360.(3 were ordered by other people and i was the last to order so no Xbox)
I hav been told next Thursday, but i was told not to countdown on it, so therefore i cant use my stopwatch
My Question
Why does Xbox hav to have a console out without having proper stock put in place?

My conclusion:
I hav none because I hav no Xbox 360 but I can say that Microsoft should be a little more heartened for the children who hav asked for a 360 and will wake up on Xmas Day just like I did on Dec 2nd

Had the same experience in the local xtravision but i refused to leave the shop until i had one, i was first at the door waiting for it to open but the assistant said i prebooked mine last and as they were one short i had to miss out.

Anyway, convinced her to sell me one and got it home only for the HD Component cable to pack in after about an hours play. Went to gamestop today in Clare Hall and bought another one and everything is rosy now

Worth it for PGR3 at 720p on my 32" LG HDTV.

Truly an amazing experience

Stompbox

Just saw a Core being sold for 300 on eBay from a Dublin seller

projectmayhem

nevf wrote:

I was guaranteed that the 360 would be in the Xtra-vision, Westport and after pointing out what microsoft called a "shortage" they said that they would have it.
..So I a 13 year old, counted down the days to the 2nd of December and straight after school(3:30), I danced up the street to find that Microsoft had left that shop short by about 1 Xbox.360.(3 were ordered by other people and i was the last to order so no Xbox)
I hav been told next Thursday, but i was told not to countdown on it, so therefore i cant use my stopwatch
My Question
Why does Xbox hav to have a console out without having proper stock put in place?

My conclusion:
I hav none because I hav no Xbox 360 but I can say that Microsoft should be a little more heartened for the children who hav asked for a 360 and will wake up on Xmas Day just like I did on Dec 2nd

xtravision's allocation of 360's is pathetic tbh. the company MIGHT get you one, but then it may just ship as many as they can to dublin stores as that's where the money primarily is...

hound them. seriously.

monster1

hey i was wondering, what is the record button on the 360 remote for? is it for xbox live?

kaisersose77

Probably used when you connect your xbox to your pc which has windows media center edition.

jonnybadd

Aye, record TV ala Sky+