Xbox 360's overhauled Dashboard: the gallery
By Ryan Block 
posted July 15th 2008 3:12AM
posted July 15th 2008 3:12AM
posted July 15th 2008 3:12AM
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Just watch---the avatars will be naked and MS will make us pay money for the clothes and accessories. mark my words. Cash. Cow.
To me this smacks of 'not ready for primetime release' and almost like they went to the dev staff and said "show me what cha got so far", looked at it and said, OK we want to include it as part of a presentation in this weeks conference. But they clearly didn't polish it at all NOR did they run it by marketing- otherwise they would let the potentially politically sensitive avatar naming conventions go out the way they did!
I find the overtly chinese name of the Asian avatar mildly amusing but would probably throw others off - ESPECIALLY the hispanic guy being named Don Juan- how stereotypical is that- lol.
Oh , and let's not forget the token black guy off in the distance...
oh- and the girl even further back than the token black guy- females don't play video games ANYWAY right?!
When I first saw the pics I thought "ugh, lame" but its even worse watching it motion. Maybe those vids don't do it justice, but I can't imagine warming up to those kiddie avatars. I don't want the Wii's gimmicks in my 360. Focus on your core gamer MS. Let the soccer moms and grandparents have their Wii and whatever piece of shovelware they waggle out this week.
I absolutely hate this idea. I'll give it a chance when it comes out, and I'll try it before passing final judgement, but I really can't see any way that a man around 30yrs old is going to want to look at Hannah Montanna style art everytime they turn on their 360.
I'm getting nautious just looking at the cartoony garbage.
If there is not a way to revert back to the current style blades, which work PERFECTLY as is, I'll be extremely dissapointed.
If I wanted a Wii/kids toy, I would have bought one!
The Lucklaster chick with Hitler mustache is creeping me out...
Those things have huge heads.
As long as I can turn those stupid things off I dont care. Microsoft needs to implement a hard core setting that basically turns all of this stuff off unless you are in the Recreation Zone.
On behalf of PS3 fans everywhere, let me just say: MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!HAHA!!
Seriously though, the idea of a simplied interface or - better yet - the option to have a simplified interface is a good one. The PS3 XMB is getting quite cluttered and if they want to tote it as a media center type of product, they need to have some sort of 'media mode' that has a simple, big-icon menu with 'Games', 'Video', 'Music' 'Pictures' and 'Web' - and everything else the hell out of the way. I'd likely stick to the current XMB but I can defintiely see people warming to something that tones down the scary array of options.
So basically something like this, but without the gay.
OH NOES! Microsoft took the blades away so I can't cut myself!!!
This is the worst interface option Micro$ucks could have come up with. I'll sell my 360 before I'm forced to use it!
No one's going to force you to use it. It'll be like Nintendo Mii--I have that but guess what,,,i don't go to the Mii channel. Just don't use the "feature".
E3 '09 Predictions:
- microtransactions up 10000% for 360
- pets/animal avatars from nintendo
- PS Home accessible on psp.
I thought this was a mandatory update? If it isn't, I'm so opting out.
Who else thinks this underdesigned rubbish looks like an unfinished alpha-version of Media Center? I can't say I like it, and I think I speak for a lot of the "hardcore" gamer crowd when I say this. In visual design, this is devolution.
I'm struggling as it is to maintain my interest in the 360 with its borderline childish dashboard; this update makes it look like a big kid's toy, the interface gives no thought to aesthetics, it looks tacky even compared to the default dash, which at least had plenty of things going on on the screen and decent use of boundaries and borders. I actually feel uncomfortable looking at this new interface with its complete lack of... well, anything. And the avatars... the idea I don't mind, but they ARE basically slightly more detailed Miis. Can't we have a bit more realism on what I thought was a more sophisticated gaming platform?
The PS3's interface provides you with highly functional simplicity in an elegant and sleek design, and though it might be a way off the "best solution" i feel that visually, it's miles ahead of what I'm seeing here. Did they start designing it and just... get bored? I can't stop lamenting this considering I'm going to have it forced down my throat in the near future.
Exactly! They have completely dissed the hardcore gamers that made the Xbox 360 what it is today! And no, you can't opt out of this it is a mandatory update - when you boot the 360 that's the dashboard you'll get. And the blade interface that is accessible via the guide button is not the standard blade interface, it's a plain gray version. This is the new dashboard like it or not. Looks like I'm trading in my 360 for a PS3! THANKS FOR RUINING MY GAMING MICRO$UCKS! BUNCH OF IDIOTS!
You've gotta be kidding me. So they're trying to rip off Apple, Sony, and Nintendo all at once, and failing at all three. Why the hell couldn't they just stick with their own, distinct interface instead of forcing some half-baked copycat on everyone?
When this update goes live, my 360 is getting unplugged from the internet so it doesn't become hideous.
Just to clear things up, Microsoft didnt make these, RARE DID, before the 360.
I can't wait for the mass ban arriving on the same day!!!
dear microsoft,
3d avatars are not cool. they will never be cool. they never were cool. please get rid of them.
ps, what were you thinking?
love,
zerozero7