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MS to offer NXE 'storage solutions' to those in need
After learning that the New Xbox Experience and Avatar customization would require, at minimum, a 256MB memory card, it spawned more questions than answers. Would the NXE install take up all 256MB? If so, what about Xbox 360 Arcade owners and their tiny 256MB memory card? Wait, what about Core customers who don't have storage or own a 64MB memory card? What are they to do and is the NXE update a mandatory download? CONFUSION! So, we reached out to. Major Nelson and, thankfully, he cleared up said confusion ... var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/MS_to_offer_NXE_storage_solutions_to_those_in_need'; "The new Xbox experience will require 128MB of free space. A hard drive is recommended for the optimal experience, to take advantage of some new features, and to be able to enjoy the great movies, TV shows and games available on Xbox LIVE. While we expect the majority of consumers to download the New Xbox Experience without a problem, a small percentage of Xbox 360 owners do not have enough memory to accommodate the update. To help ensure all Xbox LIVE members are able to download the New Xbox Experience and enjoy its new features, Microsoft will be offering storage solutions to the Xbox LIVE community. We are not sharing details of this offering yet. Be sure to check xbox.com for more details in the coming weeks."There you have it. The NXE is a required dash update, will need roughly 128MBs of storage, a HDD is recommended AND (shocker here) for those who own little or no 360 storage, Microsoft will be offering some sort of "storage solution". We wait for more info ...
Avatar customization and NXE requires 256MB storage [update 3]
Update 3: Clarification! Major Nelson clears the the confusion.Update 2: Some clarification. The release mentions that (at minimum) a 256MB memory card is required for the NXE and Avatar customization, BUT doesn't say how many MBs out of the 256MBs are needed for the update itself. Technically, the update could use up only 150MBs leaving 256MB memory card owners with some extra storage. What's guaranteed is that 64MB card owners or those who have no storage medium are out of NXE and Avatar luck. Update: Upon further investigation, Microsoft's press materials state; "The New Xbox Experience is available this fall through a free download to anyone with an Xbox 360 system, a broadband connection and a storage device of either a hard drive or 256MB memory unit or larger." So, we guess the entire NXE update will require an additional 256MBs of storage and Avatar customization will be a part of the NXE package. Ninja-snuck in towards the bottom of Microsoft's TGS08 press release (the one that talks up the New Xbox Experience), we spotted a curious disclaimer regarding Avatar customization and it requiring 256MB of HDD / memory unit storage. Verbatim, the Avatar disclaimer reads "customizing avatars requires a 256 MB memory unit or greater" which really isn't that big of a deal, unless you are a Core or Arcade 360 owner. 256MB of storage would mean that Core owners are totally out of Avatar customization luck (though, we doubt they care) and Arcade owners would have to max out their bundled 256MB memory card. That means our Arcade friends would have to choose: Avatar customization or saving game progress. Decisions, decisions ...
Scene It? Box Office Smash lands in retail Oct. 28
Microsoft has announced that Scene It! Box Office Smash will be hitting retail on October 28, which will likely serve as a saving grace for the Joystiq staffers who had no idea what else to do for Halloween. The game will cost $40 by itself or $60 in a bundle with four Big Button pad controllers. Truth be told, we had a lot of fun with the first game, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action! And any game that draws sketches of construction workers playing with dolls meets our approval.Also of note, Box Office Smash! is being touted as "the first game to debut with the New Xbox Experience's player Avatars," which can be used as your in-game character. We don't think this is an indication that the New Xbox Experience is coming out this month, as there are likely placeholders available, but it certainly raises an eyeybrow.%Gallery-33895%
New Xbox Experience: 'Friends Channel' and 'Themes 2.0' screens, details
click to enlarge Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog crew has delivered another in its series of glimpses inside the forthcoming New Xbox Experience. This week's update – sadly sans-video – focuses in on the Friends Channel and what MS is calling "Themes 2.0" – 3D UI make-overs that extend beyond simple wallpaper by bringing themed elements into the interface itself.It's fitting that both NXE elements are in the spotlight together, since one (the themes) directly affects the other (the friends list). You can browse the latest batch of related screens in the gallery below, and read some insider highlights of how this changes the Xbox Experience at the Gamerscore Blog. %Gallery-32833%
Video: Creating an Xbox 360 Avatar
Xbox Live's Major Nelson has posted a new video, showing just how we'll go about creating tiny, polygonal and considerably more handsome versions of ourselves when the New Xbox Experience (that's fancy for "dashboard update") arrives this Fall. If you've been wondering how you'll outfit your Avatar with virtua-threads or which button elicits a burp (yes, really), peer past the break. Of course, if you're the impatient type and just want to get back to your space mareenz, you can skip the whole process by simply selecting a random Avatar. Just don't blame us if you wind up as Shane Kim.%Gallery-27601%
Video: A look at the NXE's Avatars
Just as they did with the games played section of the New Xbox Experience, Gamerscore Blog (with help from Major Nelson) just posted a new video demoing Avatars. You know, those overly cute, adorable and quite controversial Mii inspired characters. The Avatar demo (embedded after the break) confirms the button options that were leaked a while back and that the long rumored Avatar burping feature will be included. Just watch the vid ... you'll see. We also want to point out that the NXE transition effects are super duper sexy! Watch closely at the beginning to spot the sleek menu transitions. Delicious!
The most common Fall update questions answered
If you're totally clueless in regards to all the "New Xbox Experience" talk, confused to no end and just want some of your basic questions answered, then TechRadar's "everything you need to know" article is just for you. Have New Xbox Experience n00b questions like "what is it?", "why is this happening?", "what's an Avatar" or (our favorite) "what if I don't want the new dashboard?" Then their helpful guide can help and give you easy to digest answers. We'll even give you a freebie: Even if you don't want the new dashboard, you're out of luck, because it's one of those mandatory Live updates. Then again, why wouldn't you want it and all of its hotness?
Rare: Avatar development started pre-Mii
Rare, developer of Microsoft's Avatars, explains that any similarity between its creations and Nintendo's Miis is purely coincidental. In an interview with Eurogamer, the company's art director, Lee Musgrave, states that Rare was working with the idea of Avatars (not necessarily for the New Xbox Experience) before Miis were part of the gaming landscape. Microsoft apparently liked the idea enough to make it part of its dashboard overhaul.Musgrave makes it clear that Microsoft didn't show up one day and ask for a counter to the Mii. He claims there were many questions about what form the Avatars should take (animals, Spore-like creatures, ultra-realistic humans), but they eventually landed on something that had "approachability." Apparently, Nintendo agrees.
Rare: Work on Avatars done 'before Miis were part of the gaming scene'
In an interview with Eurogamer, Rare's lead artist Lee Musgrave revealed that work on Avatars was done "before Miis were part of the gaming scene" and were only decided to be a part of the New Xbox Experience after Microsoft saw concepts of the lil' customizable characters. "Microsoft did not turn up one day in a speeding car and say, 'They've got Miis - do something!' It wasn't like that at all," says Musgrave, making sure to drive home the point that similarities between Avatars and Nintendo's Miis is purely coincidental. So, yeah ... take that Miis! You aren't being copied on purpose, you're just being copied coincidentally. Yeah!
Rare says Avatars were in production before Wii even launched
Oh Rare. Do you honestly expect us to believe this? Nonetheless, it's their story and they're sticking to it.The fine folks behind that Banjo & Kazooie business have commented that Avatars are not an attempt to copy the lovable Miis from Nintendo. Head of art, Lee Musgrave, says "It was an idea we had, even before Miis were part of the gaming scene, of putting these characters that you have an affinity with, not necessarily as part of the Xbox dash, but somewhere in the Xbox that you would play multiple games with, that you would have multiple experiences with that same character."Musgrave further added that "Microsoft did not turn up one day in a speeding car and say, 'They've got Miis - do something!' It wasn't like that at all; it was something that fell into place over a period of time." But was that period of time really the year the Xbox 360 was on the market before Wii's arrival? We're not sure we're willing to swallow the red pill on that one.%Gallery-31705%
Blizzard reveals new Battle.net features
DIII.net has a great writeup of everything Blizzard has said so far about the new Battle.net features, and while most of the information applies more to Diablo III and Starcraft II, there's some good tidbits in there for WoW fans as well. Battle.net is Blizzard's oldest online service -- it predates WoW by a few years and was notably used to play Warcraft 3, Diablo 2 and Starcraft online. It's making a return with a revamp for the release of Starcraft II, and in addition to the previously mentioned ability Battle.net will give playes to track achievements across all Blizzard games, the system will have a much more social feel than the previous incarnation of the service.Player accounts, avatars, icons, and friend lists are all planned, and odds are that services like the Armory and even the WoW sign in may be tied to your Battle.net account in some way. Tournaments and rankings will be included (though it remains to be seen how this might be implemented in World of Warcraft), and Battle.net will even offer players the ability to save and share replays of Starcraft II games, and other e-sport-like features.That last feature would be a perfect fit for WoW's Arenas, of course, but as much as players would like to be able to spectate Arena matches, odds are that there would have to be a lot of behind-the-scenes coding done on Blizzard's side. Starcraft is being built from the ground up to record matches, of course, but WoW's Arena system doesn't have that ability built in, and putting it in might be more work than Blizzard wants to do on that one area of the game. No word yet on when we might get the new Battle.net (odds are it'll come out right around the Starcraft II release, whenever that is), but from the look of it, Blizzard has big plans to expand the social networks they've built into World of Warcraft towards all of their properties.
Avatars only to be used in family friendly games
As Microsoft figures out their game plan for how they're going to implement Avatars into the Xbox 360 community beginning this Fall, we're receiving a steady trickle of news surrounding their Avatar decisions. Most recently, Microsoft's Eric Kilgore confirmed with Develop that Avatars will only be allowed to be used in ESRB rated E10+ games which are seen as non-violent, family friendly games. So, we won't be seeing Avatars taking over our Gears or GTAIV worlds which, admittedly, is okily okay with us. Kilgore did say that their E10+ Avatar policy could change in the future depending on how things work out, but again, Microsoft's Avatar game plan has yet to be fully fleshed out.[Thanks, DCB and SS1029]
Xbox 360 Avatars only in 'E' titles
Those among us who were less than thrilled at Microsoft's Mii Too avatars being integrated into the 360 dashboard had one modicum of comfort: That some day we would be able to find the overly-cutesy house they lived in in Grand Theft Auto V and murder them with a baseball bat ... until they died from it.Sadly, it appears we won't be getting that chance. Speaking at Microsoft's Gamefest event, Xbox Live GM Eric Kilgore [/irony] said, "the final guide we have this year is to think of them in an 'E10' context. That doesn't mean it won't change – but this fall they won't be able to blow each other's heads off." Their heads don't explode, and our hearts break. We hope you're happy now, Microsoft.
Source: First images from 360 Avatar creator [update]
Update: Just to be clear, the two images we posted are NOT screenshots from the Fall dashboard but are instead a collection of image thumnbails and artwork that are supposedly used in the Avatar creator. We just created an image "collage" to make for easier viewing.in the We were just contacted by our super secret source who forwarded us images that are supposedly from the Fall update's 360 Avatar creator. We're told that the images, all viewable in the gallery below, were pulled from the 360 Avatar creator's interface and showcase the icons that'll be used to customize one's Avatar. Icons and artwork are related to changing an Avatar's clothing, skin color, hair style and even height and weight. Now, we can't be sure if these 360 Avatar creator assets are legit or if they were created by a very skilled Photoshopper, so take this Avatar image extravaganza with a grain of salt. But what say you? Do these images look legit and, if so, do they coupled with the leaked Avatar options make you more or less excited with how Microsoft is presenting Avatars to the gaming masses?%Gallery-28938%[Thanks, DCB and SS1029]
Microsoft contemplating for-pay Avatar accessories
In an interview with VentureBeat, Xbox Live chief John Schappert confirmed that Microsoft is looking at the possibility of charging users for accessories that can be used to customize their Avatars. When asked about such plans, Schappert replied, "That may be in the future." But what about the near-term? "We want to launch these with great customization and a great library of accessories this fall," he said.Given the precedent set early on with for-pay customization items such as gamer pics, the fact that MS might charge for more "exotic" Avatar extras certainly doesn't surprise us. We also wouldn't be surprised to see free accessories created to promote upcoming games, films, and events, much in the way promotional game pics and themes are currently offered. So, that Spartan armor helmet? It'll be, oh, 100. But that totally radical Mountain Dew Extreme Sports Action Experience billboard hat is on the house.
MS not ruling out Avatar based micro transactions
Micro transactions. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're a reality on the Xbox Live Marketplace and later this year, come the release of the 360's feature rich Fall update, they may begin to "infect" our Avatars. Ewww!In an interview with VentureBeat, Microsoft's corporate vice president John Schappert talked about the possibility of monetizing Avatar customization options saying that pairing Avatars with micro transactions "may be in the future," but now they're focusing on launching "with great customization and a great library of accessories this fall." Money, money, money ... it's always about Avatars, micro transactions and money.
Microsoft: 'Miis didn't influence Avatars. Honest. No, really.'
What's that you say? Microsoft's new Avatars system for the Xbox 360 is just a rip-off of Nintendo's Miis? Poppycock and slander! Microsoft man John Schappert has explained to MCV that Avatars are merely a natural development of Microsoft's online strategy. Like, obviously."It'd be remiss to say that we don't enjoy playing on the other systems and we have a lot of respect for the work that Miyamoto-san and Nintendo do," remarked Schappert, warming up for a "but," "but I think it's a logical extension of our Gamercard, Gamertag and Achievements." Commence reverse peristalsis!Schappert's denial is kind of predictable, as nobody will ever be able to absolutely prove just how much Miis influenced Avatars. With Schappert's beloved Miyamoto admitting to being "quite flattered" by Avatars, we have a hunch about what Nintendo might think.
Rumor: Avatar customization options discovered
Code snooping fanboys DCB and SS1029 sent us text strings that were supposedly extracted from the Fall dashboard update code. You know, the same Fall update that was leaked and is in the hands of hackers, modders and reverse engineers alike. Well, the text strings that we were sent supposedly detail every available option for the too cute and too friendly Avatars. After skimming through the list, we've come to the conclusion that most customization options are rather plain with Avatar decoration options including items like jeans, t-shirts and shoes. But some customization options are borderline quirky odd. We guess Avatars will have the choice of odd items like "elf ears", "Hawaiian hotpants" and even "Monday morning eyes" which are more commonly known as "hangover eyes".Head towards the break to view a long and detailed list of (rumored) Avatar customization options that'll be a part of the Fall update. We even bolded a few of the options that we found to be odd or interesting. Oh, and prepared for a wall of text, because the list is a doozy.
New Xbox Experience gets clarified by the Major
Last week we tried to answer your questions regarding the New Xbox Experience, but you still have concerns. Valid ones at that. What's the deal with these Avatar things? They are so not 1337. Will we be forced to install games to the harddrive? But we don't want to lose one of our PS3 laughing points! Thanks to Major Nelson's latest podcast some of those concerns are cleared up.Addressing the two concerns above, Major assures Xbox 360 owners that they won't have to create an Avatar and that installing Xbox 360 titles will never be a requirement. Color us relieved so far. For more details and answers to your questions make sure to check out Major's latest episode.[via Joystiq] Gallery: New Xbox Experience
Almost everything you want to know about the New Xbox Experience
Looking for simple answers to your Xbox 360 dashboard redesign questions? Here are a few points to take away from the new Xbox experience: "There's nothing to announce" right now regarding a keyword search for the Marketplace. We hope for some kind of searching option or a better layout for content Playing games from the hard drive will work fine for multi-disc games; in fact, you can pick which discs you want to rip (but a disc swap for the correct disc in the drive is required) As an example, Joystiq was told that Devil May Cry 4 is approximately a 4 or 5GB installation and takes about 10 minutes to copy onto a harddive: PS3 installation is roughly 18-25 mins You'll need to keep the disc in the drive the entire time. This is about speeding up load times and to check if you own the title -- the disc will not spin so no more jet noises Xbox 360 notifications look the same but are actually very cleaned up and look sharper -- the sounds are all the same Yes, you can still use your gamertag pics and your themes (they look cleaner and more crisp now, an example of what it could look like is above) -- example of a gamerpic in action is in the top right corner of the image above Gallery: New Xbox Experience
