xbox-originals
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Xbox Originals are region locked, d'oh!
While we were busy marveling over all the fabulous additions in the Fall Update, others out there were eager to check out said features in new and exciting ways. First and foremost, the folks at Siliconera were keen to try out the Xbox Originals available to Japan. Knowing full well that gamers with Japanese accounts can download Japanese demos such as the Eternal Sonata demo released in May, they figured a similar method would work for Xbox Originals. With this in mind, they set out to download Magatama, only to discover an error message claiming the game wasn't available in their region (i.e. the U.S.). After a quick console restart, the option to download the game had disappeared, though the free content like themes and pics was still available.So there you have it kids, your dreams of downloading wacky Japanese Xbox games have been crushed (unless you live in Japan, of course).
FREE Xbox Originals themes and gamer pictures
If you know anything about us here at X3F, then you've already accepted the fact that we love our free Marketplace content. It's one of the rare things in life that can instantly brighten our day. And today we've got our fair share of free XBLM content with the release of a hand full of themes and gamer picture sets from the new Xbox Originals games. Available to all Xbox Live subscribers is a free theme and gamer picture pack for each Xbox Original game including Crash Bandicoot, Crimson Skies, Fable, Fuzion Frenzy, Halo, Indigo Prophecy and Psychonauts. That's a total of seven free themes and picture packs. And surprise, surprise, they're all actually pretty decent. Especially the free Halo picture pack, because we're suckers for a good Grunt gamer pic.
Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update due next week, Microsoft tells all
We've been hearing quite a bit about next week's Fall Dashboard Update for the 360, but Microsoft's finally ready to spill all of the beans. Obviously, the biggest update is the "Xbox Originals" downloadable Xbox games, but other improvements include enhanced online profiles, increased social networking, beefed up parental controls, improved menus, and our personal favorite: DivX support. As stated before, Xbox Original games, like Halo 1 and Fable, will be going for 1200 MS points (about $15), which is roughly comparable with your local game store's bargain bin. Also on the fiscal side of things, certain titles on Xbox Live Arcade are getting permanent price drops, akin to "Platinum Hits" of retail titles. As for DivX, Microsoft was a little vague when speaking with Joystiq about it, but it sounds like XviD is in play as well, which is just double fun. It's all hitting as a free download on December 4th, starting at 2AM PST.[Via Joystiq]
Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update detailed: DivX, XBLA Hits, and more
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox_360/Xbox_360_Fall_Dashboard_Update_detailed_DivX_XBLA_Hits_and_more'; Things were a little different this year. For their second Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update, Microsoft decided to trickle the features out instead of dropping them on us all at once. Around Halloween, we realized things were awful quiet, so we asked you what you wanted to see in the Fall Update. On November 7, Microsoft kicked things off by announcing the Parental Timer, a feature we're certain you're all eager to try out. They followed that up on November 13 by confirming Xbox Originals, downloadable Xbox 1 games for your 360. On the 26th, they spilled the beans on the social-networky "Friends of Friends" feature, ostensibly to give paranoid folks some time to disable the functionality (which they can do here). Capping it all off a day later, MS Japan dropped some info, notably the ability to set your real name (your real name is xXsmokezmadbluntz420Xx?), your location, and a brief bio – more of that social networking stuff the kids are crazy about. Finally, after what seemed an interminable wait, Microsoft was ready to let us in on the big picture. We spoke with Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg about next Tuesday's update and what was still in store. "There are three different categories that speak to a majority of the updates," Greenberg told us.
Play & Win: Originals, Universe and LEGOs
If you're looking for some Play & Win opportunities, then garsh darnit you've come to the right place. Open for registration and about to begin are three (count 'em, three) Play & Win contests over on Xbox.com that run the gamut of gamers. We've got an Xbox Originals Play & Win that runs from December 4th-5th, a LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Play & Win that takes place between the 7th and the 9th and a Universe at War Play & Win between the 14th and 16th. There's all kinds of prizes to be won and rules to be read, so make the jump and register quick as a gopher! And remember, variety in Xbox Live sponsored Play & Win contests is the spice of life.Read - Xbox Originals Play & WinRead - LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga Play & WinRead - Universe at War Play & Win
Fanpoll: which Rock Band instrument for you?
Rock Band is arguably the biggest release for the 360 this week. Only Mass Effect really stands against it, and let's face it, Mass Effect isn't exactly a party game. So yes, it seems that Rock Band is pretty much universally adored, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its share of problems. What problems, you ask? How about which instrument you will play? Seems like a fine topic for a fanpoll, doncha think? Of course it does. So, which instrument do you favor over the rest? Are you the attention-starved bassist? Do you make the ladies swoon with your potent lyrics? Perhaps you prefer to melt faces with the guitar. Or, do you channel your tone-deaf rage into the skins? Which Rock Band instrument is your favorite? Vocals Guitar Bass Drums I don't play favorites We'll examine the results next week. You can find a breakdown of last week's Xbox Originals poll after the break.
Xbox Originals won't have achievements
C'mon, you can tell us. You're an addict, aren't you? You've got a 40K gamerscore and you simply can't justify any gaming time if, well ... you aren't being compensated for it. Bad news then, junkie. The recently announced Xbox Originals (downloadable versions of original Xbox games) won't have achievements. It all makes sense if you think about it: these are unaltered disc images. If they didn't see fit to go in and remove things like demos or trailers that could actually crash your 360 if you select them, it stands to reason they weren't going to add achievements.Now, the good news. Your gamertag won't be permanently sullied with achievement-related proof that you were playing Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space. Seriously, what's wrong with you?[Via X3F]
Xbox Originals to be achievement'less
Our good friend Major Nelson had to be the bearer of bad news yesterday when he revealed that the upcoming downloadable Xbox Originals will NOT include achievements. Boo, hiss, boo! The reasoning is simple, the games are direct ports of the original games and so, aren't 360 enabled for achievements. We guess that's why they will still have problems. So, come December 4th when you'll be able to purchase Halo, Fable or Psychonauts, don't expect any achievements or anything enhanced for your 1200 Microsoft points. Hell, don't expect much at all ... just don't expect anything from anyone![Thanks, Boff]
Xbox Originals are not without issues
That headline is probably the nicest way to say that it won't be smooth sailing when Xbox Originals drops with the 360's Fall dashboard update. Microsoft has set aside a little page to discuss the "known issues" of the service, which will allow users to download and play Xbox 1 games on their Xbox 360s. The issues range from minor framerate drops, to graphical and sound glitches, to un-supported resolutions, but most problems differ from title to title.Universally, all Xbox Original titles will present with some choppyness during publisher logos as the games are cached into memory. Additional content like demos and trailers in games are unsupported by the service, and selecting them in an Xbox Originals title (such as Fable, Crimson Skies, and Fuzion Frenzy), will crash the system and require a restart of the console. Issues like these make the entire service seem a lot less elegant, particularly with options in games that players will have to know not to select. Still, these things are bound to happen when a company tries to force-feed last-gen software to next-gen hardware. Users will be able to choose whether or not the slightly-less-than-perfect Xbox Originals will be worth the 1200 Microsoft Points each come December 4.
Xbox Originals already have issues
Wow, the Xbox Originals service hasn't even launched yet and there are already bugs. According to a page found on Xbox.com, several of the game for the service will be launching with some "known issues." Most of these issues involve minor graphical problems like flickering or drops in frame rate, but there are some strange ones too. Fable, for instance, will serve players up with bursts of audio static, and HDMI 720p resolution for Psychonauts is not supported for PAL televisions. Attempting to run Psychonauts in this manner will lock up the game.Additionally, the page reveals that extra content in games like trailers or demos -- the Fuzion Frenzy demo in Halo comes to mind -- are not supported and will result in system crashes. Speaking of Fuzion Frenzy, it is listed as one of the titles planned for the service, which is news to us.Granted, we haven't seen any of these "issues" in person yet, but they have us a bit worried. Given the issues presented, it sounds like these games are being offered with no changes, much like Nintendo's Virtual Console service. We can't be sure until December 4th, but considering how our Xbox Originals Fanpoll is going, 360 gamers may be disappointed.[Thanks, Julius Malco]
Fanpoll: will you use the Xbox Originals service?
So, now that Microsoft has official revealed that they will begin offering downloads of original Xbox games through Xbox Live Marketplace, we're curious to see what our community thinks about it. Is the "Xbox Originals" service something your interested in using? We've already been reading some opinions on the matter in our comments, but we crave easily categorized statistical data. As such, we've composed a new Fanpoll. The subject? You guessed it: Xbox Originals. Find the poll after the break.
MS confirms Xbox Originals, free Carcassonne Thursday
Well that didn't take long. Microsoft has issued a press release confirming reports from earlier today that original Xbox games will soon be available for download from Xbox Live Marketplace. The games -- referred to as "Xbox Originals" -- mentioned explicitly by Microsoft were Halo, Crimson Skies, Fable, and Psychonauts, though it's unclear if all of these titles will be available on the day the service launches. That day, incidentally, is not December 2 as previously reported, but rather December 4. As noted by the press release, "This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games." Classic role-playing games on the original Xbox? Really? All three of them? Anyway, the games will be available for the previously reported price of 1200 MS Points ($15). Whether or not the launch lineup that was reported earlier is accurate remains to be seen.Microsoft also added some announcements about the fifth anniversary of the launch of Xbox Live on November 15. In celebration, Microsoft will be offering a free download of the Xbox Live Arcade game Carcassonne (Hexic 2 in Korea) starting at 12:01am EST November 15. The game will be free to all subscribers for 48 hours. Also, all subscribers who have been a member of Xbox Live since 2002 will receive 500 MS Points for free.
MS confirms downloadable Xbox games, free Carcassonne for Live anniv.
To mark the fifth anniversary of the Xbox Live service, Microsoft will be offering Carcassonne (Hexic 2 in Korea) free to all subscribers for 48 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 15th (and presumably nothing to the peeps who already plunked down for the virtual board game), along with 500 Microsoft Points to the ten folks who've been on board since 2002 -- see kids, early adoption does pay off! In addition, Microsoft has confirmed earlier reports that 'Xbox Originals' will be made available for download starting Dec. 4th as part of the Fall Update (the update's additional features have yet to be revealed). Each game can be purchased and downloaded for 1200 points ($15). In its press release, Microsoft explicitly named Halo, Psychonauts, Crimson Skies and Fable as titles for the Xbox Originals initiative, but did not confirm exactly which games will serve as the jumpoff: "This new service will launch with an array of blockbuster titles spanning the most popular genres from action-adventure to classic role-playing games." Third-party reports claim the preliminary lineup will include Halo, Fable, Indigo Prophecy, Crimson Skies, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex and Burnout 3.[Via press release]
