Xbox One - The Bear and Badger

poprock

It lets you start playing level one while it carries on loading levels two upwards.

Spoiler:

Or, more realistically, it lets you watch the pre-game cutscene intro movie while it loads level one in the background. Let’s be honest here.

[Deleted User]

Yeah, lots of waffle about it analysing what players want to play straight away.
Thing is, it is obvious what we want while downloading. Character creators, a track and a few cars, a shooting range, the opening tutorial, a single match with two set teams or fighters etc.
Bare bones stuff to keep us amused.

I think what is really happening is that developers can't or won't get on board with doing Ready to Start properly so MS are trying to make something that will DL all the early game content first regardless of how the devs pack it.

yourfavouriteuncle

Diluted Dante wrote:

My understanding is that it re-organises the download process so that the files necessary to start playing are downloaded first, and then everything else will continue in the background as you play.

This has always been my problem with Xbox1. PS4 lets me get going within a minute or two from getting the new game out of the box. If your Xbox is connected to the internet then it just seems to be a random load of files thrown in and you’re waiting until it’s at about 98% installed. It’s shit now on my 50mb connection but the days of my 3mb connection meant the machine was a fucking nightmare for me.

Yossarian

I doubt it would work for disc-based games, but I could be wrong.

Now I think about it, I haven’t bought a single Xbone game on disc. Doubt I ever will again, my day 1 patches are installed ahead of time.

Diluted Dante

It could learn not to install the updates at the same time.

ShabbyMcCrabby

Interesting.

So it's the evolution of being able to play Galaga (?) during the Ridge Racer loading screen.

Moot_Geeza

Wasn't a fast start thing touted as one of the initial features of this round of consoles (Xbox at least)? I'm pretty sure it was a thing until it turned out it wasn't. Ryse was kind enough to let you see the title screen while you waited for the rest of the game to install.

GooberTheHat

There's been plenty of games that have let me star early. Plenty that haven't too mind, but it's definitely been available on a good number of titles.

poprock

At least it works on movie rentals.

Diluted Dante

No, fast start is a separate thing. Games will let you play at a certain point on the install, but this is down to the devs. Fast start will mean that if they implemented this badly, Microsoft speed it up.

Yossarian

My entire experience of the current fast start system is seeing a pop-up saying game X is ready, trying to launch game X, being told game X isn’t ready.

[Deleted User]

In one of the Need for Speed games it let me start, then I went through at tunnel and the rest of the map wasn't there yet so I flew off into space.

Gremill

Surely a metaphor for...something

Yossarian

Interesting point from a Graun interview with Phil Spencer:

Phil Spencer, who ran Xbox’s game development studios for years, was made executive vice-president of gaming within the company in September 2017. This finally put Xbox on equal footing with Windows and Office within Microsoft – and put a gamer in the room with the CEO and CTO of the company.

[...]

“I’ve been at Xbox since the beginning and Xbox used to be like the garage band of Microsoft: as long as we didn’t turn the music up too loud, we were able to keep playing,” says Spencer, speaking to the Guardian in LA on Monday. “But now the company really sees what gaming is: it’s two billion people around the world, many of whom love our brands. We’re a player; we’re important. And we have broad aspirations.”

Matt Booty, who was previously in charge of Minecraft, has taken Phil’s place as head of Microsoft Studios. “It was a big vote of confidence for Xbox and for gaming to have our gaming work sitting side by side with some of the other big pillars of Microsoft,” he says. “We really see that as a signal for long-term investment, in our existing franchises and in starting new things.”

It looks like Microsoft is all in on Xbox for the long term.

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/jun/11/microsoft-e3-xbox-maker-suggest-streaming-will-replace-consoles

bad_hair_day

Boozy whispered this to me during a late night session last week. Phil should have plopped Microsoft's change of view in his E3 presentation, would have made very positive ripples methinks.

Webbins

Bodes well though. After 17 years, MS are finally going to start taking Xbox seriously.

Skondo

Interesting. I will mourn the loss of a physical box under the tv. I like the box under the tv along with the physical games to play on it, I only buy a download if that's the only format. I'm the same with music and films. Love having music on CD or vinyl and only have stuff on a home server for the convenience of the Sonos system.

[Deleted User]

Just a heads up.
Outer Wilds has been added to my games as a pre-order.
I haven't received a message about any of the other mixer bonuses yet (not that I am fussed).

FranticPea

Aye just checked the app and its showing I purchased it yesterday.

Hodge360

Did I dream someone posting about a store sale with GTAV and something else I've been interested in?

Yossarian

Nope, check under the store tab.

Hodge360

Ah,see it now. Have thought better of it though. Thanks anyway.

Kernowgaz

Apart from Forza what first party games are Microsft releasing this year?

Wondering whether to get the cheap 6 months Game pass before it's back to normal price

Yossarian

I think Forza is it, TBH.

bad_hair_day

Magic, if you won't have the time or inclination to play lots of the other games on the pass sub
then arguably FH4 is better served as a stand alone purchase.

poprock

Right then. Where’s the best place to buy an Xbox One X?

So far I’ve spotted that the base pack costs £419, but Game have a sale on meaning you can get one bundled with two games for £419. None of them are games I’m into, so I’d be hoping that they’re boxed copies to sell on.

Haven’t spotted anywhere selling the console cheaper than £419 yet, though. Any suggestions?

[Edit: PC World do a three game bundle for £419, putting them in the lead. Still three games I don’t want, though. And CEX only offer a quid or two per game for them, so they’re practically worthless.]

Verecocha

What games are they? You couple possibly name them here and get some offers in?

poprock

Verecocha wrote:

What games are they? You couple possibly name them here and get some offers in?

If they’re not worth much on trade-in, I’d be playing them for half an hour and then passing them on to badgers for free, I reckon.

Game’s bundles: Destiny 2 & Fallout 4, or Prey & Fallout 4.
PC World’s bundle: Fallout 4, Doom & AssCreed Origins.

poprock

I’d probably opt for a Forza 7 bundle if anywhere had any left, but the only one I can find is £439.

And a Sea of Thieves bundle clocks in at £449. Rubbish.

regmcfly

Weird that in America the X is under $400 now

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