Comments

IRenderable wrote:

I don't get what your guys problems with MVPs are. I have been helped by a few diffrent DirectX mvps multiple times on gamedev.net and I don't find them arrogant. Why do you guys have an issue with people being rewarded for helping people alot?

See, even you used the word "few" there. If you haven't run into an arrogant MVP, then your turn is coming.

Actually, I like the MVP program as a whole, just have experienced firsthand an abnormal amount of arrogance among them. Some of the MVPs are quite valuable and helpful to the community and well deserving to be recognized.

We're getting away from the topic though. The video was somewhat useful, the MVPs in attendence for the most part were not. That's not a blast against every MVP or even all of those in attendence. If they were muzzled then might as well have shot this one with just Larry and Scoble and some cheerleaders.

More content, less butt kissing. I think that's a fair request.

billh wrote:

I think what bothers me most is most MVPs lack of humility. 

LOL, I'll second that one.

Tesserae?" arson's: amaze-each thinks,

rchildress wrote:

TDavid,

Most console makers take losses on consoles. However, they don't take losses on accessories (controllers, etc).

Don't have to tell me this, I'm a video game collector and have bought just about every game system that has come out since the NES (and several before then).

rchildress wrote:

By 'encouraging' you to buy the accessories, this allows the console maker to make some of their money back because the money goes straight into their pocket, which doesn't happen with the games.

I fully understand how this works (perhaps you mistook my venting above as some sort of question?). Most console gamers who have been around awhile that I know and have talked to dislike this trend. Why do we stay aboard the train? Because we are collectors and hardcore gamers! You have to be after suffering through systems like Virtual Boy and the Sega 32X. 

So pack in what is needed, price it so they make money, fine. The only reason they started doing this is so they could keep the system price DOWN so it would generate more sales.

People that aren't hardcore gamers -- families with budgets -- won't (and in many cases can't with economics being the way they are) spend $500 on a game machine, but they will find a way to spend $299 + $100 + $50 + $50 ... etc. The truth is that the real market penetration starts at $150 or less, not $300+, that's why they are losing money on the hardware and will continue to do so until they can get back to making the hardware spec out at these prices. They need the audience and selling the hardware at a loss is part of the business plan.

They know this and we'll see an Xbox 360 for under $200 within 24 to 36 months of the launch date ... and by then we'll start hearing about the next generation system for 2010 and beyond. The lifecycle on hardware console game systems is less than 5 years these days. Gamers just keep on financing these hardware upgrades and yet the games are mostly me-too titles with little new innovation. 14 of the 17 xbox 360 launch titles are sequels. 5 of 6 of the xbox 360 secondary launch titles are sequels.

rchildress wrote:

Given the $4B hit MS absorbed with xbox 1, I'm sure they want to put as many accessories out there as they can.

Boo hoo, please tell somebody who cares. I'm not a Microsoft shareholder, I'm a customer. 

They designed the system, not me. If they can't make money from it why should I care as a gamer? And if you note by my first comment I never said I wasn't willing to pay for the package, I just wanted to know what all *didn't* come in the package. That's what irks me. 

This comes from somebody who paid $650 for a freaking 3D0 on launch day, so I'm not concerned about shelling out the $$, just make sure it's all out there on the table and clear and don't sell packages that are missing things.

I'm talking about selling a package that actually has everything in it ..  price it accordingly, fine, but selling a "package" that is missing stuff just pisses off the customer.

MGerlach wrote:

The "Plug and Play kit" (what recharged the wireless controller) does not come in the $399 version.  With the $399 version you get the wireless controller, but the battery pack houses 2 AA batteries.  When you purchase the "Plug and Play kit", you get a recharable battery and the cord that connects it to the Xbox360.

Bummer, more $$$. Any idea how much this "Plug and Play kit" will be and if it will be available at launch time? (I'm off to search the web too for answers).

Once upon a time console video game systems actually came with two controllers, game and everything needed to play. These days it's either buy a stripped down core system, or pay for the "package" and then still need another package and then go online and pay for more access.

How are parents buying for their children that aren't gamers supposed to know what to buy? What about first time gamers?

(retailers?)

I'll definitely be looking for the retail bundle that takes all the guesswork out of this and forms the real ultimate package. Maybe that's what the plan is here ... put it on the retailers to sell the customers everything they need. Unfortunately, not all retailers have staff that understand this stuff either. They seem more programmed to go after the extended warranties than get you totally covered.

Manip wrote:

If it didn't come when the $399 purchase then your controller would be a brick after 46 hours of play, how else would you charge it?

Well, I'm taking nothing for granted these days. I bought an LCD monitor last month that didn't come with a cord to actually hook it up to the computer. The salesman was all over me about purchasing an extended warranty but never bothered to mention that it didn't come packed with the necessary cord to hook up to the computer. The box didn't say anything about no cord either, nor did the display model. Doh!

Driving home, unpacking and realizing things like this isn't a great feeling, so got to do the recon first while at the store and get everything you need. Especially with gas prices the way they are.

I'm not preordering the Xbox 360. I'm one of those launch day console gaming hunters that is going into the wilds on Nov 22. Ahh, the thrill of the hunt will be upon us soon!

This video had a few informative parts. Some quick thoughts:

- power supply? I've read that thing is a brick. Did anybody see it and/or can this be commented on? Wasn't shown in the vid.
- Scoble brought up taking Xbox to friends house for multi-gaming sessions and Larry's suggestion (paraphrasing) was: "stay home and play Xbox Live." Maybe he missed the good point that Scobe was raising. Younger players -- I know two of our kids anyway -- actually like taking the xbox to friends house and playing via LAN and multiple TVs. Will Xbox 360 titles not be geared toward this type gaming?
- does that cord to recharge the wireless controller come with $399 setup? Or is that an additional purchase?
- Larry said the version being shown was a developer version only when he was pulling out the hard drive and I was a bit confused if he meant this functionality whether this would be included in the final version. That's a sweet feature! Take your harddrive on the road.

As for MVPs being tremendously helpful? They sure weren't in this video lol No questions really ... mostly sitting back, listening and the applause, rah-rah stuff. Put any seasoned Xbox owner in that group and it would seem to me that some good, useful Q & A would get rolling.

Got the feeling with this video that the really good stuff happened before/after the camera was turned off, but thank you for showing what little you were allowed to show.

That tank game upgraded for the Tablet looks cool. OMW to check that out.

This is a great idea. I see that RSS feeds are created for clips created by each niner and this could allow for some interesting integration offsite, especially if user tagging was allowed.

Nice work!

Just listened to the interview all the way and it seems you stunned Gates with the: "what would you ask yourself?" question. Better perhaps to have used that time to ask him who he sees as Microsoft's competition moving forward and why?

He didn't say a word -- unless I missed it -- about Apple or Google and it seems that in even 10 minutes both of those topics are important enough to at least seap into his commentary.

If you can go back again, you have to try and get his side of where Microsoft sees Google. All we read out here is chair throwing tantrums, profanity laced tirades and jealousy over employee hires. There are two sides to every story and while obviously you can't get into cases under current litigation there can be some small peeks through windows, no pun intended, about how Microsoft is moving forward with its competition?

Also the issue of buying up other web properties like Yahoo has been doing. You had to be burning to ask him why Microsoft didn't buy flickr or Konfabulatr, Robert? Weren't you? And what about Skype? Microsoft's name was mentioned there, but today the big word is eBay might be in on that.

Seems to me like other companies are eating Microsoft's lunch on some of these acquistions and I'm curious what the Chief Software Architect thinks about that.

Some doors were opened to go into competition when Bill talked about how they liked to take on the big guys. Opportunity missed ... but maybe next time

Still, overall a good job.