Topic: Official Push Square Xbox Thread

it was Meh to be honest "over 20 exclusive games" all of which were Indy or Arcade titles, not really showing off all that power for the XBOX ONE X (boy what a dumb name)

a few things did get my attention though, OG XBOX Backwards Compatibility was nice, Minecraft adding cross platform play (they didn't say PS4 but i'm sure i saw it in there in the wide shot when then were showing some of the systems and excluding it would just be stupid) but if the standard XB1 can do that too why pay $499 for the Triple X (it has Three X's in the name) because they certainly didn't show anything to warrant it, perhaps they are saving their big guns for the next games conference

also anyone else notice the acronym for "XBOX ONE X" Is X.B.O.X

@FullbringIchigo Forza 7, Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves are not 'indie/arcade' games. Granted only Forza really shows off 4k as the other 2 are more 'simplistic' in artstyle - maybe because they were built for the XB1 first and foremost and scaled-up rather than something like Forza which is built for 4k first and the scaled down. The same applies to games like Assassins Creed, Metro, Shadow of War and Anthem - games that will be 4k with 4k assets on PC's. I know not many PC gamers have 4k capable hardware but that doesn't mean developers build games to the 'lowest' standard and with 4k GPU's becoming more affordable and the fact that PC's are not 'generational', this makes them more 'future' proof too.

It was inevitable that OG Xbox BC would come. Its been requested, rumoured etc for a while and Phil Spencer himself has said he wants that too. I think its great - whether I actually use it or not is a different matter. I may have to dig out my big box of XB1 games but having low res 4:3 games on a 4k HDR screen could really show their age.

With so many 'fan' favourite games and a lot of requests for these franchises, I would have preferred MS to announce the return of these in 'new' games - not necessarily remasters but actual 'new' games. Blinx, PGR, Rallisport Challenge, Crimson Skies etc...

Still its better than nothing.

As for showing off 'nothing', you have to remember that games like Fifa, CoD, Destiny, RDR2, SW:BF2, Wolfenstein, Evil Within, Project Cars, Need for Speed, Far Cry, Cyberpunk, Kingdom Hearts and all the other 'big' AAA games that MS can't or didn't showcase will also be enhanced too. How much and whether its 'significant' enough over the 'cheaper' Pro, time will tell.

I know the Pro does a 'good' job of stepping up the visuals - especially considering that most are nothing more than just a 'boost' to resolution whilst keeping all the textures and visual effects at the same level as the PS4. Also considering that often the GPU is rendering between 2x900p (1800p checkerboard), 2x1080p (4k checkerboard) or a native 1440p. However in some games, you have to pick between PS4 level visuals and a 'higher' frame rate OR the higher visuals. Its possible that the XBX 'could' (not saying it is) offer a HQ (native) 4k/30fps mode or a 'dynamic' (to use Sony's words to indicate a Checkerboard and/or upscaled) 4k/60fps - meaning that you are still getting a 'better than' Pro level of visual fidelity (thanks to the enhanced 4k assets) but a 60fps option. It might not be 'true' 4k/60 in these games but its still 'better' than HD/60.

The XBX also has better Audio capability - meaning we could have Atmos/DTS-X in games, and of course the 4k HDR Bluray player too - all in a small, sleek box that's around the price of a stand-alone 4k HDR Bluray player. Don't get me wrong, I do think its 'expensive' compared to alternatives and really MS's software was a little disappointing, although we still don't know its VR capability or software line-up (maybe Fallout 4 and Doom - as well as RE7 could be amongst that) but we also need to factor in the software they 'couldn't' show...

@BAMozzy i'm not saying the XBX doesn't have potential because it does but the press briefing did nothing to show it off apart from Forza

as for the Indy/Arcade games i wasn't talking about Forza, Crackdown or Sea of Thieves and i apologise but i simply forgot to mention them in my post

as for Assassin's Creed i'll be honest as i don't own a 4K TV it's not really of any real consequence to me same as all those PS4 Pro updates, they don't do anything for me as i don't own a Pro either

when i was on about all the other games they showed most looked to be either Indy titles or Arcade Titles and to me while some did look very interesting, as an XB1 owner i saw NOTHING there that made me go "yep i need a XBOX ONE X" i can get all of those on my XB1 and they will still look really good on my standard 1080p HDTV, i don't see how the power of the XBX is going to help Cuphead look or play any different to the standard XB1 version

they should have brought out a few big guns, even if was just showing how Gears 4 looked on a XBX just so we get a much better picture of what they are trying to sell

@KratosMD I know - its a bit like hearing the Xbox 'only' has Forza, Halo and Gears games. Both Forza and Halo have two very distinct 'spin-offs' and Horizon is one of, if not the best open world driving game - something EA have tried to copy with the direction of Need for Speed. Halo is not just a FPS but also has a top down shooter and an RTS game too.

@FullbringIchigo They only had an hour and a half, wanted to show off all these games and also have to appeal to all those with an XB1 too. Those with an XB1 don't want to be 'forced' into buying a XBX to play these games. Maybe outside of the E3 briefing, in the run up to launch, we could see those 'comparison's' you are so desperate for. People would complain if the spent 20mins showing off their 'old' games running on an XB1 and XBX side by side when most will be watching on 1080p screens. Sony struggled with their reveal for Pro and many couldn't see much difference with their 4k presentations. It was left for journalists to enthuse over the differences. I think MS were a bit better at stating the benefits to 1080p owners - even if they don't understand the benefits of 'supersampled' images, Anisotropic Filtering etc. The fact is a lot of 3rd Party games can't run in full HD yet with the XBX, you get a 'better' than 1080p image and all those games from the OG Era onwards will look and run better, load faster etc too.

The Coalition’s Colin Penty played through part of Gears of War 4 using the Xbox One X enhancement patch, which is coming to the game for free in the fall. Pente said the patch will let the game run in 4K resolution. The Xbox One X version will also get visual upgrades including real-time dynamic shadows and “up-rezzed textures for environments, characters and effects” and improved draw distance, among other things.

As stated, the majority of games that will benefit the most are those 3rd party multi-platform releases that were built for 4k first and foremost - the ones that are also going to be on 'high-end' PC's. Its unclear how many developers will use the XBX for just '4k' visual enhancements or will add '60fps' additional modes. We may have to rely on individual developers and Digital Foundry to really give us the actual benefits and side-by-side comparisons...

My biggest reason for not getting an X-Box is I don't feel like I'm missing out by not having one. They have a handful of games that I would enjoy playing but none of them give me that "I must play that game feeling".

Any multi-platform game I'm always going to get on PS4 so selling me with must have exclusives is the only way they are going to get me to buy one. Their lineup just isn't for me.

The Switch on the other hand offers me games I can't play anywhere else.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-06-12-the-big-intervie...

Great interview with Phil Spencer - also explains the game choice for E3's showing, what any 3rd Party deal will entail from MS, PS4 Minecraft cross-platform ambition etc.

@KratosMD compared to Nintendo and Sony, Microsoft tries to compete on the games front as cheaply as possible.

Like it's Windows suite of 6/7 programs, it's tried that with Xbox. Forza, gears, halo, Minecraft, a random rare game and crackdown. Then it forms alliances to cover the rest. But Sony stomps all over that in every way. With a plethora of first party games and stumps up the cash for 3rd party exclusives.

As an avid Xbox gamer, towards the back end of 360 nothing was being released that wasn't available on PS3. So the presentation confirms its still struggling to produce a solid quantity of good games for some time.

That's my take on the situation, I wasn't particularly enamored by Sonys presser of Uncharted style games either and e3 for me has been a bit of a let down.

But my expectations are higher than ever, having played some of the best games ever made in the last 2 years.

@Splat That is my feeling about the XB1 - I don't massively feel like I am losing out.

That isn't the same as saying that MS has no exclusives or there is no reason to own one. For me, in the 360 era, I played through most of their exclusive offerings so am burnt out on the 'big' franchises. Sony, as a content provider, had more that I was interested in personally while a lot of XB's exclusives haven't spoken to me personally. There are some great games I haven't played, and a few I would like to play plus I think their subscription and BC policy are miles ahead of Sony. However, for me, with a 360 still connected, no reason for me to go ahead.

I felt during the MS presser that there wasn't necessarily a case for either myself or the average gamer to get an XB1X at that price point while the presser seemed massively geared towards pushing the XB1X. This is a stark contrast to Sony who marketed the pro quietly as an alternative to those who wanted a bit better performance. A few amazing exclusives though that would sizzle on the XB1X would have helped a bit more I think.

Oh and I am clearly in the minority that thinks Sea of Thieves looks quite good

@KratosMD Forza is probably the 'best' racing franchise currently on the Market. I know GT has a higher sales overall but Forza is 'superior'and Horizon the best open world racer. Halo was great and could well have been considered the best at one point. Certainly better than Killzone and Resistance in a lot of ways but recently, it has gone downhill - at least in terms of Campaign. 4 was 'good' if somewhat brief and 5 - the less said about that the better.

Its worth reading that interview with Phil Spencer. In it he states the objective for E3 was to show the games coming up in the next year, the games we will be playing before next E3, the games he is certain will be delivered. He doesn't want to be showing the same games over and over again in consecutive shows, doesn't want to show games that end up being cancelled or constantly delayed. He wants to make a 'promise' to the consumers that what you see, you will be playing 'soon' and won't have 'changed' from the original concept we first saw and got hyped at. He wanted to show the games you can play on XBX in the first 6-7months (well those he can show), not games you could play in 3-4 years....

I can see his point and to a degree this was the approach last year as well. Games like ReCore, FH3, GoW4, HW2 were shown off and all arrived within the year. Its been a tough year with Fable Legends, Scalebound and studio closures, constantly asked about cuphead after that was revealed years ago and so appears to be tightening up what they are 'prepared' to reveal and when. To a degree I do understand his PoV. For me Sony's fell a bit flat - not because the games were 'bad', just because we saw them last year and most of those with dates still seem a long way off. Already spent a year waiting... Imagine if Sony had kept Days Gone, Spider-Man, God of War, Last of Us 2, Detroit etc and replaced those with Persona, Nioh, Nier, Gravity Rush, Hellblade etc instead. This year, with them coming out in a year, E3 would have had more impact and it wouldn't have had to much of a 'negative' impact on last years - especially with all those 'exclusives' coming very soon. How long ago was it we saw Dreams and Wild yet still seem no closer to release.

I can honestly say that Sea of Thieves does not appeal. Even if it had the artstyle of Skull n' Bones or released on Sony consoles. Its not a game I would want to play. If that was its MP and it had a great offline Single Player, it would appeal more but no interest in a 'shared world' online game - especially one with 'competitive' elements. It just opens up to much opportunity for idiots and people who have nothing better to do than go round trying to ruin others enjoyment. At least Destiny got their shared world right by having unique to person loot, ammo, resources etc and no friendly-fire etc in their PvE spaces...

@KratosMD Halo has been surpassed by Destiny, Cod and the slew of other fps games. Forza is great, I do miss it that's true. Ive had fun with Driveclub but it's a real drop off in quality compared to Forza.

But we've got the best racing game in Wipeout anyways lol.

@themcnoisy out of curiosity, what did you think of Project Cars?

i thought it was a decent alternative to Forza

@FullbringIchigo never played it, was advised against playing with a pad by my Driveclub team.

@themcnoisy Project Cars takes Racing Sims to a whole new level. Arguably to get the most out of any Driving Sim though you do need a wheel and Project Cars is no different. It is playable with a pad but because they are going for a more realistic approach to racing, the best way to experience that is with a Racing Wheel. You could argue the same for Forza and GT too.

Project Cars 2 takes racing to the next degree again. With a feature called LiveTrack 3.0, Project Cars 2 amps up the detail in a number of ways. Beyond just weather, ambient temperature, track temperature, altitude and other atmospheric conditions all have an impact your car's performance. We're talking things like engine performance, aerodynamics, brakes and tires.

Project Cars 2 also employs fluid dynamics, so when you're driving in a rainstorm, the track conditions react more like they would in the real world. For example, if it's raining so hard that the ground can't absorb the water fast enough, it will pool, run downhill and create a tricky puddle situation. All the tracks have accurately recreated all the drainage too, so that the water dissipates as it would if you really racing round that track in those conditions. LiveTrack 3.0 also spreads loose dirt and gravel on the track when you run off-course. All of this affects the way a car will handle. If raining and you go off track, it will track wet mud onto the course - creating a different level of grip. As the track dries, so will the mud which will create a different set of conditions.

The controls are maybe not quite as forgiving as games like Driveclub but they are more on the realistic side. For those wanting the most realistic racer, not just aesthetically, Project Cars has to be the best but that's not to say others can't deliver a great console racing Sim either. Its maybe 'too' realistic and therefore not as 'easy' or as forgiving as some of the others. The others have gone for making the game more accessible to all and a great console racer first and foremost where as Project Cars have gone for more accuracy. Its built off of a programme that real professional drivers use to practice on so its not really a game for the 'casual' racer.

@BAMozzy i wonder why they chose to use a P.C for Metro?, although with MS also pushing Windows 10 as a gaming platform it doesn't really matter at a MS conference does it?

i still don't like the name though "XBOX ONE X" just doesn't roll of the tongue very well and is a little too similar to XBOX ONE s i think, it might confuse some people like the Wii U did so hopefully MS will be able to make it clear what the differences are between the 2 to the average consumer

i for one do hope it does well for MS, even if i'm not going to get one same as the Pro, i don't have a 4K TV or any kind of monitor that can do 4K so i'm happy with my XB1s and PS4

gonna use that money to save for a Switch ^_^

@BAMozzy With all the third party games releasing this year are you planning on waiting for the XBX before you play them? I don't think I could start playing Forza 7, CoD WW2 etc. before the XBX releases, I would rather experience the games at their best for the very first time on XBX.

@MaccaMUFC Think I just answered that in the Days Gone article comments. LOL

Forza 7 can wait - just a Single Player game for me - Not a racing Sim fan but at least the dynamic weather and tracks will help break up the repetition of feeling like you are going round the same tracks over and over again. This is normally a game I play for 'something different' from all the action, adventure, shooter games.

CoD:WW2 arrives just 4 days before the XBX so doubt I would start the SP. MP is different and would start that. Destiny 2 would not wait but I could keep a class/character until that point. Its not as if the content isn't reused over and over again and besides I think its great to have a 'before and after' - a game that you can play, become familiar with, to show how much of a difference its made, what your Money has bought. No point looking at a game that you last played a year or more ago as sometimes you think it looked better than it did and the enhanced look isn't quite so significant. I found this with some Pro games and it wasn't until I went 'back' that I realised how much sharper they were. Not saying they didn't look better - just that I also thought they were better than they were on the base console - if that makes sense....

I will keep SP games like AC:O, Wolfenstein and Evil Within until after the 7th - but that's only a month and I will have games like Uncharted and Destiny to see me through.

If you have a good MP or 2, or some 'old games' you want to finish, I would play these. Its only a month between Forza and the XBX anyway and these aren't so 'time sensitive' as a MP. You don't want to be too far behind the community, still learning the maps, the guns etc when others have that knowledge so I would be less inclined to wait with these - but keep the campaign, the SP games until I can experience those in their full glory.

@BAMozzy Yeah I moved the comment from the Days Gone article to here as it was way off topic.

I suppose it makes sense to at least play MP on some of the games that come out before the XBX so I'm not only just starting to learn the layout of the maps, weapons etc. For now I'm thinking of only getting Forza 7, CoD: WW2, FIFA 18 and Cuphead before I buy an XBX.

I like the look of AC:O but the last AC I completed was Black Flag, the others I just couldn't bring myself to finish them like I started to lose interest in the series. I love Wolfenstein but like New Order I'd probably just rent it, complete the campaign then won't look back till the next sequel, same with Evil Within. I'm going to wait and see how Destiny 2 plays out, if it going to turn out to be another grind fest and holding back on lot of content like they did with the first one then I'll probably give it a pass.

This may help show some of the differences that the XBX makes - at least in this game - If I can find the high res version rather than a screen capture, I will replace it...

Shows a 1080p capture of the 4k image to show how poor the above image is