View Full Version : Welcome to the dark side
Well after years of being a PC-only gamer (ok we have a Wii but I don't really use it and we've never really had a decent console), the gf has gone and won an XBox 360!
So now it looks like I'll be venturing over to the dark side on occasion yet I know squat about consoles.
Any hints, tips, game recommendations from you veterans of the scene?
Apparently we're getting a 12 month Live subscription and 2100 points with it, but I have no idea what that means! :o
Psymonkee
27-05-2009, 18:17
Rock Band 2
That is all.
(I shall leave this thread before the inevitable beatings I shall endure :()
Pumpkinstew
27-05-2009, 18:27
I've only just dipped my toe in the water but I can reccommend Peggle and Castle Crashers from the Arcade (where you can spend your MSpoints)
What kind of games do you like? :D
Well on the PC, things like Left 4 Dead, COD4/5, GRID, DIRT, SupCom
I prefer playing things like shooters and rts games with a keyboard and mouse so I supposed the main games I'd be interested in on a console are the racing ones. I've already had PGR4 and Forza 2 recommended :)
I was going to recommend PGR4 and Forza 2 :D
If you fancy something a bit more arcadey, Burnout Paradise is excellent fun too :)
Does the XBox work with standard HDMI cables or do you need a special one (such as a recessed socket into which a normal plug wouldn't go)?
Normal HDMI cables are fine :)
Cool, will get one ordered in anticipation then, along with a right-angled adapter as I'm going to have to press the third socket on the side of the TV into service!
Going to have four bits of kit under the TV connected to the Internet now!
Pumpkinstew
28-05-2009, 23:17
Mine came with an HDMI cable
Well from what I can tell, whilst they all seem to come with HDMI connections these days, only the Elite actually comes with the cable.
Yeah sounds about right. The past two 360 Pros/Premiums I've seen new haven't included HDMI cables.
Pumpkinstew
29-05-2009, 13:19
Really? Total cheapskates!
What's the bulk price on an HDMI cable? $3? Less?
MS are just taking the pi$$.
Really? Total cheapskates!
What's the bulk price on an HDMI cable? $3? Less?
MS are just taking the pi$$.
To be fair it still comes with a HD component cable and in comparison the £300 PS3 only comes with a composite!
Well it arrived on Friday :D (it's also a Falcon, judging by the 175W PSU, but then they probably all are now).
Managed to pick up PGR4 brand new for a tenner so been having some fun with that, now wondering what else I should procure.
I'm wondering how much I'll actually use it tbh as many of the games I play are either PC only and wouldn't really work on a console anyway (e.g. SupCom) or are games which, whilst available on the xbox, I'll feel much more comfortable playing on a PC (L4D, COD4/5).
Racing style games are great on a console and work much better than on a PC but what else do people think I'd enjoy playing on a console?
Psymonkee
31-05-2009, 23:58
see post #2 (http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showpost.php?p=299145&postcount=2)
Seriously.
Well it arrived on Friday :D (it's also a Falcon, judging by the 175W PSU, but then they probably all are now).
Managed to pick up PGR4 brand new for a tenner so been having some fun with that, now wondering what else I should procure.
I'm wondering how much I'll actually use it tbh as many of the games I play are either PC only and wouldn't really work on a console anyway (e.g. SupCom) or are games which, whilst available on the xbox, I'll feel much more comfortable playing on a PC (L4D, COD4/5).
Racing style games are great on a console and work much better than on a PC but what else do people think I'd enjoy playing on a console?
I like many here have fully transitioned from fps on keyboard/mouse to controller and find it perfectly fine (I for one actually prefer it now). In my opinion it woluld be definately worth your time to get used to playing fps on a console if it's only to come join us from time to time. I'd recommend getting COD2, put it on veteran, lock yourself away and persevere. By the end you'll hate me but you'll have cracked it.
I'd also suggest diving into some of the 360 sandbox exclusives. Dead Rising, Crackdown and Fable II and also getting into XBLA with Pac Man: CE, Braid, Geo Wars 2 and Peggle as a minimum. Hey, there's also free demo of everything so get downloading!
If you're into rpgs there's also Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey which can both be had for peanuts.
Psymonkee: The RB/GH type games have never really appealed to me tbh. They get played a lot at the (mainly PC) LANs I attend but I've never really seen the appeal.
Aboobie: Thanks for the recommendations, will look at giving some of those a try. The GF is more into the RPG type stuff than I am - she loved the Dungeon Siege games on the PC - is there something similar to that we could look at getting?
Have downloaded a couple of demos already, can see my 60GB drive filling up fast :) 20Mb cable is very handy for that :) Also just grabbed a used copy of Mass Effect so we'll see how I get on with that.
Davey_Pitch
01-06-2009, 10:40
Dead Rising is absolutely awesome, as is Crackdown. You can buy them both 2nd hand for about a fiver each now so it would be absolutely criminal to not own them.
Cool thanks will have a look at those too.
Couple of other general questions:
1. How loud is this thing!? Quite surprised at the racket it makes, even more so when there's a disc in there spinning. Is this normal?
2. I notice that it says HDD against my profile in the settings section, presumably this means all my save game info etc is stored on the local disk? I've seen you can get memory cards for the xbox but how do these work - does that give me the option of storing personal data on the card rather than the disk? If so, was wondering whether this would be a more secure way of doing it as it would protect me against the machine dying?
Justsomebloke
01-06-2009, 10:53
Get Forza2, NOW !!!
Davey_Pitch
01-06-2009, 10:53
1. They're always quite noisy, though if you install the games to the HDD it obviously makes a difference.
2. The chance of your HDD dying and losing your data is negligible. If the machine dies and you have to send it back to MS they tell you to keep your HDD. I've had an Xbox since launch and have never had a problem with the drive, so don't worry about it :)
Cool thanks. Didn't even realise you could copy games to the HDD and play them from there. Is there much advantage other than reduced noise from the absence of a disc? I'd imagine you'd use up your disk space fairly quickly doing that. Do you still need to insert the disc to start the game (and if not, how do they stop you selling the disc on but still using the game)?
Sorry for all the questions, coming to this stuff about 3 years too late :)
Davey_Pitch
01-06-2009, 11:29
Yup, you still need your disc in the drive as it just checks it once, but running the games from the HDD often makes it quicker (a small bonus IMO) but a lot quieter (a huge bonus). Most installs take between 4-6GB in size so I tend to only install the ones I play often and run the rest straight from the disc.
I install as a matter of course now. As long as you remember to delete the games your not playing (you won't lose saves etc.) you won't run out of room.
vBulletin® v3.7.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.