Darwin
12-25-2005, 07:40 AM
I sent some info to Masked_Gamer about the 360. Since I took the time to type it all up, I might as well post it here. Here's some stuff you may want to know if you haven't picked up a 360 yet.
First things first: you need to sign up at
www.xbox.com and get your gamertag linked to an email
address that has a .net passport. This will then
setup your "My xbox.com" profile. The most common way
to have a .net passport is to use your Hotmail account
and link it to your gamertag. Go to the xbox.com
website and they'll take you through it step by step.
You can do this now and get your gamertag picture
and motto all set up even before you get the 360
console. This is necessary because this is how the
360 grabs your xbox Live account information when you
first boot the console. You'll enter your email
address and password (the one that has your .net
passport) in the 360 dashboard, and it will then
automatically import all your account and friends
data. I don't know of any other way to get your Live
account info on the 360. If you already have a Live subscription,
you will automatically be given
a "Gold" account, at no extra charge.
Once that's setup, the 360 will automatically connect
to Live whenever you turn it on with the Ethernet
cable plugged in. No more need to enter your 4-button
password when you want to view your friend?s list. It
takes a few seconds to gather all your friend?s info
and when it does it displays a message on your TV
"Methadone Man logged in and has ___ friends online"
or something like that. And when any friend comes
online while you have the 360 on (whether you're in
the dashboard or in a game), you get a message on your
TV that "_____ is now online". You can, of course,
turn these messages off in your settings. You can
also make yourself appear offline or busy to
others on your friend's list.
The friends list, sending messages to friends, chat
feature, and the custom soundtracks are now handled by
the 360 dashboard, which is always on (it runs in the
background when you?re playing a game). This is why
you can play your custom music during any game. Also,
you can start up a chat room with up to 4 people no
matter what you are doing (playing a game, watching a
DVD, in your dashboard, playing a Live arcade game).
Yes, I?ve chatted with someone while I was playing
PGR3 online and they were playing Billiards, and we
continued to play are <a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. When chatting, my voice
will not transmit to the others in the online game.
To skip custom tracks or pause them, you either go
back into the half-dash (using the center button) or
use your remote. I.e. the <a href="http://get-certified.net?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> themselves don?t
"support" your custom soundtrack, it?s the dashboard
itself, so you can?t do this in the game's pause menu.
Custom soundtracks are great for some of the Arcade
<a href="http://go-acct.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. NOTE: these functions are NOT available when
you are playing an Xbox 1 game. Also, since the 360
handles custom soundtracks differently than the Xbox,
this means you cannot play custom music during Xbox 1
<a href="http://get-data.net?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>, because the game cannot recognize the music on
the 360?s hardrive.
The center button on the controller (the one with the
big green X on it) does several things. When you tap
it, it opens up part of the dashboard which then
superimposes its image over half the screen. (Most
<a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> will pause while you do this. DVDs continue to
play, though.) From this half dashboard you can look
at friends, change some settings, send invites, chat,
send messages, and play custom soundtracks. It also
has a visual indicator of your controller?s battery
strength. The center button also performs
context-sensitive functions that relate to messages
that pop up on your screen. For example, if the
message says ?Codename Havok is online? and I
immediately hit the center button, it takes me right
to your gamertag profile. This also works for game
invites and accomplishments.
The wireless controller works smoothly. To turn it
on, hold the center button. I think the controller
will automatically link to the nearest 360 if it?s not
been used yet. The ring of light on the controller
will spin and then assign it a controller number. If
you have controller 1, it will have the upper left
quadrant lit up. If you have multiple controllers, to
link the controller and console you?ll tap a small
button on the console itself and then tap a small
button on the controller. This is how you can use
your wireless controller on another 360, you just have
to manually link it to the new console. It?s not
permanent and you can relink your wireless controller
to any nearby 360. Turning on the wireless controller
will also turn on the console itself. You can also
turn off the console and controller by holding the
center button for several seconds, and then confirming
the prompt on screen. When battery power is low, the
ring of light on the controller will rotate in
circles.
The Xbox Live marketplace is where you download free
and premium content. It?s accessible through the
dashboard when no game is in the tray. Movie
trailers, game reviews, game footage, Arcade <a href="http://000info.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>,
and game demos are downloadable. You can try all the
arcade <a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> with free demos, but they require points
to get the full game. Points are usually obtained by
buying them from the online store (it charges your
credit card that is associated with your Live
account). It?s real easy to understand once you see
this whole process. There is a free playable demo of
Kameo you can download.
You get a 20 GB hardrive, but 12 GB is already filled
up when you first get your console. A lot of that is
the emulation data for playing Xbox 1 <a href="http://go-advertising.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. But some
of that is preloaded movies and commercials that you
can delete at any time. For example, there?s a 15 min
movie involving Titanic, but it?s all in high def so
it?s a huge file. Deleting that gives you another 2
gig of space. Putting an Xbox 1 game in will cause
the 360 to automatically download a small data patch
for backwards compatibility sake.
As we discussed before, save game data from Xbox 1
cannot be transferred to the 360. So, you?re starting
over from the beginning for any Xbox 1 game on the
360.
The premium package comes with: the console, a 20 GB
hardrive (already attached), a wireless controller,
high definition component cables, media remote,
headset, instruction manuals. There is a switch on
the component cables that must be set to ?high
definition? to make it work correctly.
In your dashboard settings you will select the aspect
ratio (widescreen or 4:3) as well as the resolution
(480p, 720p, or 1080i). Unfortunately you can only
select one resolution at a time. So look at the back
of the game box to see what resolutions it supports.
For example, if you?ve been playing COD2 (which
supports 720p and 1080i) in 1080i mode and then pop in
PGR3 (which only supports 720p), the PGR3 game is not
smart enough to display it in 720p and will instead
display in standard definition (non high-def) mode.
You must first change your setting in the dashboard to
720p and then put PGR3 in. Stupid, I know.
The console runs quite hot. Make sure it?s
well-ventilated or it will overheat. There are
warning signs that flash on the ring of light when it
gets too hot. Many of us at xblgames have noted that
the console cools better if you have it vertical.
More surface area exposed to the air. I have it
sitting in a well-open place and even have a little
fan running a breeze through the area. But put your
hand behind the console when it?s on and you?ll feel
just how hot this thing gets.
Do NOT change the orientation of your console
(vertical to horizontal, or vise versa) when a game
disc is in the tray. It will gouge your game disk.
First things first: you need to sign up at
www.xbox.com and get your gamertag linked to an email
address that has a .net passport. This will then
setup your "My xbox.com" profile. The most common way
to have a .net passport is to use your Hotmail account
and link it to your gamertag. Go to the xbox.com
website and they'll take you through it step by step.
You can do this now and get your gamertag picture
and motto all set up even before you get the 360
console. This is necessary because this is how the
360 grabs your xbox Live account information when you
first boot the console. You'll enter your email
address and password (the one that has your .net
passport) in the 360 dashboard, and it will then
automatically import all your account and friends
data. I don't know of any other way to get your Live
account info on the 360. If you already have a Live subscription,
you will automatically be given
a "Gold" account, at no extra charge.
Once that's setup, the 360 will automatically connect
to Live whenever you turn it on with the Ethernet
cable plugged in. No more need to enter your 4-button
password when you want to view your friend?s list. It
takes a few seconds to gather all your friend?s info
and when it does it displays a message on your TV
"Methadone Man logged in and has ___ friends online"
or something like that. And when any friend comes
online while you have the 360 on (whether you're in
the dashboard or in a game), you get a message on your
TV that "_____ is now online". You can, of course,
turn these messages off in your settings. You can
also make yourself appear offline or busy to
others on your friend's list.
The friends list, sending messages to friends, chat
feature, and the custom soundtracks are now handled by
the 360 dashboard, which is always on (it runs in the
background when you?re playing a game). This is why
you can play your custom music during any game. Also,
you can start up a chat room with up to 4 people no
matter what you are doing (playing a game, watching a
DVD, in your dashboard, playing a Live arcade game).
Yes, I?ve chatted with someone while I was playing
PGR3 online and they were playing Billiards, and we
continued to play are <a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. When chatting, my voice
will not transmit to the others in the online game.
To skip custom tracks or pause them, you either go
back into the half-dash (using the center button) or
use your remote. I.e. the <a href="http://get-certified.net?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> themselves don?t
"support" your custom soundtrack, it?s the dashboard
itself, so you can?t do this in the game's pause menu.
Custom soundtracks are great for some of the Arcade
<a href="http://go-acct.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. NOTE: these functions are NOT available when
you are playing an Xbox 1 game. Also, since the 360
handles custom soundtracks differently than the Xbox,
this means you cannot play custom music during Xbox 1
<a href="http://get-data.net?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>, because the game cannot recognize the music on
the 360?s hardrive.
The center button on the controller (the one with the
big green X on it) does several things. When you tap
it, it opens up part of the dashboard which then
superimposes its image over half the screen. (Most
<a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> will pause while you do this. DVDs continue to
play, though.) From this half dashboard you can look
at friends, change some settings, send invites, chat,
send messages, and play custom soundtracks. It also
has a visual indicator of your controller?s battery
strength. The center button also performs
context-sensitive functions that relate to messages
that pop up on your screen. For example, if the
message says ?Codename Havok is online? and I
immediately hit the center button, it takes me right
to your gamertag profile. This also works for game
invites and accomplishments.
The wireless controller works smoothly. To turn it
on, hold the center button. I think the controller
will automatically link to the nearest 360 if it?s not
been used yet. The ring of light on the controller
will spin and then assign it a controller number. If
you have controller 1, it will have the upper left
quadrant lit up. If you have multiple controllers, to
link the controller and console you?ll tap a small
button on the console itself and then tap a small
button on the controller. This is how you can use
your wireless controller on another 360, you just have
to manually link it to the new console. It?s not
permanent and you can relink your wireless controller
to any nearby 360. Turning on the wireless controller
will also turn on the console itself. You can also
turn off the console and controller by holding the
center button for several seconds, and then confirming
the prompt on screen. When battery power is low, the
ring of light on the controller will rotate in
circles.
The Xbox Live marketplace is where you download free
and premium content. It?s accessible through the
dashboard when no game is in the tray. Movie
trailers, game reviews, game footage, Arcade <a href="http://000info.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>,
and game demos are downloadable. You can try all the
arcade <a href="http://get-faster.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a> with free demos, but they require points
to get the full game. Points are usually obtained by
buying them from the online store (it charges your
credit card that is associated with your Live
account). It?s real easy to understand once you see
this whole process. There is a free playable demo of
Kameo you can download.
You get a 20 GB hardrive, but 12 GB is already filled
up when you first get your console. A lot of that is
the emulation data for playing Xbox 1 <a href="http://go-advertising.com?go=games" onmouseover="window.status = 'goto: games';return 1" onmouseout="window.status=''">games</a>. But some
of that is preloaded movies and commercials that you
can delete at any time. For example, there?s a 15 min
movie involving Titanic, but it?s all in high def so
it?s a huge file. Deleting that gives you another 2
gig of space. Putting an Xbox 1 game in will cause
the 360 to automatically download a small data patch
for backwards compatibility sake.
As we discussed before, save game data from Xbox 1
cannot be transferred to the 360. So, you?re starting
over from the beginning for any Xbox 1 game on the
360.
The premium package comes with: the console, a 20 GB
hardrive (already attached), a wireless controller,
high definition component cables, media remote,
headset, instruction manuals. There is a switch on
the component cables that must be set to ?high
definition? to make it work correctly.
In your dashboard settings you will select the aspect
ratio (widescreen or 4:3) as well as the resolution
(480p, 720p, or 1080i). Unfortunately you can only
select one resolution at a time. So look at the back
of the game box to see what resolutions it supports.
For example, if you?ve been playing COD2 (which
supports 720p and 1080i) in 1080i mode and then pop in
PGR3 (which only supports 720p), the PGR3 game is not
smart enough to display it in 720p and will instead
display in standard definition (non high-def) mode.
You must first change your setting in the dashboard to
720p and then put PGR3 in. Stupid, I know.
The console runs quite hot. Make sure it?s
well-ventilated or it will overheat. There are
warning signs that flash on the ring of light when it
gets too hot. Many of us at xblgames have noted that
the console cools better if you have it vertical.
More surface area exposed to the air. I have it
sitting in a well-open place and even have a little
fan running a breeze through the area. But put your
hand behind the console when it?s on and you?ll feel
just how hot this thing gets.
Do NOT change the orientation of your console
(vertical to horizontal, or vise versa) when a game
disc is in the tray. It will gouge your game disk.