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Buyer's remorse headed off at the pass

Started by Eight Taiwanese Teenagers, March 03, 2011, 08:08:17 PM

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Eight Taiwanese Teenagers

I have a Wii. Don't play it that much, but play Mario with the mrs, slowly working my way through Donkey Kong, and get stuck into the party games at xmas, birthdays etc... I also have been playing Goldeneye a bit, and now fancy getting my grips on some more meaty games, jealously eyeing up Red Dead Redemption and Call of Duty on the more heavyweight consoles.

I'm thinking that if and when I get a new, better paid job (within a couple of months hopefully) I will reward myself with a PS3 or an XBox. Which should it be, whores?

Consignia

If you have to have only one, I'd personally recommend getting the PS3. Loads of features aside, it has more exclusives and the differences between the actual games that are shared are minimal these days.

Of course, you might prefer the 360's controllers which many seem to do[nb]I don't[/nb], or all your mates could live users which might make it a better choice for you. You don't reallt lose out much with either these days.

El Unicornio, mang

I would go for the Xbox because it's cheaper. I'm sticking with my PC, since I can upgrade, download games, modify existing games to my liking easily, and there's the added bonus of 1080p graphics vs. 720p (not that that is a deal breaker). You could always wait for the new PSP to come out also.

Big Jack McBastard

I've barely touched my Xbox since I got my new PC+upgrades, so I'm with Mr mang on that front. Generally I'm much more inclined to use my PC anyway as it's rarely off and what with it now being able to play anything I like and being able to get any game I fancy in a few clicks and a search there's no contest, especially in place of shelling out 30 odd quid for something new for t'box. Not to mention the back catalog of PC games.

That aside, graphically the PS3 is impressive on a good Telly, though I prefer pretty much everything else on the Xbox from controllers to menus to the range of games.

Mister Six

I'd probably go for the Xbox because it's marginally cheaper, but it's up to you. A mate of mine has both and can't stand the PS3's menus, constant updates or slow loading times, but obviously plenty of people are happy with them. It won't make a massive amount of difference either way, I think.

Subtle Mocking

The updates for PS3 are a pain in the bollocks but aside from that I'm more than happy with it. The only thing I really miss about having a 360 was being able to plug the iPod in and play it in-game (I'm praying that the PS3 gets that support sometime) but ultimately I had to ditch the 360 because of the red ring of death popping up on 2 or 3 different consoles. Also, the older models were very loud but I think they've fixed that on newer 360s.

For anyone with a newer 360, have they fixed the red ring of death problem? Have you had any problems with the newer builds?

jutl

If you want Bluray playback then the PS3 is worth it. Of the PS3 exclusives only Little Big Planet (&2)  and Uncharted (&2) (and perhaps Gran Turismo 5 if dull racers are your thing) are unrivalled on the Xbox, I'd say. Still they are two of the best franchises ever, so erm... buy both.

jutl

Quote from: Subtle Mocking on March 04, 2011, 06:48:57 PMFor anyone with a newer 360, have they fixed the red ring of death problem? Have you had any problems with the newer builds?

Supposedly yes. Only MS will really know about return rates, but forum reports do seem to have died away. The drive's a lot quieter on the new one too, although still not as quiet as the PS3's.

Mister Six

Quote from: jutl on March 04, 2011, 06:50:59 PM
If you want Bluray playback then the PS3 is worth it. Of the PS3 exclusives only Little Big Planet (&2)  and Uncharted (&2) (and perhaps Gran Turismo 5 if dull racers are your thing) are unrivalled on the Xbox, I'd say. Still they are two of the best franchises ever, so erm... buy both.

Counterpoint: Uncharted's a pretty but otherwise fairly standard cover-based shooter and LBP is basically Shoot-'Em-Up Construction Kit for a new generation, with the same quality of user-generated content that implies (though LBP2 looks far more flexible).

jutl

Quote from: Mister Six on March 04, 2011, 06:58:43 PM
Counterpoint: Uncharted's a pretty but otherwise fairly standard cover-based shooter and LBP is basically Shoot-'Em-Up Construction Kit for a new generation, with the same quality of user-generated content that implies (though LBP2 looks far more flexible).

No, on both counts. Uncharted has better plot, environments and technology that pretty much any other similar shooter and saying LBP is 'basically SEUCK' is so comically reductive that I assume you're joking. 

Subtle Mocking

Quote from: jutl on March 04, 2011, 06:50:59 PM
(and perhaps Gran Turismo 5 if dull racers are your thing) are unrivalled on the Xbox, I'd say

I'd say Forza was far superior to GT5.

jutl

Quote from: Subtle Mocking on March 04, 2011, 07:07:51 PM
I'd say Forza was far superior to GT5.

I can't get into either, so I'm no judge.

Mister Six

Quote from: jutl on March 04, 2011, 07:07:09 PM
No, on both counts. Uncharted has better plot, environments and technology that pretty much any other similar shooter and saying LBP is 'basically SEUCK' is so comically reductive that I assume you're joking.

I was being a bit unfair on the Uncharteds, but they never really gripped me. Very pretty games but ultimately just cover-based shooters with some really nice setpieces.

LBP, though? I spent about three hours with my PS3 mate going through loads of user-generated levels and - with about two or three exceptions - they were all clunky side-scrolling platform games or dull things where your sackboy grabbed onto a car or whatever and held on while it drove in one direction. Some of them were very pretty, yes, but they still amounted to the same thing. Brilliant for 10-year-old kids, maybe, but fucking tedious for me. No way I'd want to spend money on something so woefully limited. So yeah: SEUCK in the sense that you're given an extremely limited selection of tools that only lend themselves towards making one particular type of game - and a fairly shitty one at that.

LBP 2 looks like it's got more options, like being able to control objects other than your sackboy, but I haven't played it.

HappyTree

I'd say that the 2 consoles are just about the same, they both have their pluses and minuses. Since the controller is your interface with the game world and you'll be holding it the whole time, I think you should choose whichever has the controller you prefer. Get your hands on them at your local emporium and see which one grabs you.

The PS3 has BluRay playback and free online, the Xbox is slicker and whilst online costs it seems to be better implemented. But I may be wrong on that as I only use the free online membership to download free demos on the Xbox. I chose that system because that's the controller I like.

I bought an Elite and after 18 months got the RROD problem, but I signalled the problem with the Xbox site under warranty and they emailed me postage stickers and returned a new, slightly updated console to me within 12 days, all for free. Since then no more problems. So for me the RROD is not really that much of an issue and seems to have been fixed with the new slim version anyway.

jutl

Quote from: Mister Six on March 04, 2011, 08:12:24 PM
LBP, though? I spent about three hours with my PS3 mate going through loads of user-generated levels and - with about two or three exceptions - they were all clunky side-scrolling platform games or dull things where your sackboy grabbed onto a car or whatever and held on while it drove in one direction. Some of them were very pretty, yes, but they still amounted to the same thing. Brilliant for 10-year-old kids, maybe, but fucking tedious for me. No way I'd want to spend money on something so woefully limited. So yeah: SEUCK in the sense that you're given an extremely limited selection of tools that only lend themselves towards making one particular type of game - and a fairly shitty one at that.

Did you actually try using the tools though, or are you just basing this on sampling user-built levels? One thing that was fairly poor in LBP (1) was the handling of the sheer volume of levels being created, plus the kind of mutual voting up of poor levels by creators gaming the system. The tools themselves, though, had incredible flexibility. The majority of the improvements in LBP 2 are just packaged versions of complex elements you could make in LBP (1) but which were very tricky to get right. I would really try using the level creation system before criticising it.

Have you seen the addition calculator someone built while the game was still in beta?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4LTfEoY0g

The stuff in the air is arrays of logic gates built using the simple switches and sensors the first game provided. The digital display isn't something that came packaged in the creation system either - it was built by the creator using simple game elements.

Neil

The Kinect is utterly superb, and well worth getting an Xbox for.

Mister Six

Quote from: jutl on March 04, 2011, 09:49:23 PMHave you seen the addition calculator someone built while the game was still in beta?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4LTfEoY0g

The stuff in the air is arrays of logic gates built using the simple switches and sensors the first game provided. The digital display isn't something that came packaged in the creation system either - it was built by the creator using simple game elements.

Has anyone applied this to actual playable levels though? Something like that might be right up ETT's street, but if he just wants to play a fun side-scroller he'll be - in my experience, at least - up shit creek.

Penfold

Quote from: Mister Six on March 04, 2011, 11:55:47 PM
Has anyone applied this to actual playable levels though? Something like that might be right up ETT's street, but if he just wants to play a fun side-scroller he'll be - in my experience, at least - up shit creek.

people found a lot of great things to do in LBP1 but in between all the 18 TROPHIES IN DIS LEVEL!!!! things that have been made there are some great levels apart from the main story mode itself.[nb]i spent my last day as a 25 year old trying to complete every level without dying....mission accomplished[/nb] There's a lot of easily found 'Top LittleBigPlanet Levels' lists you can find on google[nb]http://www.ugo.com/games/littlebigplanet-levels-top-50[/nb][nb]http://www.1up.com/news/1up-10-favorite-user-generated-big[/nb][nb]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/top-10-littlebigplanet-levels-article[/nb][nb]http://www.gamesradar.com/f/10-littlebigplanet-levels-you-have-to-play/a-20081104165827244072[/nb].

LBP2 seems even better from what i've tried so far so don't write it off so easily.

jutl

Quote from: Mister Six on March 04, 2011, 11:55:47 PM
Has anyone applied this to actual playable levels though? Something like that might be right up ETT's street, but if he just wants to play a fun side-scroller he'll be - in my experience, at least - up shit creek.

The story levels of LBP all use exactly the same mechanisms including complex built switching. The story levels themselves are superb, I'd say. As others have noted there is a wealth of great user levels out there using this kind of complex design, and LBP 2 provides tools to let you add interesting levels to your 'to play' queue from a PC browser. Nearly all LBP levels are playable in LBP 2. I'd really recommend trying it again.

Eight Taiwanese Teenagers

You've got me all confused. Little Big Planet does appeal, but apart from that it's looking like XBOX is a better option. Thanks for all your opinions!

Still Not George

Quote from: Eight Taiwanese Teenagers on March 05, 2011, 10:35:18 AM
You've got me all confused. Little Big Planet does appeal, but apart from that it's looking like XBOX is a better option. Thanks for all your opinions!

One thing I will add on the 360's behalf - Games On Demand is a beautiful service that gets better all the time, so if you're a lazy cunt like me, get the biggest hard drive you can. The whole concept of episodal annoys me, but being able to play Fable 2 until I got bored of it and only pay for the un-boring bits was wonderful. It's like an uberdemo.

mobias

If you'd asked me 18 months or 2 years ago I probably would have said the 360. However having owned both consoles I'd go for a PS3 hands down these days. To not buy a console because of the menu's being a pain (which is in itself debatable, I've never had problems with mine) or updates being annoying is a bit silly. It's all about the games and I'd say the PS3 has by far the better exclusives. Its taken a long time for the PS3 to catch up with the 360. I think a lot of people still have it in their heads that because the 360's been out longer it has far more better games. In the last year though the PS3 has really come into its own and 2011 looks like a great year for it.

Penfold

Quote from: Still Not George on March 05, 2011, 10:50:45 AM
One thing I will add on the 360's behalf - Games On Demand is a beautiful service that gets better all the time, so if you're a lazy cunt like me, get the biggest hard drive you can. The whole concept of episodal annoys me, but being able to play Fable 2 until I got bored of it and only pay for the un-boring bits was wonderful. It's like an uberdemo.

yeah, I wouldn't ever really recommend someone to spend £10 let alone whatever a console costs nowadays, unless it involves defending the possibilities of littlebigplanet, I have both consoles due to my lack of dependants and whatever isn't rent money goes on booze and cheap pizzas, I got a PS3 first then a couple of years later a 360 but the XBLA and now the Games on Demand are very handy, especially the cheap games.

I won't lie, I've bought Earth Defence Force 2017 twice, first on disc, then on GOD because the way my room is set up it's a huge pain getting up to change discs.[nb]hmmmm, i think i sound like a lazy cunt because if i was me i'd think i was a lazy cunt but seriously i love EDF 2017 so much i'd pay for it twice so it's the only game i've done that with.[/nb] The other games i've got are mostly sandbox games like GTA4 and Crackdown because I like having something on my HDD that I can just play and mess around.

The PS3 is catching up with this, but only with a game or two a month it seems, not looked into how the prices match up.

Still Not George

I bought Defcon 3 times - once electronically, once hardcopy, and once for a collector's edition, all from Introversion's own retail channel - so I do understand that sometimes you just want to buy it a million times to register your approval as loudly as possible.

thisaintnopicnic

From my experience, the PS3 online service is harder to use if you just want to play with your friends. X360 menus look a bit slicker as well. PS3 is a better media player and, I think, better for gaming overall.

If your choice is influenced solely by the controller, or you like the PS3 but prefer the X360 pad, get one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XCM-Cross-Battle-Adapter-Plus-PS3-XBOX-360-Controller-/260672347901?pt=Video_Games_Accessories&hash=item3cb1485efd#ht_3378wt_905. Works flawlessly.   

HappyTree



I don't know the actual size difference, but I think the 360 controller is slightly wider. I have small hands but don't find the 360 one too big at all. The issue for me is the placement of the analogue sticks. I just don't like having both my thumbs down in the centre. But, as always, your mileage may vary.

Still Not George

My main problem with the 360 pad is that moving the thumb to the D-pad requires an uncomfortable grip shift if you have small hands, while the dualshock design just involves a plunging motion around the left prong with the palm. Difficult to recover from easily but considerably less uncomfortable.

HappyTree

Could be. I never really use the Dpad for anything beyond occasional switching between weapons or mapped powers. It is the weak point on the 360 controller which some claim has been improved with the new one. Does anyone really use the Dpad much any more? I suppose it depends on what type of game you play the most.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47FYA54tMzo

Mister Six

Yeah, I can't think of many games that use the D-pad for anything serious any more. It usually seems to be for weapon-swapping and squad guiding, if it's even used at all. Possibly if I played RTSes it'd be a different matter.

That controller's horribly impractical, to my eyes. Why remove colours from the buttons when it's one of the main ways of identifying them in QTEs and the like? It'll be a pain in the arse for anyone who's new to the console. Like the thumbpad though.

HappyTree

Yeah, what's wrong with the colours? And if they can make the Dpad pop up and become easier to control, why would anyone use it in the down position? And why not just make the Dpad popped up all the time? Seems a bit superfluous.