The Gamer's Quarter

dessgeega

oh yeah, it's happening. merely coincidence that it coincides with the release of namco's new pac-man game? it has more to do with the fact that i am getting a hefty refund soon (even if i have to pry it from their cold, dead hands), and this is a luxury that i am finally allowing myself.

the primary purpose of this thread is to answer lingering questions i have about the xbox 360. i'm planning to get a "premium" model - the one with the hard drive. i've ordered a set of these to handle the online connecting.

i've gotten the impression that it might be better to hook the xbox up to that monitor i've had sitting around (from my mother's old computer) instead of to my dinky television. what do i need to do this and where do i make the sound come out of?

i'm planning on buying doom and pac-man and maybe senke no ronde if it's not expensive. we'll see. more as it comes!
_________________

simplicio · . Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091

Hey, I'm in the same boat but without the money to actually buy it, and I'd probably just use a wired connection.

My list features:
Pac Man
Dead Rising
Gears of War
JSRF
Panzer Dragoon Orta
possibly Senko no Ronde?

uh oh, I think that's it? Probably the other reason I'm still not getting one for a while

EDIT: Earth Defense Force
_________________
"Worlds turn the new machine to thee. To thee. Though, thine the new machine space."
-Kurt Schwitters, 1919

helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

Make sure you keep it really well ventilated when it's running.

And Team Fortress 2 comes out later this year!
_________________
Like you thought you'd seen copter perverts before. They were nothing compared to this one.

SuperWes

ryan · . Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999

I purchased the cables yesterday and am having a problem with colors. Here's [image] a good example of what is happening on my set. The blurring is just from how he took the picture - look at the player on the left in both shots. It's not the same player, mind you, but it gives you an example of how the VGA cables can wash out the colors. I've been playing with the settings, but all that does is get black and white kinda in the same area as component (in my case) but the colors just aren't nearly as vibrant.
_________________
Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart.

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:34 am Post subject:

Yeah, the VGA cables definitely default to a more washed out picture than component, but you can adjust the picture settings to get it a bit better image and it's better than composite any day.

Also component won't upscale DVDs.

-Wes
_________________

ryan · . Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999

To be honest, I haven't really noticed a difference watching DVDs. And even with the new reference settings, the image still isn't as crisp as it was. I've been tinkering with this thing all last night and this morning and it still isn't right.
_________________
Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart.

dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

They got Time Pilot on this thing you know. Also there's this by the end of year.
_________________

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

I want Pac-Man C.E. But 800 points is a fucking joke.
_________________
aerisdead

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject:

important update: my sister's boyfriend works at gamestop, starting next wednesday. he gets a 15% discount on anything in the store! this presents opportunity.

also i had a dream last night where i was the hero of a live-action castlevania. i carried a whip, a crossbow that never had to be loaded before firing, and a magic axe that, when thrown, would neatly decapitate vampires before boomeranging back to my hand. my mission was to deliver a backpack of food to the last human refuge in a five-story building taken over by vampires. however, all of the human survivors were doing their best to keep their non-vampire status concealed. i would have to first locate the human refuge, then present the food. a wrong decision would have cost the human survivors the supplies they so desperately needed. i woke after defeating the boss of the first floor.
_________________

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

dess: i work at gamestop (ego disclaimer: in the summer) and i should clarify for you that the 15% discount extends to everything but new hardware.

however! two good things in spite of this. one: if you're willing to get the 360 used, that's $260 (they are not sold with hard drives used) - 15% = $221, and if you really want to take advantage of the young man, he can get you a hard drive for free here by spending two hours taking some quizzes about smartphones and such (microsoft offers this program to anybody who works retail where microsoft products are sold even though you would have a pretty tough time buying a smartphone at gamestop).

dessgeega · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:57 am Post subject:

does that work? is it guaranteed? have you done it?
_________________

kirkjerk · . Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1227

JSRF: be sure to have the standalone version. For some extremely irksome and vexing reason, the more common (I think) version that comes bundled with Sega GT (PS... was Sega GT as big a deal as JSRF? Why is it on the "front" of the box?) doesn't work.

Time Pilot... wish they had bundled it with Time Pilot '84... a less iconic but for me, more satisfying game.
_________________
=/ \(<D)_/
==/\/ >_ kirkjerk.com

kirkjerk · . Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1227

purplechair · . Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 378 Location: in my pants

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

dessgeega · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:43 am Post subject:

how long did it take you? i feel bad coercing the kid into filling out a huge survey so i can have a free hard drive. maybe i can just get the address of his store and fill it out in his place?
_________________

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

you could totally try doing that. honestly, it's two hours of "work," tops, but i could see how that might seem a lot longer if it's not actually for your own sake.

you could also buy one! it's just that this is the absolute best and cheapest way to get a 360 by abusing gamestop employment.

EDIT: i just tried saving you the trouble but i've only got enough untaken quizzes left on that site to get up to 2200 points, which is 1500 short of a hard drive. sorry. in the meantime, though, there's also this other site, where it is much easier to earn points and which you should use for all of your microsoft-published game acquisitions (read: gears of war). iirc, they're also a bit less picky about getting valid proof of employment; they do, however, charge you cost plus shipping for your orders whereas the other website is actually free.[/url]

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

I'm just going to mention again how I really like Dead Rising, and recommend you buy it. So long as you go into it knowing that it's actually shit you won't be disappointed.

...by 'shit' I mean how the best mode is sadly the default mode, the one that annoys you with its constant goal-setting and pager ringing and stupid hostages who get themselves killed. The thing is you'll play that mode thinking 'this is annoying, but I'll endure it because I bet the 'endless' mode I unlock after this will be the mode that justifies my purchase, with Pacman-like infinite replay value!' and it isn't. Endless mode actually is pretty bad and ill-thought-out. You just have to play the default mode and try and enjoy it for what it is, warts and all.

If you go into it with that attitude you'll have a whale of a time!!!1

dessgeega · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:25 am Post subject:

i played nana komatsu's copy of the game a bit. i enjoyed what i played, but it's left me in no rush to go out and purchase the game. though i do love jo.

yeah, the half-life 2 megadisc is the only non-live (dead?) 360 game i'm planning to pick up so far. though i do intend to grab a cheapo used copy of panzer dragoon orta.
_________________

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

re: actually buying things on the 360 -

the resurgence of demos with this console generation is hands down the best thing about the console. i don't actually have one, and i've given up thinking that i might eventually want one (my laptop can run half life 2 and it's not as though most doujin titles aren't better than what's on live), but between various friends' consoles i've found at least four or five demos that i would never in a million years delete but which also negate any and all need of ever buying the final product.

to wit: crackdown (the demo actually has faster skill progression and they tell you so), dead rising (sorry aderack; interesting as this one is i'd rather just fiddle with how it plays), fight night / table tennis (TWO PLAYER ACTION), and probably more i'm forgetting.

honestly, the current mentality of "if you like what you are playing, then you can pay to have the other 90% of the content whereas the mechanics are free" is nothing but good for those of us who can't be bothered about virtual achievements and what have you in the first place.

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

The only thing about the whole demos thing is that you can see how many of the games are complete shit. Which is like all of them. The only game I've bought on that console after playing a demo is Dead Rising (also, the only game I've bought on that console is Dead Rising). It's a good thing really, I guess.

I thought you would like Jo for some reason. I like Jessie. The game has the most high-res face textures of any game ever but for some reason they put a bit of shine in the middle of her lip texture that doesn't move or respond to light sources (because it's just a still image), so she just looks like she's got shit on her lips the whole way through.

B coma · . Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 279

I kinda like that it's impossible to get even close to fulfilling all the goals that Dead Rising provides for you the first time around, and that there's so many interesting things around and no time to see them if you choose to care about the primary plot. It's like a great big smack in the face to most current obsessive-compulsive game design. Make a choice and just learn to let go of the rest!

regardless of whether or not you like that aspect, though, it's still the best 360 game that isn't a straight shooter. And it's getting pretty affordable as far as 360 games are concerned!

Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

fish · . Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 113 Location: montreal

buy crackdown.

its the best game about jumping since super mario bros.
its almost poetic how awesome this game is.
it does a few things, but what it does, it does extremely well.
ive been playing it regularly since it came out.
and i usually get tired of any given thing within a week.
its a gem.
co-op is amazing.
and it has some of the best DLC around.
both paying and free.
_________________
you cant spell selfish without fish

SuperWes · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:39 am Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject:

the magic wireless wire has arrived and been installed. i'll get the console soon - maybe this weekend, though this weekend is kind of busy. i might order it online, if shipping's not too crazy - it'll save me having to deal with game store people.
_________________

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

xbox xbought!

it will be here friday.
_________________

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:03 am Post subject:

you know, i think i'm going to enjoy being able to download demos of commercial games. i'm rarely comfortable buying a game without having tried it first, which is why most of my game purchases are on platforms that are emulated. also they're not sixty dollars. jeez. between live titles and demos and, eventually, half-life, i think i'll be good.

i'm going to download the shadowrun demo, i think.
_________________

Cycle · Mac daddy Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 2767

man, i want to play shadowrun.

maybe i'll just pick up the pc version.
_________________

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:21 am Post subject:

alternately, get the genesis version!
_________________

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:56 am Post subject:

hey, the xbox i bought comes with a 20gb hard drive. that's what i want, right?
_________________

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:14 am Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:26 am Post subject:

i just bought it from amazon. i don't know any game stores i can get to without taking a bus, and i don't really want to carry around a giant xbox box in public. my weekend is kinda busy as it is, and amazon said they could get it to me by friday.

i probably paid retail price. i'm not really sure, but i also don't want to think about it. i can afford it only because i've just gotten a big chunk of money back, and i thought it was time i treated myself to something i've been wanting for a while.

now that it's bought, eight-dollar home arcade games are just fine with me.
_________________

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:57 am Post subject:

Well sorry I didn't mention it sooner. I would have, but it sounded like you were trying to take a cheaper route than retail. I'm assuming you're planning on sticking with the dessgeega gamertag?

-Wes
_________________

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:20 am Post subject:

i was trying to take a cheaper route, but it was frustrating, especially considering i absolutely need a hard drive. the money showed up, so i decided to just buy it. i never allow myself to splurge.

i'd like to stick with my existing gamertag if i can. i've got achievements on games i'd probably prefer not to buy!
_________________

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:25 am Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:26 am Post subject:

what's the difference between silver and gold, westminster?
_________________

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

silver doesn't cost any money; gold lets you play games online

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:46 am Post subject:

wait i have to pay money to play games online
_________________

fish · . Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 113 Location: montreal

oh yeah.

silver just lets you browse stuff, pretty much.
to play online you need gold, which i dont know how much in american dollars. around the price of a game for a year of service.
the good news is, its a pretty solid service.

you prolly got a little card that lets you sign up and get a month for free.
_________________
you cant spell selfish without fish

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:55 am Post subject:

JasonMoses · . Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 407

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

SuperWes · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:53 am Post subject:

JasonMoses · . Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 407

I played it with two other people and we all agreed that it was totally execrable and we were worse off for having played it. That it's free almost makes it worse - it means that people will be subjected to it almost mandatorily if they purchase a 360.

Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

the game is unbelievably terrible and yet made worthwhile by the fact that co-op makes any game worthwhile; if anybody's going to be downright infected by such a piss poor shooter, meanwhlie, it's dess.

JasonMoses · . Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 407

Yeah, but - the co-op play isn't fun. You can either shoot the enemies with your collective useless pea-shooters, which is insanely boring, or you can combine, in which case all but one player doesn't even get to do anything, which is also insanely boring but in a different way.

Mister Toups · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject:

I thought aegis wing was boring until I realized that the entire game is based around using special weapons creatively rather than just "shooting". Once I realized this I got much more of a kick out of it, though it's still pretty shallow.
_________________
where were you when nana komatsu got a wii?

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:36 pm Post subject:

don't give me cancer, people.

so hey, the prince of persia remake is out. which is the original prince of persia, with the goatly prince from sands of time and possibly game-breaking new mechanics. someone tell me if it's any good, and if there are harshness settings that will allow me to play it like the original.
_________________