XBox Live: Impressions at 4 weeks

verbmusic · 09-03-2007, 02:11 AM

I got a 360 nand xbox live about a month ago. I love it, but the bad news is that other than playing a game with friends, which I love, XBox Live has really disapponted me. I'll list some specifics:

-The look of it is dull. I can scroll left and right to open a few pages that look nearly identical but for their colors. It offers function but with so little visual creativity that I really don't even want to explore it. Why not make it gorgeous and intriguing?

-There is nothing to do that interests me except play a game with friends. Sure, it fulfills its primary function, and that's awesome. However, there seems a lot of room to elaborate. Once I am on a worldwide network with a next-gen console in an environment where the laws of physics and life cease to apply, it seems like a little creativity could birth a mind-blowing environment. Instead I have 4 or 5 pages of neat colors and text with an opportunity to watch some commericials, download some movies that I am not interested in waiting for.

-XBLA is a nice idea, but the selection is embarassing and it seems unreliable.

I'll end on a positive, I do like being able to try out demos, that's going to save me some serious cash.

How about you?

FlyACL · 09-03-2007, 08:47 AM

I kind of agree with you. I would like to see them spice it up a bit. But I also think that has always been the MS approach. Function over form. And for me I will take function all day long. I listened to an interview not that long ago with some MS people who work on XBL and the dashboard. In it they did mention they had a lot of great new stuff coming for the dashboard. I guess we will just have to wait and see. But for now, like I said I am happy with the function. Take care~

verbmusic · 09-03-2007, 12:04 PM

It's true. It works very well. My connection is not fast, slowest cable connection out there, and I have never had problems.

Gaming with my friends online was a first for me and I really do love it. I'd just wish for more when my friends log off and I still want to hang out a bit. At those times it hits me that there's not much else to do.

iFester · 09-03-2007, 12:07 PM

Simple solution, make more XBL friends.

There a plenty of people that can send friend requests to. Send me one and maybe we can play Gears (if you have it) sometime.

ReaperMojo · 09-03-2007, 01:07 PM

i very impressed with xbox live. the setup is simple and it is very well organized. plus i love the way it notifies you when your friends log on and communication with your friends is also very easy and simple.

psuedohippy · 15-03-2007, 03:22 PM

Plus you can add themes to your dashboard so that you dont always have the same colored pages to flip through. Thats not much but it is something to change up from time to time.

BossCheese · 15-03-2007, 06:32 PM

I like things straight and to the point. Even my dashboard theme (the Rare theme) is the simplest one I could find. Clean lines and white background that makes the text pop so it's easily legible. Which helps my aging eyes...even on high def.
I like functionality...simple navigation...find what I want/need/interests me download it and get on with it. Streaming media from my PC to my 360 is one of the greatest benefits to me.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of room for diversity and creativity. Microsoft is still a business company at it's core. It's primary goal was never games at all, it was to monopolize the business software industry.

Getting them to think out of the "windows box" will take time...if it ever happens at all.