Bah, that sucks. That means that hard drive isn’t standard, especially at a price point of $100. Say goodbye to caching game data on the fly, and hello longer load times. Now, the hard drive looks destined to be nothing more than a music repository. HELLO - I ALREADY HAVE A PC. Backwards compatability needs the hard drive? So I can play older, cruddier looking games? Yes - let me pay $100 for that! Oh wait - myXBOX already plays them!

Seriously, what’s the point of the hard drive now? What’s it for? Am I out of control?!

First off, I must confess IDNOAX (i do not own an xbox). But I did come across the story yesterday on slashdot, and just now read this article at CNN. The choice seems clear to me which is the better value… it would be stupid to NOT get the $400 model. So I don’t care much about the wireless controller… how far away do you sit from the TV anyway? But the difference in price is the cost of the hard drive alone, and you also get a headset and remote thrown in to boot, as well as the $40 cables needed for the high definition graphics.

I don’t think the price/value issue needs to be discussed, though… I think the real question is “Why do two different packages even exist?” Remember back when the NES was realeased? Standard package was the console, two (2) controllers, a light gun, and Super Mario / Duckhunt. With one purchase, you had everything you needed to play, and with a friend as well. It has only gone downhill since then, and it is a constant source of frustration for me. Standard console packages come with one controller, no games, no accesories, nada. The compainies toot their horn about how great the system will be, all the new bells and whistles, critics claim it’s the new standard in gaming… but suddenly we learn to get all those new features, we need to spend twice as much as the basic package, and then slap down 60 bucks for a game as well.

If the Xbox 360 is supposed to have HiDef graphics, why aren’t those cables standard? If it’s supposed to be backwards compatable, why does it need a hard drive to do it? If it’s supposed to be a media player as well as a game console, why isn’t the hard drive and remote standard issue as well? Quit lying to us, corps! Don’t build up our hopes just to smash them again!

Done ranting now.

~hed~

hed, here is the list of things that come with each package deal, note the cables included; sure, its not HDMI quality, but still, better than standard a/v for the $400 deal.
link

Man, this kinda sucks altogether. Now I have to buy that little gizmo that Sandstone wants us all to get, plus an additional controller (which is $50 plus batteries or the 9ft. wired version) the plug-n-play, a couple of games, and the total price is well over $500. Ugg. Still, comparatively speaking, the PS3 will still be more expensive. But still, us forking out that kind of moola for gaming is rather hard to swallow. I am not saying that it is not worth it, but man, that puts a dent into Xmas $$.

Eh, I read a lil’ rumor [not credible/gaming forum, but interesting] about MS planning on buying out Nintendo’s share of the gaming console market. Anyone else heard that? Should we buy some M$ stock?

Ooooo if you want your wireless controllers to be recharageable, it’s gonna cost you $20.

So, I’m getting the $400 Xbox 360, $60 Oblivion, and the $20 Play and Charge kit. That smells an awful lot like $460. Uh, how much IS that little wireless jobby going to be?

Preordered Oblivion and the Play and Charge Kit - both are now available (for pre-order) at my local Game Crazy. They’re going to make a mint off me come release day…

Diablo: did you make a decision yet about Oblivion?

Well, kinda. As I have heard, Oblivion is not a true launch game, right? I think it’ll come out a month later or so. If it is not a launch game, then I’ll get some other game and then acquire ES:O after it comes out. Still, I need something more definitive about what day it comes out.

This total price is rather depressing. I’ve paid off $140 on the premium version, but that leaves $259 left, plus a game, plus another controller (probably wired/cheaper) plus whatever else I need. Sure, it’ll be cheaper than buying the basic “core” model and then adding on, or much cheaper than the PS3, but still, I had hoped for the $299 price tag for the HDD version. Bitter taste in my mouth. I know it will be an improvement, and I am looking forward to some of the new games, but man, tough to swallow it all. Oh well. It’s still cheaper than other hobbies.

Totally - oh, just a note, I won’t be picking up the wireless thingy until Halo 3 comes out. No reason to have a super-easy way to network if there’s no game to play over it and all that.

Well, I sure would be bummed if Oblivion didn’t come out on the launch day - but I haven’t heard one way or the other. Where did you hear that it might not make launch?

If you look at the Gamestop or EBgames websites ES:O has a release day a couple weeks later than the for sure launch titles. What is dumb is that they both have it packaged into their insane huge launch bundles. If i even say OMEGA BUNDLE i feel like i just went bankrupt.

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