Xbox Optional Installs

[StrainedEyes]

One of the not-so-cosmetic changes in the fall update will be the ability to let you play your games directly from the hard disk. The new feature will let users install all of the game content directly onto the hard drive to improve game load times. Microsoft reports that it has seen a 30 percent improvement in load times in internal testing. As an interesting data point, Microsoft went out of its way to tell a group of reporters that the full Devil May Cry 4 hard disk installation took roughly 10 minutes on the Xbox 360. The installation took twice as long when we conducted our own installation tests on the PlayStation 3. Another side benefit of having games installed on the hard disk is reduced noise, since the optical disc no longer needs to spin up. However, you will still need to have the game disc in your optical drive while you're playing it, presumably as a piracy check.

http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6194093/index.html

10 minute install for DMC4, which took twice as long to install on the PS3, Load times are 30 percent faster, No disc noise while playing.
No real info on just how much space they will take up.

Discuss...

 

[Addendum]

Looks like I'll have to get that 120 Gig drive sooner than I expected

 

[StrainedEyes]

Yeah, I am planning to buy the 120gb soon too. My 20gb is barely cutting it anymore.

 

[Untilteld]

Well, looks like I know what to spend my next paycheck on.

 

[Addendum]

But why did it take Microsoft 3 years to realize this? While the Xbox didn't have the game download directly to the hard drive, it did cut back on the load times and was overall smoother to use.

 

[StrainedEyes]

But why did it take Microsoft 3 years to realize this? While the Xbox didn't have the game download directly to the hard drive, it did cut back on the load times and was overall smoother to use.

Microsoft saw what installs did for the PS3, and that developers did not mind using it, but they knew they couldn't force it on their gamers because of the varying size in HDs. So in typical MS fashion they took what another company did, and made it a little better, this time by making it optional.

 

[Addendum]

What I meant was: take one of the features of the original Xbox (mandatory hard drive), incorporate that to the 360 while it was under development, along with the feature of increasing the hard drive size without having to crack open the system to do it, and then later on introduce the optional install to the hard drive.

Sony put the idea of downloading disc games to the hard drive, though that feature has long been in place on the PC.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

i think this kicks ass. Iv actually never been bothered by the noise my 360 puts out, i mean its about as quiet as my PS3, but the less moving parts within my 360 the better.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

I find it a good addition to the 360, and best of all, it´s not mandatory. Installation was always thing of the PC, that is, until the PS3 start doing it (reason: frame rate and other problems it had from reading directly from the blu-ray).
MS looked at it and saw that it worked in load times and noise reduction, so, they will use it too.
The diference is, MS is making it because it can enhance the gaming experience, the PS3 does it resolve some issues it had.

So in typical MS fashion they took what another company did, and made it a little better, this time by making it optional.

There is nothing wrong in taking stuff and enhance upon it, but explain to me the all "in typical MS fashion", because it´s something that is being siad over an over in a lot of forums, when it´s nowhere near truthful.
MS never took anything from other companies, when that the only thing Sony did this generation, to rip-off everyone (but didn´t enhance anything).
If i´m wrong, please enlight me....

 

[Havok83]

rememebr this thread from last year? I forgot about it until this news came out: http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=280696

 

[ProjectPat2280]

There is nothing wrong in taking stuff and enhance upon it, but explain to me the all "in typical MS fashion", because it´s something that is being siad over an over in a lot of forums, when it´s nowhere near truthful.
MS never took anything from other companies, when that the only thing Sony did this generation, to rip-off everyone (but didn´t enhance anything).
If i´m wrong, please enlight me....

I dont think Geo was trying to say anything negative towards MS. He was just stating that MS takes things in place and improves upon them, which they do(theyre not the only ones), thats pretty much what the game industry is all about.

 

[D4rkShaDoWz]

Sounds alright - but now I'll need to buy a bigger HDD since demos + games take a lot of space

 

[Kahoot]

Looks like I'll have to get that 120 Gig drive sooner than I expected

But saying that how do you move your Achievements (not just the medals but fully unlocked games) from your smaller hard disk to the new one? That's what's getting me. If I upgrade my hard disk I can recover my gamer tag so I get my medals but I'd need to complete every game again coz this hard disk as no saved data on it to know I've done it before.

 

[StrainedEyes]

But saying that how do you move your Achievements (not just the medals but fully unlocked games) from your smaller hard disk to the new one? That's what's getting me. If I upgrade my hard disk I can recover my gamer tag so I get my medals but I'd need to complete every game again coz this hard disk as no saved data on it to know I've done it before.

The 120gb HD comes with a cord that you attach to the other HD, and you transfer all that stuff over. Downloaded games, save files, achievements, etc.. It warns that it may corrupt some data, but when IGN did it, all that was corrupted were a few old XBLA games that they thought they had deleted.

 

[Kahoot]

The 120gb HD comes with a cord that you attach to the other HD, and you transfer all that stuff over. Downloaded games, save files, achievements, etc.. It warns that it may corrupt some data, but when IGN did it, all that was corrupted were a few old XBLA games that they thought they had deleted.

Cool, count me in then

 

[jsf]

Finally, but I think it may be to late... I'm srsly debateing if I should get a PS3.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Finally, but I think it may be to late... I'm srsly debateing if I should get a PS3.

How can it be too late?

 

[jsf]

How can it be too late?

because im wondering if i should get a ps3, whihc has signifficantly more stuff to it than the 360... it just seems like the ps3 is a better bet... i guess

 

[StrainedEyes]

because im wondering if i should get a ps3, whihc has signifficantly more stuff to it than the 360... it just seems like the ps3 is a better bet... i guess

What is the "significantly more stuff" that the PS3 has?

 

[jsf]

What is the "significantly more stuff" that the PS3 has?

Well, the big one would be the Blu-Ray, which is super appealing to me since I want to get a blu-ray player anyway. The other thing that is pretty appealing to me is that you can open up the ps3 and replace the HD, seeing how it's just a SATA 2.5" laptop HD. I've seen plenty of people swap that out for a 350gb HD... 350gb ps3 = win in my book. Also, supposedly you can copy the games right onto your HD, something that I guess xbox is just now coming into

The only thing that the ps3 is lacking is decent games, COD4, Resistance and some sports games are basically their only good ones and the 6 axis controller is kinda weak.


IDK, I still need to think about it, and it's not like i'll sell my 360, i'd still kepp it and use it quite often, but just the thought of a 350gb blu-ray console is so badass

 

[StrainedEyes]

Well, the big one would be the Blu-Ray, which is super appealing to me since I want to get a blu-ray player anyway. The other thing that is pretty appealing to me is that you can open up the ps3 and replace the HD, seeing how it's just a SATA 2.5" laptop HD. I've seen plenty of people swap that out for a 350gb HD... 350gb ps3 = win in my book. Also, supposedly you can copy the games right onto your HD, something that I guess xbox is just now coming into

The only thing that the ps3 is lacking is decent games, COD4, Resistance and some sports games are basically their only good ones and the 6 axis controller is kinda weak.


IDK, I still need to think about it, and it's not like i'll sell my 360, i'd still kepp it and use it quite often, but just the thought of a 350gb blu-ray console is so badass

I can't even imagine needing 350 GBs of space. I've had a 4gb Ipod for almost 3 years and still haven't filled it.

 

[jsf]

i've also heard from several friends that the playstation network is better than XBL

 

[jsf]

I can't even imagine needing 350 GBs of space. I've had a 4gb Ipod for almost 3 years and still haven't filled it.

yeah I see your point there. I have a 60gb ipod video, and have about 13 gb used lol

GTA IV, GT5P and MGS4 eat up nearly 20gb together when loaded onto your HD... Also, with the HD swap you can run your own OS, I saw a kid who was running Linux on his with no problems

 

[StrainedEyes]

Double post

 

[StrainedEyes]

Eh, I'm not into all that techno-tinkering. I have a computer, I don't need to make my console one too.

The benefit to loading Xbox games onto the hard drive is for the multiple disc games, and to avoid the load fan of the system. Either way I probably won't even use the feature, load times have never bothered me and I really don't notice visual hiccups that come from using the disc.