Buying a next-gen console

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 01 Jun 2008, 20:05

I sold my WoW account last night for $625 and received instant payment that cleared, I'm waiting for it to clear into my bank account now.

Around Tue-Wed It should clear, that gives me 3-4 days to decide what next gen console to buy, I'll be heading to Best Buy to spend allot of money.

First of all I am NOT a fanboy of any console, I see the 3 current consoles as all worth owning to a certain extent.This post is about my reasoning as to which system I buy FIRST.. the second system could easily be as far away as a year from now.

I am also NOT planning on buying every game in sight.

Here's a rundown of what I think

360 = A great console with many many great games with the best online service and also includes backwards compatability in ALL versions of it's console. The mainstream FPS's it has gives those games a massive online replayability factor. So it = Gears of War 1/2, Halo 3, Lost Odyssey, and many other games. I've already beaten Halo 3 on a friends 360 so I'm simply buying it for multiplayer.

PS3 = .... basically just... Metal Gear solid 4 and future Final Fantasy games. On a side note I desperately want to complete the MGS series so the PS3 is still sticking in my mind. The only other possible games that would interest me are Heavenly Sword but I wouldn't buy a console for it.
The current PS3's sold @ the mainstream stores are only the 40gb versions that do NOT have PS2 backwards compatability. I haven't forgotten GTA4 which is also on the 360.

Wii = Metriod Prime 3 and Mario Galaxy .. but Mario Galaxy is just a side game to me *to put it in other words I simply don't give a sh*t about Mario Galaxy*. Since i've beaten Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Gamecube i'm not really all gung ho about playing it on the wii, and wii's are practically impossible to find. but to sum it up it's just a mediocre system with a gimmick. Granted that gimmick has it's uses say for things like mario party with wireless controllers and if you're drunk it's loads of laughs while you're acting like you're digging drunk.

I personally am leaning towards a 360, yes I'm aware of the whole RRoD insufficient solder blah blah so called scandal.

Do NOT post here saying "OFMG FANBOY DRAMA". I just want to see what people can say to change my mind, since i've been out of the Console Gaming market since the last wave of systems I don't know what awesomeness could be around the corner

shemmy · Post by **shemmy** » 01 Jun 2008, 21:01

i was in exactly the same situation as you a few weeks ago. i looked at both consoles and they are pretty much the same. all this fanboy hate seems kinda silly when the two consoles are just as good as each other.

in the end it came down to three things:

1. my two brothers-in-law are getting new phones and part of the package is a next gen system - this is pretty common here in the UK - so we all wanted to get the same system.

2. ps3 had slightly better exclusives than the 360 for me. i got gears for my pc so i didn't miss out on it.

3. i just couldn't spend that amount of money on a 360 as i'd probably just worry about it melting everytime i put a game in. also, by the time i'd have bought the wireless stuff for the 360 it would have been the same price as a ps3, if not more expensive (was looking at the elite).

point one probably swung it. online gaming is better if you know the people you are playing. easier to swap one player games, too.

so now i have my ps3 and i've stuck a bigger HD in it and so far it's been a blast.

oh, i do have a wii also and i think it's pretty fantastic. it has just as many good games for it as the other two.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 01 Jun 2008, 21:14

A lot of the games that I think are 'must plays' on the next-gen consoles aren't exclusive to one or the other, but I will admit to being unhappy with the lack of good RPGs on the next-gen systems - I still find myself firing up my PS2 for the endless J-RPGs I've got on that system.

It's down to friends, and whether you're going to want to play online, really. I don't play online much, if at all, so having the 'best' online features doesn't really add a thumbs up for me...

I've had no trouble with my PS3 (even with the infamous GTA4, where a lot of people on both sides of the Next Gen seemed to have issues...) and as you say, Metal Gear Solid 4, new Final Fantasy games and the greater possibility of more RPGs was the draw for me.

For a time I was tempted to get a 360 to play Mass Effect, Gears of War and whatnot... but knowing me, I'll play 'em for a couple of hours and get bored.

No matter which console you buy, Burnout Paradise is a must buy. It's great fun! :D So's Skate. Devil May Cry 4 was an enormous let down for me... I absolutely detested it. Which give how much of a DMC geek I was with the earlier games... was a real shame.

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 01 Jun 2008, 22:03

This is my opinion (note I have a 360, but am not a fanboy in any regard).

1.) Don't get the Wii. The only good games it has are from the Nintendo franchises, and even those are difficult to play with the control scheme, which seems more novel than practical. Out of all of my friends who own a Wii, I don't know a single one who doesn't use a Gamecube controller instead of a Wiimote for all of his games he can.

2.) The PS3 and the 360 are relatively the same. As far as power, the PS3 pull out way ahead but because it's very difficult for developers to work with a lot of that power is never seen. They both have their own exclusives, but they even out in the end.

Really, it usually comes down to this.

If you want high-definition movies and motion sensing, go with the PS3.

If you want a better online experience, go with the 360.

But I'll leave you with this thought.

Don't buy the console for the features, buy it for the games. If you love Halo and Gears of War, buy the 360. If you love Metal Gear Solid and Ratchet and Clank, buy the PS3. If you would die without Mario and Metroid, buy the Wii.

That's just my 2 cents.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » 01 Jun 2008, 22:16

Having lots of experience on all consoles available today I have a few things to say about the PS3 controller V.S. the 360 controller.

I think I must point out, the PS3 controllers aren't that great IMHO. The vibrate function is weak compared to the 360. And the two analog triggers are poorly designed if you have to hold down one and use the same hand for one of the joysticks doing tat forces you to loosen the grip on the controller and when you pushing on the trigger it forces the controller out of your hand. Finally when playing with both joysticks and you have slightly bigger than average hands your thumbs can meet when both sticks are pointed inward which makes for an uncomfortable experience "Dude!!! No no. You never make em touch man thats not cool" a cookie to whomever can name that quote!

-Edward

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 01 Jun 2008, 23:16

Having lots of experience on all consoles available today I have a few things to say about the PS3 controller V.S. the 360 controller.

I think I must point out, the PS3 controllers aren't that great IMHO. The vibrate function is weak compared to the 360. And the two analog triggers are poorly designed if you have to hold down one and use the same hand for one of the joysticks doing tat forces you to loosen the grip on the controller and when you pushing on the trigger it forces the controller out of your hand. Finally when playing with both joysticks and you have slightly bigger than average hands your thumbs can meet when both sticks are pointed inward which makes for an uncomfortable experience "Dude!!! No no. You never make em touch man thats not cool" a cookie to whomever can name that quote!

-Edward

The Whitest Kids You Know?

I agree with you about the controllers, but it should be noted that the directional pad on the PS3 is much better.

DaFox · Post by **DaFox** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:06

it should be noted that the directional pad on the PS3 is much better.

Thats the only thing the PS3 controller has going for it in my opinion. The placement of the left analog stick seals the deal for me, Its just not natural to use both analog sticks at the same time when they are on the same axis.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:34

I'm fairly certain I'm getting a 360, the controller is much better for FPS and the overall games for it are much better b/c of the amount/types, if I got a PS3 I would be bored after beating MGS4. The Wii doesn't really offer anything to me since I beat Zelda:Twilight Princess on the cube already. and I wouldn't buy the console for any of it's mainstream games either. The 360 even with just Halo 3 for multiplayer is worth owning.

For the past 2 years I haven't paid any attention as to what games have come out on the 360 though, so I'd like 360 owners to tell me what's worth owning. I know the obvious games such as GoW/Lost Planet/Halo 3 ect...

My buy list is

Halo 3
Gears of War 1/2
Lost Planet: the new w/e it's called edition with extras
Fable 2 - when it comes out
Mass Effect
Call of Duty 4
Eternal Sonata
Lost Odyssey
The Sonic game - possibly...

I also want someone who actually OWNS a 360 and Oblivion to tell me how the framerate is.

Now I just can't decide on the Deluxe/20gb hdd version or the Elite

Tanuki · Post by **Tanuki** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:38

A lot of 360 games make the PC jump. So you should keep that in mind if your PC is up to par.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:45

I'm done with pc gaming, it's retardedly expensive and standards are changing too fast, we're long past the days of simply buying a new vid card.

The only time pc gaming is ahead of the industry is when they do something stupidly drastic like releasing 89 video cards in 1 pc, granted... near the last year of each wave/generation of consoles pc gaming is superior, but it comes with a stupid price.

We're now comparing consoles that are almost like PC's as in functionality, it's not like we're comparing a PC to an N64, even one from that time period.

I don't have $3000 to build a new pc every 2 years and as time goes on that price increases, logic states buy a console that's basically just as powerfull for a very small fraction of the price.

A lot of 360 games make the PC jump. So you should keep that in mind if your PC is up to par.

view below

Console gaming has never made more sense to me than it does now.

BlueMak · Post by **BlueMak** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:50

I'm fairly certain I'm getting a 360, the controller is much better for FPS and the overall games for it are much better b/c of the amount/types, if I got a PS3 I would be bored after beating MGS4. The Wii doesn't really offer anything to me since I beat Zelda:Twilight Princess on the cube already. and I wouldn't buy the console for any of it's mainstream games either. The 360 even with just Halo 3 for multiplayer is worth owning.

For the past 2 years I haven't paid any attention as to what games have come out on the 360 though, so I'd like 360 owners to tell me what's worth owning. I know the obvious games such as GoW/Lost Planet/Halo 3 ect...

My buy list is

Halo 3
Gears of War 1/2
Lost Planet: the new w/e it's called edition with extras
Fable 2 - when it comes out
Mass Effect
Call of Duty 4
Eternal Sonata
Lost Odyssey
The Sonic game - possibly...

I also want someone who actually OWNS a 360 and Oblivion to tell me how the framerate is.

Now I just can't decide on the Deluxe/20gb hdd version or the Elite

In addition to the above, I would add PGR3 or/and 4. The best thing to do I believe is, after you buy the 360, to download demos and try them for yourself. There are MANY demos out there.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 00:53

In addition to the above, I would add PGR3 or/and 4. The best thing to do I believe is, after you buy the 360, to download demos and try them for yourself. There are MANY demos out there.

That's why I'm contemplating the Elite over the 20gb Deluxe version. I don't plan on downloading tv shows or any BS like that, but I imagine i'll dl every demo in sight and that would add up quickly.

EDIT ---- I'm very very picky about racing games, I don't like 99% of them, I'm a fan of racing games such as Hydro Thunder, Speed Devils or w/e that dreamcast one was.. racing games like that interest me, but sadly the other 99% of them don't.

EDIT 2 --- Do I have to have some type of stupid currency to dl demo's ? like some stupid points or anything like that.

EDIT 3 -- I'm also contemplating Bioshock, I have it through Steam but the pc I played it on was terrible. I'd sacrifice the nicer controls like a mouse and keyboard for a controller just to see that game in good detail @ an excellent framerate.

Frag Maniac · Post by **Frag Maniac** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:07

I think you have it down pretty good on your annalysis, except that you didn't mention, or possibly know about the changes that have been made to the 360. Since the Halo 3 edition released it has been made with a new smaller die (65nm) CPU dubbed Falcon. Thus the PSU is different too, a 175W vs the original 203W, which should translate to less heat output.

There have still been some reports of RRoD though, but none I've seen yet that detail how often it happens, the length of gaming session when it does, ambient room temp, etc. Since they only downsized the CPU die size and not the GPU, it stands to reason that there's still a fair amount of heat generated by these systems.

IMO MS should have a 65nm made for it if they can and offer better cooling and ventilation. I don't hear of problems with the PS3s overheating and shutting down, yet they have better graphics. The only problem with the PS3 is less titles to choose from, but it's not been on the market as long.

Here's how to tell if a 360 has the Falcon chip: http://forums.xbox.com/15804553/ShowPost.aspx

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:19

My buy list is

Halo 3
Gears of War 1/2
Lost Planet: the new w/e it's called edition with extras
Fable 2 - when it comes out
Mass Effect
Call of Duty 4
Eternal Sonata
Lost Odyssey
The Sonic game - possibly...

I also want someone who actually OWNS a 360 and Oblivion to tell me how the framerate is.

Now I just can't decide on the Deluxe/20gb hdd version or the Elite

Not trying to sound elitist, but I think I'm one of the more knowledgeable authorities on the Xbox on these forums (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken).

As far as the buy list goes, The Sonic game (the first) was pretty terrible. And I would suggest to try out the demo of Lost Planet before you buy it.

Don't buy Xbox Live with the console, there is a free month *3 (free month three times for each new account) built into the system.

The marketplace allows you to download demos and some other items for free, but everything else is bought with "Microsoft Points" (eight cents to a point I believe, and points are non-refundable).

As per which console to get, I would suggest the Elite, as you'll be regretting the 20gb hard drive on the Pro down the line.

EDIT: As a note on RRoD. When my 360 is playing COD4 (another game to buy ;)) for 5 hours or more, I notice freezing that locks it up for about 10-15 seconds. The freezing will occur every 20-30 minutes. I've had the console for a year, and that's the only problem I've ever noticed.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:30

I think you have it down pretty good on your annalysis, except that you didn't mention, or possibly know about the changes that have been made to the 360. Since the Halo 3 edition released it has been made with a new smaller die (65nm) CPU dubbed Falcon. Thus the PSU is different too, a 175W vs the original 203W, which should translate to less heat output.

There have still been some reports of RRoD though, but none I've seen yet that detail how often it happens, the length of gaming session when it does, ambient room temp, etc. Since they only downsized the CPU die size and not the GPU, it stands to reason that there's still a fair amount of heat generated by these systems.

IMO MS should have a 65nm made for it if they can and offer better cooling and ventilation. I don't hear of problems with the PS3s overheating and shutting down, yet they have better graphics. The only problem with the PS3 is less titles to choose from, but it's not been on the market as long.

Here's how to tell if a 360 has the Falcon chip: http://forums.xbox.com/15804553/ShowPost.aspx

I already know all about that, i've had that bookmarked for months. But thanks for spreading the news.

don't buy Xbox Live with the console, there is a free month *3 (free month three times for each new account) built into the system.

Is that 3 months of GOLD ? b/c I want to play online.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:37

I wonder if Best Buy will let me checkout that label before I buy it.

Also, from what I read over the past 3 months an Elite has the highest chance of being a Falcon version.

Although I want a white elite console for some reason.

BlueMak · Post by **BlueMak** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:43

The RROD or whatever it is called, is a real issue. I am one of the lucky ones that haven't experienced one yet. 2006-02-06 is the date of manufacturing for my console that I bought in September of 2006. Don't know if that means february or june, but my guess is it uses the old design.
Just keep it cooled and don't place anything under or over it and have plenty of room behind and top of it.

I haven't played the dreamcast racing games you mentioned so I can't really comment on that, but the PGR3-4 are not simulations or extremely arcade racing games. There are I would say, in the middle. I only own the third one and played the demo of the fourth one and they are the most enjoyable for me racing games.

Saints Row is a very nice game too, a GTA3 clone, that is for me superior to all the GTA games till the fourth one that I haven't played yet. You should be able to find it cheap too (as PGR3).

Prey is a good FPS game that I rented and finished on the console too.

But yes, my favourite has to be Mass Effect (and PGR3).

You might enjoy Gears of War. I don't like it and regret buying it, but most people say it is a great game, so perhaps they are right.

If you find that zombie game where you kill zombies (can't remember the title now), it might be worth your time and some money, but try the demo first.

Oh yes! Rainbow Six Vegas is a fantastic game, my favourite FPS at the moment (PC version) but the Xbox 360 version is very good too from what I have heard. The sequel was released recently, but you could get the first one for cheap now.

Rez HD, is a great little fun shooter that you can buy with microsoft points. Very fun game, try the demo!

If you like shooters, or if you remember liking Afterburner back in the day (don't know how old you are), then try Ace Combat 6. A more complicated shooter with modern fighter planes, not exactly Falcon 4.0 , but fun nevertheless.

Ascii_Aficionado · Post by **Ascii_Aficionado** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:47

From what I remember from reading is that I do NOT have to buy a warranty such as from Best Buy, b/c Microsoft should repair mine if sent in if it's made after a certain date correct ? I don't want to buy the Elite and then get the RRoD and have microsoft laugh in my face

I beat Prey for Pc when it first came out, it's the best use of the Doom 3 engine hands down and it's an amazing game.

The main determining factor in deciding if I buy a Deluxe or Elite is that say I buy 5 games, will that use a huge chunk of the hdd and the Downloadable content for it makes me wonder also, how many games/updates would I have to have for me to regret buying the 20GB version. Like for example are the Halo 3 mapacks like retardedly huge and warrent the 120gb hdd or what ?

--- MAJOR DETERMINING FACTOR BELOW -----

Here's a better example, Say I buy the top 9 games, and I download patches/mapacks for them ... will that fill that 20GB HDD b/c buying the Elite only allows me to buy 2 games with it.

Tanuki · Post by **Tanuki** » 02 Jun 2008, 01:56

view below

Sorry about that. I checked for a sig but did not notice it becasue of the edited line. :oops:

Frag Maniac · Post by **Frag Maniac** » 02 Jun 2008, 02:23

The RROD or whatever it is called, is a real issue.

Too bad there isn't more info on the cases of it since the Falcon, though I really haven't searched all that extensively for it. Since 65nm GPUs will be common soon, MS may eventually downsize the GPU too. If they did that the 360 might not even need better cooling and ventilation. Ultimately it may depend on how the sales of the PS3 compare as to whether they continue to redesign the 360. I can't help but think to a degree they are resting on their "we have more titles" laurels.

OH, and BTW, a guy at our local Best Buy that seems to know a bit about the 360s says you can tell by the lot number (serial number) on the outside of the box as to whether it's a Falcon model. I doubt they'll let you open the box before buying it because there's simply no need to. I can see their point there, can you imagine how many open box items they'd have to sell if they let everybody do that?

He talked about the disc scratching issue as if it were a bigger problem than RRoD, but as far as I know despite him making it sound like the new Falcon units have this problem, MS has solved it with a new DVD drive since Feb '07. There has been a lawsuit over the disc scratching issue though. I feel you have to take much of what BB employees say with a grain of salt because they always underscore it with their "we sell warranties" spiel.

BB employees don't work on commission though, and be aware that though many say the 360 now and for some time has had a 3 yr warranty, it only covers RRoD failures and there is likely a way they can tell if you've actually had one. The standard warranty is only 1 yr.

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