Xbox One Catch-all

Rykin wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

I know there are licensing issues so I'm mostly dreaming but it would be awesome if they just made the entire 360 catalog part of Game Pass.

My big hope is that after the XSX launches they reboot the backward compatibility program and start adding more games. Still a lot of great games from both the 360 and the OG Xbox that aren't supported. I mean come on we still can't play Barbie Horse Adventures on Xbox One ;)

Mercenaries 2 (World in Flames) is at the top of my wish list for remaining non-BC games. I do still have my 360 hooked up, but I turn my Xbox One on all the time and play 360 games. Finished Saints Row 2 + DLC in July, then picked Fallout 3 back up.

Spoiler:

Finally got the GECK two nights ago!

Sad news for iOS users who wanted to take advantage of Project xCloud: due to restrictions in Apple's Guidelines xCloud will not be available on iOS at launch. Also not available on Windows or Mac so basically it is just a feature for Android devices at this time (though I guess you could run it via an Android emulator on Windows or Mac). Valve ran into this issue with Steam Link for iOS and it took around a year for them to get it resolved.

How in the world does it not work with Windows?

That’s a bummer. Not switching to Android any time soon.

Docjoe wrote:

How in the world does it not work with Windows?

LOL it is kind of funny. MS department X won't work with MS department Y.

Docjoe wrote:

How in the world does it not work with Windows?

"Most of those games run on Windows anyway so why bother? Older PCs? What are those?"

In other words, I think they're confident enough in the streaming tech to do it, but don't think it'll be better than having something running locally.

Eh, thinking about it in terms of resources, we're talking about mobile gaming here, and it's not like Microsoft's attempts at a mobile OS went well. There aren't a huge number of Windows devices that connect to cell networks, and, if you're on a home network, you can stream from your Xbox anyways to a Windows device. In terms for proverbial bang for the buck, putting xCloud into Windows doesn't really get your a lot.

The iOS thing sucks for Apple users, but, well, I kind of feel like if you're an Apple user, you're used to the walled garden concept and this isn't surprising at all.

The beta was shown working on Windows 10 all the way back in March. Not sure why that wouldn't still be the case.

Rykin wrote:

Sad news for iOS users who wanted to take advantage of Project xCloud: due to restrictions in Apple's Guidelines xCloud will not be available on iOS at launch. Also not available on Windows or Mac so basically it is just a feature for Android devices at this time (though I guess you could run it via an Android emulator on Windows or Mac). Valve ran into this issue with Steam Link for iOS and it took around a year for them to get it resolved.

I noticed all the headlines were for Android only yesterday. I figured it was some problem with Apple's regulations. That sucks. I hope they can figure something out soon, as I'd love to try it on iOS and have no plans to switch to Android atm.

I really think Apple is just playing hardball with MS because they are a direct competitor. This is foolish on Apple’s part for several reasons. I’m an iOS device lover, yet I have almost bought an android tablet on several occasions just to enjoy certain features that Apple refuses to incorporate into iOS. In their attempt to make their platform as exclusive as possible, they are doing it at the expense of alienating their loyal customers.

In digging around to see if I can xCloud on my son's Fire tablet, I came across this note that xCloud will close to everyone on 9/1 and reopen on 9/15. Hadn't heard that anywhere else.

All your game saves are tied to the cloud/your account so you won't lose content, even if some of the xCloud Preview games won't be on GamePass on 9/15.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game...

Top_Shelf wrote:

In digging around to see if I can xCloud on my son's Fire tablet, I came across this note that xCloud will close to everyone on 9/1 and reopen on 9/15. Hadn't heard that anywhere else.

All your game saves are tied to the cloud/your account so you won't lose content, even if some of the xCloud Preview games won't be on GamePass on 9/15.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game...

xCloud works great on my 2019 Fire 10. I'm using the Google Play store version. Didn't even check if there is a version on the Amazon app store because I never using that app store. It installs on my older Android 7 tablets but crashes every time I run it.

It definitely seems like the vision of xCloud is that it will be available on everything they can put it on eventually. That includes TVs and PCs and handhelds. If Microsoft has their way I'm sure that includes all their competitors devices as well. I doubt that will happen but who knows.

I doubt they are ready to officially launch it on Windows because they have been focused on making it work well for one user base first and it still has issues on a lot of Android devices. You can find the Windows xCloud streaming app on the Windows store if you dig around but you need a code to download it.

Edit: fixed some of my terrible wording to more clearly convey what I meant

RawkGWJ wrote:

I really think Apple is just playing hardball with MS because they are a direct competitor. This is foolish on Apple’s part for several reasons. I’m an iOS device lover, yet I have almost bought an android tablet on several occasions just to enjoy certain features that Apple refuses to incorporate into iOS. In their attempt to make their platform as exclusive as possible, they are doing it at the expense of alienating their loyal customers.

This is exactly why I switched to Android, 3 years ago, after owning only iPhones since I got my first smart phone. It was such a pain to get my non DRMed and library audiobooks to be recognized and play as an audiobook. So many hoops.

RawkGWJ wrote:

I really think Apple is just playing hardball with MS because they are a direct competitor. This is foolish on Apple’s part for several reasons. I’m an iOS device lover, yet I have almost bought an android tablet on several occasions just to enjoy certain features that Apple refuses to incorporate into iOS. In their attempt to make their platform as exclusive as possible, they are doing it at the expense of alienating their loyal customers.

I went Android 7 or 8 years ago for my phone. After my 12" iPad was stolen a couple of years ago I tried looking for a suitable Android replacement, but didn't find one and ended up buying another iPad (which works great). I also own a Surface Pro but found that it just wasn't enough of a tablet. It's also not a great laptop since it overheats and freezes when pushed to do anything harder than web browsing - it definitely doesn't seem to like driving an external monitor and video conferencing at the same time.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

It's also not a great laptop since it overheats and freezes when pushed to do anything harder than web browsing - it definitely doesn't seem to like driving an external monitor and video conferencing at the same time.

Weird. What generation? I have Surface Pro 6 and that thing can even play a 216 hour Satisfactory world at a completely playable framerate in medium settings without ever causing any issues. Also does heavy Lightroom, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro work without a hitch.

IIRC mine is a 5, probably an i5 cpu. Been a couple of years. There's a lot of variation in specs, to say nothing of model years and whatnot.

Inside Gaming brought up that the iOS App Store explicitly restricts any beta products from being available outside of TestFlight and that might be one reason Microsoft can’t make xCloud beta generally available on iOS right now. They do have a limited TestFlight version that very few people have access to. They talked about the possibility that Apple doesn’t want xCloud competing with Apple’s game subscription but felt that since Stadia already does that it’s probably not the main issue. I’m pretty sure Stadia still doesn’t stream to iOS devices though.

Lots of other discussion points in the video.

Apple won't allow Stadia either.

Apple confirms cloud gaming services like xCloud and Stadia violate App Store guidelines

...gaming services can absolutely launch on the App Store as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21...

Edit: the Bloomberg article that The Verge links to takes a more negative interpretation of Apple’s policies.

TBH one of the reasons I bought an Android tablet recently instead of an iPad is specifically because I planned to use it for a lot of game streaming.

Apple wants to take a cut of anything and everything done on their platform and this will be interesting to see how it plays out. Some apps seem to avoid the Apple tax like Netflix. You can sign up for a Netflix sub on the web and download the iOS app and use it. But Apple would prefer that the annual or monthly sub went through them and the Apple store so they can get a cut. Additionally playing console games on their devices potentially weakens their own platforms various game’s that contribute mightily to their digital app revenue share. All those games that you buy once or buy micro transactions for Apple gets a cut. Microsoft could threaten that if suddenly people can connect a controller and stream their console library right to the iPhone or iPad or heaven forbid an Apple TV.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

It's also not a great laptop since it overheats and freezes when pushed to do anything harder than web browsing -

Huh. It seems like they should cancel each other out.

TheGameguru wrote:

Apple wants to take a cut of anything and everything done on their platform and this will be interesting to see how it plays out. Some apps seem to avoid the Apple tax like Netflix. You can sign up for a Netflix sub on the web and download the iOS app and use it. But Apple would prefer that the annual or monthly sub went through them and the Apple store so they can get a cut. Additionally playing console games on their devices potentially weakens their own platforms various game’s that contribute mightily to their digital app revenue share. All those games that you buy once or buy micro transactions for Apple gets a cut. Microsoft could threaten that if suddenly people can connect a controller and stream their console library right to the iPhone or iPad or heaven forbid an Apple TV.

Yep. But even Netflix is problem on Apple TV. When I boot up the Apple TV, I have a list of the shows I've moist recently watched, with their next episode selected, for any of streaming services or apps I use to watch TV, except Netflix. Netflix requires you boot into their app to see your shows. They literally decrease the odds that we watch something on Netflix in order to force us into the app where we might just stay.

At this point, I like the route MS is taking with their consoles. I don't recall ever buying a new console at launch and most of the time when I do upgrade, it's because some game comes out that requires it. For example, I bought my XB1 because of Fallout 4. I don't particularly enjoy playing games on my PC, so most of the new games wouldn't run on it and I'd rather spend the money on a new console that will play everything right away than spend time fiddling with various configurations to get something up and running. I don't at all miss that from PC gaming and I still get chills down my spine when thinking about Config.sys files, EMM and all that.

And I don't want to sit in a chair for hours on end.

I don't foresee buying any sort of PS+ system in the future so if/when I do upgrade my console, it will be to whatever console MS has out at the time. I don't particularly care about AAA+++ games with the exception of Fallout or Elder Scrolls and all others I wait for sales and price decreases.

I love backwards compatibility. I also appreciate that MS is taking the responsible route that is more considerate of my time and money rather than short-term shinies.

I was thinking about it and I’m pretty sure the Xbone is the only time I’ve ever bought a console at launch out of the dozens of consoles I’ve bought over the decades.

I usually get a specific console for a specific game or set of games.

In the case of Xbox it has usually been about who I was playing multiplayer with. I bought a Xbox 360 when the PC friends I played shooters with migrated over to Xbox and I needed one to keep playing with them. I bought a Xbone because my group at the time was migrating over to CoD Ghosts on Xbone and there was no cross generation multiplayer. That just happened to coincide with the launch of the console. If CoD Ghosts stayed as a 360 only game or cross-generation was supported I probably would not have bought an Xbone on day one.

I no longer feel any pressure to buy a new or specific console for continued multiplayer with my group because the multiplayer games I currently play mostly support cross-platform and cross-generation. There is no pressure for me to be on a specific device or generation to play with those friends. It’s a very nice change that has taken place during the lifespan of the Xbone and PS4.

Huh huh. Moist.

Thanks to backwards compatibility, I finally finished the main story of Fallout 3 last night. Last month I finished Saints Row 2. I'm having a bit of a covid campaign of finishing off games that I've set down partway through.

That's probably going to come to a screeching halt when Apex Legends season 6 drops, so we'll see if I can finish another in the next ten days. Might just poke around into the more highly-regarded Fallout 3 DLCs.

I'd like to finish Mercenaries 2, but it's not BC and it just doesn't occur to me to turn my 360 on, even though it's still hooked up. Kind of amazing that it's OG Xbox predecessor is on BC but the 360 game isn't.

Rykin wrote:

I brought this up in another thread, but I just bought a copy of MechAssault (to replace the one I misplaced somewhere along the way) and fired it up on the OG Xbox and found out that I have been remembering it incorrectly for years. I thought it was a top down game. I have memories of playing a top down 3D rendered mech game and I can't figure out what it was. Something like an upgraded version of MechWarrior 3050 from the SNES (or BattleTech from Genesis same basic game).

Were you thinking of MechCommander 1 & 2?

Series X confirmed launch of Nov 20.

Infinite delayed until 2021.

I don't see preorders anywhere yet.

Top_Shelf wrote:

Series X confirmed launch of Nov 20.

Infinite delayed until 2021.

I don't see preorders anywhere yet.

Two days shy of the seven-year anniversary of the Xbox One launch. So close.

Wait, no Halo at launch? WOAH.