Next-Gen UIs, Dashboards, OS; What would you change, keep, or ditch?

[BRiT]

Regardless of how well accepted the current gen consoles interfaces have become, the console manufacturers tend to redesign or even recreate the next-gen interfaces from scratch. That is for the better and the worse. Some items which they had seemingly perfected have become a mess that required reimplemented or redesigned (we're looking at you, Xbox One Party Chat System). Other items eventually work out better, like customized folders and groups or specifically external storage support. Naturally, some items should change while others should remain the same.

With next-gen consoles seemingly around the corner in 2019 or 2020, what changes would you make or like to see in their UIs, Dashboards, or OS? What would you leave unchanged?

At this point I would keep the following without any changes:

• The general customized Folders / Groups functionality
• External storage with ability to mass transfer/copy games between drives

I would change the following:

• Dedicated Share/Record multimedia button for Xbox Controllers
• General share, edit, upload multimedia system

 

[Shifty Geezer]

PS4's UI lacks any intuitive structure IMO. PS3's XMB was far more obvious. The functionality is no doubt good, but they need a ground-up reworking of ergonomics. Something that parallels mobile devices is probably the most intuitive now, but I don't know how well that'd work on the big screen.

And bring back the PS3 media player! Cannot fathom PS4's at all. What on earth was the logic in changing the buttons??

 

[BRiT]

About the Dashboard screen(s):

• Wrap Tabs around so you never need to switch directions to go back to the first tab.
• Ability to set default first tab, such as Games, Media, Store instead of 'Home'.
• Ability to set Tab order.

About the Game/App managements:

• Update All ability
• Set Game/App update priority, so the titles you want will update first and faster [Update check hourly], while background titles will update slower [Update check daily or even weekly].

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I'd also welcome a return to PS3/PSP's XMB and I'd like the option to disable all the social networking stuff. It's crud I don't need and only serves to slow down the interface. The best console interface right now is the Switch because it's lean, clear and faster than what both Microsoft and Sony offer on their devices.

 

[egoless]

Delete the entire Xbox One dashboard. It's just one giant ad with tons of wasted space. Keep the Guide. When you need to drill into the Guide, just expand to condensed content (mostly text) on the right if needed, otherwise open the app.

As an example, currently you can RB to Mixer on the main dashboard, which gives you suggested content after it loads. You can then hit the tiny Follow link to actually wait for the app to load and watch content you follow. Currently you can also bring up the Guide, and RB over to Mixer, and then choose Watch Mixer to wait for the app to load.

Why not just bring up the Guide and RB to Mixer. If you need the full app, just hit Watch Mixer just like now. That's one loading screen. If you need more data at a glance, expand the Guide with Mixer content. The expanded content has to load, but no black screen, you're still in the guide. And as long as it's NOT loading with ads/sponsored content/whatever they're calling it this week, you get to your content fast.

Granted, they sortof tried it with the original UI. But the original UI/Dashboard is overloaded with wasted space, ads/sponsored content/suggestions... way too much overhead. Using the Guide, it's more akin to the og blades. And being lighter, it could actually run in 4K.

Speaking of blades, remove the long xbox button press menu. Move those options to the guide where there is already a turn off option. Make the long press open the Xbox 360 guide. Having to press view and menu at the same time is as clumsy as the double press paradigm in a previous dashboard update. The jewel goes home. Full stop.

 

[orangpelupa]

Search function in home screen that works quick like windows 7 and allows additional results from store like windows 10

Enable wonderful quality voice command (in term of recognition and capability) for all region for any audio input.

Xbox 360 kinect voice command was awesome but must use kinect and only works in Microsoft-made apps/games/menu.

Ps4 voice command works on any mic but it's trash,, utter trash. Easily get confused and its capability is very limited

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Ps4 voice command works on any mic but it's trash,, utter trash. Easily get confused and its capability is very limited

I forget PS4 has voice commands. My experience is difference to yours, they are super reliable. I just don't want/need to control my PS4 with my voice although arguably it would solve some of the interface issues.

 

[BRiT]

Search function in home screen that works quick like windows 7 and allows additional results from store like windows 10

Enable wonderful quality voice command (in term of recognition and capability) for all region for any audio input.

Xbox 360 kinect voice command was awesome but must use kinect and only works in Microsoft-made apps/games/menu.

Ps4 voice command works on any mic but it's trash,, utter trash. Easily get confused and its capability is very limited

Do you have an Xbox One? It has universal search from any dashboard screen, just hit "Y", but I havent used it since it was in alpha.

How is Amazon Alexa support for other regeions? How is Google Home support for other regeions? The latest Xbox Delta dashboard has Amazon Alexa and will have Google Home integration too. The Alexa integration works nearly as well as the original Xbox Kinect commands, all with the Echo Dot that is typically on special for $30. I would be surprised if Sony doesn't enable the same integration level on their Playstations.

 

[orangpelupa]

Do you have an Xbox One? It has universal search from any dashboard screen, just hit "Y", but I havent used it since it was in alpha.

How is Amazon Alexa support for other regeions? How is Google Home support for other regeions? The latest Xbox Delta dashboard has Amazon Alexa and will have Google Home integration too. The Alexa integration works nearly as well as the original Xbox Kinect commands, all with the Echo Dot that is typically on special for $30. I would be surprised if Sony doesn't enable the same integration level on their Playstations.

whoa! thats great!

nope, i dont have x1

as for sony, i dont think theyll have that kind of integration even in the new PS generation as its not their ocus

 

[milk]

On a more gaming related note. I think a more interesting OS-level progression/achievement tracking system is long over due.
I wish I could see all details from my game's progress from the OS itself. Things like percentage of quests done, items unlocked, goals reached, etc... So I can compare my stats with my friends more elegantly.
The system OS should have a robust leaderboard system, so I could see my and my friend's best times/scores from each individual track/level of a game without even having to launch the game. If I so wished, the thing should send me notifications when somebody beats my best records, or I would be able to challenge my friend on a specific score. If the thing could automatically integrate video recordings of my gameplay to attach replays to each specific score, that would be the cherry on top.
Some games have done this type of stuff internally, but I can't believe nobody implemented that as a universal OS feature yet. It creates that much more engagement with the game. If it can be connected with social media, damn how much more free marketing wouldn't these companies get...

 

[milk]

Another one: Saves.

Why the hell do game still create their own save game list internally? Why do they decide for me how much space I want to set aside on my HD and how many slots I want of saves? WHY? Even on PC they do that now! I can't, for the life of me understand the motivation.
I can see a game wanting to make sure it reserves at least enough space for one save slot at minimum so a dummie doesn't start a game with a bloated HD only to discover he can't save his progress. But anything else beyond that should be at MY DISCRESSION.
How did we move BACKWARDS on that one?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

On a more gaming related note. I think a more interesting OS-level progression/achievement tracking system is long over due.
I wish I could see all details from my game's progress from the OS itself. Things like percentage of quests done, items unlocked, goals reached, etc... So I can compare my stats with my friends more elegantly.

That seems very doable using a markup language. Produce an XML/JSON for each game with a reader in the OS and a generalise protocol for games to follow, with additionals if needed added per game. However, you put extra work on the devs to record and write such stats.

 

[milk]

That seems very doable using a markup language. Produce an XML/JSON for each game with a reader in the OS and a generalise protocol for games to follow, with additionals if needed added per game. However, you put extra work on the devs to record and write such stats.

Just like following achievements/trophies protocols is extra work too. But it's worth it.