Xbox Live Fall update (360)

[Tap In]

1080p is here (10.31.06) as well as other interesting features and subtle improvements

Expanded HD Display and Video Playback Options
· With 1080p resolution, gamers now have the ability to enjoy both game and video content in the best HD resolution currently available.

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset support, including battery level indicator in the Xbox Guide.

Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel support.

Optionally disable notifications from Xbox Live while watching DVD movies.

HD DVD player support.

Improved support for games to better handle host migration in multi-player matches.

Improved Xbox Live Vision camera support for changing room lighting while zooming.



· Expanded video playback options increase the ways gamers can enjoy video content on Xbox 360. It is now possible to stream WMV video from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect.

· Gamers can now play video files from data CDs and DVDs, as well as from storage devices like USB 2.0 flash drives and Xbox 360 Memory Units.

· Xbox 360 will support 50hz HDTV display modes, providing viewers greater choice in how they watch DVD and HD DVD content.


Xbox Live Arcade Enhancements
· Keeping up to date on Xbox Live Arcade games is now even more convenient with the ability to automatically download newly released Xbox Live Arcade trial games. This eliminates the need to manually search for new downloads on Xbox Live Marketplace each time a new game trial is released.

· Fast enumeration of games: you’ll see the games in your Xbox Live Arcade collection appear almost instantly. Get in and play right away.

· With so many games to choose from, Xbox Live Arcade added new sorting options such as “Recently Played” and “By Category.” These enhancements make managing Xbox Live Arcade collections faster and easier than ever.

· A new expanded Friends Leaderboard within Xbox Live Arcade allows gamers to compare themselves directly against their friends and view leaderboard details of their top 10 friends.

· A new expanded Achievements View within Xbox Live Arcade lets gamers view their full Achievement details for their Xbox Live Arcade games including descriptions, icons, allotted Gamerscore and more, right from the Xbox Live Arcade dashboard interface.
· The “Play Now” launch feature has been streamlined. Selecting “Play Now” after downloading a game in Xbox Live Marketplace now bypasses Xbox Live Arcade and takes you directly to the game.

· Xbox Live Arcade now offers a “Tell a Friend” feature. Select this option from the game info screen to send any friend on your friends list a message telling them about the Xbox Live Arcade game.


XNA Support
· Amateur game designers will be able to test and play the games they create using XNA Game Studio Express on their Xbox 360 systems when it launches later this year (separate download and subscription required).

Plus a list of much more improved functionality to existing features

These features and enhancements are just some of the improvements gamers can expect as part of the fall update. For a complete list of updates, visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm

 

[Inane_Dork]

They added a bunch of things people clamored for, but not all of them. Here's the full list, BTW: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm

This one caught my eye:

Added support for low-speed and full-speed USB keyboards.

So... does the Guide now respond to USB keyboards? It seems like such a feature would be trumpted a little more if so.

 

[m4trix]

1080p over component

HD 1080p video mode support over VGA and component cables.

 

[scooby_dooby]

The new GUI is fugly, hopefully they've added some good file management tools, *cough* delete options *cough*

The video streaming is good to see, no need to MCE. Now they just need to release a DivX/Xvid codec pack for ~$5 on XBLive, I'd buy it.

 

[see colon]

· Gamers can now play video files from data CDs and DVDs, as well as from storage devices like USB 2.0 flash drives and Xbox 360 Memory Units.

i wonder if the Terminator 2 and Step into Liquid WMV disks will play.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

XNA Support
· Amateur game designers will be able to test and play the games they create using XNA Game Studio Express on their Xbox 360 systems when it launches later this year (separate download and subscription required).

At this one, I'm thinking what's the point? Without being able to share code, it's a very limited feature. Is anyone interesting in writing games that only their XB360 can play?

Is there any likelihood of MS extending this to allow proper distributable homebrew? Perhaps this is a first step that can be expanded depending on how well Sony's foray into this field works?

 

[DeanoC]

At this one, I'm thinking what's the point? Without being able to share code, it's a very limited feature. Is anyone interesting in writing games that only their XB360 can play?

Is there any likelihood of MS extending this to allow proper distributable homebrew? Perhaps this is a first step that can be expanded depending on how well Sony's foray into this field works?

They have already stated that they will allow sharing and possible even selling of XNA... (and have mentioned that there next console would ideally be open...) but the first bit is to allow developers to run the code on the console... so thats obviously released first.

And anyway expect emulators etc. to be available a few days afterwards! Even if you have to compile it yourself (its all free downloads, except the $99 club membership to run it on the 360)

Console Homebrew just became legit

 

[Tap In]

They added a bunch of things people clamored for, but not all of them. Here's the full list, BTW: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm

This one caught my eye:
So... does the Guide now respond to USB keyboards? It seems like such a feature would be trumpted a little more if so.

thanks

updated OP with a few

 

[Hardknock]

· Expanded video playback options increase the ways gamers can enjoy video content on Xbox 360. It is now possible to stream WMV video from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect.

I really appreciate this as I've already installed Windows Media Connect. No needfor WMP 11 bloating up my system

i wonder if the Terminator 2 and Step into Liquid WMV disks will play.

Yep.

They have already stated that they will allow sharing and possible even selling of XNA... (and have mentioned that there next console would ideally be open...) but the first bit is to allow developers to run the code on the console... so thats obviously released first.

And anyway expect emulators etc. to be available a few days afterwards! Even if you have to compile it yourself (its all free downloads, except the $99 club membership to run it on the 360)

Console Homebrew just became legit

Very interesting, never thought about this. Is it 99 a year or just a one time fee??

 

[pipo]

A year.

 

[Arwin]

Nice way to get some more revenue out of it then. I'm willing to bet that YDL will set you back a lot less on the PS3, and not even a year.

Nevertheless, anything is better than nothing, and it's probably a really nice development environment compared to some. And I'm sure that 360 owners will appreciate all the support and new features ...

 

[dlm]

They have already stated that they will allow sharing and possible even selling of XNA... (and have mentioned that there next console would ideally be open...) but the first bit is to allow developers to run the code on the console... so thats obviously released first.

And anyway expect emulators etc. to be available a few days afterwards! Even if you have to compile it yourself (its all free downloads, except the $99 club membership to run it on the 360)

Console Homebrew just became legit

No need to bother emulating. Game Studio Express will build both X360 and x86 targets. I've been playing with the beta for awhile.

The big issue right now is there's no redistributable for the XNA libraries. Hopefully they'll roll it into a DX SDK update or create a redistributable for us to use.

 

[MasterDisaster]

1080p over component

HD 1080p video mode support over VGA and component cables.

Wow
best dash update ever :smile:

 

[NBK-Steve]

I really appreciate this as I've already installed Windows Media Connect. No needfor WMP 11 bloating up my system



Yep.



Very interesting, never thought about this. Is it 99 a year or just a one time fee??

WMV will play directly in the Xbox360 or streamed from the PC?

 

[Inane_Dork]

WMV will play directly in the Xbox360 or streamed from the PC?

Apparently so. Give it a day and we'll know for sure.

 

[Bobbler]

Sounds like a pretty hefty update... Reason to turn on my 360 tomorrow!

Also, an offtopic question -- how is UMK3? Have heard mixed reviews (not as good as arcade version, somehow?). Haven't really had time for much 360 lately.

 

[GunFingers]

They added a bunch of things people clamored for, but not all of them. Here's the full list, BTW: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm

This one caught my eye:
So... does the Guide now respond to USB keyboards? It seems like such a feature would be trumpted a little more if so.

USB keyboards have always been recognized by the dashboard.

 

[mckmas8808]

Good to see that WMV11 plays straight on the 360. That sounds pretty cool.

 

[Hardknock]

Sounds like a pretty hefty update... Reason to turn on my 360 tomorrow!

Also, an offtopic question -- how is UMK3? Have heard mixed reviews (not as good as arcade version, somehow?). Haven't really had time for much 360 lately.

UMK3 is horrible because of the 360's gimped dpad and not being able to config controls in the game (WTF were they thinking!?)

With a better dpad it's probably be decent though..

As far as conversion the graphics are pretty much arcade perfect if that's what you're concerned with...

 

[Powderkeg]

USB keyboards have always been recognized by the dashboard.

Sort of. USB keyboards were recognized, but only in slow operation mode. If you typed fast they would miss letters.

Now it's been updated so you can type as fast as you want.