Alright so this is my unedited list of top 20 improvements that Microsoft should at least take a quick gander at. I really think most of these ideas help the big three. Gamers, Devs and Microsoft. That was my biggest push to writing this piece hopefully you guys like this enough for me to do more. Anyways lets begin...
20. High Friend Limit
This I have reason to believe is already in the works because of the whole shut down of the original xbox live service so I'll keep this short. Up the friends list limit. I don't really mind how much just put it up a tad for us to meet more of our friends.
Win for Gamers
19. Sent Messages tab
Another small little rant, really questioning if this would make the 20. For those thinking I crammed this in here to make 20 your half right. I want this in here so bad but I know there's something better out this then that I haven't thought of so my apologies. I just really want a sent msg beside my message tab so I can see what i wrote or what picture I sent or what i recorded.
Win for Gamers
18. Console Sleep mode
This is only a win for gamers. Actually really only a win for people who like to watch movies while they fall asleep. When I get in bed at night I usually put a podcast on or put on the television and put on sleep mode (Podcast will just eventually stop) so that if i fall asleep while the movie/ tv show is on I don't worry about leaving my expensive tv running. Now I do acknowledge the fact that that they have a feature where if your console is online for 6 hours untouched itll shut off. This is great I guess for the people that forget its on? I'd like a feature in the guide called Sleep Mode and set it to 30/60/90/120/150 minutes then have that relaxation of no responsibilities as I count my sheep.
Win for Gamers
17. Commericials
We already pay a subscription to xbox live and we have plenty of ads on the spotlight. I admit I don't understand how it works exactly but how can a site like hulu live by giving you free eps of your favourite tv shows? The answer as far a I know is ads in the video. So my question, why dont we have that. Im sure Microsoft would get more money through ads and making tv shows free would up the amount of people using ZUNE marketplace giving companies more incentive to putting ads on the xbox giving microsoft more money and giving us more reason to want/ have an xbox.
Win for Gamers
Win for Microsoft
16. NXE Clean up
This is going to be short and straight to the point, It needs a spring cleaning, as great as the NXE is, it's a little cluttered don't you think? I have't played Forza 3 yet but from 90% of reviewers apparently the UI (User Interface) is amazing. Microsoft you have a strong relationship with Turn10... Give them some extra money and borrow a bit of their team to help share ideas to make NXE a better overall experience. Win for everyone
Win for Gamers
15. User Reviews (Moderated)
Last update we were giving user ratings which I do enjoy though I don't think its really pushed as much as it should be. Not only do I want this pushed more as to join the community more. Think bigger better and more User opinions. Under the User Rating why not get quotes from User Reviews selectable to read on how people feel on certain games. Use a metacritic sort of way to promote User Reviews. It'd be a great feature to have for people who don't know of the review sites thus giving more of a less corporate take on games. Viva Pinata wasn't critically acclaimed but if i could write a user review for people on my xbox they would definitely know how addicting this game truly is and who knows maybe this would up the sales some.
Win for Gamers
Win for Deserving Developers
14. Clan
We have a Friends tab, we have a msg tab and we have a Played with tab. Why stop there? If anyone played halo 2 back in the day you know what Im talking about. A clan anyone can make at anytime and invite friends solely to play games together in a hardcore fashion. This would promote so many things. Microsoft could offer prizes via clan tournaments with different games, people would meet more individuals with the same type of love for your game and you can guarantee youll have more teamwork on games.
Win for Gamers
13. News bar
Okay this has got to be the easiest thing to incorporate to the dashboard. For people who don't know when an update is coming, or what an update has done, events in certain locations. Really I could go on forever with this but how has this not been thought up? For everyone who has watched the news they always have a news bar at the bottom of the screen filling you up on more knowledge quick and to the point. The bottom of the dashboard is for the most part completely empty and really why wouldn't it be? Giving a perfect reason to add a scrolling news bar constantly giving you feeback on what you missed or is happening at this very moment!
Win for Gamers
Win for Microsoft
12. Statistics
This might be a little overboard but I am a nerd at heart and as much as I love games I love numbers about my life. To go on modern warfare 2 and find out how long I have been playing what for how long, to go on bungie.net and find out my favourite gun is the needler with 5678 kills. Now streamline this into one simple click away for everything you do on the xbox. Time spent watching movies... Time Spent Playing games... Most played Game... Least favourite Game... Highest level in this Multiplayer game... The list just go on and on. Really not necessary but just a neat tidbit for the hardcore.
Win for Gamers
11. Forums
Am I crazy you ask? Way to make another area for trolls to hang out. Honestly i dread that part but imagine a very streamlined Forum center in the dashboard that you may access via guide as well. Imagine I am playing Fallout 3 for instance. I just beat the game but I had certain issues with the way the gun handled or the movement, level design, DLC pricing or I just wanna express how much I love the games and its specific features. Now I write down my pros and cons for lack of a better term. What does that do you ask? Well now out of the 21 Million XBL users who may or may not use it you just gave the developer of the game you like a central hub to find things to give their fanbase extra content they want or how to even fix specific bugs. Straying away from a those type of threads, why not have threads helping out your fellow gamer. Thread saying hey don't buy this game is has this this this, or hey guys buy this game because of this and this and this. A Streamlined forum for the xbox thats linked with xbox.coms forums for anytime use of on and off xbox useage benefits games looking to buy certain games, gives devs a sweet spot to see what their fanbase loved or hated (Microsoft included for NXE too) and gives another way to make friends. Lastly you may be asking, why on the xbox my gaming forums on pc is fine. Agreed but imagine just hitting a snag in the game, saving then hitting your guide button and going right to the forums to write what you need to help fix or help you get by.
Win for Gamers
10. Games on Demand
Great idea keep it up but I think that the next step has gotta be day one purchases. I don't know why Microsofts not doing it, maybe not to piss off stores like Gamestop and BestBuy, maybe they just doing see a market. What ever the reason, I have 2 words for you Microsoft. Halo: Reach... You have a 800 pound gorilla getting ready to sell that is first party. Why not have a midnight launch on Games on Demand. On release instead of going out in the middle of the night and waiting in line why not stay in the comfort of your own home only to download Halo Reach right their with one button press. Now if this is indeed not happening because of Gaming Stores I have to say that its a business out there and if you can save an extra 12 per copy ( I think thats what stores like Gamestop make off of a new release via PachAttack ep) to make more money and serve your fans. Is that even a question? No one should be on the fence for that. Having Halo reach running straight off my xbox sounds like a real great time.
Win for Gamers
Win for Developers
Win for Microsoft
09. Deals Spotlight
Alright now this is a no brainer but something that Microsoft doesn't even try to push. Go on Steam for 30 seconds and youll notice to will right away show you great amazing deals, their is always something happening to give incentive for gamers to buy (Microsoft youd be making a cut wouldn't you?) and talk about the games as well as the obvious... spend wayyy more time on the console. Add to the dashboard under or over Spotlight feature or even replace, which ever works. Have a Feautre called Deals of the Week or something where oh Geometry Wars 2 is 50% off, Fallout 3 is now 4$ cheaper, Save 25% on Halo 3 map packs . Give a limit for these deals (a week) making gamers act fast but also even if the deals are something like this week Game on Demand is 2 dollars off!! If you have plenty of things like that it gives the illusion of a never ending bargain bin. That my friends makes a better world for devs wanting to re-open interest in their games and gamers wanting to try something new for a pretty penny.
Win for Gamers
Win for Developers
Win for Microsoft
08. Console Achievements
This for some is a bit scary and overboard. Understandable, but in case you haven't noticed yet I'm trying to add certain functionalities to the list that give benefits to Mircosoft, its devs and us. Moving on though, lets just start off by going high since I'm not in the field of tweaking the best number. Lets say the the Xbox has its own set of achievements, with a limit of 10 000G (worth up to 10 full games, I've been building my Gscore since 06 and I've only completed 7 full games, including avatar :[ ) now imagine you get a console achievement that beneifits playing more games, watching movies, customizing your avatar etc. You might be thinking who would do that, well deep down inside I think we all love achievements to some point or other and I think its safe to say that achievements have been well... an achievement. Picture this my friends, I played 100 games total today and I get a little blip that say 100G -100 Games played, or 20G -Streamed 20 shows from Zune Marketplace. We can even go further then that with crazier achievements like make add 20 local friends, watch 3 new tv shows etc. One of the reasons I'm saying that the limit for console should be 10 000G is because this is risky. You don't want a flop, make the overall limit high like that so to make each individual time consuming achievement worth a good amount like a 100 or 75. You laugh now but the reason people beat games on veteran or hard for the most part is because it has that big payload of achievements at the end.
Win for Gamers
Win for Microsoft
07.Gold Weekend- Play this game on weekend for free as a silver.
Silver members really just feel like a bulletpoint to go up against Sony by saying hey were free too. I will admit I understand why their is no Multiplayer use in silver as to justify the gold subscription. Fine! I'm cool with pay 50 bucks a year for a great service. If I'm a Silver member though, not so much there even though its free. How about this. Every weekend is free gold weekend. Free! Yes free! No I haven't got so tired writing this that I've gone mad, but thanks for asking. No what i mean is every weekend feature one game on the Spotlight that is free to play multiplayer. This way the silver user gets a taste of whats to come but also for the casual player weekend gold for some, is the some of the only time they can play games for a good amount of time. It can go as simple as a Spotlight ad saying Halo 3 Silver weekend this week, Modern Warfare 2 Silver weekend next week and so on and so on. Little snipets guaranteed every weekend but a different game as to not breaking the justification of purchasing a subscription.
Win for Gamers
Win for Developers
Win for Microsoft
06. Avatar Award Rules
Alright so I'll admit this is a cool idea but the execution is down right horrible. I don't know which game has awards, I don't know how many awards a game that offers them has and finally I don't know if I'm getting a hat or a T-shirt or a shitty glove... Really its a big mystery. Success behind achievements? Rules, yes the whole 1000G per Full priced retail game and 200G for arcade is a must sets an understanding of how much I can get per game without the confusion. So do the same with Avatar Awards, for instance, every 500 G/ unlocked half of the overall achievements (ex:16/32 ach) you get a single piece of clothing. Every game you 100% you get an outfit. I just beat gears of war 2 so now I get a COG uniform. Hopefully some of you are hooked on my crazy ideas! Keyword hopefully, because I want to push this even further as to make this worth while for the big three I keep naming ( Gamers, Devs, Microsoft). So I just bought Halo 3 because I want to Complete it fully because the 100% avatar award is a Spartan suit (Win for dev, gamer and M$). Understandable, but my friend really wants that suit too but doesn't have the money to spend (sadface), easy enough go to Avatar Marketplace and buy the same suit for 5 dollars. Wait a sec so now whats my incentive to buy and complete a game when any guy with 5 bucks can get the same thing no work? Microsoft builds the Spartan suit model for example, slaps on the well known sage color on it for 5 bones, difference is when you 100% a game your spartan has a different color style only achievable through hard work. Letting you say yea my suit is kick ass like that guy, difference is I worked for it and my color style is cooler. For those nay sayers all i have to say is the Gamerpic unlock for getting Seriously in Gears of war. People went NUTS for it. Same ordeal except your giving the lazy folk a dumb downed version of that gamerpic for money. Win for Microsoft, advertisement for Dev and finally gamers get overall smiles and rainbows (might be pushing it with the rainbows, but who am I to take someones dreams)
Win for All
05. Suggestions
Alright so its pretty safe to say that everyone and their dog has facebook (dogs have facebark -Drunktank quote) and a neat feature that it has in the right corner is a Suggestions tab. It'll highlight a certain number of people that your friends are mutual friends with but you have never met or just didn't know he had a gamertag. Microsoft sort of has this feature in their facebook tab but thats to much of a hassle for the average soccer mom getting into this, no lets keep it easy and straight to the point. Moving on, a suggestions tab that says; Sn1p3rF4Nxx 4 mutual friends, Add as friend? or a Have you seen; South Park Season 14 Scrotie McboogerBalls / Geometry Wars 2 - Go now. Easy enough and just a click away, now getting more into this I'd leave it up to the xbox team but personally I'd use this but let it scroll through Suggestions every 30 seconds so you see and meet new people and new activities!
Win for Gamer
04. Theater
Remember Halo 3s Theater? Think bigger friend. Think Xbox Theater that record everything you do. Now as to if this is possible is beyond me, consider this a dream or even a though for the next xbox. Pro gamers making montages, Reviewers trying to capture that right moment for their video review or even, going out the box here, a streaming service for gold users to spectate people playing certain games. This is a dream, all be it a big one but a dream none the less. Microsoft if you can even remotely get close to this please give it a try. Example; Pro Gamer Tsquared of Str8 Rippin just had his best game of all time and his followers want to get to his level but as far as they know this game never happened. Well Now they simple stream or watch a recording. Now a follow can watch as their icon plays and try to learn off of him, finding nooks and crannies he wouldn't have found unless this vid was captured and posted on the internet.
Win for Industry
Win for Gamers
03. More 1 v 100
To tell you if this was a win or lose is beyond me. To tell you if this was an interesting idea, yea I'll be that guy. Microsoft you innovate then keep quite. Keep pushing this idea. A free game everyone can play together to actually win prizes. Why even take a game show and incorporate it? Make your own MMO style free way to join everyone into the fun, make a potluck type of win and a free one. Think about if MS made their own game like 1 v 100. Lets call it MicroSoft Roulette, now all day its free but at 8:00 every night 40 MS points (50 cents) per entry for one 30 minute type game. Now this is beyond cheap. Lets do simple math here. .50 x 1000 people (small number when compared to the 21 million subscribers) = 500$. Okay now where am I going with this, great i just gave microsoft money... thanks? Well wait think further. What if 3rd place gets 50$ (Remember arcade games are roughly 10$) 2nd gets 100$ and 1st gets 200$. Those gamers who lost are only down 50 cents... who cares, you'll find that in the couch next day probably. But had the opportunity to turn 50 cents into 200 gaming dollars!? What about the rest of the money, granted this is just a random formula i've implied it can be lower or higher? Give the rest to microsoft. Now they made money at what cost? You had the opportunity to make easy money and the most anyone will lose is 50 cents... I know right bummer.
Win for Gamers
Win for Microsoft
Win for out pockets
02. Universal Search bar with back button
Okay let me get one thing straight to those people who don't know. The start and back button on the guide are useless on the dashboard. Start can be used as the A button and the Back button can be used as B. Why do we need 2 different buttons doing the same thing. Solution? Simple, as we all know their is a lot... and I mean a lot of content on the xbox as well as menus. Sometimes i want to get certain things to buy but I don't want navigate through the menus. This can all be solved with a guide popping style search button. What if I pressed the back or Start button and like the guide a small little search bar pops up smack dab right in the middle of your screen with the Virtual keyboard. You type Mass Effect and bam you get a list of everything Mass Effect titled. Easy as 1 (press Back/Start), 2 (Type in name of your game), 3 (behold list of everything you want). How hard would this be to do on the xbox, I think this would solve a lot of cluttered issues NXE is having.
Win for Gamers
01. Follow Feature
I love Mass Effect 2. 50 hours worth of love to be more specific. Why not, when i go in the Game marketplace, have a follow button on every game? When I press it I link all of the new Mass Effect 2 stuff sent straight to the Spotlight Feature on the dashboard easily visible thats not cluttered through the rest of the stuff coming out.
Win for Gamers
Win for Developers
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