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Xbox One Hardware/UI Review Thread

M

MThanded

I Was There! Official L Receiver 2/12/2016
There are some great ideas here, then, but we've had just a small glimpse of what the machine is capable of. Cool functions like resuming gameplay from standby are flaky, while the centrepiece of the media experience - full integration with live TV - just isn't there yet outside of Microsoft's home market. It's coming, but we have no idea when. The core of what's left, beyond some neat features, is very much a games machine: one whose capabilities are proven, but which remains considerably more expensive than PlayStation 4.
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http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-xbox-one-hardware-test
 
M

McDougles

Member
Polygon said:
Microsoft has insisted it has the software gamers want. But it's also maintained that this generation is about more than that. It's repeatedly outlined a vision for a console based around entertainment, apps and connected experiences, tied together by Kinect, which has been met with apprehension by the enthusiast audience.

To be clear, Kinect isn't a fully realized product yet. Gesture support is functionally non-existent, and there's a lack of good examples of how Kinect can contribute to games. There are certain elements of Microsoft's strategy that are missing at launch, like support for Twitch streaming and HBO Go. And the console's television functionality impresses … if you watch television.
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8/10.
 
M

MormaPope

Banned
Excerpt on Kinect functionality/accuracy from The Verge:

But Kinect doesn’t always work. It’s simply not reliable or flexible enough. Often, I felt like I spent more time screaming at the Kinect to follow my commands then it would have taken to just pick up the controller. I begged, I pleaded with the device to do what I wanted in the most commanding yet humble tone I could muster, and on many occasions it indeed felt like I had the robotic butler of my dreams. Most of the time, though, it felt like my butler was a little hard of hearing.
Click to expand...

There are two distinct ways the Kinect fails, and the first feels inexcusable. Many of the voice commands are extremely rigid, to the point where you need to memorize a list of exact phrases to be able to use them reliably. If you want to go to an app, for instance, you need to start by saying "Xbox go to." But if you want to go to Bing, that structure doesn't work. The correct command is "Xbox Bing," because Microsoft expects you to unquestionably understand and accept that "Bing" should be a verb. If "Xbox on" turns on the console, why doesn't "Xbox off" turn it off? Because "Xbox turn off" is the proper command, and you’ll need to memorize it. If you’re a Redbox Instant subscriber, get used to calling it "Redbox Instant by Verizon," because the Kinect won’t accept anything less. There are dozens more examples like these.
Click to expand...
 
R

Ricerocket

Member
opticalmace said:
The Verge, 7.8

http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/20/5117320/microsoft-xbox-one-review
Click to expand...

But Kinect doesn’t always work. It’s simply not reliable or flexible enough. Often, I felt like I spent more time screaming at the Kinect to follow my commands then it would have taken to just pick up the controller. I begged, I pleaded with the device to do what I wanted in the most commanding yet humble tone I could muster, and on many occasions it indeed felt like I had the robotic butler of my dreams. Most of the time, though, it felt like my butler was a little hard of hearing.
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem like voice recognition is improved much or he has an accent.
 
S

Salex_

Member
This is the UI that people claim is objectively superior to the PS4 UI?
ku-xlarge.gif


It's full of squares and transition animations.
 
L

Lunzio

Member
I'd like to hear much more about the UI/functionality than games in these things. The fact that they weight software and launch line-ups seems silly.

Tell me what's rad and crappy about the console experience itself right now!
 
P

Paches

Member
If you’re a Redbox Instant subscriber, get used to calling it "Redbox Instant by Verizon," because the Kinect won’t accept anything less. There are dozens more examples like these.
Click to expand...

THE FUCK?
 
N

Netprints

Member
Salex_ said:
This is the UI that people claim is objectively superior to the PS4 UI?
ku-xlarge.gif


It's full of squares and transition animations.
Click to expand...
Its more then just that. The ability to snap and use apps while playing games or watching tv/movies is a great feature.
 
A

Amir0x

Banned
Kotaku said:
Neat idea. Unfortunately, the whole thing is sluggish and difficult to use. I've never seen a snapped app slow down a game, but sometimes the apps themselves ran with noticeable lag; as I entered a URL into Internet Explorer, the on-screen keypad moved a few split seconds behind my button presses. It's also very difficult to tell what the heck is possible in each snapped app, and some apps can't be snapped at all.

Most of the time when using the Xbox One, I switch between apps wholesale and skip snapping; it just doesn't feel intuitive or easy enough to use. It could be that as I get more used to it and Microsoft smooths out the transitions, it'll get easier to use. But for the time being, it's awfully clunky.

Another significant problem: If you snap music or a TV show over your in-progress game, you can't adjust the audio on either thing. I found that snapping a TV show over my game drowned out the game audio entirely, and I had no option to mute or unmute either of the two snapped applications. Microsoft says that snap automatically adjusts the audio to make the primary app louder, and that they're looking into how to allow people to control volume on their own. As it stands, the volume thing is a dealbreaker—I'd be happy to run a basketball game in the background while I play Assassin's Creed, but only if I can mute one or the other.
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This sounds WONDERFUL :<

yikes
 
M

mollipen

Member
I'm hoping to do a big PS4 vs. Xbox One UI write-up, but that's gotten a bit delayed due to the crazy print deadline we're on.

Let me say, though, that both platforms feel VERY undercooked to me. As much as I loved the XMB, I don't think Sony always has the best grasp on interface. I think they've certainly done better on the PS4, but they're still got a long ways to go.

With the Xbox One, though, I feel like I expected more from Microsoft. Love or hate the Xbox 360's UI, you still get the feel that they have pretty good comprehension of both the big and small parts of interface. With the Xbox One, there's still a LOT of small missing.

If the Xbox 360's UI was too complex, Microsoft went too far in the other direction with the One. There's just too many times when I'm left lost, confused, or wanting more from the UI experience. (To be clear, though, I have a ton of faith in Microsoft making things better over time.)
 
R

RoKKeR

Member
Thanks to those providing links/quotes, though if you are grabbing quotes general conclusions or summaries are better suited for the OP than just picking out the negative bits about Kinect or whatever, lol.
 
Allforce

Allforce

Member
There are two distinct ways the Kinect fails, and the first feels inexcusable. Many of the voice commands are extremely rigid, to the point where you need to memorize a list of exact phrases to be able to use them reliably. If you want to go to an app, for instance, you need to start by saying "Xbox go to." But if you want to go to Bing, that structure doesn't work. The correct command is "Xbox Bing," because Microsoft expects you to unquestionably understand and accept that "Bing" should be a verb. If "Xbox on" turns on the console, why doesn't "Xbox off" turn it off? Because "Xbox turn off" is the proper command, and you’ll need to memorize it. If you’re a Redbox Instant subscriber, get used to calling it "Redbox Instant by Verizon," because the Kinect won’t accept anything less. There are dozens more examples like these.
Click to expand...

Gahhhhh

More worrying is the fact that even if you utter the proper command at a reasonable volume, the Kinect might not recognize it. I repeatedly recalibrated the Kinect for my room's audio profile, tried moving it to a new position, tried changing my volume and tone, but voice commands were hit and miss no matter what I did. Sometimes nothing happens, sometimes a screaming child brings up the Settings menu for no reason in the middle of a game. Yelling doesn’t help; nor does whispering, or speaking slowly. It just feels purely random, hit and miss with no rhyme or reason. Kinect for the Xbox 360 wasn’t remotely as powerful as the new Kinect, but at least it worked reliably. Until or unless Microsoft makes the Xbox One as reliable, expect to scream at your console — and to get no response part of the time.
Click to expand...

What the fuck?
 
A

Amir0x

Banned
Ars Technica:

Voice commands fail a good 10 to 20 percent of the time.
System requires incredible precision in what voice commands it will take.
Voice is cumbersome and annoying in many apps.
Most apps are nearly useless in snap mode.
Click to expand...

some of this quotes, if this shit pans out, are seriously damning
 
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