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[Respawn]

famousmortimer was right, then.

In all honesty, though, this doesn't sound much better than PSN on the PS4. LIVE never had online friend notifications to begin with, so I don't understand the need to complain there.

On PS4, you have to bring up the Dynamic Menu and goto your Friends from there. Granted, you could always double-tap the PS button and quickly switch between the game and list that way. Invites are also on a game-by-game basis, there is no ability to invite (or join, I'm not sure) from a Friend's profile. Only Party Chat works that way.

The PS4 doesn't have a "Guide" either, you get full access to the console while playing a game.

It sucks that Microsoft went backwards on LIVE with the XB1, whereas Sony made great steps in moving forward on PSN.

What? Do you even own a PS4?

 

[Nervous Sausage]

The most annoying thing is you cannot check recent gamers you have met in game. It feels so retarded that you have to remember the person gamer tag to friend them.

Out of all the steps back the Xbox One UI takes, this is perhaps the biggest offense. Absolutely mind boggling how standard features that Xbox Live has had for almost a decade have been scrapped or messed with. I've been with Xbox Live since the original Xbox and every update has made the experience better and better for the most part... Until now. Just off the top of my head here is a list of what they've somehow dropped the ball on...

- No checking battery status of a controller
- No view recent players
- No inviting friends to game from friend list or joining their game (Utterly ridiculous)
- Having to turn party chat on separately
- No auto sign in to profile
- Just plain clunkier and harder to access things that matter like friends, messages, achievements while in game
- No more streaming music from PC while playing games, or streaming any media for that matter
- No notifications when friends come online
- No option to send voice messages to friends

I'm sure there's more I'm missing but the fact that is the a supposed next gen console and there's this many problems and missing features that were standard on an 8 year old console is completely insane. Recording game play is done well and using Kinect as a microphone works well but those are literally the only 2 good things I can say about the new UI. I Don't care for anything else Kinect, media or snap related. The really important things to me are missing and it's a damn shame to see how far the Xbox has fallen, and this isn't even taking into account the technical inferiority of the hardware compared to the PS4.

 

[nib95]

Out of all the steps back the Xbox One UI takes, this is perhaps the biggest offense. Absolutely mind boggling how standard features that Xbox Live has had for almost a decade have been scrapped or messed with. I've been with Xbox Live since the original Xbox and every update has made the experience better and better for the most part... Until now. Just off the top of my head here is a list of what they've somehow dropped the ball on...

- No checking battery status of a controller
- No view recent players
- No inviting friends to game from friend list or joining their game (Utterly ridiculous)
- Having to turn party chat on separately
- No auto sign in to profile
- Just plain clunkier and harder to access things that matter like friends, messages, achievements while in game
- No more streaming music from PC while playing games, or streaming any media for that matter
- No notifications when friends come online

I'm sure there's more I'm missing but the fact that is the a supposed next gen console and there's this many problems and missing features that were standard on an 8 year old console is completely insane. Recording game play is done well and using Kinect as a microphone works well but those are literally the only 2 good things I can say about the new UI. I Don't care for anything else Kinect, media or snap related. The really important things to me are missing and it's a damn shame to see how far the Xbox has fallen, and this isn't even taking into account the technical inferiority of the hardware compared to the PS4.

That's a pretty damming list. Some obvious basics missing. I wonder if this is all stuff they can or will patch in?

 

[Nervous Sausage]

That's a pretty damming list. Some obvious basics missing. I wonder if this is all stuff they can or will patch in?

I'm sure all of it could be patched in, but the question is will it? If all those features from the previous console weren't there on Day 1 for Xbox One then that leads me to believe Microsoft just don't care about them. If enough people ask for it though, I'd like to believe it can be fixed. Going to be getting a PS4 later this week but does anyone know of a good video that shows how the PS4 dashboard and particularly accessing friends and messages in game works? Does it also have an option to view recent players?

 

[Dominican Power]

Out of all the steps back the Xbox One UI takes, this is perhaps the biggest offense. Absolutely mind boggling how standard features that Xbox Live has had for almost a decade have been scrapped or messed with. I've been with Xbox Live since the original Xbox and every update has made the experience better and better for the most part... Until now. Just off the top of my head here is a list of what they've somehow dropped the ball on...

- No checking battery status of a controller
- No view recent players
- No inviting friends to game from friend list or joining their game (Utterly ridiculous)
- Having to turn party chat on separately
- No auto sign in to profile
- Just plain clunkier and harder to access things that matter like friends, messages, achievements while in game
- No more streaming music from PC while playing games, or streaming any media for that matter
- No notifications when friends come online

I'm sure there's more I'm missing but the fact that is the a supposed next gen console and there's this many problems and missing features that were standard on an 8 year old console is completely insane. Recording game play is done well and using Kinect as a microphone works well but those are literally the only 2 good things I can say about the new UI. I Don't care for anything else Kinect, media or snap related. The really important things to me are missing and it's a damn shame to see how far the Xbox has fallen, and this isn't even taking into account the technical inferiority of the hardware compared to the PS4.

If I was someone who hasn't bought a new next gen console yet, I'd be more inclined to buy a PS4 after reading this. Microsoft has a nasty habit of trying to outsmart themselves only to look like jackasses in the process.

 

[Killthee]

I'm sure all of it could be patched in, but the question is will it? If all those features from the previous console weren't there on Day 1 for Xbox One then that leads me to believe Microsoft just don't care about them. If enough people ask for it though, I'd like to believe it can be fixed. Going to be getting a PS4 later this week but does anyone know of a good video that shows how the PS4 dashboard and particularly accessing friends and messages in game works? Does it also have an option to view recent players?

You can access the full UI (including the PS Store) while in game. This video should give you an idea of how Notifications/Invites, Friends (it does have a Players Met section), & Messages works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaLE6YbD6xo&t=4m37s

I'd also point out that the PS4 also has some of the XBO shortcomings you listed.

- No checking battery status of a controller
Battery status doesn't pop up every time you hit the PS button like it did on the PS3. You have to hold the PS button to bring up a menu that displays the battery level along with other shortcuts (close app, adjust devices, turn off system, etc...)

- No inviting friends to game from friend list or joining their game (Utterly ridiculous)
You can join a MP session by going to the friends list, clicking a profile, and then selecting join session or from the Party tab or from the Notification tab if someone sends you an invite. Sending invites on the other hand seems to vary from game to game. AFAICT, Killzone only sends them out when you use the OS Parties to group up beforehand. It feels more cumbersome to send an invite than it did last gen on PS3.

- Just plain clunkier and harder to access things that matter like friends, messages, achievements while in game
Messages and trophies are a lot easier on the PS4 when compared to the PS3 just because the XMB was so slow in game. The Friends list on the other hand is a drag imo. On PS3 you just had to scroll all the way to the right and you would get one single list with people online at the top followed by people with away status and then people offline in order of the last time they signed on. On PS4, you have to open the Friends tab and then everything is split up into different sections. One list of people online and one alphabetical list for everyone you've befriended. There's no timer to tell when they were last online and sometimes when you're scrolling the list refreshes and automatically sends you all the way to the top of the list.

- No more streaming music from PC while playing games, or streaming any media for that matter
No DLNA support on the PS4 right now, but in game Music Unlimited isn't half bad and if their MP3/DLNA player has a similar interface without the constant loading it'll be awesome.

- No notifications when friends come online
Same on PS4 : /

 

[Nervous Sausage]

^^ Thanks for that. It sounds pretty decent, looks simple but effective and I'm sure their media streaming will be very good since the PS3 was so good with PS3Media Server. OH YEAH, I just remembered there's no option to send voice messages to friends on Xbox One. Add that to the list I guess.

 

[Gowans]

What I found surprising is if you have six mates in a party and you want to all chat together but four of you want to play battle field and two if you killer instinct you can't do it as you need to be in a party of two to play KI.

This is something that was possible and clear on the 360.

 

[hwalker84]

What I found surprising is if you have six mates in a party and you want to all chat together but four of you want to play battle field and two if you killer instinct you can't do it as you need to be in a party of two to play KI.

This is something that was possible and clear on the 360.

WHAT?? Holy hell did they drop the ball.

 

[WordsintheWater]

What I found surprising is if you have six mates in a party and you want to all chat together but four of you want to play battle field and two if you killer instinct you can't do it as you need to be in a party of two to play KI.

This is something that was possible and clear on the 360.

That just sounds strange, they need to fix this stuff and fast.

 

[Elros]

What I found surprising is if you have six mates in a party and you want to all chat together but four of you want to play battle field and two if you killer instinct you can't do it as you need to be in a party of two to play KI.

This is something that was possible and clear on the 360.

The problem seems to be with KI, not the console OS. For example, being in a party with BF4 and FIFA14 players is not a problem.

 

[user_nat]

The whole thing feels like it wasn't designed by people that actually play games.

 

[mrklaw]

I just saw some of it in the GiantBomb livestream and it took like 15 minutes until they setup a FORZA online game

And game-dependant parties are a huge step back

And that was with them having both machines side by side so they could figure stuff out. If you're miles apart from each other that'd be a nightmare

 

[mrklaw]

I'm sure all of it could be patched in, but the question is will it? If all those features from the previous console weren't there on Day 1 for Xbox One then that leads me to believe Microsoft just don't care about them. If enough people ask for it though, I'd like to believe it can be fixed. Going to be getting a PS4 later this week but does anyone know of a good video that shows how the PS4 dashboard and particularly accessing friends and messages in game works? Does it also have an option to view recent players?

Yes, and I believe is shows you recent players met filtered by game too, so you can see who you met playing killzone, or BF4 etc

 

[mocoworm]

That's a pretty damming list. Some obvious basics missing. I wonder if this is all stuff they can or will patch in?

This is the launch UI / OS.

It's all software, they can patch in or rewrite anything they like. It will all be fixed in future updates as feedback gets logged.

I personally love the UI / OS even though it's a learning curve. I am willing to learn it. New console, new UI. The voice control is simply amazing.

 

[Lucifon]

Out of all the steps back the Xbox One UI takes, this is perhaps the biggest offense. Absolutely mind boggling how standard features that Xbox Live has had for almost a decade have been scrapped or messed with. I've been with Xbox Live since the original Xbox and every update has made the experience better and better for the most part... Until now. Just off the top of my head here is a list of what they've somehow dropped the ball on...

- No checking battery status of a controller
- No view recent players
- No inviting friends to game from friend list or joining their game (Utterly ridiculous)
- Having to turn party chat on separately
- No auto sign in to profile
- Just plain clunkier and harder to access things that matter like friends, messages, achievements while in game
- No more streaming music from PC while playing games, or streaming any media for that matter
- No notifications when friends come online
- No option to send voice messages to friends

I'm sure there's more I'm missing but the fact that is the a supposed next gen console and there's this many problems and missing features that were standard on an 8 year old console is completely insane. Recording game play is done well and using Kinect as a microphone works well but those are literally the only 2 good things I can say about the new UI. I Don't care for anything else Kinect, media or snap related. The really important things to me are missing and it's a damn shame to see how far the Xbox has fallen, and this isn't even taking into account the technical inferiority of the hardware compared to the PS4.

These are all the niggles I've run into also. I'm hoping Microsoft are fully aware of them and will add them over the coming months. The party/friends system is probably the biggest, it 'works' it's just incredibly cumbersome. The old - if it ain't broke, don't fix it applies here.

The guide allowed you to access friends, recent players, achievements and parties super quickly without pulling you out the game. Now almost all of those (other than snapping parties), requires you to fullscreen pull out the game itself, which opens up a seperate app, then navigate around that app, then switch back to the game.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Wait, you're telling me they added a Metro menu view to the start button?
Like the windows-key brings up the Metro home screen in Windows 8?

Man, that kinda sucks.

 

[MCD]

Maybe they could add a quick dash back into the system as a "snap" app.

Double click a button and a quick access menu will be snapped to the side where you can quickly access messages, friend list, party etc.

 

[Lucifon]

Maybe they could add a quick dash back into the system as a "snap" app.

Double click a button and a quick access menu will be snapped to the side where you can quickly access messages, friend list, party etc.

That should be what they do. None of these separate apps having to load fullscreen. Sure have a full screen version, but it should be snappable and should all be under one roof, easy to access and easy to view without interrupting the game.

 

[Elaniel]

Anyone else find it irritating the volume of the game/movie drops significantly when you have party chat on? Then it blasts out when you leave the party?

Any way to adjust this as I'd prefer it like the 360 where the volume stayed the same!

 

[lefantome]

I don't have an Xbox One yet but the social aspect seems completely messed up.
I feared this just using the smartglass app which is so counterintuitive and limited.

 

[Elros]

Anyone else find it irritating the volume of the game/movie drops significantly when you have party chat on? Then it blasts out when you leave the party?

Any way to adjust this as I'd prefer it like the 360 where the volume stayed the same!

Yeah, would be great to be able to control game volume and chat volume separately.

 

[Simply Sami]

How do you change your NAT from moderate to Open. It was fine on the 360.

 

[Iacobellis]

How do you change your NAT from moderate to Open. It was fine on the 360.

Are you using IPv6?

 

[mujun]

I don't know how they fucked up the UI so bad. Useless.

 

[Allforce]

All these problems are mind boggling to read about, how did they take such a huge step back in terms of functionality?

 

[Marvel]

All these problems are mind boggling to read about, how did they take such a huge step back in terms of functionality?

Suits upstairs got heavily involved in the design process apparently.

 

[Satchel]

2 changes would make a WORLD of difference to the dash.

Bring back the guide with a double press of the Xbox button. All quick access stuff like before should go there.

Have party chat you know, not need me to joins party, then manually turn on chat.

 

[Najaf]

Also removed was a feature I used every time I played in parties on the 360.

They removed the option to select to play voice through both speakers and headset. As I use some nice headphones for gaming, I would simply hook the chat headset around my neck so the mic angled to my mouth.

Removal of this feature is a huge loss for me and a few others I play with regularly. The workaround is to use kinect for chat, but is hit and miss and you lose the handy mute button on the headset. Please bring back this simple option!

 

[Computer]

I don't know why they kept the same message system. They should have made it more like a instant messaging system.

 

[D Bo Chops]

If I was someone who hasn't bought a new next gen console yet, I'd be more inclined to buy a PS4 after reading this. Microsoft has a nasty habit of trying to outsmart themselves only to look like jackasses in the process.

My friends and I are waiting til next week to get our xboxs, but hearing all this shit is just dis-heartening. It was SO simple to do shit with friends on the 360, I truly don't understand who comes up with the ideas to change the essential functions of the UI. I just cant bring myself to get a PS4 though haha.

 

[ElTorro]

I don't know how they fucked up the UI so bad. Useless.

It seems like their core idea was to make everything an "app".

 

[Fermbiz]

Also removed was a feature I used every time I played in parties on the 360.

They removed the option to select to play voice through both speakers and headset. As I use some nice headphones for gaming, I would simply hook the chat headset around my neck so the mic angled to my mouth.

Removal of this feature is a huge loss for me and a few others I play with regularly. The workaround is to use kinect for chat, but is hit and miss and you lose the handy mute button on the headset. Please bring back this simple option!

I thought it was just me who couldn't find this option... Why would they remove basic options like that it's beyond me. hopefully they can patch in these fixes.

 

[D Bo Chops]

Holy crap Microsoft, you should really be taking notes on this thread. Lots of great ideas to make things better (not sure how u messed it up in the first place). Im gonna say the majority of people on this thread are fans, do us a solid and update the UI ASAP.

 

[BruiserBear]

I completely agree with the OP. The friends/party stuff is just completely messed up compared to how perfectly it all worked on the 360.

A very minor suggestion I have is regarding notifications of friends coming online. At the very least it should give you notifications for when your favorite friends come online. I'm kinda surprised they didn't at least make that the default. It makes sense.

Unfortunately I get the impression everything about this interface was built around it's home screen, and thus they found it unacceptable to let there be a pop up guide like there was on 360, because that wouldn't fit with their "home screen is everything" mentality.

CBOAT warned you...

This is such a complete pile of bullshit right here. The amount of people that desperately find anything and try and attribute it to some vague ass statement he made months ago is embarrassing to watch. We should ban vague statements from insiders going forward, to stop this nonsense.

 

[HawksWinStanley]

Yeah I don't think I'll be getting either of these consoles til they fix some of these features. Until I can chat and invite friends the exact same way I can on 360 then I'll stick with last gen. If I'm dropping hundreds of dollars I'd like to see things move forward, not fall way back.

 

[beast786]

It seems like their core idea was to make everything an "app".

The biggest advantage that was given when people talked about next gen was UI/XBL/OS and controller advantage for xb1 since MS is a software company, while hardware for ps4 since sony is a hardware company.

funny how you can tell sony really was goal centric and can clearly be seen.

 

[hwalker84]

Literally needed to take the Xbox 360 and five it more power and we'd all be happy. Instead they tried to reinvent a wheel that didn't need reinventing. Seems like they want Sony to beat them with PSN also.

 

[D Bo Chops]

I can't speak my mind about a product? If I dislike a product, I don't see why I would go out of my way to own it.

Then why are u making statemnts acting like you know what your talking about? When you clearly have no idea or experience in the matter at hand, the UI.

 

[JaggedSac]

I'm sure all of it could be patched in, but the question is will it? If all those features from the previous console weren't there on Day 1 for Xbox One then that leads me to believe Microsoft just don't care about them. If enough people ask for it though, I'd like to believe it can be fixed. Going to be getting a PS4 later this week but does anyone know of a good video that shows how the PS4 dashboard and particularly accessing friends and messages in game works? Does it also have an option to view recent players?

Nah, they have to be completely rewritten again and MS was apparently way behind on their dev work. These features were most likely listed and placed on the chopping block in terms of importance and feasibility before launch. It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall in those meetings. Hopefully they have a fast update cycle and roll these changes out quickly. They should not take note from the WP team, that is for sure, lol.

 

[coldfoot]

Unfortunately I get the impression everything about this interface was built around it's home screen, and thus they found it unacceptable to let there be a pop up guide like there was on 360, because that wouldn't fit with their "home screen is everything" mentality.

Apple is all about the home screen but they finally added the control center in ios7. MS, given how much they want to be like Apple, should follow suit eventually.

 

[harSon]

All these problems are mind boggling to read about, how did they take such a huge step back in terms of functionality?

To put it simply, they focused on the big picture and worked their way down, instead of focusing on the finer details and working their way up - and basically ran out of time (which leads me to believe that it wasn't intended to launch this year) before they could work their way down the list. Basically, the opposite of the original Xbox Live's development cycle. Or at least, that's how I see it.

 

[Cragvis]

The whole thing feels like it wasn't designed by people that actually play games.

Not sure if sarcasm, because it wasnt.

The games division at MS was shut down, all xbox development has been and is functioning in the "entertainment division" now. Including the development of the xb1.

So that explains a lot of this.

 

[Walshicus]

To put it simply, they focused on the big picture and worked their way down, instead of focusing on the finer details and working their way up - and basically ran out of time (which leads me to believe that it wasn't intended to launch this year) before they could work their way down the list. Basically, the opposite of the original Xbox Live's development cycle. Or at least, that's how I see it.

Sounds like a fair assessment. Luckily, most of these changes are probably quite minor matters of UI change. It's disappointing that there are regressions in certain areas. I'm still happy with my purchase and eager to see how they develop the system over the coming months, but I can certainly see why some people are irritated.

 

[IISANDERII]

Also removed was a feature I used every time I played in parties on the 360.

They removed the option to select to play voice through both speakers and headset. As I use some nice headphones for gaming, I would simply hook the chat headset around my neck so the mic angled to my mouth.

Removal of this feature is a huge loss for me and a few others I play with regularly. The workaround is to use kinect for chat, but is hit and miss and you lose the handy mute button on the headset. Please bring back this simple option!

PS4 doesn't have this either and it's incredibly frustrating because it's such a simple thing that could easily be done.

 

[Future PhaZe]

its complete shit right now but it'll be fixed--360 ui's went through so many revisions it wasn't even funny

 

[Deleted member 1235]

that 'show who is online' at the top thing is something facebook missed when they rolled out chat as well.

 

[Ghost]

I expect a lot of wild cheering at E3 when they announce making Xbox Live on One as good as 360.


It just speaks to everything that's gone wrong from the unveiling, seems like the people who made 360 work have gone and no one that's left understands what they did.

 

[miDnIghtEr20C]

OP mentions cboat, second post mentions cboat... jesus.. give us a break. The party system works fine for me. I have no idea how the party chat is so broken that it would make the console not work well, or mess up or anything the likes of what he said could go down. For me it's been working great and played with a friends last night in Forza in fact.

It took us both to the same room and same game without me having to do a thing. It just took us together.

Anyways.. my only complaint would be that you have to unmute yourself when you enter a party chat. Not sure why you just can't talk right away. But ya.. it's launch. This thing has great solid legs set in the ground. I love it. Think the console is great and am having some great fun with it and the party chat system. IMO party chat is far from any broken thing buttocks had talked about. There have been no problems so far on my end with it.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I'm pretty pissed off at Microsoft over how awful the XB1's UI is. It forces you to use Kinect, because the content is just totally unorganized and belched all over your TV screen. The problem is, Kinect only works like 60% of the time, so you look like a moron talking at your TV. I hate, hate, hate the interface. And don't me started on the party chat. It's like they decided to make it more difficult just for the sake of doing so. No progress there, just regression.

I want my blades back.