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Verge: Snap mode being removed with next Xbox one update
- Thread starter madmackem
- Start date
I was late the XBO party, I bought one for myself for Christmas. There were no OS instructions in the box and found I accidentally set the Snap function a couple of times or so. Anything that is beyond a basic menu or slightly intricate then it would be helpful if Microsoft make available instructions.
GinoFelino
Member
If anything, it's worse! But I don't want to sound too hyperbolic
I only jumped in when the Xbox One S was released, so I don't know how bad it's been. But it's basically my least favourite gaming OS out of all the ones I've ever used. Struggling to think of one even remotely close.
Agreed. It was slow, clunky, and some apps wouldn't even work the way you would expect when snapped. Plus is was a pain in the ass to unsnap.
Overlay is a much better option imo.
MrBenchmark
Member
I swear either the hyperbole is running high here or you people have messed up systems. Or perhaps are not tech savvy enough to operate a basic easy to use function?
The Xbox preview forum is currently filled with posts upset over the loss of snap and the ability to watch TV while playing. If PIP is coming it isn't being mentioned currently by the Xbox team.
and PIP as a feature in any game will cover some part of the game. it isn't really the same.
Hockeymac18
Member
I think you have the order of events mixed up there...XB1's guide was there well before PS4's quick menu. If anything, XB1 was just copying its old guide idea from the 360.
The Boom Camel
Member
The only thing I ever used it for was to play Threes in the snap window while I watched sports.
If it is really hampering other areas of the UI, I am happy to see it go.
If it is really hampering other areas of the UI, I am happy to see it go.
VincentMatts
Member
yeah, 360 had this for ages. Theres a reason everyone was playing online with a 360. It was far ahead of the competition in practically every aspect. Then the xbox one came out....
DeadlyParasite
Member
I can't believe people think Picture-in-Picture, which blatantly covers up essential portions of the game screen no matter where you put it, is an acceptable alternative.
GinoFelino
Member
dr_rus
Member
Failing to see what was so good about this idea in our world of multidevices multitasking in the first place.
SimpleCRIPPLE
Member
This. Knowing PiP is coming, i've been looking at the UI layout for the games i'm playing, and putting a PIP window on any section of the screen is going to be a pain in the ass. At the very least i'll have to move the window around based on which game i'm playing, and even then, i'll probably be covering something i'd rather see.
So disappointed.
SplitYourInfinities
Member
Good, it's an useless feature and a waste of resources
Yeah, everything has started out fast, and then slowed down over time for me as well. I hope they are aware of that issue and have focused on nixing that issue.
Since the focus of this update is performance, I've got my fingers crossed.
It's perfectly acceptable for me, esspecially if I could easily control transparency and positioning.
If I had to choose between 1) having my entire play area dramatically condensed to accomidate a small widget that I'm only using at a glance and 2) having transparent overlay on non-critical of my screen displaying that same at a glance information,
I'd choose #2. Snap takes up so much more of the screen than is actually being used by the widget since the since needs to maintain the proper aspect ratios.
NoMoreTrolls
Banned
Thank god. Now it won't randomly snap shit when Kinect misunderstands a command.
NinjaMouse
Member
I echo the "good riddance" sentiment. I'm just hoping whatever resources are frees up have a tangible effect on the rest of the dashboard. Waiting 3+ seconds for the dashboard to appear after hitting the home button is insane to me.
MrBenchmark
Member
Oh, there's hyperbole alright
Are you in the preview? Have you used TV snapped? I have since day one on 4 systems and have never had issues watching TV while playing Destiny. I've run TV snapped for over half of the 2200 Hrs i have in the game. There is zero hyperbole in anything i have said. I am not the only person unhappy with this feature being taken away. I even paid extra for the Xbox USB TV tuner to use this feature. and it has always worked as advertised.
As of right now it's gone with no replacement and no word as to if there will be. PIP is not a proper replacement as it will cover a portion of any game you're playing.
So please tell me where my statements are hyperbole?
LukasTaves
Member
Can you please show a video of how it performs?
Because mine is so fast I really don't get this complaints.
FunkyDealer
Banned
I'm OK with this.
It should allow developers to access slightly more of the CPU as well, I suppose. I seem to recall Snap taking up half a core.
It should allow developers to access slightly more of the CPU as well, I suppose. I seem to recall Snap taking up half a core.
I also used Snap quite a bit. It's disappointing. I'm not disappointed in MS for removing it, but rather that so many people just passed it off like, "Whatever".
"I can do that on my phone."
"I can watch TV somewhere else."
That's all cool, but I didn't have to and it was very useful.
I hope the freed up resource is useful for something good. PIP will only go so far. I won't get back Netflix snap (gone a while ago) or TV Snap which, oddly enough, were frequently used. Even when looking at internet contents for quick information to something immediate (whether it in game or not) with just a few voice commands was exceptionally useful.
Oh wells.
"I can do that on my phone."
"I can watch TV somewhere else."
That's all cool, but I didn't have to and it was very useful.
I hope the freed up resource is useful for something good. PIP will only go so far. I won't get back Netflix snap (gone a while ago) or TV Snap which, oddly enough, were frequently used. Even when looking at internet contents for quick information to something immediate (whether it in game or not) with just a few voice commands was exceptionally useful.
Oh wells.
ethomaz
Banned
I guess this time is more about making the dashboard faster and responsible without the actual lag.
For more power... Scorpio.
Salty Rice
Member
Damn even Snap mode gets canceled.
MemoryHumanity
Member
Are you fucking kidding me? This is legit the best thing about the console. Having a football game stream in the corner while playing FIFA is the only reason my XB1 gets turned on anymore.
I use snap a lot while watching sports and playing games or during commercial breaks I can mute the snapped TV and watch a youtube clip. Plus it's good for time when different people are competing to use the TV and play a game at the same time.
I'll wait and see what they have to offer as a replacement, but I think it's a very useful feature (that had a lot of room for improvement).
I'll wait and see what they have to offer as a replacement, but I think it's a very useful feature (that had a lot of room for improvement).
Don't do this. You have no idea what my level of technical ability is.
Also don't assume that your experience is representative of everyone. I've heard people say that going out to home from a game is super quick - mine takes several seconds. Could be due to my particular setup with the peripherals and external HDD I have plugged in. Could be an issue with the hardware.
Anyway, snap works like shit for me. I personally will be glad it's being removed to free up resources. Sorry if you like snap, but that isn't going to affect me personally. People are allowed to react positively to the removal of a feature you might use if it's to benefit the overall speed of the system.
If Microsoft is going through all these efforts to speed up the system, I highly doubt it's just "hyperbole."
VincentMatts
Member
Personally, i dont find it 'slow' so to speak (or not any slower than the ps4 one is when youre in a game and try to do anything like start a party), but i just dont like it.
I find it ugly. Its not sleek to look at or impressive. The windows look feels forced and doesnt fit one bit with the xbox. Remember when you first saw that achievement popup on the 360 that would just appear and disappear at the bottom of the screen? It was cool when we first saw that behavior, it was sleek and that is IMO part of what makes any product more 'likable' than another. Same for the friends popup when they logged in.
What MS seem too dense to understand these days is that a big part of the success of any product, is its software. All of the software, not just its 'usability'. Stuff needs to be intuitive yes, but it also needs to be sleek and pretty to look at. Its what Apple do really well. Their software is intuitive for the most-part and its pretty to look at.
The 360 dashboard was intuitive and sleek. It was easy to use even after the constant updates and keep being sleek looking on top of being intuitive. Sure it slowed down near the end but id still take that over this monstrosity any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I've been using an iPad for this "feature" for years. This was the argument some of us had back in 2013. You get a 1080 stream on the iPad and a game running in its full resolution on the TV.
This is a dramatically better solution than running your game and show in windows on the TV.
A second screen for TV was the answer back then and it's the answer now. Get a tablet and don't look back.
This is a dramatically better solution than running your game and show in windows on the TV.
A second screen for TV was the answer back then and it's the answer now. Get a tablet and don't look back.
You were wrong than and you are wrong now. Yes an tablet is great though it's not the same thing especially when you have to spend hundreds of dollars to buy one. MS getting rid of a feature that has some good uses with no announced replacement sucks. Snap wasn't perfect but getting rid of it isn't the answer either.
VincentMatts
Member
If they are getting rid of it, its because they obviously have the numbers that show them that its not popular enough to keep around. They dont get rid of popular features.
Do you actually have proof of that? They are fucking up if they don't have a replacement like PiP in the works.
Samurai G0SU
Member
Can't we wait to see what the exact "REPLACEMENT" is for all video watching content?
what if the overlay is so good you buy everyone on gaf some nutella covered doughnuts from krispy kream? huh! huh! Ever think of that?! :
what if the overlay is so good you buy everyone on gaf some nutella covered doughnuts from krispy kream? huh! huh! Ever think of that?! :
I thought they announced they were trying PiP as a replacement?
The new design for the achievement tracker seems almost perfectly set up for a PiP feature.
VincentMatts
Member
Yes because people spent years shitting on them for promoting the xbox as a TV box and not a gaming console. They're not going to invest more time and money in features that got them that very reputation they cant shake today.
You might like the feature and good for you. Personally i thought it was shit. Takes to long to open and on top of that having a big black bar that covers way too much real estate on one side of my screen just so i can have a small TV box appear at the top was terrible execution.
He likely does not even own one.
SmoothRunningGun
Member
And nothing of value was lost. Was a shit feature from day 1.
I'm glad to hear this. I used it for random multi-tasking for a while, but on a practical level, a lot of apps were losing the ability to use it, and it really did make some interfaces unbearable (sort of like dealing with two screens for Wii U when only one was really needed). It was never the smooth/fast/effortless feature it would have needed to be to really hit what they tried for.
Admittedly for TV/Streaming, retaining a picture-in-picture mode would be nice.
Admittedly for TV/Streaming, retaining a picture-in-picture mode would be nice.
Apples and Oranges at the most.
TylerDurden4321
Member
I snapped GameDVR (to start and stop recording, so I don't have to cut and recompile later) all the time.
Snapping the Achievement bars of how close to an achievement I was currently also was kinda cool.
Still, if it's really necessary to speed up the dashboard, by all means, snapping be gone. That dashboard is atrociously slow. If it were as fast as PS4, Xbox One would have the superior UI (in my opinion at least).
Snapping the Achievement bars of how close to an achievement I was currently also was kinda cool.
Still, if it's really necessary to speed up the dashboard, by all means, snapping be gone. That dashboard is atrociously slow. If it were as fast as PS4, Xbox One would have the superior UI (in my opinion at least).