05/01/2018

Kodi Released for Xbox One | It's finally here

Kodi finally makes its way onto Xbox One intact and complete.



What originated in the homebrew scene as a multimedia OS for the original Xbox known as XBM, now comes full circle and makes an official release on Xbox One

Surprisingly Kodi releases with all the features seem in various other platforms. Yes that means pirates can happily stream thousands of movies for free but this time at the risk of Microsoft banning their console or profile if caught.

While Kodi is mostly known and used for pirating movies, it does have a host of features that come intact when you download the program. The advertised add-ons include gaming streams, South Park episodes, international radio stations and other nifty programs like YouTube to MP3 converters.

What makes this release exciting is the prospect of game emulation. Kodi comes complete with a file browser much like other versions on other platforms allowing emulators to run rooms from a selected USB device.

Unfortunately the program is limited at the moment, offering basic functionality until more features get fleshed out in the future under Microsoft's watchful eye. USB devices are unsupported with no access to the Bluray drive of the console.

Nevertheless it's an exciting release offering increased flexibility in how users want to use the Xbox One for multi-media purposes. Definitely something to keep your eye on in the future.

30/11/2017

Xbox Features in Retro Gamer

On the front cover of this months Retro Gamer is the original Xbox baring the trusty controller S. Looks like Retro Gamer aren't a fan of the trust Duke eh?

The feature includes Seamus Backley and Ed Fries who shed some light on the history of the Xbox, as well as some words from some UK devs who strongly supported the Xbox such as former Bizzare Creations, Oddworld Inhabitants and Rare developers.

Now the history of the Xbox is well documented and this special article doesn't really tell you what you already know. Though I did learn some new info here and there such as a mention of a few Age of Empires prototypes running on Xbox hardware and Blitz was in the process of making Fusion Frenzy 2 for the Xbox before being cancelled.

I won't spoil too much because it's a nice little article that condenses the history of the Xbox into a neat 10 page section. It's nice to see new interviews with former developers who haven't publicly shared their opinion on the console in some time or ever before. These sections are easily the best parts, shedding some light on some truly interesting development stories.

It's good to see the original Xbox get some love from Retro Gamer which has been criminally overlooked since the magazines inception with the PS2 and even the GameCube having their fare share of special overviews.

The issue is on sale now, so check it out before December issue roles out!


19/11/2017

Xbox Kinect | Its time is up

After nearly 4 years of being on the market, the Xbox Ones Kinect is finally being discontinued. The writing was on the wall years ago wasn't it?

It started when the Xbox One S came out and users had to buy a bulky adapter in order to use their Kinect. Every month the new OS slowly phased out Kinect compatability with an ever changing UI that favoured controllers over voice and motion control.

Then there's the games. The Xbox 360's Kinect had some neat games, most of which could be played with a controller anyway. Games like Steel Battalion showed promise with a phenomenal presentation but being limited to motion controls only made the game damn near impossible. Damn shame...

We thought things were gonna change with the Xbox One, but it didn't. The only game of note is Kinect Sport Rivals which has some surprisingly good games packed in such as the Jet Ski racing which will forever be shackled to the Kinect.

I'm gonna be honest, I've never liked the Kinect. Don't get me wrong, as a piece of tech, i really do admire it. Recently I visited a medical exhibition where the Kinect was used to monitor the Doctors posture during their surgical training. Examples like this is why the Kinect is still utilised for a whole host of non-gaming projects that show just how good the tech is.

When it came to gaming however, it was a bit of a dog. The Quick and accurate responses required by games meant the Kinect could never really keep up and you end up just wishing you could play the damn thing with a traditional controller. I could make some tiring gesture to get something to happen which I may have to repeat a few times to work, or I could press a button? Which would I rather do?

Despite its demise the tech will live on thanks to the IPhone incorporating the technology in its front-facing camera which is doing some neat things for face recognition. Oh and Ubisoft with the next 10 years of Just Dance games.

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/17/16315510/iphone-x-notch-kinect-apple-primesense-microsoft

31/10/2017

Original Xbox Backwards Compatability | It's finally here

Original Xbox compatibility is finally here, meaning every generation of Xbox can now be played on the Xbox One.

The Original Xbox is undoubtedly my favourite console. It's the peak of western AAA output and still in an era when Japan still dominated the gaming landscape. While the first selection of backwards compatible games are a little lacking for me, the commitment and quality of the emulation is an exciting prospect.

Popping in one of the selected 13 games will prompt a download of the game file working exactly the same way as Xbox 360 emulation. Once done, you will be greeted with nostalgia overload as you see the original Xbox boot up screen in 1080p glory.

I say 1080p but the resolution is actually 960p which isn't a problem really as it doesn't mess with the games original aspect ratio. You won't notice a difference anyway as the games have cleaned up rather nicely. I've always felt the original Xbox has always aged well due to developers respecting the consoles limitations (unlike 7th gen) while still having the graphical fidelity to create believable worlds.

Not all games are available to purchase on the store which does signal some slight concerns when it comes to licensing. Cult classics like the PGR series still haven't made its way to Xbox 360 and most likely never will. Highly requested titles like Jet Set Radio a Future for example will have to overcome music licences if it's to ever see a release.

Doom and gloom aside, this is very exciting for Xbox fans. Microsoft has done a phenomenal job of emulation on such underpowered CPU's which has always  led me to believe that Xbox 360 emulation was impossible. Original Xbox emulation was always going to be possible, but I never would have thought Microsoft would have much interest going that far back.

This is the part where I would start to write a list of titles I would like to see, but I'm just too engrossed in Knights of the Old Republic. 


12/08/2017

Japan and Xbox | How the Japanese percieved the original Xbox

When the Xbox was first announced many people couldn't believe it. Microsoft making a games console? No way! But alas it was true and shock turned to interest, that is in the west anyhow. Despite the Xbox not being all that successful in Japan, it is interesting to look back at what Japanese developers thought of the Xbox.



Initially any Japanese success for the Xbox highly doubted, but when Konami out of no-where pledged support for the Xbox it finally gave the machine a fighting chance in Japan. Next a huge blow to Playstation's exclusivity was the announcement of Metal Gear X on Xbox. Hideo Kojima was adamant on the Xbox version having improved graphics but downplayed the Xbox as not being a major graphical upgrade compared to the PS2.




Core Magazine notes how Tecmo are going to be releasing a new version of DOA2 on the Xbox (later known as DOA3) that will also add to it's growing Japanese portfolio. Tecmo was a strong backer throughout Xbox's life with Dead or Alive 3 being a solid launch title to show off the graphical capabilities of the Xbox and Ninja Gaiden receiving critical acclaim.




During the turn of the century, it was clear SquareSoft was becoming more interesting in online gaming. With Square releasing more PC titles and the Xbox being easy to port for in addition to its online capabilities, Square looked to be a strong supporter of the Xbox. Unfortunately SquareSoft never released any titles on the Xbox. Vice President of Square Enix Keiji Honda later noted  “I have two concerns about Xbox. My first concern is that it is being designed and marketed by Microsoft, and my second concern is that it will be compatible with Windows.”. However in the Eurogamer article Square insisted on having the game be cross compatible with PC and Xbox players. Regardless, relationships between the two companies broke down and FFXI finally released but on PS2 and PC instead.




One of the earliest comments made was back on the 6th of April 2001 where Sprong reported that Capcom vice-president Yoshiki Okamoto said how the Xbox had a "very tiny opportunity" in becoming a successful console in Japan. What makes this comment slightly contradictory is the fact that Capcom strongly backed the Xbox initially with exclusive titles like Ominusha 2 and Group S Challenge. Even more bizarrely the article notes how months prior to this statement he was noted as being a firm backer of the Xbox. Maybe he's just indecisive?




It doesn't stop there. Nintendo's head of Public Relations Yasuhiro Minagawa was baffled by Microsofts indecisive strategy leading him to question how serious they actually are. Yasuhiro ended by theorising how Microsoft are simply copying Sony's Playstation business model thanks to the under reliance of first party output and over reliance on making deals with third parties instead.


As the launch date arrived, Lehman Brothers analyist Yukie Saito was reported saying how the lack of strong launch titles may prevent the Xbox in convincing Japanese gamers to buy it. The same article notes how Amazon of Japan had sold out in a day with the popular games being JSRF, PGR and DOA3.

While

Links:
  • http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-13-why-xbox-failed-in-japan

WayBackMachine Links:

  • http://www.coremagazine.com/columns/17.php3?2
  • http://xbox-scene.com/xbox1data/news-archive-17-2-2002.php
  • www.spong.com/framehead.asp?go=news&mode=full&prid=1367

01/07/2017

Xboy | Microsoft's interest in making a portable console

The illusive Xboy was far from a rumour. In an IGN Unfiltered interview with Xbox's Exec Robbie Bach, he noted how the Xboy was in fact real, although the idea never left prototype stage. Robbie Bach explained how the Xboy project would be aimed to a younger audience. Bill Gates in 2006 also stated while there isn't current interest in making a portable games device, it could still be entirely possible.

One interest thing to note is how all of Microsoft's portable efforts were exclusively on Nintendo handhelds. Why is this the case? Arguably Microsoft were in a more fierce competition with Sony rather than Nintendo. Bill Gates has gone on record to support the Wii while remaining reserved about his views on Sony's Playstation 3.

It's also important to remember why Microsoft entered the gaming market in the first place. Sony's rapid growth of the PlayStation was starting to dominate the living room spaces across the world. Xbox wasn't about providing the ultimate gaming device, it was about creating a platform that would leverage Windows into living rooms.

Previously I've documented the various Microsoft IP's on Nintendo handhelds here. At first it could be argued Microsoft were simply testing the waters for handheld development, gauging the interest of their IP's to a new audience. In retrospect the GBA titles and franchises make a lot of sense in the context of Bach's post about a proposed Xboy targeting younger audiences. Rare already had established fans on Nintendo platforms, so releasing these franchises on Nintendo handheld makes a lot of sense,

While there is no date as to when the prototyping took place; rumours were still floating around near the mid 2000's. By the late 2000's it's probably clear Microsoft were no longer interested in the handheld market at this point.

Their last releases of their Blue Dragon games were most likely to advertise the IP to a wider audience, especially with the DS being very popular in Japan. During the release of the last Blue Dragon game, Microsoft probably saw two options. Either this franchise isn't popular enough to justify development of a fully 3D sequel on console, or that the Japanese market is no longer a viable market. Personally I think it's a bit of both, at this point Japanese interest in consoles was waning alongside many Japanese developers struggling with HD budgets.

Yet despite the Xbox handheld never seeing the light of day, In some ways Microsoft have accomplished what they originally set out to accomplish.

Bill Gates has gone on record stating that making a games console was simply a leverage for getting Windows into the living room. With that in mind it can be logically deducted that a portable gaming device would also be used as a leverage for getting Windows on users handheld devices. Makes sense right? It's the only logical conclusion, if they're primary goal isn't to be game developer in console, why would it be on handheld?

Ultimately this goal would be eventually accomplished with Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia and their first foray into mobile phones with the Windows Phone. While not necessarily a gaming device, it doesn't need to be. Microsoft's Windows Phone has completed what may have been Microsoft's original vision of supplying a Windows device into people's every day lives while on the go.

Links:
  • https://www.polygon.com/2017/4/7/15222066/xbox-scorpio-powerful-pc
  • http://uk.businessinsider.com/why-microsoft-killed-the-xboy-project-2015-8?r=US&IR=T
  • http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news260506gates
  • http://www.gamesindustry.biz:80/content_page.php?section_name=ret&aid=214
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_owned_by_Microsoft_Studios_on_Nintendo_platforms

Microsoft Games on Nintendo Handhelds | looking through Microsoft's experimental years

It's no longer a rumour that Microsoft were experimenting with a portable Xbox console as many higher-ups at Microsoft have come out and stated. While this doesn't really doesn't have too much to do with the topic at hand, it does present a unique time in Microsoft's history. Whether they were actually testing public interest in their franchises or simply expanding their portfolio to a larger audience is still unknown. I've previously discussed the topic here if you're interested, but for now this is a look back at the Microsoft title's you can find on portable consoles.

Microsoft partnered with THQ and experimented with licencing out some of it's IP's to be used on the Gameboy Advance. The two games in question were Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee and Monster Truck Madness 2.0. with Microsoft stating the releases alongside "other best-selling franchises to the handheld platform". Within that year saw the release of Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge and marked a new leaf for Microsoft games on handheld devices. From 2004 to 2005 Rare developed three new titles for the GBA; Sabre Wulf, Banjo-Pilot and It's Mr. Pants. It's unclear whether Rare still had some connections with Nintendo, but regardless Microsoft and THQ continued their partnership in releasing handheld games of Microsoft's franchises.



In retrospect these selected titles and franchises make a lot of sense in the context of Bach's post about a proposed Xboy targeting younger audiences. While there is no date as to when the prototyping took place; rumours were still floating around near the mid 2000's, Microsoft may be simply testing the waters with these franchises. Former Rare titles already had established Nintendo fans back on the N64, so releasing their kid friendly franchise on a kid friendly platform which already has existing roots with Nintendo makes a ton of sense.

As the DS rolled around a tonal shift was present with more mature, strategic titles being more prevalent. The first of these titles were Zoo Tycoon DS in 2005 followed by Age of Empires: The Age of Kings in 2006. Sim like games were well suited to the DS touch screen and stylus which is probably why Microsoft released a few more in 2008 with; Zoo Tycoon 2 DS, Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise and finally Age of Empires: Mythologies in 2009. Hell the DS even saw a spin-off sequel of the Mech Assault franchise which originated on the original Xbox.

The final game to be released by Microsoft on a handheld was Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow released 1 year after Blue Dragon Plus for the DS in 2009. My theory is Microsoft wanted to improve awareness of the franchise to more Japanese players and what better way to port it onto one of the best selling handhelds at the time. Sadly this was the last game in the franchise as well as being the last Microsoft handheld title published.

While an Xbox handheld never came to fruition, we are left with glimpses of the types of games that could have been on there if anything. These games Microsoft did publish aren't too bad and are dirt cheap if you're interested.