If you successfully signed up for the New Xbox Experience preview program (successfully being the key word) but didn’t find yourself one of the lucky few who made it into the first two waves of early admittance, according to Major Nelson you are now officially in. I just logged into my Xbox Live account and sure enough, I was immediately offered an update. After completing the two to three minute download and watching a short animation of a weird exploding penis thing, it looks like it’s time to make an avatar. Off I go! If you signed up for the preview program as well, go download your New Xbox Experience. Your Xii anxiously awaits you.
Posted by CrazedOne1988 on November 17, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Looks interesting, but still a major copy off the Wii……..
Posted by Penguinish on November 17, 2008 at 10:27 pm
i dont care about the mii/wiis i just want the group private chat!
Posted by bs angel on November 17, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Yeah, but you have to make an avatar. You could always just choose one and proceed I suppose but might as well mess with it since it’s a forced step. :)
Posted by Cunbelin on November 17, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Alright so when are you going to post your avatar ?
Posted by bs angel on November 17, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Perhaps when I’m done messing with it. I just found Princess Leia buns!
Posted by SonofMacPhisto on November 17, 2008 at 10:40 pm
bs, whatever you do, it should incorporate a ‘weird exploding penis thing.’
Posted by Qix on November 17, 2008 at 10:52 pm
By ‘Princess Leia buns’ do you mean hair? Cause I did not think they were THAT customizable…
Posted by D taktics on November 17, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Lol, weird exploding penis thing.
Posted by Crazyeye0 on November 17, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Is this wierd exploding penis thing the cause of my lag and the shitty conection throughout the house which likes to cut out at about 8 every night?
Posted by Vash on November 17, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I love the update. I love the Mii esque thingies!
And I don’t love how my X-box RROD not long ago. I had to towel trick my x-box in order to look at this update. It wont be long till I send it off to Microsoft land for repairs.
Posted by Jim 028 on November 18, 2008 at 1:30 am
I discover this, after I arrive at work for the day :( the anticipation is killing me.
I really need to read your blog first thing in the morning. ^_^
Posted by ashame on November 18, 2008 at 1:48 am
You’re avatar doesn’t look like you at all :(
Posted by TofuDragon7 on November 18, 2008 at 2:08 am
The avatar options must have long bright red dreadlocks or else it won’t look like me at all! I’m not even kidding either, all those weird looks I get on the street yeah? I want the online experience of that!
Posted by mendicantbias00 on November 18, 2008 at 3:39 am
I got it too!!! Of course it booted off line while I was playing Dead Space…but still! w00t!
My Av has a monocle…cuz thats how I roll.
Posted by Das Kalk on November 18, 2008 at 4:37 am
oK, my Xii is so going to be wearing a top hat so me and mendicant can be British investors from the 19th century!
Posted by Crunchbite on November 18, 2008 at 6:01 am
awesome! can’t wait.
Posted by Captain Spark on November 18, 2008 at 6:10 am
Maybe I’m just old and set in my ways but I Iiked the old interface. It was easy to navigate and use. I’m almost embarrassed for Microsoft for fostering such a childish looking interface on us. My grumpiness will pass as soon as the caffeine kicks in… :)
Your Xii anxiously awaits you. Good one angel.
Posted by Handmade Hero on November 18, 2008 at 7:26 am
Maybe I’m just old and set in my ways but I Iiked the old interface. It was easy to navigate and use. I’m almost embarrassed for Microsoft for fostering such a childish looking interface on us. – Captain Spark
From what I have seen solely through teh youtubez, the interface built for the guide button is almost exactly like the original UI; guide blades and all :D
Posted by Captain Spark on November 18, 2008 at 7:34 am
I should have been more specific. It’s the childish looking avatars that bug me. Hopefully I can dress my avatar in a tee shirt while wearing my Calvin & Hobbes boxer shorts :)
Posted by Aperture S on November 18, 2008 at 8:04 am
When I tried to sign up for the preview program I got a error….which I guess means I was to late. I never get into beta stuff :(
oh well, I might stay up late tonight around after 12am UK time and see if they release it then. Maybe i can avoid the server issues which they WILL have when the mass of people start downloading it.
In other news I’ve neally got 10,000 gamerscore! ^.^ and I’ve coloured my underware brown after completing chapter 6 of dead space (yeah i’m slow at completing games….so what?)
Posted by Handmade Hero on November 18, 2008 at 8:04 am
It’s the childish looking avatars that bug me. – Captain Spark
I personally think they are a great addition but I see what you mean; they are overwhelmingly juvenile :(
I’m afraid that these desperate attempts to snatch the other console fans is simply an aspect of gaming we ought to expect now a days =/
Posted by Rhamsey on November 18, 2008 at 8:24 am
damnit, i can get it early, but im at class all day(where i am now) then work till 12. so it doesnt even matter. damn you ms for breaking my heart again.
Posted by e house on November 18, 2008 at 8:32 am
Will it be going live at Midnight tonight?
Posted by AT-AT on November 18, 2008 at 9:34 am
What if you choose to use your preexisting gamerpic? Does that replace the forced avatar (they’d better change that forced deal by tomorrow)?
Posted by AT-AT on November 18, 2008 at 9:36 am
Oh, e house. Updates (to anything, games, the console itself, etc) usually happen at 2 AM Pacific Time.
Posted by bs angel on November 18, 2008 at 9:56 am
Your preexisting gamerpic stays as is! You have to take a picture of your Xii and then select it as your gamerpic in order to change it.
Posted by e house on November 18, 2008 at 10:05 am
Man . . . 2AM is pushing it for this old dog. What with a job and toddler. You win again Responsibility!! (shaking clenched fist up at sky)
Posted by e house on November 18, 2008 at 10:06 am
Can the new avatars be nude? If not, what is the maximum state of undress i can plan on clothing my online persona?? Clothes are SO for the real world.
Posted by Rift on November 18, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Everyone basically copied each other this time around. Wii has the Miis, Xbox has the Avatars, and PS3 has Home… they’re all different takes on the same general idea: making a digital representation of yourself. I’m going to try to make my Avatar look like me. I’m not going to be a rockstar, I’m not going to be an astronaut, I’m not even gonna’ be that one guy everybody wants to be like (there’s always someone), I’m just going to be myself.
Really, I don’t see what the big fuss is. It’s not like you get a choice, and if you made the choice, everyone poked fun at you for it, kinda’ like playing Viva Pinata for the first time (awesome game), everybody has to go through it, and just trying to point out why you don’t like it or why you think it’s childish isn’t helping anything and it’s not insulting anyone. Hell, you’re not even helping yourself feel good. Just make an Avatar, then get back to playing games. I can never understand why people make such big deals about things like this. Are they afraid of something? Or is there just a general dislike for toys involved (I love toys, espessially McFarlane statues and Forge).
Posted by AT-AT on November 18, 2008 at 3:17 pm
“they’re all different takes on the same general idea: making a digital representation of yourself”
That’s one of the reasons I hate crap like this. I’m camera shy: I can’t stand seeing myself. Don’t like pictures of me, don’t like hearing my recorded voice, and I even hate mirrors (thought that’s unavoidable).
If you can attach a phrase to the avatars, mine will be “I don’t want this. I picked a random one because it forced me to”.
Posted by Vash on November 18, 2008 at 7:29 pm
AT-AT, you don’t have to make the avatar look like yourself, doesnt have to look like you and no one is really going to care.
It’s really no big deal. I’d figure people are into the 360 for the games and this update does not take them away from you.
Posted by AT-AT on November 19, 2008 at 9:04 am
Hey guys, I figured out how to skip the avatar process. When you start the new dash, just pop in a game. Exiting to dashboard takes you to the dash and you’ll have an empty avatar. :)