Fast, but not perfect

[MS-xbox]

my friend sent me this, not sure where it cam from.

"There's no doubt the Xbox is a powerful gaming system, but it's not perfect. First of all, we took issue with its overall design: The Xbox is big and heavy. It weighs 8 lbs., 3 oz. -- which is more than both the PS2 and GameCube -- so it's definitely not portable. It also takes up a good chunk of space on your floor, and because of its slightly bowed design and the giant "X" on the top of the system, there's no hiding it.


The controller is also big and heavy. Microsoft has adopted a basic wing shape similar to Sega's Dreamcast controller. It sports a joystick and directional pad on the left side, six buttons and another joystick on the right, and two trigger buttons beneath your index fingers. In the middle of the controller sits a large Xbox logo -- so big in fact, that it seems like including it was more important for the creators than designing a controller that sits comfortably in a gamer's palms.


Games that use both joysticks seem to work fine. When we played something like the first-person shooter "Halo," which uses one joystick to move and the other to aim weapons, the controller was comfortable. It's when we used the joystick-button combination common in so many games that we ran into problems. No matter how long we held it, it never felt completely secure. We weren't afraid we would drop the controller, but rather that it would shoot out of our hands."

[Hugh_Jass]

I don't understand why a console must be portable. My console hasn't moved since I brought it home on launch day. I doubt it will EVER move until I replace it with the XBOX2.

[Alec]

Well you know for some "weaklings" who cant lift eight pounds it might not be portable but just last week I transported my X-Box to a friends house. You know how??? I put in a backpack and guess what it fit in one container, then i put the controllers in a second pocket and the games in a third pocket. ( this is not a duffel bag either.)

[benz_300sl]

whoever wrote that is a jackass. Who cares if the system is big, and saying the big X in the middle makes it very noticable....OBVIOUSLY you want it to be noticed! i dnot find the controllers big at all, i LOVE THEM they are so comfortable, i pick up my old N64 controller and that thing is TINY

[batman46st]

umm i had those sissy ass system that didnt weight as much (dreamcast)(ps1 n ps2)(n64) they fall to easy from the spot i put iton everytime i brign some friends over to play n somtimes its too much people in the room n someone hits the cord....well someone almost knocked my xboxdown n u know wat i appreciate microsoft for making it heavy its pretty hard to knock it down...... n please ps2 lovers stay out if u cant say anythig nice about it haters.... n u cant say **** baot me cause i got the ***station 2 n i sold it lol sorry xbox rules besides i would have only played mgs2 n thats a waste when its coming for the xbox mgsx..

[BigAl]

Boy, has this been beat-to-death, or what?

Yes, the Xbox is bigger... but frankly, I find the Gamecube too small rather than the Xbox too big. It's petite... and since I'm not six years old or a girl... that's not necessarily a good thing. It's height also makes it somewhat awkward for some people's set-ups, especially since it is top loading. For my situation, the Xbox is fine. I can fit it in spaces where I could put a VCR, and would not accomodate the height of the Gamecube.

I also hate the fact that Nintendo chose those proprietary format little dvds. Why not just use regular dvd's? I understand there is a Gamecube capable of DVD playback for the Japanese market, but I have read it won't be available for the North American market.

As for the controllers, I have always thought the PS controller sucked. The way its "wings" are shaped make it awkward for an adult to hold. Likewise, the new Gamecube controller is kind of a pain for an adult to hold. I, personally, though the old N64 controller was better than the new Gamecube controller. And, if you want to take issue with controllers, my biggest gripe is that the Gamecube controller feels especially cheap when you hold one in your hands. The plastic feels cheap. The joysticks feel cheap. The D-pad feels cheap. The buttons feel cheap. The Microsoft controller, while not necessarily the most robust piece of hardware you will ever own, does at least feel suitably constructed for a gaming system. I will agree, however, that the "jewel" on the controller is too much wasted space... and that the buttons are placed a little strange at first use.

But, frankly, I find the Microsoft controller very comfortable and much better than the competition's.... so much so, that in many ways I am now actually prefering the controller FPS Halo to the mouse-keyboard setup in a PC FPS. That's a wholely separate debate, I know, but I'm actually coming around. The mouse-keyboard offers greater accuracy, but the controller (as in Halo) seems to offer - to me at least - greater fluidity and a greater sense of involvement. That is, rather than sitting there at a desk with a mouse and keyboard, the controller makes you notice the interface less and gives you that "in person" feeling of running around. Whereas in a PC FPS I rarely had that jumpy feeling of what was coming at me next, the controller scheme in Halo makes you a little panicky in your motions at times (but in a good way, that kind of adds to the involvement).

[FpS_PhReeK]

Anyone who cannot hold a controller in their hand in fears of it shooting out of their grasp should not be playing video games..... stick to Candyland little pup, I am sure those tiny pieces will not be too much for you to handle.

PhReeK out!