@PapaBear434: Well given that MS stretches the meaning of seasonal updates at times and HOME is scheduled to have an open beta this fall, I'm betting home will come out first.

okenny :)

@slomo788: I think the number of tracks is kinda impressive but compared to what GT5 will bring, the number of cars will always go to GT5... they have some exclusivity deals from what I understand. Interestingly enough, nobody ever races all the cars in these games, it just increases the chances of the car they want being in the game. My hope is that Forza's customization abilities blow away anything else out there. I was hoping for maybe body modding but that probably won't happen until the next generation.

okenny :)

...and I'm willing to bet that XBL avatars will beat Home to market, too.

Sony, get your head out your ass already.

PapaBear434

@Murdoc: I think your concerns are being addressed. I for one am buying my next 360 once I hear the finalization of the XNA Community project and by that time, the new GPU chipsets will hopefully hit the market.

As for the features that warrant pay, is LIVE itself. I still want it to be free but I'm ok with paying for it right now. That's going to vary from person to person I guess but at least they are evolving it.

The Forza 3 VIP edition listed something that saddened me a little: You get more server space. I was hoping that the next update will introduce a common user generated content area. It may still happen but I guess I'm a little bummed out that nothing leaked is hinting at using such a feature.

okenny :)

on the one hand, this is sort of cool. on the other...it's sort of lame. what about all of us who paid for gamer pics? and i'm guessing that since it's M$ they aren't going to be free.

although, this doesn't really effect me anymore, since my 360 RROD'd and i'm NOT replacing it.

Yoshep

@wild homes 5: no disassemble!:
Fucking Tesitfy.

If I want a Wii I'll buy a Wii, I have a 360 because I thought they could at least keep up with the tech slightly.

Lack of 16:10 and lack of group chat still leaves a really really unpleasent taste in my mouth, with stuff like this coming in too. The probability of ever seeing it is shrinking by the "update"

.digiwalsh

cool i like it

sargemat

Boooo, I like my fruitfucker gamerpic.

Strangelove

@okenny :): Well like many people said at xbox360fanboy, most of the best games of the previous generations came on multiple discs. But it does suck when you have the option of having only one disc on another console. But if Forza 3 is superior to GT5, I'll gladly buy it instead. So far the number of tracks and vehicles leave me unimpressed (and I can race online for free on PS3), I want to see graphics and features.

@okenny :): The Trioxide thing is clearly fake though.

slomo788

Cool, cool..

InsidiousTuna

So for all the people who hate the miis and much prefer having a gamer pic will get the short end of the stick. Hardcore gamers get the shaft so casual people will buy consoles. awesome.

ItotheCtotheE

@Walshicus: Yeah, I'm aware of that but I'm going to have to play a doubting Thomas on this one. The potential for excitement and my turning into a raving fanboy (as well as the opportunity for logical discourse) is just too great. I hate to go down this road to have the world fall from underneath my feet in some random Rumor-smash post :( I've been hurt before *cries* and I promised myself to never trust again.

okenny :)

Is this necessary? Is this the thing the xbox was missing?

Personally I'd like to see more online options that make it worth paying for and that my box doesn't' die every 6 months.

I mean offering stuff the competition has is cool and all, but this one seems pretty pointless.

Murdoc

@fruitsofherwomb: The whole idea of charging for gamer-pics, which are commercials themselves, is a weak business case. I hope they will move away from the charge for everything model with these features that seem to be overlapping with what other networks are giving for free.

okenny :)

@okenny :):
Well it's all taken from some marketing firm's website. You can go there yourself if you like, in the link I posted. Whether it is real or not remains to be seen... but there are in-game videos of several un-announced titles there.

Walshicus

@slomo788: Yeah... people won't want to swap discs; there's got to be some kind of install option there (I think).

okenny :)

lol I don't understand Microsofts logic about this 'pay for 4kb pictures.' They could have just gave them away or handled it in a better way. Like each game you buy comes with the picture packs, that way people would buy the game.

OR

Themes and gamer pics are sold for achievement points, thus making it worth collecting the points. People that want more pics play more games etc.

I dunno just seems rather stupid.

fruitsofherwomb

@Walshicus: WOW... after going through the gaf link I can't help but to feel excited but this can't be real. I'll believe it when I see it. No reason getting worked up over all of this right now.

okenny :)

Thank you, Microsoft, for getting this whole much-requested avatar thing going before making the Marketplace less of a clusterfuck. And before supporting 16:10 resolutions. And instead of providing a spring update for 2008.

Now when I sign into HABBO LIVE to play some Rainbow Six Vegas 2, everyone will see the awesome Dockers pants I bought in a microtransaction from your store.

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

Deja-vu feeling... rising...

Shiryu

Cool! Now we can enjoy a more rich and entertaining experience with our fellow Livers(?)!
Chat, video-convo and other activities will be made easy! Imagine the possibilities of diffSHITTING DICK-NIPPLES!!!!

Oh god...

XBL... will have an image!

MOP88

Will these permanently replace the GamerPics? I like my Triggerheart Exelica pic just the way it is.

theCornerinvasion

I like it. But I never spent anything on picture packs. If I had I might feel differently.

If these things are free I'll bite, otherwise no.

zoz

Is this from the same people who brought you The Newton™?

I'll remain hopeful yet skeptical about this.

Neo Deus

*sigh*

And how much will you be expecting us to pay for customising these characters?100 points for a pair of glasses?Maybe 400 for a new set of eyebrows?

Also if this is indeed getting rid of gamerpictures,arnt their going to be a lot of people upset that they spent points on packs,and now theyr rendered obsolete?

Tom Clancy's Samuraidino

Wow, sucks to be those guys who spent money on those gamerpics they're so casually tossing aside.
Oh wait, they only spent points! All is well!

Pombar

@okenny :): Just wait for 2-disc Forza 3. That'll be fun to watch. I predict PS3 installs being a major theme of that article...

slomo788

Nah; no one manufacturer has a monopoly on the avatar idea. Miis, Second Life, Home, Avatars, a billion other programs... As long as it's not intrusive and doesn't slow down the interface, there's nothing wrong with taking the best the competition has.

Walshicus

So let me get the cartoon-to-real ratio here:

Nintendo-Microsoft-Sony

Interesting.

The_Green_Ninja

This being Microsoft, my first question is: how much will they cost?

Antiterra - No Country For Old Snake

Oh? This won't end well :|

okenny :)

This thread has everything so far:
[www.neogaf.com]

Walshicus

Hmmm. Dunno how I feel about this. Lets see what the update brings with it before throwing a hissy fit.

Nexus6

It might be an optional thing, for those who liked and eared their picture packs wont have to abandon them, and those who never bought any like me, will be able to use this service as a replacement to see fit. Now it'll take a lot of customization if they wanna pry away my Katamari picture.

Kaizuden

Miis in my Xbox 360? no ******* want ... seriously, Microsoft, what the hell is that?

uzivatel

Wait...
It'll take the place of Gamerpics?
There goes my penguin gamerpics...
(At least, I hope the picture is wrong...)

Teh Emo Penguin

*proceeds to scribble Nintendo along the length of his manhood*

...

*waits*

...

@enigma89: It's not working... I can't feel anything :(

okenny :)

sorry I haven't read all the posts yet, but what about all the gamerpics we[not me :)] bought already?

Grumps

@enigma89: XBOX 360. Jump In (and hitch a ride on the Wii's nutsack).

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

@slomo788: Well I say it's going to be a next gen feature for a couple of reasons:
1) It's bound to be more computational then what either GT or Forza is doing today in terms of physics as the parts aren't predetermined.

2) If it's not in this version, I it'll have to wait for the next gen system as I don't see Forza 4 being on the 360 on the assumption Forza 3 will likely be released in 2010.

I'm still not sure what Lips is and I like the Newton idea. It's nice to see games like Scene-It on the platforms since Buzz is exclusive to the Playstation brand. I don't expect any companies to always be the first to innovate but I do expect companies to rip off good ideas as long as they push it forward. In fact, I demand it! As for execution on these ideas, we will just have to wait and see.

okenny :)

I'm going to miss my big-lipped caricature Balrog pic.

kajillion

@.digiwalsh: It's funny. Robbie Bach makes that comment the other day illustrating how Microsoft are thrilled with the fact that we 360 owners haven't abandoned them because the hardware reliability is crap-- he even gloated about it-- and then they pull shit like this instead of taking care of long-known issues. It's like our famous patience with their failures has emboldened them to further ignore the community's needs-- giving them the time to think of crap like these stupid avatars.

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

I don't see why them adding a new service could be anything but good. Really, I doubt that when I check someone's gamercard that a little person will pop up. they will still most likely keep the gamerpics as well.

cmonty06

great Miis, i mean avatars!

genbeef

Wow, all MS can do these days is push me-too concepts down 360 gamers throats.

Who, outside of Microsoft corporate HQ, really cares about having Mii-like avatars for XBL? Know what gamers want from Live Microsoft? Group chat & a better interface so you stop dropping content off of the marketplace. Get what you've already put out there working the way it needs to, then start layering stupid gimmicks nobody wants on top of it.

Maybe there's a bigger reason behind Peter Moore's departure from MS- he saw the direction they wanted to take the 360 platform and knew he couldn't stand up in front of gamers and hawk bullshit like this with a straight face.

stranger

I do fear how they make it sound like only people who buy new 360 post-launch of this feature will get it. I hope I'm reading it wrong otherwise I'll sell all my 360 and games, melt down my PC and buy a new PS3 and Mac :(

okenny :)

@okenny :): "I was hoping for maybe body modding but that probably won't happen until the next generation."
Hmm sounds like a great idea. I don't think it's a hardware problem at this point just an imagination problem. Microsoft's plan is to wait and copy. If they do it in GT5 or 6 and it works, be sure it will be in the Forza after that. The Lips, Scene-It and Newton news/rumors each made me want to puke.

slomo788

These avatars are too playful for the average 360 customer. Replacing the Gamerpic with them might backfire.

El-Suave

In the circle of friends that I spend time with, we would call what Microsoft is doing right now "riding the Wii's dick" or "hanging off of Nintendo's nuts".

enigma89

Neat idea, but MS could easily ruin it through their obsession with expensive microtransactions. This needs to be free. Entirely and completely free.

dj_fantastica

Wow. I can't help but laugh at this Avatar crap, but especially LOL at that GAF thread.

Really...a Tony Hawk game that uses a balance board...for PS3 and 360? Wow.
And people wonder why Nintendo fans loathe 3rd party publishers. (not that I, a self-admitted Nintendo fan, care about Tony Hawk games, but it's the principal of the matter!)

Mr. Fap☆Fap!

This is exactly what mictosoft needs to do in order to sell as many consoles as the Wii and Playstation 3 has done over the past year!!! I can see all the "Casual" gamers pressing their little faces against their TVs in anticipation for this gem of an E3 event...

NEXT!

GOD

@okenny :):

I'd be apt to believe that if they hadn't already delayed it for over two years now.

PapaBear434

Ugh, no thank you Im fine with my Niko Bellic gamerpic.
I dont need Mii's and HOMEs to play my games, I prefer to keep It simple.

KEELr

@.digiwalsh: Yeah, that list was so perfect. I didn't believe it for a second. I've seen Microsoft snatch defeat from the jaws of victory too many times to think that update list was real.

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

But.. I like my gamerpics.. I even bought the VG Cats picture pack (it's the only gamerpics I've boughten).

kojirodensetsu

@wild homes 5: no disassemble!: Let's just say that the only way I'll swallow this without choking is if it comes ontop of ticking all the boxes on that rumoured spring update list. The one that just seemed so obvious.

.digiwalsh

Oh, lovely more 360 content I won't use.

I still don't get the whole focus on a "community" on your games console.

Big_Adam

yeah, these dumb little "avatars" had better be optional. I worked hard to get my mass effect unlockable gamer pics. i'd like to continue flaunting my achievement.

ReconToaster

I think this would be cool if

1) when you look at peoples gamercards, they have the "avatar" load in the right hand side of the guide and have it wave to you (perhaps have animations to attatch to them)

2) Have the "avatar"'s mouth move when in a private chat as the person speaks

3) Have the "avatar" have an initial set of facial features that MS release with the pack. Then when companies want to release promotional material, they could be in the form of clothing for the "avatar" like Indiana Jones T-shirts or Forza 3 caps. (the incredible t-shirt on one of the avatars above could be a hint at this). Also, costumes and accessories could be linked to game achievements (someone mentioned this in 360fanboy) like Gears Of War chainsaw or Fable 2 sword. Also special accessories could be released during certain times of the year (like Santa outfit for Christmas). All this HAS TO BE FREE THOUGH, as it is after all advertisement.

4) Have them actually appear in third party games as well as first party games (looking at you Nintendo).

DSKUK

*facepalm*

insanejedi

This actually sounds good if the image is anything to go by.

Eon.

Also, as this came from an online survey, surely MS are just wanting to know the response of this. If the response looks grim, I'm sure they won't do it. If it's mixed, then i'm sure they'll make it optional.

DSKUK

The Mii's Being the digest failure to Nintendo, microsoft should of came up with something a lot more appealing and innovative. Not sure if this is the best ides MS has come up with.

MXs219

At the end of the day, I'm a 360 owner that's meh on the Mii, Meh on Home and absolutely Meh on this.

Bring on the gaming.

Rask

I wish everyone wouldn't copy each other..its kind of dull. Each console should be unique, instead it seems they are all trying to become so similar to each other that there is no point in there being more than one out there.

Rockzilla

@MXs219:
What the hell are you talking about? The mii has proven time and time again to be an incredibly successful strategy for Nintendo's marketing. Go do your research before posting such things.

shorty1k

@DSKUK: Yes, because I think what 360 gamers need is MORE advertising, MORE tie-ins, and more dumb animated shit to make the dashboard more sluggish. This is a bad idea through and through.

wild homes 5: no disassemble!

Hopefully this signals a redesign of the xbox live dashboard interface, probably not though.

Pornosaur

@Antiterra - No Country For Old Snake: It'll cost something like 760 points, so as to give you the inevitable 40 points you can't spend on anything.
I'm kind of irritated only because, as others have mentioned, I bought gamerpics and personally I like having Catsby to represent me online. But at the same time, I like the fact that this is happening at all, because I can think of several aspects of systems that would be improved by copying their competition, and it's nice to see that Microsoft isn't ashamed to do just that.

jBusiness

Fifty dollars says one of these avatars is going to be the Microsoft Office Paperclip and he will cost 400 ms points.

Iceking5

@shorty1k: I agree, but this is Microsoft. Personally, I like my Gamerpic, and don't want it to be replaced, nor do I want to have to pay for every little thing for these things.

Ashkihyena

I have Sonic as my Gamerpic. I don't want to give him up. You either give me a Sonic avatar or keep your grubby mitts off my Gamerpic, MS! (pout)

freakout

@Dalren: Yeah, I can understand that. I don't mind that myself, but I also think that like the Mii, they should be free (fat chance, I know) and not replace Gamerpics.

Ashkihyena

@Ashkihyena: I agree that they shouldn't completely replace gamerpics, I just think complaining for the sole factor of "zomg they ripped off the mii" is a bit silly.

Dalren

Possibly replacing gamer pictures? This won't sit well with the people that paid for them.

Americo

@Dalren: But don't forget, the Miis are free, I'ms ure that Microsoft will charge, and like alot of people said, I don't want these things to repalce my Gamerpic.

Ashkihyena

BUNNIES! Uh, sorry, I lost track of what we were talking about again. But seriously, why are the avatars so... kiddy? What about some big, tough, manly avatars like Marcus Fenix and Master Chief and the 1987 Denver Broncos.

Salen

@Walshicus: I have to agree with you. I think it's stupid when people whine about companies ripping each other off. It's called competition. These honestly look better than Mii's, depending on how customizable they are.

Consoles and games should always be copying each other so gamers get a better product in the end. It's nothing to be upset about at all.

Dalren

"Avatars are digital personas".....

Methinks someone is a Digital Devil Saga fan at MS.

GrandfatherParadox

wow how original...

Akmed

Kinda funny how lately Microsoft is the one to copy EVERYTHING. Blu-Ray, Avatars, and the all too used motion sensor. And I believe there were another thing or two that I can't remember off the top of my head.

And people say Sony copies every idea? lol kinda funny if you ask me.

But if you ask me I think Microsoft wanted a more MATURE crowd and not bother with this stupid avatar stuff. Its great for Nintendo because they cater to people who are either young or people who act young and casual gamers. But now Microsoft has to get caught up in this...? I've officially lost respect for them

Anyone else with me or will I be flamed for this?

XxBunnyBoyxX

I paid for my gamer pics, and damnit I'm keeping them.
I hate these stupid new "Miis" or whatever that everyone is using nowadays, it's not cool and it's certainly not original anymore.

Guitarista87

Too cute for my taste. I like my GoW gamerpic better. >.>

Shinryoma

I don't want one. If they are going to replace gamerpics, then I want a refund for all the money I spent on buying them. Plus the main reason I bought a Vision Camera was for custom gamerpics.

Assholes.

Nex Antonius

Their redemption for the people that payed for gamer pics could only come in the form of making this idea totally free. The PS3 offers free "dashboard" themes.

Annex1

I'd have to side with gamer pics over avatars.

I'm no air bender, nor do I want to be...

Nubius

I really hope they do the avatar thing.. Its a great feature and they will do it better than Nintendo.. I support it 100%

PvtPoopy

I really like the irony in the fact that Microsoft AND Sony execs scoffed at the idea of appealing to the casual crowd and thought Nintendo was "kiddy" and heading the wrong direction, only to turn around a few years later and blatantly rip Nintendo off.

I mean, usually, it ends up as a good thing for competitors to copy each other, because better products are the end result. But when they do it with an original, great idea, that was MEANT to be free and for casual gamers. and put the copied reslut on a hardcore system and charge money for it? That is just ridiculous.

Home is one thing, cause it has almost nothing to do with Miis and only seems to build off the basic idea, making a good, constructive end result, but Avatars is not progressive in any way, it's good for nobody, and it reminds us of the darker side of gaming, where we remember that money is truly what drives the whole thing and the artistic side and, more importantly, the FUN side are replaced with a cold shell of something that could have been great, had the company focused more on "How do we improve this idea and make it ours" and less on "How can we cash in on the popularity of this product without making it TOO obvious that we have no souls?"

NachoDude

Neat, they were kinda the only ones that was missing an avatar system. With Home on the way and Mii's being real cute...oh and the motion controllers that Microsoft has on its way and Sony's new motion-control attachments...soon we'll have three consoles, all being the exact same, the only difference being the exclusivity of games, shape, and color of the case.

Talleh

I hope this doesn't permanently replace gamerpics. I like mine just the way it is.

L7UWP

I love how amazingly Shameless Microsoft is with their "Anything you can Do I can Do better Attitude". Hhehee That's Not Sarcasm, I really do love it! Go Team Green!

Flitz

I personally think that avatars are a cool idea, sure its been done before but it could be a lot of fun. I do not think this should replace the gamerpic at least not yet. It could be a BC nightmare to make older games support avatars unless they just make a gamerpic that is a capture of the avatar but I can really see no reason not to have both.

Konchu

@wild homes 5: no disassemble!: "It's like our famous patience with their failures has emboldened them to further ignore the community's needs-- giving them the time to think of crap like these stupid avatars."

Yeah that's what happens. We should all know by now they're just trying to stretch the current platform another year before its successor arrives. Hopefully they'll just relaunch the 360 (like Nintendo did with the Wii) so MS can add many needed features like a high capacity soft media drive (Blu-ray?), standard internal HDD and properly manufactured hardware. I played in the last generation for 7 years with my PS2, I'd like to see that kind of longevity again.

Replica23

How much money will it cost? It seems interesting so i would prolly check it out when they are released.

dopenuts

I called it!!!!!!!! I said ms would not only have something that is a hybrid to home and mii's but would be bring it out before sony brings out home (ok no officially word yet but I'm sure it will come out before home)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now the question is how much is the customization going to cost us cause you know this will not be free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

freespeech