Enough of "developers, developers, developers"

[MCD]

If Microsoft is serious about making it big in the games industry, they need to take a step back from "developers, developers, developers" and enter the world of "designers, designers, designers".

Branding sucks.
Marketing sucks.
User interface sucks.

For some reason, they cannot make something that is functional while also being aesthetically pleasing. Simple, beautiful designs work. Look at hardware that has reached the mass market, like the PlayStation, the DS and the Wii. Look at stores like Ikea and Muji, where furniture is functional, cheap and beautifully simple. Keep the logos subtle, and don't push them in people's faces all the time.

User interfaces are a no brainer - take people from different target groups and sit them down and ask them to perform a group of tasks using your interface. Reduce the clutter, organise your content better and make it cleaner. 360 UI is confused, lacks consistency from blade to blade, and is rather gaudy.

Just spend a little more money in this area and everything could be wonderful.

[Mupepe]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

[Vizzys]

terrible topic

shame to see who wrote it

[MCD]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

do you know who wrote it?

[Mupepe]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

do you know who wrote it?

Groo I think.  But I don't care.  Please no.

[Vizzys]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

do you know who wrote it?

Groo I think.  But I don't care.  Please no.

we need drama

himuro I see you lurking, post here so i can troll you

[MrSingh]

Ikea and Muji furniture suck!

[MCD]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

do you know who wrote it?

Groo I think.  But I don't care.  Please no.

so we can't discuss dashboard interface?

don't be weak now mups.

[demi]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

I'll do a compromise. No GAF threads if you stop making random crappy ones. DEAL?

[MCD]

360 dashboard can easily get better if they say, make the blades thinner.

i mean look at this shit:



why is there waste of fucking space on the sides? why are the blade eating all that space?

other stuff:

- the games blade needs an overhaul (use Xbox originals mini market interface or huge icons to raise it xbla awareness)
- I'd love to have all settings/options in the system blade and not hidden in the fucking dash/profile
- tabs (twist) used everywhere in the marketplace.

[demi]

woah, so thats what messenger looks like... cool

[pilonv1]

i cant stand messenger on my 360. im trying to fucking play gta and ive already got that fucking annoying mobile phone, i dont need more useless messeges

[Joe Molotov]

why is there waste of fucking space on the sides? why are the blade eating all that space?

Probably to keep the blades from getting cut off on TVs with overscan. On my old TV that had a lot of overscan, the edge of the blades were even with the edge of my TV almost.

[pilonv1]

I always thought it was so they could add new blades in the future (XBLA BLADE YOU distinguished mentally-challenged fellows)

but i guess not

[Mupepe]

Please do not C+P gaf threads here.  please.

I'll do a compromise. No GAF threads if you stop making random crappy ones. DEAL?

no deal, homo.

[AdmiralViscen]

Well I think space is good. But when they fill space with unnecessary shit, like that Xbox Live logo or the Xbox Live description text, it just draws your attention away from the menus for no reason.

I don't think PS3 is great - it is a mess to navigate, and things like the friends list and movies/game lists take ages to scroll through because the icons are too large. But at least there is space, and it actually looks nice.

Wii, I don't know what to say. It's not designed for HD, so it's hardly comparable. The lack of text is good, but when you've got 12 channels on the screen, all with asynchronously animated logos, it's a real fucking mess IMO.

Pretty much agree.

I'm really kind of pissed at the music and photo organization on PS3. On PSP I can just sort it by my own folders, but on PS3 everything is a hassle. Picture sorting is bad to the point that I won't put any real pictures up and the length of a music playlist is capped for some reason.

And it's probably just because of familiarity but I find it easier to change options on 360 than on the 20-item web of lists under PS3's settings. I also don't like having all my demos, downloaded games, and full games on the same bar.

[MrAngryFace]

I really dont get the blade confusion. I mean I REALLY dont get it. Its easy to move around through it.

But I think what we should really talk about are how gimmicks and presentation move gamers more than games to play.

[MCD]

I really dont get the blade confusion. I mean I REALLY dont get it. Its easy to move around through it.

But I think what we should really talk about are how gimmicks and presentation move gamers more than games to play.

honestly, the biggest confusion is the games blade.

XBLA SHOULDN'T BE HIDDEN

[MrAngryFace]

Is this some kind of drunk night post? Are you willing to argue the extra 2 seconds it takes to get to arcade? The button presses that are probably almost subconcious for gamers?

[MCD]

I'd suck your dick

[MrAngryFace]

Ill take an extra few seconds to get to Arcade for its wealth of GAMES to PLAY and ill take the "Time Consuming Blade Time" for the GAMES TO PLAY.

X360 isnt losing on some front because of the user preferences on the blade front. You never see the NPD report....Well the Wii sold a lot of units this week but hey, its got a great interface, and the ps3 interface certainly isnt giving it a leg up either. In fact I find the ps3 interface more confusing because you know what? I NEVER PLAY GAMES ON IT.

[MCD]

maf, xbla wasn't hidden before but for some bizarre reason it's buried now.

and ps3 interface suck.

[MrAngryFace]

They added a bunch of new 'game' related sections, and since they dont have room to put 80 things on the blade, the created a top level blade page. I cant understand the 'buried' 'hidden' arguments. Once found you know where it is, and it takes 1-2 seconds more to get to...is that really an impact? This isn't stuff frequently referenced once-off by people looking for something, its owners finding where it is, and then remembering and then going to from that point on

[MCD]

 :'( i want my xbawk better.

[MrAngryFace]

I want a million bux and everyone off the road!

[APF]

Why can't you ask for a better user experience without it having to reflect upon some retail sales analysis?

[ferrarimanf355]

(Image removed from quote.)

I LOL'd.

[MrAngryFace]

Oh hush APF, always spoiling for a pointless wordy man debate

[APF]

That was like two days ago!

[recursivelyenumerable]

User interfaces are a no brainer - take people from different target groups and sit them down and ask them to perform a group of tasks using your interface.

being MS, I'm sure they already do this and spend tons of money on it; it's just that, being MS, they manage to find a way to screw things up anyway.

[MrAngryFace]

ah an excellent argument worthy of a message board.

[MCD]

M$

[recursivelyenumerable]

erik meijer am brainwashed  :'(

[MCD]

erik meijer?

[APF]

User interfaces are difficult problems to solve: users don't know what they really want, and are most efficient on UIs they're already familiar with (even if that UI is broken); even with the pseudo-scientific veneer of user testing labs, there's always a good amount of interpretive voodoo going on IME.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Do you need the mini controller keyboard to get cool MSN pop ups like that? Why can't I do that with a fullsize keyboard? That's shit.

[MCD]

press windows button or windows + m

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemupdates/may07faq.htm

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Wicked, thanks.

[recursivelyenumerable]

yes, that Erik Meijer.  bananas lenses envelopes and barbed wire

and what AFP said.