PAX 08: A few fresh New Xbox Experience tidbits [update]

by Dustin Burg { Sep 1st 2008 at 3:15AM }

Update: Even though we would have loved to capture video of the New Xbox Experience, Major Nelson requested that no video be taken due to the fact that the dashboard code hasn't been finalized. So, we respected his wishes. That said, Major's no video request didn't stop others from doing ninja-recordings.

Yesterday, we scurried across the Penny Arcade Expo show floor to make our way over to the Microsoft booth to view Major Nelson's final presentation of the New Xbox Experience. A fresh from their Seattle lab, newest and most updated version of the Fall update that showed off a few newly interesting facts. What exciting dash goodness? Check the list below:

Holy beautiful transitions! This latest Fall update build included never before seen transition effects including nifty fades, smooth sweeps and (our personal favorite) the guide pop up animation. We can't explain the transition effects, but trust that their addition definitely enhances the overall dashboard experience. Yum!
Dashboard themes will now instantly load a preview when hovered over. And, as an added bonus, the preview loading effect is sexy as hell.
While in a party, each person's gamer picture is placed on the top right hand side of the dashboard. When alone and party-less, only your gamer picture and gamercard are displayed.
Your overly Wii-like Avatar's comic-style text balloon displays your gamercard's motto.
EVERY Xbox 360 game's Xbox.com information (including game description, features and screenshots) is pulled into the dashboard while browsing the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Tags: dashboard-update, fall-update, pax08, xbox-live

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

victor360hd @ Sep 1st 2008 3:20AM

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

E.J. @ Sep 1st 2008 3:44AM

No video/shaky cam coverage?

AnthonyGalindoX @ Sep 1st 2008 3:46AM

Neat transitions and new features are great and all but more importantly will it work any faster?

mnemo @ Sep 1st 2008 3:54AM

Meh, transitions suck. I always disable fades in Windows, too, I don't wanna wait for dialogs and stuff to fade out and in. :-( Make the dashboard FAST and quick to navigate, Microsoft!

CB @ Sep 1st 2008 4:09AM

Vid would be sweet but I'm not complaining.

CB @ Sep 1st 2008 4:17AM

found one!

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/259980.html

xboxbuff @ Sep 1st 2008 4:21AM

post some vids plz. I just can not wait to see the changes.

Swagman @ Sep 1st 2008 4:29AM

Did someone ask for a video?

http://www.gamevee.com/viewVideo/xbox_360/XBox_360/New_Xbox_Experience_Public_Demo_PAX_08/757356

Swagman @ Sep 1st 2008 4:45AM

Same video, better quality: http://www.gamevee.com/viewVideo/xbox_360/XBox_360/New_Xbox_Experience_Public_Demo_PAX_08/757356

xboxbuff @ Sep 1st 2008 6:58AM

thx4 da vid. :D

Dane @ Sep 1st 2008 5:18AM

Any word yet on a release date?

The_Dude @ Sep 1st 2008 2:06PM

Met with someone from Xbox Live a couple of weeks ago and they told me November, 11 was the release date.

Take it for what it is worth but Xbox does have a history of launching big things the 2nd week of November.

RedSonRising @ Sep 1st 2008 6:06AM

Yes! Shaky, blurry off center cam footage! Alright! A for effort but jeez man, point it at the screen more often..

but seriously, i am looking forward to the new 'experience'.. still not a big fan of the big grey blob covering most of my themes.. hopefully theyll make that more transparent or something otherwise half my themes arent very useful..

i hope they add some new visualizations to the music player to match the new look too.. winamp circa 1999 looked better than the current setup..

Tiptup300 @ Sep 2nd 2008 10:13AM

What do you expect, the dude who made the llama game made the visualization system.

Also, I wish the sphere would reflect a blurred ambiance of the theme. Like if the theme is a heavy red, the sphere would reflect a heavily blurred reddish color.

gaymerxbox360 @ Sep 1st 2008 6:22AM

Speaking of video; go check out Dustin getting interviewed on the Xbox live dashboard.

Dustin Burg @ Sep 1st 2008 1:36PM

interesting I say ... interesting

Hoffer @ Sep 1st 2008 6:55AM

I was at PAX and saw the demo. The reason there isn't shakey cam video is Major Nelson stressed no video. He had a big sign saying so. He even stopped at one point to ask if a guy was recording video.

The demo was cool. I always look forward to cool new features in dashboard updates. This update obviously has the most new everything. So, I'm really looking forward to it.

RedSonRising @ Sep 1st 2008 1:10PM

duh, any clandestine cam footage has to been unauthorized.. anytime official video isnt released we've gotta pretty much assume thats the case..

xboxbuff @ Sep 1st 2008 7:00AM

thx for making us know the reason. may it give us a surprise then. LoL
Im looking forward to the updates as hell.

Rez @ Sep 1st 2008 7:03AM

Looks nice and fresh should be good so long as it all works when it get's released. One thing I'm a little worried about is say 10 guy's in a lobby have hardrive game installs and say 2 don't, the 2 that don't are going to hold up the game starting surely or maybe worse can this affect the gameplay itself. I don't know anything about this so feel free to explain or flame me if you do know. Rez

Aero @ Sep 1st 2008 7:58AM

So does your avatar not replace your gamer pic? Because Microsoft keeps saying how we can use our themes with the new dashboard so we haven't wasted money on them but I haven't heard anything about gamerpics.

jedi55555 @ Sep 1st 2008 8:38AM

You can use your avatar or just have your gamerpic showing. Also you can also use your themes in the background also.

Mrblonde @ Sep 1st 2008 6:51PM

Your gamerpics work

DanyDanman @ Sep 1st 2008 9:01AM

Looks clean

DanyDanman @ Sep 1st 2008 9:03AM

Looks clean and more whit a flow

Hoffer @ Sep 1st 2008 9:03AM

I still saw a couple places where there was your gamercard. In Major's demo, his gamerpic was just a headshot of his avatar. I'm assuming you could put your current gamerpic in this spot.

DanyDanman @ Sep 1st 2008 9:04AM

looks clean and more whit a flow

Andrew Xavier C. @ Sep 1st 2008 10:17AM

I really can't wait to get the new dashboard
I mean "new xbox experience"
it looks clean
and party chat is gonna be amazingly useful.
Also xbox live prime time
sounds like a interesting concept that if done right could be really good.

Hunter @ Sep 1st 2008 10:45AM

copycats of the wii. Did you know they are also coming out with a motion sensing controller. I guess they are trying to do anything in their power to catch up to the wii and ps3. I really liked the old dashboard style the new additions are gay and childish. Can't pull off the style that the wii was able to. just give up microsoft and stop making me cry.

ryan @ Sep 1st 2008 4:52PM

i don't want you to cry. i just want you to get lost.

Tony @ Sep 1st 2008 11:04AM

Aside from the avatar, nothing about this is "Wii-like". The Wii interface is far different from this beyond that.

Hunter @ Sep 1st 2008 8:49PM

Once again Microsoft has rushed another lame copy-cat idea in fear of the PS3 and Wii. They basically just took the best things from Home and Miis and put them together.... or attempted to. They didn't do to good of a job. This system will never compete with Home, and it also cost money. I am once again dissapointed in Microsoft.

ryan @ Sep 1st 2008 9:54PM

and once again, get lost.

Arnon @ Sep 2nd 2008 8:37PM

Here's a big question.. who cares?.. It's not like it will affect your life or anyone else for that matter.. hell, I doubt Nintendo or SONY even care. They're all doing their own thing.

It's called business,

Also,

Owned by ryan :3

NeoK-182 @ Sep 1st 2008 11:37AM

from the video it looks great. transitions are awesome. love the theme preview and viewing the achievements are so much nicer. it really looks great.

and to the people confused about gamerpics. everyone still has to have a gamerpic it's the avatars that are optional because you require a gamerpic for all the older games but even games that support avatars will support the gamerpic it's kinda like when you have the video camera plugged in when you play uno.

And i agree about the themes, that blob on the bottom should go. though i did notice in this video that it seems to be blue whereas at e3 it was grey so maybe we have some options on it. hopefully one is GONE.

new guide button is fing amazing.

Neil @ Sep 1st 2008 12:18PM

Overall its pretty nice....looks smooth and has a clean layout. I'll be happy when it comes out.

launchme @ Sep 1st 2008 2:01PM

I wish i could get the release date. Because im not gonna lie, its gonna be a better experience.

ice~ @ Sep 1st 2008 5:05PM

EDGE magazine did a 16 page issue on the new experience in which the rare representative (rare makes avatars for those that don't know) said that GAMER PICTURES WILL BECOME PICTURES ON YOUR AVATARS SHIRTS!!! Thats what they said, u can check it out somewhere on mundoRare.com I believe

ryan @ Sep 1st 2008 7:49PM

8 person chat?? that's pretty f'n awesome!

d889 @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:11AM

lookin good, remember you can still revert back to the old style blades if you dont like the new look.

i really hope that when you press the Xbox button in a game this new menu is faster, in gta4 it is literally 1 fram per second when i want to change up music or look at my friends list.

Lilpunkduck @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:35AM

Agreed, This is a big issue for me especially signing in and out because once your profile hits certain sizes due to dlc assigned to it and achievements, the guide seems to get slower as does the signing in and out process, i would still like to see a quicker way so swap between in game chat and private though. And also on the subject of the theme-ruining blob. Hopefully it will be customiseable in a simillar way to the current guide, or being able to be transparent, or atleast mostly transparent.