MrKniceGuy.com

Category: Microsoft

  • The Console War Is Not A War Between You And Me (Opinion)

    The “Console War” is win win for gamers

    PS4 Next-Gen ConsoleI’ve been thinking and what I’ve come up with is that the “console war” isn’t and really shouldn’t be between gamers. Gamers have a common bond, and that bond is their deep and passionate love for video games. The real war is between the companies who make consoles and I believe that’s a healthy thing. The manufactures of consoles have a business to run, and that business is providing consoles and games to the millions of gamers all around the world. It’s really a beautiful thing when you stop and think about it. Companies vying for that special spot right under your TV, getting you to use their social systems with other gamers and ultimately getting you to play their latest, hottest games. It really puts gamers in the drivers seat for the future of gaming. In this war, we have a vote. And we vote with our dollars.

    Keep comments constructive please

    Xbox One Next-Gen ConsoleBut as I look around the internets, mostly what I see is people grouping up into “PS4 fanboys” and “Xbox One fanboys” groups and slinging comments like “my conzolls is better than urz becaze I can (fill in the blank here)!!11one.” While some discussion about what each console does better than the other can be very helpful (especially to those who haven’t decided yet what console they’re going to purchase first or if they’re even getting more than one), it doesn’t help gamers as a whole. Rather than slinging mud, talking about the facts and advantages that each console offers is a much better way of sharing with others about why you’re excited about the next-gen systems. And that’s a much better way to interact with fellow gamers.

    Be excited about the future

    Any way you cut it, the future of video gaming is bright. With veteran console manufactures vying for your gaming dollars, the competition is fierce. And as gamers, we should be excited for how manufacturers are working to make the best gaming systems they can. Why? Well, ultimately they want your money. But to get your money they’re going to have to make killer gaming machines.

    Gamers win

    I’m excited for the future of the “Console Wars.” Not because I’m participating in the war, but because I am helping decide the outcome. And the war is about me as a gamer. Who doesn’t love being the source of an epic battle of interest?

    How about you? How do you feel about the console war as a gamer?

  • Day One Patches and Next-Gen Consoles

    Day One Patches and Next-Gen Consoles

    Next-Gen Consoles Future is a Wired (or Wireless) One

    I just wanted to mention a little something about next-generation consoles and the internet. There was quite a huff a little while ago when a major next-gen console maker mentioned their device would require an internet connection to work.

    Next-Gen Consoles need the intenetThe reality is that all next-gen consoles (both PS4 and Xbox One and even going back to the Wii U) need an internet connection to work the way we’ve grown to expect. And I’d even go out on a limb and say I bet that you have an internet connection at home. (Unless you’re reading this at the library. Are you?). The reality is, pretty much anyone buying a next-gen console has internet, or has reasonable access to the internet. And while this first run of the next-gen consoles need a day one update, the ones manufactured later will most likely have the necessary updates in place (for military personnel, which is just about the only argument for cases regarding gamers without reliable internet).

    The Future of Wired Consoles is Bright

    Bottom line is, the next generation of consoles (both the PS4 and the Xbox One) will be “amazing.” And that “amazing” needs to be updated as the launch moves forward. Developing the OS and features will continue throughout the lives of the systems (look at the changes to the Xbox 360 dashboard over its life as an example) and a connection to the internet is a must to have the latest and greatest on your PS4 or Xbox One.

    I feel weird when my console isn’t connected to the internet, which is hardly ever the case. I for one have no problem with day one updates for next-gen consoles that bring new amazing features we’re only just beginning to understand how they will change gaming (and I think I’m with you in hoping for the better).

    Now, if the servers that host these updates don’t crash on launch, everything will be fine. But we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.

  • Steam Goes With Sharing

    Digital is the future! At least, that’s been the mantra around here for a while. But sometimes digital has drawbacks that physical media users have enjoyed for years. For example, loaning a game to a friend.

    Wouldn’t it be great to be able to loan a game digitally? This question has been on my mind since the reversal of the Family Sharing plan on the Xbox One. There were rumors at the time that Steam would go this way as well. And today, they announced that sharing is caring.

    Steam Family Sharing, a new service feature that allows close friends and family members to share their libraries of Steam games, is coming to Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC, Mac, and Linux games and software. The feature will become available next week, in limited beta on Steam.

    Steam Family Sharing is designed for close friends and family members to play one another’s Steam games while each earning their own Steam achievements and storing their own saves and application data to the Steam cloud. It’s all enabled by authorizing a shared computer.

    While I’m bummed that this sort of feature was killed by consumers on the Xbox One, I’m excited to see how it plays out on Steam.

    Read more at the official Steam Blog: http://store.steampowered.com/news/11436/