[Opinion] Dreaming of Dashboard 2.0

[spenser.d]

This guy's mockup looks like crap.

I love the dash how it is - the blade system is very intuitive and sorts things nicely. It flows well, IMO.

-Spenser

[troist]

His mockup is too busy... Theres so much going on in such a small area. While it might look okay on a PC monitor I could see that design being really bad viewed from a TV. The blades dash atm is good in that aspect because it uses easy to read fonts and no tiny graphics... That mockup doesn't quite work as well for me.

[BajiRav]

I don't get it why he bashed the original xbox ui on his way though :p The original was as basic as it gets. :/

I think it's the idea that instead of the blades, you just have a large portion dedicated to a picture of your own.

Like a wallpaper on your PC. It takes up the majority of your desktop.

I do think we could debate the scaling though, of how much space goes to the background/wallpaper.

Well you can set wallpaper in current dashboard as well. So does it become user space? :p

How can the XMB be an imitation of the dashboard when they couldn't look any more different? :/

Well XBOX dashboard, XMB, Zune, media center and many PMPs - all use the same UI concept (scroll horizontal and then vertical).

Don't know who did it first - don't really care.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Well for all you guys that hate the mockup photos did you read the actual suggestions he made to be implemented?

What do you think of them? MS could add them with their own new design, or even with keeping the old design. It's not like the design HAS to change for some of these proposed features to be added.

Well XBOX dashboard, XMB, Zune, media center and many PMPs - all use the same UI concept (scroll horizontal and then vertical).

Don't know who did it first - don't really care.

Auch that's just grasping at straws.

Graphically and by design, they couldn't look any different.

[BajiRav]

Well for all you guys that hate the mockup photos did you read the actual suggestions he made to be implemented?

What do you think of them? MS could add them with their own new design, or even with keeping the old design. It's not like the design HAS to change for some of these proposed features to be added.

Auch that's just grasping at straws.

Graphically and by design, they couldn't look any different.

:blink: grasping at straws? and I mentioned "UI concept" - graphically they are different. The UI "design" is same/similar. That's like saying Firefox and IE use different "UI concept" when it is essentially same.

[TheDreamX]

I agree that the mockup is a little too busy, but he's got the right idea. I like the potential a lot better than the blades setup - and I love the 360's current dashboard.

The only problem with all of this talk of a dashboard 2.0 is that Microsoft has already confirmed that there will be no future updates to the look and feel, only fixes and features added. I'm unsure as to whether it was just a rumor from a reputable source or an actual press release, but it does make sense that they would like to keep a unified system that they have already put loads on money and time in to. Perhaps on the next Xbox.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

:blink: grasping at straws? and I mentioned "UI concept" - graphically they are different. The UI "design" is same/similar. That's like saying Firefox and IE use different "UI concept" when it is essentially same.

My comment wasn't really aimed at you, more so those who believe XMB is a cheap imitation and would use your reasoning as the reason they think that.

I fully understand and agree with what you said. Both move horizontally.

However IMO that does not make one an imitation, or a cheap imitation of the other taking into consideration how different the XMB and dashboard are. Graphically/the way they are setup/the backgrounds and how each react when used in-game (Dashboard brings up a "mini" dashboard, XMB comes up in full), ect and so forth. They are both unique and different.

[spenser.d]

Well for all you guys that hate the mockup photos did you read the actual suggestions he made to be implemented?

What do you think of them? MS could add them with their own new design, or even with keeping the old design. It's not like the design HAS to change for some of these proposed features to be added.

Ok. Search would be nice, for the marketplace. I've no real problem finding anything wicked fast that's my own on the 360 though.

Hot keys are unnecessary, as I just mentioned that it really doesn't take any time to get anywhere in the current implementation. That's why the blade system is so intuitive.

We already get disc tray detail. It'll display the title and gamer information for any game in the tray, and tell you if you have a DVD or Xbox 1 game in the tray.

As far as advertising and user space - I don't think he has a great grasp on the dashboard. I consider pretty much the whole dashboard as it is as user space. All of it is useful to me and I use all of it. As far as ads, I've said in the past, they're really pretty nonintrusive and they are all relevant anyways, so I'd rather they stayed.

User rating, better sorting, and show me the money are all really good ideas, but don't require much of a visual overhaul to implement, and I already mentioned what I think about the ads.

-Spenser

[BajiRav]

My comment wasn't really aimed at you, more so those who believe XMB is a cheap imitation and would use your reasoning as the reason they think that.

I fully understand and agree with what you said. Both move horizontally and then vertically.

However IMO that does not make one an imitation, or a cheap imitation of the other taking into consideration how different the XMB and dashboard are. Graphically/the way they are setup/the backgrounds and how each react when used in-game (Dashboard brings up a "mini" dashboard, XMB comes up in full), ect and so forth. They are both unique and different.

Woah - I don't have crazy ninja skillz to know that automatically or read you mind.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Woah - I don't have crazy ninja skillz to know that automatically or read you mind.

Ok, sorry, I cleared myself up, I thought it was pretty obvious I was exclaiming that the reasons you gave while valid, don't make any service an imitation of the other due to how different they are outside of how the menus scroll.

But thanks for the sarcasm anyway! ;)

[jerzdawg]

UGH... up until this point I was perfectly happy with the dashboard... granted... my time there is short lived... I buy a arcade game everyone once in awhile but thats it.... but now...... after seeing the breakdown of the space used... and then the design of what it could be... I HATE the dashboard and want MS to update it ASAP... lol... thanks alot OP

[Ayepecks]

How can the XMB be an imitation of the dashboard when they couldn't look any more different? :/

Because it looks like a cheap imitation? They don't look similar, but the XMB tried to have all the features of the Dashboard/Guide and it just doesn't look as good, IMO.

[webcivilian]

Because it looks like a cheap imitation? They don't look similar, but the XMB tried to have all the features of the Dashboard/Guide and it just doesn't look as good, IMO.

I think the XMB is pretty clean looking and easier to navigate. And its not a imitation. Please dont call anything imitation when you don't even have a clue.

I don't know what you call is a feature? Displaying Ads? Is that a unique feature. I think its better they keep the XMB clean.

Back on topic, current dashboard setup is really good just needs a little tweak here and there.

[gigapixels Veteran]

The one big problem with this mockup: It won't work on SDTVs. That's the beauty of the current Dashboard. It works on any TV and fits completely fine, while this guy's requires the widescreen aspect. Sure, it could be fixed by tweaking the design, but it just goes to show how much forethought the MS team put into it compared to this other guy who thinks he has a good idea.

[Nic]

Sure it works on any TV, but it is very outdated and needs to be updated with something more stylish. He has a great idea, but no single idea is perfect from the beginning. It'll be tweaked a bit, but it will be compatible and look great in the end.

[jokeripa]

I dont care about the dashboard much tbh, although it is slow and generally takes longer than it should to get to the page you need.

What I do suggest is when your at the top of a list, and you press up, instead of doing **** all and making you waste time scrolling all the way down to botton it should just go to the bottom. Its little things like this that **** me off much more..

[Prince Charming]

The dashboard does need a redesign. The graphics are outdated, and the visual impact somewhat lacking. The mockups presented don't seem the best idea, but they do raise a very sensible point. The Dashboard's initial idea and layout was absolutely excellent - the 'Blade' design was fast and easy to navigate, sensibly laid out, and you didn't need familiarity with the console to perform most tasks, as they were under the clearly labeled blades. The Blade design has however not stood up to the test of time well. Bolting stuff on and increasing underlying UI complexity (Marketplace, Games Blade) has moved away from the original idea of simplicity. And to be frank, the design looks kind of childish now. The Dashboard needs to be updated to a more modern design with a UI and layout more suiting the increasing number of options. I agree with this thread :)

[Smashing Pumpkin]

Whilst I must agree that I find the Dashboard to be way too slow and clunky and it crashes alllll the time for me etc. etc. I don't really like the mock-up in the article, it's too colourful in your face etc. I love the idea of the blades, I just wish that it worked how its meant to instead of crashing every coupel of minutes :(

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Xbox 360 Getting a 3D Dashboard Make-Over?

The rumored Xbox 360 Spring Update might not have hit yet, but we know something big is in the works for the console's dashboard.

How big? Well besides the gi-normous list of rumored updates we posted about back in May we're now hearing from a number of sources that the Live dashboard is going to be getting a second interface option, one that will use the yet-to-be announced motion controller to navigate.

This new user interface, we've been told, will recreate the increasingly cluttered dashboard "blade" system in a 3D environment that will be something more akin to the Minority Report than a filing cabinet. The motion controls will allow users to sort of slide through the different levels of this floating menu system.

Sounds like a fantastic idea, if it can be implemented correctly.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5021196/xbox-360-getting...board-make+over

[spenser.d]

^^^Sounds like wishful thinking from an eager player, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

-Spenser

[TJenkins]

Blagh...I don't want to have to buy a new controller to enjoy an updated Dashboard.

I don't see why everyone is so enamored with the blades. Out of the 6 blades I use one regularly, the Live blade. All the others are kind of pointless in my eyes.

I wish we had the ability to edit the Dashboard layout in a CSS type manner, that would be awesome.

[Blackice]

I don't mean to be a troll (this is a 360 section of the forum, after all), but I disagree with the idea that the XMB copied the 360's dashboard. For one, the XMB came first. It was first used in the PSX (Sony's PS2-######-media center), which was released in December 2003 (two years before the 360). The PS3's UI looks pretty much identical to that of the PSX, and Sony have used it consistently throughout multiple product ranges.

I am thinking about buying a 360 (mainly as a media centre extender, but perhaps for gaming as well), and the UI is one of the big downs for me. I like the snappy XMB - it's super quick to get to things. Granted, as someone said earlier, it needs a lot of housecleaning. The 360's dashboard just seems to clunky and cartoon-like for me. It's all colour-coded as though it was made for children barely old enough to read. It gives a warmer vibe than the PS3's cold professionalism, but it's so warm it's like it's giving you a warm glass of milk and singing you a lullaby.

Note: because people seem to be so sensitive whenever criticisms are made of their console (on either side), let me just make clear that I'm not saying 360 owners are child-like (that honour lies with all fanboys, necessitating this note), I'm saying the 360's UI is child-like.

[Ayepecks]

I think the XMB is pretty clean looking and easier to navigate. And its not a imitation. Please dont call anything imitation when you don't even have a clue.

I don't know what you call is a feature? Displaying Ads? Is that a unique feature. I think its better they keep the XMB clean.

Back on topic, current dashboard setup is really good just needs a little tweak here and there.

I don't have a clue? I've seen all the pictures and videos on the internet! Am I not allowed to have an opinion because it differs from yours? I just think it looks horrible. I never said feature-wise it was lacking, if you'll pay attention. I said, to repeat yet again, it looks horrible.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I don't have a clue? I've seen all the pictures and videos on the internet! Am I not allowed to have an opinion because it differs from yours? I just think it looks horrible. I never said feature-wise it was lacking, if you'll pay attention. I said, to repeat yet again, it looks horrible.

Well I own both consoles and they definitely aren't imitations of each other.

So you can say it looks horrible if you want, your opinion, but they aren't imitations.

[ozgeek]

And user interface design is not a simple matter of designing the way you like but with accessibility, support for different displays and much more in mind. I have a standard TV and it wouldn't be nice for MS not to make the 360 accessible to me if they block standard TVs.

And they will not redesign the 360's dashboard because the dashboard is considered part of the 360's user experience. Next xbox, yep, most likely will have redesigned interface.