New 360 Dashboard: "You don't have to use it"

[.KICK]

If you don't like the look of the new Xbox 360 Dashboard unveiled at E3 last week, then "you don't actually have to use it," says Microsoft's Xbox Live director of programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb.

According to The Major, every single function available in current 360 backend will be included in the new, clean-looking Dash', which you can bypass completely if you choose.

"I know that there are some people that aren't going to like the happy, happy, shiny New Xbox Experience. For whatever reason it's not flipping their bit," Hryb said in his latest podcast.

"Here's my message to you: you don't actually have to use it. You can never go there, just leave your game disc in and pretty much do everything that you could before but on the Guide level - one button press away in every single game.

"The Dashboard as you know it today, in other words the 'blades'; Games, Live, Media and System," The Major explained, "We've taken those blades and moved them to the Guide. Every single function that you can do today in the Dashboard you are going to be able to do in the New Xbox Experience in the Guide.

"When you press the Guide button on the Xbox 360 controller, the new Guide will come up and you're going to be able to do everything in there. You're going to be able to contextually browse Marketplace, did you know that? So when you have Gears of War 2 of Halo 3 in there you're going to be able to go straight to that section."

Sounds excellent to us. Even more good news for New Xbox Experience haters comes in the form of Avatars, and how you don't have to use them. "If you don't like the avatars, they're not required. You can use your Gamer Pictures," said Hryb in the podcast. "Your existing and Gamer Pictures and Themes still work," adds co-host 'e'.

If developers choose though, adds the mysterious co-host, they can stick some cool rewards for Avatars in their games.

"I was talking to Todd Howard [bethesda exec producer]," says The Major, "and he was like, 'hey, I want to talk about Avatars - do you think there's a little hazmat suit for Fallout 3 we could make?" At least they won't be charging for it... (we hope)

Source

[TJenkins]

You miss the point, you will still get the new look, but to use the blades you'll have to use the guide. When you boot up your Xbox you're going to get the new Dash. period.

[Emn1ty]

This guy is basically saying, "If you don't like it, don't look at it."

[Ayepecks]

You miss the point, you will still get the new look, but to use the blades you'll have to use the guide. When you boot up your Xbox you're going to get the new Dash. period.

True, but if you liked the blades, you don't ever even have to go to the new Dashboard, unlike the old Dashboard. That's all he's saying.

[Si_]

That's very cool. Fundamentally he's saying you have access to EVERYTHING in-game, such as marketplace, system settings, etc etc etc.

That will come in very handy.

[Prince Charming]

You miss the point, you will still get the new look, but to use the blades you'll have to use the guide. When you boot up your Xbox you're going to get the new Dash. period.

360 can be set to boot into Media Centre, the Dashboard, or to the disc in tray. Who knows, they may add a boot to Guide option. He is correct though - you don't HAVE to use the Dash.

[tomwarren Veteran]

Good, I hate that crap new UI they have made :(

[x-scratch]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

[Kupo-Cheer]

Yeah... I also don't like that he's saying "Just don't look at it," but at the same time, I do think that people should just give it a chance before they automatically decide they don't want to use it. Yes, it is different, and I still believe a redesign could have waited for their next console (the blades system is the 360s signature frontend look, after all), but they're doing it and it actually is a good idea considering all the features and content that have been added over the past couple years. Reorganization is a necessity.

[Kushan]

I already posted it in this thread, but I suppose it deserves it's own thread since it's going to be such a big deal.

With the current 360, you can set it to automatically boot into the game in the drive, so if you really really really don't like the new dash, you could just enable that and press the guide button when you turn your 360 on. The current dash isn't exactly lightning fast so I doubt it'll even take any longer to get to the blades.

I still think it's an amazing feat bringing the entire blade system ingame and just goes to show that Microsoft is the king of software.

[Guest]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

You gave up on the Xbox because of a community manager?

[+Mystic MVC]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

He he he, if you let 1 person affect your opinion of a console maybe the Xbox wasn't for you. :p

I think the way this topic is titled may lead to a bit of confusion. Maybe something like optional boot options still available for new 360 dashboard. Although way too long, I think everybody gets the point.

[Hupp]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

wow how do you get anything done anywhere?

[+vlsi0n Subscriber¹]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

So you gave up on punctuation too? That's kind of drastic.

;)

[Scirwode]

So you gave up on punctuation too? That's kind of drastic.

;)

:laugh:

Scirwode

[PL_ Veteran]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

Wow...:blink:

[Matrix XII]

I don't have to quote, but... :unsure:

[Guest]

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

haha... lame

Nice being able to access everything in-game. Should come in handy.

[Smashing Pumpkin]

Major Nelson does weird me out A LOT!

[magik]

Major Nelson does weird me out A LOT!

Yea, he is a bit of a spaz, but he's a great community guy and he does work hard, gotta give him that much! ... Trixie on the other hand ... :unsure:

[acies]

I have to say the new interface is growing on me. But I do love the look of the new guide interface. Is there a date for the update yet?

i hate that guy he annoys me 1 reason i gave up xbox

Bahahahaha!! Quote of the month... Neowin should do a quote of the month.

Edited July 22, 2008 by acies

[Guest]

Bahahahaha!! Quote of the month... Neowin should do a quote of the month.

+1

[ReAnimation]

I'm not a big fan of the new style dashboard, I'd rather stick with the old style one.

What's going to happen to all those themes and gamer pictures that people have paid for?

It would be much better if people a proper choice, so give people the option to use the old style dash or the new one - that way everyone is happy.

Will probably never happen though.

[magik]

I'm not a big fan of the new style dashboard, I'd rather stick with the old style one.

What's going to happen to all those themes and gamer pictures that people have paid for?

It would be much better if people a proper choice, so give people the option to use the old style dash or the new one - that way everyone is happy.

Will probably never happen though.

I'm guessing you missed quite a few threads, eh?

[Trong]

I'm not a big fan of the new style dashboard, I'd rather stick with the old style one.

What's going to happen to all those themes and gamer pictures that people have paid for?

It would be much better if people a proper choice, so give people the option to use the old style dash or the new one - that way everyone is happy.

Will probably never happen though.

Themes and gamerpictures will work with the new dashboard. :)