Cactus Game Design Message Boards

RPGs?


Oblivion
[some EA and Bioware titles I can't mention around young ears]


I'd look into reviews on those though.

The Red Ring of Death is really random some times you only get it once other times you get it like 4 times in a row. Imo all you need is the pro. Just make sure you which ever one you buy it has a harddrive is 99% of games need a hard drive for you to play it.

Also all of those RPGs that Alex said are very good some other good ones are Too Human and Lost Oddyses. (Cant spell for beans on that last game so... yeah...)

Hey friends,

I am beginning to shop around for an XBox 360 in preparation for the time when I am jobless after graduation.  I am wanting to buy it new, sealed, in box, etc...

1. What price should I expect to pay for the standard console+controller+beginning game package?

2. How reliable are websites such as Ebay and Amazon for purchasing game consoles?

3. I prefer RPGs as far as games go, do you have any suggestions?

4. How does the XBox Live work for somebody like me who isn't going to want to play online very much?  Would I have to get Live to be able to access down-loadable content?

5. Would I be better served getting a PS3?  I don't want to have both, especially since I've already got a Wii.

Thanks for your help.

6. After doing a small amount of online shopping I am wondering what the difference is between the 360 Arcade, 360 Pro, and 360 Elite.

7. Also, would I have to worry about the red ring of death, or is that something that only happens to older Xbox?

1. if by 'standard' you mean just the basic package, the arcade retails for $199.99 and pretty much comes with everything to hit the ground running...controller, a small memory unit, etc.

2. ebay and amazon have always been reliable ways to save a few extra bucks on consoles/games.

3. alex has made some excellent suggestions.

4. not necessarily. xbox live silver comes standard and free with every xbox console...simply connect your console with an internet connection and you're good to go. you can access downloadable content and some other online features free of charge. however, xbox live gold is necessary to actually play videogames online (like online multiplayer), and that does cost money.

5. depends on what you want. you express an interest in rpgs, which xbox 360 delivers well (while ps3 does not). ps3 also has a pretty limited library in terms of exclusive critically acclaimed games. however, ps3 would be good if you want a decent blu-ray player at a decent price, as well as free online multiplayer.

6. arcade: no hard drive, wireless controller, 256 mb memory card, composite a/v cable, no headset, no hdmi port, no ethernet cable. $199.99
pro: microsoft no longer produces these. if you would buy a refurbished one from here at gamestop (all we have left), it would come with: 20 gb hard drive, headset, component a/v cable, ethernet cable, 2 wireless controllers, hdmi port. $199.99
elite: 120 gb hard drive, wireless controller, component a/v cable, headeset, ethernet cable, hdmi port. $299.99

7. this occurs mostly in older 360's. while there is still a probability it can occur, its usually more because of the user than the console itself (it has to do with the console overheating and melting the clamps on the graphics card; proper placement of the 360 helps deter this). i have had at least 5 360's over my lifetime, and all but my latest has rrod'd. my understanding is microsoft started producing better chips sometime during 2007, which is the time my last console came from, so its understandable all my consoles before my current one have rrod'd.

8. shameless plug #1: gamestop is currently offering a deal that if you buy a new xbox 360 console with that new RPG at the same time, you get $30 off. might be an option since you're looking for a new 360 and rpg's (of which that is simply one of the best).
shameless plug #2: until 3/14, gamestop is offering 50% extra trade-in credit for ALL games, in what is inargueabley our biggest trade-in event ever. you can get quite a bit of money for some of the games you dont play anymore.

Thanks, you're advice is much appreciated.    I knew I could count on MKC.

Follow-up question.  Is there any news of a new Microsoft system coming out?  I'd probably end up waiting for the newest console if that were the case, depending on release date expectations.

Hey kchief! Besides halo wars are there any good rts games?

of the rts' on 360, i believe the most notable ones are the c&c series, lotr: bfme, and civilization revolution. culdcept saga is also a lesser-known but sleeper-hit, combining rts and ccg into one (i will hardly ever say no to a videogame that implements cards into it).

Lotr BFME 2 is the best one if you can find it BUY IT! C&C 3 and Wrath of Kane are the second best of the system both run fast and are very fun. C&C Red what ever is also good  but is not as good as the other two. Supreme Comander and Universe at War are also very good and you can find them very cheap though they are both Laggy. If you dont mind the occasional lag though they both beat out C&C by a mile.

Imo Civilization is not a RTS it is a Strategy game.

I have also played all these games and would recomend them you can also find them very cheap. 

Civ is turn based not real time

yeah, playing as the flood has been discussed heavily ever since the game came out. lots of people would have liked to play as a third faction...and really, who doesnt want a bit more variety with only 2 factions and 6 leaders. there has been talk that they will be playable in hw2, though...

thankfully, each leader has a lot of depth to him/her. even playing as one of the weaker ones gets fun every once in awhile. you should have been around when hw first came out before all the updates and patches. prophet of regret, while now pretty weak and slower than a grizzly in mollasses, was undisputably one of the most powerful in the game because he was way faster at tech 1 and 2. ah, the good ol' days.

arbiter is so beast. he is easily the hardest leader to contain if you dont come prepared (disruptor bomb, jackals, etc.). i dont know how effective he is now though since he now takes 25% more damage when hes raging (title update #4), but i know he was an absolute beast back in the day. suicide grunts are so evil too. very effective for rushing early against unsc and keeping their tech level always low (it only takes 3 sg's to take out a single reactor), allowing you to over-tech the unsc. against covie, they're also very good if you go the boom strategy...mass an entire army of suicide grunts, tech your arby to level 3 (allowing it to go invisible), sit your arby in front of a covie base, teleport all your sg's in at the same time, then make your sg's target the part of the covie base where units come out of. bye-bye base.

Okay, question, does anyone know any good MP games that can be played on one Xbox? My bro and I were gonna play halo wars thinking co-op was for one system but alas no dice.

I got one off Ebay for $271.  I starting to sell games also and while trading in is nice I usually am able to sell them for more than the trade in value.  I was trying to find where the trade in value is calculated on the gamestop website but couldn't find it.  I used it before but now it seems to be gone.