More Xbox 360 options, config & more.

I sort of wonder why the interface is restricted to a smaller area of the screen (e.g. further from the edges on the 360 version in HD mode. The whole reason for the large buffer zone at 480i/p is because old tube TVs wiould often cut off a significant portion of the edges of an image, especially in the corners. But modern TVs and monitors don't have this problem.

(Referring to some of the comparison images- i never actually played on the 360 nor do I intend to- MMOs should not be on fixed-hardware platforms)

You want a TV-safe-area regardless of resolution being outputted.

Another problem with some screens is overscan also, and you wouldn't want the interface just being tucked out of the way.

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Originally Posted by Kaisha

You want a TV-safe-area regardless of resolution being outputted.

Another problem with some screens is overscan also, and you wouldn't want the interface just being tucked out of the way.

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Not one TV out there capable of outputting 720p needs a "TV safe area." I haven't met a single flat panel screen that cuts off the edges of images like tube TVs used to.

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Originally Posted by Atomic_Skull

Menus on the 360 version are larger in 720p than on the PC version?

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Sacrifice gameplay for graphics

No thanks.

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

Not one TV out there capable of outputting 720p needs a "TV safe area." I haven't met a single flat panel screen that cuts off the edges of images like tube TVs used to.

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Good 'ol CRT. Sitting next to 38" right now.
If they're having problems with the image being cut off on something flat, it's not the TV's fault, it's what ever is outputting the image.

I dont care if you have more options in misc on PC than on 360, I barely change any options on 360 that dont NEED to be changed.

But for the Launching Play Online just with Disc Problem:
Since the disk isnt "just" used to boot, but keeps spinning, the disks get "damaged" (whyever) quick. Most other games you dont have as long in you 360 as the FFXI disc. My 360 starts to say "Disc damaged or unreadable" which really annoys me like nothing else. Your Game disk is damaged on PC? You can download it, install the game, and delete it again. Your Game disk is damaged on non modded 360? Go buy a new disk, oh they dont sell it anymore where you from? Sucks to be you eh?

When logging in and out between mules btw. it sounds like the disk tray is being accessed by the game. but it is possible tha this just is a coincidence

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Originally Posted by Tsukino_Kaji

Good 'ol CRT. Sitting next to 38" right now.
If they're having problems with the image being cut off on something flat, it's not the TV's fault, it's what ever is outputting the image.

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Tube TVs should no longer be accomodated- None by themselves can recieve current over-the-air broadcasts anymore without a converter box, and are all but obsolete in the US and probably Europe. We recently had a charity group pick up donations of random stuff- The one thing they don't accept is TVs, as tons of people have tubes they don't use anymore but nobody wants (and you usually have to pay a fee to throw them out)

Having all media (TV, movies, video games) designed around current TV standards only will accelerate that obsolescence like it should. It absolutely is the TV's fault, because it's a flaw of those TVs' designs that they can't display meaningful information too close to the edge of the screen- not a flaw of the image being put on it. No modern TV or monitor has this problem.

Also, the fact that today's panels are cheaper than tubes ever were, makes it relatively easy to keep up with the Joneses.

Effectively xbox users see less of the most useful area of the game screen than PC users do at the same resolution.

HDTVs don't get cut off unless you have one of those early HDTVs that are component only and are pretty much 200 pounds.

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Originally Posted by Kimikryo

Since the disk isnt "just" used to boot, but keeps spinning, the disks get "damaged" (whyever) quick.

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Unless the drive itself is faulty or the disc is extremely poorly manufactured, accessing optical media in and of itself won't damage it, no matter how long you do it. The drive motor will give out long before the disc itself.

This is a red herring, though, as if the disc was truly bad, wiping the Xbox's hard drive and reinstalling wouldn't be possible (let alone fix the problem, albeit temporarily).

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

I sort of wonder why the interface is restricted to a smaller area of the screen (e.g. further from the edges on the 360 version in HD mode. The whole reason for the large buffer zone at 480i/p is because old tube TVs wiould often cut off a significant portion of the edges of an image, especially in the corners. But modern TVs and monitors don't have this problem.

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TVs have some overscan... monitors don't. This hasn't changed. Overscan is very prevailent on sets that have a native resolution of 720p. And this includes the vast majority of TVs.

Honestly I don't mind overscan. Some say it's bad but since broadcasters and deverlopers always have to compensate for overscan I see no reason for it's immediate departure.

This is from Wikipedia...

Microsoft's Xbox game developer guidelines recommend using 85 percent of the screen width and height, or a title safe area of 7.5% per side.