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Week of August 20, 2006
Team Xbox Reports from PAX 2006
>> From the Official Team Xbox GamerScoreBlog:
[QUOTE]
In between chatting with gamers, I managed to get a few pictures taken and uploaded to Flickr.
PAX is just amazing. Since it's really a show for gamers, rather than for media or industry insiders, it's been amazing just hanging around and talking about games. It's been quite amazing feeling so comfortable and having so much fun here. In fact, we're not really doing any demos or anything structured, we just wanted to put out some pre-released games like Splinter Cell and Lego star wars II, and let people play. We're such nerds...
We're hanging out with Trixie and PMS Kitty who are answering questions about GamerChix, and the Usability Team guys who are signing up people for GamePlay testing. The booth's been packed since the doors opened. In fact, there's a long line of people just to get into the expo hall.
In between chatting with gamers, I managed to get a few pictures taken and uploaded to Flickr. PAX is just amazing. Since it's really a show for gamers, rather than for media or industry insiders, it's been amazing just hanging around and talking about games. It's been quite amazing feeling so at home here. We're such nerds...
[/QUOTE]
More Pictures: GamerScoreBlog's Flickr
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 21:51 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox Reservoir Dogs Recalled from UK Stores
>> From spong.com:
[QUOTE]
A visit to the local Gamestation this afternoon turned up a bit of trouble for Eidos Interactive's ultra-violent Reservoir Dogs game.
It turns out that the Xbox version of the game has been recalled. A quick call to one of the other local game shops turned up a similar response; the Xbox version is not available. Thankfully the staff at Gamestation made it completely clear why the Xbox game is not on sale; somebody somewhere forgot to put the BBFC 18 age rating logo on the disk. The packaging carries the rating logo, but without the logo on the disc the game cannot legally be sold by UK retailers. Our man was told that the PS2 version was perfectly legal, and has been available since this morning.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: spong.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Birdy Flasherv2.2 with Xtreme v1.3 and 2.0 FIXED
>> Geremia has released a fix for the birdy flasher, to prevent non v46 drives from being bricked..
[QUOTE]
I've corrected by hand the problems in original patch.scp and reverse.scp that caused bricked drives with birdyflasher, thanks GaryOPA for pointin, anyway i've not such drives to test myself, so use at your own risk or wait OPA latest fw to come.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (Might be illegal under DMCA/EULA)
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 13:37 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
O.P.A.: Warning - Don't Use the 'birdy' Flasher on a Non-v46
>> From garyOPA on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Been so busy working on Media Stealth, I was not watching other people's work, as my packages are good enough for me.
But I also run a repair business on the side, and after getting a ton of Hitachi's in the mail, all due to flashing with the "Birdy" flashing program, as people were in a rush to get the new Media Detect and were getting trigger-happy waiting for my next release.
I decided to look into the problem with the "Birdy Flasher" and "Bricked" drives.
Here is the problem:
In the script file there is labels to point to the various sections of flashing code. Remember each firmware build has different offsets and ram address for the hacks.
The Birdy script works great for v46 drives (as that is his model on his x360 system). But users with v59 and other drives were reporting "bricked" drives.
Here is why:
After detecting the version of drive by dumping the firmware, the system then starts the flash progress with the following script:
This is taken from the (V59) area:
***********************************************************
:Flash59
// ---- Flash --
status(flashing firmware)
EnCrypt
:fl461
status(flash 9003e000 Master checksum)
Flash(9003e000,1000)
iftrue
goto(fl462)
endif
YNMessage(Error by flash 9003e000 Master checksum retry ?)
IfTrue
goto(fl461)
endif
exit
:fl592
**********************************************************
It is clear as the ink on the paper, the problem is the flashing never gets to the (FL592) line, as the labels above are all pointing to the V46 code!
Ugh!. The problem is even worse, all the sections other than V46 all have the same labelling error. They all point to the V46 code after the first line.
To FIX the problem if you wish to use the Birdy flasher, then just edit the script file and change the three 46 numbers for your drive to the right ##.
If you already used the Birdy flasher, and now have a BRICKed drive.
I am very sorry, you will need to get a replacement drive or send the drive to a repair shop which can correctly remove the flash chip and externally reprogram it using your hopefully saved "backup" file...
That's all for now folks.... I will be releasing my own package soon with all the latest goodies, like "Media Detect v2", "Stealth Firmware", etc..
[/QUOTE]
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 13:04 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XNA Team Blog: What is the XNA Framework?
>> From the Official XNA Team Blog:
[QUOTE]
Last week we announced XNA Game Studio Express, which is a product that enables students and hobbyist game programmers to create games using C# that will run on both Windows and their Xbox 360. The XNA Framework is the set of .NET libraries that developers will code against to build their games. As we get closer to the beta, I wanted to take a few moments and explain three keys to understanding the XNA Framework--namely, the goals of the XNA Framework, what the XNA Framework is, and what it provides.
* Goals
--Enable Cross-Platform Game Development
--Simplify Game Development
... read full details
* Layers
--Platform
--Core Framework
--Extended Framework
--Games
... read full details
* Features
--Application Model
--Graphics
--Audio
--Input
--Storage
--Math
... read full details
Futures
We are super focused on getting v1.0 of XNA Game Studio Express and the XNA Framework into your hands, but we are also looking at what our future releases look like. As I mentioned earlier, we will look at extending the core framework layer by adding additional functionality and we'll look at building out the extended framework area to make it even easier to create games using XNA Game Studio Express. We will also introduce XNA Game Studio Professional, which will enable developers to create commercial games for the Xbox 360 by using the XNA Framework. Look for more details about what this means in the coming months.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: XNA Team Blog
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 01:25 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
(CAN/AUS) Kellogg to Offer Mini Xbox Games in Cereal
>> From arstechnica.com:
[QUOTE]
Kellogg is doing a promotion where in specially marked boxes of some of their "best" cereal (Corn Pops for the win) you get a mini-Xbox game. When I first heard about this, I expected to see an Xbox disc that had an arcade game on it or the like, and was floored when I saw they were actually giving away little Tiger-style LCD games. The Motorcycle one looks like a set of handlebars, and there is even one that fits on your wrist! Man, if I were a kid these days, I would be begging my mother to take me to the grocery store right about now. As it stands, I did just call my girlfriend to ask her to pick me up some Frosted Flakes on the way home. I'm hoping for the wristband.
[/QUOTE]
This promotion is currently running in Canada and Australia. We have no details about other countries, but feel free to let us know.
Read More: arstechnica.com, kelloggs.ca and kelloggs.com.au
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 01:00 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft's Tokyo Xbox Lounge became Parking Lot
>> From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
Reader Steve dropped word on the current condition of the Xbox Lounge in Tokyo's Aoyama. During the 360 launch in Japan, a giant green-cake dispensing hub was erected. During the World Cup, it was converted into a soccer cafe. And today? It's a parking lot. Writes Steve:
"I know it was only temporary to begin with, but man, a parking lot? At that intersection? It's like Japan salts the earth wherever the Xbox has touched... If you look really hard in the fine print, they are going to build a Kinokuniya there in 2008. Which isn't as much fun for hating on the Xbox in Japan, but good news for that intersection, so get your 24 hour parking done while you can."
[/QUOTE]
Read More (including picture): kotaku.com
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(Saturday 26 August 2006 00:39 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
MS Denies EA Employee Claim of High Failure Rates Among X360s
>> From gamedaily.com:
[QUOTE]
Yesterday we were tipped off by an employee of a major publisher who claimed that the Xbox 360 failure rate--at least within his studio--has been much higher than Microsoft has stated failure rates to be (around 3-5%). The employee suggested that the failure rates were actually as high as 30-50% among the 300 or so consoles they received. He also noted that Capcom's Dead Rising seemed to be making the problem worse, with many of the consoles getting much hotter than usual.
Although our source wished to keep his company name out of it, the bigwigs at Microsoft apparently sniffed it out as an Electronic Arts employee. Responding to this employee's letter, a Microsoft representative told GameDaily BIZ, "We can confirm that the letter was neither endorsed nor approved by Electronic Arts. At this point we have no reason to believe that the claims made in the letter are based on factual data as opposed to being just an individual opinion."
The rep continued, addressing the 30-50% claim, "We can't speak directly to the situation at EA and the conditions of use of each one of our consoles and would encourage you to contact them directly. What we can tell you is that the vast majority of Xbox 360 owners are having an outstanding experience with their new systems. Each incident is unique and these customer inquires are being handled on a case-by-case basis. We have not seen anything out of the ordinary in the current return situation that we experience."
As for Dead Rising's role in this, Capcom doesn't seem to think there's any issue with the game leading to overheating. A spokesperson told us, "The game works under the specs of the 360 system and was approved by Microsoft. For anyone having issues with hardware, we have referred them to contact Microsoft for hardware support."
[/QUOTE]
Read More:gamedaily.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
MediaCheck v2 Patch for All Hitatchi FW
>> Geremia made his MediaCheck v2 Patch (improved mediatype recognition) compatible with all the Hitachi-LG firmware version, the patch was previously already released for firmware v47-only. This patch can be applied with Birdy's Friendly Flasher:
[QUOTE]
A better patch for mediatype recognition, for all FW revisions. Tested on 47, untested on other fw revisions. Even if are untested, it should be quite safe to try, because modifications affects only a routine that is processed only with disk inserted.
Now all bitsetted, not bitsetted, "half bitsetted" (Plextor and LG produce "dvd-rom with burnable layers") DVD+R DL looks like pressed dvd-rom, with max allowed trasnsfer speed to around 1x, like originals, then at max speed (16x?!?) when unlocked, like originals.
Overwrite the patch.scp and reverse.scp in birdy flasher directory (thanks Birdy for the tools, much appreciated), restore to original fw (better with the flasher you used before), then flash again.
I've removed the F900core patch for v46.
Mediastealth is a pain, ehehhehe, hope for someone else to bring it up
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Geremia on xboxhacker.net
Download: n/a (could be illegal under DMCA/EUCD)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XCM 360 Chrome Xbox 360 Wireless Control Pad Shell
>> Team Xtender already released images of the XCM 360 Chrome Wired Control Pad Shell, here are the Wireless versions:
[QUOTE]
XCM 360 Chrome Xbox 360 wireless control pad shell is now available.
For wholesales inquiries please contact us at sales -AT- teamxtender.com
There are 4 coloured button sets available (RED, BLUE, YELLOW, GREEN) . The LEDS match the colour of the buttons.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxtender.com
Pre-Order Wired Controller Shell: Blue | Green
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
(UK) MS drops price of Xbox 360 Core pack down to 199GBP
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
UK retail has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft has officially dropped the RRP of the Xbox 360 Core pack to GBP 199, effective from today.
The readjustment from the previous RRP of GBP 209 is the first formal hardware price cut since the system launched across Europe last December.
Many UK vendors had already started selling the lower-spec version of the next-gen system, which lacks a hard drive, for the reduced price - taking a hit on their own margins. The premium system still has an RRP of GBP 279.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
W.I.P. MC360 1.0 Final and The Future...
>> From Team BlackBolt:
[QUOTE]
Hello everyone from wide and far, Team Blackbolt are still here and working hard in our spare time. The guys, Jezz-X, Los93sol, Donno and Rocky5 in perticular have been doing alot lately, adding new functions and smoothing stuff that was temp previously. We are continuously working towards our goal of a final stable build, obviously it won't be final it will just be 1.0 and finally out of beta. It's been along journey for us and we are all extremely proud of our little project. We will have more news in the coming weeks about what 1.0 will feature different from current beta's and then hopefully we will be done in time for the final 2.0 release of XboxMediaCenter(info). We won't be releasing a new beta of MC360 until it's worth it, at the moment MC360 works fine with the T3CH builds, so no-one needs to worry. I would like to thank everyone who has download our betas and helped us test and fix problems using our forums. Also a big shout out to Xbox-scene, Xantium and HSDemonz for all their help along the way. Sounds like we are going! That certainly isn't the case, in what ever form it takes, Team Blackbolt will be always, producing skins and designs, so make sure you stick to our site like glue for all the info reguarding our skins for XBMC and also our future plans.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
RockStar Games Table Tennis Xbox 360 CaseMod
>> From llamma.com:
[QUOTE]
RockStar Games has requested another custom 360 based on their Table Tennis game. This time Llamma did two boxes one will go to the developers, the other will be on display and will be given away by RockStar at this weekends Penny Arcade Expo
Be sure to check out our Stock To Rock article that goes over the process we used to make this box.
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 19:59 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
GC2006: 'Xbox 360 is only option for next 12 months' - Lewis
>> From eurogamer.net:
[QUOTE]
Speaking exclusively to Eurogamer TV immediately after the firm's press conference at the Leipzig Games Convention, where the US giant revealed that EA's FIFA '07 and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 6 would be exclusive to 360, Chris Lewis (European Xbox boss) said: "It's a great opportunity for us to reinforce the fact that for next-generation gaming, Xbox 360 is the only option for the next 12 months. And given the religious fervour for football in Europe it's particularly important to be able to make an announcement like that here in Leipzig."
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 17:52 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Cause mayhem to disrupt illegal downloads, says Introversion
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
In a refreshing take on the battle against software piracy, developer Introversion has revealed that it 'causes mayhem' on peer-to-peer networks to exasperate pirates and downloaders who plan to play illegal copies of its games.
"You can't stop peer-to-peer file sharing, so the best route to combat it is to subvert it," revealed Tom Arundel, sales and marketing director at Introversion.
"We will release a version of our game that looks like it's been hacked at the same time as a pirated version gets out," he said.
"Our version looks like the real game, but is in fact a demo. After the third time of downloading the demo, the P2P user will be very, very frustrated, and will do one of two things - give up or buy the game from us. We subverted the Bit Torrent network for Darwinia very successfully this way," he revealed.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 15:31 EST) - (Category: GamingGeneral) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Spotted Upside Down In Tv Series 'Kyle XY'
>> This is what xbox-scene forum-moderator Xboxexpert saw while he was going over some pre-recorded footage of Kyle XY (s01e06 - 'Blame It on the Rain'), an ABC-Family SF/Drama series:
That's right ... he's playing alone in splitscreen and the Xbox 360 console itself is playing upside down ...
Actually, looking at this screenshot it looks like the Xbox 360 is not even powered on.
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 14:32 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Team XLink Expansion in Asia
>> From Team XLink:
[QUOTE]
Over the past six months we have seen a steady influx of Asian PSP users who have found a home for themselves on XLink Kai(info)'s multi-console tunneling system. To better service our Asian users, HappyHardcore.com radio in Japan has generously committed hardware and ultra-fast bandwidth for our premier Asian Orbital. Cheers DJ Silver and best of luck on winning the Harcore Awards 2006!
We are currently looking for bilingual (English and Chinese) volunteers to help translate Team XLink documentation and UI text for both Kai and XLink::ONE. If you could help out, please send me (prestige) a pm on the Team XLink forum.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxlink.co.uk
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 13:07 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Maximus - 360 Firmware Toolbox for Windows v1.0
>> Carranzafp released a new Xbox 360 DVD Firmware tool:
[QUOTE]
Maximus - 360 FIRMWARE TOOLBOX for Windows Ver 1.0
WHAT IS IT?
A graphical tool to handle several common dvd-drive firmware tasks. (yep, another one!)
It is kinda annoying having going to MS-DOS to do firmcrypt (encrypt or decrypt) operations, or having to open the file with an hexeditor to know if it is crypted or not, or to copy-paste the keys.
Dont get me wrong, I don't have anything against KDX and other tools, it is just that I built mine fitting my own needs and I want to share.
FEATURES:
* Do common firmware tasks with a mouse click
* Supports Samsung and Hitachi firmwares All Versions
* Shows Vendor, ROM version and also if its CRYPTED or NOT
* Allow crypt or decrypt the files
* Shows the 16 byte Keys not matter if the file is Crypted
* Allow copy-paste of the keys between firmare not matter if they are crypted or not or if they are different vendor
* Allows adding of TAGS to a KEY like Owner, Serial No, Date. (Dont worry, the tags are not saved onto firmware file)
* Fully Integrated with Windows Context Menu (like winrar)
* Fully Supports 512 KB firmwares (2 banks)
KNOWN ISSUES:
If the context menu is not shown when you right-click over a file just open the application and do Options-Disable Windows Menu and then Options-Enable Windows Context Menu.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Carranzafp on xboxhacker.net
Download: here
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 01:02 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
GC 2006: Joytech Xbox 360 Control Centre 540C
>> From hexus.net:
[QUOTE]
The basic idea behind the Control Centre 540C is to allow you to connect multiple devices through one input, in this case up to five round the back and another round the front (for temporary connections such as video cameras)... nothing new there. But the Control Centre 540C uses only component or composite inputs, meaning all you hi-def gamers will be well catered for.
To kick off, input one is dedicated to the Xbox 360 and uses the same proprietary connection as the Xbox 360, so all the high definition video and 5.1 sound is just passed straight through, using the composite or component output of the Control Centre 540C, straight to your HDTV.
But moving on from that, inputs 2-5 each give you a choice of composite, component and S-Video to hook up with, as well as each having an optical sound input too... so if you've already got an Xbox 360 and a DVD player and own an HDTV, you can take advantage of the Control Centre 540C straight away. But looking to the future, if you're planning on getting a PS3 or Sky HD, you're going to run out of HD compatible inputs very rapidly, so the Control Centre 540C could come in very handy.
And if that weren't enough, the Control Centre 540C even features a 5 port network hub.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: hexus.net
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(Thursday 24 August 2006 00:46 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
FlickerFucker Build 006 XBE Patcher
>> From Hargle on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
VooD and I have come up with an .xbe patching utility that allows you to change the settings of the Flicker Filter used in-game.
What is FlickerFucker?
FlickerFucker (FF) is a windows based, xbox executable patching utility which changes the behaviour of the default FlickerFilter settings.
The FlickerFilter is a bit of hardware built into the xbox itself, which can be controlled by software. Due to a television's slight over and underscan when drawing a screen, there is often a bit of jumpiness and flicker on finely drawn details, such as text. To keep text from being too jumpy, the FlickerFilter allows the image to be blurred slightly, which reduces the amount of jumpiness in trade for image sharpness.
Virtually every single xbox title defaults the FlickerFilter to a value of 5, the maximum amount of blurring available, and offers no means to reduce the amount through in game options.
FF allows you to force the amount of FlickerFilter used in a game. You can turn it off altogether or select any amount of flicker filtering between 1 (minimum) and 5 (maximum).
Obviously this is only true for Standard Definition Interlaced TV´s (15khz), and the benefit will be proportional to the quality of the cables used for connecting the Xbox to the TV (best results with Scart RGB cables, worst with composite cables)
This utility is a generic .xbe patcher, so we've also put together a compatibility list that anyone can edit with their results. Some games are finicky and can't be changed, but I think we're getting about a 90% success rate in being able to change the default values that the game uses. Give it a shot, the effect is somewhat subtle, but interesting to play around with, and may give some of your old blurry games a new life to your eyes.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://xbox.nugnugnug.com/FlickerFucker/
Download: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Gentoox Home v6.1
Leipzig Game Convention Press Briefing Audio and New Pictures
>> From Major Nelson's Blog (Microsoft's Xbox Live Director of Programming):
[QUOTE]
* This is the full audio from the Press Briefing given today at the Leipzig Game Convention. This keynote is partially in German and partially in English. In this keynote it was announced (among other things) that ProEvo Soccer 6 and FIFA 07 will be exclusive to the Xbox 360 for the next 12 months.
Read the official press releases on Xbox.com about the Eastern Europen expansion as well as the other announcements.
* I posted more photos from Liepzig over at Flickr, including some from today's press conference. Thanks to Xbox Germany's Boris for sharing his photos with me :)
Check out AceyBongo's blog, who works on the Xbox.com UK team, he is also covering the action here in Germany. Or swing over to the PR blog for the all of the official press releases.
[/QUOTE]
Download full audio of the Leipzig Game Convention Press Briefing: here
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(Wednesday 23 August 2006 17:53 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Globe 360 Firmware Upgrade and Addon for Install with Fewer Wires
>> We received this e-mail from the Globe-360 guys - they released an updated FW for their Globe-360 mod that will give it all Xtreme v1.3 features (most important: the 'media detect' patch for HL drives):
[QUOTE]
We released a special BIN file that you need to install in the GLOBE FLASH to update the firmware to v1.3. This firmware is more stable on Hitachi-LG drives than the previus v1.2.
To update the firmware an SST Programmer is necessary, we will sell a programmer on our website for arround 79 eur in few days... (we just ordered some).
In the next days we will provide to all a new firmware version with a little add on compared to the v1.3 we released today: on SAMSUNG drives it will allow to go online without the risk of a banning from Xbox Live...
At the moment we suggest all customers to update the flash on socket because like all flashed drives with the old v1.2 firmware you can have some problems to read backups.
Be carefull!!! The version of BIN FILE is compiled specially for the Globe-360, because it is UNSIGNED and has the two banks inside!!! It is not possible to flash only the standard Xterme v1.3 firmware that you find online for drive flashing!!!
NEWS:
In the first week of September we will release a special ADD ON PCB that will give a BIG help to install all the wires. This PCB takes away many wires and it will be possible to use it with the current GLOBE-360 version!!! Using this addon you will get a faster and more secure installation of GLOBE-360.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.globe-360.com
Download Globe-360 v1.3 FW: n/a (could be illegal under DMCA/EUCD)
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(Wednesday 23 August 2006 11:57 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Soccer Exclusivity, Accessories Dated/Priced, Eastern Europe Launch, ...
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
LEIPZIG, Germany -- Aug. 23, 2006 -- Once again proving that its game platforms offer more ways for gamers to have fun, Microsoft Corp. today announced great new games and accessories for Xbox 360 and Windows gamers.
Nearly doubling its physical presence at the Games Convention over last year, Microsoft is giving gamers the opportunity to see and play the newest titles for Windows, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. More than 130 game stations and more than 40 titles are available for gamers to test at the Microsoft booth on the convention show floor.
* Xbox 360 and Xbox Live Arcade
Hot on the heels of an exciting 2006 FIFA World Cup, EA announced that "FIFA 07," featuring a revolutionary new game engine and online play, will be available on Xbox 360. Konami will also bring "Pro Evolution Soccer 6" to the console, making Xbox 360 the exclusive home to next-generation soccer this holiday season.
In addition, with more and more gamers enjoying the growing number of games on Xbox Live Arcade every day, Microsoft is giving gamers a splash of global influence with the forthcoming release of three board-game-inspired titles from Europe. "Settlers of Catan," "Carcassonne" and "Alhambra" are set to bring the classic board games to the high-definition screen on Xbox Live Arcade via Xbox Live Marketplace.
* Xbox 360 Accessories
Just in time for the holiday season and adding to the widely acclaimed Xbox 360 Controller, consumers can enhance their already vibrant Xbox 360 and Windows game experiences with several new accessories, including these:
- Xbox Live Vision camera for the Xbox 360 system. Consumers can chat via video, send photo messages, put their own face in a game, and customize their gamertag on the Xbox Live network. The camera will be available in the U.S. on Sept. 19 and in Europe on Oct. 6 in two packages:
-- Xbox Live Vision. This package includes Xbox Live Vision camera, one-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, Xbox 360 Headset, and free* downloads of two full-version Xbox Live Arcade games: the popular "UNO" card game and "TotemBall," the new 3-D platform game from Freeverse and Strange Flavour Ltd. that is a mixture of platform skills and puzzles (estimated retail price (ERP) $39.99 U.S./ €49.99**).
-- Xbox Live Video Chat Gold Kit. This package includes the Xbox Live Vision camera, a 12-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, an Xbox 360 Headset, free* downloads of three full-version Xbox Live Arcade games -- the "UNO" card game, "TotemBall," and the classic "Robotron" action shooter -- and 200 Microsoft Points (ERP $79.99 U.S./€89.99**).
- Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel. For true racing enthusiasts who demand unparalleled driving realism at home, this innovatively designed wheel combines form and function with the latest technology in wireless and force feedback. Consumers who purchase the wheel will also get a limited-edition force feedback version of "Project Gotham Racing 3" while supplies last (ERP $149.99 U.S.**, available in November).
- Xbox 360 Wireless Headset. Providing the ultimate wireless experience, this headset integrates seamlessly with the Xbox 360 console to provide wireless voice chat capabilities, stylish design and superior voice quality over the Xbox Live network (ERP $59.99 U.S.**, available in November).
- Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. By plugging the compact receiver into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 port on a PC, gamers can use Xbox 360 wireless accessories on their Windows-based computer (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in late December).
- Xbox 360 Faceplates. Consumers can customize their consoles with one of three new special-edition faceplates featuring images from their favorite games, including the "Halo" franchise, "Viva Piñata" and "Forza Motorsport 2" (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in early November).
* Emerging Markets
Continuing its commitment to gamers around the world, Microsoft announced availability for the Xbox 360 in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Xbox 360 will be launched in Eastern Europe on Nov. 3, following the recently announced launch in South Africa on Sept. 29.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole press release: microsoft.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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(Wednesday 23 August 2006 11:29 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Drive Tools v1.02 Build 0005
>> Redline99 released a new version of Drive Tools(info).
What's new/fixed:
* Better support for Xbox One PFI and DMI
* Added additional support for TS-H943
* Added more detailed error information
* Note1: And again for those interested, full source included.
* Note2: People should also read this post
Official Site: n/a, by Redline99
Download: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2006-08-22 CVS T3CH build
>> T3CH released a new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info).
This T3CH-compile is a complete snapshot of what is in CVS at the time the build was compiled, with just a few small additions.
XBMC is in a FEATUREFREEZE at the moment. If you want to report bugs, please do it the PROPER way, see here.
Noteworthy, XML and Script changes since the August 13th T3CH release:
* changed: Better support for xbox memory units.
* updated: libsmbclient to 3.0.23b
* Keymap.xml: B as Back in media windows (and elsewhere). Thanks to Markeen.
For the full changelog since the 2006-08-13 T3CH CVS release click here.
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not an official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK) | Download SourceCode: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xecuter 360 Connectivity Kit v2 and Never Open Case Again to Flash Drive
>> From team-xecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
* Never open up your 360 case again
This has taken a LOT of testing and scatching of heads - but at last it works. It's not final and we have a couple more design changes but it works.
This device will enable to switch to 360 mode for normal usage and PC mode for firmware updating. All with the 360 case intact and closed down - you never have to open it up again to flash your drives firmware.
We have so many different things in development at the moment, just know we are working hard to provide products to make your 360 experience easier and more fun.
Please note the picture is a working dev unit - the final will be pretty slick. No lead times so dont ask please - you know we're always late when we give dates anyway - its ready when its ready. But soon
On a side note checkout Episode 52 at Diggnation
* Xecuter(info) 360 Connectivity Kit v2
Here is a look at version 2 of the Connectivity Kit for the Xbox 360. This will not be on general sale, at least for the forseeable future - but will be bundled FOR FREE with the X360 USB!
+ *NEW* Power On/Off for ease of hotswapping
+ *NEW* PCB Design eliminating risk of shorts
+ *NEW* Cool LED Design (Why? who cares - it looks cool)
+ *NEW* Better connectors to eliminate risk of cable damage
+ All the standard Modeb / Eject Features are still there of course
+ We are also STILL throwing in the 360 HDD adapter for FREE!
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.team-xecuter.com
Pre-Order Xecuter X360 USB with Connectivity Kit v2: divineo.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 Fall '06 Peripheral Peek
>> From Team Xbox GamerScore Blog:
[QUOTE]
GameVideos.com posts a video review of some of the new Xbox 360 accessories, including the steering wheel, camera, wireless headset, and the HD DVD Player. As a bonus, you get to see Tony chatting with Product Manager Albert Penello.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Leipzig Game Convention Xbox Booth Photos
>> From Major Nelson's Blog (Microsoft's Xbox Live Director of Programming):
[QUOTE]
I just uploaded a bunch of photos to Flickr. In this set, you'll get a preview of the lush Xbox booth, as well as some pictures of the huge glass entrance hall to the convention center. You'll also see a Flight Simulator X model that is waiting to be hung, and a curious stone water feature. During the show, you can step into the center of the stone circle and walk (or run) and you can control the speed of images on huge screens above you. I got in and tried and now I know how a hamster feels.
A couple of other points:
* The tent is a special tent where press and VIP's can hang out. Sorry, no public access
* Any games rated for 16 or older or 18 and older can not be visible from the show floor. They are shown in a separate gated area.
* The section with the raised platform is an area for Xbox Live members to hang out and play games. You had to register your gamertag prior to the show to gain access.
* The domed screen is hooked up to the new Flight Simulator X and really increases the sensation of flight.
[/QUOTE]
Watch the pictures on flickr.com.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xecuter X360 USB News Update
>> From team-xecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
Just a small update - the official site for the Xecuter(info) X360 USB will be
www.team-xecuter.com/x360usb
All news / information / downloads / instructions will be hosted there.
Also heres a peak at the packaging - expect it to be on shelves within 2 weeks - there was a small delay due to CE and RoHS Certification. Also here is a pic of what the release version of the X360 USB looks like.
Here is a re-cap of the features:
World's First Xbox 360 HDD, DVD(**) & ANY SATA Hard Disk to USB Converter All-In-One
You can now connect your Xbox 360 HDD & DVD(**) to USB on your PC. You can also connect ANY SATA Hard Drive. The X360 USB is a "plug and play" device that is easily recognized by Windows. The X360 USB supports USB 2.0 for super fast file transfer with speeds up to 480 mbps.
* Backup HDD Game Saves
Back up all your Xbox 360 HDD Game Saves and media files onto your PC with ease and comfort. Utilize your Xbox 360 Hard Disc storage space to the max by transferring files onto your PC.
* Update DVD Firmware
You can now read and write to your DVD drives firmware chip. Get the latest updates to keep your drive running at its peak performance, no more SATA frustrations and incompatibilities. Compatible with all programs such as Birdy & Garyopa
* Portable
X360 USB does not require the XBOX to be powered while in use. You can detach the Xbox 360 HDD & DVD and connect directly to your USB port (DVD Powered by Xecuter 360 Connectivity Kit). The X360 USB is the first and only device in the world that is designed to convert both the Xbox 360 HDD & DVD to USB
* No Sata?, No Problem!
Will also work for ANY Sata hard drives to use them on your PC if it lacks Sata ports, or no ports are available.
* Extremely Compact
Can be easily hidden away behind your computer.
* Clearly Visible LED's
Power, Activity, and Status LED's clearly visible on top of the unit.
* All Cables Included
We also provide a high quality USB & SATA cable.
(**) HITACHI-LG GDR-3120L ONLY
We are currently working on the Samsung version and are very close to having full MS25 and MS28 USB compatibility. This has to be 100% stable so it will be ready when its ready - when we know - you will know.
Why USB?
We get asked this a lot. Those that have had trouble with the Sata setup already know the answer to this question But basically, flashing your firmware is no easy task with Sata. You have to have a particular compatible Sata chipset for it to work and then its not plain sailing, costing you time, money & frustration. The X360 USB is just plug and play - you can use it on ANY computer that has USB - you can even use it on a laptop !
It's also very fast and you can hot swap the drives without having ever to reset your machine. Example: In a test we flashed 10 Hitachi drives using the Birdy flasher in just under 4 minutes. Yes you read correctly
Not to mention the fact you can connect any SATA HDD to your USB - perfect if you have a spare sata hdd and you dont have any free sata ports - or if you want to quickly access a sata hdd that is not connected to your pc without having to shut down windows - I actually use this all the time in my workshop and its very fast !
We have no RRP yet but resellers tell us it will be in the region of $44.95/£24.95 however that isn't our call - no doubt Divineo will set the price for others to follow. We've taken a lot of time and investment to develop this correctly, and also paid a great deal of attention to its design to make sure it was aesthetically pleasing. Don't forget you would normally have to buy a Sata card if you can find one that works, or a new motherboard and its still pot luck if it works, and of course you'd have to mess around with all your Sata configuration and have to reset your PC every time you did a flash - so more risk of not recovering from a bad flash. You can also use this any time anywhere as its portable - so laptop users should be happy !
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.team-xecuter.com
Pre-Order Xecuter X360 USB with Connectivity Kit v2: divineo.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Chip8X, SoftVMUX, SuperVisionX, VirtualBoyX, PokemonMiniX, Classic99X
>> Xport released 6 new ports!
* Chip8X v1 - CHIP8/SuperCHIP8 Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the CHIP8/SuperCHIP8
-Excellent compatibility - ported from Chuit
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
* SoftVMUX v1 - Sega Dreamcast VMU Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the Sega Dreamcast VMU
-Excellent compatibility - ported from SoftVMU
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
* SuperVisionX v1 - Watara Supervision Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the Watara Supervision
-Excellent compatibility - ported from Potator
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
* VirtualBoyX v1 - Virtual Boy Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the Nintendo Virtual Boy
-Excellent compatibility - ported from Red Dragon
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
* PokemonMiniX v1 - Pokemon Mini Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the Pokemon Mini Handheld
-Excellent compatibility - ported from Minimon
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
* Classic99X v1 - Texas Instruments 99 Emulator for XBox v1
-Emulates the Texas Instruments 99
-Excellent compatibility - ported from Classic99
Discuss this release on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Features (for all above releases):
* All standard XPort features
* Sound (SuperVisionX)
* ZIP/Relax/SMB support (ZIP support not 100% in Classic99X)
* Save states
* Rewind support: This is now a core feature of the XPort UI and will be added to all other ports (eventually) as long as the port supports saving states. (except VirtualBoyX)
Official Site: http://xport.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft: 360-PC Cross-platform Floodgates Will Open in 2008
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft today unveiled its roadmap for PC and Xbox 360 cross-platform gaming, predicting that "the floodgates will open" for software playable across the two formats by 2008.
Microsoft UK third-party account manager Steven Blackburn confirmed at the Games Convention Developer Conference that the first truly cross-platform playable title, Shadowrun, will launch in early 2007 - before revealing that Microsoft will incorporate a number of online-only gamer achievements to help deliver "first blood" in persuading gamers to try out the online functionality between PC and console.
Blackburn added that the first third-party cross-platform content would arrive in autumn 2007, by which time the application and certification process will have been finalised, with the "floodgates to open for all titles" in 2008.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft Denies Xbox 360 Core System Price Cut
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft has reiterated that there are no plans to reduce the price of the Xbox 360 console, telling our sister site Eurogamer that a lower priced Core System is at retailer's discretion.
Persistent rumours that the company plans to officially lower the cost of its base level next-gen console with in the next few days have been denied once again, but Microsoft representatives admit that certain retailers have already decided to do it.
The Core System, which is a stripped down Xbox 360 sold without a hard disk, among other things, retails in most locations for £209.99, but various firms - most notably Play.com - have recently moved to a £199.99 price point.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Gentoox Pro v4.1
>> From ShALLaX on gentoox.shallax.com:
[QUOTE]
Fully sync'ed with magic and fully updated as of today... here is Gentoox Pro(info) v4.1. The main reason for this release was to integrate the latest Gentoo baselayout, which gets rid of the messy reboot (lots of warnings/ errors). There should only be one "[ !! ]" on shutting down now, and thats to do with deactivating swap - its not harmful in the least so just ignore it. The way Gentoox enables swap is rather unorthodox, but it makes managing native, E and F installations easier - unfortunately it causes the shutdown scripts to be unable to disable the swap.
Gentoox Home(info) v6.1 is scheduled for release later this week - I'm still working on it!
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://gentoox.shallax.com
Download: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XSupervision v0.1
>> Alg5 released XSupervision, an Xbox port of Potator, a Supervision emulator:
[QUOTE]
It's my first port using OpenXDK(info): so it's 100% legal.
Supervision is one of the handheld game console that arise following the Game Boy.
Game are worst that game boy, but this handheld was sells for some years in some countries.
Thanks to the people behing OpenXDK.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://alg5.ifrance.com/XSupervision/index.htm
Download Binaries: here | Download Sources: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Hitachi Mediacheck Patch v2_47
>> Geremia released a new patch for the Hitachi-LG firmware with improved mediatype recognition. This patch can be used with Birdy's Friendly Flasher:
[QUOTE]
A better patch for mediatype recognition, only for Hitachi-LG 47 at the moment, because I'm trying more stuff.
Now all bitsetted, not bitsetted, "half bitsetted" (Plextor, LG..., dvd-rom with burnable layers) DVD+R DL looks like pressed dvd-rom, with maxallowedspeed to 2x, like originals, then at max speed (16x?!?) when unlocked.
Overwrite the patch.scp and reverse.scp in birdy flasher directory (thanks Birdy for the tools, much appreciated), restore to original fw (better with the flasher you used before), then flash again.
[/QUOTE]
News Source: xboxhacker.net
Download: n/a (Might Be Illegal under DMCA/EUCD)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
ZsnexBox v2.8
>> Nes6502 released a new version of ZsnexBox(info), a port of the Zsnes Super Nintendo emulator to Xbox on our forums with lots of new and fixed stuff!
What's new/fixed:
* New excellent Mario skin by Neverwill. Be sure to give it a try.
* Added support for graphics packs. New games supported:
Far East of Eden Zero (J)
Far East of Eden Zero - Shounen Jump no Shou (J) [!]
Momotarou Dentetsu Happy (J) [!]
Super Power League 4 (J) [!]
* Added new filters: Elsemi Superscale 2x ; Elsemi Superscale 2x + 75% scanlines ; Elsemi Superscale 2x + High Resolution Mode 7 ; Elsemi Superscale 2x + 75% scanlines + High Resolution Mode 7
* Made SuperScale 2X the default filter. SuperScale 2X looks just as good (if not better) than Advance MAME 2X and it is a lot faster. For example, the spinning title screen for Yoshi's Island with Advance MAME 2X, the FPS averaged in the low 50's. With Superscale, it is a rock solid 60 FPS. If you are an Advance MAME 2X user, I recommend using this instead.
* Updated the FAQ. Added several more question/answers. Please read this before posting a question on the forum.
Official Site: n/a, by Nes6502 (official support thread on our forums)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
FBAxxx 20/08/06
>> Logic Sunrise (previously called Team XXX) released a new version of FBAxxx(info). What's new/fixed:
* rumble disabled when pad is not used since 5 seconds, useful for intros in game supporting rumble
* fixed nasty video bug when using launch command
* detects if the game supports 2 or 4 players in the controller menu
* fixed xbox buttons color in controller menu
* now display "return to 'name of game'" in the minimenu
* changed "fbaxxx is decrypting and loading rom" to "please wait"
* corrected some bug in moves menu, the game found was not the correct game
* corrected going back to moves menu via exit with A button
* changed the way moves menu is presented, the background is now the in-game
* mini menu now uses an alpha channel, it means it is now darkened a little, it will be more easy to read
* added adjust screen option in mini menu
* fixed simple1x (none in software filter)
* removed donations informations from splash menu (see main page to find out why)
Official Site: http://www.logic-sunrise.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XNA: What's Free and What Isn't?
>> From David Weller's Blog (Community Manager at Microsoft's Game Technology Group):
[QUOTE]
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what is coming with XNA and what the $99 "fee" is, so I wanted to (attempt to) clarify the confusion.
XNA, as a term, refers to a family of products and services. We announced two major pieces of the family at this week's Gamefest: The XNA Framework and XNA Game Studio Express (GSE for short).
Let's start with XNA GSE. It's the tool that helps you build and test games, and runs on Windows. This is what will be available as a beta release on August 30th.
Then we have the XNA Framework. Technically, there's two pieces to the XNA Framework:
1. the libraries (or assemblies in our case), and
2. the runtime.
The XNA Framework libraries for both platforms are the same, which is how we enable you to write games that work on both platforms. Those libraries (for Windows) will be delivered along with XNA Game Studio Express on August 30th.
Now, about the runtimes. In the case of Windows, we just use the standard .NET 2.0 runtime. Easy as that.
For the Xbox 360, we created a custom runtime, based on the .NET Compact Framework. This runtime must be downloaded/installed on your Xbox 360 before you can run an XNA-based game on it. Getting the Xbox 360 runtime requires a subscription to the XNA Creators Club, and it won't be available until XNA Game Studio Express hits initial (1.0) release during this holiday season.
Right now, the $99 annual subscription cost (or $49 for 4 months) of the XNA Creators Club covers the cost of downloading and providing security servicing/updates to the runtime. We are investigating ways to make the subscription more valuable, and will have more details as we get closer to initial launch date for the subscription service.
So, repeat after me:
* Building games using XNA Game Studio Express costs nothing on Windows. Building games using XNA Game Studio Express costs nothing on Windows.
* Deploying games on the Xbox 360 requires a membership in the Xbox Creators Club. Deploying games on the Xbox 360 requires a membership in the Xbox Creators Club.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: David Weller's Blog
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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