The trickiest game of all: Trying to buy the new Xbox.Byline: Tyler Mack The Register-Guard Those screams you hear at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday will be nothing to be alarmed about - that is, unless it's you screaming in agony after being left empty-handed when the new Xbox 360 goes on sale. Most avid gamers know that demand often exceeds supply any time a new system is released. And demand is sky-high for the Xbox 360, Microsoft's newest version of its console video gaming video gaming n. 1. Gambling by means of interactive games of chance played on a video screen. 2. The playing of video games. system. In fact, there are three ways to obtain the Xbox 360. 1. You've already pre-ordered your system. 2. You're waiting in line when a local retailer opens its doors and you hope for the best. 3. You wait until new shipments arrive in stores - although most retailers believe that won't be anytime soon. Most Eugene area stores are expecting to see a crowd when they open Tuesday morning. Eugene-Springfield Wal-Marts, which stay open 24 hours, are the only local retailers that will have an official midnight release. "We're going to be handing out numbers to try and keep it as orderly as possible," Wal-Mart employee Nolan Burke said. Why are gamers so excited about the new system? "Better graphics, better online aspects, the wireless controllers," said Neal Duran, 18, of Eugene, a self-described big-time gamer. "It's going to be a stronger, more capable ma- chine chine the animal's backline. ." The Xbox 360 has many upgraded features. It offers a slick new controller and online multiplayer capabilities that go far beyond what has been been offered in the console world. A new user interface slides easily back and forth between gaming and other operational modes. Online options include game downloads, voice and text chat, multiplayer options and more. And a multimedia center plays music and DVDs, and stores and shares digital pictures and videos. The new Xbox bumps the gaming experience up a level and it's no wonder consumers are eager to fork over to hand or pay over, as money; to - G. Eliot. See also: Fork the $399.95 retail price for the full system. A less advanced system, Xbox 360 Core System, sells for $299.95. With the release of its new system, Microsoft also has the jump on its competition. Sony and Nintendo are both working on new systems - the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Revolution - to be released some time next year. The Xbox 360 comes with wireless controllers, a wireless headset See headset. for voice chat, a progressive scan DVD player A progressive scan DVD player is a DVD player that can output video in a progressive scan format such as 480p or 720p. Players which can output resolutions higher than 480p are often called upconverting DVD players. , a 20-gigabyte hard drive and out-of-the-box online capability (for those with high speed Internet). Perhaps the most improved feature is the online capability. The voice and text chat is available if you're playing games, DVDs or listening to music - or doing nothing at all. At some point in the not too distant future, XBox plans to release a camera that will enable video chat. Although Microsoft doesn't yet have a release date for this technological evolution, the concept conjures up all kinds of additional trash talking trash talk n. Disparaging, often insulting or vulgar speech about another person or group. possibilities. But not without some concerns. "Video chat changes (the online communication) a lot," Big City Gamin' owner Justin Field says. "You've got to worry about the kids." Field explains that exposure to foul or suggestive sug·ges·tive adj. 1. a. Tending to suggest; evocative: artifacts suggestive of an ancient society. b. language for younger gamers has always been an issue with voice chat. Microsoft plans to add parental controls This article is about computer options. For the television show, see Parental Control (TV series). Parental controls are options, typically included in digital television services, computer and video games, or computer software used to access the Internet, that , such as blocking video chat from unknown users. The Xbox 360 also has a matchmaking Matchmaking Matricide (See MURDER.) Kecal marriage broker whose plans are foiled by a pair of lovers. [Czech Opera: Smetana The Bartered Bride in Osborne Opera, 32] Levi, Dolly capability that rates players' abilities and categorizes them in order to pair up players at the same skill level. For the less avid gamer - or the gamer on a budget - Microsoft offers the Xbox 360 Core System. The core system comes with a wired controller, no headset Headphones combined with a microphone. Used in call centers and by people in telephone-intensive jobs, headsets provide the equivalent functionality of a telephone handset with hands-free operation. Many people use headsets at the computer so they can converse and type comfortably. , no hard drive (so saving games is not an option) and limited online capabilities (no online multiplayer or Xbox Live See Xbox. without additional purchase of hard drive or memory card and Xbox Live Gold service). While the core system can play DVDs, music and all the same games, its limitations make it more like an arcade machine than a home gaming console See video game console. . With limited quantities of each system option available at local retail outlets retail outlet n → punto de venta retail outlet n → point m de vente retail outlet retail n → , many consumers may not have a choice. Of the retailers who will be selling the systems Tuesday, most had no idea how many they would be getting. And of those that did know, the number of systems did not exceed 25. In fact, in most cases, retailers said they most likely will be getting less than a dozen units. That makes being among the first in line that much more important. So then the question becomes, how early is early enough? SELLING THE XBOX 360 Here's when and where systems will go on sale in Lane County (but you'll want to get there earlier) Best Buy: 9 a.m. (3300 Gateway St., Springfield) Circuit City: 10 a.m. (2730 Gateway St., Springfield) Fred Meyer: 7 a.m. all locations (60 Division Ave., 333 W. 11th Ave., 650 Q St., Springfield, and 4701 Highway 101, Florence) Shopko: 8 a.m. both locations (955 Bailey Hill Road; and 2815 Chad Drive) Target: 8 a.m. both locations (4575 W. 11th Ave., 2750 Gateway St., Springfield) Wal-Mart: Midnight for Eugene-Springfield locations (1040 Green Acres Green Acre is a conference facility in Eliot, Maine, in the United States. It was founded by Sarah Farmer in 1894. After Sarah Farmer became a Bahá'í in 1900, many Bahá'í speakers were invited, including Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl in 1903, `Abdu'l-Bahá in 1912 and Mírzá Road; 4550 W. 11th Ave., 2659 Olympic St., Springfield) and 7 a.m. in Cottage Grove Cottage Grove, village (1990 pop. 22,935), Washington co., SE Minn., near the St. Croix River; inc. 1965. There is farming (cattle, sheep, corn, and soybeans) and manufacturing (chemicals and machinery). , 901 Row River Road The following retailers are "temporarily sold out": Big City Gamin', Costco, Electronics Boutique Electronics Boutique is an international computer and video games retailer, established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single, electronics-focused kiosk, located in a suburban Philadelphia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. , Game Crazy, Gamestop, Toys 'R' Us CAPTION(S): Left: The controller for the Xbox 360 is wireless, sleek and colorful. Below: One game available on the new system is the James Bond adventure, `From Russia With Love.' SELLING THE XBOX 360 Here's when and where systems will go on sale in Lane County (but you'll want to get there earlier) Best Buy: 9 a.m. (3300 Gateway St., Springfield) Circuit City: 10 a.m. (2730 Gateway St., Springfield) Fred Meyer: 7 a.m. all locations (60 Division Ave., 333 W. 11th Ave., 650 Q St., Springfield, and 4701 Highway 101, Florence) Shopko: 8 a.m. both locations (955 Bailey Hill Road; and 2815 Chad Drive) Target: 8 a.m. both locations (4575 W. 11th Ave., 2750 Gateway St., Springfield) Wal-Mart: Midnight for Eugene-Springfield locations (1040 Green Acres Road; 4550 W. 11th Ave., 2659 Olympic St., Springfield) and 7 a.m. in Cottage Grove, 901 Row River Road The following retailers are "temporarily sold out": Big City Gamin', Costco, Electronics Boutique, Game Crazy, Gamestop, Toys 'R' Us |
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