|
When the New Xbox Experience (NXE) launched just a few months ago, it was met with generally positive reviews. I, for one, welcomed the fancy face-lift, having long since tired of the old blade system. Good looks, ease of use, and a party system were hallmarks of the NXE, and continue to hold up well. But by far one of the most hyped and anticipated features was the inclusion of Wii-like avatars - your virtual dress-up doll and polygonal companion to your gamercard. And they look great. A decent amount of options come together to create clean and attractive representations; albeit, mine doesn't really look very much like me. But after that, what else is there?
Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilcho. Sure, I could spend hours in the avatar creation screen dressing him in new outfits, making him burp, spinning him around until he gets dizzy, and making funny faces. I can even take a picture of him for my gamercard. Wow. I could also download A Kingdom for Keflings and insert him as the giant protagonist, easily the coolest implementation of our avatars yet. 
But again, where's the beef? Where are the other compatible games? (And please don't say Uno.) I am a fan of potential, but often potential is wasted. Thus far, Microsoft has let the potential of avatars wane. Things need to improve, and I have few things in mind. - Every single first-party game should feature avatar support - I am dead serious. If Microsoft could sway all developers to tow the Xbox LIVE line and implement community based features like acheivement points and what not, then Microsoft could easily pursuade its first party developers to include avatar support in their games. Take a look at A Kingdom of Keflings. That's a creative and compelling addition to the game. Mind you, not all games would make for such an easy fit. But developers are creative, and I'm sure, if tasked, they would come up with some great stuff. - Hurry up with the Primetime Channel already - Microsoft promised us a Primetime Channel featuring real life game shows in which our avatars would participate. The game show 1 vs. 100 was trotted out and visions of 100 avatars stacking the stage filled our heads. What's more, Microsoft said that these game shows would all occur in real time with real prizes. Does this not sound awesome? I surely think it does. But we have not heard a peep from Microsoft about this since the initial announcement, and this worries me. 
- Create an area something like Sony's Home - Hang on, hang on. From most accounts, Home on Playstation 3 is a giant mess. I wouldn't really know: I do not have any first-hand experience with it. But as I'd said, I'm a fan of potential, and an idea like Home is rife with possibilities. Many times I've sat there staring at my avatar, wishing I could prance him around with the other avatars of my online friends. Isn't there something that can be done? How about making the Friends tab some sort of dynamic play area? Throw in a soccer ball, create an arena on the fly like Halo 3's Forge? If I'm going to play dress-up with a virtual doll, I had better be able to play with it. Preferrably doing something manly. - Make avatars relevant, a hallmark of Xbox 360 and LIVE - Taken together, all of the aforementioned suggestions are meant to weave avatars into the very fabric of the Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE. Right now, they're window dressing and not much more. But with creative implementation and the will to support them, avatars could be persistent and relevant, as expected and appreciated as achievement points. Most importantly, they could end up as fun as they were intended to be. 
Give us your own suggestions for avatar improvement, Dear Reader. Maybe Microsoft will stand up and take notice.
|
The look of those avatars is way to specific, it would be hard to match another art style. 
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site.. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 
Uto