Atrocity in the latest OXM DEMO DISC!

[Adrian M]

Anyone get the new Official XBOX Magazine yet? Well, the mag itself has to be the most disappointing issue I've ever read (they've devoted some 10+ pages to the ultra retarded DEF JAM VENDETTA 2 - a fighting/wrestling game featuring some useless rap, hip-hop "artists") but the true atrocity was evident when I booted up my demo disc.

 

Looking forward to trying out TOCA RACING 2, instead, I'm greeted with a NON-SKIPPABLE start up movie of NBA BALLERS. Ugh! Worse yet, the damn thing pops up each time you start a demo (you can skip it now) or go back to the demo disc's main screen!

 

WTF is this??? I don't care if they include an ad here and there which they've done in the past, but at least you could skip through it. Now you can't (except when you load a game)...it's only 10 seconds long, but it's a mediocre game and I could do without the hip hop soundtrack that accompanies it. This whole urban/hip-hop trend is getting out of hand and I'd rather not be subjected to it unlike the rest of the lemmings who flock to anything that happens to be popular.

 

Anyway, my ranting aside, if OXM keeps this BS up, I'll cancel my subscription. I'll give them one more issue to right their wrongs. And I suggest that everyone NOT buy Midway's NBA Ballers for their little publicity stunt. Bastards!

[Cootster]

That is definitely ad overkill . . . While I'm not a particularly big rap fan either, though, the game's pretty good, tried it out at GameStop . . .

 

But, OTOH, Def Jam Vendetta is a lame idea, and the controls aren't that good, either . . .

 

Still waiting for the country version, w/ Leann Rimes kicking really high.

[Xot]

That is definitely ad overkill . . . While I'm not a particularly big rap fan either, though, the game's pretty good, tried it out at GameStop . . .

 

But, OTOH, Def Jam Vendetta is a lame idea, and the controls aren't that good, either . . .

 

Still waiting for the country version, w/ Leann Rimes kicking really high.

 

Shit, I'll buy it if Shania Twain's in it.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Isnt 'Ballers' just a cheap knockoff of NBA Street?

[Saikyo]

Think thats bad when I visit Doomworld to get some extra WADS for doom

Every now and again the "NBA Ballers" pop up advert takes over

 

It shouts BAALLLLLLLLLLLIIIINNN' and the first time it happened i had the volume

all the way up I totally jumped out of my skin!

 

And now it's starting to get annoying also you are right DJV2 will be really

trash and so will Ballers!

[cryptik76]

This whole urban/hip-hop trend is getting out of hand and I'd rather not be subjected to it unlike the rest of the lemmings who flock to anything that happens to be popular.  

 

I always mute the NBA Ballers ads when they appear on Tech TV. I already have to hear the damn music every time some half-retarded tool drives past my house with a Best Buy Special stereo system in his car. I don't want to have it coming out of my freaking TV.

 

Freaking hip-hop culture. As if I'd ever want to subscribe to a culture that thrives on intimidating, bullying, and hating other people. Wait, that's basically America in general.

[Adrian M]

 

Freaking hip-hop culture.  If I ever want to subscribe to a culture that thrives on killing, bullying, and hating other people, I'll jump in my time machine back to... well, I won't say it.  But let's just say it involves World War II.

 

*ducks*

 

I believe it will pass eventually...it's becoming so mainstream that trend-followers are bound to grow tired of it in due time. Disco had its day, so too will rap and hip-hop.

I pray!

[cryptik76]

 

Freaking hip-hop culture.  If I ever want to subscribe to a culture that thrives on killing, bullying, and hating other people, I'll jump in my time machine back to... well, I won't say it.  But let's just say it involves World War II.

 

*ducks*

 

I believe it will pass eventually...it's becoming so mainstream that trend-followers are bound to grow tired of it in due time. Disco had its day, so too will rap and hip-hop.

I pray!

 

Damn, you were able to quote my original post before I could change it.

 

I hope you're right. Eventually the artists will probably run out of songs to sing about sex, killing, and how much money they have.

[Kialan]

And how many 'hoes' they 'pimp'

 

Anyways. Those stupid NBA Baller commericals bug the hell out of me too. I don't like basketball + I don't like the stupid "playa" attitude and language, it's redundant.

 

And as far as the intro ads in video games...that's why I'm not buying anything past Dreamcast (besides the lack of new games that interest me) . Although they were around back in the day too. For example, the NES game Bram Stoker's Dracula has a Psygnosis or whatever logo in the beginning, plus two others. I believe they're skippable though.

 

EDIT: Oops, I think I mixed this thread up with the "Remember the days.." one about non skippable intro stuff..well, they are both sorta similar, so

[Agent X]

Isnt 'Ballers' just a cheap knockoff of NBA Street?

 

Depends on your logic. Is NBA Street a derivative of NBA Jam? I ask this because the creative director of NBA Ballers is Mark Turmell, who was also the lead designer of the original NBA Jam arcade game. Click here for a recent interview.

 

NBA Ballers seems to be doing rather nicely in the ratings department, too. Click here to see the Game Rankings page for the PlayStation 2 version, or click here to see the Game Rankings page for the X-Box version.

[Albert]

Anyway, my ranting aside, if OXM keeps this BS up, I'll cancel my subscription.  I'll give them one more issue to right their wrongs.  And I suggest that everyone NOT buy Midway's NBA Ballers for their little publicity stunt.  Bastards!  

 

Yeah, that would drive me nuts also. Write them a physical letter to express your displeasure and that if it continues you'll cancel your subscription. I've seen DVD movies do the same crap, where you have to watch some preview or commercial and can't even abort it. That's one thing I do not like about the DVD format, is forcing ads down your throat. I bet a business of modding DVD players to ignore the "Do Not Allow Aborting" bit would be pretty profitable.

 

..Al

[PuddWakkr]

Anyway, my ranting aside, if OXM keeps this BS up, I'll cancel my subscription.  I'll give them one more issue to right their wrongs.  And I suggest that everyone NOT buy Midway's NBA Ballers for their little publicity stunt.  Bastards!  

 

Yeah, that would drive me nuts also. Write them a physical letter to express your displeasure and that if it continues you'll cancel your subscription. I've seen DVD movies do the same crap, where you have to watch some preview or commercial and can't even abort it. That's one thing I do not like about the DVD format, is forcing ads down your throat. I bet a business of modding DVD players to ignore the "Do Not Allow Aborting" bit would be pretty profitable.

 

..Al

 

Every new DVD I get I rip and remove all the menus and crap. Then I reburn it to a DVD+r. Stick a DVD in and the movie starts to play without all the crap first ( the way God intended dvd's to be made mind you). Kind of a hassle but well worth it.

[Adrian M]

 

Yeah, that would drive me nuts also.  Write them a physical letter to express your displeasure and that if it continues you'll cancel your subscription.  I've seen DVD movies do the same crap, where you have to watch some preview or commercial and can't even abort it.  That's one thing I do not like about the DVD format, is forcing ads down your throat.  I bet a business of modding DVD players to ignore the "Do Not Allow Aborting" bit would be pretty profitable.  

 

..Al

 

I've sent their "customer service" dept an email, but I suppose a physical letter as you suggest may be more meaningful in getting my complaint across. Good idea.

 

Mind you, they have put movie trailers and stuff on their discs before that boot up at the start, but you've always had the option to abort them as they play.

[jeepnut24]

OXM has been crap forever. This is a pretty well known fact in the XBOX community. The only reason to get the mag, is for the occasional early demo. (Normally a month or two late ) or the ocasional news item from the rumor mole. Otherwise, the writing is week and they are usually to late or interested in what most aren't. Stick with XBN now that its monthly.

[Adrian M]

OXM has been crap forever. This is a pretty well known fact in the XBOX community. The only reason to get the mag, is for the occasional early demo. (Normally a month or two late   ) or the ocasional news item from the rumor mole. Otherwise, the writing is week and they are usually to late or interested in what most aren't. Stick with XBN now that its monthly.  

 

The mag itself I enjoy...since they founded the mag with many of the original Game Players editors (though they seem to be dropping like flies as of late), I do enjoy the sense of humor and the overall writing style. I'm not too concerned with the reviews and the news myself...I generally don't put much stock in what mag reviewers think of a game anyway. I'm more concerned about learning of the features and any downfalls of a particular title I may be interested in.

 

But the OXM demo disc has been the main reason why've I've been a subscriber since the Premiere issue. Granted, some months are a bit weak in the demo dept, but there's always something good to check out, be it a download or a video trailer of an upcoming game. It's too bad that the advertising is starting to get out of hand though.

[Clock]

I'm glad to report that the UK version of OXM has no such ads or stuff on the disc at all.

[Justin42]

I bet a business of modding DVD players to ignore the "Do Not Allow Aborting" bit would be pretty profitable.  

 

It's called ripping your DVDs and reauthoring them with DVD Shrink, or using DVD Decryptor and "disable PUOs" (prohibited user ops)...

 

Companies that make non-skippable ads on DVD shouldn't be allowed to make DVDs anymore. Of course, they're also the companies that keep the MPAA afloat. (and yes, there are plenty that are non-skippable although they've started to make it so you can at least jump past them once they start-- many early DVDs forced you into it)

 

Looooooooong menus drive me nuts, too. Like the Star Wars DVDs. It's like, don't play 2/3rd of the movie before I can change one setting!