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OG Xbox Appreciation and Lack of Emulation Thread of the big black box of doom

Aurumaethera

Neo Member
Man, I got a Midtown Madness game (2, 3? I can't honestly remember), and I put my own music on the console as the soundtrack pretty much by accident. That, combined with Halo and whichever the Crash Bandicoot title was (Wrath of Neo Cortex? Again, memories) blew me away. Crash had individually visible hairs on his back! What whaaaat?!

Finally, there was Unreal 2. The complexity of the multiplayer freakin' blew me away, played it system link a couple times, never managed to get Live working.

Damn christ I miss this console.

Even if it's still linked in my mind with the clusterbang of sadness that was Dino Crisis 3.
 

REDSLATE

Member
How about Microsoft make B.C. Id be happy with that

However we do need a XB emulator. Never understood why it hasnt been done yet

Most of the core Xbox fans are satisfied with using the console as it is. It's still a powerful device and they don't see a real need to emulate it. Many people use their Xbox as an emulator itself, so the concept of emulating it isn't a high priority. Additionally, Xboxes are still fairly cheap and easy to mod.

Personally, I'd love to have an Xbox emulator. There are a lot of great games that are "trapped" on the Xbox with no hope of being played anywhere else. It's been a decade since the Xbox was discontinued and very little emulation work has been attempted. It's unfortunate, but I doubt a reliable emulator will be completed in the near future.
 
Most of the core Xbox fans are satisfied with using the console as it is. It's still a powerful device and they don't see a real need to emulate it. Many people use their Xbox as an emulator itself, so the concept of emulating it isn't a high priority. Additionally, Xboxes are still fairly cheap and easy to mod.

Personally, I'd love to have an Xbox emulator. There are a lot of great games that are "trapped" on the Xbox with no hope of being played anywhere else. It's been a decade since the Xbox was discontinued and very little emulation work has been attempted. It's unfortunate, but I doubt a reliable emulator will be completed in the near future.

I guess that is true. Still would like to see it happen though. Or at least get Conker: Live & Reloaded on Xbox Store for XBO xD lol

Either way, what would you guys like to see get a sequel or reboot that was on XBOX?
 

mackattk

Member
Rallisport Challenge was the best looking racing game of that generation and even looked as good as high end pc racers. Rallisport Challenge 2 was even better again. They curb stomped everything in terms of graphics and they were fun as hell to play.

Came here to post this. Game was superb, me and my friends had a ton of fun playing local multiplayer.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Most of the core Xbox fans are satisfied with using the console as it is. It's still a powerful device and they don't see a real need to emulate it. Many people use their Xbox as an emulator itself, so the concept of emulating it isn't a high priority. Additionally, Xboxes are still fairly cheap and easy to mod.

Personally, I'd love to have an Xbox emulator. There are a lot of great games that are "trapped" on the Xbox with no hope of being played anywhere else. It's been a decade since the Xbox was discontinued and very little emulation work has been attempted. It's unfortunate, but I doubt a reliable emulator will be completed in the near future.

Except those consoles will die eventually. The number of Dreamcasts are going down with broken drives/etc. and yet it has an emulator. Why no one has gotten onto trying to figure out one for the X-box (but the X-box 360 and PS3 will get one!) I have no clue.
 

Borman

Member
Except those consoles will die eventually. The number of Dreamcasts are going down with broken drives/etc. and yet it has an emulator. Why no one has gotten onto trying to figure out one for the X-box (but the X-box 360 and PS3 will get one!) I have no clue.

They have tried, it is just more difficult when it is only one or two people working with what was still a complicated system, despite the similarities to PC hardware (it used plenty of custom bits).
 

REDSLATE

Member
Except those consoles will die eventually.

Of course. And, there's very little intent to make future consoles backwards compatible. This is the problem with modern consoles. If you want to prolong your Xbox's life, don't use the DVD drive, remove the clock cap, and possibly swap your HDD with a SSDD. There are other components that will eventually die, but this should extend its life significantly.
 

Tain

Member
Just cracked open my machine to remove the clock cap, but it looks like I have a 1.6 system so I'm all good. I guess I should open my older machine too, though.
 

Cday

Banned
I just replace the stock hard drive with a bigger one and use the original as a backup. Really cheap and gives a security net. The most common issues I've seen have to do with the clock capacitor and DVD drive.

DVD Drive:
- Drive belt loses tension over time and tray has trouble opening/closing. Easy and cheap to fix.
- Lasers dying. Have to replace laser or entire drive.
- Mechanism responsible for holding the disc in place becomes too weak to separate causing the drive to fail to eject with no disc in it unless you give it a well timed rap on the top. Have to replace the drive or I've seen people put a sticker over the top part to give it a buffer. Mine has this problem and I just tend to keep a disc in.
*Xbox disc drives are interchangeable. Just because you have 1 one model doesn't mean you can't replace it with any other model as long as it's an Xbox drive.

I wish there was just a way to replace it with any PC DVD drive since they will all fail with time, but from what I've seen to use one you have to keep your Xbox open and have the original drive and PC drive hooked up at the same time with a Y splitter.
 

FyreWulff

Member
The Xbox DVD drives have a key the console checks for. The console considers them 'locked' unless they respond the correct key.

So in the Y-split, what you're doing is having the original drive respond with the key, and then the Xbox considers any drive it sees at that point as unlocked.


If I remember correctly, every original Xbox has the same DVD key. On the 360, every drive+mobo pair has a unique key.
 

REDSLATE

Member
I wish there was just a way to replace it with any PC DVD drive since they will all fail with time, but from what I've seen to use one you have to keep your Xbox open and have the original drive and PC drive hooked up at the same time with a Y splitter.

There are a few PC DVD drives that are essentially the same model as their Xbox counterparts that can be flashed and used as a replacement, though some have limitations (such as not being able to read retail discs) and they're all extremely rare/expensive now. It's easier to simply replace the DVD drive with original hardware.
 
A lot of the parts in an original xbox will get harder and harder to replace over time eh? like the dvd drive and hard drive. what are the hdd requirements?
 
A lot of the parts in an original xbox will get harder and harder to replace over time eh? like the dvd drive and hard drive. what are the hdd requirements?

If you modded your Xbox (and know the hddkey for the system) you can replace it with any standard IDE hard drive. Unmodded Xbox's are a time bomb though as without that key - if the hard drive ever stops working the system is a doorstop as far as I know.
 
Just picked this bad boy up. Limited edition Jade Empire sealed for $20.

rRT12v4.jpg
 

Raldoh

Member
Does anyone in this thread have any expereience on playing PAL games on a PAL system softmodded to output NTSC mode? It would be nice to play in progressive output, but it would also be a bit of a hassle replacing my PAL library for an NTSC equivalent.

I do have the original component adapter and a decent Panasonic plasma. Currently playing on a decent CRT (does not support 480p) via SCART-RGB. While the colors look nice, it is a bit flimsy yet bearable thanks to no input lag.

To be honest I am quite fine with my current set up, just wondering if I am really missing something out by not experiencing my Xbox in 480p.
 

Valkyria

Banned
Does anyone in this thread have any expereience on playing PAL games on a PAL system softmodded to output NTSC mode? It would be nice to play in progressive output, but it would also be a bit of a hassle replacing my PAL library for an NTSC equivalent.

I do have the original component adapter and a decent Panasonic plasma. Currently playing on a decent CRT (does not support 480p) via SCART-RGB. While the colors look nice, it is a bit flimsy yet bearable thanks to no input lag.

To be honest I am quite fine with my current set up, just wondering if I am really missing something out by not experiencing my Xbox in 480p.

Yes I do have a pal system soft modded to NTSC. Most of the PAL games run on 480p without much hassle.
 

Peagles

Member
Yes I do have a pal system soft modded to NTSC. Most of the PAL games run on 480p without much hassle.

Is this as simple as changing it to NTSC in the settings of the new dashboard? I've just softmodded my PAL Xbox and it seems to play my NTSC games well.

Put in a 750GB drive too, feels good!
 
is there a good arcade emulator that isn't Coinops? That one is not an option...unless there's a new version that doesn't require the entire romset in order for it to work.

i really just want to play sega's Crack Down
 
Is this as simple as changing it to NTSC in the settings of the new dashboard? I've just softmodded my PAL Xbox and it seems to play my NTSC games well.

Put in a 750GB drive too, feels good!
Oh, sweet. I have a 250GB IDE drive, and I wish I gone higher. Are you using IDE or did you get a SATA adapter?
 
If you modded your Xbox (and know the hddkey for the system) you can replace it with any standard IDE hard drive. Unmodded Xbox's are a time bomb though as without that key - if the hard drive ever stops working the system is a doorstop as far as I know.

Is it hard to get the hard drive key on a softmodded xbox? I tried replacing my hard drive eons ago but could never get it working. It's a fairly late model system and I think that had something to do with it.

I don't use my Xbox much but I wouldn't mind say replacing the hard drive with an SD/compactflash-to-IDE if that's doable.
 

Peagles

Member
Oh, sweet. I have a 250GB IDE drive, and I wish I gone higher. Are you using IDE or did you get a SATA adapter?

IDE. I found a few auctions locally where it looked like a business was getting rid of their old hardware stuff. At first they had them listed for something like $40 buy now but I waited cos I had no cash at the time. Anyway they relisted for $1 reserve a week or so later and I got it for $22 shipped!

I'm thinking I'll do the same as on my Wii and rip all my games so I don't have to use discs. I'm stoked too cos now I can finally play my NTSC DVDs again!
 
IDE. I found a few auctions locally where it looked like a business was getting rid of their old hardware stuff. At first they had them listed for something like $40 buy now but I waited cos I had no cash at the time. Anyway they relisted for $1 reserve a week or so later and I got it for $22 shipped!

I'm thinking I'll do the same as on my Wii and rip all my games so I don't have to use discs. I'm stoked too cos now I can finally play my NTSC DVDs again!

22 dollars, hot d@mn! That's a deal. And yes, these kind of software mods are especially important given the benefits of the NTSC format, eh?
 

Borman

Member
I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers and it looks like one of his buddies found a special orange Halo edition original Xbox. I have never seen this before and haven't found much of it on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9UbxjIIL-M

Pretty damn cool. I'm jealous.

It was found last year. Most of the information about the console came from an interview I did with one of the heads of Xbox manufacturing :p I want to see the Xbox end up in a museum personally.
 

Cday

Banned
Is it hard to get the hard drive key on a softmodded xbox? I tried replacing my hard drive eons ago but could never get it working. It's a fairly late model system and I think that had something to do with it.

I don't use my Xbox much but I wouldn't mind say replacing the hard drive with an SD/compactflash-to-IDE if that's doable.

Look up a guide for Chimp Xbox. Keep in mind with this method you need the little plastic jumper that IDE hard drives have to change modes or the adapter needs to have it.
 

Raldoh

Member
Anyone having any experience of "Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" on the Xbox and how it compares to the PC-port and the 2009 remake? Seems to be a cult classic among licensed titles, it seems to be worth getting just by its technical merits.
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Anyone having any experience of "Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" on the Xbox and how it compares to the PC-port and the 2009 remake? Seems to be a cult classic among licensed titles, it seems to be worth getting just by its technical merits.
The 2009 version is dramatically better but it's still neat on Xbox. It seem to recall it being one of the first titles using a dynamic frame-buffer to keep performance up. It often seems to drop well below 640x480 leaving it looking quite chunky.
 
Anyone having any experience of "Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" on the Xbox and how it compares to the PC-port and the 2009 remake? Seems to be a cult classic among licensed titles, it seems to be worth getting just by its technical merits.
It was impressive for the time. IIRC it beat both Doom 3 and Half Life 4 out of the gate. Runs like shit tho, I'd get the 2009 remake + Dark Athena instead for preformance reasons.

----

DYKG takes on Xbox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUjgqQJrpqw
 

Peagles

Member
22 dollars, hot d@mn! That's a deal. And yes, these kind of software mods are especially important given the benefits of the NTSC format, eh?

Of all the systems I think Xbox isn't so bad since PAL games seem to be all PAL60 and I don't see a huge difference like I do with some other systems, but it's great to be able to play all regions. Need to make sure I can play my PAL games in 480p though. I've just begun copying my games to HDD which is really convenient, and just ordered a copy of Phantom Dust (I don't know anything about this game except people recommend it, so it'll be a complete surprise when it arrives).
 

Raldoh

Member
If I recall correctly the PAL release Halo:CE does not support PAL60. Guess it had to do with it having to be a launch title, which is unfortunate. Still don't understand why the 480p mode is unavailable in the PAL machimes either.
 

Peagles

Member
If I recall correctly the PAL release Halo:CE does not support PAL60. Guess it had to do with it having to be a launch title, which is unfortunate. Still don't understand why the 480p mode is unavailable in the PAL machimes either.

Yeh it's an odd thing. At least now my NTSC games are running in 480p. I'll see what I can do about the PAL games but to be honest of the new games I'm buying most are NTSC. I only get new PAL games now when my Dad picks them up in the secondhand shop for $2 or so each so at that price I can't really complain lol.
 

Khaz

Member
Enter the Matrix is one of those PAL50 games. I heard the GTA games were, too.
Enter the Matrix is especially annoying as the US version allows a definition of up to 1080i, yet PAL is stuck with 576i.
 
Uploaded a 4-player video of the unreleased game FUEL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJOfJLXSX5Y
It's cool to see footage of this game, I was wondering what it looked like. Based on that video, it reminds me a bit of a not-as-good version of Motocross Madness with much less air on the jumps. The destructible fences are cool, though.

Also, considering that they are supposedly unrelated, it's kind of odd that both Fuel games are bike or ATV racing games...
 

Yarbskoo

Member
Okay, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I'll try anyway.

4 days ago I bought a new 500 GB Xbox 360 E console, and ordered a "like new" copy of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x from an Amazon seller. When the game arrived, I put it in the console only to get a "This disc is unreadable." error. The Fable Anniversary disc that came with the console works fine.

The seller's response was "The older xbox games don't work on the 360."

Is he right? Is this a problem with the hardware and not the disc itself? Backwards compatibility was a huge reason why I bought the thing in the first place, since I never owned an original Xbox. Are 360s no longer backwards compatible and people just didn't notice?
 
Okay, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I'll try anyway.

4 days ago I bought a new 500 GB Xbox 360 E console, and ordered a "like new" copy of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x from an Amazon seller. When the game arrived, I put it in the console only to get a "This disc is unreadable." error. The Fable Anniversary disc that came with the console works fine.

The seller's response was "The older xbox games don't work on the 360."

Is he right? Is this a problem with the hardware and not the disc itself? Backwards compatibility was a huge reason why I bought the thing in the first place, since I never owned an original Xbox. Are 360s no longer backwards compatible and people just didn't notice?

I am not sure if it is true or not but I was told by a locale game store employee that the slim and E models have less compatilbilty with xbox titles then the fat xbox 360.
 
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