360 load times: NXE HDD install vs. DVD

[Norse]

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I found this on Kotaku. Installing the game on the HDD doesn't seem to improve the load times more than 5-6 seconds. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since PS3 installs hasn't made load times much shorter than on the X360 versions.

[Telefrog]

I found this on Kotaku. Installing the game on the HDD doesn't seem to improve the load times more than 5-6 seconds. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since PS3 installs hasn't made load times much shorter than on the X360 versions.

I think what most of us were loooking forward to wasn't a decrease in load times per se. I think many 360 owners just want to play a game without it sounding like a jet is taking off from the entertainment center.

[pseudopseudo]

I was just noting this while playing MGS4 last night. I know it's been argued up and down, left and right, but if I'm waiting 3 minutes between acts for an "install", and the supposed purpose is to "cut down on loading times", how come I still have to deal with a lot of 6-7 second load screens? Makes no sense.

Given, I guess 6-7 second load screens are better than 1-2 minute load screens. Still.

[muddi900]

The PS3 installs are due to the slower BR drive. I doubt the difference would be drastic when compared to the 360 load times,but it would be noticeable and that's probably the only reason PS3 games have installs.

EDIT: Also someone should check this feature with a game with horrible load times.

[Xerxes]

I think what most of us were loooking forward to wasn't a decrease in load times per se. I think many 360 owners just want to play a game without it sounding like a jet is taking off from the entertainment center.

This. But also, That was just the intro, I think if you kept playing the game that load time would compound and the HDD guy would probably be like 30 minutes ahead of DVD guy.

[KingGorilla]

I was just noting this while playing MGS4 last night. I know it's been argued up and down, left and right, but if I'm waiting 3 minutes between acts for an "install", and the supposed purpose is to "cut down on loading times", how come I still have to deal with a lot of 6-7 second load screens? Makes no sense.

Given, I guess 6-7 second load screens are better than 1-2 minute load screens. Still.

But you wait a half hour to 45 minutes between gameplay sequences anyway.

[BLeeP]

But you wait a half hour to 45 minutes between gameplay sequences anyway.

And it's still better than most anything else on the market. That's sort of sad and a great accomplishment at the same time.

[Mike Kelehan]

I think what most of us were loooking forward to wasn't a decrease in load times per se. I think many 360 owners just want to play a game without it sounding like a jet is taking off from the entertainment center.

Agreement. I'm more concerned with volume and wearing out another disc drive.

[jpublic]

Man, now I have to find a cheap place in Canada to get a 60GB or 120GB HD.

[DangerousDaze]

Uncharted is pretty good in this respect. Not only is there no installation onto disk but there are no load times either.

[SPBTooL]

I wonder if it would effect the texture load issues with Mass Effect.Would elevator rides be shorter?

[Karak]

I wonder if it would effect the texture load issues with Mass Effect.Would elevator rides be shorter?

It could. However since many people did not have the issue if they had a better drive, milage will change when it concerns this.

[Kelegacy]

How long does it take to install a game?

[pseudopseudo]

Uncharted is pretty good in this respect. Not only is there no installation onto disk but there are no load times either.

I guess I'd never realized this, but you're absolutely right!

How do they achieve this, d'you suppose? Do they just hide the loading behind the cutscenes? There aren't really any long corridors or empty pathways (except towards the end of the game) to hide loading under.

Crazy.

[Kelegacy]

I guess I'd never realized this, but you're absolutely right!

How do they achieve this, d'you suppose? Do they just hide the loading behind the cutscenes? There aren't really any long corridors or empty pathways (except towards the end of the game) to hide loading under.

Crazy.

Naughty Dog is one company that "gets" loading. The Jak games didn't have much loading either, other than starting up. I've always wished other companies would take after them.

[Virtual Machine]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i've heard that the PS3 installs have more to do with preventing texture pop in and draw distance / LOD management than actual game load times. More specifically where GTA 4 (which does have a longer draw distance than the 360 counterpart with less of that "screen door" effect on distant objects) and MGS 4 were concerned.

[Johan]

As has been mentioned, it's the noise of the drive that most will be glad to see gone. Additionally, running the drive less often will result in a longer lifespan for the POS. :)

[Adam Blue]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i've heard that the PS3 installs have more to do with preventing texture pop in and draw distance / LOD management than actual game load times. More specifically where GTA 4 (which does have a longer draw distance than the 360 counterpart with less of that "screen door" effect on distant objects) and MGS 4 were concerned.

Very interesting. I did not know this was the case, but does make the install idea much more attractive. Any word on this being done with the 360?

[Xerxes]

How long does it take to install a game?

There was a youtube video. Didn't look long at all.

[DangerousDaze]

I guess I'd never realized this, but you're absolutely right!

How do they achieve this, d'you suppose?

I suspect that they pre-load just enough during the cut-scene to present a fairly self contained area and then stream the rest of the level in while you're navigating it. It's essentially the same corridor trick but with a wider space. You can here the disk spinning while you're playing so there's definitely in-game streaming happening.

[crazyD]

This doesn't let you play without the disk, does it? If not, I don't care. I would love to be able to switch games without getting up, looking for the box, etc.

[muddi900]

I wonder if it would effect the texture load issues with Mass Effect.Would elevator rides be shorter?

They are shorter. On the PC.

I just can't shill the PC version enough

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i've heard that the PS3 installs have more to do with preventing texture pop in and draw distance / LOD management than actual game load times. More specifically where GTA 4 (which does have a longer draw distance than the 360 counterpart with less of that "screen door" effect on distant objects) and MGS 4 were concerned.

This.

[pseudopseudo]

This doesn't let you play without the disk, does it? If not, I don't care. I would love to be able to switch games without getting up, looking for the box, etc.

If I remember correctly, you do still need to have the disc in.

Y'know, for anti-piracy measures and stuff.

[violent]

I think what most of us were loooking forward to wasn't a decrease in load times per se. I think many 360 owners just want to play a game without it sounding like a jet is taking off from the entertainment center.

Precisely.

[crazyD]

If I remember correctly, you do still need to have the disc in.

Y'know, for anti-piracy measures and stuff.

For anti-consumer bullshit, more like. This feature has no value to me. Give me the option to play without a disk check, and I will even buy one of their shitty, overpriced hard drives.

[Gerbs]

Man, now I have to find a cheap place in Canada to get a 60GB or 120GB HD.

I've been hoping to get by by simply having two or three games installed at a time on my 20 gig hardrive and just rotate them out as I go. I guess it depends on how many gigs each install takes.

[pseudopseudo]

I've been hoping to get by by simply having two or three games installed at a time on my 20 gig hardrive and just rotate them out as I go. I guess it depends on how many gigs each install takes.

Can't remember where I read it... but each install supposedly runs close to 9gb? Yeah... good luck with that. (Especially if you have any XBLA content as well.)

[Gerbs]

Can't remember where I read it... but each install supposedly runs close to 9gb? Yeah... good luck with that. (Especially if you have any XBLA content as well.)

9 would be unfortunate. Anyone have a source? I checked google but failed.

[Virtual Machine]

I look forward to my 360 not sounding like a washing machine when i play. Long live the Elite!

[Talanvor]

I'm a little curious how this will affect Rock Band (2), since it has to do a lot of loading between songs.

But honestly, the most important thing with this will be to cut down on the volume of the machine, and possibly cut some heat down so it doesn't RROD so fucking fast.