I've begged. I've lied. I've wet myself. Still, a free xbox has yet to fall into my lap. With the PS2 launch, everything was easy -- I just had to wait in line at the Metreon all day and night. Sure, it sucked, but at least I knew very early on that I was guaranteed to get one as long as I sat my ass there.

This time, with xbox shipments so small, things are probably going to be a *little* tougher.

Am I really the only one on the planet (of those who *really* want an xbox) who hasn't ponied up $500 for a pre-order?

Hmm, I wonder if that really is my only option for scoring a unit on day one...

Anyone have any new leads on stores that might have units available on the first day?

-Vederman

Beating up snot-nose fourteen year-olds as they leave the store on release day is an underrated option.

Shut up. I'm trying to convince myself I don't want/need one.

-Tom

"Shut up. I'm trying to convince myself I don't want/need one. "

Yeah, I've tried this tactic on damned near every console that comes out. Doesn't work very often for me... Maybe the fact that I don't have the money will cause me to exercise some judgement or willpower in this round.

-Matthew

There's always EBay.

And Taco Bell.

"Shut up. I'm trying to convince myself I don't want/need one. "

I don't think they have Virtua Tennis on XBox. BTW, we are very close to (cough) two months (cough) without a Shoot Club. You don't have writer's block since the 11th, do you?

In all seriousness (I know, be afraid), I haven't had a console since my old 1980 Atari system, but have been thinking about one after looking at the recent ads and reading youse guys going on about them. Xbox vs. Gamecube vs. PS2, what's the real score? Which one would be better for an adult that likes RPG/strategy/some FPS games?

Well, since the N64 never had but one REAL RPG until about six months ago, and one strategy game (but it was good), don't be surprised if they don't show up on the Gamecube, either...

On the other hand, N64 had some great FPSs, that I wish would port over to the PC...

Xbox has a great-looking lineup, too, I think, and based on posts that I've read, your tastes seem to mirror my own, and I would LOVE to get an Xbox, but it's SO expensive, and have seriously considered buying a Gamecube -- if I were going to buy one at all, that would be my pick.

If that's any help at all...I'm sure those who really know the game lineups far better than me will be chiming in soon...

Am I the only person who has zero interest in
this clunky-lookin' thing?

I can't help but picture it sitting end-up with a
bunch of bone-wielding monkeys running
around it, while "Thus Spake Zarathustra"
plays in the background.

Ghetto Walmarts.

--- Alan

Yeah, I've given some thought to the Wal-Mart option, but are there any stores in Northern California? I think I remember going to one in Bakersfield many years ago (that was pretty scary), but that one is way too far away, and I don't know of any others that are in close proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area.

At this point I think I may be stuck with K-Mart and Target as my only two options. Yuck.

"Shut up. I'm trying to convince myself I don't want/need one."

Oh, Tom, you know you want one! I was in the same boat as you, but then, a few weeks ago I played Halo and DOA3 and all my will melted clean away. Stupid will… always leaving when I need it most.

"Beating up snot-nose fourteen year-olds as they leave the store on release day is an underrated option."

I don't know about you, but my arms and legs are just about completely atrophied from lack of use at this point in my career. I think a snot-nose 14-year-old could probably kick *my* ass and take my xbox as *I* leave the store. Damn my withered girly arms.

-Vederman

Vederman, There's a Walmart in Mountain
View at San Antonio Shopping Center (off El
Camino).

It's usually pretty empty and generally dismal,
so you may be in luck.

Pretend I want an Xbox also, except I want mine on November 18th instead, and mine happen to be a special model that's a lot smaller, has a handle, might possibly be purple, and has an "N" instead of an "X" on it.

Same options for me as they are for The Vede?

"At this point I think I may be stuck with K-Mart
and Target as my only two options. Yuck. "

...And for the least populated, most frightening
Kmart and Target stores, try the ones in
Colma on Serramonte Blvd.

Geez, I'm like the "The Fodor's Guide To
Skanky Bay Area Discount Stores".

Nope - I'll join your Zero Interest Club. Consoles have never excited me. If I had $300-$400 to waste on a console I would prefer to put it towards a new PC system.

If it doesn't use a mouse or keyboard then I am not touching it. I couldn't even begin to imagine not being able to use mouselook or WASD in a FPS.

---

Quote:

Am I the only person who has zero interest in this clunky-lookin' thing?

---

>>one would be better for an adult that likes RPG/strategy/some FPS games?
>Nope - I'll join your Zero Interest Club. Consoles have never excited me.

Ditto, for the same reasons that you and Kazz indicated. Until they have good RPGs/strategy/Sims and FPS that are as good (and easy to control, the case of FPS), I'll never be interested in a console. For those types of games, PCs surpassed consoles around 1983, and haven't looked back.

Xbox may change that, given the fact that it's been embraced by a lot of PC developers, and games like Morrowind will come out on it. Like someone here, I think Jason Cross, indicated once, I'll "go to the games" rather than wait for the games to come to my platform, but console games don't really interest me (yet). Wait and see, I guess.

Stefan

"...And for the least populated, most frightening
Kmart and Target stores, try the ones in
Colma on Serramonte Blvd."

Colma's ultra-clean, utterly-deserted BART station makes me quiver in abject fear.

Actual Xbox shipments to stores should be comperable, or more, than for the PS2. Sony claims huge PS2 numbers for day one, but the retailers say they only got a third of the allocation they paid for, blah blah blah. Same old story.

Anyway, MS says the mexico facility can pump out 100,000 Xboxes a week. That recent number seems to be down from the 150k I heard a couple months ago. Either way, they're launching with 6 weeks left in the year and say they'll sell 1-1.5 million by then. Doing the math, they'd have to have at LEAST 400k in stores on day one to reach a million at 100k a week thereafter.

MS has limited the stores ability to take preorders so that a certain percentage, maybe half, will be available to regular buyers. So the odds that you can camp out at Toys R Us or Babbages or EB and get one are actually pretty decent.

If you just GOTTA have one, I would call up your local babbages/eb/toys r us and ask them if they know what their allocation is, and if they've presold all of them yet. Anyone who looks like they might have some left over, find out if they're doing the midnight sale, and just get there long before they open. I really can't tell you how long lines are going to be (it's not like the PS2, which has the fortune of being a Playstation with the number 2 after it).

I put my $10 down a year ago, so I'm set.

Gamecube, I dunno. Shipments should be the same or greater, but I don't know if Nintendo has been restricting preorders, or how many they've had. Again, I put my money down like 8 months ago, so I'm number 10 on the list or whatever. After the PS2 thing, I decided to preorder RIGHT away.

'I don't know about you, but my arms and legs are just about completely atrophied from lack of use at this point in my career. I think a snot-nose 14-year-old could probably kick *my* ass and take my xbox as *I* leave the store. Damn my withered girly arms.'

http://www.theonion.com/onion3123/hawkingexo.html

Brought to you by the helpful Daikatana monkey.

Nah, Vederman is just cribbing from Erik Wolpaw on the girly arms thing. Next he'll be calling himself a "Victim of Might & Magic"...

(Hilarious!)
-Andrew

Jesus Christ Almighty, Bub. Suddenly Old Man Murray has the corner on the "withered girly arms" market?

I've got a suggestion: how about we all try to be a little less "original," and instead, lets just try to be lighthearted and friendly towards one another.

Gosh, I’m feelin’ better already! Wait, unless some other game journalist said "I’m feelin’ better already" at some random time in the past… ;)

-Vederman

Woah Vede,
a bit defensive there!

I really didn't mean anything negative by it at all. There's nothing wrong with cribbing on a message board. Indeed, let's be lighthearted and friendly!

Please add a ";-)" to my above post.
-Andrew

"I've got a suggestion: how about we all try to be a little less "original," and instead, lets just try to be lighthearted and friendly towards one another."

Amen -- this site is full of cranky pedants quick to criticize and ridicule. Everyone should be a little nicer.

"Wait, unless some other game journalist said "I’m feelin’ better already" at some random time in the past…"

I think I wrote that once back in the 80s. Jeez, Vede, do you have to rip off all my best stuff?

Actually, don't feel bad. Bub has also accused me of "cribbing from Wolpaw" once when I compared Serious Sam to Robotron. Apparently Wolpaw has cornered the market on the Robotron comparisons and girly-arms.

-Tom

Okay, cool. I honestly wasn't cribbing, by the way. While I'm sure I didn't invent the phrase: "withered girly arms," I'm also *pretty* sure that Erik didn't invent it either. =)

That said, my "Stupid will... always leaving when I need it most" comment was clearly a conscious attempt to rip off Homer Simpson. Bust me on that one if you'd like. ;)

-Vederman

Serious Sam *is* Robotron. They're the only two games that leave me in physical pain after playing them. Hand cramps, you name it.

Yeah, Erik was exactly right with that observation wasn't he?

And Greg:
"Stupid will... always leaving when I need it most"

I really like that line. So, nobody else better use it!
;)
-Andrew

Aww, now I've got that warm fuzzy feeling I love so much... but why is it in my shorts? ;)

Andrew, glad we got that all sorted! =)

Jason, loved the Onion story! =)

Tom, thanks for the words of support! =)

Sparky, thanks for the tips! =)

God, please send me a free xbox! =)

-Vederman

Group hug?

Guys, thanks for the tips. I think I'll hold off on the console for a while, and see what sort of games the new generation brings. That might give the prices a chance to drop, too. I've been a PC-head forever, just because I do like the FPS/RPG/Stategy/SIM games best, and that doesn't seem to be the strength of the console systems.

---

Quote:

Group hug?

---

>"Yeah, I've tried this tactic on damned near every console that comes out. Doesn't work very often for me... Maybe the fact that I don't have the money will cause me to exercise some judgement or willpower in this round."

Not having money has worked very well for me in the past. Never bought a console at launch.

Brad Grenz

Send a fourteen-year-old into Gord's shop to lift a "Conker's Bad Fur Day" cart, and while Gord's busy chasing him down like Dirty Harry, walk in and unplug his X-Box.

Problem solved.

"Send a fourteen-year-old into Gord's shop to lift a "Conker's Bad Fur Day" cart, and while Gord's busy chasing him down like Dirty Harry, walk in and unplug his X-Box. "

"Beating up snot-nose fourteen year-olds as they leave the store on release day is an underrated option."

None of you sneaky, ethically-challenged bastardos are ever going to be invited over to my house. As Jeff would say "Get off my lawn!"

"Vederman is just cribbing from Erik Wolpaw on the girly arms thing"

Vederman's stuff is childish and unfunny, but you don't need to plagiarize to achieve that.

Hey John, maybe you missed it, but about 15 posts up or so I said:

"I've got a suggestion: how about we all try to be a little less "original," and instead, lets just try to be lighthearted and friendly towards one another."

Dear friend, if you take a moment to think about it, I'm sure you'll realize that, of the two of us (you and me), I'm not the one jumping on threads about buying an xbox just so I can insult someone. So, getting back to this whole "you and me" thing, who's the childish one again? ;)

I don't know about you, but I'd much rather write in a childish manner than actually act like that in real life… Oh shit. I just remembered that I *do* act like that in real life. Never mind. =)

-Vederman