Home Features Top 10 Top 10 Xbox NXE dashboard tips and tricks

Top 10 Xbox NXE dashboard tips and tricks

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xbox_360.jpgWith the NXe update creating a stir among Xbox addicts, we thought it was time to share our top 10 list of new things that can be done with the New Xbox Experience (NXE), with a bit of help from Major Nelson.

Tip no.1 – Create you Avatar in your own image

Take time to create your Avatar, remember you can make it look as much or as little as you look. When you’ve finished your creation take a Gamer Picture of it. In the Avatar editor, select Gamer Picture and use the controls to move the avatar around, zoom in and out or even change the background colour (press Y).

Tip no.2 – Explore the all new dashboard

Using the trigger and bumpers can allow you to quickly scroll up and down or left and right through the dashboard.


Tip no.3  – It’s a party on your Xbox

With Xbox LIVE Parties you can chat with up to seven of your mates. Navigate to the Friends channel and choose an online friend, then press Y to start the party. Selecting the Xbox 360 Guide button then Party and Start a Party does the same thing. Once that’s donw you can invite your chums around for virtual cheese and pinapple hedgehogs while palying Halo 3.

Tip no.4  – Write the Theme, sing the theme

There are lots of new themes that work wiht NXE. To find them simply head to My Xbox and choose your profile (this is second slot) and then change theme. Xbox 360, Spectrum, Day and Night are among the new themes to check out.


Tip no.5  – Go to the shops with Marketplace

This new feature allows you to search, browse, and buy games and videos without going near your console. While you are there you can also do boring stuff like change your billing information, view your purchase history, and download items you already own.

Tip no.6  – Go to the movies with Netflix

A tip for AMericans only, this one. If you are Xbox LIVE Gold Member and have Netflix then you can stream thousands of videos (some in glorious high definition) directly from Netflix to the console. If you are not a member there is a free trial to check out the service – Xbox.com/netflix


Tip no.7  – Make games load faster from the hard drive

Bored of waiting around for the game to load off the disc? The transfer it to the hard drive (assuming you don’t have the Arcade version). Go to the your dashboard. (press the guide button then Y) then head to My Xbox. Pressing Y brings up a new menu which will let you install the game to your hard drive. You can still use the guide while the game is installing to keep in touch with your friends or start a Party.

Now before you do this, make sure you set up what happens when you turn on your Xbox 360. Go to My Xbox then System Settings then Console settings. Select Start up to choose Disc, Xbox Dashboard or Windows Media Center. Once you are done there click on the option right below it, which is Autostart. This tells your Xbox 360 what to do when you put a disc in the console. If you set it to disable you can then use the install to hard drive option.

Tip no.8  – Forget about your poor Gamerscore games

sometimes your gaming gets a bit ropey and you have earned no achievements or gamerscore to brag about – you want to forget about it. To do so simply press the Xbox 360 guide button, go left to the games section and select Achievements. Select the game with zero gamerscore and remove it by pressing X (Delete Game History.)


Tip no.9  – See the shiny new Guide

If you press the Xbox 360 button on your gamepad you can see the brand new guide. This has more features and functionality than the old guide and should be more responsive. From here it is easier to check messages, see online friends or start a party.

Tip no.10  – Check out the Community Games

In the Games Marketplace is what’s termed Community Games. Bascially these are games created by others that are then uploaded for gamers to enjoy. It’s a bit like Wiiware, but don’t tell Microsoft that – it reckons it’s never been done before.