to feel dumb about getting an Xbox working on Christmas day

[HubbaBubbaMum]

DH and me have never played (or seen others playing) on gaming machines (or whatever you call them!). Have finally conceded to peer pressure and Father Christmas has ordered an Xbox One S Console with FIFA 17 as a joint present for DC this year (age 10 & 7). So, how do we avoid spending half of Christmas day working out how to set it up as we are complete gaming virgins? Is it obvious? Can we buy games suitable for their age in advance to 'plug in' or do we have to open it up and get it all set up and download them in advance? (Didn't want to open the wrapping before Xmas morning ideally). Do we just play it on TV or is it better on the PC? Do we need to order control pad type things to go with it? Hope this post is giving younger MNetters a good laugh . Happy to be directed to an idiots guide to the 21st Century.

BIG HINT, Don't leave it to Christmas Day OP, even for those experienced it is a pain, so have a trial run before.

We set ours up attached to tv, ready to go. Just covered with xmas table cloth

I'm so glad I read all of this; we've bought DC an XBOX One as well and my gaming experience is pretty much limited to Game Boys, SNES and Commodore 64, if I'm honest! Will definitely look into setting up an account sooner rather than later (thanks for the op- it's something I've been wondering too!).

My DS plays Lego games on his. (Not Dimensions) So that's the titles like Lego Marvel, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Jurassic Park.

Although Lego Dimensions starter set has dropped in price lately and is very popular the "add on expansion packs" to access new characters and zones add to the cost.

The games I mentioned above have everything included and the kids can play it happily uncovering characters as they go.(at no extra cost to you)

Good that ur thinking ahead - set it all up the night before!!
Think u may need a new tv

Yes, get it out to test and update beforehand. Also, get an extra controller and a 12 month Xbox Live membership. Oh, and Minecraft. And Terraria

Personally I would set it up on Christmas day after they have opened it - treat it as a team building exercise - working together to get it working lol!

The instructions should be included. - you attach it to your television screen (you'll need to go around the back to plug it in) How old is your TV? Does it have a HDMI port?

Assuming it is the XBox One then there are some pretty clear instructions online for you to have a look at if you don't want to open the packaging yet.
support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/console/console-setup

There are clicky links in the article for all the extra bits of set up, depending on what you've actually bought.

Oh shit I’m glad I’ve read this… just bought a PS4 for DS but hadn’t given any consideration at all to getting it all set up… I thought just plug in and go? No? Our broadband is crap, will this be a problem? Does the PS have to ‘plug in’ to the broadband or does it work over the wiFi? Do you even need wifi for minecraft/ fifa?

Sorry OP I have just completely hijacked your thread but have started to have a little panic now… DS is going to to be beside himself when he sees he’s actually got his own PS but would be rubbish if we can’t actually play on it…

They are plug in and go to an extent, but the updates are mental and can take an age to download. Dh set up DS1s new xBox the other night and it took all evening to update. We reckon he'll need to do another update in the week before Christmas to ensure it's up to date. Game suggestions from my ten year old are:
Minecraft (obviously!!)
lego star wars (or batman or harry potter or whatever!)
fifa
need for speed

when my OH got his XboxOne not so long ago it took ages to download "update." The actual plugging it is very easy though, and once it is all plugged in it will be very easy to set up -just follow the instructions on screen. I would suggest leaving it to "update" over night on Xmas eve, or doing it at someones house if you can? You can watch TV and stuff while this is happening, so you don't have to sit and watch a games console update. I'd suggest also putting the game in, and letting this update too, so its all ready to play on Christmas day

Definitely set it up as much as you can before the day. Last Christmas we got an Xbox one. The amount of time it took to download games was eyewatering, and my husband had plugged it in before to set it up and get it ready for playing. I think it took the best part of the week for our son to get his games onto it. Granted, our internet service is a bit crap.

Also, the shop CEX sells second hand games so you don't have to pay full price for new ones. And in future you can trade in games you have bought (from anywhere) for money off other games or cash. I can't really help with age appropriate games though, sorry

Louisville you utter star, thanks for all this info from me too! :)

Another here saying set it up beforehand. When we bought Xbox one two years ago. It took about four days for Fifa to download because of broadband speed. Bit of an anti climax that they couldn't play with it on the day

We have just set up our new PS4 today to save this hassle on Christmas Day. Plus IIRC there was one year when some group hacked the Xbox server and nobody could set up their xbox on Christmas Day! Also put the discs in too as they have an element of downloading before you can play. An extra controller is a must unless you plan on hosting fight club

Will second all the Lego games, my DS loves them! Good luck setting up, I'm sure if you come up against anything you don't understand someone on here will be able to talk you through it.

Can I make a suggestion?

Set it all up in the week running up to Christmas, do your downloads and updates.

When you take the Xbox out to put it away in the box to wrap, leave as many of the cables plugged into the tv as possible and unplug them at the Xbox end. That way you won't be moving furniture/fiddling around with plugs etc at the back of the tv on the day, you can literally plug in and go.

And get some extra batteries for the controllers (or rechargeable battery packs), they absolutely guzzle them.

Second getting it all set up, updated and tested. But be warned there may be problems even then. Did all this with a PS3 for their to have been an update on Christmas Eve. Took about four hours to go through. Have no idea what possessed them!

FIFA 17 will take an age to download but its all worth it to see Daniel Sturridge do his dance.

Cherrycoke that makes you a cruel pervert.
You clearly know the difference between team building and soul destroying.

Yet you throw OP under the bus of 'can I play now?' torture on the most festive of days.
When they should be getting dutifully pissed and rowing.

We bought various game consoles over the years for our 5 sons and always left it to them to set it up. They always managed. Mind you, the oldest went on to become a programmer, so he was always pretty handy, even aged 10.

I'd leave it to the kids, or else go back into the shop and ask the nerds there how to go about it.

Should also add, my kids currently have a PS4 and the only game they ever play (daily) is FIFA. My older kids got most of the major games as they came out but the younger two - nope. They only want FIFA. They will probably want to get whatever their friends play the most, assuming they're playing online with their mates.

Have no idea about the set up as my DS is older and has always sorted out himself.

Definitely have two controllers though. The last thing you need is them arguing about whose go it is

See they've already been recommended but I'll echo the Lego games

Some of them are a couple years old at this stage too so you should be able to get them second hand for buttons in game

Great Thread Hubba, we had not considered all this and even though I wrapped the thing today it shall be coming out of its wrapping and getting a downloading session soon.