Slashdot Mirror
Xbox Live Goes Online
abhikhurana writes "
Internetnews is reporting that Microsoft has launched Xbox Live
broadband gaming service. To access Microsoft's service, Xbox gamers
have to buy a $49.99 starter kit, which includes 12 month's worth of
access to the Xbox Live service and a headset kit for voice
communications. Microsoft said that about 16 games with online play
capabilities will be available by the end of the year.
So has anyone already tried it? If so, what do you think about it?"
Where do you want to play today?
:)
Now how about some clone "Live" servers
Microsoft appears to have been keeping the Xbox afloat for some time now despite a less than stellar performance. Does anyone else think that Xbox Live is what they're betting the farm on?
I mean, being able to play Xbox games online is really neat... but the little Fritz chip they solder into the back of your head really itches...
let's just hope they don't pull an advertising stunt like the last on in NY.. we all know what happened with that one :)
As with all good ideas involving technology they hardly reach outside of the US, Japan or europe.
In Australia the X-Box is doing okay, still lagging behind the PS2 though. Such a service may never reach our shores, it's a shame because there would be a market here for it.
I guess it would depend if the market was big enough for Microsoft.
Be you Admins? nay, we are but lusers!
I have been playing since the beta and I have found that the service is really good and fun. Moto Gp is a fun game on Live, but MechAssault is a whole different world of fun. XBL runs pretty nicely because of all the broadband users. A much better experience that some online gaming on the PC.
when does x linux hacker launch/microsoftt hater launch lxbox online. the free alternative?
$49.99 fee -$5.00 estimated headset value =$44.99 or ~$3.75/month
sreb
.. here in Sweden, Microsoft is more or less giving these machines away at about 2000SEK (about 180-190 USD) with two games, DVD remote control and a DVD movie. As I understand it, they aren't making any money of the actual Xbox unit but instead they are selling the games quite expensive.
I bought one and am a happy user so far. I would prefer a PS2 but they where too expensive.
-- http://z80.org - all opinions, all the time --
I have heard that the GNOME developers are planning a port of GNOME 2.2 for XboX. If you are interested into more reading visit the GNOME mailinglist and read in the gnome-os archive.
Unreal Championship
NFL 2K3
NBA 2K3
NFL Fever 2003
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Whacked!
To be quite honest, nothing earth shattering here. I guess I was hoping for something that would set their service on fire; but, like the rest of the games in their library, there isn't any one game that is fantastic except maybe MechAssault which Gamespot rated a 9.0. Personally, I was really hoping for a coop-able network Halo.
As an aside, it is important to note that companies aren't required to go with Xbox Live as Electronic Arts chose to support their own servers and ditch Microsoft.
Bryan R.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
Ok why in the world isn't halo one of the games included in the service, or is it? If you ask me the xbox website is rather cryptic: "look for these new games" ---feel free to correct me, im just talking here.
I've been wondering why there havn't been more options to use voice in online computer games... or has that changed in the past year or so?
In any event, I think the option of voice communication will bring a whole new dimension to online gaming. It'll be intresting to see how it all plays out.
It would also be pretty cool to see games like starcraft use voice recognition rather then complex keyboard commands do things.
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
Spanked the NDA on that one, eh?
After a dead financial quarter or two by right it should be, but alas it will all come back to haunt us all... :(
:)
And the worst part, people can buy a generic PC with many more capabilities including better games? TUX racer
Just cause Sony has such a strangle hold, why bother continuing with this dead platform. I just don't get this world+dog domination requirement.
Or do you need to get, say, a cable modem or whatever. The most annoying thing about getting consoles online is that you always needed to use a spesific ISP or whatever, even though I've always had an always on ethernet connection to the 'net (well, since I've been in the doorms, anyway)
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
I would like to play dirt-cheap Dead Or Alive 3 when Xbox Dead.
Try a tinfoil hat to block their mind control rays.
Will my modded Xbox be able to play xbox live?
n dr pepperwhichlicksmylefnetustandsodoestheshoutingfil terwhichsucksevenworsefuckyouslashdot
Fucking20secondswaittillpostitsucksevenworsetha
Who would pay to play online with games that would either:
1) An action/sports game that would lag so bad as to be unplayable.
2) Be a RTS game with too low of a resolution on a TV to be playable (Warcraft III, Empire Earth, etc)
3) Be a FPS played with a GAMEPAD, instead of a keyboard and mouse.
For about $500, comparable to what you'd spend on an Xbox, you can put together a PC that can do far more, plus play online games that are far more fun than anything on the Xbox.
The Xbox is really just a kid's system, as well as a system for those who are not computer literate. Internet functionality on a console system is just a cheap hack, not a viable basis for an industry.
If you have a modchip you are banned permanently and it seems so called "legitimate" users are being banned as well in the midst of microsoft's "anti-cheating" efforts.
there would be a market here for it.
Xbox Live requires broadband Internet access. Isn't broadband Internet access really, really expensive in Australia?
Will I retire or break 10K?
...get out the bug spray
Cake or Death? Cake Please!
The terrorists have already won.
I picked up my XBox live kit Thursday, and although I haven't been playing it constantly since then, I really enjoyed the experience. The only live capable game I have at the moment is Mech Assault, which is a great game, but I was hoping for a couple more play modes, including Co-Op.
I think the idea behind the service is a great one. MS specifically defined the network performance to which the games must conform to make sure that lag was minimized (haven't had a single bit of lag yet) and that the voice worked without interfering with the game. The voice feature itself works as you'd expect. Voices are very clear, and the sounds of the other players only comes through on your headset, so the sounds for the game itself are not affected.
One feature I did find interesting was the ability to have more than one user on the local XBox, and still use the Live. Using this, a friend can play with you (split-screen or what have you) against the other Live players.
All in all, I thought the service was extremely well done. I hope this helps Microsoft come a little closer to breaking even with XBox. Not that they need money, but I enjoy my XBox, and I don't want to see it disappear.
GR will do nice , as most players will have played cs....Whacked, I have no idea about actually.
Whacked! is supposed to be a multiplayer gameshow that allows the online player to pick a persona (including a woman who runs around naked-but-censored the entire show) and then compete in various contests. If you are at all into Nintendo games, think Mario Party, but for adults. It scored poorly, though, with only a 5.6 from Gamespot (who, I believe, is a truly impartial reviewer).
Bryan R.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
$44.99 or ~$3.75/month
The median American family with Internet access has dial-up at $20/mo. Xbox Live requires cable or DSL at $40/mo. To that $4/mo month we must add the estimated $20/mo for an upgrade from dial-up to (e.g.) MSN broadband. So if the median American family with Internet access buys Xbox Live for the kids, it'll cost $24/mo or $288/year.
I don't know about you, but the fact that Xbox Live doesn't work with dial-up prevents me from considering buying it.
Will I retire or break 10K?
But they are laughing. They know it's part of the bread and circuses we'll indulge in before we ceast to exist as a nation
I mean... is it because it's Microsoft? Take a minute with me and let's imagine something.
Imagine if a company called Penguin Soft created a console that is very similar to what Xbox is. The console is entirely based on Linux. Exact same specs like the Xbox but run Linux instead. Would you still hate it? I don't think so... you would be praising it as the best invention ever! A huge Linux success!
Xbox is very cool... regardless of the fact that Microsoft made it. And I KNOW if it was a linux based console, you'd all love it in an instant.
Very sad... if only people were fair and mature...
But every time I played it, I heard this eerie almost inperceptible voice...
.Net is Good -- Linux is Bad"
"Buy Microsoft --
The voice just repeats itself over and over! Very strange huh? I think it was Bill himself.
-20-
From excellent karma to terible karma with a single +5 funny post...
I got an XBox back in December as a gift. I was very happy with games like Halo and Max Payne but little else for XBox was very good. Friday however, I bought XBox live with Ghost Recon and Mech Assault. I am happy now that I didn't sell my XBox like I was tempted to last summer. Ghost Recon was an outstanding game to begin with on PC but now that I have a video card that can do it justice it look INCREDIBLE. I liked the logical layout of controls too. Mech Assault was more of the same. The controls are over simplified compaired to PC Mech games but that doesn't detract from the game. In fact I found that it made it even better. Mech Assault is by far the best of all the XBox Live games. The only negative things I can say about XBox Live is the setup. I find it stupid that they only support a few different gateway routers. Mine is not supported. I was lucky that the XBox website had a good workaround for my particular router (Netgear RT314). It's also stupid that XBox live doesn't support Visa or MasterCard DEBIT cards. I mean, WTF, it's a goddamn credit/debit card and you can't support it. That was very short sighted. Lastly, I didn't see a function to boot players from a game. That is needed IMO because in Ghost Recon, when beginning an XBox Live mission, everyone has to show themselves as READY before the game can begin. One person not showing as ready will keep the game from starting. So if he's AFK or just being a dick, we are all SOL. They need to fix that.
There is nothing inherently safe about liberty. That's why so many people died protecting it.
Frankly, I'm somewhat glad that MS has forced broadband in this product. There's nothing worse than paying the $40 a month for broadband, mostly for gaming, just to get on some awesome CS server where within minutes a bunch of losers with dialup come on and ruin the game for everyone.
By at least setting the bar to broadband they have excluded some gamers, but they will have improved performance for everyone left.
It was really good during the beta phase, playing Moto GP online = great. Unfortunately, when it launched, it started having some problems. Some of the lag was pretty tough.
Still, my major gripe with XBox Live is that there is no option to use a keyboard for the conversations, you're stuck with the headset.
The real issue with this service is that they haven't set the yearly rate yet. Next year this service could be 20 dollars a month if MS so desired...we don't know. The other sad point is that they aren't stopping 3rd parties from charging over and above the normal Live fee for their games. Example: Sega has announced they will charge for PSO on Live...so this could get really pricy!
Unstable Apps: Our Android Apps Don't Suck
Been beta testing EverQuest Online Adventures, its been fun thus far. Don't have an Xbox, I'd be interested in its online setup. Do you have to use MSN? Doubt that will happen, at least for the time being...
For comparison though, it was $39.99 for the PS2's Network adapter and a card for a free game to play on-line. Included is the usual demo's, but the big thing is no need to pay any yearly fee's, although that will probably come with some games (or some form of monthly access...).
With the Xbox, will this happen? Or is that a one time yearly fee with content from various games free online? Maybe you will have to pay individual companies a monthly fee seperately from MSFT's tax? Will it only work with Xbox live? If you decide you want to head out alone will you be able to? they have sunk so much money into the Xbox and intend to do more, but they will at one time or another actually want to make as big a profit as possible.
StarTux
An action/sports game that would lag so bad as to be unplayable.
That's my biggest concern if online play ever comes to the GameCube. Will Smash Bros. 3 have too much lag?
Be a RTS game with too low of a resolution on a TV to be playable
A 60 Hz TV runs at what amounts to 320x240 pixels. (The USA, Japan, and Brazil use 60 Hz TV.) Warcraft 1 ran at 320x200 pixels. I'm sure that any given RTS could be adapted for a TV; it would just take more work than "TV Out".
Be a FPS played with a GAMEPAD, instead of a keyboard and mouse.
A keyboard is no better than half of a console controller. In fact, it's easier to switch between walking and running with an analog joystick than with a keyboard. The remaining problem is the lack of a trackball, and console FPS games such as GoldenEye tend to have subtle aimbots that take care of aiming accuracy. (It's not cheating in this case because everybody has the same aimbot.) Or they could sell trackballs.
Will I retire or break 10K?
I think there is some real potential in this system - having watched a flatmate play alot and played a couple of times myself, it really is cool to be able to play with people in the UK, US, Europe etc. and chat to them in real time.
I think people could end up making close friends using XBL.... my money is on the first XBL marriage next year!
Your post makes absolutely no sense.
"Just cause Sony has such a strangle hold, why bother continuing with this dead platform. I just don't get this world+dog domination requirement"
I'm going to break it down:
"Just cause Sony has such a strangle hold"
I believe you are saying that Sony really owns most of the video game market. I might quibble with the adjective, but its clear what you're saying.
"why bother continuing with this dead platform"
This is a sentence that spins off into incomprehensibility. The primary problem is you never define what "this" is. There are two possible hints. The article is about the X-Box, but you reference sony.
So my immediate translation is "Why bother continuing with the PS2 (a dead platform)".
Here's the problem. Clearly, a video game can't be both dead and the game leader. So perhaps you're saying "Why bother with the PS2, since it is an obsolete platform". Again though, this doesn't make any sense since it appears Sony's games don't lag behind anybody else's game. So we can only speculate on what you're saying here.
Finally, we come up with the sentence that sends us into a kind of "Never Never Land":
"I just don't get this world+dog domination requirement"
This sentence is impossible to parse. It vaguely looks like you're trying to say "I don't understand why something has to be the dominant video game".
However, there are few problems with translation. "World+dog" just doesn't make any sense. It just doesn't. It sounds like you've consumed too much crack or something.
Overall, One would hope that your first language is chinese, because you make absolutely no sense. You're a bad write. You need to improve. I'm not talking spelling, or minor grammer problems, Your writing is simply incomprehensible. Work harder. Get better.
You're welcome.
MSwin: 1-shot $200
Xbox: 12 easy monthly payments of 14.95 (~200)
Bill Gates,"It has come to my attention that some of my windoes users aren't upgrading anually. Have they neglected to read the unenforcable, yet intimidating, EULA?"
Murdock: "Leave it to the X-Team, we'll think of something..."
Amazing how many people posted and god modded up without even replying to the post at all, but just M$ bashing.
Well, after playing MechAssault for about 10 hours, I can say it ROCKS. I've been a gamer a LONG time (1984 or so), and I've played online since qtest, but I have to say MechAssault is over the top fun. The graphics toast my GeForce 4 Ti 4200, the talking to the other players feature is amazing (finally some REAL socializing in a game), and I have yet to see any lag whatsoever.
The only minor problem is joining games, it takes a few tries to get in (if your doing it manually), but that's fine as it's assuring you actually have the right connection speeds to the server in question.
There's also the great feature where you scores are permanately on the scoreboard (kills/deaths in each gametype) so you can compare with friends.
Two thumbs up for the Xbox Live! team!!!
1. Sell Xbox at a price low enough to lose money with each sale.
2. Sell start up kits for an olnine service, give a free year access with it.
3. ????
4. Profit.
I've been playing online with the xbox for a while now.
My only complaint are games have not been optimized for online play... This will change with the advant of Xbox live, I just hope someone gets a reverse engineered public service going soon. I wouldn't doubt MS has added some provisions to delay this kind of activity.
In any event, its just been neat to play with, but I've seen nothing stellar on Xbox that really would keep me coming back to the system. (Note, I do not own one, simply play around with a friends).
"You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
Damn I wish I had Mod points now...
I for one think Xbox live is great. MotoGP and Whacked are both shit games to be fair, but XBL makes them great. You'll flame me I know, but it is just like MS says, the voice makes all the difference. Still no lag, no troubles, no glitches. Just pure gaming. Now We just need to wait till the good games are released this friday. Give it a chance, my flat mate has been converted to the dark side.
--- The one with all my ramblings http://www.veebs.com
My friend got a chance to play on it, and he said it's pretty nice. He's about the most hard core gamer I know, so I'll take his word for it.
All circuits busy.
With the huge succsess of windows and its loopholes attracting viruses of all sorts, i wonder if the xbox is vulnerable to viruses or trojans?
Here in NYC I went to 4 different stores to see if they had xbox live. Each store I went to said they were sold it. Looks like MS is doing something correct with xbox live.
looks at the history of the company behind the product and sees what it is all about before giving it money.
During the beta test, there were a few bandwidth issues, but those seem to have been smoothed out with the retail release. I bought UC on Friday and can't think of a better implementation of online play. The voice part can be a little annoying if people use voice masks, but 90% of the users i've encountered on the service have chosen not to enable them, which is a good thing. While this may not be the 'future' of online play, it beats the crap out of anything currently available, and is something 'different'. Like dude up above said, if it was called "PenguinBox" and had a Linux kernel inside, y'all would be going apeshit. And the 'no good games' theory barely holds any water, just watch and see, all three major systems right now are releasing a ton of dope games -- if you can't afford XBox, or mommy won't buy you one, don't sit here and bash it, just go play your own games and ahve fun.
I don't know how the reaction was everywhere else, but here at least it doesn't seem to be a smash hit.
As for me, I preordered Metroid Prime.
They offer the 12 month deal at the local store for $80 Canadian Pesos, but what they don't tell you, is that even though you've paid for a whole year, you still need to give a credit card number before you can use it. How many 14 year-olds have a credit card? How many parents trust giving their credit card to their children? Heck, how many people are still paranoid about giving their credit card over the net? I can understand after 12 months asking for a card, but why do they need to do it up front when the person has already payed for the service?
I'm a writer, a poet, a genius, I know it. I don't buy software, I grow it.
You dont hawe a clue do you ?!
If I already own an XBox and I already pay for an ISP what am I paying for besides the adaptor? I don't have to pay a monthly fee to play my computer games online (well, most of them). So what, if anything, is MS doing to deserve the fee that will be charged?
So, are there any games that are worth playing online on the billybox? Halo is certainly responsible for half the billybox sales so far (i.e. that half of the Halo fans they didn't piss off when they scraped the PC, Mac and Linux versions), but what title will pull the live system?
Remember: Consoles are nothing without the games. Contrary to general purpose computers, there isn't really anything else you could use it for, so if the box has no games, it has no sales.
So far, I haven't seen anything that is not either available on other platforms, or well below average. Where's the exclusive killer title?
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
It's a bug. Some devices are getting a bad response from the Kerberos authentication server. I also thought at the beginning it was a ban (I have a mod'd XBox), but it doesn't appear to be. A lot of people with "legit" boxes are getting the same response while some people with modified XBoxes are working fine.
Note, they do seem to be bloking mod chips, not BANNING them. If you go on with a mod chip you can't connect to Live. If you disable it you can get on fine. This is a seperate issue than the connectivity issue many beta users are now having, including me.
The PS2 service is free, and games companies provide and manage their own servers.
The XBox service is (probably ) $10/month after your free year runs out. Microsoft runs and maintains all the servers.
All XBox titles need to confirm to Microsoft's standards, including support for Instant Message, and voice headset. This increases the amount of development effort required to launch an XBox Live game versus a PS2 online game.
The PS2 supports a USB keyboard for online chat. The XBox does not support a keyboard, counting on their required headset support to be enough.
Which is the better service? I am putting my money on Microsoft as providing an overall better service.
With the PS2 there are no guarantees of what your experience will be from game to game. Different games will have different interfaces and capabilities. They'll have different hosting infrustructures, with different levels of server reliability.
With the XBox you will get consistency. You'll get a gaming ID that your online friends can use to find you regardless of what game you're playing. You'll get about the same level of reliability accross servers and similar ping times. Having access to online features that work consistently accross all games (instant message, voice headset) will help people feel a sense of consistency that will let them focus on the game and not on the interface.
Keep in mind as geeks we aren't as sensitive to interface consistency as muggles..er non geeks. Most non geeks don't like figuring out how to do something with each new title.
I'm not convinced that XBox is going to become the market leader, in fact if Sony has brains they will crush the XBox with the PS3 and include all the best features of XBox Live in the PS3's network play. However, unless Sony makes changes to how they run things, for now the XBox live service looks like a better service (and the better service doesn't always win).
---
I support spreading santorum
xbox live doesnot accept 56kers (while PS2online accepts)...so the chance of lag is small. The only times you will experience lag is if you host a game with bad upload speed. After hearing a LOT of positive comments from beta testers, I ordered broadband, xbox, xbox live, unreal and mechassault. And from what I hear, xbox live is VERY addictive and ALOT of fun without the lag/cheaters. Xbox live has exceptional launch titles and more on the way while ps2online has lackluster launch titles. Also the shooters are VERY playable even without a mouse/keyboard. Even though I buy/play games solely for multiplayer (who wants to play the computer anyway), I might stop playing on the pc because of cheaters/laggers and xbox live seems like a viable alternative.
When Live works it's great. I'm VERY happy with it. The voice communication works very well and some of the games are lots of fun.
But, there seems to be an issue at launch. Most people thought they banned mod chip users, but that doesn't seem to be the case. This problem is affecting many mod users and some legit users. It appears to be a problem if you were a beta user, like me. Some XBoxes are not getting authenticated by the Kerberos server when you try and connect to Live.
Some people with mod chips that weren't beta testers are working fine, IF they disable the mod. With the mod enabled they can't connect, but if they disable it they can get on fine. The people with the problem can't connect at all, however. So far MS hasn't admitted the problem but from some testing it seems obvious.
It's that simple. Even if MS produced some kind of patch that was stored on the local X-Box hard drive, the vast majority of users would still be unable to play halo online because they wouldn't be able to meet the bandwidth requirements. Each player generates something like 100K/s of traffic keeping track of all manner of detail. Even with the gateway that was developed outside of MS, gameplay is terrible.
So with three or more players in a single game of halo, most cable modems or DSL lines would choke and die.
-- Minds are like parachutes... they work best when open.
Wow, it only took three days for this story to reach the frontpage and Live was launched the 15th?
;). It's already done a decent job when the developers get things right (MotoGp an excellent example) and I see no reason why it simply won't get better.
Anyway, it has been an overall good experience so far and definitley has the potential to do to console gaming what broadband did to PC gaming. Games are smooth and it's they're fairly easy to connect to.
That said, they need to work on their Live to Game interface a bit more. Right now, the game developer can do anything that want with it and that's a bad thing, because games like Mech Assault don't get it right. Administration features (such as finding friends, kicking players) are sporatic at best, leaving one to play "Hunt the option" from game to came. Conformity is their friend here, not vise-versa.
On the whole though, it's fun. If they can nail down the few bugs, it should make for an excellent gaming experience (and they will, you should see their forums light up with complaints
You need a FREE iPod Nano
Firstly I bought an X-Box about 3 months ago because my DVD player died. I figured if I was going to spend $150 for a DVD player why not get a console. I chose the X-Box in part because of several reviews I read that said the sound was better on the X-Box for DVD playback and that the video playback was marginally better than PS2.
For the record I dual boot Linux and XP.
I picked up X-Box Live friday night and it is very cool. Since it's broadband/DSL only I didn't notice any lag what-so-ever playing against 10 other people in MotoGP. Voice chat was very cool, especially considering that I expected to be inundated with a bunch of 15 year olds talking a bunch of smack. Case in point: I went into a turn and wiped out in MotoGP. Just as I get back on my bike soemone comes into the same turn and wipes out right into me, throwing me from my bike. I say "ahhhh crap" loud enough that he hears it and I get a "Sorry Dude!" back. Im sure this will change with time but in the first few days the people seem pretty cool.
To everyone that bashes the system. Yes there are not a lot of games out right now, but time will fix that (the demo for Splinter Cell rocked!) Yes you can chat online with a PC using Roger Wilco, for instance, but some of the hype is true for Live in that the sound quality on chat is pretty high. At times it was as clear as a cell phone, other times slightly less so but still WAYYY better than with Roger Wilco. I play a lot of PC games but some games are just more fun on a console like the X-Box. I will never play an RTS on a console and I prefer FPSs on a pc due to the mouse and keyboard, but a game like Halo has a great story. Sports games are better on a console as are racing games. I was spoiled by my Playstation because it made me love force feedback. Jedi Outcast on the PC has support for a force feedback mouse and I happen to have one because it was clearance at CompUSA but as soon as I was done with that game I packed it up and used my regular mouse. I'm not an MS fanboy by any stretch of the imagination, but how many MS-haters posting here have said in other posts on this or other websites that Tux Racer rocks? Really. That game is lame. It's a fun diversion but really if it were for sale for $50 no one would ever even see it. My 2 cents anyway.
And you should also know that Microsoft isn't marketing towards kids. The Xbox was, from the day of it's inception, targeted at more mature gamers who have cash to spend. Most mature gamers HAVE a credit card. Here's a clue for you:
Goto a bank. Open an account up. Have them issue you a debit card. Use card for XBox Live. If you're underage, have your freakin parents do it for you, but if you can't accomplish these very simple steps without bitching and moaning, maybe you shouldn't be online.
And why should they set up for a mail in payment system? I know for a fact from my time at Amazon.com that accounts receivable is a pain in the a55. Checks bounce. Information on Money orders can easily be forged. My favorite was "John Smith" ordering 15 books on how to cultivate and grow weed. People are actually stupid enough to send cash through the mail. Not just cash, foreign currency. Are you seriously going to want to wait for you check, MO to arrive and clear before you play online? Did you bitch because Everquest does the same d*mn thing, as does every MMORPG? You expect them to take mail-in payments as well?
You need a FREE iPod Nano
"But what about the childern!?"
:)
Sorry, just had to slip that one in
You need a FREE iPod Nano
That's my biggest concern if online play ever comes to the GameCube. Will Smash Bros. 3 have too much lag?
My biggest concern is if the online version of Super Smash Bros. is as fun as the original SSBM with a couple of friends yelling next to you when you throw them out from the stage over and over again. Online gaming is not for consoles, the better solution is four game pads and some friends playing with you.
I got Mech Assault and played the early part of the weekend: it's a good game, but it really just made me want to play the superior MechWarrior4 or 3 version.
MechAssault seems less like giant robots running around than I would have hoped for: it plays too fast, and there really isn't a strategic method of playing (well, except "shoot everything that moves").
Had a fun game where a 11 year old cursed up a storm (and he sucked, too): everyone ganged up on him the moment he respawned. It was a good game, where we actually used some strategy: the "kill the annoying kid so he'll shut up" strategy.
Overall, though, the games for the Xbox in general are underwhelming, with the online versions having the same problem: there's one or two good ones, and a lot of eh ones.
Microsoft needs some good breakout games that aren't just rehashes of superior PC games. But as they can spend millions creating/subsudizing such games, I don't doubt that MS will eventually come up with some.
Vincent J. Murphy
Spandex Justice
it looks like we should *help* tom. tom needs lots of help...
And got OWNED by some twelve year old who enabled Clippy and clicked the button "Show Me How..."
Absolutely this would be a real useful feature and could quickly gain strength. The problem for MS is that PS2 is much better positioned to take advantage of this if/ when it takes off.
It's the Network effect at play.
There are 30mu+ PS2's out there vs for 3.5Mu+- Xbox. Sony have sold more than 1Mu adapters for the PS2 in the last few month, and if they wanted they could team up with a company like IDT and be offering a "Longdistance telephony game" in a few months.
Help fight continental drift.
The other advantage Sony has is the PS2 network adaptor also has a modem, since not that many people have broadband. Its a shame that MS didn't look at the history of online gaming services, because from what I hear they are depending heavily on Xbox live for the games unit. I guess they never heard of the Imagination network, the Total Entertainment Network, Mplayer, and others that are out of business too. I guess they also didn't realize that Sony is kicking their ass in the console market and making the xBox online play cost more than the ps2, is not going to help their chances of gaining market share.
The Playstation2 network adapter is 39 bucks and no service fee to pay. That is if you can find a network adapter. Has any been able to do anything else with the network adapter besides games?
Granted, Whacked tries to be a party game, but there is only one primary objective in the game-- Beat the other player down to accomplish different goals. Sorry, but that's closer to a FPS (third person shooter?) than andy mario party game I've ever played... And that's it's ultimate failing... Like it tries to be a FPS and a party game, but in doing so desends in mediorcity. Not saying it can't be fun, but it's not worth anywhere near $50.
You need a FREE iPod Nano
Who wants to play MP games over dialup anyways?
Some online games aren't as network latency bound as FPS games are. Tetrinet isn't. Starcraft isn't. MUDs aren't. Heck, non-action games will work even with the 1000ms ping typical of satellite Internet access.
Isn't the whole point to show off how rich you are by having broadband?
No. To my friends, online game playing isn't about conspicuous consumption; it's about fun.
Will I retire or break 10K?
I havent used Xbox Live yet but I have been using Xbox connect wich is a tunnel system between your pc and your xbox. Halo online was cool other then the fact that I played anymore then one other person the Xbox would lag out. All this over my 2.3mb cable. I will probably not get xbox live due to ps2's online games are user based servers and are free to play. THPS4 for the ps2 is a great example in my mind how the online functonality of the xbox should be like.
Its defenitly not a "well its microsoft so I am not going to endorse it" type of a situation. I run Linux, mac, and Windows. So anyways in conclusion and in my opinion, XBOX Sucks online.
Get rid of you lame 300+ ping losers
I find "separate but equal" more fair than completely shutting out dial-up users. Just give 'em their own set of servers to play on.
Will I retire or break 10K?
with it neth0rkd, u long4r haf to pl4y wit urslf
They've already patched NFL2K3 via Live. It had some Live annoyances and bugs that had to be fixed to make the game really playable.
I just hope we don't end up in patch hell like PC games.
STFU, seriously... both sides of this arguement suck.
This dimension has been around for quite a while. Most FPS and RTS games include some form of voice communication these days.
I've found that if you have a good crew of players on a server it can really add to the community feel of the game. On the other hand, it makes it really easy for one person to be an annoying pain. Nothing more fun annoying than logging on for a little saturday night mayhem to realize that there's a couple stone/drunk people on the server making a racket.
The one thing I've been dissapointed with when it comes to voice chat systems is that they never seem to get used to their potential. Especially in the more realistic FPS games (counterstrike, tom clancy games, etc), it could be really cool to be doing coordinated tactics with the voice communications. Unfortunately it seems that only a few people really take it to that level.
What will be interesting to see with Xbox live though is how the groups are managed on their servers. With a PC game, the host is usually just another PC owner, or some group run server. Good server operators will keep cheaters and other irritants off the server. I'm curious to see how this will play out with XBox live since, AFAIK, Microsoft is doing all the hosting.
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Now a game card I could stomache, I just don't see any reason for them to set up an entire accounts recieveable department.
You need a FREE iPod Nano
Probably next summer, right now the games are too few and between to justify $50 for 1-2 games that I might like. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the X Box (and NO, I'm NOT a big fan of MS), but I just need more games to play online. And I don't mean sucky games like Whacked and other stupid developer games either!! I want the beef for my $50. Hopefully Halo 2 should be out by then....as well as maybe a few other strong games and even maybe some ports like Counter-Strike, which would be SWEET to play without all teh freakin cheating hackers, though you KNOW they'll find away. Cause thats what people who suck do !! :-)
Well? How are the terms of use? Or is everybody so excited about TEH KEWL GAMEZ that they are willing to agree to whatever microsoft sneaks in the 20-page agreement?
I have no idea what's in it, just wondering if anybody has actually found any tasty nuggets in it.
In reading your comment, something occurred to me.
The only live capable game I have at the moment is Mech Assault, which is a great game, but I was hoping for a couple more play modes, including Co-Op.
One of the most popular FPS shooters is still Half Life because of the Counterstrike mod. Gamers took a basic game and changed it completely to become the kind of game that they wanted. With an XBox, this isn't going to happen because Microsoft has to keep tight control over the game licensing. If they don't they can't make back all the money they lose on selling the boxes. Furthermore, to even begin writing games you have to buy their SDK which is very expensive for an amateur developer.
This was one of the promises of the Indrema game console that was making me really look forward to its release which will now never happen.
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I picked up an xbox live kit the day they was released. So far it seems to be pretty cool. Ghost recon is awesome. The voice/headset makes for a pretty good communication device and works really well. All im waiting for is a service that runs on *nix to replace the microsoft one.
I think it's great the PS2 and XBox now have their online gaming abilities. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages, and I think there's definitely room for both.
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
-Hoban Washburn
I have been playing unreal chamionship since it was released yesterday. The game is every bit as fun as the pc version (unreal tournament 2003) and include some cool xbox only features:
- ability to either talk smack or cordinate an attack via voice
- widescreen mode for those with big tvs
- 480p mode (HDTV)
As a side note, there are currently (as of 9am PST) ~21000 distinct people who have played at least one match of unreal championship. That works out (so far this weekend) to between 7 and 8 people per minutes purchasing, signing into xbox live and playing unreal championship.
PS. If you think you can take me on, look for 'bunny of death'. WOOT!
XBox still doesn't stand a chance if this is what we can expect from Nintendo. I saw a commercial for Metroid: Prime yesterday, and it actually made me want to do something I haven't done since the SNES came out -- buy a console.
You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
Thanks for the unbiased reviews guys!
I've been playin it for a while, my friend has an X-Box and he was 'beta' testing it (He had to pay for it, but they called it beta testing, anyway) and let me tell you, its awsome. One of the best things about multiplayer games in general is the fact that you get to mock your oppoenent, and your opponent can respond back. The voice feature works great, (although I don't think they should have the voice modulater, that gets annoying). It defintely made me anxious to get my own PS2 online (I'm lacking broadband at the moment, and I'm not going to bother with laggy gameplay on a console)
First let me start off by saying that I despise MS as much as most other Slashdot readers. I like xbox and xbox live though. It's just too bad it had to come from a company with a track record like MS. I got my xbox live kit yesterday. Plug in a network cable, pop in a disc and you're ready to create your account. Even though the kit comes with a 1 year subscription, you're required to give quite a bit of information. Name, address, credit card, dob, email. They say that when your subscription is up they will automatically charge you the then-current rate. Then it's on to the section where you create your gamertag. This is the name that you will use in every game you play on xbox live. I sat there for about 30 minutes trying to get a semi cool name. Even weird stuff that I always get in other games was taken. Every time I picked a name it would come back with some really strange suggestion like ErectedCow or LeftChimp. Well I finally took one of those names- ThievishTurnip. I figured what the hell. Everyone else will have a weird name too. So i start playing the MotoGP demo that came with the kit and to my horror everyone else in the game has a somewhat normal video game name. Oh well. No big deal. At least someone will get a laugh out of it, even if it is at my expense. Actually playing the game I notice no lag at all. Everything is fast and that's with at least a dozen or so people in a race talking and playing at the same time. The headset works great too. The voice quality was much better than I was expecting after playing SOCOM on PS2, which happens to be an excellent game. It's about the same, maybe slightly lower quality as a cell phone in the US. I played for a few hours yesterday and there were no garbled messages. It's quite easy to understand what people are saying. Although the sign-up process waasn't my cup of tea, giving out so much information and that whole gamertag thing, overall MS did a good job with xbox live. This is a very high quality online gaming experience even if it does cost money. To me it was worth it to spend $50 for the online kit and subscription. Your results may vary. Let the flames begin!
The Best Buy in my town was completely sold out. When I asked a employee about XBox Live, he said I'd have to 'get in line' because their next order was completely sold out, already. They must be doing right. Thankfully, I already had it from the beta test. I've been playing MechAssault all Friday and Saturday and I must say that it is EXTREMELY fun. My roommate got a kick out of trash talking people online. The service is fun, stable, and there is very little lag. I'd have to give Microsoft a thumbs up.
Now we just have to wait for someone to port Klez or ILOVEYOU. Then the fun begins :)
Tim Dorr
Owner/Manger
A Small Orange
Microsoft said that about 16 games with online play capabilities will be available by the end of the year. So has anyone already tried it? If so, what do you think about it?"
How can someone try it if the games are not available yet?
Remember, You are unique...just like everyone else.
And that doesn't even include the MONTHLY fee's to play games like Phantasy Star online, or any other large RPGs that will be charging a monthly fee! Talk about a great way to lose money and kill your console!
OMG.
It's pretty damn incredible, all...
I started playing at 12 AM last night and stopped to take a restroom break and realised that it was 6AM!!!!
Needless to say, its incredible.
For the past two days, I've probably played my Xbox more than I have since I bought it this past May. The Xbox Live! setup is simply incredible. I haven't had so much fun playing console games in years. It's funny, I play PC games online all the time, yet I don't think I've ever heard the voice of any people whom I've played against.
Amazingly, there seems to be no apparent lag with the service thus far! I have my Xbox connected through my Linksys BEFW11S4 v.2. wireless router, and so far, so good. One odd thing though, in Whacked, I only seem to be getting 2-3 bars for my connection (and that's when all the computers are off). Now, even with all the computers on, it doesn't seem to change. Perhaps this is due to either poor service on the part of Rogers Hi-Speed, or perhaps it's a matter of distance, as a lot of people whom I've played with are in the United States.
In addition, there's this whole concern with Microsoft detecting and banning Xbox's with modchips installed. Apparently, you can disable your modchip (with a switch) and still be able to play, but if you went online with the modchip enabled, they ban your Xbox (likely its unique serial number). I agree that Microsoft has a 'right' to protect its service, but a more strongly-worded warning would have been nice.
You sir are hilarious.. Just play these on your home PC instead of your slow Celeron PC called the XBox.. Next year the service is going to cost $13/month... Have fun.. PC games are free unless yer playing RPGs.
BYEBYE XBox ... Its funny that they dont tell people this when they sell the product. Wonder if they could get sued for something like that.
Those fee's do not cover monthly fees that a lot of games will be charging also.. Gamers should expect to be paying upwards of $50 a month to play just 2-3 games on the XBox live. Have fun!
This is IN ADDITION to the XBox Live fee. Games like Phantasy Star Online will cost an ADDITIONAL $10/month .. When XBox live goes to a monthly fee, it will also be around $13 .. So you can expect to be paying around $50/ Month just to play 2-3 games.. Microsoft is totally doomed. Hell, who the hell would want to pay a monthly fee NOW after paying even just $50 for XBox Live? I sure wouldnt! Microsoft is so screwed.
Nintendo does have quite a bit more floorspace now tho.. And over at EB they have almost totally coverted to a Nintendo store.. No matter how good your tech is, the games are what counts in the end. Like you, I preordered Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion. Tues can't come quick enough.
And that my friend, is why the PortBox is doomed.
SWO is a SONY product, you'll be seeing it on the PS2 most likely, right new to EQO for the PS2. But Phantasy Star and other like games WILL be a seperate fee. Like the GC version, the XBox version will cost $10/month.
Your system is slower than a 800mhz celeron?? Please. If you're into games, your PC is def over 1 Ghz, and for a few hundred bucks, you can get a 2.5Ghz processor now.. Nice try bucko.
I think Microsoft has messed this up. HALO 2 should have been the lead game for XBox Live , just as HALO was the lead for the box.
I hear rumours of having to wait till next November... well I guess that'll be when I get Xbox live as well then....
Sorry Bill. None of the other games I've played have ever appealed to me. I've played MechAssault in demos and it just doesn't appeal. Ghost Recon, no thanks.
Winton
anyone have it in hawaii or alaska? i think the closest MS server would be in WA? how is performance/lag?
There seems to be a lack of variety in the responses posted here. Either people hate is because they're modded and/or hacked versions aren't working correctly. On the other hand, people seem to love the service and that XBL will be a great thing. I think some people need to understand a few things first. 1. The XBox is a console. Sony seems to be missing this strategy with the PS2 and copying some PC online stratgies and porting the to the PS2. 2. Even though games might be similarly related, you're not going to find all your PC favorites reproduced on the XBox. I'm specifically refering to the MechAssault comment above that stated it wasn't MechWarrior. All the reviews I read before I bought the game stated clearly that it was not a MechWarrior-type of game. While based in the universe, that's about all the games have in common. Yes, I bought my XBL on Friday, and I will have to say, I was racing someone on the MotoGP demo last night, and they asked if anyone had NFL 2K3. So we added each other to our friends list and then preceded to open the XBox and swap the discs. Once 2K3 booted up we were immediately able to find each other and play a nice gridiron grudge match. All in all, there seems to be a lot of potential with XBL, and I think the voice communication is just the beginning of things to come.
PassiveRoot
only dirty jews play games on their peecees. the real cool niggas play console games.
Hahahah, i bet you overclock your pc, right brainiac ?
When one first discovers online gaming, they'll never go back to playing first person shooters offline.
Yet, by the same token, most people will look at online gaming and run scurrying away from the cheap tactics and idiocy of online real time lack-of-strategy games.
Thus the popularity of the PC as a gaming platform. You can play single player games if you wish, but you can also log on and frag some hosers living in France.
The X-Box will mix the two, bringing the joys of PC gaming to the world of consoles. Sega tried this, and they failed miserably - but then, they've failed in everything since the Genesis. (Side note: The Genesis had net capabilities, however, short lived, unused and as usual for Sega, under-advertised.)
If anyone has the resources to bring decent online gaming to the world of consoles, it's Microsoft. I haven't read the details of payment, but it sounds like you need to sign up for special service. This is a *good* thing.
Blizzard's battle.net is pretty horrible, because it's run off of ad-revenue. Ad-revenue doesn't cut it if you wish to provide quality service.
However, let's deal with consoles. The only mildly successful attempt at online gaming with consoles was surprisingly from Sega, with the Dreamcast. That too, failed in the end.
Why? Sega didn't require you to buy into sega.net. Thus, they didn't generate enough income to pay for bandwidth and servers. In the end, they started springing additional monthly charges onto gamers - for games they were playing online for free.
People don't like that. As a result, Dreamcast players stopped playing online in droves.
We could factor in cheating, as well. I'll urinate once more on Sega's grave and point out that most of their dev houses should've hired some graduates fresh out of college. Even a freshman programmer who does any sort of gaming knows the ultimate law - THE CLIENT IS THE ENEMY!
The most infamous cheatfest put out by Sega was Phantasy Star Online. Yuji Naka and Sonic Team decided to handle critical data client side. As a result, the game was 'ruined' for many players within months of its release.
Say what you will about Microsoft's operating systems, but look first at games they've worked on. They have the know-how to make cheating very difficult. They'll never eliminate it totally - that's simply impossible. But if they can put in a good showing at attempting to stop it, gamers will be very, very happy.
My advice to Microsoft would be - advertise, advertise, advertise.
Looking at the Dreamcast, I realized that most console players don't have a clue as to how great online gaming can be. They heralded Phantasy Star Online's pathetic system of chatting as 'groundbreaking'. Groundbreaking? It's been done for decades now! The problem is - the console players often don't play games on computers, and they don't know what else is out there.
If they can demonstrate how much fun it is to frag a *real* person instead of a poor AI script, then they'll see a great increase in the number of X-Boxxen and games purchased.
This pretty much sums up what's wrong with online play.
Solve it, and yes, you've got a Killer App.
...Also, I didn't know Buggalo could fly.
The fact that the headset sounded perfectly clear and about 50% better than my cell phone sold me on xbox live... i cant wait for counter strike
My friend and I went on Friday to purchase our Live kits. The salesman asked to open them to be sure that the Cd was enclosed, and not just the headset. Well the first 12 we got off the shelf did not contain the CD, and aparently the entire shipment lack them. Over 120 XBox Live kits. Luckily he had 4 more from a previous shipment in the stockroom, so we were able to get online.
DRINK DUFF (responsibly) DRINK DUFF (responsibly) DRINK DUFF
I think he was talking about console games. There won't be any cheating in console games (you can't exactly run a trainer in the background). I'm sure it would be possible but very hard, and most users won't get around to it.
Wow voice technology is something that I have always wanted in an online game...stopping to type while trying to play a fast paced game was not too fun. This is potentialy a great strategic move by MS as they finally have something the PS2 will not be able to easily duplicate. IMHO you need the band width of broadband to do voice simultatneous with game data and the Xbox is broad band only. In the console world the lowest common denominator is the target for developers. With the xbox the lowest is good enough for voice. This is not true for the PS2. Now MS just needs a killer app using this technology...
Played Moto GP Demo til my thumbs bled, Still never got first place. Played NFL 2k3 against some pros and lost pretty badly. Practice makes perfect.
on my way to Best Buy to get Unreal Championship to do some fragging. The voices are extremely clear, the voice masks (cartoon, little child, big guy, robot, dark master, etc) are fun at first but then get annoying. hardly any lag at all in my experience, and NFL 2k3 warns you if there may be a network problem with the game before you accept the challenges.
Microsoft surprised me with this one, they really came through. More games! More games!
"Electric Relaxation" - ATCQ
- Bwana
MechAsault and Unreal Championship
It comes down to these two games at launch for my tastes. UC is very quick even getting into the 10 to 16 player range and of course looks great. MechAsault is a fun entry but will improve through downloadable content once MS sets up a feedback mechanism for their gamers.
Voice support beingn mandatory for all live games makes Live a service to be contended with. Oncce again it comes down to games but there whould be plenty by years end.
And spring brings dreams of Halo 2
One good thing about music... when it hits you, you feel no pain. So hit me with music. -Bob Marley
...my guess is on all those tasty fish.
Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away
So now Battlefield 1942 has stepped to the plate as the first massive vehicle online game, the spot that Halo seemed tobe destined for, but safely steered into irrelevance by Microsoft. As a long time fan of the Marathon series, this was a unexpected and disappointing end to allot of hype(1999->2003?). This pay to play service that Halo will soon be a part of is few more nails in the coffin.
This is not what console games are supposed to be about. Console systems have always been about producing great single player games and games that are enjoyable in small groups.
Honestly, what would you rather play? These online console games or Metroid Prime? I think most of the people who have played console games for a long time would say that they'd rather play Metroid Prime or other good single player games like Metal Gear Solid, Zelda, etc.
Microsoft has effectively repackaged a PC and is now selling you the ability to play games online with it for $10 a month!
I already pay a monthly fee for my cable modem. I can play games online for free on my PC, with the exception of MMORPG games (though I'm sure the MMORPG type games for X-Box will have an additional fee on top of MS's fee...). What is so attractive about playing console games online in the same manner, especially if it involves an extra fee?
I don't see what is so big about X-Box live, or the online adaptors for any other console... we've had the ability to play online with out PCs for YEARS, for FREE.
Once again, Microsoft has innovated nothing, yet is claiming they have, and is charging a premium for it.
"You spoony bard!" -Tellah
Mini-review:
THE SERVICE:
Signup: The first time you put a live DVD in your system, it installs some new OS-level software to allow you to connect to the service. Then comes the tedious process of entering name, address, credit card #, and other vitals through an onscreen keyboard. Surfing around the buttons grows tedious quickly, and this process can take as long as 10 minutes. While others have reported issues with gateway routers and debit cards, I had no problem connecting through my Watchguard SOHO/tc NAT box, or using my visa check card.
Downloadable Content: All the online games I've played so far have been able to check for downloadable content. Microsoft has the option of charging for the download, which could lead to some serious imbalances in play (either pay $10 for the super ultra rocket launcher, or get your ass handed to you in deathmatch from now on) later. According to the buzz on the street, the first year or so of downloadable content should be free, but after that Microsoft plans to start introducing fees for certain downloads.
Mod-chip lockout: Users of modchips are indeed locked out of using the live service, and for that, I'm very grateful, although this sentiment will probably get me modded down. Mod chips let people run tweaked, unsigned code. This opens the door for cheaters. If anyone remembers dreamcast PSO, you'll know how bad cheaters can ruin a game. The closed system MS has precludes any cheating except for exploits that may already be in the game, and I'm just fine with that.
Hardware: The package ships with a CD of game demos and a headset. The headset is obviously designed without those who wear glasses in mind, and is a behind-the-head band on which a microphone mono speaker can be hung for either ear. This plugs into a module that plugs in turn into the top memory card slot on the controller. The module has a volume slider and a mute button. Fortunately, the jack on the headset is compatible with standard cell-phone handsfree kits, and I was able to plug one in as a replacement for the headset without any trouble. Voices are crisp and clear, and others seem to hear the smack I talk just fine.
Games: The pack-in demos are Whacked and MotoGP. I'm confused by Microsoft's blind insistence on ignoring their killer app. Halo for this release. Are they worried about being flooded by their own success?
Whatever the reason, the demos are a mixed bag. MotoGP is unquestionably the best motorcycle racing game ever made, with seperate analog controls for acceleration, steering, and seperate analog front & rear brake controls. It's visually stunning and the game runs 16-player races without lag, letting you verbally communicate with the 3 players closest to your position.
It's also motorcycle racing, which is as interesting to me as watching paint dry. YMMV. Those who enjoy the game and also own the full version can unlock all the tracks and custom riders for online play.
Whacked is garbage. Silly "sick and twisted" cartoon characters with big cheap weapons collect stars and smash each other. You can talk smack with the whole arena, but it doesn't hold my interest in the slightest.
Better are the release games for the service. Unreal Championship is a faithful and beautiful reproduction of much of UT2k3's features, tweaked out for the system. Multiple voice channels for each team (there are also neutral channels for fraternizing with the enemy) let you form squads while you're playing, and bombing run, ctf, double-dom, deathmatch, and team dm are all present and accounted for. The resolution is low but the anti-aliasing is high, and the game runs at a constant speed. An interesting note is the ability to run your xbox with UC as a dedicated server should you so desire.
MechAssault is a fun, but unbalanced, deathmatch game. Giant stompy robots blowing each other up is what you get, exactly as promised. The battletech faithful will be put off by the lack of location-specific damage (no more blowing off legs and quick headshot victories), but the resulting action game is fun and the battles can get hectic, with exploding players chain-reacting others into a giant fireball o' doom.
Community: The community features are, overall, wonderful. Buddylisting a player is as easy as hitting pause and selecting his name from a menu. It's possible to send a game request to a player who's not even playing the same title you are. A popup appears on the screen, and if the player accepts, then all he has to do is put in the appropriate game disc, and he'll be joined to your game automatically.
Also interesting are the systemwide rankings for each game. Stats are tracked for all players on all games, and you can see your rank against the systemwide leaderboard from the main menu of most games any time you'd like.
MotoGP is the best at community, with pre- and post-game lobbies, and a dropdown on the HUD that appears to tell you who's currently talking. MechAssault, on the other hand, really drops the ball, with no post-game lobby, making starting a new game with the same players as the last difficult, if not impossible. Instead, players are dumped back to the main multiplayer menu, and have to rejoin a new server. Hopefully all future releases will follow MotoGP's lead, and the kinks in the launch games will be patched over by downloads.
Misc: It's interesting to note MS is already patching titles. There was a bug in Sega's NFL2k3 that allowed someone who was losing the game to pause it indefinitely, and then wait out their would-be victor, since quitting is counted on the ranking boards as a loss. The game has since been patched to include a 90-second pause timeout, at which point the pausing player is automatically dumped from the game and takes the loss on HIS record.
Overall: Not without its flaws, but the overall concepts and workflow are marvelous, and the game play is fast and lag-free. I'm very happy with the service, and will gladly pay $50 a year for it when it comes time to pay up again. I'm a little wary of for-pay downloadable content, and the online features need to be standardized across games. There's a lot of A-list titles in the lineup, but none that break away from the pack and appear as a killer app. Halo 2 will probably sell a lot of kits, but as it stands it'll probably only appeal to the hardcore, and current X-Box owners.
Even Jesus hates listening to Creed.
With the current and probably future offerings of consoles being extremely similar (ok, bumpmapping is fun but I don't count minor rendering technologies as a difference in terms of gameplay) the potential to create games that work identical on all platforms increases and for an independant developer/publisher a massive multiplayer game for all consoles where each platform communicates with the other platforms in the same game session may seem like a good idea but xbox live seem to prohibit that kind of gameplay.
Say for example anarchy online was ported to consoles (the only console independant mmg I could think of at the moment) wouldn't you expect to be able to meet your friends in the game regardless of their hardware? I mean, a console isn't much more than a PC graphics card with tv-out anyway and the make of the graphics card doesn't lock you out of online games....
I've been following the XBox for some time now. Microsoft is trying to gain a monopolly just as they did with Windows. How exacilly are they doing it this time though? Can't we sniff out Microsoft's tricks?
I, as well as many others, belive that the XBox has yet to turn a profit for Microsoft. Yes, it is an incredibly well done package, but Microsoft is using it's wealth to sell it, and promote it, and give developers incentive to develop exclusive XBox games, all at a loss. Why are they doing this? Simple, if they would charge what they want for the XBox (I'm assuming somewhere arround 600 - 700$ USD) no one would buy it. Instead, they're goal is to saturate the market as quickly as possible and try to eliminate the compition, because once the compititon is gone, they can charge what ever they want.
Now Microsoft is taking the next step, offering online gaming service, either at cost, or at a loss. Why? To get people to get into the habit of using it... to make gamers "need" it. Microsoft's goal is to make people say "How could I live without it!" because when people think that way-- and they will, Microsoft, once again, will charge what ever they want, and people will pay it.
We're still paying hundreds of dollars for operating systems on our computers, it won't change-- because Microsoft knows that people today value convience over freedom. That is the sad state of our society. To have the U.S. Government force Microsoft to behave? Not going to happen. Microsoft has washington bought, and with the Republicans in power, washington is more interested in give power to big business than to the people...
"By the people, for the people" is just lauged at as a idealistic dream.
Now, we have these "gameing consols" which are really PC's made by Mircrosoft entering peoples homes... So Microsoft not only controls your software, but your hardware aswell... Can it be long before we start seeing keyboard's for the XBox? and MSN Hotmail intergration? The Network PC for the Home.
By simply using the XBox you give up all your rights to Microsofts will. What we have is a company who has almost as many lawyers as programers, with the prime directive of finding out how to force you to become dependent on Microsoft products.
By supporting them, and giving in to temptation, you sacrifice everything that the founding fathers of america worked for-- what people have died for-- and you throw it away because it has attractive packaging.
Sorry for getting into this so much, I just sickens me that people support this company without thinking twice about it.
read this from the xbox.com site:
Can I use ISDN or narrowband?
No. Xbox Live was designed to be used with a high-speed Internet connection, which is why every Xbox that ships has a built-in Ethernet port. If you want to have a bad narrowband experience, go buy a PS2.
Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away
it seems to me they need to create more reasons why a gamertag w/ good stats is important in a similar respect to evercrack et al. if you can create games that hook people so much that they wouldn't dare lose their gamertag then it will become a viable business and worthy of a monthly fee. as it stands with the titles out right now, i really wouldn't care less if i had a new gamertag or not...
Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away
The processor isn't what makes your PC into an XBox, it's the graphics chip. Even if it is a processor, with the $200 bucks you spend on upgrading, you already would have bought an XBox with DVD kit and 2 free games. With the $300 graphics card you would need, you'd have even more. I have a PC with a decent graphics card for PC games, I also have a PS2, Gamecube, and XBox for console games. Basically, I play specific games on each one that isn't available on the others. I also prefer to play games on my large TV and awesome home theater setup over sitting in my computer chair, but I guess that's just me. Apples and oranges.
Star Wars Galaxy was announced for Xbox at this past E3. Official info here
Umm sorry wrong answer Star Wars Galaxies aka Star Wars online is actually 2 products Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided is being created by Sony, while Star Wars Galaxies is a MMORPG created by LucasArts for the PC and XBox.
granted there aren't many, but there is phantasy star online for gamecube. nintendo doesn't seem to feel online gaming will be as big and important to their business as sony and microsoft think it will be, so their efforts are a little less dramatic. there are however more games planned and we should hopefully some new and interesting titles soon.
Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away
First off, a Geforce 4 card is about $99 these days or you can pick up an MX version for $40. Both are more powerful than GeForce 3 in the XBox. Also, as for playing on my TV, I'd rather play a game on my 21" monitor in 1280x1024 resolution than fucking around with shitty TV resolution on my 32" TV. Besides, the big problem is controllers. My PC has a 102 button "controller". I can map any "buttons" to whatever I need whereas you just have a half-dozen that sucks.
Should I laugh? Ok...
i'd bet someone called some thin clients they sold "x-boxes". i bet this is a lawsuit waiting to happen!!! /me starts rubbing his hands while he says "excellent."
Sega has stated that a keyboard adaptor will ship with Phantasy Star Online for the XBox.
MotoGP. Definately not a US centric game. Added bonus: it is actually fun and works well online. What a concept!
Did you make that up, or by some miniscule chance are you able to back that up with some source and give us just the tiniest hint that you might not be talking out of your arse?
But the games are boring and playing games against strangers and having to hear them talk is not only weird it's annoying. People are stupid.
Only thing this would be good for is FPS games, and those totally suck without a mouse to aim with so I wouldn't say it's worth $50.
How come you only ever post stories about
Xbox and Microsoft and Windows.
What we really want to hear about is Mac
and Linux stuff, and there hasn't been one
of those in weeks. I'll bet you get money
from Microsoft to just post Xbox articles
all the time.
You speak of the one that will bring balance
to the slashdot. You believe it is this boy?
-milo
However, this ignorance of online culture is not the main reasion Live is going to fail. Live will fail because Microsoft have also chosen to ignore console culture. Ask any twelve year old what multiplay gaming on a console means to them and they will say having your mates around for a quick bash of tekken 4. People are not going to spend god awful amounts of money to get owned by poeple they have never met. People who play consoles are not the type of people who will go online to play video games, PERIOD (sega proved this with the dreamcast). At best you are looking at someone porting evercrack for the masses and Sony are already well ahead in that game. The fundamental mistake Microsoft have always made with the XBOX has been considering it to be just another computer. Someone need to tell them that they are as different as a skateboard is from a Automobile. Console people != PC People. PC culture (which they have chosen to ignore anyway) != Console Culture.
The final nail in the coffin of Live is the prior need of a broadband connection pretty much insuring you are marketing to people who have a computer already, why wont they simply play counterstrike.
XBOX LIVE is just a half arsed gimmick that aint going to safe the XBOX. What MS need to do is provide some innovation in games, not attempt to throw money at it or go around telling everyone that it represents a new paradigm shift for console services, but I guess, considering it cames from Microsoft, it was doomed from day one then. IMHO.
btw is it just me but aren't there too many XBOX stories on slashdot, I mean this horse looks to be pretty dead to me.
Pianist : Some jerk whos taught themselves how to type in rhythm
all Xbox online games are required to have microphone support, and I think that may be a trumping feature over the other consoles in the coming months. PS2's first online game "SOCOM: Navy Seals" has mic support and it add a very exciting element to the play, actually discussing strategy, tipping off your teammates, and just having someone to talk to while you're dead and waiting to re-spawn. I wouldn't be surprised mics also became a requirement of all PS2 online games.
The main problem is not the cost, it's the lack of ANY carrier that has an unlimited use plan.
I pay AU$69.95 a month for 3gb of 256/64 ADSL.
There are better deals coming out now, but this is still a good indication of the pricing here.
For those who want to play Halo online.
Playing against an AI is masturbation.
I work for the xbox Live! support team, if someone has a problem connecting to the service, they call me. So far I have not recieved a call from a customer wanting to cancel their account for the service sucking.
Looks to be doing good from the inside so far.
"When I look back, my life is not a foreign country, it's more like a library book returned long ago." - ????
you are a homo. linux linux linux...
The real killer app is called "Ever Crack", I mean "Ever Quest", too bad it's owned by Sony :)
Seriously, if EverQuest could be ported to XBOX or PS2, people would flock in droves since the game might actually have a chance of being stable, fast, and hacker resistant.
This would be the killer app... It might even revive the tech economy.
Xbox live has events for updates as well. I know you will be able to download new maps, skins, levels, mods and addons for MA and UC.. i would imagine it works with any game live compatible.
xboxlive is dope!
Mechassault kicks all kinds of @$$.
All the points sum up like this...
Games...
Having only played Mechassault... It kicks ass, nuff said and no freakin' lag to speak of. Oh, and the voice system makes it so much more fun. IT's wild to hear some one apologize for taking a cheap kill and then realizing they are supposed to play that way.
Broadband...
No lags and the voice is just amazing
One surprise though. I didn't expect to have to enter my credit card. I expected to just buy my LIVE kit and have a years worth of credit assigned to my gamer tag. I really liked the idea of buying the box and not needing a card to play. I didn't try getting on with out a credit card. Any one else try that? Other than that surprise, the system is awesome.
Darth Bender has spoken... that is all.
is some kind of wi-fi support. I had to run 2 25 foot stretches of cat-5 from my office to the den and my wife is NOT HAPPY about it.
Some kind of wireless ethernet/access point would be great. Of course, I could go buy two access points for about 90 bucks each... Is staples still open at this time of night? Must play one more round of Mechassault!!!!!
Ignore Wife, Play more... get another house to live in with cat 5 run to every room... XBOX Live ate my brain!!!
When you create your account, you have to provide email address, physical address and a credit card. You also agree to have them automatically charge your card at the current rate on your year aniversary. There were pages of what you agree to. Since most people don't read them on computers, they are less likely to read them on a TV.
I had trouble entering my code, because it doesn't tell you that you need to scratch off the silver stuff (like a lotto ticket). I called the help number and they answered in a few minutes which surprised me as this was on the launch day 11/15.
I didn't like all the information it collected. This is a very controlled environment.
Once I got connected, I had a lot of trouble getting into a game (MotoGP). You would pick a game, then it would say no longer available. Once going the gaming experience was pretty good.
I play w/ a PC Delta Force online squad. We already have voice comms using Roger Wilco or Teamspeak. It works great and its free. Playing Delta Force online is also free. So, I don't think I'll be keeping my xbox online account. They are setup to charge you for extra tracks, extra maps etc. The game vendor will get some and Microsoft will get a cut as well. It will end up costing people a lot more than 50 bucks a year. Eventually they will probably deliver full new games on it, cutting retail stores out of the supply chain.
A lot of people seem to be complaining that Halo isn't supported on XBox Live. I suspect this is because Halo requires 256 Kbps of bandwidth per player -- its not very stingy at all with bandwidth, and while its okay on a LAN, out on the internet the rules change. You CAN play Halo online using tunnelling software from Game Spy Arcade, and its really fun. And its free. But from my experience, once I get more than four players in a game, it begins to lag a bit too much for comfort. Then again, I'm on a not-so-good 10 Mbps LAN, not 100.
I was in the beta and I can say that I have thoroughly enjoyed playing online. There were a couple of times that I had problems and their tech support was actually helpful.
Speaking of the gaming experience, I'm totally excited about it because one of the best things about games is talking trash and SHARING your experience. Unfortunately, my wife isn't a gamer at all (though I've gotten her into ToeJam and Earl III. That's our game.). But now, Xbox Live puts another person at the other end. They are holding a controller just like I am, make mistakes just like I do, and take crazy chances like me. They are not programmed, which is by far the best part.
The voice quality of the connection is actually quite good and the use of broadband is a much welcomed plus to keep out the high pingers. The voice masking option is a little annoying, however. During the beta, the use of it tapered off quite quickly after people got over the initial curiosity with it. I predict the same will happen with the full thing.
Overall, I give it an A! Great experience.
-ElectricMayhem
(GamerTag: DrTeeth)
Perhaps not, but that's what happens when someone believes the hype and is disappointed with what's delivered.
A good many gamers -- particularly those of use who were burned by less-than-stellar initial releases of other online gaming products -- are now a more informed audience.
In other words, I already know I'm not interested in X-Box Live and its meager offerings. This, especially given the sheer level of incompetency and carelessness shown by Microsoft's Gaming Zone and their support (or utter lack thereof) for MS-sponsored online gaming.
Or to put it still another way: We know better. And there's no service to call up and irately cancel if we don't bother to buy the products in the first place.
actually if you read a little deeper into this you will see that tournament actually spawned from championship.
The selection of games is pretty lame on the Xbox side of it. I mean, even Madden isn't online for XBox. EA knows that the XBox isn't gonna make it so they didn't even bother to make Madden online for it. Good choice on their part. And with the PS2 Online service it's totally free. No stupid annual fee's. And of course you have incredible games like Socom and Madden too!
PS2 owns Xbox. They always will and every knows it. Even if MS releases the coveted XBox2...wonder what sort of support their gonna get with that POS after XBox's failure. ha
Jakobud
So take away all that and there is absolutely nothing stopping someone from creating a completely open source console. So why hasn't it happened successfully yet? It probably never will happen, sorry guys, and if it did...not many people would buy it. Give credit where credit is due to these big stupid companies. They create and market and sell something that is easy to use, reliable and most importantly, is in demand by consumers.
If there was a big enough demand for a truly open console game machine and there was a way to make money by doing so, Don't you think someone would be doing it by now? I'm sorry, were you under the impression that nobody had ever had that idea before, only you? Trust me, it has been considered, researched and passed over by many people who are much more knowledgeable then you or I.
So how do these consoles make money and protect their investment? By doing all the things you complain about.
I bought UT2k3 for PC the second it came out, great game. I was an Xbox Live Beta Tester for months and bought Unreal Championship the second it came out. It does take some getting used to not using the mouse/keyboard combo, I'm still learning. I do find it more comfortable fatigue wise to use the control pad. I also find it more comfortable sitting 15ft away from a 60" HDTV rather then 12" away from a 22" monitor. I have noticed some Lag on Xbox live when people are hosting a non dedicated server with only 128k upstream. Unreal Championship will give you a warning if you attempt to allow more players then your bandwidth can accommodate, but it is just a warning and some people will ignore it. The lag is rare though, and less so then playing on PC. I find the graphics to be more pleasing on the Xbox, looks smoother with less noticeable artifacting. One thing I hope they upgrade is the Server settings. In the PC version you have many options if you host a game or dedicated server. Many of these options are not in the Xbox version. This may be good and keep things simple, but for hardcore gamers it is sad to see it not there. I hope they make an easy to download patch for Unreal Championship to fix this (thank god the xbox has included free hard drive so they can easily allow content downloads and patches). All things considered, I don't think I will be playing UT2k3 much any more now that Xbox Live and Unreal are here.
Can you imagine all the uni students sitting in their dorms at night with their l33t Xboxes, munching 256k each?
At Rose-Hulman, every residence hall's network ports are switched. Thus, if you have few matches between one dorm and the other, and you don't go on Xbox Live (which is prohibited according to a strict reading of the ToS), that's not much of a problem.
Will I retire or break 10K?
Its people like you who pay 22.95 a month for AOL , when for about 8$ more you could find a low-speed DSL that blows AOL away .
No, it's people like me who go on $10/mo NetZero in a town where the cheapest Verizon DSL is $40/mo for the first year.
Will I retire or break 10K?
Are you going to be able to compete at an action/graphics oriented online game
Not all games are first-person shooters or fighting games. Command & Conquer clones such as Starcraft typically don't depend on data rate and latency nearly as much as first-person shooters or fighting games.
Will I retire or break 10K?
Meantime, in the slums below Ronnie's Ranch, Cynthia feels as if some one
has made voodoo boxen of her and her favorite backplanes. On this fine
moonlit night, some horrible persona has been jabbing away at, dragging
magnets over, and surging these voodoo boxen. Fortunately, they seem to
have gotten a bit bored and fallen asleep, for it looks like Cynthia may
get to go home. However, she has made note to quickly put together a totem
of sweaty, sordid static straps, random bits of wire, flecks of once meaniful
oxide, bus grant cards, gummy worms, and some bits of old pdp backplane to
hang above the machine room. This totem must be blessed by the old and wise
venerable god of unibus at once, before the idolatization of vme, q and pc
bus drive him to bitter revenge. Alas, if this fails, and the voodoo boxen
aren't destroyed, there may be more than worms in the apple. Next, the
arrival of voodoo optico transmitigational magneto killer paramecium, capable
of teleporting from cable to cable, screen to screen, ear to ear and hoof
to mouth...
- this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...