Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Gaming With An Opponent Who's 'Over There'?

Posted by simoniker on from the boxen-do-the-talkin' dept.

Thanks to the New York Times for their article discussing the US military's efforts to connect overseas personnel and their families via Xbox Live. This story, which expands on previous coverage of the scheme, notes: "For family members, playing video games with their relatives in the military stationed abroad brings a sense of familiarity to the interaction", and a spokesperson for Xbox Live is quoted as saying: "We're out there making sure that things are working for them... there's nothing better than having a person who can actually experience connecting to Germany or from Kuwait back with his family member or one of their best friends. It's great because they become wonderful advocates for Xbox."

6 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. XBox? by Cave+Dweller · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Umm, I don't see how playing Halo against your family can replace simply talking to them on the phone (or better, video conferencing -- which would be cheaper than mass-ordering XBoxes).

    But then again, what do I know?

    1. Re:XBox? by Dark+Nexus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Replace? I don't think it can.

      But it can add variety. I mean, talk on the phone with them one day, play a game with them the next day.

      Think about what any gamer will do with an old friend they haven't seen in awhile. They'll talk for a bit, then sit down and play *insert current game closest to what you used to play with that friend* with (or against) them (though probably continue chatting while doing it).

      It just adds another level of interaction that can be nice when you're already able to talk to them on the phone. I mean, there's only so much catching up and small talk you can do.

      --
      Dark Nexus
      "Sanity is calming, but madness is more interesting."
    2. Re:XBox? by Tralfamadorian · · Score: 2, Informative

      Then the questions come up, can both partie's computers handle the game, do you have voice communication set up, will the game run reliably on both machines even though one has the VIA chipset with the Radeon card that needs a BIOS update to run well.

      ... Unless they're both macs, in which case you'll have stable machines but less games.

  2. Cool Idea by fuzzybunny · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...they could play America's Army together.

    Seriously though, I've made some good friends through online games (hey, we're coming to xxx, want to get beers?) I noticed that I don't really feel a sense of separation from friends if I have the possibility of using a combination of email, phone, postcards, games, letters, chat, cu-seeme, whatever.

    In fact, I enjoy staying in touch with people via short emails more than big massive long letters every odd week--those sort of drive home the point that no, you can't just pop down to the pub with them after work.

    That said, something like Xbox live shouldn't replace any means of communication between families, but if they're separated anyway, hey, why not?

    --
    Cole's Law: Thinly sliced cabbage
  3. just remember kids... by ajagci · · Score: 3, Funny

    The family that frags together, stays together.

    And remember: Uncle Sam is telling you that only a genuine Microsoft Xbox will do.

  4. hah.. by Suppafly · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So you get to kill your loved in iraq using your xbox just days before finding out they were really killed in iraq