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Xbox 360 Details and NYC Store
Gamasutra is reporting on some new Xbox 360 details, released today by Microsoft at the Game Developer's Conference Europe (GDCE). From the article:"Quick voice chat with Xbox Live friends will be available at any time on Xbox 360, even if the player is currently using another game. The game will simply pause and the voice conversation will be carried out - the game automatically mutes any other in-game voice." Additionally, the Seattle Times has piece up indicating that Microsoft is planning on battling Nintendo in the streets of New York City, with a possible Times Square store of their own. From that piece: "A retail store would dovetail with Microsoft's recent efforts to raise its profile in New York, an area that generates more than $1 billion a year in business-software sales for the company. New York is also home to the media giants Microsoft is courting with its software for distributing and protecting music, movies, games and television."
Um, you press the pause button. Just because you pause doesn't mean everyone else has to. You can pause in Halo 2 (while still getting killed) and change your settings, check your friends list, send messages, etc. without a problem. The ideal situation is to simply find a halfway safe corner, and be really quick about it.
Same thing happens in most other games as well, like Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, and even in racing games. For example in ToCA Race Driver, pausing the games relinquishes control of your car to the AI, who continues to drive the track for you, albeit at a greatly reduced speed. Some people would actually use this method as a trick to get through sticky turns where you'd be going at slow speed anyway.