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Xbox Live Revealed
by jason bergman, May 20, 2002 12:22pm PDTThe next round of E3 announcements is fully underway, as The New York Times is running an article today (free subscription required) about Xbox Live, Microsoft's subscription-only broadband gaming network. As expected, the entire service will be controlled by Microsoft, and despite the included network adapter, you will still have to pay $50 to use it (making the whole thing kinda silly - Sony's charging $40 for their network adapter). Here's an excerpt from the article, which lays out how Microsoft's strategy differs from Sony's:
On Monday, the company plans to announce that it will begin consumer tests of Xbox Live this summer with a one-year subscription and a headset, for $49, that will enable Xbox owners with high-speed Internet connections to compete and converse with one another online. Despite speculation that the company might use its online network connection to link Xbox users to Microsoft's other services, Mr. Allard insists that Xbox Live will stay focused on gaming. Robert J. Bach, a Microsoft senior vice president in charge of its games division said the company was planning a service that he compared to Disneyland for its safe, wholesome environment -- in contrast to the "Coney Island" he said that the open Internet can sometimes become. "Compare Coney Island to Disneyland," he said. "When you're at Disneyland, there's no trash, no violence and you never see security. That's what we have in mind."
Comments
This = myth. No matter HOW many frigging games are announced or released, naysayers will STILL be saying this. Why? Because the announced games aren't their precious Final Fantasy XXXXXXXXIIIVVVVV, Tekken, Ridge Racer, Mario, Zelda. There are over 70 games out NOW for the Xbox. 70. Even if HALF are shit (which I don't think is the case), that leaves 35 games. 35. That's a hell of a collection. 70 games in seven months is HARDLY bad. Gamecube has far less. PS2 has less than double, and has been out LONGER than double.
People, take a fucking chance, play some new games from new developers. Play some original stuff. Just because it's not a known brand doesn't mean it sucks. Duality, Project Ego, Hunter, MotoGP, Halo Online, Ninja Gaiden, all seem very cool. There's more to gaming than countless iterations of the same series that everyone "knows".
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whoa... d00ds! Can you say Halo Online!?!
http://xbox.ign.com/articles/360/360059p1.html
Microsoft's Press Conference highlights, looks like some good stuff coming up.
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$50 gets you a headset plus a year subscription to the service.
After a year, it is $9.95 a month.
Seeing how $50 without a headset is still < 1/2 the $9.95 cost, this is a no brainer. I'm sure those who are bitching about the $50 can skip it, and start paying $9.95 from the get go.
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"Psychonauts" (Microsoft Game Studios), is a wildly surreal action adventure game from Double Fine Productions developer Tim Schaffer. It's a game in which characters' personal paranormal powers are unlocked to plunge players into the minds of bizarre characters. Gamers journey deep into crazy worlds of infinite possibility to thwart the secret plan of an evil madman and realize the ultimate dream of joining an elite force of psychic superheroes, the Psychonauts. The game will be available spring 2003."
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It's a good time to buy a console in Australia or play single player games, multiplayer = down the toilet.
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Please read the reply entirely before commenting. Thanks in advance.
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oh btw, you thought you were getting Halo on your PC anytime soon? HAHAHAH
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Oh, wait, the Xbox has "no games"...;)
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Internet play has been my #1 key as to why I have not purchased a console since Nintedo 64. I've been stuck on the PC, albeit happy, I prefer the ease of a console when it comes to gaming. Bring me Net play.
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Too bad the Xbox doesn't have any good games...
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Microsoft: Here's a car. It's fully loaded. DVD/Nav system, couple of Subs, NOS, A/C, Roadside Assistance, leather, racing stripes, type R shit… but you can ONLY drive it to Disneyland, and the gas will run you about 4 bucks a month. Once you're at Disneyland, assuming it's open and operational, everything is free (including communication with buddies, and cotton candy!) If you want to take this car elsewhere, you'll have to use that dirt road a mile back. (There’s a rusty “system link/tunneler” sign dangling from a post, you’ll know it when you get there)
SONY: Here's a car. It's forty bucks. We don't know how it runs, or if it runs... but it's a fucking car nonetheless. Here’s a map, it’s got a bunch of lines on it, we have yet to label them (or connect them) – don’t worry though, someone will along the way. You don’t have to pay for gas, but you might hit a ten-dollar tollbooth every 100 miles or so. HOWEVER, just remember: you can always go off-roading if you need to.
In the end: Your Mileage May Vary!
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I don't believe this makes it impossible for a company to offer a game with an alternative online plan a-la PS2.
I mean, if I make an X Box game that connects to my Game servers and doesn't go through Microsoft's network, it seems like I could charge whatever I wanted for it.
Granted, this may make my game fail cert, I'm not totally clear on that, but it seems like you could build a server browser into your game and full connectivity, without too much trouble.
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Jesus. Looks like some of you do need to get to work or something. We're talking $50 here. That's a friday night out (barely) for wich you can play a whole year.
I think some people need to get their heads out of their asses and realize nothing is for free. Not even gamingservices. All you guys sing along:
J.O.B.
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http://www.shacknews.com/funk.y?id=3693152
http://www.shacknews.com/funk.y?id=3688279
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i got a ps2 cause i randomly decided to get it over the xbox.
wicked, it'll have online play.
hey, xbox also has online play.
in the end, they will prolly both end up costing the same and there will be pros and cons for each, and none will be any noticebly better than the other.
im glad i got a ps2, but i would have been equally happy with an xbox.
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Unreal Championship could be this killer-app but not for me. The fact that UT 2 will come out well before this and sport the same graphics engine for FREE spoils this chance.
So, I say to Microsoft: I'm waiting. I'd love to pay $50 for all of the bandwidth/headset perks, but it's all about the games, and I have yet to see any real "must-have" for xbox live.
I'll pay for the games I WANT to play, thanks.
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I dont get why this is stupid? They prmise a steady download/upload and shit for that price. Thats less than 10 bucks a month. I can get my own/side brand headset ;)
This sounds good. Atleast MS is dumping 1 billion dollras into this. Shows they are serious. Id rather have a nice steady online world. Than a vague one. I dont know maybe it just sounds too good to me :\
I'll wait and see. But I think so far their structure is pretty strong
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Also how would this work for cable providers, for my cable the modem is linked to the mac address my comps NIC. Do they expect every to run ICS or some NAT (which is against most cable providers TOS) to get this running. And in my experience most MS games have been pretty unfriendly to NAT configurations.
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No Violence?
http://www.dogbutt.com/disney.cfm
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