Talk:Xbox Live
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[edit] EA servers shut down
In the history section, the current "Force users to upgrade" line seems too POV to me. There are other valid reasons like the cost of running servers and keeping the community from being divided between games. As time goes on, more companies are going to take their servers down. Perhaps this should be included in a controvery or criticisms section. Radjago 02:51, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Last link doesn't work
The link on the way bottom (trueskill) doesn't load Ninedogger 20:02, 12 February 2006 (UTC)
Link removed. Thanks. Kyle 15:45, 28 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Xbox 360 Upgrades
Somebody with an Xbox 360 and Xbox Live needs to confirm the Xbox 360 Xbox Live features, as the article lists them as only speculation. Schubatis1 02:34, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
- Done, and I fixed it. Joe McCullough | (talk) 22:00, 10 January 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Diamond Card
I just added a small section on the Xbox Live Diamond Card.[1] I wasn't sure whether this should go here or on the Xbox 360 article, but I figured that since you don't get one "with" your Xbox 360, it should go here.--Arcaynn 20:12, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
You do not need an Xbox 360 however...I have a regualr Xbox, and got one simply from the web page here. --Kyle 15:21, 13 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Updates needed
This page refers to the Xbox 360 in future-tense, and generally, this content needs a refresher, and needs to be better organized to reflect both Xbox and Xbox 360 iterations of Xbox Live. -anon
I have an xbox 360, i will verify the features.... --Xexos 03:19, 10 January 2006 (UTC)Xexos
[edit] Original Xbox games Live on 360?
Just wondering, because it doesn't mention in the article (as far as I could tell while I scanned) if you can play Xbox games Live on an Xbox 360? Nova Prime 09:22, 26 February 2006 (UTC)
That would depend on whether the game was designated as backwards compatible by Microsoft. Check their Xbox Website for more details.
PS: Can someone put the actual link to the list here? I don't have access to that website at this time due to filter restrictions. Kyle 15:43, 28 March 2006 (UTC)
This list? - Nova Prime 01:46, 31 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] New Friend Feature?
Microsoft just recently announced that you can now add and delete friends not only on Xbox Live, but also online at the Xbox website. - BrainedMyDamage
[edit] Gamer Score
Yea, I think this section should be merged!
- I don't know why editors are so f*king hype!
- >x<ino 03:28, 3 April 2006 (UTC)
Agreed, throw in Gamer Card too, for good measure. ˉˉanetode╞┬╡ 21:04, 4 April 2006 (UTC)
Added some additional info about Achievements. JAF1970 03:28, 13 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] De-Centralization for the most part
Lots of different games are normally hosted _NOT_ on Microsoft's servers. For example, I host many different types of games on my two original Xboxes via cable modem (Unreal Championship,Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon: Island Thunder, Rainbow-Six-3, Rainbow-Six-3: Black Arrow, Return to Castle Wolfenstien, etc. ) Initially, in 2002-2003, MS was actually running XSERVER100 through XSERVER300 (each were Xbox Live gamer tags logged in from a dedicated Xbox machine that had a large bandwidth pipe) for running the Xbox Live release title Unreal Championship and MS may have also done similarly for Mech Assault because the Live Service was so new, user familiarity with a dedicated server setup was poor, some user connections were created behind a firewall with which it was impossible for other users to connect / join a game session (no public IP address), and user's 16-player dedicated server Xbox often required larger upload bandwidth (e.g., dedicated T1) than any one particular user had at their disposal so as to reduce network lag. Ubisoft had a number of UBISERVER01 to UBISERVER15 (each Xbox Live gamer tags logged on via dedicated Xbox machine that had a large bandwidth pipe) or so game servers running when they released Rainbow-Six-3. Some fake UBISERVERS later showed up that were run by ordinary gamers who managed to create Xbox Live accounts with names nearly exactly the same as Ubisoft's servers gamer tags. Although a costly and labor intensive practice, having gaming companies own Xboxes and Xbox Live gamer tags and running servers probably persists to this day. The practice is labor intensive because the server health and online operational status has to be monitored and corrected from time to time due to software crashes, Xbox Live service shortages, intermittent dirty game disk read failures during level changes, connection troubles, etc.
A newer game, Halo 2--These games are hosted during match making in real time by Bungie network testing algorithms within the Halo 2 game to mutually assign "game host" status to one of the game player's Xbox who is searching for a match-made game whose mutual connection with the rest of the gamers is "best" (i.e., it should have the best connection bandwidth to all other players' Xboxes). The game map selection for Halo 2 is done via the game manufacturer, Bungie (a MS company) because the mixture of standard game maps has changed from time to time. It is because (a) a user's Xbox is selected to host Halo 2 games and (b) Halo 2 consumes a higher than average XBL gaming bandwidth that the all players are guaranteed to have network lag during game play if no one player in the match making has an adequate bandwidth to support / host the required number of players.
In many respects, a hosted game or room is a VPN hosted by the hosting Xbox machine so that once your Xbox finds and joins the game / VPN then the game runs via peer-to-peer networking. Xbox-Connect, and Game Spy offer similar connectivity as the Xbox Live service by using VPN tunnels to a game hosted by someone hosting a "System-Link"-hosted game like the original Halo that was not Xbox Live enabled, but network aware.
Lots of the "game finding services" are provided by either MS or the game manufacturers on / for the Xbox Live Service. For example, Ghost Recon at one point had huge difficulties in finding games, but this was reduced somewhat by a game patch by UbiSoft after a few months of receiving complaints in this regard.
The leaderboard servers for statistics I believe are run by the individual game manufacturers. Often game skill level and first person shooter 'kill' accuracy are computed using game statistics on a per-game-map / level basis, and applied to the current game being played versus your opponent's statistics. Some game cheaters are able to copy game statistics from other better players via web downloads for computer, USB memory cards, and file transfers, however the gamer tag / player's weekly, and monthly stats remain unchanged, and can be checked for consistency vis-a-vis cheating / stats copying. For Unreal Championship, the leader board servers even tracked statistics on dedicated server operation such as on-line hours:minutes. Some statistics servers such as Ubisoft's for Rainbow-Six-3 have a gamer's stats reset when a gamer has not played the game for 4 months.
EA Games Battlefield2 Modern Combat requires that you not only be logged into Xbox Live, but also into their own "EA Games servers." Often on the Rogers-Yahoo High Speed Internet service, I lose connection with the EA Games connection servers, and must log completely out of Xbox Live just to reconnect with the EA Games connection servers. The discussion boards for EA Games indicate that this problem exists for other Internet providers also. EA Games also insists that you approve that MS share your credit card information with EA Games--but the reason for this is not given... --Oldspammer 08:10, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Availability?
- Anyone have a list of countries that support Xbox Live or have estimate of how many countries we have Live players in?
Added both existing country availability, as well as 2006-scheduled newcomers. --Morgon 05:17, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] A whole lotta history...
that seems to be missing. Reading the "History" section give the impression that Xbox Live dormant till 2004. However, perhaps some knowledgeable members can add and elaborate on the following:
- Xbox Live initially started as a limited BETA a few months before it released to the public. People who were lucky enough to chosen received a xbox live starter kit with the game "mechassault". Xbox Live was made available to the public about November 15, 2002
- From the time it was launched, Xbox live for the Xbox has gone through one major update, adding its current stylish dashboard, a voice chat lobby, and moving network settings to the general console settings. I have heard rumors that it also added some firmware updates to counter modding.
Maybe there is more but I have long left xbox live. --Kenn Caesius 16:46, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] How one sets up Live?
Shouldn't the article explain how one sets up live? No a step by step, but a general overveiw. Sorry I'm not logged in I'm waiting for Wikipedia to send me my new password. -Rocor.
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- No, because that's what the inctructions that come with the Xbox Live Starter Kit are for. TJ Spyke 05:06, 27 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Centralization
I'm researching getting a 360 and was reading up on Xbox Live here, when I noticed this line: "Players pay monthly fees for massively multiplayer online games (regardless of the platform), which, on Xbox Live, translates to paying in addition to the yearly fee, such as Phantasy Star Online's US$9 a month." Which, seems to contradict what Microsoft says on the issue here: [2], "Even if you're not a full-fledged Xbox Live Gold member, you'll be able to participate in the growing phenomenon that is massively multiplayer games." While you pay twice if you get a Gold account, it's not madatory and those with Silver accounts can still access MMO's by just paying the particular MMO's monthly fee. This needs to be fixed, but I am not familiar enough with the subject to make an accurate adjustment. Danny 04:03, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] downloads for money
This article doesn't really clearly say that the stuff you download (anything from more clothes for your horse to whole maps that you cannot play against your friends unless you pay for them) costs a lot of points, which in turn costs real world money. It also doesn't bring to attention the criticism of this system, accusations of games being "neutered” for the sake of selling the bits that were cut out later, the cost of “completing” your game with multiple costly downloads after you have already paid a premium price for a collectors edition, the fact that these downloads cannot be transferred or lent to friends when you lend the game out/sell the game.
And on a personal note I think that as long as people are dumb enough to pay for these things, the game companies will keep holding maps and characters back and then selling them to use after the release. Which in turn will just feed the cycle, every game and his uncle will want to make money even after it’s release.
But seriously, any mention of points you spend makes it sound like free magical fun money that Microsoft give out for free that you can spend for fun, but it’s real money you are exchanging for these fun points to “complete” your “ultimate collectors edition”. JayKeaton 17:22, 30 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Could someone confirm this for MMOs?
I read a section of this article, and it said that FF XI no longer requires a subscritpion. Can anyone confirm this? Because last time I heard, which was months ago, there was still a monthly fee. -- (unsigned)
- I believe the statement here is that a subscription to Xbox Live (the yearly fee collected by Microsoft) is no longer required in order to play Final Fantasy XI. This has nothing to do with the monthly fee which the developer hosting the game charges. The game continues to require a monthly fee. --Slordak 13:39, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Xbox Live Availability in Hungary
Alright, who keeps putting Hungary down as "is set to be Live enabled in 2007"?
MyGamercard.net has Hungary on their leaderboards, and there are already 55 users (those that use their Gamercards) there. They also get all their info about countries and upcoming games straight from MS as they are an official Microsoft Community Developer - so stop changing it back to incorrect information!
--- TheChrisD, Halo2Leagues.com Head Organiser 13:16, 14 December 2006 (UTC)
