Will the Xbox connect through modem? (1 Viewer)

[BenS]

I don't know if this has been asked or not. I can only connect to the internet through a 56k phone line but all the specs. I read about the Xbox say it will be:
Broadband Enabled: Yes,
Modem Enabled: No,
So does that mean I can not and will not be able to play games online like I can now with my Dreamcast? If this is true why would Microsoft limit the Xbox to only broadband.
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Ben

 

[Kelley_B]

There was talk originally of having a modem adapter for the unit.

 

[Dean Cooper]

There is a couple reasons behind the decision.
a) Makes all of the hardware the same so developers can develop for broadband and use more bandwidth for things like voice and not have to worry about making a feature only a portion of the players for that game can use. (notice I said for that game and not for that console)
b) The worst thing about playing an online game is LAG. Once you cut all of the modem users you cut majority of the people that were either causing lag or complaining about it. Its harsh to say but majority of the people that have broad band don't want the modem players in there because brings down the experience of the game. There is nothing more frustrating then trying to target a quantum leaping player suffering from bad lag.
Dean

 

[BenS]

Yeah but than can you tell me why any of the 2k series from Visual Concept doesn't have a serious lag issue? How can the dreamcast support modem log on and the Xbox can't because of lag issues? If the same games will be ported to the Xbox what's the problem? I understand the broadband connection for unreal, half life and those multiplayer games but for the sports games it's really a non-issue.
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Ben

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Including broadband cut out a lot of the market since a lot of people don't have broadband. The PS2 modem is not included, but you can still use it as a broadband or dial-up.

 

[Leroy]

I always find it puzzling that any future console would cut out a potentially huge number of online players simply because they are still on a modem. I live just a few minutes outside the 4th largest city in the nation and still cannot get cable or DSL. The only other option is DirecPC or Sprint Broadband, both satelite based and NOT made for gaming(to many packet transfer issues).
Anyway, as long as they include 4 player splitscreen along with online play(when it makes sense) i'll be happy.
BTW, I challenge anyone, broadband or modem to keep up with me while playing UT online with my meager 32.2 connect speed!!!

 

[Dean Cooper]

I don't think the stat to the amount of people that have broadband is important because its including a lot of people that will never want broadband. Look at the people that are actively playing online games and the broadband percentage will sky rocket. PC gamers make up majority of the broadband userbase and a lot of them are very interested in the Xbox. Its like saying not many people think that DVD is better wide screen even though majority of the people that actually own a DVD player do.
There will always be games that require very little information being sent but for every one of these games there is a opposite hog that brings modem users to their knees. There really is no right answer to this dilemma but I think MS did the right thing for them. Add-ons don't sell well so I would rather have the modem guys cut out and have developers confident about the userbase consistency then have the add-on modem available and not have any developers program for it. Though I understand why someone that can't get broadband yet would be upset about it.
Dean
[Edited last by Dean Cooper on September 28, 2001 at 03:48 PM]
[Edited last by Dean Cooper on September 28, 2001 at 03:50 PM]

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think that including a modem is good, but they should have made it a low and high speed combo.
If MS was targeting PC gamers, then they would have made a PC. They are targeting everyone, so they would want everyone to play games online.
Phantasy Star Online for GameCube does 4 player split screen AND online at the same time.

 

[Carl Johnson]

Yeah but than can you tell me why any of the 2k series from Visual Concept doesn't have a serious lag issue? How can the dreamcast support modem log on and the Xbox can't because of lag issues?

That isn't true, I've been forced to end plenty of Dreamcast games because of bad modem connections.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

BTW, I challenge anyone, broadband or modem to keep up with me while playing UT online with my meager 32.2 connect speed!!!

I'll take you up on that! It's been a few months since I've played reguarly, but I have played with several clans in UT.
I played Assault most of the time. I played for a clan called UfM (Ultimate Fighting Machines). We only lost a couple matches when we first formed to a couple of European teams (BTW, we were playing on Euro servers and had horrible lag...we challenged them to play on our US server, they declined). We founded the North American Assault League and retired from the league undefeated after a couple seasons. In fact, those two early losses were the only losses we ever suffered. We challenged those two teams to play us over and over. All we wanted was half the matches on our server, and half on theirs. They always declined.
I also spent many weeks at #1 on the NG Worlds Stats charts.
So, sure...anytime
-UfM-Thraxen

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I was just watching TechTV today and on Extended Play they said that Alien Front Online plays smooth with 8 players blasting eachother through 56k. I don't see how they couldn't do this with any of the sports games, so I think its either your ISP or the games being badly made that causes people to have to end online games.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

I too have experienced lag when playing DC games. Back when I was playing a lot of PSO, there were many times when I would have a couple seconds of lag. Where I would try to pick up an item off the ground...but it wouldn't actually pick up until a second or two after I hit the button. 56k just doesn't cut it most of the time.
Aaron