XBL 6 months later (1 Viewer)

Hey all, as many of you know I've been looking into XBL lately because I will possibly be purchasing it this weekend. I did a search on HTF and came up with this http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...=&pagenumber=1 , a thread on HTF from back when XBL was in beta than mainstream That was 6 months ago and many people who posted in that thread were happy. Now that it has been 6 months and you've been given a good chance to check out XBL do you still you like it as much as you did then? is it still worth as much of a purchase now as it was than? I ask because many people on the Microsoft boards are displeased with XBL (there was a whole thread on it over there but I lost the link). So I am wondering from my fellow HTFers what you think 6 months later and if you still are happy with XBL?

I bought XBL in January(I think). The games I played back then were Ghost Recon and NHL 2K3. I got tired of the cheaters in 2K3 so I traded it in. I couldn't find games on Ghost Recon(even with the patch) so I stopped playing. The HTF nights are fun, but the HTF nights don't fit in my schedule.

So now, I traded in NHL 2K3 and Ghost Recon is collecting dust on the shelf. Wolfenstein will probably get my attention but I have yet to even try the demo, so not sure how long I'll be playing it. After Wolfenstein, there's not much games I'm interested in. If WSB 2K3 was online, I'd be playing every night. If Galaxies was out now, I'd be playing it almost every night as well.

The only game I play online is Unreal Championship, and I'm pretty displeased with the lack of game setup options (the lack of password protected games.) It's really only useful for me since I play against my nephews who live a couple states away.

Unless some better games come out, I'll let it lapse this fall. Wolfenstein should pass the time until then, but I'm distressed by the number of "XBL-enabled" games that support only download, and no online-play. That totally sucks.

-Dave

I traded in my playstation 2 for xbox and xbox live. The games I have are Ghost Recon and MotoGp. (Soon to be Wolfesntein!)
I have no regrets... Xbox live is very fun. Just the fact that you can talk to friends without holding down a button (aside from Ghost Recon) is very convenient. I would definately buy it.

All in all, my XBL experience has been positive. I wasn't a beta-tester, but I got mine on the 15th of Nov, so I'm an old hand.
I played Unreal religiously for the first couple of months 'til I got Ghost Recon and MechAssault. Now, I hardly play UC since there's WAAAAY too many "clans" and too many people who do stuff that takes the fun out of it. I mostly play MechAssault with a pinch of G.R. every now and then.
A friend of mine also brought over Capcom vs. SNK and I got a chance to play that on-line. That game damn-near had me smash my controller. There was SO much lag, I was getting my ass handed to me by some punk that couldn't even play. I'm only glad I got to play the game before I bought it.
In all fairness though, XBL isn't even a year old yet and I think it's still going through growing pains. The thing that bothers me is how a game like MotoGP has a great lobby system and then games released AFTER it suck in that respect. This is definitely an area future games need to focus on.
Speaking of the future, I think it's looking quite bright for us XBLer's. Games like: Wolfenstein and that Star Wars one and the M.O.A.G.(Mother Of All Games)= Halo2.

I'm displeased with it now. My main gripe is the lack of dedicated servers because without them what are we paying for? A match making service with a friends list.

I also hate being at the mercy of the host. HTF games are fine, but I have run into a lot of jerks on the service. This is also something that dedicated servers would fix.

Games. Where are they? MS stated that there would be at least 50 Live games by holiday 2003. All I can say is they better get cracking if they want to hit that one. Also, I would prefer not having PC ports which can be played for free online on dedicated servers.

One thing I do like about the service is being able to download new things for the game, but this IMO is not enough to keep me on.

I can't recommend getting or not getting it as a lot of people really seem to love it. It would be best to try it at a friend's house and decide for yourself.

Let's see.

JEERS:

• Games are trickling out. I really like GR and MotoGP, but those are the only games I like to play. And I've been playing those two since last November...
• Most Live games have spotty interfaces. GR doesn't show you who is talking (and has a confusing interface in general). MA doesn't have a lobby. MotoGP did it right.
• I don't like the communicator. And my dog ate it anyway. I finally found a substitute I like (I made one).
• Still no word on pricing options after Year One.

CHEERS:

• Online console gaming designed for broadband is fun.
• Games may be trickling out, but I think it's still early in the cycle for developers who were on the fence. Lots of good stuff coming out.
• Downloadable levels (and other stuff) can extend the life of games you already have, like Splinter Cell.
• The global friends list is fantastic. Games with people I know (or sorta know here at HTF) are great.
• Real-time voice for everyone is fun and critical for games like GR.
• I don't think I can enjoy an off-line racing game any more. MotoGP is amazing.
• You get to make (or have made...) a nifty XBL gamertag logo.

OVERALL, I'm happy with it and have no regrets. This could change if MS decides to charge $12/month after Year One, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

-j

I have been on live for about 4 months. I play 90% NFL 2k3 and 10% Mechassault.

I like the service. NFL 2k3 is amazing. The online leaderboard is a sham, as just about everyone pulls the plug to get a free win. I dont mind the plug pulling that much. It usually happens when you are beating someone so bad that you would have won anyway. I dont really care that both players get a win, as long as I get the win I am happy.

Aside from plug-pullers, NFL 2k3 is great.

I am hoping that Wolfenstein turns out to be good, and has a good lobby system.

$50/year seems about right. If they went to $10 or $12 a month I would probably not continue, unless some really killer titles start coming out.

Jeff

I love Live and play it in my free time. Its only going to get better in the next month. PSO, Clone Wars, and Wolfenstein are coming out. Mech Assault will have a few new things added so it will be cool. Towards the end of the year even more games, more features according to microsoft and so on. Its less then a year old, the dreamcast console network stunk to high heavan. Ive got my $50 worth so far

capt

I ditto just about everything that Jay said (except that I don't play GR). Playing MotoGP has been extremely satisfying and enjoyable... and I've met some cool people to boot. Playing MechAssault has been extremely frustrating because of it's beyand crappy lobby system.

NHL2K3 has fallen in between. The game is fun, but the lobby system is only iffy, and the disconnections and sychronization errors at the start of games are something they shouldn't have let happen.

It's been an above average experience for me. I'll second Travis's comment though. Some games can get by with P2P but others could really benefit from dedicated servers. Constantly asking who has the best connection shouldn't be a part of the Live experience.

Hopefully Clone Wars and Wolfenstein won't get delayed.

I've barely touched it after the first two months. Never seem to be able to hook up with anyone decent.

Pricing for the next year will determine if I keep it or not. I'm semi interested in PSO & a few other "coming someday" titles.

We'll see after E3. Depending on what's announced there may determine if I keep it or not.


My 2 cents

XBL is in dire need of more shooters, and I think that any game made for the service should have its lobby system approved by the folks at Climax (the guys who developed MotoGP) before shipping.

I'm really looking forward to RTCW and a car-based racer (MM3?).

I am rather dissappointed, personally.

Ghost Recon's online capabilities are FAR better on my computer... It'd just badly designed for the Xbox Live service, in my opinion.

NHL 2k3 - iffy, lost interest quickly.

MotoGP - lots of fun, the one highlight I have from it.

Mech Assualt - Not my type of game, but I've heard good things from people whi like that genre.

The only hopes they have for me to suscribe for another year are MotoGP 2, Rallisport 2, PGR2, all being Live enabled and PROPERLY supported.

Otherwise, I'll just keep gaming on my computer.

Best console accessory EVER

I have had so much fun playing XBLive w/ all you HTF people that I feel that it was $50 well spent. As long as they keep it at under $7.42 per month... I'll be there

I don't get on Xbox Live as much as I used to (when I was unemployed), but it was always fun, and my positive experiences with is far outweighed any negative experiences.

It's all a matter of the players you hook up with. My experiences playing with the HTFers has always been good, and I miss hooking up with them for Monday Night Ghost Recon sessions.

All in all I'm very pleased with it, my only gripe bing that I wish there was some uniformity to lobbies and such between games. It was worth that 50$, and I'll gladly pony up for the second year as well.

Personally, I won't buy XBL until Halo 2 comes out. Online co-op is something I've craved for a long time.

I'm not too satisfied with Live. A few complaints
1)Peer to Peer hosting stinks, you're at the mercy of people with fat bandwidth
2)Lobby system in many games is terrible
3)GAMES GAMES GAMES! I have Ghost Recon and the Moto GP demo and neither one is really compelling me to play it that often. I actually think I'm gonna sell GR. It was cool to have Live so I could download the new Splinter Cell level but I think I'm probably gonna sell Splinter Cell now that I've finished the DL level. I just find that in my free time I'd rather play some of my season of WSB or Zelda or some single player game. Wolfenstein looks cool but I'd rather have a new exclusive game that is a great live title rather than a rehash of a game I wasn't thrilled with when it came out on the PC a year and a half ago. I'm waiting for MS to announce their pricing after year one because at this point I'm not planning on renewing if it's more than about 5 bucks a month, and even then I'm not sure.
In conjunction with the fact that I'm graduating in May and will hopefully have a job, I won't have quite as much free time and I don't think online gaming is gonna be high on my list of priorities when I do have some free time after work.
All in all, I think I'm just burned out on online console gaming. I loved it in my SOCOM days but I think I'm just sick of it now.

I'm very pleased with XBL, but I agree that it is not as fun when playing against people you don't know.

Except for the occasional GPMoto race against strangers which are almost always ruined by backwards drivers), I meet my friends online and have a great time with co-op GR. I've even made a few new friends via XBL.

Looking forward to RTCW, and of course HALO2.
If we get a Nascar racing game or an aerial combat of some sort, I'm hooked for good.

Gamertag: Carlucci
(somebody pity me and make me a logo!)

I really like it so far. First I was hooked on NFL 2k3 for December, January and part of February and now I am hooked on Mechassault. I get bored playing games at home without a friend so this is the perfect solution for me. I don't have a ton of free time with two kids but I try and get on several nights a week for a couple of hours after they go to sleep. Though the lobby system isn't the greatest, it does not detract from me playing.