Xbox Live Orientation
Surprisingly accurate and actually funny, this video from X-Play should be bundled with each Xbox Live Gold membership sale.
[link via X3F]
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Results tagged “Xbox Live” from The Weekly Geek
Burnout Paradise Demo Released
Today, the highly anticipated demo for Burnout Paradise is delivered into the hot little hands of multi-car pileup crazed fanboys the world over (except Asia) courtesy of Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo features a similar, if not the same, nasal, annoying, violence inspiring announcer introducing you to Motor City, Big Surf Beach, Ocean View, and the jumps, stunts and smashes for which the Burnout series is famous. Perhaps the best thing about the demo is the Easy Play feature with which you can invite friends to join in on the rampant spree of destruction and mayhem. The full version of Burnout Paradise will be released in North America on January 22nd and Europe January 24th, 2008.
via 360fanboy
United We Frag
If you've ever wanted to play online with your humble Weekly Geek staff as well as all your pals from the forums, but you've been too intimidated by the sheer number of accounts you'd have to add, then have we got a surprise for you! Now, by adding the gamertag TheWeeklyGeek to your friends and then using the "View Friends" option included in the last update you'll be mere moments from online gaming bliss.
It couldn't be that simple but it is! Call now! Supplies are limited! Limit one per account!
Official Word on the Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update
Microsoft has finally spilled the beans on the system update that's coming on December 4th. Here's a quick lowdown on the important parts:
- As we have been told before, new "Xbox Originals" will be available for download via the XBLA. That means you can get old Xbox games such as Halo and Psychonauts, optimized for your 360. 1200 MS points each. That works to 15 bucks, plus tax.
- Also on the XBLA, some of the older games that are already available will now become "Arcade Hits" which means they'll have a permanent price drop. Two important ones are Lumines going to 800 points while Zuma drops to 400.
- There will be an expanded bio option for your Gamertag, letting you do more than just have a picture and a motto. You can limit this bios to friends only, if you want. This may be where they implement the ability to change your Live ID, as I heard about last week.
- Also, the previously known "friends of friends" will become available, if your settings allow. You can let your friends or anyone see your own friends list.
- New controls will let parents set a timer on their kids' Xbox access. Per-day or per-week time limits can be set.
- New full-screen movie previews will be available.
There will be more details that will be officially announced at the Xbox Live website upon the release of the update.
Click the jump for the full current press release.
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Podcast for 11-26-07 | Happy Rockbandsgiving
Full of turkey? Enjoy blogs that don't stop talking about Thanksgiving? Well then we have the podcast for you! Grant, Chris and Colette are sated from their massive feast and roll off of their collective slimy couches to burp their opinions into microphones to bring you this week's podcast. Discussed are subjects such as TV shows sucking, Rock Band being awesome, Assassin's Creed not being so awesome, Rock Band remaining completely awesome, horrible X-Mas cartoons, and the upcoming Live update. Are you ready? For the Rocking?! Download the podcast here or subscribe to the feed. Show notes after the jump.
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Xbox Live update to let you change your Live ID?
Due to a various array of circumstances, my current Gamertag on Xbox Live is not associated with an email address that is actually mine. I have my own Hotmail address that I want to hook up to it. And from what I had seen around on the internets, there was no way to change it. But I want to change it. So I called up Xbox Support on the telephone to see what I could do to rectify my situation. The fellow I talked to confirmed that there is currently no way to change the Live ID associated with your Gamertag if it's a Hotmail.com or MSN.com email address.
However, he did say that there is an Xbox Live update coming in about a week that will allow you to do so. I think this is pretty big news. I haven't seen anything official announced anywhere about this and the dude I talked to was only a customer support phone jockey, but I think it's worth being optimistic about.
Swag Brag: The Live is 5ive Controller
I don't normally like to show off the various items of swag we get from companies, but I just wanted to show you guys this kick ass controller Microsoft sent us for the 5 year anniversary of Xbox Live. It's shiny, it's orange and it's awesome. Thanks, Tom. It's PR guys like you who keep us little guys afloat.
This thing may be an exclusive controller sent to members of the media, but I picked up something even awesomer today. Hit the jump for a bonus picture of a great find from Half Price Books this weekend.
Live Turns 5: Free Carcassonné and Psychonauts for Download!
You read that headline right, in celebration of the Xbox Live service's fifth anniversary, Microsoft is giving away the excellent Xbox Live Arcade title Carcassonné for free on Nov. 15th. In addition to that awesomeness is the announcement of downloadable original Xbox games, starting with the oft-pined-after Psychonauts. It's a good thing, too, as Qais was about to try to trade one of his kidneys on Goozex to snag a copy of Tim Schafer's classic.
Grab Carcassonné on the 15th and look for Psychonauts on the 4th of December. Full press release after the jump.
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Microsoft Sponsoring XBL TV Pilot Contest
In the realm of completely awesome things Microsoft is doing these days (except Vista cuz it sux lol), the big M is sponsoring a television pilot contest. From the press release:
Microsoft Corp. and the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) today announced the Xbox LIVE® Originals contest, granting aspiring television producers the opportunity to create a pilot that could be chosen for the first original series developed specifically for the Xbox LIVE online gaming and entertainment network. Microsoft will award the winning entrant a $100,000 budget and an opportunity for a six-episode commitment to air the television series on Xbox LIVE, the largest social network in the living room. The pilot episode of the winning series is scheduled to debut this fall at the third annual NYTVF, the industry’s first showcase for independent television, before being featured exclusively on Xbox LIVE, home to a community of more than 6 million people worldwide. This marks the first time that user-created entertainment content will be available worldwide for download exclusively on Xbox LIVE.
It's in line with what we have all been saying these companies like Nintendo and Microsoft should be doing with their online networks - open them up for independent content. While I am sure they are going to have to wade through some poop, I would love to see what people come up with and what they finally choose. Will they pick a cheesy sitcom? Tetris Machinima? A Jackass-style show with IN GAME STUNTS? Don't touch that dial, tune in to this station to find out.
Gears update today
Everybody's favorite chainsaw bayoneting game gets a big content update today! At 4:00 PM PST, Gears of War gets a brand new king of the hill-style multiplayer mode called "Annex". Also included in the update are a few general maintenance things, such as not accidentally taking cover so much during a roadie run. Unfortunately the update did not include some sort of "douchebag" filter to help you weed out the awful people you will eventually encounter online.
I will be online later to check out the brand new mode (like everyone else. Here's to hoping there's no lag!). So if you'd like to test out Annex with me, add Frodeaux to your list.
Read the full release after the jumpy.
Spring Live Update Deets
Ahh Spring. The time when a young man's fancy turns to... ignoring his girlfriend and playing video games. It's been in the rumor bin for a while, but finally we get to find out what is in store for us with the BIG XBOX LIVE SPRING UPDATE. On May 7th, Live users will be treated to more in-game distractions with the integration of Windows Messenger and Xbox Live. Yes, that's right. Full integration of IM and chat, right in your console, further blurring the line between PC and video game system.
In addition to being annoyed by your friends even more than you already are, Microsoft announced that the update will actually show what achievement you unlock as it happens. Some games already sort of support this, but it will be nice to not have to go to the menu and check the achievements list to see what you just got.
Also this summer they promise a QWERTY input device that connects directly to your controller, so no more clunky USB keyboards for you! Other things were announced as well, so why don't you just hit the jump to find out what they were?
Halo 2 coming May 8th to Windows
Now Windows Vista gamers can experience being called a vast array of epithets and homophobic slurs along with us Xbox gamers! Halo 2 is being released on May 8th, and with it the Windows Live service, almost completely mirroring the Xbox 360 Live service. Halo 2 for Windows Live will even feature achievements... something you don't get playing Halo 2 on the Xbox. Luckily you can use your same Gamertag and subscription for both the Silver and Gold memberships. Almost makes you want to buy Vista, doesn't it?
Also loaded into the hopper is Shadowrun and Uno, both featuring cross-platform play. A year or so ago I talked to a friend who works for Microsoft and discussed the rift between the Xbox division and the Games for Windows division. At that time they seemed almost in competition with each other. This Windows/Xbox Live integration is an excellent step in bringing the two together, and maybe even wooing a few people back to PC gaming, and PC casual gamers (with games like Uno) to the soon-to-be-affordable Xbox 360.
Full press release after the thing.
Podcast for 02-25-2007 | Turtle Power
Heroes on the half shell Frodo, The Geek and White Mage talk this week about how the US Postal Service sucks, Halo fanboys, 300 (the movie, not just the number), Xbox Live Arcade releases, Sega moving to the DS, Zelda Ocarina of Time, the Justice League movie and more. Download the podcast here or subscribe!
Show notes:
How to Deal with Smack Talkers
Rocket whore! Camper! Yeah, you're my bitch now! Triple kill, motherfucker!
Are these words and phrases all too familiar to you? Then you probably play video games online, particularly on Xbox Live. As we all know, the internet allows for anonymous multi-player game action. And for some reason, it brings out the worst in people. You want to go online and play a nice game of Halo 2 or Uno or something and be able to play against people without having to invite their smell into your home. 95% of the time, you're going to end up playing with people who repeatedly want to call into question the moral standings of your mother.
We've all played against this guy. It's irritating and it can really piss you off sometimes. What happened to good sportsmanship? It goes both ways. If your opponent wins, they'll jeer at you at tell you how much you suck and how hard they owned you. If you win, they'll complain about the validity of your strategy and tactics, or even accuse you of cheating.
It's hard not to get into it with these people; to play their game. Sometimes it just gets to be too much and you cuss right back at them, calling them names, and dropping right down to their level. It's human nature. The problem is that if you give in to these temptations, then you're just fostering an environment of jerkfacedness. Now, some people will tell you to just ignore them or put them on mute. That's boring and lame. If you want to react to these jerks, you have to be creative about it. Hit the jump to read the best methods to deal with online assholes.
Podcast for 02-19-07 | Stop Buying Madden
This week The Geek and Frodo bring you a public service announcement of sorts, discussing the top 100 top selling games of 2006. Frodo rants a bit about Wii Play and how it sucks, Paperboy on Xbox Live Arcade and how it sucks, how Xbox 360 Hard Drives often suck, and how Nintendo's customer service completely does not suck. Also discussed is grandma stink and politics. Sound good to you? Great! Download the podcast, subscribe, and read some show notes.
Gears of War Xbox Live Update
A new Gears of War XBL update is hitting today which includes a whole bunch of patches. Then 2 new multiplayer maps at some point on Wed. Here's the patch details:
• Fixed aspect ratio distortion when using VGA cable with 4:3 displays at resolutions higher than 640x480
• Fixed voice issue with new players joining Player Match games in progress
• Players can now get the Achievement for "Dish Best Served Cold" when using Troika turret to kill RAAM
• Fixed rare situation where host could loop countdown and never start match
• Fixed rare situation where players could get stuck after chainsawing in multiplayer
• Reduced Grenade Tag melee distance
• Enabled "Strict" NAT check on host to prevent possible connection issues
• Optimized server browser queries to return results more quickly and prevent scroll bars from hiding quality of service icons
• Reduced number of possible revives in Execution to match Warzone
• Removed host name from Ranked match server browser
• Disabled security cameras in Ranked matches
• Ranked matches now require balanced teams (3v3 or 4v4)
• Increased penalty for quitting a Ranked match to -50 points
• Added additional cheat detection code
• Additional housekeeping updates
Conservative Nintendo: Misjudging for Profit
Throughout Nintendo's history as a game hardware and software manufacturer, they have shown an impressive amount of conservatism. Always cautious about their next move, for the most part it has been an effective means of bringing in profits. Or has it? With the release of technology so distruptive as the Wii, the industry is applauding Nintendo for being so daring. So then why is Nintendo still conservative when it comes to anything involving Internet connectivity? The DS had the dreaded friend code system, which has returned on the Wii. The Gamecube had the completely ignored network adaptor, even the SNES had the XBAND which went absolutely nowhere (although, granted it was not released by Nintendo themselves). Why release something if you don't put your energy behind it? What drives Nintendo to be so lackadaisical when it comes to anything online in a world where we have the excellence that is Xbox Live? Welcome to today's rant.
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