The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
We'll take your average RPG game, Phantasy Star Online I and II as an example for this.
Using XBox Live, you pay £40 a year for the service plus £5.99 a month to play PSO. That's £111.88 a year just to play one game.
Using Gamecube, it's just £5.99 a month. That's £71.88 a year just to play one game.
It's not being released for the PS2 but the same would apply as Sony don't have a standing charge for their Networking service.
For your extra £40 a year on XBox live you do get some extras, like a consistent Gamer Tag and the ability to page others over the network no matter what game they're in (not sure if this will apply to PSO though because I think payments are made direct to Sega for the gametime). Is that £40 a year worth it when you consider that Sony and Nintendo still offer free online gaming for most of their titles?
Microsoft also take a large cut from game developers for allowing them to run games on their Live network, whereas the Sony and Nintendo network models give developers the choice of whether or not to support online service themselves.
In short, did Microsoft make a huge error on their choice of financial model for supporting their network?
Using XBox Live, you pay £40 a year for the service plus £5.99 a month to play PSO. That's £111.88 a year just to play one game.
Using Gamecube, it's just £5.99 a month. That's £71.88 a year just to play one game.
It's not being released for the PS2 but the same would apply as Sony don't have a standing charge for their Networking service.
For your extra £40 a year on XBox live you do get some extras, like a consistent Gamer Tag and the ability to page others over the network no matter what game they're in (not sure if this will apply to PSO though because I think payments are made direct to Sega for the gametime). Is that £40 a year worth it when you consider that Sony and Nintendo still offer free online gaming for most of their titles?
Microsoft also take a large cut from game developers for allowing them to run games on their Live network, whereas the Sony and Nintendo network models give developers the choice of whether or not to support online service themselves.
In short, did Microsoft make a huge error on their choice of financial model for supporting their network?
Page:
adrian wrote:
> I havent played XBox Live since Christmas. Basically because
> I just could'nt be bothered to set it up all the time.
I see this said alot about XBox. Not having one myself I'm not sure what you mean though. Isn't your XBox permanently wired up to Broadband, or a router, or internet connection sharing with your PC, and then when you play a game you can either play offline or just select a menu option to play online?
> I havent played XBox Live since Christmas. Basically because
> I just could'nt be bothered to set it up all the time.
I see this said alot about XBox. Not having one myself I'm not sure what you mean though. Isn't your XBox permanently wired up to Broadband, or a router, or internet connection sharing with your PC, and then when you play a game you can either play offline or just select a menu option to play online?
I'd rather pay £40 for a nice new game.
Online play gets boring after a while.
Online play gets boring after a while.
Tóm wrote:
> I won't be renewing my subscription after the first year unless
> Microsoft give me a damn good reason to.
Yeah me too. I got the Beta Kit so my £42.99 was well spent as I had a limited edition Orange Memory card and a proper case to keep my headset. I havent played XBox Live since Christmas. Basically because I just could'nt be bothered to set it up all the time. I am upgrading my PC in the summer to a full blown games machine. XP2600, 1GB DDR 400, Radeon 9700 Pro, so I will be buying some good online FPS games and using that as I think its better than XBox Live.
I have got my £42 worth as I have used XBox Live alot mainly during the Beta phase and when Unreal and Mechassault came out. Plus as I have a limited edition Orange Memory card and the nice carry case I could probably ebay them at a profit.
> I won't be renewing my subscription after the first year unless
> Microsoft give me a damn good reason to.
Yeah me too. I got the Beta Kit so my £42.99 was well spent as I had a limited edition Orange Memory card and a proper case to keep my headset. I havent played XBox Live since Christmas. Basically because I just could'nt be bothered to set it up all the time. I am upgrading my PC in the summer to a full blown games machine. XP2600, 1GB DDR 400, Radeon 9700 Pro, so I will be buying some good online FPS games and using that as I think its better than XBox Live.
I have got my £42 worth as I have used XBox Live alot mainly during the Beta phase and when Unreal and Mechassault came out. Plus as I have a limited edition Orange Memory card and the nice carry case I could probably ebay them at a profit.
I won't be renewing my subscription after the first year unless Microsoft give me a damn good reason to.
I don't see what we're paying for. The games are (nearly always) actually hosted on the Xbox console, not Microsoft servers as they promised. So we're actually paying them to just store some of our details and mess around a bit.
Some of the games don't even work properly - the amount of people I've seen being dropped on Mech Assault is terrible. For me, it makes a team game impossible.
Not to mention the idiots who decide to ruin it for everyone else by making horrible noises down the microphone, or trying on purpose to cause other gamers to crash, lose, die etc.
I'd rather play on my own.
Yeah, keep up the good work Microsoft...
I don't see what we're paying for. The games are (nearly always) actually hosted on the Xbox console, not Microsoft servers as they promised. So we're actually paying them to just store some of our details and mess around a bit.
Some of the games don't even work properly - the amount of people I've seen being dropped on Mech Assault is terrible. For me, it makes a team game impossible.
Not to mention the idiots who decide to ruin it for everyone else by making horrible noises down the microphone, or trying on purpose to cause other gamers to crash, lose, die etc.
I'd rather play on my own.
Yeah, keep up the good work Microsoft...
Dr Gonzo wrote:
> That is totally ridiculous. May as well start adding in the price of
> your house, the rates, the TV, Xbox, electricity... etc... etc...
Hey - I wasn't having a dig at the value of Xbox Live, I was just making a comment on how much it's going to take me to get online (because, looking at Star Wars: Galaxies, I really want to).
> You'll use the modem, connection and Live account for other things -
> especially the first two. Look at it this way, £6 a month for
> how much enjoyment? What does £6 get you? Two pints and a game
> or two of pool?
Well now you put it that way, it's not that much at all.
> That is totally ridiculous. May as well start adding in the price of
> your house, the rates, the TV, Xbox, electricity... etc... etc...
Hey - I wasn't having a dig at the value of Xbox Live, I was just making a comment on how much it's going to take me to get online (because, looking at Star Wars: Galaxies, I really want to).
> You'll use the modem, connection and Live account for other things -
> especially the first two. Look at it this way, £6 a month for
> how much enjoyment? What does £6 get you? Two pints and a game
> or two of pool?
Well now you put it that way, it's not that much at all.
Xbox Live, Snes games, Xbox live, Snes games, Xbox live, Snes games
tuff choice really
:)
tuff choice really
:)
Cooky wrote:
> Can you still connect your XBox to your PC, and play games onine using
> sommin' like GameSPY?
>
> I remember a mate of mine doing that over a year ago, was just
> wondering if you still could as it would allow you to play online
> games without the XBox Live charge!
>
> :)
Yes but thats the bad way of doing it. Gamespy and other software full the XBox in to thinking its playing through a link cable. So it is actually using the link mode which uses more data throughput as it has up to 100Mbits/sec to play with. I have used programs like this when I first got Broadband and messed about for 2 hours, got about 3 games or so. Each game was so lagged it was like playing the game in Matrix style. Even with just me and another person it was very laggy.
XBox Live is worth the money as your going to get some many good lag free games. I havent actually played XBox Live since before christmas. As with single player games on the XBox, PS2 and GC as well as movies, internet and Uni I havent had time. Also setting it up can be a pain. I may have a game some time soon on there.
Maybe everyone on SR who has XBox Live go on one night and play tons of games.
> Can you still connect your XBox to your PC, and play games onine using
> sommin' like GameSPY?
>
> I remember a mate of mine doing that over a year ago, was just
> wondering if you still could as it would allow you to play online
> games without the XBox Live charge!
>
> :)
Yes but thats the bad way of doing it. Gamespy and other software full the XBox in to thinking its playing through a link cable. So it is actually using the link mode which uses more data throughput as it has up to 100Mbits/sec to play with. I have used programs like this when I first got Broadband and messed about for 2 hours, got about 3 games or so. Each game was so lagged it was like playing the game in Matrix style. Even with just me and another person it was very laggy.
XBox Live is worth the money as your going to get some many good lag free games. I havent actually played XBox Live since before christmas. As with single player games on the XBox, PS2 and GC as well as movies, internet and Uni I havent had time. Also setting it up can be a pain. I may have a game some time soon on there.
Maybe everyone on SR who has XBox Live go on one night and play tons of games.
Can you still connect your XBox to your PC, and play games onine using sommin' like GameSPY?
I remember a mate of mine doing that over a year ago, was just wondering if you still could as it would allow you to play online games without the XBox Live charge!
:)
I remember a mate of mine doing that over a year ago, was just wondering if you still could as it would allow you to play online games without the XBox Live charge!
:)
Apart from PSO, all Xbox Live games are "free" every month.
The Broadband fee isn't soely for Xbox is it? If you think so then you may as well add on the cost of electricity and calories you burn was playing Xbox Live, just like someone rightly said before.
I say get things in perspective.
The Broadband fee isn't soely for Xbox is it? If you think so then you may as well add on the cost of electricity and calories you burn was playing Xbox Live, just like someone rightly said before.
I say get things in perspective.
Nice topic FM - taught me a few things.
Microsoft can afford it sadly. :(
Microsoft can afford it sadly. :(
Page: