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Xbox Live Starter Kit Xbox Microsoft  Ever
put a game into your PC, only to find out it’s incompatible with this
or that, and you have to download more and more stuff every time,
when all you want to do is jump on and frag someone on the other side
of the world? Ever wished you could simply turn your box on and play
a game without millions of things loading up? One way to do this is
through Xbox Live. With Xbox Live, you can play people down the street
or across the globe in a range of games – currently there are around
50 games that are XBL Enabled. On top of this, some games have “downloadable
content”, meaning new maps or characters or items that enhance the
game can be downloaded through Xbox Live.Unlike other attempts to get consoles online in the past, you need broadband to connect to the service, and the two major players, Optus and Telstra, ‘support’ Xbox Live, meaning if there is a problem you can call their help desks and get some advice. Plus there’s also Microsoft Support for those who aren’t with the major telecos. Luckily, the Xbox Live kit comes with very good instructions detailing how to make the connections needed to get the Xbox online. The Kit has everything you need apart from a network cable, which can be picked up from computer stores quite cheap. For those who don’t know anything about networking, the instructions are very well spelt out step by step and avoid where possible the technobabble which usually accompany such instructions. There are also visual guides to help you along too. On top of all this, there’s a video on the demo disc, featuring Matt, the Dark Master, who is an annoyingly good looking Yank, who runs through the whole process for you quickly but succinctly. However, the set up really is a breeze, especially for anyone with even a passing knowledge in computer networking skills – if you can link your Cable or DSL modem to your computer, or link two computers, then you know how to link up the Xbox. The kit comes with the headset, which is used to talk to people and quite easy to put together. It features a microphone and earpiece that can be clipped onto the headband on either side, left or right, for maximum comfort. Although it feels flimsy, it is light and rests comfortably, and can be worn for hours at a time without irritation. The headset attaches to the controller via a thin cord, which attaches to the module that slips neatly into the top slot of the controller. The module features a volume control and mute button. Sometimes this cord can get in the way (I tend to move around a lot when I play games) but it’s not a huge distraction. The kit also features a demo disc featuring Mech Assault and MotoGP, and a separate card featuring a registration code. You put in the disc, and set up an account by starting one of the games and choosing “New Account”. You can also choose Xbox Live from the Main Menu (aka Dashboard) with no game in the machine then select “New Account”. Setting up can be time consuming because you have to move the cursor around the screen to select the right letters and numbers for your details. This process will have you screaming for a keyboard, but it’s really no more painful than putting in your name in game profiles. There may be a small download that updates your dashboard, and then you can jump in and create your Gamertag. This is what identifies you to the whole Xbox Live community and it tracks your in game stats and is used for your “Friends” list. It is unique and you cannot change it without having to buy a new kit, so choose wisely, and speel corektley. Unless you have a really individual Gamertag in mind, the name you want will probably be taken, so you can auto generate names, some of which are quite odd and funny – one it generated for me was ReferredEmu (I didn’t choose it). Once you’ve chosen your unique gamertag, you enter your subscription code and credit card details, and you’re away! Go back and play the demos, which are two of the best available games. The “Friends” list is great, as you can see who’s online and what they’re playing. You can also just simply have a “Voice Chat”, where up to 16 friends can chat without playing games. It’s a great idea to catch up with friends and relatives overseas, or discuss battle plans before playing a team game. The service is quite mature (you’re meant to be over 18 to play), so be prepared for some trash talk. You can mute individual players if you find them too offensive, and in some games you can report their behaviour, although I’m not sure what happens to them if they get too many complaints. One of the biggest whinge I hear from Computer Geeks about this service is LAG. They’re always saying stuff like “oh, the games are in the USA, your ping is going to be 200 plus”, blah blah blah. Ignore them. I don’t know if the communication architecture is different, or because with the Xbox you only have the game running and no other programs, I’ve very rarely experienced lag in games. If I have, it’s usually my connection that’s been the problem. And now that it’s locally available, the pings from Australian players should be much, much better. Xbox Live is integrated with the whole system, and future games will more often feature either downloadable content or multiplayer components, compelling those who want the most out of their system to think about getting Xbox Live. As broadband becomes more widespread and cheaper, and the negativity surrounding Microsoft fades as people realise how good a console the Xbox really is, this is sure to take off in a big way here as it has done in Europe and America. |
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