XBLive..... will suck?

[Brotherman]

Originally posted by Yoshi
Except for that small fact that Sony has a user base ten times as large as Microsoft's...

That doesn't shoot down my point. Remember what I said in the rest of the post. What I said had nothing to do with online user bases of each system, but the pros and cons of the online plan of each.

Sony's plan may give them a bigger userbase, but they may risk making the same mistake as many professional websites have. People will get used to free use for games and when the time comes to pay, they won't consider it a good value. That's why I think Microsoft's plan is good for business.

Sony's plan is starting to seem better for the customer because most games are likely to be free for now with only a few exceptions. They will likely get the users, but as the internet has proven, users don't neccessarily equal cash.

[Stone]

I like it. As long as Microsoft can get a relatively solid number of people online (so there are other people to play when you go online), then I think making the services more expensive is great.

Monthly fees will help make the games better, in the same way that only servicing broadband users will.

[ChaoofNee]

I say that on the opening days of XBOXLive and PS2 Online... Thingy... we should all gather together for a FREE game of Puzzle Bobble Online just to spite the fuckers.

...heheh. And did you know Microsoft is even charging Beta testers $50 for the "Beta Starter Kit?" What a deal! Pay Microsoft so you can work for them! It's basically paying for torture, especially since the only game one can play is NFL Fever 2003.

[Hero]

I'm not really falling over myself for online gaming either, but seeing MS's ambitious online plan turn into something shady is a bad thing. An umbrella fee for all online gaming on a console seems like another cool idea that would only be feasable in a console world.

[Doug Branches]

Ashod: Whatever they were thinking it must have been a damn good idea, look where they are now.

[SearchManX]

That sucks about the premium channel stuff for Xbox. That kinda stuff I won't support. Unless you add something a little more than "additional costumes," it's not worth paying for in my book. Expansion packs for Blizzard's games are well worth the price as is the free online play. I'm not arguing with MS's flat rate yearly online fee, but when you start nailing your own loyal fanbase with additional extra charges here and there, now you're turning into some phone company or shady car salesman by promising something, and adding on hidden costs here and there.

I might as well be charged for the "skins" that I want to download for Winamp if that was the case...

[Master]

Let me break it down:

You CAN buy PREMIUM content. You don't have to. You don't need any of it to play online. Its also cheap. Very cheap.

If you are the type of person that HAS to buy everything they see, well, sorry about you.


As for Ethugg's view, I care very little of what he thinks should be charged for, as he isn't a big fan of paying for games. Everything can't be free.

The premium content package is setup so more companies will make Xbox Live games. If they have the option to sell extra stuff for their games, like new levels, new weapons, new costumes, etc, they will want to make games for Xbox Live more, and also want to give more support for the games they have already released.

Its also a way to keep people playing after what is already out there gets old.

I think its a cool idea. The service will be free, premuim content will be extra, just like cable TV. Thats life.

[Space Pirate Roberts]

Originally posted by Master
Let me break it down:

You CAN buy PREMIUM content. You don't have to. You don't need any of it to play online. Its also cheap. Very cheap.

If you are the type of person that HAS to buy everything they see, well, sorry about you.


As for Ethugg's view, I care very little of what he thinks should be charged for, as he isn't a big fan of paying for games. Everything can't be free.

The premium content package is setup so more companies will make Xbox Live games. If they have the option to sell extra stuff for their games, like new levels, new weapons, new costumes, etc, they will want to make games for Xbox Live more, and also want to give more support for the games they have already released.

Its also a way to keep people playing after what is already out there gets old.

I think its a cool idea. The service will be free, premuim content will be extra, just like cable TV. Thats life.

So you're saying the stance that there will never be additional fees to play a particular game still stands? Good to hear. Still, having to pay for downloadable extras kinda puts the kibbosh on that particular idea.

So the premium content is accessed via some kind of pre-pay point card? Will it be possible to 'demo' said content before deciding to spend my points on it? (example: downloadable level is accessed once, then deleted, so you can see if you like it enough to pay the points) And more importantly, will the stuff I've dl'd be recorded server-side, so that I won't have to re-pay if it is accidentally deleted?

Overall, I don't like this idea, but it's something I can live with, provided that actual online gameplay isn't 'premium'.

[innova]

its micrsoft, you will have to sell your soul for a new character skin.

[SearchManX]

It would be nice if this premium content was also regulated somehow instead of individually set by each 3rd party. I don't know how it would work, but it would be there to maintain the quality of the premium content and ensure that if I pay good money, I get my money's worth. For example, I wouldn't mind paying $5-10 if I get a nice downloadable expansion pack to a game like, say, Halo, where I'd get cool new multiplayer maps and maybe a couple of new skins. I know development on new weapons and new vehicles would probably be too costly so maybe they have a bundle with the previous stuff with the new stuff and maybe some new single player missions for $15-20. And it'd be nice if it was server-side. Previous examples of Xbox machines being taken back and HD save loss make me worry about paying money and losing it all without a hard copy. And here's another recommendation, don't take the Gamespot Complete route and start plastering "Premium" content and starving gamers from every feature possible. If it's like Cable TV, that's fine, but if I have local TV channels only, I don't get reminded that I don't have Cable TV every 5 seconds or so if I just want to watch NBC.