What are Xbox Live Points?
Xbox Live Points are due to be released on December 15th, 2005.
Xbox Live points, also called
Microsoft Points, or
Xbox Live Marketplace Points, are relatively cheap prepaid cards which will enable Xbox Live players the ability to purchase game enhancing features such as new game levels, new characters, and subscription fee’s for upcoming games.
Xbox Live Marketplace is the one-stop download center for additional game-related content like free trailers and demos as well as content that adds more to games, such as new levels, characters and weapons.
In a nutshell,
Xbox Live Points are the virtual currency that enables you to download the cool stuff from the Xbox Live Marketplace.
Did you know that Xbox Live is FREE with the Xbox Live 360?
It’s true, the basic level of Xbox Live for the Xbox Live 360 is called the Silver membership, and it’s completely FREE.
In addition to the free Xbox Live Silver membership available to every Xbox 360 owner, for only $49.99 (U.S.) or $59.99 (CDN)* gamers can amplify their gaming experience with a 12-month Xbox Live Gold membership. Gamers looking for a truly engaging and immersive online multiplayer experience can pick up one of the Xbox Live Premium Gold Packs, which include the new Xbox 360 Headset, Xbox Live Arcade games, Microsoft® Points for use in Xbox Live Marketplace, and mail-in rebates for up to $20 (U.S.) off any Xbox 360 game.
On September 8th,
Microsoft Corp. released an announcement that credit cards will no longer be required to create an account on Xbox Live for Xbox 360, thus removing one of the biggest barriers to entry. Gamers can purchase 12-month Xbox Live subscription cards via cash or other payment methods at any participating retail store. Subscriptions will also be available for purchase by credit card in one-month, three-month and 12-month increments through the Xbox Live Dashboard.
The Xbox Live Marketplace and Xbox Live Points promise to bring even more value to your gaming experience.
Bob Narley
http://xbox-game-review.com
Xbox 360 Microprocessor Screams
International Business Corp. has finally revealed the details regarding the screaming fast microprocessor that powers the much anticipated Xbox 360 video game console.
The original Xbox, which was released in 2001, used a microprocessor from Intel Corp., a 733-megaherts Pentium III. All the way back in 2003, the gurus at Microsoft decided to switch to a completely different vendor for the next-generation Xbox, and wisely choose IBM.
The new IBM-built chip boasts three customized PowerPC computing engines, which are able to run two simultaneous tasks each, at amazing clock speeds in excess of 3 gigahertz. Yeah baby!
“Working with IBM gave us the flexibility to design a processor to give game developers the kind of targeted power they need to make great games” Todd Holmdahl, Microsoft VP of Xbox Hardware.
Sounds fast right? It gets better.
The tech heads at IBM also incorporated high-speed connection between the microprocessor and the Xbox 360’s graphics processor, which was developed by ATI Technolgies Inc. Now the graphics hardware will benefit from being able to read directly from what’s stored on the primary processor’s onboard memory.
With a price tag expected to hit $399.99, the Xbox 360 shows every indication of taking video games to the next level. I can’t wait. Can anybody bum me $400?
XBOX.com and XBOX Live Back Online with Serious Upgrades
After 24 hours of shakes, sweats, and hallucinations, it’s good to know that the new XBOX.com website is back online. Gone are the funky boarders that we had all come to know and love. The new website is very straight forward and logical and packed with important information that is well worth the time to read.
The first thing I checked out was the Xbox Live information. “The cat’s out of the bag: Xbox Live has a new pricing program for Xbox 360 owners, and it’s golden.” Straight from the Xbox.com website, Xbox 360 has two levels of Xbox Live membership; Silver and Gold.
While it appears that both Silver and Gold memberships allow you to play the same great online multiplayer experience that the Xbox has excelled at, the Gold membership does have it’s privileges. Xbox Live Gold is enhanced for Sbox 360, you have total control over your online experience. Check out the articles on the
feedback system,
enhanced friends list,
matchmaking,
Gamer Zones, and
tournament systems for full details about each component of Xbox Live Gold.
The Feedback system finally comes into play, the player review system is now a matchmaking tool that directly affects a player’s reputation based on user-submitted feedback. The system will know who you’ve had a good game experience with, and assigns a higher priority to those people that you prefer, based on your feedback submission. Negative player reviews work the same way, but with the opposite effect. In a nutshell, the jerks will get matched up with the jerks, while the rest of us play with good sports. This is welcome news to all of us who have been forced to finish out a loosing battle with quitters and cheaters.
Another great new feature of Xbox Live is the
“Gamer Zone”. Four differenet zones are available for your choose from and will help tell others the kind of player your are. It’s another great way the Xbox Live experience will now match you up with other like-minded players during matchmaking. The four levels are:
Recreation – designed for casual gamers who just want to have fun.
Family – where “kids of all ages” can gather for family-friendly gaming.
Pro – designed for the Hardcore gamers like me who are there to play and to win, improving their gamescore,
Underground – where anything goes and usually does, perfect for the annoying human beat box and betraying team killers.
It looks like Xbox Live has delivered what it’s promised and has taken the terrific multi-player online game-play a step in the right direction. It’s always been a frustrating task when trying to play a serious online game and improve your ranking while some young jerk starts to betray the whole team. Finally, they will have their own clubhouse to go play in and leave us hardcore Xbox Live fans to real game. Kudos Xbox.
XBOX Game Review - Xbox 360 Game Review
It always amazes me when one of my websites takes off and becomes extremely popular. This Blog, Xbox-Game-Review, was started out of my love for the XBOX and XBOX Live, and in only a matter of a few months has become one my most popular websites to date.
Thanks to some great search engine positions, listed as #3 on Yahoo for Xbox Game Review, and high subscription rates, I have decided to take this project to the next level.
I’m very pleased to announce my latest website
http://xbox-game-review.com/. The new website features all of the same great Xbox game reviews, hints, cheats, and walk-throughs, plus many more features.
The new website has all of the latest Xbox news from around the globe, updated automatically every hour. Along with the usual news and tips, we have a forum where members are encouraged to share their tips and reviews. It is my hope that you will join us at
http://xbox-game-review.com/ and help make it one of the largest free resources for Xbox Game Reviews for the Xbox and the Xbox 360.
Membership will always be free.
Bob Narley.
Xbox Game ReviewsXbox 360 Game Reviews
Xbox Live Outage: October 24th
Xbox live fans, prepare for withdrawals!
The Xbox live system is scheduled to be down for the whole of October 24th, 2005.
Why?
This is in preparation for the launch of Xbox Live on Xbox 360. Woo hooo! The Xbox team says that the interruption will be brief and should return on Tuesday, October 25th. Fear not young Jedi, Leaderboard information for tournaments will not be affected.
At the same time, Xbox.com will also undergo a complete overhaul and redesign, and will re-launch with new features, new forums, and exciting new content soon after the Xbox Live service outage.
This is a good thing! And pretty damn exciting! After this brief interruption of service, Xbox Live will be primed and ready to go with all-new features enabled by Xbox 360, ready to blow us away with the launch of the system on November 22nd in North America, December 2nd for our friends in Europe, and December 10th in Japan.
Have you been saving your money? I know that I’m still short, however there is no way that I am going to miss out on being one of the first Xbox Live fans to get their hands on the new Xbox Live 360.
Xbox Live Bags an Emmy!
Xbox Live®, the premier global online console games and entertainment network, announced today that the service has been awarded a prestigious Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Technology and Advanced New Media. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) will honor Xbox Live for Outstanding Achievement in Multiplayer-Backend Console Game Technology, in recognition of pioneering leadership and continuous innovation, as part of the upcoming 57th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards on September 29, 2005 in Princeton, New Jersey.
Xbox Live continues to transform and unite Xbox game communities worldwide, with more than 300 games planned by end of holiday 2005 for Xbox and Xbox 360 across 24 countries worldwide. As the first global, unified online console games network connecting more than two million members worldwide, Xbox Live continues to take online gameplay and entertainment to unprecedented heights.
Founded in 1955, NATAS presents Emmy awards in the area of Technology and Engineering for ground-breaking work in television broadcast and production systems, interactive television, and other new media technologies.
“Gaming and its particular needs have been a significant source of new technology development in the areas of video and television-centric activities. It is quite natural that this work should be recognized in the same way we’ve recognized the achievements in broadcast technology,” said Seth Haberman, Chair of Video Gaming and Technology awards panel for NATAS. “Given Microsoft’s long considerable achievement in the area of gaming, I was particularly proud that the committee was able to acknowledge those efforts with an Emmy.”
"Xbox Live is the ultimate online gaming experience avidly enjoyed by millions of gamers around world,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing for the Home Entertainment Division at Microsoft. “We are extremely honored to receive this Emmy Award in recognition of our pioneering innovation in advanced new media and online gaming technology and entertainment."
