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View Full Version : My first Live experiences and thoughts


LynxFX
09-28-2002, 05:26 PM
Decided to hook up the Live starter kit today and my first impressions.

Setup:
Suprisingly, very easy. I have a cable modem that is going to a router and 3 PC's plus the Xbox. Not a single problem there. The Live starter disc detected my network without a single hitch. I was anticipating problems so this is really good news to me at least.

The startup disc (with revolt and the live movie) is pure crap though. Problems all over that disc, constantly spinning up, the movie wouldn't even play right then just quit halfway etc. Thumbs down on that to you MS. Fix your software.

Creating Account:
Also, quite easy. But it does come with one big complaint. You have to enter sooooo freakin much one.....letter.....at......a.....time. MS really should give us a keyboard or incorporate voice recognition. You should have heard me yell with glee when I entered the ID code correctly the first time because I did not want to go through that again.
Once created though it was quite easy, but I had to power down and restart the Xbox to get back to a game. (back button didn't work...more starter disc problems)

First Game: ReVolt:
Game is simple enough. I immediately retrieved the newest updates automatically. Very cool and quick I might add. I went and bought all of the extra cars. (I really hope this feature is gone by launch) Did a quick match....no game servers. Kept refreshing.....no game servers. So decided to create my own. Easily enough, 6 people joined right away and off we were. In comes the first communicator chat. This I have a feeling will get annoying with the wrong people. Most of the people I played with were pretty good though. The game did lag though. It hicuped a few times and flat out froze then started again. Not a good sign, so hope it is just early bugs.

After that poor race (placed 5th :() I went back to try and connect to someones game. Finally showed a few servers. Ping was at 170 :eek: :( :eek: My ping on the PC is usually around 60 so this was a shocker. I kept trying to connect to a game but I kept getting a message saying the server quit or is full. I went back to the front screen but it was still there. I tried about 8 servers and kept getting the same message. Very frustrating. Finally number 9 worked. The game was pretty good. 5 of us. Alot less lag than the first game. Still showed up from time to time but nothing unplayable or game ending.


Overall I think the setup is quite good but it isn't without its problems. I do hope that they polish alot of it because once there are hundreds of thousands of players the small problems will become huge. I can't wait to get MotoGP and Whacked because I know I won't touch Fever.

My gamer ID is Lynx FX (with the space). :)

Bakeman
09-28-2002, 11:33 PM
One thing on Revolt...

I think if you try to join a server and don't enter your name and what car you want fast enough.. someone else will take that spot and then you are SOL.


170 ping isn't BAD, but it isn't GOOD either lol

I have had a few pings under 100... usually any ping under 200 I don't notice a problem at all, most times with little to no lag...

I have seen a few pings over the 6000 mark.. that is sad and would like to know how the heck that happens lol...

Piccolo_DBz
09-29-2002, 12:00 AM
Originally posted by Lynxfx


The startup disc (with revolt and the live movie) is pure crap though. Problems all over that disc, constantly spinning up, the movie wouldn't even play right then just quit halfway etc. Thumbs down on that to you MS. Fix your software.


Did you try the boiling trick? I hear thats the best way to fix it. I have 2 discs so I didn't have to worry/

LynxFX
09-29-2002, 02:52 AM
dude! Thanks a LOT for your thoughts......No one else gave this detailed of a review so far. :)
No problem. I will continue to give honest reviews of it, and of course comparing it to online PC gaming.

I think if you try to join a server and don't enter your name and what car you want fast enough.. someone else will take that spot and then you are SOL.
I have a feeling that is the problem too(not always though), but that shouldn't be my problem. It is flat out bad game design. Connecting to the server should always be the last thing you do, not the first before you have to choose a name, a car and all that jazz which ends up causing you to lose your spot. I hope it is just a problem with ReVolt's design and doesn't show up in future games.

170 ping isn't BAD, but it isn't GOOD either lol
Anything above 100 is BAD to me. :D If MS was actually running the servers (which they aren't, at least on ReVolt) then we most likely wouldn't be having these kinds of problems. Instead we are stuck with P2P gaming and are depending on the host. I thought this is what MS was spending their billion buckaroos on, so we wouldn't have this nonsense. :confused:

Did you try the boiling trick?
Yes I did. :) I found that thread shortly after I posted my initial thoughts. Of course after I boiled it the disc didn't work and scared the crap out of me. But I wiped it down really well with my shirt and all is well now.

UltimateAg
09-29-2002, 05:15 PM
Originally posted by Lynxfx
Of course after I boiled it the disc didn't work and scared the crap out of me. But I wiped it down really well with my shirt and all is well now.
Holy crap I hope you didn't put into your xbox with water on it.:eek:

LynxFX
09-29-2002, 05:46 PM
Originally posted by UltimateAg

Holy crap I hope you didn't put into your xbox with water on it.:eek:

LOL hell no!! I let it air dry but it left some water spots on it which the Xbox obviously didn't like. So I really wiped it down after that and it worked fine.