Xbox Live as a business venture...

[Fanobills]

I've kinda been thinking - there could be great potential to opening up an Xbox Live/System Link arcade where people can go to play games on Xbox Live, like Unreal, RTCW, MM, as well as a place for people to go to to fight eachother on Halo with the system link cable so that they don't have to unhook their Xbox from their TV, load it up into their car, and drive to a friend's house, lug their Xbox out of their car - into their friend's house, and rehook it up to another TV, and then link the Xbox's up. I was thinking about contacting Microsoft to see if they'd give permission for such a business venture (I'm not sure that I'd need that permission or not, but I'd rather be safe then sorry and not find myself having to face off against MS's elite team of lawyers in a civil suit that will see me pennyless for the rest of my life).

I figure if they charged like $1 an hour for system link play per system per player (with 4 controllers in each Xbox - that's 1 dollar for every player if that Xbox is fully occupied - and then $4 for the other provided that it too is fully occupied).

And then the Xbox Live play would (IMO) be reasonably priced at $2 an hour, or all day (say 12 hours) for $20 or something like that.

What do you guys think?

There's this poolhall in my town that would probably welcome the venture as well - so I shouldn't have to worry about extra costs outside of buying all the hardware necessary as long as I offer to cover the utility bill every month or something.

[Fanobills]

Not to mention, if it got to be really successful, we could hold tournaments for prizes and stuff.

[SkoalMint]

Actually, I believe there are some internet cafes that have done this. Plus there is a movie theater in Oregon that does this and lets you play on the big screen.

Xbox on the Big Screen: The Sandy Cinema offers big action on the big screen with Halo and other Xbox games 9 a.m.-noon Sat and Sun. Top three players win prizes. Play or just watch, 16605 Champion Way, Sandy. $4.75 to play, free to watch. Details: 826-1208.

Source (http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/104756011959301.xml) (Way down near the bottom of the page, under the teens section.)

[Fanobills]

Do you think that they got permission from Microsoft or the game developers to do that?

I've already got a list of Live enabled games that I'd get for it - Halo, RTCW, Unreal Championship, SOF 2: Double Helix, Red Faction 2, Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 3, and XIII. 7 X 63 = 441.

It's gonna require quite an investment, but it takes money to make money in today's world. I could probably have enough money to have enough hardware in about a couple months if nothing unexpected comes up.

[SkoalMint]

Originally posted by Fanobills
Do you think that they got permission from Microsoft or the game developers to do that?

First I'd start off reading any licensing agreements that come with the Xbox or those games. You might also want to try calling that theater. The phone number is in the post. If you go to that site, you might be able to track down an area code. Good luck.

[Fanobills]

Thanks.

I'm definitely going to be looking into that.

[pete_bhoy]

i would love to go sumware to play XBL since i cant get broadband!
a few net cafes allready have a seperate room here to play live or SOCOM but i can see loads of people flocking to the local arcade, pool hall, to play aswell!

itd probarly be good if u could get a backroom area and have nice sofa's. also if u think about it M$ are bound to start having contest for money or prizes over live!

[Ford Mustang]

You should most definitely contact Microsoft or read the EULA because it probably says something about using the hardware/software for making money. I know rental stores have to get special permission, so you probably would have to also, since you are using their software as a continuing source of income, and they'll want a piece of it.

[Fanobills]

Originally posted by Ford_Mustang
You should most definitely contact Microsoft or read the EULA because it probably says something about using the hardware/software for making money. I know rental stores have to get special permission, so you probably would have to also, since you are using their software as a continuing source of income, and they'll want a piece of it.

I wanted to contact MS through their product suggestion/enhancement page, but then I read the writing above, and it says that by posting it on there that you give MS permission to use it freely. I didn't want to do that because I heard MS likes to use Spyware and stuff like that and they might start doing it, and it might be very successful, and I might get cut out.

I wouldn't have a problem with cutting them in provided it became a viable source of income to me too that would justify the investment in all the hardware.

I think I'll just stick to contacting the theater in Oregon instead to see if they needed to get permission to do that from MS.

[Fanobills]

Could somebody please type up what the Halo book says as far as what it's licensed for?

Does it say it is licensed only for private use in ones home or something like that?

quote it word for word please - I don't have an Xbox right now - I was unemployed for a while, and got desperate and had to sell it.

[Fanobills]

This is what I got from my instruction manual -

If your Xbox is used for commercial purposes (including rental or lease) it voids your limited warranty.

AND...

"The software included in the Xbox Product is licensed to you, not sold. You are licensed to use such software only in your Xbox Product and you may not reverse engineer it, except as expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation."

In legal terms, does that prevent you from being able to rent out playing time on the Xbox?

I don't think it does.

But I still have to read the games' licensing red tape.

[Drumline Joe]

There are a couple places here in Arizona kinda like that. I think they have a bunch of computers linked up and you can link xbox's there too. I can't remember the name of the place but if I remember I'll post it.

[l Maximus l]

There is a place in Lynwood, WA called Gameclucks that does this. I'm not sure how the XBox Live thing would work, though...since each kit is licensed under a specific user. But, they do have LAN games and such...also tournaments. It seems really popular. They also have computer LANs and they have a T1 line for on-line gaming. I know that they use XBConnect for playing Halo on-line there...

So, I know that it is being done elsewhere...but, my only question is with XBox Live since each kit is gamer specific.