Online gaming on XBOX live... how crude does it get?

[Papa Deuce]

If I get online with my XBOX, is it going to be people all shouting four letter words? Or is is not that bad at all?

Scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being XXX rated.

[Darwin]

If I get online with my XBOX, is it going to be people all shouting four letter words? Or is is not that bad at all?

Scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being XXX rated.

What's up Deuce. Ahh, thinking about going on Live with your new-found console, hey?

The simple answer to your question is: 5 out of 10. But that won't mean much because the amount of "inappropriate" material on Live depends on three main things:

1) Your ability to recognize when a room is not for you and the willingness to go find another room

2) The game you are playing

3) The friends list you keep.

The game you are playing has a lot to do with the type of gamers you will play with online. The more arcady, broad-specrtrum appeal games (like Need for Speed, Burnout, Wolfenstein, Project Gotham 2, Mechassault, counter-strike, Unreal) tend to bring in a broader audience which can include the immature gamers. Games that are more simulation based (Toca 2, MotoGP2, Rainbow Six) tend to have a lower percentage of immature gamers. But even then, you will always run into mature people in mechassult and run into total butt-clowns in a rainbow six game.

Overall, I've had a very good experience on Live the 2 years that I have used it. I play games with a wide range of gamers. Many of them are in their 20's and 30's.

For a new Live gamer, there is an initial process of getting a friends list built. The first few times you are on Live, you will have to deal with a wide range of gamers, some of which who are not pleasant. The ones who are unpleasant you just leave alone. The ones that you seem to have more in common with, you add to your friends list. As you friends list builds, you can use that to join their games and not have to deal too much with the regular, randomly-selected, public rooms.

Remember that Live games all have the "mute" function. At any time, if another gamer is annoying you with their voice, you may go to the players list and put their gamertag on "mute". That blocks them from talking (or yelling) to you. Also, when that gamer comes into your room later on (even months down the road), Live remembers that gamertag and leaves them on mute status, until you unmute them. I also use the mute function to tag gamers that drive around backwards or hit people a lot, so I can recogzine them in the future.

Are there any games that you would be interested in that are Live compatible?

** If you are interested in seeing a group of mature gamers who play on Live, you may want to check out www.xblgames.com, the home of the Relics. You can now view the message boards as a guest, or can sign up for free. The Relics are a group of gamers age 30 and above. Many of these guys are ones that I play regularly on Live with. They are not necessarily "hardcore". They are just normal gamers who like to play on Live, but also maintain regular lives with family and friends offline as well. I post there as well, under my gamertag Methadone Man. I am also the moderator of the (now dead) Toca 2 forum.

[Papa Deuce]

What's up Deuce. Ahh, thinking about going on Live with your new-found console, hey?

The simple answer to your question is: 5 out of 10. But that won't mean much because the amount of "inappropriate" material on Live depends on three main things:

1) Your ability to recognize when a room is not for you and the willingness to go find another room

2) The game you are playing

3) The friends list you keep.

The game you are playing has a lot to do with the type of gamers you will play with online. The more arcady, broad-specrtrum appeal games (like Need for Speed, Burnout, Wolfenstein, Project Gotham 2, Mechassault, counter-strike, Unreal) tend to bring in a broader audience which can include the immature gamers. Games that are more simulation based (Toca 2, MotoGP2, Rainbow Six) tend to have a lower percentage of immature gamers. But even then, you will always run into mature people in mechassult and run into total butt-clowns in a rainbow six game.

Overall, I've had a very good experience on Live the 2 years that I have used it. I play games with a wide range of gamers. Many of them are in their 20's and 30's.

For a new Live gamer, there is an initial process of getting a friends list built. The first few times you are on Live, you will have to deal with a wide range of gamers, some of which who are not pleasant. The ones who are unpleasant you just leave alone. The ones that you seem to have more in common with, you add to your friends list. As you friends list builds, you can use that to join their games and not have to deal too much with the regular, randomly-selected, public rooms.

Remember that Live games all have the "mute" function. At any time, if another gamer is annoying you with their voice, you may go to the players list and put their gamertag on "mute". That blocks them from talking (or yelling) to you. Also, when that gamer comes into your room later on (even months down the road), Live remembers that gamertag and leaves them on mute status, until you unmute them. I also use the mute function to tag gamers that drive around backwards or hit people a lot, so I can recogzine them in the future.

Are there any games that you would be interested in that are Live compatible?

** If you are interested in seeing a group of mature gamers who play on Live, you may want to check out www.xblgames.com, the home of the Relics. You can now view the message boards as a guest, or can sign up for free. The Relics are a group of gamers age 30 and above. Many of these guys are ones that I play regularly on Live with. They are not necessarily "hardcore". They are just normal gamers who like to play on Live, but also maintain regular lives with family and friends offline as well. I post there as well, under my gamertag Methadone Man. I am also the moderator of the (now dead) Toca 2 forum.

Yeah, I bought the 12 month kit, and I have a voucher for 2 free months. I set this up in the room with my PC and router and I thought I might give it a go.

I also bought KOTR, and Atari arcade.

I wish I could find a game like Neverwinter Nights for the PC on Live. That would be cool.

[Glockstar]

Yeah, I bought the 12 month kit, and I have a voucher for 2 free months. I set this up in the room with my PC and router and I thought I might give it a go.

I also bought KOTR, and Atari arcade.

You da man!

Say, that means you got Crimson Skies now, right?

You know... having Xbox Live changes my list of reccommended titles a bit. Now you're also looking at: Links 2004, MechAssault, Crash-n-Burn, and Tetris Worlds; and that definitely makes it Project Gotham Racing 2 (not 1).

-

Darwin's reply/answer was excellent. I don't think I'd change or contest a thing. And so, I really don't have much to add. (Plus, you're about to find out for yourself anyways, right. :p )

So I guess I'll just add my score - on a scale of 1-to-10, I'd rank Xbox Live's crudeness a 5 - and maybe elaborate on what to expect, as far as said crudeness:
* Drunken half-wits that hit on, and hound, female Livers.
* Insensitve, beligerant, impatient types, who do not hesitate to berate people for making a mistake. (Funny thing is, these jerks are usually barely above average gamers themselves.)
* Potheads who are inconsiderate and careless. I think most of your cussing comes from these types. I'm think these are the guys who are constantly dissapearing for long periods too - while everybody in the lobby's waiting for them.

You know, come to think about it... I really don't know if I've encountered a whole lot of swearing online - let alone, any tourettes-like gaming sessions. I think, overall, the swearing is pretty reasonable.

Actually, I think the worst things are:
* little kids who never shut up!
* sabotageurs - the jerks who park their cars in the middle of the road, or who go around the track backwards, or who shoot their teammates - on purpose.
* knuckleheads who have their stereo, or tv, blasting in the background, but who refuse to mute their headset mic - which everybody else is, constantly, hearing. I do not get this. And I think this inconsiderate behavior is the worst offense of them all.

[Darwin]

* knuckleheads who have their stereo, or tv, blasting in the background, but who refuse to mute their headset mic - which everybody else is, constantly, hearing. I do not get this. And I think this inconsiderate behavior is the worst offense of them all.

Ah yes, the "DJ's" of Live who think it is their duty to share their music with you .. over the headset.

Come to think of it, I've had MORE problems with other gamers breathing into their mic's, hearing their music, or hearing the reverb from their TV over the headset THAN foul language or yelling. Some of these gamers don't seem to understand: It's NOT a respirator, it's a headset ... take the damn thing out of your mouth.

Sometimes you'll get the echo effect. I.e. You'll be able to hear your voice echoing back at you. That's because someone in the room has their headset volume too loud or their earpiece is too close to their mouthpiece and you are actually hearing your own voice being re-broadcasted back at you.

[Darwin]

I will say this: there are a considerably amount of potheads on Live. I have found them to be some of the most enjoyably guys to game with. Funny and layed back. And I don't care what I learned in school, guys under the influence of "thc" DO drive better and have better reflexes, at least in MotoGP2.

[Papa Deuce]

You da man!

Say, that means you got Crimson Skies now, right?

You know... having Xbox Live changes my list of reccommended titles a bit. Now you're also looking at: Links 2004, MechAssault, Crash-n-Burn, and Tetris Worlds; and that definitely makes it Project Gotham Racing 2 (not 1).-

Darwin's reply/answer was excellent. I don't think I'd change or contest a thing. And so, I really don't have much to add. (Plus, you're about to find out for yourself anyways, right. :p )

l.

RE: Crimson Skies, yeah, I forgot that that game came with the Live starter kit. I have yet to hook the Box up to my router but I guess you just plug it in and you're good to go, right?

Hopefully I will do this tomorrow, Thursday at the latest.

Man, I can't believe I'm doing this at age 42! I'm a married guy with twin 3 year old girls! Just seems a little wierd.

[Glockstar]

I have yet to hook the Box up to my router but I guess you just plug it in and you're good to go, right?

Pretty much. You're going to need to put in some personal info - including your credit card number.

Also, think long and hard about your GamerTag - you only get one shot at it.


Man, I can't believe I'm doing this at age 42! I'm a married guy with twin 3 year old girls! Just seems a little wierd.

Nah, you're doing it for them. ;) (I recommend Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure.)
I don't know what your excuse is for your other systems tho'. :p

[Darwin]

There are lots and lots of gamertags already taken. So think up a good gamertag for yourself and several alternatives. Also remember that you can do variations.

For example, if the gamertag Darwin was taken, I could name myself something creative like xxDarwinxx or ooDARWINoo or Darwin69.

For the most part, you should be able to connecct automatically. If it does not automatically connect, reset your modem by unplugging it for a few seconds and then replugging it in. This will solve many connection problems. If not able to automatically connect and the reset does not work, you may need to manually input some info into your Live dashboard. Before you attempt to go online, gather information about your IP address and whatnot:.

Go to your control panels on your start menu. Then click on the internet connections icon. Highlight your "local area network" icon with the mouse by left-clicking once. Then look at the menu to the left called "Network tasks". Click on "View the status of this connection". This brings up a little window. Then select the "support" tab. Click on "details". Now copy all that info down. You may need to manually enter that info in your Xbox Live dashboard if you cannot automatically connect.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/Live/Connect/default.htm

use this site if you are having trouble connecting.

[Papa Deuce]

Thank you.

[Superior Beatslayer]

I will say this: there are a considerably amount of potheads on Live. I have found them to be some of the most enjoyably guys to game with. Funny and layed back. And I don't care what I learned in school, guys under the influence of "thc" DO drive better and have better reflexes, at least in MotoGP2.

Why thank you Darwin ;)

Keeping in mind I myself don't actually have Live due to my location, I do intend on getting online as soon as High speed gets out here. REGARDLESS, I'm actually pretty good at Burnout 3, as you know it takes some skill to steer through the traffic with your finger pressed down on the boost button.