Just curious, has Microsoft confirmed their required online plans or are people just running with the worse case scenario and making threads all over the internet about it? I ask because I'm not really following the consoles in much detail so I don't know if what's being posted here is all fact. I initially presumed it was because of the way people are posting things as if they are reality, but suddenly it occurred to me that maybe none of this has been confirmed and it's all more just one big rant fest that is slowly becoming typical Internet Fact (tm).
*spin-off* Always on/connected... stuff
- Thread starter Rockster
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Just curious, has Microsoft confirmed their required online plans or are people just running with the worse case scenario and making threads all over the internet about it? I ask because I'm not really following the consoles in much detail so I don't know if what's being posted here is all fact. I initially presumed it was because of the way people are posting things as if they are reality, but suddenly it occurred to me that maybe none of this has been confirmed and it's all more just one big rant fest that is slowly becoming typical Internet Fact (tm).
http://winsupersite.com/xbox/xbox-vnext-and-always?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Sorry at doctor so if link is not right, can edit.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express
Sorry at doctor so if link is not right, can edit.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express
There is loose evidence of this being true that's about it. Good thing is, if it is true Microsoft have seen the reactions and can maybe back step. If not they at least know what they are up against.
Personally i find it to stupid to be true, but then again at one point we had the divx disc
People are being idiots and going off with their wildest paranoid fears with no solid basis in reality.
Ah of course none of it confirmed, what a shocker. Ok well I'll leave y'all to rant on, I have no interest in wasting cycles on this.
Sometimes it doesn't help to stick your head in the sand, Microsoft is at least aware of the challenges they would have now. And loose evidence in this case may be thin, but there is nothing that points against it. And microsoft have had more than one chance to counteract. The best example is the Microsoft employee that may have gotten fired because he defended always on (and acted like a jerk). Microsoft had every chance to silence every critique when they responded to his behavior. They said nothing about always on, and that says something since the message right now is that 720 will have always on.
In Sonys case they have a history that might have taught them not to play with fire, but you are absolutely right, it's not like Sony has history of doing the wise thing.
And i would consider Microsoft exceptionally better equipped when it comes to supporting the needed infrastructure to provide always online.
But there is:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-02-21-the-big-interview-sonys-shuhei-yoshida-on-ps4
"Eurogamer: Does the console always need to be connected to the internet?
Shuhei Yoshida: You can play offline, but you may want to keep it connected. The system has the low-power mode - I don't know the official term - that the main system is shut down but the subsystem is awake. Downloading or updating or you can wake it up using either the tablet, smartphone or PS Vita.
Eurogamer: Are all of those things optional? For people who have broadband data limits, for example? They can customise everything?
Shuhei Yoshida: Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."
Honestly, if MS is truly trying to service the desires and needs of the gaming market, they have a perfect opportunuity to sit back and just listen. Moments like these have practical value as a tool to simply understand the feelings amongst some of the different demographics of the userbase.
Perfect.. thanks i can use that here:
This is sony, so they can change their mind, but it seems they are doing the right thing.. so far
You buy a disk and put it in your machine and it plays the game. Only potentially in the future, you'll put the disk in your console and it won't work because the online verification has been revoked. That's something new to the console space, or any medium AFAIK. The only comparisons are digital downloads and that's a very different proposition.
Sony have said otherwise, presumably in direct opposition to the MS rumours. MS is only rumours, but it is at least rumoured which is why people are discussing it. It's not like there's zero evidence - just very little, very flimsy evidence.
This monster tried something similar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIVX
Ahh the memories of that war, everytime i heard the sound of the warner intro its the sound of freedom since they opposed divx.
Lets assume for a moment that the always online rumour is true and discuss the points you have made:
1. I agree that both customers and MS will face new problems with deployment and maintenance of always online console. Those possible problems were discussed here extensively but just to name a few: DDOS attacks on xbox ecosystem (like in Sony's case), level and quality of customer's broadband connections, natural phenomena that might take out the service on both ends (sure thats a rare thing to happen but when it happens...)
2. As far as the benefits go i am sure its much more one sided (in MS favor). They will have possibility to curb used games market, they will have total control over the content, or could implement new DRM solution to fight piracy (of both console hardware and software). You also said easier communication with your customers but i dont see that as a valid point. You can have good communication without always online if you really want. Just make the console TRY to connect to internet as soon as its powered on or keep it online during some kind of low power state but only if the customer has the option to disable that feature. Want to help your customers keep their saved games safe in cloud? Give them the option to do so (even if as default setting) and dont force it down their throats.
And the most important question for most of those who dont like the always on idea:
Why would you not let your customers to play single player games in offline mode? What is the benefit for the customer here?
Also theres the problem of maintaining your service in the future and letting your customers still use your product. I admit that having the option to buy and download everything quickly from the internet is very nice (im on 30mbs connection). But i also got burned once with digital distribution when after 2 months of uninterrupted gameplay my Bad Company 2 game was removed from my account (it was the introduction of Origin if i remember correctly) without a reason. I didnt keep the receipt so the support told me to go fcak myself in very polite manner. What if accidents like that happen in the future?
I dont mind if the new xbox will be built around the always online concept in a way you will lose some of the functionality that will work online only. But i also dont see a valid reason (apart from corporate greed and stupidity) that gaming console should be always connected to let you play tetris.
EDIT: some more thoughts on the topic:
Does MS really has nothing to learn from DRM infestation fiasco the music industry had to go through? Are they willing to risk so much just to have a bit more of control over their customers? I really dont know but i also do hope the answer is a big resounding HELL NO! How many cases of UBISOFT's uplay problems or EA's SimCity launches do we have to edure to put this all always online bullcrap to rest? Of course i still dont know if there is something to actually moan about on the internet. It might turn out that the MS's implementation of new features will be really great. But remember that in the end big corporations care only about profits and they can count the profits only long after the launch of the product. Only thing we can do now is to let them know that there is something we dont like about their new product and if there's big enough outcry things might get changed.
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So where is the evidence the MS XB720 works any differently?
Here's my prediction: The PS4 OOBE will require you to log in to or create a PSN account. The PS4 will default to always-online, and you _may_ be able to disable some of those features, but it'll be opt out, and Sony will hide them as deep in the menu tree as it can.This is sony, so they can change their mind, but it seems they are doing the right thing.. so far
I predict similar things for the nextbox, with the difference being in the set of features that can be disabled.