Microsoft offers solution to play Xbox offline

[Dohc-WP]

I'm not sure why that is "OK" though?

Doesn't it bother you that they are enforcing an unnecessary requirement based on the assumption that you are a thief? If it was once every two weeks or even once a week then I think I'd be more forgiving. But every day? Why? Why is that necessary? I cannot think of one example of why that is absolutely necessary unless you are working on the assumption that your customers are criminals.

most of the new games will need syncing up with the cloud to download new data, Forza 5 has already been announced to feature that. Connecting once every 24 hours to sync your console shouldnt be a chore considering that most people log in to facebook every 5 minutes to check other people's status, hell even most smartphones require constant internet connections these days and people dont moan about. why are they moaning to connect your xbox once every 24 hours (even if its just for 5 or 10 minutes) to update and download new data ?

you dont even see people moaning about always online games like diablo 3 that requires a constant connection compared to how they're going on about the xbone

 

[Wyzak]

most of the new games will need syncing up with the cloud to download new data, Forza 5 has already been announced to feature that.

you dont even see people moaning about always online games like diablo 3 that requires a constant connection compared to how they're going on about the xbone

So because most of the games might have such a feature it's ok to force it on all games even the ones that don't need it? I have a question for you, you only have these two options. Would you 1) prefer to be able to play Forza offline should your Internet be down with two week old rival driving AI, or 2) not be able to play the game at all because your Internet is down?

It is exactly because of the epic failures of Diablo III and Simcity that people are starting to realize what a bad idea the always online requirement is.

 

[StaggerLee]

most of the new games will need syncing up with the cloud to download new data, Forza 5 has already been announced to feature that. Connecting once every 24 hours to sync your console shouldnt be a chore considering that most people log in to facebook every 5 minutes to check other people's status, hell even most smartphones require constant internet connections these days and people dont moan about. why are they moaning to connect your xbox once every 24 hours (even if its just for 5 or 10 minutes) to update and download new data ?

you dont even see people moaning about always online games like diablo 3 that requires a constant connection compared to how they're going on about the xbone

It's not about it being chore though, it's about the reasons why they need you to "check-in" every day. It's not because the games need to be updated every day (and really that Forza feature should be optional), it's because they want to make sure that you, the paying customer, are not stealing something from them.

Many people still play their consoles offline and don't feel it necessary to connect online. The point I am trying to make is that it is not a necessity and they should provide incentives for connecting rather than punishments for not doing so. The old carrot vs stick argument.

I realise that for most people it's not a problem to connect every day, but the motivation behind Microsoft doing this is not because they want to give you a better experience, it's because they think the average user (including you) is a thief. And I personally have a problem with that. Can you imagine how you would feel if you whenever you went to a restaurant, they insisted that they hang on to your credit card just in case you left without paying, citing the reason that they just want to keep it safe for you. It's just a bullsh*t way of saying: "I think you could be a thief and regardless of whether you are one or not, I will treat you as such."

And people do moan about the always-online requirement of Diablo 3 and other games like it. It was an issue when the game was released and it is an issue now.

 

[Saint_Dee]

most of the new games will need syncing up with the cloud to download new data, Forza 5 has already been announced to feature that. Connecting once every 24 hours to sync your console shouldnt be a chore considering that most people log in to facebook every 5 minutes to check other people's status, hell even most smartphones require constant internet connections these days and people dont moan about. why are they moaning to connect your xbox once every 24 hours (even if its just for 5 or 10 minutes) to update and download new data ?

you dont even see people moaning about always online games like diablo 3 that requires a constant connection compared to how they're going on about the xbone

My response to Omega's similar sentiment:

Here's my view, both consoles look like great pieces of tech from a technical point. Even the games that are lined up for both of them look exciting ( completely subjective to taste, I guess). So what would sway me one way or other? Probably the service provided by MS or Sony.

I actually get what MS is trying to do in terms of their progressive ambitions, but the once a day check, it bothers me for a few reasons, I don't have necessarily have unlimited access to the Internet, and from what I'm seeing this is far from isolated to just Saffers mind you, so in my case based on what the Xbox One is, if for one reason or not my Internet isn't avaliable for longer than a day (tends to happen even for those with robust Internet), it means I won't be able to use my Xbox at my discretion should I want to play my games.

And that's the thing, even places with proper Internet like your New Yorks have areas with the occasional outages and such (at least from what I've been reading). This is a significant chunk of people who now have a lot more things to factor in should they want an xbox.

I know a lot of people who tend to take their consoles along with them for trips or even just visiting a friend, etc. That place doesn't have Internet? No play. What about areas with coverage dead zones (even found in sub urban areas and some cities)? No play? Many more examples I can think of. I repeat this isn't just a Saffers problem.

Is the Xbox progressive and moving with the times? Yes most definitely, but this move alienates a chunk of consumers (may not be the core majority but a sizable chunk nonetheless IMO) who may have wanted an Xbox, but are deterred because of the the thought process they need to undergo to figure out if they'll be getting the most of their console at their discretion. If they'd steamed it, I would feel differently.

I recently posted an article by the Verge about the futures of both PS4 and Xbox One. The living room vs the cloud. Both different visions seemed exciting for different reasons. In any case I'm not taking anything from the the console, just mentioning why I think it may lose a bit of ground with some gamers and why I certainly can't support it if I make the jump to console.

Not the most articulate response since I think my point may have been lost somewhere . But that's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

 

[StaggerLee]

My response to Omega's similar sentiment...

I do agree with you to an extent. Innovation and progress are important in the games industry of course, and maybe the mandatory Kinect is a step in that direction.

But I don't believe that the daily check-up was done in the name of progress, I believe it was done with an accusatory finger wagging at all of us saying: "Take that, you effing no-good pirates!". For me that casts a huge shadow on their other efforts that probably were done to bring new novelty to games.

 

[Dohc-WP]

My response to Omega's similar sentiment:

people are not looking at this from all angles, Consoles have always been sold at a loss and recouping was done on games (thats why console games usually cost more) with the current console cycle game costs increased substantially (and this generation it will cost even more), and more people started pirating, remember the 360 does not require a modchip, you just need to google on how to flash the dvd drive, Thats one of the reasons why the dreamcast failed, any idiot was able to pirate games on there, Yes this is a fairly strict form of drm but i wouldnt call it more intrusive than steam. also the xbox has wifi so if you need to connect for a minute or whatever to authenticate your console in the 24 hour period and telkom is down you can always use your phone as a wifi hotspot to do that.

i feel this is something small thats being blown out of proportion. The used game policy from ms i dont agree with though

 

[Wyzak]

Yes this is a fairly strict form of drm but i wouldnt call it more intrusive than steam.

It is more intrusive than Steam. Steam allows me to play my games offline for up to two weeks (I've never actually hit this limit). And that amount of time has always been sufficient for telkom to fix my adsl line, or I could just make a plan and quickly authenticate online in some point in two weeks. 24hours != 2 weeks.

Next you'll be telling us that being forced to play single-player games online so you can show your score to your friends makes it worthwhile not being able to play it offline?

 

[StaggerLee]

people are not looking at this from all angles, Consoles have always been sold at a loss and recouping was done on games (thats why console games usually cost more) with the current console cycle game costs increased substantially (and this generation it will cost even more), and more people started pirating, remember the 360 does not require a modchip, you just need to google on how to flash the dvd drive, Thats one of the reasons why the dreamcast failed, any idiot was able to pirate games on there, Yes this is a fairly strict form of drm but i wouldnt call it more intrusive than steam. also the xbox has wifi so if you need to connect for a minute or whatever to authenticate your console in the 24 hour period and telkom is down you can always use your phone as a wifi hotspot to do that.

i feel this is something small thats being blown out of proportion. The used game policy from ms i dont agree with though

I see where you are coming from, but a major factor in the reduction in profits comes from the fact that this generation has lasted so long. People have been waiting for new consoles and are not really ready to invest a lot in the old ones because the new generation is way overdue. This, coupled with development budgets that rival the most expensive Hollywood movies, and you have a problem. And it is definitely more intrusive than Steam as they only need to check once every two weeks which can be fairly argued as being required to keep games up to date. Once a day seems excessive to me.

Sony has made console pirating very difficult since the PS2, I can't see that it would be very difficult for Microsoft to make it as difficult for pirates on their new console. And even though any idiot can pirate on a 360, not every idiot will. Voiding warranties and the risks associated with processes like re-flashing a device are generally deterrents. Regardless of these issues, it shouldn't be the paying customer's problem to deal with the fallout, pirates will find ways to get around DRM anyway, and those of us that don't pirate are treated like thieves.

 

[Ike_009]

My view with this 24 hours thing is that let's say for example you buy a new car. Now after buying your car you have to stop at the petrol station everyday just to make sure that you aren't using fuel that was stolen or made by a small developer. Its not like you don't have a petrol station on your way to work so its no big deal to drop by everyday when you want to drive your car.

I would add, if the petrol station doesn't have fuel then you have to leave your car there and take a taxi to work.

Essentially they are saying they expect you to steal something so let's just conduct daily inspections.

 

[Wyzak]

My view with this 24 hours thing is that let's say for example you buy a new car. Now after buying your car you have to stop at the petrol station everyday just to make sure that you aren't using fuel that was stolen or made by a small developer. Its not like you don't have a petrol station on your way to work so its no big deal to drop by everyday when you want to drive your car.

Essentially they are saying they expect you to steal something so let's just conduct daily inspections.

Nice analogy, and I would add, if the petrol station doesn't have fuel then you have to leave your car there and take a taxi to work. (No Internet)

 

[Saint_Dee]

people are not looking at this from all angles, Consoles have always been sold at a loss and recouping was done on games (thats why console games usually cost more) with the current console cycle game costs increased substantially (and this generation it will cost even more), and more people started pirating, remember the 360 does not require a modchip, you just need to google on how to flash the dvd drive, Thats one of the reasons why the dreamcast failed, any idiot was able to pirate games on there, Yes this is a fairly strict form of drm but i wouldnt call it more intrusive than steam. also the xbox has wifi so if you need to connect for a minute or whatever to authenticate your console in the 24 hour period and telkom is down you can always use your phone as a wifi hotspot to do that.

i feel this is something small thats being blown out of proportion. The used game policy from ms i dont agree with though

I certainly get that argument, I honestly think it would've been better received if they'd gone the Steam path. Also, not every prospective consumer has a smartphone that can be used as a hotspot, does the one allow tethering the way you would on your PC (sure, maybe that population is less than in previous years, but it's still a chunk of consumers being left in the lurch)?

Like I said, I don't deny their forward thinking, but the Once a day check is a hassle IMO. Yes, there are workarounds should you have any issues (like the one you suggested), but should a consumer have to consider workarounds when they think about whether or not they can use the One at own their discretion, that thought process is a deterrent, along with having to account for workarounds should you be one of the people without a constant internet connection.

I repeat, I like both consoles for the futures they both present (check out my Living Room vs. The Cloud post), but my consideration goes the hassle-free console, and in this case it's the PS4.

 

[matt]

I see where you are coming from, but a major factor in the reduction in profits comes from the fact that this generation has lasted so long. People have been waiting for new consoles and are not really ready to invest a lot in the old ones because the new generation is way overdue. This, coupled with development budgets that rival the most expensive Hollywood movies, and you have a problem. And it is definitely more intrusive than Steam as they only need to check once every two weeks which can be fairly argued as being required to keep games up to date. Once a day seems excessive to me.

Sony has made console pirating very difficult since the PS2, I can't see that it would be very difficult for Microsoft to make it as difficult for pirates on their new console. And even though any idiot can pirate on a 360, not every idiot will. Voiding warranties and the risks associated with processes like re-flashing a device are generally deterrents. Regardless of these issues, it shouldn't be the paying customer's problem to deal with the fallout, pirates will find ways to get around DRM anyway, and those of us that don't pirate are treated like thieves.

I agree. MS's random waves of xbl bans also deter people from pirating games on the 360. And look what happened with all the PC games that had the always on requirement for DRM. It didn't affect the pirates because they got cracked versions anyway, all it did was make paying customers angry. A lot of honest people would actually buy a legal copy of a game and then get a cracked version of it as well so they could play at home if they don't have internet access. Other less honest people who would have bought a copy just pirated it sommer.

I know a good few people who have 360's, but don't have any internet access at home. Most of them aren't tech savvy enough to work out how to get a connection through their phone, and a lot of people don't have a phone that can create a wifi hotspot anyway.

It's all well and good in a country like America where pretty much everyone has broadband internet, but countries like SA, it's a major issue.