Reviews - Microsoft Studios employee defends always-online Xbox 720

[HEXUS]

Creative director Adam Orth says “Electricity goes out, too.”

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[Chadders87]

In a way I can see his point. Only last week I was bashing anything that demanded "always-on", but when I look around I realise I am already using the same technology albeit for fun rather than DRM.

My phone is constantly internet connected for emails etc and many of the games are also always online to update hi-scores against friends etc. My PC has a permanent connection and even my xbox is always connected even though I only uses it every other week.

The difference is the software I use has the ability to save locally and can run without the ever-present connection. Handy when downloads require the full bandidth or if the router restarts randomly.

If they use the "always on" for increased fun while not reducing offline useability then go for it.. it can only make it better. But if this is move to replace offline play and introduce DRM... shame on them.

[mupet0000]

You are missing out some tweets:
http://imgur.com/fulDo2f

[kalniel]

The difference for me is that when my electricity goes I get compensation from my provider, who try damn hard to give me a reliable supply. When my internet goes, like it does every 2 days due to a crappy ISP provided router, my ISP don't give a damn. If the internet goes due to a fault at their end, again no compensation, just a little note on a website somewhere.

If the internet was considered a service that needs to be reliable by the providers, then I'd have less issue with always-on.

[Biscuit]

So if i bother with a next gen console, i guess it will be a PS3 then.

[Zerox]

*Parody* CEO of Sony gives his thoughts.



Looks like I am getting a PS4, if anything next-gen at all...

EDIT: Thanks Figure for pointing that out. Serves me right for not going checkin credentials. Still funny though.

[cptwhite_uk]

...for me, like biscuit, this would be able absolute deal breaker. My internet is FTTC and I generally pull 23Mbs on a wired line, but my wireless performance in my 1950's built semi can be very inconsistant. It was really bad last night - constantly dropping speed and losing data packets. As such I can't imagine buying a console that requires an always on connection in order to play, it would be very disruptive to all gaming experiences, even single player which is a rediculous scenario.

[Rob_B]

So if i bother with a next gen console, i guess it will be a PS3 then.

Or, you know, a PS4?

As for the tweets...He has come across as an arrogant arse however his first tweet says

always on

not

HAS to have a permanent net connection or it won't work at all

The nextbox specs even mention 'always on' to cover updates etc just as something like the PS3 does now with PS+ (I don't own a 360 so not sure if it does the same) - that isn't an issue, it's convenient.

There is a lot read into his tweet and it certainly it seems to have been worded badly. The other leak regarding consumer/dev kits could also be seen another way, I've read that pre release 360s also had this mandatory connection so MS could control them, doesn't seem too far fetched to think they'd do the same with the new console does it?

Then however he mentions the electricity/mobile reception etc and digs himself a pit!

TLDR: Don't read too much into a badly worded tweet

[Blackmage]

If the next Xbox console requires an internet connection; I for one wont be making a purchase! It annoys me when my mobile phone wants to check with a server as to whether I own the game or not, this stops me from playing my beloved bejeweled on the tube...

[Saracen]

In a way I can see his point. Only last week I was bashing anything that demanded "always-on", but when I look around I realise I am already using the same technology albeit for fun rather than DRM.

My phone is constantly internet connected for emails etc and many of the games are also always online to update hi-scores against friends etc. My PC has a permanent connection and even my xbox is always connected even though I only uses it every other week.

The difference is the software I use has the ability to save locally and can run without the ever-present connection. Handy when downloads require the full bandidth or if the router restarts randomly.

If they use the "always on" for increased fun while not reducing offline useability then go for it.. it can only make it better. But if this is move to replace offline play and introduce DRM... shame on them.

We set ourselves up as hostages to fortune if we buy into a technology that requires a connection for games to start. I won't buy a game that requires Steam, and I sure as hell won't buy a console that demands an always-on connection.

It's one thing for "social" activities to require a connection, as they self-evidently need it, but for a single-player offline game to only work online is, for me, an absolute non-starter. If MS do what it seems like they're going to do, they've lost me, as there are no circumstances that would induce me to buy such a console.

[Biscuit]

Or, you know, a PS4?

As for the tweets...He has come across as an arrogant arse however his first tweet says

not


The nextbox specs even mention 'always on' to cover updates etc just as something like the PS3 does now with PS+ (I don't own a 360 so not sure if it does the same) - that isn't an issue, it's convenient.
There is a lot read into his tweet and it certainly it seems to have been worded badly.

Then however he mentions the electricity/mobile reception etc and digs himself a pit!

Haha... yeah or that :/

All this auto update this is a bit annoying aswell though, i dont want my stuff to auto update unless i explicitly allow it too. I want to be allowed to say, 'yes you can update now'. Now some of this is because i have a monthly cap on my broadband, admittedly its 250GB, which is a huge amount, but if i have heavy daytime usage i get throttled so i prefer to do BIG things overnight.

These companies need to start directly addressing peoples concerns, not because they will LOSE business but because they will GAIN it from being transparent and listening to demands.

[Jonj1611]

Not sure if the mobile phone was a good example, for most people they will still buy a mobile phone but from a provider that does supply their area, aka sony lol.

[figure]

CEO of Sony gives his thoughts.



Looks like I am getting a PS4, if anything next-gen at all...

thats a fake account

[Saracen]

...

All this auto update this is a bit annoying aswell though, i dont want my stuff to auto update unless i explicitly allow it too. I want to be allowed to say, 'yes you can update now'.

....

I don't even let Windows auto-update, having spent too many hours unbending installations for other people when something auto-updated bent an installation.

...

....

These companies need to start directly addressing peoples concerns, not because they will LOSE business but because they will GAIN it from being transparent and listening to demands.

Quite so.

[Skyboat]

So what happens if you're in the middle of an RPG and the Internet dies, or your router blows up, or your ISP gets DDoS'ed (you get the idea) so you are without a connection for more than 3 minutes. Does your game progress since the last save point just go out the window? I can see a lot of disgruntled gamers if that's the case. I don't even like re-starting a game as you have to wait through about 3 minutes of loading screens anyway, whereas a simple "you have lost internetz!" popup will suffice instead.

[grayg1]

Is Microsoft determined to do worse than the Wii U? That or they're trolling