In the second part of our Xbox 360 FAQ, we bring you the lowdown on Live. Remember, submit your questions as comments and we'll add them to future instalments of the FAQ!Will I be able to keep my existing Live account and gamertag?
Yes. Existing Xbox Live users automatically get Gold membership to Xbox Live. The transfer process happens when you first plug in your console; you'll need the details you signed up to Live with.
Is the friends list limit still 100?
Yes. However, you'll be able to view your friends' friends lists too, which might help!
What extra features will I have access to?
With Xbox Live Gold, you can have a one-on-one conversation with a friend, even during a single-player game. There's a feedback system so you can report other players for both good and bad experiences, which will help tailor your matchmaking results. There's also the ability to complain about other players.
Matchmaking is based on the TrueSkill system, which takes your skill level into account to find opponents of similar calibre; if you're playing unranked games, your Gamer Zone is taken into account. You can also select to "avoid" or "prefer" certain gamers, so you are more likely to get matched up with people you want to play with.
Your game achievements are shared online for some friendly competition with other gamers, and if you want to stand back from the action for a while, you can enter spectator mode to sit back and watch others game. PGR3 supports it at launch, but we might find more titles supporting it soon. There will be official online tournaments and you also get access to the Xbox Live Marketplace which allows you to purchase and download new content.
I don't have a Live account, will I be able to use the online features?
You automatically get a Silver account which allows you to communicate with friends online and shop for content as well as download patches. There will be free trials for you to preview Xbox Live Gold, and you'll get the gaming achievements and stats too, but--crucially--you won't be able to actually play online.
Can I change my gamertag?
One of the much-touted features of Xbox Live on the 360 is the fact that yes, gamertags can be changed. It'll cost you, though -- 800 Microsoft Points.
If I am running an Xbox game on my 360, can I play with people who are using the same game but on an Xbox?
Yes.
How does the marketplace work? Do I need a credit card?
You won't need a credit card, as you'll be able to buy marketplace cards in stores for points. You can use a credit card if you prefer, though, and buy points via the Dashboard. The Marketplace allows you to download free demos as well as non-free gamer pictures and themes; Xbox Live Arcade titles will range from 800 to 1200 points in price. For an example of the content available, see this Eurogamer article.
How do I get a new avatar for my profile?
New gamer pictures are bought via the Xbox Live Marketplace. You can't make your own, just yet.
Can I appear offline?
Yes. Select 'Personal Settings' from the Xbox Guide, select 'Online Status' and then 'Appear Offline.'
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-29-2005 @ 11:54AM
BB said...
Is it possible to use a 2nd party wireless game adapter? (i.e. Linksys, Belkin, etc.)
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11-29-2005 @ 12:08PM
quiksr20 said...
I dont see why not they usually just plug into the ethernet port and would appear to the system as a standard ethernet connection.
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11-29-2005 @ 12:45PM
Matt said...
If my existing Xbox Live account is converted to a Gold account, will I still be able to go on Live with my old Xbox to play games that are not yet supported on the Xbox 360?
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11-29-2005 @ 1:32PM
heistgonewrong said...
#1. Yes, I'm using my first generation Xbox wireless adapter. Others will work as well.
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11-29-2005 @ 1:48PM
Nitin said...
Since the Xbox 360 has USB ports, can you simply plug in a USB 802.11G adapter and the xbox should go online without having to spend 100 for MS Offical Wireless Game adapter...
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11-29-2005 @ 1:57PM
nojok3 said...
Any ethernet based wireless adapter will work. Anything that plugs into usb besides the official adapter will not.
You will be able to keep both accounts on your 360 and your xbox. When you sign into the other one, it boots you off the one you were on to begin with, just like MSN Messenger
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11-29-2005 @ 1:58PM
nojok3 said...
You can only use the official 360 usb adapter. NO other usb adapters will work (I have tried just for the sake of it and it doesn't work)
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11-29-2005 @ 2:27PM
pathfinda said...
Sorry, you can use a 2nd party wireless game adapter. I own a Linksys and it doesn't work. I hate to pay 100 for a Xbox360-branded adapter.
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11-29-2005 @ 2:35PM
Julio said...
Hey, how come when I plug in my Ipod I can't hear all my music? All of my music was tranferred from CDs and I can't get it to play....
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11-29-2005 @ 3:44PM
michael said...
remember kids, having usb ports to plug devices into != having usb drivers for said device. This is a drawback to closed systems like the 360 that is more than a thousandfold made up for the fact that developers have a known and set configuration to work with.
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11-29-2005 @ 4:12PM
wtf said...
An ethernet wireless BRIDGE works just fine...
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11-29-2005 @ 4:28PM
CHILL_down said...
I cant believe that you can only still have 100 people on your friends list...its so easy to hit the limit...oh well...Seeing friends' (or clans') friends list is helpful i guess. :)
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11-29-2005 @ 4:34PM
Nitin said...
#9
Did you rip all ur music .mp4 or .mp3 format. i'm not sure if that matters or now.
#11
Please give more details. what do you mean an ethernet wireless bridge works? sorry i dont know too much about networking. only the basics
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11-29-2005 @ 5:39PM
jennie said...
A wireless bridge is a standalone box which connects a wireless network with a wired network. It has an antenna and wired ethernet ports, so the XBox is connected via a crossover cable and thinks it is talking directly to an ethernet network. However, the one I used for a year was absolute pants and kept disconnecting from the wireless network--I wouldn't recommend it unless you get something pretty heavy-duty.
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11-29-2005 @ 6:14PM
El Shaggy said...
Maybe because they are incoded in AAC. insread of MP3? I dont know if 360 supports AAC.
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11-29-2005 @ 7:52PM
Julio said...
I just tranferred the cd to my Ipod using I-tunes. Can I change the settings on I-tunes so that I can download the cds in a specific format, if so then which format will be able to play on my 360? Will that other format take more space on my Ipod?
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11-30-2005 @ 1:58PM
Nitin said...
#9
Did you rip all ur music .mp4 or .mp3 format. i'm not sure if that matters or now.
#11
Please give more details. what do you mean an ethernet wireless bridge works? sorry i dont know too much about networking. only the basics
Reply
11-30-2005 @ 1:58PM
Nitin said...
#16, yea u can cange the way iTunes rips music. its in the optinion under ripping or something like that.
rip mp3. u can use it on alsmot 99% of any mp3 player out there. the size difference should matter that much.
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11-30-2005 @ 3:44PM
Collin said...
I haven't looked at the compatibility list yet but I have two "classic" XBoxes and double copies of at least 12 games that can be played using system link so my question is: is it possible to play a a supported game system linked between a "classic" XBox and an XBox 360?
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12-01-2005 @ 3:19PM
Hamson said...
Why is the 360's mic quality so poor? And will Microsoft be addressing this issue?
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