I might be completely wrong Gareth but I don't think that is just an AvP problem on the xbox.
Some games are only as good as the host, ie if there connection is crap the game can be laggy and sometimes if they get disconnected, because of that, the game closes.
Or they go off in a huff and quit the game because things aren't going well for them.

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Martin 'Victim' Victory
A86/TQ3.4.49421E3
UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters


you can't take the PUNK outa Spunkmeyer

Similar with the PC then as I saw a fair amount of that happening too. various reasons for it from genuine to the old chucking of the rattle out of the pram! Of course dedicated servers will solve that one. Hopefully they will be regional too so the ping rates will be low. I used to play a lot of Call of Duty/Medal of Honour in competitive clan matches and anything over 50-75 ping and you're on dodgy ground as far as things being even go. 150+ for a First Person shoo..melle...scifi horror...thing , err game and it literally is 'Game over man'.

Oh, I understand that. But some games have Host Migration so that the game survives when the host quits or drops, after a short pause. But, I can't imagine that it's an simple thing to implement. Personally, I'd like it to go further and have the game maintain a backup host so that the game can seamlessly recover from the primary host suddenly leaving. But that might be an over-complex solution for a video game ...

TBH, I'm amazed that all the multiplayer networking gubbins wasn't made part of the Xbox SDK so that any game can easily implement robust MP with host migration etc.

I thought these were interesting to bring up. And deserve a little more than a curtail alarmist viewing.

I work at Game Stop and while not an absolute end-be-all source of information to video games, I think I can provide some insight to these articles.

It costs money to keep the online content of games going. And while online play is great, companies will want to make room in their check books to support newer games, not aging sports titles. In fact, Microsoft will soon be closing down all online support of the Original Xbox, is this really that heinous? The system is ancient, and the end will have to come. EA sports has been taking a lot of financial hits with their sports lines, people are starting to figure out that each year it's the same sports game with a few tweaks. This move is more than likely to bully people into getting the newest sports game, though EA doesn't realize that most people who play them don't play online in the first place.

As for the PSP Go, don't worry. Its sales are dismal. In fact the title the articles references was just today pulled off Game Stop's shelves and moved into defective and are to be destroyed, a sure sign of the poorness that digital games (and the PSP) are doing.

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-Dan AKA
A07/TQ1.0.72161E1

Nice one!

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Let's just bug out and call it even, OK?

I think the X-Box 360 does this.

I played last night (and made another new group of friends!!), and was told that the host migration / back-up host stuff only happens if you host a "player match" rather than a "ranked match".

Put it this way... I played a few ranked matches and after each game found myself back at the main menu.

But when one of my new found friends hosted a player match, we all stuck together for the remainder of the evening. And when the original host logged off early, the game was taken over by another of his friends that he had specified (I guess that's the back-up host bit). At the very last knockings, I was left hosting.

I have a pretty basic 2mb connection, and haven't noticed much lagging (unlike when I play Fifa, which is a nightmare on-line), apart from when someone from the USA joined our game. He disappeared pretty sharpish, and our host just locked the room. Played like a dream after that.

Have to say I'm finding "Infestation" and "Predator Hunt" an absolute hoot when playing with friends.

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Let's just bug out and call it even, OK?

I only play Player matches, never Ranked matches and still experience host disconnects. Very few games (only Halo 2/3 and MW2 that I can find) feature host migration and none are seamless AFAIK. I'm talking about recovery from the condition when the host disconnects DURING PLAY, not any behaviour to do with matchmaking or the game lobby - We're talking about when the game abruptly ends halfway through a match when the one crucial player (on the host Xbox) decides to quit.

The group/party leader for a group of friends has no relation to which Xbox is the host. The Xbox that hosts the game state (acts as server) is selected automatically (and I don't think there is even a way of finding out who is the host?) - it is usually the Xbox with the best net connection.

Ahhh... have to admit my knowledge of how all this stuff works is pretty limited.

I guess the key to a good gaming experience is to play with a bunch of friends. Certainly true in my experience.

I see you sent me a friends request last night, which has been happily accepted.

Next time I see you playing, I'll invite you in to play with the new group of AvP friends I've made since Saturday night.

Nice bunch, play the right way. Just come armed with a collection of Arnie / Predator or Aliens quotes, and you'll fit right in.

"Medical. Get to Medical" was last night's rallying call when being hunted by xenos.

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Let's just bug out and call it even, OK?

I owns you all at every mode!! Sorry random comment there, Im not in the techical know-how to add to such a interlectual conversation

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Easily distracted by shiny things...

All your atmosphere processors are belong to us!!

I give up, I totally give up on that effing eff of a game. I wish i'd never bought it - thank god it wasn't too expensive.

SAS

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Alan T. Alien
1st Lt Smith, SA "Sidewinder"
A13/TQ1.4.19720EX CMA
Founder of UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. Freebooters
Founder of Special Armaments Section (Heavy Weapons)
"People don't understand. people like me"

Was just going post something along the lines of "don't give up, you'll get the hang of it".

Then I saw your earlier post about playing on elite setting.



I think I'll keep my "plays on normal setting" platitudes to myself.

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Let's just bug out and call it even, OK?

I'm playing on Easy.

Still dying quite often, but that's cos I'm rubbish.

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

Was starting to wish I'd picked the easy setting when I came up against the queen and all those damn xenos for the first time.

It was real 'shoot and scoot' in there!

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Let's just bug out and call it even, OK?

That took me three attmepts and even then only with a sliver of health left.

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

Not to brag but I finished that Alien queen 1st go on hard ^^

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Easily distracted by shiny things...

I love the look of that queen.


First try on Easy though just barely. took a while to figure out the trick.

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PFC Tom "Kenny" Kness
A10/TQ2.0.72155E1

So I picked this game up last night and after about 2 hours worth of play, I gave each scenario a go, I am very disappointed. The Graphics are sub par, for a PS3, so to try and make up for it the game makers made everything dark. I find I am constantly throwing flairs, for the marine, and shooting ammo at necessary targets. The game could have used more polish. It reminds me of playing Prey, decent game but poor graphics for the time, all over again.

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If you accept pocket lint as a currency well I'll take it all!

I've just started the marine campaign again on nightmare! Jeez there are no checkpoints! Aliens everywhere too!

I only wish that the marine levels kept to the Alien/Aliens style corridors ect. The atmosphere is superb during these levels. Very aliens like!

My favourite MP mode has to be infestation!! Everyone is on tender-hooks!!! Just where is the alien going to come from?? AAAH The suspense!!!

Brilliant!

Bri

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In Space No One Can Hear You Scream ...
Dave Xeno - missed but never forgotten......

I think the graphics are very good. Using the flares is a nice touch as the game is so dark! It makes hunting aliens alot more exciting!!!

Bri

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In Space No One Can Hear You Scream ...
Dave Xeno - missed but never forgotten......

Heck, I have the brightness cranked up and I STILL have to use flares. I don't have a problem with
the graphics overall. Sure, it's no MW2, but then... few games are.

Playing it on normal difficulty and still dying stupidly at times. Which is about normal for me. Right Rex?

Russ

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"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Not sure what you mean by that, unless you mean you're wasting ammo because you can't hit the Aliens when playing as the Marine?

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

It'd be a bit silly to have flares in the game and not need to use them.

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

Its an Aliens game it HAS to be dark. It can't be broad daylight well..ok there are a few levels like that. BUT to recreate and capture the feel of the movies you have to be in darkness and have a hard time seeing your enemy, or when playing as the Xeno, to be able to destroy all the lights and play hide and go kill.

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PFC Tom "Kenny" Kness
A10/TQ2.0.72155E1

Love this snippet from a friend who's completed Marine and Predator story modes:

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."