Xbox live - Whats with the different subscriptions ?

[Guest]

Do i need a fkin credit card to play online, what does the gold subby do that the silver one doesnt.

I am sure i read somewhere you could play online thru the week with a silver subby and not at weekends, you need the gold one for that, or was i just dreaming.

 

[Draylor]

You cant play online with a silver subscription.

Gold version (ie paid for) you can.

Thats how I understand it anyway, the confusion seems to have come from some MS PR type suggesting there may be the occasional 'free' week/weekend/whatever where those without a gold subscription could play games online.

 

[PLightstar]

Bamm
Xbox Live on Xbox 360 Fact Sheet


May 2005

Now in its third generation of transforming and uniting Xbox® gaming communities, with more than 300 games planned by the end of holiday 2005 and with presence in 24 countries worldwide, Xbox Live™ has set the bar for online games entertainment. As the first global, unified online console games service, Xbox Live continues to take online gameplay and entertainment to unprecedented heights. With a rapidly growing global community, Xbox Live offers best-in-class games, intelligent matchmaking, tournaments, unique programming, and integration with Xbox.com—there is simply nothing else like it. The service continues to provide more and more ways for members to meet, interact, and stay engaged with each other.

Multiple Levels of Service
On Xbox 360, you'll have a choice of service level. The Xbox Live Silver service means you can connect your Xbox 360 console to a broadband Internet connection and get functionality right out of the box. The premium Xbox Live Gold service delivers the complete online connection package. The breakdown is as follows:

Xbox Live Silver level

* Create an online Gamer Profile
* Access the Xbox Live Marketplace
* Engage in voice and text messaging
* Talk to a single friend at a time using voice chat
* Receive video messages from Gold level members
* Access massively multiplayer online games (additional fees may apply)

Xbox Live Gold level

* Paid level of service
* All the features of Silver level, and additionally:
o Play multiplayer games online
o Video chat
o Multiplayer online tournaments
o Participate in Xbox Live online programming, such as Game with Fame, Play and Win, and Prime Time activities

Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace will provide a one-stop shop for consumers to download new game trailers, demos, and episodic content, along with new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, “skins,” and other types of new content on demand. The Xbox Live Marketplace is accessible to everyone who connects their Xbox 360 console to a broadband connection and creates an Xbox Live account.

Ubiquitous Chat
You can now voice chat with your friends anytime, while doing anything on your Xbox 360 system, regardless of subscription level. You no longer have to be playing the same game or be in the same game session to communicate; you can be playing a game while your friend is watching a movie, for example. Video chat will be available to all paying Xbox Live members. Requires Xbox 360 compatible headset for voice chat and Xbox 360 compatible camera for video chat.

Gamer Profile
On Xbox Live, every member will have his or her own gamer profile, which is a summary of their preferences, achievements, and online personality. Your gamer profile can be used for everything from deciding if the person who just sent you a friend request is worthy of addition to your Friends List to creating online matches between players who are more similar in background, styles, and skill. Elements of your gamer profile include the following:

* Gamer card: Get a quick look at the key stats for your friend or that new player who just challenged you to a multiplayer match. Like a personal identification card, the gamer card gives you a quick overview of other personalities on Xbox Live: their Gamertag, Gamerzone, Achievements, Reputation, and Gamerscore. Gamer cards let you instantly connect with people with similar skills, interests, and lifestyles, as well as maintain bragging rights over your achievements and scores.
* Gamerscore: A cumulative score of all achievements allows you to quickly compare profiles between other gamers.
* Reputation: A rating provided by the community indicates how you are perceived by other players. Think of it as the Xbox Live equivalent of a reliability rating.
* Gamerzone: Your Gamerzone indicates your style of social gaming. The choices are R&R, for those who just want to hang out and play without undue competitive stress; Pro, for those who are fiercely competitive and must win at all costs; Underground, for those who take an alternative approach to gaming; and Family, for those who want to make sure the environment they play in is kid-friendly.
* Achievements: Whether offline or on, you can earn achievements and accolades in all Xbox 360 games to indicate progress, skill, and accomplishment. Taking achievements online lets you compare what you've accomplished with your friends, or use them as indicators of skill to new friends. Achievements are bragging rights redefined.

Intelligent Matchmaking
Using profile data such as location, Reputation, Gamerscore, and Gamerzone, the matchmaking system on Xbox Live will help ensure that you are matched with the users you want to play with.

Spectator Mode
This is the "virtual arcade," a chance for you to watch other gamers compete in supported titles. Games that support this feature will give you the ability to participate online without having to compete. Learn tips and tricks, or just sit back and enjoy the show.

Feedback
With Xbox 360, Xbox Live lets you provide feedback on other players that will determine how frequently you are matched with them. Give them a good rating, and matches will happen frequently if you're both available. Give them a bad rating, and you're far less likely to play with them online again.

User Safety and Security
The new, more robust safety and security features in Xbox 360 help parents control the online and offline game experiences of their children by determining whether they can play online and whom they play with, and by locking the console to play only games that meet a certain rating.

Message Center
All of your notifications, voice and video messages, and even system- and service-based communications will be stored in one location.

Enhanced Friends List
Not only will you be able to review a prospective friend's gamer card to help determine whether or not to add them to your Friends List, but you'll also be able to see your friends' Friends Lists.

Exclusive Programming
Xbox Live is "always on"—something's always happening. The exclusive Prime Time Calendar is your destination for all information about events on Xbox Live. Play your favorite Xbox Live titles against real-world celebrity gamers through programs like Game with Fame and Mystery Gamer, and participate in unique promotions like "Play and Win."

Tournaments and Competitions
Xbox Live-sponsored tournaments will continue across a multitude of different titles and genres. More and more games will also support gamer-created tournaments on Xbox Live for Xbox 360.

The Xbox Live Service
Xbox Live remains the paramount leader in online games and entertainment—it's the world's first global, unified online console games service that quickly and easily connects friends around the world.

More than 85 broadband providers in 24 countries offer broadband plans that are certified as "Xbox Compatible." The Xbox Compatible program helps gamers identify broadband packages and equipment that let them connect to Xbox Live quickly and intuitively, making it even easier to enjoy Xbox Live.

Xbox Live offers the only comprehensive, high-performance unified online console gaming service without the hassle of wires. The Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter offers a simple setup process that easily configures the adapter to a network, and powerful security through an exclusive Xbox interface on the dashboard. Premier security features, including Wired Equivalent Privacy, help protect the network.

 

[Guest]

so i need a cc then, fkin microshite bollox fucktard homo dicks (TM)