Live Anywhere

If there is anything at the top of the long list of things Microsoft has done correctly so far in this console generation it is Xbox Live. The seamless integration between playing games while at the same time being online and available to the network of gamers who own an Xbox 360 is something no competing console can match. Sony may be trying to create their own "Xbox Live," but so far no one has seen results. With the Xbox 360 going into it's second year and with well over five million units already in the households of people across the world, Microsoft saw fit to introduce the next step in the Xbox Live integration; Live Anywhere. If Microsoft delivers on everything they mentioned at their E3 press conference this year, then Xbox Live is truly going to be an amazing experience.

The big theme Microsoft is trying to push is the feeling of community and the ease of using the Xbox 360 version of Xbox Live. Both of these issues were addressed thoroughly at the press conference. For the community aspect Microsoft is opening the doors for Xbox 360 and PC finally letting the two platforms interact. This just isn't a tacked on, "oh this will kinda work," ordeal either. There is a fair amount of thought and purpose around each integration of Xbox Live in both systems. A special disclaimer though, only PC's running Vista will have these abilities.

The first announcement was the ability for some games to allow for PC gamers and Xbox 360 gamers to play against one another in matches. While only one game was mentioned thus far as taking advantage of this new addition to Xbox Live, the number of games playable on both platforms will obviously increase as the months go on. There is one problem though with this idea. It is common knowledge that when a mouse and keyboard is compared to an analog joystick that the mouse is more accurate and is essentially easier to use while playing FPS genre titles. If games like Halo 3 were to be released dual platform, those who own the PC title will obviously have a much greater advantage over the console players (assuming their computer is maxed out with the latest specs, which presents a whole other problem). Microsoft has stated though that only certain games will be dual platform, and that they will be carefully balanced to make sure no one platform has an advantage over the other. Great on paper. Only time and actual games will be the deciding factor if this works.

Being able to play with people on the PC is not the sole integration between Xbox Live and the PC. This is just scratching the surface. The second integration Microsoft is hyping is the ability to receive real time friend requests, messages, or game invites, on the PC while online with Vista running. It doesn't matter if the player is signed onto Xbox Live or not; they will still get the messages on their PC. When sent, a small message box pops up on the PC screen. Clicking the message brings up a unique blade to Vista with all the friend's displayed. Before accepting or rejecting the invite, message, or friend request a player can compared his gamerscore with the person who sent the message, check individual game completion (as well as compare them), and then decide what to do next. The process is amazingly slick with hardly any button or option that feels out of place. So if a gamer gets a random party invite he can check and make sure the person isn't someone new at the game or someone who is a pro.

Certain games are also going to have more specific options when it comes to integrating with the PC. While the possibilities are endless, there are already a few in the process of being made. The one Microsoft touched on was the ability to modify cars in Forza 2 outside Xbox Live, upload them to a Live account and race these cars on the 360. Anyone who played Forza can attest to how difficult it was to design cars with the thumbstick. Now gamers will have the ability to craft their machines with the precision of a mouse. This is just the tip of the ice berg. Down the road Microsoft could include map editors with all their Xbox 360 games. Imagine how cool it would be to create maps in Halo 3, or Battle for Middle Earth 2?

If Microsoft has stopped here, Live Anywhere would no doubt be a surefire hit with gamers. But Microsoft got smart and decided to go the extra mile by including cell phones into the Live Anywhere plan. This aren't just tacked on features either. Cell phones wired into the Live Anywhere system will allow gamers to stay connected even while they are on the go. Messages from Xbox Live can be received via cell phones, downloads from the Xbox Live Marketspace can be started, and even some of the games found on Xbox Live Arcade will be playable.

With all these new features Micosoft has also redesigned the friend's interface found on the 360, PC, and cell phone. Before all gamers knew about their friends was that they were either online or offline and if online what game they were playing. Now thanks to Live Anywhere's new features next to each gamer tag will be a symbol. Each symbol will correspond to the Xbox 360, a PC, or cell phone. No more wondering where the heck everyone on your friend's list went. Now gamers have the ability to see exactly who is doing what and whether they should invite them to a game or not.

If Halo 3 hadn't been announced at Microsoft's press conference, Live Anywhere would have been the talk of the Microsoft fan's camp. Microsoft is taking the Live experience to the next level but not only breaking down the barriers between PC and console gamers, but also giving gamers the ability to interact with the gaming world like never before. Live Anywhere in short is going to be an amazing experience.

Article By: VGcore Staff