Details on the Xbox Live Party System

[bapenguin]

No it's not some big bash with beer pong and flip cup, the Xbox Live Party system is going to be a way to game with up to 8 friends easily using the "New Xbox 360 Experience." Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=19525) has some choice quotes from Xbox platform engineer Eric Heutchy on just how the system will work.

At its core the feature is eight way group voice chat. It works over all Xbox 360 experiences - all existing games, all new games, the dashboard, movies, media center, everything you can do on the console. The members of your party can each be in a different experience.

There's one button in the guide that allows a player to send game invites to everyone in his live party.

It is not a replacement for in-game parties that a number of triple-A titles have," he admitted. "Live party is about having a social connection prior to entering that game's party."

Essentially, when you start a new game Xbox Live will keep checking to see if you have friends you can invite, and it will also query your party members to see if they are playing games you could join.

For example, a message might come up on starting Uno Rush that "other members of your Xbox Live Party are playing Uno Rush. Would you like to join them?"

There will also be an option to "invite party to current game," if applicable, which will quick launch "any game on your hard drive, memory unit, or disc in the tray.


There's a bunch more info on how this will work including what seems like a new integrate feature that games will support called Live Party Aware that will contain some more seamless features. I'm REALLY looking forward to this feature, I know it's something we've been asking for, for quite some time on Xbox Live.

[Atorak]

This is the one feature that people have been asking for since the inception of Xbox Live, and it's finally arriving! Well, that, and maybe clan support.

I cannot wait until the new Dashboard arrives. Of course, I just sent my 3rd console back to Microsoft today, so I'm not the happiest guy in the world. With any luck, I'll get the new "falcon" model with the HDMI for free!

[Devilturnip]

This will definitely increase the amount of multiplayer I play on live. Just making the whole thing more accessible makes it much more usable.

[GAThrawn]

This sounds like a real cool feature. I'd love to see it in action.

[asimonk]

I can't decide if this is genius or just stupid. I am, however, quite impressed with the scalability of Live and its backwards compatibility-ness, as it were.

[Gott]

This is the one feature that people have been asking for since the inception of Xbox Live, and it's finally arriving! Well, that, and maybe clan support.

I cannot wait until the new Dashboard arrives. Of course, I just sent my 3rd console back to Microsoft today, so I'm not the happiest guy in the world. With any luck, I'll get the new "falcon" model with the HDMI for free!

I'm in the same boat. When i heard the announcement i was very eager to have the new dash implemented. I think this is revolutionary. Sony better push out Home soon, and it better be all it's cracked up to be because they are going to fall further behind on their online offering if they can't keep up.

Good luck on the replacement. Man...for some reason my launch 360 has never had a problem. I guess I got it from a good batch.

[Atorak]

Good luck on the replacement. Man...for some reason my launch 360 has never had a problem. I guess I got it from a good batch.
Gott, there's only one explanation. You're the man. Seriously.

[bone_matrix]

I've been asking for this party system ever since Halo 2 launched. Glad to see it finally being implemented. Sounds just like how I imagined it.

Also, with streaming netflix, imagine all of the MST3K moments you can have!

[Loganrapp]

I've been way lucky with my launch 360 as well. Honestly, I've just been waiting for the thing to go down, but it keeps on ticking.

Of course, my original XBOX had a catastrophic drive failure, and my first PSX and PS2 both died too early. So maybe I was due.

[Gnomesbane]

I've been lucky with every console I've ever owned as they all still work, going back to my original Atari 2600 up through my launch day 360.

Now the karma gods will destroy me...

[Morratut]

This is another great addition to Live. Hell it was already the easiest place to play/invite with friends. Soon it will be even easier.

[TRiLoGY]

I really should get my 360 fixed so I can check this out! It broke (again) a year ago and i've just not got around to getting it fixed..

[Telefrog]

I am very excited for this feature. It will be great to have a gameplay session with my friends and keep in voice contact even while we decide to switch games.

[Deadend]

With the party system, it might make me interested in buying Battlefield: Bad Comany, as you can talk to friends not in your squad. Yay!

[Yeti2005]

This sounds amazing. I remember being impressed when I first used the 360 and I was able to talk with a friend playing a completely different game and then switching to his game without any interuption. This takes that feature to the next level.

[Isamura]

It's amazing this took so long to develop. Thank God we finally have Sony starting to put a little bit of pressure on Microsoft!

[DudeWheresMyXbox]

It's amazing this took so long to develop. Thank God we finally have Sony starting to put a little bit of pressure on Microsoft!
It actually has little to do with Sony and everything to do with the new execs. Since 2005, the Xbox Live team was spending all their time on Zune, Games for Windows Live and Video Marketplace. Don Mattrick and John Schappert ended that. If you ever wondered what happened when Peter Moore left, this was part of it.

[Tel Prydain]

I liked Peter - hearing him talk was dreamy.

[Noiz]

This does sound very cool and as someone who plays predominantly in single player modes, this may well encourage me to get online more. It does beg the question of how this could be (ab)used to cheat though, what with a whole slew of games having proximity based voiced comms and such.

In a semi-related note, does anybody know if the whole installing to hard drive feature will be compatible with existing games?

[Sl1pstream]

With the party system, it might make me interested in buying Battlefield: Bad Comany, as you can talk to friends not in your squad. Yay!

Except that it doesn't look like BC's multiplayer will last until then.

I might have missed it, but what happens if the game you join doesn't have enough room for the entire party?

[segaboys]

I think this is on of the key reasons why Microsoft will allow people to copy their games to the harddrive, so that there will be no need to scratch about your disks to play your game with friends. Once you get invited you can instantly start the game....

Actually just realised... you still need the disk in the drive to authenticate against.... Damn that would have been a great feature.

[Tel Prydain]

Voice 1: I think this is on of the key reasons why Microsoft will allow people to copy their games to the harddrive, so that there will be no need to scratch about your disks to play your game with friends. Once you get invited you can instantly start the game....

Voice 2: Actually just realised... you still need the disk in the drive to authenticate against.... Damn that would have been a great feature.

I'd welcome you, but you seem to be having a fine ol' time chatting to yourself. :D

[Grumsh]

I'm in the same boat. When i heard the announcement i was very eager to have the new dash implemented. I think this is revolutionary. Sony better push out Home soon, and it better be all it's cracked up to be because they are going to fall further behind on their online offering if they can't keep up.

Good luck on the replacement. Man...for some reason my launch 360 has never had a problem. I guess I got it from a good batch.

I am also one of the lucky "Day one purchase" xbox 360 owners who has yet to have any problems.

Of course now I am looking for some wood to knock on. If my 360 dies with Civ:Revo out now I might go postal =)