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Military personnel on Xbox One; Microsoft responds

Roland1979

Junior Member
I'd be willing to pay a high price for a digital camo PS4.

... Mother of all campaigning ideas...

Also, sure I can spare a little little.
I just hope a similar initial will start with European forces as well, or better a discount on PS4 provided by the governments?
 

BigDug13

Member
They get paychecks already ya know. Its not like theyre homeless or storm survivors (ahem Oklahoma). Nice gesture tho.

Yeah, I don't think this is needed to be honest. Single guys don't get to spend their money because they're deployed so they have plenty of money for their own console and games. Morale, Welfare, and Recreation departments will end up buying less XBO's and will switch to PS4 due to Internet requirements on their own.
 

mattiewheels

And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
untitled-3gvb11.gif


Offline, small, lightweight, no large required accessories, no powerbrick.

Sony should just donate a ton to the military.
Tweet this to Adam Boyes and yosp (if they haven't been already). This sounds like a perfect way to put a cherry on this problem.
 
From Major Nelson:


"Regarding military personnel playing consoles: PS3/PS4 isn't allowed on DoD networks so they're not worried that military members will switch to PS while on overseas deployment."


Not sure if posting links to reddit is allowed, but here it is...sorry if I'm doing something wrong.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1ga78h/i_just_talked_to_xboxs_major_nelson_at_e3_and/

It doesn't seem like Major Nelson understands the issue. We already know we can't connect those to a DoD network. We don't have to connect our PS3/PS4 console online at all is the main sticking point.

Holy crap man...I don't even know what to say at this point.
 
As someone who has friends who serve and treats vets, I'm seriously fucking considering the feasibility of a PayPal or fundraising campaign to buy PS4's for our troops. I shit you not, I'd be behind something like this in a heartbeat. Maybe something for a barrack situation or groups of service personnel, given the cost. But seriously.

This seriously is a great idea & I would be willing to donate to as well. If you could get the right exposure for this I could see it being HUGELY successful! Keep us posted on this as it develops.
 

teiresias

Member
Yeah, but they'll still need the internet for the 24 hour check in. Nowhere in this quote says they won't still need the internet for the 24 hour DRM.

But I guess this quote does confirm the IP locks for registering games. Get your VPNs ready, everybody in an unsupported country.

Not to mention if someone has a US Live account, but is still stationed overseas in a supported country they still wouldn't be able to activate a newly purchased game if I'm reading this correctly. Also, does the disc indicate what region it's from? Meaning, you couldn't activate a copy of a game bought in a supported European country on a US Live account?

I also doubt military bases will let you be connecting to VPNs for the purpose of faking your country IP to MS's Live servers.
 

spannicus

Member
They get paychecks already ya know. Its not like theyre homeless or storm survivors (ahem Oklahoma). Nice gesture tho.

I was just going to say this, it is a nice gesture but when Soldiers are deployed, we get BAH, Overseas pay, Hazardous Duty pay, and pay no taxes for the year. Pay is structured by rank so if you are an E5 with 1 year as an E5 you can make anywhere close to 5000 a month or more. Its a bad ass gesture but coming from someone who has served, you may need your money more than they do trust me. Just being real bro.
 
If you're not going to read what my posts actually say, please don't bother responding.

Does anyone want to bet me that the Xbone won't outsell the PS4 this holiday season? Any takers?

I'll gladly eat crow.
I will gladly take you up on that bet as well, if you're game for one more. With MS apparently having big issues with yields, as well as the way Amazon's pre-order charts are looking, this should be an easy win for Sony.
 

BigDug13

Member
Not to mention if someone has a US Live account, but is still stationed overseas in a supported country they still wouldn't be able to activate a newly purchased game if I'm reading this correctly. Also, does the disc indicate what region it's from? Meaning, you couldn't activate a copy of a game bought in a supported European country on a US Live account?

I also doubt military bases will let you be connecting to VPNs for the purpose of faking your country IP to MS's Live servers.

I used to get gamefly discs delivered to the ship while deployed as well as buying new releases via Amazon. Can't do any of that with Microsoft's console.
 

Amir0x

Banned
Messages are going out now.

Fantastic. Hope we can get this thing going and really show solidarity with a group of people who more than anyone else I can think of, really just sometimes need that time to unwind and relax when they're dealing with so much tragic and difficult shit.

Seriously wonderful idea, m0dus. You're cool peoples.
 
As someone who has friends who serve and treats vets, I'm seriously fucking considering the feasibility of a PayPal or fundraising campaign to buy PS4's for our troops. I shit you not, I'd be behind something like this in a heartbeat. Maybe something for a barrack situation or groups of service personnel, given the cost. But seriously.
Sounds like a great Sony campaign. They should start it up.

I was just going to say this, it is a nice gesture but when Soldiers are deployed, we get BAH, Overseas pay, Hazardous Duty pay, and pay no taxes for the year. Pay is structured by rank so if you are an E5 with 1 year as an E5 you can make anywhere close to 5000 a month or more. Its a bad ass gesture but coming from someone who has served, you may need your money more than they do trust me. Just being real bro.
Indeed. Knowing a lot of people in the military, it's like they can light money on fire and not even care. Not that they haven't earned it, of course.
 

Amir0x

Banned
I was just going to say this, it is a nice gesture but when Soldiers are deployed, we get BAH, Overseas pay, Hazardous Duty pay, and pay no taxes for the year. Pay is structured by rank so if you are an E5 with 1 year as an E5 you can make anywhere close to 5000 a month or more. Its a bad ass gesture but coming from someone who has served, you may need your money more than they do trust me. Just being real bro.

People send soldiers things all the time; almost all of them are endlessly thankful to be in people's thoughts. It's not just about meeting some financial need or that they don't require it in technical terms... it's about saying "here's a company that DOES care about you, and here are legions of gamers who have you in our thoughts."

Trust me when I say this is no small gesture to these individuals
 

spannicus

Member
Indeed. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to throw this callous shit in Microsoft's face. I'm actually pissed for once. Hell. Getting them PS+ accounts. Something. I want ideas.

GO FOR IT. try to contact someone in the USO and see if they can help, most things get handled through Red Cross so maybe those two leads can help you. :) True indeed Amirox.
 

Ravek

Banned
I was just going to say this, it is a nice gesture but when Soldiers are deployed, we get BAH, Overseas pay, Hazardous Duty pay, and pay no taxes for the year. Pay is structured by rank so if you are an E5 with 1 year as an E5 you can make anywhere close to 5000 a month or more. Its a bad ass gesture but coming from someone who has served, you may need your money more than they do trust me. Just being real bro.

True. Great idea, but we get treated better (usually) deployed then while at home station.
 

Danthrax

Batteries the CRISIS!
On a related note, I can't imagine the government would be OK with those always-on Kinect cameras and microphones just sitting around bases and boats. I should think that would get the Xbox One banned right there.
 

The Cowboy

Member
As someone who has friends who serve and treats vets, I'm seriously fucking considering the feasibility of a PayPal or fundraising campaign to buy PS4's for our troops. I shit you not, I'd be behind something like this in a heartbeat. Maybe something for a barrack situation or groups of service personnel, given the cost. But seriously.
Wouldn't you be able to use a kickstarter site to get it going? (one that allows charity causes), I'm pretty sure a lot of people would likely join in with a "for the troops" cause.

Once up and running I'd recon people like Jim Sterling on Destructiod (and other people/sites) would be more than happy to put an article about it (I would think considering how they feel about what MS is doing))
 
You f**cking block head MS, just pull your shit head out of the sand. As a big fan of Xbox and xbox360, I am so mad right now.
You have to drop the 24 DRM or else you will miss lots of supports. No one is asking for this shit policy, so it is still not too late to drop this. For now no day 1 for me MS. By the way the peoples want next gen and nobodies are waiting for new Xbox 360 games. So cut the crap about buy xbox360 instead.
Your slogan
Built by gamers for the gamers>>> Not!!!!

The right slogan for you
Built by the monkeys for the gamers.
 

teiresias

Member
From Major Nelson:


"Regarding military personnel playing consoles: PS3/PS4 isn't allowed on DoD networks so they're not worried that military members will switch to PS while on overseas deployment."


Not sure if posting links to reddit is allowed, but here it is...sorry if I'm doing something wrong.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1ga78h/i_just_talked_to_xboxs_major_nelson_at_e3_and/

It doesn't seem like Major Nelson understands the issue. We already know we can't connect those to a DoD network. We don't have to connect our PS3/PS4 console online at all is the main sticking point.

What? Wow, just wow!!

leUD6BT.gif


Nelson completely doesn't understand the issue here. So he assumes every member of the military will just stay on 360 for the entirety of the next generation?
 

Freki

Member
Indeed. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to throw this callous shit in Microsoft's face. I'm actually pissed for once. Hell. Getting them PS+ accounts. Something. I want ideas.

Get O’Reilly to cover this - boom headshot...
 
Would've thought MS knew how to treat the US Military right, after how much support they got from them during the 360 generation.

Even a minor concession/gesture like a specially made Mil SKU with no 24 hour online checks, or mandatory online authentication/Kinect attached would be acceptable to stem this bad PR.

May not matter much in terms of total units sold, but the PR situation just got even worse lol.
 

soapOD

Member
It's a wonderful gesture but, like my other fellow vets said, donate that money towards people who need it - homeless vets, the red cross, etc...
 

Hawkian

The Cryptarch's Bane
Just pledging my potential support to the "Microsoft Bad; Sony n' Troops Good" fundraising effort.

edit: well sure. Let's raise the money in solidarity either way
 

Nekofrog

Banned
The PS4 donation is still a good one. Most deployed locations have a CAC or an equivalent (activities center) where there are systems set up with a number of TVs for people to come in drink and hang out.

If the donation can go there, all the better.
Edit: I can probably assist with the distribution in some way.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
As someone in the military (also deployed) the simple fact is that One will just not be used, at all, in deployment scenarios. True, military is 99% Xbox but they will just go where the system that works goes. PSP, for example, is massively huge in the military on deployment because of CFW and folks trading files. They will just choose PS4 for deployments. One will be big for Garrison play, though.
 
Even a minor concession/gesture like a specially made Mil SKU with no 24 hour online checks, or mandatory online authentication/Kinect attached would be acceptable to stem this bad PR.

Then it would just beg the question, if they can make one type of XBone that doesn't require 24 hour online checks, why do any of them need it?
 

teiresias

Member
Someone should mention - or forward the video of it - Mattrick's "I don't even know what being on a nuclear submarine means" to non-gaming news outlets that may not have picked up on the absurdity of that statement.
 

mboojigga

Member
Not to mention if someone has a US Live account, but is still stationed overseas in a supported country they still wouldn't be able to activate a newly purchased game if I'm reading this correctly. Also, does the disc indicate what region it's from? Meaning, you couldn't activate a copy of a game bought in a supported European country on a US Live account?

I also doubt military bases will let you be connecting to VPNs for the purpose of faking your country IP to MS's Live servers.

Okay this needs to get cleared up because some of this is getting crazy. I am active duty Air Force and have been deployed 8 times.

I have been using StrongVPN.com on my deployments so I can make U.S. purchases on my console, watch HBO Go, Netflix and Hulu. Regardless what console you have you still need VPN because you can't make purchases or access any of those apps outside the U.S. for obvious reasons.

Even with the capability of VPN most of the time we work, go to the gym and take college or clep out of classes. The military at some of these bases have 360/PS3/Wii units set up and the number one activity most enjoy over everything else, is getting their 2 beers a night. Not everyone in the military plays videogames. These talks of 100,000 or 1.4 million military across bases and overseas is just grasping. People have internet at bases stationed all over the world. Some of this is just overblown.
 

Osiris

I permanently banned my 6 year old daughter from using the PS4 for mistakenly sending grief reports as it's too hard to watch or talk to her
Indeed. I already donate money and time for that...but...videogames!

Vet's hospital waiting rooms? (just an idea)
 
As someone in the military (also deployed) the simple fact is that One will just not be used, at all, in deployment scenarios. True, military is 99% Xbox but they will just go where the system that works goes. PSP, for example, is massively huge in the military on deployment because of CFW and folks trading files. They will just choose PS4 for deployments. One will be big for Garrison play, though.

I dunno if that's something that will help the perception in the eyes of the industry....
 

Ollie Pooch

In a perfect world, we'd all be homersexual
Noble gesture but I wish people were as willing to donate to people who actually need it, not just leisure items for people who are probably earning more than you are. That said, anything to support the ps4 over this shitbox is fine by me .

You know it's a bad product when people are proposing a military SKU of a console just to get around the unbelievably draconian region locking, online checks, and DRM.
 

jonezer4

Member
Daaamn. It's a testament to

1. how bad Microsoft has truly screwed up this thing, and
2. what balls Maddow has

when you consider the first two letters of her employer's name.

Yeah, I noticed Yahoo! News had Microsoft's dick in their mouth with multiple articles today. Glad to see there's some journalistic integrity out there.
 

deejay8595

my posts are "MEH"
From Major Nelson:


"Regarding military personnel playing consoles: PS3/PS4 isn't allowed on DoD networks so they're not worried that military members will switch to PS while on overseas deployment."


Not sure if posting links to reddit is allowed, but here it is...sorry if I'm doing something wrong.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1ga78h/i_just_talked_to_xboxs_major_nelson_at_e3_and/

It doesn't seem like Major Nelson understands the issue. We already know we can't connect those to a DoD network. We don't have to connect our PS3/PS4 console online at all is the main sticking point.
You've got to be kidding me! LOL. This guy missed the entire point!
 

hwy_61

Banned
As someone who has friends who serve and treats vets, I'm seriously fucking considering the feasibility of a PayPal or fundraising campaign to buy PS4's for our troops. I shit you not, I'd be behind something like this in a heartbeat. Maybe something for a barrack situation or groups of service personnel, given the cost. But seriously.

I'd donate money to your cause.
 

Sean*O

Member
What? Wow, just wow!!

leUD6BT.gif


Nelson completely doesn't understand the issue here. So he assumes every member of the military will just stay on 360 for the entirety of the next generation?

True, but what is this shit about PS3/4 not being allowed? Would not the same be true of 360 or any other online console?
 

bj00rn_

Banned
Ok, you see now this pisses me off.. it would even be better for ms to just shut the fuck up in this case.. i just don't understand how it is possible to handle this matter in such a clumsy manner. . The 360 answer is provoking
 
From Major Nelson:

"Regarding military personnel playing consoles: PS3/PS4 isn't allowed on DoD networks so they're not worried that military members will switch to PS while on overseas deployment."

It doesn't seem like Major Nelson understands the issue. We already know we can't connect those to a DoD network. We don't have to connect our PS3/PS4 console online at all is the main sticking point.

oh, he fucking understands, alright :) . what is he, or ms, to do at this point, about any of this 3-ring circus they find themselves trapped in, but obfuscate, obfuscate, obfuscate...


not to mention: how has anyone over the age of 15 ever taken a guy with the handle 'major nelson' seriously? hopefully, thanks to this latest bit of deviousness, he's at least now officially been stripped of his rank :) ...
 

teiresias

Member
True, but what is this shit about PS3/4 not being allowed? Would not the same be true of 360 or any other online console?

Let's assume he's saying this is true for any console. The point is that it doesn't matter for PS3, PS4, or 360 because none of them require you to be online whereas Xbone does. So the only thing he can possibly be suggesting by saying no one will jump ship to Playstation by using that justification is that they'll keep playing 360s for the next 6+ years rather than get a PS4 that would work in that situation.
 

linkboy

Member
From Major Nelson:


"Regarding military personnel playing consoles: PS3/PS4 isn't allowed on DoD networks so they're not worried that military members will switch to PS while on overseas deployment."


Not sure if posting links to reddit is allowed, but here it is...sorry if I'm doing something wrong.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1ga78h/i_just_talked_to_xboxs_major_nelson_at_e3_and/

It doesn't seem like Major Nelson understands the issue. We already know we can't connect those to a DoD network. We don't have to connect our PS3/PS4 console online at all is the main sticking point.

Sure, you can't connect to a DoD network, but military members overseas have access to personal internet.

Hell, I was in Afghanistan and had internet access in my dorm room. What about the people stationed in Japan, who have access to Japanese ISP's in their homes (I know, I was over there).

I honestly can't believe MS is being this dense about this.
 
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