Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

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PaperBoy is up!

Name: PaperBoy
Price: 400 Points
Availability: Not available South Korea
Dash Details: Single Player, Xbox Live Multiplayer 1-2, HD (High Definition). Can you deliver? Take on the neighborhood in PAPERBOY and keep your subscribers happy or call it quits!

Also the Japanese got the RiotAct (Crackdown) demo
 
BobFromPikeCreek said:
I'm just aching to give MS my money in exchange for SoTN, Worms and Alien Hominid HD, but they just don't seem to want it! :(

Ehn, they're pretty sure they'll get it anyway. You can keep it warm for them.

mosaic said:
What did the South Koreans do that was so bad that they're being punished by not having access to Paperboy?

They're worried the idea of a free press might piss off S. Korea's neighbour to the north, no doubt.
 
mosaic said:
What did the South Koreans do that was so bad that they're being punished by not having access to Paperboy?

The Moonies. The Paperboy refuses to deliver that Moonie propaganda known as the Washington Times.
 
Is anyone else playing Paperboy? I've had a great time with it today despite the sometimes iffy controls. I even got up to #50 or so on the leaderboards, but I still can't finish the damn easy week. Tough, tough achievement.
 
I have all the achievements except for one and its the Smasher Achievement 'Break 30 windows in one day during an Xbox Live Co-op match.' :(
 
So...I don't suppose any of you guys know what's up with the "reach rank 5 in versus" achievements in Robotron and Joust? It seems nobody on the entire internet is fully sure of exactly how you reach them. Some say you need to play people who've already gotten it (so they're a high rank), others say you need to just play with one friend and keep playing over and over until it unlocks and yet others say you need to play 5 different people to get it. What the hell. :(
 
THink you just have to reach the top 5 on the leaderboard. Bit lame since the game is pretty much dead now. Ive tried to play some vs and have had no luck finding any games in Robotron. :(
 
Gen X said:
THink you just have to reach the top 5 on the leaderboard. Bit lame since the game is pretty much dead now. Ive tried to play some vs and have had no luck finding any games in Robotron. :(
Yup, you gotta get in the top 5. Not easy to do a year after the games been out. Actually when I got the top 5 achievement for Robotron, I purposely threw a couple of games so I'd drop down and let others get the achievement.
 
Anyone have a good understanding on how the 'TrueSkill' works in Vs mode on Paperboy? Its not just based on beating people better than you, I know that much.
 
LakeEarth said:
Yup, you gotta get in the top 5. Not easy to do a year after the games been out. Actually when I got the top 5 achievement for Robotron, I purposely threw a couple of games so I'd drop down and let others get the achievement.
Well, getting them "legit" is impossible now since not a soul plays these games anymore. But the #5 spot on the versus leaderboard in Joust only has 36-0. With a friend, that would be highly doable.

Next problem: my player matches in Joust show up in the leaderboard stats, but ranked matches don't. Yet the achievement claims it needs to be in ranked. What the hell? :(
 
soul creator said:
Interview with the "Games Portfolio Planner" of XBLA

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12784

How long does it take for a game to make it from initial pitch to final release?

DE: Six to nine months, give or take. Which, of coure, means that it takes us at least that long to adjust our portfolio of games in response to customer feedback. For example, we've heard the message loud and clear that XBLA customers want more original games, and let me tell you -- those games are coming.

Hmm...
 
Give me a good YDKJ-style trivia game already for crying out loud.

A good board game like Robo Rally would also be nice, but YDKJ is really what I want the most.
 
wtf said:
DE: It's a long list, so I'll give you a few examples. We're looking for games that are easy to get into and don't demand too much of your time (of course, if you choose to play them for ten hours straight, that's your business!).

Xbox Live Arcade games are great for the more casual gamer, or for that matter, the hardcore gamer who's looking for a break between sessions of Gears of War. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule; for example, we think that XBLA customers appreciate a good board game, and many board games simply can't be reduced to bite-sized experiences.

We're also looking for games that take advantage of the Live service, which is clearly a major differentiator for the Xbox 360. This includes multiplayer games, but especially multiplayer games that bring players of all kinds together (for example, a non-combat, cooperative multiplayer game).

And of course, we're looking for innovative gameplay! The wonderful thing about Xbox Live Arcade is that it provides developers with a low-risk, low-cost environment in which to experiment. Risks you would never dream of taking in retail are more palatable in XBLA. Over the past year, as developers have come around to the value XBLA has to offer, we've received more and more innovative proposals. I think our customers will be really pleased with the games that are scheduled to come out in 2007!

I have a few issues with this. First, Microsoft is flat out saying that we are not the intended target audience for XBLA. When I hear things like "casual gamer" I cringe.

Second, is this guy serious when he says "innovate" gameplay? Aside from a game like Roboblitz, what has been innovative about the shovelware ports of 25 year old arcade games? :lol

Coming from a big Xbox fan, this is a huge joke and a slap in the face to people who have supported Microsoft.

DE: I try to avoid generalizations of this nature. What exactly should we consider too small? All that really matters is that the customer feels they got their money's worth (and in the case of a $5 game, that may or may not be a large amount of playable content.) Of course, the game has to be "big" enough to justify conversion from trial game to full game.

How many people here feel they got their money's worth with New Rally-X? :lol

DE: There are definitely specific games that we're looking for, and game types that we're looking for more of. Some examples:

1) Non-combat, cooperative multiplayer games (as I mentioned earlier).
2) More board games.
3) More "experimental" games and models of gameplay, in general.

Wow!
 
FirstInHell said:
I have a few issues with this. First, Microsoft is flat out saying that we are not the intended target audience for XBLA.

When have you ever gotten any other impression? The spewing vitriol EVERY WEEK that comes from this thread while concurrently the victim of that bile (last week, Root Beer Tapper) rockets to hold the number one XBLA title spot?

So no, numbers themselves dictate that the majority opinion in this thread and many others is not the intended target audience for XBLA.
 
nubbe said:
Monopoly... Would be awesome.

Chess... Risk... Cluedo... Trivial Pursuit... Stratego

Board games are awesome

when they say boardgames, i think they are speaking in regards to the modern, deeper games such as Settlers. But i could definitely see Risk up there and then every 6 weeks selling a new "version" such as LOTR, Star Wars, Mythical etc. as marketplace content.
 
meltpotato said:
when they say boardgames, i think they are speaking in regards to the modern, deeper games such as Settlers. But i could definitely see Risk up there and then every 6 weeks selling a new "version" such as LOTR, Star Wars, Mythical etc. as marketplace content.

OH GOD YES RISK PLEASE MULTIPLAYER.

(Monopoly, also, plz thx k)
 
meltpotato said:
when they say boardgames, i think they are speaking in regards to the modern, deeper games such as Settlers. But i could definitely see Risk up there and then every 6 weeks selling a new "version" such as LOTR, Star Wars, Mythical etc. as marketplace content.

The Monopoly idea with new versions is such a no-brainer huge moneymaker, it's quite incredible that MS/Whoever Owns the Monopoly Rights haven't yet done it. There seem to be a lot of things on XBLA like this.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
When have you ever gotten any other impression? The spewing vitriol EVERY WEEK that comes from this thread while concurrently the victim of that bile (last week, Root Beer Tapper) rockets to hold the number one XBLA title spot?

So no, numbers themselves dictate that the majority opinion in this thread and many others is not the intended target audience for XBLA.


yeah


I see what youre saying


however I wish ms had a VC/Rom Dump Service because i think id like that more than xbla, I guess I was mistaken back when I got the 360 about the kind of games we would get on the xbla (old school console roms)
 
I think my problem with XBLA is that I just imagined it being played out differently. Last year, I was told it would have Sonic 1, Street Fighter II, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Contra, Pac-Man, etc. It gave me the impression that it was MS's way of bringing me all these "arcade" games that I actually used to put quarters into back in the day.

I started imagining things like King of Fighters, Strikers 1945 III, Metal Slug, Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, The Grid, Hydro Thunder, etc. all coming out for the service. Either games that never saw a home release, or games that have just been forgotten but were great in their day. The reality is that its just not headed in that direction. Hearing about Symphony of the Night got me thinking it might be like Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console where "console" classics like SOTN, Einhander, etc. would somehow become available. I think the reality is that SOTN is just a fluke in the system and we're damn lucky to have it.

Plus I just imagined more games would come out at a quicker rate. Instead of one or two a month, maybe like 10 a month or something. I've had enough time now to realize that's not how its going to be.

I just had the wrong idea about XBLA. I can't help but think that I was kinda lead on by the press releases and videos and stuff, but that's okay. I'm now officially getting off XBLA's back when they don't release what I would like to see. I've finally learned they're not doing what I thought they were and if I want to play those 90's era arcade and console classics, I'm just going to have to find them elsewhere. Like on PS3 or Wii. :D

Sorry Arne. I'm off your back from here on out. I look forward to playing SOTN in the near future and someday, Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers, and Sonic.
 
Well if MS want to release easier pick up games thats fine, just release my action adventure co-op game at the same time!

Oh wait that won't make teh monies.
 
ZombieSupaStar said:
yeah


I see what youre saying


however I wish ms had a VC/Rom Dump Service because i think id like that more than xbla, I guess I was mistaken back when I got the 360 about the kind of games we would get on the xbla (old school console roms)
XBLA is tough to categorize because the scope is broad. One the one hand, you have games like Tapper and Galaga - very old retro titles with simplistic gameplay and graphics. On the other, you've got stuff like Cloning Clyde and Roboblitz, which are much more in-depth and modern. There are distinct audiences for each and I think MS is trying to juggle it. Maybe at some point they'll segregate the games out a bit.
 
Uno Ill Nino said:
I think my problem with XBLA is that I just imagined it being played out differently. Last year, I was told it would have Sonic 1, Street Fighter II, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Contra, Pac-Man, etc. It gave me the impression that it was MS's way of bringing me all these "arcade" games that I actually used to put quarters into back in the day.

I started imagining things like King of Fighters, Strikers 1945 III, Metal Slug, Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, The Grid, Hydro Thunder, etc. all coming out for the service. Either games that never saw a home release, or games that have just been forgotten but were great in their day. The reality is that its just not headed in that direction. Hearing about Symphony of the Night got me thinking it might be like Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console where "console" classics like SOTN, Einhander, etc. would somehow become available. I think the reality is that SOTN is just a fluke in the system and we're damn lucky to have it.

Plus I just imagined more games would come out at a quicker rate. Instead of one or two a month, maybe like 10 a month or something. I've had enough time now to realize that's not how its going to be.

I just had the wrong idea about XBLA. I can't help but think that I was kinda lead on by the press releases and videos and stuff, but that's okay. I'm now officially getting off XBLA's back when they don't release what I would like to see. I've finally learned they're not doing what I thought they were and if I want to play those 90's era arcade and console classics, I'm just going to have to find them elsewhere. Like on PS3 or Wii. :D

Sorry Arne. I'm off your back from here on out. I look forward to playing SOTN in the near future and someday, Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers, and Sonic.

I could be wrong, but I think part of the idea is just that it's easier to sell more copies of a game when it doesn't have tons of competition. For example, if MS released all of MAME (or 1/100th of MAME) on XBLA, how many people would really buy Root Beer Tapper? Probably far fewer. If there's any truth to this, the only thing that perplexes me is that I feel like MS would stand to make a lot more many just releasing more games, even after subtracting costs.

The approach has just been so scattershot, it's frankly baffling. How much would it cost to get the rights to the old YDKJs and get them up on XBLA, presenting them as pseudo-new content? Hell I could probably afford it. And I can pretty much guarantee that they would be enormous profitmakers. You could say this about a lot of things on XBLA (e.g., Monopoly, as discussed above) and yet it isn't happening. It's just kind of strange more than frustrating to me.
 
ZombieSupaStar said:
yeah


I see what youre saying


however I wish ms had a VC/Rom Dump Service because i think id like that more than xbla, I guess I was mistaken back when I got the 360 about the kind of games we would get on the xbla (old school console roms)


well, to be fair, I don't think there was anything ever said about console roms. that's where the "arcade" in XBLA came from. SOTN sets a precendent in that area though.
 
ZombieSupaStar said:
however I wish ms had a VC/Rom Dump Service because i think id like that more than xbla, I guess I was mistaken back when I got the 360 about the kind of games we would get on the xbla (old school console roms)

God I hope they never do that really. I wouldn't have bought 1/2 of the retro titles I bought on XBLA if they were simple dumps like VC is. It's very important to me to at least TRY and expand on the original retro titles and offering achievements, high-score tables adds a lot to games that are very simplistic in their gameplay (Ms.Pacman for example).
My first XBLA puchase was SmashTV because I had such font memories of the game in college and the fact that not only could I play it with friends at the same console but with friends that I hadn't seen in eons and remotely through Live multiplayer.
If they simply rom dumped SmashTV I would NEVER have bought it because there wouldn't be enough value in there to constitute spending money on it. I still don't understand all the love for the VC rom mechanism. I can't see myself ever buying any of the simpler games from VC for this reason alone.
 
Patrickula said:

Hmmm... that is the only game on there that hasn't been released yet.

If it goes for 800 points I'll bite. No online co-op sucks, but it has PDA Mode online! Weee! I liked PDA Mode more than the real adventure.

To GhaleonEB:

According to the developer, they didn't have enough time/big enough staff to make the real adventure online co-op. It's still only offline, 2 player action like the original. However, PDA Mode (and another mode that was only in the EU Xbox version. Feeding something?) have an online mode. That's where the 4 player co-op comes in.
 
pr0cs said:
God I hope they never do that really. I wouldn't have bought 1/2 of the retro titles I bought on XBLA if they were simple dumps like VC is. It's very important to me to at least TRY and expand on the original retro titles and offering achievements, high-score tables adds a lot to games that are very simplistic in their gameplay (Ms.Pacman for example).
My first XBLA puchase was SmashTV because I had such font memories of the game in college and the fact that not only could I play it with friends at the same console but with friends that I hadn't seen in eons and remotely through Live multiplayer.
If they simply rom dumped SmashTV I would NEVER have bought it because there wouldn't be enough value in there to constitute spending money on it. I still don't understand all the love for the VC rom mechanism. I can't see myself ever buying any of the simpler games from VC for this reason alone.

Civil War: I'm With pr0cs.
 
Gigglepoo said:
Hmmm... that is the only game on there that hasn't been released yet.

If it goes for 800 points I'll bite. No online co-op sucks, but it has PDA Mode online! Weee! I liked PDA Mode more than the real adventure.

To GhaleonEB:

According to the developer, they didn't have enough time/big enough staff to make the real adventure online co-op. It's still only offline, 2 player action like the original. However, PDA Mode (and another mode that was only in the EU Xbox version. Feeding something?) have an online mode. That's where the 4 player co-op comes in.
What is PDA mode? I'm not familiar at all with the game but was interested because of the co-op possibility.
 
GhaleonEB said:
What is PDA mode? I'm not familiar at all with the game but was interested because of the co-op possibility.

Edit - Replaced brief description with excerpt from my review from two years ago:

As fantastic as the story mode is - and with great co-op play and tons of cute hats to unlock for your alien there are plenty of reasons to play through it multiple times - my favorite aspect of AH is actually a mini game called PDA Mode. No, this is not something you can play on your PDA, it only looks that way. Using some of the most rudimentary graphics you'll see this generation, you'll guide your stick figure through a one screen obstacle course. Trying to stop you will be two types of enemies completely void of AI - the guy who shoots and the guy who walks - as well as a protruding spike pit and the always dangerous water trap. While the game comes loaded with 201 of these addictive little levels, you can actually create as many as you want using the handy level editor. This is also the only mode in the game that lets you play with up to 4 people. You can work as a team to pass each level, or fight each other for the magic floating turnips (or are they money bags?) or "accidentally" kill your friends by dropping a rock on their head. That's right, you can reenact everyone's favorite scene from Lord of the Flies with stick figures.

xbalienhominidr_5m.jpg
 
Gigglepoo said:
You missed out on the GC/PS2 versions?

PDA mode is a single screen platformer. There are only a handful of obstacles - water, spikes, rocks - but the levels all vary wildly. Though it is four player it's not really co-op. You can't actually help each other. But it's just a blast if you like jumping.

Plus, you can design your own levels.
Never played it or read about it before it was announced for Arcade. I did a little background digging, but that's all. I love co-op games (always have) over vs so I'm interested in any came that sports it as a feature. Thanks for the explanation. I'll try the demo.
 
Also, nothing in that statement says they aren't targeting us as well. It just says they think XBLA is great for the more casual gamer.

'An apple is great for children' does not imply that an apple is great for no other group than children.

You can't tell me SotN is for the casuals.
 
coldvein said:
wow @ some of the people in this thread excited about the idea of monopoly on XBLA. :lol :lol :lol

wow @ some of the people in this thread who think it's wrong for gamers to be excited about an online version of the 72 year old, most played commercial board game ever.

keep us posted when gears of war hits 750 million people played, k?
 
Segata Sanshiro said:
wow @ some of the people in this thread who think it's wrong for gamers to be excited about an online version of the 72 year old, most played commercial board game ever.
I'd buy Monopoly in a heatbeat. And Risk. Hell, I'll probably buy most of the board games released for XBLA.
 
AstroLad said:
The Monopoly idea with new versions is such a no-brainer huge moneymaker, it's quite incredible that MS/Whoever Owns the Monopoly Rights haven't yet done it. There seem to be a lot of things on XBLA like this.

I bet this is exactly what they will do with the upcoming Catan. The retail board game works as a base unit + expansions that alter gameplay and provide new scenarios. Exactly the type of pricing structure that MS and publishers love.
 
Segata Sanshiro said:
excited about an online version of the 72 year old, most played commercial board game ever.

nice point, its that for a reason, I Love all gaming & Love IT (unless stuck in a game with money hungry ruthless chumps :D)
 
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