NumberSix

Ok, I didn't know about Mechassault. But I just got the feeling that things have been pretty free up until now, but that 2004 will be the year where you have to pay extra for a lot of stuff. I can imagine Microsoft locking up all the best multiplayer maps for Halo 2, and then releasing a new one each month for a small fee.

Aye. To be honest, I'll be more than happy to pay for downloads, so long as they do it right.

A new city for PGR2, for instance, I'd happily pay for.

The problem is that they will be tempted to leave content out of games, knowing that they can charge for it later.

It's going to be a fine line for them, for sure. Need to make game appealing enough to sell, but keep enough stuff back to gouge as many people as possible.

Microsoft gave me a free Xbox Live press account earlier this year delivered on a memory card, everything preset by Microsoft and working smoothly. Now I have to hand in my memory card, along with my credit card, which will be returned next year. Xbox Live subscription will still be free, but they were mumbling something about not having access to downloadable content unless they had a credit card to charge the downloads to, so...

Get ready to pay extra for the good times.

Already there, aren't they?

Thought they did a couple of pay Mechassault downloads.

Ah, you're Choccy are you? I'm out tonight, but tomorrow night is fine by me. After 9 you say? So how does 9.30 tomorrow (Friday) night sound?

Aye, that's me.

9.30 Friday is fine. Been looking at your stats on XSN though. Am a little worried.

Hmm. maybe you could play left handed....

See you then, anyhow.

Tingle Tuner! Tingle Tuner! Best use ever.

Rayman 3 has some kick ass multi-player modes that use it.

Sonic Team games support it really well with downloadable games like NiGHTS and Chu Chu Rocket.

Hmm. Was quite unimpressed with the Tingle Tuner, to be honest. A novelty that was fun for a bit, but that was about it.

Ooh. Not played any Sonic stuff in ages. I'll take a look, ta.

Genuine question.

I've heard much talk of the exciting things that will happen when I link my GBA to my GC, but so far the only release I've come across that's done anything half decent was Metroid.

Are there any gems I'm missing?

so EA have taken it upon themselves to create original material in the LOTR universe. great, now i see why Christopher Tolkien gets so annoyed.

Couldn't agree more. He seems like a right grumpy fella at times, but then again I suppose he's thinking of it as protecting JRR's work.

With people doing stuff like this, I'm not surprised.

Now, anyone for some Return of the King Cornflakes?

Uk Miner willy - me v you. I can do any evening this week. 9pm or after is best though.

Lemme know when you want to play.

Anyway, I'm up for the game tonight. My email may or may not be set up correctly yet (a few problems) so if you haven't received an email reply by 6pm then I'll keep this Rllmuk open for communication.

Great - see you then.

I've sent you an email, but in case you don't get it - i'm happy to host. I'll send you a friend request. gamertag: Choccy.

See you then.

I sent a message to sladie via xsnsports but I haven't had a response. I had the same problem with petrolgirls.

Bahh. The XSN sports system really is utter shit.

Should be allowed to propose match dates online.

Grumble.

Arnie & I already arranged to play tonight. And some of us haven't missed any games yet.

Fair enough, so.

Well, apart from you two goody two shoes. Sort it aaaaaaaaht the rest of you.

I'm talking to you lot. And me, too

Outstanding matchups as follows:

MrJ

sladie

UK MinerWilly

Arnie74

Choccy

Fazzerelly

The deadline for these games is today.

I know there's already a top spin thread, but there's been too many missed games (myself included), so I've adopted this aggressive approach to try and inject a bit of life into the tourny. If things don't improve I may dissolve the competition and start a smaller one instead.

Fazz - I've emailed you about our game

Cheers all.

Hey Fazzerelly - we've got to get this game played tonight, ot it'll go to a CT.

Can you make 9pm?

9pm Tuesday is ok with me.  Do you want to host?  I've only got a 600k connection and it can sometimes be a bit laggy if I host.

Good game, that.

Thought I was a goner when you went 4-0 up in the tie break, but managed to salvage some pride in the end!

Enjoyed that, cheers.

I've already got Top Spin, PGR2 and Mechassault.

I'm looking for something with plenty of live action, and that loads of people from here have.

Really not bothered what genre. What should I get?

I've been a GT3 whore for so long, I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I know it's not analog and all, but I think I'll switch back to A/X... any of you guys had the same problem?

Try keeping the accel trigger down all the time, and feathering the brake when you need it rather than using one or the other.

Works for me.

Crikey, I was looking for it earlier and couldn't find it. Be interesting to see where that $ to £ conversion comes in at for UK based importers.

I'm sure they'll do a perfectly accurate conversion, using the most up to date exchange rate data to ensure you don't pay over the odds.

Oh no, hang on: they'll gouge the fuck out of you and replace the dollar sign with a pound one.

Gits.

9pm Tuesday is ok with me. Do you want to host? I've only got a 600k connection and it can sometimes be a bit laggy if I host.

Sure. I'll send you an invite.

You'll trounce me though, of course

Knocking into people on purpose generally isn't on, but people seem to be forgetting how easy it is to take slightly the wrong line and end up giving someone a shunt by mistake.

That's fine. It's people who intentionally run into you to fuck you up that annoy me. And there's loads of them online.

Hey no just ignore me Monk. I'm sure it's only me who feels like this!

Not at all, it winds me up too.

It's fair enough if you get clipped when you're both going for a corner, but there's people that just ram you every time. That makes it less a racing game, and more a 'who can avoid being rammed' game. I jump around rooms until I find one where that's not happening so much, and play there. It's often newbies, which is fair enough, but there's plenty of experienced types that do it too, which is just shit.

Like I said, the odd little bump is fine, but if you get rammed on the first corner and spin out it's game over for the rest of the race, which is no fun.

Choccy, me and you in the next round. When can you play?

I can do any evening this week - how about 9pm tuesday?

TBH, I think it's probably the best racing game I've played.

I'd agree with that. The difficulty on single player is perfectly pitched, too. When you start it's a struggle to get a bronze medal. A week in you're cursing as you fail at that last silver, then it gets really serious.

I love how your expectations change as you play more, too. Before long you think nothing of a 4000 kudos target on some of the cone challenges, whereas at the start you're happy to just get round.

short answer: yes

Long answer: yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

Fair enough, cheers.

Just been doing a bit of tidying up, and I've got loads of the bastards. Was jus checking they couldn't be put to better use before I throw 'em out.

When you buy a new game?

For racing games Moto GP 2 is an alternative.

True, but he's looking for a game to play people from here on, and at the moment everybody* is on PGR2.

EDIT: *well, loads of people from here, I mean.

What ONE game should I buy that I can play all you lot on? PGR2?

Yes, yes and thrice yes.

Quite aside from the fact that it's absolutely brilliant one player, it's showing no signs of slowing down online. Plenty of people from here online every night so far.

It's just absolutely ace. You get the odd bit of lag, but nothing to be worried about, really.

Be warned though - if you like racing games, prepare to be proper, proper addicted.

PGR2 = game-crack, basically.