Short rant but I went into a ranked match hosted by [YM] [color=blue]xVoidx[/color]. What an experience this was, same with his buddy [YM] [color=blue]Infamous 801[/color], as soon as I entered the room xVoidx was saying I did not earn my rank illegitimately and that I sucked. I just enjoy and love how people love to talk a lot of shit on Xbox Live. I guess at least he did not kick anyone/us to win the match. Alright then because this is my first time playing in with you and your horrible connection. He was a 1st Lieutenant and I’m still at a Lieutenant Colonel (2 ranks ahead of him). I stayed even though we were lagging terribly and that they were “spawn rapping” us. I ended up breaking through their terrible defense because all they were doing is trying to rack up the kills, that’s all xVoidx was doing, he’s not that good he just camps the fast ropes to rack up his kills and having a terrible connection helps that being the host you are not going to lag either.

Anyways, I went through the escalators, into the vault, made it back to the escalators where I dropped it midway. A teammate brought it up and made it to the middle of the elevator hallways, I ended up being able to bring it from there to the middle stairwell in a few minutes as every so feet we’d die but get the package further into a better spot for us to grab and bring it up without dieing. We ended up winning the match, Victory! you loser, with terrible lag and of course, more shit talked to me even though our team had just one and I was still #1 and my kill:death ratio was good with lag and “spawn raping”.

I quote spawn raping because they were not necessary killing us at our spawn (plus there’s like a 8-10 second? invulnerability to those that spawn) but they were as we fast roped down and yes there are other ways to get past them such as taking the longer routes down there (repelling, elevators, elevator stair well, taking them out from above and such as some of the others and I did. Also because I do not know what else to call it, nor do I care and it’s not like they had a good defense anyways, I got down there in one life and brought it up to the escalators in that one life as well.

There are just some people on Xbox Live that should not be able to ever play online games again because they ruin the game for others. I’m talking about people the kick others from servers because they can not handle losing, getting “owned” by you or any other reason that is just as worse. For example, earlier tonight as usual I am playing Rainbow Six: Vegas online along with some others. Many good matches but there were 3 or 4 that were terrible.

The last one I was kicked out with somewhere around 20-30 seconds left in the match of a 20 minute match in Attack and Defend Calypso Casino. I was on the Attackers side and about to win when I was just kicked by Xbox Live Member [color=blue]Laos 99[/color] whom did not even have the guts to accept a to-be-friendly chat invitation just to ask why he kicked me. He was already an elite rank, so it is not like points matter and the points did not matter to me either, I’m 2nd Colonel, 2 away from Elite but many matches to go anyways. I ended up joining another different game session of his but was kicked but I did find one of his friends, I had a chat with him, [color=blue]blbjr[/color], overall cool guy, accepted my chat and explain to me that I was probably kicked for using grenades as they were restricted. I told him that I did not use them, which I did not. They are restricted for a reason even though people know how to bypass that. Someone else within the first 10 minutes was kicked by doing that already (it was 5 attacks on 7 defenders). I knew why the guy was kicked on my team, I saw that he had killed someone with a grenade right before the message said he was kicked, obvious reason. Not like I intended to bypass to use grenades anyways to win either, we were going to and ended up after I was kicked I think but did not even bother asking anyone that was on my team (did not know any of them).

The match before that there was the host by the Xbox Live name of [color=blue]happy dwarf987[/color] and with his clan name [color=blue][EHI]happy dwarf987[/color]. He kicked my brother for either one or both of these reasons: kept killing him and could not be killed and/or so they would win the match (he was on attackers side). It was already 10 minutes into the match when this happened. We and the others continued to play the match we were still beating them until the last 2 minutes where all 4 of us (it was 4 on 6) were all hit with a grenade, taking us out and losing time while he took the package past the Keno room and up to the roof.

Another guy I remember was [color=blue]T WEEZY 2000[/color], he just kicks people if all of a sudden their ping goes from 3 green to 1 red without saying anything. Uneducated moron is all he is, the guy would of not lagged the match and his connection would of ended up being fine a minute later/next refresh.

So what do you do with these people? Well the first 2 people Avoid and File a Complain to Xbox Live, I think that is the proper and appropriate thing to do, they are abusing the administration rights to their hosted match. For the last guy, just give him an Avoid this Player Review.

According to sale data released by The NPD Group, the Xbox 360 outsold all other consoles, including the PlayStation 2, in the month of April. During the month, Microsoft sold 295,000 units of its next-generation console while Sony’s current-gen console sold 205,000.

Software sales were even better for the Xbox 360, with an attach ratio of 4.5 and five of the top selling games in April being Xbox 360 titles.

Source: Team Xbox

Grand Theft Auto 4 has been announced, though no mention was made whether it was 360 exclusive. It will be released on October 16th 2007 (how’s that for stretching a release date eh?).

Other Microsoft News: Fable 2 announced, Forza 2, Shadowrun announced, Splinter Cell Double Agent launches on the system in September, HD-DVD player is shown, it will be launched in the Fall. It is 1/3 the size of the 360 itself!

In addition to those announcements, the following games were also announced to be coming to Xbox Live Arcade: Contra, Sonic, Pac-Man, Frogger, Ultimate Mortal Kombat, and Time Pilot.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday announced a cross-platform gaming service that integrates games played on mobile phones, Xbox 360 consoles and the upcoming Windows Vista operating system.

The “Live Anywhere” service will be available as part of Windows Vista, Microsoft’s next-generation PC operating system. The consumer version is scheduled for release early next year.

“It means that you have one online community,” Gates said in a news conference. “This platform can really unleash developers to do amazing new things.”

The system would extend the company’s existing Xbox Live service for the Xbox 360 console into millions of Internet-enabled PCs and cellular phones. No pricing information on the new service was announced.

Source: The Age

There will be two versions of the Playstation 3.

The first version will cost $599 and will come with a 60GB hard drive. The second version will cost $499 and will come with a 20GB hard drive.

The PS3, which is based on the Cell processor, will play CDs, DVDs and include a Blu-ray drive. It also includes built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as ethernet compatibility. Further, it includes Dolby digital surround sound functionality and supports high-definition video up to 1080p.

The console also can run up to seven wireless controllers at once, and all PS3s will come with a built-in hard drive, either 60GB or 20GB.

Finally, it supports USB, Sony memory sticks, secure digital (SD) and CompactFlash.

In addition to announcing pricing, Sony also said the PS3 would hit store shelves in North America on Nov. 17, six days after its Japanese launch on Nov. 11.

Source: CNet News

Halo 3 has been announced. You can view the trailer at http://www.bungie.net or download it via Xbox Live Marketplace. It looks great from what you can see in the trailer, it is all realtime by the way. I do hope there will not be an issue with ammo in Halo 3 like there was in Halo 2 and how annoying it was and that maybe you’ll be able to use your own weapons more often then the annoying convenient weapons.

Planet C&C has confirmed that the June issue of PC Gamer with the promised big scoop on an old franchise is indeed Command & Conquer 3. The Dutch magazine PC Gameplay also has a cover story on this big breaking news in the C&C world.

Obviously we cannot post scans of the magazines, however the Planet C&C forum post regarding this news story does contain the cover shot and possibly one or two scans of the story itself. I have no other information to pass on to you, other than wild rumor and speculation so far. One rumor is the game takes place in the Tiberium universe, and will have a dark atmosphere unlike the previous Red Alert 2. That’s about it right now. Once EA hands down its official press release and lets loose more information including screenshots you can be sure I’ll post it for all of you to gawk at.

Source: Planet C&C
Source: Planet C&C Topic Discussion
View: View PC Gamer Cover

According to the job listings posted by Rockstar North, they are looking for experienced network programmers. When Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories said it would have multiplayer, many hoped that it would let players shoot at each other (deathmatch). Sadly that did not happen, but their recent job postings show that there could be more complex online play in the future.
The minimal listing says that the Scotland-based shop is “looking to expand their experienced and talented teams” with the addition of…network programmers.

What will Network Programmers most likely do?
Network programmers specialize in code that allows for multiplayer gaming via a LAN, wireless connection, or online.

About the ad
The ad in question has been up for more than a month, meaning that positions remain open. That’s a sign the company is hiring for more than a few slots–which could indicate a potentially large project is in the offing. Since the network programmer job is at Rockstar’s Edinburgh headquarters, not at the handheld-centric Rockstar Leeds, it means that the game in development is almost certainly for a console or PC. However, with Rockstar’s history of debuting games on consoles–specifically the PlayStation 2–it is most likely the former.

While speculation is already beginning that that the network programmers will be working on the next-generation console version of Grand Theft Auto, it must be stressed that nothing is official other than the listing.

Source: Rockstar North’s Official Website (Go to Menu then Job Listings)