Xbox Live questions for a complete noob to it....

Col200sx

I'm getting set up on Xbox Live tonight for first time, have never played or seen Xbox Live before (:eek: - ya I know!)

I have searched, but can't find a general "getting started" guide to Xbox live. Can anybody point me towards one?

I have a Silver Membership card, have broadband but not wireless, but have the Xbox Elite so am led to believe I'm ready to go.

I'll only be playing Forza 3 and mostly GTA4 on Live.

So is it just a matter of hooking up and getting started on it?

Thanks for any feedback:)

Optimus Prime

hey have a read of this plenty of links in it to info on everything you need to know..

http://www.gamersireland.ie/?p=1918

Cookie_Monster

Follow above, though that said its fairly straight forward. Make sure you have password for the wireless handy.

Col200sx

keithgeo wrote: »

hey have a read of this plenty of links in it to info on everything you need to know..

http://www.gamersireland.ie/?p=1918

Thanks for that. Have had a read and I'll follow that later when I sign up.

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Follow above, though that said its fairly straight forward. Make sure you have password for the wireless handy.

What's a password for wireless (sorry don't have a clue).

I don't have wireless, just regular broadband through NTL.

A-Trak

No password needed so if you're plugging into your router with an ethernet cable.

Password is only required if you're using a wireless router and dongle with the xbox.

Cookie_Monster

Col200sx wrote: »

Thanks for that. Have had a read and I'll follow that later when I sign up.

What's a password for wireless (sorry don't have a clue).

I don't have wireless, just regular broadband through NTL.

sorry, read that wrong.

Don't forget to pick a good user name

Col200sx

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

sorry, read that wrong.

Don't forget to pick a good user name

Will do. Why is this so important? Do people not use their regular forum names as usernames?

Also, so if I connect via the ethernet cable, sign up with my silver membership, will this allow me to play GTA4 online straight away, or do I have to pay up to become a Gold member for this?

Optimus Prime

you have to be a gold member to play against other people.

Venom

Col200sx wrote: »

Will do. Why is this so important? Do people not use their regular forum names as usernames?

Also, so if I connect via the ethernet cable, sign up with my silver membership, will this allow me to play GTA4 online straight away, or do I have to pay up to become a Gold member for this?

You get a free month's gold membership when you create or use an existing account during the setup stage of your xbox.

Pushtrak

When you go online you'll see lots of people throwing in leet speak and random Xs before and after their names. Quite stupid names, I have to say, some of them. I don't see names that stupid on forums, and I've been to a lot.

(I presume PSN is the same story.)

Cookie_Monster

There' x many millions of people online all over the world so decent names are hard to come by now without adding in loads of xyz and stuff

jaykhunter

just be ready to be flamed out of it for not being an expert marksman in every game you play!

(The XBL troll crowd is similar to the youtube comments crowd...just this time you can hear them cussing you :mad::rolleyes:)

My best advice (other than to just play with your friends online) is to find the guys you like playing with and send them a friend invite so you can play with them again. There's probably a list of gamertags online here; I reckon everyone here's lovely to play with an not a point/achievement-whore!

Dravokivich

er yeah lioke... xXL3G0|_4$Xz

I just used my normal Forum name...

- Drav!

Col200sx

jaykhunter wrote: »

just be ready to be flamed out of it for not being an expert marksman in every game you play!

(The XBL troll crowd is similar to the youtube comments crowd...just this time you can hear them cussing you :mad::rolleyes:)

My best advice (other than to just play with your friends online) is to find the guys you like playing with and send them a friend invite so you can play with them again. There's probably a list of gamertags online here; I reckon everyone here's lovely to play with an not a point/achievement-whore!

Ah so on my first time playing online, I'm most likely to "have the sh1t kicked out of me" eh?:D

Whereabouts is best to pick up the Gold Membership. I've been recommended http://www.instantlivecodes.com/, but they're all sold out. I've heard they're €60 to pick up from a shop in town:(

Star Lord

Col200sx wrote: »

Ah so on my first time playing online, I'm most likely to "have the sh1t kicked out of me" eh?:D

Whereabouts is best to pick up the Gold Membership. I've been recommended http://www.instantlivecodes.com/, but they're all sold out. I've heard they're €60 to pick up from a shop in town:(

Here: http://www.xboxliveuk76.com/index.php?products=product&prod_id=24

I've used them several times in the past myself, for gold membership as well as points, and had no problems. You don't get the code instantly, but generally within a few hours.

Go for the 12 month one, rather than the 12 + 1 month one, better value at £2.33 per month for the 12 month one, £2.83 per month with the 12+1.

Optimus Prime

Just use a credit card to get a gold membershiip straight off your 360.

theteal

keithgeo wrote: »

Just use a credit card to get a gold membershiip straight off your 360.

there are much cheaper alternatives than doing this e.g. livecodes.com

OP, as stated before, when you create your live account you should be given a month of gold membership for free (used to be the case anyway). go with that, get your bearings, have fun, then worry about paying money in a couple of weeks time

Col200sx

Thanks all for the replies:) Just haven't even seen Xbox Live yet so don't have a clue:o

Suppose when I sign up I'll see how it goes and then decide from there.

Good that you get a free "Gold" trial for a month

Star Lord

I never got a months free trial when I set mine up.

So if you don't, have a look in some of your game cases, if you have games that are focused on online-multiplayer, chances are that you'll have a few "Free 48 Hour Live trial" slips in them, which will have little scratch-card like panels with a 48 hour live trial code on them.

Liam O

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

I never got a months free trial when I set mine up.

you probably did. It gives you the option to buy a gold sub or just stay silver and when you go to pick silver it says you have a month free trial. You get 3 separate ones on each xbox.

robinph

Liam O wrote: »

you probably did. It gives you the option to buy a gold sub or just stay silver and when you go to pick silver it says you have a month free trial. You get 3 separate ones on each xbox.

What they said.

When creating you account DO NOT select Gold membership initially, just Silver. You'll then get an email off MS welcoming you to Xbox Live and then you'll be upgraded to Gold for a month. If you enter your credit card details or select Gold during the sign up you'll miss out on the free month, and get charged twice the price of what the subscriptions can be bought for from other sources.

Col200sx

So I got set up then on Xbox Live.
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: How much fun is GTA4 in it. Brilliant.

I don't believe I hadn't done this til now:D

Got the free Gold for a month, then I'll pick up one online somewhere.

Thanks again for all the help:)

Col200sx

Rather than start up a new thread, one more question.....

I've got an iMac G5, with a really nice 21" monitor, is there any way to hook up the Xbox to this for playing games on?

Col200sx

Col200sx wrote: »

Rather than start up a new thread, one more question.....

I've got an iMac G5, with a really nice 21" monitor, is there any way to hook up the Xbox to this for playing games on?

Any takers on this for me?:)

Riskymove

Col200sx wrote: »

Any takers on this for me?:)

you can buy an Xbox VGA cable to connect to a monitor

I am not sure if it transfers sound though, you may need to connect to speakers

http://www.game.co.uk/Accessories/Xbox-360/GAMEware-Xbox-360-VGA-Cable/~r327668/

robinph

The VGA cable has phono plugs for the sound output, so you'll need something else to connect them to for the sound.