Well the time is upon us, Xbox Live will offically kick off this Friday the 15th. I've created this thread mainly for the newbies to Live, but some of the vets might find some info they have never seen before.

Hopefully this thread will cut down on any questions about hooking up XBox Live, registering, and other tech issues. I will mainly provide links to the right information. Let's get started.

XBox Live. Lay it out for me, Bubba Woofkins.

Xbox Live is an online console video gaming service. Xbox Live is the only fast-action, always-on, broadband gaming arena where you can simultaneously play, talk and build your legend across games and around the world.

Xbox Live will enable all gamers to find their friends easily, talk to other players during game play through the Xbox Communicator headset, download current statistics, new levels and characters to their Xbox hard drive, and play online.

In North America, Xbox Live will kick off with a launch offer of $49.95, which includes 12 months of service, the Xbox Communicator headset and pack-in demos of Moto GP and Whacked!

Is Xbox Live right for me and my army of monkeys?

The best way to answer this question is to judge the online games and decide if that's what you want to play.

Here are 44 games that have been announced to use the Xbox Live support with online play or content download:

Click here

Also, I've broken down these games by genre if you prefer one type of genre over another:

Fighting: 1 game
First person shooter: 7 games
Flight shooters: 2 games
MMORPG: 3 games
Mech: 2 games
Other: 4 games
Party: 2 games
RPG: 3 games
Racing: 8 games
Sports: 10 games
Tactical Shooters: 4 games

Preperation for Getting Online. And yes, it's more than a Beer Run.

Step 1: Get a High speed internet provider

Step 2: Decide if you would like to set up home networking

Here is a link to Best Buy's networking products: Linkified

Step 3: Decide on your XBox Live connection: Direct, Router, or Windows ICS

Is Captain Poopshoot really the best choice for a Gamertag?

Deciding on a Gametag is important. It will stick with you the entire time you play on XBox Live. Look here to get the creative juices flowing: Your Tag Is Showing

After you decide on a Gamertag, be sure to return to the DVDTalk forums and register your name in GoLucky's thread so you can find other DVDTalkers. Here is a direct link: Golucky's DVDtalk XBox Live Database

Also, you may want to register on a national gamertag database if you want to find people in your local area: http://www.gamertagdatabase.com

The Headset is cutting off the circulation to my Brain.

I know the headset looks funky, but don't wrap it around your head like headphones. If you want to know the proper way to wear your headset, use the communicator, use voice masking, and mute players, Look here: http://www.xbox.com/LIVE/connect/voice.htm

Isn't matchmaking something girls do to screw with their guy friends?

Yes. It's also how XBox Live weeds out people with bad connections and puts you into an optimal, level-pleying field gaming enviroment.

Read more about it here: http://www.xbox.com/LIVE/xboxlive-ma...ingfeature.htm

I only have 1 friend because I stink of rotting feces. Can Xbox Live help me?

Yes it can. You can store up to 100 friends on your own personal list and your friends will never have to smell you. Check it out: http://www.xbox.com/LIVE/xboxlive-friendsfeature.htm

Content downloading?! That's too fancified for me.

Actually it's pretty easy and cool. It will allow developers to add extras later on such as updated sports rosters, new weapons, new skins, and even entire levels. It may cost you a couple bucks, but you can decide if it's worth it.

Look here for more info: http://www.xbox.com/LIVE/connect/content.htm

Frequently asked questions:

Q: Do I need a credit card to register? My momma says credit cards are the Debil!

A: Yes. XBox Live will eventually move to a pay-per-month scale around the time Halo 2 comes out. You will also need a credit card if developers want to charge for any content download or extra fees.

If it's a problem, get a prepaid card at any local store. Or you could steal a credit card and get sent to prison. Then you could earn that Captian Poopshoot Gamertag you wanted.

Q:Can I mute losers like Bruiser?

A: Absolutely, regardless of team affliation. You can also leave positive or negative feedback about the person's behavior.

Also, just because I use the annoying little kid voice mask while I sing "The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round" over and over doesn't make me a loser. It makes it an @*^#!$%@.

Q: What the heck is a Subscription Code and where do I find it?

A: This is most likely on the inside of your DVD sleeve. If it's not there, it's on the back of the sleeve. Look for a sticker with a long, long (did we say long?) string of numbers. When you enter your subscription code into the Xbox Dashboard during signup, you do not need to enter dashes—just the numbers. But if the dashes help you keep track, use 'em.

Q: Can my friends play online with me on my XBox? How would they hear what others are saying on the VC?

A: Yes, you can have guests on your account. Make sure they behave themselves if they suck and start screwing around.

Also, you can have your buds listen in on the conversation over the VC. A smart fellow detailed everything you need to do here with purty pictures:

How to Split up the Voice Communicator.

Q: Can I use my account on Stinky's xbox? Stinky is my best friend.

A: You must know that feces kid. Anyway, you can do that. Go into the memory menu within the dashboard and you will see it along with the save games. You copy it just like a save game. You can store 7 different accounts on one Xbox.

Q: Will XBox Live have Clan/Tribe support?

A: Yes, but it's not going to be up at launch. Microsoft plans to add support for groups of gamers for each game.

You can always join up with the DVDTalker's. They will be glad to whoop up on you. See Gallant Pig's Xbox Live Clan Thread for more info: Linkified

Q: Can I leave messages for my friends to play at so and so time?

A: Not yet, but soon. Microsoft is going to add voice messaging over XBox Live in 2003.

Q: What games will you be playing Flay and will you continue to add to this thread?

A: I'm a consistent Top 3 finisher in Moto GP, but I will probably be playing lots of Mechassault, Unreal Championship, and NHL 2K3 at first. Don't even waste your time with the Whacked! Demo.

The thread will be continually updated as future Xbox Live information becomes available. Also, if you have any questions, this is a great thread for them.

Finally, IGN has set up a nice section for all things related to XBox Live. Check it out: http://xbox.ign.com/live.html

Once again...

Very, very nice.

NOW WHERE'S PHANTASY STAR ONLINE?!

A friend of mine is getting Roadrunner but won't get it hooked up till Monday. He wants to play his LIVE on Friday with me on my Xbox so we both have communicators.

1) Can he setup his account from my Xbox if he loads his LIVE disc?

2) And if I want to go over to his house next weekend to play LIVE, how do I put my account on a memory card?

Very helpful post.

Quick question though: does the included 12 months start on the 15th, or does it start when you activate your account? I'm not sure if I want to get it right away and I will wait if the latter is true.

It starts when you activate your account, when I registered it told me MS would charge my card again on Nov. 10th 2003.

Nice flay. Could you throw some DVDTalk thread URLS in there like my clan one and goLucky's tag ID one? Then maybe we could make this sticky for a couple of weeks.

Sticky sounds good. Also, how about some links to hot deals on the Live Kit?

The only hot deal so far is a backordered XBL at Buy.com for like $43, not bad if you can wait. Other than that, I'm not sure if I'd expect much, even on Black Friday.

I think Microsoft recently announced that you won't have to renew your Live account until December 2003.

So, if you were a beta tester or are buying the kit on Friday (11/15), it's good until 12/2003.

The day will depend on the day you signed up. Beta testers who activated on 9/23 will be good until 12/23/2003. 11/15/02 = 12/15/03.

Great post I am ready for Friday.

Nice thread.. .I am soooo looking forward to picking up the xbox live kit.

I still need a DSL box :-(

Flay

Flay great post, it helped me to understand better what I need.

Now a question, can someone post actual links to the equipment that would work with XBox live. I have DSL connected to my computer right now and I am intersted in a wireless router and need to know what needs to be connected to the Xbox in order to receive these wireless signals. That way it would be clear to someone like me.

Thanx again for all of your work on this, Chris

1) Yes but I don't think he needs his disc, only the unique # that came with it.

2) Go into the memory menu within the dashboard and you will see it along with the save games. You copy it just like a save game. I think you can store 7 different accounts on one Xbox.

Added a link to Gallant Pig's Clan thread.

Added a link to networking products at Best Buy.

Added gross's info regarding the memory card save.

Amazed

Awesome thread Flay!

Note: When sending a game request the other person, they may not see the invite until they have finished their game. For example, I invite Capt. stinky to a game of MotoGP, he will not see the message until he has finished all four 10-minute quarters of NFL Fever. In other words you could end up waiting half an hour to play someone.

My advice is to invite a few friends to a game, and then play it as first come first serve.

ok, this is a good thread....now tonight.....I WILL BE THE KING OF YOUR WORLD, JUNIOR </chrisjericho>

How will we know when downloadable content is available? Will there be a message when we start the game, or do we have to check once in a while?

Great job with this thread also.

There are a couple of different ways to implement the downloadable content stuff as I recall.

One way does supply the auto-notification and one doesn't.

It's completely up to the developer which route they go.

Quite honestly the downloadable content is the feature I'm most looking forward to.

-Naan

Great work Flay

So tempted to ditch SOCOM and my NA to get an Xbox, Live, Halo and Ghost Recon.

Thanks and you're right, he didn't need his disc just the number under the scratch off tag.

He bought a memory card along with his kit so he could just transfer his Live data straight to his Xbox after we set his acount up on mine. We tried put both of our Live accounts on the Mem card so he could take my account home and put both of our accounts on his Xbox, but it wouldn't allow but one account per mem card. I'll have to wait till tomorrow for him to bring the card back so I can copy my account to it.

Flay, great job. May I suggest you add the following?

http://www.xbox.com/support/topissues.htm

http://www.xbox.com/support/XboxLiveError.htm

Does anyone know if I can get another headset without buying the whole kit. I have a buddy who comes over and Monday nights and would like for us both to be able to talk smack. And would the guest account work for this?