A Noob dad looking for advice on MS points and XBL Subs on sons new xbox

Access

Hi all,

Just researching microsoft points and xbox live subs at the moment.

Santa brought the son a lovely shiny xbox 360 with a 250gig drive. Its a beautiful bit of kit, as we were used to the pasticine graphics of the Wii in the house here for the past couple of years, but the one great advantage of the Wii is that the online play aspect of it is totally free where as xbox charges for online play.

I take it from looking on here, that the only things you would want to buy points for are the stupidly overpriced movies and tv progs on xbox live (i mean 1360 points/ €13 approx for the social network movie - are they taking the piss? or 500 points for one episode of the US Office?) as well as buying clothes and accessories for the little avatar figure on your profile.
And that the xbox live subscriptions are basically for playing games like fornza motorsport/black ops etc. online thru xbox live with other players?

Have i missed out on other advantages of the XBL or points... as i think im coming to the conclusion that its deffo not worth buying points, but perhaps buying a yearly XBL sub for the son for playing games online is worthwhile? He is only ten years old... so maybe i should skip that aspect for now and just leave him play offline like normal?

Im also coming to the realisation that i never needed santa to get him the 250 gig one when the 4 gig one would of done the same job... as he will never fill it... or am i wrong?

cableguy.ie

You can also buy xbox arcade games for example see this thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056144176

Also you can also get add downloadable Content (DLC) for a good section of games.

About the memory just because at this moment you don't need it it doesn't mean you wont later.

calex71

Regards space you should be using that up to install the games, press Y instead of A when launching the game form the dashboards and you have an option to install. This significantly reduces the noise of the console and wear and tear. You still need the disc in the drive to play the game though.

Also see the sticky regards cheaper points and subs and you as a parent having more controlhttp://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055846688

dont get caught out like that other poor soul here the other day asking how to remove cridit card details after the kid had gone and spent a fortune with out them knowing

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056147129

theteal

Access wrote: »

Im also coming to the realisation that i never needed santa to get him the 250 gig one when the 4 gig one would of done the same job... as he will never fill it... or am i wrong?

the 4gb xbox is fairly close to useless; after installing games, downloading demos etc you may see the available space of your 250gb drive fill up fairly quickly

ms points can be handy but are by no means essential, i only buy them when i actually see something in the arcade that tickles my fancy

the sticky for buying points and subs has been mentioned above - do not buy direct through the xbox!

OP, just so you know, all new accounts set up on new xbox consoles should get a month free xbox live gold (as a taster). i'd avail of that and see if the young lad (or even yourself) enjoys it before you go spending money

ajc100

calex71 wrote: »

Regards space you should be using that up to install the games, press Y instead of A when launching the game form the dashboards and you have an option to install. This significantly reduces the noise of the console and wear and tear. You still need the disc in the drive to play the game though.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056147129

I have two kids that can not help themselves but scratch discs. If i install the games will they play after they scratch them?

niallon

ajc100 wrote: »

I have two kids that can not help themselves but scratch discs. If i install the games will they play after they scratch them?

Sometimes. That's the best answer really. If the discs are ringed (so called laser burn, where there's a perfect circle scratch on the disc) they may need to be cleaned before the run, Smyths and Game have the cleaners.

If they're just normally scratched they'd probably be ok. Also you can borrow someone else's copy of the disc for the installation then use your own to run it.

calex71

ajc100 wrote: »

I have two kids that can not help themselves but scratch discs. If i install the games will they play after they scratch them?

Better chance that they run yes will but not guaranteed though, but if it is installed before damage all it really does is a security check to make sure the real game is in the drive when you run it. Is more complex than that but thats essentially what it does.

folan

i have the older, 120GB drive. Its almost full with installed games. never mind dlc.

as for the XBL sub, the friends list and xbl party chatting when im not playing the same game as my friends make it worthwhile, maybe not so much for a 10 year old though.

Access

theteal wrote: »

the sticky for buying points and subs has been mentioned above - do not buy direct through the xbox!

Yeah, thanks for that, i did spot that on here... very handy and a big price difference - Jesus, when i saw the cost of the subs in game stop i nearly had a heart attack!

theteal wrote: »

OP, just so you know, all new accounts set up on new xbox consoles should get a month free xbox live gold (as a taster). i'd avail of that and see if the young lad (or even yourself) enjoys it before you go spending money

and again, thanks for that... we have been using that the past week or so and have about 3 weeks left.

I just cannot understand MS, they even go to charging 320 points/€3 approx for an avatars accessory of a guitar??? WTF? fair enough if people are into that but its just an avatar character!

I had to laugh, i got an email today from xbox live, saying i had a free gift when i logged into xbox live next time... it was an avatars bit of clothing... hat or gloves or something like that, but to retrieve, i was asked to enter cc details on xbox live... yeah right! - NFW! i did spot the post about the dad above whos son entered his dads cc details to buy items thru xbox live and now he cant get xbox to delete the cc details!

And whats the story with having a sub for each gamer who wants to use xbox live instead of a sub per machine? It seems to me that the xbox points too (maybe except for the arcade games) are just a complete waste of money.

I take it in conclusion so, that xbox live subs are really only ment for the more serious gamer who like to play online against other players?

Raze_them_all

I use points to rent movies and buy arcade games, I don't really sleep alot so the ability to just rent a movie anytime comes in handy for me.

I only buy avatar stuff with left over points

niallon

Access wrote: »

And whats the story with having a sub for each gamer who wants to use xbox live instead of a sub per machine? It seems to me that the xbox points too (maybe except for the arcade games) are just a complete waste of money.

I take it in conclusion so, that xbox live subs are really only ment for the more serious gamer who like to play online against other players?

Basically your sub allows you access to all of the XBL features, playing online and downloading arcade games being the two principle benefits.

As for the arcade games though, I suggest you download some demos, recommendations being Splosion Man and Limbo, and see for yourself just how substantial these games are. they work out at a max of 1200 points (€13 give or take) and can often provide more entertainment than most of the retail titles available.

Then you have DLC such as Undead Nightmare for Red Dead Redemption. Undead Nightmare is an entirely new expansion to the original game that provides an extra 6 - 8 hours of gameplay as well as all new multiplayer. This means that while you wait for a sequel to a game you've enjoyed you can be still getting value out of the original in the meantime. Or something like that!

theteal

Access wrote: »

I just cannot understand MS, they even go to charging 320 points/€3 approx for an avatars accessory of a guitar??? WTF? fair enough if people are into that but its just an avatar character!

Don't worry about all that sh!te, some people appear to have more money than sense.

Access wrote: »

And whats the story with having a sub for each gamer who wants to use xbox live instead of a sub per machine?

Yeah, that's always been a bone of contention for myself. There's 3 of us sharing the xbox offline, we have a 4th gamertag that we share for online play. it's a convenient solution for a group of young adults that have minus interest in gamer points, achievements and such but just want a quick fix of a game online. I always pondered how a situation involving a family with a couple of young kids would work it (i'm assuming kids are into points/achievements - thats all i hear when they're babbling away during games!)

Access wrote: »

I take it in conclusion so, that xbox live subs are really only ment for the more serious gamer who like to play online against other players?

Yes and no. I'm in no way a serious gamer (10+ hours a day work, soccer training, gaa training, the lady friend have well put that concept to bed) but there's nothing better than having a spare half hour, lash on call of duty/street fighter etc., have a couple of games online and then you're up and on with the rest of your day - well worth ~€35 per year tbh

http://xboxliveuk76.com/

Used them 3 times over the years, fantastic service, good price.