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Xbox360 LIVE Bans Technical Details and new "iXtreme Online" FW W.I.P.

xbox-scene.com — Tons of tech details about how Microsoft might be banning modded Xbox 360 console from LIVE. Also details about the new iXtreme Online firmware that will probably bypass the new checks by Microsoft.

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  • dictatortot, on 10/11/2007, -15/+5c4e!
    • haroonie, on 10/11/2007, -6/+23For homebrew to succeed, i think concessions have to be made. We saw a sort of trade off with xbox1; more homebrew in exchange for no 'live' online gaming.

      i don't know if this day & age i'm willing to give up XBL for homebrew; but xbmc video playback w/ full 1080p hdmi/vga on the 360 is tempting! (not to mention maybe evox-dash for 360?)

      :drool:
    • knodi, on 10/11/2007, -10/+11Only took c4e and this team with help of few others on the Xhacker forums to nail this in 3 DAYS. Freaking amazing.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -8/+9"For homebrew to succeed, i think concessions have to be made. We saw a sort of trade off with xbox1; more homebrew in exchange for no 'live' online gaming."

      With the xbox1, at least you could still use a modded box to play system link games over xlink or xbconnect. Microsoft killed this by setting the ping time limit to 30 ms. I think they should be a little more lenient and un-ban people that reset their systems to stock firmwares. As is, I read about and know a bunch of people hit by the ban hammer that are planning on buying PS3s instead of another 360.

      They probably made a ton of money on people upgrading to Elites because of it too though.
    • chris9902, on 10/11/2007, -18/+27they're not bricking the console just the access to Live. But without Live the 360 isn't really worth it.

      as for Microsoft being more lenient... what planet are you on? They should be even more aggressive imo. Start bricking people.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -17/+9I know they aren't bricking the console. If you think they should then you are the idiot. That is a surefire way to lose customers for life. They aren't that stupid.
    • FriedTurkey, on 10/11/2007, -5/+11@ManyarkJK - They probably made a ton of money on people upgrading to Elites because of it too though.

      They are probably killing the second hand market too. Who wants to buy a second hand 360 that might not be able to get online?
    • norman619, on 10/11/2007, -16/+12Is XBL really worth it? I let my account laps because people seemed more intrested in trash talking and less intersted in actually playing. It was funny for 2 seconds. The kids get anoying real fast. I'm gonna wait for the PC to be allowed on XBL. Maybe then it will be worth it IF they allow xbox people to play against PC people. I'm still not sure XBOX360 and PS3 are actually worth their price tags.
    • dvddesign, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15@norman

      I was in the same train of thought as you when I had an original Xbox. I got very bored with it and the matching service.

      With the 360, they cleaned up a lot of the mess. Being able to rate and block players, and to mute all the way down to a single player during a game kept me interested

      I think XBL, sad to say since I dislike MS on almost all other fronts, is a decent service, and it's sad that the other guys haven't figured out that the services offered on XBL are an expectation and standard now, since they've excelled so much in what they offer.
    • PhoneGuy, on 10/11/2007, -2/+25Isn't the 360 just another console without XBL?

      The solution for the original Xbox was to own two. One modded and one factory for playing on-line, so I imagine as the price comes down this will once again be an option.

      Personally, is Microsoft wrong for doing it? No. It is a very no intrusive way of both slowing the copying of games and eliminating the cheaters from the XBL service. If players are able to mod their machines and play XBL, it makes XBL a harder sell if players think there is no integrity in the system.

      They could have taken the Sony route, and not only stopped the content from playing on your machine, but bricked your TV as well!
    • Flynnz, on 10/11/2007, -3/+14@Maynard

      "I know they aren't bricking the console. If you think they should then you are the idiot. That is a surefire way to lose customers for life. They aren't that stupid."

      I really dont think they care about customers who are stealing games. Let me just say that I have modded systems in the past, and I'm not trying to act like I am above it, but lets be honest here. Why the hell would they want customers that dont buy games?
    • dclowd9901, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2d0 reigns all.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4"Why the hell would they want customers that dont buy games?"

      Because they still pay for Live subscriptions and downloadable content. I'm not arguing that it is ok to pirate software. If MS let them back in once they are back to stock, they will buy games to use Live. With a console being banned, the owner might as well keep it modded and continue to pirate games. There is no reason to start buying them because they can't use them on Live anyway.
    • straxus, on 10/11/2007, -8/+4@flynnz

      Irrelevant. If they were to go around intentionally bricking modded consoles, it would open them up to a *very* *nasty* lawsuit. Microsoft have no grounds on which to go around breaking hardware that they do not own, even if they know the user is pirating games. They can revoke access to Live, because Live is their playground. You break the TOS, you play elsewhere. But bricking 360s would be a highly illegal form of vigilantism. The courts exist for a reason. You can't just go around smashing other people's property, just because you think they are ripping you off.
    • Flynnz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7"Because they still pay for Live subscriptions and downloadable content. I'm not arguing that it is ok to pirate software. If MS let them back in once they are back to stock, they will buy games to use Live. With a console being banned, the owner might as well keep it modded and continue to pirate games. There is no reason to start buying them because they can't use them on Live anyway."

      I hear what you are saying.....but at the same time I cant help but think that most people who have modded systems, will probably not buy all that many live games (why would they when they can have full on games with a click of a button?) And even if they do buy the occasional game here or there and Live sub, they really arent doing Microsoft, and developers/partners (who make the games they steal) any favors. The bottom line is they want to send a message, and that message could very well lower the rate that people mod new 360's. If people think buying games is too expensive, I say find a different hobby. And if you like to mod cause of the geekness (which I can totally relate to) buy 2 systems, and quit bitchin'.

      And to those who are saying that people will just move to PS3.....well yeah that makes sense. They are going to buy an even more expensive system that you CANT play back ups on. Thats some great logic there.
    • Flynnz, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2@straxus

      I agree with what you say. I dont think MS should brick systems. I was just making a point about the "losing customers" portion of the comment.
      However I also think with the ***** DMCA crap, they could very well be in their rights to brick the 360 (though I admit I am not sure about that)
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2"And to those who are saying that people will just move to PS3.....well yeah that makes sense. They are going to buy an even more expensive system that you CANT play back ups on. Thats some great logic there."

      That is true for the people that only care about playing backups. It isn't always the case though. If the people that were banned want to play online, they have to buy a new console. They can either buy the same console that they already have and will play all of the same games, or they can buy the PS3 and get online games and also play the exclusives for that system. There IS people that will be buying PS3s because of this. I know some of them.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1and by is I mean are. oops.
    • LogicBomB, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7As someone who plays on xbox live and saw all the glory of xbox modding with online games, I applaud their efforts.

      Not a popular opinion but if someone is going to be editing their content, modding games, and ***** over those trying to just have fun, ban them all from xbox live, you shouldn't be on there with a modded system anyway.
    • ksponge, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1@chris9902 (#6809461)
      Considering that would be illegal, I'd say your idea is ridiculous? But thanks for your intelligent opinion.
    • PatoLucas, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5@Maynard
      "I know they aren't bricking the console. If you think they should then you are the idiot. That is a surefire way to lose customers for life. They aren't that stupid."

      Sorry, but that ranked a 11 of 10 on my *****. Modders aren't customers, no console maker or publisher wants them. And it's actually good for M$ if modders go to PS3, Sony loses $250 on each console they sell, hopping to get it back in games, but if the "customer" doesn't buy any games then it's Sony loss, great for M$

      @straxus
      "Irrelevant. If they were to go around intentionally bricking modded consoles, it would open them up to a *very* *nasty* lawsuit. Microsoft have no grounds on which to go around breaking hardware that they do not own, even if they know the user is pirating games. They can revoke access to Live, because Live is their playground. You break the TOS, you play elsewhere. But bricking 360s would be a highly illegal form of vigilantism. The courts exist for a reason. You can't just go around smashing other people's property, just because you think they are ripping you off."

      IIRC the terms of ownership of the Xbox360 say that you're the owner of the console, but not of the software on it. According to that M$ cando any change they please on the console without our concent. I may be wrong, but I'm at work and don't have the box near me.
  • thcmagus, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3should be interesting what we find out in the next couple of days
  • Aarrggimapirate, on 10/11/2007, -4/+13This is totally different then the Xbox 1. This hack that microsoft is fighting against does not allow modders to run unsigned code. Unsigned code is what made the xbox 1 the great homebrew and entertainment system it is. All these firmeware patches do is allow to play backups. You can load linux with one of the firmware patches but only if you did not update your console to the latest firmware.
    • xerox, on 10/11/2007, -3/+8you mean, if you didnt update your console to the latest kernel.
    • strictnein, on 10/11/2007, -8/+5I think it'd be interesting to see someone come up with a mod that only allows you to run unsigned code, but not "backups" *cough*, and see how MS reacts. They'd probably still work to kill it...
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -10/+3bury.
    • wageslaven, on 10/11/2007, -3/+8MS supplies the world with XNA Studio Express for free, its the best "happy medium" between the "unsigned code" (backup players) and amateurs who want to write games for consoles.

      MS has gone further than its competitors to encourage homebrew amateurs -- they should be applauded.

      Banning Modded XBox's from Live assures people arent cheating - I WANT that. i dont want people hacking their boxes to take the fun out of our online gameplay. MS is already far ahead of the competition with its LIVE experience -- how do you think Sony & Nintendo would fare if the online gameplay was lousy with cheat-modded game-players?

      MS is ahead of the curve on this, preventing online cheating. And its a Good Thing(TM).
    • jull1234, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2If they opened up the XNA restrictions a bit more, and maybe provided a couple decent art tools (the hidden flaw in the whole system) with the subscription, I think we'd see an explosion in the number of people embracing the 360 for hobby programming. I just want XBMC on my 360.
    • Bamborzled, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@wageslaven

      XNA costs $99 a year if you want to make games for the Xbox. That said, it costs thousands for regular Nintendo and Sony devkits, so it's a very good deal.
  • vampireblood, on 10/11/2007, -16/+3This is going to turn into a battle between modders trying to play modded xbox 360's online and Microsoft who have billions of dollars at their disposal.

    Who do you think will win?
    • skEwb35, on 10/11/2007, -8/+7This is like a game of seesaw, nobody wins.
    • Bobtastic, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Is that sort of like the battle between Sony who have billions of dollars at their disposal and PSP homebrewers? Cause I'm voting on the homebrew scene for that one....
  • NCg8r, on 10/11/2007, -11/+2I waited and waited and shunned taking my box online for this very reason. I felt SO smart when I heard that people were getting banned... Then I realized that I can't get my 360 online now, any more than "they" can... and "they" got to play online for months while I waited. Oh well. I don't do the MP gaming anyway, as the screeching curses of 12-year-olds is actually annoying to me. You'd think others would feel the same way, but whatever...

    FWIW - I just completed 2 "X-Clamp" removals successfully and both consoles are running at 100% with NO failures since the fix was applied. I couldn't believe it, but it works. Anybody want to sell me a 3RLOD broken 360???
  • mustard, on 10/11/2007, -5/+28Microsoft are going to be all 'Oh man, we can't detect this new one', pirates will be all 'whee, free games for me', cheaters will be all 'OMG wallhacks'.

    All through this, Microsoft will be taking numbers because 'oh, we could detect it after all, and have been tracking all you sorry assholes' *Click* Banned.

    • mlapaglia, on 10/11/2007, -9/+10you can't cheat with any of the mods you can perform on a 360 right now.
    • hoowahman, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Aren't some people hex-editing games like GOW and getting that to play online?
    • mustard, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4yes, hoowaman, they are.

      Some games have a lot of data in unsigned files. GoW being one of them, and the most publically known. I'm sure there are others, but none quite as high-profile.
  • Cyber_Akuma, on 10/11/2007, -2/+18Am I the only one that was a little confused by the title?

    I thought it said that MS is now banning anyone that provides technical details about the new firmware.
  • triPzZz, on 10/11/2007, -14/+39so... you cant play your precious modded games on live? where's the problem?

    stop crying like a little girl. you deserve to be banned.
    • BooChihuahua, on 10/11/2007, -8/+21AGREED!!!!
    • digitallysick, on 10/11/2007, -19/+6@triPzZz

      Don't be a H8r because you paid 60 bux for your games while the rest have been playing with free games online. So if i have played about 8 burned xbox 360 games, at $50.00 a piece, thats about $400.00, enough for a new console
    • citrusfizz, on 10/11/2007, -15/+4I'm sorry, but me playing burned games doesn't hurt anyone... not even the developers (at least for me). See, the games I have liked: GoW Vegas NFS:C madden 07, and C&C3 I have boughten after I played the scene release for a little while and realized I like it..

      I think of modding and playing burned games as more like renting before you buy.. I am going to keep my banned console just for this purpose and buy the games I like for my new console (which wont be modded)
    • heinousjay, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9You don't think of pirating games as renting, because if you did, you would rent. You think of it as free games. Don't try to justify being a dirtbag, just revel in it. Nothing is worse than a jerkass who thinks getting free entertainment makes him special.

      Also, boughten is not a word, although given the intelligence you display in your rationalizations, I don't expect decent English from you.
    • dunlop, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2"think of modding and playing burned games as more like renting before you buy.. I am going to keep my banned console just for this purpose and buy the games I like for my new console (which wont be modded)"

      Highly doubtful, why would you buy a game that you could easily get for free. Actually M$ forced you into this line of thought. Now that you will be banned on LIVE with the modded 360, you HAVE to get an legit xbox and BUY the games you WANT to play on LIVE.

      So now they will once again be making some revenue off of some modders (cough..Halo 3) whereas before they were making zilch.

      D'em guys at Microsoft are purdy sneaky.
    • tc811, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@citrusfizz

      "See, the games I have liked: GoW Vegas NFS:C madden 07, and C&C3 I have boughten..."

      I usually don't rag on people for grammar, but "boughten"?
      lol
  • Zunger, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2I did a quick view in the forums, and I've been keeping up with everything for the most part, but i can't find an answer to a simple question. Are people saying it's possible to play original games on the HLG drive w/modded FW? Just backup's are getting banned? I have not plugged in my 360 since at least 3 weeks before the ban hammer started getting felt.
    • doskir, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7you've probably been banned anyways because they logged data for MONTHS before they banned everyone
    • ringlord, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I'm not sure if they can detect modded FW effects while playing retail games, but if you've modded your console in any way, you should not be surprised if you get banned. In fact, they may have been collecting data for months and just not banning people until now. So when you sign in you may find yourself banned regardless.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4@ringlord

      They can detect it on retail games. They log things like game load times which are affected by some of the firmwares slowing the drive speed to make it quieter etc.
    • lolhax, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3You can play originals and backups. But you can't connect to Live at all.
    • FreddieD, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Ok here is one question I have that I can't seem to find an answer to. For those few don't play multiplayer games on Live, but do use the silver subscription features (game demos, upcoming game trailer videos, etc) with no disc in the drive at all, have there been any reports of banning?
  • mtb4me3000, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2I stopped reading when I reached "noone".
    Bury as lame.
  • digitallysick, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1I think its more to do with the games being played on live. I really don't think ms can detect what firmware you have in your drive. And as far as if your drive was ever unplugged and powered on, what about when M$ people refurb , or honor a warranty, im sure they do that as well. I honestly fee its something with the code in the games, i think they can tell that x amount of people are playing off of the same gears of war disc.
  • austin63, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6Good, stay banned. Cheaters ruined Halo2. Screaming kids shut up when you beat them (or just mute them), but playing up into the higher levels just got you to play modders every other game and level you back down.

    You know the rules. If the box is modded don't connect to Live. I run XBMC on the old xbox and I dont let it connect. For good online multiplayer you dont get it both ways.
    • Soulhuntre, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3One of the best changes in H3 is how seriously fast and easy it is to mute someone.
  • ewetubing, on 10/11/2007, -11/+4What kind of dork mods his 360? Seriously. Who has time for that crap?
    • citrusfizz, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3umm it took like 15 minutes to do. and i could play any copied games i want....

      your a dork
      /childish rebuttal
    • quik22, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1"your a dork"? as in, MY a dork?
  • Ozeki, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4Most if not all of the features of the 360 were/are inspired from the extraordinary work that the homebrew community accomplished on the Xbox 1. Microsoft owes part of its current success to the people they fought so hard in the preceding generation. I know it, they know it. Everybody knows it.

    If last time the homebrew scene was able to, forcefully, open Microsoft's eyes on "what else" could be achieved with a gaming console that they hadn't though-of, then what do they think happened in this generation? That people ran out of imagination?
    • manowar33, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0Gotta agree with this. Stealing games hurts the developers we love no doubt. BUT, I love my 360 because M$ decided to incorporate many, many features from the modded xbox1 and yes the homebrew apps. M$ aint that stupid they know when to appropriate others ideas when it benefitts them. My 360 is unmodded as I have no need to, M$ did a good job this time. I still have my modded xbox1 and still play it. Maybe that's the problem. The modded xbox1 became just too good, and M$ has abandoned the OG xbox1.
  • Amps, on 10/11/2007, -11/+2For homebrew to succeed, i think concessions have to be made. We saw a sort of trade off with xbox1; more homebrew in exchange for no 'live' online gaming.

    i don't know if this day & age i'm willing to give up XBL for homebrew; but xbmc video playback w/ full 1080p hdmi/vga on the 360 is tempting! (not to mention maybe evox-dash for 360?)

    :drool:
    • Ac1d, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6uhh.. well done on copying and pasting someones post?
    • wageslaven, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2XNA Studio Express is for Homebrew Game writing. Other mods, are for pirating. Im not against pirating per-se, but lets call a spade a spade.
  • nobullmouth, on 10/11/2007, -11/+7That sucks! That is why I put my 360 on EBAY and bought a PS3. The PS3 actually had options built in to mod your console - like the ability to add a separate Linux operating system right in the menu. Microsoft is doing exactly what they always do, which is to force you to use their software or hardware exactly as THEY intended it to be used, anything else is inexcusable.
    • reapergun9, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6So I guess the PS3's the system of choice for any douche who can't just be content with a good console?
    • frygar, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0Damn skippy, once I went PS3, I never looked back. With Microsoft, it really is all about "choice" - theirs.
    • Soulhuntre, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5You aren't SERIOUSLY making an argument that SONY for f__ks sake is the defender of consumer freedom?
  • jordan1, on 10/11/2007, -7/+8boo frickin hoo, I can't copy games now! waaa!
    • SPECOPS, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4Aren't too bight today? Or perhaps haven't finished your coffee yet? This has nothing to do with copying original dvds or playing copied games (both of witch can still be done, very easily). Only online Xbox Live access has been banned.
    • jordan1, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5dude, people are using custom fw to play copied games.jackass. these same people are getting banned off XBL for using them.
  • tituspullo71, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6xbox live is not a right, it's a service that has rules. you break the rules you suffer the price. any game you play any your service you use online, has a TOS agreement. most of them state the same things as Microsoft's does. imagine the backlash if they did nothing and the M3 beta was just like H2 full of modder and hacks. If your that interested in homebrew just buy a 360 just for that , and buy 1 to play one line. you can't have it both ways and banning consoles is a step in the right direction for MS they should have done this years ago when the H2 modders were all over the place. even worse then having to pay after you've been banned from xbox live is having to pay to be modded on every other game you play in by some whiny loser that has to cheat to win.
  • digitallysick, on 10/11/2007, -7/+1*thinks of all the losses in revenue due to the xbox live ban* ouch M$, your going to loose alot of $$$$$$$
    • dunlop, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3How do you figure? These people are not paying for the games anyways. They make their money form accessories and people who BUY games.
      The $50 for live is not gonna mean squat when you factor in the money the lost to sell you the console originally. On top of that, people who mod their consoles tend to show their friends how to do the same thing so the problem spreads like wildfire.

      I think M$ should have bricked the modded consoles just to scare the living sh!t out of anyone from doing it again.
  • Leo55, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Seriously forget it. The xbox is a closed box. They track just about everything you do on your box.
    For all you know, they might change the whole OS to Windows. And you will have to eat it down.
    If your idea to hack your box is to get divx then go tell Microsoft. I am sure they will give in somehow.
    If your idea to hack your box is to play backup games then i can't really say much. Just support the devs.
  • IADTatami, on 10/11/2007, -8/+3No 360 for me. I am tired of this *****.
  • three11, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4you cant cheat on xbox live with a dvd rom firmware mod for the 360, there is no homebrew apps, no trainers,
    All you can do is play the back up just the same as if you were playing an original. So stop WHINING!

    M$ should have allowed modders to just restore their original firmware on their DVD rom drive and let them back on live. Thats it, they wont be able to play their back ups any more, but they can buy and play originals.

    Modders can use XBC or Xlink to play online, its just like a lan party except you use an app on your pc to connect you to the other 360's, then the game will be available on the system link.
    • dunlop, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3Who care's? M$ is showing that there is a consequence to modding your 360, especially at this point and time when the only functionality it offers is the ability to play copied games). Letting people restore the firmware will just let them buy time until a switch can be made. Like on my Executer for my XBOX, I also also hack my PSP so I am not against it at all, I am against people bellyaching when the company implements methods to try and thwart them.
    • MaynardJK, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1MS killed xlink and xbc for any new games. They set the ping time limit so low that you can't connect over a WAN.
  • reapergun9, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4To anyone arguing against the Microsoft bans:

    What were you thinking modding your Xbox 360 in the first place? You payed $300-400 dollars for the system and you want to go and ***** with it? Even without the risk of being LIVE-banned, there's a chance you'd blow the system yourself and be out of 400 bucks.

    And even if you're not modding it to cheat at online games, they still catch you because it's "modified." They're doing it to protect the online community, not just because they're dickholes.

    GG though.
    • citrusfizz, on 10/11/2007, -6/+3BS... i payed 400 bucks i think i should be able to do whatever the ***** i want..
      i knew the risk before i modded mine. and i knew it wouldn't last forever.. but it was my choice to do so.. and by playing these pirated games online didn't hurt any other live member. In fact it provided more people to play against that might not have bought the game. there as been little to no cheating with this mod and the cheating that has been going on, is (almost) the developers fault for not putting a configuration file in signed code.

      protection to the online community... again *****. i see this as a way to make money and stop the MS investors from getting all heated.
    • heinousjay, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3No one said you can't do anything you want with your console. What you can't do is play in our sandbox if you're not going to pay the gate fee. I'm glad they banned the modders, because I don't want people who didn't pay for the games enjoying the same service I do.

      I believe in consequences for scumbags. Welcome to my happy place.
    • jamesbrich, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0What were we thinking? NONE OF YOUR ***** BUSINESS! They're our consoles! And if we're doing this, we know what we're doing, so we're not blowing up our consoles. But even if we were, it would be none of your business still. And if consoles aren't modified for cheating and only playing backup discs (which owners of the games are legally entitled to have), how do the bans protect the community? How is your Live experience degraded by my backup discs? And heinousjay is also a crybaby ***** who needs to clean the sand out of his vagina from that sandbox. A bickup disc doesn't mean that the game wasn't paid for. And why be mad at the people who did pirate the game? Because you didn't? That's gay. Last I checked, even if you're using a backup disc, you still have to pay the Live fee? Right? Again, the sand, get it out of your vagina. The modders will always come out on top. M$ is reactive, not proactive. They always have been. New firmware and new hardware will be developed that circumvents all this. And it will be cheaper than games, heinousjay. Good day, and keep those pussies clean, gentlemen.
  • LuCiFer6, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3Bypass new checks by M$ until M$ comes out with another update, so basically these guys will be chasing their own tails. These guys might as a well go legit or buy another 360, one modded one clean.

    As of now M$ is only blocking modded 360s and not the Live accounts. How long before M$ starts to block both 360s and the Live account that were using them?
    • heinousjay, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3Hell, I say brick the consoles, ban the accounts, and use the stored address to prosecute them, if they were stupid enough to use real information.
    • RealityCheque, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Right...prosecute them...

      The difference between TV shows and real life is that in REAL LIFE, a corporation like Microsoft is not going to spend the money to sue someone over modding a $400 console. Besides, I seriously doubt that tampering with the box is considered a criminal act. Basically, if you choose to mod the box, you violate their terms of service and they disconnect you and leave you offline. That's about all they really can do.

      They cannot prove you do not own the games, no matter how many backups you play online. It is circumstantial evidence.

      Don't even bother trying to compare it to the RIAA; it is not the same scenario at all.

      By the way "HeinousJay" (probably a description of your physical appearance, seeing how upset you are over this), why does it upset you so much that people are playing backed up games? How does that affect you in ANY way?
  • TheUndertoker, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1I really couldn't care less to be honest. I don't mod my consoles and any game I play online, I join a league/fed/clan so I know I'm getting the fair opponents I want.

    These bans have no effect on me what so ever.
  • TheLD, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4To be honest, I am glad that they are blocking them from live.

    If people can use modified consoles online it's only a matter of time before we start seeing robots left right and centre screwing the games for everyone else.
    • IADTatami, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5A lot of people are taking that view. No one likes cheaters, but I think MS is throwing the baby out with the bath water, here. Homebrew development will be retarded, and of course there's the issue of denying people the ability to make backup copies of their media. I believe that ultimately, the potential of the 360 will be retarded by these knee-jerk control policies.

      On the subject, I'm not happy with the way "backup copy" has become synonymous with "pirated copy". I don't see how the right to make back up copies of one's media will ever be respected as long as this sort of doubletalk is indulged in.

      IMO, the way pirates pervert the word "backup" isn't all that different from the way industry shills pervert the word "steal".
  • username9000, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2This digg topic clinches it. I seriously think people just comment and click digg buttons without clicking the links.

    Most of the above comments are people whining about something that has nothing to do with this topic.

    This topic is about a new firmware that is supposedly going to work on xbox live. Whether it does or not, i am sure people will try it out. I am also sure this is the beginning of some kind of cat and mouse game that will surely result in even more bannings. Doesn't matter, its cool and I love to see this kind of stuff when modders try to outwit (always do) the likes of MS.

    Eventually people will be playing backups on live again or there will at least be a way that will be worked out where you can play backups offline and originals online without the console getting banned.

    I really don't care to listen to all of the technically retarded people here that say they are happy people are getting banned (most likely because they can't flash their own firmware, or don't know how to burn a dvd). The people crying about being banned are idiots also. You have to know that when you mod your console you are risking that console.

  • faithlessoul, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0just a thought
    M$ bans=modded xboxes=xbox360=that have
    older model drives that can be hacked=new xbox360 with
    a not hackable drive=less hackable drive on the market
    downfall is= xboxes that
    are returned to store
    or sold on ebay or back to the game store or sent in for repairs back to m$ refurbished
    xboxes sent to new unexpected
    customers because m$
    dose not check if the drive has be modded m$ probably
    tell them they are out of luck
    and the vicious loop starts
    all over again.
    it just wont help you get a good
    rep with consumers i the end
    you will lose the console war.
    • jull1234, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1durr, I assume they check to see if you opened the console before accepting a return/repair request.
  • Tomskirf, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Modding to use copied games is wrong in my opinion but modding of the games themselves I think is pretty damm cool. Why not embrace it and create a special grouping/game area for modders to play against each other? MS could charge a surcharge to cover cost. Heck, it could be set up so that people who want to simply check them out can be allowed to play (maybe another, smaller surcharge?) against them at their own risk. Yea, you would get totally creamed but if I join a "modded" game I at least know what I'm in for. I have a real appreciation for people with the programming skills to mod a game and wouldn't care if I got pummeled just to see some of their creativity. MS could spawn/grow this into something big if they really wanted to. In fact if MS focused on the creative aspects of the modding community who knows what other games could spawn from these guys.
    • wageslaven, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2At present, you dont have access to LIVE via XNA Studio Express -- they are probably (correctly) worried about maliscious coders -- but when (if) they do, XBox 360 will explode as the most open and available console.
  • frygar, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2My console, my choice - if I feel like modding it, I damn well intend to. I understand that Live belongs to MS - fine, so be it, I choose not to use Live because I find it to be $50 too expensive.
  • DavidGX, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Die, modder scum.
    • frygar, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1NO U

      Jesus, are all xbots this predictable?
    • jamesbrich, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0that has to be the single most ignorant post here.
  • Tsmith10803, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4As someone who has a modded console, and has yet to be banned. All I can say is that, it was good while it lasted. We all knew the risks when we modded, and we all should be willing to accept the consequences of modding and violating the TOS of Xbox live. We had a good run and we'll continue to fight however!
  • DeepFreezed, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1don't do the crime if you don't want to do the time
  • craig4, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4oops double post, now don't I look silly.
  • lebaige, on 10/11/2007, -2/+0Jesus christ, just buy the ***** games.
  • shnplongl, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Some us aren't rich, ynow. Plus, what about people who genuinely want to backup their originals?
  • estat, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Most gamers are still sore from Xbox1 modding where rampant cheating on XBL occurred. They don't even realize that modding (playing backups) on the 360 does not let you cheat online.

    The reason MS bans systems from XBL is because they don't have to answer any questions about whether or not backups are legal. It is against their TOS that you agree to when you join XBL, so they have the right to take it away from you.

    I know that this is common knowledge for many people, but there are still plenty who don't understand these fundamentals.
  • mrtopdog2000, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0Actually, you can cheat by using backups of certain games on xbox live with the xbox 360. There was a Gears of War bug that allowed cheating. All you had to do was edit a configuration file and reburn the disc. I'm sure there will be more games that you can do this with in the future.
  • teedurden, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0I will start buying games when I am able to return those games when they are inferior. Who likes purchasing a game and getting home to find out you just wasted your money? I will continue to try out a backed up game before I buy it no matter what anybody says.
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