[Question] Xbox 360 Demos


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I must say, I love the part how their giving out demos ( espiecally multiplayers ones! ) but I was wondering, do you need any MS points, credits or whatever their called inorder to download a demo?

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I must say, I love the part how their giving out demos ( espiecally multiplayers ones! ) but I was wondering, do you need any MS points, credits or whatever their called inorder to download a demo?

Nope. As of now all Demos have been free of charge.

The only catch is with some demos you need a Gold Live Account to get some of them.

But as far as charging MS points for a demo, as I said, not yet.

It is rumored that if a Halo 3 Demo does get released, it will perhaps be the first demo that they actually do charge points for... only time will tell with that one.

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Nope. As of now all Demos have been free of charge.

The only catch is with some demos you need a Gold Live Account to get some of them.

Partially true. Only some Demos at initial launch do you need a Gold account to access them, but eventually (usually 1 or 2 weeks later) Silver members can access them as well.

It is important to note, however, that for Multiplayer demos you also need a Gold account in order to play online (since that's what you're paying for Gold status anyway).

But as far as charging MS points for a demo, as I said, not yet.

It is rumored that if a Halo 3 Demo does get released, it will perhaps be the first demo that they actually do charge points for... only time will tell with that one.

I highly doube the Halo 3 Demo won't be free since it's not even exactly a demo, it's more of a Beta test that is meant to help them with bug testing, netcode, etc. So I'm willing to bet it'll be free and I don't think we'll ever see any non-free demos to tell you the truth.

i thought silver access to the store and arcade live? don't recall anything about points being needed by anyone for demos.

Yes, Silver accounts have access to everything Gold does except for multiplayer gaming.

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I highly doube the Halo 3 Demo won't be free since it's not even exactly a demo, it's more of a Beta test that is meant to help them with bug testing, netcode, etc. So I'm willing to bet it'll be free and I don't think we'll ever see any non-free demos to tell you the truth.

What makes you so sure that the Beta and the Demo are the same thing?

No one ever said that the demo will be the Beta test, or vice versa.

So you are making that statement based on the assumption that the demo will be the Beta test. That is your guess.

My guess is they are going to be two separate entities...

Also I made the statement because the day I replied I read on Page 40 of the latest Game Informer magazine the following...

Halo 3 Demo Coming Soon

After the release of Halo 2, MS was very vocal about releasing something Halo related at the launch of rival Sony's Playstation 3. Although we know that Halo 3 isn't ready yet, Game Informer Online has heard that Bungie is readying a demo for the first half of next year, with an announcement on November 17th to blunt the debut of the PS3. MS won't comment on the rumor, but there is also speculation that this demo will be the first one which MS charges for via Xbox Live.

So me saying they are going to charge for it is not necessarily my opinion, but something I read. Hence the word rumor...

I just do not see the Beta test being open to everyone in the public, at least not initially. Also like I said I think they will be two different entities. A Beta Test & A Demo, probably in that order.

Regardless of what happens, I happen to believe that if ever there was a demo they could charge for, Halo 3 would be it.

And yeah, I left out the part about eventually Silver members can download demos. I should have said...

The only catch is with some demos you need a Gold Live Account to get some of them right when they are released.

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Even though I'd probably still pay, that'd be rich of them charge :rolleyes: It's a beta - Bungie is planning on doing it so they can collect data about the game. We're essentially doing their job for them.

-Spenser

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I used the term 'demo' and 'beta' meaning the same thing because I didn't really think about it because I thought we were both referring to the same thing, but just to clarify (these are my opinions keep in mind):

There won't be a Halo 3 Demo (not at least until after Halo 3 is released).

Even if there is a Halo 3 Demo, it will be free.

The beta will be free.

Now saying that it's a rumor because you read it somewhere doesn't mean anything. Remember, the guy who wrote it is the one who thought it up and it's his opinion. Unless he works for Microsoft, or is on the inside somehow, his word has no merit. I doubt they will ever charge for demo's since it's a form of advertisement. It doesn't make sense to make you pay for demos. Their way of making you 'pay' for demos (in order to cover some bandwidth) is to release to Gold members only for a couple weeks, then eventually to Silver members.

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Even though I'd probably still pay, that'd be rich of them charge :rolleyes: It's a beta - Bungie is planning on doing it so they can collect data about the game. We're essentially doing their job for them.

-Spenser

No they are doing you the favour by letting you play it early, they dont need you to do a beta test, im sure they have plenty of in house testers and im sure Microsoft could set up a secure environment to test the game on xbox live. But since they want to get the game right they are doing a public test.

Hate people that think "omg ffs they are lazy to do a beta test and let people do it for them while they sit round and wait". Get a clue.

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No they are doing you the favour by letting you play it early, they dont need you to do a beta test, im sure they have plenty of in house testers and im sure Microsoft could set up a secure environment to test the game on xbox live.

You're being very naive if you think that. Virtually no amount of In-House testing will ever be on par with the quality, thoroughness and effectiveness of what a large-scale public beta can bring.

You could even argue that we are doing them a favor by saving them hours of in-house (thus, low-scale) testing. A prime example of this is Gears of War's Multiplayer Matchmaking. I'm sure they tested it in-house, but only on the large-scale public platform did one see the problem with the system, and thus a post-release patch is in the works.

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Yes i agree, but it annoys me when people think companies owe them a favour because they are "doing their job for them", they are doing us the favour by letting us play it early and potentially make a better product for all gamers at the end of it.

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Yes i agree, but it annoys me when people think companies owe them a favour because they are "doing their job for them", they are doing us the favour by letting us play it early and potentially make a better product for all gamers at the end of it.

Yes, definitely. I sure am happy that they decided to do a public-beta. But I don't see how someone can justify them charging us to beta test for them, that doesn't make sense to me.

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