Posts Tagged ‘xbox’

Where do gamers go?

The choices you have as a gamer are:

1. Buy (Online, Ebay, used, Gamestop..)
2. Rent (Gamefly, blockbuster…)
3. Trade (Goozex, Switchplanet..)

Renting in the past at your brick and mortar rental place can easily set you back more then $5-$7 every week like Blockbuster. Many places like Gamefly charge a monthly service fee. Renting isn’t all together bad but playing videogames isn’t like watching movies. There is a considerable larger amount of time invested in videogames then in movies. Most movies range from 1.5 hours to epics of 6 hours. Where most videogames you could get a good feel for a game in 3 hours but most sports games and long role playing games could be played for more then 70 hours.

This is where Goozex Game Trading steps in. Goozex allows the gamer to keep the game as long as you want but have the option to sell it too. There is only a $1 transaction fee if you request a game on their network. So basically you can trade in your older games and build up Goozex credit until you get enough for a newer title and just pay the $1 transaction fee. All shipping costs are handled by the sender so if you are requesting a game you only pay the and not the shipping and handling. No membership fees so no need to feel you need to use the system. This is ideal in the sense that you could play the game until you are actually sick of it then send it in for credit. No hurry as you play and ship at your own pace. Plus you OWN the game. From then on the game is yours, not a rental.

You only send games directly to the next member. There is no single central warehouse and the pricing of the credits of the system are in points (100pts = $5). The pricing of the game is determined by market demand, release date, initial cost of the game, and a couple other factors. Most xbox 360 titles will go for 800-1000 pts which translates to $40-$50. This isn’t bad for a used game. You could probably save a little bit of money if you bought it at a used gaming store but then you would have to pay tax and actually go to the store. Goozex gives you free shipping to you with no tax charge. You can buy games directly but will cost you a premium but then again this money is locked in credits anyways. Price fluctuations occur and you can see the points swings. I’ve had a couple games I requested and I can see that price increase/decrease. It doesn’t happen that much but some games change +/- 200pts depending on market demand.

So why use Goozex instead of a used videogame store or an auction site with games like Ebay? You just need $1 to pay for the transaction fee. Most people don’t like to continually shell out more money for a game and then feel like the games they bought are depreciating at a very fast rate. Selling your game for cash anywhere will not give you that much. Selling it to a store they will mark your game up to make money. Selling it online at an auction site will incur fees and you still have to pay for shipping. You can get great value from Goozex and just trade in games you don’t want with a demand. There might be more difficulty in sending older sports titles as those don’t have much demand once their season is up like trying to sending in EA sports Madden 2005 will be a hard game to sell to someone on the network. Older games on ebay are a hassle to sell. On Goozex you will be able to list it and it will just stay there without having to pay insertion fees.

Each videogame is packed with information like reviews from Gamepro, some tips/trick, game description, and some even have instructions. The best feature is the ability to see how many copies of a game are listed on the network verses how many are being requested. This will let you know if you have a game people want or if you can possibly get a game on the network. The system chooses who gets paired up. There is a waiting list that is generated and when you add a game you will see in what place you are waiting for that game. This is a fabulous idea as impatient gamers can tell if they should expect a game soon. You need to make a list for want and haves for your games. They will show you your place in line per game. This is a good way to build up a wishlist and then have your core set of games your really want now. Building a large list ensures some games will continue to come to you. I was requesting Crackdown for the Xbox 360 and I was 60th person in line. Turns out I got the game in less then 2 weeks. Just because you’re really deep in line doesn’t mean you won’t get the game soon. Newer games do get pushed out in the system fairly quickly. You have many options to what you want to trade in terms of instructions, case or just game. Some people tend to not keep cases or instructions. The value of the game doesn’t go down as the credits don’t reflect what is included. This is because the user requesting the game can have the option to request only full packaged games, games with instructions, or just the game itself. I have not had a problem with getting full packages as I’ve gotten over 49 games and I’ve sent out 54 in under 2 years of being there.

Why NOT to use

For this site to be a perfect 5 star site I would like to see:

1. More users (will there ever be enough?)
2. More old school games (nes, snes, saturn….)
3. is still not free. I’m a member of another site that has no transaction fees yet still protects the members.
4. Video game trailers for each game
5. More community interaction (user reviews, recommendations…)

All the above are small tweaks to the system that is already very functional. The main reason someone would NOT want to use this system is time and money. If you have the dough you would just buy it new down the street? Why wait? Saving money and the community are the main draws to the system. Save money and also connect with other gamers. If you wanted to save money but are impatient then this sits is NOT for you. Most new release games takes on average of 1-2 months. Why? You are placed in a waiting line. The order of the Que determines when you get the new game, but more importantly is how many are available? Most will eventually get bored of their new game and will send them out as “have” games. The wait times do get long. Say you want to play a game that takes a long time to beat. You gotta factor in that a player like me would take over 1 month to beat a game like that. More popular games of course like Madden will hit the system quicker but that is also a bad thing. If you hold a game too long it will depreciate in value just like on the streets. Trading for early on might be for 1000 points but in a couple months with the market being saturated it could be 500 points in no time losing half of it’s value. Not Goozex’s fault but some games just don’t move well.

Current Goozex Simultaneous Transaction on the Network as of Mar 11, 2009 = 4793

Definitely, the Xbox 360 is one of the finest gaming consoles  available in the videogame market currently. A vast range of titles,  unparalleled visuals and ability to function in a wireless mode allows it to keep up with competitors. However, nothing in this world is  perfect and the Xbox 360 is not an exception. Thus, if your Xbox 360 does go haywire, that’s when knowing Xbox 360 troubleshooting really turns out to be handy. 

Xbox 360 troubleshooting is the solution to all of the  possible problems that you may find while  playing your Xbox 360.  The three first errors the  users routinely face are the red ring of death, disc reading  errors and overheating consoles. 

Amongst the most typical  issues is the advent of three red lights, commonly called  the red ring of death.  It’s essentially a warning that the Xbox 360 is in difficulty.  However if you come across this issue it is not always straightforward to  get a distinct fix. 

In spite of being a dynamic and  technically sophisticated system, the Xbox 360 can get overheated over  prolonged lengths of play. When this happens players are alerted to  the problem by the Xbox 360 overheating sign. Xbox 360 troubleshooting for such a  difficulty can be done by relocating the console in a cooler  environment allowing it to cool in free air. 

Essentially, the  tools that are important for successful Xbox 360 troubleshooting are a basic know- how of the Xbox 360 system, and a group of basic electric tools like screwdrivers and solders. 

By this point, you must have  gained a fair idea about Xbox 360 troubleshooting guides. Basically,  these are tutorials and suggestions mostly in form of video or text to help you  detect and solve problems associated with an Xbox console, available  typically via online sources. The money back guarantees associated with  these troubleshooting guides make it a worthy investment and a trustworthy solution to basic  Xbox 360 faults. 

I’m hoping with the aid of the discussed  Xbox 360 troubleshooting guidelines you’ll be able to solve basic Xbox problems.  This being said, in the event of critical console failure, it is always advisable to contact your local Microsoft dealers.

So continuing the list of the apparent boys toys that are video games that you have to have on your Xbox 360 this side of Christmas.

Dragon Age Origins

This is a game that was overlooked by a lot of people as they really didn’t know much about it. There has not been enough press around this game. The game itself is made by Bioware who are of course the people behind Mass Effect. This is their new games based entirely on a brand new world that they had spent years thinking up. This game is going to take over your life as it takes around 150 hours to complete and this is not including DLC but the only issue is that the graphics arent brilliant. It is still a great game.

Left 4 Dead 2

The great problem with this game is that it took less than a year to make which angered fans a bit however it is actually a brilliant game. Whoever said that a game takes around 2 years to make is clearly wrong? The really cool thing is that this game has improved graphics, better weapons and bad ass zombies! The best thing about this new game is that many of the levels are actually set in the middle of the day and hitting someone with a frying pan or baseball bat is very satisfying indeed.

So there is part two of the list there are still one more part on the way revealing yet more games you need to have as well as telling you on the games you have to look out for next year. Toys and games seem to be getting more popular so before you buy why not look out for toys reviews. There it is really.Decide for yourself!

The XBOX 360 achievements setup is one of the main contributors to its booming popularity.  It’s a brilliant idea wherein you stack points by playing XBOX 360 games and finishing the various stages and challenges therein. Having amassed enough points you can redeem them for actual rewards in the form of downloadable content from Microsoft. There’s a lot more to it than this though. 

Garnering points is a simple job for hardcore gamers at freedom to spend hours beating difficult games and feats.  But what about those among us who can’t invest hours at a stretch in trying to amass XBOX 360 achievements? Well you do not need to feel shortchanged any longer. 

Here’s what you can do to get the highest points on the XBOX 360 with minimum hours of gameplay;

To start off you can pick the easiest titles that are available for the XBOX 360. Bear in mind that a simple game will mean simple gameplay aswell and some straightforward points to boost your XBOX 360 achievements. Some of the less complicated games currently available are King Kong, Madden NFL, Fight Night Round 3 and teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to name some.

Some games might consist of easy parts as well as difficult parts. Normally you get the big points for finishing the tough parts, but that may be really long haul.  Attempt to get as many XBOX 360 achievements as feasible from the simple levels and you may be better off. 

Ultimately, it might be a good idea to concentrate on your skills. You may be really strong at sports games and not as good at ‘first person shooters’. Therefore, get on with the soccer and throw the gun away for a while! Just for the sake of getting XBOX 360 achievements, it’s best not to play the titles from genres you don’t like. In doing so you might end up with little points but plenty of frustration instead. 

There are plenty of XBOX 360 achievements guides available online, which can offer you updated info on the simplest way to maximize your points total simply. So you may wish to keep an eye fixed on these tips. 

By employing a bit of methodology and guile you can pile up the points while enjoying quality gaming time.  So best of luck with your XBOX 360 achievements and shoot at total mastery!

One of the most basic problems with the ongoing improvements in gaming console technology is the issue of backwards compatibility. In the past, games from its predecessor would not be compatible with the latest version of the game console. Xbox360 games have this feature. There are ways so that you can play your Xbox games using the 360 console.

One way of allowing you to play both versions of the said games is via updating your game console through the Live system. However, it is required in this method that a dsl internet connection is present. The simple process of connecting your game unit to an available high speed connection will allow you to update your system. After connecting, all that you really have to do is to wait for the process to finish. Afterwards, you can start playing your original Xbox360 games! By doing this, you remain updated about the latest addition to the games that are being supported by the system. Of course you will be needing a Live account, which could either be a Silver or the Gold membership package.

Another method that would to allow you to play Xbox games on your 360 console is by CD or DVD burning. This is for those who do not have a broadband internet connection. A simple dial-up connection would be sufficient for the download to complete. Using this method, one could simply go to Xbox.com and download a copy of the game and burn it on a disc.

This is especially useful for people whose xbox consoles are not connected to a broadband internet connection. It also adds that you could get a supported copy of the game some place else, where an internet connection and a CD or DVD burner is present. This saves you from the task of having to bring the whole game console just for the supported games. The process is just as simple as creating an audio cd. This should not prove to be that difficult even for beginners.

The last of the methods which would allow gamers to play Xbox360 games in a 360 console would be to order it directly from Xbox.com. However, this method would only be available by Early December to some people. But then again, it may seem as the best option. The disc includes all the necessary updates needed by the system to enable it to have backwards compatibility. It will be updating the program for the backwards compatibility, which would of course also update the operating system for your game console.

I should say that this backwards compatibility feature is really amazing. First of all, it saves gamers all that money that would either go to waste. Waste of money happens because they cannot use their old games or they buy new games. Although this feature only allows your Xbox360 and Xbox games to be played on the 360 console, it will definitely be a feature that would dictate future technological developments in the gaming industry.

Before you start looking for another cheap xbox 360 for sale, you may want to consider fixing it. Three red lights is the most common problem faced by all Xbox 360 owners. Owning one is great fun, but sadly, just like the jokes about Vista compared to the Mac, Microsoft has issues with the Xbox game console. One of the biggest questions that inevitably arises is the question of how to fix three red lights of problem from a gaming console.

It can be frustrating, but be patient, as there are some things you can do to cure the situation. While you may end up sending it to Microsoft to get fixed, there are things you can do.

As mentioned, the first solution to fix this problem will be to contacting Microsoft and sending it back to Microsoft service center for repair. This way you will be able to get your Xbox repaired. I would suggest using this solution if it’s under warranty because in that case you will not be paying a single penny to them and all charges including shipping will be covered by Microsoft. Usually 3 weeks is the turn around time for a console.

This first solution may seem like common sense, but many people that experience problems, don’t know the details of the warranty, or just forget due to frustration. Keeping all documents on hand will make the difference.

The second solution will be sending your Xbox 360 back to Microsoft even if its warranty has ended. In that case, Microsoft will charge you for fixing three red lights problem in your console. You have to pay approximately $150 excluding shipping to get three red lights problem. In this case as well, you will get your Xbox back in three to four weeks time after repair. Depending on how old your Xbox, is, sometimes it makes sense to actually get a new one. When you factor in depreciation, it is cheaper to buy another xbox and get it under warranty again. But before you do that, you should consider the possibility of fixing it yourself.

You may need to consider going by the way of a do it yourselfer. To fix three red lights problem at home, you will need to buy an Xbox 360 Repair guide. These DIY (Do it yourself) repair guides will help you in opening your Xbox properly and will help in taking correct actions needed to repair your Xbox at home. It normally takes an hour or maximum two hours to fix three red lights problem in your Xbox 360. Good guides vary in price. Worse case senario, you may need to look for xbox discounts, but try to fix it first.

Many of the Xbox repair guides are distributed by a company called Clickbank. They represent people that have created eguides for sale. One of the things about Clickbank is that they have a zero tolerance policy for unsatisfied customers. What that means is that you the customer can get your money back if you aren’t happy with the product. Consider a DIY guide if your warranty has run out.