Why I'm not mad about XBL sucking...

aimzb

Shared on Mon, 01/07/2008 - 11:22
Another less than serious post...

So XBL has been a super suckfest for the past 2 weeks or so.  Getting into ranked matches on KoD4 has been nearly impossible.  Even when I do get in, it only lasts for a game or two.  Lots of threatened lawsuits.  Even a real one filed in TX.  Everyone threatening to leave XBL, go to PSN, quit playing altogether, or at the very least, take an extended break.  Lets be honest here.  Very few of us on this site will do any of those things.  I certainly won't.  I can't afford to run out and buy a new PS3 and replace all the games I have for my 360.  And, I ain't about to put my gaming on hold for an extended period of time- I'm too addicted.  My wife getting me a PSP for Christmas has helped abate any withdrawal I might go through.  But, it still isn't the same as playing the box on the big TV.

So with the unending error messages and dropped servers, two things happened to me over the weekend.  Friday night my good (and yet so maddening wife) says to me, "Its your birthday weekend.  We can do whatever you won't all weekend."  SUHWEEEEEET!!!  Until she follows that statement up with, "Let's go rent a movie."  Oh well.  I paid my dues upon entry into the weekend so I could spend the rest of it playing the 360.  Small problem with my grand plan of spending the entire weekend playing KoD4.  XBL continued to be suck.  As I entered into the Octagon Friday around 10:00 by firing up the 360, I was so excited at the thought of spending hours upon hours beating Timmie butt.  I even considered making the flip.  That's right.  As I pressed the "A" button to go into matchmaking for the first time that night, I went right on in to the Barracks to go into Prestige mode.  But then I had a thought.  "I'll play one more match at 55."  I am so glad I did that.  I spent the next 30 minutes trying to get into a match.  I immediately decided against making the flip this weekend.  I soon quit trying to join parties and join HQ and TDM rooms.  I decided to change things up and tried to get into a Hardcore TDM room.  It worked!  First try!  I stayed in that room, with roughly the same folks, for nearly an hour.  Match after match with only the occasional connection error.  I quickly discovered how very much I LOVE Hardcore TDM!  Very tactical and very very intense!  It was so much fun.  Soon after that lobby closed I got an invite from ATC.  I decided to give it a whirl.  It was a private match.  No problem there.  I enjoy private matches.  I spent the rest of the night (until 2:30 CDT) playing in private matches.  I also spent the rest of the weekend either playing Hardcore TDM or in private rooms.  It was so much fun!

For those of you that are rank whores, take a break.  Get into some private matches with friends.  Here are some examples of what we did in those private matches:
TDM default sniper loadout only on Shipment
TDM pistols only on Shipment
FFA knives only on Shipment
Domination on Bog- Pistols only and you could only capture B (left A and C alone)
FFA Claymore, C4, and Frag only on Shipment
FFA shotgun only on Shipment

There were so many other variations, twists, and rules in so many more matches.

So why am I not pissed that XBL was horrible all weekend?  Two reasons.  I discovered how much fun Hardcore mode is.  I probably never would have tried it more than once or twice otherwise.  Secondly, we would not have been forced to play so many private matches.  I love beating Timmie butt as much as the next guy.  But man is it fun to get together with folks on your f/l and be absolutely silly for a little while.  In the two months since KoD4 release, I had not played in as many private matches as I did over this weekend.  It was great fun and I got to know some of my good Duty mates a lot better. 

The problems XBL have been maddening.  Not really a lot we can do about that.  So I encourage all who made read this to take advantage of the opportunity.  Play some Private Matches.  Enjoy the community that is this site.  Make as much a silver lining to the suckiness of XBL as you can.

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