Ask X3F: Foul-mouthed edition

This week on Ask X3F, we've got more Netflix questions, Mirror's Edge motion sickness, and awful D-pads. Things take a turn for the serious too, when we discuss the occasionally reprehensible behavior encountered on Xbox Live. You can find all of this and more after the break. So, go get it.

Got a question for Ask X3F? Maybe you have a story or some information you'd like to share? Send it all to ask [att] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.

Hey guys, I recently played the mirror's edge demo and thought it was a lot of fun... however, 20 minutes of playing the game left me with a splitting headache. The motion of the game can get pretty hard to take. I even played it a second time the next day to see if the headache was just a one time deal... but it wasn't. I want to like the game, I want to buy it, I want to play it... but I'm not sure I can. I know EA experienced troubles with this in testing which is why they added that little reticule, but for me it didn't seem to make much difference.

Am I alone in this? Did you guys or any other X3F readers experience these same troubles?

Jason from NJ
GT- StrngBrew

Let's have a show of hands. Anyone out there having motion sickness issues with Mirror's Edge? For the record, no one here at Fanboy Towers has experienced any motion sickness while playing Mirror's Edge.

Will Netflix be available in Canada through Xbox Live?

As Netflix itself is only available in the US, we'd say the answer is no. One question we don't have an answer to though is whether or not streaming will work if an American account is synced with a Canadian Xbox. We should have an answer to that question shortly after the launch of the NXE.
Hey X3F,

Not that this matters at this point, because most everyone that wants the game will have it, but I used the glitch in the pub games to amass some gold before the real game came out. When I got Fable 2, I started the game normally, then the next day went into the pub games and merged my character. By doing that, I had absolutely nothing happen to me. I got my gold and my items, but no corruption. Just passing that along in case someone else is getting the game for the holidays or something and no one knew this. If you did, sorry to whoever is reading this email!

~matt galeza
gamertag: ccmg12

Thanks for the info, Matt. To be honest, we're not even sure corruption is the supposed "surprise" that was in store for cheaters. Also, even if it is, the effects are reversible in the game, so it's not that big a deal. Of course, we're talking about fake money in pretend world anyway and, as the game has no competitive modes, it's not like extra money will put others at a disadvantage. Not that we're condoning cheating, mind you ....

Hi guys, love the show. Have a few questions about the NXE. 1- Is the reason for the new game installation on the hard drive to cut back on the number of red ringed Xbox 360. I just recently got mine back, it was an Elite and I've only had it 9 months brand new. Had multiple problems such as Media center didn't work and in order for me to connect to live I had to disconnect it from the router. 2- In regards to netflix Richard I know you have this feature already, can you change your instant watch from your xbox or do you have to go to your pc? And the last question your guys should make a bet between the 4 of you on how many hours it will take before live goes down. Maybe all of you buy a 1600 point microsoft card and the winner takes all., Thanks, keep up the good work

Honestly, it's hard to imagine that the 'reason' for adding the game install feature is to reduce RROD issues, especially considering it's an optional feature that majority of users probably won't utilize. It does, on the other hand, give people with a 20GB hard drive a reason to upgrade. You can't fit a lot 4GB+ games onto a 20GB hard drive, after all. Of course, we're not saying it's a nefarious scheme to get gamers to buy new hard drives either. More than likely, someone at MS just thought it was a neat feature that some users would find useful.

As for Netflix, the answer is no. The only way to add movies to your Instant Queue is from a computer on Netflix.com. You can remove titles from your Xbox though.

A bet on how many hours it takes for the NXE to kill Xbox Live? Now that's a good idea. Any takers? Winner gets an ethereal cookie. We take no responsibility if the winner is unable to perceive the cookie's presence on this plane of existence.

Hey guys,
Great site and Podcast..! I have been debating on getting the Xbox 360 RED controller for sometime now since I have heard that the D-Pad was a lot better than on the Blk or Wht controllers. I just wanted to know if their was any truth to this. Not one of my friends own the red conroller, but I am looking forward to the Street Fighter HD XBLA coming soon. To be more precise does the D-Pad on the RED controller feel like a digital pad or is it the same mushy mess the originals and elite controllers are.

P.S.
I also hear the new green controller will have a better D-Pad as well?
Thanks JorgieX

It's our understanding that only the green controllers will have a revised D-pad. Furthermore, those pads will only be available in Europe, Latin America and Asia as part of a Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 bundle. But, since we just happen to have a red controller on hand (soon to be shipped to a lucky Gears of War 2 Fanswag winner), we decided to try it out.

Based on our brief, incredibly unscientific test -- we fired off as many fireballs, hurricane kicks, and dragon punches with Ken as we could with both the red and white controller -- there was no difference. We hit (and missed) our special moves about as often. We can report, however, that the red and black controller looks really sweet. It just won't help your 2-in-1 dragon punch combos.

Why are guys on XBL such dicks? Not all of them are, but I've met a few. I'm a girl gamer, and as such I'm almost automatically labeled as a horrible gamer. I play Halo, and I'm damn good at Halo 3. Today I was playin, and some guy got on my team on Social Slayer. He was pissed at us because he wasn't with his buddies (he was in a party of 5, so I don't know what he was expecting) He kept calling me a bitch and just degrading me for no reason other then that I'm a girl. And I played badly, because I was constantly being called names and screamed yet. Eventually I did mute him, but I'm sure that won't be enough. He actually made me cry, and I don't cry very easily. I was wondering, why is it that male gamers automatically assume girls are bad at FPS games, or just games in general? What have I ever done to be labeled like this, or treated so horribly?

There are so many armchair psychology reasons as to why (some) men on Xbox Live are total jerks, including poor social skills, poor parenting, anonymity, the desperate need to feel powerful in some facet of life, and the time-honored excuse that they don't want to look weak in front of their friends. Let us be clear though: there is absolutely no excuse for disrespectful behavior. Naturally, some well-mannered trash talk is expected, but whoever the small-minded person you ran into is, he had no reason to disrespect you because you're a woman.

Of course, you won't be able to avoid every schmuck on Xbox Live, but there are some things you can do to improve your experience. First of all, if you encounter someone who immediately starts tearing you down just because you're a woman, mute that person immediately. Don't talk to him, don't feed his bigotry. You're not going to change his mind. Trust us, we run a gaming blog, when games and anonymity are on the table, it's best just not to argue. Once the match is over, submit a player review, report his behavior, and choose to avoid him.

Next, when you find someone you enjoyed playing with, send a friend request. The absolute best way to avoid jerks on Xbox Live is to play with friends. You might even look for a group on the net. There are lots of gaming groups devoted to fostering a mature playing environment on Xbox Live. If anyone out there has any suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments.


That's it for this week, folks. Keep sending your questions to: ask [att] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.