The download is now working. HOWEVER, you need to clear your cache, which means you will lose your game updates (you will simply be prompted to re-download them next time you launch a game). Here is how to do it:
Restart your box, then do this:
Go to the dashboard.
Go to the system tab
Select memory
Highlight your hard drive
Press Y
Press X, X, LB, RB, X, X
Say yes when prompted to do maintenance on your hard drive.
Enjoy! I’m sure this will be sorted out in a bit and you wont need to clear your cache, but since I know how impatient you all are… see you soon. Start your download before the masses!
This just in! The Microsoft team has identified the issue that was preventing the Halo 3 beta from being downloaded via Crackdown. This problem is expected to be fixed within the next 3 to 6 hours. New information as soon as we have it!
We’re happy to finally announce that the issues being faced with the Halo 3 beta and Crackdown will be resolved shortly. The Microsoft team has found a solution and it’s undergoing final testing now.
Assuming the test pass goes according to plan, the fix will come in the form of a Crackdown title update within the next three to six hours.
We understand many of you were eagerly awaiting your chance to jump into the Halo 3 Beta and this technical issue has put a damper on your plans. Thankfully the fix is incoming and we’re sincerely sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. Ultimately we hope this will all soon be a distant memory once you pick up the Spartan Laser, launch yourself from a Mancannon and enjoy online shenanigans with your friends.
As a reminder, people who already have the Halo 3 Beta are unaffected by this issue. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we have more information.
In the past hour or so, while some are busy finishing (the beta) fight, the rest of the internet is up in arms wondering where their Halo 3 beta is. So far, the official word is a collective, “We Know!” Bungie states, “With any luck this will be a short delay.”
Meanwhile, in the past hour or so, the Halo 3 Beta page on Xbox.com has changed. The site USE to read that the beta begins “May 16 at 5 a.m. PDT and run(s) through June 6 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.” It now reads:
Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the multiplayer beta of Halo 3 will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 10pm EST and run through to June 7 at 4:59pm EST.
So if these figures are to be believed, you could be waiting up to another 10 hours to get your game on (if you are getting in through Crackdown, at least). It’s a 17 hour delay from the original time, but the 17 hour extension should make everyone stop complaining. Right?
Update: Turns out, the Xbox.com link is to an Australian page. I don’t know why it says EST (does it stand for anything besides Eastern Standard Time?), but 10pm in Australia, is roughly 5PDT that has always been promised. The time US Xbox.com page remains unchanged. However, the following notice has been added:
Customers are reporting problems downloading the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta via Crackdown. The Xbox team is well aware of this issue and working diligently to resolve it. Please check back for more information as it becomes available.
A Crackdown staffer on the official forums posted the following pic, with the following words: “I’ll let the pic do the talking, but essentially you are going to see a new game type and a new type of vehicle when you click the below link.”
No word if this DLC will have a price tag attached, or what else will be included. From the looks of it, the new game type is an off road buggy race. Could this also mean 4 player co-op? Or just a new type of mission/mini-game? We should now soon enough since it’s coming “soon”.
The first few minutes are the same as what I posted earlier, but this extended version shows the entire level. Ends up I was wrong, the level looks exactly the same size as the original Zanzibar. Not too much different, either. Sure, a couple new ramps, platforms, and the ATV, but besides that it looks like a clone. I’m kinda disappointed it’s not a more extensive makeover. I mean, releasing old Halo CE maps for Halo 2 years later is one thing, but we will be coming fresh off Halo 2 (well not so fresh, but you’ve probably played Zanzibar more recently then Derelict, until they were re-released.) Still, beggars can’t be choosers. It is one of my favorite Halo 2 maps, and I look forward to tearing up the beach on that Mongoose!
IGN has a pretty extensive preview of Too Human. While it does have many RPG elements, it’s no mmorpg. Don’t fret, because you and 3 friends can take on the game together via Xbox Live. Check out the video above. They stress the monumental scale and epic-ness of the game. It does look impressive, I just hope they haven’t bitten off more than they can chew. Keep this one on your watch list.
Just got the press release, so mark your calendars, and schedule the day off work/school. No other info on the beta has been released, just that it will arrive on the Xbox Live Marketplace May 16th. To hold you over until than, a new multiplayer Vidoc is available at Bungie.net, and on the Marketplace (in 720p). You can download it here.
Bungie also offers the following details, and confirms that there will be three maps:
The Beta itself consists of three maps – Valhalla, High Ground and Snowbound – graphically improved since our first MP screenshots – and all three will be playable in Matchmaking only (that is after all, what we’re Beta testing here). All three maps are suitable for a wide variety of gameplay types, and you will have the chance to try all manner of game types, familiar and new.
There are a number of new features you’ll get to test out – including a new grenade type, a completely different class of weapon and some of the enhanced online functionality we plan to bring to the game – but it should be noted, a lot of secret features are hidden in this Beta. We’re keeping a lot of our powder dry for Fall. In May, when your firing the Spiker, sniping vehicles with the Spartan Laser and sticking fools with the Brute Spike grenade, remember that it’s just a peek-a-boo fraction of what’s to come.
And do me a special personal favor – walk down to the beach, the river or the lake in High Ground and Valhalla, and take a look at the water.
Yes, it was all true. And that’s only really scratching the surface. The snap-on qwerty keyboard has also been officially announced. I remember writing about that thing back in October of 2005 (when this site was 360hacker). The biggest feature that remained under wraps? How about improved streaming with non-proprietary formats? Yup, come the week of May 7th, H.264 and Mpeg-4 streaming are coming to a 360 near you. Beyond the extensive Windows Live Messenger integration, here are some of the other new features:
* A richer Achievement notification pop-up will showcase the name of the unlocked Achievement and the gamerscore value without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list.
* Enhanced family settings features for Xbox Live communications enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat.
* A new Xbox Live Marketplace blade lets Xbox Live members access the content they seek—whether it is game content or TV shows and movies (available in the United States)—from one place on Xbox Live.
* Updates to Xbox Live Arcade allow owners to quickly see which Xbox Live Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun. Xbox Live members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list. Expanded “Tell a Friend” capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about Achievements and high scores.
* Expanded “Tell a Friend” capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about Achievements and high scores.
* A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox Live Arcade games.
* New progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox Live Marketplace.
* Extension of the background download functionality will allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after downloads are complete.
This video was quickly pulled after being leaked by Gamespot, and shows all (some?) of the new features in the Spring 2007 Dashboard update. It’s a big one! Highlights include:
Releases May 7th.
- Add up to 600 Windows Live Messenger contacts to your Friends List.
- Text chat with up to 6 Live Messenger contacts at once during games or movies.
- The Marketplace will be getting its own Dashboard Blade.
- The Marketplace will be skinned independently of the Dashboard, for special events.
- The Marketplace will be getting a new, easier-to-navigate remake.
- Achievement Pop-ups will now display how many points and which Achievement you have gained.
- Low-power downloading (fans off) and auto-off after finishing queued downloads.
- View partially downloaded video files.
One question: does anyone actually use Live Messenger? This is a pretty major new feature, but I doubt it will get any use from me. Simple things do it best for me. I’m most excited about achievement pop-ups giving you all the achievement info. I hate it when I get an achievement and don’t press the Guide button fast enough to pull up the info, then you need to dig through the menus to find what you unlocked. Bravo, Microsoft!
This info is of course still speculative, and subject to change. We will let you know when concrete details about the Spring update arrive (most likely just confirming this info).
The extension to a one year warranty was much needed, but consoles from the launch period are now finally having that warranty expire (again). You would hope if your console has lasted this long, you got a gem out of the bunch, only to be greeted by the 3 red lights out of the no where. It’s not just you. I personally know 3 people (besides these 3) who had this happen within the same week. Myself included.
For all you out there with a broken 360 out of warranty, this news might ease your pain. You will still get raped by the ridiculous service prices, but you are getting more out of it now. Here’s the scoop:
-Out of warranty repairs now have free shipping. You will get a postage paid box in the mail, and receive free shipping both ways…just like all those times you had to send in your Xbox while it still had that precious warranty.
-For out of service repairs, your return console will come with a brand new one year warranty. If your console is repaired under warranty, you get either remainder balance of your warranty, or 90 days. I believe that is an improvement over a previous 30 days, but I’m not certain.
-You will (most likely) get your own console back. If you have a noisy ass drive, unfortunately the gambling game wont work anymore. No more sending in your beaten up, noisy, and abused system hoping to get a cherry. On the flip side, if you’ve babied your console, and are lucky enough to have a quieter system, you will probably get your console back if you send it in for repairs.
To me, this sounds more or less an admission of the on going problem. I kid you not, right before I typed this I got off the phone with my pals at 1-800-4MY-XBOX. I have a box coming in 3-5 business days.
My word of advice: if you are given the option, if you do send in your Xbox out of warranty, try to purchase an extended warranty over the phone. One year is nice, but this console seems to be a time bomb waiting to happen. I have a sneaking suspicion that despite the ongoing and numerous reporting of the red lights, part of the issue lies in the fact that Microsoft just keeps sending out these same faulty systems over and over. That could be why people like myself have gone through this numerous times. Returning your own console seems to be a mixed blessing. What are they doing to actually fix it? Why wont it just happen again. I say just throw out this (large) batch of faulty systems, and send out new ones. But who’s asking me.
