Topic: Original XBL shutting down 4/15 - Update: Halo 2 DLC gone; DLC needed for MP

[MysterD]

The Original X-Box's Live Servers are going down on April 15th.

[MysterD]

Oh, it gets worse...
DLC removable from Halo 2 XBL might just make matchmaking not work for those who are playing this on X360.
Bungie's going to work on resolving this matter.

Downloadable content for the original Xbox has been taken offline as Microsoft prepares to terminate the console's online support. One problem: Matchmaking restrictions require all Halo 2 DLC to play it online. That could make for a small going-away party.

Here's the situation: Matchmaking requirements mean those playing Halo 2 on the Xbox 360 need all of the maps to participate online. So for those who never got all of the Halo 2 maps, or lost them for whatever reason, there really is no way for them to get into the April 14 farewell Bungie has planned (or play Halo 2 at all before then.)

This afternoon, a Bungie community manager stepped in to say they were "On it. Not sure what, if any, solution we can work out, but we definitely can't adjust the playlists over the weekend. Sit tight."

So it seems that Bungie is aware their farewell attendance could be decimated by current conditions and plans to do something about it.

If not, one consequence could be a huge spike in the gray market value of the game's Multiplayer Map Pack. Forum posters already are talking about trying to find one at game retailers. Although three maps were released after that disc, so it's unclear if getting that disc would solve the Halo 2 problem.

[scottws]

This sort of thing is exactly why it's bullshit games are starting to come without dedicated servers.

[MysterD]

Agreed, Scott.

[Cobra951]

This sort of thing is exactly why it's bullshit games are starting to come without dedicated servers.

And why it's bullshit to depend on XBL or similar service for storage of things you bought, or your game saves, or an other data you care about.  Sooner or later, the mothership will leave you stranded.

[idolminds]

Yeah, this is an issue with dedicated servers, DLC, and digital downloads in general. Sadly, its going to be several more years before everyone realizes it.

Hold on to your hat.

[MysterD]

Yeah, this is an issue with dedicated servers, DLC, and digital downloads in general. Sadly, its going to be several more years before everyone realizes it.

Hold on to your hat.

This is why I'm glad w/ many PC games, if you do buy a game digitally or DLC digitally, you get at least a ZIP file or installer EXE (Direct2Drive). If you don't get that, then it downloads the game and then once it's done, you can an option at anytime to "archive" your entire game that you downloaded to create a ZIP of some kind (Impulse) or EXE (Steam) so you do not worry about having to get your game-content from their servers again if necessary (if those servers and content are both still up) - since you can just store it on a disc, another HD, or whatever.

Even though I do like auto-downloading and all like DAO does, which is nice - but I'd like to ALSO have the Stone Prisoner and Dragon Armor DLC as some sort of separate compressed ZIP file or something just in case their servers go away or they stop providing the extra content online.

[idolminds]

Just a note: Steams "backup" feature doesn't backup the entire game. I've made that mistake and tried to reinstall from a backup I've made and its sat there downloading stuff for hours.

Impulse archives work fine, though.

[scottws]

I never back up from Steam.  It seems pointless to me.  I restored a backup of HL2 once after getting a new PC and it still took forever to download all the updates.