This week we take a look at Xbox LIVE Parties, one of the new features of NXE.  The Gamerscoreblog folks have posted some screen shots, as well as video I did that will give you a brief look at how they work.  Also, check out my show from last week where I discuss Parties with someone from the team who worked on the feature.

Posted at Burbank Airport

If you’re in the Southern California area Thursday night and you’re a Gears of War 2 fan, you don’t want to miss this event. I’ll be hosting the official Gears of War 2 Midnight Mayhem event at the Gamestop at Universal City Walk. Joining me will be Cliff Bleszinski as well as “Gears of War 2” voice actors John DiMaggio (Marcus Fenix), Lester “Rasta” Speight (Augustus Cole) and Carlos Ferro (Dominic Santiago) who will be signing available for photos and autographs.

Where: GameStop at Universal CityWalk 1000 Universal Studios Blvd.; Universal City, CA 91608; Phone: (818) 980-5766
When: Thursday, November 6th from 9pm to Midnight

I’ll also have a stack of cool Gears of War 2 prizes to give away as well.

Not in the LA Area? Don’t worry…you may have a Gears of War 2 Midnight Mayhem event in your part of the world.

See you Thursday.

P.S. As a result of this travel (and my desire to play GoW2) there will not be a show this weekend.

Content: Vigilante 8: Arcade
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in India
Dash Text: [ESRB: T (Teen) MILD VIOLENCE] Single Player, Xbox Live Multiplayer 1-8, Local Multiplayer 1-4, HD (High Definition). Take the wheel as fully-loaded auto combat revs into high gear with Vigilante 8: Arcade. It’s a down and dirty war on wheels where everyone’s riding shotgun. This brand new re-make of the classic Vigilante 8 game lets you choose from among eight tricked-out retro-fine ‘70s vehicles with some serious firepower. Multiple special weapons let you wreak havoc on five newly-designed and destructible arenas. Complete the single player Quest story mode or test your car-crushing skills in local and LIVE multiplayer versus or co-op modes. Rebuilt from the ground up, V8: Arcade is modern vehicular warfare at its finest! There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

After a brief hiatus, I am happy to have the Top 10 return. Here is the list from last week:

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (based onUU’s)
1 Call of Duty 4
2 Halo 3
3 Fable II
4 Gears of War
5 FIFA 09
6 World at War Beta
7 Saints Row 2
8 GTA IV
9 Madden NFL 09
10 Fallout 3

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased)
1 Portal: Still Alive
2 Penny Arcade Episode Two
3 Castle Crashers
4 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader
5 Fable II Pub Games
6 Duke Nukem 3D
7 Age of Booty
8 UNO
9 MEGA MAN 9
10 Braid

The above arcade list is based on full versions purchased.

Original Xbox Top Live Titles (based on UU’s)
1 Halo 2
2 Counter-Strike
3 Star Wars: Battlfrnt 2
4 Fable
5 Battlefield 2: MC
6 Call of Duty 3
7 Splinter Cell Chaos
8 Street Fighter Anniv.
9 Fable: Lost Chapters
10 Rainbow Six 3 BA

These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade, full versions purchased that week.

800 points will get you a copy of Vigilante 8 Arcade when it ships this Wednesday.

This week’s show:
Co-host : e
Special guest: Lollip0p stops by to discuss Xbox LIVE Parties in NXE
NXE Preview Program begins
In the LA area? Come see Cliff Bleszinski and me at the Gears of War 2 launch event Thursday (Nov. 6) evening
Interview: Eric Lindstrom, Tomb Raider Underworld (15:50–27:05)
Interview: Garret Young,  Quantum of Solace (27:07–56:24)
Interview: John Clishasm, Janitor (56:26–1:02:21) (Part of Xbox LIVE’s Horror Meets Comedy program)
Interview: Pete Hines, Fallout 3 (1:02:22–1:31:53)
Name the Game
Much more…

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[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) Listen in iTunes? Submit a review
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 [MP3] Download the show

 

Format:
2:14:38, 61.7 MB, (MP3)

Link dump (some of the things mentioned in this episode:
http://live.xbox.com/en-US/profile/profile.aspx?pp=0&GamerTag=lollip0p
http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/archive/2008/10/31/562183.aspx
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/t/tombraiderunderworld/
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/q/quantumofsolace/
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/marketplace/horrormeetscomedy/default.htm
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/f/fallout3/

The price drop on some of the Marketplace content is over tomorrow. Grab what you want before the prices return to normal.

This week, we take a look how how some games will use Avatars when the New Xbox Experience is available on November 19th. More words about it over at the Gamerscore blog, or you can sit back and watch the video:

Within the next few hours, we’ll be sending out the notification email for those accepted in to the New Xbox Experience Preview Program. The email will be coming from MsftConn@micrsoft.com and the common name for the account is Microsoft Connect. Only those who have been accepted into the program will be receiving an email. Everyone who was chosen will get the New Xbox Experience update later this week. It will be pretty obvious when you’re prompted to receive it…trust me. If you got chosen, congratulations. If you did not get in …don’t worry, November 19th is almost here.

Also, please don’t email me asking/begging/bribing to get on the list! Thanks. 

This just in: Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two will be available this Wednesday for 1200 points.

Now is the perfect time to finish up Episode One if you have not already done so.

Content: Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Demo
Price: Free
Availability: Germany
Dash Text: [USK: Keine Jugendfreigabe] Teste die kostenlose Demo von dem Spiel, das IGN mit den Worten lobt: "Ein WWII-Spiel von der Art wie du es noch nie zuvor gesehen hast." Erlebe fantastische Grafik und Sound, packende Story und neue Gameplay-Features, die das hochgelobte Brothers in Arms ausmachen.

This week’s show:
Co-host : e
A special show where I talk about my trip to Paris and the Xbox Preview Program.

(The discussion about the Xbox Preview Program start at 14:42)

Get the blogcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) Listen in iTunes? Submit a review
[RSS] Add the Major Nelson Blogcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3).

 [MP3] Download the show

 

Format:
33:49, 14.4 MB, (MP3)

I know that many of you are excited to get your hands on the New Xbox Experience, which will go live all Xbox LIVE regions wide on November 19th. Well, we’re just as excited to as you are so I am happy to announce that I’ve been working on a little project that I think may interested you.

Working with various teams across Xbox, we’ve developed a program to allow a select few of you early access to NXE. How do you get chosen? The first step is to head on over to Microsoft Connect, sign in with your Windows LIVE ID and join the "Xbox 360 Fall 2008 Preview Program" by clicking on this link, https://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse.aspx?ProgramID=2631&InvitationID=XBOX-G37M-QYWQ&SiteID=719.

Once you do that, you need to fill out the "Xbox 360 Fall Flash Preview Sign Up" survey in order to be considered for receiving the Preview System Update. We're asking a few questions about where you live, your home network, ISP connection and a few other pieces of information. We are looking for a good cross-section of our members in order to get the best feedback we can.

The LIVE Service team will then review all of the applications and if you’re selected we’ll send you an email notifying you of your acceptance in the program.  A couple of points before you head off to register:

·         We’re looking for a few thousand participants, so your chances are good

·         This opportunity is open to all Xbox LIVE Members in regions where Xbox LIVE is available

·         Just completing the survey does not automatically get you access to the NXE. We’ll be making final selections from from the completed surveys.

·         Xbox LIVE Gold and Silver members can sign up.  Priority will be given to Gold members in the selection process.

If you are accepted, you'll hear from us in about a week. Make sure your information on Connect is updated so we can email you.

Good luck!