« Video Podcast : Dead Rising for Xbox 360 | Main | Do they let Zombies into PAX? »
PSA : Xbox Live Do's and Don'ts
There is going to be loads of new Xbox Live gamers on the net later on this year so I thought that I would share a few helpful hints on how to be a good Xbox Live community member
Xbox Live "Do's"
Do try your best while not taking it too personally
Do make sure that all your downloads are done on other devices on your networks before playing
Note: As a personal note back when I first got Street Fighter 2 on Xbox Live Arcade I started playing it before quitting automatic podcast downloads on my Mac and then some folks that I played got some serious lag and gave me a "Quit early" complaint and it affected my rep and I will forever be regretful for causing bad lag for a Street Fighter match. There I feel much better now that is off my chest.
Do occasionally give some audio feedback during a match. Like saying Doh, or "Nice". There is not much of a point to wearing a headset if your going to be quiet.
Do give positive feedback to gamers that you've had a good time playing with.
Do give negative feedback to gamers that quit early or were general jerks and I am not talking about playing hard but more inter-personal issues.
Do use the mute button. Occasional side talk to other people is OK but if your going to carry on a conversation with someone else in the room, clear your throat or eat anything crunchy, talk on your cell phone then you should hit mute.
Do give the game your full attention, Multitasking with a blackberry, cellphone, or PSP while on Xbox Live is just a little to ADHD and inconsiderate.
Do feel free to have a URL to your website in your Gamertag profile.
Do try to remember that Xbox Live is a world wide network and not everybody is in your country and time-zone. (People on the US Eastern Seaboard will occasionally comment that it is still light out in the window behind me and I am kicking it in the Pacific Time-zone). Try to be decent to gamers in other countries and understand that folks on other continents may have some lag issues. ( Darn Speed of Light being to slow and creating lag! )
Do try to have fun and remember that it is just a game and having fun is the whole point.
Xbox Live "Don'ts "
Don't clear your throat. Especially if you have phlegm.
Don't eat anything crunchy like potato chips.
Don't chew gum.
Don't get impatient and click the OK button on and off while waiting for a multiplayer match after a few moments. If I am hosting I know that your there and I am waiting for more people in the Bomberman match!
Don't chew tobacco or anything that makes you spit excessively into a cup. That is right next to the microphone and we really don't want to hear it in our ears.
Don't have the audio on your TV high enough that your microphone picks it up. It will create feedback.
Don't assume that Xbox Live is a unaccountable wild west on the Internet. You do have a single log-on identity and it is really easy for someone to tell the Xbox Staff about you.
Don't use the vision camera and then have it pointed in a place where you are not sitting or have the light out. It's a little creepy like they want to see you but not show themselves.
Don't play Xbox Live Vision camera games with your shirt or pants off if your a guy. If the ladies want to I am not going to complain but I once played Chess with a guy in just briefs and it was a little distracting and not in a good sexy way. Xbox Live it is not a dating service.
Don't quit early. It really annoys me. This includes when people die early and then don't wait for the round to finish in Bomberman or in Chess when they start to loose.
Don't make unwarranted sexual advances, sexual insults, racial or religious insults or generally deliberately try to tick people off. The Xbox Live staff is not going to be cool with it and it is a terms of service violation and can eventually result in your account getting banned.
Don't be excessively drunk or high on Xbox Live. There is nothing fun about being in a multiplayer bomberman match with a talky frat boy who is tripping out of his mind and really really wants to talk to you about it.
Don't send game invites if the person on your friends list does not have that game. I am sure that Rainbow Six Vegas is a good game but I don't have it so I can't really join folks in a match. The "Compare games" command is a really cool feature.
Don't send invites to everybody that you've ever played in a match. I sort of feel guilty when turning some Friend request down but I want to keep my friends list manageable.
Don't take it to seriously (like writing a big list of do's and Don't and posting it to the internet... Doh! ) and try to have fun.
Editorial Disclaimer : I wrote this list before I did a Search and found out that Xbox.com had a similar idea for an article. Darn.
Jake at August 15, 2007 
Games
Comments
Don't overuse Internet catchphrases. There's only 1 person who can say "BOOM, HEADSHOT!" properly and it most likely isn't you.
Posted by: Matt Hancock ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 15, 2007 1:17 AM
A lot of good points made here.
About that time difference- it looks like I'm never due to play against you!
Posted by: HellblazerUSA at August 15, 2007 6:15 AM
Hey Hellblazer send me an email or Xbox Live message making an appointment to play a game and I will so be there. (SF2, Bomberman or Crackdown)
Matt. I dunno. I have been practicing to do play by play announcing for my local Rollerderby team ( http://www.slaughtercountyrollervixens.com/ ) and I have gotten pretty good at sounding cool on a microphone.
Posted by: Jacob Metcalf at August 15, 2007 6:02 PM
I enjoyed your Rollerderby commentary when you uploaded it, but I'm more referring to the overuse of popular Internet/TV catchphrases that you find in online gaming nowdays.
Posted by: Matt Hancock at August 15, 2007 11:05 PM
Do not yell at your mother (Also see, "Do use your mute button"). Nothing lacks street cred more than a player disrespecting parental figures; especially if it's past your bed time, slugger.
Posted by: Jarrah at August 16, 2007 7:01 PM
i'm gonna have to disagree with jarrah. i highly recommend having a whining and yelling match with the parents, as it is one of the most hilarious things in the universe to anyone who is not a parent. however, it can cause distraction from game play based on laughter at horrendous behavior.
Posted by: jim belushi at January 2, 2008 5:45 AM
