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Streaky Beacon? The Character Select Forum!

So E3, huh. That seems a while back. Two new consoles; one of which is a handheld that combines all the best qualities of a portable gaming device into a sleek and sexy device from the gaming future, and another which is a fascinating handheld/home-console hybrid, iterating on this now six year-old generation, albeit with an ingenious twist. There was also the expected smorgasbord of new and interesting games including all the heavy-hitting franchises you’d expect, along with a few surprise announcements. However, as a design aficionado, what interested me the most were the quietest announcements: small improvements to my current user experience.

Small ideas expressed well = good ideas

During all the E3 coverage, I managed to wrap my eyeballs around two of the platform-holder press conferences as they were broadcast over t’internet (while I did the dishes, thanks to my slinky iPhone). Those I caught were Nintendo’s – where I giggled every time they said ‘Wii U’ because it sounds like a kid saying ‘peee-eugh!’ – and Microsoft’s, where, if you managed to look beyond the absolutely-not-actors-honest-guv ‘families’ allegedly playing along to alleged gameplay videos showing Kinect gameplay (just my alleged opinion!), one announcement was made that really piqued my interest: Xbox Live bacon1. No wait – Xbox Live Beacons!

In the press release words of Microsoft’s Marc Whitten:

Beacons are a way to tell your Xbox LIVE and Facebook friends that you want to play a game on Xbox LIVE. By setting a Beacon, you tell Xbox LIVE what you want to play. Then, Xbox LIVE lets you know when friends are playing or want to play the same game.

In short, Beacons (must use a capital ‘B’, since Marc did) are match-making in a more ‘lonely hearts’ sense, perhaps, rather than the more typical use of the term with Xbox 360; a way for those of us who want to play something online to meet with people who are already friends and share our interest, without necessarily having to badger them to agree.

In effect, this also seems to be a far more elegant way for us achievement whores and honest multiplayer-lovin’ people to announce what we’d like to play, or what we might want a hand with in co-op, as opposed to tentatively stepping out into the frightening world of other forums, only to be verbally trampled (do the kids still call it ‘flaming’?), merely because they dared – or demanded – help.

A gamer's impression of a typical forum response to requests for help, and the equally unpleasant face of demanding and abrasive forumites — all about as appealing as a hobbe-snog biscuit

But the funny thing is, and the thing I would like to share, is that there is already a way of informally launching said Beacons prior to their arrival within the 360’s forthcoming dashboard update – the new (and rather fetching, if I do say so myself) Character Select forum.

But never fear! Ready Up, GamerDork and Console Arcade are here to save the day!

Combining the forces of three superb sites’ worth of forums into one, the Character Select forum brings together staff writers, forumites and gamers from Ready Up, GamerDork and Console Arcade, all for the purpose of talking all things videogamey (and a fair few things that are not). And for those in the know, there’s also an area to arrange game-nights, online playdates and – if you’re not too pushy about it – maybe some help with achievements too. You could call it a pre-Beacon way of posting a Beacon, if you’re that way inclined – we’re quite an accommodating bunch.

Here's Character Select's newest addition to the family – and LOOK! – it's taking its first steps!

If you’re curious – and, as a fellow curious person, may I say what a lovely blouse you’re wearing! – go check it out. If you’re not curious, or are an overly demanding and abrasive sort, the forum probably isn’t the best fit for you. But here, have a consolation prize! A blast from the past video that, in my twisted and ageing mind, aptly follows on from an image in this article AND sums up why the new forum is ace:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqNtsQebyuA[/youtube]

Hope to see you there!

1__Bacon – rumoured to be the one thing vegetarians are still trying to replicate convincingly and with any sort of tastiness.

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2 responses to “Streaky Beacon? The Character Select Forum!”

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