[Rumor] Xbox One OS and Xbox Live are a disaster - Will take *months* to fix

[parallaxscroll]

Xbox One OS and Xbox Live issues bouncing about as we approach launch
Posted on October 28, 2013 by pete dodd

EDIT: I wrote this entire thing on GAF but never got the go ahead from the mods to post it so I moved it over here. There are formatting (as in HTML/ETC) errors because of that . The guys’ I talked to also made errors… we talked through means which require shortening of words. I will own my mistakes… but don’t hold it against the people quoted that are incorrect – it’s how we talked. I could fix it now but I feel like editing this would be dishonest so I’m keeping it as is and just leaving this up here.

Ok, first off: the origin of the rumor. I was contacted by someone claiming to be a dev. He told me a bunch of info. I had no idea if it was true or not. I know a lot of people really hate me currently so I was very wary that I was being trolled by a well-informed person. I was looking for other sources for hours. Nothing. And then I got partial verification from another dev (not that he/she disagreed with part, but only knew part and said it was 100% correct) and then at once I got verification by two people who have never wronged me. So this isn’t flimsy but I’m still filing it under rumor because, well, it is. But it isn’t.

I’m putting it all out on the line here. I enjoy breaking leaks but if this is wrong I’m fucked. I know this. This is how much I trust the people who have verified (and I hope for a CBoaT appearance).

The short story is that Xbox Live and the OS, especially in functions that involve XBL, are a complete fucking mess. One source says we aren’t talking weeks until it works correctly but “months.” Things like parties dropping people when moving from one thing to another. Connectivity issues. Missed invites. Friend requests not working, etc.

He then said “If all you are doing is running a game and that’s the only app things are fine.”

So why do think things are going wrong?

“The system OS and network integration was written by a group of people who do not play games. They don’t understand why things were set up in the ways they were designed by J Allard back in ’05.”

So… what changed?

“Let me get into some technical detail regarding it – on 360, the OS handles all of the party and chat functionality. All you do is hook up the XBL VOiP OS API into your game, and it does most of the work for you. With it results in is a shared experience across multiple entertainment. If you’re watching movies or playing games, you can do it together. However, this system is entirely different on Xbox One. So, lets say me, you, and Thuway have xbox one’s that are online. We are signed in our profiles. Sitting at the home screen, we are considered to be in a “Xbox Party” on the server. There are no more ‘party leaders’. With that said if any one of us decide to start a game, the party is shifted over to that game’s party system. Each game now has their custom written VOIP.” (Pete note: shoutout to thuway!)

“In essence, it is almost EXACTLY how it was on the PS3, and it is in those API “handshakes” that is breaking the online experience.”

I asked if could be fixed soon. He said that anything is possible and Microsoft is obviously working on it but he thinks it will be months, not weeks. Getting online launch games certified is taking so long that it’s pushing games after launch back.

Talking to a different developer he says: “Yeah, getting anything online to work was a pain for months, barely worked at the very end of last month. Adding friends, sending game invites or even achievements’ toasts could be a nightmare. I don’t know that much outside of “my” project, but from what I saw in others, online was always a problem. No idea if this will still be an issue at launch though, I think it would be too much, but it looks like it won’t be flawless at all.”

As of now the Xbox One OS and XBL (the name for the XBL side of Azure is “Thunderhead”) are having major issues. Maybe it will be fixed in time, maybe it won’t. The obvious question to me was does this have to do with Microsoft reversing the DRM and having to strip it out (Pete note: That would partially make it my fault and I wouldn’t like that at all)?

“This was happening either way. This was built into the OS long ago. The DRM-removal clogged their pipelines somewhat, but this blockage was always there. It’s just simply a way they setup the VOIP API and how it would be handled. It was an oversight, not just voip, all of parties and network connectivity really.”

Ok, anything else?

“By the way, do not be surprised at the reaction you get from MS over this.”

Yeah, I know.

http://doddscientifics.com/2013/10/2...proach-launch/


Man, XBone has been a train wreck of epic proportions from E3 until the present.

I won't even consider getting the console for at least a year, if not more. At least not until all the major issues are worked out, the price comes down by a hundred bucks and whatever other problems arise at launch.

About 3 weeks to go and Microsoft is still not prepared? It's not as if I expect PS4 and PSN to be 100% flawless at launch. Sony will have their share of problems, no doubt, but I don't think it will be nearly as bad as the other camp.

[Gogogadget]

Definitely worth taking with a grain of salt until multiple people back this up, but I wouldn't be surprised if said issues exist, Microsoft are incompetent as fuck

[EclecticGroove]

If this is true it's pretty screwed for sure. But Sony is not immune to this. "Working on day one patch so the system can play Blu Rays" is a pretty big deal in regards to the PS4.

That said... how these people didn't understand why it was done the way it was done with the 360 is pretty crazy if true... I mean, netcode and the like is no longer a brave new world... and the 360 pretty much set the standard for how consoles should have done online... that wasn't just a fluke.

[mrbigreddog]

I've never trusted Microsoft ever since this original Kinect concepts NEVER came true! I still get excited when i watch this, and at the end still saddened because it doesn't really exist.

[parallaxscroll]

The huge NeoGAF thread which is now closed: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705280

The newer still active thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705667

related: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705712


The shitstorm surrounding the XBone which will no doubt get worse is just NUTS.