• Go to xbox.com and sign in
• Go to support and click on the repair agent box (right side of the screen)
• Click on register a new device and enter your Xbox 360s serial number (found next to the USB ports, under the white falp on the front right of the console)
• Now click on your newly registered device (under manage devices) and click request a new repair
• Follow all the on screen instructions to “order” a repair from Microsoft
• Ignore the bit about being sent a shipping box as you will never be sent one (in the UK anyway). I confirmed with Xbox customer support that Microsoft doesn’t send out shipping boxes. You will only recieve an email containing the UPS pre-paid shipping labels



• Now check your email address (the one attached to the Xbox Live account)
• You should see an email called UPS delivery label. Click on the “retrieve UPS returns label” link and print it
• Also click on the “get the receipt” link and print it too (more about this later)
• Now find a box and pack your Xbox 360 inside it. Obviously use packing materials to protect your Xbox 360 during transit
• Attach the UPS delivery label printed earlier to the top of the box and make sure its either in a plastic pouch or covered to prevent damage. UPS need to scan it after all
• You can either request UPS to pick up your package, or you can go to a UPS drop off location
• Important: If you go to a UPS drop off location don’t forget to take the receipt that you printed out earlier. The UPS person will stamp this as proof that your Xbox 360 has been received by UPS
• Wait 2 weeks for the console to be repaired and sent back

Our repaired Xbox 360 came with a 1 month’s free Xbox Live gold membership and a letter identifying what the fault was and what they had done about it.

I hope that Microsoft has corrected the inaccurate and misleading information relating to sending you a shipping box. It caused a 2 week delay in getting our Xbox 360 fixed as I was waiting for a pesky box that was never going to arrive.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Datel’s FreeLoader software supposedly makes any Wii multi-region. Whilst this is a very good thing, there is very little information on just how effective the FreeLoader software is. So Tikipod decided to test his collection of GameCube games (and 1 US Wii game) to find out.

Test system:

• UK Wii Console - set to 60 Hz 4:3 screen mode
• Sony CRT TV (handles 60hz mode)
• RGB SCART lead
• COMPONENT lead - For CARNIVAL game test
• Wii FreeLoader - EURO version (£9.99 from Play.com)

Games tested and results: (GameCube unless otherwise indicated)

• PIKMIN (JAP) - Works fine
• PIKMIN 2 (JAP) - Doesn’t work
• PN03 (JAP) - Works but has squashed display
• SUPER MONKEYBALL (JAP) - Works fine
• METROID PRIME (US) - Works but with some pre-game menu issues (in game ok)
• ZELDA - WINDWAKER (US) - Doesn’t work
• ZELDA - WINDWAKER BONUS DISK - OCARINA OF TIME (US) - Doesn’t work
• RESIDENT EVIL 4 (US) - Works but has squashed display
• WAVERACE: BLUE STORM (JAP) - Works but with thin flickering band near the top of the screen. Gameplay unaffected but flickering band is annoying
• VIEWTIFUL JOE (JAP) - Works but with squashed display and playback issues with pre-menu movies
• DOBUTSO BANCHO (ANIMAL LEADER) - Works but has squashed display
• CARNIVAL (US - Wii Version) - Works but need to use COMPONENT lead otherwise the colours are all screwy (red and black)

As you can see, most of the games tested worked, but a number suffered some sort of issue. Tikipod didn’t test any JAP Wii games, as he didn’t have any available. According to one of the comments on the Play.com Freeloader product page Super Smash Brothers Brawl (US) works just fine so you can all rest easy.

Oh, and the recent reports that the latest Wii firmware update (called IOS37) disables FreeLoader is a hoax. However, with all the Wii firmware updates that Nintendo rolls out there’s no guarantee that FreeLoader won’t be disabled by one of them in the future.

Update 24th Mar 08: Carnival is a Wii game, so updated the post accordingly.

Popularity: 11% [?]

So 30 days have now passed since I was called by Xbox support. Have they removed my card details as they promised? Err, no they haven’t.

To be honest I didn’t expect them to have either. Maybe they had their hands full dealing with the rather shoddy provision of Xbox Live since Xmas and forgot about my support call?

It has now been 53 days since I first asked Xbox Live support to remove my credit card details. I’m now wondering if they actually are able to remove my card details? At this rate the card will have expired. Very, very poor service Microsoft.

Check out part I and part II of this ongoing saga.

Update 26th Mar 08: They’ve been removed. I can’t believe it. Microsoft have FINALLY done what I asked them to do over 3 and a half months ago. When I examine my LIVE account on my 360 there are no card details at all! Upon reviewing my LIVE account at http:\\billing.microsoft.com my card details have been flagged as removed (only there for historical purposes) and can’t be used or viewed. About bloody time Microsoft.

Popularity: 33% [?]

In my previous post I outlined how to start the process to get your card details removed from Xbox Live. I say start the process, as following my latest conversion with a Microsoft representative, it’s going to take a little bit longer.

So there I was opening my Christmas presents when my mobile phone rang. It was someone from Xbox Live support about my request. Wow, they’re dedicated! We then had a fairly short conversation, in which I reconfirmed that I wanted my card details removed. They were finally going to carry out my request. However, this will take 30 days from the date of this latest call to remove my card details. In addition, I would never been able to use this credit card on Xbox Live again. Apparently, the “very complicated” process (support person’s words, not mine) to remove card details from the Xbox Live servers means that my card is essentially now blacklisted.

I was a little surprised to be called again following my discussion on the 15th Dec 07. As I’d specifically asked not to be called back and for them just to remove my card details. Ho hum. I guess the message was never typed never got though.

Here’s the time line for my support call(s) so far:

• 3rd Dec 07 - Raised original support call to remove card details.
• 4th - 14th Dec 07 - 3 missed calls from Xbox Live support.
• 15th Dec 07 - Phoned Xbox Live support - 30 days to remove card. Recurring Gold subscription stopped. Given new support call reference.
• 19th Dec 07 - 1 missed call from Xbox Live support.
• 25th Dec 07 - Informed that card details will be removed in 30 days, unable to use card again on Xbox Live. Given another new support call reference

With any luck when I post part III it will include the words “my credit card details have finally been removed.” I await this moment with bated breath. Almost….

Popularity: 24% [?]

Do you have friends or relatives that tend to leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute? I know I still have a couple of things to get. Perhaps you have a birthday coming up in January.

As a “subtle” hint, you could point them towards an article I wrote a couple of weeks ago, How To Buy Video Games As Gifts. It’s a quick 5-point guide of things that may seem obvious to you and me, but your average non-gamer has probably never considered. Quick snippet:

Check which games are age-appropriate. Video games have ratings, just like movies. Not all games are appropriate for minors. If you’re an adult buying for your own child, it’s up to you to make the final decision on whether a game is appropriate.

What other how-to articles do you think would be useful for me to write?

Popularity: 4% [?]

A few months ago I decided to purchase a months Xbox Live Gold membership. As you all know this is very easy to do. Enter credit/debit card details and Microsoft take your money before you can blink. Then you receive the obligatory confirmatory email thanking you for your soul purchase. This email also tells you that your membership will automatically renew and:

For information about changing or cancelling your membership and your membership refund policy, go to www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

However, you can’t cancel your membership or remove your credit card details either via your Xbox dashboard or www.xbox.com/live/accounts. Even when you end up at http://billing.microsoft.com you can only change or add a credit/debit card. There is no facility what-so-ever to remove a payment method or cancel a service. Rubbish.

However, I want to stop my monthly Xbox Live Gold subscription. The only way to do this (at the moment) is by calling Xbox Support. I’ve included all the options you need to select to get you through to the relevant help desk person.
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Popularity: 37% [?]

I play games to relax. I like to immerse myself in a world where I am the biggest, the most powerful, the most badass and generally the saviour of all the world. The Nerevarine was pretty much my ideal storyline. I play games to escape the mundane rat-race.

Others couldn’t care less about plot. They thrive on challenge, being knocked back again and again but refusing to give up. They derive some sort of sick pleasure from suffering under capricious whims of evil game designers who like to change the rules with no warning, rhyme or reason. In short, they play games like R-Type.
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Popularity: 4% [?]

Matt Barton at Armchair Arcade is hard at work on a book about the history of computer role-playing games. He recently got a quick interview with Chris Taylor, designer of ridiculously-popular-yet-incredibly-boring computer-based RPG Dungeon Siege. (Obviously that’s IMO, and TheFluffyFist vehemently disagrees)

Do you think the current market emphasis on MMORPGs is destroying the CRPG genre?

It’s definitely taking a bite out of the pie, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say destroying. I think it will re-stabilize in the future and we’ll see more balance than what we are seeing right now. It’s all about entertainment value… if we don’t create more value on the traditional side, well, perhaps we deserve to be destroyed.

- A conversation with Chris Taylor of Gas-Powered Games - Matt Barton

I fully agree. I think a lot of people who currently play World of Warcraft and other MMOs just wouldn’t bother with an offline version. An awful lot of players (particularly the guys) aren’t there for the immersive game world or the storyline. They’re in it for the sense of progress (ding!) and the social scene.

CRPGs give you neither.
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Popularity: 2% [?]

Got a DS and fancy playing something that’s not a puzzle game? Yes, I know Sim City DS is available, but apart from that it’s puzzle city until Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass is released later on in the year.

Fortuantely for us Majesco Entertainment are due to release Operation: Vietnam onto the DS later in Aug/Sep 07 (exact date to be confirmed). With the emphasis placed firmly on killing rather than puzzling, it should make a nice change.

Operation: Vietnam’s feature list reads as follows:

• 20 21 jungle missions
• 4 controllable characters
• Each solider has a different speciality and available weapons
• Destructible environments
• Full control of the action via the touch screen

Later on this month we will be having an exclusive Q & A session with Operation: Vietnam’s development team.

In the meantime, take a gander at these lovely screenshots.

Screenshots:

Update 6th Jul 07: Corrected the number of jungle levels available to 21.

Popularity: 13% [?]

One of the games that I purchased with my PS3 back in April was Resistance - Fall of Man. After playing a fair bit of the game I thought I’d compare one of the locations in the game to real life. That location is York. The main reason for picking York is that I used to go to school there for 13 years, so you could say I know the place pretty well.

So what I’ve done is compared various locations from the game to their real life (or close as I can find) counterparts. And despite all Sony’s PR waffle about the power of the cell processor, I think you can work out which of the pictures are real life York and which are taken from the game….
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Popularity: 13% [?]