Poll

Should EA get off of GameSpy's tit and integrate a buddy list?

Option added to appease the form submital gods. 91% 91% - 11 8% 8% - 1
Option added to appease the form submital gods. 100% 100% - 12 0% 0% - 0
Total: 12
Pig_Fooker
Member
+1|6707|Temecula, CA
I understand theres a "best interest" relationship between EA and GameSpy.  Should we as consumers be denied simple functionality that $50 a game should give us without having to enlist in some site we don't even care about?  Don't get me wrong, GameSpy did a great job, as a programmer I take my hat off.  But come on, I want to find a friend within the game without extra bullshit.  In fact, in some FPS's I've even seen the option to follow a friend to a new server when they switch.  Now I find myself on the phone trying to coordinate with people I enjoy playing with.  If its not a big deal, then inlcude it.
Sud
Member
+0|6717
Truthfully I think that XFire is probably the best software package for this
kilroy0097
Kilroy Is Here!
+81|6813|Bryan/College Station, TX
Xfire and similar outside applications are merely work arounds to the lack of a important and obvious menu feature. Any game that requires a log in and offer multiple servers to play on with many other people should all have a buddy/friends list. This is easy to implement, you have the data of where another person is. All you need is a nick or PID. You can see other servers, a buddy list would see your buddies and if they are logged in or not and if they are which server they are on. Very simple, easy to implement and seriously there is no excuse not to have it built in.

They added a favorites list to a buggy menu that doesn't even work filters or pings correctly. A buddy list is just as important as a favorites list. This is IMHO shoddy craftmanship.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis
Sud
Member
+0|6717
Not really. XFire is the ultimate software package of this design. To date, no other (at least well known) package had DirectX overlay functionality that allows you to communicate in game without interrupting the game via alt tabbing or having to be voice connected. That in itself is worth the cost of admission.

It also consolidates multiple games into one program. Thus I can keep tabs on who's playing Warcraft 3, who's playing BF2, and whatnot. Really handy to get that once over when deciding what you're feeling like playing at the moment.

Last edited by Sud (2005-11-23 08:15:58)

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