News Is Microsoft using 'Halo 2' to thwart Xbox hackers?

Cunning, eh? Use a guaranteed smash hit of a game to hit back at all those people that have hacked their XBOX? This from news.com

Microsoft appears to be using its smash "Halo 2" game as a vehicle to crack down on mod chips and other hacks of its Xbox video game console.

Hundreds of Xbox owners have reported in online forums in recent days that they were banned from Xbox Live, Microsoft's online gaming service, after trying to play "Halo 2" online with a modified console.

A Microsoft representative would not specify which additional security measures, if any, have been added to Xbox Live around the "Halo 2" launch. "Microsoft listens carefully to the Xbox Live community and reserves the right to take steps necessary to preserve the integrity of the user experience," the representative said in a statement. "Our goal is to provide our users with secure, consistent and fair online game play. Users are not permitted to manipulate the system to the detriment of others."

More here

 

Hmm... might I suggest some corrections to that statement?
"Our goal is to provide our pockets with secure, consistant, and unfair cashflow playing right out of your hands. Users are not permitted to prevent giving money to us, as we want them to pay us instead of making legal backups, or using the Xbox to run Linux to the detriment of Microsoft. You are to pay hundreds of dollars for a seprate computer and a legal copy of out DRM'ed Media Center OS if you want to play your pathetic media."

 

Sad but true

You are right Microsoft only whant to get more money no matter the cost of the user. (to buy a new hardware).

 

You can use the modchip, but you cannot play on live. It is bad enough right now with action replay killing some games. People can beat the system by turning the chip off before getting on live. It sounds to me the person complaining in their forums didn't know much about it. You can't make legal backups right now of any two-layered DVD so that even suggestion goes out of the window because the mainstream public does not have access currently to a dual layer dvd burner but it is in the works from what I have heard. The ONLY reason a modchip is ever used is either for Linux or using illegal, yes illegal, downloaded files of games or in the case of Xbox Live cheating which has been bypassed with this action replay device. The reason illegal is the only word is because noone can make their own copies of a dual layer yet to my knowledge.

 

Side note: Anyone notice how choppy some of the in game cinimatics are? makes the game feel rushed :<

 

Dual layer burners and media have been out for a while now.

As much as i hate microsoft they are only protecting their assets. The Xbox is sold as a games console for playing games they licence and sell. If you dont like that then why did you buy an Xbox to start with?

 

ppl say they put modchips in to 'back up games' etc etc. that is such a pile of **** and you know it. i know 1 guy that has every game in blockbuster saved to his hard drive which he obviously had to replace for a larger one.

other ppl just buy copied games which is probably worse. i only read this site in the past week that games developers are being forced out of business because of rising demands from consumers for more and more complex games. piracy will be the ruin of the games industry

ppl buy copies to save money > developers increase price to compensate > more ppl buy pirate copies....

games aren't even that expensive now, anyone remember the rrp on sonic 3 when it was first released???

£60

 

thng is this could work in one of three ways the hackers could either:
1. Buy a new 'virgin' xbox.
2. Dont buy the xbox live games, pirate them and use a tool such as xlink for their gaming. or
3. Keep there stock hdd and sort the xbox so it can switch between the two.
Seems to me it should be easy to beat the system like this, i mean even the hackers/modders have still buy the games they want to play online simply because they couldnt use their chip with it, so they still get the money from games...Now it either shoves them straight into pirating leauge or into buying another box...

 

the main reason i have a modchip is so i can use xbox media player, i haven't even got a copied xbox game

 

Its all well and good trying to beat piracy, esp if its hitting your company in the pocket.
But when you buy a piece of hardware you should be allowed to do with it what you please, it is yours, it belongs to you not Microsoft.

PS I dont own an Xbox BTW

 

Not in the states iirc, the xbox is leased? to the person who bought it, and the property still remains microsoft's and so modchipping is illegal for this reason, this is different in the UK as they do not permit such ludicrosity
[I could be wrong so don't quote me on that]

 

there is absolutely nothing stopping u doing what u want with ur xbox. it is perfectly legal to have ur xbox chipped.

remember: xbox live is neither an obligation nor a rite. it is a service provided by microsoft and is therefore governed by their terms and conditions

i can't imagine why u would use xbox to play music or whatever, its bad enough through a pc (i have £170 extigy soundcard aswell btw). but then i am comparing it to my hifi and i have high standards anyway....

 

the Halo2 .xbe(on the halo2 disc duhh) is also checking kernel and HDD:
0x0041158C, "XboxHardwareInfo"
0x00411594, "XboxKrnlVersion"
0x00411770, "HalDiskSerialNumber"
0x00411774, "HalDiskModelNumber"


I think that applies to live,
If you have a modded box online, they can check your harddisk which means getting banned

Also.. if you odnt like live, get X Link Kai.. Freee

 

while chipping an xbox is fine, most of the bioses used in chipped xboxes are illegal due to using "stolen" microsoft code.

IT is great for a party, so people can just choose the album/song they wanna play from a list displayed on the tv from the xbox remote. Also i think you'll find that most people generally use XBMC much more for movies.

on a serperate note, if they are checking your harddrive/hardware to see if it is different from a stock xbox. doesnt that count as an invasion of privacy or violent some part of the data protection act?

 

Yes you can have a chip if you usethe Cromwell BIOS that is based on installing linux.. Other Bioses hae XDK code.. Which is obiosly illegal

 

I would of thought the very same thing..

 

I would think they would in the disclaimer talk about this and forfeiting your rights to privacy pertaining to hdd contents when you agree to the live disclaimer, or I would guess, not that I have live.

 

I don't want to start a debate on fair pricing of games (or anything else for that matter), but a lot of people here seem to forget that companies are perfectly justified in introducing copy protection because they get more money. That's right, you'll find a large majority of companies in this world actually want a net income that's as big as possible.

Pirate games if you want, but don't get arsey when companies try to stop you. Despite what we can claim to justify our blatant theft, piracy DOES significantly reduce their profits and to have decent quality games in the future they DO need to try and stop people as best they can.

 

It is illegal in the UK to make a copy of media such as Cassette, VHS, DVD, Games, CD for 'back up' purposes.

*n

 

In the States it IS LEGAL to make a backup of tapes, recodrs, VHS, and for some reason CS's and software. But DVD's, and video games no. They use the Digital Millennium Act to justify the lawsuits against software like XCopy. If it has copy protection then it is illegal to use any method to thwart it. Except for VHS tapes recorded with Macrovision the above are all legal to backup. Using a MOD chip is not legal for the purposes of making a backup. Just as decryption software is illegal for backing up DVD's. What is troublesome about MS is that they are spying on their customer without their prior consent or knowledge. TiVo spys on it's customers, but it is discoled. MS and software vendors have the right to defend their intellectual property anyway possible. Nuyer beware. It is like it was back in the days of the "black box" for the cable users. Most got caught with their pants down.