Top 10 things we want on Xbox Live

Steve is the latest Ugly Tree contributor.  He’s vocal, so scoot your chair back a bit.

Anyone who has played games like WarCraft III or World of Warcraft knows what a great online experience can be.  I love Xbox Live, but it isn’t the complete experience that PC gamers have come to expect.  I’ve been a devoted subscriber to Xbox Live since it launched in 2002.  The service has evolved quite a bit to its most recent state with the New Xbox Experience, but they’re not done yet.

Here are the top ten features I want to see the most on Xbox Live, in order from my least to most desired:

10. Voice commands in the dashboard. Instead of having to navigate back to the menu to do everything, it would be so nice to do everything per my voice when waiting in a lobby.  ”Invite Brad to Game.” Done. “Send Message to CliffyB.  Let’s play tonight at 9.” Done.  Once the social networking linkage happens, this feature could move up the list quite a bit.

9. Game reviews for all Community Games. Let’s be honest, the Community Games look like what they are – amateur.  I’m all about playing them and have enjoyed some so far, but I want to know what I’m buying, even if it’s only a dollar or two.  A simple review system for those who have played the game could go a long way.  This feature would be nice on Xbox Live Arcade games as well!

8. Restriction on opening new accounts. Any casual or core gamer who has played Halo 3 in the past few months has probably been rocked upside down by someone who is a playing on account with only ten wins.  Don’t worry gamers, you aren’t getting no-scoped in the face by a newbie, you are getting no-scoped in the face by hardcore gamers who have circumvented the matchmaking system by opening a brand new account.  Doesn’t make you feel any better about getting whooped, does it?  Me neither.

7. Friend Finder. When I get a new game and my friends haven’t picked it up yet (or don’t plan to), finding a group to play with can be difficult in team-based games.  After playing a couple games and zeroing in on your skill, gametype preferences, mic options, and times of day you tend to play — wouldn’t be sweet if you could allow Xbox Live to find other similar gamers that you could party invite and play a couple of games together?  It’s like eHarmony for nerds.

6. Improved matchmaking support. TrueSkill is a great system and definitely a step in the right direction, but often I feel like it doesn’t take everything into account.  I am too consistently matched up with people of very different skill levels.  There is more to skill and experience than TrueSkill considers.

5. A More intuitive and fleshed-out gamer feedback system. I hardly ever rate someone poorly – mainly because it’s a pain in the ass.  But what are the true consequences of being rated poorly?  Microsoft was onto the right idea, but I’d like to see it more fleshed out.  Ultimately, the system should match all of those assholes together so the rest of us can enjoy gaming together.

4. Video while you wait. In some games, like Call of Duty 4, there really isn’t that much downtime between matchmaking games.  But for a typical online game, you can wait anywhere from two to five minutes between games.  During that time, I would love to watch a replay of the most recent game or highlight reels from other games.

3. Dedicated servers for appropriate games. I know that servers are expensive, but it would be super fun to play fast-twitch games on an even playing field like our PC and PlayStation 3 brethren get to.  It’s not necessary for all games, but it would definitely be nice where host advantage can make or break a game.

2. Rematch!! Let’s be honest, it’s sometimes hard to come across a well-balanced game with a good group.  When those special experiences do come along — a simple Rematch or Challenge option to everyone involved would be amazing.  Would everyone oblige?  Probably not. But you’d figure if you had that good of a time, maybe everyone else did too.

1. Console-wide clan support. Xbox Live will eventually create some feature that is the console equivalent of the ‘clan’.  I would quit my day job and sit in front of the TV all day long if I could be part of console-wide clans that competed on both casual and competitive levels.  Leaderboards, quarterly ladders, and tournaments are only the beginning of what could really launch Xbox Live into the premier gaming experience.