Xbox Ambassadors - How it works

Greetings readers! This is a quick post to explain a bit about the Xbox Live Ambassador program. I applied to become a member of the Ambassador team well over a year ago and I recently received word that my application had been accepted and that I was invited to join the initiative.

I was of course surprised and delighted, and accepted the invitation instantly. In the section below, I'll explain a little bit about what Xbox Ambassadors do, and how you can get involved.

What's it all about?

Being an Xbox Ambassador is primarily about helping other Xbox users and passing on the bits of knowledge that you have gained since being a LIVE member.

Users will often have issues when using Xbox LIVE, Xbox Kinect, Software or even technical aspects like sound and vision. These sorts of problem can severely inhibit a players enjoyment of the games that they are playing or even the LIVE service that they have spent their hard earned cash on. These issues will some times be easy to resolve (reboot and try again), but more often than not, problems can be quite complex and for newer users, these can be a bit daunting. 

It's an Ambassadors job to gather all the information on an issue and work with the user to resolve it through a series of solutions. 

How do users get in contact with Ambassadors?

Users can get in contact with an Ambassador through:

• The Official Xbox.com forums 
• On Xbox Ambassador Chat 
• Or playing on Xbox LIVE (if you know their Gamertag)

For those that are unfamiliar with Xbox Ambassador Chat, this is a live chat that takes place through MSN messenger, connecting you directly to one of the Ambassadors that are 'on duty' at the time. Ambassador Chat is the preferred option for users as it is often the quickest way to get an issue resolved.

What if you don't know the answers?

Being an Ambassador does not mean that you are expected to know everything about the world's greatest console. However, the veteran members of the team work really hard to pull together FAQs and lessons learned, which all of the Ambassadors can access. There is also a weekly bulletin highlighting common issues that have arisen and problem trends.

I've found all of this invaluable as a new member and it's great to have a community to fall back on when you are stumped.

What are the rewards for Ambassadors?

Apart from the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from helping fellow Xbox lovers, Ambassadors can earn several rewards for their dedication to the program. These include MSP (Microsoft money!), exclusive avatar items, access to the private Ambassador forums on Xbox.com and a stats tracker on the official Ambassador Leaderboards.

Want to join?

If you love Xbox and enjoy helping others, why not apply to join the Ambassador program? You can apply here, and when the next round of recruitment takes place, you should get an email to say how you got on.

Best of luck and if you have any questions about being an Ambassador, please don't hesitate to ask!

Duke Nukem Forever - review

Fists may not be enough in this battle...

Duke Nukem Forever is a game that has been in development for over 12 years. After reading some pretty harsh reviews on release day, I decided to see for myself.

Admittedly my key motivation for buying was a sense of nostalgia which stemmed from fond memories of playing Duke Nukem 3D on my N64 as a boy. I was also curious to see what the developers had achieved after a whopping 12 years.

Jon St.John is still the voice of the Duke and the first line you hear when inserting the disc is "I'm back baby!", delivered in true Duke style. Cue a catchy power chord riff with heavy distortion and it's straight into the game.

Your first action in-game sees you leaning over a urinal to respond to a call of nature as Duke whistles a tune. This more or less sets the overall tone for the game - crude, juvenile but kinda funny nonetheless.

Duke then zips up and heads off to fight the 'Cycloid' in the stadium just like the end of the 'Duke Nukem 3D' all those years ago. This serves as the games tutorial and once over the game kicks off proper.

After defeating the aliens in the past, the Duke is now the world's biggest celebrity. Men want to be him and Women want to be with him. However, all is not well in Duke-land, the aliens are invading again and this time they have made it personal by abducting the Earth's women.

Naturally, Duke is pissed, and he sets off on a quest for revenge. Unfortunately revenge is hard to come by with an aiming system that is clunky and tricky to master. Loading times are long between levels and this can make dying (which happens often) a bit of a chore. The frame rate can slow down considerably at times and you will notice the occasional bug here and there.

The game does have many redeeming qualities though. The choice of weapons is good with a few old favourites like the shrink-ray and pump action shotgun. Plus if you get tired of shooting enemies you can simply pick up an object like a barrel or breeze-block and pummel them with it.

One of many turret sequences

There are also some very fun sections were Duke is shrunken and has to navigate huge areas whilst avoiding giant aliens. I was also impressed by the level of interaction with objects in the environment with many items granting you a permanent boost to health. Health is now a regenerating bar called the 'Ego-Meter', which works much like the shield in Halo games.

All in all, this is not as bad a game as some would have you believe. The humor maybe a little chauvinistic and cheesy at times but the game play is fun and feels reasonably true to the franchises predecessors.

My Top Tip: If like me you find the aiming slow, raise the sensitivity in the options menu. Best done early on so you have a chance to adjust.

My Score: 7/10

Game Reviewed On: XBOX 360

L.A Noire - review

When peaceful negotiatons fail...

L.A Noire is a game that feels and looks more like a film from beginning to end. Rockstar's latest title sees you serving lady law by taking on the role of Cole Phelps, a war  hero who is adapting to life as a beat cop on the streets of Los Angeles.

You are assigned a partner and quickly introduced to the key elements of the job: investigating crime scenes, interviewing witnesses, interrogations, high speed car chases and shootouts. The former of these may sound a little boring but searching for clues and determining a liar with a false alibi, purely on the nuances of their facial expressions soon becomes deeply rewarding.

Once you have learned the ropes you will begin to ascend the ranks of the force starting off in Traffic, then Homicide, then Vice - each department having specific cases assigned to it. As well as this, you will also be investigating an ongoing subplot focusing on the subterfuge and corruption of L.A's politically elite.

Each department also has 10 (or so) 'Street Crimes' to complete. These are miniature cases that vary in difficulty and can be completed at any time during your career.

Many games in the past have given the illusion of a cinematic and engaging narrative in the past. So what is it that enables L.A Noire to triumph where others have failed? 

Some credit has to be given to the new MotionScan technology, which is used to create some of the most realistic facial features that we have seen to date. Top quaity voice acting also plays a vital role with Aaron Staton as Cole Phelps and the likes of Michael McGrady, Adam Harrington and Sean McGowan. Mainly though, it is the fiendish attention to detail and sense of style that Rockstar games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption are famous for. 

First to blink buys the doughnuts!

What this game lacks in the multiplayer department, it more than makes up for with its engaging narrative and complex characters. The completionists among you will also find replayability through collectibles, exploration, revisiting old cases and a wealth of dlc.

With a varied and vibrant soundtrack coupled with a wonderful recreation of 1947 Los Angeles, Rockstar and Team Bondi have truly created a masterpiece here.  

My Top Tip: When interviewing a witness or suspect, pay close attention to the eyes. Those telling fibs will find it hard to look you in the eye. The eyes never lie.

My Score: 9/10

Game Reviewed On: XBOX 360