Online gaming is made for the community. The community in gaming is that group of people who play together and interact with each other. As of now, players can chat with each other, play against each other online, compare achievements and trophies against each other, etc. However, there are some community features we’d like to see that aren’t yet implemented. Hit the jump to see those.
1. The ability to watch your friend playing a game over Xbox LIVE or the PLAYSTATION Network.
How many times has this happened to you: your friend calls you asking you for help on a certain part of the game. You would like to help him, but you can quite understand the part of the game he’s at based off what he’s telling you. If you were able to jump online, perhaps go to his online ID, and tap “Watch Gamer” and go to his “TV-like” channel, you’d be able to watch him then tell him how to get passed that part.
Or maybe you are undecided about buying a certain game and would like to see some gameplay of it first. Instead of booting up the PC, you see your friend is playing the game. Tap “Watch Gamer” and there is your gameplay.
2. “GamerTube” (HD) services for all of your gameplay.
Let’s face it, YouTube just isn’t the place to go if you want to see custom-created game videos, and GameTrailers gives us almost the same quality with their user uploads. If we had a service on our console to record all kinds of gameplay, through the OS, and upload it to a “GamerTube” service located directly on the console, we’d be able to view those videos in HD, and it is more convenient as well.
3. Forums and polls on the Dashboard or XMB.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if you can sign into Xbox LIVE or the PLAYSTATION Network, go to the Forums channel or an icon on the XMB and be brought into a console-based forum for all your gaming needs. Here, members of LIVE or the PSN can discuss the latest in gaming and always come back later to check for updates.
You can login and make a topic titled “Anybody want to play some Resistance?” You get there names and start up a game with them. It’d also be fun to just discuss the latest in gaming, news, politics, etc. with other gamers. You know there won’t be any flaming towards any console as well due to the fact that the forum is only on your console. Anybody speaking on it has to have that console. Adding in polls for members of the community would just count as a plus.
4. Clan system.
A clan system is probably the most essential community feature out there. There was a rumor a while back saying the Xbox 360 would receive this in the last Fall update, but it did not. Many gamers are in clans or groups or squads or whatever they prefer to call it. It’d be much easier to keep in contact with and launch games with your clan if there was a system like this.