- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
"I don't really see user powered tech support as a con..."
Well, since you bring it up, I would have to say that neither do I necessarily, but in this case, it clearly is.
If you (or anyone) purchases Halo 2/Vista and attempts to install the dedicated server, the first and only line of support defense is a rather lengthy readme file that serves more as an operational instruction guide than a troubleshooting source. Within that file is the statement, "Note: Halo 2 Dedicated Server is not supported by Microsoft support services. For information about and help with Halo 2 Dedicated Server, see www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/."
If you go to that particular site, there's no direct support for H2DS, but there is a link for support. Click on that, you're given several options to contact XBOX support . [XBOX SUPPORT? Since when is dedicated server run on an XBOX?] , using either phone, email, etc. If you contact XBOX support which I did - you'll get a response that says, "To obtain technical support help for Dedicated Server, visit the following Bungie Web site, and then click Forums: http://www.bungie.net." Incidentally, you'll get a similar message if you look on Microsoft's web site for anything regarding Halo 2 dedicated server support. They direct you to http://www.bungie.net as well.
Apparently, that's here, and while it seems that this forum is full of very nice and well-meaning people, the bottom line is that it's just another dead end, and nobody who's profiting by the sale of this game is taking any responsibility for supporting it. I guess it's far more economical to just keep pointing the proverbial e-finger further down the black hole of obscurity and hope that anyone with problems just gives up. I have a pretty good idea as to exactly which finger that is, too.
No, I don't necessarily see user supported technical forums as a con, but only if they exist to support freeware or open source type OS's or applications like snitz, linux, and so on. If you pay fifty bucks for a game which is marketed by one of the largest companies in the world, expecting prompt - let alone reasonable -- access to competent technical support isn't an unrealistic expectation.