System-linking 360 PAL and NTSC games

[fahrenheit]

I attended a 360 LAN lastnight which had one NTSC console owner in the mix with all of the PAL consoles. PDZ and PGR3 system-linked matches refused to connect to the NTSC console. GR:AW on the otherhand (a region free title) was fine.

I'm yet to purchase a 360, but my intensions have always been to get an NTSC unit. As a regular LAN participant, this has me a little concerned.
I'm absolutely baffled as to why these two games won't see each other. It not as if you can blame video standards. Both games are also fine online with each other.

Is this just something that was obmitted in the rush to launch and is unlikely to happen in future, or is this to be an on going trend?

Microsoft need to make this interconnectivity a mandatory requirement. I don't want to find myself sitting out like the poor guy lastnight.

[AlonzoUK]

Even the PSP and DS games have this issue - games from different regions will not work together locally (ad-hoc mode).

[EvilBoris]

I attended a 360 LAN lastnight which had one NTSC console owner in the mix with all of the PAL consoles. PDZ and PGR3 system-linked matches refused to connect to the NTSC console. GR:AW on the otherhand (a region free title) was fine.

I'm yet to purchase a 360, but my intensions have always been to get an NTSC unit. As a regular LAN participant, this has me a little concerned.
I'm absolutely baffled as to why these two games won't see each other. It not as if you can blame video standards. Both games are also fine online with each other.

Is this just something that was obmitted in the rush to launch and is unlikely to happen in future, or is this to be an on going trend?

Microsoft need to make this interconnectivity a mandatory requirement. I don't want to find myself sitting out like the poor guy lastnight.

That is very odd, they are both Live games so should be compatible in link up

[Super Monkey Balls]

You could work around region issues with xbox by using the same videomode. I guess Pal 60 360's and NTSC 360's don't get on either if the software is region coded.

[fahrenheit]

^ actually FYI, region coding and video standards are independant of each other.

Video standards ever being an issue for the 360 as far as system-link goes, is now a moot point seeing as all games must support 720p at 60Hz. Infact all PAL consoles and the NTSC console were run at the lan in 720p.

I could forgive PDZ and PGR3 for being rushed launch titles if that had any bearing on this outcome, but the fact that GR:AW worked and is a region free title does make me wonder.

As history goes, the overwhelming majority of Xbox games were system-linkable between PAL and NTSC games/consoles. I would hate for this trend to not continue.

[yosai]

I think SMB means changing the EEPROM in an xbox can make a PAL console in to an NTSC console.