You only need an internet connection for Xbox if you want to play online.
I bought my Xbox 360 Elite about 5 years ago and I've never had a single problem. I always burn discs to the hard drive, always turn it off when not in use, and never put it on the ground where all the dust collects.
The hard drive thing is great, I instal all my games to the hard drive so the Xbox is FAR more quiet than the older 360 models were.
I've flown in a few jet fights in BF3 now... pretty much got a hard on
Yes, but it's $5 a month. Pretty fair if you ask me given all the benefits and the enherant stability and ease of Xbox Live. And only if you want the features like voice and friend lists. To just play online straightforward you don't need a 'gold' subscription, it's free.
I haven't jumped in a Jet or Helicopter yet since I'm to lazy to look up the controls. It took me like 3 minutes to figure out how to fire the main gun on the tank. I kept hitting accelerate (Right Trigger) instead of the Left Bumper.
I love to shoot down the planes & helicopters so I probably won't spend much time in them. The guided missiles are just too much fun.
Yeah you need to log considerable time to get good at flying choppers. The controls are very different from Bad Company so it's an adjustment.
So, if you're thinking about buying this game strictly for the campaign, find another game.
Bodies disappear like an old N64 game, friendlies asses are halfway into walls when they stack-up before breaching, there are holes in the wall where enemies bullets go through but yours do not, there are instances of clipping and lighting issues. This is a game priding itself on destructible environments and you can't even shoot out a light when you need ti.
The online is great fun, I'll be investing lots of time in it. But the campaign is an unpolished piece of shit. They shouldn't have even bothered tbh.
I'm gunna trade my Xbox copy in for a PC copy I think It looks fantastic on PC, they definitely made Xbox/PS3 an afterthought here.