Microsoft: "We've Lost Our Way" on PC Gaming
- Thread starter Steven Bogos
- Start date
Blah Blah Blah Blah, empty promises, lovely words, PR talk...
How about you actually I don't know... do something? an actual feature? Judging from the Window's 10 press conference... yeah I'm not going to get Window's 10 unless you make some major changes...
How about you actually I don't know... do something? an actual feature? Judging from the Window's 10 press conference... yeah I'm not going to get Window's 10 unless you make some major changes...
Urgh, on that topic, Microsoft had better fix their display language cock-ups from Windows 8 and 8.1 in Windows 10. That you can have multiple output (display) languages present in the same window based on which input (keyboard) languages you used prior to the last couple of machine shutdowns is downright broken. Microsoft needs to get its language and regionalisation problems fixed.Scars Unseen said:
Its extremely unlikely to ever take hold with PC gaming since a not insignificant amount of games use Steamworks for their Multiplayer nowadays, and its free.loa said:
Also ill believe it when I see it Microsoft, this is a cash grab because the Xbone is doing so terribly. Id wager you wouldn't give two shits if the PS4/Xbone situation was reversed. That said the best thing you can do at this point is leave PC gaming to the people who know what they are doing.
Do any other PC-gamers here have that feeling like when that creepy guy at the office you think might be a serial killer calls you his 'friend'? You can't tell whether it'd be better to be ignored, if this means you're the one person he won't turn into a skinsuit, or if you've just gone to the top of their list.
ZiggyE said:
Let me tell you why that's BS. And this is coming from a Gentoo user here BTW.
When you're talking about Linux, which distro exactly are you talking about? Because as you know, there are hundreds. If you're talking about the easier, more beginner distros like Ubuntu/Kubuntu, SteamOS, or Fedora being the future of gaming, no. Because there's no real reason for the average user to switch from Windows to those. As such beginner distros become more and more friendly to use for the average user, they become more and more like Windows/Mac and in doing so... They're losing what makes Linux what it is. In the end, they're mostly just Windows/Mac clones and why would someone use a clone over the real thing, no matter how well it might imitate the real thing?
If you're talking about the more complex distros like Arch, Slackware, LFS, and Gentoo, no, because their complex insanely customizable nature drives away new beginning users and further, they don't need that much customization. Personally, I would definitely not recommend anyone just starting out with Linux in any capacity doing even a Gentoo install on their system until they had some very decent Linux experience.
Oh Microsoft every now and then you trot out someone to reassure the PC Gaming crowd that you still love them, you make it seem that you are tender and caring and that you really really do have our best interests at heart...
...and then the caveats appear, this time round it's we will make fantastic games based around what PC Gamers want, we will care for them and love them and give them what they want... just so long as they don't mind using our Hololens and playing with a bunch of squeakers over XBox Live.
If you really DO care for PC gamers perhaps it would be nice to say that without actually attaching a bunch of must haves that you need to acquire before MS will show the love.
...and then the caveats appear, this time round it's we will make fantastic games based around what PC Gamers want, we will care for them and love them and give them what they want... just so long as they don't mind using our Hololens and playing with a bunch of squeakers over XBox Live.
If you really DO care for PC gamers perhaps it would be nice to say that without actually attaching a bunch of must haves that you need to acquire before MS will show the love.
LOL, no really that's about as much counter argument as that statement really deserves.
This made me laugh; I can't wait for the outrage when PC gamers own console players with their superior aiming devices.
After GFWL, Origin and Uplay, I'm not installing any more services. It's Steam or GoG, lest I pass. I've had enough bullshit out of these companies the last decades.
After GFWL, Origin and Uplay, I'm not installing any more services. It's Steam or GoG, lest I pass. I've had enough bullshit out of these companies the last decades.
You won't win me back MS because you are forcing me to upgrade to Windows 10. Even for free..I have to get that OS to be able to play your games via your marketplace. I doubt you will put your games on Steam which is my preffered platform.
You've tried to "make up to PC gamers" since 2005 and have failed at every turn. It's for the best you stick to Xbox instead of promising and not delivering. The first steps would be to port Halo MCC, Gears of War to the PC and put them on Steam or anywhere else.
You've tried to "make up to PC gamers" since 2005 and have failed at every turn. It's for the best you stick to Xbox instead of promising and not delivering. The first steps would be to port Halo MCC, Gears of War to the PC and put them on Steam or anywhere else.
They already tried it in the past. I remember how my PC copy of Gears of War came with a "limited offer" card for an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Originally, multiplayer in GFWL was supposed to be behind a paywall, but it didn't work since no PC gamer would pay a monthly subscription for multiplayer (MMOs being the only exception).HaileStorm said:
Dear Microsoft, if you want to win me back to PC gaming, great, I'm here to be won. I have money in my pocket, am about to have considerably more free time, and really miss gaming with a keyboard and mouse. In order to help you achieve this aim I have written you up some helpful tips:
Commandment Number One: Firstly and most importantly, you will make some PC games, and the PC games you make will be good. I expect games to be fun, original and well paced with decent controls, thoroughly tested to resolve bugs prior to release and long enough that I don't complete them in a single day off.
Commandment Number Two: The games you make will be complete. This is nearly as important as Commandment Number One. I will not pay £50 for a game at release only to have half of the actual game walled off as "optional" DLC to purchase separately. DLC should be something extra that enhances an already complete and satisfying experience. See Skyrim if you need further clarification about how this might be achieved.
Commandment Number Three: You will make games for PC gamers, not just port console releases. This one should be a no-brainer, but, as I am addressing a company that thought an always-online console (don't worry we will salt that particular wound shortly) was a good idea, I think I should probably play it safe and spell it out for you. One of the great joys of PC gaming is it's diversity. I love FPS, survival horror games, adventure games, platformers, but I can play all of those on my console. If I am going to come back to PC gaming I need to be coaxed back with games I can't play (at least not well) on consoles. Give me grand-strategy, complex RPGs, give me the kind of games where the majority of the keys on my keyboard will actually be needed.
Commandment Number Four: You will ship PC games without DRM bullshit. Nice and simple. No bloatware client, or Steam Authentication, nothing. It's stupid as fuck, it doesn't work and only serves to inconvenience the gamers who didn't pirate your game. When I buy a game I want to take out the disc, install my game and then play it. No 3-hour bullshit cycle of "download client, install client, install game, register game with client, download mandatory updates, install mandatory updates" before I can even get to the title screen.
Commandment Number Five: Always-online will go fuck itself. While this should be inferred from the above, again, I thought I should air on the side of caution and make this crystal clear: Nobody wants this. You aren't enhancing anyone's experience by making games always online and there isn't any benefit to being online that can't be realised by giving people the option to connect online if they choose to. And stop telling us it's for our own benefit, we aren't that stupid and we don't believe you. Just because you take something people want and make it always-online, and then some people buy it anyway, this is not evidence of demand for always-online, it's evidence that people wanted the product enough to put up with always-online and nothing more. MMOs obviously get an exemption from Commandment Number Five - See Commandment Number Seven for details.
Commandment Number Six: Lastly, the games you release will be the games you promise us. Trailers must show actual gameplay footage, functionality must be as described in the advertising and on the box and play-time must resemble the actual amount of time it will take me to complete the game. Behaviour contrary to this is dickish and best, and it many cases constitutes straight up mis-selling.
Commandment Number Seven: MMO development will will go fuck itself. Development staff proposing MMOs will be fired and discussion of including MMO elements in other games will be a disciplinary offence, with repeat offender to be placed in a giant slingshot and fired from the roof.
So there it is, not as hard as you might have thought. Now you have some work to do Microsoft, best get to it...
Commandment Number One: Firstly and most importantly, you will make some PC games, and the PC games you make will be good. I expect games to be fun, original and well paced with decent controls, thoroughly tested to resolve bugs prior to release and long enough that I don't complete them in a single day off.
Commandment Number Two: The games you make will be complete. This is nearly as important as Commandment Number One. I will not pay £50 for a game at release only to have half of the actual game walled off as "optional" DLC to purchase separately. DLC should be something extra that enhances an already complete and satisfying experience. See Skyrim if you need further clarification about how this might be achieved.
Commandment Number Three: You will make games for PC gamers, not just port console releases. This one should be a no-brainer, but, as I am addressing a company that thought an always-online console (don't worry we will salt that particular wound shortly) was a good idea, I think I should probably play it safe and spell it out for you. One of the great joys of PC gaming is it's diversity. I love FPS, survival horror games, adventure games, platformers, but I can play all of those on my console. If I am going to come back to PC gaming I need to be coaxed back with games I can't play (at least not well) on consoles. Give me grand-strategy, complex RPGs, give me the kind of games where the majority of the keys on my keyboard will actually be needed.
Commandment Number Four: You will ship PC games without DRM bullshit. Nice and simple. No bloatware client, or Steam Authentication, nothing. It's stupid as fuck, it doesn't work and only serves to inconvenience the gamers who didn't pirate your game. When I buy a game I want to take out the disc, install my game and then play it. No 3-hour bullshit cycle of "download client, install client, install game, register game with client, download mandatory updates, install mandatory updates" before I can even get to the title screen.
Commandment Number Five: Always-online will go fuck itself. While this should be inferred from the above, again, I thought I should air on the side of caution and make this crystal clear: Nobody wants this. You aren't enhancing anyone's experience by making games always online and there isn't any benefit to being online that can't be realised by giving people the option to connect online if they choose to. And stop telling us it's for our own benefit, we aren't that stupid and we don't believe you. Just because you take something people want and make it always-online, and then some people buy it anyway, this is not evidence of demand for always-online, it's evidence that people wanted the product enough to put up with always-online and nothing more. MMOs obviously get an exemption from Commandment Number Five - See Commandment Number Seven for details.
Commandment Number Six: Lastly, the games you release will be the games you promise us. Trailers must show actual gameplay footage, functionality must be as described in the advertising and on the box and play-time must resemble the actual amount of time it will take me to complete the game. Behaviour contrary to this is dickish and best, and it many cases constitutes straight up mis-selling.
Commandment Number Seven: MMO development will will go fuck itself. Development staff proposing MMOs will be fired and discussion of including MMO elements in other games will be a disciplinary offence, with repeat offender to be placed in a giant slingshot and fired from the roof.
So there it is, not as hard as you might have thought. Now you have some work to do Microsoft, best get to it...
I'm a PC gamer, here's what i want.
Continued security updates for Windows 7 since we don't know if 10 is any good yet, don't make DirectX12 exclusive to Windows 10, don't make games exclusive to Windows 10, better support for old games, with every new OS more and more classic games become unplayable, get rid of Metro and apps, update Skype to not be dreadful anymore.
Continued security updates for Windows 7 since we don't know if 10 is any good yet, don't make DirectX12 exclusive to Windows 10, don't make games exclusive to Windows 10, better support for old games, with every new OS more and more classic games become unplayable, get rid of Metro and apps, update Skype to not be dreadful anymore.
Well you can get everything in one language, but it's far more complicated than it needs to be. I managed to convert the Surface Pro 3 I bought in Japan fully to English, but it really would have been nice if changing the region in your OS was all you had to do.snave said:
God, this sounds heavily like they want to pull BS subscriptions "services" onto us that we don't need. Well go ahead, Microsoft, see how much pc gamers will like that. If push comes to shove and you make it mandatory for the next windows os, i allready do all my work on a linux os and steamOS just looks like it will be able to handle pretty much all the games i want to play, so bye bye.
I'll believe it when I see it. I don't want to use Microsoft software. I use Windows because it's what most games are made to run on when they come to the PC. I don't want to worry about their friends list or being a part of their "Live" community. I just want to play games.
Also, GFWL is still alive. Right before final shutdown Microsoft "committed to the platform" again... which was a sad day for us all.
Also, GFWL is still alive. Right before final shutdown Microsoft "committed to the platform" again... which was a sad day for us all.
"Xbox" no longer means consoles, said Spencer. It means "gaming with Microsoft."
No, actually Xbox does still mean consoles, and will unless you manage to change public perception. It's like Ubisoft trying to label Aiden's cap from Watchdogs "iconic" on their own, instead of letting the fanbase decide on it.
No, actually Xbox does still mean consoles, and will unless you manage to change public perception. It's like Ubisoft trying to label Aiden's cap from Watchdogs "iconic" on their own, instead of letting the fanbase decide on it.
Well... the money is more reliable on consoles.
Can't say I blame them for not wanting to focus on the most easily piratable platform.
Can't say I blame them for not wanting to focus on the most easily piratable platform.
Considering the service-centric direction some of Microsoft's OTHER big ventures have gone (like Office or the pre-180 Xbone), I would much rather not have some subscription-based always-online hell waiting for me or holding my games hostage on Windows 10.
But that would require treating the customer with something resembling respect and we fucking can't have that now can we?
But that would require treating the customer with something resembling respect and we fucking can't have that now can we?
Trying to have their fingers in every pie has made Microsoft schizophrenic; priorities clash, and whatever they do end up developing has the worst aspects of all those competing concerns rather than the best. Add to that the fact that the Microsoft braintrust seems hellbound to bury the PC and get everyone on (locked-down, Microsoft-store-only) tablets and phones and you get a culture that appears to be determined to strangle the very market it purports to serve.
It's time for MS to decide what it wants its focus to be. Maybe spin off some of its departments into separate companies or something.
It's time for MS to decide what it wants its focus to be. Maybe spin off some of its departments into separate companies or something.
It got blown away by a lot of hot air. And maybe for the better- "the cloud" is a fine solution for some problems, but gaming isn't really one of them.The Lunatic said: