Windows 8 Will Be a "Real New Push Into PC Gaming"

[feather240]

It better not be an integrated GFWL. Desura is better then it, and it wasn't even made my a real corporation.

 

[samsonguy920]

Anonymous source, hmmm? I wouldn't put too much credence into this.

They aren't going to make GFWL part of the OS are they? Please tell me they aren't.

That would be expected. No doubt they would incorporate ways to hobble or even outright restrict how Steam and other DL services would work on Win 8. But that's okay. By then Google and others will have their OS's out. Probably buggy as all belief but will still present the opportunity for Microsoft to finally commit suicide.

But while the Marketplace may be a good first step, I'm still not playing Alan Wake [http://www.amazon.com/Alan-Wake-Xbox-360/dp/B0010AYJXI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293040650&sr=8-1] with my keyboard and mouse. I have no doubt that Microsoft can have a huge impact on the state of PC gaming, but whether or not it actually will? That I'm not so sure of.

Microsoft had its chance with titles like Freelancer and Halo. The first never got continued regardless that it had plenty to build on. The second remains to be seen what they do with that without Bungie around, but I have strong doubts it will be any good. And Andy, you can use a 360 gamepad on the PC if you are too crippled for a mouse and keyboard. It's okay. PC players accept handicapped people in our world.

Spoiler: Cue flame war music while I put my troll hat on. It's a good hat, mon. +3 Stam

 

[samsonguy920]

What's everyone's beef with GFWL? I've used it for Fallout 3 and haven't had any problems with it. I just use it to keep track of my achievements.

If that is all you want it for then you must like a lot of bread on your sandwich. As in a whole loaf with only two slices of bologna.

They said the same thing about Vista, and I'm pretty sure they said it about 7.

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

*ahem*

(read in the style of that dreams song)

STEEEEEE-EEEEE-EEEAAAM, STEAM STEAM STEEEAM, STEEEEE-EEEE-EEEAAAM!

GFWL does it's best to prevent people from actually playing their games, and it tries to treat PCs like they were consoles.

You are offkey. Out of practice?
GFWL hobbles both the games I play on PC that use it, Fallout 3 and GTA4. I am not too experienced with today's consoles (read: zippitydoodah) But if how GFWL affects PC games is to let it feel how it would feel on a console, then I feel sorry for console players having to wait FOREVER to get their game loaded.

 

[Sovereignty]

I hope -SNIP-
I spent like 350 dollars on this rig and it easily outperforms consoles. Framerate and texture quality are not opinions, they're facts.

Like isn't the proper term used to describe how much you spent. Especially when you're trying to validate a cheap PC out performs a console.

My 360 cost me 227.76 Including tax. It out performs my PC which isn't made specifically for gaming and cost me 486.94 Including tax.

Especially when hooked up to my Flat screen. So prove it please...


I'd seriously like hard evidence that all these game companies are being idiotic in making a system specifically for something, and are somehow falling short of outperforming your cheap computer... Especially when said company probably makes both your computer and the console you're judging or some parts contained within...


FACT.

 

[samsonguy920]

I think that you are mistaking Microsoft for a rational individual that acts on one long term play. If you give people control of a relatively small and unsuccessful part of the business like xbox and tell them to make it work then they are going to take this sort of decision. They almost act like a competing company inside Microsoft, some even say that Microsoft should be split up because of this sort of thing.

You're quite right in that Microsoft is not functioning as a cohesive entity on this. However, overall they've sunk a great deal of investment to hammer the Xbox to "success" at pretty much any cost. It wasn't just their games division that could allow such heavy (and until very recently) unprofitable investment. So their actions were at least tacitly approved, if by mere fact of their being allowed to continue for years.

And stacked against the very real actions and investment of their Xbox division, all Microsoft has done to help PC gaming in recent years has been to promise to "revive" PC gaming time and again. The only material act they've taken is the universally hated Games for Windows Live platform (I am not judging GFWL personally, but we can at least agree that most gamers think it a blight at least, I think).

So stacked against their very real actions against PC gaming, we have some PR talk and a buggy, disliked games platform. So yes, you are likely right in that in the depths of Microsoft's massive corporate bureaucracy there is a desire to see PC gaming do better, and to their advantage of course. However, the extent of that desire, or the weight it carries within their corporate framework, obviously pales in comparison to the desires to keep it down to benefit the Xbox.

That was very well said.
Recent history has shown Microsoft having tunnel vision on the 360, which I can't blame them for but there is so much more going on that Microsoft has been missing out on, like the current portable craze between iPhone, iPad, Droid, Google, etc. And then Microsoft showing so little apparent interest in keeping up their PC side of things short of their baby OS. This announcement leaves me feeling skeptical that it is legit because of these reasons. But if it does turn out to be the real deal then I have to feel it will be too little, too late. Valve is quickly becoming a behemoth with their own gaming service which strikes me as two steps shy of becoming a working OS in its own right. Google has already announced its own intentions of creating its own OS. Given their reputation for services thus far (Chrome is actually a pretty solid IS), I would have to think they will do well out of the gates.
What could Microsoft do to keep up? Just show some frikkin interest. They have plenty of resources already.
It doesn't give me comfort or joy though in the prospect either way. This could get ugly.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

*Snore* Huh? Oh this again? Alright. *Snore*

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Fuck off Microsoft. The only way PC gaming will ever grow is if freeloading asshole corporations like yourself stay away from PC gaming without you guys shitting on it more than what you have already done with Games For Windows Live.

 

[Roxor]

I'll believe Microsoft cares about PC gaming when they do the following:

1. Release every PC game (both Windows and DOS) they have the rights to on Steam. DOS games are not out of the question, given there's a nice little emulator called DOSBox around which is already used for some Steam releases (Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D and Doom among them).

2. Port every single Xbox and Xbox 360 game which doesn't yet have a Windows version to Windows and make it available on Steam.

3. Discontinue all support for GFWL and deny that it was ever made.

 

[Jumwa]

That was very well said.
Recent history has shown Microsoft having tunnel vision on the 360, which I can't blame them for but there is so much more going on that Microsoft has been missing out on, like the current portable craze between iPhone, iPad, Droid, Google, etc. And then Microsoft showing so little apparent interest in keeping up their PC side of things short of their baby OS. This announcement leaves me feeling skeptical that it is legit because of these reasons. But if it does turn out to be the real deal then I have to feel it will be too little, too late. Valve is quickly becoming a behemoth with their own gaming service which strikes me as two steps shy of becoming a working OS in its own right. Google has already announced its own intentions of creating its own OS. Given their reputation for services thus far (Chrome is actually a pretty solid IS), I would have to think they will do well out of the gates.
What could Microsoft do to keep up? Just show some frikkin interest. They have plenty of resources already.
It doesn't give me comfort or joy though in the prospect either way. This could get ugly.

Firstly, thank you. A sharing of ideas like this helps hammer out a better final statement. : )

Secondly, yes, I think you're quite right. In the years ahead Microsoft will be kicking itself for not getting involved sooner as a digital games distribution vendor.

Comments about PC gaming dying aside, the PC games market has only been becoming more diverse. And I suspect in the future--with the rise of portable devices which also serve to play games, and heck, let's throw in cloud gaming--focusing almost exclusively on their one console will bite them in the end.

It's likely that console gaming will remain the most profitable for them on a per-game basis for quite some time. However, I suspect the digital games market will only keep exploding in many new and unforeseen ways, with greater consequences, including the many insightful ways you pointed out where this will matter to them indirectly.

 

[Delusibeta]

What's everyone's beef with GFWL? I've used it for Fallout 3 and haven't had any problems with it. I just use it to keep track of my achievements.

It's prone to not working. Also, the shopping interface is notoriously rubbish. Did you know that there's an Achievement Remover mod for Fallout 3?

I think the biggest problem is people just like to complain. People always complain about Windows Internet Explorer too. I've always used Internet Explorer and to this day have had no problems. Why would anyone want a mod that removes achievements?

Because some people think that the achievements increase the instability in the game and generally not work. Bit like Internet Explorer, which I find runs at a snail's speed, even compared to Firefox, never mind Chrome or Opera.

 

[binvjoh]

Have they heard of Steam?

Just integrate their stuff with it, and we'll be fine. We do not need another "hub" for our games, thank you very much.

 

[mad825]

What's everyone's beef with GFWL? I've used it for Fallout 3 and haven't had any problems with it. I just use it to keep track of my achievements.

It's prone to not working. Also, the shopping interface is notoriously rubbish. Did you know that there's an Achievement Remover mod for Fallout 3?

I think the biggest problem is people just like to complain. People always complain about Windows Internet Explorer too. I've always used Internet Explorer and to this day have had no problems.

IE8 has a very poor ACID3 score, meaning that the performance and rendering is not very good although IE9 is a big improvement.

In any case, I'm looking forward to what MS has to offer to further the experience as I'm no bigot. I cannot wait to see what they've done GFWL or not, it would be very interesting how they will optimise the Operating System for gaming alone instead of this fancy GUI shit. Perhaps there will be an Gaming edition?

I would also like to say even Steam has problems but I will give them credit on the fact they do regular updates to fix the bugs unlike GFWL.....and Steam doesn't punish retail buyers such as I which is a big bonus for me in a way.

 

[(LK)]

One might also mention that while the Windows OS division may well want to revitalize PC gaming, the Xbox division will do everything it can to compromise the success of that goal:
*paying for exclusives to be released months earlier on console than PC
*paying for exclusives that aren't released on PC
*insisting that titles must be developed for console and then ported to PC
*worming their incompetent fingers into the functioning of GFWL and sh**ing all over every surface to which it will stick.

 

[Balobo]

I hope -SNIP-
I spent like 350 dollars on this rig and it easily outperforms consoles. Framerate and texture quality are not opinions, they're facts.

Like isn't the proper term used to describe how much you spent. Especially when you're trying to validate a cheap PC out performs a console.

My 360 cost me 227.76 Including tax. It out performs my PC which isn't made specifically for gaming and cost me 486.94 Including tax.

Especially when hooked up to my Flat screen. So prove it please...


I'd seriously like hard evidence that all these game companies are being idiotic in making a system specifically for something, and are somehow falling short of outperforming your cheap computer... Especially when said company probably makes both your computer and the console you're judging or some parts contained within...


FACT.

Yes, my cheap computer does out perform a console, so let's just get that one out of the way.

Also, I'm sorry that you over paid for a weak computer. What else am I supposed to say?

It's not that they're being idiots, it's more like the consoles are as old as hell and are severaly outdated at this point, even having low range computers beat them out performance wise.

 

[LightOfDarkness]

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

GFWL is quite the buggy platform. Fixed most of my Fallout 3/New Vegas crashes by downloading a mod that disables GFWL.

OT: Microsoft is just as misinformed as the majority of 360 players about PC gaming (namely, the state of PC gaming).

 

[LoganN]

Color me uninformed, but what exactly is all this hate towards Games for Windows Live stemming from?

To me the Games for Windows client is just a crappy digital download service, but the GFWL elements implemented in the games is actually a good thing to me.

I would LOVE to have this being part of the entire gaming environment on PC, a-la Xbox Live, rather than the way it is now (game dependant).

Am I alone on this?

GFWL is quite the buggy platform. Fixed most of my Fallout 3/New Vegas crashes by downloading a mod that disables GFWL.

OT: Microsoft is just as misinformed as the majority of 360 players about PC gaming (namely, the state of PC gaming).

New Vegas uses Steamworks.

Ever thing that it was Bethesda's incompetence that cause the game to crash?

 

[Void(null)]

Can you complete the following word puzzle?

Windows 95 = Bad
Windows 98 = Good
Windows ME = Bad
Windows XP = Good
Windows Vista = Bad
Windows 7 = Good
Windows 8 = ???

 

[[.redacted]]

You know, it took bloody long enough for them to work out that people use PCs for games...

...And I still think they'll fail.

 

[Pinguin]

Haha. Nice on Microsoft! You almost had me going for a minute.

Games will still run better on XP, I reckon.

 

[black-magic]

If they follow through this will be a great boon to the already best gaming system out there.