Games for Windows

[Chosonman]

I have Grid, Gears of War, and Company of Heroes which are all GFW and noticed they run better than my older games.

For example, they can usually read my screen resolution and aspect ratio and set the default game resolution to match my system. Which some older games don't do.

Grid and Gears of War are 100% Xbox 360 gamepad compatible and work great.
They also play just like a console game with superior graphics IMO (with the right graphics card)

I've also downloaded Devil May Cry demo. It looks and plays just like the demo I install for my PS3.

To top all that, I paid $20 less for the PC version of Grid since the retail PC version is cheaper than the console version ($39 vs $59) and only paid $20 for Gears of War on sale at CC. I believe it's still going north of $40 for consoles.

I'm hoping to see more games in the future. Hopefully we'll get "The Force Unleashed"

Edit: This NOT about PC vs Consoles.

 

[Modeps]

Considering GFW has been around for a while, and has had little serious impact on PC gaming, I'm guessing no.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: Modeps
Considering GFW has been around for a while, and has had little serious impact on PC gaming, I'm guessing no.

Since about 2005/2006 basically 2 game development cycles that's really not that long.

 

[imported_protoz]

It doesn't seem to be a brand that is heavily used anymore. It's great that it unifies everything but you have to use Windows Live (Think Xbox Live) for online play and PC gamers will not pay to play online. You had to have a Gold account for Gears of War if I recall and that killed the online play.

I'd rather support a system that does not gimp online play but still offer the same functionality that GFW offers because it does help make it easier to play PC games.

 

[lupi]

For the most part it's just another marketing gimic. And those that are strapped to use Windows live do more harm to pc gaming than good.

 

[dwell]

Steam is basically a better implementation of what their trying to do with GFW. Not charging a fee for online play makes it infinitely better than GWF.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: protoz
It doesn't seem to be a brand that is heavily used anymore. It's great that it unifies everything but you have to use Windows Live (Think Xbox Live) for online play and PC gamers will not pay to play online. You had to have a Gold account for Gears of War if I recall and that killed the online play.

I'd rather support a system that does not gimp online play but still offer the same functionality that GFW offers because it does help make it easier to play PC games.

I agree Windows Live is a waste of resources as long as they keep charging for online play, but WL is an exception and not the rule to online PC gaming. Most online PC games are still free and even if they they meet GFW standards that doesn't mean they have to impliment WL. GFW only requires games to meet some minimal computability standards as far as I know and doesn't mean they have to implement Windows Live.

 

[TestedAcorn]

Steam is better. Nothing 'saves' PC gaming because PC gaming is not dying. There are threads about this every week or so.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: lupi
For the most part it's just another marketing gimic. And those that are strapped to use Windows live do more harm to pc gaming than good.

I wouldn't say it was as much a marketing "gimic" as much as it is a "Standard"

Let's not forget a big problem with PC gaming there's too much inconsistency in the implementation of games. A lot EA games can't display in wide screen. Not all games have 100% game pad support, and some controllers work while others don't. You can spend more time troubleshooting than actually playing the game.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: TestedAcorn
Steam is better. Nothing 'saves' PC gaming because PC gaming is not dying. There are threads about this every week or so.

Only a blind man can't see that PC gaming now is nothing near where it was 10 years or more ago. Our shelf space at EB games has been reduced to a rack in the back behind the boxes of incoming inventory.

It's probably a lot easier for a non techie to buy a Xbox pop in a disc and play and know their game will work than finding out your PC game doesn't have the right drivers to run your gamepad and you need the latest patch.

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
Where did I ever say it was dying? But only a blind man can't see that PC gaming now is nothing near where it was 10 years or more ago. Our shelf space at EB games has been reduced to a rack in the back behind the boxes of incoming inventory.

That's because PC gamers have access internet forums and blogs, so we know not to buy games from EB anymore. They take the discs out of the box and keep them behind the counter. There's always the possibility that an employee will steal CD keys, or the more likely option of the employees simply losing stuff. I bought a new copy of Half-Life 2 from EB and it didn't even come with an instruction manual. They lost the manual when they opened the box?? They gave me a discount when they realized the instructions were missing, but what happens if they don't realize stuff is missing? GTA 4 comes with a map of the city, Imperialism came with a map of research technology; that's the kind of stuff I wouldn't even notice missing at the time of purchase.

In other news, I just purchased 20 games on Steam for the low low price of $100. PC games are getting reduced shelf space because more and more people are buying games online. Some of it is downloadable, like Steam, and other stuff is like amazon.com. You can buy Xbox games online too, but most xbox users I know are not the kind of people to order things online.

I forgot to address the topic. The GFW platform looks like a pretty solid idea. Some of the games can be played straight from the DVD, with no install.
http://www.gamesforwindows.com...s/gamesforwindows.aspx

The Games for Windows brand on games means four key things:

1) Quality. Games for Windows branded titles undergo extensive testing, and not just by the publisher. Microsoft also invests in quality checking each title to ensure they meet performance and reliability standards.

2) Compatibility. Games for Windows branded titles work on Windows XP and Windows Vista based PCs, including both 32 and 64 bit editions. Games for Windows titles that support controllers are also compatible with the Microsoft XBOX 360 controller for Windows, including the XBOX 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. They even support widescreen resolutions and more.

3) Safety features. You can be confident that any title carrying the Games for Windows brand will support the new parental controls and family settings features in Windows Vista.

4) Easy to Play. Games for Windows branded titles are easy to install, find and remove, especially in Windows Vista. Every Games for Windows title appears in the new Windows Vista Games Explorer (no more hunting around the start menu for that game you just installed). And Games for Windows branded titles all offer some form of ?easy install?, putting you in the game more quickly.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Chris
Steam is basically a better implementation of what their trying to do with GFW. Not charging a fee for online play makes it infinitely better than GWF.

 

[40sTheme]

Originally posted by: Chosonman

Originally posted by: TestedAcorn
Steam is better. Nothing 'saves' PC gaming because PC gaming is not dying. There are threads about this every week or so.

Where did I ever say it was dying? But only a blind man can't see that PC gaming now is nothing near where it was 10 years or more ago. Our shelf space at EB games has been reduced to a rack in the back behind the boxes of incoming inventory.

It's probably a lot easier for a non techie to buy a Xbox pop in a disc and play and know their game will work than finding out your PC game doesn't have the right drivers to run your gamepad and you need the latest patch.

It's called digital distribution.
Also, when the hell did you have to be a 'techie' to figure out a game needs a patch? I wouldn't call that 'non-techie', I'd call it 'fucking retarded'.

 

[slugg]

A bit off topic... but! (sorry for potential thread-jack)

Question... do ALL "games for windows" games save all their stuff into "My Documents\My Games"? If so, is there some type of workaround? I really don't like this...

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: slugg
do ALL "games for windows" games save all their stuff into "My Documents\My Games"? If so, is there some type of workaround? I really don't like this...

You would if you executed your games from within a limited (restricted) user account.

 

[BladeVenom]

PC gaming doesn't need saving. Ask Valve, Blizzard, or Stardock and they'll tell you things are going great.

And I think GFW is a bunch of worthless shit.

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
PC gaming doesn't need saving. Ask Valve, Blizzard, or Stardock and they'll tell you things are going great.

And I think GFW is a bunch of worthless shit.

Ok you're probably right, since you consider getting less than half the new game releases console games get enough to keep you happy while you sit back and watch your friends play The Force Unleashed on their dumb console.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Want to debate PC versus Consoles instead of discussing Games for Windows?

Feel free to join in on the discussion in The State of PC Gaming Thread (the official PC versus Console thread).

 

[Chosonman]

Well this wasn't really supposed to be about PC vs. Consoles. I thought it's about time for PC games to come up with standards so we don't have driver issues, screen resolution incompatibilities and joysticks not working. I'd be bold enough to guess 1 out of PC games don't work right straight out of the box.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
Well this wasn't really supposed to be about PC vs. Consoles.

I know, that is why I was trying to nudge it back on track with your original subject.

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: Chosonman

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
PC gaming doesn't need saving. Ask Valve, Blizzard, or Stardock and they'll tell you things are going great.

And I think GFW is a bunch of worthless shit.

Ok you're probably right, since you consider getting less than half the new game releases console games get enough to keep you happy while you sit back and watch your friends play The Force Unleashed on their dumb console.

The PC gets as many new games as any individual console. The PC also gets more of the games I want.

Just today, according to Ebgames, 3 PC games came out. Did any console get 3 new games today?

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Chosonman
Well this wasn't really supposed to be about PC vs. Consoles.

I known, that is why I was trying to nudge it back on track with your original subject.

Thanks

 

[Chosonman]

Getting back on topic...

I thought it's about time for PC games to come up with standards so we don't have driver issues, screen resolution incompatibilities and joysticks not working. I'd be bold enough to guess 1 out of PC games don't work right straight out of the box.

So will GFW help fix the inconsistencies in PC gaming? Maybe only time will tell but by the looks of the new games coming out I'm pretty optimistic. In fact, I'm looking more and more at the top of the box to see if the game is GFW certified. Then I usually check the back to see if they support Xinput. Too bad more GFW aren't supported by Steam.

 

[Chosonman]

After setting up my media PC I can also see the advantages of requiring GFW publishers to auto create a quick launch shortcut in the games folder on Vista. If one were to set up a media interface on a PC similiar to what they have on consoles this great leap forward in making this happen. Right now I'm using Media Portal and I have to manually add quick launch programs to the My Programs plugin. It takes some time to set up but I'm loving the interface.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: protoz
PC gamers will not pay to play online.

By this logic, MMOs should not exist, yet they do. Fail.

Everything else I wanted to say has been said.