In an interview with Shacknews, Stardock's Brad Wardell gave some great insight into why the company has been fighting so heavily for PC gamers' rights, which you should read about. But for the sake of this story, however, we are going to look at the man's thoughts on Games for Windows LIVE.
"I intended for Elemental to be on Games for Windows LIVE, but then as we got closer, the Xbox group took it over more and more," he says. "They have things where, oh, if you want to use Games for Windows LIVE to update your game, you have to go through [their] certification. And if you do it more than X number of times, you have to pay money."
"It's like, 'My friends, you can't do that on the PC.' On the console, I don't have to update my game because an anti-virus program got an update and is now identifying my VB scripts as viruses and I have to apply an emergency patch."
"If Games for Windows LIVE maintains that strategy and they take over, I'm done. I'm not making PC games," explains Wardell. "I would be done." Continuing, he says "I wish Microsoft would do a lot more in making the PC better as a gaming platform."
"For example, the Demigod fiasco with the multiplayer should never have happened. Developers on the PC should not have to license a third-party NAT facilitator. If I was making a game for the Xbox, I get that for free. And I would love if Microsoft would make these servers available -- and they do under Games for Windows LIVE -- without having all these strings attached."
Strong words, indeed. It seems like every time GFWL gets brought up on gaming sites, colorful words naturally follow. Something tells me that isn't about to change anytime soon.
[Image: Sklathill]
Contest:
1:00 AM on 10.02.2009
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And why it isn't an external app, I'll never fucking know.
everything else = bad
PC games worked just fine before GFWL. i actually kind of like the idea of the GFW branding, but i wish MS would just leave it at that.
I think the PC gaming industry needs to evaluate itself in comparison to the competition: Consoles.
I'll be the first to argue that PC gamers are 'wai moar l337' than console gamers (I've been doing both since the early '90s, blah/etc). That doesn't change the fact that from a business standpoint PC gaming is a market that is more or less (LESS!) an overlooked demographic.
To make a long story short:
I think the PC demographic is either too unregulated or restricted by individual user competency (this includes those with the newest and oldest of hardware).
Personally I am able to keep up with the latest in PC happenings and hardware. Not to say that mine is the latest-and-greatest. Some of us are no so fortunate.
This is the bane of PC gaming: Contemporaries and hardware lollygaggers.
And it's not like they were inexperienced in this field, the client systems to Allegiance, Freelancer, the original MSN gaming client for Age of Empires 1 & 2. It's like somehow they just allowed themselves to become grossly stupid.
The 360 pad support is shit too, If not done perfectly it will constantly change it's mind, switching the controller back and forth between default 360 layout.
However even though no one here apparently remembers LIVE for the console had the same growing pains. It just isn't as recent. Some examples might be limitation on file size for DLC, which prevent some games from ever coming out on it. Holiday growing pains, of not being able to get online at all.
Xbox 360 is the second iteration of the console LIVE! version. GFWL is still going through basic operating tweaks.
GfWL, however, is not. Bloody awful program.
I installed it so that I could get the Fallout 3 expansion packs. Now, it's too late. That's a real shame because I love Fallout. They made it too hard for me to give them my money, so I'm keeping it.
nuff said
you don't really get this do you.