Let's Help Microsoft Improve GFWL, Since They're "Serious" This Time!

[Note to mods: I didn't want to de-rail the Fable 3 PC + GFWL revamp thread, so I made a new thread. If that was a bad idea, please move or merge this post.]

So there is a whole lot of hate for Games for Windows Live among the users here, and I myself certainly have some hatred towards it as well. Microsoft is apparently re-thinking Games for Windows Live with the upcoming release of Fable 3 for the PC. I highly doubt Microsoft is going to just scrap GFWL alotgether, so with this in mind, I made this thread to try and help out.

I know it's a long shot, but this site receives a ton of traffic every day. There is a rare chance someone at Microsoft could read this stuff. Let's make a list of things that are wrong with the Games for Windows Live service, and ways to improve them. As more ideas come in, I'll edit and update this post.

Dear Microsoft, here is a list of what is wrong with your Games for Windows Live service. If you're really serious about getting it off of the ground, the following needs to be changed or included:

1. It needs dedicated servers in multiplayer. A lack of dedicated servers and using the same structure as the Xbox 360 with lobbies and P2P hosting stinks of attempting to ruin what makes PC gaming so great; no waiting between matches/maps (aside from just loading), server-side mods (something like Source Mod comes to mind), ability to boot or outright ban cheaters/hackers/glitchers/exploiters immediately, new custom maps that are created by the community which are 100% free, and everyone having low pings without any host advantage. Why is such a crucial PC gaming thing missing? Battlefield: Bad Company 2 uses dedicated servers, but also uses a console-like "Play now!" that searches for a game for you automatically. I've only used it once, and it was decent. Maybe instead of lacking dedicated servers as part of their mission statement, they could force developers to follow DICE's way....

2. Removal of this redundant QA on game patches. Red Faction: Guerilla is the supreme example of why this = worst ##!#%@$ idea ever. It would run too fast on Windows 7, a current OS. Despite Reactor Zero (developers) having completed the patch to address this, Microsoft withheld the patch in order to test it. WHY IS THAT?! WHY!!! This is a critical issue! Why does this process even exist!!!?!?! Every PC gamer has different hardware (pretty much), so QA on a patch for a PC game is ridiculous. Most PC gamers know that when they have problems, they hit forums for answers... MS needs to ditch this stupid process.

3. Needs to remove this stupid restriction on third party mods. Alright, this has to be the BIGGEST problem with GFWL for me. Let's use the Grand Theft Auto series as an example. Long ago, the very first GTA had an extensive library of mods, ranging from whole new missions, to new cars, and even re-skinned cars. It was great, and brought new life into it. The same thing happened with GTA 3, Vice City, and especially San Andreas. It even went as far as turning a single player game into a multiplayer experience! Now with Grand Theft Auto IV on the PC using GFWL, many of these mods are restricted and disallowed... For what purpose? Multiplayer game balance? This game balance issue could be corrected if GFWL allowed dedicated servers because then the server(s) could force consistency. This is just ludicrous and it needs to end. Many people just use fake xlive.dll files to disable the GFWL service in order to modify their game(s). This should not be necessary, and was not necessary for Fallout 3 PC (at least not for minor mods). Please get with the times and allow extreme modification.

4. Needs more cross-platform play. On GFWL's introduction, some games that were on Xbox 360 and PC allowed Live users to play multiplayer matches with each other regardless of Xbox 360 or PC. You don't see that happening anymore. These console vs PC flame wars are best left for killing one another! Look at Valve and what they did when Team Fortress 2 became available for OSX because they said it best: "The debate is over. The war begins." <--- needs more of that!

5. The profile system is flawed on PC. On an Xbox 360, the only BS you have to sift through is the profile recovery feature if you use your gamertag on another person's Xbox 360. This isn't necessary when going Xbox 360 <-> PC using the same profile (thank God). However, the profile system on PC is still poorly executed, and I've separated it into three categories (comments welcomed):

(A) Make the local profile (offline) option not buried in menus and more obvious. As suggested below, the option to create a profile to save games that is not going to be used for online play, unlock achievements , etc. needs to be more accessible and obvious.
(B) Allow saving regardless of online profile or offline profile, as long as it's the same profile. Sometimes people just want to not be bothered while playing a game. Why do they have to create separate offline profile(s) to do this? On the Xbox 360, this is not necessary. You can use the same gamertag/profile regardless if you're connected to Xbox Live or not. Why must PC users go through more hoops? If anything, PC gamers should need to do less. We pay for higher quality, so we should get it.
(C) Add an option to disable pop-up notifications entirely for achievements, not just disabling the sound. This seems to anger Histidine greatly, and he more than likely is not alone on this. Please add an option to turn off these notifications entirely. If user(s) with this function disabled are curious of their accomplishments, they can go check them manually.

6. Actually try to promote PC gaming/gaming on Windows. How's about the next time I turn on my Xbox 360, I see something in the "Spotlight" tab that highlights PC gaming? It would be great to watch a 10 minute (or more) long video on some of the features and benefits to demonstrate how easy it is to get started gaming on PC. Here's some things I'd like to see in such a promotion (note that this is for a console gamer with no know how on PC gaming):

(A) Ability to use an Xbox 360 controller (wired+wireless) on Games for Windows/Games for Windows Live titles: We may laugh at the idea of using a controller for a first person shooter, but for a person who has never experienced keyboard+mouse bliss, the ability to not have to adjust would be a great way to get started. Let's face it: some games are better with a controller (racing games come to mind). We also need to dispel this myth that PC games can't be enjoyed on couches in front of large televisions.

(B) Show off DirectX 11: Many console gamers are attracted to pretty graphics. This video should highlight that the Xbox 360 uses DirectX 9.0c, and that DX9 is ancient. While DirectX 10 was a royal failure for the end-user (and only slightly improving with DirectX 10.1), DirectX 11 is proving to be no joke. The major differences of DirectX 9 and DirectX 11 should be highlighted with Fable 3 being DX11 enabled. Then they should have a side-by-side comparison video of an Xbox 360 playing Fable 3 at 1280x720p, then a mid-range PC (nothing breaking the bank) running the same scenario with DX11 at 1280x720p. They should point out a higher frame rate, faster load times, prettier graphics, and they should demonstrate both players (360+PC) enjoying the game on a couch.


More ideas welcomed. Maybe we can turn this massive failure of a service into something acceptable.

Edit: Added more ideas. Keep 'em coming, people. Also accepting suggestions for that promotional video idea.

 

Amen. I especially agree with number 3. I don't know if it'll happen though. They figure modding will lead to lack of sales because it adds to much replay value. This is simply not true..modding adds value to old game and new one the same...the only thing it does is break the DLC strategy...which sucks anyway...

 

How about this one:

Make ALL aspects and features of GFWL optional. So if I don't want to spend half an hour to register my game three times before playing, I don't have to. And if I don't want stupid "BOINK!" popups in the middle of my game to tell me how cool and popular I am for shooting a gun for the first time, or beating the mini-boss right before the climactic, plot-twisting cinematic cutscene, thus totally ruining the mood, blinding me with bright white against a dark and gritty background, then I can turn off GFWL and never be bothered by stupid achievements.

Let me mark a checkmark as I'm installing a game to not install the GFWL components of a game. Then I promise I'll stop being pissed at you.

 

I feel insulted... how come nobody has mentioned one of its greatest defects: has to be online to save in games!! O_O!!

 

There is a local profile option. It's not easy to find, but it's there. Admittedly you can't earn achievables or save to the cloud with a local profile but...yeah, duh.

 

now that's just not true.

 

Yeah, I've played Dawn of War II offline and saved; it logged into my local profile without any hassle, really.

 

Added 2 more ideas, with #6 being a real gripe of mine.

 

Take a look at 'Steam' and make something far better, it is that simple.

 

I have a really good idea...

 

I absolutely agree with you! There is absolutely no point, NO POINT, for the existence of GFWL and the GFW initiative on the PC gaming platform.

Also, "PC Gaming Alliance", anyone? Anyone?

PC Gaming Alliance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

i don't really get why people hate GFWL so much, i mean it's not great by any stretch, but it doesn't really get in your way once you get a hang of it. the only problem i have is the auto-patching take darn forever.

 

Well, I explained in great detail why I hate it so much in this rant I wrote a while back.

Also, some people have a tendency to hate stupidity. Any time we see blatant evidence of some stupid person's total lack of design skill or forethought, we get annoyed. GFWL is a giant sparkly sticker that says "I was designed by a room full of morons" (at Microsquishy, they probably refer to this room as a "committee"). Hence, pretty annoying.

 

How about sharing some of the Achievement love? Or fixing the system? I mean, sure, it's nice being able to play Gears twice and get more achievement points, but most games I've played on GFWL don't even have any achievements, which kinda... well, takes a little of the fun out of 'em.

 

i saved my batman arkham asylum savegame in a USB stick to find out when i reinstalled windows it doesn't work, meaning i had to start all over again. found out later this was because of GFWL....

 

Dont you have to pay for the gold service of this on pc? Thats just stupid, seriously isnt it just for achievements or some junk? oh and for games to be multiplat so you can verse people on other consoles wouldnt be fair. Maybe if the option was out there to allow you to but from personal experience with UT3 on ps3, keyboard mouse players whip around too quick to even be competitive..... its a pitty really.

and FF11 is multiplat..... and so is ff14 ..... Just sayin

 

nice, thoughsome people like GFWL

 

I recently bought Dirt 2 $9.90 from Gogamer.com when it was on sale even though I have it for the 360. It was my first and last GFWL. When I was asked to register the stupid thing on a server just to play it ruined it for me.

I quickly deleted it, gave it to a friend and went back to the 360 version.

 

I hate you so much

 

You can make your own achievements. Just grab a sheet of paper and write
"Kill (100,200,300) enemies" or "Play for (4,10,20) hours". Now play the game and start ticking off the ones you complete.

 

Microsoft should just give up on trying to control PC gaming and just leave it to VALVe and Steam. I don't want a company that focuses on console gaming in their gaming department try to regulate a PC gaming world. I would much rather not have to use GFWL and just use Steam instead.

 

Ok if that's it my apologies but I never found it when playing Gears of War.

 

LOL... that's a good one.

 

Don't even need paper, can make them here:

www.technology-ninja.com Achievement Generator

Here's mine:

Second this, Microsoft is useless in gaming, console or PC:

Microsoft fixes RRoD, by removing the red lights...
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/microsoft-fixes-xbox-rrod-by-removing-the-red-light-697196

Moving the new 360 damages disks:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101438-Moving-the-New-360-Can-Damage-Disks

Failure rate at Jasper still above 20%:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6216691.html

Microsoft cans Alan Wake PC cause 360 needs more exclusives:
http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/6978/microsoft-alan-wake-will-no-longer-be-coming-to-the-pc

Microsoft has already shown us all how well it can handle gaming, come on it took them 30 years to make a decent OS.

 

No they changed that. I have a silver account and I can go play dirt 2 online on GFWL but if I tried to play on my xbox I would have to purchase a gold membership.

 

Don't you have to create a local profile from the beginning before you first save, though? And then aren't you permanently blocked out from playing multiplayer?

And don't forget the worst part, your profiles and saves are encrypted with a hardware key pertaining to the computer they were played on. Want to take a save from your desktop and put it into your laptop for the road? You can't do it

 

Hey, what can I say - I like how achievements give you a little something extra to strive for. And they don't haaaave to wreck immersion - maybe an option to enable/disable the notifications, depending on the game?

 

Simple. Read the mission statement for GFW and tell me if GFW actually demonstrates any of its objectives in a clear and consistent manner.

About Games for Windows

In fact, give me one example where one game demonstrates all those points (not including the Parental Controls, although I have no idea if they work or not) and I'll gift you a game from Steam (a REAL digital service for PC gaming).

GFW is a complete failure. MS's own admission of its inadequacies is enough to tell you that. It's nothing more than DRM and the provider of multiple obstacles between you and the enjoyment of playing your game(s).

 

We just need to go back to 1998.

 

I'm already there!

... in my current play-through of the Baldur's Gate series, that is .