Games for Windows Live v3 Released

[sj33]

Microsoft have released version 3 of their Games for Windows Live software, and it looks like they've made some changes to compete better with Steam.

-Linking games to a Gamertag. This means a user can log in with their accoun and install/reinstall a game on any PC in the world over the internet, an unlimited amount of times.

-Access marketplace from ingame, rather than exiting to the separate application. Buy addons for a game, and add points, from within the guide button.

-Launch-day activation for supported new games. I assume this is the same as the Steam 'preload' thing.

These are all positive additions that I use Steam for. Good job.

[Kit]

From my experience using GFW I’d say they’re better off scrapping the whole thing and starting again. What they have at the moment just feels ill-thought out and bloated.

[sj33]

When did you use it last? In it's initial form, it was crap. It's still not great, but it's improving. It offers most of the features that the XBox Guide button adds.

The poor integration with the marketplace is a sore point though.

[EvilBoris]

I downloaded the new client where the hell is my friends list?

[Kit]

When did you use it last? In it's initial form, it was crap. It's still not great, but it's improving. It offers most of the features that the XBox Guide button adds.

The poor integration with the marketplace is a sore point though.

I downloaded it for GTA4 a few months ago. Running that game requires you to login to two separate accounts (one Rockstar, one GFWL) before playing, and when you get to a save point you’re greeted with another GFWL login screen saying ‘sign-in or lose your progress’ - so, signing-in twice to play and signing back in to save… who’s idea was that?

I did go back to it more recently, and after downloading the latest update not only did the new ‘fixes’ wipe my save, but they also caused stuttering issues and crashing - not to mention halving my framerate. When the next update showed up they still hadn’t addressed the problem the previous update caused so I just sold it.

[Hohum]

I bought GTA4 some months ago, but can't bring myself to actually installing it. It's not so much that I don't want to play the game, more that it has so much other software bundled during the install it's ridiculous! GFWL, social club, securom, flash, .net, etc etc. I'd imagine that even though I already have the latest version of .net/directx that it would still force the install of an older version, thus requiring me to update both runtimes afterwards*. A big fat can't be arsed from me, and may just end up selling the game on unused as a result.

*My biggest bugbear with game installs actually, forcing you to install outdated runtimes over your newer ones with no option to opt out. This results in some games throwing up dll errors and the like until you update back to the newest version which you were on beforehand... bloody annoying.