Blogs My week with Windows Live and Fallout 3 DLC

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2009/04/12/fallout-3-dlc-the-pitt/

 

Damn, that sucks. I know I'm still grieving from my trouble with GTA4. I think that took me at least 2 hours to get working. GFWL=Epic Fail

 

This is the problem as I see it, Steam came out and was atrocious, so Valve went to work like crazy and 4 years later it's a pretty good stable system, although the client still needs work and should be separated from using the IE engine for everything.

So it took Valve 4 years, GFWL is a MS product, it's going to take them 4 years to admit there may be a slight issue with the software.

 

My experience with Windows Live and GTA IV, is simple. Because I set my account to be offline, I can't backup or save my game because it's locked down to my system. If I re-install my OS... I have to restart the game. Brilliant.

What's the point?!?! What were they thinking!!!

 

They were thinking what Microsoft are always thinking. 'Must Control'. Once in control they can dictate the content, the price, the availability and most importantly for them, when you must upgrade, at a suitable cost of course. Sure they coat this mission statement in sweet phrases like anti-piracy, DRM, user friendliness, but in the end it's all down to maximising revenue through enforced purchase schemes.

</tinfoil hat>

 

GFWL simply sucks, it doesn't do anything apart from "press Home to access" and some annoying "achievement unlocked" when im just messing about.

how do i backup my saved games anyway? got it linked up to GTA4 but can't seem to find the option to do it.

 

As I said, you can't it's locked down to your system. If you re-install the game or your OS, the game can't be loaded. Windows Live will say "unable to load".
Apparently, there is this super complex hack, in editing the file with an hex editor at several areas... but I never was able to make it work.

However, there is a way. If you ORIGINALLY made an online account, then once you log it the save game is downloaded and you can continue. But because Microsoft great lack of documentation or even a freaking message, you create an offline account.. you screwed yourself.

 

Okay no Fallout for me then. The DRM in Far Cry 2 is almost too much. GFWL should make things easier, not more difficult. Steam is actually useful and provides a service that is free and generally stable (2 crashes I was affected by and 1 that actually caused problems, and that's in the years I have been using it.)

From all the negative reports surrounding GFWL and no advantages to using it, I will be staying away from any game with it until it has been removed or greatly improved.

 

I steer clear for sure One thing that bothers me is that Achievements does not compare with Xbox Live, GTA4 PC seems to be a different game from the Xbox version so my mate can't compare his achievements with mine... Have been using steam since the first day it came out, and have never had any problems whatsoever, and the games was cheaper too. Perfect... bought 22 games there in total. Now they're around $10 more expensive so it's back to retail....

 

lol 90 games from steam here. Definitely the best online distribution platform.

 

You can still play Fallout 3 without G4WL, it's just the DLC you can't access and tbh, you won't be losing much.

 

Good to know, Fallout 3 does look good.

 

hmm, not got fallout 3 yet (no time to play it!) but didn't know whether to get it on pc or 360. might just go for the 360 version and avoid the games for windows nonsense

 

Get the PC version - it's an FPS!! Just dont install G4WL.

 

Fallout 3 is the first game I've purchased that includes GfWL and I'm not pleased with the arrangement at all.

I was irritated from the start with Bethesda because the game didn't want to auto-install on my isolated gaming rig. The PC has no ethernet or network connections enabled and I think that freaked the app out. I was able to load the game using the setup file found on the disc but I wasn't at all pleased with the fact that this was the method I was forced to use if I wanted to play using this particular hardware configuration.

Now that I've been playing the game (off and on since January) I've been quite pleased with the experience and the irritation I initially felt with Bethesda has almost been forgotten. That is until recently. Now I'm eager for new content and the only way to get and play the official DLC is to connect to and use GfWL. That for me is not an option I'd be willing to consider at this point.

Maybe one day there will be a Fallout 3 GoTY edition that I'll be able to purchase that will include all the DLC I'm missing out on.

Lastly .... have any of you thought to call or write Bethesda and voice your feelings and opinions of their use of GfWL? You might consider it if you haven't already.