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[SliChillax]

Hitting the preview build of Windows 10 in the next few days/months by the time it is optimised. Then it will be live with the creator update whenever that hits.


As for the performance gains, if you on a decent gaming rig (high end i5/i7 CPU with a 900 series or above Nvidia GPU and an SSD) I bet there is going to be very minor changes apart from maybe UWP apps might gain like 5% is specifically coded for Win 10 and its features.

For lower end machines you may see a larger increase in performance as it will kill random HDD background tasks and free up some CPU bottleneck.

It's a good option to add but for people with gaming rigs this is by no means going to be a game changer. Overtime it will hopefully get better as more people code applications with it in mind.

I don't care much about performance increase because as you said I already have a high end pc with SSDs only. I think game mode will help with the reduction of stuttering or hitching in many games, maybe even crashes. That's what I look forward to.

 

[michaelius]

Since you brought this up though I can't help but note that Win32 games have access to something called exclusive fullscreen mode which inherently prevents unwanted desktop notifications from bothering you, and the compositor from interfering

This whole game mode sounds like a joke we have in Poland about Socialism

It goes like this "Socialism is a social system that bravely defeats problems unknown in other systems"

in this case it looks like it will be all about solving problems unknown outside of uwp/windows 10 ecosystem.

 

[Nzyme32]

I've played on pcs with windows 95, 98SE, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and haven't noticed problems with consistency of performance on any of them.

Does this mean I'll finally be able to play Forza Horizon 3 without the garbage stuttering? Because if so I'll re-download it.

As far as Windows goes (beyond 95 / 98 which had very significant issues here and there) I haven't really found much in Windows itself to cause performance issues in terms of consistency beyond some of the poor implementation of Indexing with Windows Vista.

As far as Windows 10 goes, like many people, Game DVR has been a problem so it has to be disabled for me as it will cause either a cap or stuttering (not sure if this applies to Forza as well but I'm aware that is a game specific issue also without Game DVR). Valve now plops out a message and support page to tell you how to disable it because of all this:

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6239-DZCB-8600

What is super frustrating to me is that MS obfuscate this behind an Xbox account, so if you don't have one, you either have to create one or venture into the registry to disable the thing. If it is true that this Game Mode function is strictly stuck to the game bar alone, not only does it become redundant to me and the folks who get issues from it, but is also essentially demands an xbox account for what is a OS feature, which makes no sense to me.

 

[magicalsoundshower]

I use a media center-style PC with Windows 10 for retro and indie gaming, which works OK, but my biggest gripe is that games will still slow down and skip horribly if Windows decides to prepare updates in the background. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is terribly annoying. Do you guys think game mode will also help with this? It would be pretty great if it did.

 

[Durante]

What is super frustrating to me is that MS obfuscate this behind an Xbox account, so if you don't have one, you either have to create one or venture into the registry to disable the thing. If it is true that this Game Mode function is strictly stuck to the game bar alone, not only does it become redundant to me and the folks who get issues from it, but is also essentially demands an xbox account for what is a OS feature, which makes no sense to me.

This is true, and very silly.

GameDVR being opt-out rather than opt-in is patently ridiculous.

 

[Zedox]

This is true, and very silly.

GameDVR being opt-out rather than opt-in is patently ridiculous.

100% agree.

 

[NowhereFaded]

I have a dumb question. Is there an easy was to play windows games like gears and forz on a mac? That's all I have. Thanks

 

[univbee]

I have a dumb question. Is there an easy was to play windows games like gears and forz on a mac? That's all I have. Thanks

No, you have to have Windows 10 so you'd at the very least have to install that, and in all likelihood your Mac doesn't have the GPU power required for those games.

 

[dr_rus]

I use a media center-style PC with Windows 10 for retro and indie gaming, which works OK, but my biggest gripe is that games will still slow down and skip horribly if Windows decides to prepare updates in the background. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is terribly annoying. Do you guys think game mode will also help with this? It would be pretty great if it did.

Right, let's solve this issue which we've introduced when we added the automatic updates function by adding another function which will throttle all background tasks instead of fixing the issue with automatic updates which is the root cause of this all.

I really expect this Game Mode to be completely pointless but whatever, let's wait for benchmarks.

 

[Pakoe]

I wonder what the results will be. Hoping for the best.

 

[Dinjoralo]

So if I'm reading this correctly, you have to have access to the Game Bar to switch it on, but if you have had performance issues due to Game DVR and have disabled it, you won't be able to access this anyway... or does the game bar still work even with that disabled?

Looking at the pictures, it seems like now you'll be able to disable DVR while still having the overlay, and game mode.

 

[Theorry]

Introducing Windows Game Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-ka42BMls

 

[Caayn]

Introducing Windows Game Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-ka42BMls

They choose the perfect game to use in that video I wonder how FH3 runs with game mode enabled.

 

[Nzyme32]

Introducing Windows Game Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-ka42BMls

Well that clears up some of my gripes straight off (assuming the new settings area doesn't require an account)

 

[Tealmann]

So if I'm reading this correctly, you have to have access to the Game Bar to switch it on, but if you have had performance issues due to Game DVR and have disabled it, you won't be able to access this anyway... or does the game bar still work even with that disabled?

Game Bar and DVR are two separate things. You can disable DVR without disabling Game Bar.

 

[DesertFox]

The goal behind Game Mode is consistency, rather than flat performance boosts (although it will bring some of that too). Game Mode will prevent system tasks from stealing resources from your games, making frame rates and performance generally more consistent.

Forget about this for games... can I just get a version of Windows 10 where this is always a setting?

Xbox to Windows 10 game streaming is hardly playable for me nowadays - I suspect it's because of all the background stuff the OS is doing.

 

[kubev]

I wonder if there's any hope of Microsoft ever making a controller-friendly UI intended for gaming PCs. That, combined with Game Mode, could make the living room experience on PC so much better.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Forget about this for games... can I just get a version of Windows 10 where this is always a setting?

Xbox to Windows 10 game streaming is hardly playable for me nowadays - I suspect it's because of all the background stuff the OS is doing.

Considering you can bring up the GameBar on any application (it will ask you whether the app is a game or not), I don't see why you couldn't at least try to enable it on applications you want.

 

[Tealmann]

Forget about this for games... can I just get a version of Windows 10 where this is always a setting?

Xbox to Windows 10 game streaming is hardly playable for me nowadays - I suspect it's because of all the background stuff the OS is doing.

You can enable Game Bar and DVR on any program, so I don't see why Game Mode wouldn't work.

I wonder if there's any hope of Microsoft ever making a controller-friendly UI intended for gaming PCs. That, combined with Game Mode, could make the living room experience on PC so much better.

I'd rather see Steam add support for UWP games as non-Steam games. I doubt an Xbox UI would have as many features as Big Picture does.

 

[DesertFox]

Considering you can bring up the GameBar on any application (it will ask you whether the app is a game or not), I don't see why you couldn't at least try to enable it on applications you want.

In that case it's worth a shot in the streaming app when this finally launches to the public.

 

[Nzyme32]

Game Bar and DVR are two separate things. You can disable DVR without disabling Game Bar.

They are not, at least from everything I can currently see. There is the one option in the Xbox app to disable game dvr, and that is the only way to disable both that and the bar (neither separately - as demonstrated above in the steam support segment). The new video shows a settings menu that isn't available currently and does resolve that issue

 

[Tealmann]

They are not, at least from everything I can currently see. There is the one option in the Xbox app to disable game dvr, and that is the only way to disable both that and the bar (neither separately - as demonstrated above in the steam support segment). The new video shows a settings menu that isn't available currently and does resolve that issue

I got my terminology wrong, right now the "Game Bar" is called DVR in the Xbox app, but the actual "DVR" part of that (Background recording) can be turned off

 

[Nzyme32]

I got my terminology wrong, right now the "Game Bar" is called DVR in the Xbox app, but the actual "DVR" part of that (Background recording) can be turned off

Right - and this is the default set up, but it is still an issue, hence why games warn you about it and recommend switching it off entirely. I'll test the new options for it when they hit the main Windows build.

 

[MaLDo]

Introducing Windows Game Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc-ka42BMls

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

 

[Tealmann]

Right - and this is the default set up, but it is still an issue, hence why games warn you about it and recommend switching it off entirely. I'll test the new options for it when they hit the main Windows build.

I didn't know the bar itself had any affect on games, I don't play DOTA and it's never affected any of the games I play.
I actually leave DVR background recording on too, because Geforce doesn't support Vulkan or OpenGL.

 

[Theorry]

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

Looks fine here.

 

[dmix90]

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

For me it's actually the first 60fps FH3 video where i do not see stuttering. I think framerate dips in the middle tho.

 

[Dictator93]

This is true, and very silly.

GameDVR being opt-out rather than opt-in is patently ridiculous.

100% agree.

Yeah it is really annoying especially when setting up a PC for someone else.

"do you have an xbox live account?"

"no, why?"

"sigh... give me a second."
----
Since this is apparently tied to the xbox app, does that mean you need an xbox live account to access it?
That is rather silly. There should be a liveless / non-logged version of the functionality if so.
In spite of that, I will still give it a try and test to see if it gives my PC any help in CPU-limited scenarios. I highly doubt it will though.

 

[MrCunningham]

Is it wrong of me to still be using Windows 7? I just can't switch to 10 for my own personal PC. There are still too many things I hate about the OS.

Game Mode sounds like it is there to benefit their cross-platform Xbox One / UMP titles that are available through the Windows 10 store. This is put in to help solve some of the terrible performance issues that they have been having with their UMP platform in general by sand boxing the game in its own area.

This is a good thing for them and people who want to play Xbox One games on their PC. But I cannot image that this will be useful for other platforms like Steam, Origin, Uplay and whatever else. But I would imagine that this is a service that they offer to other third parties that want to sell software through the Windows 10 store and on the UMP platform.

EDIT: Oh, I missed the part where they said that this will add some benefits to Win32/ Win 64 games, but it is mainly there to aid UMP. Yeah, for non UMP games, this will be the equivalent of the user closing a few processes in the Task Manager to gain some performance. But this will auto restart those processes once you have game mode turned off. This is not a bad thing for Win 10 users overall.

But it is still being put in place to aide their efforts in pushing everything to UMP.

 

[MaLDo]

Looks fine here.

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

 

[Popsickles]

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

I guess you need the game mode set to on for your browser as there is no stuttering in the video and I just watched it on the app in my panny tv

 

[dmix90]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

I honestly do not see stutters there( Chrome )
I sure as hell see them when i actually play the game even with 30fps framerate lock. It's absolute shitshow with unlocked framerate obviously.

 

[Theorry]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

Again dont see it. Looks like i am not the only one. Using Chrome here.

 

[shanew21]

Will game mode unlock the secret 60fps version of FH3?

I have that version. Unfortunately it requires a GTX 1080 though...

I'm interested in Game Mode. Contrary to most I have no qualms with UWP or Win10.

 

[LostDonkey]

Again dont see it. Looks like i am not the only one. Using Chrome here.

Not seeing any stuttering on my end either. Using chrome also.

 

[shanew21]

Forget about this for games... can I just get a version of Windows 10 where this is always a setting?

Xbox to Windows 10 game streaming is hardly playable for me nowadays - I suspect it's because of all the background stuff the OS is doing.

Try hard wiring. I was amazed at the lack of latency (however, I only use it on casual games as my Xbox and PC are hooked up to the same monitor)

 

[FarmerGiles]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

I don't see it, also using Chrome

 

[DesertFox]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

You're not crazy, I am seeing the stutter in those exact spots on my iPhone.

 

[Lom1lo]

I see the stutter too.Youtube App on Android
Edit: viewed it two more times, stutter is gone now. Funny that the stutter was in the same spots.

 

[Sinatar]

I don't believe that the issues this is designed to prevent actually occur on decently configured PCs.

Just as a note. I've worked in the consumer IT business fixing regular folks PC's. I'd say maybe 1 in 1000 PC's that came through my bench were configured in a way that didn't make me want to throw up.

 

[SliChillax]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

Don't see nothing here

 

[gamz]

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

I'm not seeing any. Probably your internet or browser is wacky. I'm on Chrome and also tried it on Edge.

 

[Zedox]

I don't see any stuttering...repeated it like 10 times to make sure.

 

[Kaleinc]

Let's take our square wheels and make them hexagonal, so much better now.

 

[MaLDo]

I guess you need the game mode set to on for your browser as there is no stuttering in the video and I just watched it on the app in my panny tv

Then look again.

People that don't see the stutter. I don't know what to say. I avoid FH3 because the demo had stutter in my pc and that demo had LESS stutters than this video. Sigh.

 

[Gestault]

What is super frustrating to me is that MS obfuscate this behind an Xbox account, so if you don't have one, you either have to create one or venture into the registry to disable the thing. If it is true that this Game Mode function is strictly stuck to the game bar alone, not only does it become redundant to me and the folks who get issues from it, but is also essentially demands an xbox account for what is a OS feature, which makes no sense to me.

Is there a difference between the Microsoft Account that links your purchases/recovery and an Xbox account? If you strongly prefer not having an account of any kind I understand, but you sounded particular about the account type, and I'm under the impression they're the same.

For context, I was annoyed by the account requirement from Nvidia for the current Geforce Experience.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

When does this drop? I'm on mobile. Some saying they're showing it off with Forza. Would love to actually enjoy playing it at 60fps...

Gears already performed great.

 

[GTSweet]

00:15 stutter
00:31 stutter
01:33 stutter

They are showing something to improve performance and use their broken game with the same problems. Go home Microsoft.

00:15 isn't a stutter, the car hits a small dip.
00:31 Car braking... no stutter.
01:33 Car braking... again not a stutter.

Maybe the camera of Foriza Horizon 3 is throwing you off as it reacts to braking and altering terrain... because those aren't stutters in frame rate.

 

[DesertFox]

Try hard wiring. I was amazed at the lack of latency (however, I only use it on casual games as my Xbox and PC are hooked up to the same monitor)

I've actually had it hard wired since day one. That's the disappointing part - it used to work beautifully, almost a 1-to-1 experience to sitting on the couch.

It's possible my switch is bad, or the computer got a bad update or something. I'll try using a different windows 10 machine to see if that's better - try narrowing down the problem.

 

[Gestault]

The most amazing thing is there is stuttering in the video.

Really, are they clowns?

There was no stuttering in what I saw.