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Steam Versions Batman:AA/AC & Bioshock 2 Adding Achievements, Removing GFWL/Securom?
- Thread starter Grief.exe
- Start date
Oh shit, I swear I read that as "Arkham City". Guess I need new glasses.
phantomspiker
Member
Still shows that they're at least doing something with it.
They've been updating like mad the past few business days.
This morning saw 5 or 6 updates to the multiplayer beta build within an hour. I wonder if they are getting ready for launch on the 22nd.
Losing your ability to gain gamerscore is a small price to pay in order to remove a service that restricts purchase in certain territories, refuses to work on a consistent basis, corrupts save games, doesn't allow people to activate their purchased games, doesn't install correctly, hasn't been updated during the Obama administration, and is slow and clunky.
Your gamerscore will survive.
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
Steam isn't the one removing GFWL, it's the respective games' respective publishers.
GFWL is winding down. Microsoft is closing their storefront later this week and, by the sound of it, will be pulling all GFWL game it has published across all storefronts.
GFWL will inevitably be shuttered completely, so prepare yourself for a future where you won't be able to score achievements and gamescore from the few worthwhile games that are GFWL.
Well said. The decision did not come from Gabe, but from Microsoft themselves and the respective publishers.
Why do I feel like it's more likely Dark Souls online will just stop working one day instead of them switching from GFWL...
You are probably right. We might have an offline only version of Dark Souls, which would be sad.
Someone light the Durante-signal.
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
Yeah, even though all peer-to-peer matchmaking is fated to die eventually anyway, it's unfortunate that Dark Souls is going to get its online component cut so quickly.
At least with Dark Souls 2, if they are returning to the server model of Demon Souls, we could potentially get pirate servers ala World of Warcraft or Phantasy Star Online some day.
At least with Dark Souls 2, if they are returning to the server model of Demon Souls, we could potentially get pirate servers ala World of Warcraft or Phantasy Star Online some day.
I fully realize the GFWL will be going away at some point, but Microsoft hasn't announced that yet to the best of my knowledge. Until that happens I would still like the ability to connect to the service for any of the games I've purchased that use that service. I think this is the list of GFWL games I have on Steam:
Dark Souls
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Iron Brigade
Microsoft Flight
Stormrise
Toy Soldiers
Warhammer 40K Dawn of War.
I'm pretty sure I can launch Flight outside of Steam but I don't think I can for any of the others.
I wonder if I choose the option to not to allow Steam to update any of these games would that allow me to continue to play them with GFWL even if the publishers decides to patch it out in the future?
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
The only one from that list that you need to be worried about is Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, the developer has expressed great joy in finally being able to get rid of GFWL and is probably feverishly working towards removing it. I'd actually start playing it now if you want the achievements and gamerscore.
The other games either won't see updates for a little while or ever, so you can approach those at your leisure or until GFWL shuts down completely.
matrix-cat
Member
I'm sure the GFWL servers that'll register Achievements will be turned off, too. It seems like Microsoft's just scuttling the whole service.
The Red Wizard
Member
You can disable auto updating for individual games.
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
They're definitely doing it in stages, though. The store is closing first, as to not acquire any new customers.
The next step is to wind down the service for existing customers.
That just prevents them from updating when there is an update. If you launch the game in online mode, it will ask you to update the game before playing.
It's meant for people with low bandwidth caps.
I know but unless they fixed it it will still auto update, like i said in my post there were lots of complaints about games just randomly auto updating despite the setting being changed to disable it.
Edit: Or as posted above me it apparently isn't even an option to disable but rather to prevent large amounts of bandwith used.
While I don't have any issue with GFWL so far, I still hope they willl remove it soon. To have another layer of DRM on top of Steam itself is crazy.
Although I do hope for any form of DRM to have a proper offline mode when playing a game. Due to my country internet connection in general, there are times where I failed to connect to GFWL and Arkham City need to launch with an offline account unless it is connected online first to resume your game (but will still run if the connection drop).
Although I do hope for any form of DRM to have a proper offline mode when playing a game. Due to my country internet connection in general, there are times where I failed to connect to GFWL and Arkham City need to launch with an offline account unless it is connected online first to resume your game (but will still run if the connection drop).
Microsoft isn't scuttling the whole service yet. Games will still still be available for download, play, and achievements earned after the 22nd.
This is just something that 2K and Warner are throwing together. If you own the games on a different service, then you will still be able to earn gamerscore.
Just posted in the Steam thread
http://support.xbox.com/en-US/games/pc-games/age-of-empires-online-info
http://support.xbox.com/en-US/games/pc-games/age-of-empires-online-info
Lasthope106
Member
So are they turning off the authentication servers as well? I've already lost hope that Dark Souls multiplayer will be salvaged but I'm even concerned about the single player mode.
To anyone that trots out the old "I always have an internet connection!" claim, this is why layered DRM is such a bad idea. You have to be concerned about the other guy, not your own connection.
To anyone that trots out the old "I always have an internet connection!" claim, this is why layered DRM is such a bad idea. You have to be concerned about the other guy, not your own connection.
That argument is so fallacious and full of ignorance.
That's why any DRM is such a terrible idea.
GFWL has an offline mode. For GFWL games that had a release date check those checks use Securom which is still in business.
Don't forget about MS' own (completely worthless) attempt at 0-day piracy prevention with SSA. I imagine now that every game using it will be worthless once 7/1/14 rolls around due to the servers being shut off, thus no authentication can be made on the initial install.
TouchMyBox
Member
Why do I feel like it's more likely Dark Souls online will just stop working one day instead of them switching from GFWL...
I'm wondering if it's impossible for them to shut down GFWL without upsetting the 360 live service since the two are so intertwined.
For example, they couldn't block XBL Silver members from playing cross-platform multiplayer GFWL games, which leads me to think that basic GFWL functionality will work until the 360 is dead and buried.
edit: oh wait, just saw the news. Nevermind then!
Looks like they pulled the part you quoted.
I bet someone at MS is in hot water right now for accidentally posting that little tidbit ahead of time.
IGN grabbed a screen of the page though.
I might be a little LTTP on this, but I am INSANELY happy to see that BioShock 2 will be getting controller support along with this patch. I still enjoyed playing through that game more than the first one (and in some ways, better than Infinite), so I can't wait to play through it again!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeesss ! =D
Many people are. I can't believe it wasn't supported at all in the original release.
I was just playing the Mass Effect series (still playing 3), but the lack of controller support in those games is hilarious. It's even worse when you realize via a Google search the functionality's still there, but broken.
I would use M/KB for both Mass Effect and Bioshock 2, but its ridiculous that these options are not available.
I know its a little more work, but it increases the value of your product significantly.
Old?
Gamespot UK: Batman: Arkham Origins ditches GFWL for Steam on PC
Also..
The text in the image has since been taken down..
Here is the page now: http://support.xbox.com/en-US/games/pc-games/age-of-empires-online-info
Gamespot UK: Batman: Arkham Origins ditches GFWL for Steam on PC
Also..
The text in the image has since been taken down..
Here is the page now: http://support.xbox.com/en-US/games/pc-games/age-of-empires-online-info
Yes, but new games like Arkham Origins and Ultra Street Fighter launching without GFWL was a cool but somehow unrelated news till now.
I used publishers dropping GFWL as evidence when I was originally speculating the removal of the DRM from these titles.
Nabs
Member
Take a look at Bioshock 2
I know this is WB we're talking about but they better not screw us normal AC owners.
I'll buy AC goty really, REALLY cheap if I have to even though the only DLC I don't have is the Harley one, but I want to play AC again now and without GFWL.
Right when I was getting ready!
Bioshock 2 just added a Beta build called approved, we are close people.
Looks like the controller beta got rolled into the approved build, so that must be ready to go live.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
It's weird to feel hyped for a game I've already owned for years but could never play.
I'll pretend the new BS2 build is coming out today or tomorrow so I can get through my work.
I'll pretend the new BS2 build is coming out today or tomorrow so I can get through my work.
School just started for me, but I will find time to play these games.
I have never played Bioshock 2 or Arkham City. So excited.