• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Steam Versions Batman:AA/AC & Bioshock 2 Adding Achievements, Removing GFWL/Securom?

DaedalusEagle

Neo Member
I have been watching this thread like a hawk since it was first created; the Arkham games are some of my favorite and I have been very vocal on the official forums about the drm. However, I have a theory that we will not be seeing these patches for quite sometime. Here is why...

We all know at this point that gfwl is shutting down next July. However, Microsoft has yet to officially confirm this or make any announcements. In fact they have maintained that while the gfwl store has been deactivated all games will continue to function. Microsoft needs to make the first move in getting rid of gfwl.

Each of these companies 2K, Warner and so forth is bound by contract to keep gfwl in their games until the service is no longer viable. Frankly, Microsoft can ill afford more bad press at this point. They desperately tried to sell an always on drm solution for the Xbox One and very few people bought into the idea. Announcing the closure of gfwl before the Xbox One launches could potentially create more bad press and distrust in a time when Microsoft is desperately trying to recover ground.

The thing to remember about this is while hard core gamers are aware that gfwl is ending many people within the media and casual gamers have not paid much attention. Microsoft is more than likely trying to mitigate bad press and is holding off on announcing the closure of gfwl; if I had to guess I would say they are not going to announce this until after the holidays have concluded.

I would love to be wrong about this. However, the patches for Arkham have been in a holding pattern, waiting, for weeks at this point. I was really hoping to play the Arkham games again before Origins comes out. Any thoughts?
 

Sullichin

Member
My nephew can't save in Arkham City, and we can't download GFWL, keep getting the very unhelpful "an error has occured" during the installation process.

Anyone know a workaround?
Hopefully the game will update this weekend...
 
Each of these companies 2K, Warner and so forth is bound by contract to keep gfwl in their games until the service is no longer viable. Frankly, Microsoft can ill afford more bad press at this point. They desperately tried to sell an always on drm solution for the Xbox One and very few people bought into the idea. Announcing the closure of gfwl before the Xbox One launches could potentially create more bad press and distrust in a time when Microsoft is desperately trying to recover ground.

Never heard of them being under any contract for GFWL, what is your source for this? At this point it's pretty clear that the GFWL platform is dead, but I don't see how this could effect the Xbone in any way.
 
The contract thing doesn't make much sense when other games from those publishers have moved to Steamworks though. Unless it is existing titles only.
 

Big_Al

Unconfirmed Member
The only thing I heard about Warners and GFWL was that they had a contract with Microsoft to have GFWL in all of their Batman games but their was no proof for this. However Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Gotham City Impostors all had GFWL in them and GCI had its GFWL patched out when it went F2P, or essentially they changed over to a F2P version and changed it all to Steamworks at the same time. Origins is also going to be completely Steamworks with no GFWL so maybe now's the time when they can remove it.
 

DaedalusEagle

Neo Member
The contract thing doesn't make much sense when other games from those publishers have moved to Steamworks though. Unless it is existing titles only.

We are talking about existing titles. I don't mean to imply that publishers cannot choose a different drm for future titles; case in point Bioshock Infinite from 2K or Bethesda post Fallout 3. I am basing my assumption on the fact that no existing gfwl title to date has patched the drm out.

The same cannot be said of Sony's securom. There have been numerous instances of securom being patched out of a game post launch; Bioshock and the Witcher 2 being two prominent titles that come to mind.

I have looked for the better part of the last 30 minutes and cannot find a single instance of gfwl being removed from an existing title. Keep in mind I am not talking about sequels or new games. I could be completely off base in my assumptions. It appears though that Microsoft does not want to officially confirm gfwl's eventual closure and companies that are working on removing it are waiting for some unknown reason.
 

Sentenza

Member
This is taking forever, I don't understand how can take so much effort, GFWL is like a cancer in the games code or something.
You know, I don't think it's taking a lot of time because there's that much work to do; more likely it's just something one or two persons at most are working on, and just when they are not busy with more important stuff.

Well, that's my guess. I could be wrong, of course.
 

Grief.exe

Member
I am basing my assumption on the fact that no existing gfwl title to date has patched the drm out.


I have looked for the better part of the last 30 minutes and cannot find a single instance of gfwl being removed from an existing title. Keep in mind I am not talking about sequels or new games.

Gotham City Imposters
Toy Soldiers
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (Confirmed Developer is working on patch)

You know, I don't think it's talking a lot of time because there's that much work to do; more likely it's just something one or two persons at most are working on, and just when they are not busy with more important stuff.

Well, that's my guess. I could be wrong, of course.

Bingo.

They don't want to devote major resources to this project.
 

DaedalusEagle

Neo Member
The only thing I heard about Warners and GFWL was that they had a contract with Microsoft to have GFWL in all of their Batman games but their was no proof for this. However Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Gotham City Impostors all had GFWL in them and GCI had its GFWL patched out when it went F2P, or essentially they changed over to a F2P version and changed it all to Steamworks at the same time. Origins is also going to be completely Steamworks with no GFWL so maybe now's the time when they can remove it.

I never got to play Gotham City Imposters. In doing some research you are 100% correct it did launch with gfwl and eventually patched it out in favor of steamworks. I stand corrected.
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Did they add Steam Achievements page for it like Arkham Asylum? AA hasn't been updated in a long time but it will obviously be getting some as it has a Steam achievement page now.

Nope, nothing is being done with it. The vanilla versions of Asylum and City aren't being updated, either: only the GOTY flavours are.
 

Grief.exe

Member
Full disclosure, I have no idea what they are going to do with the non-GOTY versions. As Jase said, they haven't been updated in yonks.
 

Nethaniah

Member
Would it really be that difficult to implement the same changes in the standard version? Kind of makes no sense the way they are (apparently) doing this right now.
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Would it really be that difficult to implement the same changes in the standard version? Kind of makes no sense the way they are (apparently) doing this right now.

I actually don't expect WB to update the vanilla versions as it's the very same company that pulled the individual pieces of Batman: AC DLC from the store when the GOTY version launched, forcing those who hadn't purchased it all to buy a new product if they wanted the rest.
 
I regret the day I bought bioshock infinite on PC, and I got the fancy pants version with the statue, haven't even broken the seal yet and may sell it (as the one time use DRM goodness that is a steam activation hasn't been used.)

If people want to buy games they don't own on steam digitally that's cool I guess. But I can't stand how physical retail games have been steam crippled via steamworks, so as to effectively turn it into a useless coaster after the first use. I like to own my games, and I would have preferred to have a non steam/drm installer instead of being punished as a consumer because it's assumed I am a pirate.
 

Nethaniah

Member
I actually don't expect WB to update the vanilla versions as it's the very same company that pulled the individual pieces of Batman: AC DLC from the store when the GOTY version launched, forcing those who hadn't purchased it all to buy a new product if they wanted the rest.

Yeah i see where you're coming from, guess i'll keep my eye on them (goty versions) in a coming sale......
 
I regret the day I bought bioshock infinite on PC, and I got the fancy pants version with the statue, haven't even broken the seal yet and may sell it (as the one time use DRM goodness that is a steam activation hasn't been used.)

If people want to buy games they don't own on steam digitally that's cool I guess. But I can't stand how physical retail games have been steam crippled via steamworks, so as to effectively turn it into a useless coaster after the first use. I like to own my games, and I would have preferred to have a non steam/drm installer instead of being punished as a consumer because it's assumed I am a pirate.

We will have to wait until the law catches up and allows us to resell digital games. That way PC games can be resold again.
 

Sikboy1029

Neo Member
Nope, nothing is being done with it. The vanilla versions of Asylum and City aren't being updated, either: only the GOTY flavours are.

Yes they are. my vanilla AA has a Steam achievements page & it was months ago but they renamed vanilla AA to Game of the Year Edition. I imagine there will be an upgrade option to people who own the standard version.
 

morningbus

Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
Yes they are. my vanilla AA has a Steam achievements page & it was months ago but they renamed vanilla AA to Game of the Year Edition. I imagine there will be an upgrade option to people who own the standard version.

No. There are still two separate entries for Arkham Asylum and AA: GOTY and there are people, like me, who still only have the non-GOTY version.

i4aMrCThmG6Ra.JPG


The store page redirects to the GOTY version page as the non-GOTY version is no longer for sale.

Will they offer an upgrade path? I don't know. Up until now they've been content with just adding another entry into your Steam library.
 

Sentenza

Member
Will they offer an upgrade path? I don't know. Up until now they've been content with just adding another entry into your Steam library.
You know, being old games and all, they could also be kind and just update every single copy to the GOTY edition. As an "apology for the little inconvenience with GFWL" and so on.

Giving DLCs away for free? CRAZY, I KNOW! Especially looking at some monetization strategies from some of these publishers, but when you think about it, that's essentially what Valve and CD Projekt do for every single one of their games.
 

BasilZero

Member
You might want to get cracking on Bioshock 1, it's a big game and I cant see it getting updated anymore.

Wat.

Bioshock 1 doesnt have GFWL..or at least I dont think it does o_O.

I'm also waiting to play Bioshock 1 because I'm playing other games atm lol.
 

Grief.exe

Member
That is weird, the standard AA page had achievements listed like 2 weeks ago. As for it being renamed to Game of the year http://steamdb.info/app/35010/ Why would the add & remove the achievement page, though?

They didn't, you probably just went to the GOTY page by mistake.

If they had added Achievements, you would have seen this:

Changed changenumber – 272926 › 272961

Any chance that SecuROM will ever get removed from Bioshock 1? lol

Its already removed from the Steam version.

Other versions still have Securom enabled, from PCGamingWiki

For the Retail, GamersGate (Windows), and Amazon (Windows) versions of BioShock, SecuROM DRM is enabled.
 
No. There are still two separate entries for Arkham Asylum and AA: GOTY and there are people, like me, who still only have the non-GOTY version.

Me too :|

screwed_zps8e5bfdaf.png


You know, being old games and all, they could also be kind and just update every single copy to the GOTY edition. As an "apology for the little inconvenience with GFWL" and so on.

Giving DLCs away for free? CRAZY, I KNOW! Especially looking at some monetization strategies from some of these publishers, but when you think about it, that's essentially what Valve and CD Projekt do for every single one of their games.

In my case (see photo evidence above) they wouldn't actually be giving anything away as I already have the DLC :|
 

BasilZero

Member
Oooh didnt know!

(Also the steam page listed that, I guess they didnt bother changing/updating it)

Thanks for the responses!
 

Grief.exe

Member
How do you know this work is being done?

Registry App

Two updates to their multiplayer beta, then one update to their QA build for testing the update.

Seems to be pretty consistent with what they have been doing this entire process, except the time of course. They have only been updating the app this late for the past week.
 

scitek

Member
I'm really looking forward to the Bioshock 2 update. I have yet to play Minerva's den, and would like to use a controller, but will the removal of GFWL render my Minerva's Den useless?
 

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Me too :|

screwed_zps8e5bfdaf.png




In my case (see photo evidence above) they wouldn't actually be giving anything away as I already have the DLC :|

I'd kill for a Steam version of Arkham Asylum vanilla. It's the only one I'm missing. :( I wonder if I could wrangle a Steam key out of WB Support if I bought a retail copy.

I'm really looking forward to the Bioshock 2 update. I have yet to play Minerva's den, and would like to use a controller, but will the removal of GFWL render my Minerva's Den useless?

I believe so, since the game looks to GFWL to tell it where the data installed to.
 

Timeless

Member
I'm really looking forward to the Bioshock 2 update. I have yet to play Minerva's den, and would like to use a controller, but will the removal of GFWL render my Minerva's Den useless?
BS2 has terrible controller support, unless I missed something and that's getting updated as well.

No analog movement. It's really really awful.
 

Grief.exe

Member
BS2 has terrible controller support, unless I missed something and that's getting updated as well.

No analog movement. It's really really awful.

You missed something, they are adding in controller support. Check the top of the OP.

Apparently its been ready for a little while now. They took down the controller beta and replaced it with one called approved that they haven't touched.
 

finley83

Banned
Thanks for keeping us up to date on all this. Hopefully the updated versions will be here in time for Christmas or something.

e: That's not meant to sound sarcastic or anything, I'm taking a moratorium on PC gaming until after exams so Christmas is the next time I'll actually be able to play something :)
 
Top Bottom