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Universal Apps including Rise of the Tomb Raider have limitations on Windows Store

SerTapTap

SerTapTap

Member
How-To Geek has a breakdown of the differences between the Steam and Windows Store versions of Rise of the Tomb Raider. Their headline is Why You Shouldn’t Buy Rise of the Tomb Raider (and Other PC Games) from the Windows Store so you can probably guess they don't exactly find them acceptable.

Steam and other PC gaming services distribute games as traditional Windows desktop applications. You buy a game, it downloads the .exe or .msi installer and installs it. All apps in the Windows Store, on the other hand, are made using Microsoft’s new “Universal Application Platform,” or UAP.

That’s why there’s such a huge difference here. It’s not just the limitations of the Store itself. Underneath, you’re choosing between a “universal app” version of the game and a “Windows desktop” version of the game.
Click to expand...

The broad strokes:
  • No SLI or CrossFire
  • VSync is Always On
  • No exclusive full screen mode
  • No Modding
  • No EXE file, so no overlay, no Steam Controller profiles, no mouse macros

I haven't tested it, but there seems to be a workaround to at least one problem listed: adding Win 10 store games to Steam

It's been a few weeks since RotTR came out but I couldn't find a thread on this exactly, seems like a major factor for buying decisions. These limitations seem to be due to the Universal App Platform, not specific to Rise of the Tomb Raider exactly, so all future Win Store games will be like this if the platform isn't changed (I'm not sure if that's possible without losing "universal").
 
S

ShadowSoldier89

Member
hello quantum break and killer instinct, I will not be playing you


I have no qualms having multiple storefronts. I have GOG galaxy, Origin, Steam, Battle.net, and Uplay all installed. They all work fine and have their own caveats. GOG Galaxy not having cloud saves is the worst drawback of them all though. I will not be touching anything from the windows store though. These limitations are incredibly extreme. For starters, I run 2 GPUs, so full screen mode is a 100% requirement.
 
SerTapTap

SerTapTap

Member
I'm hearing that no dual GPU is in fact due to it only supporting borderless fullscreen, no exclusive GPU access no dual GPU. A lot of the problems share the same root cause. Not sure if they're fixable at MS's side though.

Mohasus said:
Pretty sure windowed mode works, what doesn't is exclusive fullscreen.

Anyway, this has been discussed on the RoTR and Quantum Break PC threads.
Click to expand...

That's just how How-to geek worded it, I don't have the game to test. I'll edit it
 
J

JohnnyWestlake

Banned
Sir TapTap said:
  • No SLI or CrossFire
Click to expand...

Less of an issue for DX12 games no? (Assuming properly implemented drivers & game), which, for Microsoft's future annoucned store games, is all of them. Unless that the DX12 multiGPU stuff requires exclusive full screen - my googling fails me.

Otherwise as a gamer who wants to play games, none of those things phase me. I know it will quite a few people here, but as someone who just wants to play the game... rock on. (Disclaimer : I only have a single GPU)
 
Deft Beck

Deft Beck

Member
Why would you buy a PC game published by Microsoft? They only really care about Xbox consoles, and despite all that they've been trying to change that perception, they are not helping their case with details like this.
 
D

Dynasty

Member
Ain't one of the potential benefits of DX12 is being able to use both AMD and NVIDIA cards in SLI? I think Ashes of Singularity showing this in some benchmarks.
 
O

OnionPowder

Member
wapplew said:
Didn't we had a whole 50 pages thread on this topic already?
Click to expand...

Yes but that discussion devolved into "you don't like it cuz it's not steam lol" A thread with this title could (maybe) discuss the actual issues with the W10 Store and not just a shitfest of "it's not on steam so you don't like it"

Dynasty said:
Ain't one of the potential benefits of DX12 is being able to use both AMD and NVIDIA cards in SLI? I think Ashes of Singularity showing this in some benchmarks.
Click to expand...

good luck getting drivers that will accept that from either company.
 
C

Crimsonclaw111

Member
Deft Beck said:
Why would you buy a PC game published by Microsoft? They only really care about Xbox consoles, and despite all that they've been trying to change that perception, they are not helping their case with details like this.
Click to expand...
One of the best games of last year was Microsoft published (Ori and the Blind Forest).
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
JohnnyWestlake said:
Otherwise as a gamer who wants to play games, none of those things phase me. I know it will quite a few people here, but as someone who just wants to play the game... I see no issue =P
Click to expand...

Same. Maaayyybe V-Sync could be an issue and maaayybe no exclusive fullscreen at some point (but I almost always use borderless full screen nowadays), but that's it. I get that these are issues for other people though and there are definitely certain games/instances where these issues could be escalated and that will be a problem.
 
P

ps3ud0

Member
Good to have a new thread about this as the old one was tiring to sift through actual useful comments.

Personally Im of the opinion that UWP should have had a protocol for games and not just labelled them as apps to allow potential features that PC gamers have become accustomed to to exist. I dont think its acceptable what MS have provided considering their previous form so they really should have done better to entice PC gamers to their store. Its pointless hearing that the the situation will improve when it should have matched existing propositions if they wanted to be competitive.

ps3ud0 8)
 
K

Krakn3Dfx

Member
Most of this sounds like things they would have had to purposely prevent as opposed to just not implementing support for them.
 
R

riflen

Member
We went through this a lot in the recent thread for Quantum Break. It's interesting that Nixxes confirmed that Vsync cannot be disabled at this time in the UWP framework. That alone means that G-Sync cannot be used.

Adding to this the fact that exclusive fullscreen mode is also not possible at the moment, means FreeSync is also unsupported. So UWP framework games cannot support variable refresh displays at the current time.

Not a great selling point. If MS are serious about this venture, they'll have to improve the framework rapidly.
 
Y

YuriLowell

Member
Why is it Microsoft only seems interested in PC gaming when they have a new garbage platform to push.

No one uses windows because of your stupid app store.
 
LordRaptor

LordRaptor

Member
GuitarAtomik said:
I get that these are issues for other people though and there are definitely certain games/instances where these issues could be escalated and that will be a problem.
Click to expand...

For starters, if any title is released that would benefit from a Durante fix, he can't do it for UWA titles.

Luckily publishers never ship poorly optimised or broken PC SKUs.
 
J

JaggedSac

Member
Speak with your wallet if these things are unacceptable. Also, if the idea of running a game on this platform is acceptable to you but you would like to remove these limitations, it wouldn't hurt to create a post on the uservoice site (or vote for an already existing one). All these complaint threads on gaf won't do anything, getting the message to those that make decisions will though.
 
P

PurpleSquid

Neo Member
Aw the modding and especially not being able to use the steam overlay for customizable steam controller input is what kills it for me
 
J

JaggedSac

Member
YuriLowell said:
Why is it Microsoft only seems interested in PC gaming when they have a new garbage platform to push.

No one uses windows because of your stupid app store.
Click to expand...

Because their games publishing/development business exists completely to push stuff. To push Xbox hardware, to push live subs, to push the new windows app store. If they didn't have anything to push, MS would completely get out of games development/publishing because the profit from that is a pittance compared to other things they could possibly spend that money on.
 
O

OnionPowder

Member
wapplew said:
This is MS bringing "console experience" to PC, some people do prefer simplicity.
Click to expand...

The full console experience, including patches that are a week+ delayed over the Steam version

gamz said:
Pretty much. Just curious...Do all the people who don't like this have a console or just strictly Steam users aren't happy?
Click to expand...

People can own both, but expect a certain level of quality when buying on PC.
 
N

Nzyme32

Member
Was wondering when there would be a thread.

Yeah I'm definitely not a fan of the Universal App limitations since the limitations are all features I tend to use. Current list of things you can't do iirc:

* Performance analysis overlays.
* Graphics injectors.
* Integration of useful external applications like Mumble.
* Community fixes or feature extensions.
* Freesync.
* In-depth modding.
* Support for popular peripherals like the Steam controller. (!)
* Some GPU features such as SLI or adapter switching.
* Actual exclusive full screen mode.
 
F

family_guy

Member
ShadowSoldier89 said:
hello quantum break and killer instinct, I will not be playing you


I have no qualms having multiple storefronts. I have GOG galaxy, Origin, Steam, Battle.net, and Uplay all installed. They all work fine and have their own caveats. GOG Galaxy not having cloud saves is the worst drawback of them all though. I will not be touching anything from the windows store though. These limitations are incredibly extreme. For starters, I run 2 GPUs, so full screen mode is a 100% requirement.
Click to expand...

Well the alternative is to never play these games then. I mean I could see if you had multiple options on where to buy it for PC but it's either this, get an Xbox One, or don't play it ever.
 
A

Alcoholikaust

Member
I understand its pretty bad- but my desire to play QB and other MS games on my PC outweighs that stuff
VuN85Vr.gif
Click to expand...
 
S

ShadowSoldier89

Member
JohnnyWestlake said:
Less of an issue for DX12 games no? (Assuming properly implemented drivers & game), which, for Microsoft's future annoucned store games, is all of them. Unless that the DX12 multiGPU stuff requires exclusive full screen - my googling fails me.

Otherwise as a gamer who wants to play games, none of those things phase me. I know it will quite a few people here, but as someone who just wants to play the game... rock on. (Disclaimer : I only have a single GPU)
Click to expand...
the reason multiGPU doesnt work is the lack of fullscreen, DX12 shouldn't help there, and without an EXE fullscreen seems impossible
family_guy said:
Well the alternative is to never play these games then. I mean I could see if you had multiple options on where to buy it for PC but it's either this, get an Xbox One, or don't play it ever.
Click to expand...
ill take option 3 then. If they cant get simple shit right, Im not going to give them money
 
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