PC Gaming Discussion

[Happenstance]

Valve's Newell: Windows 8 "catastrophe" driving Valve to embrace Linux

 

Valve head—and one-time Microsoft employee—Gabe Newell has branded Windows 8 "a catastrophe for everyone in the PC space" at videogame conference Casual Connect in Seattle. The Valve boss continued, saying that in the fallout from Windows 8, "we'll lose some of the top-tier PC/OEMs, who will exit the market. I think margins will be destroyed for a bunch of people."

 

He argued that one of the last remaining things keeping people away from Linux was the lack of games. Valve is working to bring Left 4 Dead 2 and other Steam titles to Linux in a move that Newell describes as "a hedging strategy." If his predictions about Windows 8 come true, he says "it will be good to have alternatives to hedge against that eventuality."

 

Newell's low opinion of Microsoft's next major operating system has been known for some time. When Michael Larabel of Phoronix visited Valve's Bellevue, WA, campus in April of this year to learn about the company's efforts to port Steam to Linux, he reported that Newell's "negativity for Windows 8 and the future of Microsoft was stunning."

 

Newell is not a disinterested third party. Valve makes money from the commission it takes on Steam sales. Windows 8, with its built-in Windows Store, challenges that revenue source. Features such as Xbox LIVE integration could make the Windows Store and Windows 8 a more appealing platform for gamers and developers alike than Steam.

 

However, the other aspect of the Store—the closed and controlled nature—also concerns him. He attributed Valve's success to the PC's open nature, saying that the company "wouldn't exist" without either the PC or "the openness of the platform." That openness is under threat, though. Newell argues that there is a "strong temptation" to close the platform, because the platform's developers "look at what they can accomplish when they limit the competitors’ access to the platform, and they say 'That's really exciting.'"

[Ike]

Ys The Oath in Felghana is on sale at Steam for £3.39

[Happenstance]

'Final Fantasy VII' accidentally released on PC

 

Final Fantasy VII was accidentally released on PC, it has been revealed.

 

The anticipated port was briefly available on Square Enix's online store over the weekend, where a number of users made purchases but couldn't play the game, according to the official Square Enix forums.

 

It has since been pulled, suggesting it was released early and without the SecuROM digital rights management in place.

 

Announced last month, the PC version will offer a number of new features to the 1997 role-playing game.

 

It will include 36 in-game accomplishments, cloud-saving to play seamlessly across multiple computers, and the aforementioned Character Booster feature, which enables players to increase health, magic and money with the click of a button.

 

A full remake has been heavily requested by fans in recent years, but Square Enix has said that would be unrealistic.

 

Square Enix recently said that there would be no Final Fantasy VII remake until a new entry in the franchise matches its quality.

 

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a397648/final-fantasy-vii-accidentally-released-on-pc.html

[Cube]

http://forums.blackmesasource.com/showthread.php?t=12261

 

Black Mesa: Source up to Lambda Core will be released on the 14th September.

[The Bard]

Oh thank fuck, it's about time.

[Ike]

Ys Origins finally has a demo for anyone wanting to try it.

[Deathjam]

Red Faction franchise on sale on steam for £7.49. Well worth imo just for the excellent multiplayer in Guerilla.

[RedShell]

So I decided to get some PC gaming in, during the wait for Wii U.

Currently playing Saints Row 3:

http://n-europe.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1488953&postcount=112

 

Anyone care to suggest some other games for me to check out?

The last PC game I played was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which was about 7 or 8 years ago I think.

So yeah, I'm not really up to date with the PC gaming thing, obviously.

 

Was thinking about checking out Resident Evil 5, but not sure due to all the negative stuff I've read about it (and the PC version specifically) online.

[Magnus]

Was thinking about checking out Resident Evil 5, but not sure due to all the negative stuff I've read about it (and the PC version specifically) online.

Your enjoyment of Resident Evil 5 is entirely dependent on whether you play it alone or in co-op.

 

You say you like games that make you laugh, so the Portal games should be a priority if you haven't played them already.

 

Have you played Psychonauts? That's pretty funny too.

 

If you don't mind something more serious, um... Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Bioshock, Batman: Arkham Asylum (so you're prepared for the sequel on the Wii U), Hitman: Blood Money, Skyrim, Fallout 3/New Vegas, Assassin's Creed 2 or Brotherhood... if you haven't ventured outside the Nintendo circle in seven years, there are probably another four dozen games you should play. :p

 

Though I have no interest in it myself, I'm going to suggest Dark Souls before anyone else does. If you like challenging combat you'll probably enjoy it.

 

The Mass Effect trilogy is mostly great if you like action-heavy RPGs, but three games in the same series may be a bit too much of a time investment if you only need to fill the void until the Wii U is released.

 

I was going to suggest Sleeping Dogs, but you'll probably be tired of open-world games after Saints Row 3. It's a great game, though.

[RedShell]

You say you like games that make you laugh, so the Portal games should be a priority if you haven't played them already.

Indeed I do like games that make me laugh.

Haven't played either of the Portal games, so will probably check 'em out (well the first one at least), seems like an interesting game.

 

Have you played Psychonauts? That's pretty funny too.

Nope.

But if it's funny, then I shall look into it.

 

If you don't mind something more serious, um... Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Bioshock, Batman: Arkham Asylum (so you're prepared for the sequel on the Wii U), Hitman: Blood Money, Skyrim, Fallout 3/New Vegas, Assassin's Creed 2 or Brotherhood... if you haven't ventured outside the Nintendo circle in seven years, there are probably another four dozen games you should play. :p

Yeah, to be honest none of those really seem like my cup of tea. Not planning to get Batman on Wii U either, so no preparation needed there.

 

I'd like to get a racing game of some kind actually, just remembered that I played quite a lot of TrackMania Nations (so Vice City wasn't my last PC game) mainly because it was free and had an awesome track editor.

Any ideas for a PC racing game, preferably one that features a lot of options for customisation?

[Magnus]

Yeah, to be honest none of those really seem like my cup of tea. Not planning to get Batman on Wii U either, so no preparation needed there.

Aww, but every single one of those games is better than Resident Evil 5.

 

I'll leave the racing game suggestions to people who actually play racing games, but I will say that TrackMania 2: Canyon was released recently.

[Nolan]

Test Drive Unlimited 2. I played a bit of the first at my buddies, it's an open world racer with seamless online ect. Fairly fun as a Sim but not as hardcore of a sim as like Gran Turismo.

 

Idk how they are, but there are also things like Need for Speed and Dirt. And F1.

[RedShell]

Aww, but every single one of those games is better than Resident Evil 5.

I don't doubt it.

 

but I will say that TrackMania 2: Canyon was released recently.

Interesting. Cheers, that looks like it could be a winner.

[Nolan]

Any EVE players?

 

Goonswarm is honoring the American player that was killed in Libya, there are other things going on as well including space stations names after him and such all.

 

http://www.destructoid.com/death-of-eve-player-in-libya-attack-honored-by-fleet-235066.phtml

[The Bard]

Think I may aswell ask one last time, seeing as the sequel will be arriving shortly:

 

Anyone feel like getting online with me to play some Company of Heroes matches? Anyone even remotely interested in RTS should check it out; it's to my mind the best RTS ever made, and I'm really getting an itch to get into it again.

[Deathjam]

Metro 2033 Steam code redemption for free.

 

EDIT: Requires a like with a Facebook account.

[drahkon]

Ok, Christmas is coming up and I have Steam keys to give away:

 

The Binding of Isaac + Wrath of the Lamb DLC

Closure - N/A

Indie Game: The Movie

Shank 2

Snapshot

 

First Come, first served via PM please. And to make it a bit fairer (more fair? Oo) only one game per person. :p

Edited December 25, 2012 by drahkon

[Daft]

I just spent 2 hours downloading BioShock 2 from Steam and it's failing at the "activation process complete unlocking your application" step after inputting the serial key.

 

This is why I don't play fucking PC games.

[Magnus]

I'm surprised you didn't just wait until Wednesday to download it from PlayStation Plus.

[Daft]

I was going to but I wanted to see what it looked like on PC.

[Domstercool]

To celebrate the new year I played through Syndicate on the PC, heh. It's not a bad single player game, but nothing too great. I love the futuristic style and UI of the game. Got to test out the cooperative next. I hear that's really good.

[arri]

For me best game is Skyrim! I played it on PC but i'm thinking about buying it on Xbox too. Do you think it's a good idea. Are there any differences between plying it on PC and Xbox?

[Deathjam]

For me best game is Skyrim! I played it on PC but i'm thinking about buying it on Xbox too. Do you think it's a good idea. Are there any differences between plying it on PC and Xbox?

 

Depends on how capable your PC is but generally, the differences between the two are performance.

 

If you have a good PC, Skyrim will load significantly faster, save faster, have better graphics/textures, and generally be a smoother experience. You can also install mods for the pc version, that can drastically change, or add to the game or even fix issues that the developers, Bethesda, have neglected to fix.

 

Only advantage that the xbox version has is that the dlc comes out about 1 month earlier on that system.

[arri]

I'd really like to play it again. I think i'll still buy it;)

[arri]

Honestly - i prefer playing on PC - there is many game which can run only on PC.