How will you choose between MS & Sony's new consoles?

NTMK wrote: »

really? I've only heard of one game (one of the splinter cell games) to be completely incompatible with Win 7 and above

I know that some games can be screwy (battlefront 2 requred something to be plug into the mic jack and Red alert 2 needed a config file chanhe) but they're quite rare in my experience

One example:
Act of War: Direct Action - I could never get it working on my win 7 box. Even modified the registry to fool it into thinking I only had 1GB ram.

gizmo

C14N wrote: »

We're a niche market though. Most of their users won't be discussing that sort of thing on a day to day basis.

It was a general example, the same will apply to debate amongst more casual gamers as time goes on. The point being, MS will not allow themselves to become synonymous with expensive games on their digital store if Sony are offering a cheaper alternative. This doesn't account for the possibility of both of them offering the same inflated prices in the absence of retail-based competition however, but that's something we're going to face as we move towards a digital-only future on consoles regardless.

wayne040576 wrote: »

I already have some games in my steam library that no longer work on my latest machine. In some cases it was the OS upgrade (don't support win7/8). In others, simply having more ram was causing them to crash on startup. The devs no longer supported them and there were no community 'fixes' .

really? I've only heard of one game (one of the splinter cell games) to be completely incompatible with Win 7 and above

I know that some games can be screwy (battlefront 2 requred something to be plug into the mic jack and Red alert 2 needed a config file chanhe) but they're quite rare in my experience

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Right lol, I'll just leave it at this. No offence, but you completely missing the point.

I'm not missing the point at all. when making comparisons it is only fair to compare like for like.

You can play your pc games from 7 years ago because you are still using a pc. The platform has not changed.

It would be like me saying I can play my 360 games from 7 years ago on my new xbox 360 slim. It is a hardware upgrade but the platform is the same. And I didn't have to rebuy them.

A closer comparison would be if you changed platforms from pc to mac. Bar a handful of games that are cross platform most would require you to buy a mac compatible version.

So when people change platform from 360 to One the only games that will work are ones that are cross platform.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Spot on. They want to be like steam, but they forget, that steam works on any pc or laptop. My steam account already sow 3 different pc's in 6-7 year period.

I already have some games in my steam library that no longer work on my latest machine. In some cases it was the OS upgrade (don't support win7/8). In others, simply having more ram was causing them to crash on startup. The devs no longer supported them and there were no community 'fixes' .

C14N

VinLieger wrote: »

Heres the thing i dont get with the complaints about discs, people have been clamoring for ages about how digital distribution on current gen sucks. Now its hopefully gonna happen with reasonable pricing and download rates yet everyones pissed they cant swap discs?

SOME people have been but a huge number (myself included) haven't said anything because they're perfectly content with their discs. We have no reason to believe pricing will be reasonable either, afaik MS haven't talked about RRPs of their online service. Admittedly if the price does turn out to be very reasonable (as in <€30) then I could see a lot of minds being changed.

Grumpypants wrote: »

steam had no competition for years and still gave great value. That is down to the company being awesome not competition. Xbox will have competition from pc, ps4 and stores

Steam did have competition. It wasn't the only online store (although it was the most comprehensive) and then it still had to compete with the dirt cheap prices of PC games at retail. If I'm a PC gamer, I never have to give a penny to Valve if I don't want to and they don't have control the prices of anything on PC besides their own games.

Saying it has competition from PS4 or PC is not the same. Going and buying the other console for slightly cheaper games is a huge investment for most people. The majority of their users will not be comparing prices on all systems to get the best deal. Even now, most people who own both tend to stick with one most of the time because it's where all their online info and friends are stored.

gizmo wrote: »

Can you imagine how the inevitable "XBox One vs. PS4" threads on these and similar forums will go if one was to charge considerably more for content than the other?

We're a niche market though. Most of their users won't be discussing that sort of thing on a day to day basis.

Grumpypants wrote: »

Yea but could I play your steam games on your pc without your steam log in details? That's what the Xbox allows. You can have 4 accounts and the game will work on all 4 as long as it's on the one console. Which is great for house holds with lots of kids.

Well on my PC I can log into Steam offline (it has my details stored) and then just let anyone play it. If my younger brother comes home from school and suddenly decides to play Half Life 2 before I get back, he just boots up, it logs in as me automatically, and he gets to play the game. Most games (apart from Valve ones) on the Steam store are "common" too so that they're installed on all Windows User Accounts and don't require my Steam details.

tuxy

Grumpypants wrote: »

It's the argument that is being made the One and the 360 are different platforms.

The argument is not really about platforms it's about playing old games from years ago on your current gaming system.

I can play games I got on steam in 2003 on the same PC I now use today to play the latest games.

ShadowHearth

Grumpypants wrote: »

Try install your steam games on a different platform than PC. Let me know if it works.

Right lol, I'll just leave it at this. No offence, but you completely missing the point.

Otacon wrote: »

It's the argument that is being made the One and the 360 are different platforms.

Grumpypants wrote: »

Try install your steam games on a different platform than PC. Let me know if it works.

they work fine on mac and linux when the games are compatable

Otacon

Grumpypants wrote: »

Try install your steam games on a different platform than PC. Let me know if it works.

EnterNow wrote: »

Unlike Steam.

True, but when XBL support is dropped & then your console rrod's a while later...your content is lost. Unlike Steam. Or if things were really fair, because content is tied to your profile...which does carry over to the new console...they can see you've already bought that content for the 360, so will give you the One version for a heavily discounted price. Maybe that'll happen, I doubt it though.

Try install your steam games on a different platform than PC. Let me know if it works.

Myrddin

Grumpypants wrote: »

My snes games won't play in my Wii either it's just not an issue.

Well, they do. You just have to buy them again through the VC. Steam on the other hand, has meant nobody has had to repurchase content through the generation changes that pc hardware/consoles go through.

Retr0gamer

Grumpypants wrote: »

But all you are doing there is installing your content on the same platform. A 360 and a One are different platforms. My snes games won't play in my Wii either it's just not an issue.

The SNES on the other hand doesn't have the added DRM that the One has.

gizmo

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Nah, I am not about free games, but being able to play your games when you want and with no internet connection.
I am not a pirating supporter at all. Have not pirated in almost 10 years. Things is, pirates will still break all the defenses and enjoy the games, where legitimate customers will have to bend over and suffer.

Oh I know, I was kidding

What I was getting at was that those pirates won't simply hack the console so as to avoid the sign in requirement and then go out and buy retail games, regardless of the fact that this probably wouldn't work anyway. On top of that, as I said in a later reply, every console sold will still end up benefiting MS and showing them there's another gamer willing to put up with their policies so ultimately everyone gets ****ed except the pirate.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Spot on. They want to be like steam, but they forget, that steam works on any pc or laptop. My steam account already sow 3 different pc's in 6-7 year period.I know that my games will still work and be in my steam library after I change my hardware 5 times more. ( that's unless steam goes out of business or nuke blasts us all).
yes, steam is drm and online activation stuff. Pc gamers would be hypocriticalby saying that it does not, but steam system is a lot more flexible. On top of that it is a fantastic service. 99% of pc gamers prefer have their games in steam library. Damn, I even got humble bundle stuff which are pure drm games and I still was looking for steam keys!

But all you are doing there is installing your content on the same platform. A 360 and a One are different platforms. My snes games won't play in my Wii either it's just not an issue.

If you couldn't buy a new One and install your One games directly from your library in the very same way steam works then it would be an issue.

Otacon wrote: »

To be honest, since being announced, the Xbox One has been giving me less reasons to buy it and more not to.

The PlayStation 4 has been doing the opposite so far. Granted, most of that has been down to Sony not revealing certain information and this may change in the next few days. From a PR perspective though, Microsoft have built themselves a hill to climb while Sony walk a tight rope.

true i never thought STFU would be a viable PR tactic but its working wonders for them atm

Myrddin

Grumpypants wrote: »

Your content is tied to your gamertag you don't have to rebut it, the problem is the One prob won't play 360 games as it isn't backward compatible.

Unlike Steam.

People could always just use their 360.

True, but when XBL support is dropped & then your console rrod's a while later...your content is lost. Unlike Steam. Or if things were really fair, because content is tied to your profile...which does carry over to the new console...they can see you've already bought that content for the 360, so will give you the One version for a heavily discounted price. Maybe that'll happen, I doubt it though.

Otacon

To be honest, since being announced, the Xbox One has been giving me less reasons to buy it and more not to.

The PlayStation 4 has been doing the opposite so far. Granted, most of that has been down to Sony not revealing certain information and this may change in the next few days. From a PR perspective though, Microsoft have built themselves a hill to climb while Sony walk a tight rope.

ShadowHearth

EnterNow wrote: »

Except Steam users don't have to repurchase everything they've already bought when they upgrade to a new more powerful pc. Want to play all that 360 XBL content you bought already on your new One, like they way Steam users can when they upgrade? No problem, just buy it all again & you can.

Spot on. They want to be like steam, but they forget, that steam works on any pc or laptop. My steam account already sow 3 different pc's in 6-7 year period.I know that my games will still work and be in my steam library after I change my hardware 5 times more. ( that's unless steam goes out of business or nuke blasts us all).
yes, steam is drm and online activation stuff. Pc gamers would be hypocriticalby saying that it does not, but steam system is a lot more flexible. On top of that it is a fantastic service. 99% of pc gamers prefer have their games in steam library. Damn, I even got humble bundle stuff which are pure drm games and I still was looking for steam keys!

EnterNow wrote: »

Except Steam users don't have to repurchase everything they've already bought when they upgrade to a new more powerful pc. Want to play all that 360 XBL content you bought already on your new One, like they way Steam users can when they upgrade? No problem, just buy it all again & you can.

Your content is tied to your gamertag you don't have to rebuy it, the problem is the One prob won't play 360 games as it isn't backward compatible.

People could always just use their 360.

titan18

I've had my steam on my laptop offline for about a year with no problems. If Xbox One had a similar system that you could go offline with your profile, but if you wanted to play a new game, you had to go online then, or if signing in from somewhere else you had to, it'd be grand, not having to be online once every 24 hours, and then it can start downloading updates.

wayne040576 wrote: »

I'm reading very conflicting stories on this. Seems to have a mind of its own

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1403396

steams offline mode is known for having a mind of its own but for me its been nothing short of fantastic because i usually know when ill be offline

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

you have to go offline while in online mode.. but once you do that it kinda stores whatever it needs to on your pc so you can use it offline from then in the future without having to be online to "go offline"

i think if you buy a new game you'll have to go online to go offline again or that particular game wont work offline

ShadowHearth

gizmo wrote: »

A broadband connection is a requirement for the console so that's kind of irrelevant.

Nothing says increased enjoyment like free games, amirite? :pac:

Nah, I am not about free games, but being able to play your games when you want and with no internet connection.
I am not a pirating supporter at all. Have not pirated in almost 10 years. Things is, pirates will still break all the defenses and enjoy the games, where legitimate customers will have to bend over and suffer.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1403396

NTMK wrote: »

Mine was offline for 4 months last year only went online because i went to a lan.

I'm reading very conflicting stories on this. Seems to have a mind of its own

Myrddin

Grumpypants wrote: »

Your gamertag is going to be more like your steam account now but better.

Except Steam users don't have to repurchase everything they've already bought when they upgrade to a new more powerful pc. Want to play all that 360 XBL content you bought already on your new One, like they way Steam users can when they upgrade? No problem, just buy it all again & you can.

wayne040576 wrote: »

You can only play your steam games offline for a limited period before it has to check again. I can't remember what the period is off the top of my head (2 weeks maybe?).

Mine was offline for 4 months last year only went online because i went to a lan.

titan18

Grumpypants wrote: »

Yea but could I play your steam games on your pc without your steam log in details? That's what the Xbox allows. You can have 4 accounts and the game will work on all 4 as long as it's on the one console. Which is great for house holds with lots of kids.

What happens if you have to dl an update? Depending on the size, that could either take ages, or be unable to do due to download limits.