Games for Windows - Live
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| Games for Windows - Live | |
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 Games for Windows – Live's "Guide" menu |
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| Developed by | Microsoft |
| Latest release | 1.2.0241 / December 11, 2007 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows |
| Genre | user interface, voice chat, text messaging |
| License | Freeware (with some non-free features) |
| Website | www.gamesforwindows.com/live |
Games for Windows – Live (officially spelled LIVE[1]) is an online gaming service for Games for Windows-branded PC titles. It enables Windows PCs to connect to the Live service, which will eventually include other devices including Windows Mobile and Zune. Users, each with a unique Gamertag that carries over from Xbox Live, are able to play online, keep track of their friends' status, send and receive messages, gain and keep track of Achievements, voice chat across platforms, and more. Some games allow for cross-platform play, such as Shadowrun, pitting PC players against Xbox 360 players.
The features of the service will initially be limited, but will grow just as the features of Xbox LIVE have over the years. The service was shown in near-final form at CES 2007 during Bill Gates' keynote speech. Xbox Live Arcade will launch on the service later in the year.
The service will be open to 3rd-party developers, but they must be able to meet certain Technical Certification Requirements (TCRs), which include (but aren't limited to): game ratings, total number of achievement points, content, game profiles, and LIVE connectivity[citation needed]. Games for Windows - LIVE games must also meet standard Games for Windows (PC games that don't have LIVE support) TCRs. For more information regarding Games for Windows TCRs, see [1].
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[edit] Products
One of the first Games for Windows – Live-enabled title was Halo 2 for Windows Vista, which was launched to the public on May 31, 2007[2]. (Many copies made it to store shelves and were sold on May 29.) The game supports all the standard Live features (such as achievements, voice chat, messages, etc.), but does not offer cross-platform play with Xbox or Xbox 360 players.
Another game released was Shadowrun, which launched simultaneously on Windows Vista and Xbox 360 on May 29, 2007[3], and is the first game to offer cross-platform play on the Live service. Shadowrun is the first game to be played between Live on Windows Vista to LIVE on Xbox 360.
Sega, Eidos and THQ have signed on to include Games for Windows - LIVE in their upcoming games. Epic Games also included this service in their game engine Unreal Engine 3 [4]. Universe at War: Earth Assault from Sega includes cross platform play between Xbox 360 and Windows over LIVE.
[edit] User interface
The user interface or "Guide" follows much the same layout as the Xbox 360 version. Apart from minor cosmetic differences it also matches the same features as the Xbox 360. This includes messaging (text and voice), friends list, recent players, private chat and personal settings.
The client that provides this interface is included with Games for Windows – LIVE games. It is only available when running a game designed for the service. Access to LIVE functions outside of games is not possible although a Windows client similar to messenger is under consideration for future versions of the service.
The current version of the in-game Live client is 1.2.0241, released on December 11 2007. It is available for Windows XP (Service Pack 2) and Windows Vista operating systems. [2] Version 1.2 added offline achievements and the ability to be able to see if the user's friends are joinable in a game. The client also auto-updates when users are logged-on to a Live-aware game.
[edit] Differences between Gold and Silver memberships
Games for Windows – LIVE Silver Membership Features
- Single gamertag
- Common gamer profile
- Common gamerscore
- Single player achievements - All titles have achievements, though some share the list with the Xbox 360 version
- Private chat via text and voice
- Common friends list and online presence
- PC only multiplayer including browsing a list of active PC games
Games for Windows – LIVE Gold Membership Features
- All Silver membership features
- Multiplayer matchmaking with friends
- TruSkill matchmaking
- Multiplayer achievements
- Cross-platform gameplay
[edit] Pricing and subscriptions
Games for Windows – LIVE uses the same pricing structure as Xbox LIVE. The silver level service is free, while the Gold level requires a regular subscription. The gold subscription pricing is below:
| Country | 1 Month | 3 Months | 12 Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | € 6.99 | € 19.99 | € 59.99 |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | £14.99 | £39.99 |
| Australia | AU$ 10.95 | AU$ 29.95 | AU$ 79.95 |
| Sweden | SEK 60 | SEK 179 | SEK 549 |
| USA | $7.99 | $19.99 | $49.99 |
| Japan | ¥819 | ¥2079 | ¥5229 |
Memberships can be purchased either directly from the interface (credit card required), or as prepaid Xbox Live cards at retailers.
Games for Windows – LIVE and Xbox LIVE are essentially the same network, so subscribing to one automatically gives you access to the other, therefore current Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers will get access to Games for Windows – LIVE Gold and vice-versa. In addition to shared subscription, all achievements, friends, players and messages pool together across both platforms. [5]
[edit] Criticism
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008) |
Online PC games, particularly FPSs, are traditionally run and funded independently by Clans, gaming groups or independent players. Game Servers are typically rented by the Clan or group, and provided for players to use free of charge. Often the only infrastructure operated or paid for by the game developer is a master server which collects and serves a list of available independent servers. Though for Halo 2 and Shadowrun, the game owner is able to setup their own dedicated server[6], this may not be the same for every other game on Games for Windows – LIVE. It is down to developers to add this functionality into the service and it is not yet known whether third parties are required to add it to get the Live branding.
It should also be noted that any Games for Windows - LIVE game requires at least Windows XP Service Pack 2. This has drawn attention because if the runtime refuses to install with the purchased product, the entire game, regardless if the player wishes to play the single player element or not, will be completely locked out.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- GfW Live Support page, including client update
- Official announcement press release
- ExtremeTech article describing Live Anywhere
- Description of Live Anywhere Features
- Demo of Live for Windows UI and discussion
- Article on Dedicated Servers and Halo 2
- ^ Microsoft Trademarks (2007-12-13). Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
- ^ Download Games for Windows - LIVE Redistributable 1.2. Microsoft (2007-12-12). Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
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