As I recall the publisher has stated that they weren't happy with games for windows live. It is the reason they went with steam for drm with fallout: new vegas.

Indeed. I think my CD key is still unused.

Neither option is good. Why choke the consumer when he already has paid the money to buy the product anyway.

Because unfortunately, the world is full of [censored]s and pricks.

In an ideal world, DRM wouldn't be necessary and everyone would have a top-of-the-line gaming machine (Notice I didn't say PC) so we can all play every game to its greatest glory.

But thats an ideal world. This is reality. Welcome.

I didn't use the "LIVE access key" on either of the Fallout3's I bought (collector's & GOTY)



Though to be fair GFWL wasn't FO3's DRM (Securom was for that)

My only experience with GFWL was with Fallout 3 and the part I didn't like was I had to purchase things with Microsoft points and of course they had it set up so that I had to purchase more points then I needed to purchase the product I was interested in. To this day I still have unused MS points that I will most likely never use, and have probably expired by now anyway.

Developers and Publishers shouldn't need a 3rd party in order to prevent piracy. If Devs would put stuff in the CD's that prevent them from cracking it and the Pirates get jailed for illegaly making copies of the game then you wouldn't have all of these problems but the Devs and Publishers need to make money so it's a double edge sword. I hope Beth knows what they're doing when they eventually make the decision to have a DRM or not to have one.

Oh... wow. I don't know what to say.


On topic: Don't care.

GFWL is the lesser of the two evils, but I would still rather have a Bad Company 2-style DRM. Activate once, never bother again, no need to start or install another program before actually playing the game or having to create an acount. But GFWL is better because it starts at the same time as the game, so I don't have to waste my time with that. It's less intrusive.

My experience with GFWL is not that bad really.

GFWL: Install it - run the game - play the game
Steam: Install it - run the game - wait 3 minutes for steam to launch - play the game - repeat every time

Steam is a much bigger software, and requires more resources and time. Yes, it has more features than GFWL, but who uses all those features? I bet the average person only use about 50% of it's features.

Weird, it takes me 20 seconds to launch Fallout: New Vegas on Steam for me. About 15 seconds to launch Steam and 5 seconds to find FO:NV in my library and start it.

It'd be nice to atleast have the choice to add it to steam and all.

The http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1174728-what-if-skyrim-requires-steam-thread-part-deux/page__st__120__p__17366218__fromsearch__1#entry17366218 and http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1158809-what-if-skyrim-is-steam-exclusive/page__st__160__p__17000337__fromsearch__1#entry17000337 indicate that a lot of us are concerned that Skyrim will require Steam. Hopefully it won't.

Whatever was the securty measure with Fallout 3 was fine by me. I have no recollection of any annoyance or extra measures I had to follow to install and play at all. I honestly have no idea what GFWL really is, even though I must have it on my machine cause I own a legal copy of Fallout3.

IF ITS FOR GAMES FOR WINDOWS LIVE IM NOT BUYING IT....... Steam is a thousand times better then GFWL will ever be....

GFWL svcks balls.

I agree, it really doesn't have to be a choice between the two, a game doesn't need to use either one, and I don't want either one to be forced on me, much as how if someone asked me if I'd rather be punched in the face or kicked in the groin, I'd say I prefer neither.

And nowhere is it said the game uses Games for Windows Live, there's a Games for Windows tag, but that just means it's a game for Windows, it doesn't mean it uses Games for Windows Live, which is what people like to complain about. I've played many games labeled as "Games for Windows" which don't use Games for Windows Live.

This question is irrelevant, there are many games which use both at the same time.

A game making use of GFWL has no bearing on whether or not it will be on steam.

I mean when I'm not logged into Steam - It always starts some weird update procedure, without updating anything at all. (reinstalling doesn't help either) We all have different experiences though, so I guess we'll never be able to all agree what is best of Steam and GFWL - All we can agree on, is that none of them are ultimately the best for the users.

I don't have anything against either of them though, but it would be a nice change nowadays to get a DRM that interferes less. (CD-Key anyone? - It doesn't make for more piracy, as we already see cracks made on day one for games that require Steam or GFWL, so CD-Keys is, imo, still the best option!)


BUT, we can rest assure that it will NOT require GFWL, as Todd have already stated it will not...

Personally, If I have to have a DRM I would rather have something besides a CD key. And although it is me being irresponsible I can barely manage to keep track of my discs, I usually save them as ISO files so I can re burn them whenever. But to keep the little sleeves too is kind of irritating. I usually save my CD Keys in a text document but I do enjoy that Steam remembers them for me. It is all about personal preference and we will never all agree on this.

I should start an educational movement to explain how DRM was not made to prevent piracy. It was made to reduce the number of kids and college students from sharing the programs with their friends and also reduce the resale of 'used' programs. Neither of those have anything to do with the 'hacker' version of piracy.

I'm gonna buy it retail (Collector's please? ), but I'd love to be able to activate my copy on Steam if possible. Between the two options given, I'd take Steam over GFWL any day, it's simply a better platform.

there are games that are Steam-compatible that doesn't force Steam on the user. Maybe Skyrim could be like that.

STEAM!
That was a ridiculously easy question.

GFWL. Because
1) It's optional
2) I don't have to be online to play
3) I can talk to my friends on Xbox and use microsoft points to make purchases across both platforms.

I sincerely have no idea why anyone likes either one - to me it seems like buying a car under the conditions that it will always be parked at the dealer and you have to contact them and get them to bring it to you whenever you want to use it. Screw that - if I buy it, I want it in my garage.

That said though, if it came down to it and I had to.....

Nah... screw that too. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd choose neither and play something else.