Friday, February 26th 2016
Windows Store Games won't have VSync, SLI/CrossFire, Fullscreen or Modding
Microsoft is looking to cut itself a lion's share of the game digital downloads pie, by making Microsoft Store (which comes included with Windows 10), sell contemporary AAA games, such as "Rise of the Tomb Raider." Unlike other cross-DRM transactions (eg: purchasing a Steam DLC game through UPlay store), Microsoft Store will serve both sales and DRM roles. You must be thinking "it's a free world, always room for more competition," right? Think again. There are several pitfallls to buying "Rise of the Tomb Raider" or any other AAA game through Microsoft Store, as users on Reddit found out.
To begin with, games purchased through Windows Store are built on Microsoft's Universal Apps Platform, and not the conventional desktop-based executable. The game is essentially a "modern UI" app, and not a conventional Windows application. This has great limitations - no NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire support; no real fullscreen mode (just borderless windowed mode or pseudo-fullscreen); and V-sync being always-on. Other major downsides of UAP apps include no support for modding, and mouse macros. What's more, since UAP apps don't have *.exe extensions, you can't add them to Steam, and so no Steam Controller support. The Store in itself doesn't have a good refund policy along the lines of Steam and Origin limited full-refund policies; and you'll never be able to play your games on Windows versions older than Windows 10.
Source:
Reddit
To begin with, games purchased through Windows Store are built on Microsoft's Universal Apps Platform, and not the conventional desktop-based executable. The game is essentially a "modern UI" app, and not a conventional Windows application. This has great limitations - no NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire support; no real fullscreen mode (just borderless windowed mode or pseudo-fullscreen); and V-sync being always-on. Other major downsides of UAP apps include no support for modding, and mouse macros. What's more, since UAP apps don't have *.exe extensions, you can't add them to Steam, and so no Steam Controller support. The Store in itself doesn't have a good refund policy along the lines of Steam and Origin limited full-refund policies; and you'll never be able to play your games on Windows versions older than Windows 10.
91 Comments on Windows Store Games won't have VSync, SLI/CrossFire, Fullscreen or Modding
Let's assume that, given a platform, the number of reviewers is more or less even. Windows Store version has 123 reviews; Steam has 8955 reviews. It's pretty safe to assume that the bulk of the PC sales did not come from the Windows Store. Microsoft said they are pleased with the sales figures so it is very possible Microsoft is blissfully unaware how poor Xbox and Windows Store numbers were compared to Steam.
Square Enix, on the other hand, would be very aware of how poorly Microsoft performed. I think it's safe to assume Square Enix won't agree to another time-limited release with Microsoft.
They see us as a threat to their Console cash-cow, probably blame us for the XBox One not doing as well as expected.
For the past decade they have been trying to hold back PC Game development with their DX API monopoly, DX11 was junk on the day it was released and it was junk for the decade they never updated it.
One could argue "but what about DX12"
Thanks to AMD Microsoft had no choice, had they not reacted to Mantle they would have lost their DX API Monopoly entirely, they would have lost all control of PC Gaming.
What they are doing here is trying to control it in another way, and then gimp the crap out of it.
Ever wondered why the XBox One originally ran on DX11?
That Mantle API was originally meant to be bundled with AMD XBox One hardware, but it had strings attached, that it would also become DX12, those were AMD's Terms, MS refused so they never got the API.
AMD released it for Desktop anyway knowing it would force MS to react.
The argument against that is "But MS said they started DX12 long before Mantle, they worked with Nvidia on it"
Think about that, really?
Are they saying AMD can get a working low level API out before Microsoft and Nvidia combined?
And even if it was true why then did AMD have big name developers queuing up behind AMD in support of something they say they had wanted for years with Microsoft refusing?
AMD made an enemy of Microsoft for not falling into line, Nvidia just thought they would suck up to MS for day to join them in having a stab at AMD.
And before you might say "you're just an AMD fanboi" My GPU is a GTX 970, my CPU is a 4690K
Oh and of course Ashes runs better on AMD, the API its running on (DX12) was originally designed for GCN.
I don't like Microsoft one bit, but the wall of text you produced (which I mostly skipped) is classical case of IT chemtrails. 0/10.
so you call it a tinfoil conspiracy without even reading it. well done.
XBox One is not dead nor is it in any danger of dying. Also, if Microsoft can fix these issues, that will make a big difference but, we will see. Oh, and Steam is a walled garden, good luck with those who think otherwise. Don't believe me? Try taking your game purchases off of steam? What's that you say, you can't? Exactly.
Any two word opposition is just valueless noise
By "walled garden", what is referred to is the OS, which can easily be used to prohibit any Windows-required game from running unless it is purchased from and run within the Windows Store.
Is it likely? No (for many reasons, including legal ramifications). Is MS trustworty? No. But, is it out of the realm of possibility, with their long history of shady shenanigans? Nope, not at all.
The Government of the USA has openly admitted to Chemtrails....just saying .....poor example
Then, why all this stupid drama?
But yeah, they manage to out do GFWL. At least I could still put SweetFX on top of those without issue and downsample.
crooks