Petition to let us activate our GFWL copies!

[kijib]

I hope that one day they will let us activate our GFWL copies on Steam

We all know people only play games if they are on steam, so this is a great way to revive the multiplayer community and get more people playing AOE3 again in general.

Might as well get a petition going.

p.s. if the dev guys see this how about adding Age of Mythology to Steam as well =)

[Redtide]

We all know people only play games if they are on steam

False, and I don't think they even have the capacity to do this (given GFWL's history).

[MS Ryz0n]

I'm a bit confused. What would be the point of activating your GFWL copy on steam?
You can play the online side with Steam users right now using your GFWL copy of the game. If you want to manually add the game to your steam list you can always "add a non steam game to your library". But to be perfectly honest, i'm not sure what activating the GFWL copy in steam would even buy you otherwise.

[oldbrokenlink]

i know it may sound strange, but people like steam, single client. it could still start gfwl. i guess you can have a shortcut in steam client run it, which is what i do, i have all my non steam games as steam shortcuts...

[HoosTrax]

Hrmph, I can kind of understand. A game shoehorned into Steam via "add non-Steam game" doesn't feel quite like a native Steam-distributed one.

- being able to use Steam's backup features
- Steam tracking of playtime stats
- +1 to your "owned games" count :rolleyes:...

Other, general reasons why people don't like being told to simply "add non-Steam game" (that don't apply here since it's such an old game):
- auto-patching
- achievements tracking
- cloud saves

[kijib]

False, and I don't think they even have the capacity to do this (given GFWL's history).

I was being satiracal, and I don't think it would be unreasonable to ask Valve to let the keys that people have for this game to register here, they always do a nice job with the indie bundles or when devs ask them to add their keys for a game to the list of steam reddemable keys

I'm a bit confused. What would be the point of activating your GFWL copy on steam?
You can play the online side with Steam users right now using your GFWL copy of the game. If you want to manually add the game to your steam list you can always "add a non steam game to your library". But to be perfectly honest, i'm not sure what activating the GFWL copy in steam would even buy you otherwise.

A lot of people prefer having their games on a single service and just the convenience of this game being added to their accounts will make them more likely to play it.
And the statistics on steam that show how many people are in game is a good way to show people the game has a strong online community. Or when a freind is in game, you can click launch game through steam chat to join them if it isn't a non steam game and the game nights will be easier to organize.

I guess it isn't a huge deal, but if you guys could do it that would be awesome.

[kijib]

Hrmph, I can kind of understand. A game shoehorned into Steam via "add non-Steam game" doesn't feel quite like a native Steam-distributed one.

- being able to use Steam's backup features
- Steam tracking of playtime stats
- +1 to your "owned games" count :rolleyes:...

Other, general reasons why people don't like being told to simply "add non-Steam game" (that don't apply here since it's such an old game):
- auto-patching
- achievements tracking
- cloud saves

they added steam cloud to Morrowind (without changing anything in the games files, just tell steam to store a specific file), so they could add it here as well if they wanted

[Centy]

I hope that one day they will let us activate our GFWL copies on Steam

We all know people only play games if they are on steam, so this is a great way to revive the multiplayer community and get more people playing AOE3 again in general.

Might as well get a petition going.

I don't think there's much chance of a company doing work for free to help out their direct competitor.


p.s. if the dev guys see this how about adding Age of Mythology to Steam as well =)

This should happen!

[MS Ryz0n]

they added steam cloud to Morrowind (without changing anything in the games files, just tell steam to store a specific file), so they could add it here as well if they wanted

There is no steam cloud for aoe3, and the games for windows live version doesn't require you to be running GFWL to start. Basically if you manually add the age3.exe, age3x.exe and age3y.exe from your GFWL install directory, you can launch it right from steam without having to see the GFWL client. Its pretty similar in that situation, though of course you won't be able to download it again through steam if you remove it. (You'll had to re-DL via gfwl and re-add manually)

[MARCOXZ]

i only want to activate my retail copy :/

[xruiner89]

People are so much more tempted to buy games when they activate on steam and they are officially in our library. Not just as a 'non-steam' game.
So please consider letting us activate our copies on steam somehow.

And also put AOE II on steam...

[DGMan54]

...though of course you won't be able to download it again through steam if you remove it. (You'll had to re-DL via gfwl and re-add manually)

bing, bing, bing!

[MS Ryz0n]

bing, bing, bing!

no no, that's a search service :p

[mclazyj]

I am not sure why it matters myself. Count me as one of the people that bought the game on the cheap during the relaunch of the GFWLive relaunch. I have no issues with using the Add Non-Steam game. and if you are su upset about this, why not go to every retail game you have and bang on their door to allow your keys to be added to Steam. I mean, I have a ton of EA, Activision games and others that cannot add their retail keys to Steam.

They are under no obligation to allow it. I understand it would be nice to be able to add it, but it is really not all that necessary. Maybe you should have held out and waited for the release on Steam and paid almost $20 extra.

[kijib]

no no, that's a search service :p

lol so I guess that's a no, eh?

[emtilt]

...though of course you won't be able to download it again through steam if you remove it. (You'll had to re-DL via gfwl and re-add manually)

Exactly. And same with retail copies. Steam keeps makes playing your games easier, especially over multiple computers and over long periods of time. I own the retail AoEIII (original and then each expansion separately), but I pretty much never play it because of these issues. Plus there's the whole issue of having to use the discs. I, and many others, would play more if it could be activated on Steam.

It additionally builds good will toward the company. Right now, I view MS as basically not giving a ♥♥♥♥ about its customers. When companies address the concerns of the community in helpful ways, it goes a long way toward future support. Right now, I have a less functional product because I paid a higher price and purchased early. That's always fun.

EDIT: On a kinda-sorta tangentially related note, this is related to Valve's success with their own games, and the lack of significant impact on their sales by piracy. They long ago figured out that one of the reasons people pirate is that the service is better. Make your service good, and people will happily pay.

[peber11]

Sadly, as much as I want this too, it'll probably never happen. I can't think of any game on steam that can be activated on steam having already been released outside of steam. Also, the only reason Microsoft release AOE3 on steam, and at such a high price, was so that they can make extra cash from an out of date game. This is the way it is sadly and chances are Microsoft isn't going to be the first company to make a change. :/

[damaged]

I'm a bit confused. (...) i'm not sure what activating the GFWL copy in steam would even buy you otherwise.

Exactly why GFWL can never come close to Steam...you just don't get it.

You should take some lessons from Valve.

[Kossak]

I'm a bit confused. What would be the point of activating your GFWL copy on steam?
You can play the online side with Steam users right now using your GFWL copy of the game. If you want to manually add the game to your steam list you can always "add a non steam game to your library". But to be perfectly honest, i'm not sure what activating the GFWL copy in steam would even buy you otherwise.

Where have you been for the last few years? :) Don't you know people love to have their games on steam just for having it for their collection? All the games in one place? All the games accessible for download whenever they go and login to steam? Not to mention people who don't even bother to buy/play games when they are not on steam. I would love to see it among my other games here. (and no, adding a shortcut is not fun at all)

So add my vote please to activate retail/GFWL keys on steam.

[XenoLair]

Adding a non steam game just isnt the same. Ryz0n, if you have the power to do that, please do it! Neglect your personal views for a second and do what the community wants!

I'm guessing one would have to send valve a list of serials that register the game...
For us steam addicts that already have the game in GFWL, this would be awsome.

[Saiyajin]

Yeah I really would like to be able to activate by GFWL copy on steam, I play all my games through steam and having AOE on there would be awesome.

[Dr_House01]

Adding a non steam game just isnt the same. Ryz0n, if you have the power to do that, please do it! Neglect your personal views for a second and do what the community wants!

I'm guessing one would have to send valve a list of serials that register the game...
For us steam addicts that already have the game in GFWL, this would be awsome.

+1 here, Steam is the way to go, I totally support this idea guys. This will be great for sure :)

[MS Ryz0n]

+1 here, Steam is the way to go, I totally support this idea guys. This will be great for sure :)

I understand the desire, but unfortunately I don't believe activating retail / gfwl copies as a "steam game" will be an option for the title. If that ever changed I would more than happily eat my words, but at this time i'm not aware of any plans to enable activation within steam for non-steam purchased copies of the game.

[_Rifte_]

..so I'm assuming that I'm not the only person who bought the game when it was on sale for 10 MSP?

[Saiyajin]

I understand the desire, but unfortunately I don't believe activating retail / gfwl copies as a "steam game" will be an option for the title. If that ever changed I would more than happily eat my words, but at this time i'm not aware of any plans to enable activation within steam for non-steam purchased copies of the game.

Could you forward that people are asking about this and see if there is any possibility of making this happen?

On a side note, how do I contact GFWL support? I'm having some issues with the GFWL client and I can't find an email or phone number anywhere and the support site didn't help much.

[MS Ryz0n]

Could you forward that people are asking about this and see if there is any possibility of making this happen?

On a side note, how do I contact GFWL support? I'm having some issues with the GFWL client and I can't find an email or phone number anywhere and the support site didn't help much.

Games for Windows marketplace has been rolled into the xbox marketplace - you can visit xbox.com and go through support stuff there to get contact info.

I do compile and forward information on some of the hot topics for the community side of things regularly for the folks here. Concerns will be passed along, though obviously it isn't feasible to address everything.

[wazups 2x]

Could you forward that people are asking about this and see if there is any possibility of making this happen?

I guarantee it won't happen. I'm so positive that it won't happen that I will purchase you a free game of your choice if it does happen.

I have never heard of a game that has already been released without Steamworks (especially the amount of time AoE3 has been out) that has later has been allowed to be activated on Steam. It would be much to complicated and Steam would lose money.

[marsios]

I have never heard of a game that has already been released without Steamworks that has later has been allowed to be activated on Steam.

Borderlands.

[colorado]

It's not going to happen. I'm pretty sure Microsoft would have to pay Valve some extra money to activate all those non-steam copies of AOE3. Otherwise, Valve really has no incentive to just give away all the extra bandwidth for free.

When Sins of a Solar Empire debuted on steam alot of people wanted the developers to do a similar thing and I think I remember them saying in their forums that they'd have to pay Valve a flat fee of some kind for that to work (either that, or sign some sort of exclusive deal to make all their future titles steam works). It sounded like it'd be complicated and expensive, so I doubt many developers (including Microsoft) would be willing to do it.

Borderlands is kind of different just because the devs made a deal with Valve to make Borderlands 2 steamworks. So Borderlands 1 was made steamworks retroactively just so the developers could test out the technology as they were developing Borderlands 2.

Even with Borderlands, though, I'm pretty sure you can't activate non-steam copies on steam (I could be wrong, though).

[AK_49]

i only want to activate my retail copy :/

No Doubt!

[Kossak]

what about we had possibility to register retail/gfwl keys after paying small fee? 1-2€?

[Teanji]

I can understand why people want to do this, but, it won't be happening. I have a boxed copy and the only use it'll be to me when I do eventually buy the Steam version (my wallets still in pain) is to install the game within 15-20 minutes (unless they aren't compatible, which is very possible).

[Hardin4188]

I have never heard of a game that has already been released without Steamworks (especially the amount of time AoE3 has been out) that has later has been allowed to be activated on Steam. It would be much to complicated and Steam would lose money.

Unreal Tournament 3.

[dcgc]

+1 that wants to activate my retail cd key of AoE III Gold Edition on Steam.

[Turzumi]

I got my Age of Empires 3 Complete from Games for Windows Market like 90 cents or something, so sure it would be nice to add it in Steam.

How about adding Halo 1 & 2 to Steam? I can't find those anywhere retail.

[Kain201]

I have never heard of a game that has already been released without Steamworks (especially the amount of time AoE3 has been out) that has later has been allowed to be activated on Steam. It would be much to complicated and Steam would lose money.

Supreme Commander Gold Edition

[X4rdas]

i want to register my Retail version!

[mundox86]

You guys should add steamworks features to the game since its here now, I mean it would bring more sales for a game that would normally not get you any more money.

I for one would love to be able to activate my GFWL copy on steam, even if its only to download the game and get the hour played count.

And yeah, release age of mythology here!

[TripleDip]

I agree if MS Ryz0n is reading this

please.:)

that is all.

[kamster99]

I hope that one day they will let us activate our GFWL copies on Steam

We all know people only play games if they are on steam, so this is a great way to revive the multiplayer community and get more people playing AOE3 again in general.

Might as well get a petition going.

p.s. if the dev guys see this how about adding Age of Mythology to Steam as well =)


Clearly you like me bought this on GFWL/marketplace when it was ten cents and now are too cheap to buy it on steam. One petition that would deserve attention would be to put aoe2 on steam.

[Jix]

I tried live chat and even calling GFWL before reading this thread. Basically just trying to find out if it was possible to get a second - or replacement key for registering to Steam. If I knew how the young adult behind the phone was going to treat me I would have never called in. I am really taken aback at how I was treated and I can safely say I will not be purchasing games through GFWL in the future.

Getting a little information from Microsoft shouldn't make me feel so belittled.

[mAs7eRa]

"Hrmph, I can kind of understand. A game shoehorned into Steam via "add non-Steam game" doesn't feel quite like a native Steam-distributed one."
ROFL, just add a non-steam-game. As there are no achievements, it's totally pointless.

[Jack Pipsam]

Do you understand the amount of fussing around it would take to do this?
Why would Microsoft even bother, it adds nothing.

You can just add a nonsteam game and use that.

[MS Ryz0n]

I tried live chat and even calling GFWL before reading this thread. Basically just trying to find out if it was possible to get a second - or replacement key for registering to Steam. If I knew how the young adult behind the phone was going to treat me I would have never called in. I am really taken aback at how I was treated and I can safely say I will not be purchasing games through GFWL in the future.

Getting a little information from Microsoft shouldn't make me feel so belittled.

Jix, I'm very sorry to hear that. Not to sound like a corporate shill or anything, but the few times I've called in (For technical stuff mind you), generally they've been incredibly helpful. I only wish my experiences were universal.

I will do my best to assist the users here and answer as many questions as possible. Obviously my eyeballs alone can't always cover the Steam forums and read every post in here, but I will help as much as I can. You can always get a hold of me on twitter as well if you have questions (@RChaply).

As you may have gleaned from the thread, CD keys obtained via GFWL or retail channels unfortunately can't be registered on steam as well.

[Jix]

Jix, I'm very sorry to hear that. Not to sound like a corporate shill or anything, but the few times I've called in (For technical stuff mind you), generally they've been incredibly helpful. I only wish my experiences were universal.

I will do my best to assist the users here and answer as many questions as possible. Obviously my eyeballs alone can't always cover the Steam forums and read every post in here, but I will help as much as I can. You can always get a hold of me on twitter as well if you have questions (@RChaply).

As you may have gleaned from the thread, CD keys obtained via GFWL or retail channels unfortunately can't be registered on steam as well.


It was my first time ever calling Microsoft for anything, it was not a very good first impression. I can only hope for better service next time, if there is a next time. I also understand that the support rep that I talked to does not necessarily represent how GFWL is supposed to handle things. I should have asked for his employee number/name but I simply hung up on him.

[ericL]

haha Op, thx for giving me a laugh at this late hour. But seriously, you expect us to be able to register GFWL keys on STEAM? hahaha, if that happens, i will buy you any steam game of your choice m8.

[kijib]

haha Op, thx for giving me a laugh at this late hour. But seriously, you expect us to be able to register GFWL keys on STEAM? hahaha, if that happens, i will buy you any steam game of your choice m8.

ok sounds like a plan

[Black Steve]

I spent the past 3~ hours looking around for the email I used to get AoE3 at it's sale price on GFWL over a year ago. Finally got it, copied the key. Doesn't on work Steam.

I love Age of Empires 3 and all of it's expansions. I've played the hell out of it solo and with friends. I just don't want to repurchase it after having had the retail copies (no longer have the keys or discs) and buying the digital download on GFWL.

I suppose adding it as a non-steam game will have to suffice, but some way to let those who have it retail/GFWL activate it on Steam would be amazing. Like others have said, having only one program that bundles all your games is extremely convenient.

[Anarchisteve]

I'd love to be able to activate my retail copy on Steam but seriously, do you people realize it is a Microsoft game? There is no chance whatsoever that Microsoft will do even the tiniest thing for their customers unless you can conclusively prove that it will make them more profit than not doing it.

In future please aim your pleas for generosity/compassion/goodwill to people who at least understand the concepts.

[Jix]

I spent the past 3~ hours looking around for the email I used to get AoE3 at it's sale price on GFWL over a year ago. Finally got it, copied the key. Doesn't on work Steam.

I love Age of Empires 3 and all of it's expansions. I've played the hell out of it solo and with friends. I just don't want to repurchase it after having had the retail copies (no longer have the keys or discs) and buying the digital download on GFWL.

I suppose adding it as a non-steam game will have to suffice, but some way to let those who have it retail/GFWL activate it on Steam would be amazing. Like others have said, having only one program that bundles all your games is extremely convenient.

This is my exact situation. I have the Retail copies as well as the digital I got on sale for 11 cents from GFWL. Then the support rep had to go and treat me like garbage because he didn't understand why I wouldn't want to buy the game for the third time.

[MS Ryz0n]

I'd love to be able to activate my retail copy on Steam but seriously, do you people realize it is a Microsoft game? There is no chance whatsoever that Microsoft will do even the tiniest thing for their customers unless you can conclusively prove that it will make them more profit than not doing it.

In future please aim your pleas for generosity/compassion/goodwill to people who at least understand the concepts.

Um, hello there. Search through the posts I've made on the forums and if you still conclusively believe that I've no intention of trying to generate goodwill among gamers or help customers to the best of my ability. Well you can call me scrooge or something....

If i'm not mistaken there are few retail games from 5 years+ back with millions of copies on the market that allow steam retail activation. If I'm incorrect in that statement, please feel free to correct me.

[Anarchisteve]

Um, hello there. Search through the posts I've made on the forums and if you still conclusively believe that I've no intention of trying to generate goodwill among gamers or help customers to the best of my ability. Well you can call me scrooge or something....

If i'm not mistaken there are few retail games from 5 years+ back with millions of copies on the market that allow steam retail activation. If I'm incorrect in that statement, please feel free to correct me.

The only goodwill you've tried to create is that which you can get for free and with no more effort than typing a few words. And my post was not just about activating AoE on Steam and more about Microsoft's general attitude. I'm convinced there is a lab somewhere in Microsoft's offices where they are trying to develop the worst disease ever known so they can release it and then gouge everybody for the cure.

[mAs7eRa]

LoL, not only people managed to get the game for less then 2$, but at the same time they are unbelievably unhappy. And for what? Because they don't want to add the game as a non-steam-game, but want to have it in steam (which is absolutely rediculous, like I said there are no achievements, no nothing). If you are so worried that you can't keep one CD/DVD whatever safe, then just install 1 of the MANY back-up programms and make a back-up of the CD/DVD in steam folder. And don't say that some protection won't allow it... as it is possible to back-up all CD/DVD games. It will be best if you stop whining and realize how happy you all are to get the game for a 10 times lower price! -_-

[Anarchisteve]

LoL, not only people managed to get the game for less then 2$, but at the same time they are unbelievably unhappy. And for what? Because they don't want to add the game as a non-steam-game, but want to have it in steam (which is absolutely rediculous, like I said there are no achievements, no nothing). If you are so worried that you can't keep one CD/DVD whatever safe, then just install 1 of the MANY back-up programms and make a back-up of the CD/DVD in steam folder. And don't say that some protection won't allow it... as it is possible to back-up all CD/DVD games. It will be best if you stop whining and realize how happy you all are to get the game for a 10 times lower price! -_-

Firstly, well done for realizing that EVERY SINGLE PERSON who bought this game before it was released on Steam paid just $2 for it. Some idiots seem to think this was just a short-term offer but they are wrong, until it was on Steam nobody, anywhere, ever sold this game for more than $2.

Secondly, another well done for pointing out our fallacy, full Steam titles and titles linked on Steam are indeed exactly the same thing. There are no differences between the two whatsoever, games linked on Steam can be downloaded from the Steam servers (yes, even games that have never been on Steam), they track your hours, they don't have ugly icons, they auto-update (again, even if they're not on Steam) and so on.

Thank you for pointing out how wrong everybody except you is, we bow to your superior wisdom (although your spelling could use a little work).

Dammit, just realized I've used up my sarcasm quota for the month.

[Darkenmal]

Hrmph, I can kind of understand. A game shoehorned into Steam via "add non-Steam game" doesn't feel quite like a native Steam-distributed one.

- being able to use Steam's backup features
- Steam tracking of playtime stats
- +1 to your "owned games" count :rolleyes:...

Other, general reasons why people don't like being told to simply "add non-Steam game" (that don't apply here since it's such an old game):
- auto-patching
- achievements tracking
- cloud saves

This.

And /signed.

[KRiSX]

yeah love this... holding off buying AoE3 again during the sale because of this and the very slight chance we might be able to activate *fingers crossed*

/sign

[Jix]

yeah love this... holding off buying AoE3 again during the sale because of this and the very slight chance we might be able to activate *fingers crossed*

/sign

Where did you hear about this slight chance? It's a zero chance