Windows Live vs Steam: Pros and Cons?

WeepinAngel · 06-05-2011, 06:48 PM

Alright, everywhere I look for information on the products in the Elder Scrolls series, naming the last 3 games (including Skyrim), I see the butt-ugly Games for Windows Live sticker slapped on the top of every PC game case like it is somehow superior to the title it has bound in a sack.

Steam, is somewhat like too-long-of-a-name-to-take-seriously, in that both provide anti-cheating measures and anti-piracy restraints. Surely Games for Winblows Dies wouldn't run in the background with Steam being the service that provided it to it's consumer, right?

Is Windows Live present in Fallout 3 on Steam? On the retail version of Fallout 3 (and I use F3 in this example because I have no other game to verify the integrity of my argument), Fallout 3 has "Live" in the main menu structure of the game. You can click on Live, and it opens some janky ♥♥♥ interface for the Microsoft service.

Is this interface and that service present in the Steam version?

Also, because there are so many fantastic mods for Bethseda's games such as Morrowind and Oblivion, with the addition of F3 and FNV, how is the mod support compared to the retail? With my retail copy of Fallout 3, I just drag and drop the new files, and then launch the game with FOSE. However, noting the thread in the Oblivion board, http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...d.php?t=900993 , the issue had to be taken care of by a Valve employee themself to get OBSE working on the Steam version of Oblivion.

I realize Steam is in favor on this forum, but I would love to know if it is worth purchasing Bethseda's games through Steam over Games for Windows Live, or the other way around?

snapjak · 06-05-2011, 08:15 PM

Your thinking that there's a different version of Fallout 3 on Steam. This is simply not the case as there's only one version no matter where it's purchased from (not counting regional versions). It uses GFWL, supports all the same mods, has all the same bugs, and gets support from the same place.

GFWL vs Steam?
GFWL Pros: None. Absolutely none. Oh wait, they had AoE3 on sale for 10MS points one day.
GFWL Cons: Everything. Except that sale.

Also, FNV does NOT use GFWL, it's a Steamworks title.

Animositisomina · 06-05-2011, 08:26 PM

For what it's worth, you can easily disable/remove GFWL from Fallout 3 using this small patch:

http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1086

rychek · 06-05-2011, 08:35 PM

GFWL is horrid. Intrusive, clunky, and over dominating in it's programming.

if you run FO3 then install GFW you lose access to your saved games.

weak. |:

snapjak · 06-05-2011, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rychek

GFWL is horrid. Intrusive, clunky, and over dominating in it's programming.

if you run FO3 then install GFW you lose access to your saved games.

weak. |:

No, they're there, just in your profile folder in the savegames directory.

Animositisomina · 06-05-2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snapjak

No, they're there, just in your profile folder in the savegames directory.

+1 Confirm. They are most certainly still accessible, even when removing GFWL using the patch I mentioned in my previous post.

snapjak · 06-05-2011, 10:14 PM

Just a little bit of clarity for the saves:

\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves <--- Non-GFWL saves
\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves\<yourprofile> <--- GFWL saves

Just move them from one to the other to keep rollin with your badass 101.

flex12 · 06-08-2011, 05:02 AM

I never got this hate for GFWL anyway. I agree it's pretty pointless since it adds nothing but achievements, but it doesn't bother on the other hand (xcept maybe the initial account registration).
GFWL instantly loads when you start the game. Where is the problem in that? Being Online the whole time? It's actually easier going offline with GFWL than with Steam...

06-05-2011, 06:48 PM	#1
WeepinAngel Join Date: Aug 2009 Reputation: 19 Posts: 380	Windows Live vs Steam: Pros and Cons? Alright, everywhere I look for information on the products in the Elder Scrolls series, naming the last 3 games (including Skyrim), I see the butt-ugly Games for Windows Live sticker slapped on the top of every PC game case like it is somehow superior to the title it has bound in a sack. Steam, is somewhat like too-long-of-a-name-to-take-seriously, in that both provide anti-cheating measures and anti-piracy restraints. Surely Games for Winblows Dies wouldn't run in the background with Steam being the service that provided it to it's consumer, right? Is Windows Live present in Fallout 3 on Steam? On the retail version of Fallout 3 (and I use F3 in this example because I have no other game to verify the integrity of my argument), Fallout 3 has "Live" in the main menu structure of the game. You can click on Live, and it opens some janky ♥♥♥ interface for the Microsoft service. Is this interface and that service present in the Steam version? Also, because there are so many fantastic mods for Bethseda's games such as Morrowind and Oblivion, with the addition of F3 and FNV, how is the mod support compared to the retail? With my retail copy of Fallout 3, I just drag and drop the new files, and then launch the game with FOSE. However, noting the thread in the Oblivion board, http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...d.php?t=900993 , the issue had to be taken care of by a Valve employee themself to get OBSE working on the Steam version of Oblivion. I realize Steam is in favor on this forum, but I would love to know if it is worth purchasing Bethseda's games through Steam over Games for Windows Live, or the other way around?

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06-05-2011, 08:15 PM	#2
snapjak Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 866 Posts: 3,147	Your thinking that there's a different version of Fallout 3 on Steam. This is simply not the case as there's only one version no matter where it's purchased from (not counting regional versions). It uses GFWL, supports all the same mods, has all the same bugs, and gets support from the same place. GFWL vs Steam? GFWL Pros: None. Absolutely none. Oh wait, they had AoE3 on sale for 10MS points one day. GFWL Cons: Everything. Except that sale. Also, FNV does NOT use GFWL, it's a Steamworks title.

06-05-2011, 08:26 PM	#3
Animositisomina Join Date: Mar 2009 Reputation: 499 Posts: 3,553	For what it's worth, you can easily disable/remove GFWL from Fallout 3 using this small patch: http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1086

06-05-2011, 08:35 PM	#4
rychek Join Date: May 2011 Reputation: 10 Posts: 154	GFWL is horrid. Intrusive, clunky, and over dominating in it's programming. if you run FO3 then install GFW you lose access to your saved games. weak. \|:

06-05-2011, 10:14 PM	#7
snapjak Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 866 Posts: 3,147	Just a little bit of clarity for the saves: \My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves <--- Non-GFWL saves \My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves\<yourprofile> <--- GFWL saves Just move them from one to the other to keep rollin with your badass 101.

06-08-2011, 05:02 AM	#8
flex12 Join Date: Mar 2010 Reputation: 26 Posts: 303	I never got this hate for GFWL anyway. I agree it's pretty pointless since it adds nothing but achievements, but it doesn't bother on the other hand (xcept maybe the initial account registration). GFWL instantly loads when you start the game. Where is the problem in that? Being Online the whole time? It's actually easier going offline with GFWL than with Steam...