Console "Try and Play" experience coming to a Vista PC near you !

[destrukt]

With a PC game it?s a radically different process: unwrap the game, put in the disc, start clicking ok, figure out where to install it, make sure my DirectX version cuts the mustard, start watching the install progress, flip through the manual a bit, whip up a bologna sandwich, check on progress, start eating bologna sandwich, play the game ? you get the picture. With Halo 2 for Windows Vista, you?ll put the disc in, click play, and then you? start playing. Yeah, I couldn?t figure out when to make my bologna sandwich, either.

src : http://blogs.ign.com/MGS_HiredGun/2007/04/05/51370/

Edit: Tray and play. D:

 

[Jintor]

That would be one damn boost to PC gaming.

 

[Qonfused]

This is awesome.

 

[BeenJumpin]

I've pirated a few games that were just download, click and play. I can never help but wonder why it's not standard

 

[nutcrackr]

I'm one of the few that
a)gets little from saving 5 minutes before I can play a game
b)actually likes to watch the install process as it will be the only time I browse the manual
c)want to see some great installs or some nice artwork while I wait

Call me crazy but installing is never that difficult for me

I do however think this will help bring PCs to the mass audience and help it as a platform, just like games for windows. So it's still a good initiative.

 

[Naudian]

Wait wait how does this work?

Can Vista just go into console-mode or something and start play a game like a console?

I think that sounds really cool, hope it's that simple

Edit: Okay that's not how it works, but it should be! :frown:

 

[Qonfused]

I'm one of the few that
a)gets little from saving 5 minutes before I can play a game
b)actually likes to watch the install process as it will be the only time I browse the manual
c)want to see some great installs or some nice artwork while I wait

A) You can still install the regular way.
B) You're in the minority.

 

[Malfunction]

Is this just do to the fact that installing a game installs several smaller files, while I assume a console game is just like, an .iso or something? Then a few config files for controls, cheats, settings, etc. Or am I talking crap? No idea.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Wait wait how does this work?

Can Vista just go into console-mode or something and start play a game like a console?

I think that sounds really cool, hope it's that simple

Edit: Okay that's not how it works, but it should be! :frown:

Have you guys ever played Guild Wars? It's a semi-similar system.

During the two mins it installs, it just copies over the "core" files needed. Then, it starts installing anything you may be using next.

Same sort of thing is used in Guild Wars where it downloads the area either as you're entering it (gotta wait at a load screen until it finishes the download) or else while you're walking around the world it's continuing to download and install the other areas.

It's a great system they're using

nutcrackr: Well, nobody here really minds them much because we're used to them. If my Xbox360 required me to go through a bunch of silly hoops and then take an extra 5-10 mins to install the game before I even get into it, then it's just frustrating. If you honest to god enjoy installing as in "OMG YES INSTALLING IS THE BEST PART!" then you're 0.000000001% of the gaming population. Nobody likes them, but we don't mind them cause it's the way of life for us. This should be no longer the case Let's hope that more games adopt this technology to create a more console-like load times.

 

[Qonfused]

By "console-like load times" you mean pick up and play times right? Every PC game will load faster due to the fact that the game is on the hard drive, and not actively running off a disc.

 

[destrukt]

I'm one of the few that
a)gets little from saving 5 minutes before I can play a game
b)actually likes to watch the install process as it will be the only time I browse the manual
c)want to see some great installs or some nice artwork while I wait

Call me crazy but installing is never that difficult for me

I do however think this will help bring PCs to the mass audience and help it as a platform, just like games for windows. So it's still a good initiative.

I'm with you, I'll miss installing games just like I miss good manuals, decent sized boxes and all of those types of things. Boo for the current generation of kids with no patience, gaming was so much better 10 years ago.

We should be the majority or at least control the simple-minded minority.

 

[Kyorisu]

src : http://blogs.ign.com/MGS_HiredGun/2007/04/05/51370/

Edit: Tray and play. D:

I swear to god it it automatically puts game files in "My Games" or whatever it's called now I'll kill someone.

 

[Jintor]

I'm with you, I'll miss installing games just like I miss good manuals, decent sized boxes and all of those types of things. Boo for the current generation of kids with no patience, gaming was so much better 10 years ago.

We should be the majority or at least control the simple-minded minority.

I miss manuals, boxes and the shitloads in there, but i don't miss (like?) installation. The only good installations were the kind that had awesome stuff during it, like the Red Alert 2 install which was also a quick history of the alternate timeline. That was cool.

 

[Qonfused]

The Sims 2's installation was cool; you played little mini games as it installed.

 

[B_MAN]

hmm sounds good to me
takes about 2 minutes for the average system to start playing
and installs the game as you play.. without affecting performance

 

[bigburpco]

Oh god yes!

This has been begging to be a feature in PCs since forever.

 

[destrukt]

I miss manuals, boxes and the shitloads in there, but i don't miss (like?) installation. The only good installations were the kind that had awesome stuff during it, like the Red Alert 2 install which was also a quick history of the alternate timeline. That was cool.

I don't know, it's just.. I don't know.

You know how the post I linked to has the little, amusing story about making sandwiches and that while waiting for it to install and having a 'ritual' of sorts ?

I will miss that.

 

[Jintor]

I guess I was too lazy to get up and make sandwiches. :O

But god damn do I miss decent boxes/manuals.

 

[Shippi]

.

 

[Lucid]

I still don't get how it'll work.

How the hell will it instantly play unless the game's main files aren't already on the computer?
It has to download/install something! D:

 

[Ren.182]

I still don't get how it'll work.

How the hell will it instantly play unless the game's main files aren't already on the computer?
It has to download/install something! D:

Similar to how Iced Eagle explained it. It puts the most needed files onto your computer then installs whatever you need when you need it. For example if the game knows your about to go into a certain area in a while, it may begin to install that next area whilst you're still playing in the previous area.

It's a good idea, works well with Guild Wars like Iced said. I prefer just installing a game fully on my computer though, rather not have a 5 minute long lading screen while it installs the next area.

 

[Gray Fox]

How about no installs at all, unless you chose it.
Installs only seem necessary for mods, and then only the core files.

 

[Naudian]

How about no installs at all, unless you chose it.
Installs only seem necessary for mods, and then only the core files.

That's what I was thinking, the OS could read a game disk console-style and just play it like one, AND/OR you could install the files on your HD for mods/config files.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

That's what I was thinking, the OS could read a game disk console-style and just play it like one, AND/OR you could install the files on your HD for mods/config files.

Problem with that is that you can never trust people's disc drives. With a console, you know with certainty the read speed and such and can plan accordingly by how you set up the disc. However, there are so many different drives that can be used on a PC that you can never reliably tell.

Oh, and if you guys didn't read the article, if you really want you still can do the full install before you get into the game.

 

[StardogChampion]

What is it that doesn't let PC's run games from the disc like consoles can? Is it simply what Iced said - people having different reading speeds etc etc?

 

[Ennui]

Interesting idea. Most installs are rather dull (sandwich time indeed), but I'll miss the more creative ones. Ah well, this can only be a good thing

Like Age of Empires!

 

[WhiteZero]

There sure better be an install option!
Game loading would be hella slower from a optical drive than from a hard drive.

 

[JNightshade]

Lol at the typo in the thread title

 

[MorganFreeman911]

I'm one of the few that
a)gets little from saving 5 minutes before I can play a game
b)actually likes to watch the install process as it will be the only time I browse the manual
c)want to see some great installs or some nice artwork while I wait

Call me crazy but installing is never that difficult for me

I do however think this will help bring PCs to the mass audience and help it as a platform, just like games for windows. So it's still a good initiative.

Yes! I agree with you fully.

 

[mindless_moder]

There sure better be an install option!
Game loading would be hella slower from a optical drive than from a hard drive.

if i understand correctly ... you arent running it from the cd itself it just allows you to play the content that is already installed and then installs the rest while you're playing. so say the first level is a really big map when you pop in the disk it copies the halo exe , some models,sounds and the main map , gets you into the game and then loads the rest while you're playing. most games start out with a small weapons load out so the amount of files that the installer has to copy initially to get you in is rather small.also most games use a portal based rendering system where the map is broken up into seperate sectors so the installer just has to keep copying the sectors to your drive while you're playing. i wonder what happens if you can get through the level at the speed of light would you see the assets of the next "part" slowly pop into place as the installer copies the files?.

 

[Anthraxxx]

The disk drive issue is negligible. What disk drives out there today that aren't at least capable of 24x read speed? And if you don't have a computer with a disk drive that's not capable of doing that much, then chances are that your computer can't run Vista anyway.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

The disk drive issue is negligible. What disk drives out there today that aren't at least capable of 24x read speed? And if you don't have a computer with a disk drive that's not capable of doing that much, then chances are that your computer can't run Vista anyway.

It's not soley drive speed, but also caching, how fast it can transfer data from the drive itself to RAM, etc... There's a ton of factors there.

WhiteZero: Read my post before... If you want, you can do a full install before you load up the game. "Tray and Play" isn't the only option.

mindless_moder: You'll be greeted with a loading screen while it installs (again, like Guild Wars). However, chances are it would have already installed it if you're playing through it normally.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Does this mean that you need to insert the disc every time you play or just the first time (then you can use a no cd crack or whatever).

 

[mindless_moder]

Does this mean that you need to insert the disc every time you play or just the first time (then you can use a no cd crack or whatever).

read the page

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Does this mean that you need to insert the disc every time you play or just the first time (then you can use a no cd crack or whatever).

Once it installs, you no longer need the disc.

 

[Gray Fox]

Once it installs, you no longer need the disc.

Does it need internet verification or is it like quake 4, where you simply do not need the disc.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Does it need internet verification or is it like quake 4, where you simply do not need the disc.

Since it connects to Live, it may need internet verification. I'm not sure exactly. If it's like the recent Bug Bash "game", then before the game actually loads it makes you enter the CD-Key. It may or may not register this with the Live server, so who knows if it can be hacked or not. We'll see shortly if they can hack Halo2.

Oh, on that note there is something you guys should probably know about GFW Live. It probably only effects a small portion of people here though.

You see, on the console the entire experience is controlled so that it can't be hacked. However, to earn achievements on GFW games, you MUST be on the internet. If you're off-line and you earn an achievement, it won't count and you will have to re-earn it once you're on the internet. So if you take your laptop with you to your parents house and they don't have internet and you unlock some achievements, well then too bad, you gotta redo them.

They realize it sucks, but that's the only solution they have right now but are obviously looking for ways to improve upon it. Obviously for a majority of people we're always connected to the internet and we won't care about this. For the small sliver of people, I'm letting you know.

 

[MGpet]

ok! let's focus on and fix the 426th most troubling problem with pc gaming today! good job, team! (high fives all around)

 

[mindless_moder]

why are all these new members so god damn annoying/cocky .

 

[Naudian]

Who shat in your cornflakes moder?