Somone please explain GFWL

I was sort of vaguely contemplating buying Bioshock 2. I hear that this a Games For Windows Live title. I am not sure what that is. I am a bit of noob in this regard.

So anyway, someone kindly educate me, do I need to be connected to the internet to save my game? Is there anything like an offline mode?

How bad is the DRM issues on Bioshock 2?

Thanks!

games for windows means the 360 controller is supported for it. you can play it on live, windows live, and theres another content sometimes available for download, similar to xbox live games.

games for windows means the 360 controller is supported for it. you can play it on live, windows live, and theres another content sometimes available for download, similar to xbox live games.

hamhero

No you do not need to be online to save in Bioshock, you can create an "offline" profile that allows you to save the game without the PC being connected to the net. If you have an offline profile that will mean you do not get to access GFWL Achievements and Multiplayer will be closed off to you unless you create an online profile.

As for the DRM that seems to be a lil bit of a mystery when it comes to GFWL and Bioshock 2. Firstly Bioshock 2 does use securom but it is only a disc check and there is no activation limits from what I can see. However GFWL also has DRM in it this is where things get "confusing" it is rumored that GFWL has an activation limit of 15 (ie you can activate it on GFWL with an online account 15 times but no more). Since you are not bothering with online you should be ok.

games for windows means the 360 controller is supported for it. you can play it on live, windows live, and theres another content sometimes available for download, similar to xbox live games.

hamhero

No you do not need to be online to save in Bioshock, you can create an "offline" profile that allows you to save the game without the PC being connected to the net. If you have an offline profile that will mean you do not get to access GFWL Achievements and Multiplayer will be closed off to you unless you create an online profile.

As for the DRM that seems to be a lil bit of a mystery when it comes to GFWL and Bioshock 2. Firstly Bioshock 2 does use securom but it is only a disc check and there is no activation limits from what I can see. However GFWL also has DRM in it this is where things get "confusing" it is rumored that GFWL has an activation limit of 15 (ie you can activate it on GFWL with an online account 15 times but no more). Since you are not bothering with online you should be ok.

charmingcharlie

games for windows LIVE means the 360 controller is supported for it. you can play it on live, windows live, and theres another content sometimes available for download, similar to xbox live games.

hamhero

"360 controller is supported for it."

No it does not

I had the same questions but I went ahead and installed the game yesterday.

First I have a GFWL account already and you will need to have one to start the game. At least it says so on the box and I think it checked for activation. I had it for Batman AA.

It still plays SP in offline mode for me but I still get achievments. It's aparently on in the backround and all you have to do is push the home key to bring it up. Note though I have seen no ill effects from this while playing.

You can save anytime you want either hard saves or Qsaves. That was my main concern cause I like saving alot. I hate paying for the same play twice.

I've had no problems with GFWL in any game I've played that uses it so I don't think it's a big deal. Hope this helps.

[QUOTE="hamhero"]

games for windows LIVE means the 360 controller is supported for it. you can play it on live, windows live, and theres another content sometimes available for download, similar to xbox live games.

"360 controller is supported for it."

No it does not

No you do not need to be online to save in Bioshock, you can create an "offline" profile that allows you to save the game without the PC being connected to the net. If you have an offline profile that will mean you do not get to access GFWL Achievements and Multiplayer will be closed off to you unless you create an online profile.

As for the DRM that seems to be a lil bit of a mystery when it comes to GFWL and Bioshock 2. Firstly Bioshock 2 does use securom but it is only a disc check and there is no activation limits from what I can see. However GFWL also has DRM in it this is where things get "confusing" it is rumored that GFWL has an activation limit of 15 (ie you can activate it on GFWL with an online account 15 times but no more). Since you are not bothering with online you should be ok.

charmingcharlie

I wish I could give you a definite answer, from what I can see Bioshock 2 uses the GFWL NON-SSA system (don't worry about the SSA). This means you still have to activate it online even if you are going to primarily play the game offline. So during the installation process it will communicate with GFWL servers and use up an activation. So I would say that if you install the game 15 times you will use up all your activations.

There is no revoke tool so a used activation stays used. However you can contact Microsoft and "beg" to have the activations reset but that will be entirely up to the person you speak to on the phone. So the game essentially has 15 life time activations and once used that is it and you apparently use an activation every time you install the game. If you use up all 15 activations I don't believe you will be able to install the game at all and play SP the game essentially becomes useless till you can get more activations.

Its not the 15 activation limit that bothers me about GWFL / Bioshock 2. Its the lets use 100% CPU processing power that happens when you download a patch through live itself (which is completely ridiclious in my opinion).

I have never understood this "patching whilst in the game" it seems totally pointless to me. Even if you download the patch via the game it still has to quit and close the game to install the patch. I have had experience of GFWL's updating and it is not "easy" and very rarely works. I personally prefer to download my patches manually and prefer installing the patches BEFORE I start the game. Why it is considered a good thing that you should start the game, download the patch, close the game, install the patch and then start the game again is beyond me.

I had the same questions but I went ahead and installed the game yesterday.

First I have a GFWL account already and you will need to have one to start the game. At least it says so on the box and I think it checked for activation. I had it for Batman AA.

It still plays SP in offline mode for me but I still get achievments. It's aparently on in the backround and all you have to do is push the home key to bring it up. Note though I have seen no ill effects from this while playing.

You can save anytime you want either hard saves or Qsaves. That was my main concern cause I like saving alot. I hate paying for the same play twice.

I've had no problems with GFWL in any game I've played that uses it so I don't think it's a big deal. Hope this helps.

Rickylee

I wish I could give you a definite answer, from what I can see Bioshock 2 uses the GFWL NON-SSA system (don't worry about the SSA). This means you still have to activate it online even if you are going to primarily play the game offline. So during the installation process it will communicate with GFWL servers and use up an activation. So I would say that if you install the game 15 times you will use up all your activations.

There is no revoke tool so a used activation stays used. However you can contact Microsoft and "beg" to have the activations reset but that will be entirely up to the person you speak to on the phone. So the game essentially has 15 life time activations and once used that is it and you apparently use an activation every time you install the game. If you use up all 15 activations I don't believe you will be able to install the game at all and play SP the game essentially becomes useless till you can get more activations.

charmingcharlie

And remember what identity you used for GFWL. I totally forgot so created a new account, and went to register games like Dawn Of War II, but then it said this game is registered to another account. So I bought Bioshock 2 and registered it to my new account.
I rung Microsoft and they said I can't transfer games to a new account, so now I'm stuck between 2 accounts. Old one for some games, and a new one for Bioshock 2. Now when I start a game, I have to constantly swap between accounts. Very annoying.