Durante for PC Gamer: Why PC games should never become universal 'apps'

Shamelessly stolen from GAF, I think he makes many valid points in a reasonable non-biased way.....

Microsoft’s vision for the future of application development and distribution on Windows, dubbed “Universal Windows Platform” (UWP) and “Universal Windows Apps” (UWA) is currently the most controversial subject in PC gaming. Universal apps first came to our attention with the Windows Store version of Rise of the Tomb Raider missing display settings available in the Steam version, and escalated with Epic Games co-founder Tim Sweeney criticizing universal Windows apps as a closed platform that “can, should, must and will, die as a result of industry backlash” if Microsoft doesn’t open it up.

This article aims to clarify what UWA is and and provide my own perspective on the matter. The first part will deal with the current state of the platform and all the problems and limitations you should be aware of before buying a game on it. After this objective analysis, I’ll provide my more subjective commentary as a long-term PC gaming enthusiast and modder on the potential impact of Universal Windows apps.

More of the article here

For anyone wondering who Mr. Peter "Durante" Thoman is, he's the creator of PC downsampling tool GeDoSaTo and the modder behind Dark Souls' DSfix. He has previously analyzed PC ports like The Witcher 3, written about why broken PC ports are unacceptable, and written an open letter to game developers about the features PC gamers want.

It seemed transparently obvious through Phil Spencer's posturing and shit eating grin Microsoft saw the PC as both undistinguishable from a console and a trojan horse for the Xbox.

Another one of these ignorant reactions. How charming.

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Can you explain how his detailed explanation is ignorant? Maybe at least try to support your claim of someone else's ignorance?

Simple, they are making an issue where there isn't any. If a developer wants to use MS store they need to conform to their rules otherwise they can continue making software the way always had. The current structure of installing and removing software; the traditional way, is unreliable and its mainly due to the numerous variables. By removing and constraining these variables, programs can be more reliable for installation, removal and usage. All of this is optional. I think its rather ridiculous to call foul on UWP when its purely optional.

Well. As long as it's optional for us too then I don't mind.

"The current structure of installing and removing software; the traditional way, is unreliable and its mainly due to the numerous variables."

But that's completely wrong. There's nothing inherently unreliable about the "traditional way" that isn't in universal apps.

And yes, it's certainly optional at least for now. Microsoft's plan is clearly to push this as the main thing for PC gaming. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to make later DirectX updates or other improvements exclusive to this platform.

Mind you, I like Windows. I like the thing it has going, where while not near as open as an open source OS, it's not as closed down from the user's PoV as something like MacOSX is. And this platform is trying to break exactly that. If this becomes a popular thing in the future, a lot of the benefits we get from PC gaming will be lost.

And to add to all that, this being optional does not make the writer of the article ignorant. He's making valid points about the platform.

Until then, it's kind of a piece of shit for gaming, but still probably better than Games for Windows.

Not by a long shot. At least GFWL didn't push for a closed platform that the user had little to no control over.

lol at the damage control.

UWA goes against the nature of the PC platform (not just gaming).

MS is trying to force a walled garden into the PC, plain and simple. That's why they are giving their malware Win 10 platform for free.

Yup, MS was mad they couldnt change the console industry on their own so they are trying PC,

Agreed.

Look at the morons here trying to defend it......it doesnt matter what it will be like what he describes in the article is what its like now at this very moment and if as a pc gamer you try to justify it thjen you are a fuckiing moron and you need to get off the platform, i havent gamed on pc for 25 years so the fucks can excuse away half assed and shady customer treatment ....**** off

As it stands now my £500 gsync monitor and my one of my two £350 graphics cards are useless in games on the windows store yet nowhere else on any other store on pc and why? well just because microsoft of course...

And by now after decades of broken promises,ms saying they will fix it or it will change means nothing until they actually do it!

Yeah, Durante is right. Not sure why anyone would defend this... except maybe a console gamer. ;)

Good thing I stayed on Windows 7 and good thing I don't really care for MS games anymore.

MS trying the walled garden on pc. It's not optional if the games aren't available in any other store. If I want quantum break on pc, I have to submit to these practices. It sucks, but I'd rather miss the game than give ms my money and make them think this action is okay. I wish people would stop defending this.

Walled Garden on PC> not good,

So much arrogance and ignorance in your response. Thanks for sharing though.

Orange you glad i didn't say Banana?

When you are installing creativity software such as Maya, 3Ds Max etc the traditional method can be a nightmare even on a fresh installation of windows. So, if there is a possibility to eliminate these headaches I am all for it.

Using the may or what if scenario as the foundation for these concerns is rather stretching. The Windows Store resides within Windows and not Windows residing in the store. To think MS would block every software outside of the Windows Store is ludicrous. So the writer's reaction and many of the bandwagon followers are making an issue out of nothing. The fact remains that Steam and other gaming services and software will continue to function as they are currently. If developer decide to make games exclusively through the store that will be their decision.

No hands on experience with Maya, but I've installed 3ds Max on many PCs since back when it was called "3D Studio Max" upto the current 3ds Max 2016 and I really haven't found it any more difficult than installing regular programs. In many years of working on Windows PCs, only thing I've actually ever had considerably trouble with installing are Microsoft SQL Server instances, but that's not something that can benefit from an automated Windows Store installation to begin with.

And of course, you're using a "what if" scenario here too. There's no reason to believe the Windows Store means elimination of installation problems. If anything, it's not the case at all, considering I know few people who bought ROTTR on Windows Store and can't even start the game, and the worst part is that updates are slow as hell on that platform.

I wish all of these experts would wait until after build to post their hate articles. Most of the points he attempted to make have been addressed. Considering that UWP is optional, Steam could allow UWP's in their store if they chose to do so. Right now people are comparing a brand new platform to one that has been around for ages. In comparison of course there will be lack of what you call features. Some of those "features" are not features they are security holes. UWP looks to solve a problem, and that problem is of a consistent game environment where the app running does not need to fight for resources on the system. Give it time and wait until they fully explain and then voice your concerns at this point these articles are trying to shape the narrative before the story is told.

Now we know why Windows 10 was free. :D

LOL, Microsoft.

@fierro316: @naz99: @Heil68: Yup I feel microsoft is doing this because since they screwed up with Xbox and it has a small of even catching up to the PS4 they're trying to get into PC gaming. I also see the objective of UWP as a tool to basically get more PC games on Xbox One since their "universal" they're making the Xbox One upgradable at this point it is a wannabe PC and they seem to be doing all this crazy stuff because they're desperate.

Sure competition is alright but not when it sucks. Stop comparing it to Steam. Steam was the first of its kind of PC and to figure things out on its own the Windows Store and other servies can use Steam as what to make their service like as close as possible, Windows Store isn't. Seriously how do launch with issues relating to fullscreen, vsync, and I see someone is trying to damage control mods as irrelevant outside a few games.

I had no problem with Microsoft releasing games on the Windows Store as I was glad to see them finally put some of their XB1 games on PC and it is very reasonable for why they would do it on their own store. Now I noticed their PC ports require ridiculous requirements even though the games run on Potato box 1 and are using the so called "Powah of DX12" optimization. Some people make excuses for this by claiming its to motivate people to upgrade. BULLSHIT! You want people to upgrade? Make games like Star Citizen which actually push hardware to the limit not some poorly optimized PC port.

I'd like Steam to have competition but their competitors suck. None of them offer as many features or incentives like Steam, Steam has big picture mode, live broadcasting, sharing games, their own controller made to make PC games more accessible to couch with software to help script it, a community workshop, community hubs, trading card system, in group voice chat, promotion for indie devs, etc etc. While Origin and Uplay are very basic. All Origin really has over Steam is customer service.

If GoG could sell modern games it would be Steam's archnemesis. As being DRM free can easily make up for the lack of features since they could just add the game to Steam.

I thought Gabe Newell was just overreacting and trying to lock people in with his SteamOS idea but Microsoft has justified his actions. Thank goodness SteamOS and Linux gaming are becoming more accessible everyday. Microsoft is starting to want to become Apple even though they suck at it.

There are aologists for everything. Throw people in jail and have their gratitude to boot.

Thanks, but no thanks, MS.

I'm pretty sure controversial things have been attempted on PC before this and none of them stuck. PC games won't and do not take shit from publishers or developers. If need be, everyone will switch to linux.

Microsoft pretty much 2 options, they make the UWP good for the players or they pay every AAA dev to release their games exclusively on UWP

Having bad platform with only handful of desirable titles isn't going to fly

Seems like MS is taking a sensible approach with this. Scaling back and making what works best efficient and then start adding features the pc gamers and devs want down the road.

You hit the nail on the head. I couldn't agree more with this post.

NVIDIA has 80 percent of dGPU market while AMD has 20 percent and both NVIDIA partner EPIC/Tim Sweeney and Mr. Peter "Durante" Thoman (who owns NVIDIA GPU**) are not complaining with NVIDIA near monopoly market share.

**Praised Witcher 3 with GTX 970.

They are not consistent.

@ronvalencia: Agreed! Don't forget that Intel is close to a near monopoly in the desktop CPU market and no one is complaining at them locking up their CPU's to prevent overclocking, while forcing you to buy their k-series.