Microsoft Confirms Windows 8 Releasing This October

On a side non gaming news(but news that will definitely be relevant to us PC gamers), Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 will be releasing this October. This is not the launch date mind you, but the release date of the RTM version, which is the Release To Manufacturing version. What happens is this version is given to system manufacturers, tech sites, reviewers and IT professionals/programmers etc before the actual consumer launch date. Microsoft VP, Rami Teller informed the audience during the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference of the RTM release of Windows 8. Not a major leap from Windows 7 certainly with a strong emphasis on touch surfaces, you'll still be able to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 for what they quote to be USD$15 for North America(I am uncertain if this is the equivalent price for the upgrade that we must pay for the South East Asian region). I'm sure nearer to release we'll see all sorts of performance comparison between windows 8 and 7. Are any of you thinking of upgrading to Windows 8?

Source: PC Gamer

Age Of Empires Online Now Completely Free To Play - Except Microtransactions

Which makes their previous insistence that it's free to play rather confusing. Gas Powered Games, the developer behind Age of Empires Online, initially released new civilizations as paid content while 2 basic civilisations we always free for everyone. Eric Williamsontold, design lead said "We probably turned off a lot of players who would’ve kept playing had they been given the option to earn a Premium Civilization". Free to play now is still a misnomer, as Gas Powered Games now has made all content and civs available for everyone, except a lot of items are now available in the in game store. You use Empire points to purchase stuff and to entice new users, they are giving out 100 Empire points for newcomers. You can get Age of Empires Online here.

Source: PC Gamer

XBOX Live On Windows 8 Confirmed - RIP Games For Windows Live

Microsoft today confirmed that the next iteration of Windows, Windows 8, will be integrating XBOX Live. Major Nelson revealed that XBOX Live on Windows "brings your games, music, movies, and TV shows to your favorite Microsoft and Windows devices". It's not clear if this means PC games will now be dumped together with this service(it makes sense though since GFW now doesn't even have it's own site). The post also talks about how devs can easily integrate XBOX Live on Windows for the games they are working on, which leads me to speculate that... yes... this is just a re branding of Games for Windows Live with connectivity to your XBOX Live profile/friends etc. Either way... RIP Games For Windows Live! You can watch the keynote presentation of Windows 8 here

Games For Windows Merging With XBOX.com

Or maybe they’re getting rid of it and simply putting all their PC catalogue on xbox.com. Merge is an interesting word though. The news posted on the Games For Windows site just mentions they are merging with XBOX.com. The GFWlive client will still exist, you’ll just have to go to xbox.com for the marketplace stuff. Not a huge deal, but it is another indication of how important pc gaming is to Microsoft. No word on when this merger will happen… just soon. You can view the discussion about this merger here.

Age of Empires Online Releasing This Fall

Microsoft announced that Age of Empires Online will be releasing in Fall 2011. The game will also be getting a retail ‘starter kit’ release that will include some ‘unique premium content’. Microsoft also announced a pro premium civilization pack which will start players off with a level 20 capital city which according to them is for the hardcore RTS players out there. I suppose this is a good idea since I found the grind too much to handle. At level 20, most of the units and structures would probably be unlocked, allowing you to play Age of Empires, the way it should be played. Not a bad idea I must say. Especially if the price is right. You can read my impression of the beta here.

Source: VG247

Age of Empires Online Beta Impressions - More MMO Than RTS

Ah the free to play PC game market. The new battle ground for triple AAA publishers on the PC platform. With Age of Empires Online, Microsoft is attempting to resurrect an old(and classic) IP with a new guise. As free to play MMORTS. The game was first developed by former Ensemble Studios folks at Robot Entertainment and is now being polished up by Gas Powered Games(of Supreme Commander fame). Does it work? Read on...

Age of Empires Online Open To Everyone For 48 Hours

You now have the chance to play Age of Empires Online for a short 48 hours window before it is closed on Saturday(Sunday Malaysian time most likely). It is open now. Go to this page and you can add to cart and get things rolling. If you don’t have a GamesForWindowsLive account(you need GFWlive btw), keep in mind you need to have a Windows Live ID(hotmail users have it already, just link to your hotmail account). I’m currently playing in the closed beta, it’s certainly an interesting RTS game. I can see how this can be compelling for many people. They've got the whole MMO leveling up gaining new item crap down to a tea. The emphasis is also more on PvE and coop matches rather than PvP(so the issue of imbalanced doesn’t crop up). PvP will still be in, however, no announcement whether this will be a premium feature or not. Age of Empires Online will be a free to play RTS game with some premium items and booster packs sold as its revenue model. Will have a write up soon.

UPDATE: Fable III Coming To Steam - Not Available In Malaysia Though

UPDATE: Fable III on Steam is not available for Malaysia(or anyone else in this region). Currently only available for EU and North America.

A Microsoft published game on another digital distribution platform? Well that’s what they have announced. Lionhead Studios announced today that Fable III will be released on Steam as well as the Games For Windows live platform. Although they didn’t make it clear in the press release, I’m pretty sure it will still need Games for Windows live client to run on top of Steam. I think they realised that releasing it just on Games For Windows will be significantly restricting sales potential considering Steam’s dominance in the digital distribution realm. The game releases on May 17th. Lionhead has released this developer diary video to give you a peek at what they are doing for the PC version of Fable III. Developer Diary video below…

Kinect SDK Coming To Windows Spring 2011

Microsoft has created this landing page for the upcoming Kinect SDK. It looks official now(although they can always change plans later, which I hope they don’t). Microsoft's Kinect has been quite a hit with very good sales for the XBOX 360, and Microsoft was never committed to a PC release. Since the release of Kinect, some enterprising people on the interwebs have been able to hack a working device driver for the Kinect to get it working for the PC. There’s been a few really cool hacks made for the Kinect such as this. With a proper SDK, I’m sure we’ll get much better Kinect cool tech prototypes. For non commercial use of course.

Fable III Minimum Requirements Out - It’s Quite Lenient

IGN has posted the minimum and recommended  specs for the upcoming PC port of Fable III. Still set for a May 17th release, the PC version will introduce a Hardcore difficulty setting. Early rumours suggested Microsoft was working the Kinect technology into the Fable III PC port. Lionhead has declined to comment on this rumour in the past and it seems it might not really be true at all. System requirements below…

Microsoft’s Windows Gaming Experience Internal Video Leaked

ZDnet has found this video from Microsoft showing their plans for the Windows Gaming Experience, which is an internal team within Microsoft that works on all Microsoft gaming related projects on all platforms. The video is a little old(May 2010) but it’s pretty clear that Microsoft goals of ubiquitous computing, to connect your PC with your XBOX with your mobile device is a cool but not something of a revolutionary idea. But it’s way harder to implement it(than to theorise it on paper) as even Games For Windows Live was supposed to have offered some multiplatform features which Microsoft quickly discovered were quite incompatible with each other(really, gold tier membership for PC?). But cool idea nevertheless. No idea whether the ideas will get implemented at all or if they moved on. Video below…

Games For Windows Live ‘Will Get Better’ Says Microsoft Exec

Microsoft Senior Producer, Kevin Unangst, said in an interview with CVG that the Games For Windows Live online service ‘will get better’. He admitted that the service had a rocky start due to their insistence on trying to bring a console like experience. He also said much of the problems with the service stemmed from not having any ‘fantastic’ games. He further adds that with Fable III and Age of Empires Online coming to the platform later(and getting input from the developers), the service will mature and evolve.

”We're also seeing developers get back to development. Epic did a great job of promoting Live with Bulletstorm. They're pleased with the platform and the service is going to continue to get better over time.” he said. In case you missed H@H@’s take on Bulletstorm’s GFWlive DRM, you can read his experience here. I’m looking forward to try out Age of Empires Online(later this year) but nothing much else excites me about this service. It also seems to me they are always a step(or a few step back) back from the competition. I’m sure they’ll get better, but how much better will the competition get by the time they get it right? What do you think of GFWlive?  

Windows 8 Screens Leaked - Integration of Windows Live To Your OS

Not gaming news but since we at Malaysian Gamer are PC gamers that game on Windows(primarily), this information might interest many of you(and us of course). Chinese news site Win7china released a few leaked screens of the supposed pre release version of Windows 8. The major feature in Windows 8 seem to be Windows Live ID integration to your operating system. You can log in to Windows 8 using your Live ID account(you can still set up a local account). Your profile picture is now displayed on the system tray. Some small improvements to the task bar(like the ability to see a progress bar for driver installations) and improved installation speed. Doesn’t sound all too huge a shift from Windows 7, but we’ll see. This is pre release stuff(unverified news), so take this info with a grain of salt. You can read an analysis of these screenshots in English from this site. Again this is not official or verified.

Fable III for The PC Release Date Confirmed

Rock Paper Shotgun posted that all things XBOXlive guy, Major Nelson, tweeted that you will be able to play Fable III for the PC on May 17th. If you’ve been itching to play the third iteration of the Fable series, you’d be glad to know that the PC version will have 3D support and features a new ‘Hardcore’ difficulty mode. Because you know…nothing is more hardcore than playing games on a PC.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

Age of Empires Online To Be Free To Play But With Premium Packs For Sale

In a phone interview with Bigdownload, A Microsoft spokesperson revealed that Age of Empires Online will be completely free to play with hundreds of mission and content available for everyone. The game will instead sell Premium Packs that will give players access to the entire tech tree, increased inventory space and access to more powerful gear for your units. There will also be smaller booster packs that will give players new missions and ‘additional game features’. Similar to the traditional Free2Play MMO model of selling booster packs and vanity items. Robot Entertainment(former Ensemble Studio staff) are developing AoE online to be similar to Age of Empire 3 with each player having their own home city and a lot more emphasis on playing missions with friends. Two civilizations confirmed for now, the Greeks and the Egyptians. It’s currently in closed beta, and will be available later this year. Oh and it requires GamesForWindowsLive client. 

Read the full interview over at Bigdownload

E3 2009: Microsoft Press Conference Live Blog

The stream of thoughts....

1.28 am It's starting. At least the musics started.

1.30 am It looks like they are starting with something from the Beattles game.

1.32 Its called The Beatles Rock Band. Harmonix guys on stage.

1.36 am These Harmonix guys do a beatles song. They are pretty good.

1.42 am Paul Mc Cartney and Ringo Starr on the stage!

1.44 am John Schappert Xbox vice president on stage with the real keynote.

1.45 am People celebrating the fact there will be no sales chart...LOL

1.46 am This segment they bring out Tony Hawk and he introduces the new Tony Hawk Ride game. New Ride peripheral.

1.52 am Modern warfare 2 Live demonstration of an Artic map

1.55 am Still a damn intense game!

1.56 am Yes! You can take control of a snow mobile! You can shoot your pistol while on it!

1.57 am Square Enix Final Fantasy XII guys on the stage.

1.59 am Ooo they got a Final Fantasy XII demo running on an XBOX360.

2.01 am Final Fantasy XII tentative release date revealed as Spring 2010

2.02 am Cliffy B and another Epic guy on stage. Announcing an XBOX arcade game called Shadow Complex. 2D side shoot em up.

2.05 am Demo ends with a floating player. Bug! Looks good.

2.06 am A new game that uses the XBOX avatar announced. Joyride. Totally free to play.

2.08 am It looks like they are showing Crackdown 2. Yeah it is.

2.10 am WTH! Left 4 Dead 2

2.12 am They showed a new Splinter Cell: Conviction trailer. An Ubisoft guy demos the game.

2.15 am Looks like typical Splinter Cell gameplay.

2.18 am Forza Motorsport 3 announced!

2.19 am Another dev demo. Forza 3 looks great. Now with cockpit view.

2.25 am Joe Staten of Bungie comes on stage and immedietely wastes no time into a demo of Halo: ODST

2.32 am Halo: Reach announced. Releases 2010. Those that buy ODST will get in the beta.

2.33 am Remdy guys showing new Alan Wake footage. Demo!!!!

2.34 am He is actually playing Alan Wake! It exists!!!

2.35 am There is something in the forest....

2.36 am He is using the light to make the enemies weaker.

2.39 am Alan Wake Spring 2010.

2.42 am Netflicks and streaming video on XBOX talk. Yada yada

2.44 am Facebook on XBOX. Felicia Day!!!!

2.47 am Twitter on XBOX!

2.50 am Hideo Kojima announces Metal Gear Solid Rising for the XBOX360

2.52 am New game will feature Raiden

2.57 am Microsofts gesture recognition camera codenamed Project Natal reminds me a lot of Minority Report. It's unreal.

3.05 am Steven Spielberg talks about Project Natal and what he thinks about it.

3.14 am Lengthy demo of the tech

3.15 am Peter Molyneux talking about the motion gesture tech

3.19 am He shows a video of an demo that shows advanced AI and motion recognition. The AI called Milo.

3.22 am Press conference over.

A little dissapointed with Valve doing a Left 4 Dead 2. Hope to learn more about this move. The motion gesture technology seems very impressive.

Halo Wars Developer Diary 2(video) UPDATED

UPDATED with developer diary 2

I normally don't cover console games much, but since it's such a slow day in gaming news, what the heck! Here's a recent dev diary video on upcoming Halo Wars by Ensemble(god bless em' for making great games, bad Microsoft! BAD!). Video below:

Developer Diary 2

Developer Diary 1

Gears Of War PC Epic Fail!

Gears of War PC owners got a surprise from Epic when their game stopped working on the 28th January 2009. It seemed to be tied to a copy protection mechanism with Games For Windows Live platform. Kotaku, posted a statement by an Epic Games Vice President, Mark Rein:

Rein said online cheat detection features in Gears of War for Windows are based on digital signatures. "We made an embarassing mistake," he said. "We signed the executable with a certificate that expired in a way that broke the game."

Mark Rein went on to state that they are working together with Microsoft on rectifying the situation and hopes this will get fixed soon. So much for Games For Windows.

Source : http://kotaku.com/5143680/epic-explains-gears-meltdown