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Games for Windows – Live (officially spelled ''LIVE'') is an online gaming service for '' Games For Windows ''-branded PC titles. It enables Windows PCs to connect to the Live service, which will eventually include other devices including Windows Mobile and Zune . Users, each with a unique Gamertag that carries over from Xbox Live , will be able to play Online , keep track of their friends' status, send and receive messages, gain and keep track of Achievements, voice chat across platforms, and more. Some games will allow for cross-platform play, such as Shadowrun , which allows PC players to compete against Xbox 360 players. Games for Windows – Live is currently only available for the Windows Vista Operating System . But, it has been announced that Microsoft plans to bring it to XP late this year.1 Its features will initially be limited, but will grow just as the features of Xbox Live have over the years. The service was shown in near-final form at CES 2007 during Bill Gates' keynote speech. Xbox Live Arcade will launch on the service later in the year. The service will be open to 3rd-party developers, but they must be able to meet certain requirements, which could include game ratings, total number of achievement points, and the ability to properly connect to Live. PRODUCTS The first Games for Windows – Live-enabled title was '' Halo 2 '' for Windows Vista, which was going to be launched to the public on May 22 2007 , but it was not and got pushed back to May 31 However many copies made it to store shelves and were sold, meaning it was still the first Games for Windows – Live game. The game supports all the standard Live features (such as achievements, voice chat, messages, etc.), but does not offer cross-platform play with Xbox or Xbox 360 players. [http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=8791928 Another game released was '' Shadowrun '', which launched simultaneously on Windows Vista and Xbox 360 on May 29 2007 {Link without Title} , and is the first game to offer cross-platform play on the Live service. The last currently-announced first-party title is '' UNO '', the popular Xbox Live Arcade title, which will also allow for cross-platform play, as demonstrated at Microsoft's keynote speech at CES 2007. ''UNO'' is scheduled for release at some point in 2007. from Sega is to include cross platform play between Xbox 360 and Windows over Live. USER INTERFACE The user interface or "Guide" follows much the same layout as the Xbox 360 version. Apart from minor cosmetic differences it also matches the same features as the Xbox 360. This includes messaging (text and voice), friends list, recent players, private chat and personal settings. The client that provides this interface is included with Games for Windows – Live games. It is only available when running a game designed for the service. Access to Live functions outside of games is not possible although a Windows client similar to messenger is under consideration for future versions of the service. The current version of the in-game Live client is 1.1.0322, released on August 23rd 2007. It adds 12 new gamer pictures, a Network Information viewer and support for 5 new languages. The client will update when you log into a Live-aware game, or you can download it manually here . DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOLD AND SILVER MEMBERSHIPS Games for Windows – Live Silver Membership Features
Games for Windows – Live Gold Membership Features
PRICING AND SUBSCRIPTIONS Games for Windows – Live uses the same pricing structure as Xbox Live. The silver level service is free, while the Gold level requires a regular subscription. The gold subscription pricing is below: Memberships can be purchased either directly from the interface (credit card required), or as prepaid Xbox Live cards at retailers. Games for Windows – Live and Xbox Live are essentially the same network, so subscribing to one automatically gives you access to the other, therefore current Xbox Live Gold subscribers will get access to Games for Windows – Live Gold and vice-versa. In addition to shared subscription, all achievements, friends, players and messages pool together across both platforms. {Link without Title} CRITICISM Online PC games, particularly FPSs , are traditionally run and funded independently by Clans , gaming groups or independent players. Game Servers are typically rented by the Clan or group, and provided for players to use free of charge. Often the only infrastructure operated or paid for by the game developer is a master server which collects and serves a list of available independent servers. Though for Halo 2 and Shadowrun, the game owner is able to setup their own dedicated server {Link without Title} , this may not be the same for every other game on Games for Windows – Live. It is down to developers to add this functionality into the service and it is not yet known whether third parties are required to add it to get the Live branding. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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