Topic: Gears of War on the PC is awesome, but Micro$oft suck. (56k warning)

[Pugnate]

I'm fairly certain you can have more than one profile on one machine.  I'll check on that right now.


EDIT: Yes, you can have multiple profiles on one game.  I have an offline one and a LIVE one as of right now. 

That's good then.

[Xessive]

Yeah, same here. Unfortunately my LIVE one rarely connects or signs in properly. It still logs in offline though and registers achievments, then it updtaes the profile the next time it connects.

[Pugnate]

My only issue is with the controls. With a little tweaking they would have been perfect. At times they aren't responsive. Plus there should be a cover lock.

[Xessive]

My only issue is with the controls. With a little tweaking they would have been perfect. At times they aren't responsive. Plus there should be a cover lock.

Yeah, I kinda expected a toggle option, but it doesn't bother me much. I just had to readjust myself from the R6 Vegas controls. Otherwise all is great with the controls.

[scottws]

I'm having this weird stuttering issue.  It's not like a low framerate or an inconsistent framerate from what I can tell.  It's like it just jumps every second.  At first I thought it was just sort of Fenix taking a step, but it happens in the junker too so that is definitely not it.

Seems to be a common problem when I Google search.  There is a tweak that supposedly fixes it, but you need to have at least 512MB of VRAM to utilize it or else it makes it worse.  Using DX10 supposedly is supposed to help as well, but I already am using it.

[MysterD]

It's been PATCHED....

....And currently can only be done by the game's Auto-Updater only, so far.

[gpw11]

Scott, a lot of people are having weird issues with this game.  I generally have been lucky, but there are times when something somewhat like what you talk about happens.  Rarely, but it can be a bitch.

[scottws]

The patch seemed to help, but now I'm thinking it might be heat related.  The game was running awesome in DX10 (no AA) @ 1680 x 1050 w/ everything on max for like 30 min, but then it started doing that jumpy thing again.

My system was built with the primary purpose of being quiet.  It probably would be better if it wasn't an upside-down motherboard configuration.  That puts the hot videocard at the top of the case, with the main path of airflow somewhere underneath and passing it by.  And heat rises...  There are vents at the top back of the case, but I don't think it is enough.  The top of the case gets very hot when gaming.  But I've played ET:QW for hours in a row before w/ no crashes or other problems, and the Doom III engine is no slouch.

[Pugnate]

When the Gears of War bug starts to happen, just minimize and check your GPU temperature in the control panel. You could also try Asus PC Probe to check your system temp.

[Cobra951]

Heh, I saw you on come online on my 360, Scott.  I saw you were playing GoW, then I realized it also said "(Windows)".  It told me where you were in the game, the 3rd chapter, on casual mode.  I guess the cross-platform communication shouldn't surprise me, but it did.

[Xessive]

Cool! I gotta start adding you guys as soona s I can log in.

My gamertag is Xietoun. It would have been Xessive but some jerk already took it.

[scottws]

Oh, I should also mention that the game looks amazing.  I ran the game on the 360 in 1080i, but this impressed me all over again.  That level in the rain in the dark when you first run into the lambent wretches was incredible.

[scottws]

Ok, it doesn't seem to be heat related.  I just played for about 2 hrs. and it was stuttering from the get-go.  But then it relented later.  I don't know what it is.

[gpw11]

Did you get the patch?  Some people say it helps, others don't.  Is it like a constant stutter, or every once in a while.  It hits me every once in a while, which seems like loading or pre-caching.  Either way, there seem to be a lot of bugs with the game.

You're right about the graphics though - amazing, even if it's a little dark and lacks colour.

[scottws]

Yeah the patch helped, but it still happens.  Game definitely needs more patching.

[idolminds]

It needs more removal of GFW Live shit.

[scottws]

Yeah, I have a feeling that is one of the major reasons it behaves strangely and crashes a lot.  One thing I found hilarious is that after the 2nd patch, the game no longer appears in the Games Explorer in Vista, and there is no Start folder for the game either (I suspect that since it is a GFWL game, they figured everyone would have no trouble finding it in the Games Explorer, or it got deleted).  I have to run the game from a shortcut I made from the game's installation folder.

[gpw11]

yeah, it's kind of whacked.  Mine wouldn't install the auto updates so I had to do it manually.  It's cool though, because I could still play the not updated game.  Let me take advantage of this opportunity to push my views on people:

IT IS BETTER THAN STEAM

[Quemaqua]

But that's still sort of like saying BEATING MYSELF IN THE HEAD WITH AN IRON BAR REALLY HARD IS BETTER THAN STABBING MYSELF IN THE FACE.  One may be better, but your brain is likely to be the worse for wear in either event.

[gpw11]

That is very true.  I'd like to play more co-op.  Sadly, the whole system sucks and there's either no one else ever on, or the browser is broken.  I managed to play co-op once and it was pretty fun. 

As for the cover lock, doesn't hitting SPACE actually toggle the cover lock?  It's not like I'm holding the bar down when I"m in cover.

[Xessive]

That is very true.  I'd like to play more co-op.  Sadly, the whole system sucks and there's either no one else ever on, or the browser is broken.  I managed to play co-op once and it was pretty fun. 

As for the cover lock, doesn't hitting SPACE actually toggle the cover lock?  It's not like I'm holding the bar down when I"m in cover.

I think Pug does hold it down It's a R6 Vegas thing. I used to hold it down when I first started too

[scottws]

That is very true.  I'd like to play more co-op.  Sadly, the whole system sucks and there's either no one else ever on, or the browser is broken.  I managed to play co-op once and it was pretty fun. 

As for the cover lock, doesn't hitting SPACE actually toggle the cover lock?  It's not like I'm holding the bar down when I"m in cover.

Yeah, it's a toggle.  What's your Live name?  I'll add you.  I play almost every night.

[Pugnate]

No I don't hold it down. I hit space and he goes into cover, and when I move sideways or something he inexplicably goes out of it.

[Xessive]

No I don't hold it down. I hit space and he goes into cover, and when I move sideways or something he inexplicably goes out of it.

If you push Back (move back) he'll go out of cover (this happens whether you're standing or crouching).

I really like this 'cover' system; it beats leaning!

[Pugnate]

I figured it out. Apparently double tapping a direction key acts as hitting the space bar once.

[Cobra951]

I hate double taps with a passion.  Hate them, hate them.  No amount of smarts can tell the difference between quick corrections, hesitant moves and a double tap.  I almost put Dead Rising away for good because of it, although I'm glad I stuck with it.

[MysterD]

I figured it out. Apparently double tapping a direction key acts as hitting the space bar once.

Can you turn that double-tapping feature off...?

[gpw11]

Lets make a thread for live accounts and steam accounts.

[Xessive]

Can you turn that double-tapping feature off...?

Yeah it's in the options. I remember switching it on I like double-taps Got used to them from old games on my Sega Megadrive (Genesis) and dodging in Unreal Tournament.

[Pugnate]

I hate double taps with a passion.  Hate them, hate them.  No amount of smarts can tell the difference between quick corrections, hesitant moves and a double tap.  I almost put Dead Rising away for good because of it, although I'm glad I stuck with it.

Yes my friend, I too hate it now. I've turned it off.

[Quemaqua]

I've still never had a problem with double-taps.  Games seem to be more commonly using them, too, so I think anybody who doesn't like them may need to get used to them in a hurry.

[MysterD]

Yeah it's in the options. I remember switching it on I like double-taps Got used to them from old games on my Sega Megadrive (Genesis) and dodging in Unreal Tournament.

Thanks for the info. That's cool.

I used the double-tap feature frequently in The Witcher, to dodge and spin and all when in OTS.
When in either Iso cam view, I often used the double-click to dodge and spin.

[Pugnate]

I don't know, I've never had an issue with double taps until Gears of War... I think most games employ double taps. The problem is that I often double tap naturally, and when it breaks the cover lock is when I get in trouble.

In other games, an accidental double tap doesn't mean instant death.

[Cobra951]

I've still never had a problem with double-taps.  Games seem to be more commonly using them, too, so I think anybody who doesn't like them may need to get used to them in a hurry.

Didn't you just post something about beating your face with a hammer being better than stabbing it?  I'll check for Sears sales on Craftsman tools . . .

Edit:  That made sense to me, but looking at it now, I realize it probably won't make sense to anyone else.  Option 1, beat my face with a hammer:  Play the games with what I consider to be an egregious control flaw.  Curse the world every time I leap to my death when all I wanted to do was move, stop, then move again.  Option 2, stab myself in the face:  Don't play the games at all.

[idolminds]

Double taps killed me so much playing UT. I'd be trying to step up to a ledge to look down and shoot at someone but it took it as a doupletap and I'd launch myself off the cliff. Gah.

[Pugnate]

Didn't you just post something about beating your face with a hammer being better than stabbing it?  I'll check for Sears sales on Craftsman tools . . .

Edit:  That made sense to me, but looking at it now, I realize it probably won't make sense to anyone else.  Option 1, beat my face with a hammer:  Play the games with what I consider to be an egregious control flaw.  Curse the world every time I leap to my death when all I wanted to do was move, stop, then move again.  Option 2, stab myself in the face:  Don't play the games at all.

hahaha... I can imagine your thought process as you chose to edit that post. Wait... will everyone understand what I said? I hope it doesn't seem like I am insulting Que! That wasn't my intention. Wait did I remember to condition my hair today? Oh yea... it feels nice. This should get me some compliments when I get into that threeso... wait...where was I? Oh yes. I should explain what I said.

BTW, for the record, it took me a few seconds but I did get your post before the edit.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, I got it too.  Unfortunately, it's impossible for me to weigh in on this debate at all because... well, it just doesn't happen to me.  I know it's happened like a few times here or there, but by and large I've never really double-tapped anything unintentionally.  I just don't understand how that can happen.  Obviously it's a difference in the way I control things (I guess I'm simply more deliberate in my stick movements and key presses, and don't second-guess my instincts), so... yeah.  I guess I really can't say anything useful.  I just never even considered it a problem until it was mentioned here by Cobra and others, hence I now wonder slightly at how frequently it's being used in games today.  I hope it doesn't end up causing a large problem for some people.

[Cobra951]

Yeah, you're exactly right.  See, to me a thumbstick has too little travel to control motion in robot-precise increments.  I often find myself modulating my input, almost like we all had to on D-pads back in the day.  If I concentrate on *not* doing that, I will do better, until I lose track of it and my instincts take over again.  On top of that, I'll swear in court that Dead Rising will often interpret two taps at different angles as a double tap.  That is wrong in any situation.

Hey!  Leave my hair out of this!   

[Quemaqua]

I will say that I do think thumbsticks currently still have some funniness to them that they really shouldn't.  There's an inherent imprecision to the things that I've always found mildly distasteful when it comes to trying to perform certain actions in games.  It may not necessarily even be the fault of the thumbstick, but the games themselves having thresholds that just don't quite give you the leeway you want.  Or something.  I'm noticing it now with Assassin's Creed quite a bit.  Often it's blatantly obvious what direction I should push the stick to climb somewhere, but I have to really fiddle with it a bit to get it to actually go, sometimes pushing almost to a new general direction.  Perhaps all we have here is that your problem is a different facet of the same general imprecision that seems to go along with these things, and it just comes out differently because of our different personal methods.

[gpw11]

Well, I just beat GoW (and totally missed the window of opportunity for going out tonight because of it).  I ended up playing the last half of the game coop, which was really fun.  You can communicate in the game by hitting the tilde key to open the console, typing "say" (no quotation marks) followed by whatever you want to say after. 

The last level or so was really really fun, but I do have to agree with you guys on the lack of plot development.  If it wasn't for outside knowledge of the game, I'd have no idea who I was fighting or why.