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Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:38 pm**

I'm going to give Microsoft some credit here.

They are launching a new campaign to make the forefront of gaming the PC. They are putting new shelves into stores where games will be displayed with demos and such. They are pushing their Live service to the PC so we can easier hook up for gaming, IMs, etc. and we can game against those console peeps who think their FPS skillz are the best. They are releasing Direct X 10 which apparently makes PC Gaming advance beyond the newest consoles overnight. (Not that top of the line PCs aren't already there.)

Pick up the latest issues of PC Gamer or CGW to find out more details.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:04 pm**

After Apple dropped the ball on that shit & seeing as how the new consoles cost a testicle and a half, this is the perfect time to be doing this shit.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:23 pm**

Great point.

I think Microsoft could really use Vista and the X-Box 360 together to knock their competitors right out of the game. IF they do it right and stay totally committed to both platforms.

I mean, $600 for a Playstation 3? Is Sony fucking insane?

Edited By Leisher on 1151436219

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:35 pm**

I guess that campaign is Vista-only, eh? Since DirectX 10 won't work on XP.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:44 pm**

Is Sony fucking insane?

Yes.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:03 pm**

I'm looking forward to Microsoft Live connecting PC and XBox players in the same games.

XBox peeps are gonna be PISSED they're getting their asses beaten.

Edited By GORDON on 1151438811

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:04 pm**

I read that as MS wants to sell more copies of Windows so they want to make the PC popular again. And to be the best gaming platform available, you'll need the latest version of DX which requires the latest version of Windows. I'm not a software guy. . . but why does every new thing that MS releases require the latest version of Windows? Can't be THAT hard to make things backwards compatible. . . everyone else does. You'd think MICROSOFT would be masters of it.

So basically, thank you MS for making it so that I have to buy another copy of your software so I will be able to play the latest games.

Edited By Cakedaddy on 1151438731

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:07 pm**

I'm looking forward to Microsoft Live connecting PC and XBox players in the same games.

XBox peeps are gonna be PISSED their getting they're asses beaten.

I have a part that plugs into the XBox, and then I plug my mouse and keyboard into that. I can then play XBox FPSs with my mouse/keyboard. I HATE playing FPSs on the consoles with the controlers.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:09 pm**

I read that as MS wants to sell more copies of Windows so they want to make the PC popular again. And to be the best gaming platform available, you'll need the latest version of DX which requires the latest version of Windows. I'm not a software guy. . . but why does every new thing that MS releases require the latest version of Windows? Can't be THAT hard to make things backwards compatible. . . everyone else does. You'd think MICROSOFT would be masters of it.

So basically, thank you MS for making it so that I have to buy another copy of your software so I will be able to play the latest games.

DirectX 10 requires direct access to layers of the OS that Windows XP will simply not allow.

That makes it faster, though, so they're willing to bet you just don't care enough.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:12 pm**

I'm looking forward to Microsoft Live connecting PC and XBox players in the same games.

XBox peeps are gonna be PISSED their getting they're asses beaten.
I have a part that plugs into the XBox, and then I plug my mouse and keyboard into that. I can then play XBox FPSs with my mouse/keyboard. I HATE playing FPSs on the consoles with the controlers.

No, I meant that XBox owners were retarded.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:16 pm**

I read that as MS wants to sell more copies of Windows so they want to make the PC popular again. And to be the best gaming platform available, you'll need the latest version of DX which requires the latest version of Windows. I'm not a software guy. . . but why does every new thing that MS releases require the latest version of Windows? Can't be THAT hard to make things backwards compatible. . . everyone else does. You'd think MICROSOFT would be masters of it.

So basically, thank you MS for making it so that I have to buy another copy of your software so I will be able to play the latest games.
DirectX 10 requires direct access to layers of the OS that Windows XP will simply not allow.

That makes it faster, though, so they're willing to bet you just don't care enough.

Well, it still sucks that at some point, it's going to cost me $160 to play a new game. $50 for the game and $110 for the OS.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:16 pm**

Or a few minutes on CDD.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:38 pm**

I guess that campaign is Vista-only, eh? Since DirectX 10 won't work on XP.

They are a business...

I'm looking forward to Microsoft Live connecting PC and XBox players in the same games.

XBox peeps are gonna be PISSED they're getting their asses beaten.

I may have misheard this, but when a reviewer was testing it, the console peeps still had help with auto aiming. The reviewer made a point that it needed to be fixed. However, I would not be suprised at all if MS left auto aiming in, but weaken. After all, you don't want an entire portion of your consumer base to get humiliated do you?

Well, it still sucks that at some point, it's going to cost me $160 to play a new game. $50 for the game and $110 for the OS.

You seem to be missing something here. Would you rather spend $110 on a new OS and $30-50 on a new game (PC Gaming is push the price point lower...that's the trend.) or $400-600 on a new console and $55-60 on a new game?

If you want to bitch about cost, bitch about the new physics cards. Yet another couple hundred bucks that you'll need to stick into your system for top notch gaming.

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:16 pm**

I guess that campaign is Vista-only, eh? Since DirectX 10 won't work on XP.

They are a business...

What really pissed me off was what they did with Gamevoice.

I bought the hardware and software, and it worked fine on my Win95 machine.

Then Win98 came out, and I was not an earlier adopter. Win95 was working just fine, for me, so why buy it? It was being called Win95C, anyway (by me).

Then one day I had to scratch/reload my system, and there was then something wrong with gamevoice. I can't remember the specific mechanics, exactly, but Microsoft decided GV was no longer going to work on Win95.

That's when I started evaluating the fact I had legally purchased Windows 3.11, Win 95, Win 95B, and Win95B again on my laptop, and I was still being forced to buy another version of Windows... for no good reason that I could see. And even after that I eventually purchased a Win98 upgrade, a full Win98 disk, and a WindowsME license.

I'm beginning to feel a little violated.

It has left me bitter and jaded.

Edited By GORDON on 1151443099

Posted: **Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:32 pm**

That's my point. . . too many things that OTHER people make that works on previous versions of Windows, but ANYTHING MS makes requires the latest version of their OS.

Sure, their a business and want to make money. But. . . it still sucks. Makes me not want to buy MS stuff though.

Posted: **Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:11 am**

I shop at CDD for Microsoft products.

Posted: **Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:15 am**

Microsoft has been noted for their backwards compatibility. They did abandon that philosophy somewhat in developing Vista, though.

Posted: **Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:39 am**

In fairness to Microsoft, Vista is supposed to be as big a jump as DOS to 95 was and not a little hop like 95 to 98.

But hey, let's persecute MS for their evil habit of upgrading their technology every couple of years.

*turn on the sarcasm machine*

I mean you don't see other businesses doing evil stuff like that.
-Thanks to the record player manufacturers for making turntables compatible with CDs and MP3s.
-Thanks to Hollywood and the Music Industry for making sure people who held onto their LPs, 8 tracks, VHSs, and Beta machines still were able to find the latest stuff on those formats.
-Thanks to PC manufacturers for making internal components upgradable to whatever speed a new technology makes possible without having to purchase new parts or a new case.
-Thanks to clothing manufacturers for ignoring trends.
-Thanks to car manufacturers who allow me to trade in my car every year for the new model because they feel I shouldn't pay for newer features.
-Thanks to the console people who don't release new models every 4 years for ridiculous prices AND don't increase the cost of their games for no reason.

Point made? Good.

*Turn off sarcasm machine*

Now someone please explain why they are so opposed to Microsoft making money.

I'm not Microsoft's biggest fan, but in our country's current climate it seems like every company is doing anything it can to squeeze any penny they can out of consumers, but that behavior has been defended on this board as fair because the market dictates the price and such. So why is it evil when MS does it?

Posted: **Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:44 am**

Because I don't like being forced to upgrade when I don't need to. I'm not running a charity, here. I don't just throw money away because hey... they try hard.

Posted: **Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:00 pm**

Because I don't like being forced to upgrade when I don't need to.

You could start using one of their competitors...