Today I bought the Windows version of Shadowrun, what’s special about this game is it’s the first game to be cross platform compatible with the Xbox 360. This means if you own the PC version of the game and your friend owns the 360 version you can both play online in the same game. This article is not a review of Shadow run but simply an article about the xbox live features that are available on live for windows. When the game loads up you can create an offline profile or sign in with you Xbox Live account if you have a gamer tag from the Xbox or Xbox 360. I signed in to my existing gamer tag I created on the Xbox 360, after this I had to download a title update for Shadowrun just like you do on the Xbox 360, pc gamers will know this as a patch I then had to download another title update and I was then signed in to Xbox Live on the pc. Existing gamertag sign in: Profile Sign in: Pressing the “Home” button on the keyboard brings up the Xbox Live guide as seen below, if you’re using the 360 controller like I was the controls are exactly the same as they are on the 360. As you can see the guide is almost identical to the Xbox 360. The Guide: Friends List: You can access the friends list just like you can on the Xbox 360. Messages: You can read your messages and reply, if you have a microphone on your pc you can also send voice messages. Connection Tester: The connection tester is also available on the pc to see if you have an Open, Strict or Moderate connection to Xbox Live. Audio Input: You can configure any audio input device on the pc to be used as a microphone, you don’t need an Xbox headset to communicate although i found this does work better than the microphone built in to my webcam. Achievements: You can compare your achievements to other Live users exactly the same as on the Xbox. Sending a txt message: You can send txt or voice messages just like you can on the 360. Recent players: Recent players from when I’ve played online using the Xbox 360, your recent players from playing any of the Xbox Live games for windows also get added to the list. If you are not signed in to live the game tells you that an achievement has being unlocked but it can’t be added to your gamer score as you’re not on live. So you have to do what ever you did again to unlock the achievement next time your on Xbox Live. This is a bit annoying as on the 360 the achievement is added to your gamerscore and uploaded to live next time you sign in. Although it’s not really a major problems Virgin Media (my isp) have being having some problems lately and my internet has being on and off all day meaning if I get any achievements ill have to get them again when I can sign on to live. I hope this has answered any questions you might have about Xbox Live on windows, if you have any more feel free to reply and ask.
I have shadowrun for PC also, It's a great game. I love the fact that you can play with people on the xbox 360. I wish halo 2 or some other live games would do that.
I agree, I have since bought Halo 2 and Gears of War for Windows and I think it’s a big shame I can’t play with 360 gamers. I like Gears of War better on the PC but everyone I know plays it on the Xbox 360.
Yeah, gears is much better for the PC than 360. If it had cross-platform play like shadowrun, I would not stop playing it. Gears seems to run much better on the PC, has DX10, more campaign and with the NVIDIA Control Panel you can enable AA and stuff for it, unlike the Xbox 360.
Wow! I never knew that existed! Is there any other games where you can play in the same game online with the PC and xbox 360?
At the moment just Shadowrun, Universe at War: Earth Assault and Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition allow pc gamers to play against 360 gamers. Some other games such as Halo 2, Gears of War and The Vlub allow you to sign in to Xbox Live on the PC but you can only play against pc users.
I’ve not read anything saying that, I don’t think it will do as the beta uses EA/Gamespy for online play and has nothing to do with Xbox Live.
Sadly this got replaced with some nasty blue coloured interface, it would be great if it was possible to switch back to this interface.
Only time I have to deal with Games For Windows Live (the official name) is when I play Fallout3 and that's only if I want to sign in to get the achievements and see what my mates are up to. Not had any real problem with the new interface and found it less cumbersome than the old one they had.
Same here, I only have Fallout 3 so its the only time I see or use that interface. Fallout 3 works pretty good with Wireless 360 controller and Wireless Receiver for Windows, i'd imagine that it'd work about the same for Shadow Run.(Wired 360 controllers work too, just plug it into the PC USB slot and download the driver.)
Same, I prefer the old interface shown above to the new one. Just looks nicer to me, but at the end of the day both interfaces do the same thing. Nope, although with some games its possible for you and a friend to both play online with the same CD key, if you’re playing from the same IP address. Myself and my brother could both play Gears of War online by doing this, that can be handy for lans and stuff. It basically creates a VPN (Virtual Private Network) over the internet so when you go to the lan option in a game you could play with someone at the other side of the world. A lot of people used it as a way to play pirated games online, however in some recent games Hamachi is blocked. Hamachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If you were to pirate a game would they be able to detect this and could you still sign in with your gamertag?
probably not as key could be tied to live id also on pc to console compatability portal 2 on ps3 has steam so steam users can add ps3 users
I played my legit copy of Gears of War for years using a cracked .exe so I did not have to have the disc in, no problems what so ever. You can even use a CD key from any legit Games for Windows Live game on another game and it will let you sign in to live fine.