Microsoft Nier: Automata port is a marked improvement over the Steam one

XBGP-PC version of The Evil Within is also a new port.
well shit, could they be doing something right for once... I mean if somebody posts up here a 3'rd example then that makes it a trend.... And seeing Microsoft do something competently scares me.
 
well shit, could they be doing something right for once... I mean if somebody posts up here a 3'rd example then that makes it a trend.... And seeing Microsoft do something competently scares me.
I am not sure if you ever coded using their api (kinect or others) or their azure cloud suite, but they can be scary when they do not have decade of legacy support to kept alive (maybe not for their ressource but in absolute term, from the documentation to the easiness of uses it is impressive in absolute term).
 
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I am not sure if you ever coded using their api (kinect or others) or their azure cloud suite, but they can be scary when they do not decade of legacy support to kept alive.
Yeah, all kidding aside I actually do and their business line is pretty awesome, makes me super interested to see what they cooked up for their ray tracing stuff on Xbox because I have been following their work on the DirectML is actually pretty solid stuff so far a lot more intuitive and smoother to use than CUDA for a lot of things and could be a serious feather in their datacenter cap. One of the big launches for it is going to be when they launch their DLSS alternative for Xbox titles and I am pretty sure AMD is going to try to steal that thunder especially if it works well but I am pretty sure it's got Microsofts Engineers all over it because AMD just doesn't have the AI background to develop that stuff from scratch out of the blue.
 
Yeah, all kidding aside I actually do and their business line is pretty awesome, makes me super interested to see what they cooked up for their ray tracing stuff on Xbox because I have been following their work on the DirectML is actually pretty solid stuff so far a lot more intuitive and smoother to use than CUDA for a lot of things and could be a serious feather in their datacenter cap. One of the big launches for it is going to be when they launch their DLSS alternative for Xbox titles and I am pretty sure AMD is going to try to steal that thunder especially if it works well but I am pretty sure it's got Microsofts Engineers all over it because AMD just doesn't have the AI background to develop that stuff from scratch out of the blue.
AMD made the hardware powering the Xbox and granted Microsoft's request for AI specific hardware features. I'm sure the whole AI upscaling thing is a two way deal. AMD does R&D on the hardware and how to integrate it and MS provides the cloud computing to power it, etc. Anyway, its all an open secret that its happening.
 
AMD made the hardware powering the Xbox and granted Microsoft's request for AI specific hardware features. I'm sure the whole AI upscaling thing is a two way deal. AMD does R&D on the hardware and how to integrate it and MS provides the cloud computing to power it, etc. Anyway, its all an open secret that its happening.
Probably but Microsoft has been working on duplicating much of the CUDA libraries into DirectML since at least 2018 probably longer. I have no doubt that Microsoft has been working closely with AMD because a win for one is a victory for both in this case but I believe that Microsoft would have cooked up their own version as a DX12 feature sooner than not. And this way if it does pan out it gives them a big edge over the PS5 on their 4K claims. We all know those consoles at 4K are running all sorts of upscaling and texture tricks to get there anyways but a DLSS like one would be a solid home run in a contest between the two.
 
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Yet Gears of War Ultimate for PC has been broken for 2.5 years following a Windows update in 2018 and they don't give a damn. Please tell me how in the hell does an update from a company break a game from one of it's studios and NOTHING is ever done to fix it?
 
Yet Gears of War Ultimate for PC has been broken for 2.5 years following a Windows update in 2018 and they don't give a damn. Please tell me how in the hell does an update from a company break a game from one of it's studios and NOTHING is ever done to fix it?
Isn’t the work around to run it in windowed(borderless). Or does that not work now too?
 
Isn’t the work around to run it in windowed(borderless). Or does that not work now too?
It has been a while since I fired up the game but I am pretty sure it already runs in borderless as I do not remember there being a true exclusive fullscreen. I dont even have it installed right now but either way I know I tried every setting in the game as did lots of other people and the only "fix" for the game was to go to Windows 1709 which of course is not a real option now.

TBH I think pc gaming is a mess as there are just so many games out there with issues and not all of them have decent workaround. The more I spend on hardware the more it pisses me off at all the poorly optimized games that cant even run stutter free or even hold 60 fps in some cases. And then game updates, driver updates and Windows updates break things more often then they should.
 
It has been a while since I fired up the game but I am pretty sure it already runs in borderless as I do not remember there being a true exclusive fullscreen. I dont even have it installed right now but either way I know I tried every setting in the game as did lots of other people and the only "fix" for the game was to go to Windows 1709 which of course is not a real option now.

TBH I think pc gaming is a mess as there are just so many games out there with issues and not all of them have decent workaround. The more I spend on hardware the more it pisses me off at all the poorly optimized games that cant even run stutter free or even hold 60 fps in some cases. And then game updates, driver updates and Windows updates break things more often then they should.
Doesn’t help that it was ported by a budget no name studio. Pretty sure MS is looking to buy QLOC or at least get very close with them.
 
So far a single one-off, but let's hope Microsoft can continue the trend of competent PC ports going forward.
Microsoft should do a competent PC platform before we even sit down at a table to talk about ports.
 
As someone who owns the Steam version, I'm gonna be a bit frustrated if it's not updated. I used FAR to play it a year ago or so, but it was still finicky.

I would prefer to not have to play the Xbox Game Store version because I really hate how you can't modify the installs.
 
As someone who owns the Steam version, I'm gonna be a bit frustrated if it's not updated. I used FAR to play it a year ago or so, but it was still finicky.

I would prefer to not have to play the Xbox Game Store version because I really hate how you can't modify the installs.
It going to come down to who paid for the port and did they sign it as an exclusive.
 
To hell with this garbage. Update the version that is and has been on Steam for a long time! Its bad enough we have all sorts of by contract exclusivity including console exclusivity and thanks primarily to Epic PC store/platform exclusivity, but now this? Its bad enough when a "good version" of a game doesn't come to the same platform as the original or is massively delayed (ie I did not buy Dragon Quest XI on Steam because we knew the Switch edition would have a lot of new content. During the year or more it took there was little to no confirmation that ports would be forthcoming but finally the "good version" on Switch, the Definitive Edition, would arrive. Was it a patch or even DLC for the existing version? Nope! It was an entirely new incompatible entry and owners of the original didn't get a big - if any, I can't recall - discount ) but now we have to worry that this can happen just between markets?!

Rarely in the past has there been some technical issue or delay that would affect different PC markets/platforms (ie the GOG version had to be updated separately because the Steam version used their multiplayer network assets etc..), but now we're seeing a 3rd party title that got ported and updated for a specific quasi-console platform as well as PC store. Even worse, apparently the updated version is a UWP version which of course acts "app store proprietary opaque binary" style meaning you can't browse and modify the game files. This is a main reason why I do not use the Windows / Xbox Store as, on top of just preferring Steam for their Linux friendly, openness, customer-focus etc, I don't want to support games being released as heavily packaged unmoddable junk. Ironically, Square Enix didn't do a very good job with the PC port of Nier Automata originally and it was only thanks to modders like Kaldien with FAR/SpecialK that some issues were fixed!

There's no excuse for this enhanced version of the game not to come to Steam properly (ie not as a UWP wrapped disaster). Especially given that SE is launching Nier Replicant in April, you'd think they'd want to inspire good PR regarding the franchise - if they fail to bring the update to Steam there's whole bunch of potential buyers that will think twice about buying the upcoming title knowing it could be treated in this regard. I have no idea what is up with Square Enix these days - sometimes they make decent-ish decisions and bring things to PC, include original audio languages etc... other times they do the complete opposite. I'm still rather annoyed that the Kingdom Hearts saga isn't coming to Steam AT ALL thanks to the toxic fecal soup that is Epic Games Store exclusivity; not to mention the asinine pricing structure! As I write this, Nier Automata is being review bombed in protest and maybe it will work. The same is true for the Neir Replicant Steam boards, full of angry messages about Automata. Lets hope they fix this quickly.
 
To hell with this garbage. Update the version that is and has been on Steam for a long time! Its bad enough we have all sorts of by contract exclusivity including console exclusivity and thanks primarily to Epic PC store/platform exclusivity, but now this? Its bad enough when a "good version" of a game doesn't come to the same platform as the original or is massively delayed (ie I did not buy Dragon Quest XI on Steam because we knew the Switch edition would have a lot of new content. During the year or more it took there was little to no confirmation that ports would be forthcoming but finally the "good version" on Switch, the Definitive Edition, would arrive. Was it a patch or even DLC for the existing version? Nope! It was an entirely new incompatible entry and owners of the original didn't get a big - if any, I can't recall - discount ) but now we have to worry that this can happen just between markets?!

Rarely in the past has there been some technical issue or delay that would affect different PC markets/platforms (ie the GOG version had to be updated separately because the Steam version used their multiplayer network assets etc..), but now we're seeing a 3rd party title that got ported and updated for a specific quasi-console platform as well as PC store. Even worse, apparently the updated version is a UWP version which of course acts "app store proprietary opaque binary" style meaning you can't browse and modify the game files. This is a main reason why I do not use the Windows / Xbox Store as, on top of just preferring Steam for their Linux friendly, openness, customer-focus etc, I don't want to support games being released as heavily packaged unmoddable junk. Ironically, Square Enix didn't do a very good job with the PC port of Nier Automata originally and it was only thanks to modders like Kaldien with FAR/SpecialK that some issues were fixed!

There's no excuse for this enhanced version of the game not to come to Steam properly (ie not as a UWP wrapped disaster). Especially given that SE is launching Nier Replicant in April, you'd think they'd want to inspire good PR regarding the franchise - if they fail to bring the update to Steam there's whole bunch of potential buyers that will think twice about buying the upcoming title knowing it could be treated in this regard. I have no idea what is up with Square Enix these days - sometimes they make decent-ish decisions and bring things to PC, include original audio languages etc... other times they do the complete opposite. I'm still rather annoyed that the Kingdom Hearts saga isn't coming to Steam AT ALL thanks to the toxic fecal soup that is Epic Games Store exclusivity; not to mention the asinine pricing structure! As I write this, Nier Automata is being review bombed in protest and maybe it will work. The same is true for the Neir Replicant Steam boards, full of angry messages about Automata. Lets hope they fix this quickly.
k.
 
To hell with this garbage. Update the version that is and has been on Steam for a long time! Its bad enough we have all sorts of by contract exclusivity including console exclusivity and thanks primarily to Epic PC store/platform exclusivity, but now this? Its bad enough when a "good version" of a game doesn't come to the same platform as the original or is massively delayed (ie I did not buy Dragon Quest XI on Steam because we knew the Switch edition would have a lot of new content. During the year or more it took there was little to no confirmation that ports would be forthcoming but finally the "good version" on Switch, the Definitive Edition, would arrive. Was it a patch or even DLC for the existing version? Nope! It was an entirely new incompatible entry and owners of the original didn't get a big - if any, I can't recall - discount ) but now we have to worry that this can happen just between markets?!

Rarely in the past has there been some technical issue or delay that would affect different PC markets/platforms (ie the GOG version had to be updated separately because the Steam version used their multiplayer network assets etc..), but now we're seeing a 3rd party title that got ported and updated for a specific quasi-console platform as well as PC store. Even worse, apparently the updated version is a UWP version which of course acts "app store proprietary opaque binary" style meaning you can't browse and modify the game files. This is a main reason why I do not use the Windows / Xbox Store as, on top of just preferring Steam for their Linux friendly, openness, customer-focus etc, I don't want to support games being released as heavily packaged unmoddable junk. Ironically, Square Enix didn't do a very good job with the PC port of Nier Automata originally and it was only thanks to modders like Kaldien with FAR/SpecialK that some issues were fixed!

There's no excuse for this enhanced version of the game not to come to Steam properly (ie not as a UWP wrapped disaster). Especially given that SE is launching Nier Replicant in April, you'd think they'd want to inspire good PR regarding the franchise - if they fail to bring the update to Steam there's whole bunch of potential buyers that will think twice about buying the upcoming title knowing it could be treated in this regard. I have no idea what is up with Square Enix these days - sometimes they make decent-ish decisions and bring things to PC, include original audio languages etc... other times they do the complete opposite. I'm still rather annoyed that the Kingdom Hearts saga isn't coming to Steam AT ALL thanks to the toxic fecal soup that is Epic Games Store exclusivity; not to mention the asinine pricing structure! As I write this, Nier Automata is being review bombed in protest and maybe it will work. The same is true for the Neir Replicant Steam boards, full of angry messages about Automata. Lets hope they fix this quickly.

Microsoft likely paid for the port themselves. They can't publish it on Steam, their contract with SE will stipulate where it's released.
 
Microsoft likely paid for the port themselves. They can't publish it on Steam, their contract with SE will stipulate where it's released.

One would think that would be listed (and perhaps marketed heavily) , but even if it was accurate it would behoove Microsoft to bring it to Steam as well. MS has brought many formerly exclusive 1st party titles (Halo collection, Sea of Thieves etc) to Steam knowing that its better to get 70% of a huge amount of sales, than 100% of a much, much smaller slice of the pie. I'd imagine any deal between SE and Microsoft (along with QLOC the porting house) would likely give MS a vector to get some benefit from the sales of the updated version even if on Steam. Aside from that sort of hypothetical, it seems strange for SE to , despite their assets , give up control of their title Automata and make a deal keeping the "good version" off Steam, a month before another Nier title arrives on Steam!

Regrettably it would be totally in character for SE to do something dumb - contract a 3rd party to patch a title for new release on GamePass, and not really think about the existing version on Steam. Especially given how SE has failed to patch and support Nier Automata on Steam in general and ostensibly even prohibited Platinum Games (the co-dev) from patching when they wanted to make it shine on PC. Regardless, no matter how they came to this place lets hope there will be a swift solution and that they didn't make the monumental blunder of giving MS any sort of exclusivity or control for the "best version" of a game in the month before a new entry in the series is to launch on Steam.
 
Isn’t the work around to run it in windowed(borderless). Or does that not work now too?
I just fired it back up and there is no borderless window mode option. It is either window or fullscreen although fullscreen is likely not fullscreen anyway. Still runs like fucking garbage just like it did starting back in 2018. Within minutes I was dropping into the 30s and even went into the 20s a couple of times. Microsoft or the game devs don't give a shit and never will.
 
I'm assuming it has nothing to do with Microsoft, but rather the developers just being lazy and not wanting to patch a different version. Even if is as simple as uploading a new build to Steam, which I assume it is. This is the same game with just another patch right? Japanese developers can be very lazy when it comes to PC games. They're getting better, but clearly the Nier developers took the old console approach when patches weren't a thing. I mean, they did release an update for DLC, just couldn't bother with a patch.
 
I'm assuming it has nothing to do with Microsoft, but rather the developers just being lazy and not wanting to patch a different version. Even if is as simple as uploading a new build to Steam, which I assume it is. This is the same game with just another patch right? Japanese developers can be very lazy when it comes to PC games. They're getting better, but clearly the Nier developers took the old console approach when patches weren't a thing. I mean, they did release an update for DLC, just couldn't bother with a patch.

Not exactly. It's a brand new port developed by QLOC. Platinum developed the Steam version. The new port is also based on the Become As Gods Edition, which was an Xbox exclusive version of the game. QLOC also did a brand new port of Evil Within for Game Pass. This very likely has a lot to do with MS wanting a better version of both games on Game Pass over releasing the original ports with all their issues.
 
Not exactly. It's a brand new port developed by QLOC. Platinum developed the Steam version. The new port is also based on the Become As Gods Edition, which was an Xbox exclusive version of the game. QLOC also did a brand new port of Evil Within for Game Pass. This very likely has a lot to do with MS wanting a better version of both games on Game Pass over releasing the original ports with all their issues.
Again that just seems so ironic considering they broke Gears of War Ultimate 2.5 years ago and never fixed it and the Windows Store version of Quantum Break is garbage compared to the Steam version.
 
Nier Automata is a game that is so good you’ll want to beat it. Then beat it again. Then beat it again. Then beat it again. Then beat it again.....
 
I guess I got distracted with the story and gameplay to notice its deficiencies with the Steam version. I mean....

1616303457567.png



In all seriousness, until this post, I never realized it was in some bastardized 1920x1440 resolution (when the game settings were set @ 2560 × 1440) and how much tearing the 30fps cutscenes had. I guess the last time playing was 4 years ago.

It still doesn't detract from just how fucking good the game is.
 
If you guys want to play console games this badly, why not just buy a console?

😎
 
If you guys want to play console games this badly, why not just buy a console?

😎
Are you serious? If one has good PC, why would he buy console?

Also as you very well know, it's flooding AAA PC only games lately. /s
 
If you guys want to play console games this badly, why not just buy a console?

😎

Even with it's original messy port, Nier: Automata was a better experience on PCs than consoles. That's the case with the majority of PC ports, even the ones that take a fairly lazy/simple route and just do a 1:1 port are going to be better on PC.
 
Because the experience isn't as good. Well, for those of us that care about image quality.

Even with it's original messy port, Nier: Automata was a better experience on PCs than consoles. That's the case with the majority of PC ports, even the ones that take a fairly lazy/simple route and just do a 1:1 port are going to be better on PC.


Idunno, sounds to me like the PC experience wasn't all that great either. Lots of unhappy people on Steam grumbling about it right now.

Are you serious? If one has good PC, why would he buy console?

Also as you very well know, it's flooding AAA PC only games lately. /s

Look, in all the other threads about consoles people are screaming from the top of their lungs that the PC is a superior platform because of all the choice it provides, and all the power it has.

Now, Microsoft has given you the option to use all that power and play the best version of a fantastic game and you guys are whining about it because... it's not on Steam? Because it's a different version than the Steam one? If you already played through it there, and you weren't planning on going back to it, what's the problem? If you haven't bought it on PC yet, now you can get the best version of it to play, so what's the problem?

Is it just that you don't like the Microsoft Store?

Isn't this supposed to be the strength of the PC as a gaming platform? Different storefronts and ways to play games however you want? Did you think that would always work on the consumer's favor?
 
Nier Automata wasn't a game I'd play twice. The only reason I played it was because of the Big Fat Anime Tiddy. The gameplay is kinda repetitive and the story wasn't interesting. It did have those moments where you see a thing that makes you go "Japan" but otherwise not worth playing again for slightly better graphics. Now if I could see 2B naked then maybe.

 
It's not review bombing if there is a good reason for it. And nobody should buy the steam version now, that's for sure.

A mod pretty much fixes all the problems. But yes, they should patch the Steam version. The work is done, just need to upload it to Steam.
 
A mod pretty much fixes all the problems. But yes, they should patch the Steam version. The work is done, just need to upload it to Steam.
Does seem to be a lot of mods for Nier Automata on Nexus Mods. They got texture mods and high polygon model mods. They have a mod called, "The Definitive NieR Automata Experience". I'm not so sure you can use these mods on the Xbox Game Pass version, which means the Steam version is still superior assuming you know how to install mods. It's just like Skyrim where you have the original and then you have the 64-bit DX11 Special Edition. You can mod the original version so much more than the Special Edition that there isn't much of a reason to go after the different versions. Also there are loverslab mods and yes they are what you'd expect them to be, which automatically makes the Steam version better.

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Had been thinking of playing this for a while. Will finally give it a shot. Hopefully launching it is less buggy than with other Game Pass games. Sometimes they launch...sometimes they don't. Sometimes they allow fullscreen (and therefore HDR), and sometimes they don't.
 
Had been thinking of playing this for a while. Will finally give it a shot. Hopefully launching it is less buggy than with other Game Pass games. Sometimes they launch...sometimes they don't. Sometimes they allow fullscreen (and therefore HDR), and sometimes they don't.
You should get this mod, if you're going to play the game. For... immersion reasons.

30-1586546697-1722454864.jpg
 
As soon as I read the publisher is square enix it was like no surprise.

They are notorious, for making newer builds after releasing on a platform, then will publish a newer build of a game on a platform that gets the game later, without patching the first platform's release. I am surprised its taken this long for a fuss to be kicked up.

Examples?

FF7 original version back in 1998, Japanese version first version of game had different mechanics on some abilities and mini games, in addition it didnt have the post game super bosses, introduced in Western version of game.

FF10 japanese first version, again didnt have all content as well as balance differences, these appeared in western build, and I think japan eventually got a new version of the game with the changes in, of course it was released as a new game so would need to be purchased again (same with all other examples in this list).

FF13 at least 3 known versions, original japanese version with minor balance changes and easy mode, western console version, and then the PC version which gives westerners access to easy mode.

FF13-2 content dactivated from PC version, alot of it reactivated by modders. Also changes made to when DLC content can be accessed (from start of game on console, post game only on PC). Also further content got removed with a later patch post release but readded by modders.

FF13-3 (lightning returns), content removed in PC version, this time was removed rather than deactivated so couldnt be modded back in, also online features not present in PC version.

Much more recently FF7 Remake, some new features in PS5 version such as classic normal mode, and even an exclusive DLC on what was originally a PS4 game only 10 months ago. PS4 version confirmed wont be patched neither will it get the DLC. They did at least ammend the name of game to signify its updated though.

I have seen even bigger differences between versions of games from other japanese developed games from namco etc. It seems to be practice considered ok by japanese devs.

Eternal Sonatra originally a xbox 360 game had a few issues reported by players, the dev patched the game, the problem is the patched game was released as a new game on the PS3, by comparison the xbox360 verison felt like a unfinished beta, no refunds, no patches.
Star ocean 4, was updated significantly when released on the PS3 vs xbox360 version, at least this time though they had the decency to change the game name to represent it was updated.
Tales of vesperia, had so many updates on its later ps3 version vs original xbox360 version, people started calling the xbox360 version a unfinished game, and like all the above examples it never got a patch.

I think unless the press pick up on this and give SE a ton of flak (unlikely), the steam version wont get the improvements.

Its been done so many times I expect its a deliberate practice, they will want people to double dip on the game.
 
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