Convert Xbox version to Xbox Play Anywhere, so we can have the best of both worlds?

[ForteanApe]

Afternoon Commanders,

I play on both PC and XBONEX, with the majority of my time spent on the XBONEX, as it's easier to get playtime in on the console (priority being to spend time with the wife and kids, and the wife doesn't mind me playing on the console while she reads ;P). I have ED + Horizons on both accounts, but what frustrates me is that I can't share my progress between the two platforms.

Whilst I understand that the universe servers for PC and Xbox are separate, the way the accounts are saved on the perspective servers is likely the same. To be able to share progress, all that would need to happen is to have both PC and Xbox accounts linked, and have some middleware copy the progress between the two at each logout.

Is this something that has been considered? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to have this flexibility!

Fly safe, commanders!

 

[Guywired]

With Play anywhere, you're literally playing the console version of any game on a PC. You're tricking the PC into thinking it's the console.

Making ED a play anywhere title doesn't accomplish what you want.

But I agree, that kind of progression linking would be enjoyable.

 

[ForteanApe]

I'm not 100% certain that Play Anywhere titles are 'lesser' than games designed specifically for one platform then ported over, but it's true that the PC client for ED looks better than even the 4K version which runs on the Xbox One X.

We certainly wouldn't want the PC version to be hamstrung by this shared progression option. FDEV are clever enough to come up with a way of doing it though, as long as both PC and Xbox Live accounts can be verified as owned by the same person.

 

[Guywired]

I'm not 100% certain that Play Anywhere titles are 'lesser' than games designed specifically for one platform then ported over, but it's true that the PC client for ED looks better than even the 4K version which runs on the Xbox One X.

We certainly wouldn't want the PC version to be hamstrung by this shared progression option. FDEV are clever enough to come up with a way of doing it though, as long as both PC and Xbox Live accounts can be verified as owned by the same person.

Let me help you out.

I am 100% sure that the PC version of Play Anywhere titles are literally just the console version ported to PC.

You're not wrong though, Frontier could easily manage profiles in a manner that would allow you to jump between platforms if you wanted to.

 

[Tempestfox3]

With Play anywhere, you're literally playing the console version of any game on a PC. You're tricking the PC into thinking it's the console.

Making ED a play anywhere title doesn't accomplish what you want.

But I agree, that kind of progression linking would be enjoyable.

Just make it crossplatform with pc. We have Hotas support now.

 

[UseLessUK]

With Play anywhere, you're literally playing the console version of any game on a PC. You're tricking the PC into thinking it's the console.

Isn't the Xbox just a PC in a small box now anyway, since they move to a different CPU than the 360 used.

So perhaps the console is trying to be a PC...

 

[Guywired]

Isn't the Xbox just a PC in a small box now anyway, since they move to a different CPU than the 360 used.

So perhaps the console is trying to be a PC...

For the purposes of understanding how Play-Anywhere works, no.

Just make it crossplatform with pc. We have Hotas support now.

Me thinks we would also want keyboard and keybinding support too.

 

[NewBlacksmurf]

With Play anywhere, you're literally playing the console version of any game on a PC. You're tricking the PC into thinking it's the console.

Making ED a play anywhere title doesn't accomplish what you want.

But I agree, that kind of progression linking would be enjoyable.

Actually if this were a play anywhere title it would accomplish exactly what they want...you're also absolutely wrong about it being a console game for PC. They are two separate games as a literal example.

I play Ark on Xbox One X and I also have it installed on my gaming PC.
It looks waaaay better on my PC, runs better and my DLC and progress continues.
My PC settings however are separate and I'm not limited to only using an xbox one controller

For this to work, the big things to deal with are the store where they use Frontier points vs DLC within the xbox and Win 10 store.

It would however open up PC HOTAS differently from the xbox One.
I own it on both but would gladly bounce between the two and not even wiff over a refund.

 

[Guywired]

Actually if this were a play anywhere title it would accomplish exactly what they want...you're also absolutely wrong about it being a console game for PC. They are two separate games as a literal example.

I play Ark on Xbox One X and I also have it installed on my gaming PC.
It looks waaaay better on my PC, runs better and my DLC and progress continues.
My PC settings however are separate and I'm not limited to only using an xbox one controller

For this to work, the big things to deal with are the store where they use Frontier points vs DLC within the xbox and Win 10 store.

It would however open up PC HOTAS differently from the xbox One.
I own it on both but would gladly bounce between the two and not even wiff over a refund.

I might meet you halfway and call Ark the exception to the rule.

But historically MS and Frontier have shown an difference of opinion over publishing and income stream rights and there's been no movement by either party to suggest they've gotten passed those differences.

Making it a play anywhere on par with what Ark does cuts directly into the revenue of Frontier as if you want the PC version you have to buy it from them. Conversely, allowing players to purchase the game or addons from Frontier and then play it on the XBL platform means MS doesn't get a cut of that transaction.

You can argue who's at fault all you want but the fact remains that turning ED into a play anywhere title, especially like with what you have in Ark is not realistic I'm afraid.

Spoiler

I'm with you, just more of a pessimist giving the history of these guys.

But also, no other play anywhere title gives extra features like Ark does to PC players over console, they are all ports.

 

[NewBlacksmurf]

I might meet you halfway and call Ark the exception to the rule.

But historically MS and Frontier have shown an difference of opinion over publishing and income stream rights and there's been no movement by either party to suggest they've gotten passed those differences.

Making it a play anywhere on par with what Ark does cuts directly into the revenue of Frontier as if you want the PC version you have to buy it from them. Conversely, allowing players to purchase the game or addons from Frontier and then play it on the XBL platform means MS doesn't get a cut of that transaction.

You can argue who's at fault all you want but the fact remains that turning ED into a play anywhere title, especially like with what you have in Ark is not realistic I'm afraid.

Spoiler

I'm with you, just more of a pessimist giving the history of these guys.

But also, no other play anywhere title gives extra features like Ark does to PC players over console, they are all ports.

You seem to have a completely inaccurate understanding of Play Anywhere as well as the games under that program.

I used Ark because it was one of the first xbox preview games just like Elite Dangerous that initially was not a play anywhere title and they later decided to make that change.

I can't say for certain the Elite needs to change their store for this to work as Play Anywhere but nothing you're writing makes sense to suggest its not possible or reasonable. This has nothing to do with an income stream....most people just buy the game one time anyways. The only reason I own it twice is because another company I tried to buy a game from royally messed up and I ended up with an $80 credit

 

[Mole HD]

I might meet you halfway and call Ark the exception to the rule.

But historically MS and Frontier have shown an difference of opinion over publishing and income stream rights and there's been no movement by either party to suggest they've gotten passed those differences.

Making it a play anywhere on par with what Ark does cuts directly into the revenue of Frontier as if you want the PC version you have to buy it from them. Conversely, allowing players to purchase the game or addons from Frontier and then play it on the XBL platform means MS doesn't get a cut of that transaction.

You can argue who's at fault all you want but the fact remains that turning ED into a play anywhere title, especially like with what you have in Ark is not realistic I'm afraid.

Spoiler

I'm with you, just more of a pessimist giving the history of these guys.

But also, no other play anywhere title gives extra features like Ark does to PC players over console, they are all ports.

Us PC folks don't have to purchase E-D direct from Frontier either... I'd say a good percentage of PC players bought E-D (like most of their games) from Steam. I know I did.

 

[ForteanApe]

Ultimately, it's all about making the experience of playing the game better for those who have it on both their console, for comfort and potentially better sound, and on their PC (for the Master Race!).

@Guywired is right about the revenue stream issue for a true Play Anywhere integration. MS would want a percentage of each sale, plus each store purchase, which would mean less income from console players. I don't mind the way the game is delivered on the Xbox, it looks pretty good on the X in 4K and the Frontier store on the Xbox works well using frontier points rather than cash. I'd just like a way of synchronising progress between the two platforms. Ultimately, all I care about is cmdr progression.

I know that you can do one time copies between either platform via support, but currently the original cmdr is deleted, so you have to start again if you continue playing on the original platform. All FDEV would need to do is find a way to automate the process in both directions at logout. I would expect the format of each commander metadata in the game server database is the same, so it really shouldn't be that difficult to achieve.

1. Ensure that console and PC metadata types are consistent as a starting point.
2. Find a way of mapping a Frontier account with an XBL/PSN account for proof of ownership, and add some form of 2FA to minimise any nefarious activities. For XBL, your gamertag is your cmdr name, so a 1:1 mapping should be easy enough to achieve.
3. Automate the one-time copy process that exists, and make it bi-directional at log out. If this means that you can't log in to your cmdr on another platform for x minutes after logging out, so be it.
NB: I am assuming that FDEV have complete control over the servers which both PC and console versions run on.

I know the above steps are almost criminal in their brevity, but as an overview that's all that would be needed to tick the box and allow people to keep on flying, regardless of which device they want to play on.

 

[Requiem Mortis]

Much as I would love this to be a thing, given the extremely limited (credits only) conversion that FD currently do when commanders change platform, I serioulsy doubt it as easy as is being made out. /2p

 

[ForteanApe]

Much as I would love this to be a thing, given the extremely limited (credits only) conversion that FD currently do when commanders change platform, I serioulsy doubt it as easy as is being made out. /2p

Possibly. The bullets in my earlier post were clearly marked as incredibly brief, it's clearly far more complex.

 

[Guywired]

You seem to have a completely inaccurate understanding of Play Anywhere as well as the games under that program.

I used Ark because it was one of the first xbox preview games just like Elite Dangerous that initially was not a play anywhere title and they later decided to make that change.

I can't say for certain the Elite needs to change their store for this to work as Play Anywhere but nothing you're writing makes sense to suggest its not possible or reasonable. This has nothing to do with an income stream....most people just buy the game one time anyways. The only reason I own it twice is because another company I tried to buy a game from royally messed up and I ended up with an $80 credit

No, I understand Play-Anywhere just fine.

You're literally showing the exception to the rule on what MS has allowed publishers and studios to use it for. If you're going to do that they I have to outline the caveat for you.

I'm glad Ark does it that way.

I wish ED would do it that way.

But you're ignoring that the rest of Play-Anywhere doesn't do that, hasn't done that and currently has no plans to do more than that. What's worse is you're ignoring the clear issues Frontier and MS have with each other regarding a work around.

I want them to clean that up too, but they both have nothing to gain from it so don't expect that anytime soon.

Ark was a different case. It's technically possible for ED to do. I said that. Tech isn't the issue. Just like having to be a Play Anywhere title is NOT the actual issue.

 

[Ddtdmbow]

With Play anywhere, you're literally playing the console version of any game on a PC. You're tricking the PC into thinking it's the console.

Making ED a play anywhere title doesn't accomplish what you want.

But I agree, that kind of progression linking would be enjoyable.

That’s not how play anywhere works. It simply grants you access to both Windows 10 and Xbox versions of the game, and cloud saves allow you to continue your progress regardless of platform, and it works both ways (buying the windows 10 version grants you access the the Xbox one cooy). It does this buy tieing the license to the Xbox Live account and works because the game has to be sold on windows 10 store.

And I agree with the OP that it would be nice to have my commander available on PC or Xbox regardless of whether I have to pay for both copies or crossplay with PC ever gets enabled.

 

[Guywired]

It simply grants you access to both Windows 10 and Xbox versions of the game

uhg.

Right so, in case anyone else is confused.. the Windows 10 version and Xbox Version are usually the same things and these are different than the PC version you would purchase from Steam or GOG or your friendly neighborhood software market.

Most play anywhere titles are like that. Hell, I would guess all of them are like that except Ark and Minecraft.

 

[Ddtdmbow]

uhg.

Right so, in case anyone else is confused.. the Windows 10 version and Xbox Version are usually the same things and these are different than the PC version you would purchase from Steam or GOG or your friendly neighborhood software market.

Most play anywhere titles are like that. Hell, I would guess all of them are like that except Ark and Minecraft.

That’s not quite right. Windows 10 UWP games are generally not direct ports of the console versions of games. I suppose some of them can be, especially MS Studio games that aren’t being sold anywhere else, but they still have to take into account all the varying hardware it might be running on, and most take advantage of higher PC specs. For example, Gears 4’s PC version features unlocked frame rates, custom FOV, variable resolutions, keyboard/mouse support with custom key bindings, etc...

Most UWP games are usually ported over from the version you see on Steam and the other stores. It’s really up to the developer how they bring it to UWP.

 

[Guywired]

Most UWP games are usually ported over from the version you see on Steam and the other stores.

While THIS part of what you say is true.

It's also true that Play-Anywhere titles are mostly ported over from the console version.



EDIT TO ADD: I'm not avoiding a discussion about just how Play-Anywhere works. I'm very familiar with it. But it MUST be restated that being play anywhere is only about avoiding a second/third license purchase and doesn't have anything to do with porting your progression over to the PC side. They're actually separate issues and just asking for a play-anywhere title will likely result in you NOT getting what you want.

 

[Ddtdmbow]

EDIT TO ADD: I'm not avoiding a discussion about just how Play-Anywhere works. I'm very familiar with it. But it MUST be restated that being play anywhere is only about avoiding a second/third license purchase and doesn't have anything to do with porting your progression over to the PC side. They're actually separate issues and just asking for a play-anywhere title will likely result in you NOT getting what you want.

Yeah, I 100% agree with this. And Play-Anywhere requires a UWP version of the game for Windows 10 and I don’t see Frontier putting in any effort to do that.

Whats more feasible is Frontier supporting some way to carry over progress between versions, kind of like how progress in fortnite carries over between Xbox, pc and switch. Commander info is saved server side. Only game settings and control bindings are local, so I don’t think it would be a huge undertaking to make that so.