When Microsoft made Games For Windows - LIVE (ungh) free back in July, they also announced the impending arrival of a standalone client that'll act as a marketplace for the service. Something to manage your downloads, transactions, that kind of thing. That service needs a name, and in an attempt at giving it one that doesn't suck as hard as Games For Windows - LIVE (ungh) does, they're turning the naming process over to you, Joe Public. Their "helpful" suggestions include such gems as "Games for Windows - LIVE Dashboard" (ungh) and "Games for Windows - LIVE Client" (double up ungh ungh), but surely you can do better. Losing the Games For Windows - LIVE bit would be a start. You'd then have to move onto giving it a name that actually sums up what the client's doing. And no, you can't use Steam. Can't use Steam - LIVE either, you cheeky sod.

Help With Games for Windows Naming [GamerScore]

As can be witnessed by their decision to, after only a year, cut their losses and start offering the service for free, Microsoft's Games for Windows Live initiative hasn't exactly set the world on fire. But just because it hasn't, doesn't mean that it can't. What could help spice things up a little? How about, oh, the ability to play XBLA games on both your 360 and PC? Would that help? It's something Microsoft are obviously thinking about, because after being asked about the subject by 1UP's Shawn Elliot, Microsoft's Kevin Unangst replies:

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This November, Games for Windows Live takes yet another step in becoming a viable online gaming service still not worth $US 50 a year to PC gamers. Following a patch in August that added future Windows XP support and improved error messaging, update 1.2 will add offline achievements that allow you to increase your Gamerscore when not connected to the internets as well as the ability to see if your friends can be joined in the games they are playing or not.

Microsoft is rolling out two Games for Windows - LIVE updates in a matter of only four months, but we're just getting started! Our goal is to deliver new and exciting experiences for Windows gamers, while maintaining the unique PC gaming environment we love.

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The Ubisoft Montreal folks showed off some spectacular Far Cry 2 gameplay today touching on a laundry list of new features there shooter will have including the need to treat your own injuries, weapon jams, "Real Tree" technology and their thoughts on DX10, Games for Windows Live and the PhysX physics card.

The game takes place in a 50 kilometer open world set in Africa with view distances of about 850 metres. You drop into this world as a mercenary sent to track down and kill an arms dealer. Right off the bat the developers dropped into a jungle to show off the graphics.

"Far Cry is sort of known for its jungles... Jungles are not our signature location, but they do kick ass."

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