General Discussions

[kingfish]

Microsoft: help us test new gaming tech on Windows 10 1903 but we don't tell you anything about it

Microsoft released a new build to the Windows 10 Fast Ring Insider Channel yesterday evening. The new build, build number 18334, is a bug fix release mostly.

Microsoft does advertise one new feature on the Windows Experience blog though stating that it is "excited to bring technology tailor-made for gaming to Windows".

The company wants users who run Insider builds of Windows 10 to help "validate these systems" to make sure they "work as expected".

It hands out limited copies of State of Decay for that, and published instructions for Insider build users on how to get access to the game and play it. Microsoft promises that it will increase the number of available slots in the coming weeks.

Users who participate in the testing are asked to report any install or game launch issues using the Feedback Hub.

Microsoft does not reveal anything about the "technology tailor-made for gaming" on Windows 10 devices. The entire article, and the linked copy on the Xbox site, offer no information so that users are left in the dark.

Is it related to how games are installed and started? The request to provide feedback if install or start issues are experienced suggests that this could be the case.

We don't know, however, and it could be something unrelated or something else (or an addition) entirely.  It could be the test of a streaming gaming service on Windows 10 as well, as it is also related to installing and running games.

Lack of information

It is possible that Microsoft does not want to reveal the gaming technology yet that it plans to implement in Windows. It could have said so in the article, however if that is the case.

Whatever the reason may be, the lack of information will surely turn away some users who might be interested if Microsoft would have revealed anything about the new gaming technology that it wants tested in the new build.

The request to test is not the first time Microsoft failed to provide essential information. Update information, known issues for instance, often lack vital information as well.

The company could improve its relationship with administrators and customers by providing essential information; it would drop support requests and questions, and help everyone involved including Microsoft itself.

Microsoft: help us test new gaming tech on Windows 10 1903 but we don't tell you anything about it -... 

[leyvin]

So much speculation... but no...

As someone on the Next Release., Microsoft royally screwed up WDDM 2.5.

The sheer volume of Green, Blue and Driver Resets has been insane over the past 2 weeks... this actually gets worse as they broke half the functionality of DirectX 12, as well as there being a major series of Memory and Processor Thread Allocations that were causing the entire system to Freeze / Stutter (A LOT). 

In fact the MORE Cores / Thread / Memory you had, the WORSE these issues were. 

Now the Spring Update 2019 does bring a lot of new Features / Tweaks / Quality-of-Life Improvements... such-as a Improve Game Mode (which is arguable) and New Windows Mixed Reality API (VNext) but aside from that., nothing overly important. 

Now I'm not sure how badly this has all affected the Fast Ring,. but the Next Release is still a bit of a mess. 

[kingfish]

Don't forget that you get to play State of Decay. For a limited time.

[black_zion]

I thought "State of Decay" was the codename for the new Windows 10 19H1 build?

[black_zion]

Especially if this is the new Windows 10 Start overhaul due later this year.

[kingfish]

Darn...I didn't know that

Sneaky way to get someone to install it....:(

[goodplay]

Although it is for insider preview users, Home version users may be screwed(as usual) if it makes release version.

At least us Pro. vers. users have(should have ?) options to work around it.

MS had a plan for free upgrade > get peeps to buy Pro vers. upgrade(or live with it(be a beta tester), IMO).