Any words about Steam?

[StationaryHawk]

This is not a "Is Steam good" thread. The fact is that Steam is a very popular distributor of PC games and millions of people use it, so you don't need to go into every thread involving it to explain why it's bad.

Since they have GW1 on Steam at the moment, it would be understandable that they may place GW2 on Steam at some point, but they've never confirmed anything just yet.

[Deleted]

Notably, that's how steam gets its clients. As long as you have no issues, you're good. But get any issues, and you're SOL, because USSR-style "fuck off and die" customer service could give valve pointers on how to improve theirs.

Stop spreading FUD, mate. If you don't like Steam, then don't, that's your prerogative, but trying to make people dislike Steam by spreading lies is not going to earn you any friends. I know a handful of people myself who have been Steam users for years, including myself, and I have at the moment 93 games on my account. And guess what? Not a single one of the people I know have had any kinds of issues with Steam or their customer service.

[Hraklea]

Can't you just go to a shop and buy it ?

Is it so hard ?

It isn't hard, it's expensive - why would I pay more than US$50 dollars on a store if I can buy it on steam for US$ 30?

Not a single one of the people I know have had any kinds of issues with Steam or their customer service.

I had 2 problems with Steam and they solved both in less than a week. Steam is awesome.

[Anthoren]

I thought it was possible to add games onto your steam even if you bought them through some other source ? I only use steam for TF2 so really I'm not entirely sure what thought would mean and possibly if it is different with games you bought outside of steam that can also be sold in Steam and vice versa.

[Deleted]

I thought it was possible to add games onto your steam even if you bought them through some other source ? I only use steam for TF2 so really I'm not entirely sure what thought would mean and possibly if it is different with games you bought outside of steam that can also be sold in Steam and vice versa.

It means that you can launch the non-Steam games that way. But it obviously doesn't add the Steam-features to those, like e.g. you can't take screenshots with Steam and share them there, nor can you chat with your Steam friends, nor can you use Steam to install that game. There's a few games (they're seemingly rare) that you can add the CD-Key to Steam and then use Steam to install the Steam-version of the game, with all the goodies it entails.

[Deleted]

And if for any reason your game disc became unreadable or lost you won't be able to play your game.

It's just as stupid an argument.

Installing from disk is faster then downloading from web, plus when you download using steam you need to have steam programm always running aka DRM that also means you need to be always connected to internet. Plus everytime you are connected to internet there is a chance you will be atacked by something like trojan or hacker.
Having disk is safer and frees your disk space since you do not have to have all downloads on your hard drive.

To answer your question: I bought civilisation 2 in 1997 and I can still install it with no problem so your argument is not valid there. It is really hard not to made your CD or DVD unreadable cd-rom and dvd-rom can read most of data.

Futhermore buying a game personally is more fun since you can met a lot of people during the midnightsale.

I have met around 100 people during the Starcraft II night launch.

And during Wrath midnight launch I met tons of people with even now I talk to so it is a good place to meet people and make new friends futhermore it is awesome place to talk about game we all love.

Cheers,

---------- Post added 2011-10-19 at 08:40 PM ----------

It isn't hard, it's expensive - why would I pay more than US$50 dollars on a store if I can buy it on steam for US$ 30?
I had 2 problems with Steam and they solved both in less than a week. Steam is awesome.

I do not live in US. I live in Poland.

Let me give you and example.

Deus Ex Human Revolution which is 25% off on steam costs 37,49 euro which is around 163,13 zlotych. Which are my monetary system that we use in my country.

And the price from a shop is 120 zlotych that is around 30 euro so that is why at argument about steam being cheap is invalid.

[Deleted]

Installing from disk is faster then downloading from web, plus when you download using steam you need to have steam programm always running aka DRM that also means you need to be always connected to internet.

Actually incorrect. Steam only requires you to be connected the first time you start the game, it works offline just fine afterwards.

Plus I already have Steam running anyways, so I don't see it having to be running as a negative point :P

Having disk is safer and frees your disk space since you do not have to have all downloads on your hard drive.

Not quite true. These days the games install everything on the drive anyways, so it's the same size install either way. Back in the days when you could have the game install only part of it all and stream the rest from the disc your argument would've had merit, though.

Not only that, but what if you're for example on a trip, seeing your family and/or friends, with your brand-new laptop, but forgot to take all your installation media with you? With Steam you just click a few times and let it install, no need to carry installation media along.

It is really hard not to made your CD or DVD unreadable cd-rom and dvd-rom can read most of data.

I probably have had just bad luck, but I keep losing my discs and them becoming unreadable all the time.

Futhermore buying a game personally is more fun since you can met a lot of people during the midnightsale.

It's more fun only for people who enjoy such and who happen to live near such stores.

[Deleted]

Actually incorrect. Steam only requires you to be connected the first time you start the game, it works offline just fine afterwards.

Plus I already have Steam running anyways, so I don't see it having to be running as a negative point :P

As I said never use steam since games in my country are more pricy on steam compare to pc games shop.

Not quite true. These days the games install everything on the drive anyways, so it's the same size install either way. Back in the days when you could have the game install only part of it all and stream the rest from the disc your argument would've had merit, though.

True but what I thought that you have to first download a setup with it's files and then install in properly. My bad then.

Not only that, but what if you're for example on a trip, seeing your family and/or friends, with your brand-new laptop, but forgot to take all your installation media with you? With Steam you just click a few times and let it install, no need to carry installation media along.

If I go to friends or family last thing I take with me is my laptop since it is I am going there to relax and not to do the same thing that I am doing at home.

I probably have had just bad luck, but I keep losing my discs and them becoming unreadable all the time.

Probably, that is why I always make a copy of game that I like so to makes sure I would be able to install and play even if something goes wrong with my cd's.

It's more fun only for people who enjoy such and who happen to live near such stores.

From my house to the shop I drove around 40 minutes then wait around 2 hours to take my game and then another 40 minutes to get back home.

Since you are only have something like this once for couple of months or years it is worth the trouble.
But hey maybe I just like it.

[Deleted]

Okay, let's end the discussion about if you like steam or not and get back on-topic.

[Deleted]

Okay, let's end the discussion about if you like steam or not and get back on-topic.

It's hard to "get back on-topic" when only ANet knows if they'll be releasing Steam version or not. Pop them an e-mail and let us know.

[Deleted]

Okay, let's end the discussion about if you like steam or not and get back on-topic.

Too bad it was a good discussion.

[Deleted]

As I said never use steam since games in my country are more pricy on steam compare to pc games shop.

Here in Finland where I live there's not a single PC games-oriented shop or store, they're all several hundred kilometres away. Plus games cost more there than on Steam anyways. Like e.g. I just bought Batman: Arkham City today on Steam for 39€, whereas it would cost 49€ in a proper store. That means I just saved the whole roundtrip of hundreds of kilometres, plus the used on gas and the 10€ that the game would cost more. That sounds like a good deal to me.

True but what I thought that you have to first download a setup with it's files and then install in properly. My bad then.

I don't know who has spread such stuff to you, but no, it's not true. Steam downloads the whole game as-is, ready-to-play, including any DLC you have bought.

If I go to friends or family last thing I take with me is my laptop since it is I am going there to relax and not to do the same thing that I am doing at home.

I get bored terribly easily, I always need something to keep me occupied. So I always carry some device with me. Plus I relax by playing with my friends anyways :]

[Lucky_]

Stop spreading FUD, mate. If you don't like Steam, then don't, that's your prerogative, but trying to make people dislike Steam by spreading lies is not going to earn you any friends. I know a handful of people myself who have been Steam users for years, including myself, and I have at the moment 93 games on my account. And guess what? Not a single one of the people I know have had any kinds of issues with Steam or their customer service.

Which is the entire point. Until you run into issues, you're good. If you do, you're SOL.

My personal experience mind you, but unlike you I have several people in the circle of friends who can echo the sentiment.

[Deleted]

Here in Finland where I live there's not a single PC games-oriented shop or store, they're all several hundred kilometres away. Plus games cost more there than on Steam anyways. Like e.g. I just bought Batman: Arkham City today on Steam for 39€, whereas it would cost 49€ in a proper store. That means I just saved the whole roundtrip of hundreds of kilometres, plus the used on gas and the 10€ that the game would cost more. That sounds like a good deal to me.

As a Finnish person, I'd suggest checking out buying stuff from Åland. Basically you'll get stuff tax-free, which is usually cheaper than steam. However, using steam is a bit simpler, and much faster too.

[DeanyKong]

It means that you can launch the non-Steam games that way. But it obviously doesn't add the Steam-features to those, like e.g. you can't take screenshots with Steam and share them there, nor can you chat with your Steam friends...

Actually, it does allow you to access the Steam overlay when in-game. (Assuming it is a Direct3D or OpenGL-based engine.) It'll share with your friends what game you're in (based on the name you gave it), allow you to take and share screenshots and access any other steam overlay functions like chat and the browser. I'm staring at World of Warcraft screenshots on my Steam account right now.

[NotValidAnymore]

It'll share with your friends what game you're in (based on the name you gave it)

So that's why my friends keep playing "Masturbating".

[Merendel]

It means that you can launch the non-Steam games that way. But it obviously doesn't add the Steam-features to those, like e.g. you can't take screenshots with Steam and share them there, nor can you chat with your Steam friends, nor can you use Steam to install that game. There's a few games (they're seemingly rare) that you can add the CD-Key to Steam and then use Steam to install the Steam-version of the game, with all the goodies it entails.

This is not entierly true. IF you add a non steam game to steam and you launch the shortcut through steam all the chating and steam overlay funtions work. Its only when you launch said game through some other means (click on desktop icon) that it does not integrate at all. I've launched WoW through steam before and goten the overlay/chat and other community features to work while in game. kinda pointless as I run in windowed mode anyway but you can do it.

[Deleted]

So that's why my friends keep playing "Masturbating".

Really gotta shut down Steam while doing that! ^^

[loki504]

also remember that the digital download is most of the times released a few hours/1 day before the release so you can start downloading it/instal it.

[Deleted]

I like steam, I have few games on it myself, but in general steam is incredibly expensive, most of the games cost twice (not joking) as much as in the shops here. So I'm using it only for those "deals" like 75% off sales etc.

I will be ordering Collector's edition online through tried and trusted retailer.