Steam
realityisdead
Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Employed by Raven Software after making ns_nothing Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 94Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Will you use it?</div>From what I gather from valve's press release, one of the major features of "Steam" will be a new integrated online way for developers to sell their games. A bit different then what I had expected...
What's do you guys think? Will you be buying your future (valve?) games in this fashion? I personally wouldn't feel as comforatable buying a game and downloading the necessary stuff off a secure server as I would buying a physical disc off the shelves. I don't think I'd like it at all...
It's a shame though... I would much rather have the vast majority of my money spent on the game go to the actual developer (as would be the case with Steam), then let 70 or 80 percent of the funds go to the publi$her...
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 25 2002,17:20-->
What's do you guys think? Will you be buying your future (valve?) games in this fashion? I personally wouldn't feel as comforatable buying a game and downloading the necessary stuff off a secure server as I would buying a physical disc off the shelves. I don't think I'd like it at all...
It's a shame though... I would much rather have the vast majority of my money spent on the game go to the actual developer (as would be the case with Steam), then let 70 or 80 percent of the funds go to the publi$her...
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 25 2002,17:20-->
Comments
Its the same with paying for music online -- I'd rather have that tangible round piece of plastic that I wont lose when my hard drive goes mad.
-Jacius
Enough said...
Anyways I can get all the games I want from downloading (eeh, don't flame me for downloading new games)
CDs are way better.
For me, Steam could be the technology that allows me to subsist by making the games I want. Looking at the numbers they published, the developer gets a much bigger cut of the profit. Ie, the developer gets paid more then the publisher. It will probably allow more diverse niche games to be created, as developers can sell less copies and still live (not to mention, they don't need a publisher to buy into their ideas).
Steam also faciliates Valve's anti-cheat movement. It allows you to virtually lend your game to someeone else for a couple days. It allows you to transport your config and savegames wherever you go. It means you don't have to download patches anymore. You don't have to download and install video drivers anymore, that's all automatic. When the map changes to one you don't have, you don't have to wait 20 minutes, only to start playing in time for the next level change. Valve has worked very hard to make Steam incredibly secure, so I don't think you'll have to worry about people "stealing" your games or your config.
More diverse games, less time installing, patching and configuring, less cheating, less waiting. Yes, you may have to pay for some of the games you've always played for free, but that's separate from Steam itself. Most or all games will still be available in non-Steam versions.
Personally, Steam was the coolest thing I saw at the entire conference. It has the power to transform game development.
Well right, while I totally understand the advantages of Steam for the developers themselves (and can totally understand why you, personally, would be so excited about it), it really doesn't sound like it would be even remotely functional for us modem users. I'm not judging something I havn't seen yet, but from what I've heard it just doens't sound like something I would be able to use...
I would <b>love</b> to see the money spent on games going to the developers rather then the publishers, and yes, the amount of work and innovation required to create something like this is really only something a company like valve could create... I just think a lot of us modem users are going to be stuck wishing we could have the convenience of the "Steamers".
Of course, valve is only doing this based off of surveys of their customers, and they have made absolutely no bad decisions by creating and coming forth with it.
But I still must agree with everyone else here that moving away from owning a physical disc is going to be kind of hard if this thing catches on... But that's not to say I don't support valve on this. In some ways it's pure genius. It's just that I -unfortunately- will not be able to fully take advantage of it... If I would be able to get past not owning a physical piece of plastic with my game on it... Which I'm sure would happen eventually.
Absolutely no doubt that valve knows what they are doing though. Whether we like every detail about it or not, valve is going to change the face of gaming. I can guarantee you that.
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 26 2002,01:10-->
Now, on the my thoughts, Flayra pointed out alot of advantages, as I have stacks and stacks o CD's lying around too. But, when re-install time comes, these CD's are all needed. This could be good or bad. If the game is cheaper if you by it over Steam, then buying a cheap CD is great. But if the game still costs the same, and then you have to add on for the CD to burn it to, damn.
Also, this basically promotes warez. No more needing to crack CD's or anything. Once one copy of game is released that has been downloaded off Steam, it must work when burned, so I could get it and send to 50 friends. They wouldnt have a CD Key, but alot of games still dont have good detection on that front anyways.
Finally, I prefer actually going outdoors once ina while to get the game, helps burn off a few calorie that you will gain while sitting there muching away whole pLaying retail NS in 2 years <!--emo&:p--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'><!--endemo-->
<!--EDIT|Comprox|Mar. 26 2002,00:45-->
Comprox, I could be misunderstanding something, but I think Steam streams in files that are necessary to play the game every time you play. You would have to be registered and have bought the game on your account. It sounds like Steam will actually diminish the chance of the game being illegally copied... Though the boxed versions will still be warezed...
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 26 2002,01:58-->
Even though it doesn't take me 30 minutes (as described i nthe article -- I think that's purely ficticious, since I can install it in far less than that, off a CD), the concept is interesting, and as long as I had a little tangible plastic card in my wallet with my username/password, I'd feel alright paying for/downloading games.
More money to the developers is a very good thing, and it would help put out some of the lesser-known games. I dont understand how it would take less time to download a map using steam than it would to download normally, but if it's possible, that's great. Not having to download patches is great too -- kinda like a MUD in that respect: you just connect and play, and you dont worry about being up-to-date or having all the maps needed.
And the concept of renting a PC game, while it seems insane and unheard of to me, would be welcome. I personally would have liked a tryout period on some of my most recently disappointing purchases.
Now my only wonder is how people without credit cards are going to use Steam (say, people who are too young to have credit cards, and probably should be kept away from credit cards, like me <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->).
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Ok, I actually downloaded the beta of steam (I was shocked and pleased to find it available to the public), and I'm totally convinced. It was very quick to install HL, and the only times I could tell it was downloading were when it explicitely said it was (when I was installing HL/downloading maps), and when I was starting it up (the menu buttons would lag a little bit before activating, presumably while it downloaded the sound [?] and the next menu to display). Even the map downloads were ridiculously fast, and the pings were incredible (perhaps because everyone was broadbander). And let me say I cannot wait for CS 1.4 <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo--> Bodies staying is a definite plus for the atmosphere of the game.
Of course, downloading games that you already have on CD and are at no risk of losing is different from buying a game for $40 and something going wrong... although, even if your HD had to be reformatted, the whole steam + HL installation was incredibly quick, so it wouldn't be much of a disadvantage anyway... and not ever seeing a "Please put CD in drive D:" would be a plus!
We'll just see when they start offering games for download. I'm sure I could convince my mom to use her credit card to buy it...
-Jacius
Just think about downloadvolume limited flatrates, 24 hour disconnets and other nice things that would kill me if they happened to snap in while the coolest cutscene of the game was loaded. Think of the relative lawlessness of internet distribution in many countries, which could strip many developers who have put all their money on STREAM to their bones.
Think of LAN parties and other such events with no direct connection to the web: A 'half cooked' STEAM version of UT would surely suck if everyone else wanted to play that special mutator you haven't got. Or imagine taking your Laptop with you on holidays. You couldn't go on playing if you hadn't d/led your full game before.
I'm sure that all these issues will sooner or later be solved, and as long as I've got the right of making one (1, <b>not</b> 1000) copy of my purchased game, I'll be happy to use STEAM.
For now, I can see its main use in multiplayer oriented games like MMORPGs which don't work offline either way.
<!--EDIT|Nemesis Zero|Mar. 26 2002,06:39-->