You guys gotta understands that Steam is not just for HL, it's for HL2, and CS:CZ and possibly other future valve games. It allows you to buy games off steam (download) thus save money. I think steam is a welcome change. The reason steam is slow right now because half the earth are downloading the steam client, and the steam server files and overflows the steam download server. It's just like when 2.0 came out, all you stupid people comes ranting about balancing issues, and haven't played the game for a day.
It seems the main arguments for Steam are it gives you updates instantly and without queues.
First of all, if you actually used FilePlanet to get your files I feel very, very sorry for you. Every major game patch and update in history had tens of mirrors from the minute it was released, and hundreds in a couple of hours.
Secondly, updating through Steam's servers will be a lot slower than the way we've done it in the past not only because of ENORMOUS server usage come patch time, but localisation will mean those not living in the US won't get lightning fast instant mirrors.
The old system is tried and tested a million times over, if it aint broke, why fix it?
Give that man a cookie <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--Mr.MoFo+Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mr.MoFo @ Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> becuase they are valve and they want to make as much money as possible for valve <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend.
<!--QuoteBegin--cri.tical+Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (cri.tical @ Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Mr.MoFo+Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mr.MoFo @ Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> becuase they are valve and they want to make as much money as possible for valve <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> We benefit by getting to watch a small box pop up saying "Preparing to play Half-Life..." or is it that we can now download patches at speeds <= 1KB/s?
Correction... I just checked the Monitor and I am getting 8bt/s... weeee!
Ok, bugs from people not realising they're downloading extra content aside (It has no progressbar or even something to let you know you're downloading BECAUSE? GG beta test), it's a pretty stable program.
My problems are centralised servers (slow++), adware (valve, come on, you've stabbed me through the heart here) and the fact Steam uses so many resources it's ungodly, I feel for people on non uber-pcs.
Downloading updates via FAST LOCAL mirrors and using ASE to connect to games is pretty much the best solution possible at this point in time (our net connection pipes aren't as fat as our roads quite yet). The change was SO unnecessary it's insane.
Indeed - this entire thing is not any way by which we can recieve 'easy updates' or anything like that. This is a *marketing scheme*, plain and simple - the idea is so that Valve can cut retail marketers out of the loop, so that they can sell to you well above what they would sell to the local retail shops by letting you download it directly.
In essence, they're attempting to hike their profits while at the same time giving us a shoddy, unreliable, and clunky system of 'updating'. Has anyone gone through and picked apart the code to ensure that not everyone is being used as a source of update information, similar to Bittorrent? Are we going to be compensated for having our bandwidth used with Steam?
There's too many questions that don't have answers, and the dealings with Steam look very, very shady. Especially since Value's Steam site gives almost no information on the service.
<!--QuoteBegin--jabs+Sep 12 2003, 05:30 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (jabs @ Sep 12 2003, 05:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--cri.tical+Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (cri.tical @ Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Mr.MoFo+Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mr.MoFo @ Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> becuase they are valve and they want to make as much money as possible for valve <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> We benefit by getting to watch a small box pop up saying "Preparing to play Half-Life..." or is it that we can now download patches at speeds <= 1KB/s?
Correction... I just checked the Monitor and I am getting 8bt/s... weeee! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> You do realize that practically everyone that plays HL/mods is trying to d/l right now.
Frogg my friend, you think this won't happen with every major release? You think this is acceptable? You think we should have to put up with this to play Half-Life? Not when I've enjoyed so much better, thanks.
Yeah *shrudders*, imagine what would happen each time Valve released a new game on Steam...tens of thousands of users downloading enormous files at the same time...you realize how many servers would be needed to meet the demand AND maintain Steam at a normal level?
Frogg, I've had every CS patch on the day of release at around 30kbps at worst, mostly hitting my capacity at 60kbps when using multiple mirrors through getright.
<!--QuoteBegin--cri.tical+Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (cri.tical @ Sep 12 2003, 05:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--Mr.MoFo+Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mr.MoFo @ Sep 12 2003, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> becuase they are valve and they want to make as much money as possible for valve <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Please stop lying. The end-user does NOT benefit from Steam in ANY way. It's buggy, it's laggy, and it's just plain stupid.
STEAM ALLOWS PATCHES TO GET TO PEOPLE QUICKLY!!! BUGS CAN BE FIXED IN DAYS INSTEAD OF MONTHS!
They're simply conspirating about anything they don't like. Sort of like politicians in congress. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> This is what ASE does, updates you automatically... also everything else steam does ASE does, only with ASE atm i can actually play online, with steam it doesnt even atempt to start <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> ASE gives you patches.
Steam allows valve/mod makers to edit one particular file and everyone will download it automatically. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> This can already be done. It's called a patch.
It all sounds like a big hassle and i haven't downloades STEAM yet nor will I based on what I've just read here and the atari forum. I don't see why its nessesary to add all kinds of rubbish to game that worked fine before.
Not everyone has DSL or cable connections at their home, and requiring you to be connected to play single player is criminal. some people have limited connections; pay by the minute;limited bandwidth; etc.(not me though i have unlimited)
edit: i agree witht he guy who said steam is ahead of its time. it shouldn't have been released untill the majority of internet gamers finaly have broadband. even casual SP gamers
<!--QuoteBegin--GoldenShadow+Sep 12 2003, 05:57 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (GoldenShadow @ Sep 12 2003, 05:57 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> It all sounds like a big hassle and i haven't downloades STEAM yet nor will I based on what I've just read here and the atari forum. I don't see why its nessesary to add all kinds of rubbish to game that worked fine before. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Thats what most of us, not just people at the NS forums, think, but in 2 weeks time, WON will no longer work, so steam is needed.
<!--QuoteBegin--Cragz+Sep 12 2003, 05:54 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cragz @ Sep 12 2003, 05:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Frogg, I've had every CS patch on the day of release at around 30kbps at worst, mostly hitting my capacity at 60kbps when using multiple mirrors through getright.
Steam's giving me a MASSIVE 2kbps. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> im getting 20-40kbs
I decided to be a lab rat and try out the new "non-beta" steam. At least the beta versions didn't require me to un-install and re-install the thing everytime I wanted it to boot up properly. Want to know what I call a program that requires me to do that? BETA. Valve hasn't done anything good since HL1.. and thats only because they decided to completely redo it half way through. Why can't they stop steam now and give it another year so it won't suck. HL2 should be on won.. because won pwns.
Comments
Cache stuff took me like 5 minutes.
First of all, if you actually used FilePlanet to get your files I feel very, very sorry for you. Every major game patch and update in history had tens of mirrors from the minute it was released, and hundreds in a couple of hours.
Secondly, updating through Steam's servers will be a lot slower than the way we've done it in the past not only because of ENORMOUS server usage come patch time, but localisation will mean those not living in the US won't get lightning fast instant mirrors.
The old system is tried and tested a million times over, if it aint broke, why fix it?
It's to prepare people for future releases. (HL2, CS:CZ, TF2, ETC.)
While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend.
Why the hell would I, Joe NSPlayer that uses ASE to connect to servers want steam?
Check under the main menu of steam>Monitor
While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We benefit by getting to watch a small box pop up saying "Preparing to play Half-Life..." or is it that we can now download patches at speeds <= 1KB/s?
Correction... I just checked the Monitor and I am getting 8bt/s... weeee!
My problems are centralised servers (slow++), adware (valve, come on, you've stabbed me through the heart here) and the fact Steam uses so many resources it's ungodly, I feel for people on non uber-pcs.
Downloading updates via FAST LOCAL mirrors and using ASE to connect to games is pretty much the best solution possible at this point in time (our net connection pipes aren't as fat as our roads quite yet). The change was SO unnecessary it's insane.
Then I try and play cs. It starts updating, now its stopped. I guess thats because the steam servers are overloaded.....
In essence, they're attempting to hike their profits while at the same time giving us a shoddy, unreliable, and clunky system of 'updating'. Has anyone gone through and picked apart the code to ensure that not everyone is being used as a source of update information, similar to Bittorrent? Are we going to be compensated for having our bandwidth used with Steam?
There's too many questions that don't have answers, and the dealings with Steam look very, very shady. Especially since Value's Steam site gives almost no information on the service.
Very shady indeed.
While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We benefit by getting to watch a small box pop up saying "Preparing to play Half-Life..." or is it that we can now download patches at speeds <= 1KB/s?
Correction... I just checked the Monitor and I am getting 8bt/s... weeee! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You do realize that practically everyone that plays HL/mods is trying to d/l right now.
Steam's giving me a MASSIVE 2kbps.
While profits are part of the equation, we, the end users, also benefit hugely from steam. Its not so one-sided, my friend. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Please stop lying. The end-user does NOT benefit from Steam in ANY way. It's buggy, it's laggy, and it's just plain stupid.
STEAM ALLOWS PATCHES TO GET TO PEOPLE QUICKLY!!! BUGS CAN BE FIXED IN DAYS INSTEAD OF MONTHS!
They're simply conspirating about anything they don't like. Sort of like politicians in congress. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is what ASE does, updates you automatically... also everything else steam does ASE does, only with ASE atm i can actually play online, with steam it doesnt even atempt to start <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
ASE gives you patches.
Steam allows valve/mod makers to edit one particular file and everyone will download it automatically. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
This can already be done. It's called a patch.
Not everyone has DSL or cable connections at their home, and requiring you to be connected to play single player is criminal. some people have limited connections; pay by the minute;limited bandwidth; etc.(not me though i have unlimited)
edit: i agree witht he guy who said steam is ahead of its time. it shouldn't have been released untill the majority of internet gamers finaly have broadband. even casual SP gamers
Thats what most of us, not just people at the NS forums, think, but in 2 weeks time, WON will no longer work, so steam is needed.
Steam's giving me a MASSIVE 2kbps. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
im getting 20-40kbs
<img src='http://www.froggeh.com/images/steam.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
At least the beta versions didn't require me to un-install and re-install the thing everytime I wanted it to boot up properly.
Want to know what I call a program that requires me to do that? BETA.
Valve hasn't done anything good since HL1.. and thats only because they decided to completely redo it half way through. Why can't they stop steam now and give it another year so it won't suck.
HL2 should be on won.. because won pwns.
[EDIT] PS: Every time I see the ads it makes my heart bleed a little more. Soon I'll have no blood left ;<