Cheeseman Battitude
Member
I've no idea what any of the other features of steam are apart from Big Picture Mode. The inventory baffles me.
I just buy games with it.
I just buy games with it.
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I'm beginning to feel "held hostage" by Steam/Valve.
- Thread starter SoulUnison
- Start date
SoulUnison
Banned
I think you're confusing me wanting to be brief and catchy in my topic title with being "melodramatic," but OK.It's not like I typed that while sobbing over the keyboard or experiencing dangerously high blood pressure, or anything.
Cool, memes. I'll be over here if you want to add something to the discussion, at some point.
Haunted
Member
Valve just shot themselves in the foot.
I don't know how much the rest of you know about American culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in Japan where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in America, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.
What this means is the American public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Team Fortress 2 hats and Dota arcanas for Steam, nor will they purchase any of Valve's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Valve has alienated an entire market with this move.
Valve, publicly apologize and cancel Steam auctions or you can kiss your business goodbye.
I don't know how much the rest of you know about American culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in Japan where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in America, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.
What this means is the American public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Team Fortress 2 hats and Dota arcanas for Steam, nor will they purchase any of Valve's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Valve has alienated an entire market with this move.
Valve, publicly apologize and cancel Steam auctions or you can kiss your business goodbye.
Yeah, people lack perspective.
I don't know what to say to that, I've never had an issue with Steam client performance. Occasionally I've had troubels with network performance, and sometimes I still do, but that also improved greatly over the past two years.
Honestly, I believe that a thing which displays and launches games and a storefront on PC doesn't need to be multicore-aware
Barack Lesnar
Banned
That was a beautiful post. Well-written and argued. I agree with just about everything you said.
Nabs
Member
You need to take a long hard look at your computer. The Steam client should not be locking up your entire machine.
I've started to realize Valve isn't really strictly a game developer so much as a software developer that just happened to get its start in games. Even the way it approaches game development now with TF2 and DOTA2 resembles standard PC software development more than how console developers approach things. Well, that's how most online-focused PC games are made these days but Valve has gone headfirst into the practice. They're like a combination of Riot Games and Amazon. As for future games from Valve, hasn't it been pretty heavily implied Left 4 Dead 3 is coming sooner rather than later? To me that seems like the next game to which Valve can logically apply what they've applied to TF, DOTA, and Counter-Strike.
Cheeseman Battitude
Member
oops!
SoulUnison
Banned
It's happened on my current machine, as well as the last three machines I've used, over the last 8 or so years. A Windows 7 machine, 2 OS X machines, and a Windows XP rig. And, I know it's not really worth much to say and you just have to take my word for it, but I take good care of my equipment and keep it clean and light, both hardware and software.
Sometimes the HDD and CPU will suddenly rocket to 100% load and stay there for a couple minutes.
The problem goes away instantly if I kill the Steam process, and doesn't come back as long as I don't launch Steam.
Valve are just one company in PC gaming, they are not the sole company in PC gaming or responsible for it and I wish people would stop treating them like they are.
The great thing about PC gaming is that you don't really have to use Steam if you don't want to as PC gaming is all about options. There are plenty of other clients and storefronts you can use instead and you really aren't forced to use Steam.
Personally I really like Steam. It isn't anywhere near perfect, but nothing is. So at the end of the day if you really don't like that much don't use it I guess?
The great thing about PC gaming is that you don't really have to use Steam if you don't want to as PC gaming is all about options. There are plenty of other clients and storefronts you can use instead and you really aren't forced to use Steam.
Personally I really like Steam. It isn't anywhere near perfect, but nothing is. So at the end of the day if you really don't like that much don't use it I guess?
Outtrigger888
Member
Valves has so many micro transactions attached to their releases I don't get how gaf gives them a pass and shit on other company's that do it.
shacklesmcgee
Member
I've never had this happen once since I started using steam, and you don't have to play the meta games, I just buy what's on sale. How is it any different really than points programs?
You're not complaining about cosmetics in F2P games right?
SoulUnison
Banned
It's fairly specific to games that use Steam Matchmaking as their online backbone, but "Offline Mode" is also pretty famously hit-or-miss-usually-miss.
Man if Valve doesn't pump out a game a year (Which is a stupid practice that a lot of people are now getting used to due to crappy modern trends) people think they're never going to make games anymore.
People forget that 1. Valve has a finite amount of people 2. They don't work like any other company (It has its benefits and its flaws) and 3. They're often working on lots of different projects at once.
Steam is not perfect by any means but it's still the best online gaming storefront/service by far, and yet as an added bonus they don't slap you in the face and start charging you for it.
People forget that 1. Valve has a finite amount of people 2. They don't work like any other company (It has its benefits and its flaws) and 3. They're often working on lots of different projects at once.
Steam is not perfect by any means but it's still the best online gaming storefront/service by far, and yet as an added bonus they don't slap you in the face and start charging you for it.
Because most of them are cosmetic. I can spend no money on Dota 2 and still beat Person X no matter the amount of Pudge skins they bought.
Skins do not affect my gameplay experience, simple as that.
Dr_Boris_Goltz
Banned
I wish I could just turn off the inventory bullshit on Steam.
I hate all of this persistent nonsense. I want the ability to completely remove games from my library as well, instead of just hiding them away.
I hate all of this persistent nonsense. I want the ability to completely remove games from my library as well, instead of just hiding them away.
Nabs
Member
They fixed Offline mode a while ago, and it's rock solid now.
Outtrigger888
Member
In the sense of "whale hunting" yes they do. It's optional just like any mobile "free" game.
Still reaching out to those that get addicted to purchasing a ton of shit.
old manatee
Banned
The reason Valve games are so good is because they spend ages making them.
Barkley's Justice
Member
You're in too deep, bro.
They generally don't give an advantage to play, which means the base game is still balanced around what's fun rather than what can get people to open their wallets.
Microtransactions have had a different effect on TF2, in that it makes it more confusing and bloated. But many people do express those feelings.
I can't remember the last time I bought something on Steam that wasn't part of a bundle somewhere.
Those deep discounts have made me prety much stop buying PC games at release or even heavily discounted prices
So you're not hostage of anything at all really, except maybe launch your game from steam itself?
Those deep discounts have made me prety much stop buying PC games at release or even heavily discounted prices
So you're not hostage of anything at all really, except maybe launch your game from steam itself?
terrisus
Member
I've said my feelings on the whole Steam DRM thing multiple times, so I won't get too into it again here.
But, I have no desire to support Steam's DRM model, where your access to games is completely controlled by another company, who can completely take away your access to some or all of those games by the flip of a switch, and where there's no guarantee whatsoever of your continued access to those games. It's just an absolutely disgusting model to me, and one that I want no part of.
The fact that it's something that so many other people have not only accepted and welcomed, but embraced and asked for - to the point where you have people complaining about DRM-free games because they do not use Steam's DRM - just makes me extremely sad.
As the saying goes - vote with your wallet. I don't expect to change much as far as practices in the industry or how games are released or such, but one thing I do know:
If Steam went away tomorrow, and all access to games that require Steam was lost, I would lose nothing of value. And I'm very glad of that.
But, I have no desire to support Steam's DRM model, where your access to games is completely controlled by another company, who can completely take away your access to some or all of those games by the flip of a switch, and where there's no guarantee whatsoever of your continued access to those games. It's just an absolutely disgusting model to me, and one that I want no part of.
The fact that it's something that so many other people have not only accepted and welcomed, but embraced and asked for - to the point where you have people complaining about DRM-free games because they do not use Steam's DRM - just makes me extremely sad.
As the saying goes - vote with your wallet. I don't expect to change much as far as practices in the industry or how games are released or such, but one thing I do know:
If Steam went away tomorrow, and all access to games that require Steam was lost, I would lose nothing of value. And I'm very glad of that.
This isn't really correct. Steam versions are easier to manage, they have our friends lists. Even in Uplay situations, the Steam version is almost always a better option. I bought AC Unity on Uplay and it came with no preload (steam did) and frequently it gets patches later than Steam. So it's not really about nothing, there's a lot of quality of life reasons.
Haunted
Member
Dota 2 has the best F2P model in the business, it's absolutely fantastic for the consumer.
I feel ya OP. I'm going on a trip soon and am bringing a laptop which has certain proxy and firewall settings that I can't touch. I thought the plane ride would be a good opportunity to catch up on my PC backlog but nope. The piece of shit Steam client doesn't even start up because it's very finicky about the proxy settings and ports it wants open, even if I'm just using it as a glorified download manager to download games I've legally purchased.
Outtrigger888
Member
I'm not saying they have a pay to win model, I said micro transactions. Still reaching for those who will purchase a ton of shit.
It's nothing like mobile "free" games. Some cosmetic outfits and such isn't in the same universe as having to pay for moves and the countless other ways mobile games try to rip you off. You don't have to buy a single thing from Valve games.
But that's not why most people shit on MTs. Most people shit on them because they affect game balance, or even game design itself (see games that force arbitrary cooldowns or absurd grinds that you can skip with money).
Refreshment.01
Member
i don't share your negativity entirely but i do understand how you feel right now.
Some of yours views regarding the "ownership" or lack there of of Steam software, i 've been talking about for years. It is kind of sad that this is something that reaches people when they experience the issues in the flesh. In this case you probably had been planning that gaming session for days only to get ruined by some unexpected issues.
That's why im kind of relieved that the traditional console model of gaming still exists in this digital age and hopefuly it will continue to march on in the future. Some times we forget how great is just to pop a cardtridge into a 3DS and game away without the need of an all seen eye watching over our shoulders.
Red Blaster
Member
dunno about being held hostage but i've been getting increasingly ambivalent about steam the last year or so
gutter trash customer service and a slow-ass client cut pretty deep
gutter trash customer service and a slow-ass client cut pretty deep
OnimaruXLR
Member
I thought this was going to be about some kinda fucked up DRM situation or having customer service trouble with your account or being locked out of your games or something
Feeling "held hostage" by Valve just because they don't put out new games is like feeling your favorite seasonal item is being "held ransom" from a fast food place because they don't offer it year-round*. And while Steam might not be slick cutting edge software design, you only have to look at UPlay and Origin to see that it's still better than average.
*seriously tho taco bell bring back the steak stacker
Feeling "held hostage" by Valve just because they don't put out new games is like feeling your favorite seasonal item is being "held ransom" from a fast food place because they don't offer it year-round*. And while Steam might not be slick cutting edge software design, you only have to look at UPlay and Origin to see that it's still better than average.
*seriously tho taco bell bring back the steak stacker
open_mouth_
insert_foot_
Valve only 1) saved PC gaming 2) released some of the best games of all time 3) developed some of the best gaming innovations
...but yeah, other than that, you're totally on point
...but yeah, other than that, you're totally on point
astroturfing
Member
yeah, gotta agree with the OP on most counts.
i'm completely baffled by all the new stuff like Trading Cards and Badges and whatnot, i have no idea what the fuck all that is lol.
also, i overheard a co-worker say he has 300 euros worth of knives and other items in CS:GO. excuse me but what? what does he mean, did he really use real money to buy virtual items in a Counter-Strike game? i don't even...
i'm completely baffled by all the new stuff like Trading Cards and Badges and whatnot, i have no idea what the fuck all that is lol.
also, i overheard a co-worker say he has 300 euros worth of knives and other items in CS:GO. excuse me but what? what does he mean, did he really use real money to buy virtual items in a Counter-Strike game? i don't even...
I don't understand. If someone is more than willing to pay money for cosmetics then good for them. As long as those items don't affect the balance of the game then there shouldn't be a problem.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
As someone newish to steam...
I dont understand why I cannot filter titles by price, developer and date of release.
I dont understand any of this trading card/hoilday badge/community choice stuff, nor do I want to.
I do nit understand why a downloaded game still needs to install.
I feel Steam appeals to a community that I am not only not part of, but have no interest in. The "hats" stuff is especially banal and bizarre. As a storefront, it somehow fails even when compared to the clusterfuck that is PSN on some levels.
As a dedicated program, its hot garbage and is basically bloatware. I find itunes to have more practical use.
I dont understand why I cannot filter titles by price, developer and date of release.
I dont understand any of this trading card/hoilday badge/community choice stuff, nor do I want to.
I do nit understand why a downloaded game still needs to install.
I feel Steam appeals to a community that I am not only not part of, but have no interest in. The "hats" stuff is especially banal and bizarre. As a storefront, it somehow fails even when compared to the clusterfuck that is PSN on some levels.
As a dedicated program, its hot garbage and is basically bloatware. I find itunes to have more practical use.
I don't think they deserve to be bashed about the momentarily downtimes, they are a relatively small company and yet are 5th or something like that in worldwide internet traffic flow.
I totally agree on their incredibly slow content/service producing time and this sure is hurting their image in the long run but hey those are the downsides of being a private company, not having to meet deadlines and listen to shareholder surely is what is recently hurting their image but it's also the reason the company was so well regarded in the first place.
As a month ago I too was incredibly pissed by this essentially mute and empty year from them more than ever when we know that there is stuff like Steam Machines, Controller, Source2 and the likes boiling in their offices but then i realized that i really shouldn't care that much because after all they still have awesome stuff like the Steam Store and in-home streaming that are here and work perfectly... we just have to wait, it's though nowadays to wait for something i know but i'm sure it's for the better.
I totally agree on their incredibly slow content/service producing time and this sure is hurting their image in the long run but hey those are the downsides of being a private company, not having to meet deadlines and listen to shareholder surely is what is recently hurting their image but it's also the reason the company was so well regarded in the first place.
As a month ago I too was incredibly pissed by this essentially mute and empty year from them more than ever when we know that there is stuff like Steam Machines, Controller, Source2 and the likes boiling in their offices but then i realized that i really shouldn't care that much because after all they still have awesome stuff like the Steam Store and in-home streaming that are here and work perfectly... we just have to wait, it's though nowadays to wait for something i know but i'm sure it's for the better.
Agreed, OP. I used to be enamored with everything Valve did too, now I don't feel the anticipation I used to. Weekly sales used to excite me, now they do nothing because everything gets discounted so often. I used to anticipate the holiday events, now I don't expect them to be anything more than a sale. I think the Market feature has been successfully and competently incorporated, but Greenlight, early-access, the discovery update and the curation that comes with it, and quite a few other half-baked features haven't improved my experience with the platform. That said, Valve's making money, so it's hard to blame them.
J
Jotamide
Unconfirmed Member
I agree with you 100%. The main advantage of Steam over GOG are cloud saves, online leaderboards, and automatic patching. If GOG Galaxy can deliver those, I'll make the switch.
Junior Mint
Member
Some people just want to look for things to complain about. Look at most of the posts in this thread.
terrisus
Member
Well, if the games were DRM-free, there would be no such thing...
Visualante2
Member
Gabe has said he would rather focus on making games than being in the spot light. I think this is true when you consider how infrequently he is at big events,or doing major interviews compared to around the time of the Orange Box. I still think the guy is very relevant. And he's willing to take risks unlike basically everyone so I think he's incredibly important to games.
I do agree that they need to overhaul their support system with live chat like Origin. Microsoft and EA run circles around Valve when it comes to support.
I do agree that they need to overhaul their support system with live chat like Origin. Microsoft and EA run circles around Valve when it comes to support.
Most games can still be played during the downtime. Online focused stuff gets borked, because, well, it's online, which doesn't really gel with DRM free versions anyway.