Now, I've had issues with anti-consumer behavior from various companies. I'm very outspoken against them, whether it be Starforce, EA, or someone else. I like to consider myself a conscientious consumer. However, I don't think Steam is an example of bad behavior. VALVe approached the program as a tool to deliver content and unify the gaming community. If they had just forced everyone to use Steam and then counted the money flow coming out their DRM system, I would be angry. However, they support their games beyond most companies, whether through updates or mod support. (granted, w/ issues like compatibility breaks with certain mods... but that's game development for you, and they're learning) I LIKE to support developers like that. I get a lot for my money as well. (bought Silver package... got three multiplayer games and an amazing singleplayer game for $60, then have been enjoying the numerous mods) AND I know it's not going to some publisher. Any developer selling their game through Steam gets a much higher percentage of the sales than they would through a publisher.
And if you don't mind, give me an example of price-gouging on Steam. I recently looked up their current packages and I must say that I'm impressed with the Source Premier Pack.
I do have a few problems with Steam, but they're working on solving them and constantly improving other aspects as well. For instance, Friends was rebuilt from the ground up. It wasn't working for a long while there and it was a great feature. They're implementing a p2p system, which has a few great applications. Granted, everything is going a bit slow. They really have their hands full. But this I understand. It's money-making decisions that you'd see from some publisher that piss me off. (like pushing releases, not supporting games after release, rolling out droll expansions one after the other, overworking already overworked employees, forcing employees to work in huge teams on possibly even licensed material for a very uninspired game, monopolizing certain markets for the detriment of gamer choice and game quality, buying companies for the content and then shutting them down, keeping games retail forever, etc.)
There are quite a bit of people who hate steam, because it is/was a complete piece of crap. Bugs and more bugs.
If you use common sense and follow the instructions perfectly bugs still kick in? For example why does IE crash for no fricken' reason? I'm browsing a webpage etc. and using common sense (no bad sites). Does that make me a moron?
It seems like you have no clue what you are talking about so just don't talk anymore okay?
Also about the gold version it didn't say T-shirt, but I was expecting one since it was the MOST expensive package for HL2. It's all about the most for your dollar and it didn't meet that obviously.
shortylickens
No Lifer
- Jul 15, 2003
- 80,287
- 17,081
- 136
Anymore.
And I already heard (several times) the discussion about Vivendi not being at fault. I wouldnt be suprised if you were one of the arrogant assholes who defended both side just be an attention whore.
Not taking accountability generally doesnt solve issues.
Which is why we have losers like you blaming everybody else for problems.
At least Valve and Vivendi are succesful companies. What the hell have you done besides crap on people?
Go home, spank off to Britney Spears and tell your mom I said Hi.
I've been using steam for a year and a half and only had a couple of very minor issues. If companies are going to insist on putting DRM in their games I'd much rather use a system like steam instead of forcing me to put the cd in every time I play the game.
WTF. Vivendi has nothing to do with Steam. Case closed. So, firstly I'm not sure what you're referring to when you talk about a discussion about Vivendi not being at fault. Also, I'm not an attention whore. Ask anybody who knows me. Thirdly, blaming people for their own mistakes seems appropriate, though. And I'm not sure WHERE that last paragraph came from. What does bringing up VALVe's and Vivendi's success have to do with anything? What do my accomplishments (which you know nothing of) have to do with anything?
Yes, I was a bit harsh in my wording, but you really bit down hard on that bait. I really didn't think too poorly of you until now. Not that it matters to you. But you support my theory on the intelligence of those who hate Steam. (though, I think it also has to do with adaptability and tolerance)
Ya, no kidding. I heard it was painful for those who bought retail having to put in the CD all the time when the people who bought online didn't. That was Vivendi's doing. It's all good now, though. Still. I'm tired of downloading mini-images for my other games.
erikistired
Diamond Member
- Sep 27, 2000
- 9,739
- 0
- 0
Yes, so true that I keep coming back to CS:S even though it goes via steam. Sometimes there are trade offs.
For example some people in the hot deals forums cry how crappy TD is and how they will never buy from them again. Too bad, because if TD actaully had the lowest prices around, there will be many people who will flock to TD including those who have stated they will never shop there again.
Same issue with American Idol. People wanted to boycott it (American Idol booted their fav. singer), but it's funny how they keep going back to American Idol just, because it is very addictive.
Steam is a great idea as I really enjoy being able to download previous games and playing them. It's just that steam is too unrefined and too many small characteristics that make it suck.
If you don't want Steam games, don't buy them. It is spelled out rather clearly, and the account is activated for Steam authentication to prevent rampant sharing. I've never had a problem with it so far.
This may be an issue of semantics more than anything else but currently you don't have to BE online to play single player Steam games (at least the HL series -- I haven't experimented with SiN). This issue was addressed quite a long time ago.
What are you talking about? I seriously can't follow your train of thought here. The only issue PseudoKnight addressed was this:
Vivendi never had ANYTHING to do with Steam (in fact, I'm fairly certain Steam is the reason the Valve/Vivendi relationship disintegrated and Valve now has EA publish its boxed games).
I'm not exactly sure what accountability has to do with any of this. In fact, these few sentences are pretty funny, given that PseudoKnight didn't blame anybody for anything. He simply stated that the people who tend to hate Steam are the ones who don't know what they're doing. Then you go off on him like some retarded 10th grader. Seriously, what are you thinking?
To Trikat:
Steam definitely has problems. I have a good friend who has had endless trouble getting it to work properly (from day 1) and he's no moron. I can accept complaining about the software itself, but when you don't bother to educate yourself and then complain about the business model, I have no sympathy for you.
cry more
Steam works just fine, and it's cheaper for the consumers and publishers to do things this way, in the end we all win.
Most of the people who bitch and moan about Steam are warez-happy punks. Get used to it.
Steam works just fine, and it's cheaper for the consumers and publishers to do things this way, in the end we all win.
Most of the people who bitch and moan about Steam are warez-happy punks. Get used to it.
This is one of the very few cons of Steam and it is WIDELY known. I'm guessing this is either flamebait as I'm not sure how anyone could have bought anything on Steam and NOT known this. What did you think you were going to do after playing it, click a little Sell button and have it removed from your account?
shortylickens
No Lifer
- Jul 15, 2003
- 80,287
- 17,081
- 136
I was thinking about jerking off to Britney Spears, which is exactly what you were thinking when you read it. (Dont lie.
)OMG people we have a steam expert he's been using it since HL2!!!
Seriously, wtf is with these kids that act like they beta tested steam and the rest of us are idiots. This goes for the guys above this post as well. If you've never had a problem with steam it's because you haven't been using it for long or you only use it for HL2 and don't know what the problem is
New steam users don't understand the problem because they think 10min load times, 8k/s DL for custom maps from servers and framerates for 20fps with a 7800gt in the water on aztec are normal because they never played the games before steam. Go install CS 1.2 (my personal fav) and play without steam, then play 1.6, THEN tell me there's no problem with steam.
Yeah I remember 1.2 I thought it was the best aswell. Didn't play 1.3 but tolerated 1.5 for a while. 1.6 and CS:S are both crap IMO.
Amen to that. We had a 1.2 server up for about a year but the players dwindled down to nothing after a while wince we all started graduating and getting jobs. Too bad there's no way to rollback an installation or I think more people would.
PingSpike
Lifer
- Feb 25, 2004
- 21,756
- 600
- 126
Thats what I was going to suggest. Its still kind of a PITA but that is a solution if you were sure you were going to sell it. I generally don't buy games for single player so this hasn't been much of a concern for me.
I just wish steam had a simple default windows skin...they used to have a gray one that I liked ok but that disappeared after one of the updates.
PingSpike
Lifer
- Feb 25, 2004
- 21,756
- 600
- 126
Steam is certainly not without its problems. It suffers mainly because its the first system of its kind being implemented, and valve bit off a bit more then it could easily chew with it. I wasn't playing much half life when steam was originally introduced so I missed what sounded like an extremely painful transition period...but a lot of people have said it has really improved, and for my part I have had relatively few problems with it.
I actually prefer it over the old system, because for me it works better. I don't have to worry about losing CDs or keeping them in the drive. I get to give more money right to the developer instead of some publisher that probably just cracked the whips. And the automatic updates are nice, although I feel valve could take a more strenous approach to their testing.
Frankly, given that valve hasn't been a market player for very long at all I'm surprised they have done as well as they have with a project of this scope. But there's still a lot of room for improvement.
PingSpike
Lifer
- Feb 25, 2004
- 21,756
- 600
- 126
I'm not sure what you mean...can't you just install all the old patches and whatever to half life and install a 1.2 cs mod still? I know I can still install my original half life without steam...its just they stopped releasing patches for it at some point.
Or do you mean new installs?
Well I meant 2 cases.
1) anyone who downloaded the game has no choice but to play the most recent version
2) it's hard to find the old incremental patches. for the most part sites only have the latest version.
both make it hard to support a playerbase for older versions of the game.
1) anyone who downloaded the game has no choice but to play the most recent version
2) it's hard to find the old incremental patches. for the most part sites only have the latest version.
both make it hard to support a playerbase for older versions of the game.
I can see how Steam isn't condusive to reselling games.
A few things...
I got Sin: Emergence Episode 1 from Best Buy and used the coupon attached to their Gamers Gift Card for $5 off the price, so it was $14.99 + tax. Before you buy any computer game from Best Buy that is over $20 you should find and purchase a Gamers Gift Card and get the coupon from it.
I've already beat the game, twice, at two different difficulty levels. The game looks nice, but there isn't much innovation in the gameplay... it is very much a straightforward shooter. Maybe I'm missing some easter eggs, but I miss some of the neat stuff you could do in the original such as hacking computer systems from a virtual DOS prompt within the game and stealing money from people's accounts in the virtual ATM. I'm not convinced it's worth paying $20 for... but when compared to the cost of a movie, it is probably comparable since it takes about 4 hours to play.
Does anyone know how to play multiplayer in Sin 1? I tried launching the Sin 1 multiplayer, and it doesn't find any servers. There is a note about using the server browser built into Steam, but I don't know what they mean. Does anyone have a link that tells how to get into Sin multiplayer?
Thanks!
A few things...
I got Sin: Emergence Episode 1 from Best Buy and used the coupon attached to their Gamers Gift Card for $5 off the price, so it was $14.99 + tax. Before you buy any computer game from Best Buy that is over $20 you should find and purchase a Gamers Gift Card and get the coupon from it.
I've already beat the game, twice, at two different difficulty levels. The game looks nice, but there isn't much innovation in the gameplay... it is very much a straightforward shooter. Maybe I'm missing some easter eggs, but I miss some of the neat stuff you could do in the original such as hacking computer systems from a virtual DOS prompt within the game and stealing money from people's accounts in the virtual ATM. I'm not convinced it's worth paying $20 for... but when compared to the cost of a movie, it is probably comparable since it takes about 4 hours to play.
Does anyone know how to play multiplayer in Sin 1? I tried launching the Sin 1 multiplayer, and it doesn't find any servers. There is a note about using the server browser built into Steam, but I don't know what they mean. Does anyone have a link that tells how to get into Sin multiplayer?
Thanks!
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