Opinion of Valve's Steam

[SpawnofSonic]

its ok but, I hate it when i just want a quick game of source of HL2 and all of a sudden steam kicks in to update and im stuffed waiting for 30 mins for an update, that annoys me but hey

[unreal]

I also like the way I can check servers and join out of a game... also the way that Steam reguarly presents you with new levels and all sorts is really cool too, its like giving everyone ultra small christmas presents once every while

[mmh]

when steam first got introduced it stopped me being able to play CS and DoD, now with my laptop i can play them both again, but it still bogs me down every now and again, but i will agree its alot better these days, have yet to try HL2 and CS:source etc.

[Mutley]

I also like the way I can check servers and join out of a game... also the way that Steam reguarly presents you with new levels and all sorts is really cool too, its like giving everyone ultra small christmas presents once every while

Try x-fire, it does the same thing for you, but for a wide variety of games, including Steam games...

[TheBuZZard]

Only problem I have with it is friends list never works.

[Mutley]

Never has done. Why have something available that doesn't work? It should be disabled.

[directhex]

Never has done. Why have something available that doesn't work? It should be disabled.

i've used it in the past, back on the steam betas

[SpawnofSonic]

would be nice to have the friends list workin, but then I would need to leave steam open and it uses my memory

[unreal]

Try x-fire, it does the same thing for you, but for a wide variety of games, including Steam games...

The xfire thing is cool, quite handy to download demos on the day of release, and the mod or two, but it works in a torrent-like fashion, hogging your upload (I have 2.2mbps down, 256kbit up :/ ) and downloading at a variety of speeds, usually only around 30-60kbs. Steam downloads at 238kbs, and automatically patches quite seamlessly. Along with the download of extra content

[Mutley]

The xfire thing is cool, quite handy to download demos on the day of release, and the mod or two, but it works in a torrent-like fashion, hogging your upload (I have 2.2mbps down, 256kbit up :/ ) and downloading at a variety of speeds, usually only around 30-60kbs. Steam downloads at 238kbs, and automatically patches quite seamlessly. Along with the download of extra content

Don't tend to use XFire to d/l patches and upgrades. I find it most useful for contacting friends, especially in game, and generating server lists. The one annoyance at the moment is that I can't seem to start BF2 from X-Fire. The country-based server listing is a lot easier to use than the excruciating server browser in BF2..!

Tend to use Jolt's UK-only download service. Always max's out my 3mb/s bandwidth.

[divinemadness]

I've not been able to play any Steam games for the last week because it has spectacularly broken itself, and refuses to update properly. Tried all the tricks, and still nothing. I hate it.

I can only hope other developers/publishers dont start doing the same.

[Mutley]

Its odd how some people experience Steam problems, and others don't, at the same time. I was able to start up Steam, receive updates and play DoD:S, as well as Lost Coats (which is a new level, where HDR is used to great effect as you dig through the cupboard under the stairs looking for that winter jacket).

[dkmech]

I don't think its that odd tbh. If it didn't work with anything - it wouldn't work with valve's test rigs and wouldn't be released. But its quite natural there are certain failures in the system. And since they keep people from playing games they are enormously annoying.

My hl2 disk wasn't delivered on the day of release, so I didn't have the problem with unlocking it. However my friend, who lives in student accomodation, has no broadband and after a while steam wouldn't let him play without connecting to the net. He would then dial up on his pay per minute 56k service and instead of authenticating and letting him play the game steam would start upgrading itself and hl2 - obviously a process he couldn't complete on an expensive 56k line. So he wasn't able to play for ages, until he dragged his pc to my place on the other side of town... Thats just not right.

And if other developers will bring out their own Steam/Gas Turbine/Internal Combustion delivery engines we are gonna have a bunch of those pesky little system hogs.

Personally I haven't really had any problems with steam, but I think having a choice of running single player without it would have been nice.

[Mutley]

However my friend, who lives in student accomodation, has no broadband and after a while steam wouldn't let him play without connecting to the net. He would then dial up on his pay per minute 56k service and instead of authenticating and letting him play the game steam would start upgrading itself and hl2 - obviously a process he couldn't complete on an expensive 56k line. So he wasn't able to play for ages, until he dragged his pc to my place on the other side of town... Thats just not right.

What a nightmare. Thats just indescriminate. You would have thought Valve could do some simple bandwidth check to determine the type of line you are on, and act accordingly. MIght be nice to ask if you want the upgrades, or at least explain what they are and if they are absolutely necessary. And if you are playing single-player, I would wager that most updates are not "absolutely necessary".

[Dooms]

I love it, I loved it when it was buggy as hell (it was annoying tho) and now the only problem with it is friends not working (OH NO!!!)

Being able to keep contantly patched and updated on everything that value is working on. The abillity to buy games without having to shop around and find them and also preloading means playing the minute its released.

Ok its had its problems and it still does when there are new patches and games and the servers are brought to their knees but they are always improving and i never have it crash on me so defo gets my thumbs up.


Thing im worried about is lots of people following suite without talking to each other, we will end up with EA BROSWER! (whcih i can imagine being the most bloated thing ever) and about 10 other steam like programs running all the same time to stay up to date and trying to find the right one to launch the right game.


edit: I will agree on the problems low bandwidth people are having and they should include something to solve the problems they are having but with Broadband covering well over 80% of the UK populated areas and contantly on the rise (esp with technology like Wi-Max) and prices dropping lower than the 24/7 dialup contacts i cant see this being a problem for that long.

[Mutley]

OMG. Can you imagine, EA Browser?
Blimey, that would make Steam look like some finely crafted application with no bugs, minimal foot print and designed for the good of mankind LOL.