A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The U-Boat Page...

Sailor Steve · 05-18-19, 05:45 PM

I always swore I would avoid Steam, just because I don't like the idea of having to have their little program running just to play games I bought from them. That said, last year I discovered that I can't get Microsoft's Flight Sim X anywhere else. So I bit the bullet and bought it. I grit my teeth and try not to think about it while I'm playing.

Last Sunday I bought Train Simulator, because it looked like a cool way to relax. Of course it's by DoveTail Games, and they are Steam. So I'm trying it for the first time, and having lots of fun, when an ad turns up inside the game that says they're having their biggest sale ever. Do I complain about intrusive behavior? No, I run right over to see what I can get. Nothing I can really afford right now. Then I remember that the only place to get U-Boat is through Steam.

So I go to the U-Boat page and it's more than I really want to spend, which is one thing I do like about Steam - there will always be another sale.

But while I'm there I get a pop-up message which says "Are you sure you're at the right place? Because this isn't your usual type of game." I start laughing, then I go to the U-Boat Steam forums and create a thread in the General Forum, because that's the only way I can tell the joke. It's not like I can respond to it directly. Not my usual type of game? I first played Silent Service in 1987 on an Atari 520 ST. Then Silent Service 2. Not my usual type of game? I bought my first PC in 1998, and my first two PC games were Red Baron 2 and the original Silent Hunter. Not my usual type of game? I bought Silent Hunter II in 2002 and discovered SubSim while looking for something that would fix its lagginess. Not My Usual Type Of Game?! I got SH III when it was released in 2005, and was here for the legendary modding wars that wrecked the UBIsoft forums and came close to doing the same thing here. NOT MY USUAL TYPE OF GAME?!?! I got SH4 on its release in 2008, and attended the SubSim meeting an Neal's house the same year. Dan Dimitrescu ("Elenaiba"), lead designer for SH4 and SH5, was my roommate at that meeting. I got SH5 when they released it in 2010. I've been playing subsims for 32 years now and been an intimate part of the SubSim world for 17 of those years. And I've visited the Steam website for a total of maybe 2 hours.

And they think they know me based on that? Not my usual type of game indeed!

This wasn't really a rant. More like comedy based on a fictional rant. I find it all quite funny, the way websites are made to work. Now I just need to find that extra cash. Or not. There will always be another sale.

Drakomis · 05-18-19, 07:59 PM

I've been a steam customer for well nearly a decade now, probably since the year of its inception. I can say that the improvements made to the system to help potential customers do seem kinda silly sometimes, but they overall make the experience better.

But hey, at least you didn't get suckered into the Epic Games store fiasco.

XLjedi · 05-21-19, 09:36 AM

Yeah, after a decade on Steam I've been told that naval simulations aren't really my thing.

Apparently, I should just stick to basic card dueling games.

Sailor Steve · 05-21-19, 01:55 PM

I always come back to my first Steam experience in 2008 when I tried to by just the U-Boat add-on for SH4, and they told me they couldn't ship outside the United States.

I always joked about Utah being outside the U.S., but I never thought it might be true.

JU_88 · 05-21-19, 04:05 PM

Ha i think i saw and replied to your post on steam steve,
Yeah Steam bases it on your purchasing habits on Steam, obviously it doesn't know about all the games you played on disk or elsewhere. but yeah its still pretty funny when it suggests that you are not a fan of some genre or franchise that you are big fan of. (as if they know better than you lol) - they should probably re-word that message, its abit embarrassing on their part.

05-18-19, 05:45 PM	#1
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The U-Boat Page... I always swore I would avoid Steam, just because I don't like the idea of having to have their little program running just to play games I bought from them. That said, last year I discovered that I can't get Microsoft's Flight Sim X anywhere else. So I bit the bullet and bought it. I grit my teeth and try not to think about it while I'm playing. Last Sunday I bought Train Simulator, because it looked like a cool way to relax. Of course it's by DoveTail Games, and they are Steam. So I'm trying it for the first time, and having lots of fun, when an ad turns up inside the game that says they're having their biggest sale ever. Do I complain about intrusive behavior? No, I run right over to see what I can get. Nothing I can really afford right now. Then I remember that the only place to get U-Boat is through Steam. So I go to the U-Boat page and it's more than I really want to spend, which is one thing I do like about Steam - there will always be another sale. But while I'm there I get a pop-up message which says "Are you sure you're at the right place? Because this isn't your usual type of game." I start laughing, then I go to the U-Boat Steam forums and create a thread in the General Forum, because that's the only way I can tell the joke. It's not like I can respond to it directly. Not my usual type of game? I first played Silent Service in 1987 on an Atari 520 ST. Then Silent Service 2. Not my usual type of game? I bought my first PC in 1998, and my first two PC games were Red Baron 2 and the original Silent Hunter. Not my usual type of game? I bought Silent Hunter II in 2002 and discovered SubSim while looking for something that would fix its lagginess. Not My Usual Type Of Game?! I got SH III when it was released in 2005, and was here for the legendary modding wars that wrecked the UBIsoft forums and came close to doing the same thing here. NOT MY USUAL TYPE OF GAME?!?! I got SH4 on its release in 2008, and attended the SubSim meeting an Neal's house the same year. Dan Dimitrescu ("Elenaiba"), lead designer for SH4 and SH5, was my roommate at that meeting. I got SH5 when they released it in 2010. I've been playing subsims for 32 years now and been an intimate part of the SubSim world for 17 of those years. And I've visited the Steam website for a total of maybe 2 hours. And they think they know me based on that? Not my usual type of game indeed! This wasn't really a rant. More like comedy based on a fictional rant. I find it all quite funny, the way websites are made to work. Now I just need to find that extra cash. Or not. There will always be another sale. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

05-21-19, 09:36 AM	#3
XLjedi Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 1,242 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 8	Yeah, after a decade on Steam I've been told that naval simulations aren't really my thing. Apparently, I should just stick to basic card dueling games. __________________

05-21-19, 01:55 PM	#4
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I always come back to my first Steam experience in 2008 when I tried to by just the U-Boat add-on for SH4, and they told me they couldn't ship outside the United States. I always joked about Utah being outside the U.S., but I never thought it might be true. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

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05-18-19, 07:59 PM	#2
Drakomis Narwhaling the highways.. Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Mableton, GA Posts: 22 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 0	I've been a steam customer for well nearly a decade now, probably since the year of its inception. I can say that the improvements made to the system to help potential customers do seem kinda silly sometimes, but they overall make the experience better. But hey, at least you didn't get suckered into the Epic Games store fiasco.

05-21-19, 04:05 PM	#5
JU_88 Silent Hunter Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK Posts: 3,751 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Ha i think i saw and replied to your post on steam steve, Yeah Steam bases it on your purchasing habits on Steam, obviously it doesn't know about all the games you played on disk or elsewhere. but yeah its still pretty funny when it suggests that you are not a fan of some genre or franchise that you are big fan of. (as if they know better than you lol) - they should probably re-word that message, its abit embarrassing on their part.