Steam ??

[bertieck476]

Hi folks,
what is steam ? is it just a place to purchase and download games from, what are the pros and cons of doing this over buying the game conventionally on disc.

Also I see posts referring to steam version and non steam when people are applying patches and mods, does having a steam version of a game make it more complicated to patch or mod, I have considered getting dangerous waters, cliffs of dover and european escalation, would I have any problems getting these from steam or would anyone recommend buying the disc versions instead.

Thanks alot Bert.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Steam is a service to purchase/download games, it comes with many additions that you may or may not want.

Many games you buy nowadays - even if it's in a case, will use Steam (or their own prepriatory service like EA's Origin).

If you wait long enough the game you want will be on sale dirt cheap, usual times are mid-summer, xmas, and most other holidays.

A lot of Steam games get patched and automatically update, but some don't. Also some games are moddable with Steam and others aren't.

I think Cliffs needs Steam, but is slightly moddable (check out the Flight Sim section). EE also needs Steam, and has some great free DLC. Don't know about modding that.

For me personally, I like it, others don't, but it is pretty much a necessity for the modern PC gamer.

[HunterICX]

Steam is a platform that manages, updates and allows you to purchase games in digital format (download).

It's account based so everygame you purchase is tied to your account which means you won't be able to sell it as a 2nd hand as it wouldn't work.

The games you get from steam are installled either by downloading it but if you purchased the game from the shelves in a game store you can install it from disc as well, in both cases they'll be added to your library in steam which then automatically keeps your game up to date with the latest release of patches and updates.

Modding shouldn't be a problem with Steam at least from personal experience, also more and more titles gain the feature called Mod Workshop which makes it easier to do so (search, install and if you like to mod yourself share your work)

Downloading or getting the Disc is up to you if the game has Steam as it's DRM it doesn't matter. If you have a slow internet getting the disc would be adviced.

Pros:
-Games are kept up to date
-Friendlist to make it easier to play multiplayer with friends
-From time to time steam has grand sales that'll save you some cash on some great titles you wanted to get.
-No disc in drive required, once it's installed you can shelf the disc and launch the game without it.

Cons:
-Once purchased the game you won't be able to resell it as the game is tied to your account.
-Maintenance done to the steam servers may or may not kick you out of the multiplayer session your in (depends if the multiplayer of the game uses Steam as it's primary means of hosting game sessions)

but those imo are a small price to pay for a great service overall, if you can't find the game in local stores or online, Steam is the easy solution to obtain those titles.

HunterICX

[Oberon]

Steam is a gaseous form of water created when molecules consisting of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom are excited by heat energy.
In 1781 James Watt patented a form of steam engine that produced continuous rotative motion, although other steam powered devices had been in use before 1781, Watts engine was the first that could be used for something other than pumping water from mines. The steam engine is widely creditted for powering the industrial revolution, and creating the world that we live in today.
Steam can also be condensed back into water, and then frozen into ice by reducing the excitement of the water molecules, presumably by introducing them to politics.

[bertieck476]

Thanks for the info folks.

[Skybird]

Steam is a place where you have to hand over the keys to your flat. You buy a flat, and give them the keys. When you want to enter your flat, no matter why, you have to call them. They then come and unlock the door for you. They hold the door for you. They paint the door for you. They keep clean and tidy the door for you. They put advertisement into your mailbox, telling you how wonderful it is that they do all this for you. They say "Hello, how are you Mr. X?" when you call them to let you enter your flat, and they smile and say "Have a nice day, see you next time, Mr. X!" when you leave and close the door behind you, which they then lock for you. They do everything for you.

But it is them keeping the keys at all times and controlling your access to your flat that you payed for, and with their service being unable or unwilling, you have to sleep on the street and cannot get in and get your things.

Are you really sure you really own the flat that you payed for?

The arguments most often given is "protection against piracy", and "convenient and cheaper distribution model". That are not the real reasons. The real reason is that it is about destroying the second hand market for games, boosting profits for companies that way.

[bertieck476]

@skybird, I understand your point, for me not being able to resell a game is not a problem for me as I have never sold anything before anyhow, Im not sure I like the idea of them controlling my gameplaying and monitoring what Im doing. But how do you play games that say you need a steam account? like WEE?

[TorpX]

I've never had a steam game and don't intend to. What happens if I decide I want to install my game on a different computer, or, as is likely to happen sooner or later, the company goes out of business?

If you buy a game you should have it on disc, and be able to play it when and where you want.

[Raptor1]

Originally Posted by TorpX

What happens if I decide I want to install my game on a different computer

You can install Steam games on as many computers as you want.

[HunterICX]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I've never had a steam game and don't intend to. What happens if I decide I want to install my game on a different computer,

Which isn't a problem you just log in on that computer and play the game (but every time you switch from computer you'll have to enter a 4 digit code they send to your mail to confirm it is you and not someone that hacked your account)

or, as is likely to happen sooner or later, the company goes out of business?

They've stated to release patches that releases Steam to be required to run to launch&play the game.

If you buy a game you should have it on disc, and be able to play it when and where you want.

Which is exactly what you can with steam, so what's the problem?

HunterICX

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by bertieck476

But how do you play games that say you need a steam account? like WEE?

I don't, with one exception (Skyrim). I boycott it, like I also do not board the Twitter train, Google Plus train, the Windows 8 train and it's Appstore model and the Facebook train. Technically my Skyrim account works well, I'm ready to admit that. However, I tried to install for somebody else - an old gentleman whose notebook I am maintaining - Shogun 2, and never got it working neither on his platform, nor (when he gave it up and left it to me) on my own PC. So by experience, my final Steam projects statistics is 1 success and 1 failure. But my criticism of things like this Steam model is more basic and principle anyway, like described earlier.

If people would not have started to tolerate Steam over the past years, we would not have Steam and the consequences today. We probably would not have the Windows 8 App model that tries to copy Steam. I would have preferred it that way, but people seem to not care. So I opted out of all that.

[Skybird]

A siumiliar problem there is with the more and more popular e-book readers. Many people are not aware that they do not own the books they have bought, and that Amazon can delöete books from their readers by central commands - and have done that. People also do not read the fineprint, where for example it is said that when you carry one Kindle from let's say the US to Europe - or the other way around - and then try to buy a book in the foreign distribution sphere (different Amazon), you nullify your legal rights to use the previously bought library - it can get deleted from your account, and you do not get it back even when returning to your place of origin. People also have been locked out from their native account they established at home. They were not allowed to come back.

This also has happened already, I think some longer time ago I even had a thread started on describing and linking such stories. - Also, you cannot resell your books.

Could not happen when buying a real book. In the real property world, you buy items and own and possess them. In the digital world, you are buying the possibility to use something at the conditions set up by somebody else. And when he changes his mind, you cannot any longer, and all your earlier financial investments are gone nevertheless. - That's why I will not buy e-books. I could use a good reader for pdf-manuals, if there only would be a reasonable sized display available for small-print on Din A4. But I will not buy a reader to use e-books.

[bertieck476]

Im with you on the facebooks etc, I would not ever get into all that, people dont realise just how much of your info your putting out there.
I have however downloaded the steam client and have bought Wargame European Escalation from Greenman gaming for £5.99 which seemed pretty good, I have pasted my key into my steam account and its downloading now. I wait and see how it goes.

Bert.

[eddie]

I hope you have a lot of will power once you get going with Steam, because when they have their sales, you're going to need it!!! Just ask Hunter,Raptor and Oberon what that is like when you notice a new Steam sale,LOL

[bertieck476]

Originally Posted by eddie

I hope you have a lot of will power once you get going with Steam, because when they have their sales, you're going to need it!!! Just ask Hunter,Raptor and Oberon what that is like when you notice a new Steam sale,LOL

Haha,I have just found the antidote, 4 hrs download