Steam Now Offers Non-Gaming Software

JoshV

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Steam Now Offers Non-Gaming Software



Make games, sculpt models, and paint with Steam's new software library.

It may be a month later than originally promised [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118952-Steam-Expands-Library-to-Non-Game-Software], but Valve is now offering non-game software for sale through Steam. Moreover, the whole available catalog is 10% off through Tuesday, October 9th.

The initial offering, though a little sparse, still contains a variety of productivity tools. In addition to the previously available Source Filmmaker, the library contains 3D-Coat, a voxel sculpting program, and ArtRage Studio Pro, a painting tool. A variety of free and paid versions of GameMaker Studio are available as well. Performance testing tools 3D Mark 11 and 3D Mark Vantage round out the catalog's personal- and organizational-oriented software, along with photo-organizer CameraBag 2.

Steam still has a long way to go before it can become a one-stop digital shop for any software you could need, but these new products look like a good first step.

Source: Steam [http://store.steampowered.com/software]

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The Rogue Wolf

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I might add that the page for 3D Coat states that you can compile from it directly to the Team Fortress 2 workshop. Sweet for anyone who wants to make their own stuff for that game.
 

Rainforce

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A monopoly in the making [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_245/7285-Steam-A-Monopoly-In-the-Making], indeed.
This is fucking creepy to watch, considernig how my favorite game distribution platform is now growing into other markets not quite unlike cancer.
But maybe I'm just afraid of change here.
 

Assassin Xaero

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Why are people freaking out that a software distribution platform is now selling other kinds of software and just one type (games)?
 

iniudan

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Andrewtheeviscerator said:
I remember when Valve made games, those were good times.
They released CS:GO not long ago you know, actually if I remember right the only year, since Half-Life, they didn't release a game was 2002.
 

gigastar

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iniudan said:
Andrewtheeviscerator said:
I remember when Valve made games, those were good times.
They released CS:GO not long ago you know, actually if I remember right the only year, since Half-Life, they didn't release a game was 2002.
You could also argue that Dota 2 is out now. Yes its a beta, but in my mind an open beta is basically a release where the developers have sworn in blood that the game is unfinished and that they will complete it.
 

Cyfu

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Hmmm, this is kind of creepy.. This morning I started thinking I should try to start getting into making games and now this happens? Could this be a sign?

anyways, this is kind of scary. If valve continue as they are doing now, you have everything you need on steam and that's not good at all.

Captcha: end of the world. Yes captcha, this might be the end of world as we know it.
 

SteewpidZombie

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I think this is a good idea on Steam's part. Increasing both a wider audience in terms of getting artists and digital creators together with offering both Programs, Games, and the Greenlight service which now means that Game Developers and Amateur creators can all gather together to create and share content.
 

Andrewtheeviscerator

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gigastar said:
iniudan said:
Andrewtheeviscerator said:
I remember when Valve made games, those were good times.
They released CS:GO not long ago you know, actually if I remember right the only year, since Half-Life, they didn't release a game was 2002.
You could also argue that Dota 2 is out now. Yes its a beta, but in my mind an open beta is basically a release where the developers have sworn in blood that the game is unfinished and that they will complete it.
CS:GO was just a HD upgrade so I would hardly call that a new game, and Dota 2 isn't developed by Valve its published, all Valve did was buy out the guy who made the original Dota.
 
Apr 28, 2008
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So now there's games and game-making tools. Wonder what they'll add next.

Regarding this whole Steam monopoly thing. I could copy Shamus Young here...

Shamus said:
There's an old joke where an old-timey top-hat wearing tycoon booms something to the effect of, "We're not a monopoly on purpose, it's just that our products are SO GOOD that nobody feels the need to compete with us!" In this case, you'd need a version that looks like Gabe Newell, and instead of a top hat he's wearing 50 TF2 hats, and he's saying, "We're not a monopoly on purpose, it's just that our competition is SO STUPID they can't compete with us, even though they have more money and all our techniques are public and they've had 10 years to figure it out!"

It's not that I want Steam to have more or less market share, it's that I want the other guys to make an honest effort to TAKE IT from them.
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=16736&cpage=1#comment-291263

Pretty much my view on that.
 

GenGenners

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Irridium said:
So now there's games and game-making tools. Wonder what they'll add next.

Regarding this whole Steam monopoly thing. I could copy Shamus Young here...

Shamus said:
There's an old joke where an old-timey top-hat wearing tycoon booms something to the effect of, "We're not a monopoly on purpose, it's just that our products are SO GOOD that nobody feels the need to compete with us!" In this case, you'd need a version that looks like Gabe Newell, and instead of a top hat he's wearing 50 TF2 hats, and he's saying, "We're not a monopoly on purpose, it's just that our competition is SO STUPID they can't compete with us, even though they have more money and all our techniques are public and they've had 10 years to figure it out!"

It's not that I want Steam to have more or less market share, it's that I want the other guys to make an honest effort to TAKE IT from them.
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=16736&cpage=1#comment-291263

Pretty much my view on that.
Probably the best way to look at it. Good summary.
 

Evil Smurf

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Nov 11, 2011
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I trust Valve not to fuck me over. They had not failed me yet, why would they now?
 

lancar

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As long as they're sticking with gaming related software, I can see it fitting with the theme of the Steam service.

Nothing really prevents them from branching out even further, though, but I think it's good to have a niche and not branch out too much.

I still can't understand why 3D Mark costs so much money. It feels like one would only want to use it for giggles once per new computer to measure the size of your epeen, but what's the point after that?
 

Some_weirdGuy

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I'm pretty sure I downloaded a driver update via steam at one point, so non-game software has been on steam before now too.
 

Baresark

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I just hope that I can register my current copy of Artrage Pro there soon. Save me the trouble of using a damn disc.
 

Xman490

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Steam has had Indie Game: The Movie for sale for a few months, as well as Source Film Maker. Saying that the service "now" offers non-gaming software is not really news.

Now saying that it "offers artistic software beyond Valve games" is more accurate. By the way, I really don't mind that these animation and painting programs are around, as long as they aren't deliberately shoved in my face.
 

Xanadu84

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You know what the hidden, most amazing thing about these programs are? They have Achievements.

Thats right.

Gamemaker studio has Steam achievements like, "10 Debugs" "Compile Error" and "Run Mac" that are exactly what they sound like. Gamifying making games. Steam never ceases to amaze me.
 

Vigormortis

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Rainforce said:
A monopoly in the making [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_245/7285-Steam-A-Monopoly-In-the-Making], indeed.
This is fucking creepy to watch, considernig how my favorite game distribution platform is now growing into other markets not quite unlike cancer.
But maybe I'm just afraid of change here.
I think you are. Or rather, buying far too much into the alarmist bullshit peddled by a lot of Valve-haters around here. That article included. I remember reading it before. I knew it was bullshit then. I know it's bullshit now.

The failures in basic logic throughout the article (and indeed with most arguments levied against Valves "monopoly"), are often telling. They make one thing abundantly clear. The author, and many who think like him, appear to be unable to grasp what the words "monopoly" and "anti-competitive" actually mean.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monopoly
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-competitive

Valve does not strong arm developers and publishers into using their service. Game makers are not required to use Steam for distribution on the PC. At no point is a game required to be exclusive to Steam; something that happens often with consoles. Even if a developer does use Steam, they are not required to use Steamworks.

Any suggestions to the contrary are ludicrous. (and illustrates a lack of perspective)

The fact of the matter is, Steam/Valve are successful as they are because they offer a better, more powerful, more convenient, and more robust service to gamers and developers than their competitors do.

This is why so many gamers and designers use the service. Not because Valve has a "monopoly". Nor are they ever likely to.

As such, this new non-game software addition to Steam should be viewed as a good thing. It shows Valve is still dedicated to expanding their set of services and titles available to the customer. It shows they are still trying to better the service and remain competitive.

That's not something to be afraid of. That's something to embrace.

What we should be afraid is the fact that Valves primary competitors are still unwilling to do the same all the while lambasting Steam for being "too good". And seeing the gaming community at large agreeing with them.