Advice for new steam user

[Doclector]

OH GOD WHAT HAVE I UNLEASHED!

THERE'S SALES AND FREE STUFF!

SUCH BEAUTY WAS NOT MEANT FOR THIS WORLD!

Anyways. Being a console dumbass by nature, I feel I should see whether there's any obvious things I should know, free games I should download, or newbie mistakes I should avoid.

TEACH ME ELDERS OF STEAM!

 

[Lilani]

Be on the lookout for the Steam Summer Sales, they should be starting up soon. But the Steam community is in a bit of an uproar right now since in past years, they started in mid to late June, and now we're 1 day from July there hasn't been a peep from Steam or Valve about them so far. If and when they start up, you'll be seeing some CRAZY low prices on indie and AAA games alike.

Oh, also, if you ever plan on paying TF2 I recommend you buy it and get started by July 7th. You'll get a free hat celebrating the release of Meet the Pyro :3

EDIT: Actually, the poster below reminded me--TF2 is free to play now! So just download it ASAP and get your Pyrovision Goggles. Then, if you want the full version, just buy something in the TF2 item store, I think the amount that gets you the full game is like $1-$5.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

In regards to sales, my advice is make a list of games you want before the summer sale starts, and then only buy the games on that list. This prevents you from having hundereds of games on your steam account and only having played a handfull of them. Also, right now, don't buy anything until the summer sale starts, as almost everything will be on sale.

As far as free games on steam go, the only ones you need are Team Fortress 2 and Tribes: Ascend (yes, its on steam now).

 

[Smooth Operator]

Keep an eye on your wallet, I have had friends who spent their entire paychecks there and then begged the landlord to postpone rent.

For the most part just only buy things you intend to play within the same year, because most people seem to be packing shit away as if there is a harsh winter coming and then never fucking play anything, great way to waste all your money.
Also any game that has more then 5 DLC packs is probably garbage, or at least the DLC is.

 

[Doclector]

Be on the lookout for the Steam Summer Sales, they should be starting up soon. But the Steam community is in a bit of an uproar right now since in past years, they started in mid to late June, and now we're 1 day from July there hasn't been a peep from Steam or Valve about them so far. If and when they start up, you'll be seeing some CRAZY low prices on indie and AAA games alike.

Oh, also, if you ever plan on paying TF2 I recommend you buy it and get started by July 7th. You'll get a free hat celebrating the release of Meet the Pyro :3

EDIT: Actually, the poster below reminded me--TF2 is free to play now! So just download it ASAP and get your Pyrovision Goggles. Then, if you want the full version, just buy something in the TF2 item store, I think the amount that gets you the full game is like $1-$5.

Okay, and I desperately need a cheap mouse if I'm going to play anything online. F***ing laptop mousepads, who invented these things and thought "yeah, they totally work!"

 

[Lilani]

Be on the lookout for the Steam Summer Sales, they should be starting up soon. But the Steam community is in a bit of an uproar right now since in past years, they started in mid to late June, and now we're 1 day from July there hasn't been a peep from Steam or Valve about them so far. If and when they start up, you'll be seeing some CRAZY low prices on indie and AAA games alike.

Oh, also, if you ever plan on paying TF2 I recommend you buy it and get started by July 7th. You'll get a free hat celebrating the release of Meet the Pyro :3

EDIT: Actually, the poster below reminded me--TF2 is free to play now! So just download it ASAP and get your Pyrovision Goggles. Then, if you want the full version, just buy something in the TF2 item store, I think the amount that gets you the full game is like $1-$5.

Okay, and I desperately need a cheap mouse if I'm going to play anything online. F***ing laptop mousepads, who invented these things and thought "yeah, they totally work!"

Oh yeah, you'll definitely want a real mouse lol. Just go to the nearest WalMart (or whatever the equivalent for Walmart is in the UK) and pick up a Logitech mouse. They run for about $15 here in the US No need for anything fancy, though with a laptop it may be more convenient for you to go ahead and spend the a few extra quid for a wireless mouse. But that's all up to you, of course.

 

[Doclector]

Be on the lookout for the Steam Summer Sales, they should be starting up soon. But the Steam community is in a bit of an uproar right now since in past years, they started in mid to late June, and now we're 1 day from July there hasn't been a peep from Steam or Valve about them so far. If and when they start up, you'll be seeing some CRAZY low prices on indie and AAA games alike.

Oh, also, if you ever plan on paying TF2 I recommend you buy it and get started by July 7th. You'll get a free hat celebrating the release of Meet the Pyro :3

EDIT: Actually, the poster below reminded me--TF2 is free to play now! So just download it ASAP and get your Pyrovision Goggles. Then, if you want the full version, just buy something in the TF2 item store, I think the amount that gets you the full game is like $1-$5.

Okay, and I desperately need a cheap mouse if I'm going to play anything online. F***ing laptop mousepads, who invented these things and thought "yeah, they totally work!"

Oh yeah, you'll definitely want a real mouse lol. Just go to the nearest WalMart (or whatever the equivalent for Walmart is in the UK) and pick up a Logitech mouse. They run for about $15 here in the US No need for anything fancy, though with a laptop it may be more convenient for you to go ahead and spend the a few extra quid for a wireless mouse. But that's all up to you, of course.

Personally I've always liked wired acessories. I'll take messing around with a few cables over having to feed 'em batteries anyday, and besides, my laptop isn't really used as a laptop, it's more a case that it was a fairly standard laptop that was cheaper than a fairly standard desktop.

 

[MrCollins]

Do not, if you hold any attachment to any savings you might have, go on Steam during the summer sale, everything is sooo cheap but it ends up really adding up.

Also, as a rule, I never buy anything full price on steam (no matter what it is if you wait long enough it will be discounted)