Poll: Steam. Good or Bad?
- Thread starter Elfgore
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I quite like steam, as long as it's used properly. Saunas, for example, are really nice and relaxing once in a while, but when it's just the normal stuff (kettle, for example) then it's just downright dangerous.
Sorry.
No, I love Steam. I run all my games through it and can't remember what I did before it.
Sorry.
No, I love Steam. I run all my games through it and can't remember what I did before it.
I like:
1) Its community features, I love that I can chat to my friends through steam
2) The fact that I can load non-steam games into steam and do the same
I dislike:
1) The fact that it actually massively disrupts some games. People claim it doesn't, but that's because those people are cretinous jackarses who think that RAM usage and CPU usage equate to the full sum of performance deficit a program can achieve. Games like Mount and Blade that use POP are hugely negatively impacted by Steam to the point where my Steam copy of Mount and Blade Warband dropped to 3 FPS every time it tried to calculate hit impact i.e. every couple of seconds.
2) The fact that they can disable your account and thus basically seize everything you rightfully own. I don't care whether or not they will do it, I care that they can. Would you agree to buy a house if the previous owner stipulated that they could turn up at any time and throw you out if you don't behave as they want you to whilst inside it?
3) The fact that their 'delete local content' button it just an uninstall that wipes all versions of the product from the system, whether or not Steam installed it. That's caused me no end of grief.
4) The fact that you can only view your CD Keys if you've installed the game. That's a nightmare because you need to install the game to view the key to input into the non-Steam version, but then the 'delete local content' deletes the non-Steam version!
5) The fact that they think $1=£1/1 Euro. I think they've finally clocked that a pound and a dollar are not the same thing, but they're still ripping off my EU friends.
Yeah, I don't like Steam, but it's a nice idea and it does have a lot going for it.
1) Its community features, I love that I can chat to my friends through steam
2) The fact that I can load non-steam games into steam and do the same
I dislike:
1) The fact that it actually massively disrupts some games. People claim it doesn't, but that's because those people are cretinous jackarses who think that RAM usage and CPU usage equate to the full sum of performance deficit a program can achieve. Games like Mount and Blade that use POP are hugely negatively impacted by Steam to the point where my Steam copy of Mount and Blade Warband dropped to 3 FPS every time it tried to calculate hit impact i.e. every couple of seconds.
2) The fact that they can disable your account and thus basically seize everything you rightfully own. I don't care whether or not they will do it, I care that they can. Would you agree to buy a house if the previous owner stipulated that they could turn up at any time and throw you out if you don't behave as they want you to whilst inside it?
3) The fact that their 'delete local content' button it just an uninstall that wipes all versions of the product from the system, whether or not Steam installed it. That's caused me no end of grief.
4) The fact that you can only view your CD Keys if you've installed the game. That's a nightmare because you need to install the game to view the key to input into the non-Steam version, but then the 'delete local content' deletes the non-Steam version!
5) The fact that they think $1=£1/1 Euro. I think they've finally clocked that a pound and a dollar are not the same thing, but they're still ripping off my EU friends.
Yeah, I don't like Steam, but it's a nice idea and it does have a lot going for it.
I absolutely love steam because it's the perfect forum for indie developers to release their games. Without digital distribution networks a lot of these games would never see the light of day, and there are some true gems that could stand up to most mainstream titles. Steam does tend to bugger over the larger games a bit, and finding out that I HAVE TO install a game to steam even if i bought it on disc usually inspires a frustrated groan. But in the meantime i play a few rounds of Audiosurf and all is well again.
So yes, steam is good.
So yes, steam is good.
I don't have Steam and I probably never will.
However, a gaming friend of mine has it, has explained it to me and has shown me his games and what he considers to be the pros and cons of it. It was also installed on computers at my college for gaming purposes. I had fun with it and enjoyed it while I was there.
From what I gathered, it's a very nice setup. Especially when compared to XBox Live and PSN; the difference shows and now I understand why Steam is considered to be superior to the above mentioned services.
However, a gaming friend of mine has it, has explained it to me and has shown me his games and what he considers to be the pros and cons of it. It was also installed on computers at my college for gaming purposes. I had fun with it and enjoyed it while I was there.
From what I gathered, it's a very nice setup. Especially when compared to XBox Live and PSN; the difference shows and now I understand why Steam is considered to be superior to the above mentioned services.
Never use it, seen it don't want it. Although I hate valve 
(meh portals OK...Thats it... really that all.)
(meh portals OK...Thats it... really that all.)
It's cheaper, and it's cloud-based. Both of these nice things have natural consequences, which I dislike, like the whole "you need to have the most recent updated version of this game to play it" thing, and the fact that it eats up memory to have it in the background the whole time.
all gimmicks and comfort functions aside, it still is primarely a copy protection/digital rights management tool, and a measure to prevent you from selling your used games. this is what it was made to do, if you look past the crap of how they try to make us like it (successfully so, unfortunately.)
i don't know how things are on your end, but i remember when in pre-online-activation days it was the most common thing to trade in or sell games you didn't want or need anymore. according to your profile you are born in 94, so you probably didn't even game that much in the days before steam.Woodsey said:
could be a regional thing, yes. but there was quite a used game market here.
cut through all the fanboyism and one will see that it gives us nothing we could not have another way with the same comfort. it's really scary to behold how they made a tool to chip away on gamers rights appeal to gamers. and we are swallowing it, as we are supposed to -.-
Used pc games?Kathinka said:
What?
I think Steam is a great platform/service. Yesterday I did a drive reformat and since then Steam has been downloading my games for me when I tell it to. They also have some of (if not the best) sales on games going. Wait for the right time and you can end up getting a bunch of triple A games for less than twenty quid combined.
Absolutely love their christmas sales
Bad. Well maybe not really bad, but you don't own the games because they're linked to an account. If you get banned you lost your whole collection and they can ban you for any reason, even if you so much as let your relative play a steam game on your account.
Likes
1: The convienence, safety, and trustability
2: Players encoraged to start comunities
3: The games
Dislikes:
1: The games. You won't find an open steam community to a game not made by valve. Not unless it is a COD title. You're better off buying most any game on disk or from it's companies download website.
2: Valve, I love them, but I also hate them- they want all of the PC gaming market to be like them, and that makes me feel like this-
1: The convienence, safety, and trustability
2: Players encoraged to start comunities
3: The games
Dislikes:
1: The games. You won't find an open steam community to a game not made by valve. Not unless it is a COD title. You're better off buying most any game on disk or from it's companies download website.
2: Valve, I love them, but I also hate them- they want all of the PC gaming market to be like them, and that makes me feel like this-
I enjoy steam because of the ease to using it. I don't mind not being able to sell used games because personally if I want a game I'd rather see some money go to the developers. For when I'm on a tight budget I just wait around for the sales to start which end up getting me games cheaper than I would have gotten them used anyway.