Steam Facelift

[-smash-]

We can all agree that Steam is needing a nice facelift. Will that ever happen, or is it just wishful thinking? Well, it seems that out greatest dreams have come true!

Before the release of Rag Doll Kung Fu, which is slated for October 12th, Steam will be getting a major upgrade with fixes and addons many have been waiting for. Erik Johnson had something to say about the overhaul:

We're getting ready to release a fairly significant overhaul of the look and feel of Steam, ahead of the release of Rag Doll Kung Fu. Part of this release is going to give individual games more space for people to see screenshots and information about individual games, including MODs.

Over at The Steam Review, it was also noted that Valve has plans to add a new distribution system into Steam to allow downloading free content possible. Does it stop there? Oh no. There is also talk of Lunchtimemama's "Play Games" interface being incorporated into Steam in the future as well. While this is not confirmed, one can only hope that we will someday have control over our own Steam interfaces.

 

[WhiteZero]

I sure hope this'll fix Friends as well...

 

[Varsity]

Not in this release. The new distribution 'for free stuff' won't be in the release either, it's just something that was mentioned in passing.

 

[SimonomiS]

I don't mind if they don't fix Friends, this sounds good enough. I rarely open Steam properly though, so I doubt it'll effect me much.

 

[Sui]

I think Steam is fine as it is :E Still, variation is always good

 

[Chris D]

I think Steam is fine as it is :E Still, variation is always good

It could do with some fixes though, nonetheless.

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

So they're allowing third pary games to be downloaded and updated through here? Right on!

 

[Computer5k]

Was hoping they would do this. My play games list is getting rather crowded lately

 

[The Dark Elf]

Ok gonna say this just for old times sake *grins at Chris_D*

But wasn't this posted by someone called Ben days ago and its only just been put up as news?

*takes away the news teams bread and water*

 

[Insano]

Steam remake? Bring it on!

 

[-smash-]

Ok gonna say this just for old times sake *grins at Chris_D*

But wasn't this posted by someone called Ben days ago and its only just been put up as news?

*takes away the news teams bread and water*

Was it? This was just posted on about 5 big fansites - I saw the date on that article, too, and I know Chris_D wants... Certain timeframes. But this is important stuff, no?

 

[Shamrock]

We can all agree that Steam is needing a nice facelift. Will that ever happen, or is it just wishful thinking? Well, it seems that out greatest dreams have come true!

Before the release of Rag Doll Kung Fu, which is slated for October 12th, Steam will be getting a major upgrade with fixes and addons many have been waiting for. Erik Johnson had something to say about the overhaul:



Over at The Steam Review, it was also noted that Valve has plans to add a new distribution system into Steam to allow downloading free content possible. Does it stop there? Oh no. There is also talk of Lunchtimemama's "Play Games" flash interface being incorporated into Steam in the future as well. While this is not confirmed, one can only hope that we will someday have control over our own Steam interfaces.

Sounds good.

But if friends isn't fixed this time, then I will be forced to boycott Steam and Valve altogether.
Smash? Who is this Smash? Are you from SteamPowered forums? I don't think I know you..

 

[The Dark Elf]

Was it? This was just posted on about 5 big fansites - I saw the date on that article, too, and I know Chris_D wants... Certain timeframes. But this is important stuff, no?

lol you had me second guessing myself there and I had to check then just to be sure hehe

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92727

I coulda sworn I'd seen something, but only caught it briefly and didn't much pay attention to it at the time.

Anyway the picking on the news team is an old thing with Chris way back when News would take weeks to appear and eventually just turned into a regular joke about getting the news up before I could jump in and complain about it. And since its been almost a year it was too good to miss

 

[Chris D]

Be quiet you bastard

Hey, it's a lot better than it used to be

 

[The Dark Elf]

Be quiet you bastard

Hey, it's a lot better than it used to be

lol!

It is actually, quite a lot better infact. There's a good few posts per day on average.

 

[CyberPitz]

Sweet! I wonder if this is going to include Natural-Selection on My Games finally...

Can't wait to see what changes!

 

[The Dark Elf]

I'm hoping if they go for a completely different look it wont become one of these slowly take over your desktop type apps. Something small and simple that doesn't think its its own operating system would be good.

 

[NeoNight]

So they're allowing third pary games to be downloaded and updated through here? Right on!

yeah that would be reaaaallly good for mods. Not only would that help them get a larger fan base but it'll allow them to keep the MODS and updated.

 

[63]

I'm confused by the lunchtimemama thing :S

 

[Shamrock]

As am I.. All I can tell by it is that you can group your games how you want..

 

[D€vIL²]

Sweet
http://webpages.charter.net/lunchtimemama/site2/playgames.htm

 

[63]

Sweet
http://webpages.charter.net/lunchtimemama/site2/playgames.htm

Yeah, thats what I'm confused about. What does it do besides being able to reorganize + start games that I have purchased?

 

[Betelgeuze]

sounds great! First I didnt like steam, but now I love it.
Its so easy and usefull for a lot of things.

 

[Varsity]

There's also a new set of HL2 packages to go with the update.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

But if friends isn't fixed this time, then I will be forced to boycott Steam and Valve altogether.

Best start boycott'ing then, its not going to be in this release, sometime down the line, doubtful it will be more than 6 months though. Plus you can use Xfire till then, they have other things to update first before adding in the "extra's."

 

[homeobocks]

Wake me up when they fix the Friends system.

 

[Shamrock]

Best start boycott'ing then, its not going to be in this release, sometime down the line, doubtful it will be more than 6 months though. Plus you can use Xfire till then, they have other things to update first before adding in the "extra's."

I always use XFire.. I find it much more useful. I did like Friends.. But now all my support goes towards XFire. Its nearly 100% better than Steam Friends. I would just rather have that working..

 

[nvrmor]

they need to do a tabbed interface. sort of what msn messenger has. a tab for hl1 and its games, a tab for hl2 and its games, 3rd party tab, friends list tab, etc. this window for every little thing they have going now just aint cutting it. make the damn friends list work already plz. as well as history and favorite servers.

 

[DoctorWeeTodd]

I always use XFire.. I find it much more useful. I did like Friends.. But now all my support goes towards XFire. Its nearly 100% better than Steam Friends. I would just rather have that working..

They should just integrate that program. If they're talking to some company about using their flashgames that nobody cares about why not negotiate something gamers actually use?

 

[63]

They should just integrate that program. If they're talking to some company about using their flashgames that nobody cares about why not negotiate something gamers actually use?

I've been saying that for years...

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

They should just integrate that program. If they're talking to some company about using their flashgames that nobody cares about why not negotiate something gamers actually use?

Fact is we have no clue what Friends is like right now, it could be the same as Xfire, or better. Only time will tell.

 

[badenglishihave]

I doubt Valve would support voice chat between players regardless of team like Xfire/Gamecomm does.

Anyways, I'd rather hear that Valve has begun work on the engine for the HL3 rather than updating Steam or even doing mods (DoD source done by the community anyone?). I appreciate what they're doing, but I love the original stuff Valve comes up with and the sooner HL3 comes up on Steam the better, imho.

 

[polyguns]

friends was such a cool idea. i remember after hl2 came out, i added all kinds of people to my friends list in a hope to play them, and it never worked


steam has potential, alot of potential, if they fix a few things in it it may be more fun then a hassle

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

I doubt Valve would support voice chat between players regardless of team like Xfire/Gamecomm does.

Well seeing as how they have voice chat ingame, I don't think that really matters...

 

[Asuka]

Very cool stuff.

 

[archcommus]

A question:

I'm on a campus network where Steam's ports are blocked and so I won't be able to update it again until Christmas break. Whenever the new Steam interface is released, could I obtain THOSE updates only by simply uninstalling Steam and redownloading it? Or would it still need to download GUI stuff through itself?

 

[-smash-]

A question:

I'm on a campus network where Steam's ports are blocked and so I won't be able to update it again until Christmas break. Whenever the new Steam interface is released, could I obtain THOSE updates only by simply uninstalling Steam and redownloading it? Or would it still need to download GUI stuff through itself?

Restarting Steam will apply all the changes.

 

[archcommus]

Restarting Steam will apply all the changes.

No, no, on the network I'm on all Steam ports are blocked so I can only use Steam in offline mode. I can't update anything or play online until I go back to my network at home over Christmas break. I'm asking if I can uninstall and redownload and install Steam to JUST get these new GUI changes.

 

[Drackard]

Hmm .... The changes sound good, some seem a little bit pointless in my opinion however suppose i'll have to give em a go and see before i start judging :upstare:

 

[Varsity]

I'm asking if I can uninstall and redownload and install Steam to JUST get these new GUI changes.

Not if the ports are blocked.