Steam = resource hog = HL 2 slow performance?

[ravennox12]

Since running steam hogs some precious resources and if you decide to buy HL 2 via steam, won't this cause a shittier performance in HL2 since steam is required to run in the backround?

 

[Black-Falcon]

If your counting your "precious resources" then you need to upgrade. Right now the peak processes that Steam takes for me is 5 while pre-loading. And is only taking 5,936k of RAM.

My specs:
ABIT AN7
XP 3000+ 400FSB
1GB PC3200
9500 Pro.

 

[63]

Steam must be running no matter what format you buy...

 

[hasan]

it doesn't matter even if you buy it on CD it will still require steam.

maybe .. with the possible exception of the single-player only version.

edit : dam, beat me to it

 

[Malfunction]

it doesn't matter even if you buy it on CD it will still require steam.

maybe .. with the possible exception of the single-player only version.

edit : dam, beat me to it

There is no SP-only SKU anymore.

Anyway, Steam really doesn't eat resources at all.

 

[Animal]

What if someone doesn't have access to the internet?

Then they can't play HL2?

I don't think you need steam running if you buy it retail.

 

[hasan]

yeah, I don't find steam to eay much resources .. nothing too serious. it's the Source Engine which really needs a LOT of resources (I'd guess)

 

[Wildhound]

Steam is integrated completely into HL2. There is no such thing as a version of HL2 without Steam.

 

[epmode]

I don't think you need steam running if you buy it retail.

yes you do. you likely won't ever need to connect it to the internet, but steam has to be running to play half-life 2.

 

[63]

Steam is integrated completely into HL2. There is no such thing as a version of HL2 without Steam.

well...there is one version.. but let's not get into that..

 

[hasan]

lol, I would edit that.

 

[Wildhound]

well...there is one version.. but let's not get into that..

Actually I believe that also runs through Steam, just not in the overt manner you're familiar with.

 

[hasan]

Actually I believe that also runs through Steam, just not in the overt manner you're familiar with.

not the single player.
edit : actually, even the multiplayer of that doesn't really need steam, not the so called "resource hog" steam anyway.

 

[Wesisapie]

dude you need steam running to play hl2. end of story, sucka!

 

[Wildhound]

not the so called "resource hog" steam anyway.

That's exactly my point. Steam is still there, you just can't see it.

I'd imagine the single player only version will be something like that. The Steam engine will be there, but in an unobtrusive backseat kind of way.

 

[epmode]

there will be no single player only version of half-life 2. that news was from when sierra was still publishing the game.

 

[Asus]

Steam takes up less memory than my browser is currently using.
So far it's sitting around 0% CPU usage as well. When doing a 'refresh all' for servers it takes an average of 5% CPU usage.

Resource hog? I don't see how. No worse than if you left a browser, IM client or winamp running.

 

[Democritus]

I don't think you can justify a resource hog claim -- where is your evidence for it? It's using 8k of my memory and no CPU time while idle. Internet Explorer is currently using 51k

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Steam is taking up 2412K on my PC
Firefox 30,096K
Yahoo messenger 21,000k

STEAM IS HARDLY A MEMORY HOG!!

A little tip, when steam loads up, minimize it and it uses less memory for some reason.

 

[hasan]

I think people still have something inside them (uncounciously) against steam since the old days when it was slow ..

steam is not a resource hog, it takes some time to load up .. yes, but not a hog.

edit:

That's exactly my point. Steam is still there, you just can't see it.

I'd imagine the single player only version will be something like that. The Steam engine will be there, but in an unobtrusive backseat kind of way.

yeah, the new VGUI is totally based on steam, or steam code for that matter.

 

[hasan]

-- double post --

edited last post instead (plz delete this)

 

[FoB_Ed]

News flash people: there is no SP only version of HL2!

 

[hasan]

We were talking about another thing .. use your brain a bit -.-
(sorry for being rude, but it's irritating that you are thinking we are stupid)

 

[Bleeder]

Mine was just 30,512k......

 

[jet jaguar]

I seriously hope Valve covered ALL their bases this time, even for the guys with just dial-up. What if I want to play HL2 on my laptop and I don't have an internet connection? Does that mean I'm out of luck? Again, Valve, I hope you covered all contingencies.

 

[Milo 7]

u dont need to have steam to play HL2!!
that would be the dumbest thing then nobody without internet could play it lol .

u can install it without steam u only need steam for updates etc.

i can install cs:cz to WITHOUT steam, but u cant play online or get any updates

 

[Lanthanide]

I'm curious why you would need Steam running while playing offline. I suppose the answer is "anti-piracy!".

But in reality, that doesn't actually make sense. The only anti piracy systems that truely work are ones that report data continuously/on-login over the internet to a central database (and many of these can still be compromised). But because this whole situation is assuming that you never go online, running steam while off-line doesn't have any justification (as far as I am aware, anyway).

Of course, there's no reason why they couldn't have coded it to require you to run steam anyway, even if you never connect to the net, but it's rather a moot point - if steam isn't connected to the net, then it can't possibly be a resource hog (as it won't have any data to send/manipulate).

So, to sum all that up:

1. I question why Valve would require you to always run steam while playing HL2, doesn't seem to be much gain in that from my perspective.
2. Even if they do, it won't affect the end-user who only plays offline anyway.
3. As other people have posted, it won't (really) affect anyone who plays online either with it's very low memory and CPU overhead. Furthermore, everyone else playing online will also be running Steam, so it's not like anyone would be at a disadvantage compared to anyone else (unless they had a -really- wacky/old computer that Steam + HL2 crippled, but could just barely play HL2 by itself)

 

[Mr-Fusion]

I'd like to see a survey of people who play computer games with the internet on vs people who play computer games with the net off. Anyone got a link to some research like that?

I know i always have the net on and steam stats indicate that there are at least 130,000 people playing each day. Steam authentication being compulsory wouldn't be alienating as many people as i THINK it would.

Again, i'd like some research to prove my opinion!

 

[Element Alpha]

the small metal cord(tm)

I seriously hope Valve covered ALL their bases this time, even for the guys with just dial-up. What if I want to play HL2 on my laptop and I don't have an internet connection? Does that mean I'm out of luck? Again, Valve, I hope you covered all contingencies.

Use OFFLINE MODE to play without an internet connection. Maybe it also consumes less resources that way, but I don't know about that.

About the updates, just copy a gcf file on a cd from a friend or from wherever and you'll have the same updated version as where you got it from.

Furthermore, a small metal cord(tm) will slice through butter.

Lastly, having your head up your ass isn't as productive as you might hope, and also it's a resource hog (offline mode won't help).

 

[Homercidal]

I doubt I'll be playing Online. In fact, unless I can play a friend via direct IP I KNOW I won't be playing online. I could care less to play with a bunch of cheaters and smart-asses that I dont' even know. It's much more enjoyable to play against someone you can trash talk in person the next day.

Actually, I'll probably rarely even play IP, if it's available. Probably just play Single-player and the oocasional LAN game. (More if the MP is good).

I would rather not have STEAM loaded at all since for me it will do nothing to enhance my gameplay. To me, STEAM is just one more useless thing that gets installed on my computer when I install something I want. But, since Valve has decided that they need to keep control over their software, I'll likely be stuck with STEAM loaded on my computer, like it it or not.