Steam subscription... do you still trust Valve?

[Marijn]

With hl2 comes the option to subscribe to steam. Instead of getting a box with a game on cd you get a key and the ability do dl the game. This for the price of about $11. No information yet what will happen if you quit your subcription.. can you still play which you've 'paid' for or is all gone?
For this to be realy interresting price wise Valve has to release a game atleast every 5-6 months. That way the games you can download are less expensive then the boxed versions.

Now with the delay of hl2 we see that advertised (!) and insinuated release dates can be pushed back in a flash and without new real info. Do you still trust valve enough to go for subscription or do you want the good old cardbox with a game on a cd?

 

[poseyjmac]

well im going to do the inbetween option. which is pay full price over steam. if i find that valve is doing a good job of providing new content, ill sell my bulk copy and subscribe to the monthly deal

 

[phantomdesign]

I'm going to get the box, but it is not an issue of trust, but preference.

 

[crabcakes66]

No offence...but there have been about 4000000 polls on this subject......

oh well...i guess we are do for one

 

[iamaelephant]

Im going to the store to buy the game, not as a matter of trust in Valve but more as a matter of trust of the internet. I have only ever made one purchase on the internet and I was damn paranoid for the whole 4 days it took to arrive. I just prefer to have the product in my hands when I pay for it.

 

[SidewinderX]

box definatly.... though it's becasue a) i like boxes (main reason) and b) steam ranks up there with HomeLAN on my intelligence level (minor reaosn)

 

[Marijn]

thanks for adding extra option admin.. thought of that after reading first fe posts. ... wait a sec you read my mind... /me grabs tinfoil hat.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by Marijn
thanks for adding extra option admin.. thought of that after reading first fe posts. ... wait a sec you read my mind... /me grabs tinfoil hat.

I just thought it a bit unfair on Steam, since I don't mind Steam, but I still can't stand buying things across the net. I like my boxes, the bigger the better.

 

[Tyrant]

i much prefer the box as well. its nice having the cd case and the manuals that come with the game. but you will have to pay for steam anyway if you plan on playing any hl2 mods. i dont trust steam with credit card info so ill have to set up a prepaid credit card with only enough money for subscription fees so when hackers steal everyones info ill still be safe.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by Tyrant
i much prefer the box as well. its nice having the cd case and the manuals that come with the game. but you will have to pay for steam anyway if you plan on playing any hl2 mods. i dont trust steam with credit card info so ill have to set up a prepaid credit card with only enough money for subscription fees so when hackers steal everyones info ill still be safe.

If that means I'm gonna have to pay Valve to play my own mod then **** em I'll look elsewhere

 

[Someone]

Originally posted by phantomdesign
I'm going to get the box, but it is not an issue of trust, but preference.

Exact same for me too.

 

[simmo]

Anyone voted the "subscribe" option yet ?, no ?, I didnt think so :dozey:

 

[Brian Damage]

I DO NOT like the idea of paying continuously for an unsure thing. According to what I understand from the eMail Gabe answered for me, you will actually have to subscribe to steam to get patches and download mods... so, in effect, you're paying for stuff you should be getting free...

I sure hope it turns out that I misinterpreted the eMail...

Anyway, I'm getting the boxed version, 'cos boxes are special, like presents :E.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
I DO NOT like the idea of paying continuously for an unsure thing. According to what I understand from the eMail Gabe answered for me, you will actually have to subscribe to steam to get patches and download mods... so, in effect, you're paying for stuff you should be getting free...

I sure hope it turns out that I misinterpreted the eMail...

Anyway, I'm getting the boxed version, 'cos boxes are special, like presents :E.

yep, can't wrap a download.

 

[Arno]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
you will actually have to subscribe to steam to get patches and download mods...

Wait.... as I understand it, most mods will be free downloads. You only have to pay for certain quality mods like CS2 and TF2. Patches for HL2 should be free as well. But that's how I perceived it.

 

[Brian Damage]

Originally posted by me in the info thread


From: Brian Damage [mailto:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX]
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 11:07 PM
To: Gabe Newell
Subject: How important is Steam...


Hello Mr Newell...

Apologies for that "Mad Fanboy" email I sent you a while ago...

I just want to ask, is a Steam connection/membership/whatever actually necessary in order to play the normal version of HL2? Or get patches for it?

Thanks in advance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes

Whoops, sorry, I meant to ask him about mods, but forgot. Must of included it in my statement subconciously. Apparently you still have to get patches from Steam, though, or be connected to it to play HL2, which still sucks...

Someone tell me I interpreted this wrong! Please!

 

[Santa]

I seem to remember that when you get a CD, you also get a steam subscription FOR THE GAME YOU BOUGHT. You wouldn't be able to download separate games that are also available in retail boxes, but by purchasing the $50 version you get MULTIPLAYER & MODS. If you get the $40 version, you suck.

 

[Brian Damage]

So the Steam subscription's free then?

Oh.

Still don't like it.

Meh.

<Wanders off muttering>

 

[Mr. Redundant]

Brian, whenever asking Gabe a question be as specific as possible and seperate details into different questions.

Gabe is notorious for giving one word answers, and being extremely vague.

when you coupled subscription/connectivity/steam it seems it can be misinterpreted.
since steam is free, and to play online you need to use steam (the new WON) and you will continue to have to use that connection to steam to even play SP (for a time), his answer is true.

however if you had asked him say: "If I had purchased HL2 (SP +MP) at retail (in store) and I wished to play online/patch my copy of HL2 would I need to pay for an additional steam subscription to support said feature?"

or something... Im sure you would have gotten a different response.
Gabe has been quoted as saying that there will be no PAY TO PLAY fees associated with patching/playing HL2 OR ANY NON-RETAIL MOD (aka 3rd party software)
however people get confused with the whole subscription plan thing they are going to pull (which enables you to play all Valve products via steam and a monthly fee) but the two are NOT RELATED.

they are complicating the market place with inovations (give them time), they are trying to satisfy the consumer with more choices suited to their level of commitment, however realize that if you purchase HL2 at your local retailer, there will be no difference (or additional fees) from what you did if you went out and got HL1.

Ugly rumors get started when people confuse the different payment plans, no need to fret though, they arent true

 

[Brian Damage]

<Bangs head against wall>

Damn. I've already had a bad day, and on top of all that, now I look like a moron ;(.

I'll just chalk it up to Aspergers.

<Puts on "Aspergers Man" costume>

 

[Mr. Redundant]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
<Bangs head against wall>

Damn. I've already had a bad day, and on top of all that, now I look like a moron ;(.

I'll just chalk it up to Aspergers.

<Puts on "Aspergers Man" costume>

Not at all Brian
its a common misconception, you arent the first (nor wont be the last), I didnt mean to sound condecending (actually Im half asleep, so I appologise if it came out that way)

sorry to hear your having a shite day, hope things look up for you soon.
:cheers:

 

[Brian Damage]

Nah, you didn't sound condescending, but you must admit, I made myself look a little bit dumb.

I'm half asleep too, therefore together we add up to one entirely awake person.:E

 

[poseyjmac]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
I DO NOT like the idea of paying continuously for an unsure thing. According to what I understand from the eMail Gabe answered for me, you will actually have to subscribe to steam to get patches and download mods... so, in effect, you're paying for stuff you should be getting free...

I sure hope it turns out that I misinterpreted the eMail...

Anyway, I'm getting the boxed version, 'cos boxes are special, like presents :E.

you understood wrong then, you wont have to pay for patches. major mods yes. not patches.

 

[Chris D]

That's a bit of a myth too. Apparently the more ambitious MOD teams will be able to licence the engine (at a cost to themselves) and sell their MODs or add ons on Steam. That way you'll only ever have to pay for mods worth playing.

 

[poseyjmac]

hence the word 'major' in my post.

 

[Tarkus]

i'm just old fashioned i guess... i love the smell of new instructions booklets and stuff.....
EDIT - Chris_D has to have the best picture of 'em all....

 

[Chris D]

Most of the avatars the staff are wearing have been made by Fenric, and they are great

Expect to see some Christmas decorations appearing soon


I fully back Steam all the way, but I will still purchase any further Valve game through the proper channels. (Unless it's CS:CZ and considerably cheaper through Steam)

 

[iamaelephant]

I think the problem here is that Valve is trying to innovate the market with things that the market simply does not want.

 

[He@t!]

For me its old fashioned cd in box. But that is my choice and preference to buying in stores.. i just like to have the cd heh

 

[Jackal hit]

i like the good ol' box. my plan is to sell my radeon 9800xt coupon to a friend for the price of the game(depending on which version is avail. through coupon offer) and then use that money for the box.

YEEPA!!!

 

[poseyjmac]

i like the book and all, but i also like to try new things, and dont like to be square

besides ill be able to come onto the forum and gloat as i get to play hl2 before all the ones who buy theirs at the store :cheers:

 

[SunHawk]

Boxed CD for me, I prefer having it on the shelf along with manual (or pdf, PLEASE GABE no .pdf manuals ) and other doodads..bragging rights, ya know

BTW whilst waiting for HL2 I have my own copy of Deus Ex now, got it for $9.99 AUD (hey what can I say, some stores LOVE repeat business:cheers: :cheers

Now can I shop or CAN I? :cheese: :cheese:

 

[Mountain Man]

It's not that I don't trust Valve (although one has good reason to question their ability to develop a secure service), it's just that I don't feel like being deprived of playing a game I paid good money for because the server is down. At least with the boxed copy, we'll be able to play single player whenever we want regardless of the reliablity of Steam (or lack of, as the case may be.) This is assuming that Valve doesn't pull the idiotic stunt of requiring even the boxed version to phone home for every play session. I also like the idea of being able to play the game years down road when Steam and/or Valve may no longer exist.

 

[jet jaguar]

Originally posted by iamaelephant
I think the problem here is that Valve is trying to innovate the market with things that the market simply does not want.

Bingo! There's simply nothing about Steam that appears overwhelmingly necessary from a consumer's point of view. Valve has made no claims that any savings it garners from Steam's lack of overhead will be passed on to the consumer. Online verification and updates could've easily been accomplished with the current methods. No, Steam is an unnessary evil that Valve is wholly committed to embedding in our hds. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if Newell and Gates collaborated on making Steam a component of future Windows OS.

 

[iamaelephant]

Originally posted by jet jaguar
I seriously wouldn't be surprised if Newell and Gates collaborated on making Steam a component of future Windows OS.

 

[ShaithEatery]

i'm just gonna buy hl2 and cs2 when it comes out. those are the only things i'm interested in as of now, but if there are a decent # of mods on steam i might concider (i also need to get a job before subscribing to anything :dozey: )