Steam will kill pc gaming

[^Ben]

Snore,

Whiineeeeeeeeeee.

Guess what if valve goes out of buisness retail copys aint exactly going to work either, the CD's just contain the GCF files.

Steam went down for about 2 hours on launch day, off the top of my head i can only remember 1 mmorpg that didnt go down the first day.

I think some people are making a mountain out of a molehill.

And if they didnt have steam when the stutter bug would of been patched(how long would they wait to collate alot of bugs into 1 fix to deem it worthwhile?) Do you want to wait in a line at fileplanet for 6 hours? Or do you just wanna turn on steam and let it update and play.

") Everytime I try to play the game I have to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours for Steam to update itself or HL2."

It's updateed itself twice since launch and that was to only fix bugs whiney little cry babies like you have.

The amount of idiocy in this thread astounds me.

Somebody call the whaaaaambulance!

It's a lose lose situation for valve at the moment. They have a great program at the moment, but because some people are having problems and people who dont have problems usually dont come onto forums praising steam, it looks like the steam troubles are amplified.

You only need to TRY and look past the luanch day troubles to realise what potentiol steam has.

(spelling cant really be assed trying to get it all correct)

 

[Beanhacker]

I think Steam is great for Broadband users... but for people on Dial-Up who had to buy the CD/DVD edition to get the files... well, it sucks.

if all you can afford is dialup... well, you suck.

 

[Damage Inc.]

The point is, potential customers are lost because of the hassles encountered with this Valve/Steam conglomeration. I just want to play the game. I don't want my PC occupied with B.S. software and advertisements.

 

[ChareltonHest]

Beanhacker: if all you can afford is dialup... well, you suck.

Eletist snob.


C.H.

 

[Mr Crowley]

Waiting 2 hours just to play an offline game (Hell some people have been waiting for days) , is not entertainment.
All thanks to this steam-ing pile of cack, thank you Valve what a great idea.

I returned HF2 to the store forthwith and recieved my money back.

I just wanted to install and play the damn thing , not twiddle my thumbs, and make a cup of coffee as my copy of HL2 SLOOOWWLLLYYY became decrypted.

Of course the copy of HL2 i bought at the store can't be resold by them, as i have the username and password.

Well done Valve.

 

[packet_loss]

if all you can afford is dialup... well, you suck.

You ignorant fool. What about people like myself that don't have a choice. All I am able to get where I live is dial-up. I'm too far into the country for any means of broadband, be it cable, dsl, or wireless. And satellite is out of the question, because even the best 2 way systems still have about a 1000 to 2000 ms latency.

 

[paratwa]

After a week of this I still think Steam sucks! Ive given up playing the damn game, its faster to just play Ut2k4 and to hell with Valve and Steam.

 

[dragonflyr]

i've only read the last couple posts here ... but i gotta say:

1-I ONLY have access to dialup access. Had DSL for 3 years at old home. So .. I would LOVE to have the opportunity to pay for broadband.

2-Steam totaly SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!! i've been screwin around tryin to get the thing to work behind a proxy. (and if I do get it to work .. it appears that I'll be downloading all night ...what a steaming pile...)

What a freakin waste of time this has been!! I BOUGHT the effing game .. $54 !!!!!!!!!!! Let me friggin play it!!!!

JEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I own/bought retail all the games I have (PC and PS2). I think piracy is crap ... but, OMG ... If this is where we are headed, then I pray somebody cracks this stuff.

done ranting now... and probably headed back to Target to try to get a refund.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Yes, I complain! Steam is f*cking with me again. Take a look at the browse games again. Its no longer as you describe. I have to buy HL2 to get HL1. Same goes for a few others. Its the lack of options that seems suspicious to me.

Funny, under "Individual games", I have a whole load of.....individual games.

Regarding this whole thread - for the majority of people, Steam works fine. This thread is just part of the vocal minority (people happy with Steam don't post threads saying "MY STEAM WORKS!!! RO><0R!!!111")

Yes, it sucks that you have problems with Steam. That doesn't in any way mean that Steam is inherently broken. Any large-scale software rollout is going to have issues on a percentage of the target computers (especially with the variety of hardware/software combinations out there). Over time, this percentage will decrease.
Steam does not signal the death of PC gaming. Given the massive sales of HL2 via Steam, the opposite is true. A content delivery platform like Steam can only aid PC gaming, bringing a distribution system back to the developers. What's killing PC gaming? Publishers.
Invasion of privacy? It requires an email address. You can even use a fake one, or sign up a free one if you're bothered about privacy.
Yes, it requires an internet connection. Welcome to the 21st century. However, Valve stated that the compulsory connection would only be for the first couple of weeks.

Thanks.

 

[mooboy]

I just wanted to add in my .02. I certainly dislike whiners, but for those that think there is nothing wrong with steam or the HL2 install in general are smoking crack.

I actually bought the game cause I was near an EB.
Came home to install it. Was going to just let her rip on my d600 laptop. It should be able to work. 1.7ghz, 512MB ram, Ati mobility, cdrw/dvd. But it couldn't read the install cd?!? Kept saying that some files were corrupted. The cd was of course flawless, so I would not accept that BS. So I say ok fine, I'll try to play it on my 2.5ghz Gf4 Ti4200 desktop machine. It read the install cd, but it would randomly fail on some cds. Kept trying until it finally installed, but when steam loaded, it COULDN'T figure out that the game was installed. Checked out the faq on sierra's website. Didn't see anything regarding the problem. Filled out the support request e-mail form. That was over a week ago. Still have not heard back. Googled the problem, and came up with some vague posts on some HL2 forums that suggested that the game could not be installed properly from dvd writers or cd writers. Didn't really sound like my problem because like I said, it INSTALLED. Being that i've had the game for a while and I couldn't even play it I was desperate. I uninstalled the game, plugged in an ancient 8x cd-rom drive. Reinstalled. And finally it worked!

Why doesn't this game install from a dvdwriter or cdwriter? I have no idea. I've installed over 20 games with these drives. Not to meniton applications and other misc crap.

Why the hell do I have to authenticate a single player game JUST TO PLAY? I have no idea. Authenticating for online play is acceptable. But shiz if I buy the game and install it on my computer I don't need all these extra hoops.

Why do I have to have the cd in the drive to play. If people who download the game don't need to do it. Why the hell should I? I installed the huge freaking game on my hard drive. Stop making me put the cd in.

Valve support sucks. Right on for putting out a game that doesn't work on a wide number of cd writers and dvd drives. Thanks for making me waste time wondering why it can't find the goddamn game, even though it installed "successfully". Right on for not answering my stupid support request. I only paid retail for this $#@$@# game.

I mean its not like I'm expecting the second coming of christ here. I just want to install a game which most think is excellent. Installing a game should not be such a big f*cking hastle.

Also funny to note that when the game first started up. After spending forever validating all files and loading the game. The NPCs did not show up correctly. They looked like spiny blobs. The combine soldiers were fine. Just the NPCs were messed up. I quit and reloaded the game a couple of times and it fixed itself.


:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:


I'm going to try and play the game now. Hopefully I won't be annoyed by the stuttering that happens every couple minutes.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Your CD install problems aren't related to Steam. They're related to SecuROM, a CD-protection scheme mandated by the publisher. Valve have no control over it.

Your support request with Sierra also has nothing to do with Valve - the publisher provides support for the game, with the developer fixing the most prevalent/important problems.

Valve support sucks. Right on for putting out a game that doesn't work on a wide number of cd writers and dvd drives. Thanks for making me waste time wondering why it can't find the goddamn game, even though it installed "successfully". Right on for not answering my stupid support request. I only paid retail for this $#@$@# game.

All that vitriol should be aimed at Vivendi, not Valve.

 

[mooboy]

Your CD install problems aren't related to Steam. They're related to SecuROM, a CD-protection scheme mandated by the publisher. Valve have no control over it.

Your support request with Sierra also has nothing to do with Valve - the publisher provides support for the game, with the developer fixing the most prevalent/important problems.

All that vitriol should be aimed at Vivendi, not Valve.

I suppose my frustration was evident in my post. I did not know about that securom was on this particular game. If I had known I would've just downloaded it. As for the distinction between Valve, Sierra, Vivendi. It really doesn't matter to me. If there is a problem all three are responsible as far as i'm concerned.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Then that's just naivete on your part.

Developers generally despise CD protection, but it's something they have no control over.

 

[mooboy]

Then that's just naivete on your part.

Developers generally despise CD protection, but it's something they have no control over.

My point being, is that whoever's fault it is, the
final product has problems. I don't really care if the developers are the nicest guys in the world and donate their salaries to orphans every month.

 

[CR0M]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet (can't be arsed to read through) but PCGAMER uk has published an article in the latest edition, openly concerned about the fact that Valve, with Steam, are forcing internet connection on gamers in order to play a single player game. This went to press before all the bugs in the game became evident and the laughable first patch was released, so is purely about Steam.

What's more, the increasingly blinkered responses on forums such as 'This thread is just part of the vocal minority, people happy with Steam don't post threads saying "MY STEAM WORKS!!!' (using PMR's post as an example, no offence intended) are clearly just wishful speculation and achieve nothing but witch-hunt mob mentality against those who speak out against it.

A minority? maybe it's true, maybe it isn't, but the simple fact is, a lot of people are unhappy about Steam because fundamentally it is unfair, and totally unnecessary. Given the choice of a game that plays out of the box or the ridiculous half an hour to 2 day authentication process, it amazes me that people will choose the latter in order to save themselves a 5 minute trip to a shop, or maintain some deluded fantasy that they are in fact helping to save the gaming industry from piracy.

The f*cking mind boggles.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Actually, I do take offence to being referred to as "blinkered". Just as you refer to my comments as "wishful speculation", I can call the comments of those complaining about Steam as the whiny shoutings of a vocal minority.

Given the choice of a game that plays out of the box or the ridiculous half an hour to 2 day authentication process

Or a game that you can preload in advance, and undergo an instantaneous authentication process. You're projecting the negative experiences of the minority onto everyone, which blatently isn't the case.

I don't think a single person buys from Steam because they think it's saving the industry from piracy, nor have I seen a single person express that opinion. However, given the choice, I would buy via Steam over retail because I'd rather see more money go to the developer than the publisher.

 

[Darkn3ss]

Funny, under "Individual games", I have a whole load of.....individual games.

That’s because you already own them. If you don’t then there's a link that takes you right back to the HL2 packages.

Regarding this whole thread - for the majority of people, Steam works fine. This thread is just part of the vocal minority (people happy with Steam don't post threads saying "MY STEAM WORKS!!! RO><0R!!!111")

You sure about that?! There sure seem to be allot of us. I sure don’t get the sense that this many people are bitching about Doom3 or Far Cry.

Yes, it sucks that you have problems with Steam. That doesn't in any way mean that Steam is inherently broken. Any large-scale software rollout is going to have issues on a percentage of the target computers (especially with the variety of hardware/software combinations out there). Over time, this percentage will decrease.

What shall we call it then, when a piece of software doesn’t work on a variety of PCs? Beta, perhaps. hmmmm.

Steam does not signal the death of PC gaming. Given the massive sales of HL2 via Steam, the opposite is true. A content delivery platform like Steam can only aid PC gaming, bringing a distribution system back to the developers. What's killing PC gaming? Publishers.

I wont argue the last point, but Steam is not the answer. Steam will do nothing to aid PC gaming for the consumer. In fact quite the opposite. It makes using a PC for gaming frustrating and difficult

 

[Darkn3ss]

Snore,

Whiineeeeeeeeeee.
[cut]
The amount of idiocy in this thread astounds me.
Somebody call the whaaaaambulance!

I agree!
Your condescending post here is proof of it.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

That’s because you already own them. If you don’t then there's a link that takes you right back to the HL2 packages.

Oh, you mean the Source-based games? No, they're not individually purchasable yet.

You sure about that?! There sure seem to be allot of us. I sure don’t get the sense that this many people are bitching about Doom3 or Far Cry.

A lot compared to the total amount of people that bought HL2? No.
Spend any amount of time on a Far Cry or Doom 3 forum, and you see exactly the same kind of thing (especially Far Cry - the amount of bitching about CryTek's support far surpasses this)

What shall we call it then, when a piece of software doesn’t work on a variety of PCs? Beta, perhaps. hmmmm.

No, software. You find me a company that can write a complex piece of software that can run flawlessly on each and every PC, every combination of hardware, software and drivers.

I wont argue the last point, but Steam is not the answer. Steam will do nothing to aid PC gaming for the consumer. In fact quite the opposite. It makes using a PC for gaming frustrating and difficult

For some people

 

[CR0M]

whoa there PMR, being just a tad over sensitive aren't you? your quote was nearest to hand and summed up pretty much the over zealous responses to anything anti-steam/anti-valve on this forum. Your reply is proof in point. Fold your arms, turn your nose up and continue with your 'whiner' rhetoric if you want but attitudes towards Steam simply will not improve just because you have said your piece.

Or a game that you can preload in advance, and undergo an instantaneous authentication process. You're projecting the negative experiences of the minority onto everyone, which blatently isn't the case.

Preloading in advance required 7 huge downloads over a long period with the risk of corrupted installs, disconnections and account screw ups. Compared to removing cash from a wallet and giving it to a shop assistant, how is that simpler and quicker?
And the authentication fiasco is certainly not instantaneous, the final auth process takes as long with Steam as with retail, as you well know.

I would buy via Steam over retail because I'd rather see more money go to the developer than the publisher.

Very noble of you, and a step in the right direction - devs SHOULD get the fattest cut of the profits. But is that reason enough to alienate so many customers? a future ideal isn't the issue here - a working solution that we are all happy with is. Steam as it stands is NOT it.

 

[^Ben]

You wont be seeing people making posts about steam if they have a good experience with it, you will only hear a vocal minority.

Heres my experiences.

Pre loaded, paid, authenticated, played.

And some of my freinds.

Paid, authenticated, played.

And even the most computer illiterate person i know.

Paid, authenticated, played.

Theese people are not going to come onto a forum and make posts like "Bravo valve im completly satisfied with the way you handled my purchase".

You are going to get a small vocal minority on message boards kicking up a fuss, and because they don't see any "good" posts about steam they assume that nobody likes it, and everybodys having problems.

 

[The Dark Elf]

You wont be seeing people making posts about steam if they have a good experience with it, you will only hear a vocal minority.

Heres my experiences.

Pre loaded, paid, authenticated, played.

And some of my freinds.

Paid, authenticated, played.

And even the most computer illiterate person i know.

Paid, authenticated, played.

Theese people are not going to come onto a forum and make posts like "Bravo valve im completly satisfied with the way you handled my purchase".

You are going to get a small vocal minority on message boards kicking up a fuss, and because they don't see any "good" posts about steam they assume that nobody likes it, and everybodys having problems.

Yep.. My personal problems with steam stretched basically as far as my setup and ISP. Once I got that sorted I was fine, and now after getting slow downloads from fileplanet with a mod, I'm hoping steam host more, was no messing with patches or making sure I had the same thing as the other person

Steam ain't half bad really, just a bit slow.. Course I WILL have issues if every individual company requires you to install something similar just to run games.. One steam is fine, maybe Steam2 setup to work with _all_ games, now that would be really cool, all your games kept neat and tidy (only you'd get a choice where they were installed in the beginning as you do with regular games, unlike always being stuck in the steam folder) Things would be patched when required.

So yeah, if Valve setup a proper Steam company to work closely with other developers so they can release games through that instead of making their own, then it'll be a good thing indeed.

And yeah I know I've changed my tune, but lets face it, my problem wasn't _with_ steam anyway, was with the annoyance of having the good machine not online, fine now. And less pirating means I whine less, so im sure everyone is happy about that

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

whoa there PMR, being just a tad over sensitive aren't you? your quote was nearest to hand and summed up pretty much the over zealous responses to anything anti-steam/anti-valve on this forum. Your reply is proof in point. Fold your arms, turn your nose up and continue with your 'whiner' rhetoric if you want but attitudes towards Steam simply will not improve just because you have said your piece.

Right, and because I take the opposite viewpoint to you then I'm "blinkered" am I? Please, get some perspective.

Preloading in advance required 7 huge downloads over a long period with the risk of corrupted installs, disconnections and account screw ups. Compared to removing cash from a wallet and giving it to a shop assistant, how is that simpler and quicker?

Mainly because it was done well before the game was available in shops. I'd call that a big selling point.

And the authentication fiasco is certainly not instantaneous, the final auth process takes as long with Steam as with retail, as you well know.

The authentication was almost instantaneous. I had to wait a few minutes for the files to be decrypted. It didn't exactly take a big chunk out of my day.

Very noble of you, and a step in the right direction - devs SHOULD get the fattest cut of the profits. But is that reason enough to alienate so many customers? a future ideal isn't the issue here - a working solution that we are all happy with is. Steam as it stands is NOT it.

So you'll wait until there's a piece of software that runs flawlessly on every single PC out there, will you? Expect a long wait.
Some people had problems. The majority didn't (or at least aren't saying anything about problems, which seems unlikely)
If Steam was fundamentally broken, there'd be a hell of a lot more problems.

 

[CR0M]

You wont be seeing people making posts about steam if they have a good experience with it, you will only hear a vocal minority.

There it is again
Assumption, a forum users best friend

 

[^Ben]

Me assuming?

I don't think so i've seen some wild claims on this board like %99 of people hate steam.

http://www.steampowered.com/status/status.html

All theese people obviously have no problem with steam.

 

[CR0M]

Right, and because I take the opposite viewpoint to you then I'm "blinkered" am I? Please, get some perspective.

lol no, you're blinkered because you refuse to admit that there is a problem with Steam and justify it with assumption.


edit - ^ben, without contradictory information that graph proves as little as your previous statement.

 

[^Ben]

And this problem is then?

 

[CR0M]

And this problem is then?

That it alienates gamers.

 

[^Ben]

How?

....

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

lol no, you're blinkered because you refuse to admit that there is a problem with Steam and justify it with assumption.


edit - ^ben, without contradictory information that graph proves as little as your previous statement.

Ah, so what you say is fact, whereas my statements are just assumption?
Please....get over yourself.

You're blinkered because you refuse to admit that there is no problem with Steam and justify it with assumption.

Look! I can do it too!

Prove to me that there is a fundamental flaw with Steam. That it has massive, widespread problems. I won't need to rely on my "assumptions" then, will I?

 

[CR0M]

Ah, so what you say is fact, whereas my statements are just assumption?
Please....get over yourself.
You're blinkered because you refuse to admit that there is no problem with Steam and justify it with assumption.
Prove to me that there is a fundamental flaw with Steam. That it has massive, widespread problems. I won't need to rely on my "assumptions" then, will I?

Well you answered that yourself, everyone with a problem is whining about it on forums. I am reading about it every day, on forums and in print. I don't need to assume anything to prove my point, it's written in black and white everywhere. Whereas you are stating that people with Steam problems are a whining minority with no actual facts to back this up.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Wow, talk about distorting reality....

If you have a problem with something, you post about it to either get assistance or to express your displeasure.

If you don't have a problem with something, you....just get on and use it. You don't make posts about how it works perfectly normally.

I can't believe that you conveniently ignore that fact to bolster your argument.

 

[CR0M]

must... have... last... word... before.... *aaackkkk*

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

So I assume from that that you don't actually have a reasoned response?

 

[Foxtrot]

Something must be done about Steam immediately as it may already be too late.
Pc gaming has been fighting a loosing battle with game consoles for many years, and now that the best pc game is being squeezed through the sh*t grinder call Steam I fear the end is near. Console games are plug n play, for the most part, and only the hardest core pc gamers are going to put up with crap like Steam to get to their games.
Is there anyone left a Valve who cares about pc gaming? I plead with you. Do something about Steam now, or abandon it to the sh*tter from which it came.

Steam will kill pc gaming as we know it, forever.

Bitch got owned.

 

[CR0M]

So I assume from that that you don't actually have a reasoned response?

No, you can assume that I am boooored of trying to explain anything to a fanboy of such epic proportions as yourself. That, or I need a dump. It's ok, your dignity and righteousness in the face of the forum massive is still intact and I'll still love you in the morning.

 

[^Ben]

Classic response, you get beat down verbally and now everyone who oposes you is a fanboy? Just because they don't have any problems with steam and know a lot of people who also have no problems.

You sir are a numpty!

 

[CR0M]

yeah but my dads bigger than yours

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Right. Anyone who disagrees with your negative view of Steam is a fanboy. Of course!

I mean, the fact that you've failed to explain what exactly Steam's supposed fundamental flaws are, and that your only form of "proof" is that people have posted on forums with complaints is just laughable.

You say I'm in the face of the "forum massive". We have over 15,000 registered members. It's not ridiculous to assume that most of those have HL2. Have anywhere near that number posted to register a complaint? Doesn't look like it.

Nice way to bow out of the argument - make it look like a show.
Next time, bring some facts to the party.

 

[CR0M]

Right. Anyone who disagrees with your negative view of Steam is a fanboy. Of course!

Heh no, just you