Steam : what do you think about it? any quirks ?

[DaFox]

Now that I have used Steam for a while, I have personally found Steam to be one of the best things that has ever come along.

Gone are the days of trying to find my brother online, find online servers or running a dedicated server, checking that the right ports are forwarded, that our games are at the same version number, and headbutting the wall because you still can't play alongside each other for unexplained reasons.

Steam > Invite Friend > Play.

Ugh you are completely right, I remember using Gamespy to find servers. I don't even remember how I could connect with friends that I met in game back then...

I do wish they would update their server browser stuff a little bit more. I would like to see team coloring on players in the 'view game info' panel for example.

[whismerhill]

this might be of some interest to some of you guys : http://steamunpowered.eu/steam-alternatives/

quite informative website as a whole

[David M]

Steam frequently has incredible bargains on games that you just don't see in the stores, especially around the holidays.

[Tanuki]

The Steam Subscriber Agreement has changed. Anyone know the differences?

[Ryom]

Many, if not most, major games these days require online activation. This renders hardcopy versus digital moot as far as "owning" a game goes.

[StingingVelvet]

Many, if not most, major games these days require online activation. This renders hardcopy versus digital moot as far as "owning" a game goes.

Not necessarily, there is a case to be made that you have more legal protection with a store-bought physical disc than a download if you choose to violate the EULA for whatever reason. I mean, depending on the court it could end up meaning jack-diddly-squat, but there is a difference in point of sale purchase laws for downloads and physical media.

As for Steam I am sure I commented before but my whole thought process is that DRM is impotent, it's a non-issue, it might as well not exist. Why companies keep using it I have no idea and I feel like it drives more people to piracy than it could ever stop (since it stops no one), but whatever... on an open platform it's completely irrelevant. If for some reason someday Valve or whoever else decide to take my account away I'll look at my games shelf, find the boxes for all the Steamworks games, then pirate the shit out of all of them and burn new DRM-free discs. Problem solved.

In the meantime Steam is annoying sometimes but is mostly harmless, and it's good for multiplayer.

[DaFox]

As for Steam I am sure I commented before but my whole thought process is that DRM is impotent, it's a non-issue, it might as well not exist. Why companies keep using it I have no idea and I feel like it drives more people to piracy than it could ever stop (since it stops no one), but whatever... on an open platform it's completely irrelevant.

I think light DRM is great, something like the simple disk check of yonder. It actually stopped me from pirating a game when I was a little kid, prior to having internet access. That is really the piracy that they have to protect against, the idiots that are too stupid or scared to crack the game.

That being said I definitely agree on that about mass piracy over the internet, there is no point unless you're using the DRM for the first time. (Ala Bioshock using SecuROM 7, the first with online activation.)

[Ryom]

http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/05/machinarium-pirate-amnesty/
http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/12/machinarium-pirate-amnesty-extended-stats-revealed/

[StingingVelvet]

http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/05/machinarium-pirate-amnesty/
http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/12/machinarium-pirate-amnesty-extended-stats-revealed/

I like the guy in the first comment on the second article who tries to come up with elaborate reasons why the US percentage is higher. The US has a lot more people, dimwit.

[DaFox]

[quote]http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/05/machinarium-pirate-amnesty/
http://machinarium.net/blog/2010/08/12/machinarium-pirate-amnesty-extended-stats-revealed/

I like the guy in the first comment on the second article who tries to come up with elaborate reasons why the US percentage is higher. The US has a lot more people, dimwit.

Yep, and the game would be marketed the most there too.

[Tanuki]

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_sof_pir_rat-crime-software-piracy-rate

[Paradigm Shifter]

I didn't even know about Machinarium until Ryom's post.

[StingingVelvet]

I didn't even know about Machinarium until Ryom's post.

You really must not pay attention anymore, it got a lot of press.

[Paradigm Shifter]

Pretty much. I keep up with hardware, but not with games anymore. Usually I hear about games on here, if anywhere.

But the other possibility is that I saw something about Machinarium, but just forgot about it. Considering I'm unemployed at the minute, I'm busier than when I was in the lab...

[Tanuki]

You can get 10 copies of HL2 for $20.

This is useful if you have ever felt the need to buy 10 copies of HL2.

[AussieTimmeh]

You can get 10 copies of HL2 for $20.

This is useful if you have ever felt the need to buy 10 copies of HL2.

All of my wildest dreams have come true...

[DaFox]

I don't think that I know 10 people that I could gift HL2 to...

It's regarded as one of the best games of all time, the best FPS game of all time, the best PC game of all time. Not to mention that its been down to $5 plenty of times, comes with the orange box which also is among the top on the above lists.

It's hard to find PC gamers that don't at least own this game, even if they don't enjoy it.

[AussieTimmeh]

I've purposely set aside some cash sticks for the holiday season, when there should be some crazy deals on Steam as mentioned by other people on this forum already. Just got to be careful not to be sucked in to buying 100 games for $3, all the ones you'll never play! :nudgenudge

[Paradigm Shifter]

It's hard to find PC gamers that don't at least own this game, even if they don't enjoy it.

I agree. All the PC gaming friends I have already own Half-Life 2, which is why I still have a Gift copy sitting in my Steam account.

I remained hopeful that Half-Life 2 was going to be everything everyone was saying it was... and it wasn't. It was a pretty decent game, don't get me wrong... but it just utterly failed to grab me. Mods are what makes Valve games.

[yogibbear]

I still have my free gift of HL2:Ep1 to give to someone from the orange box ages ago... all my friends that play games already have it... (dur)