should steam rule the gaming world?

[Natronus]

I don't think any one company should have a monopoly on anything, even though I approve of how Steam operates itself.

 

[GWarface]

Its true that the downloads can stop itself at randoms times, but i think that has to do with your connection more than steam... You see, i recently moved out from my parents... They have a crappy 2mb/s connection where it would randomly do the stops... But here at my own place, i have a 100mb/s connection and it runs like a naked chick in baby oil... And thats a good thing btw...

Well I just upgraded the connection to my internet from a normal wireless card to short range wireless Ethernet. Which is far faster than my dodgy wireless card ever was. So I doubt it's my internet entirely as we have a very good internet (my dad works for our service provider) which is also very stable.

When a game won't install because 'Steam servers are too busy to handle your request' I am just amazed... you can't install a disc based game because some internet based service is busy? F*ckin brilliant.

It also depends a bit on the game, some games install just fine, while others will do this and their sequels will propably do the same...
And i should know, i have downloaded quite a few games from there...

If that's so then the three games I own which require Steam are obviously some of the worst, since one of those is Empire: Total War and I am a huge Total War fan, Steam has left a bad taste in my mouth and an aversion to all of it's services.

Steam is really only useful for people who use their service, for people who don't it's just getting in the way of their games. I have downloaded one full game off of Steam and I plan to never do it again to the best of my ability...

Well, i feel sincerely sorry for you, as i has had almost none problems with it...
And the minor problems that i have had, has not driven me away from it...

My only problem is that im VAC banned and i wont ever ever get unbanned, not even when pigs can fly...
But that is my problem, i was young and wanted to play some tricks on a friend is CSS, after 5 minutes im banned from secure servers in what is close to 20 games... Bye bye TF2...
But i understand the system and i just blame myself...

 

[Stefan Larsen]

The main thing is INTERNET, I pay for the best connection and use steam. I use a Mac and PC desktops and have no problem. Plus games are cheaper, I love the cloud, and I see a lot of forward momentum in Valve. If you don't like it, don't use it.

P.S. After AT&T was the only phone company, monopoly was outlawed in the US. This includes distribution of products in any why that no other distributor distributes.

 

[SextusMaximus]

No. It should be just how it is, not everyone likes it, but those who do enjoy it tremendously.

 

[Jroo wuz heer]

steam is to the video game market as netflix was to movie rental businesses
it will kill the traditional market and usurp it's place eventually.
maybe not as fast as netflix did, due to the smaller target audience, but eventually it will, whether we like it or not. Once they begin selling console games (maybe through LIVE or PSN or whatever the Wii has) I will be perfectly fine with it. the internet is everything now.
you would be naive to try and fight it

 

[The Hive Mind]

No so its a good job it doesn't and won't unless it comes to consoles fully.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

IMO, no it shouldn't be standard, and they shouldn't get a monopoly, but they're already number 1 for a reason and should be.

One thing they COULD do, which would grant them a ton more customers, is cut a deal with Dell, Apple, HP, etc, to have Steam, Peggle, and the Orange Box preinstalled on all new Dell and HP PC, and all new Macs. Most of them come with a useless free trial of MS Office, and some other crappy spyware clogging up your system (Norton 360, I'm looking at you), wouldn't it be nice to turn your spanking new computer on and be able to play Portal out of the box?

Yes, I know, Windows Updates, and Steam updates and the like, ok, you'd probably be able to play Peggle while they updated tho.

If Steam likes this idea, let me know, and you can grant me my wishlist

 

[Jroo wuz heer]

Not everyone enjoys steam. I hate that it takes like 5 minutes to startup sometimes, and a lot of people hate having to be online to play their games.
And i'd hate to give Gaben a monopoly on the market, since it just means more money to spend on delaying EP3.

they should make a system that allows games to be played on the computer they were originally downloaded on unconditionall

 

[drivel]

I love Steam, actually. I was actually pleasantly surprised when Civ V required the use of the platform for multiplayer. Valve provides a great service with Steam, and that's why it's so successful, plain and simple.

BUT...

It'd be impossible to mandate that developers required the installation of Steam. I think developers WANT to include the use of the Steam platform, because it saves them the development time of trying to create friends' lists, etc. These are features that gamers want now, and whine when they're not included. So, if there's another company doing it better than you could, why NOT just include the use of their platform? I like that most of my games are through Steam, and I have a consolidated friends list.

My major pet peeve: a game that I downloaded through Steam that ALSO required GFW: Live, a la Dead Rising 2. BLECH.

 

[Flac00]

Let's look at the facts shall we?
Valve = Evil.
Digital Distribution = Evil.
A digital distribution platform that Valve runs and profits from = The greatest threat to gaming there is.
It must be stopped.

Valve is evil? Hm... that is weird since they are one of the most community oriented companies out there. What other game company has doubled the content in some of their games for free? Not to mention their games have always been above and beyond the best.
Digital Distribution is evil? At least from the way DD works on steam, it does not seem evil to me. It is just one way for companies to produce games and sell them without having to print out as many CDs or DVDs, which means that they can charge less for games. Just look at what steam has done. There are constant discounts that are absolutely amazing, and you don't have to worry about loosing your game since you can just re-download it free of charge. Seems pretty good to me.
This is not a threat to gaming. A threat to gaming is putting support behind game distributors that are both overcharging and too strict on what you can and can't do. A threat to gaming is DLC that costs money despite the lack of content you get. A threat to gaming is large multinational corporations that shut down innovative games because they are not as commercially viable. Valve is none of those things, so they are not a threat to gaming.

 

[Flac00]

I love Steam, actually. I was actually pleasantly surprised when Civ V required the use of the platform for multiplayer. Valve provides a great service with Steam, and that's why it's so successful, plain and simple.

Exactly, it is like a higher quality free Xbox live! Only with insane deals.

 

[Flac00]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't there laws AGAINST any particular company having a complete monopoly over any specific industry? Doesn't that go against one of the amendments on some important piece of paper from point in history? (So sue me, I'm no history buff... and I'm British, but I'm pretty sure it's on some American law thingy. Bill of Rights or something).

That wouldn't be this. A monopoly is when it is impossible to buy a certain kind of product since a single company has either eliminated or bought out all of their competitors. If all computers came standard with steam it still wouldn't be a monopoly since you can buy games both online and offline with other methods.

 

[Flac00]

We're headed out of the era of physical media. Everything is eventually going to be like Steam in one way or another.

I dont know, maybe it is just me but I like having a CD when I buy a game...But maybe I am just crazy

 

[Flac00]

Not everyone enjoys steam. I hate that it takes like 5 minutes to startup sometimes, and a lot of people hate having to be online to play their games.
And i'd hate to give Gaben a monopoly on the markey, since it just means more money to spend on delaying EP3.

You dont have to be online to play.... Theres an offline mode..

I think it should be standard... It already is for me anyway...

Let's say you bought New Vegas retail, and don't have an internet connection. You just want to play the game you bought, but you have to be online to register for offline mode first.

Only once though. Plus, other games require this. It isn't the fault of Steam, it is that the game needs to be registered. I play my games offline all the time.

 

[minus_273c]

Let's look at the facts shall we?
Valve = Evil.
Digital Distribution = Evil.
A digital distribution platform that Valve runs and profits from = The greatest threat to gaming there is.
It must be stoppd.

Valve = Evil. << Opinion, not fact
Digital Distribution = Evil. << Opinion, not fact
A digital distribution platform that Valve runs and profits from =
The greatest threat to gaming there is. << Opinion, not fact

In my opiniion digital distribution rocks, and with the exception of Minecraft and MS Flight Simulator my entire collection is on Steam.

CJ

 

[Moromillas]

Is that a rhetorical question? Or maybe a troll thread?

No, no it shouldn't. It would create a monopoly and because there's no competitors, the price of video games would be ridiculous.

 

[TaboriHK]

We're headed out of the era of physical media. Everything is eventually going to be like Steam in one way or another.

I dont know, maybe it is just me but I like having a CD when I buy a game...But maybe I am just crazy

You're not crazy, but it's cheaper and infinitely easier to handle and manage for them.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Well personally I much rather Xfire for community and general chat between games. I only really even got Steam or use it because I had to. I do like it and it does have it perks but no a monopoly is never good but yes it should be able to detect all games and let you know who is playing what. It is BS you can buy GW off Steam but since I got it normally it won't recognise me playing it. It is also BS that DoW2 requires both Steam and GWFL(as far as I know). A game should not require 2 online fuctions to work. You even need to log online to play campaing or atleast I have had to but it can run offline.

 

[Knusper]

I absolutely love Steam and to be honest I have never actually found a game I really really want and it has not been on Steam. But as some people have said, I think it's bad for the market if there is one dominant company. I'm happy as long as they keep giving me cheap deals.

Oh, and what's all this 'you can't log on in offline mode if you don't have an internet connection' business I tried it just earlier today and it was fine.

 

[Paddin]

Well I'm not sure if the OP is trolling when he says it should install itself when you install your OS. If he is serious then holy fuckballs. Steam is good but it isn't that good, it takes up too much memory to be a program running in the background of every game. Plus if it were the ONLY game distributor there would be no sales because there would be no rivalry. Steam is good, but it doesn't deserve so many fanboys.

Then you check the game requirements before you buy a game and dont buy it if you dont meet those requirements... Easy as that... Thats almost as saying that the game developers should give you a new graphics card because the one you have is outdated...

Unless the game wants you to hook it up with Steam and cant be played wihout that... And if so, Theres propably a big, fat sign on the back that says that... If then, read section above...

I think... you missed the... point of what he... was... trying to say...

He is saying that... if you buy retail... games then... if they are... on Steam you... have... to install them via... Steam...

This means that someone... with a computer with no... internet connection cannot play... the game they purchased... when I bought my copy of Dawn of War 2 off... Amazon it didn't say anywhere... I needed to have a connection... to play it...

Everyone complained about how... Assassin's Creed 2 had... annoying DRM, it works in the same way with... Steam...

(please just use full stops when you type, otherwise it looks ridiculous)