Steam - Worth it, or overpriced?
- Thread starter thebrainiac1
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I hear the prices are good, but then you have to put up with the steam app load time on top of your game time, if it's updating a game (and you can't stop it if you are logged in), you can't play the game until it's finished. Also steam means that you don't have a backup copy of your games, and re-installing them will probably require quite a bit of downloading. But hey, these aren't problems for everyone, so if it seems worth it, download it and give it a try.
Honestly, it depends on where you live.
Secondly, I think Impulse is a better platform for digital distribution.
However, Steam's launchpad system to talk to people while in a game is pretty cool for people who didn't realize Xfire's done it for years, I guess.
People like me don't generally like to be always available to everyone on my list, so I just don't add half my games to my Steam profile (Believe me, I don't need my 'friends' telling me to go tank hard-mode progression when I'm playing SupCom. :/)
All of this said, it's still great. The deals are great, the multiplayer community it creates is great, the prices where I live are good, and it's a good way to stay in contact with people from multiple games or real life (Offtopic, girls give out their steam ID more than their phone number I realized, just try it one day.)
Considering that Steam -itself- is FREE, I don't think it can possibly be overpriced.
Secondly, I think Impulse is a better platform for digital distribution.
However, Steam's launchpad system to talk to people while in a game is pretty cool for people who didn't realize Xfire's done it for years, I guess.
People like me don't generally like to be always available to everyone on my list, so I just don't add half my games to my Steam profile (Believe me, I don't need my 'friends' telling me to go tank hard-mode progression when I'm playing SupCom. :/)
All of this said, it's still great. The deals are great, the multiplayer community it creates is great, the prices where I live are good, and it's a good way to stay in contact with people from multiple games or real life (Offtopic, girls give out their steam ID more than their phone number I realized, just try it one day.)
Considering that Steam -itself- is FREE, I don't think it can possibly be overpriced.
Steam is far from overpriced, the program itself is free, the games you purchase on it are normal priced and you have a good chance at weekend sales and whatnot. I have seen TF2, L4D, and the Orange Box at ridiculously cheap prices on Steam.
Most games are worth it, and they have special sales going on most of the time, like the $2.50 Team Fortress 2 sale that recently went on
The steam sales are what make it incredible, I got World at War for 25 bucks when it was worth 50. They had Team Fortress 2 for 2.50 one weekend.
Right now Mass Effect is 10 bucks, I'm very tempted to for it. (already have it for 360 but they apparently fixed a lot of issues for PC)
Right now Mass Effect is 10 bucks, I'm very tempted to for it. (already have it for 360 but they apparently fixed a lot of issues for PC)
I recon the older games are cheaper in the shop.
Basic rule of thumb, if it's modable (a game like Oblivion) get it off steam.
If it is meant to be played unmodded, get it on steam.
Basic rule of thumb, if it's modable (a game like Oblivion) get it off steam.
If it is meant to be played unmodded, get it on steam.
steam is totally worth it, there is NO sales tax on the purchases...
From an interview with Gabe Newell:
"When Valve held its recent holiday sale, titles discounted by 10 percent (the minimum) they saw revenue (not unit) increases of 35 percent. At a 25 percent discount, revenue was up 245 percent.
At 50 percent off, revenue was up 320 percent, and at a 75 percent discount, revenue was up an astonishing 1470 percent. Newell stressed again that those revenue boosts represent actual revenue dollars, and not unit volumes."
Just goes to show how much people like steam and it's sales.
From an interview with Gabe Newell:
"When Valve held its recent holiday sale, titles discounted by 10 percent (the minimum) they saw revenue (not unit) increases of 35 percent. At a 25 percent discount, revenue was up 245 percent.
At 50 percent off, revenue was up 320 percent, and at a 75 percent discount, revenue was up an astonishing 1470 percent. Newell stressed again that those revenue boosts represent actual revenue dollars, and not unit volumes."
Just goes to show how much people like steam and it's sales.
I really like steam because it has given me access to some of those old games you just cant get normally, Not to mention they are always having discounts on something. It is also a great way of knowing you can always play a game, so not having to worry about lost cds and what not. I find living in australia that the prices are about the same, sometimes you can pick up things cheaper, other times not, just depends really.thebrainiac1 said:
As of right now, Steam, in its minimize state, is taking up just under 10MB on my computer. If the loss of that 10MB is somehow keeping your game from running smoothly, it is REALLY time to upgrade your system.
If you right-click the game, you should see an option to "Delete Local Content". This will move the game to your "Not Installed" list, which you can minimize. Voila! Out of sight, out of mind.VTNC said:
Not only are games no overpriced, you don't need to concern yourself with loosing disks and security codes! The game is in your account for ever more and can be uninstalled and reinstalled when ever you want. Its fantastic.
Plus I think they've worked out the worst of the problems that it used to have a few years ago.
EDIT: Of course if you have a terrible internet connection, buying games off steam can be a real pain in the arse.
Plus I think they've worked out the worst of the problems that it used to have a few years ago.
EDIT: Of course if you have a terrible internet connection, buying games off steam can be a real pain in the arse.
I remember downloading that Steam interface, but I only used it to play the Audiosurf demo. Personally, I'm liking Direct2Drive more and more these days. You don't have to download an interface like Steam (or whatever it is), and they seem to have some really cool sales. Like when they had all these games for only $5 (I believe I bought the full Penumbra collection which is three games), and their recent Halloween sale where a bunch of scary games were half price. I bought this sweet little indie game called Downfall for $5. Just download, enter the activation code if needed and play.
The only reason not to get it is that when it's running, it can take up some of your RAM. Weekend deals on games will be cheaper than the retail.
Get it, It's easier than ever to get games and you don't have to look tirelessly for cd keys that you've lost when you change PC in a few years.