What is Steam?

[Radeonx]

http://store.steampowered.com/
Buy games and connect with other players.
It is 100% legal because it is run by Valve a well know and respected game developer/publisher.

Being run by a well known developer does not make it legal. It makes it harder to be illegal. It is legal because the games are sold. The sold games give developers and other affiliates profit. It is a business. The Pirate Bay is well known, yet it is not legal.


OT: Steam is a site that allows you to buy digitally distributed games over the internet. It is very helpful to find the old classics, and the communication aspect to it allows you to play many multiplayer games with friends and anonymous people. And communicate with them.

 

[oliveira8]

http://store.steampowered.com/
Buy games and connect with other players.
It is 100% legal because it is run by Valve a well know and respected game developer/publisher.

Being run by a well known developer does not make it legal. It makes it harder to be illegal. It is legal because the games are sold. The sold games give developers and other affiliates profit. It is a business. The Pirate Bay is well known, yet it is not legal.


OT: Steam is a site that allows you to buy digitally distributed games over the internet. It is very helpful to find the old classics, and the communication aspect to it allows you to play many multiplayer games with friends and anonymous people. And communicate with them.

It's legal cause Valve made it legal, and what they are doing is considered legal...unlike Pirate Bay...

 

[Radeonx]

http://store.steampowered.com/
Buy games and connect with other players.
It is 100% legal because it is run by Valve a well know and respected game developer/publisher.

Being run by a well known developer does not make it legal. It makes it harder to be illegal. It is legal because the games are sold. The sold games give developers and other affiliates profit. It is a business. The Pirate Bay is well known, yet it is not legal.


OT: Steam is a site that allows you to buy digitally distributed games over the internet. It is very helpful to find the old classics, and the communication aspect to it allows you to play many multiplayer games with friends and anonymous people. And communicate with them.

It's legal cause Valve made it legal, and what they are doing is considered legal...unlike Pirate Bay...

I know, I said that being well known does not make something legal. I used Pirate Bay as a point. Many people know of it, but it is still illegal.

 

[ultimateownage]

Why didn't you just google steam? Why did you have to make a thread here just to find out what one of the most widely used online game distribution software Is/does.

 

[Dioxide20]

Steam is what water turns into when you boil it.

Yes it is legal.

^This man is right^

lol

It is Valve's personal digital distribution network that has many extra features. I like to think of it as Xbox live for PC.

 

[Mister Snig]

Steam is what water turns into when you boil it.

Yes it is legal.

^This man is right^

lol

It is Valve's personal digital distribution network that has many extra features. I like to think of it as Xbox live for PC.

Xbox Live with some iTunes thrown in, sans the stupid DRM issues and horrible coding.

 

[Voodoomancer]

Wikipedia says:
"Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute a wide range of games and related media entirely over the internet, stretching from one-man independent efforts to some of the world's most popular games. Steam is set apart from its peers in terms of functionality primarily by its residency in the system tray, and the desktop tasks that the client software performs to make use of that position.
As of August 22, 2009, 853 games are available on Steam, and as of February 18, 2009, there are over 20 million user accounts. All major publishers are on Steam, including Electronic Arts, Activision, THQ, Ubisoft and 2K Games."

...

Short version: It's a internet game store and distributor, and a social network.

 

[C14N]

Steam is basically XBL or PSN for the PC, except that you can also download full games off it and not just demos and indie games. I have noticed sometimes though that it's cheaper to just buy the disc. My favourite part of Steam is the fact that when you run a game (any game) through Steam, you can press Shift+Tab at any time and bring up Steams instant messenger to talk to Steam friends. You can also access the web which is great for guides and stuff.

 

[not a zaar]

Steam is basically DRM that's so useful you don't mind it.

 

[zagazsano]

Ok, first of all.
Steam is a program that you need to play games such as
Left4Dead
Counter Strike
etc.
(or so i think, I needed Steam for Left4Dead)
The website of Steam, is...well www(dot)steam(dot)com
No, it is not illegal to download games from Steam.
You must pay for those games, or download demos for free.
Steam you can join groups that are related to games, sports, etc. You can purchase at their store, which is very convienient sometimes (once Call of Duty World at War was 50% off on Steam, only $25 for 3 days). And...yeah.

So for some games, you need the disc from the store AND Steam to play, but for some you can just download the game off Steam and play it without a disc?

Most of the information up there is... not precise.

As half a dozen people have said... its steampowered.com.

Anything you download to your computer works without a disc. But needs internet connection and you have to be signed on to steam. Its just a safety thing so you don't just copy the download and give it to all your friends.

Steam provides community aspects... though not as good as the Escapist. And online servers for most, if not all, of its games.

If you have the disc from a store. You can play it without steam, But you can use steams multiplayer servers if you sign in.

Yes, steam is awesome, its almost always cheaper than a store, and they have sales all the friggin time.

And its bloody safe. I'd trust them before i trust my local Game Crazy. They're just that upstanding.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I needed Steam to play Left4Dead...so...I guess I'm confused as well.