Why do People love Valve so much?

[Colt47]

Love seems like a strong word for Steam and Valve. It's more along the lines of toleration as the system may be DRM, but it automatically updates the games in a players library and offer a convenient system for keeping track of the gaming library. The one thing I'm against is having every single video game company coming up with their own mini-version of steam to run in the background. One steam is enough: either don't upload the game to steam and use a web based solution for keeping track of game purchases like amazon, or use steam.

 

[black_knight1337]

That's because all those other developers don't do Steam, like you just said. Developer that does Steam + decent games = developer that's probably going to be more popular than developer that just does decent games. Besides that lots of developers get loads of praise. CDProjekt, Obsidian, Bioware were worshiped prior to DA2/ME3, Nintendo, i could go on. Maybe those developers don't get quite as much praise as Valve, but they certainly get a hell of a lot less shit, so it evens out really.

Mhmm, I agree completely. It's just that I can't not see it as highly exaggerated.

Also i don't know what all these other problems are that Steam is consistently causing. Unless having all my games in one easy to access place, downloadable wherever, whenever, along with a functional community system overlaying almost all games, is a problem.

There's that bug that I had in the last post, there's the fact that it's 'offline mode' still can be a hassle. It's a lot better than before, but that isn't really saying too much. It consistently wants to reinstall pre-requisites for games. The checkout part of the Store doesn't work at all on a slow connection. If you want more go back a bit in my posting history for a Steam bug thread that was around a while ago.

Also, I'm assuming you got your account back in the end or you'd be kicking up a massive stink about not getting it back at all, which you aren't. Clearly they managed to work through the problem for you in the end, you can't really expect more than that from them. And your bug problem sounds exceedingly specific to your PC alone, and the solution so simple i can't help but feel you could have solved that yourself with minimal effort, especially considering you found the answer on the internet anyway.

Actually no, I never got my account back. The reason why I'm making a big fuss over it now is because I'm long past doing that. And that bug isn't "specific to my PC alone". Firstly, it's happened on two of my PCs. Secondly, there have been plenty of reports of the same thing. And sure the solution is "simple" but it is also highly unintuitive. It's like how oblivion is(or at least was) with mods. That even after removing every trace of a mod, the game would still somehow pick it up unless you reinstalled it in a different directory.

Examples of good service

- Steam sales
- Free game giveaways
- Added content to their games for free
- Easy online online game invite/joining service
- Steamgreen light allows for smaller games to get better exposure
- Steam is able to sell niche art games

Eh, taken out of context but I'll bite. Agreed with the sales, that's the one thing that I do really like about them. Game giveaways? iirc there's only been one. That one where they gave someone every Steam game, would've generated quite a bit of money. Unless you count Dota 2, which is pretty much F2P at this stage. Free patches? That's just an expectation for any dev. Easy game invite/joining service? That's just a standard. Pretty much every multiplayer I've played in recent times has had a system much like Steam. Steam greenlight allows for smaller games to get better exposure? Except that's been called a failure by pretty much everyone. This, "better exposure", is ~15 000 people. Really isn't much when you look at the big picture. Steam is able to sell niche art games? So... what's your point? Anyone can sell niche art games.

Did that eventually get resolved? I had my account phished last year, and they got it back to me without any hassle.

Nope, never got my account back. Thankfully I had a couple of mates who helped me out in the next few months to get my current account to where my old one was.

 

[G-Force]

Eh, taken out of context but I'll bite. Agreed with the sales, that's the one thing that I do really like about them. Game giveaways? iirc there's only been one. That one where they gave someone every Steam game, would've generated quite a bit of money. Unless you count Dota 2, which is pretty much F2P at this stage. Free patches? That's just an expectation for any dev. Easy game invite/joining service? That's just a standard. Pretty much every multiplayer I've played in recent times has had a system much like Steam. Steam greenlight allows for smaller games to get better exposure? Except that's been called a failure by pretty much everyone. This, "better exposure", is ~15 000 people. Really isn't much when you look at the big picture. Steam is able to sell niche art games? So... what's your point? Anyone can sell niche art games.

The giveaways happen a bit more often. Randomly they'll give away games like Portal and other titles such as the big Christmas event they had. I managed to get L4D 1, Max Payne and Portal 2 for FREE. Then there was Black Mensa Source which redid Half Life The patches you are not giving enough credit, these are bug fix patches I'm talking about add on content that other publishers would charge money for.

Team Fortress added new weapons to each class update (before it went free). Man vs Machine which was a completely new game mode with enemies was also added free of charge

L4D 1 added a new level for free same with L4D2. In addition to that L4D2 allowed players to revisit L4D1 maps but with all the upgrades from 2 regardless of the fact if you owned the first game or not.

When I was referring to easy game joining I was talking about Steam's system where you could join in on a friend's game without them sending an invite. Most other games you need a formal invite using the system's dashboard unless it was an MMO. Also my point about the art games is while anyone can sell niche art games many publishers don't. You won't see experimental titles like Thirty Flights of Loving come to xbox live or To the Moon hitting PSN.

 

[Gameguy20100]

As I surf the web waiting for my gargoyles Episode to Buffer I have to wonder why do people seem to love Valve for everything I don't get it.

The most common Reasons I get are these.

Steam:
Now I almost never buy games digitally so I avoid Origin and Uplay which People don't mind but I get a lot of shit for this Steam has all the problems other DDS's have why forgive them for all of it and demonize others for the same stuff?

Because Steam is 100x less intrusive and actually offers INCENTIVE to use it as opposed to being a hassle like Origin or Windows Live.

Their games are perfect:
They haven't released a new game in years and ALL of them are greatly over-hyped at least for me

2004: Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source
2005: Day of Defeat Source
2006: HL2 Episode 1
2007: HL2 Episode 2, Portal, Team Fortress 2
2008: Left 4 Dead
2009: Left 4 Dead 2
2010: None
2011: Portal 2
2012: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
2013: DOTA 2

Not half bad for a DEVELOPER that also manages a FREE digital distribution service, constant updates for most of its games, FREE DLC, community mod spotlights and support, etc.

They don't do Micro-payments or DRM:



Yes they do ok Steam IS drm and TF2 has Micro-payments what about all those hats?
Now don't give me that "its purely cosmetic" bullshit that's my Problem, they don't do anything and you never see them because it's first person so what's the point of them?

TF2's micro payments are 100% optional. You can obtain ANY item in the game simply by playing it, OR if you're impatient and want to spend money, you can. How is that a bad thing? It's like saying "Here, here's some cool stuff you can unlock by playing the game, but if you're too busy you can pay extra for it too - AND we'll even pay the person who created the stuff!!!" I can't believe you think this is a bad thing.

Steam is DRM. Steam also allows you to play offline. Also, Gabe Newell has said that if Steam even closes shop, they will release patches to remove the DRM from all of the games. So... problem?

Am I missing something Valve Fans? tell me what's so great about them what have the done that's so wonderful? please Tell me its been bugging me for months!!

1. They treat their customers with respect
2. They offer a service that caters of our needs/wants
3. They make fun games
4. They almost always reply to emails (not ALWAYS, but almost always... seriously, try it. http://www.valvesoftware.com/email.php
5. I emailed Valve to ask them about a character from L4D2's outfit (Ellis) because i was going as him for Halloween. They mailed me Ellis' tow truck hat for free. Just because I asked.

Now you answer a question for ME... What has Valve ever done to you that makes you hate them so much?

Arent all micro payments optional?

and I don't hate them hell I love Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 I just don't understand why everyone considers them as some sort of god they seem like anyother company to me

 

[black_knight1337]

The giveaways happen a bit more often. Randomly they'll give away games like Portal and other titles such as the big Christmas event they had. I managed to get L4D 1, Max Payne and Portal 2 for FREE.

Huh, in the 5 years I've been using Steam I've never seen these happen.

Then there was Black Mensa Source which redid Half Life The patches you are not giving enough credit, these are bug fix patches I'm talking about add on content that other publishers would charge money for.

Team Fortress added new weapons to each class update (before it went free). Man vs Machine which was a completely new game mode with enemies was also added free of charge

L4D 1 added a new level for free same with L4D2. In addition to that L4D2 allowed players to revisit L4D1 maps but with all the upgrades from 2 regardless of the fact if you owned the first game or not.

Black Mesa isn't anything to do with Valve. It was made by modders. As for the patches, they happen all the time. And I'm not talking about bug fixes either. The Witcher 2 had a patch that was over 1GB a while ago, added a bunch of content. Skyrim got mounted combat added to it (among other things). Dungeon Defenders has gotten heaps of new items and levels. All of Blizzard's games (of late) have gotten content updates. The list just goes on and on. It's not something that only Valve does, or even a handful of devs do. It's actually done by a hell of a lot of devs nowadays.

When I was referring to easy game joining I was talking about Steam's system where you could join in on a friend's game without them sending an invite. Most other games you need a formal invite using the system's dashboard unless it was an MMO.

Blizzard's battle.net service has the same thing, unless the game was tagged as private ofc. Plus, I don't really get the point of differentiating that from the usual invite system. Only saves you like 1 click.

Also my point about the art games is while anyone can sell niche art games many publishers don't. You won't see experimental titles like Thirty Flights of Loving come to xbox live or To the Moon hitting PSN.

What about IndieDB/Desura? That's the main place niche games like these get their start.

 

[Bat Vader]

I like Valve and I consider myself a fan of them but I would not consider myself a fanboy. I like them but I don't love them. I think Steam is great and I do enjoy using it but at the same time I like Origin too. I do think that Origin does do some things nicer than Steam even though I like Steam better.

I like how Origin doesn't pause a download when you play a game through Origin. Today I purchased Metro: Last Light off Steam and while it was downloading and installing I decided to play Arkham City. I had to alt+tab out of the game though to start up Metro: Last Light again because any time I play a game on Steam whatever Steam is downloading pauses.
Is there a reason that it does that? I gotta admit it can be annoying at times.

The problems people have had with Origin I have never experienced. Origin has worked flawlessly for me since I started using it. I am not going to hate something that doesn't give me problems.

 

[Austin Howe]

snip

First of all it was a fucking joke!

. . .

And again It was a fuking joke. You know, nothing personal?

It was still absolutely tasteless, which would've been a lot less noticeable if it was funny.

Valve does have subtlety, I'll give them that, but I also obviously wouldn't recommend most AAA games. Since you brought subtlety up, Team Ico titles are also games that I would recommend to non-game people, I can't believe I forgot them. That said, what actually make Bethesda titles good are the subtleties.

 

[bafrali]

snip

Well excuse me if my version of sublety doesn't involve dragons or colosi from the get go.

It is one thing to make a gigantic map and fill it with random things but it is quite different to actively isolate the player from the action in a moderately long for the sake of pacing . That actually takes the risk of losing the players who expected a shooting gallery and find out that they are weaponless for a good chunk of the game and It doesn't need giant creatures in your face to be immersive.

What I really want to know is what makes them beyond just videogames? What do they have over say Half Life 2? Damsels, Dragons, Radiation what?

 

[Tanakh]

That's the reason I dislike Counter Strike not Valve I also have issues with the mechanics and I don't see what It has over say Call of duty but yea that git IS probably the big Reson Is that petty? Probably but hey what you gonna do?

And that alone tells me you either haven't played one of the two or are totally dense...

As for the reason to love valve, I don't, just like Gabe, like Icefrog (most of the time), love DotA (some of the time) and love my companion cube... and like steamworks, had fun at L4D2, have fond memories of Portal 2 multiplayer, love event's of Valve such as The International 2 or the summer sale. Actually I guess I like em a lot, but would never love a company that wasn't mine.

Arent all micro payments optional?

Not if you like to win, they ain't. There generally are 3 types of F2P schemes:

- You are given the game for free but is so broken you are forced into paying to unlock basic gampelay mechanics/content (SW:ToR).

- You are given the game for free but to be competitive/see the content without farming to the bone you need to pay (Planetside/LoL).

- You are given all content for free and pay for vanity items (DotA2).

Now, as much as I like ARTS (DOTA, LoL, etc) the idea of farming for half a year to be able to "unlock" the basic abilities and characters to pull off basic mechanics it's simply retarded, on the other hand I can respect and even invest in vanity items that don't disrupt the so crucial balance in a PvP game.

So yeah, all micropayments are optional, but some of them are necessary in order to win/see content, and I hate those.

 

[dragongit]

Valve is company that likes to have one major focus at a time when it comes to game releases. Sure they will work on a few games at a time but you never see them try to rush 2 games out in the same year like many other companies do. Right now their focus seems to be directed towards finishing Dota 2. People always wonder if they will have something up at E3 but often we're left disappointed because they don't even show up. Who knows this year maybe they will announce a game with the number 3 in it... wait maybe thats why they don't go to E3 often...

 

[Gameguy20100]

That's the reason I dislike Counter Strike not Valve I also have issues with the mechanics and I don't see what It has over say Call of duty but yea that git IS probably the big Reson Is that petty? Probably but hey what you gonna do?

And that alone tells me you either haven't played one of the two or are totally dense...

As for the reason to love valve, I don't, just like Gabe, like Icefrog (most of the time), love DotA (some of the time) and love my companion cube... and like steamworks, had fun at L4D2, have fond memories of Portal 2 multiplayer, love event's of Valve such as The International 2 or the summer sale. Actually I guess I like em a lot, but would never love a company that wasn't mine.

What? I said that CS wasnt fun for me and Cod sometimes was.

and what the hells a companion cube? that small block with hearts on it?

 

[Vigormortis]

Upon reflection, a thought occurred to me. We've all been going about this the wrong way.

To the OP, and anyone else who is asking the same question he is, ask yourselves this question:

"Why do I love ________" Feel free to insert whatever thing you love in the blank.

Now, come up with a reason or two why you feel that way about that "thing".

Think of a reason? Good. Take what ever reason or reasons you came up with, specifically the essence of the reason, and apply that same line of thinking to the "Why do you people love Valve?" question.

Bingo. You've answered your own question. No need to continue the incessant, useless line of questioning. The answer's there in front of you.

Now, before you go on about your day, consider this:

Imagine that at least twice every week someone started a discussion thread asking "Why do you love ________?" Further more, imagine that the first post, and many thereafter, in each of these threads not only questioned you on your opinion but also (directly or indirectly) implied you were stupid or a fanboy for holding that opinion. And, no matter how many times you and others who share your opinion explain yourselves, these same people keep asking you this question.

Now imagine that that's been going on for years.

How would you feel towards the OP of a thread like that? How would you feel about someone who, for the umpteenth time, threw into question your level of intellect for having the opinion you hold?

You'd think rather negatively of them, wouldn't you? You'd be tempted to tell them to "shut the hell up and use the fucking forum search function for once", right? Am I right?

Yeah...


[edit]

For those who didn't quite catch it, here's what I was getting at, only simplified:

People have differing opinions. Don't like it? Too bad. Deal with it.

 

[Vigormortis]

....so I'm probably talking out of ignorance.

And yet, despite this, you're more than willing to make sweeping generalizations about, and to pass judgement on, the company, it's products, and anyone who may be a fan of either.

Seems your attitude and lack of objectivity towards the whole affair speaks louder of your character than the assertions you and others have been making about the character of the Valve fans.

 

[DoPo]

To the OP, and anyone else who is asking the same question he is

But...that's not really the question the thread is asking. And many others for that matter. It's not even a question - it's a rant which is masked as a question and it's not out of curiosity, it's to shoot down some of the others' reasons for liking what they like. So both the "asker" is going to feel better they aren't like the masses of sheep who follow something blindly with flawed reasoning (fanboys) and the "answerer" are supposed to be shocked by the revelation that their opinion apparently sucks and they are supposed to correct it.

Now... and I don't want to plug myself it's just the only example I can think of at the moment. Let me give you brief background - Halo was the first game I ever stopped playing and uninstalled before finishing it. I simply could not understand why people liked it. I mean, seriously - it looked like most shooters at the time, what exactly was so special with that game that it wasn't only liked, there were follow ups and they were all sort of, kinda, well received. At least enough to be notable. So why did people like it? Did they, dare I say it, not know any better? I could ask that and phrase it they way I did now or...you know I could try something better. So I did [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.402889-May-I-have-the-Cliffs-Notes-to-the-Halo-franchise-I-expect-spoilers] - I didn't preemptively attack anybody, I didn't try to imply they were wrong for liking it, I didn't shoot down any of their reasons, I simply asked. Because I actually wanted to know as opposed to...not caring.

 

[Souplex]

My theory is an elaborate conspiracy.
When Half Life 2 came out, and was a reheated piece of shit compared to Half Life 1's magnificence, all games journalists came together and made a pact.
They would mindlessly praise everything that Valve did.
Then when Half Life 3 came out, they would dump pig's blood on Gabe Newell.
But while Gabe Newell is incompetent, he isn't stupid. He caught wind of this plan, and started releasing episodically. Then simply not releasing at all.
It's that or people genuinely like them, but this seems way less crazy.

 

[Austin Howe]

snip

I didn't understand some of that, but anyway.

Bethesda games, despite their poor writing in general, can at least feel like they might be about something, particularly their last two titles. They are by far the worst example I would give of games with subtlety considering those are mostly small moments that have impact but no real thematic depth. I may remember the skeleton the toaster in the bathtub in Fallout 3, and there may be a striking beauty to walking across snow-covered mountains whilst beautiful music plays in Skyrim, but neither of those games can reasonably claim to actually be about anything. But I would still recommend them for that emotional impact of that subtlety.

Ico is a fairly simple coming-of-age story that just happens to have a particularly great way of attaching the player to Yorda, and probably the best example of controller vibration ever. Most games just use it to communicate the physical impact of an explosion or landing from a high jump. In Ico, it's either one of two things, or maybe even both: the patter of Yorda's feet as she tries to keep up with Ico, or the beating of Ico's heart when he's holding Yorda's hands, which are both their own kind of poetry. I wouldn't call that game thematically complex, but it was the first game that made me cry in many years, so there ya have it.

Shadow of the Colossus has similar emotional impact for being as cold and unrelentingly bleak as Ico is ultimately warm, uplifting, and human. The big, empty world filled with ruined structures that there is absolutely no reward for exploring and a constant howling wind. I wouldn't be able to be more specific without writing a lot more words than I already have, but it's about death, obviously, and that theme and that motif of death is woven through every element of the game. In essence, everything about the game is big, but really that's just proof that big can also be subtle.

 

[bafrali]

snip

So you found all of that in those games but didn't find any atmosphere or subtle character moments in Half Life or Portal? Games that gave us City 17 and Glados? Or maybe they are not emphasized well enough for you.

Anyway it is obvious that this is going nowhere so I will just cop out with the different opinions card.

 

[w9496]

I'm not a fan of Valve, but maybe my perspective is different since I play my games on the Xbox, so I haven't had much experience with Steam other than it annoying the freaking hell out of me.

I don't like how they've used the same crap engine to build all of their games. The Source engine was cool and high tech when it came out and is great for the modding community(or so I hear), but it is absolute shit to design a full retail game off of.

I don't care for my L4D2 not working well after Cold Stream either. The disc is fine, but constantly crashes my console when I have Cold Stream downloaded. There are also several glitches that came with the DLC that haven't been rectified, the game rebooting itself mid-match being the most common for me.

Half life 2 was a good game though, as were the 2 episodes following it. They aren't my favorites, but still classics none the less.